EXCERPT | BETWEEN WORLDS

TITLE: Between Worlds (Cemetery Tours Sequel)

PUBLISHER: Wind Trail Publishing

PUBLICATION DATE: June 29, 2014

GENRE: Paranormal Thriller

Up in his apartment, Michael told Kate and Luke to make themselves at home while he fetched them something to drink. As always, Brink felt compelled to express his flat out astonishment that Michael was actually having guests over; even more so that he was having Luke Rainer over.

“What’s he doing here, anyway? Isn’t he supposed be off filming graveyards or something?” Brink asked.

“He said he was in town and decided to stop by,” Michael muttered softly.

“And here he is on your date. Nice,” Brink smirked. Michael glared at him. It was like talking to a skinny, teenaged Luke.

Michael could feel Brink trailing him as he made his way back into the living room, where Luke was filling Kate in on all of the team’s latest adventures. After handing them their drinks, Michael took a seat on the couch next to Kate. She took a sip of her soda and casually snuggled up next to him while Luke continued to talk. Michael was honestly beginning to think that he really had just dropped in to catch up when Luke asked, “So, have either of you ever heard of the Stanton Hall Manor?”

“No,” Michael answered.

“Maybe,” Kate replied. “I think it was featured on a documentary I saw about historic mansions in New England.”

“It probably was. It’s one of the most extravagant manors in Maine. Hell, it’s one of the most extravagant manors in the nation. It also happens to be one of the most haunted.”

Oh no… Michael already knew where this was going.

“Cool,” Kate grinned. “Are you guys going to investigate it?”

“Well, that’s the plan. However, there are some… conditions.”

“What kind of conditions?” Michael asked.

“The person who owns it now is a woman named Carolyn Drake. She inherited it from her uncle after he died. I’ve been trying to get her to let us investigate ever since the show premiered, but she’s always turned me down. She’s hoping to convert it into some kind of luxury bed and breakfast and she’s always thought that if we tell the world that it’s haunted, no one would want to stay there.”

“That’s strange. I’d think being on Cemetery Tours would make more people want to visit. I mean, look at the Stanley Hotel. That place is so haunted that it inspired Stephen King to write The Shining and now everyone wants to stay there,” Kate said.

“Well, her problem is that she doesn’t actually believe that it’s haunted. If she doesn’t believe it’s haunted, then she doesn’t have a whole lot of incentive for us to come investigate, and so on and so forth. But then, just as we’re in the midst of shooting for this season, I get an email from her. She said that she would agree to let the team film,” he paused and looked Michael in the eye. “But only if you come with us, Mikey.”

“And there it is. The catch,” Brink commented. Michael was still trying to register what Luke had just said.

“Wait, what?” he asked.

“I don’t know. She didn’t explain it to me. All she said was that she’d agree to let us come and investigate, but only if we brought you with us.”

“That just doesn’t make sense,” Michael said.

“Maybe she wants you to come along because she wants to show folks that it isn’t haunted,” Kate said. “Maybe if you get there and you don’t see anything, then that will prove once and for all that there are no ghosts there.”

“Oh, come on. Everyone knows that place is haunted. Mrs. Drake is just a crazy old fruit loop,” Luke crossed his arms and slumped back against his chair. “Don’t tell her I said that.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Michael said.

“So, what do you think?” Luke asked. “Will you come with us?”

Michael didn’t know how to respond. For the first time, Luke was asking him to be part of the show at the request of somebody else. Not just a request. Michael had to go or the episode wasn’t happening. That was a lot of pressure.

“Luke,” he began. “I know this means a lot to you, but I can’t just drop everything and go.”

“Why not?” Luke asked. “You’re already ‘out,’ so it’s not like you can use that as an excuse anymore. You don’t have a job to worry about – ”

“Actually, I do,” Michael corrected him. “I got an offer this afternoon, and I’m going to take it. I have to take it.”

“Why? Are you the new Captain of the Enterprise? Because if the job is for anything less cool than that, you still have no excuse to turn this down.”

