The Ghost of Shantel Thompson

 

THE GHOST OF SHANTEL THOMPSON

by Curtis Maynard

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENRE:  

 

Paranormal Thriller

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

When the Riggs family in Mobile, Alabama, faced the mysterious death of their adoptive daughter Shantel Thompson, they never imagined her ghost would linger for decades…

 

In Curtis Maynard's heart-stopping paranormal thriller, 'The Ghost of Shantel Thompson,' a new family, fifty years later, grapples with a haunting legacy where the line between life and death is hauntingly thin.

 

Just as they begin to settle into their new life, their own young daughter is gripped by chilling visions of Shantel. It's not just fleeting shadows—she's entangled in a vengeful spirit's relentless quest for justice, a quest that spans generations.

 

As whispers from the grave reveal long-hidden secrets, this new family faces a terrifying truth: some ghosts refuse to be silenced. Now, they must confront the mystery of Shantel's death before her ghostly agenda consumes them all.

 

Dare to uncover the truth? 'The Ghost of Shantel Thompson' awaits to send shivers down your spine

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

EXCERPT:

 

Hours drifted away as they immersed themselves in the accounts of the murder day, meticulously examining interviews with the neighbors. It was during this exhaustive search that Sarah stumbled upon an article that sent a shiver down her spine. Her face turned pale, and she repeated the word "no" in disbelief.

 

Concern etched on his features, Damian inquired, "Honey, what's wrong?" His worry grew as he witnessed his wife's deteriorating condition.

 

Handing him the article, Sarah whispered, "Read it. It's about the little girl who was murdered. She was adopted, just like Alicia. And look at the name. Shantel."

 

Damian's trembling hands held the article as he absorbed its contents. Shantel had been ten years old, the exact age their daughter had been when they had adopted her and moved to this very town. The uncanny similarities between the two girls sent a chill down his spine.

 

"D-Damian?" Sarah attempted to regain her husband's attention, her voice quivering. "Damian?"

 

"I'm sorry," he replied, placing the article down. "It's just... It hits too close to home. I mean, what are the odds that we would move into the very house where she was killed?"

 

"And the name, Damian. Shantel. How could Alicia possibly know about her? We never disclosed the fact that a murder had occurred in our home," Sarah lamented.

 

"Do you think she found out from someone else?" Damian posed the question, searching for answers.

 

"Who, Damian? She hardly leaves the house, except to go to school. Yet somehow, she learned about Shantel. Unless... never mind," Sarah dismissed a fleeting thought, her anxiety evident. "I'm letting my imagination run wild again. I've watched one too many horror movies," she chuckled nervously, masking her unease.

A Word With the Author

 Have you ever had an imaginary friend?

            Haven’t we all at one point?  I think I had one which helped me deal with life as a child. 

 

Do you have any phobias?

            Spiders!  Yuck and Yikes!

 

Do you listen to music when you’re writing?

            Only music with no vocals.  It sets the stage to play the scene in my mind.

 

Do you ever read your stories out loud?

            No, I would get distracted I am sure.

 

Tell us about your main character and who inspired him/her.

            Alicia

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Curtis Maynard is an independent filmmaker, screenwriter, and author passionate about suspenseful storytelling. Enthralled by the paranormal, his mysteries and thrillers feature everything from hauntings and visions to cryptic messages from beyond the grave. Curtis currently resides with his wife and son in Alabama, a setting rich with inspiration for his novels and short films. He hopes his stories will leave you spellbound, disquieted, and suspicious of the slightest shuddering shadow. 

 

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Curtis-Maynard/author/B07PQ88PSZ

 

https://twitter.com/CurtisMaynard12

https://www.tiktok.com/@maynardproductions

https://www.facebook.com/curtis.maynard.5076

https://www.facebook.com/maynardpr

https://www.instagram.com/curtis_maynard1/

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION 

 

The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Beyond the Book: A Writing Prompt

Writing prompt: I had exactly one hour to come up with the perfect gift for my mother-in-law. 

Yeah, I had procrastinated until the eleventh hour, but the truth was I’d have an easier time buying a gift for Scrooge than I would her. What can you buy for someone who has everything she needs or wants? Okay, I could do this. I’d be like Queen Elizabeth. I read that she got mad if people spent a lot of money on presents for her so I’d just try to find something unique that she’d like just because it was unique and unusual. 

