Archive for October 3, 2023

31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #3 ~ Dead Of Winter by Darcy Coates

Posted: October 3, 2023 in horror, Mytery/Thriller, reviews
Tags: , , ,
0

Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2023! I missed doing this the last couple of years due to Covid and so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

.

Free Computer Seeks photo and picture

.

I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

~~~~~

 Dead Of Winter

by Darcy Coates

.

Genre: Horror / Mystery / Thriller

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

MY REVIEW

I enjoy books where the characters have to survive not just the killer, but the elements too. Nine people are stranded in a tiny hunting cabin. A snow storm is raging and and nobody will know they’re missing for at least twelve days. That’s the least of their worries. The driver of their tour bus is found dead. Or I’d say it’s safe to assume he is as they find his head skewered on a tree branch right outside the cabin. Christa had taken the trip to iron out some things and spend time with her boyfriend. Now it’s a fight to finish and who will be left standing is to be determined.

I’m not really squeamish but there were a few scenes that had me squirming a bit. Those teeth!

I was pulling for Christa. She’s the main character. She has to survive, right? Not necessarily. Authors often kill off their characters. As the body count rose, so did the suspense and my anxiety. I had a suspect or two in mind for the killer, but no idea what the motive was. Not going to tell you if I was right or wrong. And such a great ending. When you read it, you’ll see.

I’ve enjoyed some of Darcy’s other books and was lucky to get my hands on a copy of Dead Of Winter. What a perfect cover and title for this book.

5 STARS

~~~~~

Synopsis

From bestselling author Darcy Coates comes Dead of Winter, a remote cabin in the snowy wilderness thriller that will teach you to trust no one. There are eight strangers. One killer. Nowhere left to run.

When Christa joins a tour group heading deep into the snowy expanse of the Rocky Mountains, she’s hopeful this will be her chance to put the ghosts of her past to rest. But when a bitterly cold snowstorm sweeps the region, the small group is forced to take shelter in an abandoned hunting cabin. Despite the uncomfortably claustrophobic quarters and rapidly dropping temperature, Christa believes they’ll be safe as they wait out the storm.

She couldn’t be more wrong.

Deep in the night, their tour guide goes missing…only to be discovered the following morning, his severed head impaled on a tree outside the cabin. Terrified, and completely isolated by the storm, Christa finds herself trapped with eight total strangers. One of them kills for sport…and they’re far from finished. As the storm grows more dangerous and the number of survivors dwindles one by one, Christa must decide who she can trust before this frozen mountain becomes her tomb.

