Gothic Romance Print Bundle Gothicked Giveway

Time for another Giveaway. :) Here's what I'll send out to you if you win:

1. The Laughing Ghost by Dorothy Eden (Ace Gothic edition) Here's what it looks like...
2. two other random print gothic romances

This time around, I'll be choosing a winner in one of three ways. You can do as many of these as you would like to enter for one or multiple chances to win:
1. "Like" Gothicked Blog on Facebook
2. Share Gothicked Blog on Facebook
3. Post a comment on this blog post.
4. Comment on the Gothicked Blog facebook page to enter.

I'll choose a winner by October 12th at 12:01 am CST. Hope you're enjoying your October reading! I definitely am, and I'm planning more giveaways this month. I'd love to hear from you: more e-books or more print books?

Thanks for reading!

Gothicked Giveaway Two and Guest Blogger Sarah Ballance!

I am so thrilled to have a fellow Astraea Press author, Sarah Ballance, here today! Her novella, Hawthorne, has been getting tons of buzz, and it's a gothic romance. How cool is that? Just comment about why you like gothic romance or that you'd like to win below by Sept. 30th at 12 p.m. So, without further ado, here's Sarah...

Support Disaster Relief with HAWTHORNE

Sarah Ballance

Hi, Lisa! Thanks so much for this opportunity to get out the word about HAWTHORNE. It's been called everything from a paranormal romance to Southern gothic, but the bottom line is it's only $1, and 100% of those proceeds will be forwarded directly from the publisher to benefit Japan earthquake relief. I hope you will all join me in supporting the tens of thousands of people who are still suffering from the disaster which occurred on March 11, 2011. Unfortunately, the story has faded from the news, but some horrible truths remain. An August 11 update from Red Cross Japan reveals the following sober statistics:

• As of July 14, 35,643 persons disaster refugees remain in evacuation centers and other temporary housing within the three worst affected prefectures (Fukushima, Miyagi, and Iwate). 4,757 people are still missing.
• An astounding 142,109 survivors have applied for unemployment benefits as of July 29 in the three most affected prefectures alone.
• 51,000 families still live in pre-fabricated houses, most having lost their homes and everything in them. Thousands others remain in shelters.

My Personal Challenge

I'd never written a short story before, so this was scary territory for me. I struggled a bit with coming up with a plot that was enough to keep readers' interest without being too much for novella territory. It was actually my husband who came up with the idea to make it a ghost story, and I think those were the most brilliant words to ever leave his mouth. (Well, second to asking me to marry him, LOL.) With his suggestion, the last scene of HAWTHORNE hit me like the proverbial ton of bricks. I wrote that scene first, and I was so excited to get to the end to tie things together that the rest of the words just flew.

And wow, what a response! If you'd like to see what readers are saying, take a look at HAWTHORNE's GoodReads page: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12035577-hawthorne I'm likely a new-to-you author (because I'm new in general, LOL) but for a $1 donation to earthquake relief, I hope some of you are willing to give me a chance. If you do, and you enjoy the story, please tell a friend! (And if you hate it, you can always recommended HAWTHORNE to your frenemies, LOL).

**GIVEAWAY** It's my honor to give away a PDF copy of HAWTHORNE to an interested reader, but before I do so I'd like for everyone to know the winning copy will be paid for so the charity will receive the full donation. Thanks so much for having me here, and I hope you'll consider lending your support to this wonderful cause.

About the author: Sarah lives a charmed life as the mother of six incredible homeschooled children, all of whom are completely adorable when they're asleep. Her husband of many years (long, long years, he calls them) is the kind of guy who could teach those heroes from the books a thing or two about romance, not that he'd readily admit it. Completely supportive of her love for writing fiction, he's generously offered to help with any necessary research for "the good parts." She's never had to ask twice.

HAWTHORNE | Sarah Ballance | mystery, romance | BUY LINK | BLOG

(Links to embed): Web http://www.sarahballance.com/ | blog http://sarahballance.wordpress.com/ |buy link http://www.astraeapress.com/#ecwid:category=1011841&mode=product&product=4810595

After a terrifying encounter with the unexplained, it took ten years and the news of her grandmother’s passing for Emma Grace Hawthorne to return to her childhood home.   She sought peace in saying a proper goodbye, but what she found was an old love, a sordid family history, and a wrong only she could right.

