Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Wednesday Guest- Minnette Meador

I wanted to start off by thanking Paty for inviting me to her blog. She is one of the best writers I know and is an amazing woman… tough, funny, and talented! :o)


GHOSTS IN THE BEDROOM
by Minnette Meador

I decided to write A GHOST OF A CHANCE mostly because I’ve had some interesting encounters with ghosts myself from the time I was very small.

One that I recall vividly happened when I was about twelve…

It was a weekend. Everyone had gone to bed and the house was quiet. The bedroom I was in was on the ground floor and more like a study; no closet to speak of, but a built-in shelf with a mirror at the top, a bed, my little desk and chair and three large windows. It was on the backside of the house.

I guess it must have been about 2am. A noise woke me up and it must have been a good one, since it usually took a blow horn to get me awake in the morning. It sounded as if someone had said my name… now that got the shivers going. When I opened my eyes, I looked down at the foot of my bed and there was something there. It was tall and white, like a cloud and I could see one of the windows through it. The air was silent… the kind of silence that hurts your ears, absolute. When it moved suddenly to the left toward the shelf, I saw it’s reflection in the mirror; there really was something there.

Now I’d like to tell you I jumped out of bed and got my camera, or that I flung open my door to get someone else to see it, or even that I spoke to it. Sadly, being the devout coward that I am, with shaking hands, I grabbed the edge of the covers firmly and pulled them well over my head. I didn’t move until the next morning.

This was one of the first experiences I had with a ghost and, though they scared the holy toolooties out of me then, I’ve come to realize that they really can’t harm you. What’s more, it sparked these questions: What if someone saw hundreds of ghosts floating around him, in fact he talked to them? What would his life be like? How would he function in the “normal” world? What would his love life be like? What would the ghosts be like?

I tried to answer these and many other questions in my newest novel, A GHOST OF A CHANCE, a comedy of disasters that I hope will tickle your fancy and take these spirits out for a little exercise.

So tell me about your own ghost story! Would love to hear them…

Blurb for Ghost of a Chance
Keenan Swanson is your typical, everyday graphic designer. Well, except for the hundreds of pesky, prank-loving poltergeists that make his life interesting (in a Chinese curse sort of way). He finds his situation precarious yet manageable—until witty, smoking-hot coworker Isabella enters the scene and Keenan decides he wants her all for himself. With a horny succubus who has other ideas, a burly city cop determined to lock Keenan away, and an evil entity who’s hell-bent on using Keenan’s seed to create a living demon, the reluctant psychic realizes he just might not come out of this alive—or with heart intact.

Excerpt
CHAPTER THREE – INBIBING SPIRITS

It dawned on Keenan as he followed Reggie out to the living room that the familiar disembodied noise was back. Arguments, low conversations, whispers, and even a little song flitted in and out of the air around him. It was reassuring.

The group of visible ghosts was light: three screamers Keenan couldn’t see very clearly, a Hindi named Nihar who was standing on his head amongst fake flowers on the windowsill, and a crowd of loggers dancing on the kitchen table. Three of them were swilling pale mugs of beer. The stringent smell of faded incense and warm beer made Keenan’s eyes water.

Keenan searched the room. “Constance?”

Reggie spun around and gave him a ghostly wink. “Sorry, old chap. Not here tonight. Besides…” He floated over to the door and made a grand gesture with his arm. “…for this, you’ll need a gentleman’s perspective, I think.”

“What do you…”

“I’ll explain all of it after you’ve had a drink or two. Off we go.”

Keenan’s head throbbed enough to make him not care where he was going. He lifted one numb leg after the other. When the front door slammed behind him, it sent a cartoon sound wave that should have caved in his skull. It must have been very cold outside…he could see his breath come out in solid clouds…but he was warm. Thank God for small favors.

He stumbled after Reggie who was whistling a happy tune just to torture him.

The haze around Keenan’s brain didn’t get any better the further down the block Reggie led him. He wondered what time it was; would the bar be open this late?

When they rounded the corner, the neon blue and red Taps blinked in and out, boring into the headache under Keenan’s right eyebrow. The white OPEN sign underneath looked misty in the late night fog. The heat that blasted his face when he opened the door smelled of cigarettes and humanity. It was one of his favorite sensations; nothing better in his mind than local color mixed with cold micro-brew. The flashing Terminator Stout signs always reminded him of happier days.

