Mae Clair is one of my favorite people. She’s a partner over at Story Empire and one hell of an author. She’s here today to tell us about Eventide, which wraps up her Hode’s Hill Series.
I would appreciate it, and I know Mae would, if you would use those sharing buttons at the end of her guest post.
Hi, Craig. Thanks for hosting me today with my new supernatural suspense/mystery release. Eventide is the last book in my Hode’s Hill mystery series. As in the first two novels, Cusp of Night and End of Day, I’ve chosen to use dual timelines with dual mysteries that converge at the end.
It’s challenging writing a book with more than one timeline. In essence, the author has to plot two separate stories, balancing two separate sets of characters, then find a way for everything to gel at the conclusion. This is even harder when you’re a panster.
In the past, I never had a problem pantsing my novels, but Eventide was an exception. It’s common for me to panic whenever I reach the third quarter point and realize I have to tie up numerous plot threads—without a plan. Somehow it always works out smoothly, despite anxiety flareups. Eventide, however, challenged me on a level I hadn’t encountered before. My panic turned into PANIC! Made even worse because I was up against a publisher’s deadline. I swore up and down I’d become a plotter after surviving Eventide, and for the most part, my groundwork is much stronger than before. I’m still pantsing, but at least now I have a safety net for backup.
Something that did help with Eventide was working with established characters. The leads in the present day portion of the story will be familiar to anyone who read End of Day. Jillian Cley and Dante DeLuca are back, joined by Jillian’s sister Madison, who made an appearance in End of Day. This is really Madison’s story as she starts life over, after spending three years in a care facility without speaking. She’s strong and determined, her husband’s murder behind her. But the house she purchases is isolated and rumored to be haunted. And when she discovers an old cistern in the basement, it’s just the start of unraveling a mystery that spans centuries.
In this short excerpt, Madison’s boyfriend, Roth, has been working to remove the lid from the cistern:
“Hey, come here. I think I’ve got it.”
Drying her hands on a tea towel, she picked her way down the steps. Roth had hooked a cage light to an overhead beam for more illumination and had a variety of tools strewn around the cistern. He’d managed to remove all eight bolts. Looking at the long ends scattered by the lid, Madison was surprised by how deeply they’d been threaded into the floor.
“Did you hear anything while you were working?” she asked.
“Nothing.” Roth sat back on his haunches. He’d drudged up a sweat again, the knees of his jeans grimy with dirt, black muck freckling his hands. The least she could do was offer him a place to shower when he was through.
“Ready?” He indicated the lid with a grin.
In many ways, it felt like opening a treasure chest. A long time ago someone had taken extra effort to secure the lid in place. Maybe it was nothing more than she thought. An old cistern, decades or centuries out of use. And yet—
She nodded.
With effort, Roth shoved the heavy cover aside, back and shoulder muscles bunching with the exertion.
“What the—” His face contorted. Gagging, he recoiled.
A noxious cloud of sulfur and decay engulfed Madison.
“Oh, that’s awful!” She pressed the tea towel to her nose and mouth. “It smells like something died.”
“Not even close. It smells a hell of a lot worse.” Roth snatched a flashlight from the floor. With one hand cupped over his nose, he angled the beam into the hole. “I can’t tell if anything’s down there. It looks about ten feet deep, maybe more.”
“Is there water?” Despite the stench, Madison inched closer.
“Not that I can see. If there is, it’s a long way down.”
A blast of cold air hit them in the face, strong enough to make Madison backpedal. The bare bulbs dangling from the rafters flickered then died. Roth’s flashlight sputtered, failing altogether.
Chilled, Madison hugged her arms to her chest. “What was that?”
I hope you’re curious enough to find out. Eventide is now available from all online book sellers, so if the story sounds like something that interests you, please consider ordering. You’ll make this author very happy. Thank you in advance for your consideration! J
BLURB:
The darkness is coming . . .
The old house near Hode’s Hill, Pennsylvania is a place for Madison Hewitt to start over—to put the trauma of her husband’s murder, and her subsequent breakdown, behind her. She isn’t bothered by a burial plot on the property, or the mysterious, sealed cistern in the basement. Not at first. Even the presence of cold spots and strange odors could be fabrications of her still troubled mind. But how to explain her slashed tires, or the ominous messages that grow ever more threatening?
Convinced the answer lies in the past, Madison delves into the history of the home’s original owners, only to discover the origin of a powerful evil. An entity that may be connected to a series of gruesome attacks that have left police baffled. No matter where she turns—past or present—terror lingers just a step away, spurred on by a twisted obsession that can only be satisfied through death…
Order Eventide HERE
Connect with Mae Clair at BOOKBUB and the following haunts:
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I can’t wait to read this, Mae. I think I told you before how much I love the title and the word Eventide.
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Flossie, I’m excited you’re looking forward to the story. And Eventide is one of those archaic words I love, too.I wish it were still being used today!
I hope you enjoy the conclusion of Hode’s Hill!
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Bloody hell, that was a brilliant excerpt!
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Whoa! You just made my day with that comment. Thank you!!!
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I loved this book, and the whole series. Best of luck with everything, Mae 🙂
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Thank you, Harmony, and many thanks for all your support of my series. I so appreciate it!
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Reblogged this on Frederick Anderson and commented:
Reblogged from Coldhandboyack: I’ve long been a fan of Mae Clair’s work, and this book is the one of the series I’m waiting to read. The post says it all!
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Thanks for the reblog.
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Oh, yay! Thank you for that, Frederick! I rally appreciate the reblog! 🙂
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Wonderful excerpt Mae and judging by the reviews the panic turned into a success… thanks for hosting Craig.
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Thanks for dropping in.
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Aww, such a sweet thought, Sally. Thank you! 🙂
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Reblogged this on Legends of Windemere and commented:
Check it out!
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Thank you.
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You’re welcome
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Thank you kindly for the reblog, Charles. I really appreciate it!
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I enjoyed all three books and thought Eventide was awesome and a satisfying conclusion to the series. Mae is so talented!
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I agree. Thanks for stopping over.
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Aww, that is so nice of you to say, Priscilla. And I’m thoroughly jazzed and breaking into a spontaneous Snoopy Dance knowing you enjoyed the book and the series. Thank you so much!
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I loved this series. As you already know, Eventide was my favorite (and it was hard to choose one)! Can’t wait to see what you have next, Mae. Thanks for hosting today, Craig.
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I so appreciate your support, Joan. Thank you! I’ve had several readers mention this is their favorite book of the series, so I guess my panic was for nothing, LOL.
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Craig, thanks for rolling out the red carpet at Entertaining Stories. I’m delighted to be here with Eventide and my creepy little excerpt 🙂
You are always an exceptional host!
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Always happy to help. I may have gotten a sneak peek, but I need to pick up my own copy.
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YAY! Thank you!
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Just started reading this one last night, and now I’m thinking I might be too scared to read more! 😀 Okay, I’m pretty sure I can take it, but boy, what an excerpt! You’ve outdone yourself, Mae! Great post, you two! Sharing! 🙂
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You can do it. I have faith in you.
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Good to know, Craig! 😀
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Oooh, so excited you’re reading it, Marcia! And I’m glad you liked my excerpt, even if it creeped you out a bit, LOL. I can’t wait to hear what you think….creepiness and all 🙂
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Creepy is good. I like creepy. (Not to be confused with liking creeps, you understand. 😀 ) I’ve already gotten past that part (reading during breakfast) and know I’m going to enjoy this one! ❤
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Reblogged this on The Write Stuff and commented:
If you thought the excerpt Mae Clair shared from Eventide on Monday was something, check out her guest post today on Craig Boyack’s Entertaining Stories. Holy Moly! (Be sure to pass it along, once you finish gasping!) 😀
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Thanks for the reblog and for that awesome intro. I’m Snoopy dancing, my friend!
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I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it, you know, PenderPals or not. 😀 I’m loving this one so far, and it’s my great pleasure to tell the Immediate World. 🙂 ❤
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YIPPEEEEE! 🙂
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You know I love a good haunted house story. Creepy excerpt!
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I think you’ll enjoy this one, Teri. Madison definitely got more than she bargained for when she bought this house 🙂
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I just finished reading this, and it was WONDERFUL. They should have kept that cistern bolted! Ugh and shivers. You did a great job on the creepy factor in this one.
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I love those small testimonials in the comments sections. Thank you for that.
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You and Mae are great writers, different styles, but great stories. I’m a fan.