“It’s for an insurance company. I’d be – ”

“Are you kidding me?” Luke interrupted him, exasperated. “I am here, offering you a gig on the most popular paranormal show on television, just like I have a thousand times in the past, and you’re turning it down to sell insurance?”

Okay, yeah, when he put it like that, of course it sounded lame. But what Luke didn’t understand was that the gig on Cemetery Tours was a one-time thing. Michael would still need a permanent job after it was over, and he didn’t know if he’d be lucky enough to find another company willing to take on a creepy ghost-talker.

“I’m sorry, Mikey, but this time, I really don’t understand you,” Luke continued. “You are so hell-bent on being normal and doing what you think everyone wants you to do that you’d pass up an opportunity that anybody else would jump at. Don’t you think so, Kate?”

“I want to go,” she agreed.

“You’re invited,” Luke told her. “But of course if Mikey doesn’t go, then no one gets to.”

Oh, great. Michael knew exactly what Luke was doing, and Luke knew it too. It had been one thing when him not going meant that Luke couldn’t go. But now, knowing that it also meant Kate couldn’t go was a whole different scenario. Michael had no problem saying no to Luke. But saying no to Kate? Impossible. That was how Luke had conned him into going to that stupid graveyard. He’d tricked Kate into asking Michael, knowing that Michael wouldn’t be able to turn her down.

Sure enough, as soon as the words were out of Luke’s mouth, Kate turned wide, pleading eyes up at Michael.

Luke just smiled. He had Michael exactly where he wanted him.
Meanwhile, Brink snickered from the sidelines. “Well, it looks like you’re going to Maine.”

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ABOUT JACQUELINE

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Jacqueline E. Smith was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. She attended the University of Texas at Dallas, where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Art and Performance in 2010. Two years later, she earned her Master’s Degree in Humanities.

Along with writing and publishing, Jacqueline loves photography, traveling, and nature.  (Photo Credit: Kaylynn Krieg)

JACQUELINE SMITH GIVEAWAY

Jacqueline has generously provided (3) e-book copies of Cemetery Tours and (3) e-book copies of it’s sequel, Between Worlds.  There will be (3) Winners who will receive one copy of each book.  This giveaway will run until March 7th.

Enter here: a Rafflecopter giveaway

STORIES UNFOLDED BLOGIVERSARY GIVEAWAY

Don’t forget to enter the Stories Unfolded Blogiversary Giveaway that’s running from March 1st – March 31st.

(1) Grand Prize Winner

• $25 Amazon Kindle Gift Card
• (1) Signed physical copy of The End of Feeling by Cindy C Bennett
• (1) Audiobook of The End of Feeling by Cindy C Bennett
• (1) Signed physical copy of Family Inheritance by Terri Ann Leidich
• (1) Signed physical copy of From a Grieving Mother’s Heart by Terri Ann Leidich
• (1) Signed physical copy of For a Grieving Heart by Terri Ann Leidich
• (1) Physical copy of Finding Zoe by Brandi Rarus and Gail Harris
• (1) E-Book copy of the Off The Map Series by Lia Riley (Upside Down, Sideswiped, & Inside Out)
• (1) E-Book copy of any Ginger Scott book
• (1) E-Book copies of three children’s books by Alva Sachs (Circus Fever, I’m 5, & On Your Mark, Get Set,Go!)

(1) Prize Winner

• $10 Amazon Kindle Gift Card
• (1) E-Book copy of any Ginger Scott book
• (1) E-Pub copy of Family Inheritance by Terri Ann Leidich
• (1) E-Pub copy of From a Grieving Mother’s Heart by Terri Ann Leidich
• (1) E-Pub copy of For a Grieving Heart by Terri Ann Leidich

(1) Prize Winner

• $5 Amazon Kindle Gift Card
• (1) E-Book copy of The End of Feeling by Cindy C. Bennett
• (1) E-Book copy of any Ginger Scott book

(1) Prize Winner

• $5 Amazon Kindle Gift Card

Enter here: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Jacqueline Smith week continues tomorrow with an author interview.

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