Coven and Coffin Blog Hop: Last Call for Tanner Lee

Happy Halloween! Today we have another chilling tale. This one is from M.R. Graham.

Last Call for Tanner Lee

Tanner left the hospital feeling strangely empty. He had expected agony. From the moment he had heard the Code Blue declared over the intercom and been forced out of Leah’s room (Room 318; he would never forget that number, or the feel of the sheets beneath his hands), he had known his life was coming to an end. They did not give up, and he gave them credit for that, but there is only so much time and effort a doctor can put into saving someone who is determined to die, and twelve hours later, Tanner and the bag of Leah’s effects sat in the back of a cab, on their way home. He would have to plan a funeral. Of course she had no life insurance; she had only been eighteen, a grinning college freshman home for her first Christmas break. He sat at home that night and called her cell phone, letting it ring out at the foot of her bed for the sake of hearing her voice in the recording. Hey, it’s Leah. I can’t come to the phone right now, probably because I’m having more fun than you, but if you’ll leave your name and number, I might get back to you when I get around to it! He thought about hanging up before it could beep, but he left a message anyway. Maybe somewhere, Leah was listening. “Hey, baby. I love you.” He walked to the other room and looked at the lighted screen of her phone. One missed call. The battery was nearly dead, and he did not plug it in. The house was very empty that night. He propped Leah’s photograph on the bedside table, beside the picture of her mother. He texted her in the morning. “Love you, baby. I miss you.” Her phone buzzed in the other room, but by the time he got there, the screen had gone dark. He still did not plug it in. There was no point. Sooner or later, he would have to cancel her service, but for the moment, that recorded voice meant too much to him. He called again, and because the phone was as dead as his daughter, it went straight to voicemail. Hey, it’s Leah. I can’t come to the phone right now, probably because I’m having more fun than you, but if you’ll leave your name and number, I might get back to you when I get around to it. “I love you,” he said, then his hand clenched. “What the hell were you thinking, Leah?! You’re eighteen, what the hell were you doing, getting hammered like that?” He hurriedly erased the message and re-recorded, just in case, somewhere, Leah was listening. “I love you, baby. I love you. I miss you already.” By noon, the food was already arriving. Tanner did not understand what exactly it was about heartbreak that made friends and neighbors feel the need to feed him, but they brought salad and casserole and lasagna and cake. They brought enough food to feed a small army, more than one man could eat in a month. He piled it into the refrigerator, hating everything, and thought bitterly that he would have to start sending out thank-you notes, sooner or later. They should have left him alone. He texted Leah. “Wish you were here to share all this crap with me. Love you.” Christmas came and went, but the food in the refrigerator barely dwindled. Tanner did not feel like eating. He did not feel like doing much at all. Work hurt, and home hurt, and sleep hurt, and church was the worst, because they left up the white flowers he had bought, mingled with poinsettias, absorbing his grief into their celebration. He called Leah. Hey, it’s Leah. I can’t come to the phone right now, probably because I’m having more fun than you, but if you’ll leave your name and number, I might get back to you when I get around to it! “Just thought I’d tell you I got you a new laptop for Christmas. It’s a good one, really fast. Wish I could have watched you open it. I love you, baby. I miss you.” He stuck his phone back in his pocket and headed for the parking lot across the street from the church. His phone buzzed. One message received. He stopped in the crosswalk, staring at the screen. A horn blared, and Tanner looked up. He smiled at the eighteen wheeler and the smell of burning rubber, clutching his phone tight. “Love you, too, Dad. See you soon.”  

The Books of Lost Knowledge

Truly, there are more things in heaven and earth… For instance, a dark and subtle world of magic, hidden just below the surface of reality. Lost Knowledge is a series of novels – two complete, many in progress – that centers on the reality of the things mankind has chosen to forget. There is beauty in the mist between the sea and the land, and dark things exist in the dim chasms of memory. Learn more at the Lost Knowledge website, or buy now here.

