GIVEAWAY WINNER!

Sorry folks for the delay with this - I decided to keep it running for a bit longer to get more entries. But alas, the contest has finally closed and thanks to random.org, the random gods have picked a winner of the Shabby Apple GC....

...and the winner is....

Skye!



I'll
be emailing you to let you know the details! Congratulations!!!!!!!

In other good news, my book sales have been astronomical for February so far. I thought January was a great month, but the first 10 days of Feb have seen my Experiment in Terror Series shooting through the roof. It means to much to keep making Amazon's Best Sellers List and to be winning over 6871 people in the last 10 days!




(ended up peaking at #42)

If you haven't read the novels yet...well, you should! See what the fuss is about...at 99 cents (for Kindle), you can't go wrong! Get the first novel in the series, Darkhouse, here: http://www.amazon.com/Darkhouse-Experiment-in-Terror-ebook/dp/B0050Q6HQK/ref=zg_bs_157064011_6

GIVEAWAY! Win this GORGEOUS dress from Shabby Apple

Wow folks, have I got a treat for you today.

I know it's still a bit nippy out there, but Spring is just around the corner and with that in mind, how CUTE and Audrey Hepburn-esque would you look in THIS "Spanish Steps" dress from the wonderful Shabby Apple?



Some things are just better together: peanut butter and chocolate, Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, Rome and Vespas. We decided to pair two things we love—the soft, cotton jersey of our favorite t-shirt, and the gorgeous sateen of the dresses of yesteryear—to create the Spanish Steps, an indispensably comfortable-yet-elegant summer frock. A luxe jersey cap sleeve top is gathered at the waist with a wide satin sash, and a veritable bouquet of appliquéd, ruched flowers and leaves adorns the full sateen skirt that swirls just below your knee. A truly inspired combination,the Spanish Steps has star potential. This dress is made from a leightweight, delicate fabric and FITS GENEROUSLY on our fit guide.

Dress made from Pont de Roma knit with a matte satin skirt made of a poly rayon spandex blend. Priced at $86. Runs large, check fit guide.

To win this women's dress from SHABBY APPLE, all you have to do is...

LIKE Shabby Apple on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shabby-Apple/5629179279

Then come back here and leave me a comment telling me you did so!

You can also get an extra entry by TWEETING about this giveaway or retweeting (follow me on Twitter at @Metalblonde) - again, just come back and tell me you did so in the comments with a link to your tweet :)

Like what you see? Take a look at other vintage style dresses at Shabby Apple and apply your coupon code! Just enter "anywherebuthere10off" at checkout and you'll get 10% - with so many great deals in store right now, it makes a difference (offer runs for 30 days from now).

The coupon and the contest is open to anyone from anywhere Shabby Apple ships! While the coupon runs for 30 days, this GIVEAWAY is only running until January 17th, so get on it!

WIN a gorgeous, designer dress

I'm partnering up with Shabby Apple - that company that makes gorgeous, well-crafted dressed for REAL women - and offering a dress giveaway as well as a coupon code for future purchases for all my Anywhere But Here Readers.

The details for the giveaway are coming soon.

In the meantime, you can pick up my novella The Benson, for free.

That's right, I've published a short/story novella that fits in with my Experiment in Terror Series. It's a free, fun, quick and scary read and the perfect primer for all of my Anywhere But Here readers that have heard me yammering on about my novels, but haven't taken the plunge to buy them yet.

Well now you don't have to! Pick up The Benson here: http://experimentinterror.com/2011/12/07/the-benson-free-eit-e-book-now-available/

And get a nice little introduction to my writing, my characters, and the Experiment in Terror Series!

FREE BOOKS IN TIME FOR XMAS

And who doesn't like free?

OK, well I suppose the title is a bit of a misnomer because really you have the chance to win a free book. But it's not just any book, it's an advanced copy of my newest Experiment in Terror novel LYING SEASON which won't be out until December 13th.

All you have to do to win is Retweet this link on Twitter or share it on Facebook: http://experimentinterror.com/2011/11/28/cyber-monday-all-week-long-0-99-kindle-eit/

You see, all three of my novels are on sale on KINDLE for just $0.99, but it only lasts until Friday Dec 2nd at midnight. And that's also for how long the contest runs.

So lend an indie author a hand - help spread the word about my Kindle sale and you'll be automatically entered to win a copy of Lying Season! (e-copies only).