Amazon

~~~~~

Click on the covers for more Thrills And Chills reviews.

 

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

.

Free Snow Winter photo and picture

Witches, Spiders And Schemes by Elizabeth Pantley ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: October 3, 2023 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways
Tags: , ,
1
Witches, Spiders, and Schemes
by Elizabeth Pantley
October 3, 2023 Book Blast

 

 

Synopsis:
Welcome Back to Destiny Falls

 

A magic mirror to an enchanted world… A mysterious ghost… A hilarious, perpetually annoyed witch… A brave, sassy cat… Two unexplained deaths and a mysterious community filled with secrets… Can Hayden and the people of Destiny Falls solve the mystery and return the community to its peaceful, enchanted existence? Hayden’s adventures in Destiny Falls continue in book four of the Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic series. Starting with a strange old woman at a cave and her father’s mysterious ferry journey, there are secrets to be unwound. The enchantments in Destiny Falls are showing cracks, and Hayden suspects that it is tied directly to her family, which has a history that’s more complex than she realized. When two bodies are found floating in the bay it’s clear that the mysteries surrounding Gladstone and the ferry are more dangerous than people realize. And then . . . those spiders. Luckily, Hayden and her sassy sidekick, Latifa have developed a group of family and friends in this enchanted place who are all ready and willing to help solve the mystery, and release Destiny Falls to resume its normal, amazing, enchanted existence.

Praise for Witches, Spiders, and Schemes:

“Will blow you away!” ~ Cozy Mystery Book Reviews

“Just when I thought I knew who the killer was, BAM, a twist.” ~ Leslie, Storeybook Reviews

“The mystery, magic, and delicately woven story held me captive! I couldn’t ever imagine such a delicious story!” ~ Goodreads

“So. Darn. Clever. It’ll keep you on your toes – hopping and guessing – until the final pages.” ~ Pages & Paws

Book Details:

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Published by: Better Beginnings, Inc. Publication Date: November 5, 2021 Number of Pages: 292 Series: Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic (#4)

Book Links: Amazon | Goodreads

Enjoy this peek inside:

1

I stared at the old woman. She was sitting on a rock in the mouth of a cave in front of us. She gawked at me as she sipped from a bottle of green Gatorade. How had a romantic hike up to the mountain lake taken such a strange turn? She told Han and me that her name was Mnemosyne, but that she was called Nemmy. Nemmy? Could she be the woman from the stories I’d been told? Was that even possible? Gaspar, the ghost who’d been telling me tales, had a daughter called Nemmy. She was King Gaspar Reuben’s youngest daughter of three. The one who had been tutored in black magic by an evil crone witch and bestowed with dark powers. She had lived a century ago but had partaken of the rumored fountain of youth found on the sinister island of Gladstone. Was this her? If it was, why did she look so old and frail? And how was she here? I shivered and took a step closer to Han. He put his arm around my shoulders and the weight of it allowed me to exhale. We had hiked for hours to reach the alpine lake. It was baffling to find an elderly woman sitting this far up. She didn’t look to be the type who’d be able to climb a set of stairs, let alone a mountain. She had no hiking supplies with her, and she wasn’t dressed for it either, in her long dress that seemed more suited for a carriage ride in the Middle Ages. When I asked her if she had hiked up here by herself, she laughed at my question, saying that no, she didn’t get here by herself, but then she changed the subject. As if that wasn’t crazy enough, she told us her name. I’m almost sure she said Nemmy. Her strange appearance, plus that familiar name, made it possible that she was the witch from the stories the ghost had told. “You are the recently discovered Caldwell relative who fell through the mirror into Destiny Falls,” she said. It wasn’t a question. It was clear that she knew who I was. “How kind of you to deliver yourself right to my front door. I have something especially for you, Helen.” “It’s Hayden.” I corrected her automatically. “Ah, right. Hayden.” She made an effort to stand up but was struggling, so Han and I helped her. As soon as she was upright, she raised her arm and pointed her bony finger inches from my face. With her other hand, she pulled a handful of herbs, dust, and dirt from a pocket and tossed it at me. “Ostend mee-hi virtute!” she shouted. In a flash, Han tugged me by my arm and pushed me behind him. It was a sweet protective gesture that I appreciated in the face of this deranged old woman. The woman did a panicky little jig, shook her hands wildly, then grabbed in her pocket for more of the mixture. She tried to throw it around Han and into my face. She repeated what she had just said. Only much more exuberantly. Then she stomped her feet in frustration and repeated loudly, “Virtute! Virtute!” I coughed at the dust and squinted at her. “What is she doing?” I whispered out of the side of my mouth to Han. “I have no idea. But it sounds like some kind of spell,” he side-whispered back. “Slowly back away.” The woman who could be Nemmy rolled her eyes. “I’m not a superhero, but you know I can still hear you,” she whispered back to us out of