About MR Graham

MR Graham is a native Texan who traces strong cultural roots back to Scotland, Poland, and England. A mild-mannered Latin teacher during the day, Graham transforms at night into a raging Holmesian loremaster and rabid novelist. Though passionate about all scholarship and academia, Graham’s training and true love lies with anthropology, particularly the archaeological branch.

Connect with MR

Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Blog

Tomorrow we end this little soiree with a story from yours truly. I'm sure it will raise the hair of he back of your neck.  Be sure to visit the other blogs for some more festivities.

Peter Dawes: Stormy Night Flash Fiction
Jessica Fortunado: Halloween Treats and Recipes
Kayleigh Grian: Characters in Costume
M. R. Graham: Tributes to Those We’ve Lost
Kalya Curry: Murder Mystery Party

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Coven and Coffin Blog Hop: A Ghost's Story

We come to the fourth day of the party. Is your heart pounding yet?

A Ghost's Story

by Jessica Fortunato

I remembered picking him up from the airport.  Seeing him at the gate, so proud of himself he’d made it all the way to Europe and back.  I remembered he looked confident, and much older than the kid I’d dropped off months before.

Are we destined to turn out like the generations before us? Is it foretold in some place dark and unnatural that we repeat the mistakes we’ve bore witness to?  Are the Fates the weavers of our demise?  I don’t know.  Yet in the inky, moonless night, I believe so strongly it makes me sick, that we have only ourselves to blame for our sadness and misfortune.  Perhaps life is cruel and it is a bit of both.  Still, it seems like an endless struggle, a tugging between a foolish tradition of drifting and a plaintive desire to remain intact.  I’ve seen the ashes and smelled the bitter smoke of those burned bridges.  My fingertips have blistered as I came to realize it was I who lit the match. 

What would I dare say if they were listening?  If they spoke the same ominous and brutal language, I now whisper.  Lives can be separate but still entwined.  You needn’t choose one or the other.  It is not in our natures to pursue the hidden, but we should do it nonetheless.  I would ask if we don’t bother to save one another, then why bother at all?    Stop crouching behind the rotting decay of disease, anger, seductively busy schedules.  Speak even when you have forgotten your name or your purpose.  Cling to the belief that if not for the people in our portraits we would not be who we are. 

Whether because of them or in spite of them, they are our beginning.

This is the easy part.

I saw the wreckage, and I remembered the deer.  How had I thought for a moment that preserving a deer was better than this?

In that inky, moonless night, there will be demons.  Their claws will dig into your flesh, their teeth tearing for your throat.  They will be strong, their eyes will know no pity or remorse and they will know your heartbeat from a thousand others.  Hiding will do no good. As you stumble, realize that running will only make your bones ache, the evil has already caught up with you.

Because it is you.

The bloody lining will be suffocating and intoxicating at the same time.  The taste in your mouth as sweet as it is metallic.  But you mustn’t succumb. 

Finally, I found him.  Strapped to a backboard, awake and alert and for a moment he looked right through me.

There are still those who remember who you were.  Before you ran, before you knew the names of the creatures that stalk you.  You are within their memory.  In their knowledge, you will find your salvation.

That, little brother, is the hard part.

I saw the kind officers drape the white sheet over my body like angel wings.

Bleeding and full of anguish their light will guide you to the dawn, to your home.

But first, little brother, you must ask.

Jessica Fortunato writes a rare combination of Paranormal/ Supernatural/ Religious Literary Fiction.  She lives in Pennsylvania with her family, a clumsy black cat, and year round Halloween decorations.  Rarely seen in direct sunlight, reports of Jessica’s vampirism remain unsubstantiated.

Visit her Blog

The Sin Collector

"The Sin Collector" follows the life of Liliana, a born Sin Collector. She has spent over 100 years absorbing people's sins so they may rest in peace come death. However when she meets another Collector, one who insists everything she has been taught is a lie, Liliana must make her way from Sunny L.A. all the way to the streets of Madrid. Searching for answers to a question we all share. Why are we here? The friends and enemies she makes along the way only seem to blur the line between right and wrong. Can Liliana fight the Castus, an organization bent on killing off every Sin-Eater? Should she trust her head or her heart when the two most important men in her life are fighting alongside her?

