Regan Recommends - Coffin Hop

You might know me as a party girl...well that's because I am and I've done my share of chasing the dragon. But seriously kids...this is getting out of control. The Black Horse is worse than the dragon by a long shot. Stop dying already.

The authors have been working on the story of my parents. You see...my mother became addicted to heroin in 1905. All their research, plus some events that happened prompted Rachelle Reese to write Riding the Black Horse. It's not a Dime Store Novel, but she is sharing it for Coffin Hop and I think it's worth the read.

You know I talk to ghosts. You'd think I'd get enough of them, but I still like a good ghost story, so I'll be going on the Coffin Hop and I'll definitely check out Dust Bowl by K. F. Kirwin.

An Unexpected Turn of Events #coffinhop

The party continues. You drink and watch the people in their strange old-fashioned costumes chatter.

"Having fun?" Regan titters.

Hanover scowls and you notice he looks a little green. "What are you and Caprice up to now?"

"I have no idea what you even mean, Hanover. We're supposed to be showing our guests a few ghosts, right?" She hands Hanover the other bottle. "Can you pop the cork on this? I don't want to break a nail."

Hanover takes the bottle twists the cork. It doesn't budge. He looks at the label. "1963? Where on earth did you get a bottle of 1963 champagne?"

"From the waiter, of course. You saw me buy it."

Hanover gives a hard twist. The cork pops loud -- like a gunshot. No one stops laughing. "Hold you glass over here."

Regan puts her glass under the foam just in time. She takes yours and puts it in the stream, then hands it back to you.

"I'm not sure I need any more," you say, more than a little disturbed by the sudden feeling the floor is dropping out from under you.

"Of course you do. Besides, we're celebrating. My book High Rollers is free on Kindle today. We'll it's my story and Hanover's, but he's had others. This is my first so we're celebrating."

You feel like your feet have lost contact with the ground. You look out the window and see flashing lights in the darknesss. You realize the train is no longer on the tracks...instead, it is drifting above some eerie village.



It lurches to a stop. The door opens and a woman steps in. She is tall and thin with platinum blonde hair. She is somehow more substantial than the other partiers. Regan hurries toward her and offers her a glass of champagne.

The woman smiles and takes it.

Regan takes the woman's hand. "I'd like you to meet Kitty Kirwin, the author. I can't believe she made it. Have you read her books of ghost stories?  Haunted Bedtime Stories is so real....it's like the kind of book I would write. So that's why I knew you could see ghosts, Kitty, and why I was dying to meet you."

"Dying to meet me?" Kitty says. "That's not really necessary. I mean...then how would I read more of your adventures?"

"You read my book?!" Regan asks.

"Of course! And it was faBOO!" Kitty takes a sips of champagne. "But you know...you should think about dying your hair. I think you're really a blonde deep down inside."

To be continued.

A special thanks to K.F. (Kitty) Kirwin for appearing in our adventure and for letting me use her village in our flyover scene. For more ghost stories on the #coffinhop, make sure to stop by Kitty's blog.  

The Haunted Train Ride Continues #coffinhop

You take the window seat. Regan sits next to you and Hanover takes the seat across the aisle. As the train pulls out of the station, you look out the window to see the sky darkening. Is it that late already, or is there a storm brewing, you wonder as you watch the trees whir past.

"How long is the train ride?" you ask.

"Long enough for a drink or two," Regan answers, looking down the aisle.

"There's no service on this train, Regan," Hanover says. "They cut that years ago. Don't you remember?"

"Don't be silly, Hanover." Regan giggles. "There's the waiter now."

Hanover rolls his eyes.You look down the aisle and see no one.

"I'll have a bottle of champagne," Regan chimes. "Better make it two. And three glasses. We have company.

"I hope you're not too thirsty," Hanover leans across the aisle. "If you are, you can have some of my medicine. And if you don't like that, I'll go get you something in the dining car."

"I'm fine," you say. "I had a drink at the Black Cat."

"Hanover, are you crazy? I just ordered enough champagne for all of us."

"You thought you did, but the waiter wasn't real, so it doesn't count."

"Sure it does," Regan gives Hanover a smug smile. "I just hope the champagne's decent this time. Last time it tasted like crap."

"Last time was over forty years ago. There was a real waiter. He brought real champagne."

"Whatever, Hanover." Regan turns her attention to an empty seat near the front of the passenger car. "I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?"

"I have to find out where that lady got that marvelous hat."

"What hat? The only lady I see isn't wearing a hat."

"The red hat, silly. Don't you know anything about fashion? That hat is to die for." Regan stood. "Can you watch Dolce for me?"

You shrug and look at the handbag on the floor beneath Regan's seat. "What do I need to do?"

"Just keep her quiet if she yaps. Open the bag a little and scratch her behind the ears. She likes that. Technically, she's not allowed in the passenger car. But there is no way I'm sending her as baggage. I hate when they make up stupid rules." Regan hurries off to the front of the train.

You watch her lean over. Her hands gesture as she carries on an animated conversation with an invisible person.

"Don't mind her," Hanover says. "She can still see the ghosts."

"Ghosts?" you ask.

"The ghosts of the people who died in this passenger car  the last time we took this train."

"Oh," you say. "What happened?"

"A tornado. A real doozy. It blew a tree down on the tracks. The train hit it -- smack. Only a few of us survived. Regan might not have...except for her dog. Dolce two that must have been."

"How did the dog save her?"

"Regan was wearing some flowy, fringy scarf. When the train wrecked, she flew down the aisle. The scarf caught around her neck...nearly stangled her. That dog gnawed at it until she was freed."

"Dolce was my hero!" Regan slid into her seat. "All my Dolces are heroes. Hanover was out cold. He didn't come to for three days."

*Pop*

"Just in time!" Regan exclaims. She passes you a glass full of golden bubbles.

You take a sip. It's a little dry for your taste, but not bad.

"Would you like me to open the second bottle?" a man's voice asks.

You look up and see a face shadowed by a glowing drink tray.

"Not yet," Regan says. "It'll keep better if we wait."

"Very well, ma'am." The man said and then he's gone.

You hear laughter tinkling toward the front of the passenger car. You look up and see the car is filled with people, most dressed in fancy attire. Everyone is talking, laughing drinking, including a lady wearing a black dress and a red hat that's to die for.