by Dawn Dalton
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Thank you so much hosting me on your blog today! I’m thrilled to share this excerpt from THREAD OF THE PAST. I hope your readers enjoy it enough to pick up a copy of the anthology. Proceeds from all sales of the book will be donated to a literacy-based charity – because illiteracy is one scary beast.
An Excerpt from THREAD OF THE PAST
Letitia ducked out of the room and followed Elijah up three flights of stairs, amazed at the ease with which he climbed. He all but floated, occasionally glancing over his shoulder to ensure she hadn’t lagged too far behind. Captivated by his twinkling eyes and flushed cheeks, she ignored the dull ache of trepidation thudding in her chest.
He stopped at the entrance to the turret, a large wooden door blocked by crisscrossed two-by-fours. KEEP OUT was crudely painted across the front in red. Blood tears dripped from the lettering where too much paint had been used. Letitia’s pulse spiked.
“Why is this room closed to the public?”
The sparkle in Elijah’s eyes dimmed. “It’s the site of a great tragedy,” he said. “An ancient mystery unresolved. I’m sure you know the story.”
“Only what I’ve read on the Internet.” She traced the door with her fingers. “Tell me what happened.”
“A young girl committed suicide in this room after her sister, Emma was hanged. She slit her wrists.” His eyes bored into her, nearly piercing right through. “Some say she was a rare beauty, trapped in the turret by her evil father. Betrothed to another and forbidden to be with her true love.”
“Like a princess,” Letitia said, thinking of her own scars. Had this girl felt pain or relief when the suffering ended?
“And what about her true love? Did he marry someone else?”
Elijah’s eyes met hers. In his she found sadness, and longing. “No. He never stopped loving her.”
She wetted her lips. “Even in death?”
“Especially in death.”
CHARACTER INTRO – Letitia Hawke
Letitia Hawke has never quite fit in with her high school classmates. It’s more than her emo-like tendencies, or her somewhat odd sense of style – her peers don’t even seem to notice that she exists. The only thing that will make her senior dance more bearable is the location – one of the most haunted houses in the country. But when Letitia makes an unexpected connection with Elijah, it’s bye bye wallflower, and hello gothic rose.
Inspiration for LETITIA HAWKE
Most of the characters in my young adult fiction are loosely based on either my own stepdaughter or some of her friends. Over the past two years, I’ve spent time with some wonderful kids – and have had my eyes opened to the kinds of issues they’re facing, issues I didn’t have to deal with when I was their age. Of course, as a writer who had conversations with the characters in my head and typically skipped out on parties in favor of a few hours with my laptop, I also understand what it’s like to be an outcast.
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Guest post created by Dawn Dalton, author of Thread of the Past from the Spirited anthology
© 2012. All rights reserved.
AUTHOR BIO
Dawn Dalton wrote her first monster book at the age of eight when she discovered writing about them was way less scary than looking for the beasties under her bed. Since then, she's still leery of things that go bump in the night, but she'd like to think her creepy storytelling skills have improved. After earning a degree in Journalism, Dawn ventured into communications, marketing, and public relations. But her heart has always belonged to fiction.
Though she'll forever be a BC, girl, Dawn now lives in Edmonton, Alberta with her husband, teenage stepdaughter and three bullmastiff hounds. You know, just skulking around. When she isn't working on her latest paranormal story, you can find her reading, watching The Princess Bride (again), or indulging in her unhealthy addiction to Ian Somerhalder reality TV.
Dawn also writes adult thriller and paranormal romance under the last name IUS.
Visit Dawn:
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by Dawn Dalton
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READ Dawn's story here...
edited by Kat O'Shea
Release date: March 28, 2012
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