BEA'S BOOK NOOK "I can't imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it only once." C. S. Lewis “If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.” ― Oscar Wilde

Showing posts with label Muto. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Muto. Show all posts

Friday, May 3, 2013

Blog Tour for The Haunting Season by Michelle Muto: Interview and Giveaway!

Back in January, I had author Michelle Muto on the Nook. She shared an excerpt from the book and gave away a copy. Well, now she's touring with Xpresso Book Tours and I jumped at the chance to participate. There's an interview, a look at her playlist, and at the end is another giveaway so if you didn't win in January, now's your chance. :)


About the author ~

Michelle grew up in Chicago, but currently lives in NE Georgia with her husband and their two dogs, one of which is a Beezlepup.  She loves changes of season, dogs, and all things geeky. Michelle has always loved storytelling. When she was a child, her favorite stories were of monsters and things that lurked in the dark. Telling stories often frightened her classmates and got her into a lot of trouble with her teachers. They had no sense of humor.

As an adult, Michelle traded her love of writing for the corporate life where she was an IT professional. Today, she’s doing what she loves best – writing and storytelling. She loves scary books, funny movies, sports cars, dogs, chocolate, old cemeteries, and changes of season. Michelle even loves photography.

Michelle writes on a Mac and is a true geek at heart. She agrees with her dogs who think cheese and bacon should be in their own food group. But most of all, she believes everyone should trust their imagination, have a kind heart, and should definitely have a sense of humor.

Currently, she’s hard at work on her next book.
Find Michelle online:





How did you come up with the idea for your book?
During a trip to Savannah, I visited the Sorrel-Weed house, which is reported to be Savannah’s most haunted house.


What is different about this book compared to others you’ve written?
For starters, The Haunting Season is New Adult. Secondly, the main characters are not supernatural beings.


Most unique or unusual research you’ve ever done for The Haunting Season?
Besides visiting the Sorrel-Weed house? Asking a former mortician about embalming methods in the early to mid 1900’s and how embalming and burial procedures have changed and why. It’s both fascinating and a bit gruesome.


What is the hardest part about writing?
Keeping my butt in the chair for as many hours as I need to per day. Resisting the urge to jump on the internet when I’m having difficulty with a scene.


If you could meet any author who is no longer living, who would it be?
Tough call. Edgar Allan Poe, probably. But I’d also like to meet Rod Serling and Alfred Hitchcock.


Can you tell us a little about your next project?
It’s a adult dark fantasy novel with action, castles, and gargoyles.  It’ll be out early this summer.

If you could do one thing over again in regards to writing, what would it be?
Write faster.


Vanilla or chocolate?
Chocolate.


Food you like the most? The least?
I tend to like Italian food the most. I can’t stand brussel sprouts or peas.


Favorite television show?
Supernatural

What weapon would you choose in the zombie apocalypse?
Harry Potter’s wand or maybe Dean Winchester. He’d be a formidable weapon against zombies, right? <grin>


What scares you?
Humanity. The way people treat others, animals, or the environment.

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Check out the music Michelle listened to while writing "The Haunting Season". What do you think, is it inspirational for writing a horror story?

Click to enlarge the photo

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Blurb from the author ~

Be careful what you let in…

Siler House has stood silent beneath Savannah’s moss-draped oaks for decades. Notoriously haunted, it has remained empty until college-bound Jess Perry and three of her peers gather to take part in a month-long study on the paranormal. Jess, who talks to ghosts, quickly bonds with her fellow test subjects. One is a girl possessed. Another just wants to forget. The third is a guy who really knows how to turn up the August heat, not to mention Jess’s heart rate…when he’s not resurrecting the dead.

The study soon turns into something far more sinister when they discover that Siler House and the dark forces within are determined to keep them forever. In order to escape, Jess and the others will have to open themselves up to the true horror of Siler House and channel the very evil that has welcomed them all.

Author: Michelle Muto
Publisher: Dreamscapes, Ink
Genre: Horror, New Adult, Young Adult
Format: ebook, paperback
Length: 81,169 words
Release Date: December 24, 2012
Buying Links:  Smashwords   Amazon US   Amazon UK   Barnes & Noble

Contains sexual content, language, and some graphic violence. Discretion advised for readers under 17.

