Friday, October 21, 2016

Teenager-Land: October Kids and Where to Find Them! (WARNING: SPOILERS ABOUND!)

I'll confess something rich: One of the biggest reasons I started the October Series is because most - if not all - of the entire teenage experience sets in motion events that shape young adulthood.



October Syndrome was a brief glimpse into the lives of 4 confused, anxiety-ridden, and complex teenagers. I love the dynamic between best friends/brothers Catch and Todd. They are two of the strangest boys you'll ever meet, but they are also polar opposites.



But even in the throes of October Syndrome, you see some cracks forming in their seemingly solid relationship. Catch is the Herculean jock while Todd looks like a nerdy Harry Potter wannabe. And, just like in real life, Todd struggles with feelings of insecurities while standing in Catch's shadow. Those feelings are heightened when (spoiler alert) Catch develops feelings for Todd's #1 girl crush, Sully.

It's a defining moment for Catch as much as it is for Todd. And the crack in their brotherhood foundation is even deeper when October Weeping begins.

While Book 1 focused on Catch and Sully's budding romance (while stuck in a haunted house), Book 2 is all about Todd and Sully's best friend, Naomi, as they spend a night investigating an alleged monster haunting a shopping mall. I love the friendship between Todd and Naomi. And in OW, they definitely need each other.

Naomi is 17 now. She's struggling with her sexuality. Her single mother is getting married. Of all the constants in her life, her mother's been the biggest. And learning to accept this new dynamic - as well as struggling with the end of her relationship (big spoiler alert!) are just a couple reasons why Naomi winds up spending Halloween night with Todd.



Todd acts out of character by 'borrowing' Catch's car and venturing out on an adventure. It's the first time he's acted out against Catch...and his mother...and there are weighty repercussions in his actions that actually set a new pace for the series.

Maybe that's what's so original about the series. I don't think of anyone as the "main" hero or heroine. Each individual has their own story to tell - and it started in Book 1 with October Syndrome and builds up to more tension and conflict in October Weeping.



A final note: I appreciate all the wonderful readers who took time out to read the series opener, and who hopefully stay along for the next chapters. The feedback on Goodreads is phenomenal, so again, BIG THANK YOU!

And if you have any questions or feedback, feel free to email the intern: author.megan.sharpe@gmail.com


Release date is set for Halloween for October Weeping


Saturday, October 8, 2016

COVER REVEAL: OCTOBER WEEPING!

The hush-hush is over! The cover for October Weeping is ready to go!



What do you think? Are you ready for the creepy follow-up to October Syndrome?

Volume 2 goes live on HALLOWEEN!!! Here's another sneak preview:


Sweet freedom! Naomi was in the car and out of the parking lot when she spotted the old abandoned mall across the busy street. It looked like a graveyard to the past. A thin layer of fog made the giant compound look even eerier. She had spotted it earlier—when they had first arrived at Madame LeGrand’s—but she hadn’t quite soaked in the scene.

            She remembered shopping there with Lucy when she was in Kindergarten. She remembered the courtyard that sat open in the middle of the complex. There was a garden of flowers—red, white, and blue. A small marbled pathway led to outdoor seating. She remembered how fragrant those flowers were. She loved those flowers. They were happiest flowers from a perfect memory with Lucy.

Not like those ridiculous wedding flowers that just smelled like something she didn’t even understand.

            Maybe it was nostalgia that made her pull into the empty parking lot. Or just the need to hold on to a moment that would never happen again. Before her life—or more correctly, her mother’s life—changed forever.

            She smirked when she caught sight of an old Buick parked near the front entrance—with a GHOST HUNTING FOREVER bumper sticker plastered on the back windshield. “Thornwackers.” She whispered with a smile. And without hesitation, she parked beside the Buick.    

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#ghosthunters #thornwackers #octoberseries #halloween #kindle #octoberweeping