Living in the shadow of Hawthorne Manor, Noah Garrett never forgot about Emma Grace.  In a house full of secrets, his search for missing documents revealed a truth that could cost him everything.  What he found gave Emma the freedom to walk away from the mansion, her heart free and clear, but at what price to Noah?

Source: RED CROSS JAPAN http://www.jrc.or.jp/vcms_lf/kokusai_100811Rev2.pdf

Best Gothic Romance Titles!

A Facebook friend posted a title of a romance novel that was full of win today, and it got me thinking about gothic romance titles. Let's see. Post the best gothic romance title(s) if you want and about why you like them. Opinions will vary wildly, and that's fine. I just thought this would be fun.

Then, post the funniest ones. I'll post a few for starters. The person(s) who post the best ones wins some gothic romance novels with great or zany titles! I'll keep this up for a few days. Have fun with it! :)

Best:
Greygallows-- by Barbara Michaels (I like the alliteration and the connotations of the title).

The Dark on the Other Side (also Michaels and because it's from a quote by Plato)

Dragonwyck-- by Anya Seton

Nine Coaches Waiting-- by Mary Stewart

The Ivy Tree-- by Mary Stewart (I just love it).

Rebecca-- by Daphne DuMaurier

Wuthering Heights-- by Emily Bronte

Holy Terror-- by Josephine Boyle

House of the Dancing Dead-- by Aola Vandergriff

                             The Shivering Sands-- by Victoria Holt
                            
                             The Winter Bride-- Carola Salisbury

                             The Winter People-- Phyllis A. Whitney
     
                             Wait for What Will Come-- by Barbara Michaels

                             Vermillion-- by Phyllis A. Whitney

                             Damnation Reef-- by Jill Tattersall

                             Winterwood-- by Dorothy Eden

                             The Voice of the Dolls-- by Dorothy Eden

                             The Silver Leopard-- by Zoe Cass

                             Prince of Darkness-- by Barbara Michaels

                             Mistress of Mellyn-- by Victoria Holt

                             Dig a Narrow Grave-- by Mary Linn Roby  

                             The Shrouded Walls-- by Susan Howatch



 Funny/witty:

House of the Strange Woman-- by Monica Heath

The House is Dark-- by Rebecca James

Jack O'Lantern-- by Kathleen A. Shoesmith

Satan's Coast-- by Elsie Lee

Mansion of Golden Windows-- by Elsie Lee ( Love it! This author knew how to name gothic romances).

Mystery Castle-- Elsie Lee

                            Dark Moon, Lost Lady-- Elsie Lee (I got on a roll once I looked hers up!)

                            Sleep in the Woods-- by Dorothy Eden

                            The Frightened Lady-- by Marilyn Ross

                           
                           

Gothic Romance Give Away and Stuff...

Wow! The time really got past me this month. I haven't done a book give away in a while. So, I'm giving away a grab bag of three Victoria Holt and Phyllis A. Whitney novels to someone who replies to this post within 72 hours or by Monday, 2/28 at 11pm EST. Just make a comment about anything, really, related to gothic romance. I'll use the Random Number Generator to make the choice of a winner.

It's slow going with writing, work, editing, and midterms this week, but I hope to have a review up in a few days. Anyone reading anything good?

Also, the blog is still open to guest reviewers (you can review a gothic novel and promote your website, etc. if you'd like) and to authors in the genre. Just send me a message or comment here if you're interested.

Have a fabulous weekend!

Give away: The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson

I was reading The Gargoyle, and I quit it around 200 pages in. I have a nice, shiny paperback copy. The cover art is quite lovely.

I just couldn't do the other 300+. The premise is wonderful-- a burn victim finds his true love who tells him he is reincarnated and was burned in another life.

I just couldn't stick with the novel because it seemed to really ebb and flow too much among other things. I'm not going to write a full review since I don't think it counts as a gothic romance, truly. If you comment and want it, it's yours to the first poster.

