Happy Halloween

Have a Happy Halloween from my house to yours!  Stay Safe.

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Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway - Where the Greener Grass Grows by Lin Brooks

Welcome to my stop on Lin Brooks' Virtual Book Tour for Where the Greener Grass Grows.  Please be sure to leave a comment or question below for Lin, as she will be awarding a $15 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during her tour.  You can follow her tour stops here, the more often you comment, the better your odds of winning.

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Interview with Lin Brooks

Me:  Can you tell us what the inspiration was that prompted you to write "Where the Greener Grass Grows"?  What is your take on the effects the economy is currently having on the "Empty Nest Syndrome"? 

Lin: This was my first full length work, and my first women’s fiction work (I normally write Romance). I have a daughter, an only child, and we are very close. It was about the time she hit tenth grade that I realized she was getting ready to move away from home, and I wondered how I was going to deal with it. The book was born! I do think the economy affects everything, and I don’t think Empty Nest is an exception. Less money means we have to be more creative about how we occupy our time; so those trips to Europe to compensate for an empty house may not be an option! I think moms, especially moms of daughters, may find it harder to find ways to deal with the empty house when they have fewer resources that would help them to get out and do new things.

Me:  Did you always know you were a writer at heart?

Lin:  Actually, no. I was a math and science wiz when I was young, and then I decided to study film making, of all things. Which meant a second career was almost a given! I ended up in law school a few years later, and that’s where I discovered how much I love writing. I think the difference between being younger and being required to write (about things I didn’t find the least bit interesting) and being older and choosing to write (about things that fascinate me) is what made the difference.

Me:  Are you a currently a full time writer or do you still have a day job?  

Lin:  No, I still have a day job. But I think I always will. I love practicing law. I’m in a very specialized area that most people don’t get to work in, and it’s so much fun. I’ve met some of the most interesting people.

Me:  Are you more of a plotter or do you write by the seat of your pants?  Do you listen to music while you write or do you need complete silence.

Lin:  Silence!! I’m way to ADD (really) to have anything going on. I get distracted. And I write by the seat of my pants. I usually have a general idea of where I’m headed, but sometimes, my characters surprise me by doing something really cool that I didn’t expect.

Me:  IsoLibris is a fairly new publisher based in Mississippi, your home state, can you provide us with some insight into your experience in going with such a new publisher?

Lin:  Publishing is all new these days. With Kindles and iPads, the old publishing model is being turned on its ear. That gives writers some pretty serious hills to climb (traditional publishers are even harder to get to), but also some tremendous opportunities. So working with a new publisher is an opportunity, I think. You get to deal one on one with the people that make decisions, you get tremendous support, and you get a business that can literally turn on a dime, rather than having to go up the chain of command. They are learning with me, I think, which can be a down side. But the landscape has all changed so much that I think we’re all learning. It’s been a good experience.

Me:  How did you celebrate when you received "the call" or the "email" accepting your manuscript for publishing?

Lin:  I don’t think I ever did!! I was so busy getting it packaged up and sent off I didn’t take the time to. Hmm. Maybe it’s time for a margarita??

Me:  Who would you say has been the biggest influence on your decision to write?  Is your family supportive?

Lin:  My family is hugely supportive. My husband insists on reading everything I write (even the boring, technical, work related stuff which I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemies). He’s my greatest supporter. My influences are all over the place, but I suppose the influence on my decision to write didn’t come so much from one person as it did from an entire group of people. I work with so many people that write, and I review and edit and market and promote for so many others that I started wanting to do it for myself.  And I have to admit, it’s much more fun to do it for me.

Me:  Your second book, "Revenge of the High Priestess" is very different from "Where the Greener Grass Grows" - it's a mystery/romantic suspense.  Can you tell us which book was easier to write or which genre is the one you are most comfortable writing in?

Lin:  I’m more of a romance writer, really. “Where the Greener Grass Grows” was a challenge, especially from a plot standpoint, because the resolution was not as clear to me from the beginning. On the other hand, “Revenge” was paranormal AND a short story, which I also don’t usually write.  Isolibris approached me about putting out a short story, so I wrote “Revenge”, and it actually came together very quickly. “Where the Greener Grass Grows” went through several rewrites, additions, deletions, etc., and “Revenge” just basically hopped onto the paper. I guess that means “Revenge” gets my vote as the easier project.

