Haunted Halloween 2011: Guest Post Syrie James + A Giveaway!

BOOK FEATURE & EXCERPT

An Exclusive excerpt & summary from FORBIDDEN, the spectacular supernatural YA debut from the talented mother-son writing team Syrie James and Ryan M James!

Cover not final, subject to change.

Title: Forbidden
Author: Syrie James and Ryan M James
Publisher: HarperTeen, 412 pages (January 24, 2012)

FORBIDDEN Summary:

She should not exist.
He should not love her.


Desperate to stay put in L.A. long enough to finish high school at the elite Emerson Academy, Claire Brennan hides the psychic visions she’s been getting from her paranoid, over-protective mother, even the ones warning her she’s in danger. 


Alec MacKenzie chose Emerson Academy as the ideal hiding place where he could escape his duties as an angelic watcher, and be normal for once. But he didn’t count on falling in love with Claire, a half-angel whose very existence is forbidden. 


Their relationship is also forbidden, going against everything Alec has been taught to believe. But when the threat to Claire’s life becomes clear, how far will Alec go to protect her?

EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT FROM FORBIDDEN 
by Syrie James and Ryan M James

       “Have you ever had an empanada?” Claire asked Alec, as they finished retrieving their books and headed toward the library stairwell.
       “Are we always going to play the ‘Has Alec Eaten This?’ game?” he asked quietly.
       Claire worried that she’d offended him, until she saw a good-natured smile tug at his lips. “I’m just curious. I mean, after the pizza thing—I’ve never met anyone before who hadn’t—”
       “Let’s put it this way,” Alec interjected. “If it’s fried, fattening, caffeinated, alcoholic, or high in sugar content, it’s safe to assume that I rarely eat it—or have never tried it.”
       Claire stared at him. “Why?”
       “Are your parents fitness freaks, or do they just hate you?” Erica said.
       Alec stiffened visibly. “They just followed a healthy lifestyle, which I continue to embrace. But they . . . died when I was young.”
       Erica went red in the face. A silence fell.
       “Way to go, Erica,” Brian said, clapping. “That was awkward.”
       “I’m sorry.” Claire felt terrible.
       “Me too.” Erica looked at her feet.
       “Thanks, but . . . don’t worry about it. It’s okay.”
       All at once, Claire understood Alec’s earlier comment about her mom. No wonder he’s often so quiet and moody, she thought, her heart going out to him. It was bad enough to grow up without a father. But to have no parents at all? That was too awful to contemplate. She’d assumed Alec had moved here with his parents because of a job transfer or something. Who does he live with? she wondered. A grandparent? An aunt or uncle? She wasn’t sure this was the right moment to ask.
       They neared the bottom of the stairs, where the construction crew was still working atop a three-tiered scaffolding tower. Claire spied Neil standing just beyond it by the drop-off circle. He waved at them and shouted something Claire couldn’t hear over the annoying beeping noise of a truck backing up.
       The four of them passed underneath the scaffolding, heading toward the circle. They were halfway through the makeshift corridor when Claire heard the sudden, loud roar of an engine. To her horror, the truck was speeding backward toward them. Before she could think or move, the vehicle collided with the base of the scaffolding with a devastating crash.
       The screech of tearing metal ripped through the air as the entire structure overhead began to collapse.
       A huge wooden platform barreled down directly at them.
       Claire screamed and ducked, a single thought popping into her mind: I’m going to die.
       Frozen in terror, Claire fixed her gaze on the heavy wooden platform hurtling toward their heads, which was a split second away from crushing them all.
       But it never did.
       Somehow, impossibly, the platform seemed to hover for a fraction of a second in midair. Alec stood tall above her, one arm extended, fingers splayed, as if magically holding up the platform by sheer willpower. She heard screams and shouts from above as suddenly the whole board tilted to one side. In her peripheral vision she caught sight of three men landing safely on the pavement nearby.
       Before Claire could blink, Alec’s arms were wrapped around her and their friends and then they were airborne. They landed heavily and painfully on the concrete, out of harm’s way, as the entire scaffolding tower smashed to the ground beside them in an explosion of dust, screeching metal, and splintering wood.
       The thundering clatter echoed in Claire’s ears as they all lay in a heap. Dust stung her eyes, but as she blinked it away her gaze briefly locked with Alec’s. Then, just as suddenly as he’d tackled them, Alec was up on his feet and gone.

