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As many of you may know, our beloved sister hostess SHARON DONOVAN, tragically passed away on 11th April 2012. We who knew her, loved her, and were inspired by her courage and determination to face head on whatever life threw at her. When she could no longer see to paint she turned to writing and showed her amazing talent in the Inspirational Romance and Romantic Suspense genres, and her story 'Charade Of Hearts' was awarded the coveted Predators and Editors Award in January 2011.

This Blog was a source of great delight to her, she was one of the founder hostesses and she contributed to the fun and silliness in her own original way, and was kind enough to let her unique creation, the hunky butler 'Oliver' join us for our Friday romp and prepare 'virtual breakfast' for the guests on the following morning. It's beyond hard to have to go on without her, but we know that she would have been the first to insist that 'the show must go on.' She is, and will always be with us in spirit.
Sharon, dear friend, we will never forget you.
The Author Roast and Toast is part of the legacy you left us. Let's raise a Toast to you as well as all our guests.
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Friday, October 10, 2014

The hostesses haven't the 'Ghost of a Clue' when they have Debra Doggett as their guest




“Why do I have to go first?” Mac eyes the decaying front porch of the seemingly abandoned house.

“Because I’m afraid of spiders.” Lilly shivers delicately. “Look at the size of that web.”

Mac holds up her phone and snaps a picture of the intricately woven silk stretching from the corner of the porch to the broken lamp beside the front door. “Relax. It’s fake. It’s just part of the decorations for the party.”

“It doesn’t look fake to me.” LaVerne clutches at Mary’s arm as Lyn urges Mac and Lilly up the steps.

“None of this looks fake.” LaVerne peeks through the broken glass of a darkened window. “Where is everyone? Are you sure we’re in the right place?”

“Of course we are.” Lyn laughs. “Debra’s new book is a ghost story, remember? Where better to have her party than a haunted house?”

“Great,” Mac grumbles beneath her breath.

The wooden planks of the porch creak beneath their feet as they approach the front door. Mary steps gingerly. “Watch your step, ladies. You don’t want to fall through.”

“What a bunch of scaredy-cats. It’s perfectly safe.” Lyn turns and stomps one of her large feet to prove her point. A squeak escapes her lips as the wood beneath her splinters and she lands on her butt, one leg buried in the dark cavity up to her knee. She stares up at the other hostesses, her eyes the size of saucers.

Nervous snickers echo in the quiet night as the hostesses hurry to pull her free. With a wide grin, Mac leans over the hole left behind. “Yeah, perfectly safe.” She snaps another picture, then jumps and drops her phone when Lilly screams.

“Did you see that?” Lilly points at the foggy glass of the door.

Mac drops to her knees and sticks her arm through the hole in the porch. 

“See what?” Lyn and LaVerne cry in unison.  
“There was a face!” Lilly begins to back away toward the steps, her eyes glued to the door. “I’m going home.”

Lyn laughs and grabs her arm. “No, you’re not.”

“Got it.” Mac sits back on her heels and whimpers as she dusts the cobwebs from her phone.

“I vote we all go home.” LaVerne swivels her head to look around and Mary and Lyn nod in agreement. “This place gives me the creeps.”

Their chorus of screams pierce the night as the door suddenly swings open. A wide smile beams from Debra’s face and she laughs. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. Isn’t this place great? It’s not really haunted, you know, but it’s the perfect setting to celebrate the release of A GHOST OF A CLUE. Come in.” She waves a hand toward the darkened room behind her. “The party has started
already.”

“Um.” Lilly glances over her shoulder as Lyn drags her inside. The others follow reluctantly as Debra leads them down a darkened hallway. They blink in unison as the step inside a brightly lit parlor.


Lilly heaves a sigh of relief. “Okay, this isn’t so bad.” LaVerne and Mac eye her skeptically as Mary, and Lyn laugh nervously.

Debra grins. “You’ll feel better once you’ve had something to eat. Be sure to try the appetizers. The Skeleton Skewers are out of this
world. Our main course is a delicious Boneyard Bisque, with lobster rolls and a large seafood platter, and for dessert, we have Banshee Butterscotch Pudding and Spectral Spice Cake.”



