Spook-tacular RITA© Winner Terri Garey Tricks, Treats & Gives a Free Book

The Spook-tacular Terri Garey

Here in Rockville, October's on the calendar and autumn's in the air! That means the Eight are gearing up for tricks and treats and Halloween. And boy, readers, do we have a treat for you!  RITA^© winner Terri Garey swings by after the graveyard shift to give us the spine-tingling skinny on her new paranormal novella in BLOOD BY MOONLIGHT. Plus, one lucky commenter will receive a free book from Terri's Nicki Styx or Devil's Bargain series. See details below.   

A Southern girl with an overactive imagination, Terri Garey grew up in Florida, always wondering why tropical prints and socks with sandals were considered a fashion statement. She survived the heat by reading in the shade, and watching cool shows like the The Twilight Zone and the classic gothic soap opera, Dark Shadows. Balancing a career with marriage and motherhood convinced her that life was too short to rely entirely on the left side of her brain, and Terri started writing her own devilishly delicious tales from the dark side. She is the RITA^© award winning author of six novels and various novellas, and despite her choice of subject matter, only hangs out in graveyards on Halloween. Visit her website at http://www.TGarey.com, friend her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TerriGarey, or follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/TerriGarey.

Now, take it away, Terri:

Terri's New Novella: Get It While It's Hot!

October has arrived, and with it, my favorite holiday, Halloween!  I’m not sure why, but I’ve always found the spooky side of life to be far more interesting than the every-day, so-called “normal” side.  Maybe it’s because I grew up in the South, where I discovered ghost stories at a very young age, scaring myself silly with tales of ghosts and haunted houses, witches and werewolves, spooks and spirits. I would’ve loved to have Casper the Friendly Ghost as a play pal, and Herman Munster as a dad! Halloween night itself meant candy and costumes, roaming the neighborhood long after dark, spooking the other kids by jumping out of the bushes and shouting, “Boo!”.  As an adult, I still love Halloween, which is why, when my editor at Avon approached me with an idea for a Halloween anthology, I leapt at the chance to give my readers a special treat by creating my OWN ghost story.

THE GHOUL NEXT DOOR was the result, one of three spine-tingling tales in BLOOD BY MOONLIGHT, a new e-book anthology from Avon Impulse, to be released October 23, 2012 (just in time for Halloween!)  In it, a witch and a warlock battle for possession of a haunted house, little knowing that the ghost who haunts it may have her OWN agenda!  Here’s an excerpt:

Cassie stood tall, and lifting the smoldering bundle of herbs aloft, turned her face to the moon. Ignoring James completely, she began to speak.

“Honor to thee, Nimue, keeper of the night sky. Bathe my soul with moonlight, and see that my motives are pure.”

There was nothing but silence, broken only by the faint crackle of flames. Despite himself, James couldn’t tear his eyes away from her curves, backlit as she was by the fire.

 Spreading her arms to encompass the trees, Cassie spoke to them, as well. “Honor to thee, oh spirits of these ancient oaks. Stand with me as guardians this night, sheltering me as I breach the veil between the living and the dead.”

The scent of burning sage rose in the air, drifting, enshrouding the oaks. Cassie walked slowly around the fire, purifying the air with sweet-smelling smoke, murmuring words in a language he didn’t understand.

She seemed to have forgotten he was there, and he decided not to remind her. Instead, he watched and listened, finding himself fascinated by the way the moonlight both revealed and hid her face, gliding along her jaw line, turning her eyes from pockets of shadow to glittering diamonds.

What about you?  Ever play any tricks on Halloween night, or were you just in it for the treats?  Leave me a comment for a chance to win an entirely different kind of treat – a signed copy of one of my earlier books, reader’s choice!

Whatever you do, make sure you go out and scare up a little fun this Halloween, and don’t forget to check out BLOOD BY MOONLIGHT (but do it safely, by downloading the book, not with any actual blood or anything. J)  Happy Halloween, ghoulfriends!

Take a Trip to the Dark Side with Terri's Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Series