Ally Shields will be awarding a $30 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
If your book were made into a movie, who would you want to play your main characters? I have such clear images in my head that no one truly fits. If I were involved in the casting, it would probably be an obscure unknown. Maggie would have to be a smart, spunky red-head, with a no-nonsense streak. And Josh? Dark and sexy with a hint of dangerous. I'm afraid I'd drive the producer and director crazy selecting just the right couple.
How do you come up with the titles of your books? The first one in a series is the hardest because I try to keep the titles consistent with each set of characters. It allows readers to easily identify which series a book belongs to. Ghost Walking was titled when Maggie was following her first ghost to his apartment. It was then simple to follow-up with Ghost Witching for book two due to the witches involved. Book three will be Ghost Haunting.
What does your writing space look like? I'm lucky enough to have a writer's cave, an office specially created from a small, extra bedroom. A dark oak desk, end table, bookshelves, a second end table, and a credenza form a U shape, putting everything at my fingertips. The room also has two more bookshelves, a storage cabinet, and a closet. A story board covers part of one wall, a small tv sits in the corner (which provides mostly white noise for my writing), and a photo board from many of my vacations displays places I often include in my stories. Most of my writing is done on a desktop with a second, older desktop for research and a laptop for times away from home. It's the perfect setup for me.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing? As most writers, I read. I also travel in and out of the US—including trips to visit family, and I enjoy concerts, horse shows, and book conferences. I cheer for the Iowa Hawkeye football and basketball teams, and I've never seen a castle or ancient ruin that I didn't love.
What is your favourite color? This changes with my mood, but various shades of blue are the most consistent.
What is your favourite pleasure food? Carbs, definitely. pizza, pasta
What is your favourite season? late spring, just before it gets too hot
What is your favourite television show? Scorpion, Madame Secretary
What is your favourite movie? Hard to pick just one. I am an eclectic movie watcher. Tolkien's Trilogy (amazing adaptation), Star Wars, Sleepless in Seattle, Casablana, Independence Day, Red. Um, I guess I should stop.
Who is your favourite actor? All time? Sean Connery, George Clooney. More current? Johnny Depp, Ben Affleck, Patrick Dempsey
What is your favourite song? Of course this changes frequently. Right now? I love the Pentatonix. With Christmas just behind us, I'm still humming to their video of "Mary Did You Know?"
What is your favourite comfort clothing attire? T-shirt and shorts or sweatshirt and sweatpants, Birkenstocks or sneakers.
What books might we find on your bedside table? Actually you'd find my Kindle Fire there with David Baldacci's No Man's Land, a re-read of Georgette Heyer's Faro's Daughter, and Rowling's Harry Potter and the Cursed Child next in queue.
Describe yourself in three words. Work in progress.
BLURB
Too many ghosts is never a good thing...
Detectives Maggie York and Josh Brandt's latest murder case comes at the wrong moment. She just moved out on him and wants to "cool it." But complications throw them together more than usual. Even for New Orleans, the case is unique—with way too many suspects and creepy things—ghosts, snakes, curses, not to mention the witches.
Maggie and Josh try to make sense of it all and resist finding consolation in each other's arms. Then Josh's ex-fiancee, a curvy blonde, arrives from Boston, making a touchy situation impossible.
But this killer won't wait for them to sort out their personal lives, and the situation spins out of control...
Excerpt
The old woman had been particularly insistent on attendance tonight, piquing Maggie's curiosity. And a little apprehension. Had Selena had another of her visions, possibly foretelling trouble in the near future? When asked, her cousin had given a typically cryptic answer. "Good and evil are always in motion."
Which told her nothing new. Maggie sighed, darting a glance at the focused women around her. No matter. The future wouldn't be changed by worrying. Besides, she had no real objection to being here and supporting the coven's hopes of healing one member's gravely ill four-year-old niece, for a laid-off worker to find a new job, and a universal plea for greater wisdom. They could all use a dose of that.
While calling upon the Goddess to bless and protect them, Selena made a three-sixty turn, her gown billowing as she included every participant. Maggie suddenly stiffened and peered behind her cousin. Had something dark and wispy swooped past? No, of course not. The lifting dawn mist had fired her overactive imagination.
Yet her heart beat a bit faster, and she joined in the final lines of the closing chant with more gravity than usual.
"In calm or stormy days to come, light our pathways safely home. Gracious Goddess, grant our plea. So mote it be."
Maggie was tempted to add an "Amen" for good measure.
As they blew out their candles, her cell phone buzzed. She checked the screen. Police dispatch. Her real world snapped back into place. While they'd been surrounded by the hope inherent in these pre-dawn gatherings, someone else had committed the most grievous assault upon society…the murder of one of its citizens.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Ally Shields grew up in the Midwest along the Mississippi River, still considers herself "a river rat," and currently resides near Des Moines. After a career in law and juvenile justice, she turned to full-time fiction writing in 2009. Her first urban fantasy, Awakening the Fire (Guardian Witch #1) was published in 2012, and she currently has twelve published novels. She loves to travel in the US and abroad and incorporates many of those settings into her books. Ms. Shields welcomes reader contact through her website and can frequently be found on Twitter.
Amazon buy link to all Ally Shields books: AMAZON
Ghost Witching Book Trailer:
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteWhat were your 1-2 biggest learning experience(s) or surprise(s) throughout the publishing process?
ReplyDeleteI was amazed how very supportive the writing community is. Most authors, editors, publishers, etc. really want to see you succeed and many will offer their time and expertise without asking more than that you pass it on to the next aspiring author.
DeleteThanks for visiting the tour!
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ReplyDeleteThanks for featuring my book, Louise! Great site!
ReplyDeleteI would love to read your book and I think the cover is great.
ReplyDeleteThx so much, Bridgett. My cover artists do a terrific job.
DeleteWhat books are you looking to reading in 2017? Thanks for the giveaway. I hope that I win. Bernie W BWallace1980(at)hotmail(d0t)com
ReplyDeleteGreat post, thanks for sharing. Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the new book and good luck on the book tour!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a story that should definitely be read during the daytime, lol. Hope the tour has gone well!
ReplyDelete