She winks as Oliver approaches with a tray and passes each of the hostesses a glass of blood red liquid topped with a mist of swirling smoke. Holding up her glass, a haunting smile curls her lips. “Drink up, ladies. It’s party time and Oliver’s Lost Soul Punch is to die for.”


Blurb:
PURCHASE FROM THE WILD ROSE PRESS
Rory DuMont has had enough of hiding the fact that she sees ghosts. Lobster Cove is a new start and she's determined to shed the mistakes of the past. If that means she ends up alone then so be it. What she can't seem to shed is Travis Reed, Lobster Cove's resident skeptic and biology teacher. Sparks fly when the skeptic and the psychic find themselves alone together but the sparks turn into flames when a ghost takes a personal interest in them.

Excerpt:

     Rory blew out a breath.

“If I tell you yes, I’m messing with you when I say there were ghosts here tonight then you’re okay with that.  You’re comfortable with it. If I tell you no, that there really was a ghost, two in fact, here tonight, then the train derails and you run for the hills.”

     He stared at her for a moment with a thoughtful look on his face. “Tell me what you believe you saw.”

     “The truth?”

     Travis nodded. “The truth of what you believe you saw.”

     “That’s a very guarded way of putting it.”

     “No. It’s a very scientific way of putting it. I can’t know what to think if I don’t have all the evidence.”

     “Fair enough. I saw two ghosts.”

     “Whole images?”

     “One fairly solid, a little boy and one kind of wavering, an older woman.”

     He watched her face as she said it, and Rory held her breath, waiting for the sneer that had always
accompanied any talk of her gift in the past. She would be sorry to see him walk away. Even though it had only been a few weeks, she realized she’d come to enjoy his  company. Part of her knew she’d been hoping for something more, no matter how much she told herself she wasn’t going to do another relationship. Still, it would hurt, and she steeled herself for the good-bye. At
last he nodded.

     “Okay, you saw two ghosts.”
Cute big bug-eyed bats flying bat animation; absolutely free Halloween clipart animated gif goofy funny pair of bug-eyed bats flying.


Debra Doggett bio:
I've been many things in my life: actor, filmmaker, historian, writer, but putting words to paper is the most satisfying. After years of moving around the US, I've settled in the desert of New Mexico, a far cry from my birthplace in Louisiana. You never know where life will go.

***GIVEAWAY***
To win a copy of Debra's book, all you have to do is just leave a comment and your e-mail address.
Contest ends on Sunday and everyone who comments is eligible.
(We reserve the right to waive the prize in any week when there are not enough contestants for a draw to be deemed fair and unbiased)

57 comments:

  1. Hi Debra

    Welcome to your Roast party. It's always nice to have a fellow Wild Rose Press author as our special guest, and your excerpt really has me wanting to know more!

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  2. Good morning, chickies! Hiya, Debra. Welcome to your roast and congrats on the release of A Ghost of a Clue. I love the title and the story sounds like some spooky fun. :-)

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  3. Hi Mac *Hugs* sister hostess. Isn't this a great spooky party and this Banshee butterscotch pudding is delicious, even if it does scream as it goes down! :)


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    1. I was wondering what that was - I thought it was me. Spiders and ghosts *shudder* :)

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  4. I don't care if it was real or not, that spider was scary! And I'm still not sure it's fake. Congrats on your new release, Debra. I love a good scare, so your book sounds right up my alley. Especially with Travis to keep us safe. He's kind of yummy isn't he?And not nearly as nerdy as most biology teachers. I think I'll take him a drink.

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  5. Hi Lilly (Lyn hugs her sister hostess, that spider was a bit big wasn't it! Oooh, I agree with you about Travis, he's sounds like my kind of guy!

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  6. Good morning, everyone. I'm stoked to have this today as I've never been roasted or toasted before so I hope everyone enjoys the day. Looking forward to chatting with all of you.

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  7. Good morning Debra *hugs* great to have you as our special guest, good luck with'Ghost of a Clue' it sounds like a fantastic read!

