Thursday, October 29, 2015

Halloween Sale: The Whole SPRG Trilogy at their lowest prices, ever! Limited time only.




Great news! :-)

All 3 ebooks in the SPRG Trilogy are on sale NOW at just $0.99 each (on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iTunes and Google Play)!

OR... you can get the WHOLE TRILOGY for just Php185 on Flipreads here:
http://flipreads.com/ASS-Bundle 

Available for a limited time only, so download them today.




Absolutely perfect for Halloween weekend reading! ;-)

(Share this news with your friends, too!)

Friday, September 25, 2015

An Online Creative Writing Workshop for New and Seasoned Paranormal Romance Writers


Join #KilabotAtKilig

The creative writing workshop AND short story contest rolled into one!


WHAT IT IS:

This is the writing workshop you can attend wherever you are:

all participants receive the modules as detailed instructional videos, AND also receive helpful handouts via email.

The 3 modules (to be sent October 3, 10, and 17) will give new and seasoned writers valuable insights to:

* DEVELOP REALISTIC CHARACTERS
  Fully understand why your characters
  do the things they do -- using a very
  insightful personality test that tells
  you the most important things about
  them.

* THE 6 PARANORMAL PLOTS
   Did you know that there are different
   kinds of "ghosts" / paranormal
   phenomena? Get to know each kind
   -- including how you can lead each
   situation to a satisfying conclusion.

* CREATE CHILLS & THRILLS WITH
  YOUR DESCRIPTIONS 

  Using the power of words, lead your
  readers into feeling what your
  characters feel: whether it's chills, or
  thrills, or anything else in between.

Participants also get to interact with
each other and receive more tips from
Coach Aileen in a secret Facebook group
-- for even more writing insights!


EVEN MORE!

The best short story produced during the workshop receives prizes! :-)


WHO WILL FACILITATE:

Coach Aileen Santos has been writing professionally for more than 20 years.

She has been:
* a magazine writer & editor
* a television scriptwriter
* a trainer of editors and writers
* a creativity workshop facilitator, and
* a novel AND book series author.

Her novels have been finalists in the National Readers Choice Awards (2013)
and the Cardinal Sin Catholic Book Awards (2015), while her scriptwriting
work contributed greatly to several multi-awarded children's educational
shows.

Coach Aileen aims to inspire writers who inspire others -- and she can help
you do this no matter what genre you write in (yes, even if it's about the
paranormal!).


JOIN NOW!

Be part of this unique creative writing workshop AND short story writing
contest for an introductory fee of only Php500 / $11 (available for a limited
time only).

REGISTER HERE:

http://www.PlusFactorTraining.com/kilabotatkilig/


Thursday, September 10, 2015

Fact Plus Fiction: 9/11 and the Global Consciousness Project


Excerpt from "Darkness in the World," Book 3 of the
SPRG (Student Paranormal Research Group) Trilogy.
Click here to read the full sample chapters.




The SPRG Trilogy is a work of fiction… but did you know that all its three books are filled with details and tidbits that are actually based on fact? ;-)

The excerpt above about 9/11 and the Global Consciousness Project are samples of “fact plus fiction” in the SPRG. 

They were mentioned in Book 3:Darkness in the World, particularly in Chapter 10: Ripples.

If you’d like to know more about these two real-life / real-world details, I invite you to watch the following video.




The Global Consciousness Project – in the news







Monday, August 3, 2015

4 and 5 Star Reviews of the Entire SPRG Trilogy on Amazon.co.uk (plus fan art!)

Ever since we published the SPRG series, we've gotten different kinds of feedback from distinctly different types of readers:
  • There are a few readers who think that it's just another story about a teenager with psychic abilities, or just another scary story... and they leave it at that.

    Apparently, they are not our target audience, and that's okay.
  • Then there are those readers (a lot of them!) who actually "get it" -- and they love the science / psychology / spirituality / romance / creepiness of it (usually all of the above!), and they get the underlying messages of faith, love, and hope in between the lines.

