Wednesday 31 October 2012

Guest Post: Author Michelle Harrison talks all things Halloween +++ Win a copy of Unrest! (UK & ROI).

Today I have an awesome Halloween guest post from Michelle Harrison, author of Unrest! Personally, I love all things spooky (if you hadn't figured that out by now!) and I've picked up some great recommendations from this post. I love Michelle's creepy reading recommendations! Also, check out the news of her new book -- how awesome does this witchy tale sound?

Thanks to those lovely people at Simon & Schuster I have three copies of Unrest to give away! To be in with a chance to win, just fill in the Rafflecopter form below.  UK & ROI entrants only! Good luck!

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Unrest by Michelle Harrison
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Release date: April 26th 2012
Ages: 12+

Seventeen-year-old Elliott hasn’t slept properly for months. Not since the accident that nearly killed him. Sometimes he half-wakes, paralysed, while shadowy figures move around him. Other times he is the one moving around while his body lies asleep on the bed. His doctors say sleep paralysis and out-of-body experiences are harmless - but to Elliott they’re terrifying.

Convinced that his brush with death has attracted the spirit world, Elliott secures a job at a reputedly haunted museum, determined to discover the truth. There, he meets the enigmatic Ophelia. But, as she and Elliott grow closer, Elliott draws new attention from the dead. One night, during an out-of-body experience, Elliott returns to bed to find his body gone. Something is occupying it, something that wants to live again - and it wants Ophelia, too . . .


Guest Post: Michelle Harrison talks all things Halloween.

Photo credit: Charlie Hopkinson


As a fan of all things supernatural, Halloween is one of my favourite times of the year. I love the idea of this magical, mysterious night where the veil between the human world and other realms - such as that of the faeries and of the dead - is believed to be at its thinnest.

In my 13 Treasures trilogy (inspired by faerie folklore) October 31st, or 'Samhain' marks the beginning of the rule of the Unseelie Court during the winter months. Cue a night of dark magic, mischief and mayhem . . . and woe betide any mortals unlucky enough to cross the faeries' path. And so it's with caution, and a faerie-repelling iron nail firmly in my pocket, that I reveal how my Halloweens are usually spent . . .

. . . reading. This year I've put aside Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough. It begins with a witch born on - you've guessed it - Halloween.

. . . recommending my favourite creepy reads: Dark Matter by Michelle Paver, The Everafter by Amy Huntley, Leaving Poppy by Kate Cann, Bad Blood by Rhiannon Lassiter, and pretty much anything by Christopher Pike.

. . . watching as many scary TV shows and films as possible. I've just ordered the American Horror Story DVD box set and I can't wait for it to arrive. I'm also enjoying SWITCH, a new comedy/drama about four witches. So far it seems to be a lighter, British version of the 90s movie The Craft. For classic horror, I don't think you can beat John Carpenter's Halloween.

. . . eating Candy Corn. I discovered this thanks to Dark Parties author Sara Grant. It's not sold in the UK so I've ordered some in from the States. It tastes a bit like fudge, but the ones we had looked like tiny pumpkins. Cute!

. . . wearing the kind of stuff I wish I could wear every day. Last year I was a harpy, complete with bird's nest, eggs and twigs in my hair, black feathered wings and a lacy eye mask. I love any excuse to dress up.

. . . attending events such as the Glastonbury faerie fayre and evening ball. By day the town hall is filled with stalls selling anything and everything to do with faeries, attracting high profile artists including Ed Org, and Brian and Wendy Froud. In the evening the hall transforms into what could be a scene from the Unseelie Court, overflowing with warlocks, fauns . . . and sometimes harpies.

. . . avoiding anything too scary. Despite my love of horror, I have limits. I won't be watching the Woman in Black movie EVER again. I'm still traumatised from seeing it at the cinema. And one thing I'd never do is a ouija board. I believe enough to know I don't want to mess with those things - though it's likely my characters will some day.

. . . imagining I'm a witch. I wear a lot of black, and I have two gorgeous black cats and several spell books (the latter for research, naturally)! I draw the line at a broomstick, though. They're just not hairstyle friendly - I'll stick to driving my Mini.

