Author Juli. D Revezzo says:
Blending Yuletide Spirits and . . . a determined detective.
A few years ago, I decided to join the Romance Writers of America. I’d been reading Nora Roberts’ paranormal romances and wondered why she wrote mystery as well. Some friends of mine in the group wrote romantic suspense and so I bounced an idea off them I’d had for a while. I’d been kicking around the idea of a Silence of the Lambs type story. I was a little squicked out by the idea of writing murder sequences but a friend of mine encouraged me to give a mystery a try. Needless to say I don’t care for anyone to see my first attempts at it (without some massive rewrites!).
I since, however, have begun adding more ghosts into my usual fantasies*. From time to time you’ll hear police talk about using psychics to help them in their cases. What is psychic ability but an special ability only held by a select few, after all? A bit like wizardry?
So it seemed an easy way to blend the two types of stories together! If someone like Mickey Spillane could do it, why couldn’t a woman with a keen sense and a little bit of witch’s blood in her? Many, many new cozy mysteries revolve around that very type of character, don’t they?
So when I got the idea for MURDER UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR, it seemed logical to give my main character, Detective Helene Collias, her own special type of magic. She has the ability to see ghosts and communicate with them—she can also “see” someone’s guilt.
Usually.
But for some reason, this case has gotten her inborn radar off kilter. Maybe it’s the victim’s handsome brother, maybe it’s the holiday season itself. Two dueling magics throwing each other off, maybe?
Whatever it was, the thought inspired what became my latest release, MURDER UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR.
Synopsis:
‘Tis the season … for death.
Murder reminds Detective Helene Collias of Holly PD that crime doesn’t respect holidays. And the last victim she ever expected to find in her case files is the sister of her old flame, Sean Grant. Ordinarily, Helene’s psychic gifts give her an edge but this time, that gift has short-circuited. Could her lingering attraction to Sean be blurring her abilities, or is something more sinister at work?
***
Excerpt:
Midnight.
The small casket appeared on the bed beside her. The child lay inside, his eyes closed, peaceful, yet Helene’s heart hammered in her throat. He turned his head. Blood poured from his mouth and bruises bloomed fresh on his skin. The casket stood on end; the boy’s body fell out, flopped to the edge of a riverbank, and rolled to her side. Helene shivered. Her skin chaffed against the dank, muddy grass on which they lay. He opened his eyes. “Help me, Auntie Helene.”
Blood continued to drain from the boy’s ruined body, so much it finally pooled on her floor. Helene pushed out of her bed and crossed to her dresser. The blood writhed and wiggled after her. Helene tried to get away but the red muck sloshed over her bare feet.
The child reached short, fat arms out to her. “Tell him to leave me alone, Auntie Helene.”
She sat up, heaving and gasping for air. Sweat slicked her skin. She blinked at the dark room, her empty bed, and clean floor. Her head ached and she rubbed at her temples, shuddering. “Jesus, Hara, get out of there!”
All these years and you still have the damned nightmares. Why?
Hadn’t she done all she could to appease his ghost? Everything but specialize in crimes against children.
She stumbled to her bathroom and splashed frigid water on her face. Her hands shook as she patted her skin dry.
She couldn’t handle the age of juvenile victims then, and she couldn’t now. Are you going soft, Helene? Chelsea and Hara were two different cases, but both had died too young. And you’ve done what for them?
She could see young Hara’s body lying doll-like, still, as a soft outline in mirror.
She flicked the light off and sat on the toilet lid. “What the hell do you want?” Catch this motherfucker. Catch him and the nightmare will stop.
Wouldn’t it? It hadn’t before, why would this case be any different?
Did he want her to move to juvenile homicide? She shuddered and pulled her hair away from her sweating neck. No. Absolutely not. No way, Hara, you hear me? I catch killers for you. Just not baby killers. I can’t. I can’t take that, even for you. You know it. You know why.
Drop it.
What brought the dream back tonight? The nightmare? The memory.
I’m not going any younger, Hara. Drop it.
Would that satisfy his ghost? She doubted it.
***
If you’d like to try MURDER UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR (or have someone on your Christmas list who loves paranormal mysteries!) the book is available at Amazon for Kindle and at Createspace in paperback.
Thank you, Kristen, for featuring my little book. I hope your readers enjoy it and that you all have a lovely holiday season.
*For instance you’ll find them in my novel Passion’s Sacred Dance, along with the god characters and in my Antique Magic series.
About Juli D. Revezzo:
Juli D. Revezzo has long been in love with writing, a love built by devouring everything from the Arthurian legends, to the works of Michael Moorcock, and the classics and has a soft spot for classic the “Goths” of the 19th century. Her short fiction has been published in Dark Things II: Cat Crimes, The Scribing Ibis, Eternal Haunted Summer, Twisted Dreams Magazine and Luna Station Quarterly. She also has an article and book review or two out there. But her heart lies in the storytelling. She is a member of Independent Authors Network and Magic Appreciation Tour.
For more on this and Juli’s other books visit her at: http://julidrevezzo.com/
And Juli’s Amazon page and author page at The Wild Rose Press.
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