Review & Interviews for Casi McLean’s Beyond the Mist

Welcome back Casi McLean, author of the Lake Lanier Mysteries, the second book, Beyond the Mist releases in a few days on September 15, 2017! I see you’ve brought a couple friends with you.

Yes I sure have. This is Nick Cramer  and Piper Taylor from Beyond the Mist.

Oh goodie, more victims, uh — I mean guests. (Tena rubs her hands together gleefully.)  Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate.

 Casi, first tell us about writing Beyond the Mist.

Beyond The Mist took shape as a sequel to Beneath The Lake in my Lake Lanier Mysteries. The eerie lore attached to the ghost town that sleeps beneath the surface of Lake Lanier fascinates me. And creating a time portal hidden in Reynolds Cove bubbled so many stories to the surface, I could write for years and still have fodder. That said, my own passion about the 9/11 tragedy, how the details are already slipping into silent corners of history books, coupled with a real and present danger facing the world, I felt compelled to share this story.

Was it fun or difficult? I read and researched so much to make sure my facts were accurate, but watching live videos and History Channel documentaries for days on end ripped through me like nothing I’ve written about before. That was extremely difficult!

Do your characters always act as you expect? A better question might be does my writing describe my characters well. They truly have a mind of their own and nudge my muse endlessly to be heard.

Are you a plotter, or fly (write) by the seat of your pants? I’m totally a panster. I can’t start a story until I know my characters…what they look like, who they are inside, their hopes and dreams as well as their baggage and not so pleasant qualities. They write my stories. I simply try to keep up.

What are you working on now? 

Between The Shadows, Book #3 in my Lake Lanier Mysteries. I’m on chapter 9, so depending on my available writing time, maybe this time next year. I submitted Beyond The Mist last February and the publication date is September 15, so the process takes time. That said, the story is flowing so well now, I can’t wait to seclude myself and write away.

Now let’s find out a little about Nick Cramer.

Thanks for stopping by Nick.  Do you mind answers a few questions?

Not at all.  Shoot!

Tells us about the real you—

   What event in your past has left the most indelible impression on you? If I told you that, I might ruin the story for a lot of people. I will say a glimpse into the past of your future is priceless.

 What do you most value? Definitely my family and friends, especially a certain blonde who completely stole my heart.

 What is the type of woman you want to spend the rest of your life with? The perfect woman for me is one who brings out the best in me.

 What do you consider most important in life? I used to think my law career was the most important mark I could make on the world. But now I’d say relationships…it’s the people not the places or things that make life worth living.

What is your biggest secret? Telling you would defeat the purpose of a secret now, wouldn’t it? I’ll just say murdering someone can really mess with a guy’s head.

I should say so, not to mention the legal consequences.  Okay, Piper your turn.

I’m ready — I think. (laughs nervously)

Who were the biggest role models in your life? Lacey Montgomery. We grew up together and she’s like a sister to me. But I’d have to include her husband, Rob and my Aunt Alice.

What kind of man do you want to spend the rest of your life with?  My knight in shining armor is a man who loves me for me, someone who gets me, respects me and has my back no matter what. Of course if he’s hot, sexy and can curl my toes with a kiss, I wouldn’t mind at all.

What kind of man would you never choose? As far as I’m concerned, a man who is all about himself, his needs, his wants, his desires…he’s not for me. I put my man first and I want a man who does the same for me.

What is most important to you in life? My parents died when I was little and I Aunt Alice raised me. Lacey’s family became mine when my aunt died and I can’t imagine anything more important than my family.

What is your biggest fear? After popping in and out of time and seeing up front and personal the horror of the September 11, 2001 tragedy in New York, my fear is our world could self-destruct if people blindly live their lives in ignorance. People need to wake up and unite against terror lurking in the shadows.

Thanks so much for joining us Piper and Nick.   Casi, tell us a little about  Beyond the Mist

Piper Taylor concedes she’ll never fall in love, until a treacherous storm spirals her into Nick Cramer’s arms. Unrelenting remorse over a past relationship haunts Nick, until a secret portal hidden beneath Atlanta’s Lake Lanier lures him into a time slip that triggers consequences beyond his wildest dreams. Can Piper avoid the terrorism of 2001 New York and bring him home before he alters time, or will the lovers drift forever Beyond The Mist?

Here’s my review on Beyond the Mist.

Dedicated to the victims of the September 11, 21 terrorist attack on United States soil, Beyond the Mist was written with author Casi McLean’s deepest respect and compassion for their families and friends.  That being said, this tale is an exciting fictional prospective of the possibilities of time travel and bad decisions made for the right reasons.

Beyond the Mist returns to a tiny hamlet nestled in the north Georgia Mountains and the eerie Lake Lanier.  Is it cursed or is something else going on here? A prototype time machine perhaps taking advantage of a seismic shift creating a portal though time in Lake Lanier? Unauthorized use can cause unbelievable consequences to the timeline for those involved and those not.