The more I write and struggle with the craft myself, the more I'm convinced that a novel or novella or any work should hold your attention and make you want to complete it. If it doesn't, the novel needs more work, perhaps. It's okay to work for the pay off of the book a little as a reader, but the reader should not have to struggle on and on to make it through a work that is promised to be "great."  Reading is meant for an escape after all to most.

What do you think, dear readers? Do you like to struggle through novels, or do you prefer to relish every page and not want to put the book down?

Contemporary Gothic Romance Giveaway: Karen White's novels...

Whew! I got all the back logged contest books in the mail today, so several of you should have something to open right after Christmas!

This contest is going to be a 72+ hour one ending on 12/26 at 8am CST. It is for a Karen White novel. White is a novelist who has been writing in the past few years in the gothic romance style; her novels are impressive in terms of page count for the genre, and she would be a new author to try for those of you who have run out of gothic romances to read by your old favorites. I have a new, lovely paperback of hers (it's random) to give away to one blog poster. Just post a comment here if you've read her work (you might mention which one(s), and I can send you one you don't have possibly) or post a comment if you'd like to read her work. Good luck! :)

Holidaze Contest Winner...

Susied is the winner of this contest. Susie, please contact me via email or in a comment in the next 48 hours, and I'll get the pertinent details to send your books on-- in the near future. On that note...

I am sensing that my readers are as busy as I am right now. I do plan to have another contest or two before December ends, but my slow mailing of prizes will continue until then as well. I apologize for that.

I hope you are all having happy holidays. Has anyone had a moment to read anything good? :) I will be posting about a novel billed as gothic romance that I started on but didn't finish in the next day or so.

Random Holidaze Contest: Houses in Focus

I am running a bit behind on getting out the last two contest winners' novels. I will get them to you. It just might be slower than usual. :)

The new contest is 72 hours. The winner will receive two gothic novels with houses in the titles in some form: the name of a castle, the ancestral estate, or any abode.

Just make a comment about the importance of the gothic house or interior space in gothic novels (or why you don't think it's important!), and you'll be entered automatically. The contest will end on Dec. 18 at 11pm CST.


        

Christmas with the Classics: A Gothicked 48 hour contest

Clark B. won the last contest and will get the two gothics with color coded titles. Clark, please comment here or contact me via email, and I'll send your books along. :)

A new contest starts today and will run through December 8th at 1 a.m. CST. One winner will receive two gothic novels with settings before 1900. If you enjoy older classics or historical gothic romances, this contest is for you.

All you have to do to enter is write a comment on this blog post about why you're a fan of the classics. I can't wait to read your responses!

Colorful Gothics Giveaway...

The first give away will be for two gothic romance novels that have colors in their titles. :) The Whitney novel, Vermillion, is an example of what I mean. The contest will run for 24 hours if you're interested. I will draw a name by 12pm CST tomorrow, 12/3 and contact the winner/post the winner on the blog. Just submit a comment to this blog post, telling me your favorite color to enter the give away!

Ghostly Gothics Contest Winner/New Gothic Holidays Random Contests...

The winner of the last contest is Lynn Ward. Lynn, please contact me within 48 hours to claim your prize. :)

For the Christmas/Holiday season, we're going to do something a little different and I hope, fun! From now through Christmas Day, I'll be posting mini contests with a cut off to comment or enter in some fashion. To win, check the blog often (or your RSS feed/facebook, etc) to see what the current contest is. These posts will be random, and the contests might be quick-- say 24-72 hours. Good luck and thanks for reading!

Contest Winner/New Ghostly Gothics Contest

Sorry this is a little late. The winner of the two random Gothic Novels is Kimberwolf. Please post here or email me within 48 hours to claim your prize! :)

The new contest will be for two "Ghostly Gothics." I'm just trying to do something different. That label of including ghosts could cover lots of potential novels. To enter to win, just post here by November 30th at 12am EST.

The odds are always good for these contests. If you entered by posting last time, you had a 20% chance of winning.

Contest Winner/November Contest

The winner of the last contest is Pamela P. :) Pamela, I'll send your novels on if you comment here or contact me at my email address listed at the bottom of the blog within 48 hours. Thanks!

For the next contest, I'll be giving away two random, 4 star Gothicked reviewed, gothic romance novels. If you're interested in entering, all you have to do is post a comment here or on any blog post before November 16th at 12am EST.

