Exclusive: The Dead Sky Morning Book Trailer Release and Giveaway!

With the Experiment in Terror show finding some success, amateur ghost hunters Perry Palomino and Dex Foray embark on their most terrifying investigation yet. A tiny, fog-shrouded island in the rough strait between British Columbia and Washington State has held a dark secret for decades: It was a former leper colony where over forty souls were left to rot, die and bury each other. Now a functioning campground, Perry and Dex spend an isolated weekend there to investigate potential hauntings but as the duo quickly find out, there is more to fear on D’Arcy Island than just ghosts. The island quickly pits partner against partner, spiraling the pair into madness that serves to destroy their sanity, their relationship and their very lives.

The Dead Sky Morning Trailer

The Making of the Trailer

Book trailers are popping up everywhere these days, from high-budget, cinematic versions to simple title cards and public domain music. It’s a dicey experiment, one that some authors believe translate into book sales, while others think they are a waste of time and money. After making trailers for my first two Experiment in Terror novels, Darkhouse and Red Fox, I think book trailers are somewhere in the middle. Anything you put out there helps to market and create exposure for your novel – but whether it generates actual sales, well that remains to be seen.

Regardless, for my third book, Dead Sky Morning, I wanted something a little different. The novel is set off the coast of British Columbia – where I happen to live – on an actual island you can sail to. Well, sort of. See, D’Arcy Island is as inhospitable in real life as it is in my novel, so I had to settle for a quick jaunt to a closer, safer island. But I’m getting ahead of myself here…

I treated Dead Sky Morning’s trailer like a mini horror movie and a great way for a bunch of my extremely creative friends to showcase their talents and gain experience in the process. Kelly has a degree in film and has worked on various student projects and decided to take on the dedicated task of directing. Molly works as a PA and editor down in Los Angeles, and flew up here with equipment to act as director of photography and the editor. Kelly’s husband Alex is a chef…he handled the lights. And tent set-up! The gorgeous Talar (playing Perry) is a theatre actress, looking to take on more film roles. Scott (playing Dex) is a singer and musician who had just moved to Vancouver from Montreal and thought the project would be a great way to meet people (it was). And Bret, well EIT artist Bret thought playing Ranger Bill would make him the most badass ranger in town (it did).

As for me? Well, aside from locations and script, I honestly didn’t do too much. I mean, my work was done when I wrote the book. But I can tell you I did a good job of running down the dock and scaring away seagulls whose loud cries were interrupting the shoot.

Speaking of the shoot, I enlisted the help of my father, Captain Sven, who took us out on his sailboat to a small, remote island to spend a few hours shooting the majority of the scenes. Fortunately, unlike the island in the book, this one did not have zombies and rabid raccoons running around. We’re all very gracious for his time and energy, and unlike the time we shot Darkhouse, no one lost their lunch over the side of the boat.

The second day of shooting was also quite interesting. I scouted a beautiful grove in Vancouver’s Stanley Park to act as the island’s interior scenes. Little did I realize, we were actually filming in some sort of secret sex spot where gay men go to hook up. I’m not kidding. That was the most interesting couple of hours ever, as man after man could be seen wandering amidst the trees, wondering when we were going to wrap up filming so they could get back to their “activities.”

After the shoot was done, Molly and Kelly went through the long and challenging task of editing. Then came the music, courtesy of Raissa who is currently doing a music degree in New Zealand. As you can see, the Dead Sky Morning trailer is a collaboration of many different creative individuals from many different countries, all of whom I am proud to call my friends.

 And now for the GIVEAWAY!

 

To celebrate the long-awaited release of the trailer, I’m teaming up with Bookish Babes to offer a giveaway of four signed Experiment in Terror paperbacks to any reader within North America, as well as this exclusively-designed tank top in any size (don’t worry, the graphic will make sense when you read Dead Sky Morning).  

*aside from Andrea: It makes PERFECT sense.*

Also, Darkhouse is now FREE on Kindle for January 3- 4^th till midnight! Pick up your copy on Amazon HERE (link to http://experimentinterror.com/2012/01/02/darkhouse-free-on-kindle-jan-3-4th/ )

So, you ask, how do you win all of this awesome. Easy. Fill the form below and tweet your little hearts out.  Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In My Mailbox {My 1st Vlog}

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme started by Kristi at The Story Siren as a way to share books received. The books can be purchased, won, borrowed, etc. It's a great way to spread the word about books!

