My winner is Trix. Thanks so much for the great comments, everyone. I had a blast and hope you did too!

A big thanks to our hostess with the mostess (but hopefully not the ghostess), Melissa Snark for setting up this hop. *mwah* 

Every year at Halloween I try to read something spooky, aside from my usual paranormal fiction stories. This year, the national news fit that description, (ha-ha) but I also picked up The Little Book of True Ghost Stories by Echo Bodine. Ms. Bodine is a reluctant psychic who eventually came to terms with her abilities and is now a psychic/medium, a healer, author, teacher, ghostbuster and media personality. She is one busy lady! 

In the book True Ghost Stories, Bodine recounts her adventurous going to various places and contacting ghosts, who she can see and communicate with. Most of the time she's asked to send them to the other side because they are disrupting people here. She gives several reasons ghosts or spirits stay with us. Some of them are afraid of what awaits them, some don't want to see folks they knew on the other side and some are just having fun. This book is well written and Ms. Bodine has had many interesting adventures in her life. I don't always believe "ghostbusters", but the author's matter-of-fact tone and down to Earth writing style has convinced me she actually sees and and hears supernatural beings.

How about you? Do you believe ghosts visit us and can be sent to to the other side where they belong? Leave me a comment below and be entered to win your choice of one of my back list Ebooks, that's anything except Awaken the Fire, or a bookmark magnet goodie pack filled with delightful handmade items, if you're in the US or Canada. And, like that wasn't enough wonderfulness, you can enter my Write the Next Line contest for a chance to win some super cool dragon bling  http://bit.ly/GzFOPV   Hop on over to the next person on the list for more chances to win. Good luck!

Below is a slightly steamy excerpt to get you in the mood for magic and love this Halloween. Thank you for reading!

                                           

                                                    **********************

“What the hell is he doing here?” Adam asked, whirling to face Maurice.

“He volunteered to work with Star. Lucas has excellent skills, and we feel he’s well suited to this job.” Maurice frowned. “Is there a problem?”

Fury coursed through Star. “I’m not working with him.” She folded her arms and glared at Lucas.

“Oh, come now. We’ll have a good time together. It will give us a chance to get better acquainted,” Lucas said.

“I don’t want to get acquainted with you. You’re a liar and a thief, and that’s all I need to know about you.”

“Oh dear, you’re upset with me. Let’s have a drink together, the four of us, and chat. Is it too early for cocktails?”

Lucas laid his hand on Star’s neck, and a burst of white-hot energy shot through her. Pleasure mixed with pain, heat tinged with cold. She gasped. The last time she’d seen this man—who had once been Adam’s teacher—he’d turned into a snake, then back to human form. He’d threatened Adam and coerced him into robbing a jewellery store. They’d not parted on the best of terms. What the hell was he doing here?

“Look at me. Look into my eyes. Once you get to know me, I’m really not a bad person,” Lucas said in a low, hypnotic voice.

The room and everyone in it receded to the background, and all Star saw was Lucas’ eyes. They began as a dark green, and as she watched, turned white-gold, then crimson. They were compelling, magnetic, and she couldn’t look away. 

“You have such fire in you. Let it out, see what it feels like.”

A surge of electricity moved from her centre up through her body. She’d felt this in the past, when practising magic, but this time was different. There was a wildness about this energy, a tinge of wickedness, a feeling of wanton, unruly lust, like nothing she’d felt before. Heat built between her legs, and she moaned involuntarily. Her pussy clenched, and suddenly she could smell Adam, then Tristan and their male scents filling her nostrils. 

She had a flash to the last time they were all together in bed, and her knees went weak with desire. A picture played in her mind of them all naked, in a heap on the floor. Saliva formed, as she saw herself closing her mouth around Adam’s cock, licking it up and down, then biting Tristan on his thigh, raining kisses all over both of them.

“That’s it, let it burn,” Lucas whispered.

Dimly, she was aware that Adam now stood next to her.

“Let go of her,” he growled, reaching out to grab Lucas.

“Uh-uh.” Lucas held up a hand and Star felt a push of power. Adam stumbled back.