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Thank you for placing me on the same ground as Mae.
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You guys are both awesome. What lovely comments. I’m honored and humbled!
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Thank you, Judi! I am so thrilled to learn you enjoyed it. It’s always a fine line between creepy and horror and I wanted to keep it to creepy.
Thanks for sharing here!
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For me, the best horror is creepy, not slasher or gore. But yours stayed at creepy. (And yes, there was a little gore, but it wasn’t for a sensational effect).
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I’m with you about horror. I like creepy, not slasher type. I want to shiver and feel goosebumps, but don’t want my stomach to turn inside out. When I do gore, I try to keep it mostly “off screen” (if that makes sense) but let the impact be felt. I’m glad to heat mine stayed “at creepy.” 🙂
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I’m looking forward to this one. It’s in my kindle waiting to be cracked open. 🙂
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You’re in for a good time with it.
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Yay! So wonderful to hear, Diana. Thank you!
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I have this on the TBR list. I enjoyed the first two books in the series. I know this will be just as suspenseful and enjoyable.
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I’m so glad you’re looking forward to it, Michele! Thank you so much!
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It is nice to see you here, Mae. Thanks to Craig for hosting.
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Thanks, John.
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Thanks for dropping in, John!
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😊
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What an interesting interview, Mae. I can’t imagine getting to the 3/4 point and having to figure out how all the plot points ended. Yikes! That’s panic for me!
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I’m currently building a similar train wreck right now. It gives me faith that there are people like Mae who’ve already walked this path.
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I’ve walked it frequently, Craig. And I know you’ll pull yours off, too. Somehow the pieces always fit together in the end.
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That’s what book three is for, right???
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Book 3 is what I was thinking, too 😉
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And, yep, that’s my normal mode of working. Or has been up until this point. Now, I’m trying to do better moving ahead–I want to have at least SOME plotting done in advance!
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I am looking forward to this third book in the series, Craig. A fabulous interview.
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Thank you.
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Thanks, Robbie. And I’m so glad you’re looking forward to the book!
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A fabulous sample, Mae. I have to find time to read the whole series soon. Good luck!
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Oh, thank you! If you do get a chance to read the books, I hope you enjoy them!
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I’m reading this now and have to say it’s some of your best work to date, Mae. The setting of the old house is a strong presence that foreshadows a lot of the action. And holy cow, there’s some scary sh*t going down!
Loving this book!
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Oh, that makes me smile, Jacquie. I am so glad you’re finding it spooky, creepy and atmospheric. I do have a special fondness for this one.
Thanks for letting me know how much you’re enjoying it!
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How in the WORLD did I forget to buy this? I always buy your books, Mae! I guess life got in the way. But I just remedied the problem. 🙂 I love that excerpt!
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I love it when my guest posts get sales out of the deal. Thank you.
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Me, too. Thanks for give me the spotlight today, Craig!
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Yay! Thank you, my friend! I hope you enjoy this one. Even though I panicked pulling all those threads together at the end, I really had a blast writing Eventide. Thanks for all of your support, and happy reading!
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Awesome! Sharing…
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Thank you for that.
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Thank you, Bette. Much appreciated!
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Ooh! Eventide is out! I’m looking forward to catching up with this one. I loved the first two Hode’s Hills I’m keen to see how Mae wraps all this up – panic induced wrapping paper or not 😉
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Very cool. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.
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So glad you’re looking forward to it, Jess. I have to admit, I have a soft spot for this one–cistern and all, LOL!
I hope you enjoy it!
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Haha, I’m sure I will 🤗
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Reblogged this on Author Don Massenzio and commented:
Check out this guest post from Mae Clair via the Entertaining Stories blog featuring Mae’s book, Eventide, from the Hode’s Hill Series
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Thank you, Don.
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You’re welcome.
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Reblogged this on Archer's Aim and commented:
Eventide by Mae Clair in Entertaining Stories. Looking forward to reading this soon!
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Thank you.
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You’re welcome.
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Another compelling excerpt from Eventide! Dangit! Why can’t there be more hours in a day? I can’t wait to open this one! Thanks for hosting today, Craig!
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Thanks, Jan. Wouldn’t more time be a great gift?
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Loved this book! And a great excerpt! Good luck with the release, Mae!
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Thanks.
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