    And yes, you are our people, and we love you to bits. :-)
  • Then there are those who take it a step further:

    They not only "get it," and they not only LOVE it... they are now our fans/advocates/evangelists, posting reviews of the SPRG books when they can, and even making fan art so they can stay connected with our characters...

    And YES, we love you even more!


Here's just a sample of fan art example we've gotten recently, as well as reviews of all three books (that we just discovered) posted on Amazon.co.uk.

Thank you for these, Mikaela and Iya, and we hope more people (especially those who need the message of these books) would join our tribe soon!




Mikaela Jaluag's "group photo" of all the members of the SPRG:
The humans (from left to right): Sir Julius, Eartha, Richard, Sam, Migs, Aris, Lana, and Vanessa.





Meanwhile, here are the per-book reviews on Amazon.co.uk by Iya:



Click the photo to enlarge / read the review.
Click here to read Voices in the Theater.




Click the photo to enlarge / read the review.
Click here to read Corpse in the Mirror.



Click the photo to enlarge / read the review.
Click here to read Darkness in the World.



P.S.
Recently we learned we actually have one more type of reader: those who are more similar to Samantha Davidson (our main character) than they first realize.

They are usually spiritually sensitive, and when they read certain parts of the books, they report that they seem to hear and feel extra information as well, or are reminded vividly of their own past experiences.

Our only explanation for this phenomena is this:

SPRG series author A.S.Santos has had her own real life paranormal experiences, and many of their bits and pieces and actual details are woven into these books. This is why she's called on the help of angels many times during the writing of this trilogy... and most likely these are the connections & energies that our sensitive readers are picking up on, as well.

It is for you that we offer this reminder:




Monday, July 13, 2015

10 Most Disturbing "When You See It" Photos Online



These images can be found all over the internet:
seemingly regular photos, but then you notice something strange.

And when you see it -- whatever "it" is -- you can't un-see it again.

Ever.

Tonight we've collected the creepiest ones for you
to look at when you're alone at night.


Consider this a warning.









10.













9.












8.












7.










6.

(Why is she floating?)









5.


(He's supposed to be behind her... so why is he bigger?)









4.


(He seems to be wondering about them.)









3.




(The little girl saw her and cried.)








2.




(Seriously creepy!)









1.




(She's looking straight at you.)



Sunday, June 28, 2015

Book Trailer for "Darkness in the World"


Darkness in the World is the third and final book in the SPRG Series, the college paranormal romance trilogy that's set entirely in Manila, Philippines. :-)

SPRG stands for "Student Paranormal Research Group," the university org that our heroine Samantha Davidson joins when she moves to the Philippines, hoping she could find answers about her disturbing experiences.

Watch the book trailer here:






Meanwhile, you can also get the basic information you need on the SPRG Trilogy here (just click on the photo):


http://studentparanormalresearchgroup.blogspot.com/2014/06/information-you-need-about-sprg-series.html

Monday, June 1, 2015

What You Should Know About the #CharlieCharlieChallenge



Charlie Charlie, Are You Real?

By: Yvonne S. Santos

“Charlie Charlie,” a game/Internet urban legend of sudden and unfathomable popularity, surged to the top of the global social media charts in the last week of May 2015 after kicking around on the Spanish-language Internet for decades.


How Did It Become So Popular?

According to WashingtonPost.com, Charlie Charlie (Charly Charly) was an old schoolyard game played by children in Spain. The site says that traditionally, the version with the crossed pencils was called the “Juego de la Lapicera” while “Charlie Charlie” was a slightly different game, played with colored pencils. At some point in their Internet and playground travels, the two games seem to have merged. In either case, both have always had demonic or supernatural connotations; one site calls Lapicera “the poor man’s Ouija board.”

The game was rumored to have started to become popular when a local TV news station in the Dominican province of Hato Mayor broadcasted a report about the “Satanic” game overtaking local schools. From there, social media users in the Dominican Republic began Tweeting, Instagramming, and Vining about the game, and the phrase “Charlie Charlie” was suddenly trending on Dominican Twitter.