the side of her mouth. We both turned to look at her. She laughed heartily and we heard her mumbling, “A spell! What will they think of next?” Then her laughter abruptly stopped. Her face sagged and she growled at us to leave her alone. What if she was just a random senior citizen and her name a coincidence? Maybe I misunderstood her, and she said her name was Emmy. “Are you sure you don’t want us to wait until your hiking partners come back . . . Emmy?” I asked. She pursed her lips and shook her head. “Your benevolence is exhausting, young woman, and you’re more than I anticipated. Just leave me in peace.” She waved her arm and turned away from us. “Go! Go away!” she yelled. Then she stepped into the entrance of the cave, leaving us standing there gaping at the cavernous opening. Han and I gathered up our gear and started the trek back down the mountain. “Well. That was strange,” I said. “I feel badly about leaving her up here alone, but she was adamant, so what else could we do?” “That’s true,” Han said. He was quiet for a moment, then he stopped walking and turned to face me. “Hayden, while we were standing at the cave, I experienced flashes of old memories returning.” My jaw dropped and I waited for him to explain. He’d been in an accident not far from here. He had fallen off a cliff and suffered a concussion that caused him to lose his memory of the accident. “What did you remember?” “Random bits and pieces. The cave itself seemed familiar, except the one I recall had a wooden door on the front, which seems unlikely up here on the mountain. The old woman’s voice was familiar. I remembered hearing her say that Lazarus had taken control. But that’s it. It’s so frustrating not to be able to remember. I don’t know who Lazarus is, or what he’d taken control of, or who she was talking to. But the cave and her voice. Those I clearly remember.” “Han! That’s so much more than you remembered before! Maybe all your memories of that day will start to return now?” “I hope you’re right. It’s difficult having such a hole in my memory. Especially since what happened goes against all my years of training.” I already knew that. Han’s position as Destiny Falls Special Forces Officer, and his past work in the U.S. Army’s Special Forces, meant that he would not have ignored all his training and fallen off an obvious cliff. “If the woman is Nemmy, the witch daughter that Gaspar told me about, maybe she had something to do with your accident?” “Exactly what I was thinking,” Han said. I was baffled by our strange encounter and concerned about Han’s returning memory indicating the woman might have something to do with his accident. But if I were being perfectly honest with myself, I was mostly annoyed and frustrated that our first official date had been ruined by her sudden appearance. I’d waited so long for our first date, and it was going perfectly until her presence knocked the romance right out of the moment. We had just had our first kiss in the most romantic fairy tale setting by the waterfall. It felt like more than a kiss. It was the merging of two souls. I was basking in the afterglow of it when her cough had stolen our moment. I took a deep breath and refocused. There was that name again: Lazarus. His name was mentioned on the list that was imprinted on the back of the letter that my missing mother had written me. There was no explanation. Just a row of question marks after his name. He’d also been mentioned in several stories about the ominous island of Gladstone and the illegal scheme to transport people there so that they could search for the fountain of youth. Based on the bits and pieces I’d heard, Lazarus appeared to be a dangerous human being. Who was this mysterious person, and how was he known by this old woman? This enigma. Possibly the king’s wicked daughter, Nemmy. Han and I discussed all these questions as we made our way down the mountain. After two hours of this he suggested that we take a break, table our discussion for later, and salvage what we could of our first date. We found a beautiful clearing near a small stream and spread out what was left of our picnic. We even made a plan for our second date. The conversation turned happy and once we settled in, I absorbed every minute with a lightness in my heart. *** Excerpt from Witches, Spiders, and Schemes by Elizabeth Pantley. Copyright 2021 by Elizabeth Pantley. Reproduced with permission from Elizabeth Pantley. All rights reserved.

 

 

About Author Elizabeth Pantley:
Elizabeth Pantley

Elizabeth Pantley is the international bestselling author of The No-Cry Sleep Solution and twelve other books for parents, published in over twenty languages. She simultaneously writes the well-loved Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic book series and the new Magical Mystery Book Club series. Elizabeth lives in the Pacific Northwest, the gorgeous inspiration for the setting in many of her books.

Catch Up With Elizabeth Pantley: www.NoCrySolution.com/books Goodreads BookBub – @DestinyFalls Instagram – @destinyfallsmystery Facebook – @DestinyFallsMysteryandMagic

 

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reads and opportunities to WIN!

 

 

ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN:
This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Elizabeth Pantley. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.
 

 

 

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

 

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Free halloween dark night illustration

