Nearly Departed

Cybil Austin loves Shady Oaks, and hopes to write her Regency romances undisturbed by a dysfunctional family. She doesn't count on renovation chaos or the presence of ghosts who fear the changes will wreak havoc with their non-lives. She also doesn't count on falling for her contractor, C. Maxwell Maitland. Handsome and charismatic, Max isn't seeking a relationship, but Cybil gets to him on more than a professional level. He is drawn to her eccentric personality, but a bad marriage has him gun-shy of anything suggesting permanence. And then, there are those pesky ghosts. They want Cybil gone and the renovations stopped. But not even a haunted house deters Cybil from pursuing Max. During the process, she learns about herself, life, and death. Will Cybil and Max enjoy a future at Shady Oaks? Can they and the ghosts co-exist in the same house?

Veteran ghost hunter Micahel Norman uncovers almost three dozen stories of Minnesota eeriness-just in time for Halloween.

Step back in the world of the Eldritch Twins in this darker, more personal tale of remembrance and revenge with a hint of voodoo and a dash of existential dread. LOVECRAFT meets THE X-FILES in the sequel to the SWANSONG CONSPIRACY. The nights grow ever darker and longer for Lilly and Quincy Swansong. Uncovering the mysterious Swansong family secret and thwarting the apocalyptic plans of the wretched Haven organization has left the world in a state of confusion. Regular people have stopped responding to the horrors around them. The Global Defense Force has disbanded. Shadowy figures of Haven looming in the distance, ever-present. And yet no one remembers. The twins try to learn what they can, but mostly, they try to survive, ever on the run from revenge-seeking Haven agents. When a mysterious affliction possibly linked to Haven interventions rears its ugly head, it leads the twins to new friends and a terrifying new foe. It also, unfortunately, leads to their deaths. But death is only a minor setback for those who know their way around. Quincy and Lilly traverse the afterlife, determined to find a way home, but it doesn’t take long for them to realize they can’t simply escape the Realm of the Nearly Departed--a dark and foreboding world of neon lights. Not without a few dodgy deals and a Corgi leading the way. hr The Eldritch Twins is best enjoyed in the following order: Book 1: The Swansong Conspiracy Book 2: The Nearly Departed

Benny Ramírez can see dead people . . . Well, one dead person, anyway. A hilarious and heartwarming story about a boy who can suddenly see the ghost of his famous musician grandfather! After moving cross-country into his late grandfather’s Miami mansion, Benny discovers that the ghost of his famous trumpet-playing abuelo, the great Ignacio Ramírez, is still there . . . and isn’t too thrilled about it. He’s been barred from the afterlife, and no one can see him except his grandson. But Benny’s got problems of his own. He’s enrolled in a performing arts school with his siblings, despite having no obvious talent. Luckily, Abuelo believes they can help each other. Abuelo has until New Year’s Eve to do some good in the world and thinks that teaching Benny how to play the trumpet and become a school celebrity might be the key to earning his wings. Having no better ideas, Benny finds himself taking Abuelo's advice—to disastrous and hilarious results. Benny and Abuelo will find that there’s more than one way to be great in this unforgettable, laugh-out-loud tale of family, music, and self-discovery.

Everyone loves a good ghost story. Phantoms of the Paramount, Shadows on Third Avenue, the Legend of Ann Lake, Boy in the Red Cap. Veteran ghost hunter J. Michael Norman has uncovered almost three dozen stories of legitimate Minnesota eeriness to thrill readers. Norman, author of five nationally popular collections of ghost tales, interviewed local storytellers and combed newspapers to document legends involving supernatural and strange occurrences. Following old and fresh leads, he gathered stories from all over the state. Ghost stories have existed as long as humans have been telling tales. Perhaps it's our curiosity of what happens to us and our loved ones after death, perhaps they explain phenomena that we do not understand, or maybe, just maybe, the dead do walk the earth. Norman does not attempt to prove or disprove the existence of ghosts but instead allows readers to make up their own minds. His tales feature people's strange and paranormal experiences in quite ordinary places, including homes, theaters, B and Bs, and restaurants. Many of the engaging and hair-raising accounts involve strange and frightening incidents of the last fifty years; some document very recent unexplainable or spectral events. The book includes a map and a public site appendix targeting the hauntings' locations--from Taylors Falls and Pipestone to Northfield and Nobles County--for Minnesotans who may want to "pass through" the sites. Beware: these stories do not have conclusive endings since they remain a mystery to this day. But perhaps that's best. An ending would just take the fun out of it.

"I've seen a ghost," said Emily. "Well, not seen one exactly. Heard one. At least, I think I have..." Everything has a rational explanation. Unless it doesn't. Welcome to Weirdsville... Woodsville is not like other towns. Night falls a little earlier there, the shadows are darker and denser, and everyone knows it's a place where strange things happen. Even if they won't admit it. Bethan would prefer to be anywhere but here. Jay has his theories, but isn't ready to share. Hashim sees more than he'll say, while Kelly's demons are all too flesh and blood. But Emily's freak-out brings them out of denial and face to face with the supernatural. Anywhere else, Friday night would be date night. But not in Weirdsville...

YA. FANTASY & MAGICAL REALISM. This is a sharp, slick, blisteringly paced debut novel, with an unconventional but tender love story at its heart. I parted the curtains. A skeletal face peered back at me, blackened eyes rolling in sockets seemingly unsupported by flesh. It smiled ... It should be game over for Nora Dearly when she is ambushed and dragged off into the night by the living dead. But this crack unit of teen zombies are the good guys, sent to protect Nora from the real monsters roaming the country and zeroing in on cities to swell their ranks. Can Nora find a way to kill off the evil undead once and for all? Can she trust her protectors to resist their hunger for human flesh? And can she stop herself falling for the noble, sweet, surprisingly attractive, definitely-no-longer-breathing Bram ...? Ages 12+.

"The first time I came to Deadwood, I got shot in the ass."--Violet Parker Little girls are vanishing from Deadwood, South Dakota, and Violet Parker's daughter could be next. She's desperate to find the monster behind the abductions. But if she's not careful, Violet just might end up as one of Deadwood's dearly departed