Friday, April 28, 2006

So, How was Your Thursday Night?

Mine was just fine, thank you. From 5:00 when I clocked in at work, until about 6:30, I was having a good ol' time. Then my co-worker came up to the front of the store. "I just got sick, who do I call?" (stomach busters)
"Um, this is just a guess, but maybe the boss?"
So he gets off the phone and says "He told me to go home."
I just look at him. "And?"
He grabs his stomach and gives me a pained look. "Just to go on home."
Did I mention that I'm getting a little close to the big 50, and that maybe my hearing is getting a little bad? "Did he happen to mention who was coming in?"
"No, he said you would be fine by yourself."
Now, you can't really see my face, but just imagine it getting very pale. Not that I can't manage the store by myself for 2 1/2 hours. It's that, well it would be dark soon and we're in the older part of town ... beginning to see my point? "Nobody's coming in to replace you?"
He felt really bad, but there wasn't anything he could do at this point. So I was on my own. Like I said, running the store at night is a breeze - not a lot of customers yet (during the heat of the summer we'll get more customers at night). In fact, not one customer after 8:00. And I only had to lock the store for a potty break once. Then it was time to leave. I turned off the lights and headed for the back door - stopping at the bathroom once more before leaving. That's when I remembered that I hadn't turned the store sign to closed. So I walked through the dimly lit back area to the circuit breakers and turned on one of the lights for the front of the store and heading up there through the gloom. Things popped, the building creaked. Did I tell you that there is a store ghost? There is. Sometimes books will fly offf the shelf all by themselves. Anyway, I felt as if I were being watched the entire time. It was not a pleasant feeling. Turned the sign and headed back to the exit. Called Bebo before I opened the back door so she could talk to me while I walked through the dark, empty parking lot to my car. Did I mention that this store is in the older part of the town? So that was my night at work. How was your Thursday evening?

Book Draw:

Just tell me what book you would like and I'll draw a name this Sunday. What the hell - I'll draw two names.

Jill Shalvis:

Bared (Blaze)
Luke (Temptation)
The Bachelor's Bed (Temptation)
Hiding Out at the Circle C (Marry Me Cowboy)
Tangling with Ty (Temptation)
Roughing it with Ryan (Temptation)
Paris or Bust (Anthology with Katie Hoffman and Jacqueline Diamond)
Dare Me (Anthology with Cherry Adair and Julie Elizabeth Leto)
Beach Blanket Bad Boys (Anthology with Linda Lael Miller, Alison Kent, Lucy Monroe, Susanna Carr and Morgan Leigh)

Bad Boys Anthologies:

Bad Boys to Go (Lori Foster, Janelle Denison and Nancy Warren)
I Brake for Bad Boys (Lori Foster, Janelle Denison and Shannon McKenna)
Bad Boys on Board (Lori Foster, Donna Kauffman and Nancy Warren)
Bad Boys in Black Tie (Lori Foster, Erin McCarthy and Morgan Leigh)

Contemporary:

Riley by Lori Foster (Temptation)
Getting Rid of Bradley by Jennifer Crusie (Temptation)
Blame it on Chocolate by Jennifer Greene
The Model man by Genie Davis
Good Girls Don't by Kelley St. John
Perfect for the Beach (Anthology: Lori Foster, Janelle Denison, Erin McCarthy, Mary Janice Davidson, Kayla Perrin and Morgan Leigh)

Romantic Suspense:

Don't Say a Word by Barbara Freethy
Half Past Dead by Meryl Sawyer
Heartbeats by Susan Rae
Double Play by Penelope Neri

Fantasy/Paranormal:

The Star Witch by Linda Winstead Jones
Heart Choice by Robin D. Owens
The Last Bride by Sandra Landry
Unleash the Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon

35 comments:

Brandy said...

Allright, I'll bite. May I please be put in the draw for Riley? Oh, I have a few books you might like. I'll get the list to you and you let me know, ok? Also, am proud of you for making it through the night by yourself. A ghost, I gotta say freaky but neat!

Unknown said...

Oh, Eve, you brave girl. And a ghost, too. I would have hated that.

Michele said...

Wow! Talk about fodder for a great spooky story moment!
It sure is different when it happens in REAL life ... the term "Shake your Booty" takes on a whole new meaning when you are surrounded by ghosts and eerie noises in the shadows...*shudder*

You did good!

Unlike Brandy, I won't "bite", I'll be a gentlebred Regency lady (ha!) and nibble ...*wink*
Since I've read most of the selections except the romantic suspense authors, my vote would be for one of those, but I would ask that if my name gets lucky, that YOU pick out the author for me. I have no preference as these authors are unknown to me. I trust your judgement.

The spookiest walk I ever took was to go get the mail. 85 ft walking down the driveway in the dark. Silly me. The light sensor never went on but I was too lazy to go back inside the house to flip the switch. My bad.
I was followed! Very creepy. Made it down the hill and back in record time! Whew! Won't ever do THAT again!