Hatch ~ A Change Your Life Guide by Jamie Linn Saloff

Posted: October 3, 2023 in Excerpt
Tags: ,
0

 

 

A book for fiercely independent, misfit, square pegs trapped in an unfulfilling life who desire to Hatch a life worth loving…

 

 

Title: Hatch: A Change Your Life Guide
Author: Jamie Saloff
Publisher: Sent Books
Publication Date: June 25, 2023
Pages: 384
Genre: Self-Help/Motivational, Religion/Spirituality, Personal Growth/Personal Transformation



goodreads add to

 

If you could, how would you change your life?

While
bravely facing the motherlode of difficult life challenges, you never
dreamt the result would be a soul-sucking, heart-crushing existence.

Although
you try to ignore the emptiness, detachment, and feeling that you don’t
belong, you rarely make changes. It just seems too impossible for so
many reasons. Instead, you silenced your heart’s nagging with
self-sacrifice, food stuffing, or by becoming a workaholic.  

Contemplating
ending her life, Jamie Saloff chose instead to hatch a new one. She
knows how self-doubt and unworthiness can cloud our ability to move
forward after the darkness of illness, grief, trauma, or tragedy –
because she’s faced it too.    

In Hatch – A Change Your Life Guide, Saloff walks readers through her step-by-step method to:  

• Awaken your soul’s purpose by listening to your heart’s voice   

• Find confidence in your next forward step by hearing your body speak

•See messages of guidance everywhere by learning where to look    

• Uncover your future in your past by examining your ancestral heritage      

• And much, much more…  


“It’s a simple question “Do you wish you could change your life for the
better” while the answer is an easy one – do you have any idea of how
to accomplish the task? “Hatch – A Change Your Life Guide” gives you a
systematic process that will take you on a journey of physical,
emotional, and spiritual healing…I highly recommend this wonderful and
enlightening book” – Yolanda Renee

Buy Links:

 

Book Excerpt  

As long as I can, remember—though I’m not sure why—I’ve been labeled a misfit—a square peg, a Goonie, an outcast (every generation seems to have its own word for this).

In kindergarten kids laughed at me saying I had a boy’s name. In elementary school, they said I hadn’t grown up with them, I wasn’t from there. Or maybe it was because even though I have never been outspoken, I decided I wouldn’t tolerate the bigoted French teacher and refused to go back to her class. The principle reprimanded me, called me “a quitter,” but I wasn’t swayed. I don’t think the kids (or the teacher) could quite understand that kind of rebellion from a ten-year-old.

Another time, the teacher ordered me into the hallway where she told me to repeat to the principal what I’d just told her. I explained my drawing of an aneurysm to him. (Due to cholesterol or other blockage in a vein, a balloon-like area forms expanding the side of the vein. If it would burst, my father would have 45 minutes to live.) My teacher didn’t approve of my mother sharing the details of my father’s illness with a child. The principal only shrugged.

In middle school, I argued with the principal that, due to a highly publicized paper shortage, it was stupid to waste it by writing punishment sentences hundreds of times. I ended up having to run around the gym in front of my class, which did very little for my already degraded social status, but it was a win for my cause.

If you’ve been in this position, you know there is no going back. Once you’re tagged as an outlier, that’s where you stay. As I entered high school, I wasn’t “the right fit” to be one of  the majorettes. They can give whatever reasons they liked, but I’m pretty sure none of them had 60 trophies attesting to their ability and, while they were marching up and down the muddy hometown football field, I performed all over the world, including for servicemen at Pearl Harbor, in the shadow of Scotland’s Edinburgh castle, and other cities across the US and Europe. As they continued buddying up with football players in their cliques, I was privileged to experience foreign cultures and see historic sites firsthand instead of reading about them in a text book.

When we are mistreated or outcast by someone, we may blame ourselves. We falsely wonder, “Am I ugly?” “Fat?” “Horrible?” and all sorts of self-degrading ideas. This self-blame can cause us to slip into isolation because we feel unliked or unloved.

Eventually, if you give yourself space, you learn that being a misfit is a good thing. It allows you to do things your way without others caring. You may discover you are a bit of a loner, and that’s okay. This is particularly true for creatives and those who have suffered for their uniqueness. Yet it is your uniqueness that can make you great.

It doesn’t matter what labels they put on you. You can’t change their actions. Instead, you must realize that deep down they know you’re somehow different in ways they can’t understand. Whether that means you become a target or are simply ignored, they know there is something special about you, more specifically, you’re not like them—you’re not like “everyone else.” And maybe that scares them a little because they’re afraid to step out of the crowd—and you’re not.

What they sense is that you carry traits offering you the potential to do great things, even if you don’t realize it or feel like it could ever be possible. As it turns out, some of the worst things that have happened in your past, particularly in your youth, formed the exact survival traits you need to succeed as you trod forward.1

