Spooky Legends 2011 is ending today!  We though it fitting that since she opened this event, and since she has two amazing paranormal series with new releases this season, that we’d invite Jennifer Estep back to wrap up Spooky Legends.  I made a bold statement regarding Jennifer’s newest series, Mythos Academy, when I reviewed the debut TOUCH OF FROST earlier this year.  I said it was the best thing she’d written yet.  Of course I may have to revise my statement with the sequel KISS OF FROST is published by Kensington on November 29, 2011.  Jennifer’s protagonist, Gwen Frost is taking on the Hitchhiker urban legend for us today, and if you fall have in love with her as I have, you’ll be thrilled to know that Jennifer is giving away a copy of KISS OF FROST! See details below.

Click to see the Spooky Legends Master List with links to all the previous posts and giveaways

Gwen Frost on Hitchhikers
by
Jennifer Estep

Greetings and salutations! First of all, I want to say thanks to Abigail for having me on the blog again today. Thanks so much, Abigail!

So I’m here to close out the Spooky Legends event, which I am really honored to do. Today, I thought I would let my heroine Gwen Frost give you her view on some stories involving hitchhikers. Take it away, Gwen:

In case you missed my 5bat! review of today’s Spooky Legends book earlier this week, I said that it’s “a fantastically fun urban fantasy!  One of the best debuts of the year and easily my favorite fae urban fantasy since Karen Marie Moning’s Darkfever series.”  I’m talking about Sandy Williams new McKenzie Lewis series debut, THE SHADOW READER (available on October 25th from Ace Books).  You can get a taste of this new world in her version of the Vanishing Hitchhiker legend below as well as enter to win a copy of the book! See details below.

Click to see the Spooky Legends Master List with links to all previous posts & giveaways

McKenzie Lewis on The Vanishing Hitchhiker
by
Sandy Williams

 

I’m uncomfortable at parties. I didn’t used to be. Back in high school, I was social. I hung out with friends on the weekends, went to football games, was a member of over a dozen school sponsored clubs. I was even elected class president my sophomore year. I did all of this and kept my grades up.

Until I met the fae.

It’s always a blast when Sweetblood series author Laurie London stops by, and when she’s giving her trademark scary and sexy take on alien abduction urban fantasy stories, it’s even better.  If you haven’t read any of the books in this series, you can start with the novella in A VAMPIRE FOR CHRISTMAS, the anthology from Laurie London, Alexis Morgan, Michele Hauf and Caridad Piniero (available now from Harlequin).  Laurie is also giving away a signed copy of the most recent Sweetblood book, EMBRACED BY BLOOD.  See details below.

Click to see the Spooky Legends Master List with links to all the previous posts and giveaways

Alien Abduction, Sweetblood Style 
by
Laurie London

Thanks, Abigail, for inviting me on today as part of the Spooky Legends feature. Telling and listening to spooky stories, sneaking into graveyards at midnight, visiting haunted houses—all were big parts of my childhood, and as an adult, I’m still strangely fascinated by the unknown. 

The following story is told from the point of view of Tracker agent Kip Castile, a secondary character in Embraced By Blood, book two in the Sweetblood series. Something terrible occurred in that book and he’s dealing with the aftermath here. He also makes an appearance in the third book, Tempted By Blood, coming out in March.

Both Abigail and I are big fans of Erin Kellison’s Shadow series.   Abigail called SHADOW BOUND “a shockingly good read” and SHADOWMAN (available now from Kensington Books) contained one of my favorite couples of the year, Shadowman and Layla (which made it twice as exciting to see a little glimpse of Shadowman in action below, as a part of the Resurrection Mary ghost story). The Shadow series intertwines convincing romance with a continuing plot line that I loved, as our staid human world comes under magical attack.  Though each book could work on it’s own (romantically), you’re going to want to read them all.  One lucky reader will get the chance to, as Erin Kellison is giving away a complete set of the Shadow series: SHADOW BOUND, SHADOW FALL, and SHADOWMAN. See details below.