Then there is the worst question of all, who will be left when the dust settles?

The Sin Collector: Thomas

This story is meant to be read following Book One in The Sin Collector Series.

Thomas has taken vows. As an immortal, he is impervious to harm on the battlefield. As a Collector, he alone can take away the sins of the fallen and allow them to move peacefully into the next life.

But valor never comes without sacrifice.

Far away from combat is his home, and her name is Lucy. Lucy is a human and frail from the explosion that nearly took her life, but Thomas’s duty pulls him from her before she can recover. His letters are his only connection to her, and to her caretaker, Thomas’s best friend Emmilina.

Thomas has gone to War for his God and for honor but there is an even more personal mission that drives him.

He will find other Collectors, and tell them the secrets he has learned.

Sacrifice: The Sin Collector 2

As an immortal Sin Collector, Liliana lead a transient life of solitude for over one-hundred years.

Now with a growing family, she has found herself liking normalcy and the façade of being human. However, when old friends begin to turn up dead, it is clear Collectors are not safe. The battle that Liliana thought she’d won, has only just begun.

She must save herself, her family, and her friends from the Castus, a fanatical group sworn to eradicate her kind.

As Liliana travels the globe making allies, and discovering secrets, she soon learns that the threat to her safety is closer than she ever thought possible.

Will she be able to fight her fate, or will she succumb to an ancient Castus prophecy?

Steam

Charlotte Amelia Caprice may seem like an ordinary girl. She has a job she hates, a boss she despises, and zero romantic prospects. Her friends call her Charlie, when she can keep one for more than a few weeks. Though Charlie may seem ordinary, she is anything but. Charlie doesn’t have a heart. Instead, she has a steam driven machine in her chest, always making her feel less than human. Gears and pistons have been using her own body heat to pump her blood for over a decade. There is one small problem. Her heart is beginning to break. When Charlie meets a brilliant man, one who could save her life, she must choose between being heartless and being alive. A simple choice for some, but for Charlie living on steam isn’t easy.

Return tomorrow for a new story. Be sure to visit the other blogs for some more festivities.

Peter Dawes: Stormy Night Flash Fiction
Jessica Fortunado: Halloween Treats and Recipes
Kayleigh Grian: Characters in Costume
M. R. Graham: Tributes to Those We’ve Lost
Kalya Curry: Murder Mystery Party

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Coven and Coffin Blog Hop: Melissa's Haunting

I'd like to pass out flashlight to a great up and coming author. She here to give you a little taste of spookiness. 

Melissa's Haunting

As she glanced up at her new school, Melissa swallowed the lump in her throat and forced her breakfast to stay down. She was not looking forward to starting her senior year as the new kid, especially in a small town where everyone had known each other their whole lives. This day was going to totally suck, she just knew it. For a split second she even debated on skipping, but she knew in a place like this, it would get back to her mom quickly. Besides, she'd just be putting off the inevitable. Melissa would have to face the scrutiny of her classmates sooner or later, might as well get it over with. She took a deep breath and headed into the building just as the first warning bell rang.

                                                  

Melissa made it through her first three classes of the day without any major incidents. Of course all the teachers had to embarrass the crap out of her by making her stand up front and introduce herself, but other than that everyone pretty much left her alone. She was surprised no one reached out to her at all, but at least they weren't teasing and harassing her either. As she headed to the cafeteria for lunch she hoped the rest of the day would go as smoothly as the first half.

There was an empty table on the far side of the lunch room and Melissa hoped it stayed empty until she could get to it. She really didn't want to have to ask the kids at a table if she could sit with them. She had purposefully brought her own lunch that day so that if need be she could go hide somewhere and eat. Back home she wasn't really a loner or anything like that, but she was a bit shy outside her small circle of friends. If someone had invited her to sit with them, she'd gladly accept, she just wasn't comfortable initiating the contact.