Hey there! This is my 1st foray into vlogging. So, please be gentle...

Hope it wasn't too traumatic to watch!



Darkhouse (Experiment in Terror #1) by Karina Halle at GoodReads.
Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini at GoodReads.
Between Here and Forever at GoodReads.
Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent at GoodReads.

Be sure to leave a link so I can see what's in your mailboxes!

Review: Darkhouse (Experiment in Terror #1)

Darkhouse (Experiment in Terror #1)



There’s always been something a bit off about Perry Palomino. Though she’s been dealing with a quarter-life crisis and post-college syndrome like any other twenty-something, she’s still not what you would call “ordinary.” For one thing, there’s her past which she likes to pretend never happened, and then there’s the fact that she sees ghosts. Luckily for her, that all comes in handy when she stumbles across Dex Foray, an eccentric producer for an upcoming webcast on ghost hunters. Even though the show’s budget is non-existent and Dex himself is a maddening enigma, Perry is instantly drawn into a world that both threatens her life and seduces her with a sense of importance. Her uncle’s haunted lighthouse provides the perfect catalyst and backdrop for a mystery that unravels the threads of Perry’s fragile sanity and causes her to fall for a man, who, like the most dangerous of ghosts, may not be all that he seems. (From GoodReads)

My Review

Have you ever heard the expression "book hangover"?  Well, for me, a book hangover happens when you find a book that completely consumes you. It is all you can think about, and you walk around in a stupor for a few days. Guess what? That happened to me when I read Darkhouse.

Darkhouse, when you read the synopsis, seems like a typical thriller. But it is so much more. It is creepy, funny (believe it or not), very suspenseful and yes, thrilling. While much of the book is about Perry, her new partner Dex, and their haunted encounters at the lighthouse, Darkhouse is just as much about the perplexing relationship between the troubled duo.

Perry, from the get-go, is easy to love. She's doesn't have the perfect body or life. After struggling with low self-esteem and drug use throughout her teenage years, she has gotten her life in order, for the most part. She still struggles with her self-esteem and then there's the fact that she sees ghosts. Is Perry "off" mentally or is it that she's able to see what most can not?

Then there's Dex. Almost every book I read has a guy who is a complete hottie. Very tall, very muscled, defined abs, etc. That's all great, but Dex feels more like a real man to me. He's described as having a very "90's" look. He's on the thin side, not especially tall. A slight moustache, dark eyes, arched brows and a eyebrow ring. His voice is low and smooth or growling, depending on his mood. He has eyes that seem able to see inside a person. He is quick with a smirk. Perry says he "reminds me of Robert Downey, Jr. in his strung-out drug days". Believe me, it works for him. Besides the looks, there's Dex's odd personality. He's just, strange. His thought are often all over the place, confusing Perry. His words often lull her into a sense of trust and security, then he says something to totally screw the moment up. But, underneath the smirk and harsh words, there's a hint of a fragile man with a troubled past of his own.

Honestly, the driving force of the story is the relationship between Perry and Dex. The paranormal aspect of the story is gripping. Truly. But the collision of the two forces is what is electrifying. The relationship is antagonistic. Perry and Dex each seem determined to get under the other's skin. Say what will set the other on edge, or off the edge. They are cut from the same cloth. In many ways, each is a mirror of the other. I'm dying to see where the author, Karina Halle, takes their relationship in the future.

Speaking of Halle, the lady has knocked my socks off! She took Darkhouse, what could have been your typical scary book with snarky characters, and breathed life into it. This book has heart. Characters you want to see through to the very end. There are going to be a total of eight books in the Experiment in Terror series. I will most definitely read each and every one. I will be reviewing Book Two, Red Fox, later this week.

I love when a book has phrases that capture my attention. Darkhouse has many. Here are a few I want to share.

"Somehow, by dealing with the dead, I had never felt so alive." Chapter 11

" "How come you aren't afraid?'... 'Because I find life to be scarier to than death,' he replied matter-of -    
    factly." -Chapter 12

"A handsome, beguiling man whose eyes read your very soul and whose smirk held you in contempt."
 Chapter 16

You can learn more about the Experiment in Terror series, (including links to buy the books, info about author Karina Halle) at the Experiment in Terror website.


*I was given Darkhouse by the author, in exchange for an honest review.*