Today's guest is author E. Ayers, chatting about her real-life inspiration for her novella, A Skeleton at Her Door as well as her love of the holidays and romance as the inspiration for A Snowy Christmas in Wyoming. Because my new friend is a giver, she's brought us the opportunity to win books! So read on for a good chuckle as well as a glimpse into one of E. Ayers compelling stories! Leave a comment at the end, too!
~Mia
Let me introduce myself. I'm E. Ayers, the E stands for Elizabeth, and I write mostly contemporary romances that range from sweet to slightly sexy. My western novellas tend to be sweet, and my River City novels are a little edgier. But I never write anything that's ultra sweet or erotic. I stay someplace in the middle.
A Snowy Christmas in Wyoming is a contemporary romance but it has become the catalyst for writing historical westerns and they will begin to appear at your favorite online ebook stores this November. I love writing about true love, be it east coast USA in a River City novel or west of the Mississippi River. I'm a total romantic and not in a flowery way. I just happen to think that there's someone very special for each of us. Real love isn't going to make our bank accounts grow or hold the promise of candlelight dinners, but it does make every day a little brighter. And when things go terribly wrong, there's a strong pair of arms to fall into or a hand to hold as you face the problems together.
True love has never changed. It was just as important a hundred years ago as it is today. Our lives have changed, but our emotions haven't. I don't whitewash what I write; I leave the life in it. And I bring in elements from life that we all understand. And holidays? They are part of life.
Halloween is a fun holiday and it serves as the backdrop for A Skeleton at Her Door. It's a love story that can be read any time of the year. Since it is fall in the northern hemisphere and it's my favorite time of the year, I wanted to share this book with you.
Of course, I also love winter with its snowflakes, and spring with all the flowers. And summer calls to the child in me that still loves to swim...oh and those gorgeous light shows that nature gives us with each thunderstorm, but autumn really is special, and I'm not exactly sure why. Maybe it's those cooler evenings, and crispy days that are still warm from the sun. There's a scent to autumn, and a feel in the air that comes with cooler temps and all the colors.
Some people love to decorate for Christmas, but I love the fall decorations with pumpkins, gourds, and the bright-colored composite flowers in yellow, red, orange, purple, and hot pink. Maybe we'll have a colder than normal winter for the dragonflies, and hummingbirds seem to have vanished early this year along with butterflies. A week ago, my backyard was a flurry of activity from the butterflies, and this week it appears they've gone south. The sky has begun to fill with the large V's of ducks and geese flying to warmer climates. And the pecan tree in my neighbor's yard is loaded with pecans that every squirrel in the neighborhood will attempt to plant in my yard. Yes, it's autumn where I live, and Halloween is around the corner.
Many years ago when my girls were still young, I headed up a large community Halloween party. We wanted to keep the children safe and contained. We had a huge party planned in the clubhouse for the younger ones, and we created a haunted woods for the older children and teens. For anyone planning such an event, it's not easy.
I was lucky to have several very creative adults helping me. One gal was a makeup artist for a local amateur theatre group. She offered her services and I knew she was going to practice ahead of time so that she was ready for Halloween. A few days before Halloween, there was a knock on my door about 5:30 pm. I opened my door to a skeleton. Omigosh, he was awesome! I dragged him inside and called to my young daughters to come see him.
I knew about the platter with the head, the guy with the chain saw, the headless horseman, and the ghosts and witch that were strung on pulleys in the trees, but I didn't know about the skeleton or where he was. But from the size and shape of the man, I really honestly thought it was my neighbor. For starters, he had on the most amazing black and white costume I'd ever seen. This thing must have cost a fortune. It was skintight - think of what an Olympic speed skater might wear. The bones were perfect, right down to the gloves. It was hooded and the face paint…unreal! His lips were painted to resemble teeth and he obviously didn't want to talk.
My twelve-year-old daughter walked around this man and it dawned on me that she was admiring more than just his costume. And he was worth a good drool. His shoulders were this wide, and he tapered down to a slim waist with a high tight butt on his muscular backside. Even the muscles in his legs showed. Oh yeah, she was way too young to be that appreciative of his physique!
Frustrated, I call the younger daughter who finally came down the stairs and sat there at about eye level with him. She looked at him and informed me that it was not my neighbor. The eye color didn't match.
Panic ripped through me. Who did I just drag into my home? Not that he could conceal a weapon in that costume. But based on muscles alone, he could have probably overpowered us in a heartbeat.
"You're not…?"
He shook his head and indicated that he wanted paper and pen. He wanted the house one block from me. A week later, I found out those folks, on the next block, had a grown daughter, and apparently this guy was her date for a big costume party. I never forgot that evening, and if by chance that man's wife is reading this…well, honey, you got one hot man!
That incident became the opening scene for A Skeleton at Her Door. Like every author, I asked myself what if…? What if the heroine (Angie) had been abused by her first husband and was afraid to trust another man? And what if the hero (Tom) had made his own fair share of mistakes, and every relationship he'd ever had failed? What if she has a daughter (Lissy) and he has custody of his two teen children (Zach and Emily)? Then I wrote the story.
I write about people who happen to fall in love. I write about life. I write about happily-ever-after because we all want a happy ending.
"Dad!" Emily protested. "You can't stick it in your pocket. You'll squish the bow!"
She sighed and stomped off. "Must I think of everything?"
A moment later, she returned to Tom's bedroom. Her coarse dark hair was piled on top of her head in a messy bun, and he was certain she had taken great care to make it look exactly the right kind of messy.
"Okay, I'm putting this in my purse. What did you do with the ring?"
"It's in my pocket."
She rolled her eyes. "What are the odds that it'll drop out of your pocket and between the seats of the van? I know you too well." She put her hand out to him.
"I'll put it on my key ring. Will that make you happy?"
"Fine." She sat in his desk chair and swiveled it around. "Why is it that you don't practice abstinence, but you want us to? Isn't that a double standard?"
He poked his head out of his bathroom and stared at his daughter. "Because we're not teenagers. We're not waiting for our lives to start. We have lives."
"Well, I have a life, too."
"You don't even have a boyfriend. So this is a moot conversation."
"Says who?"
He stuck his head out again and saw her grin. "You're too young for anything other then a friend who happens to be of the male gender."
"Ashley has a boyfriend and she's even kissed him."
"That had better be all they're doing."
"Their parents would kill them if they did more."
"Good." He walked out and caught her pout. "Do I look okay?"
"Yes. You look handsome."
"Thanks."
"Zach has a girlfriend. Has he told you?" She cocked her head as she stared at him.
No. What the heck's going on? "I'm not betraying confidences."
"That means he hasn't told you." She giggled and then got serious. "I don't like her. She's mean to me." She swirled the chair completely around again. "Did he tell you she has a tattoo? Her mom let her get it for her birthday. It's right here." She pointed to her breast.
"If it's there, then how do you know she has one?"
"She showed us."
"Us?"
"Heather, Zach and me. She's also pierced her nipples."
"Please don't tell me she showed you that too."
"Oh, yeah. Zach thinks it's bombing."
I need to talk to Zach.
"Plus she smokes."
I definitely need to talk to Zach. "Is anyone in this house smoking?"
"No. I saw her cigarettes on the counter the other week. She doesn't smoke in the house."
"I can't control what your friends do." He sat in a comfortable chair and put his head in his hands.
"You can't control what we do."
He looked up and smiled at her. "You're right, but I can make your lives miserable for the next few years."
She frowned. "Where's the ring?"
"Here." He held up the key chain.
"You really love her?"
"Yes."
"Will you get rid of Heather?"
"Probably not. She needs this job."
Emily rolled her eyes.
"Don't forget Angie has a job and this is a big house. I don't see you or Zach cleaning it."
True love has never changed. It was just as important a hundred years ago as it is today. Our lives have changed, but our emotions haven't. I don't whitewash what I write; I leave the life in it. And I bring in elements from life that we all understand. And holidays? They are part of life.
Halloween is a fun holiday and it serves as the backdrop for A Skeleton at Her Door. It's a love story that can be read any time of the year. Since it is fall in the northern hemisphere and it's my favorite time of the year, I wanted to share this book with you.
Of course, I also love winter with its snowflakes, and spring with all the flowers. And summer calls to the child in me that still loves to swim...oh and those gorgeous light shows that nature gives us with each thunderstorm, but autumn really is special, and I'm not exactly sure why. Maybe it's those cooler evenings, and crispy days that are still warm from the sun. There's a scent to autumn, and a feel in the air that comes with cooler temps and all the colors.
Some people love to decorate for Christmas, but I love the fall decorations with pumpkins, gourds, and the bright-colored composite flowers in yellow, red, orange, purple, and hot pink. Maybe we'll have a colder than normal winter for the dragonflies, and hummingbirds seem to have vanished early this year along with butterflies. A week ago, my backyard was a flurry of activity from the butterflies, and this week it appears they've gone south. The sky has begun to fill with the large V's of ducks and geese flying to warmer climates. And the pecan tree in my neighbor's yard is loaded with pecans that every squirrel in the neighborhood will attempt to plant in my yard. Yes, it's autumn where I live, and Halloween is around the corner.
Many years ago when my girls were still young, I headed up a large community Halloween party. We wanted to keep the children safe and contained. We had a huge party planned in the clubhouse for the younger ones, and we created a haunted woods for the older children and teens. For anyone planning such an event, it's not easy.
I was lucky to have several very creative adults helping me. One gal was a makeup artist for a local amateur theatre group. She offered her services and I knew she was going to practice ahead of time so that she was ready for Halloween. A few days before Halloween, there was a knock on my door about 5:30 pm. I opened my door to a skeleton. Omigosh, he was awesome! I dragged him inside and called to my young daughters to come see him.
I knew about the platter with the head, the guy with the chain saw, the headless horseman, and the ghosts and witch that were strung on pulleys in the trees, but I didn't know about the skeleton or where he was. But from the size and shape of the man, I really honestly thought it was my neighbor. For starters, he had on the most amazing black and white costume I'd ever seen. This thing must have cost a fortune. It was skintight - think of what an Olympic speed skater might wear. The bones were perfect, right down to the gloves. It was hooded and the face paint…unreal! His lips were painted to resemble teeth and he obviously didn't want to talk.
My twelve-year-old daughter walked around this man and it dawned on me that she was admiring more than just his costume. And he was worth a good drool. His shoulders were this wide, and he tapered down to a slim waist with a high tight butt on his muscular backside. Even the muscles in his legs showed. Oh yeah, she was way too young to be that appreciative of his physique!
Frustrated, I call the younger daughter who finally came down the stairs and sat there at about eye level with him. She looked at him and informed me that it was not my neighbor. The eye color didn't match.
Panic ripped through me. Who did I just drag into my home? Not that he could conceal a weapon in that costume. But based on muscles alone, he could have probably overpowered us in a heartbeat.
"You're not…?"
He shook his head and indicated that he wanted paper and pen. He wanted the house one block from me. A week later, I found out those folks, on the next block, had a grown daughter, and apparently this guy was her date for a big costume party. I never forgot that evening, and if by chance that man's wife is reading this…well, honey, you got one hot man!
That incident became the opening scene for A Skeleton at Her Door. Like every author, I asked myself what if…? What if the heroine (Angie) had been abused by her first husband and was afraid to trust another man? And what if the hero (Tom) had made his own fair share of mistakes, and every relationship he'd ever had failed? What if she has a daughter (Lissy) and he has custody of his two teen children (Zach and Emily)? Then I wrote the story.
I write about people who happen to fall in love. I write about life. I write about happily-ever-after because we all want a happy ending.
Excerpt from A Skeleton at Her Door by E. Ayers
She sighed and stomped off. "Must I think of everything?"
A moment later, she returned to Tom's bedroom. Her coarse dark hair was piled on top of her head in a messy bun, and he was certain she had taken great care to make it look exactly the right kind of messy.
"Okay, I'm putting this in my purse. What did you do with the ring?"
"It's in my pocket."
She rolled her eyes. "What are the odds that it'll drop out of your pocket and between the seats of the van? I know you too well." She put her hand out to him.
"I'll put it on my key ring. Will that make you happy?"
"Fine." She sat in his desk chair and swiveled it around. "Why is it that you don't practice abstinence, but you want us to? Isn't that a double standard?"
He poked his head out of his bathroom and stared at his daughter. "Because we're not teenagers. We're not waiting for our lives to start. We have lives."
"Well, I have a life, too."
"You don't even have a boyfriend. So this is a moot conversation."
"Says who?"
He stuck his head out again and saw her grin. "You're too young for anything other then a friend who happens to be of the male gender."
"Ashley has a boyfriend and she's even kissed him."
"That had better be all they're doing."
"Their parents would kill them if they did more."
"Good." He walked out and caught her pout. "Do I look okay?"
"Yes. You look handsome."
"Thanks."
"Zach has a girlfriend. Has he told you?" She cocked her head as she stared at him.
No. What the heck's going on? "I'm not betraying confidences."
"That means he hasn't told you." She giggled and then got serious. "I don't like her. She's mean to me." She swirled the chair completely around again. "Did he tell you she has a tattoo? Her mom let her get it for her birthday. It's right here." She pointed to her breast.
"If it's there, then how do you know she has one?"
"She showed us."
"Us?"
"Heather, Zach and me. She's also pierced her nipples."
"Please don't tell me she showed you that too."
"Oh, yeah. Zach thinks it's bombing."
I need to talk to Zach.
"Plus she smokes."
I definitely need to talk to Zach. "Is anyone in this house smoking?"
"No. I saw her cigarettes on the counter the other week. She doesn't smoke in the house."
"I can't control what your friends do." He sat in a comfortable chair and put his head in his hands.
"You can't control what we do."
He looked up and smiled at her. "You're right, but I can make your lives miserable for the next few years."
She frowned. "Where's the ring?"
"Here." He held up the key chain.
"You really love her?"
"Yes."
"Will you get rid of Heather?"
"Probably not. She needs this job."
Emily rolled her eyes.
"Don't forget Angie has a job and this is a big house. I don't see you or Zach cleaning it."
~*~
A Skeleton at Her Door
available at:
***
Connect with E. Ayers on the Web!