Once inside, Patrick eyeballed him briefly without comment and went back to chatting with the drunk at the end of the bar. Patrick had been here when Keenan moved in years before, but Keenan still didn’t know if he was owner or just the bartender. They were on a casual head-bobbing basis.

Keenan didn’t feel like lively conversation, so he just pointed to the tap. Patrick nodded once, yanked a glass from the stack behind him, and filled it. Keenan disregarded the twenty or so incorporeal customers that Patrick didn’t see. The chatter from the group was smoky, bouncing dully from the dark oak rafters.

It was only then that Keenan realized he was naked under the long coat.

No pants.

No shorts.

No wallet.

He froze and sweat followed the jolt of realization down his armpits.

Can anyone say flasher?

Cramming his hand into his coat pocket without hope, he touched the soft crumpled surface of a bill and several coins. When he pulled the ten out, the sight sent momentary relief through the tight muscles in his neck, followed by a chill that rippled just under his skin. He slid it over the bar and took his beer, hoping to God that the two men staring at him didn’t notice his bare legs. Neither said a thing when Patrick passed the change to him and went back to cleaning glasses behind the high bar.

The dead patrons laughed their asses off.


Links
www.minnettemeador.com
http://minnettemeador.blogspot.com
Resplendence Publishing Books Link
Amazon book link

63 comments:

Minnette Meador said...

Good morning, all! ~yawn - sip coffee~ Welcome to Paty Jager's Blog site. Paty is a dear friend who write AMAZING SEXY books (or should that be amazingly sexy books) about rough and tumble cowboys. Thanks so much for having me here, Paty. You're an angel!

So, pull up a chair and tell us what's on your mind. Again, I'll be in and out (have to work, you know), but will always answer questions (as long as they are not too rowdy - oh, hell, make 'em rowdy!) M:o)

Minnette Meador said...

Let's talk about things that scare us... Me, I'm afraid of spiders and clowns. Weird, huh?

Paty Jager said...

Welcome, Minnette! Glad to have you here. I'm scared of bats and scary movies. Can't watch or read anything scary.

SiNn said...

whats weird is clowns freak me out but I still love the movie IT


spiders are kind of cool i live for horror films and paranormal books and i cant wait to read yours

Amanda said...

I am afraid of bugs in general mostly worms and spiders. I am dreading 4th of July because I absolutely hate fireworks. I don't like the idea of sparks being over my head and I cannot handle the loundness of them. I never have been able too. Not any ghost encounters like you have except for after our dog died almost about 7 years ago, I used to feel him touching my legs like rubbing against them.
Amanda
booklover11089@aol.com

SiNn said...

i get all sorts of ghostly encounters matter of fact i have one that comes around sincei first move dto missouri so its been following me around for 8 yrs seen a psycic and apperently its alil boy so i figure live and let live and learned to accept it and love haven him around isnt lonely when im by my self then

Christine Young said...

I've only had one encounter with a ghost and it wasn't scary at all. I was in the hospital, having just given birth to my youngest child. My grandmother who passed when I was carrying Jenee, came to see her newest great grandchild. I will never forget that experience. I was so happy she could meet her.

My oldest daughter told me one day after we had moved her bedroom to the basement that there was ghost in her room. She wasn't afraid either. It was a little girl who would come to see her. Since then she has also told me the ghost have left.

Hmmm.....

tammy ramey said...

poor Keenan!
i haven't had an experience with a ghost myself but i know people that say they have.
trvlagnt1t(at)yahoo(dot)com

Na said...

Good morning! I love this post; can never resist a ghost story. I can't say I have ever had a ghostly encounter. The closest was perhaps being "touched" by one and even so I can't be completely sure. I wonder if it also has to do with a person's sense? Some are more developed and attuned, rather than them being "lucky" enough to encounter one. I say this because it seems people who have seen a ghost (assuming they are the same age), have seen ghosts multiple times. Q: Minnette, when was the last time you saw a ghost? How many times in your life?

Speaking of things that scare me. I would say the unknown. I don't even have to SEE or know that something is there, my over attention imagination is enough to scare me. Not a fan of bugs or heights either. Q: Given the nature of his work, and how sometimes he is so blase about it, does Keenan have any fears?

Shadow said...

