[Blog Tour] Guest Post and Giveaway: Lancaster House and The Middle Aisle by Taylor Dean

On tour with Prism Book Tours...

Lancaster House
by Taylor Dean
Paperback, 304 pages
Published June 7th 2012 by Createspace

Premise:

Zoe Grayson needs a change. So, she moves to another state, purchases an old, dilapidated 1920s Victorian Mansion, and sets out to restore it to its former glory. As she begins the restoration, she finds herself falling in love with the old house . . . not to mention its illustrious builder, Mr. Lancaster. Zoe becomes obsessed with the house as she discovers its secrets; hidden rooms, secret passageways . . . and a mysterious man who seems to think the house is his. Who is he? More importantly, how does he live in her home unseen and unheard?

The unexpected answers leave her reeling—and questioning everything she’s ever known. To her dismay, Zoe’s actions land her in the local psychiatric hospital, scheming for ways to return to Lancaster House . . . and the love of her life.

The Middle Aisle
by Taylor Dean
Paperback, 356 pages
Published November 26th 2012 by Create Space

Premise:

Zoe Grayson is back in Lancaster House, ordered to bed rest for the duration of her unexpected pregnancy. Doctor Wade Channing, her overzealous psychiatrist, is living in Lancaster House, taking care of her, waiting on her, and tending to her every need. It seems to be the perfect arrangement.

There’s just one catch.

She has to tell him her story—everything that has happened in her life since the moment she escaped from Serenity Hills. It’s been quite an adventure to include renovating another home and a walk down the middle aisle.

But, that’s all over now. Nothing is real. It never was.

How did she end up in this miserable situation?





The Hayes Mansion . . . is it haunted?



*To learn about my little connection to the Hayes Mansion and how it inspired the writing of Lancaster House, descend back down the stairway to LDS & Lovin’It. . .




My time spent exploring the Hayes Mansion in San Jose, California is most definitely a treasured childhood memory. To view the restored mansion, go here: http://www.hayesmansion.com/photo-gallery/photo-gallery.asp

However, it was downright creepy. There’s something about old, large, dilapidated houses that leave me looking over my shoulder, even if there’s nothing really scary in the house! Old rambling houses tend to spark my imagination—just the sight of one can send shivers down my spine. They have an ambiance about them—a feel to them, an atmosphere. And they just look like ghosts should inhabit them. Frankly, they creep me out. But just like a cat, curiosity always gets the best of me! I always have a desire to explore all of the nooks and crannies and gaze upon the amazing architecture—just as Zoe does in Lancaster House.

My siblings and I were always convinced that the Hayes Mansion was . . . for lack of a better word, haunted. We never toured the house alone. We always stayed together. For one thing, you could easily get lost. For another, you never knew what might be lurking around the corner. I’m talking about vagrants here, not anything paranormal. But the supernatural aspect was always in the back of our minds, no doubt about it! The feeling inside the house was palpable, like something was about to jump out at you any minute, or as if you were being watched. By what or whom, I have no idea. Yet, we enjoyed our romps through the house. And, to be honest, nothing scary every happened. Not once. Only in our minds!

However, my sister recently toured the renovated mansion. A hotel worker took her on the tour and as she explained our little connection to the mansion, the worker told her the following story:

A lady was staying at the mansion—a VIP—in one of the suites. As she was trying to sleep, she kept hearing the sounds of children playing in the hallway. Fed up, she called the front desk and asked that they please remind the other guests that people are trying to sleep and would they please keep their children quiet.

The front desk said no one was staying on that particular floor with her—and there were no children on that floor.

Tired, the guest shrugged it off and went back to sleep, probably assuming she’d been dreaming. (I guess, because . . . really?) As she tried to get back to sleep, her bedroom door opened of its own accord, and she felt something trying to tug her covers off of her. At this point, she was so freaked out that she ran down to the main lobby in her PJ’s and said she would never stay another night in this hotel! She wouldn’t even go back up to retrieve her luggage; they had to get it for her.

Sounds like something out of a Stephen King movie, right? For me and my siblings it only confirmed what we’ve always known!

It was this kind of ambiance that I tried to capture in the writing of Lancaster House—only not nearly as creepy or scary as this! Are you kidding? I’m a wimp!

* To learn about another old mansion mentioned in Lancaster House, come back and slither through this cobweb filled passageway . . . and follow me to Lavender and Chamomile Press . . .

(Pictures can be sourced through http://pinterest.com/burgandyice/secret-passageways/)

About the Author:



Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories that were always wandering around in her head, quickly finding that she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it's paranormal, contemporary, or suspense-you'll find all sub-genres of romance in her line-up.

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Lancaster House & The Middle Aisle, available in print or eCopy from Smashwords or Amazon:

Tour-Wide Giveaway:

5 WINNERS will receive....

Open only to those who can legally enter. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced on Rafflecopter and Grand Finale posts as well as emailed and the winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Burgandy Ice @ Colorimetry and Prism Book Tours and sponsored by Taylor Dean. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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The Tour:

Fundimental Review of Lancaster House & The Middle Aisle

2/11 – Unputdownable Books – Guest Post

2/12 – I Am A Reader, Not a Writer – Guest Post 

2/13 - Fundinmental Guest Post 

-          Letters to the Cosmos – Review

2/14 – Oh, The Books You’ll Read – Review

-          Proud Book Nerd – Guest Post

2/15 – LDS & Lovin’ It – Review

2/17 - Phantasmic Reads - Review

-          Lavender & Camomile Press Guest Post

2/18 – The Reading Diaries – Guest Post

2/19 -  Living a Goddess Life – Review

-          Beck Valley Books – Guest Post

2/20 – Living the Goddess Life –  Recipe

-          Colorimetry 

2/21 – Passion and Life – Guest Post

-          Books Mystify – Goodreads Review

2/22 – Christy’s Cozy Corner – Review

2/24 – Christy’s Cozy Corner – Review
 -          A Buckeye Girl Reads – Guest Post

2/25 – Living a Goddess Life – Review

-          Icultgen – Guest Post

2/26 – Who’s Thanny?  (Byzinha) – Review

-          Letters to the Cosmos – Review

2/27 – Living a Goddess Life – Recipe
   -          Tressa – Goodreads Reviewer

2/28 – A Buckeye Girl Reads – Review

3/1 – Grand Finale TBA...