Lightning and Dentists

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Jianne Carlo signing on for this hallow eve’s blog. I write all genres for a variety of publishers including, Loose-Id, Etopia Press, and Passion in Print. Fear, horror, pumpkins, costumes, kids – all adjectives you can apply to Halloween. Yet, the overwhelming image associated with the holiday is fear.

What scares you?

It’s my theory that what scares a person starts with two basics, your personality and your early childhood. Many would argue much more makes up fear, your religion, your ‘first experiences’ and your journey through life. Agreed.

There are two things in life that scare me – lightning and dentists.

When I was a little girl growing up in Trinidad, I was a total tomboy (still am), and I loved wild things, storms in particular. My mother hated storms and would lock me and my three brothers in the house until the worst was over. But, my room overlooked an orange grove and there was a back window I could easily climb out of.

I have no memory of this incident, just what was related to me many, many, times later (I was five at the time). Apparently, during a violent thunder and lightning storm, I stole out the window and shimmied up a limb tree (another favorite part time I enjoy to this day – ascending trees). Lightning struck the tree and broke it in half. My mom did a regular count during storms, found me missing, and they eventually discovered me unconscious to the side of the felled tree. I’ve been known to hide in closets during storms, with my three boys.

Dentists. Sigh. During my college days, every summer home I had to see the dentist, a close family friend. I went for a regular check up – no cavities. During the cleaning and polishing the dentist somehow managed to cut my tongue. I had to have four stitches. You’ve no idea how big a tongue can swell. Of course, the only worry I had was – would I still be able to kiss? (come on, I was in college, it was a credible worry). BTW, the dentist sent a bill!

Imagine my abject terror not two weeks ago – regularly scheduled checkup at the dentist during which a fierce thunderstorm broke out. It happened in the middle of a cavity replacement. I swear they had to mop the chair afterwards I sweated so much. I had nightmares for eleven nights straight.

But when I write thrillers, it’s the mental scare that I love to explore. Here’s a scene from White Wolf, a contemporary paranormal.





White Wolf blurb:

“I’m counting to ten and then I’ll start shooting,” Sheriff Gray White balanced a rifle on one shoulder and held a spotlight at eye level effectively blinding the perp.

“My name’s Sorcha McFadden, officer, and as you can see I’ve been skinny dipping,” his very naked, very sexy perp announced.

Stunned, White Wolf Gray can’t reconcile the nude, auburn-haired nymph, Sorcha, with his little sister’s childhood best friend. Especially when fate and his own body decree her his mate.

At thirteen, Sorcha watched Gray screwing Tonya Hazzard, the captain of the cheerleading team, from her perch in the hayloft. The image of his pumping hips invaded Sorcha's every fantasy, propelled her every climax from that day forward.

They're destined for each other, except... Sorcha doesn't believe in the supernatural, but her life—as well as the answers to the mystery surrounding her parents' murder-suicide fifteen years—earlier depend on it.

Gray's the only thing standing between her and certain death, but her grandmother's last message was "Trust no one."

Does that include Gray?

Excerpt:

Man, small towns had become microcosms of big cities. Honestly, the news in Twisp reflected Chicago's on a bad night. Sorcha switched stations and discovered that after the news on a Saturday night in Twisp, the choice of programming varied between God and paid infomercials.

Surrendering, she grabbed a magazine, headed to the bed, and slipped under the covers. White settled on the daybed in the sunroom, doing a few of those loud Snoopy yawns she loved.

Sorcha listened to branches scraping the roof, a few unexplained squeaks, and the wind knocking something on the porch. In Chicago, the hum of ever-present traffic masked scary noises at night.

She'd read the same paragraph three times and had about decided to turn off the lights when she heard a weird noise like a child moaning. White woofed, and she heard his toenails click against the sunroom's tiled floor.

“Come here, boy,” she whispered and patted the bed. The Lab ignored her command and went straight to the front door, tail and ears stiff. In the glow from the lamp in the living room, she saw the dog's hackles rise. He growled, baring his canines. The sound came again, closer this time, and goose bumps rose from wrists to nape, making her cold all over. She hugged her arms.

What was that?

White barked and scratched at the door.

She lived in Twisp now, population: 935. Nothing happened in Twisp. Oh yeah right, only wolves and mate-locking and a man whose eyes turned yellow and glowed after he climaxed.

A yelping cry that mimicked a child in pain shattered the silence. She jumped because the sound came from behind her, from outside the window at the head of the bed.

White leaped onto the mattress, barking up a fury.

A loud crack.

She twisted this way and that, trying to pinpoint the source of the explosive sound.

Another bang.

Shots?

On the front porch?

Could someone have broken one of the sliding glass doors?

Be coming into the cabin?

Sorcha held her breath.

Footsteps.

Oh God.

Her temples throbbed.

Fear strangled her ricocheting thoughts.

Please let it be Gray.

Footsteps coming her way.

She thought she heard the clack of shoes on the wooden floors. Her fingers curled around White's collar.

Her brain screamed, Run, run, run.

Her legs wouldn't move, as if someone had cemented her feet to the floor.

Gravel crunched as a car rolled down the driveway.

Finally, Sorcha's legs obeyed her brain and she ran into the bathroom, dragging White with her. The door had one of those button locks, and she knew it wouldn't stop whoever prowled through the house. She opened the cabinet above the sink and studied the shelves. Toothpaste, her razor, shampoo—She could spray shampoo in the intruder's eyes. Sorcha grabbed the razor and flicked off the safety cap.


Happy Halloween everyone,

Jianne Carlo

Here’s what had to say about White Wolf:

Let me start out by saying WOW!! I loved this book!! White Wolf has something for everybody: mystery, intrigue, betrayal, romance, and some HOT lovin'. I couldn't put it down, reading late into the night even though I had to get up and go to work the next morning. Each character adds something to the story, even the animals. Ms. Carlo gives you subtle clues throughout the book about the 'villain,' but it was well toward the end before I put all the clues together. Then she goes and throws a few twists in the mix. This was my first experience reading Ms. Carlo's work, but I can assure you it won't be the last. White Wolf is definitely a book that I would recommend. It's fast paced, so hang on and enjoy the ride!!

Title: White Wolf
Publisher: Loose-Id
Genre: Erotic, paranormal, multicultural, contemporary suspense: m/f
Format: eBook
Word Count: 73,771
Pages: 189