Ugh. I hate spiders! I have a fear of drowning and heights. And im terrified of ghosts! Minnette, ive done the exact same thing with pulling the covers up over my head. :) I tuck the blanket around me and curl into a ball and stay like that till morning. Hmm... another ghost story. I dont believe ive told you this one. When i was little, i had horrible nightmares, and i had them for years. It was always about this same demon thing. I had the back bedroom and my bed was across from the closet. My closet is a walkin one with doors that fold open. I hated the closet, it scares me to death. Everynight i pushed a recliner chair infront of the closet doors, and after a night of horrible nightmares, i'd wake up to the chair moved and the doors wide open. I ended up switching rooms with my sister. Same thing started happening to her. My parents ended up taking the room.

Amanda said...

My dad has had all kinds of encounters with different things. He used to be a bit wild when he was a teenager and messed around with Quiji boards. Ever since he was little he has seen, talked to, and just had weird things happen to him. My mom dreams about her grandparents trying to tell her something in the corn field they used to have, she cannot understand them and no sound comes out but the next day her mom will call and tell her someone has died in the family.
Amanda
booklover11089@aol.com

JeanMP said...

I don't think I have had a ghost experience, not that I was aware of. Have had weird things happen, but never thought of them as ghostly. I am afraid of drowning and I don't like heights.
Has there been any pattern to when your ghostly appearances happen, or are they just random?

skpetal at hotmail dot com

Clover Autrey said...

Sounds like a really fun book. I love ghosts. I have one living in my home as well. I figure he got here first so as long as he plays nice, he's welcome.

I don't like it when he scares the kids though.

Kristi Knight said...

Hi Minnette! Kristi Blagrave Knight here. My first real ghost experience was after I had my three year old son. I live in the house my grandmother passed away in. As you know with a newborn you sleep when they do. I was napping with the baby with my back to the edge of the bed when I felt the bed shift as if someone was sitting down behind me. Of course I woke up and turned to see who was there, no one! I still say it was grandma comming to see the baby because it happened again after the 9 month old was born only she sat at the end of the bed this time.

Genene Valleau, writing as Genie Gabriel said...

Hi, Minnette! What a fun excerpt. :)

Yes, I've had a lot of contact with spirits who are not in physical form. They provide invaluable guidance and lessons once I became open to that. There were a man and woman who hung out in the upstairs of my house when my kids were younger and when one of my grandchildren was living here. They didn't show themselves to me very often--they preferred children--but sometimes I had to remind them that the kids were sometimes frightened of them.

My fears can be silly things--like dealing with paperwork I've put off for far long--or much deeper emotional traumas that need to be released. I used to be terrified of bees, until I got it through my head that I'm so much bigger that they were probably more terrified of me and stung in self defense. :)

So glad Paty is having you as a guest today!

Becky said...

Great excerpt! This sounds like a really interesting story. As far as I know I have never had a ghost experience. I have had some weird things happen, but never thought of them as being ghostly. I don't really have anything that I am aware of that I'm afraid of.

Minnette Meador said...

Wow, lots of great stuff here...

Not a fan of bats myself, Paty ~grrr~

Me too, SiNn! I LOVE IT but my husband can't watch it. Sounds like an interesting ghost encounter, but 8 years... man, that's a long time!

I'm sorry you hate fireworks, Amanda... I love the thrill.

Aw, Christine - What a wonderful experience and it's so warming that grandma got to see your little girl ~sigh~ It's good she isn't afraid. She must be very special.

Thanks, Tammy!

I saw something at a very old tavern in Oldtown Portland, Na. Not sure if it was a ghost, but it was certainly strange. The place was supposed to be haunted. I think Keenan still finds some of the old ghosts creepy... they still give him the chills, but after what he's been through in his life I think the only thing that scares him is being alone.

Shadow - That's spine chilling... Did you parents ever see anything?

Amanda - That must be aweful for your mom. I still have a strange dream about a house that seems to go on forever and sometimes my father is there.

Hi, Jean! I think they are mostly random. I usually can "feel" one in a house - my face feels like it has clay on it and I get a headache. I gave this characteristic to Keenan when the Succubus... Well, I've said too much. :o)

Nice to see you here, Clover - I think mosts ghosts are easy to live with... they are just people, but it is bad when the kids get scared. I used to tell my kids that they won't hurt them and that usually did the trick, but it's hard.

It probably was, Kristi - My ghost showed up around the time I was pregnant with my kids and I've heard that a lot from new moms. I think they are attracted to babies.

Hi, Genene! It's so nice to see you here, lady... I hate that too, I'm afraid I won't get something done in time...

Thanks, Becky... I hope you get a chance to read it.

Christiana said...

Afternoon Minnette!

Wow, Ghost tales. I have a couple, The first I've mentioned before but not really in a lot of detail.

As a teen we lived near Denver, there was this road that starts on Lookout Mountain at Buffalo Bill's Grave, and winds down the mountain into Golden, It's called Lariat Trail. It's an unspoken right of passage for teens to drive down it.

For years the cars piled up on one curve, as they didn't have the equipment needed to haul the cars back up, or the ability to get in to get the cars out. I never asked my mother if they were able to retrieve the bodies, it was just too creepy to think about.

Well, my Mom decided that I had to drive that road before I could take my driving test. I put it off and put it off, because when I was 15, my brother went up there to race with some friends. Yes, I said Race. Apparently Teenagers know everything and don't learn from the past, ever, because they would race down the hill. Well my brother dropped his girlfriend and me off at the pull off area right before the worst of the hairpin curves. He then drove up to the top to meet his buddies.

At first I thought I was seeing things, because I could see figures lining the curve (it was about 500 feet from us) but it was so weird because they weren't dressed like kids these days. There were guys in leather jackets and jeans with slicked back hair, and girls in poodle skirts, Guys and girls in bell-bottoms. Well you get the picture I'm sure. It was weird and strange. When the cars came roaring past us, they just shook their heads at them.

That year they had added cement k-rails (those highway divider things) to the curve, the boys left paint on it, but didn't go off. I remember asking my brother if he saw the guys behind them, he looked at me like I was nuts.

I let it go, until mom told me I was driving up then back down that road before I could take my driving test. Okay, no problem, I didn't want my drivers license that badly anyway. She wouldn't let it go. Finally we went and I drove the road. Slowly, posted speed limit and lower. I saw them as I neared the curve, and they smiled at me. They didn't scare me anymore.

After I got my drivers license I used to drive up there in the afternoons, and read until dark aloud. Never failed to have an audience. I think they were lonely, and disappointed that teenager's never learned.


The second experience, was right after I got married. We were living with my mom, and the house was old, and a little quirky. After part of the ceiling fell in, we started feeling a presence, It was my grandparents keeping an eye out. Mom says I'm nuts, but I know what I saw, and I saw her parents. I like to think they still watch over us from time to time.


Now as for what I'm afraid of, you're going to laugh. I can watch the goriest of horror movies, but the sight of my own blood makes me so sick. Clowns are way too creepy with their crocodile tears and the Jolly Green Giant ~shudders~ always scared the life out of me. It's a wonder that I love vegetables after that.

Hope y'all are having fun, I'll be back.

~Christiana~

Shadow said...

Hi Minnette! Both my parents have expericenced things. My moms a full believer but my dad likes to make excuses. EVERYTHING is explainable. Hes had two lil girls tug on his clothes and hair and wrisper in his ear. He was also home when the kitchen went haywire. Cupboard doors, at once, were opening and closing, dishes being tossed, etc. He tried saying it was the wind, subject closed. He doesnt like to acknowledge it.

Chelsea B. said...

Wow! Thanks for sharing your experience, Minnette! I definitely believe in ghosts-- but I don't know what I would do if I ever saw one!

justforswag(AT)yahoo(DOT)com

Vonnie Alto said...

Hi Minnette--What a scary intro to ghosts! No wonder you hid under the covers. Is there any way that the specter could have been an angel? Perhaps you can see angels too?

P.S. I left two comments/questions yesterday on the blogs after you signed off for the night.

SiNn said...

for as long as ic an remember tho ive seen or felt the paranormal my mom being the very religious person she is even counts it as a blessing because the wholethe their is life after death speach

Janice Seagraves said...

Oh, your book sounds like fun!

Congrats on the release. I wish you many sales.

Tina Hamilton said...

Ok.. I have one. I used to work in a small Restaurant in an old church. One day I was standing at the garbage, peeling potatoes when I swear I felt someone grab my bum. I giggled and turned around, laughing and telling the woman I worked with to knock it off. She had her hands covered in rubber gloves and stuck in the sink full of water. There was no way it could have been her, and there was no one else around.