Oh, wait. I’d already tried that approach. Three years I’d given her a pretty yard flag. I thought it was colorful, tasteful, and a perfect match for her home and garden. The next time I saw the flag was in a White Elephant sale at her church where they were raising money to send missionaries to Africa.

The next year I gave her what I thought would be a sure fire winner. She wanted to learn how to decorate cakes so I gave her a gift certificate to a local baker who held classes. She went one time and quit. Too hard and annoying she said. 

Next Christmas I started hyperventilating in October, wracking my brain to find something for her. I ended up with a bird bath and several feeders along with a pair of binoculars if she wanted to get a really close look at the birds. She put them in the back yard, but she never put any food or water in them. Another epic fail. 

All of which explained why I was doing Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve with guests due for dinner in an hour. A great wave of rebellion swept over me. I wheeled my car into a pharmacy parking lot (I turned the car so quickly I almost got hit in the rear.) Anyway, I dashed in and went straight to the gift card wrack. It took about a minute and a half to pick a card to her favorite restaurant. Would she ever go to that restaurant again? Probably not, We’d just have to see.

FYI

In case you were wondering, my mother–in-law was a lovely person who always appreciated anything you gave her. She died in 1994, and I still miss her. I wish we could have another nice visit together. 

Do you have a problem person to buy for? I could never really please my dad. He pretended to be enthusiastic over his gifts, but I knew he really wasn’t.

Emissary

 Emissary

by E.B. Brooks

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENRE: Science FIction

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

Two Worlds. One Future.

 

Ewan O’Meara is no stranger to death: in recent months, he’s found his way to limbo at least once per week, much to his parents’ concern. It’s a necessary price for getting experience to become the greatest adventurer his homeland of Veridor has ever known, but the overbearing Veridian Church has him pinned down, soaking him for the penance gold to unlock his stats each time he respawns. And because the Church’s ancient war put an end to both the godlike Gems and the epic quests they once bestowed, Ewan has no better alternative.

 

That is, until he encounters a young woman fleeing arrest from the Church’s soldiers. At first glance, Treanna Rothchild needs it: she’s clueless about Veridian life. But she has other skills that defy Ewan’s understanding, and she knows things. Unsettling, seditious things the Church wants kept secret at any cost.

 

And she’s in Veridor to raise an army, to fight an enemy only she can see.

 

Risking both life and soul, Ewan follows Treanna where no Veridian has ever been and there is no respawning. But for him to have a chance at making a real difference in the strange, harsh world she reveals to him, he must first come to terms with it. Especially as he and Treanna discover how much it has in common with Veridor—and how much they depend on each other to survive.

 

New-adult science fiction, wrapped in gaming and fantasy around a hopepunk core, Emissary is an immersive, thought-provoking adventure with a little teen romance and a lot of heart.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

EXCERPT

 

 

Ewan didn’t know why he did it. He had plenty of reasons. He was angry about getting censured, annoyed with Paul’s warning to keep his head down, and embarrassed by how quickly he’d ignored it. No one took him seriously as an adventurer, much less understood when he asked the big questions. 

 

But, more than anything, looking into those eyes, he simply knew this girl was in trouble, and that he wanted to help her.

 

She flew past as time resumed its normal flow; Ewan shouted and leaped in front of the Swords to draw their aggro. He called up his menu, winced when he remembered he’d given Kate his armor, then equipped his blades anyway.

 

An ominous tone sounded in his mind, and a warning flashed across his vision that he now had a bounty, along with a reminder that only Swords were permitted to equip weapons in the cathedral. As if to prove the point, the soldiers slowed as they saw the blades flash into being on his back, but with grim smiles they equipped their own and changed targets. 

 

Ewan spared a quick glance behind him to see the girl vanish down the steps, then turned to face his opponents. 

 

The crowd was whispering excitedly now, but he focused on the Swords, quickly calling on his own basic aura-reading skills to scan them. They were stronger than him, and bigger too, but neither had bothered to bolster their defense beyond their armor, clearly seeing him as an easy mark. 

 

Time to see what agility’s all about, he thought with a nervous chuckle.

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

E.B. Brooks lives in the southeastern USA, where he splits his time between writing, research, and homesteading. He enjoys building fictional worlds, real houses, and landscape models, but he’s most at home with his wife and children, and their many, many pets.

 

Website: http://ebbrooksfiction.com/

Twitter: @EBBrooksFiction

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG2vFKJoCSoJaP6qCECwPIA

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19919752.E_B_Brooks

The StoryGraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/authors/d82b9abb-6a6a-48a7-8563-a84689316df7

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/e-b-brooks-df6155fb-c7c4-4568-b612-ac5ae2eeb86b

 

Buy Links (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/stores/E.B.-Brooks/author/B087D6C88X

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION 

 

One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $25 Amazon/BN.com gift card.

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Curse of Magick

<

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Diane Gallagher will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

“A desperate princess, a handsome warrior, and an ancient magick to determine their fate.”

As daughter to the High King, love doesn’t come easily to Gráinne. Having turned down hundreds of suitors, she is being forced to marry Finn, an old, ugly yet powerful general. While outside the marriage hall, Gráinne bumps into Diarmuid, Finn’s handsome foster son. From that moment, Gráinne knows if she is to have any chance at love, he is the one she must marry. She begs him to take her away from this unwanted wedding. When Diarmuid refuses, Gráinne, desperate, places a curse on him; help her or die.

Diarmuid is a warrior who only wants to serve loyally, but when the princess sets her sights on him and casts her curse, he must make the most difficult choice of his life. Does he help her, taking their chances with a vengeful Finn, or does her refuse her, leaving her to her fate, and risking his own death?

With both their lives on the line, Gráinne and Diarmuid must fight to use Ireland’s ancient magick to escape from Finn, either bringing them together in passion or in death.

A Curse of Magick is a passionate tale of love, betrayal, revenge, and redemption. A retelling of an ancient Irish myth, A Curse of Magick takes the love and romance of Romeo and Juliet, and the exhilaration of King Arthur, and mixes it together for a satisfying adventure all will love.

Read an Excerpt

Once the cave opened, Diarmuid grinned at Gráinne in the dim light. The walls of the caves were lined with crystals. Even in the darkening light of the sunset they twinkled and reflected the deep orange glow. Gráinne gasped.

“Wait until you see it with a fire,” Diarmuid said. “I’m going to go and gather as much dried wood as I can find. Wait here.”

As he left the cave, Diarmuid listened carefully. There was no sound of Finn’s men. He didn’t expect another message from Oisin saying they were on the move. He knew they were on their own now. He gathered up a tangle of branches he found at the foot of a tree. He hauled them back into the cave and dropped them in a heap on the cavern floor.

“Hand me that bag, will you?” Diarmuid pointed to a small bag he’d left near Bran. “That’s the flint bag. We can never lose that, or we will be in trouble.”

“I know that,” Gráinne bit back. “I have my own. Look.” From just under the collar of her dress she pulled out her own leather bag.

Diarmuid grunted and turned his attention to the fire.

He piled the branches carefully so that air would draw from below and used his flint to light the fire. As the fire sparked and took, the light reflected against the crystals that covered the ceiling of the cavern, making it look like a thousand tiny stars twinkled above them.

“Oh, how beautiful!” Gráinne cried, pressing her hands together beneath her chin.

“Yes, it was Angus that showed this to me. It is like magick, isn’t it?”

Gráinne nodded and smiled at Diarmuid, looking up at him from beneath her lashes, her momentary ire forgotten.

About the Author:

Diane Gallagher is a novelist and Druid priest. She is the author of three novels: A Curse of Magick, Greenwich List, and the Bastard of Saint Genevra. She has long roots stretching into her Celtic past, although she splits her life between two islands—Vancouver Island on the west coast of Canada, and Sicily off the toe of Italy’s boot. She writes young adult romance based on ancient Celtic myths of the powerful women of Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. She currently teaches creative writing at Cherry Hill Seminary.