Denise McDonald said...

a store Ghost?!?!? Holy Schmoly ... Don't mind me if I never come to visit while you're at work, okay - (actaully as afraid as I am, I'd probably sit there and talk to it/him/her just to see if it would put on a show for me)

Cece, SJ - road trip - ghost hunters style?!?!

Bailey Stewart said...

Normally the ghost doesn't bother me that much - it was just the feeling of walking through the mostly dark store and just being stared at. And thankfully the parking lot next door has installed a security light which shines a little in our lot.

Michele - my booty was shaking - and there's a lot of it. You're story of walking to the mailbox sounds a bit more chilling to me.

Not so fun Peggy.

Dennie - come on down - just not when either of the owners are there, they don't like that talk. To be quite honest, it hasn't been that active lately.

Christa said...

I thought I'd stop here before I made my trek to Wal-mart and the grocery store and leave a comment so Eve wouldn't rescind my Eve is the Center of the World membership. LOL.
I didn't do anything exciting like hanging out with ghosts. A friend of my stopped by for a while, her truck wouldn't be ready to go until 10, so she came over and we hung out for a while. After we watched the OC she left and she borrowed some of my Bad Boy books.
Talk to you in about 2-3 hours.

Toni Anderson said...

Ooohhh--put me in for Sherrilyn Kennyon please :)

Don't you hate being a scaredy cat? I do! When DH is away I lock the doors all the time and boobytrap the basement. Must remember to do that again :)

Lis said...

Yikes. Is there something in the air to do with ghosts? Couldn't sleep last night because I had that weird feeling of someone being in the room. And then the breeze from the fan would hit me and it wasn't even aimed in my direction *shudder*
I hate walking through dark parking lots too. Glad the night went well (hope it went quick!)

Anonymous said...

I thought for sure this was going to end as a story you wrote. Yikes! A ghost, books flying off shelves and the older part of town. You deserve a raise!

Don't forget Hugh Jackman is going to be on Jay Leno tonight.

Put me in for 'I Brake for Bad Boys'

Anonymous said...

...to all our company...
M-I-C...

(lmao!! really---really, over!!)
:-D

Rene said...

Oh, that's terrible. I remember working for a boss that would never let the girls work alone at night, she insisted that there always be a guy to close with her.

But then again, great opening for a novel.

Diane said...

Yes, it would be a great opening for a novel.

My Thursday evening was spent being like a groupie. This evening I'll be attending a gig. Tomorrow evening I'll be being like a groupie again. :o)

Meretta said...

Spooky stuff, Eve. And excellent feelings to tap into the next time you write something like it!

Bailey Stewart said...

Christa - as long as you have your priorities straight *gg*

Toni - I'm not usually this bad. When I'm alone here at the house (although that's been almost 2 years) at night, it doesn't bother me. Just this store.

Lis - no it dragged. Longest 2 1/2 hours I've ever spent. No customers at all after 8:00 which made it seem to go slower. If I'd been just a little bit busy (not overwhelmingly) would have made the time go faster.

Susan - I'll give you my bosses phone number. Hugh Jackman. Tonight. Jay Leno got it! Thanks.

Raine - I've already answered you. *gg*

Rene - that's the weird part because that's the way my boss is - he insists that there be male/female team at night, so I really don't understand this. Yeah, I've thought about the novel but then I go "bad, bad writer - finish what you're doing now."

Goupie Diane - have fun tonight.

Meretta - I would love to someday write ghost stories, so I'll keep this in mind.

Done? Go to the store and the peanut gallery shows up. Sheesh.

Christa said...

Hi oh Godess of the World put me down for a Shalvis book.

Bailey Stewart said...

Okay humble Canadian *g*

catslady said...

Eve, get yourself some Mace!

Were you able to read since you had no customers?

Thanks to you I'll be reading my first Shalvis soon so if picked I'd like to try my first Freethy. Thanks.

Sandy J said...

Road trip? Cool! Let's pack. I like spooky places. My dad and his mother really really believed in ghosts. Bigtime! Said they met a few. I wasn't close to either of them, so I don't know for sure.

I would have been a little freaked out also, Eve.

My choice, if I get picked, is Star Witch. Sounds good.

Bailey Stewart said...

Okay folks, the trip to the store put me behind. Have to go take my nap now if I'm going to get one at all - so if I haven't made it to your blog, I will later. Promise.

Except I am going to jog over to Jason's to see who won the contest.

Later :)

Anonymous said...

Oh, I wouldn't like being in a bad part of town after dark by myself either!

For the drawing, put me in for any of the Bad Boys books. :)

Anonymous said...

hm, I thought I posted here this morning...oh well!