Email
e.ayers@ayersbooks.com
***
Books by E. Ayers
Wanting (A River City Novel)
A New Beginning (A River City Novel)
A Challenge (A River City Novel)
Forever (A River City Novel)
A Son (A River City Novel)
A Child's Heart (A River City Novel)
Coming Out of Hiding (novel)
A Fine Line (a novella) *
Mariners Cove (a novella)
Ask Me Again (a novella)
A Skeleton at Her Door (a novella)
A Snowy Christmas in Wyoming (a novella) *
A Cowboy's Kiss in Wyoming (a novella) *
A Love Song in Wyoming (a novella) *
A Calling in Wyoming (anovella) *
* sweeter reads
~*~
Okay, so leave a comment about Halloween for a chance to win a .PDF of one of E. Ayers books, A Skeleton At Her Door or A Snowy Christmas In Wyoming!
What's your favorite costume? Hate the day? Love it? Eat all the candy by midnight? If you're shy about leaving your email addy you can comment anyway. PM me on Facebook or email me (my email is at the top of the blog, >>>> over there. Somewhere.)
Let's hear it!
18 comments:
Elizabeth, I love your post. It comes from the heart. And I love the excerpt. I had your book on my Kindle for a year, but thought it was a suspense. Now I have to read the book because you hooked me with your post.
Oh, Mona, a whole year? It's a great little book for a chilly night. Just snuggle up and read it.
Just because a relationship didn't work...well, maybe there's someone much better out there, even if he is wearing a costume. LOL
Both of these are wonderful stories. It was fun to hear what the spark was for A Skeleton at Her Door. :) All of your novels have interesting characters, and charming and contemplative plots.
Halloween is my fav time of year! I set up a graveyard with headstones and put down different shades of earth like different burials. I have a "caretaker" behind the graves with lantern in his hand (he looks spooky). As the kids walk toward the door I'm sitting inside with a red-strobe light on (flickering "candle lights" outside) I'm in my vampire costume sitting in my chair inside the door and slowly open my eyes as they come closer - several kids have run off when I do this. If they make it to the door there are spiders and webs everywhere. When the kids jabber or ring the doorbell a hidden vampire (activated by sound) growls and springs up out of the bushes toward them - kids scream, jump and some run! I write vampire books so have to be in character. I'll have to enlist someone to play the part of the vampire this year because I've got a book signing that night at a Hastings Bookstore (I'll be in costume but will try not to scare those interested in my books). LOL
I love Halloween. We always decorate the house and I dress up as a witch to give out the candy. I have to take my hat off for the littlest ones, it scares them and not even the candy can entice them to come close. Poor babies. Loved the excerpt.
E, what an adorable story - the real one and the story one. Some of the best stories are based on real life. Nothing beats the childhood Halloweens especially back in the day when the streets were safer after dark. We roamed everywhere and then counted and sorted the candy later at home.
That is just too funny. I would love to read Skeleton at Her Door.The daughter reminded me of my baby girl. She is growing up and getting sassy. The joy of the teenage years.
Thanks, Rose. My husband wanted to kill me for dragging some guy into the house while I was alone with the girls. But I really thought it was our neighbor!
Oh, vamp writer, if we ever got together the neighborhood would never be safe on Halloween! The hero in the story has fun rigging his porch for Halloween, too. I've always taken it easy on the little ones trick or treating, but the bigger ones are fair game!
Waving a big hello to Cindy! I had no clue you were a Halloween lover, too! BTW, do you know what a witch calls her garage? A broom closet!
Hi, Jane. As a kid, I grew up in am area where we knew everyone. We ate our way from one house to another. We timed it so we stopped for hot cider at certain houses and could warm up at another while we ate the cupcakes. We didn't start until dark and we stayed out until very late. We often had to "work" for our treat, be it a song or a trick, we did it. It was fun! Costumes were homemade and often hiding under our coats. Great memories.
Hi, Carey, thanks for stopping. Teenagers will make you pull your hair out but they can be the most wonderful humans, so full of energy with super goals and a readiness to greet life. Good luck with your not-so-little bundle of joy.
Sounds like both exciting books! Thanks for sharing! Now I want to know who this man is!!
My hubby once went as a condom machine. He actually distributed condoms when people put money in.
Email is daringzoey at yahoo.com
Sorry I forgot to leave it!! Duh!!
These sound interesting. Eat all the candy
bn100candg at hotmail dot com
Oh, Melissa, that is so funny! Hope he made lots of money that night!
bn100, we had a neighbor when our girls were young, who said the same thing. Let them eat all the candy in one night so they aren't constantly putting all that sugar on their teeth. Just make sure they brush their teeth with extra care. He also swore it was easier to cope with one night of a sugar high! LOL
BTW, I meant to say that neighbor was dentist with small children.
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