Black Friday

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends. I hope you all have (or had) a lovely one. While we’re all eating and out shopping for Black Friday,I tried to find some Thanksgiving creature to tempt you with, but…well, this month doesn’t really lend itself to mythology very much. (There’s no Great Turkey, Charlie Brown, or anything like that…) However, the late, great Jim Henson gave his own spin to the holiday in a show about a bizarre little town called Turkey Hollow that is (or was) on November 22. No, I didn’t get to see it. But it looks like it was really interesting. Or at least, different. (What else do you expect from Henson?) You can read about that in this article.

Well, I think it looks neat. What would you think if you ran across something strange like those Turkey Hollow Creatures? Me I’d probably write a story about them. hehe. I’m grateful for people like Henson for having an imagination like that; without them, I probably wouldn’t be a fantasy writer. 🙂 As Marc and Angel say, I’m thankful for whatever or whoever is sending me –all of us–our unending creative imaginations. 🙂 I’m also grateful to all of you, my readers and friends, who read, encourage, and love what comes out of my imagination. 🙂

Anyway, before I let you all go off to your Christmas shopping, I wanted to let you know that the ebook of KEEPER OF THE GROVE is on sale for $.99, today and tomorrow–for Black Friday. You can find it at Available at Amazon,

Keeper of the Grove (Stewards War, Book 1)

(formerly titled Passion’s Sacred Dance )

Stacy Macken has one goal in mind: saving her renowned history center from greedy creditors. Losing it would be a catastrophe—one she doesn’t know how she’ll avoid.

Until Aaron Fielding arrives. To all human eyes, he is just like any man, but he reminds Stacy of one of the fae. He certainly enchants her like a fae lover would.

But Stacy suspects there is more to this sexy fellow, with his tales of the Tuatha dé Danann, and magical warriors from Celtic legend who protect humanity from a wicked enemy seeking their destruction. Does his appearance mean the end of the world imminent?

Can she, a studious woman more intent on history books with no training in or love of war, possibly have anything to offer when a long-prophesied druidic battle explodes around her?
***
Bonus: Includes brand new flash fiction piece, “About A Warrior”

 

The Celts had their own harvest festivals, but mainly in early August (Lughnasadh) and (depending on what source you read) again at Mabon at the fall equinox. And let’s not forget the big “New year” celebrations at Samhain. Thanks giving was a part of all those festivities, and friends, family, and …well, celebrating. I think they would welcome this November holiday, as well.

So! To all my friends, enjoy this holiday (and the book!) and have a happy, thankful, safe weekend!

***

Sources: Five Ways to Have a Pagan Thanksgiving

30 Things we Forget to Say Thank you For.

Tuesday Kilts–I mean, Celts

Happy Tuesday? It is Tuesday, right?

Image

Okay, okay, girls. Stop looking under the kilts. 😉  We all know what’s under there.  Or do we? I don’t know about wearing a heavy tweed skirt in summer, do you? (Okay, so it’s sweltering here). The weather makes everything just a wee bit uncomfy, doesn’t it? Nonetheless, I am writing (or #amwriting for those of you on Twitter!) and spoke with author Beth Trissel recently about my new release–about the ever-popular topic of men Kilts ;). Interested to learn a little? Then you can see the post here.

And check out Beth’s books while you’re there. They are fantastic! 🙂

Magick and Mayhem–imps

magikandmayhemlarge

Welcome to the Magick and Mayhem Fantasy blog hop. So the question was, what’s your favorite fantasy creature.
Well, you know, I’m torn. I like elves and faeries, but I adore wizards and gods–and imps, and witches of course. So… I guess I have to say all of them!

They’re running a giveaway involved here so check out the link below. To this I’ll be giving away one of my bookmarks (US Only). The overall prize package includes a copy of Caitlin’s Book of Shadows (EBook only), featuring, you guessed it that damnable Imp Hofter. 😉

Feeding impsImps are small, bat-ish like, ugly creatures of wild, uncontrolled temperament. Common  in Germanic, Russian, Turkish, and Korean literature, they are pranksters by nature, they simply live to cause trouble for man. And they tend to feed off the a man’s essence and leave the poor victim a drooling shell of his former self. (Or maybe that’s just my imp). And yet, according to good ole google, some people thought witches cavorted with imps! Ewww….

My character Hofter is one such. Though he looks like a man, he’s all about Mayhem. 🙂

Want to know more about Caitlin and company? Okay:

Caitlin's book of shadows
Available FREE at Amazon & more…

Something terrifying stalks Caitlin and her beloved Trevor. Something the bits and pieces she left claimed she had to make sense of–or so legend says. When the curator of their collection finds Caitlin’s long forgotten diary, she wonders will it tell the whole tale? Will it tell why Caitlin seemed so determined to tell the difference between reality and nightmare even as she continued the fight to defend her family from evil? Will it explain why she thought her world twisted? If she really became a witch?

Perhaps the answer lies between the lines of her story, one of lessons, struggles, and the hopes she carried like a warrior’s shield.

**This is a side (or supplemental, if you will) story in the Antique Magic series, a companion to The Artist’s Inheritance (Antique Magic, Book One).

