Crossroads Blog Tour Day 6: Judith Graves

Bio: Award-winning writer and screenwriter Judith Graves loves tragic romance, werewolves, vampires, magic and all things a bit creepy. A firm believer that teen fiction can be action-packed, snarky and yet hit all the right emotional notes, Judith writes stories with attitude. She lives in northern Alberta and when she’s not writing, or playing bass in a cover band, she works in a school library.

You’re trapped in an  elevator with your favorite (actor/character/ author) and outside there is a horde of zombies, some weird animal is pounding on the top of the elevator...what happens next and who are you with?
I’m  with  screenwriter/director,  Joss  Weaton,  and  we’re  both  trying  to  “use  our words” to write our way out this mess. It doesn’t work. Oh, look, we’re dead.

What’s your favorite horror film or book?
One I can watch again and again, and still learn from is the film, The Shining. That it’s celebrating its 35th Anniversary this year is a real bonus. It’s on TV just about every night. ;)

Book: Fright Before Christmas: 13 Tales of Holiday Horrors

It’s the most wonderful time of year...or is it?

Christmas Eve is a night of mystery and magic, but not always in ways we expect. Things lurk in the shadows and they’re not the least bit jolly or merry. Let’s just say some presents are better left unopened.

‘Tis the season to be screaming along with our thirteen tales of holiday horrors. Ghosts. Monsters. Demons. And more!

This Christmas, be careful what you wish for...

Edited by Shannon Delany and Kelly Hashway with stories by: Richard Ankers, Jessica Bayliss, Ty Drago, Judith Graves, Jackie Horsfall, Patrick Hueller, Ally Mathews, Laura Pauling, Boyd Reynolds, Medeia Sharif, Andrea Stanet, Lea Storry, and Dax Varley

Buy Links: Amazon, B&N, iTunes

Booktrailer:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paxUuNSI2YY

Website: http://judithgraves.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/judithgraveswrites

Twitter - https://twitter.com/judithgraves

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Crossroads Blog Tour Day 6: Kelly Hashway

Bio: Kelly Hashway fully admits to being one of the most accident-prone people on the planet, but that didn’t stop her from jumping out of an airplane at ten thousand feet one Halloween. Maybe it was growing up reading R.L. Stine’s Fear Street books that instilled a love of all things scary and a desire to live in a world filled with supernatural creatures, but she spends her days writing speculative fiction for young adults, middle graders, and young children. Kelly’s also a sucker for first love, which is why she writes YA and NA romance under the pen name Ashelyn Drake. When she’s not writing, Kelly works as an editor and also as Mom, which she believes is a job title that deserves to be capitalized. She is represented by Sarah Negovetich of Corvisiero Literary Agency.
 

You’re trapped in an  elevator with your favorite (actor/character/ author) and outside there is a horde of zombies, some weird animal is pounding on the top of the elevator...what happens next and who are you with? 
Well,  I  hate  elevators  because  I’m  claustrophobic, so  I’m  in  Rick  Riordan’s  arms begging him to get me out of there. 

What’s your favorite horror film or book?  
Pet Sematary has always been one of my favs, but I also love Halloween. Michael Myers is awesome.

Links:

Email: khashway@hotmail.com

Website: www.kellyhashway.com

Blog: http://kellyhashway.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kellyhashway

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kellyhashway

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KellyHashway

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/kellyhashway/

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Kelly-Hashway/e/B004B3W3CU

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4528793.Kelly_Hashway

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/kellyhashway

Instagram: instagram.com/khashway 

The Monster Within Blurb: The moment seventeen-year-old Samantha Thompson crawls out of her grave, her second chance at life begins. She died of cancer with her long-time boyfriend, Ethan, by her side—a completely unfair shot at life. But Ethan found a way to bring her back, like he promised he would. Only Sam came back wrong. She's now a monster that drains others' lives to survive. And after she kills, she’s tortured by visions—glimpses into her victims would-have-been futures had she not killed them. Barely able to live with herself and trying to make things right, Sam ends up a pawn in a vicious game of payback within the local coven of witches. But when the game reveals what Ethan had to do to save Sam, she must make a choice that will change all their lives forever.

