Yup, it is that time of year again, at least in the world of fiction. With three series all demanding their own Halloween book, I really had to start in August. So what can you expect from the usually abstract mind of Kathi Daley over the next few weeks? Here is a preview.
Up first is Halloween in Paradise. It will publish on August 15, and since I did not do a presale with this one, it will not be available to order prior to that date. Halloween in Paradise is set during Halloween week and features Tj and her family and friends as they partake in a variety of holiday traditions such as: costume shopping, decorating the house, trick-or-treating, and so much more. In the midst of the Halloween frenzy, Tj finds herself pulled into a series of events that occur at the high school where she works. She not only must help one of her girls to deal with the increasingly popular pastime of cyber bullying, but she must also help a student who has recently suffered a personal tragedy. And if Tj wasn’t busy enough, in walks Samantha Colton, a reporter for Second Look; a television series which takes a second look at unsolved murder cases. The case that Ms. Colton is in town to investigate is the death of a popular student after the homecoming dance ten years prior. To make matters worse, or maybe more convenient, the graduating class Holly was a part of is in town for the ten year reunion of their own homecoming. In other words, all the suspects in Holly’s murder, just happen to have converged on Serenity for the weekend. When Samantha turns up dead Tj realizes that someone has a truth they don’t want uncovered.
Halloween in Paradise will also introduce a new doggy character named Pumpkin. Isn’t she cute? Pumpkin will be a regular in the series beginning with this book. Don’t worry Echo is still very much in the picture as well. Pumpkin is a puppy that Gracie finds and campaigns to keep.
After Halloween in Paradise we revisit Cait and Cody with The Legend of Tabby Hollow which publishes on September 15. There is a presale if you are interested. The hollow is a mystical place steeped in legend where only the cats who roam the island live. It is said that the hollow is haunted by the first settler to the island who lost his life and his head when the founding families arrived and built the fishing village of Harthaven. While most locals won’t dare enter the hollow least they fall victim to the headless poltergeist that haunts the area, Cait makes regular pilgrimages into the interior to check on the cats. The book opens with one of these expeditions, but this time Cait meets a messenger who leads her to something she really wishes she’d hadn’t seen. As with all of my holiday books, the murder mystery is investigated amongst holiday celebrations and updates on the characters lives. I don’t want to give too much away, but let’s just say that Maggie has a secret, Cait and Cody get up close and personal, Destiny must decide the fate of her baby, and Cait meets an Angel who has come to help a motherless child.
Meet Ichabod. The kitty guest star of the story. Isn’t he a beautiful cat? I love his bewitching eyes and thought he was perfect for the story.
And last but not least is Ghostly Graveyard. It will publish in October. I am shooting for October 1 but I just started it so I am not going to set up a presale until I get a better feel for how long it will take to write. I am really enjoying the interactive story with Phyllis, and plan to continue with it for at least a few more books, but it does make it a bit more challenging to write. I can’t provide a ton of detail about the story since I don’t plot my books and I’m still writing it, but here is what I know. Zoe has a new nemesis, a man named Duncan Wright. After very publically threatening his life, you guessed it, he turns up dead. Zoe and the gang must try to figure out who really did it before Salinger decides that maybe Zoe isn’t as innocent as he’d like to believe. There will also be the usual holiday events which occur as part of Ashton Falls Haunted Hamlet. These events include a street carnival and haunted graveyard. Alex is in a play, Scooter is busy with soccer, and Phyllis and the girls are celebrating their first Halloween together.
So there you have it. Three Halloween books from Kathi Daley Books are headed your way.
To win a kindle or paperback copy of Halloween In Paradise plus a Halloween in Paradise mug, comment below with your favorite Halloween tradition. (Sorry US only. NON US can request a kindle copy of the book by commenting below.)
Random Thoughts and Meaningless Musings 
One of our favorite Halloween traditions is watching Halloween type movies together. We started doing this when they were little and they are now all in their mid/late 20’s. It’s a lot of fun and great family time. I also read books that are Halloween themed, ghost or paranormal types stories during Oct. too. 🙂
Since my oldest son was a toddler ķhe is 21 now) we went to s church that set up s fun snd safe Halloween for kids ages 1 to 14. Hubby and I took all our kids thete. We have been going to this church for Halloween gor over 18 years or so. Tjis year we won’t be going due to the kids teached 14 and it saddens me..
What a great blog! In so glad that you write Halloween books. These sound so good!
Until I was grown & then my nieces grown, Trick or Treating was my favorite tradition. Now it’s watching all the kid Halloween movies & enjoying all the wonderful fall things. It’s my favorite time of the year, next to Christmas.
It’s almost time to start putting on a sweater & pulling out those movies! I can’t wait!
We just had our High School Reunion (55 NOT 10) last weekend. Thankfully we didn’t have to find a killer – this time!
In my younger days, going to the wonderful haunted houses sponsored by different fund raisers for good causes. With family and friends this was always a great holiday tradition.
Love going nuts decorating (well when I have time) and watching the cutie pies coming to the door and CANDY CORN!! And of course cooler weather!!!
I have been working to get Halloween in Paradise uploaded today so I wasn’t able to reply to every comment like I usually do. I plan to read every comment when I am finished working for the day and then choose a winner for the contest. Check back to this comment chain as well as my Kathi Daley Books Facebook page for the winners name. I will post it tomorrow (Saturday 8/15) in the morning. I’m really looking forward to reading all the comments. I LOVE Halloween.