Click to see the Spooky Legends Master List with links to all the previous posts and giveaways

Shadowman on “Resurrection Mary”
by
Erin Kellison

First of all, a huge thank you to Abigail for inviting me to participate in Spooky Legends. I love scary stories and write a bit on the dark side myself. Leave a comment below for a chance to win a set of my Shadow series books, Shadow Bound, Shadow Fall, and Shadowman. Most people, including my character, Shadowman, know the story of Resurrection Mary. In fact, he’s met her…

Today’s guest, MaryJanice Davidson, writes her paranormal books with a hefty dose of humor and hijinks.  This makes it no surprise that the star of her Undead series,  Betsy Taylor, is not your typical Vampire Queen.  Betsy needs all of her resources when she faces everything from vampires to ghosts, werewolves to the suburbs.  Today Betsy tackles an urban legend near and dear to that suburban heart, the scourge of our living rooms: the television. And thanks to Berkley, two of you will win a copy of the latest book in the Undead spinoff series, Wyndahm Werewolves, WOLF AT THE DOOR. See details below

Click to see the Spooky Legends Master List with links to all the previous posts and giveaways

Betsy Taylor on “ABC-TV Wants You Dead” 
by
MaryJanice Davidson

Is there anything scarier than knowing TV wants you dead? Well. Yeah. Knowing lots and lots of vampires want you dead; that’s scary. Friends dropping dead all around you: that’s scary. Knowing you’ll be ancient and have crappy taste in clothes: almost too scary to contemplate. TV wanting you to bite the big one, that’s a close second, though. Wait: third? A close fourth? Whatever.

The author of one of my favorite paranormal YA series is joining the Spooky Legends event today.  Jeri Smith-Ready is one of the 16 authors contributing the the anthology ENTRALLED (available now from HarperTeen), her story is part of her heartbreakingly wonderful Shade series about a generation of teens who see ghosts.  One of those ghosts, Logan Keeley, is giving us his take on the Loch Ness Monster legend today, and Jeri is giving away a signed copy of ENTHRALLED and a Shade swag pack.  See details below. 

Click to see the Spooky Legends Master List with links to all the previous posts and giveaways

Logan Keeley on the Loch Ness Monster
by
Jeri Smith-Ready

Hey!  It’s me, Logan Keeley, from the SHADE trilogy by Jeri Smith-Ready (or as I call her, the Woman Upstairs).  I’m a punk rocker who died and became a ghost when I was seventeen years and a few minutes old.

***(OH! My birth/deathday is tomorrow, Tuesday, October 18, and we’re having a #forever17 party on Twitter. If you tweet me (@keeley_logan) a music video, you can be entered to win free CDs, some Keeley Brothers swag, and a signed hardcover of ENTHRALLED: PARANORMAL DIVERSIONS.  I have a story in that anthology.  The cover is pink and has a girl on it, but I’m secure enough in my dudehood I can handle that.  I think.)***

For my urban legend, I figured I should do a ghost story.  But that hit waaaay too close to home.  I’m not a poltergeist, but there are some subjects that make me seriously want to break stuff.

So I decided to do the Loch Ness Monster.  This might surprise SHADE readers, because my arch-rival Zachary Moore is Scottish, like the monster.  He’s the other “point” in the love triangle with me and Aura.  We’re both good for her—I’m her first boyfriend and I have a band and I make her laugh and I’ll love her until the end of time.  And Zachary…well, he has a pulse.  That’s his advantage.  (Okay, and the accent.  Shut up!)

But I figured this’d be a good olive branch, a show of respect.  Demonstrate that I’m not petty or bitter.  Because I’m—

Arrgh, dammit, ghosts can’t lie!  Okay, the real reason I’m doing the Loch Ness Monster: My Twitter buds dared me.

ANYWAY, the monster of Loch Ness, or Nessie, as some like to call him (no one knows if the monster is a boy or girl, but for my purposes, I’m going to use male pronouns), supposedly lives in a loch, which is the fancy Scottish word for “lake,” in northern Scotland.  He’s allegedly been seen as far back as the ninth century AD, but sightings started to pile up in the 1930s, after this photo surfaced (heh, get it?  Surfaced?):

Always glad to have today’s Spooky Legend author visit the blog.  Nancy Holzner, author of the Deadtown urban fantasy series, is celebrating the release of the 3rd book in that series, BLOODSTONE (available now from Ace Books).  In her review, Julia said, “[Nancy Holzner] has an eye for daily details that add wonderful depth to her world, and preternatural elements aside, I can’t resist the scarily plausible political realities of Deadtown.” We get a glimpse into the characters and world from Deadtown along with a twist on a beloved children’s nursery rhyme.  And to sweeten the deal, there’s a giveaway to win your choice of a signed copy of DEADTOWN, HELLFORGED, or  BLOOSTONE. See details below.