Me:  What can we expect to see from you in 2013 in regards to your writing?

Lin:  I have one complete and one almost complete romance novel, which should be out early in the year. I also have a humor book coming out before the end of the year (Isolibris should have it up on the site any day now) called “The Divorcees Field Guide: Surviving the Apocalyptic Break Up”. Think surviving the Zombie apocalypse, except with ex husbands. That one was serious fun to write, so I’m looking forward to its release.

Quick Get To Know You Questions

Favorite Color? Red

Favorite Margarita Flavor? Raspberry

Favorite Childhood Book? Fox in Sox

Heels or Boots? Boots!!

Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate

Print book or Ebook Preference? Actually, audio book (I listen while I run). But if I can’t pick, I’ll go with eBook.

Favorite College Football team? Roll Tide!

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Where the Greener Grass Grows

by Lin Brooks

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BLURB:

Sending the children off to college is never easy. For Lacey Marchand and Cara Myers, an empty nest is enough to drive them a little crazy -- but sometimes, a little crazy is just what the doctor ordered.

Now that their daughters have left for college, Lacey and Cara have too much time on their hands. With nothing else to do, Cara decides to help single-mom Lacey get a life. And what better way to get a life than a few blind dates?

Lacey, however, can't think of a worse way to spend her weekends. She has her own ideas for curing their empty nest problems -- Cara needs a new career. And a career just happens to be what Lacey understands best.    

For Cara and Lacey, coping with the empty nest means reinventing their lives without losing their sanity. Where the Greener Grass Grows is the story of two mothers learning to live, to laugh and to let go.

Excerpt:

Lacey nodded at the young man in the ticket booth, the grin still fixed on her face. That had to be one of the more unusual gifts she had ever heard of. At least Cara had a sense of humor about it. “That one’s going on the list.”

Cara dug in her purse for her wallet. “Would that be the ‘gifts guaranteed to piss your wife off’ list or the ‘gifts only a total moron would actually buy’ list?”

“Neither. I was thinking the ‘out of ideas’ list. You’ve been married a long time,” she reminded Cara. Sometimes that was almost impossible for Lacey to comprehend. It had been twenty three years since Cara had given up flirting with every guy in sight and settled down with Brian. How could two people manage to stay in love that long? To Lacey, it was a complete mystery.

“I’ve been married since the frigging stone age,” Cara muttered. “Which means he ought to know better. Forty something people in those stupid coffee commercials do things like sit on a deck overlooking a mountain range while drinking cappuccinos or jet off to Paris to exchange anniversary rings while staring up at the Eiffel tower. I get pizza and a wood toilet seat. He just doesn’t give a rip.”

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Lin Brooks is a lifelong Southern girl who lives in Mobile, Alabama with her family. Lin is a lawyer, runner, mother, home improvement enthusiast and an avid reader with a bucket list that includes visiting Australia, running a marathon and trying every kind of margarita ever made.

Author page: 

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005I56O5W

Blog: 

http://lin-brooks.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

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My Review:  

Most parents look forward to their children going away to college and moving out of the family home, it's a time to regain life as you knew it before the kids came along.  Yet, as in any passage in life there are growing pains for this period too - sometimes known as "empty nest syndrome", the focus of Lin Brooks' fictional story Where the Greener Grass Grows.  With fun and likable characters, good dialogue and a well paced plot, Ms. Brooks grabbed me from the first page, I really didn't want to put down until I finished it.

Friends from their college days, Lacey Marchand and Cara Myers suddenly find themselves "empty nesters" when their daughters go off to college together.  For single mom Lacey, this means more time spent at work so she doesn't come home to an empty house.  For married homemaker Cara, this means she finally has the time to do all she put off because of her daughter, only now she can't remember what it was she wanted to do.  While they both ponder what to do with their free time, Cara's husband finds himself suddenly faced with a changing situation at work and their two daughters suddenly find themselves in charge of their own lives.

As Cara works to fill her life, and Lacey's, with new purpose, Lacey finds herself agreeing to go on some blind dates in exchange for Cara going on some job interviews.  Neither quite turns out exactly as they had hoped, Lacey creates a blog with her dating experiences while Cara begins to look closer at her marriage.  Ms. Brooks develops both of these characters separately, and together, as the story progresses and we get to see who these women really are.  While I was drawn to Lacey's character because of her personality, Cara really makes this story - she's Lucille Ball compared to Lacey's Ethel Mertz.  

