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 PEARL Finalist: Best Novella/Short Story Published in 2000 Paranormal Excellence Award in Romantic Literature |
| IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: May 2003 ~ I now have my own domains! This Tripod site will remain but it will no longer be updated. For the latest updates, go to http://www.lanettecurington.com and http://www.laniaames.com. Thank you! |
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PEARL Finalist: Best Novella/Short Story Published in 2000 Paranormal Excellence Award in Romantic Literature |
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Guest cover model: My very own black cat, Blackness!
October 2000 -- Blackness is 9 years old and this is his first modeling assignment. Blackness is a temperamental tom--he only works when he wants to, must be bribed--er, fed the choicest meats for snacking, and is prone to primping (read: grooming himself) in the middle of a shoot. Blackness really is a black cat (hence his name), not purple as the picture would suggest. It must have been a result of the camera flash and I thought it was a nice effect. The picture has been retouched. In Real Life, Blackness' right ear is crinkled as a result of an ear mite infection several years ago, but through the magic of a graphics program I was able to restore it to it's former shape. Also, his eyes do not glow mysteriously, but they came out completely orange with no pupils, so I added a little white glow for fun. |
| May 2001 -- Sadly, Blackness passed away on April 11, 2001 from complications caused by cancer. We discovered a cloudy spot in his left eye in early February, and his eye was removed on February 13. Our vet said there was a chance the cancer would spread during the operation. Unfortunately, it did. At the Stroke of Midnight is dedicated to my beloved Blackness and the ten short years he was with us. His passing has left an empty spot in our lives that will never be filled. He is missed. |
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A black cat, a castle, a masquerade ball, the Grim Reaper...what better way to spend Halloween. Although Olivia DeBenning doesn't realize it, she has already had three brushes with death in her lifetime. During a masquerade party on All Hallow's Eve to celebrate saving Greystone Castle, Death visits one last time. And the cat? His name is Midnight. |
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The shade watched from the tower window as guests emerged from their conveyances in shimmering costumes, masks in place. He listened to their incessant chatter and the random thoughts flitting through their minds. He checked each one's hourglass as a diversion while he waited for her. When she arrived in glittering white, dark red hair a tumble of curls over one alabaster shoulder, he did not pry into her thoughts. He held out his hand, palm up, and her hourglass appeared--only a few grains of sand remained, slipping through in slow motion. Very little time left, mere hours. He was not allowed to refill it. The last of his options had already been used on her. He would take advantage of the thinness of the veil on this particular night and cross to the other side, no matter the price he'd pay later. From sundown until the stroke of midnight, he could mingle with mortals and not sense their unease at his presence, look into their eyes and not see fear, touch them and not cause their souls to flee their bodies. He looked forward to the experience with an excitement he hadn't felt in millennia. Tonight he would know again what they fought so hard to cling to when he came for them. As he sensed the sun sinking behind the horizon, his shadowy form filled out to resemble that of a living, breathing human being. He stretched out his upper limbs, spreading his fingers wide. The familiarity of this body startled him. He hadn't anticipated that he would remember. A smile curved his lips, then fell away as quickly. She was running out of time. He made a strange gesture, shrouding his body in black satin. He gestured again and a tall black scythe appeared in his hand. He wielded it with ease, the long curved blade whispering as it cut a swath through the air. Snapping the edge of the robe, he dematerialized in a bright silvery shimmer. When he reappeared below, no one would question his presence. The masquerade ball celebrated All Hallow's Eve and others would be similarly dressed. He wore the costume of the Grim Reaper, but it was no disguise. He collected the souls of mortals when their hourglasses ran empty and his name was Death. |
If you like this excerpt of At the Stroke of Midnight or have read the book and liked it, please click the link above and visit BitBooks.com, in the Romance category, to rate it. Thank you!
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by Raelene Gorlinsky of
The Best Reviews "...I enjoyed watching the action play out. Of course there is a happy-ever-after for Olivia, and the resolution for Death, and his chance at a new life, is very satisfying." ©2002 Raelene Gorlinsky by Sally G. Laturi of
Ivy Quill Reviews Perfect for Halloween, "At the Stroke of Midnight" will first make you shiver and then it will make you smile. Death has been watching out for Olivia DeBenning since she was a little girl. Olivia has suffered numerous mishaps that should have killed her, but he wanted her to live. Now her time is running out, and Death is running out of options. On Halloween, he uses his ability to take mortal form between sundown and midnight in one last attempt to save Olivia from the death that has been chasing her all her life. Lanette Curington has created a delightful Halloween tale in At the Stroke of Midnight. Although short (I would love to see more!), it has all the elements of a successful story, including romance, intrigue, and an adorable cat named Midnight. I was captivated from the introduction of Death on the first page until the mystery was resolved on the last page. Very highly recommended! ©2000 Sally G. Laturi by Sharon McGinty of
In The Library Reviews (formerly Sharon's Reviews) It was the night of the All Hallow's Eve masquerade ball. A night when the barrier between this world and the spiritual world was at its thinnest. A night when one uninvited guest could come to the party. He was known as the Grim Reaper or Death. His job was to collect the souls of mortals when their hourglasses ran out. Death had come to see Olivia DeBenning. Ever since she was a child he had watched over, doing all in his power to save her. Olivia DeBenning had been in an accident when she younger, an accident that had threatened to take her ability to walk. Yet Olivia had triumphed, never knowing how close she had come to Death. As head of the Save the Castle Committee, Olivia was determined to see the masquerade ball succeed, even though her old injuries were causing her great pain. If Death is to succeed in his mission to save Olivia's life, he must do so before the stroke of midnight. However he is unable to personally interfere, he must show Olivia the person who threatens her life. Only then will Olivia be able to live happily ever after. Ms. Curington has done a spectacular job, bringing a different perspective to the Grim Reaper legend. I enjoyed every moment of this novella; surprised by the amount of feeling and emotion that was packed into it. Definitely a must read that will become a favorite for any time of the year. ©2000 Sharon McGinty |
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At the Stroke of Midnight excerpt ©2000 Lanette Curington
At the Stroke of Midnight cover ©2000 Lanette Curington
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