Publishing in a Haunted House: Pill Hill Press follow-up

An interesting follow-up to yesterday's First Graphs featuring an excerpt from my recent story "My Dear Mrs. Jones" published in the new anthology, THE BITTER END: TALES OF NAUTICAL TERROR from Pill Hill Press.

I'd seen a mention on the website about the publisher being located in a haunted house. Definitely makes you wonder...

Well, "ghostwriter" and friend Courtney Mroch got the scoop today about Pill Hill House at her Haunt Jaunts blog.

Check out the flowery 1920s obituary. And no wonder this house is reportedly haunted. What a background!

Congrats, Courtney on an interesting post!

First Graphs: My Dear Mrs. Jones in The Bitter End: Tales of Nautical Terror

For today's First Graphs, I thought I'd highlight one of my latest stories, just released in the new anthology, THE BITTER END: TALES OF NAUTICAL TERROR from Pill Hill Press. (Isn't the cover cool?)

In my story, "My Dear Mrs. Jones," a woman in Victorian times facing financial ruin after her father's death makes an unusual decision, agreeing to marry the mysterious Mr. Jones.






Excerpt from "My Dear Mrs. Jones" by C.A. Verstraete

The ink glistened as it flowed from the fountain pen, the squiggles still wet and gleaming on the page.

Elsbeth Masters fought the urge to smear the vestiges of her signature across the page like blood, but she dared not. It was already too late.

The sailor grabbed the parchment in his dirt-encrusted nails and rolled it into a tight tube. “Aye, he’ll be expectin’ ye in three days time then. At the beach.”

She nodded, still not completely sure of her choice, though she knew it was necessary. A shiver hit her.

The man grunted and walked away, the clump of his boots along the rough plank floors of the trade office sounding to her like the clang of the death bell. She staggered, grasping the edge of the worn wood desk. My God, what had she done?

Buy:

Miniatures Monday: Christmas Gift

Now that it's no longer a secret, I thought I'd share a fun project I made for my friend, Courtney for Christmas.

I used a large size greeting card which I attached to a square wood floor covered with scrapbook paper. The walls are insets made from foam core board, also covered with scrapbook paper. Butt one wall on top the other to glue.

I put wood strips at the top and sides. Acrylic pieces can then be fit. The side pieces are glued to each other and to the top.

Courtney btw, runs the great blog site, Haunt Jaunts. Check it out for some neat info on haunted places!

A Merry and Blessed Christmas to all

A wonderful, happy and blessed Christmas to all. I've enjoyed meeting so many new people online and making new friends. Hope you have a fantastic 2010!

..But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." (Luke 2, KJV)

A Merry Little Christmas

Hope your Christmas is a little calmer than this guy's!

The fun elf and scene are by doll maker Nancy Cronin.

Merry Christmas!

Today: Van Gogh Injures Self

Today marks the day in 1888 when Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh, suffering from severe depression, cut off part of his left ear while staying in Arles, France. He painted himself later with a bandaged ear in the painting titled, "Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear."

For two months previously, Van Gogh had been working with fellow painter Gauguin, who had came to stay with him in Arles. Tensions developed and Van Gogh threatened his friend with a knife before injuring himself. He was hospitalized in Arles and checked himself into a mental institution in Saint-Remy for a year.

While hospitalized, alternating periods of madness and creativity resulted in some of his best known works including Starry Night and Irises. Van Gogh died in July 1890 at age 37, two days after shooting himself.

Better watch out! Don't throw that snowball!

Just on the news this morning - nothing worse than a big mob fighting in the streets huh?

But this time it was a giant snowball fight - and the cop objected to his car being hit jumps out with his gun.

I say good to see a bunch of young kids having fun - not doing other fighting - throwing punches or with their own guns!

Holy cow! Granted, it's a stressful job, but this guy needs some Prozac or a vacation!

** Read more

** Watch the video

Christmas Memories & In Miniature - Pink Saturday

Today Beverly at How Sweet the Sound asked everyone to share some of their Christmas traditions for Pink Saturday.

The favorite Christmas tradition, of course, was waiting for the arrival of Santa and opening the gifts! Here's a pic of me with my little pile of loot! I love the silver tree (which is popular again!)