The secondary characters, mostly Cara's husband Brian and their children Abby and Michelle, provide plenty of emotional support and their own version of humor to the story.  Lacey's boss and a client, who's more of an adversary during most of the story, provide us with a look at Lacey the businesswoman - a completely different person than the Lacey we see at home.  The blind dates provide us with laugh out loud humor.

Will Lacey and Cara be able to let go of what they thought the future would be and learn to grasp what the future is really offering them?  And will everyone make it through this new growing cycle?  You'll have to read Where the Greener Grass Grows, I enjoyed it a lot and I think you would too. 

My Rating:  5 out of 5 Crowns

FTC Disclosure:  I was provided a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review 

Please be sure to leave a comment or question below for Lin, as she will be awarding a $15 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during her tour.  You can follow her tour stops here, the more often you comment, the better your odds of winning.

Moonlight Masquerade Giveaway Hop

Moonlight Masquerade Giveaway hop!

Hosted by My Secret Romance and Day Dreaming

Do you have a secret crush you're afraid to reveal yourself to? Worried they'll be either too sweet or too sour? Does the thought of hiding behind a mask excite you? Would you like to fall under the spell of a brooding dark vampire and let him sink his fangs into? Or how about a sexy shifter built thick and hard that you're just dying to pounce on? Well then, come join us as we celebrate all those things that are wicked on Halloween!

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Halloween has always been about candy, costumes and the occasional scary movie (I'm a big chicken for the most part).  What would Halloween be though without the things that go bump in the night?  For this stop, the prize given will be something to read and something to eat.

Your Choice of  Paperback Book from the House of Comarre series

 

AND 

1 Bar Ghirardelli Dark & Raspberry Chocolate

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Please don't forget to visit the other stops on the hop below:

   

Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway - Eolyn by Karin Rita Gastreich

Welcome to my stop on Karin Rita Gastreich's Virtual Book Tour for Eolyn.  Please be sure to leave a comment or question below for Karin.  You can enter the Rafflecopter form below to enter her giveaway.  You can follow her tour stops here, the more often you comment, the better your odds of winning.  

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Guest Post: Dragon  By Karin Rita Gastreich

According to the traditions of the Mages and Magas of Moisehén, Dragon is not a biological or physical creature. She is a spiritual entity who has appeared in her true form -- as a winged serpent -- only a handful of times in history. 

Sent by the Gods, Dragon first appeared to the legendary figures Aithne and Caradoc, and taught them the ways of High Magic. The story of Aithne and Caradoc, and their encounter with Dragon, is told in one of the early chapters of my novel Eolyn. (There is an audio recording of this scene available on my blog, if you’d like to listen sometime!)

Many generations after appearing to Aithne and Caradoc, Dragon returned to teach Caedmon how to use magic in warfare, making Caedmon the first Mage Warrior.  This was a time of great crisis, as the People of Thunder were annihilating all practitioners of magic.  Caedmon formed an alliance with the warrior chief Vortingen, and together they defeated the People of Thunder.  As a result, the winged serpent appeared once more to grant Vortingen the crown of Moisehén, charging him and all his descendants with protecting the followers of Aithne and Caradoc.

Dragon, also called Messenger, can shape shift at will, taking on the appearance of any living creature that inhabits the earth. Using this ability, Dragon has appeared to every Initiate of High Magic since the time of Aithne and Caradoc.  When Eolyn makes her pilgrimage into the forest to petition for a staff of High Magic, her tutor Ghemena advises her to be prepared for all possibilities:

The Initiate must open her mind to the greatness of all beings, lest she fail to hear Messenger’s voice in the sinuous movement of a millipede’s legs or in the fearsome roar of an angry bear.

Dragon reveals to the Initiate what elements are to be incorporated in his or her staff. Under the traditions of the Old Orders, it was widely taught that Dragon appeared as a male to Mage Initiates and as a female to Maga Initiates, although there were of course exceptions to this rule.

If Dragon does not appear during the pilgrimage of the Initiate, it is understood that the petition has been denied; that the Gods for whatever reason have judged the petitioner unworthy or unready to practice High Magic. 

