When June Haunts May by Celaine Charles Tour

 

One visible spirit.

Two phantom thieves.

Three courageous friends.

When June Haunts May

The Haunting of Pinedale High #10

by Celaine Charles

Genre: Cozy YA Paranormal Ghost Story

June Brookes has haunted the library at Pinedale High for decades, without attention. Until one day, new sophomore, May Blakely, notices. Could this be June’s chance to cross over to the hereafter? If only she knew what needed to be finished from her old life.

Angsty May prefers solitude. Her deadbeat dad may have ditched her in this small town, but she has no interest befriending this strange girl, or the cute boy across the street.

June’s hereafter hustle goes haywire when two phantom soldiers plot to hijack her passage to peace, at the expense of hurting fellow students. June saves May’s life, igniting their joint efforts to protect the school. Can May help June to her happily ever afterlife?

  

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“Have you ever seen her in a class?”

What was he getting at? “We don’t have any classes together. But I don’t have any classes with you either.”

“Okay, so how about the fact that she was cold as ice when I touched her shoulder?”

The chills she’d sensed from June had felt like relief in the blazing sun, but she had noticed them. “What are you saying?”

Reid pulled her underneath a yellowing oak in an empty yard. Ignoring her look of annoyance, he glanced over his shoulders before whispering low and close to her ear. “Did you know Pinedale High is haunted?”

First the woods and now the whole school? May stepped back, hands up in feigned surrender. “Okay-okay, I get it. Prank the new kid. You know, I’m sorry I even thought about checking in on you. I don’t have time for this.” She about-faced and strode down the sidewalk without him.

“Wait, what? I’m not pranking you.” He caught up in only a few strides, his long legs veering her off to the side. “Please, hear me out.”

May’s mind flipped through any example of a high school boy wanting her to hear him out. This had to be a trick. “No, you listen to me. I’ve been the new girl far too many times than I care to count. And I get it. I’m easy prey…perhaps even a challenge.” She thumped him in his too-close-to-her chest. “But I’m not playing.”

“I think June’s a ghost. I’m not kidding or pranking you. And I need you to listen.”

Flashes of her strange interactions with her new friend…if she could even call her that…flickered through May’s mind. They’d only known each other for a couple of days, but she had sensed something off.

She turned away from him, trying to put everything together. Bouts of June’s chilliness, yes. But earlier, it had been strange how fast she’d flown down the spectator stands. Before that, she struggled to push open the main school doors.

May had attributed June’s glossy hollow eyes to the lighting, but maybe it was because of something else. She closed her own eyes for clarity, kicking her foot into the grass. Maybe allergies?

She tucked her hair behind her ear, running the strands between her fingers as more details registered. June’s peculiar way of speaking was odd, and her clothes that first day, like a blast from the past. She was still wearing her penny loafers…with pennies inside.

May dropped her backpack, shook her head at Reid, who was waiting for her to process. But her brain wasn’t cooperating. “Ghosts?” The word spat off her tongue like she’d swallowed a flick of her cat’s tail.

“I know I sound insane. I’m not. I promise.” He glimpsed her with creamy brown eyes. They were the color of Great-Grandma’s sweet tea, and she was overheating inside and out, ready for a tall glass.

“Is this why you’ve been crying at the pond during lunch?”

“What?” His face scrunched, cheeks burning past the eighty-degree temperature outside to a brighter shade of full-blown embarrassment. “No. I mean—I’m not crying at the pond. What are you talking about?”

“What are you talking about?”

They stood at an impasse, shock etching along both their eyebrows and drawn lips. Her mind raced for something to say, and if she had to guess, he was in the same boat.

Don’t miss the rest of the Haunting of Pinedale High books!

Find them on Amazon

Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the

reigns of the story?

My book characters definitely hijack my stories. Even if I have a plan, they tend to get

antsy and take their own paths. To be fair, they know the story better than I do, so I must

trust them. I’m always glad I do in the end.

In addition to letting my characters lead, I always learn more about their personalities

when I let them make decisions. This only enhances their character arcs, which

ultimately makes each story stronger.

Don’t get me wrong, I know my characters, but with each event or situation I put my

characters through, they come out changed. There’s no way around it. A character that

goes into a scene comes out on the other end affected, thus transformed from when the

outline or synopsis was originally written. That’s reality in writing. And it’s a good thing, if

you want character-driven stories like I do.

Convince us why you feel your book is a must read.

One visible spirit.

