Haunted Libraries!

Ok, this is a worthy cause. I have a story in one of these - there will be two, keep an eye out here for the next month to see when the next one drops - but I don't know which one. So! It doesn't matter, because there were a ton of fantastic stories submitted to the library for the anthologies and both volumes will be must-reads. And you get to support a small public library, which is pretty awesome all by itself, isn't it? 

Whichever volume it's in, fans of The Groundskeeper: Raking up the Dead will be delighted to know that you'll find Chloe back at the library consulting her favorite ghostly expert in The Groundskeeper: The Hoodoo That You Do. I always have too much fun writing Chloe and her adventures, which is why you'll see more of her in the near future, but first, buy the anthologies and read along as the cemetery goes to the library. 

Just to whet your appetite, here's the opening of The Hoodoo That You Do:

***

“Did you get your ghost laid to rest?” Mark greeted Chloe as soon as she entered the library archive room. Deep in the basement under the city’s public library, the vast room full of microfiche files was off limits to the general public. Chloe, to her consternation, had discovered on her first visit to the library for research, the room was not considered general, or public, but was freely open to her because of her place of employment. Or possibly some consideration for her boss. She still wasn’t clear on that.

Working as a groundskeeper and caretaker for a cemetery was supposed to be about mowing grass and trimming bushes. Perhaps some light carpentry. Stuff she was good at. Within a month of working at Belleview Cemetery, she’d discovered that taking care of ghouls, ghosts, and various other undead was all considered part of the job. Along with perks like having full access to private areas of the Public Library, it seemed. Which was useful, as this job was turning out to be more of an education than college would have been. 

Also... 

“My ghost?” She put her hands on her hips. 

The ghost standing in front of her had the grace to look slightly ashamed of himself. “Well, you were looking for him.” 

“I was looking for his grave. I found it. He tried to kill me, like he’d done with two other girls before me.” 

Mark Long, associate professor of Oriental Studies, who had been dead longer than Chloe had been alive, wavered slightly more transparent, then nearly corporeal. She almost couldn’t see through him. 

“What?” His voice came out between a squawk and a wheeze. “What... how... why...?”

She made a face. “It’s a long story.” 

“Will you tell me?” Mark waved his hand toward one of the long reading tables with their antique chairs. Padded and covered in leather, Chloe thought they were probably comfortable. At least, the two library cats seemed to enjoy curling up on their seats. 

“Why do you think I came back?” She headed for the chair Esmerelda was snoozing on. Kung, the monster black tomcat, was far less approachable. He cracked one golden eye to see who was disturbing them, then closed it again. The ragdoll, though, opened her brilliant blue eyes, then yawned, showing off all her dainty white fangs against pink mouth. She consented to being resettled in Chloe’s lap. 

“Really?” Mark sat across the table from Chloe. She still didn’t know how he did that. All the ghosts she’d met so far hadn’t been able to interact with physical objects. Although... She shivered at the thought of one who had promised to hold her hand. And what would have happened if she had taken him up on that adventure.

Read more (possibly) in the Haunted Libraries Anthology Vol. 1