Today I am so pleased to welcome K.C. Burn to Joyfully Jay. K.C. has come to talk to us about her latest release, West on Grainger. She has also brought along a great giveaway. Please join me in giving her a big welcome!

Exclusive Excerpt

As much as Kyle had been enjoying Wendell’s company, he also couldn’t wait to get out into the humid heat of the evening. He’d gotten very cold in the library, cold enough to raise goosebumps. He wasn’t sure if it was a malfunction of the air conditioner, or if it was simply the willies knowing someone had been in the library moments before they got there, and had been angry enough to create such damage. 

All of his registered attendees were present on the porch, waiting patiently. Kyle smiled at them, and began his spiel, but was very thankful that he could do his ghost tour in his sleep because he couldn’t focus one bit. 

Tourists were a funny bunch. Often times, things they would never do at home they felt more than free to do while on vacation. Like vacation had no consequences or something. 

Nevertheless, there was something malicious about the havoc that had been created that bothered Kyle. A maliciousness that didn’t feel like a tourist with imagined free rein. He’d been at odds with Eddie for such a long time, but they’d never done actual damage to either’s place of business. Not even anything as inconsequential as breaking a dollar store vase. And Kyle had a feeling the broken sculpture in the library cost rather more than a dollar. 

He wasn’t about to forgive Eddie for the things he’d done. Not yet. But he suddenly understood that their so-called feud had a much different feel to it. Mostly harmless. 

If he and Wendell hadn’t been close by, would the unknown intruder have done more damage? Could Wendell have woken up to a completely trashed library, or had that shelf been a one-off expression of frustration and rage?

Kyle shivered again. 

“Did you see the ghost?” 

The unexpected question from one of the younger members of the tour pulled him out of his thoughts. 

“No, I didn’t. But I did feel a chill, which as you know is definitely the sign of a haunting.” He smirked and lunged forward. “What was that?” 

He was well rewarded with many shrieks, including a few from the guys, followed by a round of nervous laughter. 

Kyle smiled gently at his charges. “Oh, my mistake. I guess it was nothing.”

Just like that, he was back to normal. He didn’t know why the library spooked him so much, but there was really nothing to worry about. 

Later that night, Kyle settled into bed, hair still damp from his shower. His knee ached just a touch from all the walking on two back-to-back tours, which thankfully only occasionally happened during the offseason. The first couple of years, he’d had to wear a brace on his knee in order to do that amount of walking, and sometimes still did during Haunt Fest. His knee had improved, but it was never going to be fully normal again. As much as he enjoyed the tours, he didn’t think he’d have the ability to continue doing them at this pace. Especially as the tourism rate picked up. 

But that was a problem for another time. He picked up his phone and texted Wendell. It might be too soon to text after a date, but since no one had explicitly called the evening a date—even assuming Wendell was into him—it might be okay to open lines of electronic communication. 

Kyle: Everything okay after I left?

He rolled his eyes. Like he had some magic forcefield that had protected Wendell while they were together.

If only he’d thought of a cool opening salvo before firing off that limp fizzle of a text. 

He threw his phone down the bed beside him. He could be such a loser.

After he turned off the light, he laid back with a huff and crossed his arms, staring at nothing, wondering if he’d be able to fall asleep. As cars drove past his apartment building, streaks of light and shadows of palm fronds chased each other across the ceiling. 

The vibration of an incoming text made him smile, although he cautioned himself against getting his hopes up. It might just be another picture from Drew of the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre or something. A dick pic from one of his dating apps. Or worse, a spam notification. 

He forced himself to move slowly, and not snatch at his phone like a hungry, hungry hippo. 

Wendell: All good. No one has owned up to it, but I guess that’s no surprise.

Kyle flopped back on the bed, smiling at his phone’s display. He was such a dork. Wendell’s reply had been utterly neutral, but Kyle couldn’t stop grinning. Friend or fling, he was going to see where this went. Even if it meant more time in the Lady’s creepy library. 

Blurb

Is Sandy Bottom Bay truly full of ghosts?

Wendell Weston is in a slump. Paranormal stories are his life. His income. His sole focus for as long as he can remember, not that he actually believes any of it is real. His obsession has complicated his love life, but for the most part, he hasn’t minded. But now his muse has gone quiet. In search of inspiration, he flies across the country to the purportedly haunted bed and breakfast, just before Haunt Fest. Soured on romance by the cynicism and superficiality of the Hollywood actors he works with, he’s not expecting a chance encounter with an attractive man to go anywhere.

But Kyle Grainger isn’t just a pretty face. He also hosts local ghost walks. The closest thing to an expert Wendell has encountered, and with any luck, Kyle will lead him to a spectral encounter. Before long, Wendell realizes he wants to follow Kyle anywhere, ghost or not. As a true skeptic, Wendell doesn’t believe he’ll see a ghost for real, but he’s going to have fun trying. Especially with Kyle. One of the many local legends will surely trigger his muse, but in the meantime, getting to know a sweet, mesmerizing man would make the trip worthwhile.

Wouldn’t it be amazing to encounter a ghost?

That’s what Kyle thinks every time he hosts another ghost walk in Sandy Bottom Bay. Not once in hundreds of tours has he seen one, but he remains hopeful. Kyle hasn’t had a lot of amazing in his life. After an injury in college, he had to pivot on his life’s dream. He’s content, more or less, professionally. His romantic dry spell, on the other hand, could turn the Everglades into the Sahara. Wendell is an unexpected pleasure, one Kyle hopes is more than a Haunt Fest hookup.

What if the ghost isn’t harmless?

After one of the other guests at the local bed and breakfast dies suddenly, Wendell and Kyle experience a number of odd occurrences that suggest Kyle might be more sensitive to spirits than either of them imagined. If Wendell can’t shake his skepticism about the paranormal, Kyle’s sanity and even his life could be the price they pay.

Warnings: self harm (appears off page), references to murder

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/m0WODA

Bio

KC Burn is a Canadian transplanted to Florida who writes happy-ever-afters about men loving men, whether they’re psychics, space travelers, aliens, professors, construction workers, cops, amateur sleuths… you name it, she’ll probably write it. She’s got a pair of black cats, aka muses/nuisances, and a supportive, understanding hubby.

• Author Website: https://kcburn.com
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• Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/K.C.-Burn/author/B0051QXRCQ

Giveaway

KC is giving away a $20 Amazon gift card with this tour:

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