Two phantom thieves.

Three courageous friends.

When June Haunts May is a paranormal fantasy that you simply must read! It’s a short,

cozy story that’s only 200 pages. It has the best range of characters that will keep you

charmed. It’s spooky and not so spooky all at the same time. There’s an enemy to crush

(young love) trope. There are layered family dynamics, spirits from the past, and even a

fan-boy, want-to-be ghost hunter. Honestly, it’s perfect for middle schoolers, high

schoolers, and older readers if you’re looking for a fun in-between book that brings a

little hope and light to the dark corners of your day.

I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed writing a story more than this one. Just give it a read and

let me know what you think!

PS—here’s the book blurb: When June Haunts May

June Brookes has haunted the library at Pinedale High for decades, without attention. Until one

day, new sophomore, May Blakely, notices. Could this be June’s chance to cross over to the

hereafter? If only she knew what needed to be finished from her old life.

Angsty May prefers solitude. Her deadbeat dad may have ditched her in this small town, but she

has no interest befriending this strange girl, or the cute boy across the street.

June’s hereafter hustle goes haywire when two phantom soldiers plot to hijack her passage to

peace, at the expense of hurting fellow students. June saves May’s life, igniting their joint efforts

to protect the school. Can May help June to her happily ever afterlife?

Have you written any other books that are not published?

Oh goodness, yes! I have journals and a computer file full of stories I’m not sure what to

do with, some of them even finished. I am also avidly working to dip my toes into the

children’s picture book world. I have several finished stories, two that have received a

first place and a second place award (on different years) at the Pacific Northwest

Writers Association’s Literary Contest.

In addition, I have two other fantasy stories almost ready to go, if I could get around to

polishing them. Time and motivation play a huge role in finishing projects. Sometimes I

just have too many going at once, and I have to put one down for a while. When that

happens, I need to relinquish to a higher source. Divine timing is real for me.

Perhaps continuous writing is the art of being an author. Not everything will find a shelf,

but with every word penned or typed on a keyboard, imagination and curiosity blooms

into something tangible or a seed for something completely brand new.

If your book had a candle, what scent would it be?

When June Haunts May (young adult paranormal) – sweet iced tea with a hint of

leather-bound books

Seam Keepers (young adult fantasy) – evergreens and oak with a hint of sour patch

candies

Dream Keepers (young adult fantasy) – lavender with hints of coffee, cool mint, and a

sense of wonder

Stained Glass Secrets and Star Wishes (contemporary paranormal holiday romance) –

sugary cookie dough mixed with Kahlua and Cream

Sweet Chaos (contemporary Valentine’s Day romance shorts, my story entitled, Drawn

to You) – rosé with a touch of chocolate and chagrin

Midnight Meet-Ups (contemporary Halloween romance shorts, my story entitled,

Masquerade Meet-Cute) – whisky, chocolate dipped strawberries, and mystery

Caught a Spark (contemporary Fourth of July romance shorts, my story entitled, Written

in the Sky) – s’mores with a hint of coconut and a hidden splash of watermelon

Three Hearts Stitched (poetry about adoption) – fresh linen and citrus mixed with salty

sea air

Colors Collected (poetry on the hues of life) – fresh breath and sunshine

What are common traps for aspiring writers?

I believe aspiring writers tend to compare their story drafts to published works. It’s easy

to forget. Back when I was writing my first stories, I would often hold my favorite books

up against my first or even second drafts. That’s so unfair! Published books go through

rounds of editing and revision. They’ve had several readers analyzing their pages and

providing feedback. As well, most of those authors have already learned the hard

lessons that newer writers are still figuring out. That’s okay! But realize that the books

already out there for you to read have traveled a long journey to get into your hands.

None of them started that way. They began like yours, a messy first draft. Now

go—revise and edit your book so that one day a new writer is holding it up as their

inspiration.

Celaine Charles lives in the enchanted Pacific Northwest, teaching elementary school by day and writing by the stars at night. She’s an award-winning, multi-genre author who balances her dual life creating poetry, fantasy, and contemporary romance shorts, while blogging about her journey on Steps in Between. In addition, she’s embarking on the world of children’s picture books.

She’s published collections of poetry through Egret Lake Books and Palmetto Publishing Group, and fiction through The Wild Rose Press and Eliza Storm Books.

Celaine is a member of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association, Storyteller Academy, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and reads poetry regularly with the Museum of Northwest Art, Writing’s on the Wall series.

 

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