As she plopped her brown paper sack on the table, Melissa let out a sigh of relief. The table was hers. After pulling her food out of the bag and unwrapping everything, she opened the book she brought with her in case she ate alone. At least I'll get some reading in, she thought. She took a bite of her sandwich and halfway through the first paragraph someone sat down across from her.

"Hey! You're new here right?"

Melissa dog-eared the book and glance up to find a gorgeous blonde sitting in front of her. She looked like one of those cheerleader types, which immediately raised a red flag in her mind. She took a second to glance around to see if anyone was watching the table, just in case there was a prank about to be played on her. When she was satisfied no one was paying them attention, she replied, "Yeah, today is my first day. I'm Melissa."

"Nice to meet you Melissa. I'm Jenny Lark." The girl offered her a warm smile that seemed sincere.

"So what brought you over here to my lonely table?"

"I didn't recognize you, and since I know just about everyone that attends Cedar High, I figured I'd come say hi. Mind if I join you for lunch?"

"Sure. So, are you a senior?" Melissa asked as she took another bite of her sandwich.

"Yep. I should have graduated last year but some things came up and I ended up having to come back this year."

"Oh, wow, that must suck." Melissa was curious about what those "things" were but didn't want to pry. She figured if Jenny wanted her to know, she'd tell her. She'd hate to push away the one who'd showed any interest in her so far.

"It does, most my friends have left for college already so it's been kinda boring around here. But now that school started back up, hopefully things will pick up. Besides, now I have a new friend!"

The two girls continued to chat while Melissa ate her lunch. Melissa noticed that Jenny didn't eat anything but chalked it up to the stereotypical teenage girl watching her weight. She was lucky though, she could eat anything and not gain an ounce.

Jenny didn't seem to have any of the same classes she did so the girls made plans to meet after school and hang out for a while. The bell signaling the end of lunch rang just after they agreed on the town's park entrance as a meeting spot. Jenny explained to Melissa how to get to her next class and then rushed off to get to her own.

The rest of the day went by the same as the first half for Melissa. No one really spoke to her, other than the teachers. Sure, a few said hi in the hall or offered a smile in passing, but that was about it. She was just grateful she hadn't run into any trouble.

When the final bell rang she found herself excited to meet up with Jenny again. She hoped that maybe Jenny could introduce her to some other kids and eventually she'd have that small group of friends again that she missed back home. She grabbed her stuff from her locker and headed to the meeting spot. The park was empty when she got there so she sat on the bench by the entrance and started reading her book.

About a chapter into the book she realized that Jenny still hadn't shown. She checked her watch and realized over half an hour had passed. She waited another fifteen minutes before giving up, figuring either Jenny had played a cruel joke something had come up and she couldn't make it. On her walk home she decided to check Facebook to see if she could friend Jenny. Maybe they could chat and she'd find out what happened.

Melissa tossed her book bag on her bed and turned on her computer. Once it finished loading she did a search for Jenny on Facebook and was glad to see the girl had a page. What she found on the page though, shocked her. There were condolences and prayer messages left by others several months ago. Man, kids can be cruel. Wonder why they all did that to her, acting as though she had died. That's just mean, Melissa thought. She kept browsing the page but didn't see any recent activity, it looked as though the page had just been abandoned. Frustrated, she gave up for the evening and worked on her homework instead.

The next morning she was surprised to find Jenny out front waiting for her. "I thought I'd walk to school with you," the girl offered.

"What happened to you yesterday? I waited for almost an hour."

"Come with me, there's something I have to show you. It's on the way to school, it won't take but a couple extra minutes," Jenny pleaded.

Melissa gave in and the two started walking toward the school. Halfway there Jenny told her to follow her through a shortcut so she could show her why she never made it the day before. They walked through the trees on a dirt path that led into the town's cemetery.

"Why are we going in the cemetery? We shouldn't be here!" Melissa hissed as she looked around, anxious that Jenny was up to no good.

