Tuesday, October 26, 2010

OMN Welcomes Julie Ann Howell, Author of Haunted Echoes

Omnimystery News: Authors on Tour

Omnimystery News is thrilled to welcome Julie Ann Howell as our guest blogger. Julie Ann is the author of Haunted Echoes (The Peppertree Press, January 2010 Hardcover, 978-1-936051-69-4), an old-fashioned ghost story.

Today, Julie Ann provides some background information for her book. And she''s also providing our readers with an opportunity to win a copy of her book. Visit Mystery Book Contests, click on the "Julie Ann Howell: Haunted Echoes" contest link, enter your name, e-mail address, and this code (1779) for a chance to win! (One entry per person; contest ends November 09, 2010.)

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Julie Ann Howell
Photo provided courtesy of
Julie Ann Howell

Ask a writer what they would rather be doing at any given time, and most often the answer would be “writing.”

Most writers dream of “just writing,” as their characters, settings and story lines are always swirling around in their heads. Having the luxury of putting those down on paper is the best feeling of accomplishment.

In my case, I am a night owl through and through. I love writing in the middle of the night when the house is quiet and my thoughts can actually make it to paper. I find it truly inspiring—and just a little bit scary, which is even more fun.

There are so many things that go through my head when I sit behind my keyboard. I vividly remember typing the “Whodunit” part in my book and being incredibly shocked at what my fingers typed. I even found myself saying “What??!!” out loud, questioning myself and staring at my fingertips in disbelief. I actually had no idea what was going to happen, which is great, as most writers map out their entire books before they type a word. But I like to let my fingers do the work and the characters do the talking. That is what works for me.

My readers often ask me how I came up with my setting for Haunted Echoes. I love small towns and lighthouses and since I wanted my character, Sarah Reddington and her dog Dickens, to stay in a Victorian style Bed and Breakfast, I chose Maine. I did my research and discovered a sleepy little town on the craggy shore just outside Portland. Cape Elizabeth was the perfect place for my characters to hang out for 200 pages. I have never been to Maine and I would love to visit someday, however I think it’s best to keep the image of how I actually see it strictly fiction.

Haunted houses intrigue me. I suppose you can say that ghostly tales were instilled in me since I was a little girl, compliments of my great-grandma whose tales sort of followed me as a grown-up. I know there is another haunted tale in me: I can feel it. Just recently I had one of my readers email me his quote about what he thought after reading my novel. It was short and to the point. Simply put he said. “The only thing I have to say is when is the sequel coming out?” This was intriguing to say the least, a great compliment. I had never really considered a sequel until I read this quote.

And now, the answer is yes. Words and characters are now whispering in my head preparing to form sentences onto paper for the sequel to Haunted Echoes. The working title, Whispers From Beyond ...

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Julie Ann is not only the publisher and founder of her own literary magazine and book publishing company, she is also an avid speaker where she has the opportunity to travel to a variety of writers groups, schools and organizations. The author of several children's books, Haunted Echoes is her first novel. Visit her website at JulieAnnHowell.com.

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Haunted Echoes by Julie Ann Howell
More information about the book

About Haunted Echoes: Sarah Reddington traveled to far-away Maine to escape the chaos of the windy city. She wanted to concentrate on completing her novel and enjoy the peaceful quiet of the Atlantic's craggy shore. Although she was the only registered guest staying in an elegant, but quaint Victorian Inn, subsequent events quickly placed her writing on hold. The haunting cries that echoed around her made her question not only her own mortality, but made it difficult for her to decipher between fiction and insanity.

For a chance to win a copy of Haunted Echoes, courtesy of the author, visit Mystery Book Contests, click on the "Julie Ann Howell: Haunted Echoes" contest link, and enter your name, e-mail address, and this code (1779) in the entry form. (One entry per person; contest ends November 09, 2010.)

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