Welcome to Get your Spook On, where you'll find over a dozen spine-chilling stories of the supernatural to put you in the Halloween mood. Hop through all ten blogs to read the spooky questions our authors have answered. Answer the questions yourself to be entered to win a $50 gift certificate to Amazon and one of four chapter critiques offered by a few of our amazing authors. Each question you answer will be worth one entry, so you can earn a total of ten chances by answering every question. To get additional entries, tweet the following or paste it to your Facebook status (and comment below to let us know you've done so):
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Get your spook on! Ten authors share their scary stories and give out #Halloween treats. http://bit.ly/S3UE13
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The deadline to enter is 6:00 PM EDT on October 31st. Check back here on November 2nd to see a list of winners.
This contest is over. Thanks for entering.
This contest is over. Thanks for entering.
Now for my creep-a-riffic question:
Question: What costume are you wearing for Halloween this year? Why?
Lisa Nowak: I haven’t worn a Halloween costume in about fifteen years because I’m just too lazy/busy, but the last one I wore was a cow costume with the addition of a rubber alien head.
Heather McCorkle: I wish I could but my job is a uniformed job, and I work on the holiday, so I don’t get to dress up. If I could though, I’d dress up as Katniss!
Lisa Ard: I will be a witch, as usual. I have this fabulous, frothy, red witch’s hat that I bought for my party to launch my newest middle-grade novel Saving Halloween. Since I like to get my money’s worth, I’ve worn it to the party, posted pictures of it on my Facebook author page, plan to wear it to school visits this month, and I use it for decoration in my house.
Marla Bowie LePley: I’m not wearing a costume because I’m going to bed early Halloween night. It’s a weekday and I have to work the next day (wow, what a boring answer).
Magan Vernon: Me? Oh geeze. I'm almost four months pregnant and have a toddler, so what I wear seems to come second. There are so many creepy pregnant lady Halloween costumes out there (X-ray fetal skeletons) that I don't even want to try. But I will be taking my toddler out in her owl costume and my dog is going to be a butterfly because it was on sale and in her size.
Stacey Wallace Benefiel: I’m a CrossFitter and this year I’m going to a Halloween workout of the day. I have the makings of a good Richard Simmons costume – I just need to get a wig and bedazzle a tank top. It’s a toss-up between him and Gale from Hunger Games.
Laura Elliot’s character, Roxie: Well, this year I’m not really sure. I’m not good at the whole costume thing. Last year, before my 13th birthday party on Halloween, like RIGHT before the party, I remembered I forgot something––a costume. So I headed to the attic (I kind of hate the attic because it’s super creepy up there) and I rifled through a bunch of my mom’s old wild clothes. I mean, who has a Halloween birthday party and forgets to plan out her costume? Me. I ended up dressing up as a belly dancer, because that’s the only wild clothes of my mom’s that sort of fit. You can ask my best friend Ally. She looked great. Ally dressed up as Katy Perry.
Ali Cross: A zombie pirate queen! Because I like to dress up as a pirate queen for Halloween but since my boys are super into zombies this year, I thought it would fun (and creepy!) to be a zombie pirate queen!
Laura Marshall: I’m going as a witch. My husband doesn’t think it’s much of a stretch from the everyday. God love him, but my boys love it. I have a great hat that is sage green, with feathers, silk flowers, and netting with tiny spiders all over it. It’s just so cool.
Cindy Hogan: The theme of one of the couples' parties I'm going to is 70-80's TV shows—so, My husband is Michael Knight and I'm Kitt. Yep, a gorgeous, know it all, fast and furious, sleek black car.
Don't forget to answer this question in the comments below for an additional chance to win.
And now, here are our spooktacular books!
AFTER by Marla Bowie LePley (YA dystopian) Ger, Laney, and Jenny, three teens who have never met, live a terrifying existence after all the adults suddenly die. Each have their own story. Psychotic teenager, Roc, takes over a secluded mountain town and nurses a cruel fixation for Jenny. She may be the town's only hope and must choose between saving herself, or saving everyone else. Ger, having already experienced tragedy, doesn't know how to cope and is all too ready to give up. Laney, lonely and lost before the disaster, discovers unexpected love. But will it last? As Roc's evil begins to grow, the three of them must come together and find a way to end his reign of terror.~~~~~~~~
Created (book 3 of the Watched series) by Cindy Hogan (YA suspense) Ari and her friends find themselves in an independent spy school in Belgium, Bresen Academy. Test scores reveal her true abilities and the director wants to send her onto to more advanced training school immediately. She is given a two week reprieve to explore the school's training program and hopefully make amends with both Reese and Marybeth. Despite her lack of advanced training, the director convinces Ari she would be the best fit for a mission that surfaces in Prague with a group calling themselves Division 57. Uncertain, but wanting to please, she agrees. She quickly discovers there is nothing easy about being a spy and finds her very life on the line.
