MacGowan's Ghost
by Cindy Miles

Gabe MacGowan—a sexy, brooding, guilt-ridden widower and father to mischievous seven-year-old Jake—is the proprietor of Odin's Thumb Inn and Pub in a misty Scottish seaside village. He decides to sell the inn and move, not only to give his son a more stable environment, but to escape the ghosts who haunt him—in particular his dead wife.

Gabe hires Allie Morgan, an easy-going and fun-loving American, to oust the spirits who are chasing away potential buyers. Odin's Thumb is bustling with frightened tourists, quirky residents of the village, and dodgy yet lovable apparitions—including the ghost of a sea captain who fancies Allie. Allie knows she can help Gabe chase away his own ghosts, but can she help him rediscover life—and love?

Other Books by Cindy Miles

A Christmas Spirit

A Highlander Christmas

Thirteen Chances

Highland Knight

Into Thin Air

Spirited Away

Cindy Miles' Bio

Several years ago, while browsing through books in the local library, I overheard two young middle school boys excitedly talking about a creepy, haunted house on Foy Cemetery Road. The longer I listened to the gruesome tale of murder and ghosts, the prouder I became.

Fifteen years earlier, I'd made that same, freaky story up to scare my younger cousins. The story had lived on and been passed down, only to find me in the most unexpected of places.

From that moment on, I knew creating stories was what I wanted to do—needed to do with my life. So I set my goals and got busy. Since that surreal day in the library, I've completed six novels and diligently pursued publication. I joined RWA, my wonderful home chapter, Georgia Romance Writers, and entered/placed/won several RWA-sponsored contests, including the Emily, the Marlene, and the prestigious Maggie Award.

Loads of queries, requests, submissions, and rejections later, I found someone who believed in me and my work. When Jenny Bent of Trident Media offered me representation, I felt as though I'd finally made it. With her encouragement, enthusiasm, and fabulous direction, we sold the book of my heart to New American Library.

I grew up on the salt marshes of the Vernon River in Savannah, Georgia. Crabbing in an aluminum boat, catching the tide coming in and going out, was the highlight of the summer. Crab boils and fresh fried shrimp lasted all season. Family get-togethers, Sunday dinner, cicadas and fireflies made up my childhood; they're memories and traditions I love to recall and begin anew with my own family—a great husband of eighteen years and two fabulous kids.

I love to travel and explore the places I write about. Of course, Savannah is an easy enough trip! There's a haunting feel to the old Colonial town, and it hangs thick like the balmy coastal air it's surrounded by. Stories of pirates, murder, mayhem, wrongly accused, hangings and duels (and ghosts!) abound. A survivor of two major wars and several devastating fires, Savannah is a place meant to inspire, welcome, and linger in minds forever.

Northern England and Scotland are the other places of my heart. Ruggedly beautiful, the proud history clings to the land and its people. Every season holds something different, something special. The air is crisp with the scent of clover and heather. And whether you're walking the rugged sea-side cliffs of Dunstanburgh ruins in Northern England, or the eerie catacombs of old towne Edinburgh, or the haunting, breath-taking crags of Glen Coe in the western Highlands, the past literally comes alive like a live, breathing thing. These magical places have given me inspiration for my stories and wonderful, long-lasting memories.