THE GHOST HUNTER\’S DAUGHTER by Caroline Flarity

THE GHOST HUNTER’S DAUGHTER
by Caroline Flarity

Sixteen-year-old Anna sees things from another world, the spiritual world, a skill that isn’t exactly useful in high school. It’s bad enough that her mother, possessed by a demon, took her own life when Anna was a child, a loss she remains tortured by. Now her father makes his living “clearing” haunted objects, and Anna’s job as his assistant makes her a social misfit. Most kids in her suburban New Jersey town refer to her just as “Goblin Girl.”

Only Freddy and Dor remain loyal friends. But Anna’s so focused on her own problems, she’s missed that her connection with Freddy is moving beyond the friend zone.

As junior year approaches, a rare solar storm lights up the night skies and the citizens of Bloomtown begin to act strangely: Anna’s teachers lash out, her best friends withdraw, and the school bullies go from mean to murderous. When Anna realizes she can harness this evil power, she sets out to save Bloomtown and the only family she has left.

But to do so, she must keep her own increasingly dark urges at bay.

EXCERPT
Anna continued the staring contest with herself until the current of connection became so strong that she couldn’t look away from the mirror even if she wanted to. And then the details of the yellow flecks around her pupil—the golden starbursts in the hazel of her irises—suddenly grew sharper in the glass, crystallizing. Every muscle in her body tightened. Something was going to happen.

At first Anna thought she was shaking with fear, and then she was sure that a bee had flown into her mouth. Her jaw clenched instinctually, biting down. She braced for the soft crunch and searing sting that was sure to follow, but her teeth met without resistance. There wasn’t a bee, but her teeth continued to rattle as an electric thrumming spread throughout her body. Was this another portal attack? Anna wasn’t sure, but it was a vastly different sensation from the river rage—a much faster and higher-pitched vibration. She waited with dread for the shaking to slow and deepen, for the waves of hatred and misery to roll through her. But the vibration inside her increased in tempo, intensity and pressure.

It was like being in an airplane right before the wheels lifted off the ground—all that power. She was vibrating at a body-numbing, incredibly high rate, but was somehow still at the same time, like a tuning fork. It had been a mistake to try this in her room. What if the mirror gazing had opened her up even more to the destructive power of the portal spew? There was something familiar about it, the growing roar in her ears, but she braced herself and resisted with all her strength. No.

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AN INTERVIEW WITH CAROLINE
-What inspired you to become a writer?

As a young child I lived overseas and had limited access to television, so books were my main source of entertainment. I have a vivid memory of filling a composition notebook with stories about Snow White when I was around five years old. I remember being “in the flow” and feeling so joyful and determined about writing. It’s a vivid memory that has stuck with me throughout my life, and I kind of cling to it when things get difficult as a writer. My grandfather was also a playwright, and he encouraged me to write.

-If you could visit your book’s world for a day, what one thing would you do?

I’d help Anna clean up her father’s hoard! Poor thing had to do so much of that on her own.

-It’s two in the morning. What does your protagonist reveal in confidence? (Don’t worry, we won’t tell.)

Anna would say that she sometimes thinks it’s her fault that her mother died (it’s not).

-Which of your characters would you go out for drinks with?

Definitely Geneva, she’s a brilliant scientist who’s also into the paranormal and spirituality. We have a lot in common, aside from the brilliant scientist part.

-You’re in a tavern, and a dwarf challenges you to a duel. What do you do?

First I would try to talk my way out of the duel, maybe flatter the dwarf, offer to buy them a drink, play up to their ego a bit to see if I could settle the situation without bloodshed. If that didn’t work and the dwarf was insistent on a duel, hopefully I’d make a quick exit. I might say that I’d be right back, that my duel weapon of choice was in the trunk of my car, and then peel out of the parking lot with my lights out. Fighting with dwarfs is not a good look. Plus, I’m sure I’d lose.

-Is there a genre you could never write? Which and why?

Erotica. I’m just not that interested in the subject. Although I give major kudos to erotica writers for what they do and how they entertain people. I know one and she’s a lot of fun.

ABOUT CAROLINE

Caroline Flarity is a web content producer living in NYC. Her fascination with fringe topics and love of scary movies led her to begin her writing journey penning creepy screenplays. Her debut novel THE GHOST HUNTER\’S DAUGHTER started life as a feature script, placing in the finals of the StoryPros Awards and as a semifinalist in Slamdance Film Festival\’s writing competition. She enjoys pitting her characters against both supernatural and cultural evils.

Find her online:

–Twitter
–website
–Instagram
–Facebook

GIVEAWAY

Caroline Flarity will be awarding a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.