Welcome to Cindy Miles' guest blog

WHAT IS IT ABOUT GHOSTS?


The Living seems to have a fascination with the Dead! Myself included! I love finding a good ghost story on the book shelf, or flipping through the channels on TV and coming across a good ghost movie! I particularly love the older ones, save the ever-popular, more modern GHOST, with good ole Patrick Swayze! :) Have you ever watched The Haunting of Hill House? EESH! Nothing really particularly scary, just...SCARY!

But WHY do people have that fascination? Is it because it can't be hastily explained--or explained at all? Or is it because it is so FUN to imagine what MIGHT BE? Our imaginations certainly take flight at times. Have you ever had that weird feeling where you thought someone was behind you? Or just an unexplained eerie feeling that made your skin crawl, or the fine hairs on the back of your neck rise? I can't say that I've ever encountered a spirit, but I HAVE experienced those weird feelings. Maybe that's why I LOVE having my modern-day heroines encounter the most unlikliest of spirits.


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)


My new release, THIRTEEN CHANCES, is yet another ghostly encounter! My heroine, EMMA, is a photographer specializing in Weddings in Savannah, GA (my home town!) who discovers she is drawn to SOMETHING but has no idea what--until she searches the Internet and comes across an image of a crumbling castle ruin on the sea cliffs--ARRICK-by-the-SEA, in Northern Wales. Some unknown force drives her to take a month off of work to stay at the castle's B&B--a stone structure near the castle ruins and run by a particularly quirky foursome of sisters, the BALLASTERS. Here is my inspiration for the castle:


Once there, not only is Emma overcome by the familiarity of the castle and its surroundings, but she happens to encounter something--rather, somone--she never thought truly existed: the ghostly apparition of a once-Welsh Crusader, Christian. She soon discovers that he is not only the original owner of Arrick-by-the-Sea, but that once upon a time, SHE was (and still is!) his true love. Here is my inspiration for the Ballaster's B&B:


But, of course, things won't happen all-so-easily for Christian and Emma. Firstly, Emma doesn't remember Christian. You see, back when they first met and fell in love, Christian went off to war in the Crusades. Before he left, Emma thought of a great plan--she found an aged book of spells, concocted one herself, and cast it upon her beloved Christian. Only, it backfired. So every 72 years, she returns to Arrick in search of SOMETHING. Christian, who vowed to love his Emma for eternity, walks the earth as a spirit, and he must make her fall in love with him over and over again--only to lose her each and every time. Here is the inspirational pic I had blown up that I STARED at while writing Thirteen Chances:




I've always loved Brendan Fraser, ever since watching him do nothing more than grunt and be totally charming as Link on ENCINO MAN! Something about his mannerisms, not to mention those lucious lips, really draws me! While Christian doesn't look EXACTLY like Brendan, he certainly was my inspiration for him. And that pic of him and Alicia kissing? YOWZA!!!

SO! It's up to the four hair-brained white witches, the BALLASTERS, to use one very chancey spell to correct Emma's bumble from centuries before, to ensure the couple's true love will indeed last for enternity!

For those of you who have read my other ghostly novels, you'll be pleased (I hope!) to find ALL of my previous heroes and heroines together in Thirteen Chances. Not only was that challenging, but FUN AS HECK! Some are small cameos, but still--it was truly a blast!


If you decide to pick up a copy of Thirteen Chances, THANK YOU! And I do hope you enjoy it!

And I love getting reader email, so visit me on my home on the web: www.cindy-miles.com

All the very best, and happy reading!
~Cindy


~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!

Welcome to Cindy Miles' guest blog!

Welcome Ms. Cindy Miles to Love Romances and More, thank you for joining us.

Thanks so much for having me!

Did you always want to become a writer?

I can’t say that I’ve always wanted to be a writer, but I have always loved to write and I’ve always loved books/reading. My dad used to drop me off at the public library for hours and hours!

What is the most, and the least interesting fact about writing?

Hmmm. I’d have to say the most interesting fact (for me) would be creating the characters and then seeing them come to life on a printed page. The least interesting? I honestly can’t think of anything not interesting in the writing world! It’s all pretty cool.

How did you celebrate your first release? What was it like to see your book in a bookstore? Do you have a special ritual for celebrating a book release?

Seeing my book in a bookstore for the very first time was amazing! As many times as I’d visited the store itself it was hard to believe that my book was finally there! And I have the greatest bunch of crazy friends who gather with me each book release! We ritually meet, make a run of all the local bookstores and sign stock copies, then go out to eat and whoop it up! For my latest release, MacGowan’s Ghost, which is set in a haunted Scottish pub and inn, we celebrated at Savannah’s Molly MacPhearsons. Fun!


How did your family react to fact that you also write romance novels? Have your family read your books?

From day ONE my mother has been right there supporting me. She didn’t have the first doubt that I’d make it into the publishing world. For others I think it took to actually see the book in the store! Lol! My mom has read all of my books, a few of them more than once. My aunts and cousins and sisters, as well. The girls in the family, I guess!


Most authors are also avid readers. Is this the case with you? If so, who are some of your favorites? Have any influenced your writing?

I do love to read, although it is harder to find more pleasure-reading time now. But I do love Stephen King, especially his old work. Also Kathleen Eagle and Karen Marie Moning in the romance genre. To this day all three influence me by simply writing their books! I finished King’s Lisey’s Story and thought WOW. Fine writing!



