Clarissa Johal's Blog

Sometimes the ghosts from your past...are real
​"She clutched the knife tightly in her hand and lunged. The man fled, his religious pamphlets scattering behind him like afterthoughts.Moira staggered a few steps before she fell to her knees. When her vision finally cleared, she dropped the knife in disbelief."
Moira is admitted to a mental hospital after claiming she hears voices. Her psychiatrist is hesitant to diagnose her in spite of the arguments from his colleges. As their meetings progress, Moira confesses that she hears not one but two voices. But they aren't voices in her head, they're the voices of ghosts.And one of them is determined to drag her into the afterlife with him.
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Grab your sunscreen! Don your parkas! It MUST be time for the 15th Annual Smashwords Summer/Winter Sale! 
Check it out!

They say not to judge a book by its cover but I need you to do just that! 

If you liked the cover of my book, Whispers in the Wood, please vote for it for the Cover of the Month contest on AllAuthor.com!

Click to Vote!

 

It all began with an acorn.There are some places you shouldn’t disturb, places where history lingers. When Rowan travels to England, she finds a remote village, hidden in the shadow of an ancient forest. Vague warnings from the local people aren’t enough to stop her from venturing into the trees, or from picking up a single acorn. It seemed a simple action. But when a stranger emerges from the forest claiming the acorn belongs to him, Rowan finds herself pulled into something both centuries old and deadly.
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July Charity Event


My birthday month has crept up on me...again!
This marks the 8th year I'll be donating 100% of July royalties. It's my way of giving back to causes I care about.This year, I will donate all royalties from the sales of my books to Safe Haven for Cats, a non-profit, no-kill rescue organization.
Please check them out, they do amazing work.
Happy Reading!
You can find my books on:Amazon SmashwordsBarnes & NobleApple _______________________________________




 We adopted Dusty from Safe Haven in November.
He's my constant writing companion! 

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"Readers! It's summer in the northern hemisphere and winter in the southern hemisphere. That means it's time for the Smashwords Summer/Winter Sale, their largest sale of the year! Whether you're looking for a great summer beach read or something to warm your heart in front of a crackling fireplace, you'll find it here!"
The 13th annual Smashwords Summer/Winter Sale has begun, running now through July 31."
My following bestsellers are on SALE at 50%
Happy reading!

Whispers in the Wood via Smashwords

It all began with an acorn.

There are some places you shouldn’t disturb, and where history lingers. When Rowan travels to England, she discovers a remote village, hidden in the shadow of an ancient forest. Vague warnings from the local people aren’t enough to stop her from venturing into the trees, or from picking up a single acorn. It seemed a simple action. But when a stranger emerges from the forest claiming the acorn belongs to him, Rowan finds herself pulled into something both centuries-old and deadly.

Poppy via Smashwords
A red-headed, pink-loving mortician who speaks to the dead.
A moody, unsociable funeral director.
Poppy and Dante from Struck are back.

Something is lingering around Skyview Funeral Home, and it's stealing the souls of the dead. With Dante in tow, Poppy is determined to put a stop to it. Can she protect those who are trying to cross over, or will her soul be next?


The Island via Smashwords
Exploring a remote island can sometimes get you into trouble.
Especially when you stumble upon a cave and awaken two demons.

Rumours and superstition.
That’s what Emma thinks about local gossip concerning her family's “cursed” private island. After the death of her grandmother, Emma journeys to the island to ready it for sale. While out exploring, she unearths a hidden cave that holds answers to the island’s dark past.
There may be more to the rumours than she thought.


Struck via Smashwords
Struck by lightning, claimed by shadows.
Caught in a terrible storm, Gwynneth is struck by lightning. She wakes in the hospital with a vague memory of a mysterious stranger. Following her release, the stranger visits her at will and offers Gwynneth a gift. One that will stay the hands of death. She is uncertain whether Julian is a saviour or something sinister, for as he shares more of this gift, his price becomes deadly.
 

Photo by Jason HorneThe Devil's Tramping Ground is a camping spot located 10-miles from Siler City in western Chatham County, North Carolina. A circle 40-feet in diameter, the "tramping ground" has been the subject of legends and lore pre-dating the American Revolution. The lore alleges the Devil walks in circles on certain nights, thinking of ways to bring evil into the world. Despite being within a forest, only wiry grass grows inside this circle, and no plant life of any kind grow on the path leading to it. Locals have been unsuccessful in trying to transplant the wiry grass to other soil types. 

It is rumoured that objects left overnight within the ring disappear, animals won't go near the area and those who spend the night within the circle experience strange events. Numerous theories have arisen which try and explain the phenomena. One theory states the circle was originally a Native American meeting ground, another theory states the area is part of Croatan, named for a fallen tribal chief who may be buried there. In both stories, the tribal gods purportedly preserved the barren circle as a memorial to their followers' loyalty. 
Scientific explanations exist as well. Soil samples show the circle contains higher sodium, copper, zinc and pH levels than the soil from a few yards away. However, the difference isn't enough to make the circle soil toxic to plant life. Another interesting observation is that at certain points within the circle, a compass will move by about five degrees. Only soils with a high iron content would cause this to happen, which the soil does not have. 
The Devil's Tramping Ground remains a mystery...

