Haunted Halloween with Kristie Cook and a Giveaway

Childhood Trauma
by
Kristie Cook

I used to love scary movies. I still enjoy them, but I don’t go out of my way to see them unless I just have to. Probably because my husband is a very big baby when it comes to scary stuff. When I was younger, though, I did absolutely love them, especially the Nightmare on Elm Street movies.

I found, though, that the movies that scared me the most were not the ones I expected. The Elm Street movies, Friday the 13th, Halloween, etc., didn’t give me nightmares like Poltergeist or Alien did. I know I’m totally dating myself, but those are the good times I grew up with.

One of the most frightening movies for me (besides Coma) that I can remember was The Black Hole. I was 8 when my aunt and uncle took me to see it and I don’t remember much about it except that the bad guy had this robot that was big, square and scarier than any alien or psycho. From what I remember, it was like Ironman on steroids – several feet taller and wider and very mean. It absolutely terrified me, but I tried to be brave since I was with my aunt and uncle and not my mom.

Well, later that day, we were back at my grandma’s house, there was a storm and my aunt and uncle thought it would be fun to play hide-and-seek in the dark, like they did when they were young. We were the only three at home in this huge, 4-story, 5-bedroom house that probably wasn’t terribly old, but felt ancient to me, especially in the near-dark.

So I was “it” and I did my counting on the main floor in the kitchen, then went looking for them. I searched the main floor, then headed upstairs hoping to God they were up there. Grandma’s room was on the right at the top of the stairs and they weren’t in there.  The next room was my aunt’s. They weren’t in there. Then a bathroom, then an office. No aunt or uncle.

Last, at the end of the hall, was the room Mom and I shared when we stayed there. The door was closed. I remember praying I’d find them both there. I did not want to go down to the basement or, even worse, the sub-basement. Monsters hid in dark corners down there. If my aunt and uncle weren’t in this room, I’d just have to give up. I hated going to the basement in broad daylight with all the interior lights on. No way was I going down there with lightning and thunder booming around us and no lights.

I gripped the doorknob and dragged in a deep breath as I very slowly opened the door. Just when I could see into the room, lightning flashed. I screamed. And ran. And nearly peed my pants.

I flew through the hall and down the stairs, through the family room and into the far corner of the kitchen, screaming the whole time. You see, that freakin’ robot was in that room!

Well, not really. My aunt and uncle came down after me, laughing their heads off. They thought their “hiding” place was hysterical. My aunt had climbed onto my uncle’s shoulders and they stood right in the middle of the room with a blanket over them. The obviousness of it could have been funny. If lightning hadn’t flashed right at the moment I opened the door and peered in. If we hadn’t just seen that movie the same day. If they didn’t look like the exact same height and shape as the robot.

You know those pictures on Facebook of a mom or dad dressed as a clown or monster and hiding under a kid’s bed and the caption says something like, “Childhood trauma in 3…2…1.” That’s what that hide-and-seek game was to me.

I love being fake-frightened with so-called scary movies, but I’m not much for being real-frightened. Probably because of that day, which I think I’ll remember the rest of my life.

Power by Kristie Cook
Publisher: Ang'dora Publishing (August 24th, 2012)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Kindle edition: 317 pages
Series: Soul Savers, #4

As the stakes rise, can she find her true power?

As the Amadis prepare for war, Alexis returns to Florida with orders to relax, regenerate and replenish her depleted power. But her task list quickly grows—establish a new safe house, learn the art of conversion, find her AWOL protector, help a desperate fan, and protect her son. Oh, and figure out what’s going on with her husband, whose peculiar behavior just might get them killed.

But most important of all, her primary mission: recover her stolen pendant.

The stone in the pendant not only promises hope for the Amadis future, but its unknown qualities make it a possible weapon in the wrong hands. With guidance and power from an improbable source and an unlikely ally by her side, Alexis sets out to retrieve the stone before the enemy discovers its potential for mass destruction. But when she finds herself in the Daemoni’s lair fighting for her life, all hope seems lost. Will she discover the true power she holds in time? And is it enough to save herself, her family and the Amadis?

Power, the next installment of the Soul Savers Series, takes you on a hot and edgy ride with twists and turns you’ll never see coming, leaving you breathless and once again begging for more.

Prize: 

• 1 winner will receive an ebook of ANY of the Soul Savers books (winner's choice!) 
• NOTE: PROMISE (book 1 in the series) is currently FREE on Amazon and Barnes & Noble 
  

Rules:

• You must be at least 13 to enter. 
• Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is US Only and ends November 17th.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Website     |      Book Site       |        Twitter        |      Goodreads

Amazon     |       Barnes & Noble 

Reminder: If you are interested in the COMMENT CONTEST, remember to include your email address with your comment for an extra entry!

Please read full entry rules here.  

Don't forget to check out Lisa's Haunted Halloween post for today!