STRUCK by lightning…claimed by
shadows
If you're intrigued, STRUCK is on sale for 99 cents
Grab your copy today!
If you're intrigued, STRUCK is on sale for 99 cents
Grab your copy today!
Showing posts with label Struck. gothic horror. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Struck. gothic horror. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
#Paranormal Wednesday - Struck by Clarissa Johal #booktrailer
Drum roll please.... My very first book trailer!
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Update: POPPY by Clarissa Johal #paranormal #amwriting
Update on my novel-in-progress:
POPPY is coming along nicely, and I expect to be finished by the end of December. I'll keep you updated on the release date, but with any luck, sometime in 2016! Here's a blurb to entice you.
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| Photo courtesy of Doug Wertman via Flickr |
A moody, unsociable funeral director.
Poppy and Dante from STRUCK are back.
Something is lingering around Skyview Funeral Home—and it's stealing souls of the departed. With Dante in tow, Poppy is determined to put a stop to it. Will she be able to protect those who are trying to cross over, or will her soul be next?
Caught a storm, Gwynneth is struck by lightning. She wakes in the hospital with a vague memory of a mysterious stranger. Following her release, the stranger visits her at will and offers Gwynneth a gift—one that will stay the hands of death. Gwynneth is uncertain whether Julian is a savior or something sinister... for as he shares more and more of this gift, his price becomes more and more deadly.
Available - ebook and print
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon CA
Barnes and Noble
Saturday, October 3, 2015
2015 October Frights Blog Hop - "Night Terrors" #paranormal #horror #flashfiction & STRUCK Prize Package #Giveaway #Octoberfrights
Welcome to the 2015 October Frights Blog Hop
Join 40+ paranormal and horror authors for ten days of screaming good fun. Books and prizes to be won!
Hosted by me! (Clarissa Johal)
From October 1-10th, join me for free short stories, exclusive excerpts, and Rafflecopter contests. I'm offering signed paperbacks & ecopies of my books, AND some awesome prizes. On October 10th, there's a grand prize so be sure and stop by then.
Time for a story...
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| Photo courtesy of W H via Flickr |
by Clarissa Johal
The dark shadows slid from underneath the bed. They edged up the sides, and spilled across the sheets like thousands of writhing snakes. Finding their mark, they enshrouded the sleeping human completely. Staining her dreams with darkness, they turned those dreams into nightmares filled with horrors.
The woman awoke with a start. In her half-wakened state, she caught a glimpse of what she thought was a shadow slipping from the bed. When she blinked, there was nothing. She was alone. Her bedside clock ticked the seconds away, filling the quiet space with its mechanical heartbeats.
Unsettled, she got up to use the bathroom. Washing her hands afterwards, she briefly entertained the thought of leaving the bathroom light on. Enough of the light would trail down the hallway, and illuminate the darkened corners of the bedroom. Her fingers lingered on the light switch, before she changed her mind and switched it off. Go to back bed. There's nothing to worry about. You had a nightmare.
Padding barefoot across the floor, she climbed back into bed. Sleep was elusive. The bedside clock ticked away, a nagging reminder she lay wide-awake. Shadows played against the moonlight, dancing across the ceiling.
It wasn't until she heard the first whispers from underneath her bed, that she finally realized she wasn't alone.
*****
The Giveaway!
Prize package for
STRUCK includes a signed paperback or ecopy (your choice), Artists Loft watercolor paints - 12 piece set, Artist's Loft watercolor paintbrushes - 4 piece set, and Strathmore watercolor paper - 15 sheet book 6x9inch
Caught a storm, Gwynneth is struck by lightning. She wakes in the hospital with a vague memory of a mysterious stranger. Following her release, the stranger visits her at will and offers Gwynneth a gift—one that will stay the hands of death. Gwynneth is uncertain whether Julian is a savior or something sinister... for as he shares more and more of this gift, his price becomes more and more deadly.
Available - ebook and print
Amazon
Amazon UK
Amazon CA
Barnes and Noble
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Free today via Musa Publishing - STRUCK by Clarissa Johal
The shadows hadn't been waiting.
The shadows had been invited.
After a painful breakup, Gwynneth Reese moves in with her best friend and takes a job at a retirement home. She grows especially close to one resident, who dies alone the night of a terrific storm. On the way home from paying her last respects, Gwynneth is caught in another storm and is struck by lightning. She wakes in the hospital with a vague memory of being rescued by a mysterious stranger. Following her release from the hospital, the stranger visits her at will and offers Gwynneth a gift--one that will stay the hands of death. Gwynneth is uncertain whether Julian is a savior or something more sinister... for as he shares more and more of this gift, his price becomes more and more deadly.
5-star reviews from Lovely Reads, Straight from the Library and Bex'n;Books.
4-star review from Bibliophilic Book Blog
4-star review from Bibliophilic Book Blog
Friday, October 24, 2014
October 24-31 Coffin Hop
Welcome to one of the many stops on the COFFIN HOP, an annual Horror Author event conceived in 2011 by authors Axel Howerton and Julie Jansen. This year, join myself and 63 other authors--prizes and giveaways at every stop!
This is the blog of paranormal, gothic horror and fantasy author Clarissa Johal. At this stop, you will get a chance to win an ecopy of my latest paranormal gothic horror novel STRUCK.
You're here because you like to be scared, am I right? I’ve always felt the best scare is a psychological one. You don’t need blood. You don’t need gore. You just need…silence. Silence is powerful when it comes to the Otherworld. You can’t connect with what you don’t see when there’s noise.
Silent scenarios
You’re sitting alone, watching television, and suddenly feel you aren’t alone. A chill trails down your neck, an exhale brushes your cheek, a small whisper caresses your ear.
It's 2am, you wake and for a split second, see a shadow standing over your bed.
You’re trying to get back to sleep but know there’s something else in the room with you. You hear a rustle coming from your closet. Or worse, you feel a subtle thump under your bed.
...which isn’t to say those situations can’t end in blood and gore. But it isn’t necessary. I write best when I have silence. I hear my character’s intake of breath, I see their looks of uncertainty, I hear the not-so-distant screams from the Otherworld. Silence is powerful.
Welcome to my world. Enjoy the screams. If you’re quiet enough…you may just hear them.
* * * *
The shadows hadn't been waiting.
The shadows had been invited.
After a painful breakup, Gwynneth Reese moves in with her best friend and takes a job at a retirement home. She grows especially close to one resident, who dies alone the night of a terrific storm. On the way home from paying her last respects, Gwynneth is caught in another storm and is struck by lightning. She wakes in the hospital with a vague memory of being rescued by a mysterious stranger. Following her release from the hospital, the stranger visits her at will and offers Gwynneth a gift--one that will stay the hands of death. Gwynneth is uncertain whether Julian is a savior or something more sinister... for as he shares more and more of this gift, his price becomes more and more deadly.
The shadows had been invited.
After a painful breakup, Gwynneth Reese moves in with her best friend and takes a job at a retirement home. She grows especially close to one resident, who dies alone the night of a terrific storm. On the way home from paying her last respects, Gwynneth is caught in another storm and is struck by lightning. She wakes in the hospital with a vague memory of being rescued by a mysterious stranger. Following her release from the hospital, the stranger visits her at will and offers Gwynneth a gift--one that will stay the hands of death. Gwynneth is uncertain whether Julian is a savior or something more sinister... for as he shares more and more of this gift, his price becomes more and more deadly.
A bolt of blue-white lightning snaked from the sky and hit the ground in front of her. The thunderclap that shattered the air was deafening. Gwynneth slammed on her brakes and skidded. It was a slow skid, or it seemed to be. Spinning around and around in a circle, she felt like she was watching herself from afar. Time felt like it was slowing. Oddly enough, she found herself wondering if there would be white or red flowers on Hannah’s casket. Or maybe none at all.