Click to see the Spooky Legends Master List with links to all the previous posts and giveaways

Vicky Vaughn on the Little Bo Peep Halloween Massacre 
by
Nancy Holzner

When the phone rang, the last thing I was thinking about was Tina, the teenage zombie who used to be my apprentice—until she quit demon slaying to pursue a career as a pop star. But that's who was calling. Her voice was excited, so breathless I didn't quite catch what she said. Just that it was something about me and a job.

“Tina, I told you. I'm not taking you with me on any more jobs.” Back when she was still my apprentice, Tina had torched a client's dreamscape with a flamethrower. She'd tried to drown another client in a bathroom sink. Not to mention she'd stolen a valuable sword from my arsenal. “That whole apprenticeship thing just didn't work out.”

“You're not listening. I don't want to go on a job with you—although it'd be cool if you let me. I have a job for you.”

So today’s Spooky Legend might be my favorite of the whole event.  It comes to us courtesy of Trent Jamieson via his character Death from the Death Works trilogy.  The first two installments along the third book have all been packaged together in one omnibus titled THE BUSINESS OF DEATH (available now from Orbit Books).  Ever heard of Drop Bears?  I hadn’t, but I’ll never be able to look at koalas the same way again.  And if you are new to this series which I called a “sly, subtly humorous urban fantasy with a bittersweet love story and a novel approach to the business of death”, make sure to check out the giveaway below for a chance to win the omnibus.  See details below.

Click to see the Spooky Legends Master List with links to all the previous posts and giveaways

Death on Drop Bears
by
Trent Jamieson

There's this story about killer koalas: that they drop from trees onto their victims and kill with tooth and claw. Hence the term Drop Bears. It's something for the most naive of tourists, and it's a load of crap.

Except when it isn't.

When you're Death you find yourself privy to all sorts of stuff you wish you weren't. Some of it sad, some of it awful, a lot of it both.

Our Spooky Legends guest today is Joseph Nassise, author of the new Jeremiah Hunt urban fantasy series which debuted with EYES TO SEE (available now from Tor Books).  In her review, Julia said she “was captivated by this meticulously imagined ghost world.” Want to be captivated too?  Joseph is giveaway away a copy of the book and the first 3 Templar Chronicles books too!  See details below.

Click to see the Spooky Legends Master List with links to all the previous posts and giveaways

Jeremiah Hunt on the Wandering Bus
by
Joseph Nassise

 

I gave up my eyes in order to see more clearly and let me tell you, I’ve seen some pretty strange things since doing so. My ghostsight lets me see the realm between this world and the next and I’d wager to say that you’d be surprised to hear of the variety of things that haunt that twilight realm, just waiting for the chance to pierce the Veil and reach on into ours.

Take the Wandering Bus, for instance.

We’re welcoming back Veronica Wolff today and her protagonist Annelise Drew from ISLE OF NIGHT (available now by NAL Trade), which I called ‘one of the most dangerous, romantic, and exciting paranormal YA titles I’ve read all year.’  Today’s Spooky Legend offers a vampiric explanation of a ghostly phenomenon.  Thanks to Veronica, two of you will win a signed copy of ISLE OF NIGHT.  See details below.

Click to see the Spooky Legends Master List with links to all the previous posts and giveaways

Annelise Drew on Graveyard Eyes
by
Veronica Wolff

Veronica: Unfortunately, I’m currently on deadline and unavailable to write an extensive blog, so I’ve asked my character, Annelise Drew, to step in and lend me a hand. Drew, we’re discussing urban legends. Have you heard the one—

Drew: No such thing.

Veronica: Um, what do you mean, no such thing?

Drew: There’s no such thing as urban legends.

Today’s Spooky Legend is a well known ghost story told by a girl who sees ghosts.  I’m talking about C.C. Hunter’s Kylie Galen from the Shadow Falls series about a camp for supernatural teens that reminded me of Camp Half Blood from the Percy Jackson series except with older teens and lots of romance.  The second book in the series, AWAKE AT DAWN is in bookstores everywhere today from St. Martin’s Griffin and thanks to C.C. two of you will win a copy!  See details below.

Click to see the Spooky Legends Master List with links to all the previous posts and giveaways

Kylie Galen on Where Did She Go? 
by
C.C. Hunter

People say urban legends are absurd.  I say they don’t know what I know. Albert Camus, a French writer and philosopher, once said, “The absurd is the essential concept and the first truth.”   I sometimes wonder if Albert was a supernatural like me.  Did he see things that no one else could see?  And by things, I mean the dead, spirits . . . ghosts.  They are here amongst us.  Not everyone can hear or see them.  I can do both. 