A bit about my newest novel LYING SEASON (EIT #4):
"Ama­teur ghost-hunter Perry Palomino has bat­tled ghosts, fought off skin­walk­ers and skirted the fine line between life and death. But can she sur­vive bunk­ing down in Seat­tle for a week with her partner (and man she secretly loves) Dex and his perfect girl­friend, Jennifer? And can she do so while being tor­mented by a mali­cious spirit from Dex’s increas­ingly shady past? With love and life in the bal­ance, Perry must dis­cover the truth among the lies or risk los­ing every­thing she's ever cared about."

And here's my informal review of it: "'tis the season of the lie. Perry gets more than she bargains for when she travels up to Seattle to spend the week living with Dex and his uber hot and sickly sweet girlfriend, Jennifer. In their tiny Belltown apartment. Not that she's a sucker for punishment (well, maybe just a little), but there's a haunted insane asylum to investigate, as well as the company (Shownet) Christmas party AND a douchey rival ghost-hunting team that seems hell-bent on ruining the Experiment in Terror show. As the week goes on and it's apparent that everyone around her (including herself) is lying, Perry gets further tangled in a dangerous web that puts her love for Dex (and their lives) at risk.

Lying Season is a very urban, contained novel and a major turning point for the Experiment in Terror Series. It is heartbreaking and terrifying, poignant and passionate. It will scare you. It will move you. It is, in my opinion, the best book in the series.

So far ;)"


And here is the gorgeous cover:



Thanks for your help everyone. Tomorrow I may blog about my stylish new boots (and what a bargain they were!)

OH and if anyone wants to help themselves to an Experiment in Terror button for their blog, go right ahead :)

Reluctant Fashionista at VFW

Remember when this used to be a fashion blog?

I'm not really sure what happened. I think losing my old job and plunging into struggling novelist world meant I had less reasons to dress up - and less money. After all, there's really no incentive to dress up when you're working from home all day long. And with no money, it's hard to turn off that BUY switch. It was just easier to forget about the whole thing.

I really don't buy clothes very often, still, and it helps that I have a ton of them to draw from. My only problem now is that I've gone up a dress size (and yes, working on getting my weight back down) so my options are a bit slimmer. And though I want to stay away from shopping sprees (cuz I know I have it in me), I know there's still a reluctant fashionista somewhere inside.

Last night I was invited to the VIP only, Vancouver Fashion Week Gala. It was pretty cool, lots of people around that I didn't think existed in Vancouver...swanky douchebags, men in suits with greased hair, models, trendy people. One big socialite mix.













The fashion part was pretty cool, lots of nice dresses and eye candy everywhere. It's really not my scene though and I was glad that I lost all touch with the fashion circle (not that I was ever really part of it). But the best part was just the fact I was able to dress up for once. And not just "oh I'm going on a date, put on a dress and look pretty" kind of dress up, but "I WANNA LOOK COOL" dress up.

So I threw on a hat, my See by Chloe red suede boots, matching red lips (MAC's Ruby Woo), a slightly oversized H&M dress I got for $10, my Modcloth jacket and an ASOS skirt. Random necklaces, Botkier bag and a hat completed the look.



I think it worked. And it was fun if it didn't. Now, to find an excuse to do it all again!



Think I'll start by wearing my red boots out to dinner tonight :)

30 Days of Blogging: Day 19. AWESOME

Well... I didn't make it 30 days this September. But I did make it 19. And considering how crazy, chaotic and insanely busy this month was, I'm amazed I even tried to keep it up.

Now here's the perfect post to end September. For practice and a lot of fun, my bestie Kelly and I decided to do an in-person, on-camera interview with Dex and Perry.

Yup. The actors who are playing the characters in the BOOK TRAILER for DEAD SKY MORNING (shooting next week) decided to join in on the fun.

This was shot on an Android phone btw (the actual trailer is being shot by a DOP on a professional film camera) so excuse the quality. But man, I am so impressed. These guys are so dead-on, both of them. I'm blessed to have found them. They really ARE Dex and Perry...it's scary.

And yes, I do make a rather ridiculous cameo in this video.

Enjoy!!



For more info on Dead Sky Morning - the third book in the Experiment in Terror Series - which comes out October 13th, please click here: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12322385-dead-sky-morning

30 Days of Blogging: Day 18

Life is funny. One minute you are up. Next one you are down. My life is about to embark on a rollercoaster for the next while. Lots of change. But it's a good change and I think only good things will come of it.