Despite the obvious definitions of hatch, i.e., “hatching new life from an egg,” “an escape hatch,” or “hatching a plan,” for readers of this book “hatch” means all that and more. It means realizing that no matter what brought you to this point, you have options and choices available to you right now to help you to Hatch a new and better life, one worth loving. And it doesn’t matter if they mark  you as “an outcast,” “a misfit,” or whatever else they want to label you because once you “hatch” it will no longer matter.

Some of you are what I call the “Endurers.” You are still on the inside of the “egg” feeling trapped and not realizing there is a whole other, much better life waiting for you “out there.” (It’s hard to see through those thick-shelled walls.)

Others of you have potentially “hatched” but are now looking at all the broken pieces of your life. You may be feeling all “Humpty Dumpty” (who couldn’t put it all back together again) and are wondering, “what do I do now?”

This book is about how I found myself in those positions and hacked my way out with very little guidance or direction. With much angst, I began seeking my way as a young adolescent and continue to machete my way forward as a senior.

As you read on, in Phase One, you’ll learn how to listen to and follow the longings of your heart.

Scratch that. If you knew what your heart wanted and how to follow it, you wouldn’t be reading this book. You’d be doing it. Instead, in Phase One you’ll learn how to listen to your body groan and soul weep. I’ll show you how those nagging little aches and pains, illnesses, and even accidental injuries can be translated into Marvelous Messages™ that can help you plan your Hatch. (This is where I had my first real breakthrough in my life.)

In Phase Two, we will circle back to your heart and all it desires. I’ll teach you ways to identify what your heart’s aching for you to do and how it ties into your soul’s purpose. Now, having a clearer idea on what you really desire—(you have known it all along, you’ve simply silenced it)—you can now set goals and a plan to obtain it. We’ll take a “look back to leap forward” to understand how some of the challenges you face today are the result of inherited trials that were never properly resolved in the generations that came before you. Lucky you, it’s now your turn to see if you can make it right. But, you’ll also learn about the gifts implanted within your spiritual DNA to help you along in your soul’s journey.

In Phase Three, we will dig a little deeper. Having opened up the lines of inner communication, I’ll show you many ways to recognize and follow your intuition.

In Phase Four, we will talk about the hard stuff—those barriers holding you to where you are now and how to overcome them—fear, mistaken perceptions, and other beliefs that cloud your mind and prevent you from being the “you” you came here to be.

Lastly, in Phase Five, you’ll see how, once you open these doors to your body and soul, you not only are creating a new and better path for your life, you can create a better world. And that is a true transformation. Let’s begin…

 

 

 

 
About the Author
 

 

 

Jamie Linn Saloff
is passionate about aiding fiercely independent, misfit, square pegs
trapped in an unfulfilling life. Author, teacher, story weaver,
spiritual counselor, seer of visions, pathfinder, for over thirty years
Jamie’s taught how to reignite your heart by listening to your body
groan and your soul weep. She is the author of twelve books including Hatch: A Change Your Life Guide and her Marvelous Messages™ series.

Author Links  

Website | Facebook | Facebook Author Page | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn | Amazon Profile

 

 

 

 

Sponsored By:

 

.

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Free skull day of the dead dia de los muertos illustration

Mrs. Morris And The Wolfman ~ A Salem B&B Mystery by Traci Wilton

Posted: October 3, 2023 in Cozy Mystery, giveaways
Tags: , ,
6

.

Mrs. Morris and the Wolfman (A Salem B&B Mystery)
by Traci Wilton

 


Mrs. Morris and the Wolfman (A Salem B&B Mystery)
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
7th in Series
Setting – Massachusetts
Kensington Cozies (August 22, 2023)
Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496741374
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496741370
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BNWG9V65

.

Saturday night at the movies has some added flair now that Darren and Elise Shultz are reopening one of Salem’s classic theaters. Charlene is delighted to help the couple with their venture, and Darren has lined up a cult classic double-header featuring Lon Chaney in The Wolfman. But things get hairier than expected when Elise starts to choke on her popcorn mid-movie—and once the lights go up,
she’s dead . . .

When tests reveal Elise’s popcorn was poisoned, Detective Sam Holden eyes her husband as the guilty party. Charlene doesn’t believe Darren would hurt his wife—even if his company’s specialty seasoned salts were sprinkled on the fatal snack. But who else had a motive to do something so unsavory? With a little help from Jack, the handsome ghost who haunts her B&B, Charlene delves into the ill-fated couple’s past. And the more she learns, the more Charlene wonders if this time, she’s bitten off more than she can chew . . .

