Wednesday Wonders: HALLOWS GATE

Today's Wednesday Wonders features Hallows Gate by Michelle Erickson.

Book Description:

New Year’s Eve changed Angelina ‘s life

She got lost and fell in love – with a ghost.

Now she needs to save him by becoming his wife

The problem?

If she succeeds, she frees him, but loses him forever.

Love is more complicated than she thought...

And that doesn’t include the elves. 

 

Short Excerpt:

 “Angelina?” he looked as if he were fighting some inner battle.

He’d never said my name before in dreams.  His voice made it sound intimate.  I touched my lips and stared at his; he wasn’t going to get away that easily.  I wanted to kiss him again.

I looked at the ever-so-real illusion in front of me, “You always called me Angel when we were under the tree, you know.”

His eyes traveled over my face as if memorizing it.

“I’m going to wake up soon.  Let’s just kiss ‘til I do.”  It seemed the best use of my time.  I stepped forward and he held up his hand to stop my approach, looking regretful, but not as regretful as I felt he should look. 

“But you’re not dreaming,” he was amused and he seemed to be able to read minds.  I guessed men who looked like super-heroes were entitled to super powers.

I blinked at him, confused. “I need to kiss you again.”

His smile deepened, revealing a shallow dimple in his right cheek.  It looked very attractive and I wanted to kiss it as well.  He looked wistful and then his eyes sank to my lips and rose back up to my eyes. “You will.”

I smiled, ready to step forward just as he disappeared.

I blinked and looked around, like the fool I was, wondering where he went.  Then it dawned on me that I really was getting soaked.  It was cold enough I could see my breath.  Through the misty shroud my breath made, I realized I was not only alone; I was standing in a hollowed-out building in the dark, two feet from a gaping hole in the floor.  If he hadn’t stopped me from going forward…

Numbly, I skirted the hole, walked out the doorless building that had a large “Danger!” sign tacked to the wall.  I stumbled down the broken steps, avoiding those that were missing, ignoring the pelting rain. 

The parking lot was empty, except for my car.

I opened the car door, sat behind the wheel, put the car in reverse, and floored it.  I wanted to huddle over the heater, but my chattering teeth weren’t only connected to temperature.

Three things were screamingly apparent.

First, this wasn’t a dream.

Second, he knew my name.

Third, I wanted him to kiss me.

I touched my lips with a shaking hand.  No, make it four things:  Apparently, I just kissed a ghost and it was, without a doubt, the best kiss I had ever had. 

I didn’t need caffeine.  I was so awake my hair was standing on end.

Amazon Link to purchase Hallows Gate

About the Author:

In the past, I've suffered from post-apocalyptic stress syndrome while writing 5 Blanks, powered an ancient artifact using a pair of star-crossed lovers in Chest of Souls, recovered Christmas by unearthing the forgotten love story of the Klauses, and, in Pic Jump, saved a little girl from a terrorist organization armed with nothing but a Barbie head and a woman in a coma. Oh, and helped a woman get lost and find true love - with a ghost - in Hallows Gate.

People ask how I do what I do. Simply put: I LOVE what I do. I thrive on the written word! By the time you read this, I'll be working with awesome new characters to turn upside down (or inside out), spinning more plots to weave into their lives and planting subplots to harvest when they aren't looking.

I'm currently at work on House of Cards (Book 1 has been released), a children's urban fantasy I'm co-authoring with my oldest daughter. Other projects?   I'm being haunted by characters that demand sequels, and those who simply want to get their fifteen minutes in the spotlight. Masters of Lightning, never-say-die ghosts, and Elves with attitude are among these.

It has been a long and miraculous (always mental), journey. I bid you good reads wherever you go and in case I don't survive my next adventure, I left my will at the bottom of a volcano under a rock.

Are you still reading this? Good. Keep it up - and thanks for dropping by! 

Author Links:

Blog  |  Facebook  |  Pinterest  |  YouTube

    Google+  |  Wikia Page  |  Amazon Author Page

Wednesday Wonders: PIC JUMP

Today's Wednesday Wonders welcomes Michelle Erickson and her novel, Pic Jump.

 About the Novel:
 

My name, believe it or not, is Pictarine Nebbie Jump. Call me Pic.  

My happily ever after started with Mason’s first words: “Want me to kiss it better?” I never looked back.
 
Yes, things were going great and I expected them to get even better.

Then I was accidentally eye-napped.
Yeah, you read that right. It’s complicated.

What happened is so bizarre, that because of me, a four-year-old is being hunted by a terrorist cell, and all she’s armed with is a child’s hope, her Barbie doll, and my brains.

We are alone, because no one believes her and no one can see me.
If I don’t do something, she’s going to disappear –permanently. 

 

Excerpt: 

My happily-ever-after started with a coma.

Not exactly the way I envisioned spending my honeymoon, but the coma was just the beginning of trouble. 

My life, before I was in a coma, was a series of firsts and all important firsts started with Mason Richard Jump. 

If it had not been for him coming into my life, I never would have had the miracles that came later.  To explain those miracles, I have to rewind my life to December 14^th – the right season for unequalled joy and sacred miracles. 

The day I met my future husband, I was leaving my office for lunch. 