Today was a high. I interviewed this guy:


photo by moi

Probably the biggest interview I have ever done. But he was a talkative, insightful and nice man. Easy to converse with, got great quotes from him about everything Soundgarden. Pretty fucking awesome.

30 Days of Blogging: Day 17

Here. So you can all be as miserable as I am.

30 Days of Blogging: Day 16

DRIVE. There's lots of driving.

Haven't been to a movie in a looooong time, but Drive was one of those movies that I've been interested in seeing and managed to catch the matinee. I'd heard one friend of mine saying it was terrible and dragged on way too long, but Rotten Tomatoes gave it like a 90% rating so I knew it could go either way. Like books, I take reviews with a grain of salt and prefer to make my own decision.

Now, I do agree the movie did go on a little long (in fact, it felt longer than it actually was), and it was not really like they advertised, which was that it was a non-stop action moving with lots of driving. Instead it was kind of like a character study. It had a slow, dreamy quality filled with an 80's-ish, swoony soundtrack and lots of shots of a very silent Ryan Gosling staring at people or out windows or out of a car. But Gosling was amazing to watch, the subtle acting he does with his eyes, the way his character goes from a quiet, mysterious, observing stunt driver by day to full-on, tormented barrel of rage as he face-stomps mobsters and tries to do the right thing for the woman and child he loves.

I guess I'm a bit late to the Gosling love. I've never seen The Notebook (don't like romantic movies) and though I thought he was a good actor before, his looks had never sold me. But in Drive, he's such a fine specimen of a man and an understated, underrated actor to boot. He's beautiful.

Bryan Cranston does a fine turn in the film as Gosling's friend and hapless, desperate mechanic shop owner, while Albert Brooks is strangely menacing as a mob-type person. Maybe it had something to do with his lack of eyebrows. Think about it...you shave anyone's eyebrows and they become someone you don't want to mess with.

I'd give Drive a 7 out of 10. It's suspenseful but subtle...until it takes an extremely violent turn (face-stomping was just part of it...there were scenes where I was closing my eyes and laughing at the absolute shocking brutality). Despite the lulls throughout, it kept my attention and the open-ending was at least a little bit more hopeful than the way I thought it was going to turn out.

30 Days of Blogging: Day 15

So when I said I was doing 30 days of blogging, you all realized that I didn't mean CONSECUTIVELY right?

It's been a crazy week and a bit. My head has been all over the place. I haven't done any work, it feels like I'm back in college and partying and eating shit every day. BUT things change tomorrow. It's hard with four people in such a tiny space but my guests have jobs to get and things to apply for, and I have writing to do, marketing to do, and a book trailer to plan.

Yep. Come tomorrow, it's time to buckle down. I'll be back at the gym, eating well and taking time out of the day for ME. I need to write and get my head on straight. It's been all over the place for various different reasons. It's been a rollercoaster, up and down, but I think some good, albeit life-changing things, are coming in the future. It's scary but I'm ready for it.

OK back to our Community marathon. STREETS AHEAD!

30 Days of Blogging: Day 14

Lookeee. Though I am known for my anti-Twilight statements, for some reason I was roped into being an extra in the Breaking Dawn film. Yup. I'm in the movie. I'm part of the Denali clan on the Cullen side of the Family. I'm sure those interested have seen the trailer already, and so, here I am:



Ahhhh. It reminds me of when I actually saw my first Twilight film. This is what happened. Me + friends + Booze + matinee.


Yeah I was Team Patton. Best Team Ever. Only way to survive it. God works in mysterious ways...

30 Days of Blogging: Day 13

Last week was a fantastic week for my Experiment in Terror Series. Book reviewers and bloggers heaped a bunch of glowing reviews for Dead Sky Morning, Red Fox and Darkhouse and I couldn't be more thrilled and grateful. Check 'em out:


Reviews for DEAD SKY MORNING

"Loved this novel! Dex and Perry have me hooked, and couldn't get enough." "Halle comes back with yet another awesome novel. I absolutely loved reading the relationship between Dex and Perry." From Living Life Through Books

"with Dex and Perry, you just want to spend every moment following them around and watching them interact. They could be sitting in a library reading Hemingway for the entire book and it would still be enthralling. They could talk about hangnails for 45 pages and I would say “tell me all about it!” There is just something about the two of them that makes ever scene super-charged and intense."