Tristan stepped up next to Star, touched her other arm, and put a hand on Adam’s shoulder. A surge of energy flowed into her and she felt the strength of both men release her from the grip of Lucas’ control. Star blinked her eyes, and the spell was broken. Lucas let go of Star’s arm and stepped back and looked at the three of them. 

“Well, well, that was quite a burst of power. Where did that come from? I see you all have been up to something. Lovely. I can’t wait to hear about this.”

A thick, hot haze filled the room. Dark red swirls surrounded Tristan, Adam and Lucas. The hair on the back of Star’s neck stood on end, and despite the heat, a chill ran down her spine. All three men were projecting their force and the intensity was palpable. Adam growled again, and Star felt him tense. Tristan tightened his grip on Adam.

Maurice waved a hand and murmured and a cold breeze blew through the room. Immediately, the power dialled down. 

“Gentlemen and ladies, that will be enough. What is going on here?”

                                                       ***************
Buy links for Awaken the Fire

Amazon
All Romance
Kobo
Barnes and Noble
Totally Bound

Naomi Bellina 
Adventurous erotic romance 

http://www.naomibellina.com/
http://www.facebook.com/NaomiBellinaAuthor
https://twitter.com/TheGoddessNaomi

No, I can not be trusted with Halloween candy in the house. Look at the results! But I ask you, who can resist a Butterfinger? A Baby Ruth? A Cadbury Screme Egg? Not me! Fortunately, I found something a bit more healthy to indulge in and have managed to cut back on my chocolate and sugar consumption. It's no good if I burn calories swimming then pack them back on with candy. I'll save those extra calories for a really good dessert and alcoholic beverages.

Here's a recipe for pumpkin ice cream or custard. I prefer it not so frozen but you can make it as chilled as you like. Sorry there's no picture; we ate it all! You'll have to make a lot since you now have a jar of pumpkin pie spice which is really only good for creating pumpkin flavored stuff. Or get creative and come up with your own pumpkin deliciousness.


I'd like to thank my lovely assistant, Lola the cat,  for helping me arrange the candy wrappers.

Healthy Pumpkin Dessert

 
Ingredients:

3 frozen bananas

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/8 cup full fat coconut milk

1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice

Toppings:coconut butter, pecans, and maple syrup

Directions:

1. Put the pumpkin, coconut milk, and pumpkin pie spice in a food processor.

2. Pull out the frozen bananas from the freezer and slice them in chunks.

3. Process all the ingredients until the mix is smooth like ice cream.

4. Add your desired toppings and DEVOUR!

My winner is Ashley. Thanks so much to everyone for joining in this fun hop!

Welcome to this fabulous blog hop! Big thanks to our hosts, Close Encounters with the Night Kind and The Cabal of Hotness. The grand prize and even second and third place prizes are absolutely awesome, so head to the Rafflecopter and enter.

For my contest, just leave me a quick comment and say hello. I'll choose a random name at the end of the hop and the winner will receive your choice of one of my back list Ebooks, that's anything except Awaken the Fire, or a bookmark goodie pack filled with delightful handmade items, if you're in the US or Canada. And, like that wasn't enough wonderfulness, you can enter my Write the Next Line contest for a chance to win some super cool dragon bling.  http://bit.ly/GzFOPV

After commenting here, hop on over to the next author. I hope you win lots of goodies! 

PS Here's a short excerpt to get you in the mood for fun this scary holiday season.


Tristan had undressed Genna completely, and she stood naked, her arms by her side. He pulled clips out of her hair, then ran his fingers through it.

“Lovely.” He cupped one full breast, and bent his head to kiss her nipple.

Once again, Star admired the petite woman’s body, and wondered what it would feel like to take one of those hard peaks into her own mouth. She’d never been with another woman in bed. In college, she’d been far too shy to join in the experiments her classmates seemed to enjoy. Her companions now would certainly welcome this move on her part, she was sure.

Genna moaned and tilted her head back. Tristan moved his lips to her neck, caressing her body with his hands. Star squirmed on the bed. The waves of intense need coming from Genna and Tristan were almost palpable. Adam must have felt it also. He stroked her thigh, his fingers sliding again into her wetness.

