Bernita Harris – Guest Blog & Giveaway

Hi All,

Today I have Paranormal Romance author Bernita Harris here guest blogging to celebrate the upcoming release of her debut e-book, Dark & Disorderly! Be sure to read through to the end for the giveaway deets. I’ll pass the reigns over…

Sidhes and Such

 

When one has written a paranormal suspense novel which includes a bean sidhe in the cast of characters, what better place to introduce her than a site by the name of Sidhe Vicious Reviews?

I’m really happy to be here today and thank you so much for inviting me!

 

Popular culture has trained us to think of the bean sidhe (banshee) in her aspect of The Weeper, the fae creature who attaches herself to various ancient families of Irish descent and keens a shrieking lament at their deaths.

 

However, I learned from research that Bean Sidhes–like most paranormal entities–have multiple roles in myth and legend. She is also the Washer Woman, the Woman-of-the Fords, who launders the clothing of those who are about to die. It seemed appropriate then in Dark and Disorderly, that–instead of beating at blood-stained clothing in the cold water at the edge of some shallow river ford–my modern banshee frequent the local laundromat.

 

At their first encounter there, Lillie describes her thus:

A small woman in a forest green tracksuit and a stone-gray windbreaker sleeve-tied around her shoulders like a cloak stood filling the washer next to mine. Ornate, carved combs swept back her hair, brick-red, from a delicate, ageless face. Her ears, contrary to popular description, were not pointed. She had no aura as such, she was pure shimmer.

 She smiled and looked me up and down, green eyes crinkling, and turned back to her mixed wash. Sheets and men’s clothes, mostly, brightly stained, in a wicker basket by her feet. Cold water wash for blood…

I took my hand away from the useless bag of salt hidden in the kangeroo pocket of my sweatshirt. Rowan and red alder alone would serve for such as she.

  

The banshee proceeds to make enigmatic comments about Lillie’s parentage, warns her of the corpse pale on her doorstep– and advises her not to subject her good bras to the excessive heat of the commercial dryer.

 

Of course, the banshee is not the only paranormal creature to appear in Dark and Disorderly. Also out of legend comes a Mauthe Doog, a Black Dog named Dumbarton, who, when he is not off chasing spectral squirrels and ghostly groundhogs, presents himself as Lillie’s watchdog.

 

And, of course, there are the ghosts…

 

Writing is an isolating occupation, so writers crave and yearn for readers’ reactions, comments and questions. Please comment! Please ask! And you can always reach me at bernita dot harris at gmail dot com.I would love to hear from you!

 

Bernita Harris
The Adventures of Lillie St. Claire
DARK AND DISORDERLY -  Carina Press, June 28
An Innocent A-Blog

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Thanks Bernita!

Giveaway Details:

Bernita Harris has been gracious enough to supply a e-book copy of Dark & Disorderly to giveaway to one of my readers! Contest is open to Everyone.

Ask Bernita a question about the book, about writing, about the paranormal elements she discusses in her guest post! 

For one entry: Please leave a comment with the answer to the question.  (+1 entry)

 For extra entries:  

• Subscribe to my blog, Sidhe Vicious Reviews, through the links at the top right hand side of the blog, and let me know in your comment. Be sure you verify your subscription through the email you’ll receive or it won’t count. (+1 entry)
• If you’re already subscribed, you’ll receive two extra entries, but be sure to let me know in the comments if you’re an old follower. (+2 entries)
• Post a link to this contest on your Twitter, FaceBook, MySpace, GoodReads, LibraryThing, or on your blog and send me the link either in the comments or by email and you’ll get an extra entry for each place you add a link to. ( add 1 entry each for  however many links you’ve done)
• Follow me on Twitter, Add me as a friend on FaceBook, GoodReads, MySpace, Chapters Community or LibraryThing. (add 1 entry each for however many places you followed/friended me)
•  
• Contest is open to Everyone  and will run through July 3rd until 11:59pm. The winners will be posted here on July 4th. Please leave your email addy in your comment for me to contact you if you’ve won. If I haven’t heard back from the winner in 7 days, a new winner will be drawn from the eligible comments. Winners will be chosen by a random number generator. Good Luck everyone!

(I should also mention that if you’re leaving me a bunch of links in your comment, do not panic if it doesn’t show up right away. It just automatically gets held for me to moderate, which I will as soon as I’m online. )