My husband and youngest are looking into university apartments around Boone, North Carolina. I've done a couple of writing retreats in the vicinity; the mountains are both mysterious and beautiful. Because of that, I'm going to venture into unexplained phenomena "in that general area." Today, I'm exploring the Brown Mountain Lights of Morganton, North Carolina.

For hundreds of years, people have seen ghostly lights moving throughout the Brown Mountain in the Linville Gorge area near Morganton, North Carolina. Witnesses have reported the Brown Mountain lights as being white, red, yellow, orange and blue. They've described the lights as large balls of fire, or even small as candle lights; floating near the ground before rising high into the sky. This unexplained phenomenon has baffled scientists, government researchers, and residents alike. 
Local folklore suggests the lights are paranormal in nature, citing tales of tragedy for early settlers and Native Americans. According to Cherokee legend, a great battle was fought in 1200 A.D. between the Cherokee and Catawba Indians. The mysterious lights are the women left behind, still searching for the men who died in battle. Another legend says the lights are the ghostly echoes of lights that appeared during a search for a murdered woman in the 19th century.

Local paranormal investigator Joshua Warren camped frequently at Brown Mountain as a kid. On one such camping trip, he claims to have seen a ball of light rise through the trees and ascend into the sky. Another local story recounts that Morganton resident Tommie Hunter actually touched the lights. He claims to have looked over the Hwy.181 overlook to see a hovering ball of light. Tommie said it felt like he had stuck his finger in a light socket when he touched it. Six other people were with him, and all corroborated his story. 
Scientists suggest natural gasses have caused the phenomena, or even car or train lights (others have debunked the suggestion of car/train lights). While there are many theories, including those of UFOs, no one truly knows the cause, and no evidence has been collected. 

Today I want to give a shout-out to one of my artistic friends! 

If you like beautiful beaded earrings, necklaces and chains, please hop over and check out Hoarding Butterflies on Etsy. She uses beading as therapy for anxiety, which is awesome! Art is a wonderful tool for that. ❤️

She shared her two of her favorite pieces to showcase in my blog.

The one above is inspired by Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. Shadow and Bone was recently adapted into a show via Netflix. One of the main characters, Alina, is a sun summoner.

The second is butterfly inspired & the colors are gorgeous. I can see this necklace looking fabulous  with a lavender or white summer dress, or even jeans and a t-shirt. 

Check out some of her other pieces - there are a lot to choose from. My personal favorite are these green heart earrings you can find right HERE. In fact, I think I’ll treat myself right now.😉

If you have a special occasion to buy for (or want to treat yourself) 

Hoarding Butterflies is the perfect choice for a unique, one of a kind gift!

Hello readers! The past few months I've been working super-hard but done little writing. Such is life, gotta pay the bills. 😜 In retrospect, I wasted valuable time and energy trying to make something work out. Have you ever felt like that? If so, I'm sending you a hug. Anyway, it's time to move onward & upward from a very frustrating and negative space and "cleanse" myself with some writing. 

I'm going to start the week by sharing one of my favorite "go to's" when I'm feeling pressed for time but still want something satisfying for dinner. If you want to make your own pizza dough and sauce, go for it!

Spinach Calzone

1/2 ball of pre-made pizza dough 

Pizza sauce (jarred)

1 cup fresh spinach, chopped

1/2 cup ricotta

1/2 cup shredded cheddar & mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped mushrooms

1/8 cup sliced olives

Garlic pepper 

On a surface coated with olive oil, roll out pizza dough to about 1/4 inch thick.

Mix together chopped spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, ricotta, mushrooms, olives, and cheeses. 

Spread pizza sauce evenly over dough. Spread spinach mixture evenly on half of the pizza. Fold dough over the mixture and pinch edges to seal. (It will look "stuffed" but the spinach will cook down.) 

Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic pepper. Cut three 1/2 inch slashes on top to vent. 

Place calzone on an oiled baking sheet or pizza slab and bake at 450-degrees for 15 minutes or until the top is browned. Remove and let sit for 5 minutes before slicing. 

Enjoy!

This past year, I've had to accept the fact that my dog is getting older. We look after my daughter's puppy while she's at work, which makes Zeus's age even more apparent. Though he loves his doggy friend, he struggles some days to keep up with the puppy's energy. *sigh* It seems like only yesterday he was the one tearing around the house like a mad thing. I remember we'd hike for miles, run 5K's together—Zeus would be happy to pace me whatever the plan was. But now, our walks are short (though no less enjoyed!), and running is out of the question. In spite of this, I can't imagine my life without my dog. 

I wanted to do something special to celebrate senior dogs. During the month of February, I will donate all royalties from the sale of my books to Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary. You can read about their non-profit organization HERE. If you're looking to adopt, please consider a senior dog—they have so much love to give and are usually the last to get adopted. They deserve better. Check out your local shelter or rescue organization. I guarantee you, there will be a senior dog waiting for a forever home. 

*If you're a cat person, I donate book royalty sales during July (my birthday month) to Safe Haven for Cats. They work very hard to find homes for homeless kitties.