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Dead Heat by Lisa Nowak (YA paranormal/urban fantasy) Alex is a machine whisperer. He can tell what's wrong with a broken-down car with a touch. But his gift can't save him from the brutality of his meth-addict father. For two years, Alex experienced kindness through Cole, his mentor. Now Cole's dead, and the violence in Alex's life is escalating. When Cole reappears as a ghost, Alex clings to the tenuous link. Then he learns Cole might've sacrificed his chance to cross over. Jade, the first girl to look beyond Alex's past, assures him Cole can reach the Other Side-if Alex escapes from his dad. But a previous terrifying attempt has convinced Alex it's impossible. Unless he can find the courage to try, his friend may be earthbound forever. ~~~~~~~~
Inky the Icky Black Spider by Laura Marshall (Children's short story) Inky, the icky black spider is on a mission this Halloween night. His mission: to gain entrance to the impenetrable Victorian Manson to procure the mouthwatering candy that is stashed away inside. He'll use all his spider skills to obtain access to the candy holding facility. But will all his training be enough? This Flash Fiction Halloween treat for the senses is sure to delight children of all ages. ~~~~~~~~
Rise of a Rector (book 3 of the Channeler series) by Heather McCorkle (YA Paranormal) With graduation~and the hell of the last two years~behind her, Eren is hoping to finally explore her relationship with Aiden and deepen the bonds with her Society. But it seems there's no rest for a soon-to-be legendary Mayan warrior of the apocalypse. From the green hills of Ireland to the jungles of Mexico, and deep into lands unexpected, Eren and Aiden will stop at nothing to discover all they can about their rare power in an attempt to alter destiny. Learning about ancient secrets that no one can remember proves to be more than challenging with Eren seeing old ghosts at every turn though. Worse yet, behind the ghosts lies something darker and far more deadly than any of the trials she has endured so far. In the jungles of Costa Rica entire villages are dying inexplicably. Near the carnage live a group of channelers who are hiding a thousand year old secret, one that could change the very fate of the planet. But the ghosts of Eren's past have other plans, plans to seize the thread of destiny~and Eren~and manipulate both. ~~~~~~~~
Saving Halloween by Lisa Ard (middle grade/ tween paranormal) When book-smart Anne Parson meets Halloween Spavento, she sees exactly what she wants to see -- a friend. Halloween waves away trouble, magically silences school bullies and offers Anne unfailing friendship. But, when the Spavento family's enchanting exploits are exposed, will Anne face her fears and save Halloween? A spellbinding tale of outcasts who find acceptance, a girl who discovers the true meaning of family, and characters who are not always what they seem. 2012 Kay Snow Award Winner. ~~~~~~~~
Shadow Slayer (book 2 of the Shadow series) by Laura Elliott (middle grade/ tween paranormal) Shadows will do anything to become human. You see their influence everyday. You say things you don't mean or do things that aren't like you. You look, different. Friends you've known forever suddenly never call. As a freshman, Roxie just wants to fit in which is impossible because she barely runs into her friends at her huge high school. Adrianne's disappearance and Hayden's attention rock Roxie's world. But nothing rocks it like the most gorgeous guy at school, Drew. And nothing is more important to Roxie than astral projecting back to Planet Popular to solve the mystery of the map. But that changes when Drew invites Roxie to homecoming. Hayden warns her that something's wrong. Why would a guy like Drew like Roxie anyway? Drew must want something. Hayden's right. Drew is...different. Planet Popular was just the beginning. Part of a bigger world, the Shadow World. There's a war brewing between the world of humans and the world of shadows. When the shadow invasion begins at Roxie's high school, she'll not only fight for her life but the lives of her family and friends, when she discovers she's the Shadow Slayer, the one human who can save Earth from the shadow onslaught. But, Roxie can't even kill a spider. Oh yeah, there's an evil English teacher, an enchanted play, a sword of Sandonian steel, a homecoming of horrors, and seven magic words too. ~~~~~~~~
Day of Sacrifice Omnibus by Stacey Wallace Benefiel (New Adult/Adult Urban Fantasy) Born to die, a group of Sacrifices and their Guardian Angels band together to kill the Gods and free the world. The Day of Sacrifice Omnibus is intended for adults due to language and sexual situations. All six Day of Sacrifice stories together in one volume! ~~~~~~~~
Desolate (book 2 of the Desolation series) by Ali Cross (YA paranormal romance) Where darkness lives, all will become desolate. It's been two months since sixteen-year-old Desolation Black chose Earth over Hell and her friend Miri over her eternal love, Michael. Desi goes through the motions of life: school, training, remaining vigilant against the forces of darkness, but her dreams are full of the choices she wishes she could change. When she's injured by a strange demon, old temptations arise, and the lines between good and evil blur. Desi discovers those choices aren't so final after all. And this time, the power of love-for a friend, for a lover-may not be enough to save her from the darkness that lurks within. ~~~~~~~~
How to Date an Alien by Magan Vernon (YA science fiction) High school senior Alex Bianchi's estranged father gets her an internship at Circe Operations Center to pad her college applications. But Circe isn't your typical military base. It's an alien-run operation center and not all of the aliens are friendly, especially the one that tries to kill Alex on her first day. When Ace, a dark-eyed Caltian, enters and saves the day, she can't help but be drawn to him. Can these star-crossed lovers survive when they're on the brink of intergalactic war?