"Please, just come. You'll understand soon, we're almost there."

Melissa relented and continued to follow Jenny. This better be good, she thought. The path continued to wind through the empty cemetery. She felt goosebumps flash across her skin as a cold breeze blew through the air. Just as she was about to tell Jenny to forget it, the other girl turned off the path down a row of gravestones and stopped in front of one.

"We're here."

Melissa rolled her eyes and walked over to the headstone in front of Jenny. When she read the markings she did a double take. It read:

Jenny Lark

Feb 15th, 1995 - Oct 31st 2012

Beloved daughter, friend, sister

Taken too soon

When the shock wore off, Melissa looked around; Jenny was nowhere to be found. She sat down in front of the grave and pulled out her phone to Google Jenny's name. She found an article with Jenny's picture that said the girl had died in a freak accident on Halloween the year before. Melissa had been talking to a ghost.

Sapphire and Sage

When their parents were murdered, twin sisters Sapphire and Sage, were separated to keep them safe. That was 22 years ago. Now, just before their 25th birthday, they are reunited only to learn the true reason for their parent’s murder, magic. They are the current generation in a long line of powerful witches. Their family tree seems cursed, with tragedy and death haunting each generation, traced as far back as the 1700s.

The Night Rage Coven is a group of power hungry demons with the ability to steal magic as long as they can kill the last of a bloodline. When the twins inherit their powers, they become the latest target of the Coven. They must learn to work together and control their new magic before it is too late. Will they survive the hunt or will the bloodline end with them?

Sapphire and Sage is available for early download through LeanPub, a new publishing company that allows readers to purchase the book while it is still being written. Everyone who purchases a copy will get updates with each new chapter posted. As a special treat for those participating in the Coven and Coffin blog hop, use the coupon code: CovenAndCoffin to grab your free copy from Oct. 27^th through Nov 1^st! Get yours now!

About Kayleigh Grian

Kayleigh Grian is currently a part time student working on her Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Computer Forensics and Security. She also works full time as a police dispatcher.

Kayleigh has always enjoyed writing, especially fiction and poetry. She is working on several projects including her first novel and a collection of short stories. Kayleigh enjoys reading as much as she does writing and will often go through a few books a week when she doesn't have a ton of homework to do.

Connect with Kayleigh:

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Don't forget to stop by tomorrow for another ghost story. Also, check out the other awesome websites:

Peter Dawes: Stormy Night Flash Fiction
Jessica Fortunado: Halloween Treats and Recipes
Kayleigh Grian: Characters in Costume
M. R. Graham: Tributes to Those We’ve Lost
Kalya Curry: Murder Mystery Party

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Coven and Coffin Blog Hop: Stolen Kisses

Welcome to the first post of the Coven and Coffin Blog Hop. Gather 'round boys and girls and for a tale to chill your bones.

Stolen Kisses

 by Kayla Curry

I was standing in a crowded street. People everywhere were chanting his name and holding signs that said they loved him. I should have been one of them. I was a fan, but I wasn’t a fanatic. I just stood there quietly with people chanting and jumping all around me. They were waiting for him to come out of the building. I have no idea how I even got swept up in this mess anyway. One minute I was walking down the sidewalk, and the next I was part of a flood of people fighting for the chance to see the movie star.

Suddenly, he emerged with his entourage. Roscoe Reed flashed a charming smile for the cameras, only it wasn’t Roscoe Reed. It was someone else disguised as Roscoe Reed. I could tell, but perhaps the screaming fans and paparazzi around me could not. I turned my attention to the people around me and found him in an instant. His eyes were unmistakable. I felt myself blush and was about to turn away when he made a move towards me. There were still plenty of people in the crowd between us, and still, no one noticed him. A few more steps and he would be right in front of me. As I realized this, I became frozen.

A sort of chemistry passed between us and I was officially under his spell.

“Let’s get out of here,” he said as his right hand ran through his black hair.