Buy Links: Amazon | BN



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Crossroads Blog Tour Day 6: Janet Fox

Bio: Janet Fox's published works include the non-fiction middle grade self-help book GET ORGANIZED WITHOUT LOSING IT (Free Spirit Publishing) and three young adult historical novels: FAITHFUL, FORGIVEN, and SIRENS (all Speak/Penguin). Her debut middle grade novel THE CHARMED CHILDREN OF ROOKSKILL CASTLE is due out March 15, 2016 from Viking. Janet is a 2010 MFA graduate from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and she's represented by Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary Agency. She lives in Bozeman, Montana, where she and her husband are ruled by an energetic Lab, but you can also find her at www.janetsfox.com, connect with her on Twitter at @janetsfox, and follow her on Facebook at AuthorJanetFox

You’re trapped in an  elevator with your favorite (actor/character/ author) and outside there is a horde of zombies, some weird animal is pounding on the top of the elevator...what happens next and who are you with? 
I'm in the elevator with Hermione Granger, and she's got her wand, so she heats up the roof of the elevator (burning the tootsies of whatever that animal is) and then turns  us  both  into  bats  as  she simultaneously  opens  the  door.  We  fly  past  the zombies and head for the hills. (The reason we're bats? Because they scare me, so I'd rather be than see one. See below.) 

What’s your favorite horror film or book? 
My  favorite  horror  film  (because  there's  horror-scary  and  then  there's  horror-smart) is Hitchcock's The Birds. I was once in a movie theatre infested with bats,watching The Birds, and I can tell you it was a terrifying experience, 3-d before there was such a thing.

Blurb: 
THE CHARMED CHILDREN OF ROOKSKILL CASTLE is a middle-grade novel set in a spooky Scottish castle during WWII. The lady of the manor has set it up as a temporary boarding school for children escaping the Blitz. But something is not right with that castle or that lady, and the children begin disappearing one by one. There are clues that a spy is in the house; there are undeniable signs of a sinister magic. Ghostly hauntings, enigma machines, creepy noises, and peculiar teachers all hint at a complicated mystery. It’s a race against the clock for one girl, her two younger siblings, and her new best friend to get to the bottom of things. 

THE CHARMED CHILDREN OF ROOKSKILL CASTLE ISBN: 978-0451476333 
Buy links:  Country Bookshelf, my local indie | Barnes & Noble | Amazon  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Crossroads Blog Tour Day 5: Christine Fonseca

Critically acclaimed and award winning YA and nonfiction author. Lover of books, lattes, and family. Passionate about humanity. Believer in dreams. 

Social Media Links for Christine Fonseca, Author: 
Website  | Twitter  | Facebook  | Google+ | Goodreads | Amazon 

You’re trapped in an elevator with your favorite (actor/character/ author) and outside there is a horde of zombies, some weird animal is pounding on the top of the elevator...what happens next and who are you with?
 Damon growls, his teeth exposed. “I’ve got this,” he says, as he punches through the top of the elevator. Screams. Howls. Silence. 

What’s your favorite horror film or book?  
I have some many favs - #TheRing, #NightmareonElmStreet, #AmityvilleHorror, #POTO, #Dracula, anything #DeanKoontz to name a few. #scarymoviesandbooksrock

Blurb for COLLIDE:
***FINALIST IN 2015 KINDLE BOOK AWARDS*** 
The most dangerous secrets are the ones that kill. When a surprising mental breakdown draws too much attention from a secret government group call the Order, 17-year-old Dakota discovers that her so-called boring life isn’t so boring after all. Between the lies, secrets and assassins out to kill her family, Dakota discovers there’s more to paranormal activity than ghosts and cheap mind tricks. Now she must uncover the truth before a new breed of terrorism takes everything away – including her life. 

BUY Links for COLLIDE: 
Amazon | BN  | Kobo

Crossroads Blog Tour Day 4: Patrice Lyle

Bio: Patrice Lyle has never met a ghost story she didn’t like. She’s been fascinated with the paranormal since childhood. She attributes this fascination to having heard old family stories of ghostly wreaths, ESP, and money hidden in the lining of antique purses. She grew up on the Oregon Coast and has a Master’s Degree in Writing Popular Fiction. Now she lives with her husband and three cats near Orlando, where she’s working on the next Poison Ivy novel and trolling the area for ghostly happenings.

