Ghosts and the Women who LOVE THEM! (including ME!) by Cindy Miles

Okay, I admit/confess: I have a morbid fascination with THE DEAD! I could go on a road trip and do nothing but stop at every cemetery I pass, just to walk amidst the gravestones and see WHO is THERE. I always wonder about their lives, what they did every day, who they knew, who they LOVED. I have to say that Scotland, England, and Wales have some of the coolest, most mysterious and mystical cemeteries ever! Maybe it's because of how old they really are? But it fascinates me to think of people long ago who have died.

It also fascinates me to think of HOW they died, and what (and WHO) they may have left behind. Join that with my love of medieval times, warriors and crusaders, knights and sword-fighting, and that supplies me with tons and tons of ideas for my ghostly heroes and the women who fall desperately in love with them. :)

Most have seen this eerie image before. It's one of my favorites! In 1936, two photographers were commisioned to photograph the oak staircase at Raynham Hall in Oyster Bay, NY. One saw what was described as a vaporous mist floating on the staircase. A photograph was quickly taken! When the film was developed, the picture revealed the distinct outline of a woman. The photo first appeared in Country Life magazine on December 16, 1936. Experts examined the picture then, and now. No one has ever been able to find any evidence of fraud or trick photography on the part of the photographers. COOL! (read more about it!)http://www.castleofspirits.com/brownlady.html)
I like to think of that ghostly woman...with a ghostly HERO! :)

My latest ghostly romance, THIRTEEN CHANCES, involves two lovers from the twelfth century who, because of a bumbled magic spell, spend more than 800 years meeting one another--he as a spirit, she as a mortal. For those who have read my backlist, Christian of Arrick-by-the-Sea was first introduced as Gawan of Conwyk's pal in INTO THIN AIR. He met his true love, EMMA, just before leaving for the Crusades. In order to protect Christian, Emma, who'd found an aged book of Welsh spells, tried to concoct a spell to keep him safe. It BACKFIRED! Poor Christian met his fate by saving a young Moorish boy, and with his dying breath he vowed to love Emma for eternity. He does--as a spirit! Meanwhile, poor Emma returns to Arrick every seventy-two years for some unknown reason, drawn to the castle, to the very place, but she doesn't know why. Christian, as a ghost, makes her fall in love with him each and every time, only to lose her in the end. He's lost her twelve times, his heart breaking more and more. Here is my inspiration for Arrick-by-the-Sea:

Well, the Ballaster sisters, four White Witches, have vowed to bring Christian's and Emma's love and souls together--this time for KEEPS. They discover an aged, DANGEROUS spell, and they've only got one shot at making it work. It's Christian's and Emma's thirteenth, and final, chance. Here's my inspiration for the Ballaster's B&B, where Emma books her month-long stay:


I had so much FUN writing Thirteen Chances! My inspiration for Christian and Emma was, strangely enough, ONE SINGLE PIC of one of my FAVORITES, Brendan Fraser, and Alicia Silverstone liplocked! It is so very sweet and romantic to me (as is the movie it came from: Blast From the Past!)

Brendan has been a favorite of mine since his ENCINO MAN days. He's so...lovable and sexy all at once, and if you've ever caught him in a state of anger (The Mummy Movies!) you can see just how sexily FIERCE he can be, as well. I love his lumbering walk, his mannerisms, and those sexy lips! :) And, I love his sincerity. VERY APPEALING!

And, for those who have read my backlist, you'll be happy to find (I HOPE!!!) ALL of my heroes and heroines, INTERACTING, in Thirteen Chances! It was so much fun! Some scenes have just short cameos, but they were still a riot to write. Those folks really do seem REAL to me, and it's always great to make them pop back up in another story. :) I hope you enjoy!

Thanks so much for having me here, and for those of you who pick up a copy of Thirteen Chances, THANK YOU!!!! I hope you love Christian and Emma as much as I do! And, I love hearing from readers and writers alike. Visit me at my home on the web: www.cindy-miles.com

And be sure to watch for two more Cindy Miles releases this year! My short story, A CHRISTMAS SPIRIT, will be included in A HIGHLANDER CHRISTMAS, due out November 3rd. This is one of Ethan Munro's ancestor's, GABRIEL MUNRO! And included in The Mammoth Book of Time Travel Romance is my contribution, THE GLOAMING HOUR, due out December 8th!







Thanks again, and THANK YOU for all your support!







Bestselling NAL author, Cindy Miles grew up on Georgia's haunted coast. Forging her love of storytelling with tales of restless spirits has become a dream fulfilled. With inspiration from Charles Dickens, she adds a touch of whimsy to her ghostly romances. Once she discovered centuries-old castle ruins in the blustery north of England, Scotland, and Wales, fierce warriors from bygone years--who may still be lingering–-came to life, as well as the women hard-headed enough to handle them! Cindy still lives on Georgia's haunted coast. And every chance she gets, she crosses The Pond to explore crumbly castles and eerie moors, and with any luck, uncover a mischievous spirit or two!

Leave a comment for Cindy along with your email addy to have a chance to win one of two copies of THIRTEEN CHANCES. Winners will be announced at the end of the week.