Your characters come to life in your books. Do you feel each of your characters live with you as you write? Do their lives sometimes take over a part of your life? Can you name an example? Do you have living role models for your characters?

I can’t say my characters take over any part of my life, but they are constantly on my mind. I find myself asking (to only myself!) “I wonder what X hero would do in this situation?” I try to make them have real life actions and reactions, even if they’re ghosts. My latest release, MacGowan’s Ghost, definitely had a living role model for the hero: Gerard Butler. My hero, Gabe, was a bit more somber than the fun-loving Gerry Butler, but his demeanour very much was inspired by the sexy Scottish actor!


Where do you get the inspirations for your books?

England, Scotland and Wales are very inspiring countries! Not just the scenery and breathtaking landscape, but the history. It still lingers there, and just standing among a 900 year-old ruin makes me think of cute, arrogant heroes, and how they may have truly been (as opposed to how the history books make them appear).


Do you find it difficult at times to write love scenes?

I’m quite blessed in that my publisher allows me the freedom to write my love scenes the way I do: after marriage and at the end of the book! For me, a relationship is more real and substantial if it has had time to grow. I like plenty of tension, and my characters always take the lead in that dept: they pretty much tell me what to do! I let their budding relationship (even if it includes a few fights!) mature at their speed, and by the time the finale love scene occurs…they DESERVE IT!


What is your favorite book from the books that you have written so far? Who are your favorite hero and heroine, and why?

It’s difficult to choose between your babies! But I do hold a special spot for my second book, Into Thin Air. Gawan is a nearly 1000 year old earth bound angel, so he’s “lived” through a lot. He knows stuff. He doesn’t just possess that old world charm, but he’s modern hip, as well. So when he’s just about to finally earn his retirement (and thus his mortality) he runs into his Intended Soul Mate, who is mostly dead. It puts them both into a very sticky predicament! I love the secondary characters of the book, and to me, it’s just a lot of fun. But I honestly do love Allie and Gabe from MacGowan’s Ghost, as well.


Which book was the hardest to write and which the easiest?

Highland Knight, my third release, just came to me easily. I’m not sure if it’s because the heroine, Amelia, was a mystery writer and a bit quirky, or what. But the words just flowed. My last book, Thirteen Chances, (due out in September!) was the most difficult because my husband, who works out of town and has been absent for the writing of all books thus far, was HOME during the writing of Thirteen Chances. Lol! And not just home, but CLOSE. I’d go hole up in the nice, dark office, with candles burning and music playing (the Twilight Soundtrack got me through the writing of that book!), and before long, here comes the hubby to use the computer (I sit in a big purple fuzzy chair and ottoman and write on my laptop, so he’d want to use the home computer—5 feet away). EEK! He was a good sport though, and left me alone while I finished. But I’m one of those writers who need quietness and aloneness to write.


If you could change places with one character from your books, who would it be and why?

I guess there’s a lot of my personality in Amelia, from Highland Knight, and so I guess it’d be her! To be able to write books from a 14th century Scottish towerhouse in the middle of the Highlands? With a sexy warrior and his clansmen by your side? Sign me up!


If you could travel through time to visit a special time period or famous person, what or who would it be and why?

Wow, that’s a hard one! Can I just use Bill and Ted’s phone booth and visit lots of folks? Lol! I think I’d like to go back to 13th century Scotland and have a pint with William Wallace. What a fierce, brave guy that was!

Do you listen to music while you are writing and if so what music is it?

I listen to a lot of soundtracks, such as Last of the Mohicans, Braveheart, Mists of Avalon is a great one. But I really got into the Twilight Soundtrack while writing Thirteen Chances. I also love music from the Jane Austen period, and any haunting strings I can find.


If you could choose one of your books for a movie, which one would it be and who would you as the cast?

MacGowan’s Ghost would make a pretty good movie, I think! Gerard Butler is my hero and Kate Hudson is my quirky heroine! Although I’d totally love to see Into Thin Air on the big screen!


Are you working on anything right now, and can you tell us a teaser about these projects?

Sure! I am just starting the editing process of my September release, Thirteen Chances. The hero Christian of Arrick-by-the-Sea has been seen before in Into Thin Air. He met his truly Intended way back in the twelfth century, but due to a discombobulated curse, he and his true love, Emma, can never be together. Christian roams the earth as a spirit, and every 72 years he and Emma find each other again—only to be broken apart. But four sisters, who are Welsh White Witches, decide to tackle Fate’s design and set out to hook Christian and Emma up forever. Also in this story, all of the previous heroes and heroines converge!

My present release, MacGowan’s Ghost, is set against the windswept coast of the Scottish Highlands. Here’s the cover blurb!

Gabe MacGowan—a sexy, brooding, guilt-ridden widower and father to mischievous seven-yearold Jake—is the proprietor of Odin’s Thumb Inn and Pub in a misty Scottish seaside village. He decides to sell the inn and move, not only to give his son a more stable environment, but to escape the ghosts who haunt him—in particular his dead wife.

Gabe hires Allie Morgan, an easy-going and fun-loving American, to oust the spirits who are chasing away potential buyers. Odin’s Thumb is bustling with frightened tourists, quirky residents of the village, and dodgy yet lovable apparitions—including the ghost of a sea captain who fancies Allie. Allie knows she can help Gabe chase away his own ghosts, but can she help him rediscover life—and love?

Thanks so much for having me here, it was a pleasure! Please visit me on my website , explore my cool writing room, and enter the contests! Thanks again! ~ Cindy