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  8. I always get a kick out of these posts! Congrats for making the lineup, Debbie! I can't wait to collect the Lobster Cove series. Hopefully I'll be joining those ranks in the not too distant future! :)
    *waves at the roasters and toasters*

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    Replies
    1. *waves back* Hiya sweetie! Oooo have you submitted a story?

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    2. *Waves madly back* Hi Calisa - do tell us more! :)

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  9. Hi Calisa, so glad you could make the party! Oliver will be with you in a moment with refreshments, when he's finished heaing up Debra's plate and filling her glass!

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  10. Travis is a great biology teacher, especially good with the "biology" part, lol. And his transformation to a true believer is fun to watch.

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  11. The Lobster Cove series is the first series I've been a part of and it was a great experience. Very different, but lots of fun.

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  12. I was part of the 'Song Of The Muses' several years ago and loved the experience.; It was fun interacting with the other authors and making sure certain elements were consistent while trying to make each story unique and different. I haven't got round to reading the Lobster Cove series yet but it certainly looks intriguing and yours in particular intrigues me as I love the paranormal.

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  13. Calisa, be sure to schedule your roast when you become a part of Lobster Cove. Looks like a scary yet romantic place to hang out. And Debra, Travis is nothing like any biology teacher I ever had. Just look at the way he fills out a pair of blue jeans. And speaking of his "transformation," is there an excerpt you could share that isn't a spoiler?

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  14. Hi Lilly, *hugs* I agree about Travis - and yes, another excerpt would be fantastic, Debra, if you could.... (just post it as a comment) please, pretty please...

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  15. Good luck, Debra. Ghost stories are my favorite paranormal. Enjoy the lobster!

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    1. Hiya Sandra. I agree, but I'm such a weenie, I have to read ghost stories in fits and starts. ;-) Thanks for stopping by, sweetie.

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  16. Here's a bit from his first experience with a ghost. It's short due to editing out things that would give too much away:

    Rory rose from the table even as Travis gathered the
    kids behind him. The look on his face was priceless.
    Shock warred with curiosity as both emotions moved
    across his features, and for a moment she feared he
    might try and touch the ghostly figure.

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  17. Congrats on the release Debra! I love a good ghost story, so this looks right up my alley! :-) You ladies can pass that Boneyard Bisque over this way....

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    1. Hiya Adrienne. Doesn't Debra's story sound good? I think we're gonna need more bisque. :-)

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  18. I hate the internet! Well AT&T anyhow. I am having such a difficult time with it for the last two weeks. Why, I tried to look up haunted places to prepare myself. But...I think something just pinched one of my girls!!! AAAHHHHHH!!

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  19. Hi Mary (Hugs) I know what you mean about the internet, mine is haunted too!

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  20. Oh great excerpt Deborah, a real teaser, I have to read this book despite having a tbr list on my kindle about a mile high! :)

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  21. Hi Adrienene - I see Oliver heading your way with a helping of Boneyard Bisque for you!

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  22. Bisque is one of my favorites (leftover from my Louisiana upbringing) and the Boneyard Bisque sounds yummy.

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  23. This is the first ghost story I've written, even though I love ghost stories. It was great fun, especially researching all the ghost hunting equipment people use.

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  24. I've never actually tasted Boneyard Bisque - but then I'm just a Brit and lots of yummy American dishes are unfamiliar to me, more's the pity!

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  25. Here's a little bit more to tease you with:

    The kids looked at her with awe but Travis’ face
    held consternation.
    “This is what you see?” He croaked out the question
    then shook his head. “All the time?”
    “Well,” Rory smiled. “Not all the time. I saw my
    first spirit when I was five, although I didn’t know at the
    time it was a spirit. I thought it was some kid from the
    neighborhood who had wandered in to play with me.”
    “You played with ghosts?” Michael’s voice held
    deep respect.

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  26. What's in Boneyard bisque? Not exactly sounding delectable. I myself prefer the lobster kind. So who doesn't love a ghost story!!!! Great excerpt. What a tease you are!!! I think it was a flea I hate spiders.. LOL

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  27. There's probably a secret ingredient in the Boneyard Bisque, one you don't want to know. But it still looks yummy.

