Alyson Noel: Shimmer

“If you think you know what it’s like to be dead—if you think it’s just an eternity of harp music and cloud lounging—well, think again.

Ever hear the saying, Life goes on?

It does.

Long past the point when everyone else thinks it stopped.”—Riley Bloom, SHIMMER

The above quote is from my latest release, SHIMMER—book two in the Riley Bloom series.

And just to be clear, yes, Riley truly is dead. Dead at twelve—just shy of her thirteenth birthday no less. And the family dog, Buttercup—well, he’s dead too.

Though Riley refuses to play dead. It’s just not in her nature. And it’s her spunk, humor, tenacity, and wit that make her so much fun to write.

When I began writing EVERMORE, book one in my Immortals series, I wanted the protagonist, Ever—the sole survivor of the car accident that claimed the lives of her family—to have a connection to her past—even if that connection came in the form of a ghostly little sister—and so Riley was born.

Though I originally envisioned her role as a minor one, it didn’t stay that way for long. Riley kept showing up—usually in some crazy costume and wig (she’s a bit of a scene stealer)—and I kept allowing it because she was so much fun to have around. So when my publisher asked if I’d be interested in writing a middle grade spin-off series specifically for her, I jumped at the chance. And I’m so glad I did because every book so far has been an absolute blast.

In book one, RADIANCE, Riley, Buttercup, and her cute, fourteen-year old guide, Bodhi, head for a haunted castle in England, where, as her first assignment as a Soul Catcher, Riley has to find a way to convince a very scary, very determined, young ghost to stop haunting the place and “cross over” to where he belongs.

In SHIMMER, Riley and friends are enjoying a little R&R on St. John, Virgin Island, when Riley runs into Rebecca—a young ghost girl who is so angry about her death, she’s keeping all of those who died along with her trapped in their own worst memories. And in Riley’s quest to stop her, she soon finds herself trapped in her own nightmarish past as well . . .

SHIMMER hit the stores this week, and readers are already calling it: “fun,” “intriguing,” “emotional,” and “deep.” If you’re interested in reading an excerpt, watching the trailer, listening to an audio clip, or just generally learning more, feel free to stop by my website, at: http://www.alysonnoel.com/

Peace * Joy * Love

Alyson Noël