I admit, I don't remember much. We were a Christmas Eve family, celebrating then and relaxing on Christmas Day. I still enjoy spending Christmas morning in church, hearing the Christmas story, singing carols, and going home to open gifts, watch a movie and enjoy the day.

These days, I enjoy decorating many trees - in miniature, of course. I wanted to show a few I've done.

This Christmas scene is in half-inch scale set in a small glass terrarium.

One thing about miniature - you can have lots of gifts! ha! This is a scene on a shelf in a vintage medicine cabinet on my kitchen wall.




For a change of pace, I decorated this tree for my smaller scale Halloween house. I painted it black, wrapped it in iridescent ribbon and put small clay eyeballs on the branches.


** Don't forget to check out my fun Christmas story, "Christmas at the North Pole Compound." See ebooks. Click on cover link in side column.

First Graphs: Mary Cunningham, author of Cynthia's Attic, The Magician's Castle

Today we resume our feature, FIRST GRAPHS, and welcome Mary Cunningham, author of the Tween fantasy-mystery book series, Cynthia's Attic.

In THE MAGICIAN'S CASTLE, book four in the series, when a magician's fiancee disappears through the magic trunk, friends Cynthia and Gus must find a missing page from a spellbook or Cynthia's family could be ruined.

The pair travel back to a 1914 Swiss castle to get clues from the magician's grandmother and follow tree tunnels, end up in an enchanted garden, and scale the Alps. A trip 50 years in the future may give them the answer—but at what price?

** Comment and you might win a free download of Mary's new Cynthia's Attic Christmas story, "Christmas with Daisy" **



Excerpt, Chapter One, THE MAGICIAN'S CASTLE:

"An-neeee!" I reached Cynthia's bedroom moments after the Beatles record began blaring.

"This is just like the gramophone I saw at the circus, Gus, only you don't have to crank it! What's it called?" Her face was lit up like a Christmas tree.

Gramophone? She sounds like my grandmother. "It's called a record player, Annie, but, you're making too much noise! We can't let anyone know you're here. Not yet." I shut off the record. Too late.

"Who are you?" A tall, frowning teenager, arms folded, stood tapping her foot in the doorway.

"She's with me, Danielle." This was bad. The last person I wanted to see was Cynthia's cranky older sister. "Her family is just visiting and, uh…Cynthia and I said she could hang around with us since she doesn't know…anyone…" My voice cracked.

Fortunately, Danielle didn't care enough to stick around and ask more questions. "Whoever you are…no more noise! I'm trying to practice." She stormed out of the room. "Pests."

I slumped onto the bed, head in hands, knowing this was just a preview. How was I going to explain-away Annie's appearance? Or…make that, disappearance. Now, where did she go?

** Learn more at the Cynthia's Attic blog

** BUY:

Miniatures & Books Collide - Christmas at the North Pole Compound, new ebook cover!

My miniatures collecting has again influenced my writing.

The new cover for my Christmas ebook, "Christmas at the North Pole Compound," features one of my favorite elves and a few miniatures from my Christmas dollhouse.




About Christmas at the North Pole Compound:

It's not all Fa-la-la and Ho-Ho-Ho at the North Pole. Chief Elf Investigator Finius Flaherty is on the case. Can he find the missing gifts - and save Christmas?

In the story, Chief Elf Investigator Finius Flaherty is not only alarmed by the decrease of Christmas cheer (it's enough to threaten Rudolph's ability to pull the sleigh, he says!), but is even more disappointed that crime has come to the North Pole – and is most likely an inside job.

Excerpt:

"Before I continue, let me introduce myself. I'm Finius Flaherty, Chief Elf Investigator. No, I don’t bake cookies. I leave that to the West coast cousins.

My branch of the family was hand-picked by the big guy for his security team at the North Pole. Big responsibility, though I’d prefer to sit on a beach in Florida.

Not that I don’t enjoy my job. I do, but unfortunately, our services have been needed more in recent years. Christmas spirit doesn’t prevent crime, you know. We’ve been feeling that lack of spirit lately ourselves, too. Just ask Rudolph. This is a real hazard as even the smallest drop in Christmas cheer influences his ability to pull the sleigh. Can’t have it dragging now, can we?"...

*** BUY: Christmas at the North Pole Compound