I was a dedicated career woman, but only after resigning myself to the fact I would never meet anyone worth spending more than a few hours with that I wasn’t already related to.

Yes, I had stopped looking for Mr. Right, dusted off my Bachelorette degree, and with more guts than sense, started my own business – a temp service that spanned two states.  Sounds impressive, but the reality is Evanston, Wyoming doesn’t have that many office-related jobs so I opened a satellite office in Salt Lake City, Utah.

I was eager to get a few more items on my Christmas shopping list – including the newest whodunit by one of my favorite authors.  It would be a gift I would give myself in preparation for the lull that would hit the business in January when everyone scrambled back to work, annoyed they had spent too much money for the holidays.

I was in a hurry and that meant the usual rushed routine – car keys in mouth, juggling files, slipping my cell phone into my purse, and buzzing for the elevator.

When the elevator door opened and I saw Mason, my car keys fell out of my mouth – or tried to; they couldn’t actually fall to the ground because my lips were sticky-dry and my three keys hung there swinging like Christmas bells.

In my attempt to rectify his perception that I showered in stupid and lathered with duh, I grabbed the keys and felt some of the skin pull away. I bit back the gasp of pain, but couldn’t prevent the wince.

“Want me to kiss it better?”

Those were his first words to me.  His eyes were smiling and his mouth was beginning to bow.

If you saw him, you wouldn’t blame me for just staring at him and, well, seriously considering it.  However, what do you say to that?  Yes, a dozen kisses to go please, wrapped in a size thirty-eight tall…or was it long?  It didn’t matter – he was the perfect size, shape, and gender.

His smile was producing a spin cycle in my heart and his eyes came in my favorite shade of chocolate – all plus’s.  

Mason was an Idaho farm boy – lots of physical exercise and all the discipline the word ‘farm’ implies.  He was ruggedly good-looking, wearing a white shirt with open collar and black sports jacket.  He was also holding the most beautiful poinsettia arrangement I’d ever seen.  I knew this for fact, because my parents are florists.

His smile deepened and I realized he had a dimple – just one and in the exact same place as mine. 

We just stared at each other, not saying a word.  In the background, Christmas music began blaring Joy to the World.  When the elevator doors began to close, we both reached out to stop them and our hands met.

Evidently, I had scuffed my shoes across the carpet because there was an electrical charge – or was it just him?  I never knew for sure.

He stepped out of the elevator and into my heart.  “My name’s Mason.  I’m here to make a delivery.”

My eyes finally left his face and caught up to reality – the delivery of poinsettias were the reason he had come up to the floor, not to sweep me off my feet, or kiss me into oblivion.  Drat!

“I need to ask you a question.”

His voice was serious and I looked back into his eyes.  For some reason, I became very conscious that he had a small scar just beneath his bottom lip. 

“Yes?”  My first word to him became one of the most frequently used words in our relationship.

“Where is the nearest mistletoe?”

About the Author: 

In the past, I've suffered from post-apocalyptic stress syndrome while writing 5 Blanks, powered an ancient artifact using a pair of star-crossed lovers in Chest of Souls, recovered Christmas by unearthing the forgotten love story of the Klauses, and, in Pic Jump, saved a little girl from a terrorist organization armed with nothing but a Barbie head and a woman in a coma. Oh, and helped a woman get lost and find true love - with a ghost - in Hallows Gate.

People ask how I do what I do. Simply put: I LOVE what I do. I thrive on the written word! By the time you read this, I'll be working with awesome new characters to turn upside down (or inside out), spinning more plots to weave into their lives and planting subplots to harvest when they aren't looking.

I'm currently at work on House of Cards (Book 1 has been released), a children's urban fantasy I'm co-authoring with my oldest daughter. Other projects?   I'm being haunted by characters that demand sequels, and those who simply want to get their fifteen minutes in the spotlight. Masters of Lightning, never-say-die ghosts, and Elves with attitude are among these.

It has been a long and miraculous (always mental), journey. I bid you good reads wherever you go and in case I don't survive my next adventure, I left my will at the bottom of a volcano under a rock. 

  Tell us about Pic Jump and Hallows Gate

Pic Jump was actually an idea that germinated while I wrote my post-apocalyptic novel,  5 Blanks.  I had to come up with ideas about how people could communicate without bodies.  I have to confess writing Pic made me so nervous after chapter 7, I had to take frequent breaks. I’m a mom of four and the book puts kids in danger.  Because of the mama bear instinct,  I kept trying to kill the bad guy to protect them and it wasn’t the right time.  To hold off was excruciatingly suspenseful.    

  

Hallows Gate was sort of a gift to myself.  I had just finished my 12^th book after eleven months of writing 8-22 hours six days a week.  I wanted something lighter – a clean paranormal romance struck me as a perfect way to get my life back.  Hallows did that for me.  I also made a promise to myself to get a balance back into my life.  Now I only release 3 or 4 a year.  Yeah, I’m still working on that balance.  Hallows Gate will be getting at least two sequels because I love the elves and hate to say goodbye.  

Author Links:

Blog  |  Facebook  |  Pinterest  |  YouTube

 Google+  |  Wikia Page  |  Amazon Author Page

Purchase Links:   Amazon