Still, underneath the heat, a tingle of apprehension surged, stronger now. Star pushed down her desire and concentrated on the deeper feelings beneath the surface.

“We need to stay alert. I can sense—” she began.

Suddenly, the door burst open and Lucas strode into the room, a gun in his hand.


Buy links for Awaken the Fire

Amazon
All Romance
Kobo
Barnes and Noble
Totally Bound

Do you know what anthropomorphism is? No, it's not a type of ghost. According to Wikipedia, it's attribution of human form or other characteristics to anything other than a human being. 

"Anthropomorphism has ancient roots as a literary device in storytelling , and also in art. Most cultures have traditional fables with anthropomorphised animals, which can stand or talk like humans, as characters.The word anthropomorphism was first used in the mid-1700s... The word derives from the Greek ἄνθρωπος (ánthrōpos), "human", and μορφή (morphē), "shape" or "form". " 

I had to look it up too. There are anthropomorphic comics for adults and when I saw a call for submission for a Halloween anthology, I couldn't resist trying something new. 

Like many publishers, Rabbit Valley Comic Shop has books for everyone, from G rated to NC 17. This Halloween collection contains scary stories and sexy ones too. If you're looking for something different during this spooky season, check it out. Below is an excerpt from my fun and romantic story, The Things We Do For Love.

http://www.rabbitvalley.com/item_8982___Trick-or-Treat-Halloween-Anthology-edited-by-Ianus-J-Wolf.html

                                                                   *********

Once at his destination, Roger heaved a sigh and pulled the mask over his face. He might as well try to get in the right frame of mind. It wasn't that he didn't like Halloween, or even parties, but these last weeks at work had been a bitch and he was worn out. Part of him would much rather be pressed up against Adele on the couch at home, watching some B horror flick and getting in the mood to fool around.

He stepped into the entryway and was hit with gales of laughter, the scent of perfume, and different musks combined with sweat.  A shudder of distaste ran through his body. He hoped he could put in a quick appearance, then talk his wife into leaving early.

The first thing he did upon entering the living room was grab a drink from a server's tray. Champagne. Not his favorite, but he gulped the liquid anyway. He scanned the room, located the bar, and headed over, hoping the Crawfords had sprung for some decent booze. Elbowing his way past a pirate whose sword slapped his leg and a fairy who playfully blew dust at him, he reached the oasis at last.

 It was amazing how quick his fellow foxes were to don these silly getups. He suspected many of the males were here for the same reason he was, to please their wives in the hopes of indulging in a little after-party play. One thing he was happy to see, many of the women had relaxed their prim and proper visage in favor of something more wanton. Quite a bit of cleavage was on display. Yet it still reminded him how much he'd rather be holding Adele than having to settle for ogling some other vixen.

Finding a quiet spot in the corner, he settled in for a few minutes, still slightly on edge from the work day. The reaper mask was bulky and he had to tip it up to drink, scanning the crowd as he sipped. Thankfully Howard, as Roger remembered, insisted on good whiskey wherever he was.

He recognized a few folks from their neighborhood but no one he was particularly close to. Why Adele liked to converse about meaningless matters with people she hardly knew was beyond him. He was much happier parked in front of his television in his favorite recliner. The music was relatively pleasant, however, and after a few minutes, the chatter became a soothing background noise.

He started on his second whiskey, savoring the smoky taste and the slow burn as it went down his throat. There, that was better. The last little fragment of the day's stress fell away and he finally felt like joining his fellow creatures in the party mood.

With the loosening effects of alcohol, the various costumes he saw were creative, he had to admit. Though most attendees were foxes, he noticed a few other species. Nice to know the Crawfords weren't racist.  There was a hedgehog wizard, a mongoose witch, and… damn, another grim reaper fox. Adele would not be happy about that; she liked to be original.

Speaking of the lovely creature, he spied a tall white wig across the room and decided to have a little fun with his wife. This was a party, after all. He slipped through the crowd, his mask fully down on his face. Oh good, she was heading down a hallway and didn't appear to have noticed him. Perfect! He stumbled slightly, making a note to find food after this interlude. Busy as the day had been, he hadn't had much to eat.