You’re trapped in an elevator with your favorite (actor/character/ author) and outside there is a horde of zombies, some weird animal is pounding on the top of the elevator…what happens next and who are you with?
I’m trapped with Brad Pitt from his Troy days. He’d bust open the top of the elevator and rush me to safety.

What’s your favorite horror film or book? 
‘The Shining’ movie. It’s seriously so scary! Plus my husband and I visited the Stanley Inn in Estes Park. That place was creepy!

Buy link for PI 2

Social media links: https://www.facebook.com/patricebooks
@patricebooks

Author of the Health Nut Mysteries, the Poison Ivy Charm School Tween Mysteries, Lethally Blonde, and Glistenwww.patricebooks.com

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Crossroads Blog Tour Day 4: Jessica Bayliss

You’re trapped in an elevator with your favorite (actor/character/ author) and outside there is a horde of zombies, some weird animal is pounding on the top of the elevator...what happens next and who are you with? 
Hermione apparates us the heck out of there to the Three Broomsticks, and I finally get to try real butterbeer! 

What’s your favorite horror film or book?  
“IT” for book. My favorite stories are those that blend humor & scares. I just watched “Housebound.” It was so good! Funny, scary, & gross. 

Amazon | FB | Website | Twitter @JBayliss

Beware the Little White Rabbit: 
Thirteen powerful voices in young adult fiction invite you to journey into startling new Wonderlands in this nod to the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s timeless character, ALICE.  

Mystery. Madness. Mayhem. Each story in this collection will intrigue, bewitch, and enchant. Through rich historicals, castles and keeps, wormholes, secret workshops, deadly plagues, and gritty urban explorations, we present new tales of Alice and her white rabbit.  

Whether an intrepid reporter, a would-be car thief, or the last human in a world ruled by machines, at the heart of each story Alice is a girl discovering who she really is in worlds that never fail to surprise.  

What wonders await, oh curious reader? Leap down the rabbit hole and discover the truth... 


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Crossroads Blog Tour Day 3: Dorothy Dreyer

Bio:
Dorothy Dreyer has always believed in magic. Born in Angeles City, Philippines, to a Filipino mother and American Father, Dorothy grew up a military brat, living in Massachusetts, South Dakota, Guam, New Jersey, and New York. She now lives in Frankfurt, Germany, with her husband, two teens, and two Siberian huskies. Dorothy not only writes books with some element of magic in them, but has a fondness for reading those kinds of books as well. She also enjoys movies, chocolate, take-out, and spending time with family and friends.

Website | Amazon | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Blog

You’re trapped in an elevator with your favorite (actor/character/ author) and outside there is a horde of zombies, some weird animal is pounding on the top of the elevator…what happens next and who are you with?
I’m with Harry Potter. He has his invisibility cloak. We let the animal in and open the elevator door. The animal takes out the zombies or the other way around, while we make our escape. 


What’s your favorite horror film or book? 
It’s funny, I’m not huge on horror films, but I’d have to say Scream. I take my scary movies with a sprinkle of humor. 

Book Blurb:
MY FRAYED ETERNITY (Reaper's Rite Book Three) - YA Dark Paranormal
Just when Zadie thought life was returning to normal, one of the most important people in her life turns up missing. When Zadie finds out this disappearance has something to do with Reapers, her worst fears are realized.Not only have the Reapers returned, but a plan to up the stakes and bring the Reaper’s Rite to the next level is discovered. Using their Vila powers, Zadie and her sister Mara must set out to rescue their friend and do what they can to put an end to the pact between witches, faeries, and Reapers, before all is lost for eternity. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Crossroads Blog Tour Day 3: Tina Ferraro

BIO:  
Tina Ferraro is the author of several young adult novels and novellas, as well as upwards of a hundred romantic short stories for teens and adults.

A two-time finalist for the Romance Writers of America's RITA award and the National Reader's Choice award for her young adult novels, her interests include Facebook Scrabble, the color orange, and chasing coyotes out of her neighborhood.

SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS:
Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Website

You’re trapped in an elevator with your favorite (actor/character/ author) and outside there is a horde of zombies, some weird animal is pounding on the top of the elevator…what happens next and who are you with?
I’d want Stephen King in the elevator with me because if anyone can triumph over evil, he’s the guy!