I am SOOO sorry!!! I can vouch for you...it is scary at the store after dark!!! And even though I have not "seen" the ghost, I still believe you ;) We had a ghost in the house I grew up in...

I'll bite too :) I have not read Jennifer's Blame it on Chocolate...so that is my pick :)

Denise McDonald said...

The house we lived in when I was 1-5 had a ghost - I saw him a couple of times - have a vivid memory - my mother tried to convince me it was her - looking through my window - (on the inside of the house and at the top of the wall) Yeah mom - you and four chairs - sheesh ( not to mention HE had black curly hair and she is blond)

Toni Anderson said...

Hey--go check Scott's new digs :)

Bailey Stewart said...

Jeanne - Alas, no reading since I did have a lot of books to put up.

Sandy - ghost busters!

Tori - it isn't really a bad part of town as it is old and run-down. It's the town square of the town of Mesquite, a sub-burb of Dallas.

Glenice - I thought you had too. Hmmmmmmm.

Dennie - wow, what an experience. I've only heard ghosts, not seen them.

Bailey Stewart said...

Oh, you posted over me. Okay.

Anonymous said...

I continue to lobby for "Unleach the Night".

See ya tomorrow night.

Lis said...

Maybe you should invite the crew of most haunted out to the bookstore *g*

Anonymous said...

Well, can't say I felt all that great though I slept most of the night and day--must have been around 15 hrs. Today I discovered why I was so out of it--I had two days' worth of medication in little bottles that I somehow managed to forget to take this week. I've got to get a life.

The clincher came when I read the e-mail from the older of my two younger brothers. Isn't it great that everyone else knows what you should do and how you should live your life? (argggg)

There's the book I remember, "The Last Bride" by Sandra Landry!! Please keep this book for me. I'll buy it from you because I love Chartres so much.

Your adventure beat mine with the police this week. This is *not* one of the best areas in our fair city either. If you're anywhere except on the main drag, on which I do happen to live, and I mean "on" it or the sidewalk at least, even just one of the little parking lots outside my window can be a danger zone. A few weeks ago some kid(s?) tried to steal the neighbour's truck which is usually parked right behind where I'm sitting right now. Of course it was still wintery then and my window wasn't open. The owner of the truck was a bit more sensitive to the goings-on and almost caught one of the little twerps trying to steal his truck. No, definitely not a pleasant feeling. I'm glad you had Bebo at the other end of the cell phone. I'm trying to find my whistle-necklace and wear it--just in case.

Anonymous said...

I may have mentioned that the 23rd anniversary of my father's death was April 4. A friend who sometimes helped my mother with housework came to see me and we talked about him. She seems to have these psychic feeling especially regarding her father.

Anyway, she told me that after my father died, she saw him sitting in his favorite chair several times (I now have this chair) and she'd always reassure him that my mother was OK, that we were looking after her.

But the strangest things happened with an old clock that her father gave her--one that didn't work. Once in a while it would make a sound and she knew that something was wrong with her father. Mind you, she lives here in London, ON while her father lived somewhere in the Midlands in GB. The last time it sounded, she felt immediately that something was really wrong with her father and called her sister who lived closest to him and told her to go see him. She insisted their father was OK. She hadn't heard anything from him or the neighbours. But Maureen kept pushing until her sister promised to go see him. Maureen bought her ticket to England before her sister called back with the news: their father had died. I found that very spooky and I'm glad I don't have that same sensory experience, though it has happened quite a few times that I'd have the sudden urge to call someone and they would call me or vice versa.

But no, I've never seen or heard a ghost. Reminds me of Hamlet talking to Horatio about "there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy." (not quite verbatim) It's remarkable how many of Shakespeare's quotes we use almost every day.

Bailey Stewart said...

Hey Suze - see you tomorrow night.

Lis - you are just too funny for words chickie!

Ruby - I have been visited by many a dearly departed loved one - it's not spooky, its very comforting. And I'm sending you the book anyway. Because it's my blog and I can.

Butterfly - hey girl! But are you feeling better? That's more important than whether you visit me or not.

Christa - you are not reading this. Paying daily homage to the CENTER OF THE WORLD is mandatory *gg*

Bailey Stewart said...

Butterfly? Where are you? Oops, guess I should have checked as to which post that was on. Yes, this is me talking to myself, what of it?

Anonymous said...

That sounds scary... I would have been running so fast!

I am new to your blog, but it seems very interesting! I am going to go back and read some of the archives.

I guess, I am supposed to put my name in and the category I would like... romantic suspense, any of those. What a great idea!

Kristie

Bailey Stewart said...

Kristie - welcome! I hope you find some interesting stuff here and come by often. We're a weird crowd, but we play well together.

Michele said...

Wow! This comment section sure has gotten interesting!
Awesome!
This is the most fun I've had all day!
Thanks

Bailey Stewart said...

Michele - it's like this most of the time. You oughtta come by more often. *gg*