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My excerpt today comes from Dreamscape. Written in homage to Agatha Christie, Dreamscape is a haunting, a murder, a thriller, a mystery, and a love story that transcends time. Above all, this sensual tale is a reader's Easter egg hunt in the truest sense. Not everything is as it appears. Peppered throughout are little clues suggesting a story running behind the scenes. Finding them isn't necessary to the telling of the tale, just one of the fun twists I like to insert into my writing. Can you find them all before the story ends? But more importantly, can a ghost find love among the living?
Setting the Stage:
Lainie goes out on a blind date while the ghost of Jason Bowen broods at home. Jason's imagination has the best of him and he's more than a little annoyed that Lainie went out alone with a strange man dressed like that (the standard little black dress is shocking attire to a Victorian gentleman) and returned with kiss-swollen lips. Finding her date a bit too much, Lanie just wants to put the evening behind her.
The Hook:
......Jason followed her upstairs and watched as she washed her face, brushed her teeth, and changed into her worn, comfortable-looking clothing. Still invisible, he didn’t follow behind her when she went back downstairs. Rather he focused his mind and appeared alongside her at the bottom. He followed her to the parlor.
Lainie turned on Margaret’s television and took a seat on the sofa directly across. Picking up the remote, she proceeded to flip through channels.
Watching her, Jason shook his head. “Oh no, sweetheart, I haven’t waited the entire night for you to lose yourself to this contrivance.” With that he projected his spirit energy into the wires that fed the machine electricity. The screen instantly filled with snow.
Lanie frowned at the snowy screen and flipped through channel after channel looking for better reception. “Oh, come on!” she told the television. After another run-through, she gave up and turned it off. “Damn it. All I wanted to do was unwind before bed.” She ran an exasperated hand over her face. There was a lot to do the following day and she knew it would take hours for her to fall asleep. A thought came to her. Most over-the-counter sleep aides were antihistamine-based. Having seasonal allergies, that was something she had readily available. It would certainly make her sleepy. Deciding she didn't want a case of medicine head in the morning, she headed to the kitchen for a cup of chamomile tea.
Jason watched her go, feeling the slightest remorse for haunting her television. He reasoned he didn’t like that noisy box. For all appearances it put Margaret into a daily trance. He followed Lainie into the kitchen where he noticed her lips again. His remorse evaporated. Sharing passionate kisses with a man you just met! Annoyed, Jason swept his hand across the counter and knocked the spoon to the floor with a clatter.
Lanie jumped at the sound. Frowning, she reached under the chair where a spoon had inexplicably fallen. She looked around for anything that might have knocked it on the floor, hoping she didn’t have large mice or, god forbid, rats. Setting it in the sink, she said, “I think I have ghosts.”
Jason’s anger instantly faded as her statement took him by surprise. Testing her, he slowly opened the cabinet door, the old hinges squeaking and groaning. She turned to the sound of the swinging door, and he watched her face carefully. No fear, just curiosity. The whistling kettle diverted her attention. Once more he found himself wishing he were able to sit over a cup of tea and talk with her. He wanted to know where she’d been tonight and why she’d kissed a man she hardly knew. He wanted to know why she haunted his thoughts as surely as he haunted these halls. But moving a spoon and a cupboard door was a far cry from materializing in full form before her.
Here's the story
"A very tasty and fascinating read. The duel perspectives that stemmed from the fact that this story was both historical and contemporary, without being a true “time travel” romance, really made me feel as though this story got the best of both genres, and the murder mystery only drew me in further. The romance between Lanie and Jason was sweet, and the sensuality was absolutely delicious, adding a delightful level of eroticism without overshadowing the love story. I admit that I did tend to appreciate Lanie’s dreams more than her waking hours, simply because it was fascinating to see Jason not only “reliving” the weeks before his death, but actually changing things and helping to solve the mystery that surrounded the entire murder plot."
~A Reader
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It's a busy week around the web!At my Exquisite Quills group blog, we're hosting First Kiss Wednesday today. Come share your kiss in comments!
I'm still doing the 100 Day Blog Challenge.
Come see! http://calliopeswritingtablet.com/
I'm guest blogging here this week:
Author Roxanne Rogerson's blog October 8th
http://roxyrogerson.blogspot.com/2013/10/rose-anderson-and-her-wolf-man.html?zx=15ff2dadf9961cfa
Author Tina Donahue's blog October 9th - TODAY!
http://www.tinadonahue.com/blog/
And, at Author Christina Cole's blog on October 10th
http://christinacoletimeforlove.blogspot.com/
And, at Author Lisa Chalmers' blog on October 11th
http://lisa-chalmers.com/blog-2/
And today on my satellite blog, I'm participating in the Horny Hump Day. http://theancillarymuse.blogspot.com/
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Rose Anderson ~ You'll LOVE Reading Rose
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The description really made me want to read your excerpt. And the excerpt immediately drew me into the story and made me want to read more. Awesome snippet!
ReplyDeletegreat descritptions!
ReplyDeleteGhosts would scare me!
ReplyDeleteGreat description, well done!
ReplyDeleteNice details. I wonder if she is curious only because she is tired, if he keeps going she might freak out. Jealous ghosts are not a good thing.
ReplyDeleteVery nicely done...the descriptions were great! His pov is very entertaining.
ReplyDelete