Nick Cramer blames himself for the death of former girlfriend, Carly Patterson, if only he could go back in time to right his perceived wrong. Piper Taylor is willing to risk her life to save Nick from himself and the disastrous results of his actions during his time-slip to 2001. Can they correct results of Nick’s well-meaning actions in time to set the timeline on the right path? Will Nick realize that Piper is may well be his destiny?

The events swirl around the days leading up to and during September 11, 2001.  The actions of the character’s will keep you enthralled until the very last page.

I loved this book! An exciting, unique tale of time travel adventure with second chances at true love. Twists and turns in Beyond the Mist will keep you flipping pages until the end when you close the book and wonder what’s next in the world beyond the mist.”

My rating – Five Stars

Let’s take a peek between the pages of Beyond the Mist.

A soft mist hovered over the moonlit lake, beckoning, luring him forward with the seductive enticement of a mermaid’s song. Rhythmic clatter of a distant train moaned in harmony with a symphony of cricket chirps and croaking frogs. Spellbound, Nick Cramer took a long breath and waded deeper into the murky cove. Dank air, laden with a scent of soggy earth and pine, crawled across his bare arms. The hairs on the back of his neck bristled, shooting a prickle down his spine that slithered into an icy pool coiled in the pit of his stomach. He clenched his fingers into a tight fist, determined to fight through the emotion consuming him. Fear sliced through his belly like icy shards until he finally heaved, forcing rancid bile to choke into his throat.

I have to do this––he inched forward––only a few more steps and––

A sudden surge swirled around him, yanking him into a whirling vortex, where a violent blue streak dragged him deeper, deeper beneath the lake into the shadowy depths. Heart pounding, he battled against the force, twisting, thrusting toward the surface with all of his strength but, despite his muscular build, he spun like a feather in wind into oblivion. When the mist dissolved, Nick Cramer had vanished.

****

Darkness consumed him, a cyclone spinning, twisting Nick as he ripped through an endless void. His lungs burned for oxygen. He could hold his breath no longer, and relinquished his resolve, but he felt no pain. Instead, a sense of serenity encircled him as if he were floating, weightless, breathless, helpless on a cloud of warm air…then the abyss abruptly imploded. Pierced by a brilliant violet-blue light that shattered into a kaleidoscope of color, the tempest hurtled him, whirling, snaking boundlessly until he finally burst through the surface, gasping for air.

He filled his lungs to capacity, breathed in and out several times before opening his eyes to assimilate the greenish blur surrounding him. Instinctively dog-paddling to stay afloat, he stared at a rustic old wooden bench situated atop a ridge above until his head stopped swimming. He had survived the tumult that ripped his body through Lord knows what and challenged him physically and emotionally to the limits few men could endure. And for what, to end up exactly where he started?

“Noooooo.” His blood-curdling moan cut through the silence.

He slapped his hand across the water, scooping a splash that flew around him. There was nothing more he could do. He tried. He risked his life to set things right, to offset the tragic event that had haunted him for eleven years, but he always knew the chance equated to that of a snowball in hell.

Beyond the Mist is available at online retailers including Amazon and The Wild Rose Press.

Check out the trailer of Beyond the Mist  Beyond The Mist ~ star-crossed lovers survive a cyclone of 9/11 terrorism

About the Author:

Award winning author, Casi McLean, pens novels to stir the soul with romance, suspense, and a sprinkle of magic. Her writing crosses genres from ethereal, captivating shorts with eerie twist endings to believable time slips, mystical plots, and sensual romantic suspense, like Beneath The Lake, WINNER: 2016 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence for BEST Romantic Suspense.

Casi’s powerful memoir, Wingless Butterfly: Healing The Broken Child Within, shares an inspirational message of courage, tenacity, and hope, and displays her unique ability to excel in nonfiction and self-help as well as fiction. Known for enchanting stories with magical description, McLean entices readers in nonfiction as well with fascinating hooks to hold them captive in story lines they can’t put down.

Her romance entwines strong, believable heroines with delicious hot heroes to tempt the deepest desires then fans the flames, sweeping readers into their innermost romantic fantasies. Ms. McLean weaves exceptional romantic mystery with suspenseful settings and lovable characters you’ll devour. You’ll see, hear, and feel the magical eeriness of one fateful night. You’ll swear her time travel could happen, be mystified by her other worldly images, and feel heat of romantic suspense, but most of all you’ll want more.

Learn more about Casi at the links listed below:

Website  Twitter  Facebook  Goodreads   Amazon Author Page  Blog  Pinterest  Instagram

Book trailer links:

Beneath The Lake Trailer ~ A Time-Slip Romantic Suspense

Destiny Trailer ~ Shorts With A Sprinkle Of Magic 

Wingless Butterfly Trailer ~ An Inspiring Memoir

It was wonderful having you with us today.  Please feel free to stop by anytime. Good Luck with Beyond the Mist!

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