It only took one 17-year-old from central Georgia to Instagram herself playing the game and gave it the #CharlieCharlieChallenge hashtag before it became a viral thing. It’s been Tweeted more than 1.6 million times since then (as of this writing).

Thousands of people have been treating this game as some kind of dare so much that it has become a new trend, spreading worldwide. It’s all over Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and almost any other popular social networking site. More people are Googling “Charlie Charlie” than virtually any other news event this week.


How Do You Play It?

The game is easily played: just draw a cross in the middle of a piece of paper, creating  four squares total. Label two quadrants “no,” and the other two “yes.” The player then positions two overlapping pencils on each line of the cross, intersecting them in the middle.


The game starts when the player says, “Charlie, Charlie, are you here?” And when the pencil moves to “yes,” the player can then ask Charlie to respond to any question they ask.


Is It All Just Fun and Games?


It is never good to meddle with things you don’t understand. It's even worse to try to invite spirits to come and communicate with you.

The most dangerous thing about the Charlie Charlie challenge is that it seems harmless and fun, is just a little bit thrilling... and much too easy to do (which is why it's gone viral). But the consequences that come after may be deadly. 

Because while it’s easy to invite a spirit to interact with you, it is way more difficult to ask it to leave... especially when it doesn't want to.

But maybe you don't believe in such things as spirits and ghosts.

Remember, however, that just because you don’t believe in something--or just because it hasn't happened to you--doesn’t make it any less real, particularly for the millions of reported (and thousands of documented) paranormal phenomena collected throughout history worldwide. 

(People didn't use to believe in gravity either, until it was proven by theory, mathematics, and gravity's effects. When it comes to the paranormal, the cases and theories are there: we still just haven't pinned down the math.)

Bottom Line: the Charlie Charlie challenge is a form of ritual that invites a spirit to communicate with the players. 

“Charlie Charlie, are you here?” may seem like a simple phrase that won’t harm anyone, but that is not true. That mere phrase is an open invitation to anything that’s out there.


Anything. 

It is okay to be curious, but it is never okay to be stupid. 


As mentioned in SPRG Book 1: Voices in the Theater, dealing with the paranormal is not simple:
“The fact of the matter is this: you might think you’re studying something as simple as a roller coaster, but you’re not. Instead, you’re dealing with something more dangerous than a nuclear bomb. If you don’t handle it carefully or neglect to respect its power, it could cause you and others a lot of unnecessary harm.”


It is said in recently-published  articles that a Vatican-backed exorcist has claimed anyone who performs the "demon-summoning" Charlie Charlie Challenge could end up "harassed" by evil visitors from the other side. Leaders from Catholic groups see this game as a threat, and it is. It is not as harmless as it seems. 

And it's very hard to ward away something you have invited out of your own free will. 

This is a warning. Stop the Charlie Charlie challenge.




BONUS

Beyond Ouija boards and Charlie Charlie, learn about the "Top 3 Things Teens Need To Know About The Paranormal" in this special report by A.S. Santos:



Monday, April 6, 2015

A.S. Santos Launches the Print Edition of "Voices in the Theater" at the Grand Easter Feast


A.S.Santos sits at the Authors' Table with
fellow female authors Camille Depano & Chichi Barba.

DLSU Professor Lysa Sanchez holds a signed copy of
"Voices in the Theater" with author A.S.Santos.


The Grand Easter Feast -- which happened at the
MOA Arena on April 5, 2015 -- was a wonderful celebration!
 

A.S.Santos poses with fellow book authors who launched
and signed books that day: Youth Preacher Obet Cabrillas
(who wrote "Itanong Mo Kay Daddy O!"), Camille Depano
(who wrote "#Hugot"), and Chichi Barba (who wrote
"Eat Well, Get Well.")
 
What the print cover version of "Voices in the Theater" looks like.