What’s your favorite horror film or book?
My favorite horror book is Pet Sematary by Stephen King. 

 

BLURB:  
High school sophomore Trisha Traynor and friends have played the Halloween mirror game for years, the one that’s supposed to show a glimpse of the guy they’ll marry. But no one’s ever seen anything. 

Until tonight—when Trisha is gob smacked by the candlelit arrival of her long-deceased twin sister, instead of her crush, Kirk Maxwell. 

In a voice and vision that only Trisha can hear and see, Chessie claims to be back on a compassionate journey. Trisha fears she's gone nuthouse crazy. But she nonetheless follows the instructions Chessie outlines in their nightly conversations, until she finds herself stepping across some ethical lines, and probably ending all chances with Kirk. 


When a sisterly showdown ensues, resulting in the shattering of the mirror, Chessie’s gone again, and a heartsick Trisha sets about righting her recent wrongs. That is, until she stumbles upon the real reason Chessie had come back and the most important glimpse yet that the mirror could never predict.

TAG LINES:  Half a life is not worth living.  

Probably not a good idea to take advice from your dead twin sister.

BUY LINKS:  

http://www.amazon.com/Half-Life-Tina-Ferraro-ebook/dp/B00U329CWW/ref=la_B001H6WFAO_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1441571907&sr=1-4

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/523144

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/half-life-tina-ferraro/1121331648?ean=2940046605457

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Crossroads Blog Tour Day 2: Jennifer Murgia

Bio:
Jennifer Murgia writes moody fiction for teens—from paranormal fantasy (ANGEL STAR, LEMNISCATE, THE BLISS), to contemporary gut-punchers (BETWEEN THESE LINES). Her latest, FOREST OF WHISPERS, a 17th century historical mystery (about witches!) was a School Library Journal Fall 2014 HOT TITLE, and a 2014 Moonbeam Children’s Literature Award Winner (Bronze Medal for YA Horror/Mystery). The sequel, CASTLE OF SIGHS, releases October 27, 2015 from Spencer Hill Press. She is the co-founder and coordinator of YA FEST and currently resides in Pennsylvania.

You’re trapped in an elevator with your favorite (actor/character/ author) and outside there is a horde of zombies, some weird animal is pounding on the top of the elevator…what happens next and who are you with?
Ha! I would be with YA bestie Cyn Balog, huddled in the corner eating chocolate to soothe ourselves. So yeah, we’d wind up dead, I’m sure.

What’s your favorite horror film or book? 
THE OTHERS starring Nicole Kidman (movie). THE SHINING – Stephen King.

Social Links:

Website: www.jennifermurgia.com 

Email: jennifermurgia8@gmail.com  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.murgia

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferMurgia

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/jennifermurgia/ 

Instagram: Jennifer_Murgia

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23550903-castle-of-sighs

CASTLE OF SIGHS (Sequel to FOREST OF WHISPERS)
Digital Release Date: October 27, 2015
Young Adult Fiction - Historical Fantasy
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Book Summary:
Some secrets cannot be kept--in life or in death.

Months have passed since Rune has heard a single whisper from her long-dead mother, the great witch of Bavaria. But the absence of one evil has only made room for another. After rightfully inheriting her ancestral home, Pyrmont Castle, Rune settles into a quiet life taking care of two orphans left in the wake of the terrible witch hunt that claimed dozens of lives in the nearby village. As the days grow colder, the castle’s secrets beckon, and something darker seems to have been awakened, as well.

Rune finds herself roaming where no one has set foot in a long time. In the bowels of the fortress is a locked room full of memories that hang like cobwebs--shelves stacked with jars, strange specimens, putrid liquids, and scrolls of spells. Rune is undeniably drawn to what she finds there, and she begins to dabble in the possibilities of magic, hoping she will find a cure for the strangeness overwhelming the castle.

And the key may lie in the dark forest she once called home and the boy she thought she knew.

ADVANCED PRAISE FOR CASTLE OF SIGHS:

"A creepy, atmospheric ghost tale to be read with the lights on. Jennifer Murgia has done it again!"

       ~ Cyn Balog, author of FAIRY TALE and SLEEPLESS.

 

A castle filled with the ghosts of witches . . .

A Book of Secrets that holds the key to a terrible past . . .