Me, too!! 🎃👻
I love the Halloween tradition of handing out treats to the kids in the neighborhood who dress in costume. The little ones win my heart everytime. robeader53@yahoo.com
My daughter’s and my Halloween tradition is to decorate the front of our house with spooky decorations, watch scary movies, ready a Halloween based story (just me now that she’s a teen, listen to Halloween songs, and go to the high school Football game as she performs the Freight Night Half-time show with the High School Marching Band.
For the last ten years, my Halloween tradition has been to enter my community’s pumpkin carving contest. I have played it safe every year and made a nice pumpkin, but I have never won the contest (boo-hoo)! However, this year I am planning to carve a “puking pumpkin” and at least get a laugh out of it! 🙂
You have to post a photo of this on the group page. 🙂
Every year I wear a costume at work. Only crazy person to dress up lol. Hallmark network starts putting Christmas movies.
Love the new kitty Ichabod. He is beautiful! My favorite tradition of Halloween is cookies shaped like pumpkins with orange frosting and pumpkin muffins, yum!
I used to pour several large bags of candy into a huge plastic cauldron-shaped bowl and let the trick-or-treaters see me pulling a big handful out to put into each of their bags. I always enjoy seeing the costumes of the little ones. We’ve lived in our house for over 12 years now, so I’ve seen a few of farther-away neighborhood children growing up each year as they stop by for treats. ~smile~
I dress up for work, then my son and I, along with my nieces and nephews all go trick or treating. This will be the first year without my mom to show our costumes to, she loved seein the kids dressed up. 😞
All 3 books sound great. My husband was born on Halloween, his sister shares the same birthday, although she is younger. Being from a large family, they really never celebrated birthdays. So when we married and had children, we all would get dressed up, trick or treat together and then make the rest of the day all about him.
My favorite cat I hate was a black beauty. He was such a sweetheart. He dfied at age ,18′ and I was so upset when he died. He was such a doll at Hallowen. I told everyone he was my cat as everyone told me I was a vwitch. Worked out great.
Giving out candy!!!
Bobbing for apples!
I love holiday stories whether Halloween, Christmas, whatever. They’re always so much fun to read. The black kitty looks like my furry one.
I’m so happy to see new volumes in all 3 series. My favorite tradition is, of course, the costumes & costume parties. Count me in on the contest. Thanks.
I love Halloween. Apparently I taught my children as well.My son is 32 and every year the whole family dresses up in costumes. My daughter in law makes their costumes. The invite me along and of course I wear a costume also. It is a lot of fun.
Although I haven’t done it the last couple of years, carving pumpkins and making homemade salted pumpkin seeds to eat afterward. I love to decorate with mostly fall themed, my one daughter does not like Halloween décor so we respect that and try not to go too spooky, ghosts are okay but no spiders or webs.
I have had so much fun reading about the fun and traditions you all have. It’s really put me in the mood for the season. I had a hard time choosing a winner but I decided on Penny Marks. I remember how depressing that first empty next holiday can be. Thank God for grandkids! They give us a second chance to enjoy the magic of the holidays. Penny email me at kathidaley@kathidaley.com
Happy Release Day!!!
getting dressed up while at the office for Halloween.
Love seeing all the kids dressed up going trick or treating.
Our dad’s birthday is on Halloween, so a majority was spent with his birthday dinner and of course, cake. Because his animal hospital didn’t close until 6 p.m. Dinner was usually about 6:45, then trick or treating. When I was in grade school, while the candy was being distributed I would blurt out, “It’s our dad’s birthday!” The general response was, “It is? Where is he?” Followed by inviting him up, him then reluctantly accepting the proffered candy. He would always hiss, “Don’t tell them it’s my birthday!” Didn’t he know me? Out I would blurt “It’s our dad’s birthday! I don’t think he ever understood just how excited I was that his birthday was celebrated with Halloween! I believe I was completely convinced Halloween didn’t exist until he was born, and as a matter of fact, was made to let everyone celebrate his birthday! (The world revolved around him, as far as I was concerned!
After I was forced to retire from trick or treating, I tried decorating the outside. We lived around a half a mile up a hill, so only the local (hill) kids came, some friends and kids from church. I hung black thread from the ivy covered arch leading to our door and made a sign with a section of shredded denim with catchup on it and leading up to it, proclaiming, “Visitors welcome! The dogs are hungry!” (We’ve always had dobermans.) For some reason visitors slumped dramatically the following year. Puzzling, huh?
I really enjoy your books! Halloween is my favorite time of year. Your Halloween covers are so cute and get me in the mood for Halloween.
🎃🎃🎃
I love how these stories have holiday themes! I especially like the Christmas stories, my favorite holiday.
As a youngster I went “Trick or Treat”ing.Once I no longer did that, I would help my mother decorate the house (inside and outside). Then when I had a place of my own I would decorate my living space. I have grown out of doing that as I grew older. Now Paul and I watch Halloween type movies, He doesn’t like the movies he watches them with me (sweet). I also read Halloween theme books as well. We also bought some pumpkins for our front porch.
We have been working on a graveyard on the front lawn for years. We currently have ten tombstones, wrought iron fencing, a closed sign, and some assorted decorations. We’re already looking at our new tombstone addition for this year. This is augmented by a life size witch stirring a cauldron in the front bay window.