Dragon is often referred to in Moisehén as the Silver Serpent. Her scales are iridescent and highly reflective, and can take on a variety of colors. Nonetheless, artwork in Moisehén portrays Dragon only in silver. The sigil of the House of Vortingen, for example, is a silver dragon against a purple night. Mage Corey, of the Clan of East Selen, wears a clasp on his cloak in the form of a silver Dragon. Early in the novel, Akmael gives Eolyn a silver bracelet with images of the many forms in which Dragon has been known to appear:

On the etched surface of winding silver Eolyn recognized multiple forms of Dragon: winged serpent, snake, lion, butterfly, river otter, fish and many others. Each figure blended into the next, creating a single creature as fantastic as imagination itself.

This jewel is a parting gift, but it will bind them forever in ways neither one anticipates.

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Eolyn
Karin Rita Gastreich

Genre:  Fantasy

Publisher:  Hadley Rille Books

ISBN:  978-0-9829467-4-9

Number of pages:  325

Word Count:  approximately 118,000

Amazon   Barnes and Noble

Book Description:

In a land ravaged by civil war, the Mage King Kedehen initiates a brutal purge of the Magas.

Fleeing his wrath, Eolyn, daughter of the last of the Magas and sole heiress to their forbidden tradition, seeks refuge in the South Woods.  There she meets the mysterious boy Akmael, and forms a friendship that thrives on shared magic.  Destiny leads them down a tortuous path of love, betrayal and war, until one day the Maga Eolyn takes up arms against the new Mage King.

Must Eolyn slay the man she loves in order to free herself and her people? 

The answer lies in the extraordinary magic she commands, and in the hidden power of a Maga’s heart. 

“Vigorously told deceptions and battle scenes. . . with a romantic thread." – Publishers Weekly

Short Excerpt

Akmael set the jewel on a polished oak table, next to the ceremonial mask he had confiscated from Eolyn when they had brought her to him as a prisoner. The silver web sparkled under the flickering light of the torches, and the folds of her mask seemed to waver with the shadows. After a careful search, Akmael found what he sought: a coppery strand of her hair, glowing with her magic and still bearing traces of her exquisite aroma. With a quiet invocation to Dragon, he wove the hair into the heirloom of his mother, snaking it tightly through the intricate mesh. When he finished a sudden white glow flashed through the medallion, fusing the strand of hair to the web and rendering it indistinguishable from the other threads. Satisfied, Akmael stood and lifted the circle by its silver chain. He drew a breath and began a new incantation, one he had worked meticulously by integrating the lullaby of his mother with a spell designed to separate the seam of a Maga’s ward.

Ehekahtu

Elaeom enem, eleaom enem

Sepoenem fae

Elaeom enem, elaeom enem

Renoenem mae

Ehukae

As he repeated the verse, the stone walls melted around him and soft loam rose to his feet. The web had taken him to a forest, ancient in aspect though illuminated by energies very different from the South Woods. The pale light of the new moon filtered through the canopy. A breeze shifted restless against the trees. He thought he could feel Eolyn’s essence on the wind, but she was nowhere to be seen. Disappointed though not deterred, Akmael lifted the medallion to try again. Just as he spun the web to begin his invocation, a soft rustle in the underbrush detained him. Eolyn appeared a few paces away in the shape of Wolf, her true identity betrayed by the full spectrum of her magnificent aura.

Akmael caught his breath and held very still. The Gods must have favored him, for she did not at first detect his scent. Stepping into the clearing, she searched the leaf litter with her snout, her awareness focused on some favored smell emanating from the damp earth. Her coarse gray fur blended into the shadows. The faint moonlight glinted against her black eyes. She continued oblivious to him, until in a sudden shift of attention she paused and looked up. She sniffed at the air, her muscles tensed. Her ears turned in Akmael’s direction. She growled then bolted into the forest.

Calling upon the shape of Wolf, Akmael charged after her.

As a girl, Eolyn had been a swift runner. As a wolf, she seemed impossible to catch. She hurtled through the bushes, managing with nimble turns a rough terrain unknown to Akmael. Branches caught at his fur and scratched his snout. Tangled roots threatened to trip his paws. More than once she gained enough distance to lose sight of her, yet Akmael kept tight upon her scent and did not give up. His muscles began to burn. His tongue hung limp from his jowls. He panted hot clouds into the air as he pushed his limbs to move faster and faster.