Website: https://dianegallagherwritings.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dianegallagherwritings
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551870126755
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLcqpCjIM3A
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dianegallagherwritings/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/diane_writes

Free to read on Kindle Unlimited: https://www.amazon.com/Curse-Magick-Ancient-Women-Celtic-ebook/dp/B0CLRJ98L7/ref=sr_1_1

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The River Against the Sea

 

The River Against the Sea

by Z. Lindsey

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENRE:   New Adult Fantasy

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

Some heroes have swords. Essimore Darkenchyl has a pen. But it’s a magic pen.
Some wizards have spellbooks. Essie has Gossen’s Guide to Shipping Law. But it’s a current edition.
Some sailors have . . . experience. Essie has a new diploma and a year-long contract, and her people have won wars with less.

And that’s good, because between stolen weapons, a coup, and a strange disease creeping in around her and the crew, she might need to win a war.

In a world that blends traditional fantasy with the Age of Exploration, Essie knows a pen is mightier than a sword, especially since hers sometimes shoots lightning.

But what she thinks is a routine political dispute turns out to be something much, much more, and she may have finally met the one problem she can’t talk her way out of.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

EXCERPT:

 

Essie cleared her throat. From her backpack, she removed the letter of service that granted her travel permission to sail on the ship. It was folded neatly into thirds, with a glittering blue wax seal on it.

 

“Essimore Darkenchyl at your service, sir. I’m your new fully licensed shipping coordinator with Power of the Pen. It’s an honor to be aboard.” 

 

The captain took the letter without opening it, folded it in half with no regard for the beautiful wax seal, folded it messily again, and jammed it into his pocket. The whole time, Essie winced. 

 

“Right-o.” As he smiled, the older man’s cheeks dimpled and his white teeth shined in the sun. “Well, I thought we were leaving without you, but here you are. Good on you. Great. Yeah.” The captain turned to the teenager at his side. “Grab her bag and get her stuff to her room. She can hang out there til dinner.” 

 

As the teenager shouldered her bag and grunted, she and the captain looked at each other, the captain with his beaming smile. Once the teenager left, she said, “Thanks for welcoming me onto your ship.”

 

“Yeah. Fully licensed, you say?” 

 

“Absolutely!”

 

“Okay. Have a nice one. See you at dinner.” 

 

“Don’t we need to . . . uh . . . onboard?” 

 

“You’re already on board. You managed that just fine.” 

 

“But . . . signing things. Paperwork. Reviewing the staff log. Staff log, sir!” 

 

The captain’s smile faded, but reappeared so fast she wasn’t sure if she’d seen it go.

 

“Okay, fine. Let’s talk in my cabin.” 

A Word With the Author

1. Did you always want to be an author?

My mother is a huge fan of fantasy fiction, and I grew up reading her hand-me-downs after she’d mangled the spines. I’ve always loved storytelling, and a part of me has always loved being an author. 

2.Tell us about the publication of your first book.

Uh . . . it’s expensive! I live in Mexico and most editorial, cover design, etc. services are priced with the United States in mind. That said, it’s 100 percent made me a better author and better advocate for myself. I’ve also met a ton of great people through events like the Futurescapes workshop. 

The toughest part is sticking to the budget. I could commission artwork all day long, but I’m less happy to be spending money on Amazon ads although they’re obviously more useful. 

At its heart, though, publishing is the same thing I’ve been doing this whole time--finding different ways of telling a story I love. This book isn’t a romance (there’s a stifled romance in book two and a friends-to-lovers in three, though!), but it is a love story, because the main character was inspired by my wife. Writing the novel was one way of telling that story, and here I am again telling a story about someone I care about, but in a different way. 

3.Besides yourself, who is your favorite author in the genre you write in?

My favorite fantasy writer of all time is T. H. White. I almost never read books more than twice tops, but I’ve read The Once and Future King a ton of times, and my worn and battered mass market version has pages that are puffy from teardrops. 

Like his work, my work mixes humor with character building, but my current work is more hopeful and less tragic than White. It’s not to say bad things don’t happen in my books, but that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, even if the characters don’t see it. I doubt many people need to be reminded of the weight of tragedy. What I’m hoping to do is remind folks that you can make it through tragedy with your sense of humor and sense of wonder intact. (If that’s not too dramatic a goal for a book about a magical devil.)

4.What's the best part of being an author? The worst?