Forbidden available January 24, 2012 from HarperTeen

Preorder Forbidden here:

Amazon (Paperback) | Amazon (Kindle) | Barnes and Noble

NOCTURNE includes an exclusive sneak preview

at the back of the book of the

first two chapters of FORBIDDEN

Title: Nocturne

Author: Syrie James
Publisher: Vanguard Press NOCTURNE

Summary: When Nicole Whitcomb's car runs off a Colorado mountain road during a blinding snowstorm, she is saved from death by a handsome, fascinating, and enigmatic stranger. 


Snowbound with him for days in his beautiful home high in the Rockies, she finds herself powerfully attracted to him. But there are things about him that mystify her, filling her with apprehension. Who is Michael Tyler? Why does he live in such a secluded spot and guard his private life so carefully? What secret—or secrets—is he hiding?
 


Nicole has secrets of her own and a past she is running from—but Michael understands her better than anyone she has ever known. Soon, she is falling as deeply in love with him as he is with her— a profoundly meaningful experience that is destined to change their lives forever.


As the sexual tension between them builds, however, the clues mount up. When Nicole learns her host's terrifying secret, there is nowhere for her to run but into the blizzard raging outside, and Michael may be the only one who can save her life.


"Haunting characters ... A page-turner."
—Fresh Fiction

"5 OUT OF 5 STARS! I loved it!" 
—Good Choice Reading

"Near-death experiences, a charming and enigmatic stranger, concealed dark secrets, forbidden love – Syrie James' latest novel is an exquisite feast of passion, turmoil, adventure, and intrigue. 5 stars!” —Austenesque Reviews

“If you've never read a Syrie James novel you're missing out. Whether you begin with her odes to Austen, Bronte, Dracula, or Nicole and Michael – you will most assuredly read every word she's written and become a true fan for all time." —Feathered Quill Book Reviews

"Lyrical, lush, and intensely romantic, this infinitely touching, bittersweet story will weave its way into readers' hearts, with its complex characters and compelling emotions sure to linger long after the last page has been turned." —Library Journal

Nocturne available now from Vanguard Press!

Order Nocturne online here:

Amazon (Paperback) | Amazon (Hardback) | Amazon (Kindle) | Barnes & Noble

Find Syrie and Ryan Online:

Syrie James:
Website | Facebook | Twitter

Ryan M James:
Website |   Facebook  Twitter   

Read an excerpt from Nocturne >>>HERE<<<

Read reviews of Nocturne >>>HERE<<<

ALSO BY SYRIE JAMES: 

Dracula, My Love Click >>>HERE<<< for more info.

The haunting, page-turning tale of Mina Harker’s secret, passionate affair with the most famous and powerful vampire of them all.

"I loved it! A gripping story, infused with passion, excitement,
and emotional turmoil. This vampire can bite my neck any time!" 
—American Book Center

Enter to win a SIGNED copy of Nocturne!

With a signed bookplate & bookmark!

Rules and how to enter:

You MUST be at least 13 years old to enter.
Please fill out the form provided below
This giveaway is open to US residents only.
Giveaway ends: October 18th, 2011

Don't forget to stop by and check out who Jessica is featuring today for Haunted Halloween!

REMINDER: *If you are interested in the COMMENT CONTEST, remember to include your email address with your comment for an extra entry.

Please ready full entry rules >>>HERE<<<

A HUGE thank you goes out to both Syrie and Ryan for the guest post and

the donation for this giveaway. LOVED the excerpt and I'm excited to

 be able to post and share it with everyone.

*I am not compensated at all for any of the links within this page.