 She slipped into a room and he followed, shutting the door behind him. Light from a full moon illuminated the dark bedroom and he saw her walk to the bed where several purses lay. She was probably going to freshen her lipstick, he surmised, though he didn't know why she would bother, since she was wearing a feline mask to look more like the original Marie. Maybe she was planning to put on another spritz of perfume, though it was already fairly heavy, and even his sensitive nose couldn't pierce it. He approached quietly and when he was within reach, gently ran his claws through the bare area of fur left uncovered by her dress in the back. It looked darker than usual here in the bedroom, with the shadows playing over her body. 

She yelped with surprise and jerked her head straight up.

"Oh, it's you. Don't sneak up on me like that." Her voice sounded hollow, muffled by the mask. He followed her gaze to a mirror on top of a dresser. They made quite a striking couple, he had to say, the queen of France and the harbinger of death.

Her costume dipped low in the front, revealing a tasty peek of cleavage. He hadn't planned anything other than a stolen kiss, and as tempting as it was to pull off her mask and press their muzzles together, another wonderfully naughty thought occurred to him. The stirring under his cloak made him want more.

"Turn around, face the bed and bend over," he commanded in a low, husky voice, remembering how he'd teased her a few days ago. "Obey the reaper, and you may live to see the morning."

"As you command," she said, also in a low, sultry voice, and complied with his request. Apparently, the idea of hidden faces and assuming another identity thrilled her as much as him. Under the wide skirts, he could see the bulge of her tail wagging furiously. His cock jumped as she turned and bent.

He lifted her skirt, pleased to see she wore no undergarments, then ran a paw over the soft fur of her bottom. In this low light, it looked plumper than usual. He blinked and shook his head, cursing the effects of the alcohol. Her ass felt firm and delectable as always, however, and a low moan came from her throat as he moved his hand to the front of her body to stroke her already moist sex. He slipped his fingers deeper and the feel of her soft, wet folds sent an electric shock through his body. Desire coursed through him, primitive and strong, more forceful than he'd felt in ages. He had to have her, right now.

                                                                       *********

A wolf named Naomi? How could I resist having this author for Tuesday Treat? Enjoy this post with a great excerpt from Jorja Lovett as she shares her latest, The Wolf on the Run. I have to admit it, I do like Rory already!


Thanks for having me today to share my new release, The Wolf on the Run, book two in my series, The Wild Irish Wolves. The story focuses on Rory Blake, a police officer/ Alpha of a wolf shifter pack in Northern Ireland, and his relationship with the mysterious Naomi Duffy.

For those of you who haven't read the first book in the series, I thought I'd introduce him to you with a quick rundown of his likes and dislikes.

Likes:

Naomi Duffy, owner of The Wild Dog pub

Running naked in the woods

Outdoor sex

Dislikes:

Anyone who threatens his family, or members of the Olcan Hills pack.

Admit it, you like him already ;)

The Wolf on the Run – Jorja Lovett

Alpha Rory is determined to protect his pack, including feisty Naomi. How can he get close when she's intent on facing her demons alone?

Blurb

As a police officer and Alpha of the Olcan Hills' pack, being a protector is in Rory Blake's DNA.

When Naomi Duffy turned up heavily pregnant and alone, Rory's natural instinct was to look after her. However, her fierce need for independence over the years has ensured they've never been anything more than friends.

Naomi has spent too long trying to keep her daughter safe to jeopardise everything for a fling. But, when her past threatens to catch up with her, Rory is the only person she trusts with her life.

Thrown together, the couple finally succumb to their passion and it's all too easy to forget the danger lurking in the hills.

Do Rory and Naomi have a future together, or will secrets from the past tear them apart?

Excerpt

Naomi came after Rory, pitting her stealthy grace against his sheer power. In his peripheral vision, he could see the wisps of her breath spiralling into the cold air as she forged ahead, determined to catch him. Rory snorted, sending his own white breath curling up into the atmosphere.

He led her over the hills, their claws making short work of carving up the cold, hard terrain. Naomi never lost ground. Even when he made a turn towards the woods on the boundary, she kept pace.

The chase awakened something deep inside him—that animal freedom with no responsibilities except the survival of himself and his pack. The spiky silhouettes of barren trees lined his path, like broad strokes of a black marker pen scratched against the silver sky.