I think we all know the worst thing is the pay. Doing something you love for good money is a privilege in any profession, but this is exceptionally true for writers. For most of us, the desire to put our stories out into the world is more important than paying the bills with them. I do, of course, hope the book is a runaway success and I never work again. But the opposite result isn’t going to make me quit writing, because for me it’s a bit of a compulsion, really.  

Probably one of the most ancient uses of language is storytelling. Even animals with protolanguages do something like storytelling. So it feels like something fundamental to our being, and making things up just never gets old! It’s a joy to participate in that ancient practice. It’s a joy to see people laugh at the part in the story where you hoped they would and get really freaking angry at you at the part you hoped they would, too. 

5.What are you working on now?

While this book stands on its own, it can also be read as part of a trilogy (which is already written). But the lead character has way more than three books in her. The first trilogy considers her as a young person coming into her own, so the clear choice for the next trilogy is to show her as an old grandmotherly witch who might blow you up but would prefer to bake you cookies.

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Zac Lindsey is an anthropologist and a linguist who focuses on the Maya people of Quintana Roo. Since childhood, he's had a not-so-secret love of weird, silly, and well-structured fantasy. When other people's parents were reading them picture books, his mom was reading him Terry Brooks. He typically writes hopeful and character-driven fantasy. 

 

Today, he lives in Quintana Roo, Mexico with his wife, daughter, and various stray cats. 

 

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/z.lindsey_fiction/

Face: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550498257222

Amazon preorders (for ebook): https://www.amazon.com/River-Against-Sea-Z-Lindsey-ebook/dp/B0CH3TW3YD/

B&N preorders (for paperback): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-river-against-the-sea-z-lindsey/1144077772

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION

Z. Lindsey will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Fee Warrior's Queen

<

Title: The Fae Warrior's Queen

Series: Between Dawn and Dusk #5

Author: Jamie Schlosser

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Release Date: December 23, 2023

I don’t know how long I’ve been enslaved in the Lost Land, but by the time a fierce warrior comes to my rescue, I think it’s too late for me. This place robs you of your emotions and takes away all your hope. It turns you into an empty shell until there’s nothing left to save.

But, miraculously, within minutes of meeting Kai, I start to feel sparks of life inside me—admiration, attraction, and most of all, empathy.

My scarred hero wears the evidence of his own trauma on his skin. Hundreds of thick lines are displayed on his arms, his back, and even on his face. He’s obviously been through unthinkable pain, yet he’s strong, brave, and passionately determined to resurrect my dead heart.

Unfortunately, my captor won’t just let us walk out of here. Always one for games, the evil overlord presents us with our only way to escape: If we face three challenges in his enchanted maze and win each test, we’re free to go.

Kai has no idea what he’s agreeing to when he says yes, but I do. Without a doubt, it’s a trick. Because Armand wants my misery above all else, and the best way for him to get it is to let me fall in love with a man I don’t get to keep.

“Before the abduction, I was Rosita. Then in Valora, it was commanded that I take a more fae name, and Zarid chose Rowan. After he died, I never wanted to be called that name again, so I asked for Rosita or Ro, but neither suit me.”

After pausing for a few seconds, Kai muses, “What if I were to call you something else?”

“Like what?”

“A nickname.”

“And what would this nickname be?” I decide to humor him.

As if he doesn’t even need to think about it, he blurts, “Sunny.”

I laugh, but the sound is saturated with cynicism. “Oh, I’m certain I haven’t earned that. I’ve been nothing but gloom and doom since the second we met.”

“But you smell like sunlight,” he claims quietly. “And in your presence, I feel warm.”

Stunned by the flattering statement, I swallow hard. “What?”

“Even after all your time away from the two suns of the Day Realm, the scent of the air clings to you. You carry the essence of it as though it’s a part of you. It’s… sweet. Like flowers in the forest, dew-soaked grass at dawn, and fresh honey. And just like sunshine, you’re always giving but often taken for granted.”

Jamie Schlosser writes steamy new adult romance and romantic comedy. When she isn't creating perfect book boyfriends, she's a stay-at-home mom to her two wonderful kids. She believes reading is a great escape, otters are the best animal, and nothing is more satisfying than a happily-ever-after ending.

HOSTED BY:

>