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  28. Bones??? Maybe bugs. Actually if Oliver made it, it has to be something wonderful. Tell us a bit about the characters, what makes them unique and what motivates them? While I take a look at this bug bite. Make sure the bug is gone. Ugh! I just watched a movie where bugs killed people. Just the thought of it...Doesn't that stuff happen with ghosts?? Eerie huh?

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  29. Rory is motivated by the desire to start new. Thanks to her aunt, who left her the cottage in Lobster Cove, she can do that. She wants to live as her true self, but that means living as someone who admits she sees ghosts. Travis is a man motivated by curiosity. That's what got him into science in the first place. He's a firm believer in what he can see and boy, does he like what he sees in Rory. The question is can he wrap his scientific mind around the idea of ghosts.

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  30. Now there's a contrast in views which makes for some great interplay and characterization. Plus some great moments!!

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  31. Please excuse my tardiness in welcoming you to the AR&T, Debra! The party starts while I'm still asleep, but it just means its in full swing when I finally get here.
    I LOVE ghost stories and interconnecting stories by differing authors. Another series I'm going to get hooked on, I just know it :) Yours sounds fabulous!

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  32. Thanks, LaVerne! I have to admit I wasn't sure about being part of a series but it was such fun using the other characters and places in my story. I didn't have to come up with them all by myself. And there are some great stories in this series. Can't wait till they are all released.

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  33. Hi LaVerne! How's it going Downunder? :)

    Oh Debra, those teasers of yours are so intriguing - and Travis sounds such a fascinating and hunky character!

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  34. We got the whole world at the AR&T. Hi LaVerne, have a great day over there. I would love to visit. You got guys like Travis over there?
    Debra, you are making my reading addiction peak here!!! Sounds like my kinda story. Gonna go tweet and facebook today's blog!

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  35. This has been an absolute blast, Mary. Thanks so much to all of you for making this so cool. I'm going to have to sign off now. I am headed to the hospital to do a sleep study tonight so I won't have access to my computer. I hope everyone enjoyed the excerpts. Thanks again for all you did.

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  36. It will be up all weekend. Hope you sleep well, and fix whatever is the issue for you! And hope you make a lot of sales!

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  37. We've had a gret time partying with you Debra. As Mary said, the Roast will stay up all weekend so late comers can pop in - and we'll keep the leftovers in the fridge!

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  38. My brother owned a Victorian house in Franklinton, NC that reminds me of this ghostly house and his had strange things happening too. He was my brother , but ask Lilly's mother how good-looking he was(I say was because he died in 1997). The strange things were lights turning on and off by itself, hammering in the night and other strange noises. My son would not stay there at night. I would love to read your book, Debra. Sounds like a good one for Halloween! Hello to all the Roast And Toast Authors, I have missed you all!
    Great post!
    Rebecca
    rbooth43 at yahoo dot com

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  39. Hi Rebecca, how good to see you again, are you OK? We've missed you. Your story about your brother's house is fascinating, and very eerie. Sorry to hear of the loss of your brother.

    Debra's book sounds like a 'must read' doesn't it!

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  40. Sure does, Hywela! I had to go to eye doctor and have new glasses. Also have to put eye drops in my eyes for allergy. Have missed all the fun and you!

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  41. Aw, hope the eyes are feeling better now!

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  42. They are and I am reading more books again, but I'll never catch up!

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  43. LOL, I know the feeling! Glad you're eyes are better now!

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  44. Hey, Rebecca! *waves* So lovely to see you here again. How frustrating the eye problem must have been for you. Not being able to read comfortably would be the most awful of things for us readers! Having too many books to read is such a wonderful problem, don't you think? I'm the same and love the deliciousness of knowing I've got all that goodness just waiting for me to carve out some time. It makes me happy :)

    Good luck with the sleep study, Debra!

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  45. So glad to be back and can read without the focus being off! By Lilly's review, looking forward to reading Beyond The Shadows and all the Roast and Toast authors books!

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  46. So pleased your're seeing well again now Rebecca, and thanks for your support of the Roast and its authors.

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