A being made of Magick . . .

            In Castle of Sighs, the magnificent sequel to Forest of Whispers, author Jennifer Murgia leads us through a spooky, tangled web of mystery, mayhem, and magic both light and dark as we follow seventeenth century witch Rune in her exploration of the ancient Castle Pyrmont, the ancestral home that has shaped the extraordinary lives of the women in her family. Be prepared to sit up all night looking over your shoulder and jumping at every sound while this book, like its predecessor, casts its spell over you. Definitely a Must Read.

         ~ Molly Cochran, author of Legacy, Poison, and Seduction

Buy Links:

Amazon: 

http://www.amazon.com/Castle-Sighs-Hedge-Jennifer-Murgia-ebook/dp/B013LJQZKA/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Barnes & Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/castle-of-sighs-jennifer-murgia/1121584404?ean=9781633920255

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Crossroads Blog Tour Day 2: Elizabeth Holloway

Author Bio: 
Elizabeth Holloway is an author of young adult fiction living in Southern Pennsylvania with her two teen children and their growing number of pets. In addition to writing, she is a registered nurse, an avid reader, an out-of-practice artist, a karaoke singer, and a music lover. She is still trying to decide what she wants to be when she grows up. Her first novel, CALL ME GRIM, is available NOW. The sequel, DEATH BECOMES ME, will release in Fall 2015. She is represented by Lindsay Ribar of Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. 

Website | Twitter | Facebook |  Blog | Goodreads


You’re trapped in an elevator with your favorite (actor/character/ author) and outside there is a horde of zombies, some weird animal is pounding on the top of the elevator…what happens next and who are you with?
Chris Pratt takes me in his arms and lays a great big kiss on me, and then I wake up.


What’s your favorite horror film or book? 
The Shining by Stephen King. Seriously spooky.

CALL ME GRIM 
Amazon | B&N | Audible | Goodreads 
DEATH BECOMES ME 
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Crossroads Blog Tour Day 1: Heather Reid

Bio:Heather L. Reid writes character driven YA urban fantasy, paranormal, and speculative fiction and is the author of the Pretty Dark series (Month9Books) She is both American and British and has called six different cities in three different countries, home. Her strong sense of wanderlust and craving for a new adventure mean you might find her wandering the moors of her beloved Scotland, exploring haunted castles, or hiking through a magical forest in search of fairies and sprites. When she’s not venturing into the unknown in her real life, she loves getting lost in the worlds of video games or curling up by the fire with good story. For now, this native Texan is back in the Lone Star State, settling down with her Scottish husband and writing whatever new tales of fantasy her imagination dreams up.





You’re trapped in an elevator with your favorite (actor/character/ author) and outside there is a horde of zombies, some weird animal is pounding on the top of the elevator...what happens next and who are you with? 
I’m  trapped  with  Bishop  from  the  X-Men.  He  manipulates  the  technology  in  the elevator to catapult us upward and away from the zombies. Then he blasts through the roof with his cybernetic arm, incinerating the animal and flying us to safety.  

What’s your favorite horror film or book? 
I love the movie Session 9! 

PRETTY DARK SACRIFICE (Pretty Dark #2) 
Blurb:It’s been five weeks, two days, and eight hours since Aaron vanished without a trace. Everyone wants her to move on, but Quinn can’t, not after his spirit—or something—appears to her at his memorial, convincing her he’s still alive. When a mysterious box materializes on the very spot where Aaron disappeared, Quinn finds herself at the center of an ancient prophecy of betrayal, revenge, and sacrifice that takes her to the depths of the underworld to face Lilith—Adam’s first wife. If Quinn can stop Lilith from unleashing the demon horde Eve trapped inside the box during the Battle of Eden millennia ago, she will save the human realm and free Aaron from an eternity in torment. All it will cost her is her own blood. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Crossroads Blog Tour Day 7: Author Nicola Marsh

What do you feel are the key elements to creating a believable romance?
Strong characters with a believable conflict that keeps them apart until they emotionally grow and develop to a sigh-worthy resolution.

Tell about your main character in Banish and what makes her story one we should read?
Alyssa is a teen doing it tough. She has been the primary care giver for her mom the last few years, her boyfriend committed suicide after she dumped him eight months ago and when she moves to NYC for a new start, a whole bunch of trouble follows. She has no idea whether her high priestess Wiccan aunt is messing with her, or her hot new muso boyfriend, but someone is out to get her. She has a complicated murder mystery to solve…as long as she doesn’t become the next victim.