It took a moment for it to register that he was talking to me. I snapped out of it and let him lead me away. In an instant we were no longer in the crowded street, but in a secluded VIP room of a club. It was just the two of us.

Then I remembered.

This had to be a dream. Roscoe Reed was dead. He was killed in a car accident months ago. It had been splashed all over the front pages of newspapers and tabloids.

Then I got the worst feeling. He was drawing me in with his charm, but since it was a dream, I knew that if I kissed him something horrible would happen.

An eerie music began in the background. He seemed to control it. He now controlled everything in the dream--including me. I felt my anxiety dmelt away as he came closer and kissed me. I closed my eyes and opened them.

I was back in my room and so was Roscoe Reed. His figure was opaque as he pulled away from the kiss.

"What did you do?" I asked.

"I stole all of your kisses. You won't remember anything about anyone you've ever kissed."

I then noticed the person sleeping next to me. I didn't recognize him, but there was a photo of us on the nightstand. I was in a wedding dress and he was in a tux.

"Why?" I said to the ghost that was no longer there. I stared at the photograph for the rest of the night, trying desperately to remember anything about the man I must be married to, but nothing came.

About the author:

Kayla Curry lives in North Platte, Nebraska with her husband and two children. She likes spending time with family and friends when she’s not writing or planning out her conquest of the world. People who know her would say that she is sweet and kind, but her book characters would disagree. Her other hobbies include reading, metal detecting and research of local history. You can visit her website at http://www.kaylacurry.com to keep up on her progress in the Mystic Stones Series and her other works.

Website

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Grab Kayla's 99 cent creepy horror short story Oomph! on Amazon or Smashwords. Or pick up her free short story Ruby, on Amazon or Smashwords. Ruby is the short story companion to her paranormal novel, Obsidian, and can be read before or after the novel.

Be sure to stop by for more ghost stories all week. Also, head over to these great blogs for more Halloween festivities.

Peter Dawes: Stormy Night Flash Fiction
Jessica Fortunado: Halloween Treats and Recipes
Kayleigh Grian: Characters in Costume
M. R. Graham: Tributes to Those We’ve Lost
Kalya Curry: Murder Mystery Party

 Last but not least, enter this awesome Giveaway.

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Alice Hoffman Blog Hop: Practical Magic

In honor of Alice Hoffman’s birthday I have joined the Alice HoffmanBlog Hop. For years, I’ve loved the movie Practical Magic. Last year I actually got around to reading the book by Alice Hoffman. I have to say that they feel like two different entities. I’m still unsure which I like better. Each has its own virtues.

 

Movie:

I’ll start with this since, I watched it first. This is the story of two sisters, Sally and Gillian who come to live with their aunts.  The thing is, they are from a long line of witches and the whole town knows it. Sally, the main character has a real talent for magic but she swears off of it after her husband dies, though she still dabbles in it. That and Gillian’s poor love life are the basis of the story. I love the themes of family, community, love, and magic that are presented in the story.  I especially love this story for the witches and magic that is in it. It makes me feel that anything is possible. I also love the aunts in this, they are great comic relief with their crazy attitudes.

 

Novel:

This story still focuses on Sally and Gillian, but add Sally’s teenage daughters, Antonia and Kylie. In the movie they are still children, but the book goes more in to depth with their lives. The changes start when Sally moves away from her aunts’ after her husband’s death.  She moves somewhere no one knows of her or her family. Over the years she earns the respect of the town. Her older daughter Antonia is the queen bee while her younger daughter is a mouse. Their regular life is disrupted when Gillian brings her problems in one visit. Gillian turns things upside down and in the end they all discover who they truly are. There is still a touch of the supernatural, but it’s not as prevalent. Sally actually doesn’t believe in magic here, at least not until the end. Still, the themes of family and love are still there. I do miss the aunts and wished they were in the book more.
 
I have to say that I love both, for different reasons. I recommend reading and watching Practical magic if you haven’t done so already.

Be sure to check out the other Participants in the Alice Hoffman Blog Hop.