A while back, I lived an urban legend.  I was home for the weekend, driving back from seeing Sara, my old best friend.  Well, she’s still my best “human” friend.  But we’ve sort of grown apart since I learned that I’m not human and moved to Shadow Falls.  Anyway, as my wheels hummed and ate up the asphalt, the sound of the rain splattered on the windshield.  I could see the lightening flash in the dark sky to the north. 

Today’s Spooky Legend is maybe one you want to read on an empty stomach.  That’s because our guest, Virna DePaul’s Wraith from the second book in the Para-Ops series, CHOSEN BY FATE (available now from Berkley), is talking about the not-so-secret recipe for a certain fast food fried chicken chain.  Not to worry, any queasy readers should perk right up at the giveaway today.  You can win a copy of CHOSEN BY FATE and some swag.  See details below. 

Click to see the Spooky Legends Master List with links to all the previous posts and giveaways

Wraith on Kentucky Fried What? 
by
Virna DePaul

Five years after the Second Civil War ends, humans and Otherborn— humanlike creatures with superhuman DNA—still struggle for peace. To ensure the continued rights of both, the FBI forms a Para-Ops team with a unique set of skills.  Wraith is the team’s “ghost.”  She’s introduced in Book 1 of the Para-Ops novels, Chosen By Blood, and is the heroine of Book 2, Chosen By Fate, which just came out on October 4.

Like all wraiths, Wraith has no memory of her human identity or past.  Unlike most wraiths, she has refused to assume another name.  Her talent is gathering intelligence and tracking.  In addition, Wraith learned to manipulate ammunition and explosives during the war.  For an undead, Wraith is quite colorful – she cusses like a truck driver, chews cinnamon gum, and loves Abba.  And today she’s here to talk to you…

We’re kicking of the second week of Spooky Legends with author Jennifer L. Armentrout.  Jennifer’s new Covenant series launches this month with HALF-BLOOD (available on October 18th 2011 by Spencer Hill Press).  In our early review of HALF-BLOOD, Julia said, “but by book's end I had tears in my eyes and couldn't wait to get my hands on Covenant book two, PURE.” Today’s post retelling The Killer in the Backseat urban legend does exactly what I hope for with this event by taking a well known story and giving it a delicious supernatural twist that changes everything!

Click to see the Spooky Legends Master List with links to all the previous posts and giveaways

Ruby on The Killer in the Backseat
by
Jennifer L. Armentrout

Today’s Spooky Legends guest is M.J. Scott, author of the urban fantasy debut SHADOW KIN (available now from Roc).  I finally got my hands on a copy of the fae infused debut, and the voice of Wraith Lily comes across so strongly in the post below on The Black Dog urban legend, that I’m itching to start reading.   Want to win your own copy? Check out the giveaway details below.

Click to see the Spooky Legends Master List with links to all the previous posts and giveaways

Lily on The Black Dog 
by
M.J. Scott

The humans tell the tale.

The black dog appearing in the dead of night.

A very large black dog.

Big as a calf, they say.

Eyes like saucers.

Haunting the lonely places, the gallows ways, the moors. The tracks those who are wise do their best to avoid after the sun has set.

Sharon Shinn’s “Nocturne” was a highlight in the ANGELS OF DARKNESS anthology (available now from Berkley Trade), and Abigail’s review described it as having a “story and characters that gently wooed me until I was completely invested.” I particularly liked how her heroine, Moriah, explored her surrounding thoroughly.  Moriah’s late night ramblings seemed to be one part curiosity and two parts survival instinct (it’s always good to have a way out), and having all of that practicality and critical thinking turned on this particular urban legend is a treat.  Even better, her analysis provides a teaser for those readers who haven’t had a chance to read “Nocturne” yet.  Enjoy!

Click to see the Spooky Legends Master List with links to all the previous posts and giveaways

Moriah on The Dead Celebrity Who’s Really Alive! 
by
Sharon Shinn

I’ve seen lifeless bodies, and I can tell you: Dead is dead. Those people don’t come back, no matter how much you want them to.

Even famous people. Even the ones with so much wealth or power that surely, if anybody can be kept alive, it’s one of them.