It was a running joke the rest of the time I worked there.

Minnette Meador said...

Christiana - You should write that down as a short story.. I think it would be great!

I think that might be a man thing, Shadow. I've noticed it takes a man longer to believe.

Thanks, Chelsea!

Hey, Vonnie! Angels are possible... I believe in them too. I'll go over and take a look when I'm done here... :o)

SiNn - I like your mom's attitude. For me I think they may just be poor people who have simply lost their way. I don't know that we'll ever know...

Thanks, Janice - From your mouth to God's ear!

LOL, Tina - I think the ghost that lived with me when my twins were babies actually touched my cheek one night and said my name. I heard it very distinctly and the room was ice cold when I sat up. Don't know if maybe it was a dream, but it sure seemed real! :o)

Okay, so I'm home from work and have the rest of the evening to play (though I have to do some writing tonight). So here's a discussion question:

If you could have a ghostly experience, what would it be and why?

:o)

Kym said...

I am enjoying all the ghost stories ! I have had a few encounters, but nothing real exciting to retell.

I am afraid of heights.

I would LOVE to go spend a day with the men from the show Ghost Hunters they live about 20 mins away from me.

Would any of you go to a haunted house and spend the night ?

Kym

Minnette Meador said...

Hey, Kym! It would be sooo cool to be invited to one of their investigations, wouldn't it. I love those guys! I would absolutely go into a haunted house and spend the night... not alone, of course... :o)

Unknown said...

I've told my ghost stories time and time again and can honestly say I have an affinity for them. I haven't always, it seem to manifest around the age of 16.
The first incedant I remember the most was at the age of 5 though. I was at my Aunt and Uncle's relatives house for the night, it was a big old house and I begged to go home that night because I could feel something would be after me during the night if I had stayed.
I threw such a fit they had no choice but to bring me to my mother.
The next big incident that will never be forgotten is New Year's eve at my mom's in 1993. It was just my bestfriend, mom and me at home and we had the radio on and we were doing the countdown. When we reached 12am of 1994 The toillette upstairs flushed. Now most would say big deal but it was.
The water upstairs had been turned off for awhile because the bathroom up there didn't work. There was no way it could have flushed on it's own. As I got older and in many different homes if there was a spirit I knew it and they always found a way to make it known to me they were there. Now, I just know which place is haunted which is not :D

Tina Hamilton said...

I would so want to be the Ghost. LOL.. is that crazy. But I think it would be fun and frustrating, to find someone to haunt and then be fun and scary. Just all around jolly ghost.

Minnette Meador said...

L - Creepy, but I gotta say... If a ghost has 'ta go, he has 'ta go! LOL Just be grateful he didn't pee on the curtains - one of Keenan's ghosts pees on the curtains every night at the same time and then it smell like piss over there for about 2 hours.

Tina - I'd like to be one of Keenan's ghosts - those guys have a blast! But I don't know about being a real one... not unless I was strong enough to manipulate the physical universe. You know, something important...
like mooning someone... :o)

Chelsea Rafferty said...

Cool story Minnette :) I don't think I've ever really had any ghost experiences lol :) I felt a little weird visiting Salem, Mass once but it wasn't a freaked out feeling and I definitely didn't see any white clouds. If I were you and I saw that ghost I would have totally put the covers over my head too LOL! Can't blame you one bit :) Got your Centaruian(sp? eek) book and Ghost book last night and I'll be reading them soon *hugs*

If I could experience a ghost thing I'd probably want something non threatening like getting to meet my family members through both sides of my family and be able to chat with them and find out where we came from first hand.. that would be wicked cool :)

Now I'm off to go do some laundry :o I got suckered into working another day off tomorrow so I need some clean clothes *grins*

Minnette Meador said...

Hi, Chelsea! I'm so glad you got the books... I really hope you enjoy them. It would be fun to talk to my mom and dad ~sigh~ Have fun doing laundry! :o)

Christiana said...

Good Evening Ladies, First I must address your questions and comments. LoL ~Warning Warning~ If I climb on a soapbox, just know me off. You won't hurt my feelings, I just can get vocal sometimes.

Minnette said : "Christiana - You should write that down as a short story.. I think it would be great!"

I just might do that, After all I have to do something Friday night while I am keeping dad company at Bingo. I am using the location in another story, There is something about writing about the places that you've lived I guess. However I think this would make a nice story, it goes right with that "Don't Drink and Drive Teens!!" Message I have a tendency to rant at teens.

Minnette said : "If you could have a ghostly experience, what would it be and why?"

Ah, Ghostly Experiences, If I were the ghost, I'd haunt the living, oh alright, teens specifically. Newsflash: ~Climbing onto soapbox~ As Teen's you don't know half a what you think you do, and even less than half of what you do know is accurate. If you can think of only one person, Think about your mom or dad, because they will forever be picking up the pieces if your don't come home. ~crawling off my soap box~ I have a bit of a passion about the crazy thing's teens do, and tend to get a bit vocal about it. Now I'm not claiming to be a saint by any stretch of the imagination, however I've buried a lot of friends who thought they knew it all. Hmm... Minnette I'm starting to think you're right about writing that story, only I think it needs to be more than one...

If I were being haunted, He better be hot, and desperately attached to me. Cowboy hat and boots and handcuffs optional! ~grins~ Actually I enjoy the ghosts I talk to from time to time, some come back, some don't, but I can honestly say that so far none have scared me or made me feel threatened, so they are always welcome.

Kym Said : "Would any of you go to a haunted house and spend the night?"

In a heartbeat, and often. I used to love driving up to Estes Park in Colorado, there's a hotel there, The Stanley Hotel, although some argue if the Shining was actually filmed there, I don't have my doubts that it's a creepy place. Complete with Maze, but it always called to me to come play. Not that my parents would ever let me... But then, they don't always understand my love of most things paranormal.

Now that I've been long-winded, and revised this post several times, I will close with a question of my own...

If you could choose to be one creature connected to the paranormal: Vampire, Ghost, Were-(insert favorite animal here), Succubus, Incubus, etc. What would you choose to be?

Me... I'd choose to be a Shape-shifter, that way I'm not limited to one animal I can shift into. The freedom to just be, mixed with the fun of being human.

Minnette Meador said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Minnette Meador said...

OMG, I just saw this: > IT'S PATY'S BIRTHDAY... Come on over to Judith Leger's blog and celebrate Paty's birthday with her. She has a gift for a lucky commenter. http://judithleger.blogspot.com/ - So, rush, go over there now and wish her a happy birthday just to thank her for hosting us on her birthday... ;o)

Minnette Meador said...

Christiana - I think I'd come back as a Succubus, because all they do is fly and... well, you know.

Chelsea Rafferty said...

Minnette I'm sure I'm going to ADORE them :) When I'm done I'll let you know how much I love them *grins* and it would be great to talk to family I know :D and I will not have fun doing laundry at 10:30 at night rofl XD but I have to have clean clothes or that will seriously bug me :P

Christiana said...

LOL Minnette, I wasn't even thinking about that!

at least not in that part of the post, that whole haunted by a ghost part, that's a different story.

:)

~Christiana~

Arlene D said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Vanetta Q said...

Wow! What a blog today! Missed ya yesterday due to being at RWA but trying to catch up with you today. Hope all is going well on your blog hop!

Thanks for posting for me!

See ya soon.

Had to borrow my daughters computer to hop on the blog. :)

Minnette Meador said...

Thanks, Chelsea!

Christiana - You should know better than to ask a Romance Writer what she could like to do most... LOL!

Arlene - Come back...

Vanetta - You took a break to visit us? You are so sweet... I know, you just needed a quiet moment. I am so going next year. How has it been so far? Wish I was there... but instead I'm here with my friends. :o)

Shadow said...

I have to agree with you Minnette! Id want to be a succubus too! :P
I think your right on the man thing. Another ghost story: In the bedroom i was talking about earlier, when my parents took it over, they put in a house phone in there room. Well my dad worked all the time, he was never home, so it was just my mom and us 3 kids. well, when we were downstairs, taking our baths, getting us ready for bed, or whatever, the phone would ring, and everytime my mom went to answer the phone, the phone would already be answered. The phone downstairs had a green light on it that lit up if someone answered the phone upstairs in my parents room. when we went upstairs, the phone would be off the hook sitting on the table or my parents pillow. the ghost even talked on the phone a time or two. it creeped my mom out so she ended taking all the phones out and switched to cell phones.

GladysMP said...

I have never seen a ghost, but I probably will after reading all of this. LOL

Minnette Meador said...

Weird, Shadow!

Hi, GladysMP - Thanks for joining us! I'm sure you will LOL M:o)

Minnette Meador said...

Well, it's time to call it a day, peeps! What a FANTASTIC day on the blog hop... You guys are keeping me spinning with all this support and wonderful comments. Tomorrow I will be over at Book Junkie (http://myfoolishwisdom.blogspot.com/), but you know I'll post it in the AM.

My special thanks to Paty for sharing her amazing blog site with us... and on her birthday!! Anyway, love, you are the very best... and, BTW, she writes AMAZING WESTERNS (AND OTHERS) - Here's her link on Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/3genzwn - Please go over and check her books out - I promise, you'll thank me. Her books rock!

Goodnight, all... Love you! XXXOOO M:o)

Christiana said...

LOL Yes, I should know better. I expect even us Romance writers to occasionally think of things other than that. Not all the time, mind you, because it's so much fun, but just sometimes..

~Christiana~

Sarah Raplee said...

Hi Minette, Hilarious excerpt! I've had ghostly encounters, too. No phobias, though. Enjoyed your post.

Minnette Meador said...

Hi, Sarah! ~waves~ Thanks. I'm so glad you could join us tonight... M:o)

Carol L. said...

I don't think you're a coward at all. I too would have been under that sheet frozen. lol
I'm terribly afraid of mice. "shuttering." I don't know why but I freeze completely the couple of times I encountered one.My kids think it's hysterical because I'm usually not afraid of anything and to see me become petrified and unable to move seems too delight them. :) Also heights.
Carol L
Lucky4750 at aol dot com

latishajean said...

I never liked clowns too hate them freak me out !and bugs not my thing.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing more on the book sounds great!
tishajean@ charter.net

Minnette Meador said...

Hi, Carol! Too funny about the mice... isn't it just like kids to tease you when you're the most vulnerable. My boys call me sissy every time I ask them to dislodge a spider from the house!

You're welcome, Latisha - Clowns have ALWAYS freaked me out and I have a scene in the book where Keenan is small and is frightened by a clown as my nod to phobias. I've always thought that was the strangest fear, but I guess it's very common. M:o)

Mary Preston said...

"The dead patrons laughed their asses off."

Now that's a line to get my attention.


marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

Minnette Meador said...

Thanks, Marybelle - I had such fun writing those ghost scenes! M:o)

Lauren said...

This book sounds amazing! I added it to my wishlist!! :)

Miss Lauren
misslaurenwilk at gmail dot com

Anonymous said...

Looking forward to read it !

congrats on the release !

florine_g (at) hotmail (dot) fr

donnas said...

Great story. And great excerpt. Cant wait to read more.

I personally am afraid of spiders and a have a slight home fire phobia. I actually tell me cat every time I find a spider that it is his job and he is not earning his keep. I dont think he cares.

bacchus76 at myself dot com

Minnette Meador said...

Hi, Miss Lauren - Glad you made it over here! :o)

Thanks, Florine!

LOL, Donna! My cat has the same attitude - Slackers, that's what they are! :o)

Robin said...

I can't say I personally have ghost experiences, but a good friend does! She is always seeing/hearing mysterious things... Recently she had shut her laptop totally off and unplugged it, no one was anywhere near it, and suddenly it made the chiming sounds and when she lifted the lid it was all booted up. She also took a picture once and caught the flash of "something" in the photo...

Robin D
robindpdx (at) yahoo (dot) com

Minnette Meador said...

I think that would freak me out... Thanks for sharing, Robin! :o)

Kanya said...

I'm scared of ghosts! I like them in books, but not in my house... A few months ago, I found my dog staring at a wall in my living room. I couldn't hear or see anything, but suddenly, he started whining and barking hysterically while looking at the wall. What it a ghost? I don't know, but I was scared to death!
Kanya

kanyachhetATyahooDOTca

Minnette Meador said...

I hate that when that happens, Kanya, but I think something was there. Dogs are very sensitive I think. :o)

Bookwyrm369 said...

Sounds like a fun book! I've put it on my wishlist :-)

smaccall AT @comcast.net

Cynthia Garcia said...

thank you for everything!

shygrumpychica1@hotmail.com