About the Tour
Each day of The Crossroads Blog Tour, a new research question will be revealed on The Crossroad Blog Tour main page and each day the answer to that question will be found within one of the different blog posts by Crossroads Tour authors. Your job is to get the question, read the blog posts, and collect all answers by the end of the tour.

A Grand Prize of a FREE Kindle, pre-loaded with ebook titles from as many of this years participating authors as possible (some are debut authors and their title may not yet be released) will be drawn using the Rafflecopter entry system and is open TO EVERYONE.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Crossroads Blog Tour Day 7: Author Judith Graves

Judith Graves reads as much as she writes, devouring at least two books a week. She loves heated debates over character motives...she's been kicked out of several book clubs for just this reason. With her faithful sidekick at her feet--Willow, a yellow lab--Judith remains unfazed by book club drama and is furiously writing more paranormal stories.  
Working in a school library, Judith is surrounded by children's and young adult literature (there's no escape!). A singer/songwriter for more than 10 years, she often writes songs about her characters--since they are beasties of the night, this makes for interesting listening.

A firm believer that Canadian teen fiction can be sexy, action-packed and snarky as hell, Judith writes paranormal stories with attitude. 

Residing in a northern Alberta community similar to the fictional town of Redgrave, where Under My Skin is set, Judith unhappily endures snow in the winter and runs away from bees in the summer.

Being that it’s Halloween time and we know things go bump in the night…What’s the scariest thing that has happened to you?

When I was a kid, we lived on a military base that bordered both the city and an expanse of farmland. We’d often venture out on that land and explore the little ponds and patches of trees left standing. And always. Always. We’d end up at the house.

A creepy, abandoned house hidden deep within the shrubs and poplars. Typical farmhouse, I guess. Two story. Porch. Nothing fancy – just bare bones. Most of the windows were covered with weathered plywood held in place with rusted nails. Half of the concrete steps leading to the front door had crumbled to dust. 

People told lots of stories about what happened in that place. They’re been a fire. People were murdered. A suicide pact. But no one knew for sure.

Only that the house had a weird sort of energy. Like it knew when someone was close by. Like it wanted you to come and stay a spell. To rest. To give in.

We never took the house up on its offer, although through holes in one side window, you could tell others had. Older kids. Braver kids. Stupider kids. We’d peer in and see the red graffiti on the walls. The moss-covered mattress on the wooden floor. The beer cans and fast food wrappers.

But like I said, we never went inside.

Then, one day, they tore the trees down. And the house. Developers, as usual. My friends turned back, disappointed, but I lingered. Staring at the fallen trees, the empty patch of black earth where the house had stood.

And I swear I could still see it. There. Waiting for me to come inside. I ran to my friends and never looked back. Scariest moment ever. Because I had really, really want to step inside. Into a house that wasn’t there.

And I knew I’d never come back out.

What future projects can we hope to see from you next?

I’m thrilled to say that I have a title coming out at the end of October, KILLER’S INSTINCT, co-written with Dawn Dalton. We’re keen to unleash our monster-hunter tale on the world. Here’s the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUK-AsvPv6o

About the Tour
Each day of The Crossroads Blog Tour, a new research question will be revealed on The Crossroad Blog Tour main page and each day the answer to that question will be found within one of the different blog posts by Crossroads Tour authors. Your job is to get the question, read the blog posts, and collect all answers by the end of the tour.

A Grand Prize of a FREE Kindle, pre-loaded with ebook titles from as many of this years participating authors as possible (some are debut authors and their title may not yet be released) will be drawn using the Rafflecopter entry system and is open TO EVERYONE.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Crossroads Blog Tour Day 7: Author Jackie Morse Kessler

Who designed the covers for the Riders of the Apocalypse? 
JMK: The incredible Sammy Yuen designed all four covers in the Riders of the Apocalypse series. I wish I could say I had something to do with it, but all I did was say “THANK YOU!!!”

What inspired you to write about the four horsemen and tie them in with serious conditions that we deal with today? 