He dodged in and out, never slowing, with Naomi always in pursuit. Occasionally, a pair of woodland eyes blinked at him from the darkness—a rabbit, a fox, observing their bizarre courtship.

Rory had no doubt the exhilaration of their illicit run would end in wild sex between him and Naomi. It was like a very enthusiastic bout of foreplay without actual touching.

They crunched through the leaf-littered forest floor until he tired of being the hunted. He looped back the way they came and stopped in a clearing. In all aspects of life he preferred to be the one doing the chasing, but at this moment in time he wanted nothing more than to be caught.

He shifted back into his naked, horny self. Naomi came to a skidding halt seconds later, scooting a bundle of leaves over his bare feet. “You can run, wolf lady, I'll give you that. Now can we go back to bed?”

She shifted back to stand beautifully naked before him. “Not until you say it.”

“Say what?” He was hard as hell and ready for round two.

“That I’m as good as you.” She gave him a flirty smile. One which said she was looking forward to the future rather than staring back at the past. The run had obviously done wonders for her too.

“That was probably a fluke. I don’t think you could keep up with me on a normal day. You know, one where you haven’t seduced me on top of a car boot and made me carry you home first.” The play fighting wasn’t limited to their animal personas. Not when it proved such a turn on. Human or wolf, the scent of Naomi’s arousal would always draw him to her.

“I didn’t hear you complaining at the time. But, if you’re tired, just say and we’ll call it a night.” She shrugged her shoulders, making her boobs jiggle enough to bring his erection to full strength once more.

He stepped forward and brushed her wild hair from her face. “I’ll never be too tired for you, Naomi. I’ll race you back. This time the winner stays on top.”

She grinned, eyes twinkling as bright as the stars. “You’re on.”

This was one race he intended to lose.

Available from Total-E-Bound 4th October

On general release from 1st November

Author Bio

Jorja Lovett is a British author with both Irish and Scottish roots, which makes for a very dry sense of humour. Writing since she was old enough to wield a pen, it wasn't until she joined her crit group, UCW, that she pursued her passion seriously.

Now, with Joe Manganiello as her permanent muse, if she can leave the pause button on her Magic Mike dvd long enough, she hopes to spend the rest of her days writing steamy romances.



Author Links: Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Website

My winner, chosen by Random,org is Suzy R. Thank you soooo much everyone for your comments. The poem lines were really imaginative!  I had a great time with this contest and hope you did too.

October is my favorite month mostly because of Halloween but also because I love the change of seasons. We still have hot weather here in Florida, but the daylight hours are getting shorter and I see a few leaves turning color. It gets me in the mood for spooky stuff, how about you?

I tried out Rafflecopter  last month and liked it so much I'm going to do another. This one lasts all month and I'm adding a fun component. I wrote a short, creepy poem and am asking you to come up with the last line. I'm not a great poet so my rhythm and rhyme is off but that's okay, it was fun to write. If you want to play along, give me one or even two lines at the end that rhyme with 'beat'. Your line/s doesn't have to be perfect, just have a good time with it. If you don't want to come up with one that's okay,leave a comment and say hello. I'd love to hear from you either way.

The dragon bling is super cool! The winner will get to choose which piece they want (US and Canada only, please) or you can have your choice of a back list Ebook (International). Good luck and thanks for playing!

What would you do if a ghost haunted you
And wouldn't stay dead where you put him.
He belongs in the ground with the rest of the worms
Not here every night in your bedroom
Invading your dreams
With blood-curdling screams
Shrieking promises of sweet revenge.


You had no choice but to end his life
With a bullet straight to the heart.
Now he won't go away
He's darkening your days
And tearing your mind apart.

A ritual, you've heard, will end him for good
No matter how strong his will.
The witch lady said "It's simple to do,
Just magic, full moon and a spell.
A few drops of blood, you drink down the potion
We'll call up the spirits tonight.
Back to the grave we'll send him away
Before the dawn breaks with first light."


But something goes wrong, the tonic's too strong,
Your heart pounds its last living beat.
You join your ex-lover in his ghostly world