Coming November 10 – Christmas With Family 
Neither Symone nor Blake expected to have a four-year-old girl for Christmas, but when her father is critically injured and her mother has to go to him, what else can they do? And getting to know each other might not be a bad thing…
Christmas with Family will be a giveaway at The Romance Studio on November 10. Be sure to sign up!
Other Christmas stories from Donna Steele –
Thought I’d rerun this one for Halloween – please add your stories!
Well? It’s almost Halloween so it’s a legitimate question. Have you ever had an encounter? Since I wrote a ghost story, I guess I have to confess that I do believe in them. And yes, I’ve had a couple of encounters. 
Being so close to Halloween I’m going to share. The first one I was only twelve. My grandmother that lived with us had passed away recently. I was in bed and heard something in the formal living room. I mean, I really heard something enough that I got up and woke Daddy to tell him. My hearing was very good, so he got up and checked. Nothing, no one in the house besides the family, so I went back to bed.
But the sound woke me up again and when I opened my eyes. My grandmother was standing at the foot of the bed. I panicked big time and again made off for Daddy. Fortunately I had the world’s best Daddy and when I told him what was going on, he nodded. “That’s probably who was in the living room. Donna, she checked on you every night after you went to bed. What’s the problem?” Put it all in perspective and I went back to bed. Did I tell you he was cool?
The next time I was in college and had rented an apartment with three other girls for the summer to work in the same town as the university. I had to get up and leave earlier than my roommate and had gotten dressed in the bathroom as usual to try to keep quiet. When I reached for the doorknob, I drew my hand back scared to death. I knew there was something evil on the other side of that door (and I’m NOT talking the roommate). I was frozen, but a few minutes later the feeling went away and I was able to get out. That day at work, (I was a temp at an engineering company) I was sitting at a spare desk that was up against and faced the wall. No view at all, but I was typing so it didn’t matter. Without anyone coming near me (and remember no one could go around the front of the desk) the electric typewriter power cord wrapped itself around my leg – three loops. I hadn’t moved. I didn’t know anyone well enough there to say anything, so I sat silent until that evil feeling went away again, then I unwrapped my leg. I guess I didn’t react like it wanted and I’ve never felt it again. I’m not sorry.
So I wrote Wraith’s Heart– a ghost story from the perspective of the ghost. I can see Daddy’s influence here as well. Here’s a little excerpt – 
Ryan let himself into the apartment. Gail hurried behind him. He’d brought her case home again, even though he’d had to work on some other stuff during the afternoon.
It seemed to her as though he wanted to be alone with the case. Away from all the distractions and everyone at work, like she belonged to him. She had to be projecting but it felt good.
Gail realized watching the video from the hotel had unnerved her. It was her, no mistake but it was all gone from her mind. Why had she straightened up? What had she seen? Obviously not something close enough for Mr. Sanders to pay attention. No car? Someone else walking around? Someone else who stayed out of the lights from the hotel?
Ryan dropped his bag inside the door and headed for the kitchen. As he passed the remote, he flipped on the TV but didn’t turn to watch anything.
He heated up the rest of last night’s dinner and carried it over to the couch. He turned the TV off a few minutes later and shook his head in disgust.
“What?” She hadn’t been paying attention and knew he couldn’t hear her, but the question came without thought.
“Not a word, not a friggin’ word about the murder of a beautiful young woman. The city council took the whole broadcast and they’re all idiots!” Ryan ran a hand through his hair. “Fuck.”
Startled she sat on one of the stools at the bar as he unbuttoned his shirt and headed for the bedroom. He was angry. Angry because she wasn’t the top news? He cared about her, well the case anyway. She couldn’t move.
Okay, what was he doing in there? She had to know.
He did pushups again and damn! His body was beautiful. Was he working off anger? His hair grew damp from sweat and the ferocity of his workout seemed a lot more intense.
She didn’t know what to think. She took a seat at the foot of the bed, Indian-style and watched.
Her eyes widened as he stripped off the t-shirt and shucked the boxers. Holy Bob . . . He stepped into the shower not waiting for it to heat up. He wasted no time washing and quickly dried off. He slipped into the bed and set his alarm for five a.m.
Five? Shit, that was early. Okay, it didn’t really affect her anymore but it still sounded early. He didn’t even bother to pick up his book tonight, merely turned off the light and rolled over. She could see him well enough with the little light coming through the window. He seemed restless and she worried about him ever getting to sleep. He turned over once more, flinging his arm across the other pillow and she rose from her seat at the far end of the bed.
He couldn’t feel her, at least not as a cold spot but he had held her last night. She crawled in beside him and lay her head in the crook of his arm. He seemed to sigh and turn toward her, slipping finally into a more peaceful sleep.
Gail made a conscious decision not to analyze that and made herself comfortable against him. No hardship to be pressed against his body. She might not be a real comfort to him, but he certainly was to her.
****
Added 10/23/15 – some famous female ghosts – Spooky Girls…
Yep, it’s been a year since The Progression was released and now it’s part of the boxed set for the series. 
Book Two is Megan’s book. She’s not a doctor who can create a vaccine to stop a worldwide pandemic or a scientist who understands what’s happening with the planet as it warms and weather patterns change. She’s a secretary, an office manager who runs things for the powers that be.
Doesn’t sound glamorous, but damn is it necessary. Someone has to organize and plan for the survivors Megan helped to escape from the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta. Someone has to inventory their supplies and keep the peace in a tight environment (ever worked in a suite with a bunch of other people?) And someone has to ensure that what is needed is there for the people who have become her family. And maybe there will be some time to explore what could be her future with Jim.
Making it easy – leave a comment for a chance at a copy of The Infection – The Melting Book One. Get started on the series today!
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, AllRomance
I got to attend the conference this year in Atlanta and had a wonderful time despite Joaquin, the hurricane and the torrential rains in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. During the conference we were inside and dry with Cody Johnvin – Clean Reads cover model and all round great guy for putting up with us! 
The Georgia Romance Writers really know how to put on a conference. Nancy Lee Badger and I drove down and roomed together to meet and visit with Laurel Blount, Kay Butler, Darila Pichanick, Mia McKimmy, and Kim Turner to mention a few.
Got to hear Jana Oliver and Chris Marie Green at lunch presentations. 
Attended classes led by Bryonna Nobles, Tyra Burton, Annie Ooortman and Maria Connor on editing, marketing, and even the importance of Greek myths in our current literature. Hearts of Carolina’s own Laura Simcox and Michele Summers led a super class on storyboarding, which had me thinking in new directions! Got to meet and visit with Carrie Nichols, winner of the Maggie for her Contemporary Category Romance – The Sheriff’s Little Matchmaker.
My friend Elena Dillon couldn’t make it this year, but many congratulations to her for finaling in the Young Adult Maggies for Shimmer! Also congratulations to HCRW’s Virginia Kantra for willing the Maggie for Carolina Man!
Carrie Nichols!
Lunch!
Laura Simcox Candice Havens Laurel Blount, Nancy Lee Badger & Me