"Let’s just say that Halle really knows how to dish out the appetizers, but seems to take a sadistic pleasure in withholding the main course." "Halle does an excellent job of doling out just enough information about Dex and Perry in each book to keep you dying for the next book. I stayed up until 2:30 in the morning to finish Dead Sky Morning." "Karina Halle’s writing simply rocks, and the Experiment in Terror series has shot its way to the very top of my “absolutely must read the minute it comes out” list." From Pretty Opinionated

Reviews for RED FOX

"This book totally went above and beyond my expectations, and completely surpassed Darkhouse on all levels" "Karina Halle really has a talent for sketching believable, interesting characters with as many flaws as qualities and a good mixture of both" " Halle is truly ruling the horror genre this season with her Experiment in Terror series" From I <3 Reading

"There was still never a dull moment even after I’d figure something about the story out! Karina’s writing in this one is just as easy and free flowing as the first." "She (Perry) is such an incredibly relatable character to todays society and I think that’s why she’s grown on me since the first book even."
From Me, MyShelf and I

Reviews for DARKHOUSE

"This book is really entertaining read, and I'm just dying to know more. It's eerie, creepy, totally mysterious, and, in a way, kind of funny :)" "The characters are complex, and not anywhere near picture-perfect"From The Magic Attic

"I love that this story has me guessing and trying to figure out what is going to come next. If you like ghost stories or if you haven't read many ghost stories before, I would recommend this. This is a great debut novel and is perfect for anyone that likes a good ghost scare!" From Pawing Through Books

"I'm not going to give anything away but this book creeped me out so bad. It was so good though. I was rooting for Perry the whole time. She's a great leading lady and I loved all of the supporting characters as well, especially Dex and Ada. I give this book all of the stars in the world. I'm looking forward to reading more with Perry and finding out what happens to her next!" From Awesome Sauce Book Club

"I couldn't stop reading this book. I needed to know what happened next. I was absolutely terrified during the scary parts and I noticed my heart actually began pacing while I read." "I'm not sure what his (Dex's) issue was but I loved and hated him. He was annoying and lovable.I couldn't help but want Perry to hug and kiss him, and punch him in the face." "Karina Halle is a great writer. I enjoyed the characters she infused in the story and will definitely read every book in this series!"From Beckoned By Books

I also did an interview here at I <3 Reading.

And Andrea at The Bookish Babes did a lovely Vlog shoutout for the EIT Series :)

http://booklog.eternalised.net/2011/09/book-review-red-fox-experiment-in-terror-2-by-karina-halle/

Speaking of Dead Sky Morning, it comes out in EXACTLY ONE MONTH :D

30 Days of Blogging: Day 12

This never gets old. Love this movie, such a delightful surprise. And if you haven't watched the special feature short on the DVD, please do. Hammerhead Yak all the way.

30 Days of Blogging: Day 11

I feel like I'm half-assing these blog posts but that's to be expected. After all, I'm having a crazy month full of peeps and fun and blogging is the last thing on my mind. I'm probably drunk 24/7 which makes it hard to buckle down and concentrate, enjoying the awesome weather and just hanging with my best friends who I haven't seen for so long.

Tonight's post is about kava. I drink kava a lot. I write on it. I discovered it when I lived in New Zealand in 2003 because my neighbours were Fijian. It's a lovely, slow high. It's like pot, but without paranoia, and gives you a clear head. It helps you sleep. Gives you vivid dreams. It just tastes like dirt.

However, I had never drunk it in the traditional sense. So Alex and Kelly broke out the kava they bought in Fiji. We had a dinner party while they stirred together a huge pot of the drink. Then we all took turns drinking the kava. Men first, a clap and a "bula" followed by drinking the kava out of a coconut shell. Everyone claps three times. And then you drink. Women are next.

There were seven of us taking part, passing the cup around. Brought a little bit of the south pacific to our steamy, hot Vancouver apartment.

30 Days of Blogging: Day 10

Click to enlarge


Ta - da! Presenting my first piece of Experiment in Terror art work, by the lovely artist Bret Taylor. I am absolutely thrilled with this and can't wait to put it on notebooks, mousepads, totebags, etc. Expect more wonderful and exciting artistic representations of the series in the future!

30 Days of Blogging: Day 9

This is a guest post by Kelly St-Laurent....

Kia ora everyone, it's Kelly, I have just arrived in Vancouver from Auckland, New Zealand via Fiji. For those who don't know me, aka everyone, I'm a friend of Karina's who goes back to her New Zealand days. She's actually the reason I first moved to Canada in 2004. I got fed up with New Zealand, she suggested Canada and it's all been sunshine since then...

