Guest Author Juli D. Revezzo Talks Paranormal Christmas!

Today I welcome author Juli D. Revezzo as she shares the inspiration behind her latest paranormal holiday release, Murder Upon a Midnight Clear. Enjoy! ~ S.G. Rogers

There are various points in the year where it’s said the veil between the worlds is thinnest. Halloween (AKA Samhain) is probably the most famous one. Others are May day, what about Christmas? Christmas is the day tradition says Jesus Christ transmogrified from pure spirit to human flesh and blood. What of other spirits? If they aren’t able to take on human flesh, as we know they’re not, why could they not roam free in their ghostly bodies?

Many writers of the past have tackled that idea. Some classic, some modern. In classic authors, you know the one I’m speaking of: Charles Dickens and his “A Christmas Carol”. Therein three spirits visit the living Ebenezer Scrooge to give him a warning.

Also, modern fantasy author Charles de Lint in his story “Pal o’ Mine” has a character who believes that “at midnight, animals sang to Jesus.”

So Christmas is a time of Joy, could it also be a time for all manner of paranormal stuff to happen? This idea played in my head and worked its way into my new story, a paranormal romantic suspense entitled Murder upon a Midnight Clear. Herein Detective Helene Collias has the power to see ghosts, hear them and understand them. If she can solve the mystery of their murders is the quandary she ultimately faces, however. Especially this Christmas when she’s called in to investigate the murder of her old flame’s sister.

What are these ghosts telling Helene about this Murder upon a Midnight Clear? Love is one answer…the rest, the solution to the mystery, would take a little longer to explain. Besides, I think I’ll let you discover it yourself.  While I go back to gearing up for a visit from hopefully nothing but spirits of good Christmas cheer, I hope you’ll check out Murder upon a Midnight Clear.

Blurb:

‘Tis the season … for death.

Murder reminds Detective Helen 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.

If you’d like to read more the book is available for Kindle at Amazon.

For more on me and further glimpses into my work, please see my blog HERE. I’m also on Facebook, G+, Pinterest, and Twitter

Thank you, Suzanne, for hosting me.  And to you, and my readers, I hope you all have a lovely holiday!

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