Without warning the undergrowth disappeared. Akmael skidded into a small clearing. The she-wolf paced a confused circle in front of him, her whimpers soft and high pitched. A steep wall of rock had cut her flight short. Upon sensing Akmael, she swung around to confront him and bared her fangs in a vicious snarl. They stalked each other, heads low and tails ominously still, quiet growls and sharp barks building in a tense duet. Eolyn sprang first, striking his shoulders and digging her claws deep into his fur as her teeth sought his neck. Akmael twisted his throat out of her reach, forcing his snout underneath her muzzle, leaving her snapping at his ears instead. Again he ducked his head, barely avoiding the tearing hold of her canines. He had never seen Eolyn so intent on drawing blood. Wedging his paws up through her hold, he pushed against her muzzle and spread his claws over her face. With a sharp yelp, Eolyn stumbled back, breaking their grapple. Recovering her balance, she lunged low, fangs flashing in the moonlight. Just as her jaws snapped shut, Akmael reared up on his hind legs, leaving nothing for her to take hold of. Coming down upon her back, he caught the nape of her neck with his razor sharp teeth and forced her decisively to the ground.

Eolyn went very still, though her muscles remained tense. After several moments she tried to shift her position, scooting a few inches along the ground. He tightened his grip with a low growl, sending a clear signal that the strength of his muzzle could break her neck. Again she paused. He felt her pulse against his jowls, rapid and strong. The intensity of their conflict had left her fur warm and damp at the roots. Her rich musk rose about him in waves, saturating his senses to the point of dizziness. His loins tightened with need. Every instinct of Wolf was urging him to claim her right then and there. Was such a thing possible, he wondered. Did the Mages and Magas of old partake in the pleasure of the Gods even when they shape shifted?

Eolyn’s muzzle sank between her paws. Her ears twitched and she whimpered quietly. Her pulse slowed. The tension drained out of her haunches and into the midnight earth. Interpreting this as a sign of submission, Akmael loosened his hold and stepped away.

In an instant, Eolyn rose to her feet, resumed her human form and kicked him full in the stomach. The force of her strike surprised Akmael. He hit the ground with a yelp, and the shape of Wolf deserted him. His hand went instinctively to where the blow burned against his side.

“You have lost nothing of your strength and skill,” he said, “but don’t you think that move was a little unfair?”

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About the Author

KARIN RITA GASTREICH was born near Kansas City, Missouri. After living and working for ten years as a tropical ecologist in Costa Rica, she recently returned to her home town and is now a Professor of Biology at Avila University. Her past times include camping, hiking, music and flamenco dance.  Karin's fantasy novel EOLYN was released by Hadley Rille Books in May, 2011. 

The companion novel, HIGH MAGA, is scheduled for release in 2013. Karin’s short stories have appeared in Zahir, Adventures for the Average Woman, 69 Flavors of Paranoia, and A Visitor to Sandahl.   She is a recipient of the Spring 2011 Andrews Forest Writer’s Residency.

Visit her at the blog for Eolyn, http://eolynchronicles.blogspot.com  and at Heroines of Fantasy, co-authored with Terri-Lynne DeFino and Kim Vandervort http://heroinesoffantasy.blogspot.com

Blog for Eolyn:  http://eolynchronicles.blogspot.com

Blog Heroines of Fantasy:  http://heroinesoffantasy.blogspot.com

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Eolyn/110814625640244

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My Review:

Like a spider creates a web, Karin Rita Gastreich, builds a complex world in her high fantasy novel, Eolyn.  With a likable heroine and hero, well developed secondary characters and good dialogue, I was transported to a world full of magic I never wanted to leave.  Fully engaging my emotions, Ms. Gastreich created a reading experience I won't forget any time soon.

As this tale begins, Eolyn and her older brother are being raised by their parents in a small rural community.  Loving her "nature" hikes through the woods with her mother, Eolyn is slowly being taught the basics of natural magic.  It's only when her family is destroyed that Eolyn learns the danger of learning magic, and the dangers of being a female in possession of any knowledge.  Seeking refuge in the woods, Eolyn is taken in by an older Maga, whose presence and teachings will forever change her life.

Born to a King, who is both a warrior and a Mage, and his Maga princess, Prince Akmael is expected to follow in his father's footsteps.  With the kingdom being ruled by strength and the magic of the Mages, