Prankster Ghosts: Happy April Fools' Day

April is here! This long, long winter might finally be over. And today, the day of playing pranks and jokes in the name of fun, is the perfect day to chat about ghostly pranks? Do you know of any? I'd love to hear them.

Here are a few ghost pranks I've heard about:
1. In a nearby visitors' center, a building that used to be a funeral home, staff members arrange ghost tours of the town. One day, the woman in charge of selling tickets for the tours went down to the storage area to get the cash/ticket box. She unlocked the box and found it empty. Confused, she went upstairs to ask her boss where he moved the tickets and money. He was baffled, saying it was always in the box. Together, they returned to the locked container. The two of them were the only ones with a key to the box. When they opened it, the tickets and money were right where they were supposed to be.

2. How would you feel about having your house rearranged? A friend of mine who lived alone went to bed at night and was awakened a few hours later. She wasn't sure what woke her, but decided to investigate her apartment. Her framed photos on the living room wall had been rearranged. Whoa! She slept with the lights on that night, but a few days later, she awoke to a dish rack full of clean dishes. Thing is, she'd been too tired to go wash them the night before. Since then, she's has several "unexplainable" events, but since her ghostly visitor is a helpful one (for the most part), she's okay with it.

3. My romantic ghost novel Altered Frequency, Betty features a matchmaking ghost. She'll do anything to be sure neighbors Missy and Blake get together. She knocks on doors, moves things around, and is very resourceful in her efforts to be sure they find romance. If you're a fan of the actress Betty White, you might be interested to know that Betty the ghost is loosely based on Betty the actress. She's awesome and who wouldn't want to be haunted by someone like that?

Come on! Tell me about any ghostly practical jokes/pranks you're heard about.
Want to read more about ghostly pranks? Check out Altered Frequency, available now!

Available now at Decadent Publishing  Amazon, Barnes and Noble

   After losing her father and brother in the line of duty, Missy Prescott vows never to get involved with anyone who has a dangerous job. Blessed with a golden voice, she takes a job as a disc jockey with her own late-night lovelorn dedication show on a popular radio station in Baltimore.

   Blake Decker has never had a family. He has come to count on the only family he knows—his brothers on the police force. He’s a one-night-stand kind of guy when it comes to relationships.

   Betty McAllister, the caring woman who used to live in Missy’s apartment, is now a ghost. She refuses to cross over until Blake—whom she viewed as her own son—is happily in love. She thinks Missy is the perfect girl for him.

   Missy and Blake need to keep each other at a distance as they work together to help Betty find a way to cross over. But when danger lurks, will Missy and Blake lose everything?

   About Joya:  Joya Fields has had over 100 stories and articles published in local and national magazines. Her debut novel, a romantic suspense, was a NJRW GOLDEN LEAF WINNER FOR BEST FIRST BOOK OF 2012 and was nominated for RT Book Reviews 2012 Indie Press/Self-Published Contemporary Romance award. Since then, she’s published four more books with even more on the way.

Connect with Joya

www.joyafields.com

Twitter: @joyafields

Facebook Author Page

Goodreads

Amazon Author Page

Barnes and Noble

Thanks for stopping by!

Psychics...Do We All Have the Potential to be One?

Happy New Year! May it be a fun and exciting 2014!!

The heroine of my latest book, Sidelined Afterlife, is a psychic-medium. She can communicate with the dead and the almost-dead. It’s a “gift” she despises, but one that comes in handy during the course of this haunted story.

I don’t have this sort of “sixth sense” talent, so I had to reach out to friends and acquaintances who see ghosts on a regular basis when researching psychic powers. It made a believer out of me! Some of these psychics have ghosts who live with them in their homes. Others have almost had car accidents because ghosts (who appear as real as any human) jump in front of their vehicle. Imagine cruising the highway at 55 MPH and then “seeing” a figure run from the grassy knoll beside the road and in front of your car. Freaky, huh?

But do we all have this talent to “see” ghosts or other beings? I don’t profess to have the answer to that question, but it sure is an interesting topic. When we think we see a shadow…and then turn—to see nothing. Was it a ghost? When we dismiss that noise in the next room as being caused by the cat. Was it a spirit trying to make a connection? Maybe spirits are trying to communicate with us but we’re not open enough—or capable enough—to know how to listen.

Veronica Matthews, the heroine of Sidelined Afterlife, wishes she could ignore the ghosts who appear to her. But when a handsome ER doctor comes needs her help getting rid of a spirit that haunts him, she finally understands that her psychic powers truly are a gift. How about you? Do you believe in psychic powers, or have such powers?

Hope you’ll enjoy the following blurb and excerpt from my latest book, Sidelined Afterlife.

Sidelined Afterlife, Blurb

Communicating with ghosts has only ever brought Veronica Matthews pain and grief. Afraid to love and lose again, Hunter Anderson needs her help, but she resists risking her heart. Can a ghost help them break through a barrier of mistrust and guilt?

Excerpt:

   “I am an idiot. The biggest idiot ever. If you want me to pierce something for you, to prove I’m an idiot, I have some sterilized instruments upstairs in my apartment.”

   Her tongue poked against her cheek, signaling a laugh that wanted to erupt. Suddenly, he really wanted to be the one who could make her laugh. “Maybe I could do your lower lip?”

   Her short laugh erupted. A sweet, melodic sound that filled the small apartment.

   His gaze stayed on that full mouth and he lifted his fingers closer, compelled to touch her.      She stared at him with wide eyes as he traced the corner of her mouth lightly with his finger.

   “I’m a liar. I could never tarnish something as beautiful as this.”

Christ. What a line. Where had those words come from? But he meant it.

   Her breath was hot against his finger as he traced the line of her lower lip. Her gaze held his. His stomach growled again, breaking the spell, and she blinked and leaned against the sofa.

   “You know what? We never had dessert,” she said.

He had room for dessert. But not the food kind. He swallowed to quell his appetite for her. “Uh…how about I make an ice cream run? Then we’ll get to work.” Enough of this temptation. He needed to get away from her, from this pull she had on his body and emotions.

Purchase links for SIDELINED AFTERLIFE:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Decadent Publishing
All Romance eBooks

Joya’s Bio:

     Joya Fields has had over 100 stories and articles published in local and national magazines. Her debut novel, a romantic suspense, was a NJRW GOLDEN LEAF WINNER FOR BEST FIRST BOOK OF 2012 and was nominated for RT Book Reviews 2012 Indie Press/Self-Published Contemporary Romance award. Since then, she’s published four more books with even more on the way.

 

Connect with Joya

www.joyafields.com

Twitter: @joyafields

Facebook Author Page

Goodreads

Amazon Author Page

October! Time for Spooky Stuff! #PNR

Happy October!

How lucky am I that the first month I blog here on Paranormal Romantics is the month known for lots of ghostly activity? While I love werewolves, vampires, shifters, and all sorts of other worldly beings, ghosts are definitely my “thing.” I’m intrigued by haunted locations like Gettysburg, Fort McHenry (here in my hometown of Baltimore), and pretty much any place that harbors spirits. Antique stores are one of my favorite places to visit because I can almost feel an invisible presence.

Why do we find ghosts so interesting? I’m not sure about you, but for me, it started when I was very young. My favorite shows as a kid were “Casper the Friendly Ghost” and “Scooby-Doo.” Those ghosts scared me! As I grew older, “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir” became my favorite show (well, along with “The Brady Bunch).

But are you noticing a trend here? These are all lighthearted ghosts. Not the scare-you-so-bad-you-can’t-sleep at-night sort of spirits in movies. I can’t watch those. I don’t even like when people tell me the plot of some of these scary movies. Even THAT scares me. LOL.

That’s why, when I write ghost stories, the ghosts are pretty tame. In fact, my most recently released paranormal, ALTERED FREQUENCY, features a matchmaking ghost Her name is Betty McAllister, but as I wrote her, I was picturing Betty White. You can imagine how much fun that was!

How about you? Do you like your ghosts scary, friendly, or otherwise? I’d love to hear your preference and why. And if you’re a ghost lover too, did you watch any shows that “hooked” you? Hope you have a wonderful and ghostly October!

Connect with Joya:
Facebook  Twitter  Goodreads 
Author Amazon Page  Barnes and Noble Author Page

Read Joya's latest ghost stories:

Available at Decadent Publishing, Barnes and Noble (Nook),
and Amazon 

Available at Decadent Publishing, Barnes and Noble (Nook) and Amazon