A peek inside at the Acknowledgments Page.
(So many awesome people are named there!)

"Voices in the Theater" is available for ordering now!
For print book orders, contact www.KerygmaBooks.com.
For ebook orders, go to Flipreads.com/voices-in-the-theater
(or Amazon.com).



Thursday, March 26, 2015

Fact Plus Fiction: Guardian Angels




The SPRG Trilogy is a work of fiction… but did you know that all its three books are filled with details and tidbits that are actually based on fact? ;-)

The concept of Guardian Angels is one of them.

In fact, the whole SPRG series itself includes angel characters who are essential parts of Sam's growth and development, not to mention the whole plot.

In real life, thousands of people have actually had experiences that could be called "angelic interventions."

...and SPRG Trilogy author A.S.Santos herself has had a few of them.

Here is one specific experience:


A.S.Santos had been very sick that day.

But she had a very important project deadline, and she needed to have a thick envelope of documents submitted to the AC Nielsen office by 1pm.

At 10am she asked the only available person in the household to please submit the documents personally for her. That person was Gloria.

Gloria had never been to Ortigas, or to AC Nielsen.

So all she had were A.S.Santos' instructions: Take the EDSA bus. Get off at the corner near POEA. And from there ask around for directions to the AC Nielsen building.

At 12:09pm Gloria was standing at the sidewalk near POEA, clutching the brown envelope filled with important documents, and looking around at the people quickly passing her by.

Suddenly a 20-something guy in a red-and-white striped shirt came up to her and said, "Miss, the office you're looking for is just four buildings away," he said, pointing in a specific direction. "AC Nielsen is in that gray building over there. You can't miss it."

Surprised and relieved, Gloria said "Thank you!"

The guy smiled and walked on.

It was only a moment later when Gloria realized: 
She had not even asked him her question!

She looked around for the guy again -- it had been only 5 seconds since he talked to her -- but he was nowhere to be found. She could not find anyone wearing a red-and-white striped shirt.

Gloria followed the instructions he'd given her, found AC Nielsen just as the guy said, and was able to submit the documents on time.

When she returned home that afternoon she told everyone what happened, and A.S. thought, "Those documents must be more important than I thought!"
 :-)



How about you?


Have you ever had a strange experience that you feel could be called an "angelic intervention?"





Tell us about it!


Friday, January 30, 2015

SPRG Series Author A.S.Santos Talks to Tourism Students About the 6 Different Kinds of Paranormal Activity at Haunted Locations

Last September 27, 2014 the Tourism and Events Management students of Lyceum Philippines invited author A.S.Santos to talk about Dark Tourism in the Philippines



 

A.S.Santos is the author of the young adult paranormal romance novels under the SPRG Series (SPRG stands for Student Paranormal Research Group) and has done extensive research on the science, spirituality, and psychology of the paranormal. 




In order to help Tourism students understand the special considerations involved in putting together a haunted attraction or ghost hunting tour, A.S.Santos talked to them about "The Paranormal Side of Dark Tourism," particularly the 6 kinds of paranormal phenomena that may be present at haunted locations. 





The event was attended by about 200 tourism students from different universities.

Here are some of the snapshots. :-)







Hosted by LPU's H457 Enigma: Illuminating Dark Tourism
Photos by Karen Lucille Escabusa

#LPUEnigma2014





Miniature lamps to "illuminate" Dark Tourism.

The lovely ladies manning the registration table.

A.S.Santos shows an actual shot of an unexpected apparition
(behind the woman in the photo) taken at a popular tourist destination.

The most important thing in putting together ghost tours: RESPECT.
Respect the history, the rules, and the significance of a location.

A.S.Santos (far right) with the winners of the ebooks
"Voices in the Theater" and "Corpse in the Mirror"
-- books 1 and 2 of the SPRG series.

The tourism and events management students behind the event.

A.S.Santos receives tokens of appreciation from the team.










The event's venue: Maestranza Plaza in historic
Intramuros, Manila.