Today I thought I'd blog a little about how to survive long distance travel. My husband and I left Auckland on Sunday September 4th at 12:50pm and got to Fiji three hours later. It was an easy flight and we were heading to a booze filled four days in paradise so we were just eager to get there. I have to give a big shout out to the staff at First Landing Resort in Lautoka, Fiji. If ever you go to Fiji, and I suggest you do, go stay there, it's reasonably priced, the staff are amazing and a beach front bure offers everything you dream Fiji to be.

Leaving paradise however is never easy...

On September 8th we left the resort for Nadi Airport. We arrive there to find the whole place filled with sirens and firemen walking around. We then spent an hour and a half waiting in line in a tropical airport that hasn't heard of air conditioning. At 10pm we flew from Fiji to LAX on Air Pacific. I foolishly thought that flying late at night would mean we could easily fall asleep, wake up 8 hours later refreshed and be ready for the next part of our journey. Unfortunately I was wrong. Instead we had a screaming baby close by, an entertainment system that seemed to be on island time and hardly worked, and I had the joy of an over excited child sitting in the seat in front of me. During the 10 hour flight I got about 1 hour of broken sleep. And just when I reached a good sleeping point they turned all the cabin lights on and started serving a wonderfully tasteless breakfast.

Arriving in LAX, jetlagged and exhausted I comforted myself in knowing we could just go through to the transition lounge where I could sleep. We got through LAX customs quickly (yay) and waited forever for our luggage (crap). Then I had to go declare my kava from Fiji (look it up, it's amazing!) Then we get to the luggage area for transition flights and they look at my bags and shake their head. For a quick recap, Air Pacific told us we could have 23 kgs of checked luggage in any amount of bags. Auckland Airport told us we could only have one bag each. I had one, my husband two (in all fairness one of his bags was my shoes)In Fiji we got the two bags wrapped together, problem averted right? Wrong. We get to LAX and they say each bag needs a label. So we had to leave the luxury of the transition lounge and walk 20mins to the Air Alaska counter to check in our luggage separately. Then after all of that we have to go through security. I can finally say I know what those violating TSA machines feel like. Finally after 2 hours we reach the transition lounge and I'm no longer tired enough to sleep.

At 6:30pm, almost 24 hours after we first left Fiji, we got on an Alaskan Airways flight that took us to Vancouver. We arrived at 9:30pm and I had to proceed to the immigration counter to get my Canadian Residency. There I waited half an hour while people tried to dodge the system and bring in birds nests from China.

Let's just say it wasn't the easiest of traveling. However, I'm not one to dwell on the negative. I got four days in beautiful Fiji and now I'm a resident of beautiful Canada. I also (finally!) get to live in the same city as my beautiful best friend Karina.

Thanks for letting me vent. And for those off to see the rest of the world, happy travels and good luck!

30 Days of Blogging: Day 8

So my bestie and her hubby are here from New Zealand. Here to stay, here to live. Forever. Gonna be some wild times ahead Vancouver. A new era :)

30 Days of Blogging: Day 7

Hey, more pictures I took of The Kills and that sexy she-devil, Alison Mosshart. Cuz it's 11PM and I needed to blog something (plus these didn't make my actual review, so hey, why not share them?!)

30 Days of Blogging: Day 6

Wow. I've almost been blogging for a week straight now. That's crazy. Not that any of my posts have been of high caliber (except my seagull one, even though NO ONE has volunteered for the job yet).

Last night I saw The Kills. Amazing. So much sex. Allison Mosshart is my one and only rock queen. Panther. Wicked Witch. Hound in Heat. Etc. And Mini Mansions. Wow. So glad I finally got the chance to see them. So much energy and complexity. My review will be up tomorrow!

30 Days of Blogging: Day 5

A short one since I'll be home after midnight - covering the Mini Mansions and The Kills show.

I just saw The Kills recently and absolutely adore them, especially Allison Mosshart, who is the only chick rock singer that I think really hits the mark. She's like a panther.

But I've never seen Mini Mansions. I adore them though. I got the opportunity to interview them in LA last November and they were really sweet and funny. Their album is wicked too, can't recommend it enough.

Here's the link to the interview

And the album review.

And I'll leave you with some music (one of my fav songs, Majik Marker)



Also I'm doing something else tonight and if it works out, I'll tell you about it ;)