Award-winning author Tracy March writes romantic thrillers influenced by her interest in science and politics. She also writes lighthearted romances inspired by her real-life happily ever after.
Always up for travel and adventure, Tracy has flown in a stunt plane, snowmobiled on the Continental Divide, ziplined in the Swiss Alps, and been chased by a bull in the mountains of St. Lucia. She loves Nationals baseball, Saturday date nights, and Dairy Queen Blizzards—and rarely goes a day without Diet Coke and Cheez-Its.
Tracy lives in Yorktown, Virginia, with her superhero husband who works for NASA.
THREE MORE THINGS TO BE AFRAID OF ON HALLOWEEN
1. Chickcharnies
Imagine spending Halloween relaxing on the white sand beaches of beautiful Andros Island, Bahamas, palm trees swaying in the sea breeze, and shimmering blue-green water lapping at the shore. Add a frozen morgue-a-rita, and you’ve got the perfect day! Consider having a couple because you’ll need that buzz come nightfall when the Chickcharnies come out to wreak havoc.
Keep your gaze focused on the tangled branches in the dark thickets of palms, and you might see one watching when its red eyes catch the light of the full moon. Island lore says they descended from a big, flightless owl that was discovered in fossils, and they’re still like owls…kind of. Only Chickcharnies are three-feet tall, have three fingers and three toes and they hang from the trees by their tails. Eeek!
If you see one and show it respect, you’ll have good luck for the rest of your life. But if you’re in a teasing mood, look out. Poke fun at a Chickcharnie and it will turn your head around—an odd and painful twist on Trick-or-Treat!
2. River Muma
You might find yourself in sunny Jamaica on Halloween, man, with climbing majestic Dunn’s River Falls on your to-do list. But beware. The water spirit River Muma lives in among the frothy falls—eighteen stories high and six-hundred feet long—and she’s serious about guarding the waters. Enjoy your climb along the natural terraces that form giant stairs, and relax in small lagoons.
But be cautious of River Muma who might rise out of the falls, sit on the rocks, and comb her long, black hair with a golden comb. Don’t look at her, whatever you do. It’s said if you catch her gaze, you’ll fall under her spell and she’ll snatch you under the water. Even if she’s not there, she’s been known to leave her glimmering comb on a rock, enticing victims to come get it. When they do, she grabs them and they disappear into the falls.
3. Ol’ Hige
If you manage to avoid River Muma during the day in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, you’ve still got to worry—especially in the dark on Halloween. Don’t expect to sleep tight with the threat of Ol’ Hige lurking. She’s a witch that takes the form of an owl, flies around at night, and sucks the breath out of people while they’re sleeping. As if that’s not creepy enough, she sheds her skin like a snake. So if you find her skin near where you’ve slept, you got lucky that she didn’t get you!
What real or imagined Halloween character or creature freaks you out the most and why?
Believe it or not, the Chickcharnies, River Muma, and Ol’ Hige made their way into my most recent Bliss novel, The Marriage Match. The sexy hero is a resort tycoon who has an affection for island lore. The story has been described as The Bachelor meets The Wedding Planner with a twist. I hope you’ll check it out, escape to the islands, and hold on to your head! And just for fun, here’s a picture from a Halloween years ago when my mom dressed me and my brother like a bride and groom. Think she had any idea I’d end up writing romance novels?
Hot bachelor seeks bride…Resort tycoon Trent Hawthorne is looking for a wife. His all-business, no-nonsense grandmother (and the matriarch of the small town of Maple Creek) has selected three potential brides―all beautiful and approved. Each “fantasy date” will take place in a lush Caribbean setting, filmed like a reality show to promote the Hawthorne family’s chain of resorts. All of Trent's hopes for love combined with a clever marketing gimmick…what could possibly go wrong?As it turns out, all it takes is a kiss. A sizzling, sweet-as-sin kiss. But Cynthia Sawyer isn't one of the bachelorettes, and she's definitely not supposed to be making out with her boss's sexy grandson. Not to mention it's strictly against company policy. But Cynthia has her own reasons for hooking Trent up with a bride who isn’t her as soon as possible. And losing her heart is a price that she's willing to pay…
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- What real or imagined Halloween character or creature freaks you out the most and why?
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The first Friday the 13th, Jason scared the crap out me. On the boat at the end....ugh!
ReplyDeleteI remember, Sue! That first Friday the 13th movie (when we didn't know what to expect) freaked me out, too!
DeleteI've never been a fan of zombies in any format, so anytime I see someone in a zombie costume it always freaks me out.
ReplyDeleteI'm no zombie fan either, Jen. I didn't even like the ones in Michael Jackson's Thriller video! ;)
DeleteFreddie from Nightmare on Elm Street freaked me out Along with Michael Myers from Halloween and Jason from Friday 13th films.
ReplyDeleteYes, Karen! Those horror movie guys are super-creepy! :)
DeleteI'm a wimp, so anything really scary (or in my mind scary) freaks me out! It doesn't take much :) thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHi, Erin! I can stand the Halloweenish type of creepy, but I get really freaked out by ghosts and the paranormal. Yikes!
DeleteAnything scary freaks me out.
ReplyDeleteHi Rita! Thanks for stopping by. I hope the scary things I shared in the blog won't keep you from visiting the islands. They're so beautiful, it's worth the risk!
DeleteI'm like Erin and Rita--I can't do scary! Any type of horror movie character or theme makes freaks me out. I can't even watch the commercials! If I'm ever in Jamaica, I'll be sure to head in by nightfall. At least I'd avoid the Chickcharnies and Ol' Hige. I guess I'd take my chances with River Muma. Thanks for the chance!
ReplyDeleteLOL, Christy! I hope you get to go to Jamaica--and that nothing freaks you out there. It's a wonderful island!
DeleteI'm not a huge fan of masked figures...Jason, the Scream guy...or clowns, lol...but I do love the Stephen King movie It!
ReplyDeleteHi, Cheryl! I'm not a fan of masked figures either. Take that mask off so at least I'll know what I'm dealing with. I mean, it could be Pee Wee Herman under there! LOL! ;)
DeleteZombies. Ew. :-)
ReplyDeleteFor sure, Lindsey! Creepy! :)
DeleteClowns really freak me out sometimes
ReplyDeleteI agree, Glenda! I try to stay away from them, especially if there's a Volkswagen full of them! ;)
DeleteZombies. *shudder* I just don't understand why they're so popular.
ReplyDeleteMarcy Shuler
Hi, Marcy! Seems as if you're not alone. Several commenters aren't keen on zombies and neither am I! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
DeleteZombies freak me out sometime.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win!
Any and all scary movie characters freak me out. Jason, Freddie, Chucky...every one of them. I am not a horror movie person, at all.
ReplyDeleteZombies are pretty scary!
ReplyDeleteI think it's the headless horseman, because he has no head and he's still coming after you. :D
ReplyDeleteI would say all of the scary characters since I get easily scared and freaked out. Thanks for the contest!
ReplyDeleteI'm a wuss, so a lot freak me out! But I really do not like clowns!
ReplyDeleteClowns and zombies are not my idea of cool. I always look away when I see them on TV
ReplyDeleteFreddy Krueger!! Those movies seriously scared the crap out of me!
ReplyDelete