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GIVEAWAY

Michelle is offering one (1) ebook copy of "The Haunting Season". It's open internationally. The prize will be sent out the week of May 27th. You do not need to be a follower to enter. Please read my Giveaway Policy.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Giveaway & Excerpt: The Haunting Season by Michelle Muto

Today I have author Michelle Muto visiting. Michelle is another author from the Kelley Armstrong message board and as you know, I love to feature people from there. Michelle has always loved storytelling. When she was a child, her favorite stories were of monsters and things that lurked in the dark. Telling stories often frightened her classmates and got her into a lot of trouble with her teachers. They had no sense of humor. (If I recall correctly, Kelley tells a similar story. No wonder Michelle found herself on Kelley's board.  ~ Bea)

As an adult, Michelle traded her love of writing for the corporate life where she was an IT professional. Today, she’s doing what she loves best – writing and storytelling.

Michelle grew up in Chicago, but currently lives in NE Georgia with her husband and their two dogs, one of which is a Beezlepup. She loves scary books, funny movies, sports cars, dogs, chocolate, old cemeteries, and changes of season. Michelle even loves photography. One day, maybe she’ll upload a better photo – one that wasn’t taken in late afternoon with Photobooth. Or, maybe not.

Michelle writes on a Mac and is a true geek at heart. She agrees with her dogs who think cheese and bacon should be in their own food group. But most of all, she believes everyone should trust their imagination, have a kind heart, and should definitely have a sense of humor.

Michelle's newest book is "The Haunting Season", a New Adult Horror book aimed at readers 17+.  Read on for an excerpt and at the end of the post, you can enter to win your own copy.

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Excerpt, from Jess's Point of View:

Why did it feel as though something was about to go wrong? Terribly, horribly wrong? And how had Allison suddenly become the calm one? 
Jess closed the door to the bathroom as she dried her hair, leaving it slightly damp to save time. She unplugged the dryer and walked back into the bedroom. Allison was sitting on the edge of her bed facing the doorway. 
“Sshhh!” she said turning her head back to Jess.
Jess crept over to Allison. Outside the door, someone paced the hallway. 
“It’s like the other night,” Allison whispered. She scooted back on the bed and wrapped her arms around herself.
The pacing continued and Allison’s fear was escalating. She buried her head in her palms and began to whimper. Which was why Jess had to go and open the door. By now, she believed there were things that wanted to hurt them in Siler House. But, realistically, it could also be Gage or Bryan, or Dr. Brandt. 
Or someone else entirely.
Each creak of the boards set Jess’s nerves on edge. 
She went across the room. They couldn’t jump at every shadow. They’d be a wreck by the time they had to do the sĂ©ance. 
“Don’t!” Allison pled. “It’ll know which room we’re in.”
More footfalls sounded outside the door. 
“Whatever it is, it already knows which room we’re in.”
The doorknob turned back and forth, but no one entered. Jess held her breath, but Allison…Allison was curled up on the bed whimpering. 
Enough of this! It’s scaring the shit out of her.
 And me!
But it’s going to make Allison crack completely.
The pacing resumed. Jess took a final step forward and the pacing stopped. 
Open it. It’s right on the other side of the door. Just open it!
As Gage had put it, if they weren’t calm, they weren’t thinking. Right now, Allison wasn’t thinking. They’d need her for later. They couldn’t afford for her to make any mistakes in telling them how to guide Riley over into their realm. 
What if it’s Riley?
It’s not.
If he were free of the mirrors, he wouldn’t be walking the hallway waiting for an invitation. Her hand hesitated only once. Gathering up every ounce of courage she had, Jess grabbed the knob and flung the door open. 


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Author: Michelle Muto
Publisher: Dreamscapes, Ink
Genre: Horror, New Adult, Young Adult
Format: ebook, paperback
Length: 81,169 words
Release Date: December 24, 2012
Buying Links:  Smashwords   Amazon US   Amazon UK   Barnes & Noble
Book Blurb :
  (Contains sexual content, language, and some graphic violence. Discretion advised for readers under 17 ).
 
Be careful what you let in…
Siler House has stood silent beneath Savannah’s moss-draped oaks for decades. Notoriously haunted, it has remained empty until college-bound Jess Perry and three of her peers gather to take part in a month-long study on the paranormal. Jess, who talks to ghosts, quickly bonds with her fellow test subjects. One is a girl possessed. Another just wants to forget. The third is a guy who really knows how to turn up the August heat, not to mention Jess’s heart ratewhen he’s not resurrecting the dead.
The study soon turns into something far more sinister when they discover that Siler House and the dark forces within are determined to keep them forever. In order to escape, Jess and the others will have to open themselves up to the true horror of Siler House and channel the very evil that has welcomed them all.


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Michelle is giving away one ebook copy of "The Haunting Season", open internationally. Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Please read my Giveaway Policy.