Gwynneth’s face smacked against the steering wheel. Reality hit her along with the pain. She had forgotten to wear her seatbelt. She pressed her fingers lightly to her throbbing temple and winced. “Shit!” Thankfully, she was in one piece. Gwynneth opened the car door. Lightning lit the area and bathed her senses in a flash of blue-white. Icy rain hit her skin. Stupid! You left your jacket back at the funeral home. She ran around the car and checked all the tires. The back one was flat, and on top of that, her car was quite obviously stuck in a ditch. “Great.” She had no spare tire, she knew that for sure. She also had no idea which way led back to the retirement home. Her headlights cast a weak glow through the rain. Soaked to the skin and shivering, Gwynneth peered into the darkness. A muddy road meandered across saturated fields and off into nothingness.
She sloshed back to her car and quickly turned the engine off. She certainly didn’t need a dead battery on top of a flat tire. “Okay, Gwen,” she said aloud, “you need to figure out what to do.” Rain ran in rivulets down her face and her tie-dyed T-shirt stuck to her like a second skin. I’m a soggy, shivering rainbow. She started to walk and cursed the fact that her cell phone wasn’t charged. Seth was always bugging her about that. “Suck it up, Gwen. It rains in Oregon too.” The inky blackness was disconcerting. Lightning intermittently illuminated the area like the flash of a camera. A snapshot of a road to nowhere. Gwynneth hoped that she was at least walking in the right direction. Her teeth were chattering so hard she was in danger of biting her own tongue. Thunder rolled up her spine and along her scalp like probing fingers.
Her thoughts wandered back to Hannah. A diary. I wonder what she wrote about? She wouldn’t read it, of course, it was private. I’m sure she just wants me to throw it away so her children don’t either. A pang of loss sliced through the cold and Gwynneth shook it off. They had spent countless hours chatting and Hannah never mentioned a diary. She bit her lip. If she could only turn back time, Gwynneth would have told her how much their time together had meant. Hannah had always encouraged her to start painting again, but also understood why Gwynneth couldn’t.
A loud ‘crack’ sounded and an iridescent white light surrounded her. Two things registered: a searing pain that ripped down her back and the ground which seemed to be pulled away from her at an alarming speed.
* * * *
Blackness.
Pain shot through the back of Gwynneth’s head as she opened her eyes. Somebody was standing over her. She tried to focus on the face, but it hurt too much. A cool hand slid across her forehead. She opened her eyes again.
Pale, almost white eyes. High cheekbones, aquiline nose, and a well-shaped mouth. Long, white hair. Ageless. Beautiful, like a Michelangelo. All of those details registered with clarity before agony ripped through her body. She arched her back and cried out. The man murmured something into her ear which she couldn’t understand. She could feel the vibration of his voice and his breath on her neck as he gathered her in his arms. She opened her eyes and saw lightning fork to the ground silently behind him. She blacked out again.
* * * *
Buy Links
30% off for the month of October at Musa Publishing
Author Website
Enter my Rafflecopter to win an ecopy of STRUCK.
*Contest Ends at Midnight on Halloween
*Contest Ends at Midnight on Halloween
Continue Hopping for a chance to win more prizes!
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Blog to Blog-Sapphyria's Book Reviews
Drop by and say hello
STRUCK
The shadows hadn't been waiting.
The shadows had been invited.
After a painful breakup, Gwynneth Reese moves in with her best friend and takes a job at a retirement home. She grows especially close to one resident, who dies alone the night of a terrific storm. On the way home from paying her last respects, Gwynneth is caught in another storm and is struck by lightning. She wakes in the hospital with a vague memory of being rescued by a mysterious stranger. Following her release from the hospital, the stranger visits her at will and offers Gwynneth a gift--one that will stay the hands of death. Gwynneth is uncertain whether Julian is a savior or something more sinister... for as he shares more and more of this gift, his price becomes more and more deadly.
BUY LINKS
Saturday, December 14, 2013
A Very Paranormal Holidays Blog Hop
Enter the Contests (at the end of this post) to win:
an ecopy of BETWEEN
OR
an ecopy of STRUCK (coming January 17th)
(and) an ecopy of COOKING WITH MUSA from my publisher
All in the format of your choice!
I'll post the winner on December 31st
(and) an ecopy of COOKING WITH MUSA from my publisher
All in the format of your choice!