What’s spookier than a graveyard a night?  One full of vampires, warrior angels, and statues that come to life.  Sylvia Day’s Adrian Mitchell from the first book in the new Renegade Angels series, A TOUCH OF CRIMSON (available now from Signet Eclipse), is telling us a suitably scary and sexy version of the Black Agnes urban legend.  And to sweeten the deal, Sylvia has very graciously provided a fantastic giveaway today including the first three books in her Marked series (EVE OF DARKNESS, EVE OF DESTRUCTION, and EVE OF CHAOS) & a stuffed tote bag from the RT Convention.  See details below.

Click to see the Spooky Legends Master List with links to all the previous posts and giveaways

Sylvia Day’s Adrian Mitchell on Black Agnes “A TOUCH OF CRIMSON”
by
Sylvia Day

Today marks the release of the first book in Inara Scott’s new Handmaiden’s Seduction paranormal romance from Entangled Publishing, RADIANT DESIRE.  For her Spooky Legends post, Inara is letting her protagonist take us directly to Faeria and the terrifying Black Ladies.  Hopefully, you’ll be left feeling just and spooked and intrigued as I am.  And thanks to Entangled Publishing, one of you will win an ecopy of RADIANT DESIRE.  See details below

Click to see the Spooky Legends Master List with links to all the previous posts and giveaways

Kaia on The Black Ladies
by
Inara Scott

The writing duo of Melinda Metz & Laura J. Burns are joining us for Spooky Legends today and are tackling one of the most famous urban legends ever: Chupacabra.  They also happen to be celebrating the release of the second book in the Crave paranormal YA series, SACRIFICE (available now from Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing).  If you haven’t read this series about a terminally ill girl and the vampire guy (Gabriel in the story below) who holds the cure, I highly recommend it.  To help you get started, Melinda & Laura are giving away two copies of SACRIFICE.  See details below.

Click to see the Spooky Legends Master List with links to all the previous posts and giveaways

Chupacabra 
by
Melinda Metz & Laura J. Burns

It’s always exciting to welcome authors to the blog for the first time, so a big welcome to Marie Treanor, author of the Awakened By Blood paranormal romance series, who is a few days from publishing her 3rd book in that series, BLOOD ETERNAL (available on October 4th from Signet Eclipse).  I haven’t had the opportunity to read this series yet, an oversight I hope to rectify very soon since the post below has me completely captivated by the character of Dr. Elizabeth Silkon and her investigation into the Vampire with Iron Teeth.  Sounds good right? Want to know what’s even better? Marie is giving away a copy of BLOOD ETERNAL today too.  See details below.

Click to see the Spooky Legends Master List with links to all the previous posts and giveaways

The Vampire with Iron Teeth by Dr. Elizabeth Silkon
by
Marie Treanor

So you want urban legends? One that relates to my home country of Scotland, perhaps? Involving vampires? I can do that.  Urban legends and vampires  happen to be specialties of mine. Let me explain.

My name is Elizabeth Silk. I was recently awarded my PhD for my thesis on historical superstitions. My main area of study was Eastern Europe, where vampire myths abound. Like the urban myths of today – you know: scary, creepy or otherwise downright unlikely events that happened to the friend of a friend’s cousin and just has to be passed on – these superstitions circulated wildly, and were passed on through generations like total fact.

My thesis traces many such local superstitions to their source, and discovers mundane reasons for most accusations of vampirism. In much the same way, I can trace one particular Scottish urban myth to its source.

Spooky Legends 2011 is on!  And what better way to kick things off than with a regular guest author whose series we collectively love here on ATUF: Jennifer Estep.  Jennifer is celebrating the release of her fifth Elemental Assassin novel, SPIDER’S REVENGE (out now from Pocket Books).  Julia got to review it just last week and noted that ‘emotional focus…makes SPIDER’S REVENGE so accessible for new readers.  Strangers to the Elemental Assassin series could jump in with book five and come up to speed very quickly.’ That’s especially good news since in addition to giving us Gin’s perspective of The Hook urban legend, Jennifer is giving away a copy of SPIDER’S REVENGE! See details below.

Click to see the Spooky Legends Master List with links to all the previous posts and giveaways

Gin Blanco on The Hook
by
Jennifer Estep

Greetings and salutations! First of all, I want to say thanks to Abigail for having me on the blog again today. Thanks so much, Abigail!

So I’m here to kick off the Spooky Legends event, which I’m really honored to do. Today, I thought I would let my assassin heroine Gin Blanco tell you what she thinks of some urban legends involving hooks, chainsaws, and stranded couples. Take it away, Gin: