Wednesday, October 30, 2013

EXCERPT: Haunted U by Jessica Gibson




Ezzie Lovegreen lives in a world where witches and ghosts are real. That doesn’t mean she’s not surprised when she’s suddenly being haunted by one at school. With the help of her best friend Stella, her boyfriend Beau, and her grandmother Winifred, Ezzie must find out what happened to the ghost and set her free. Secrets will be revealed that could change Ezzie’s life forever. Will Ezzie be strong enough to face the challenges set in her path?  

EXCERPT: Winifred kept them busy for most of Saturday, doing various spells and making potions. Ezzie barely had a chance to think about Charlie and how to help her until Sunday afternoon. She stopped by the library on her way home from her grandmother’s to look for sorority registers.
She had just found the books when she looked up to find Beau standing in front of her, his brown eyes warm and his smile inviting. Ezzie felt herself blush, a strange feeling for her since she had known him all her life.
“What are you doing in the library on a Sunday afternoon?” His southern drawl was as smooth as honey.
“I could ask you the same question.” She laughed and kicked a chair out for him to sit.
“I was getting some studying in, but that went out the window when I saw you sitting there.”
There was the blush again. This time it crept up from her neck. Ezzie smiled and dropped her eyes to her lap, feeling awkward around him.
“You never answered my question. What are you doing?”
“Some research for a project I’m working on with Stella.” She didn’t want to tell him about Charlie.
“Want to go get some coffee?” His eyes were hopeful.
Ezzie smiled brightly. There was nothing else she would rather do than get coffee with Beau.
“Sure, let’s go.” She gathered her books and put them in her bag and followed Beau out into the sun.
Beau grabbed her hand as they walked. They talked about their classes and his football practice. By the time they reached the coffee shop, Ezzie could feel herself relaxing. Beau had a way of disarming her, making her feel comfortable. She watched him while he waited in line for their drinks. Where he had once been gangly and skinny, he was now all muscles and chiseled features. He wore his dark hair short and messy, because one time Ezzie had mentioned she liked it. She was beginning to realize that maybe he felt the same way about her. That thought left a warm feeling pooling in her stomach.
“Ezra...” A voice whispered off to her left.
Ezzie looked over to see the flickering form of Charlie floating next to her.
“Charlie, were you in Delta Zeta?” Ezzie asked quickly, praying her hunch was right.
“Delta Zeta?” Charlie wore a confused expression. Her appearance flashed to a long skirt and a pink sweater with a small pin on the collar. Before Ezzie could see what the pin said, Charlie flashed back to what she had been wearing before.
“Ezzie, who’s your friend?” Beau asked as he set their drinks on the table.
Beau had magic in his family tree, but he never talked about it much. It was a bit surprising to Ezzie that he could see Charlie.
“This is Charlie. She is actually the project I was working on in the library,” Ezzie explained.
Charlie smiled sadly at them and flickered away to nothing.
“Was it something I said?” Beau asked with a smile.
“So you can see her then?”
“Looks that way.” Beau smirked and sat down across from her. “So tell me, what’s her story?”
Ezzie took a drink of her latte and filled him in on the situation.
“So, you think she was murdered?” He inclined his head toward her.
“I do. I mean, why else would she still be here?”
“What do you plan to do once you find out what sorority she belongs to?”
Ezzie shrugged. “I hadn’t gotten that far yet. Do you have any suggestions?”
Beau looked at Ezzie, his chocolaty gaze melting into her. “Whatever you do, please be careful. I don’t like the idea of you going after potential murderers on your own. That being said, you could call up the alumni society of whatever she belonged to and see if anyone knew her.”
Ezzie opened her mouth to speak, but her phone rang in her purse. The ring tone told her it was her mom.
“Hey, Mama. I’m going to be home soon. I’m having coffee with Beau. I ran into him at the library.” She paused as her mother responded. “Let me ask, hang on.”
She turned to Beau. “Do you want to come for dinner? Mama says we’re having a roast.”
Beau smiled and nodded enthusiastically.
“He says yes. We’ll be home soon then. Bye, Mama.” She hung up. “Well, we better go, best not to keep her waiting too long.”
Beau laughed. “I’ve known Addelyn Lovegreen long enough not to keep her waiting.”

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About Jessica Gibson Jessica Gibson is a recovering bookaholic, she’s down from four books a week to a more reasonable one. It was that love of words and creativity that made her dream about writing her first book. That dream was hidden for years, always put on the back burner, filed away in the “someday” section, until her husband Matt gave her the kick in the pants she needed to actually get off her butt and write. Jessica and Matt live in Southern California and have a serious addiction to reality tv shows like Pawn Stars and American Restoration. They have one son and hope to add to the family in the near future. Follow the Book Tour Enter to win one of two paperback and swag packs from Hayson Publishing.

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