I'll post the winner on December 31st
Also Enter the BIG Contest to win a
Kindle Fire HD, 7", wi-fi, 16GB (no 'special offers' aka ads)
by Clarissa Johal
Heroes and villains. Writing paranormal and gothic horror requires using both, but I cringe at those character stereotypes. In my opinion, they are in the eye of the beholder. Aside from that, I’m not so sure that a character can be 100% hero or villain.
If you want interesting, complex characters, that is.
Let's define hero and villain...and then proceed to rip those definitions apart. Just for fun.
Let's define hero and villain...and then proceed to rip those definitions apart. Just for fun.
Hero: a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.
*yawn*
Ignoring the obvious issue with defining hero as a man--courage, ability and brave deeds can go either way. I've read plenty of villainous characters who are quite brave. Let's use Captain Hook from Peter Pan as an example. It takes a lot of bravery to go against a boy who feels, "to die would be an awfully big adventure." Not only have the highest stakes been removed, but it makes you wonder where Peter's head was at. But the brave Captain Hook forged on and was eaten by a crocodile in the end. So sad.
We are left then, with "noble qualities."
Ignoring the obvious issue with defining hero as a man--courage, ability and brave deeds can go either way. I've read plenty of villainous characters who are quite brave. Let's use Captain Hook from Peter Pan as an example. It takes a lot of bravery to go against a boy who feels, "to die would be an awfully big adventure." Not only have the highest stakes been removed, but it makes you wonder where Peter's head was at. But the brave Captain Hook forged on and was eaten by a crocodile in the end. So sad.
We are left then, with "noble qualities."
Noble qualities: an exalted moral or mental character or excellence.
That boils down to moral--a distinction between right and wrong. Was Captain Hook moral? He was obsessed with "good form" and being fair, all of which point to moral. Peter, on the other hand, was abducting young children from their bedrooms and would "thin" them out (ie. kill them) when they got too old. Hm. Doesn't sound moral to me.
So if the definition of hero is dodgy, let's talk about villains instead. They are my favorite characters to write, after all. *evil laugh* I fall for them every time.
Villain: A character in a play, novel, or the like, who constitutes an important evil agency in the plot.
Evil: morally wrong or bad; immoral; wicked.
Pretty cut and dry. Immoral is the opposite of moral, that good vs. bad thing...but completely in the eye of the beholder.
Did Peter feel he was noble, moral and justified in his actions? Of course he did! Did Captain Hook feel the same about his own actions? That would again, be a yes. So which was the hero, and which the villain? Makes you wonder...and also makes for interesting and complex literary characters.
Did Peter feel he was noble, moral and justified in his actions? Of course he did! Did Captain Hook feel the same about his own actions? That would again, be a yes. So which was the hero, and which the villain? Makes you wonder...and also makes for interesting and complex literary characters.
While I understand the need for people to have their heroes and villains, I like to make people uncomfortable with that concept. One never knows which is which in my novels…and it’s all in the eye of the beholder.
Now onto the fun stuff...
How far would you go to redeem yourself?
As a young girl, Lucinda was able to see spirits, a gift that didn't come without its problems. Now, a dedicated young veterinarian, she is committed to the idea that every life can be saved.
After a devastating accident, Lucinda tries to escape her past by moving to a small town. There, she meets a newcomer and feels an immediate connection with him. But there is another mysterious stranger to the small town, one that stirs within her a mixture of unease and desire.
As Lucinda is drawn into a bitter tug-a-war from the forces around her, she is likewise pulled into a dangerous twist of past and present events. Forced to make difficult choices, she finds that the two men are locked in not only a battle for her life...but a battle for their salvation.
The shadows hadn't been waiting.
The shadows had been invited.
The shadows had been invited.
Author Bio:
Clarissa Johal has worked as a veterinary assistant, zoo-keeper aide and vegetarian chef. Writing has always been her passion. When she’s not listening to the ghosts in her head, she’s dancing or taking photographs of gargoyles. She shares her life with her husband, two daughters and every stray animal that darkens the doorstep. One day, she expects that a wayward troll will wander into her yard, but that hasn’t happened yet.
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Authors Kallysten and Tricia Schneider organized this Very Paranormal Holidays Blog Hop to share their love for paranormal romance, help you discover new authors, win books, prizes... and maybe a brand new
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