~~~~~

Enjoy this peek inside:

Excerpt from Mrs. Morris and the Wolfman after Charlene and Avery arrive at the Spellbound Movie Theater for opening night and the double feature of The Wolf Man, and Frankenstein meets the Wolf Man.

 

The historic three-story brick building had a flat rooftop sporting castle-like crenellation. It had been many things since first built in the 1800s. During the last few years, the brickwork had fallen in disrepair as the building had been empty and derelict.

Darren and Elise Shultz had moved from Saint Mary’s, Pennsylvania, to Salem six months prior and saved it from the wrecking ball. Opening a theater was a dream come true for Darren who’d made over a million dollars creating specialty seasoned salts. They’d picked Salem because Elise was from here, and her sister, Patty Wagner, owned a bakery that would supply the soft-baked pretzels at the theater, making it a family affair.

Charlene, new business liaison for Salem, had welcomed Darren and Elise with open arms. Her bed and breakfast thrived and Brandy Flint, president of the City of Salem business board, had talked her into accepting the position to share her expertise as part of the community.

“Someday I want a car like Darren’s,” Avery said as they walked by the sleek black Tesla. It screamed understated success.

“I’m working on a passenger van.” Charlene kept her tone droll. “The Pilot will have to suffice for a while longer.”

“I think you should forget the van and order the gazebo and hot tub.” Avery peered at Charlene from over the rim of pink sunglasses. The teen was adorable in short cutoff jeans, sneakers without socks, and a T-shirt advertising Spellbound Movie Theater. Her soft light-brown hair bounced at the top of her slender shoulders.

“You’ve been talking to Minnie,” Charlene said.

“Maybe.” Avery laughed, guilty as charged.

Charlene could attribute the B and B’s success directly to her housekeeper’s magic in the kitchen, and it had earned Charlene’s amazing reviews online. Gaining positive reviews was part of her marketing strategy, and she’d shared that tidbit with Darren and Elise for the movie theater.

She was impressed by the updated building as well as the miracles time and money could buy. What had leaned sadly to the left was now rebricked and straight. Outside aesthetic, check. Movie specials to bring in the crowds, check. This was just the sort of venue to draw people into Salem. There was no city better at making lemonade from lemons.

“Hey! Can you get the door?” a female voice called from behind them.

Charlene turned as Avery said, “Sure!”

A stylish brunette woman in a leather mini skirt with suit jacket and three-inch black heels held a bouquet of purple-blue flowers. “I can hardly see,” she said, shifting them to one side of her face. Long lashes with cat-eye liner showed off mirthful brown eyes.

Avery opened the door and the scent of fresh popcorn with butter and salt escaped. Charlene had been clueless about designer seasoning salts until meeting Darren. They weren’t his passion though; that had been the movie theater, so he didn’t mind pouring money into the venture to get it off the ground. Elise backed his project all the way.

“I’m Klara Maxwell,” the woman behind the flowers said. “Darren’s salt sales rep from Pittsburgh. You see that new car out there? Well, I aim to ensure he can afford ten of them by this time next year. We’re going global!”

Charlene laughed at the young woman’s enthusiasm. It reminded her of when she and Jared, her beloved soulmate, had worked at the ad agency in Chicago. There was a lot of energy in creation and vibrant salespeople made a world of difference in a product launch. This was the first time she’d met the rep and Darren spoke of Klara highly.

“I’m Charlene, and this is Avery.” She was glad they weren’t the only late attendees. “Nice to meet you.”

The door shut behind them.

“And you,” Klara said, long lashes blinking as she took it all in. “Wow.”

The interior of the movie theater rivaled the bright lights of a casino. Yellows, blues, reds. Plush carpet beneath their feet, a popcorn machine, pretzels, soda. She even smelled roasted peanuts.

“This is so cool!” Avery removed her sunglasses and scanned the deceptively dim lobby. There were no other movie-goers down here, but laughter was audible from upstairs. Her gaze was drawn to the teen boy across the lobby by the popcorn machine.

Movie posters of The Wolf Man, Frankenstein meets the Wolf Man, House of Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy, Frankenstein, and Frankenstein’s Bride, were in mega color on the walls. It was like going back in time. Charlene could appreciate the art of the old posters if not the movies themselves. She was willing to keep an open mind.

Darren’s vision all along had been to bring the movie theaters from his childhood to life. He’d grown up in Germany and escaped what he referred to as his personal hell in the cavern-ish sanctuary of darkness. The Wolf Man franchise starring Lon Chaney Jr. was his favorite series and he and Franco knew all the lines.

Franco Lordes was the film expert at the theater. Things were digital now, but Franco’s expertise was in the old-fashioned reels. He could repair them and had a reverence for them shared by Darren.

You just never knew who might get you in this world. Charlene didn’t care for Hollywood, old or new, but she was all about the buttery, salty popcorn that Darren somehow elevated to new heights with his unique flavors. According to Elise, he had a palate on par with the top chefs of the world.

“Welcome!” Darren called as he and Elise strode toward them. He was dark-haired and Elise blonde. Darren was just a smidge taller than Charlene at five-eight compared to Elise’s five-foot even. He had a muscled chest with a broad forehead, and she was petite to her toes.

“Klara!” Darren roared her name, laughing as he carefully accepted the bright purple-blue flowers and took the vase from her hands. “Only you would dare bring wolfsbane to my opening night.”

Elise blinked prettily. Diamonds winked from her earlobes as well as her fingers and she wore an ivory sundress. “Wolfsbane? Isn’t that poison and supposed to ward off werewolves?”

~~~~~

About Traci Wilton

 

From cozy mysteries to seaside romance, USA Today bestselling author Traci Hall writes stories that captivate her readers. As a hybrid author with over sixty published works, Ms. Hall has a favorite tale for everyone. Mystery lovers, check out her Scottish Shire series, set in the seaside town of Nairn, or the Salem B&B Mystery series, co-written as Traci Wilton. Her latest project is an Irish Castle cozy as Ellie Brannigan. Whether it’s her ever-popular By the Sea romances, an Appletree Cove sweet romance, or a fun who-done-it, Traci finds her inspiration in sunny South Florida, living right near the ocean.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Facebook / Facebook / Twitter

Amazon / Instagram / Kensington

 Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Apple – Kobo 

~~~~~

Giveaway contest ribbon promo label prize. Vector giveaway banner badge design template

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

October 2 – RUFF DRAFTS – AUTHOR GUEST POST

October 2 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

October 3 – Bigreadersite – REVIEW  

October 3 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT

October 4 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

October 4 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 5 – Mystery, Thrillers and Suspense – AUTHOR GUEST POST

October 5 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT

October 5 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

October 6 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT  

October 6 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW

October 7 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST

October 7 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

October 8 – Baroness Book Trove – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

October 8 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT

October 9 – Brooke Blogs – RECIPE

October 9 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

October 10 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT

October 10 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 11 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW

October 11 – Lady Hawkeye – RECIPE

.

.

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.