. . . writing about witches. See a theme developing over this post? Yes. The book I'm currently working on is about four girls on a college trip to a remote tidal island with a history of witchcraft. When three of the group decide to teach the fourth girl a lesson, they unleash something none of them are prepared for.



To find out more about Michelle follow her on twitter: @MHarrison13 

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To be in with a chance to win one of three copies of Unrest by Michelle Harrison just fill in the Rafflecopter entry form below.
Competition is open to readers in the UK and Ireland.
Competition closes November 9th 2012.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

28 comments :

  1. Thanks for the giveaway and guest post, I absolutely love anything spooky, I have saved Ten by Gretchen McNeil for Halloween so I will be starting it today. Some other good spooky books I have read this year are Hollow Pike, Night School, Sweet Evil, A Witch In Winter and A Witch In Love.
    As for films I love the old teen slasher movies like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer. I really wish the teen slasher genre would make a comeback. On TV I love Vampire Diaries, Teen Wolf, Grimm and Pretty Little Liars has had 2 amazing Halloween episodes.

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  2. I love Sleepy Hollow, great movie to watch on Halloween, and I also have to try watching Switch, I liked The Craft and it will be interesting to compare :)

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  3. Charlotte Ingham31 October 2012 at 11:11

    Scary film - The Ring! May be a few years old now but that tv moment is still terrifying!

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  4. I'd recommend watching The Evil Dead & reading anything by Richard Laymon.

    x

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  5. Scary movie for me was the Cube, or Orphan

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  6. the nightmare, by lars kepler is my favourite scary read

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  7. I love anything spooky!!  I recently read The NightMarys by Dan Poblocki and it was really spooky.

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  8. Oh this is a wonderful post Michelle and Leanna! I too like my scary films but can't deal if they're to scary! I never really tried candy corn, everyone seems to love it, I guess I really should try it asap! Also thanks for the great creepy recommendations! :)

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  9. I love the exorcist

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  10. Love to win this book

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  11. What a stunning, and also eerie, cover! I love how the type is going up in smoke, it's absolutely gorgeous:) I really enjoyed Once a Witch, it was a cute story, and since I"m not a huge fan of scary books, it was a bit lighter but still perfect for this time of year.

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  12. Great post. I grew up reading point horror and ever since I can't get enough of the Spooky side of life! I just finished The Woman In Black by Susan Hill and has to confess to being spooked! The film was good too - but they are quite different! Happy Halloween! :-)

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  13. oohmy fave halloween book would have to be the stand by stephen king and films like scream or friday the 13th (original) would be fab

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  14.  The Evil Dead

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  15. The Woman in Black is a creepy film to watch on Halloween. This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers is a book I would like to read and would be good to read on this occasion :)

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  16. Nightmare on Elm Street

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  17. I haven't read anything by Michelle Harrison yet but I do like a good scary story

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  18.  Can't wait to hear what you think of Ten! I think the teen slasher genre might be making a bit of a comeback (book wise at least!) There's Ten, of course, and Stephanie Perkins (Anna and the French Kiss) next project is teen slasher! Can't wait!

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  19.  I went to a midnight show of The Ring when it first released and it scared the hell out of me! Have since watched it on DVD and I still get the scares!

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  20.  Have you seen the original Woman in Black movie? It's a low budget, made for TV affair, but is scarier than the remake in my opinion!

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  21. The Shining is the best scary book ever!

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  22. The Japanese version of the Ring is so scary. I actually had nightmares from it :/ Scariest book, hmmm, would probably say, don't laugh, but the last time I was ever scared on a book was the old Point Horror books. They terrified me, there were some ace ones around x

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  23. The movie to watch at this time of year has got to be Halloween

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  24. Currently reading Every Vow You Break by Julia Crouch - not 'monsters in the cupboard' scary, but very chilling suspense

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  25. What a great guest post!  (a very witchy theme lol).  I like anything stephen king in books and scream is still my favourite scary movie!

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  26. I would recommend The Shining, a true classic.

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  27. I always found Chiller quite scary.  The thought of being cryogenically frozen and then brought back to life without their soul.
    As far as books go, Shaun Hutson - Slugs gives me the creeps.

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