October Frights Blog Hop (VII): Halloween Costumes

 

(Just joining the hop? Check out this post for prizes, how to enter, and who else is haunting!)

 

Blind Alleys: A Collection of Dead Ends
Free on Kindle through October 8th!

 

Today's Spotlight is on...
Words That Bind
(paranormal romance)

Social worker Tam Kerish can’t keep her cool professionalism when steamy client Mr. Burns kindles a desire for more than a client-therapist relationship—so she drops him. However, they discover she’s the talisman to which Burns, an immortal djinn, has been bound since the days of King Solomon…and that makes it difficult.

Ethical guidelines are unequivocal when it comes to personal relationships with clients. However, the djinn has a thawing effect on the usually non-emotive Tam, who begins to feel true emotion whenever he is near. Tam has to make a difficult choice: to stay on the outside, forever looking in…or to turn her back on her entire world, just for the chance to finally experience what it means to fall in love.

 

 

Glad you're back for another October Frights Blog Hop post! Hope you're getting your entries in...it's easy, too: just comment on each post for an entry in the big giveaway!

 

Today's spotlight book is Words That Bind, a love story about a genie and his therapist.

 

Mr. Burns, an ancient djinn, spends his time wearing one of a variety of guises. Sometimes, he's Burns, a man who even the normally cool-as-a-cucumber Tam Kerish must admit is attractive. Sometimes, he's a twist of smokeless fire or a screaming whirlwind.

 

And sometimes, he's a complete animal. 

 

WORDS THAT BIND Excerpt:

“So. You’ve destroyed a stereotype for me. A genie who lives in a library. Different.”

“When in Rome, no?” He stirred his cup before setting down the spoon with a light clink against the saucer. “Or, I suppose it is more accurate to say when in human form. When I am Burns, I prefer here.”

“Human form.” It didn’t sound right. Who said things like that, and meant it? “Can you change into anything you want? Any shape at all?”

He stretched out his legs and cocked his head, sliding his gaze up and away. “I suppose I could. I’m getting old and set in my ways. There’s this…” He swept his hands down the line of his body.

Her eyes were unable to keep from following, not even when he lingered over his midsection. Even lounging, his shirt was tightly tucked into his beltline. No belly fat there.

He tilted his head and gave her an upper-teeth smile, nibbling gently at his lower lip. “And apparently this form is pleasing to the eye, so I wear it often. But there are others. Tiger, a favorite. Savage and regal and the colors of flames in the night. Fearsome to behold, but very useful when dealing with physical conditions in which a human form may be outmatched. Plus, I can lash my tail.”

His voice took a teasing, conspirator’s tone. “I love my tail. You’d love it too, if you saw it.”

She trained her eyes firmly upon his. No way would she give him the pleasure of checking out his tail.

 

If you couldn't tell, Burns really loves the way he looks. I always imagined genies would lean toward the cocky side. Part of the fun in writing that book was describing him in all his various forms of glory.

 

Maybe that's also why I love Halloween--the excuse to dress up. Wear a costume. Step out of my normal limits and assume the guise of someone else. (Usually, my costumes involve a black cape. And I'm not talking Batman, folks. I dressed like a vampire long before I'd even starting reading Anne Rice. I suppose it was all that parochial schooling that did it to me.)

 

So that brings us to today's comment-to-enter the giveaway...

If you could change form--be a shape shifter--what form would you choose? And would you want it to be limited, like a Halloween costume for a party? Or would it be something you'd like to slip into every now and then? Tell us in a comment and you're entered into the grand prize giveaway.

 

And today you can get a bonus entry...if you post your favorite Halloween costume on your social media (or find one you love online) POST A LINK TO THE PICTURE in a separate comment! (Optional: tag me if you'd like in your sosh meeds post and I'll share it along! Use #octoberfrights2015 Twitter @ashkrafton or Instagram @ash_krafton)   

Commented? Got your free book? Get back to the hop...pick your next lucky stop: