Today starts the Evernight Teen Summer Kick Off Blog Tour, which in itself is pretty cool, but even cooler is that you can win copies of Evernight Teen titles (including SHRAPNEL!) and … *drumroll* … a Kindle Paperwhite!

Here’s an excerpt of SHRAPNEL to whet your summer appetite (and possibly thank your lucky stars you’re not spending months in the Alabama humidity!).

Below, two of our main characters have snuck out of Oakleigh House–a historic haunted mansion that played a part in the Civil War–to do some off-the-grid ghost hunting. Dylanie is a psychic medium and Jake is empathic. She’s been drawn to the giant oak tree outside her bedroom balcony since the night she saw a hawt ghost standing under it.

*   *   *

I close my eyes and concentrate. I tune out this world to focus on the other one. It shimmers just under my eyelids, my brain tingling with input that doesn’t come from my five senses, but the sixth one. After a few deep breaths, they come closer. There are five, six … so many of them. When I open my eyes, they’re still there. Men, everywhere. Some are in uniforms, but most wear old-fashioned pants and shirts with suspenders and squashed hats. They all rush in one direction—southwest.

“Jake, can you see them?”

“Um, no?”

“Can you feel them?”

Jake’s gaze turns into a thousand-yard stare. I watch carefully for any flicker of emotion, but his face is curiously blank. “Touch the tree,” he says.

“Why? I asked if you could feel anything.”

“Too scared?” He smirks. It doesn’t look good on him.

“Whatever.” I set my jaw and approach the tree. Ghost men still pass by, not noticing me at all. Jake stands a few feet away with his arms crossed. Something isn’t right. I can’t put my finger on it, but my gut says something’s off. More than usual, that is. I take another step toward the tree. I’m not scared, not exactly. Another step through the darkness and I’m standing at its base, just outside the ring of giant finger-like roots that reach up through the ground. I put out my right hand, lean forward, and with one last look back at Jake, I touch the rough bark.

All the air leaves my lungs in a giant whoosh. I can see, hear, smell and taste everything. The gray ghost men have gone Technicolor, their clothes taking on shades of white, gray and brown. I can tell who is blond and who’s a redhead, who has oiled their black gun and who hasn’t polished their silver sword lately. The air reeks of smoke and more than a small amount of nasty body odor.

None of these things are what make my knees weak, though. That honor goes to the strangled animalistic voice in the distance that carries above the rest. It bleeds desperation and fear. It cracks and breaks and begs. For a moment, I’m back on that cold marble bathroom floor, blond hair in my face. With each passing moment, the man’s voice grows louder—at least I think it’s a man. His fear penetrates my skull, becomes my fear. Pain shoots through my fingers where I’ve dug my nails into the bark. I can’t imagine what they’re doing to this poor guy to produce such an inhuman sound.

*   *   *

Yes, Dylan, what are they doing to him? 😉

Here’s the list of other participating authors and blogs.

What’s up for grabs?

• One lucky hopper will win a KINDLE PAPERWHITE eREADER sponsored by Evernight Teen.
• Every book blogger/reviewer site is giving away one free eBook from Evernight Teen (winner’s choice of any eBook from Evernight Teen’s website).
• Plus, each author offers their own unique prize! So visit each blog hop stop for a host of fabulous prizes to win.

I’m giving away a signed paperback copy of SHRAPNEL, plus you can name a character in my next book!

How to enter my giveaway? Answer this:

Q. What direction do the ghost soldiers seem to be traveling in?

Be sure to leave your answer and your email address in the comments below to be eligible to win a prize.

Continue hopping to the next stop!