JMK: I had the idea for HUNGER (the first book in the Riders of the Apocalypse series) for 10 years before I finally sat down to write it. I used to be bulimic, and I still have body image issues. It was my agent who finally convinced me to write the book, after I told her I had an idea about an anorexic teenage girl who becomes the new Famine, one of the Four Horsemen, and the book itself would take a hard-hitting look at eating disorders. I’m not sure I ever would have written it if not for her! (Thanks, Miriam!!!) If HUNGER gets people talking about what eating disorders are, and what they’re not, then I’m very happy.   I’m not the first person to have an anorexic character become Famine—that was in the comic book X-Factor back in the 1980s—but I do feel I’ve put my own unique spin on it. 

Once HUNGER sold, my agent asked me “Which Horseman will you write about next?” And I was like, “NEXT???” So that’s when I came up with the concept for RAGE (a teenage girl who self-injures by cutting herself is given the Sword of War). 

LOSS takes a different tack—though it deals with coping when a loved one suffers from Alzheimer’s, at its core the book is about bullying. The story looks at a bullied teenage boy who is tricked into becoming Pestilence. If there’s a message there, it’s bullying is a disease, and it can be cured.  

And then there’s BREATH. That one had to do three things: Tell the origin story of Death; tell the story of the teen protagonist, Xander; and answer all the big questions in the series. The book looks at depression and suicidal thoughts. But there’s also a talking horse, so it’s not all doom and gloom. 

About the Tour
Each day of The Crossroads Blog Tour, a new research question will be revealed on The Crossroad Blog Tour main page and each day the answer to that question will be found within one of the different blog posts by Crossroads Tour authors. Your job is to get the question, read the blog posts, and collect all answers by the end of the tour.

A Grand Prize of a FREE Kindle, pre-loaded with ebook titles from as many of this years participating authors as possible (some are debut authors and their title may not yet be released) will be drawn using the Rafflecopter entry system and is open TO EVERYONE.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Crossroads Blog Tour Day 6: Author Patrice Lyle

Patrice Lyle believes in writing what you love. Since the age of ten, she’s been doing just that. Her father’s policeman tales sparked her love of mysteries. Stories of her great grandmother’s ESP sparked her love of the paranormal. And a trip to a drug store in England, where she bought a homeopathic remedy for a sore throat, sparked her love of natural health. She has a BA in Business, an MA in Writing Popular Fiction, and PhD in Holistic Nutrition; and she’s a Certified Traditional Naturopath. Now she lives with her husband and three cats near Memphis, where she’s working on her next novel and trolling the area for ghostly happenings. 

What do you love most about your character Morgan in Lethally Blonde?
I love how fun Morgan is. She’s a fashion loving demon chick who loves pink and makeup plus she knows how to use a compact mirror to kill an evil demon. Morgan is certainly not the most popular demon at Pitchfork Prep, but as Kirkus Reviews said in their 2012 review, “…Morgan is so appealing that readers can’t stop turning pages to find out what she’ll do next. Like cotton candy, this is fun even if it isn’t filling.” I absolutely loved writing Morgan’s character because she’s so much fun, but don’t be fooled… she’s lethal and her mission is critical!

If you want to learn more about Morgan, see the “fun facts about Morgan Skully” on my website at: http://patricebooks.com/meet-morgan.html.
  
Best Halloween memory?
My favorite Halloween was in 1977, the year the original Star Wars came out. I was six year old and Star Wars was the first movie I ever saw in a theatre. I’ll never forget the moment when Luke Skywalker rescued Princess Leia from the Storm Troopers by swinging on the rope. That was the most awesome thing I’d ever seen and, of course, I wanted to be Princess Leia for Halloween. So my mom made me a white dress and my hair in two side buns. I loved my outfit and felt totally cool!

About the Tour
Each day of The Crossroads Blog Tour, a new research question will be revealed on The Crossroad Blog Tour main page and each day the answer to that question will be found within one of the different blog posts by Crossroads Tour authors. Your job is to get the question, read the blog posts, and collect all answers by the end of the tour.

A Grand Prize of a FREE Kindle, pre-loaded with ebook titles from as many of this years participating authors as possible (some are debut authors and their title may not yet be released) will be drawn using the Rafflecopter entry system and is open TO EVERYONE.

a Rafflecopter giveaway