The two novels linked here are just to give you an indication of the type of random gothic romance novel you might end up with if you win.

Just a reminder: last days before the Whitney Contest ends...

In a few more days, I'll be giving away two Phyllis A. Whitney novels to one lucky reader. I have a huge collection of them, so you might just get one you haven't read yet (I'll let you choose if you win from the ones I have if you'd like)! Just post on any blog entry by November 1st at 12 a.m. EST.

Happy Halloween, dear readers! :) 

Winner of Contest/New Contest-- Phyllis A. Whitney Novels

I have drawn names for the two winners for the last contest, and Stacela and Sara are the winners of a Gothic Horror novel apiece. :) The odds were really great on that last one.

I'll be contacting you if I can, or if you see this post, you can email me with your address within 48 hours. I'll send out your books on Monday.

The new contest starts today. I'll be giving away two Phyllis A. Whitney novels to one lucky reader. I have a huge collection of them, so you might just get one you haven't read yet! Just post on any blog entry by November 1st at 12 a.m. EST.

Revised Winner of Last Contest :)

Clark B./Sandy is the winner of Dragonwyck and the random Gothic Novel. The first drawn winner graciously announced that he would probably not read the books anyway, so I drew again.

Clark B./Sandy, I'm unable to email you that I know of, so please contact me by commenting or emailing me within 48 hours to claim your prize. Otherwise, I'll draw again! I really do need to give some of these Gothic Novels away to good homes (because my box is filling up!). :)

And just a note: if you are on blogger and you have a profile, be sure to activate it if you would like to be more easily contacted.

Thanks!
-- Lisa

New Halloween Contest

Since it's the season for haunted houses, goblins, ghouls, and such, the next contest will be a drawing for a Gothic Horror Novel-- in the vein of Rosemary's Baby, The House Next Door, Ghost Story, etc.

I'll draw two names for this one, and as usual, the novels I give away might be quite Gothicked. :) Just post a blog comment by October 15th at 12am, and you'll be entered into the drawing.

Contest Reminder-- Sept. 30th

I know I have some new readers/commenters, so I wanted to remind you that the Autumn Contest will end October 1st at 12 am. The details of the contest are here:

http://gothicked.blogspot.com/2010/09/quickie-48-hour-contest-winner-new.html

If you want to win some Gothic Novels, just post a comment by the deadline, and your name will be entered in the drawing. Your chances are pretty good since I probably have a dozen entrants at most at this point.

Happy Sunday. :)

Quickie 48 Hour Contest Winner/ New Autumn Contest

Kristen is the winner of this contest! She was also the only reader who entered. So, I guess this means the blog is not ready for quick contests yet. :)

Congratulations, Kristen! I'll be mailing your novels to you this week. Thanks again for entering...

The next contest starts now and will run through October 1st at 12am. It is the Autumn Contest in honor of, well, the start of Autumn-- the season of the Gothic Novel, in my opinion! I'll make this one easy; just post any comment between now and the cut off date, and you will be entered into the drawing hat to win a nice copy of Anya Seton's Dragonwyck and a random Gothic Novel of my choice.

So, there's just one step to enter this one: comment on any post between now and October 1st.

Happy weekend, all! :)

September Contest Winner! 48 hour Quickie Contest Starts Today...

Thanks to all who posted a comment in the last few weeks and in so doing entered the September book giveaway contest. The winner this month is Hannah. Her comments and recommendations for other Gothic Novelists were superb. Congratulations, Hannah! I'll be contacting you. :)

The next contest will be a bit different. It has two steps to enter:

1. If you have a Facebook or Twitter account or a blog (or another social network account that I don't have but that you use regularly), pick any blog post on this site to share on your account with a post or a tweet.

2. Then, comment below, telling how/where you shared it. It's that easy!

The prize will be a mystery/surprise grab bag of three Gothic Novels (at least one of them will be a 4 star reviewed novel from this blog). This contest is a quickie-- just 48 hours. :) It ends September 17th, 10:01pm EST. So, any shared post or tweet makes you eligible. I will do a name draw out of a hat to choose the winner. The odds should be good for this one, and how can you pass up three Gothic Novels?