Excerpt:

Caitlin worked the afternoon away in Kameko’s Print Shop, packaging a new order when the door opened. Hofter stepped into the shop. Caitlin froze. Hadn’t Arianrhod insisted she’d “taken care of him”? How, exactly, when there he was, flitting here and there amongst the customers, smiling, brandishing his claw-tipped fingers.
Caitlin narrowed her eyes watching him, unsure of what her eyes told her. He can’t be here.
She tried to will the unwelcome vision away but Hofter refused her silent order to leave. He approached one gentleman waiting in line. Hofter’s claws flashed. The man yelped and cursed.
Had he cut the gentleman? At least that’s what she thought she saw. She dropped the bundle of fliers she’d been carrying and screamed.
In the next second, Hofter disappeared but she couldn’t stop screaming.
Calvin sprinted out the office door. “What’s going on here?”
Hofter was gone and yet, she kept on screaming.
Calvin took her by the arms and shook her. “What is it, Caitlin?”
She pointed to the crowd. Hofter had disappeared and she knew though Calvin’s gaze followed the direction of her finger, he saw nothing.
“Maybe you need to take a break. Go on. Mark can handle things for now.” He turned and shouted over his shoulder, “Mark?”
The student assistant slinked into Caitlin’s spot at the counter as she tried to keep from running out the door.
Hands shaking, she pulled her purse from her locker seeking her cell phone to call Beryl.
“Sweetie,” Beryl said, “are you sure it was Hofter?”
“I saw him, plain as day.” Her mouth was so dry and heart pounding so hard she could barely get the words out. “There’s no doubt in my mind he’s not as imprisoned as she promised.”
“I’ll be right there.”
Yet, it seemed to take forever for Beryl to arrive. When she did, Caitlin stood back trying to do her work as she watched Beryl scrutinize the afternoon crowd of customers. She couldn’t stop shaking.
Beryl finally sauntered up to the counter and shook her head. “I don’t see him, Cait. I don’t even feel any remnants of him.” She reached out and ran her hand down Caitlin’s arm. The touch calmed her—a little. Not as much as she would’ve liked it to. “Sweetie, why don’t you go home and get some rest?”
Caitlin nodded to a watching, curious Calvin. “I would if I could, but I’m stuck here until closing.”
Beryl waved him over and proceeded to flirt with him. Caitlin didn’t know how she did it, but she managed to talk him into letting her leave. Driving her to Dr. Austin’s office herself, Beryl waited until Caitlin reformed from the puddle of sobbing goo she turned into. How she didn’t tell Dr. Austin the true nature of the monster she dealt with, how she managed to stay out of the nuthouse, was beyond Caitlin’s power to discern.
Even when she closed the door and the drapes that night, she could’ve sworn she saw Hofter hanging in the air outside her windows, grinning his evil, impish smile.

Caitlin’s Book of Shadows is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords.

Now about that giveaway. One winner will receive a Smashwords coupon for a download of your choice of ebook format of Caitlin’s Book of Shadows. What to do? Leave me a comment below (with your email address so I can contact you if you win) and tell me what’s your favorite type of Fantasy creature.

2) Add Caitlin’s Book of Shadows and its predecessor The Artist’s Inheritance to your Good Reads To be Read list.

3) IF you’re chosen as the winner of the book, you must review it.

For the rest of the hop participants see the Indie blog hop and the full list here: http://indiebloghops.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/magik-mayhem-blog-hop-15-19-july.html

For more on imps see: http://monsterpedia.wikia.com/wiki/Imps

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imp
http://www.santharia.com/bestiary/imp.htm

Pesky characters

Hello all, I hope you’ve had a good week so far. I’ve been doing tons of revisions, so busy more offline than on.  My goodness! I can’t believe we’re already halfway through February! Wasn’t it just Christmas a second ago?

pic by imagerymagestic/freedigitalphotos.netYear confusion aside, 😉  I do have a couple places I’ve popped up. First up, I’ve got a few things going on this week, for my

supernatural fantasy The Artist’s Inheritance

, I have a–or rather my heroine Caitlin has an interview and giveaway at Laurie’s Paranormal Thoughts: http://bit.ly/Vsk3pw

Also, I’ve had a great interview and book trailer spot, here at Books Really Are Very Entertaining!
http://bit.ly/VJx1BM

I hope you like them!  In other news, I submitted a new story to EHS. Cross your fingers!

And thanks to Nichelle and Laurie for hosting me!

Back to the ole writing cave.

Winter and Promo

Wow! I just stepped outside and it’s warmish today. Winter in Florida, eh? Don’t worry. We shall be paying for it come January! *laughs*

If you’re out and about the web today and tomorrow, I’ve got a few interviews you might find interesting:  I’m featured over at the author Babette James’ today,with an interview: http://bit.ly/Yqqeg8 and tomorrow, I’ll be interviewed at Eternal Haunted Summer, so I hear tell. 😉 http://eternalhauntedsummer.com/ (I’m excited about that one!)

I hope someone here will find them interesting!
Oh and that book link/cover to the left there? No, that’s  not mine. That’s by a new friend of mine, Mona Risk. *waves to Mona* It’s a holiday tale set in Florida and up now at Amazon, if you’d like to give it a peek. Enjoy and have a great day!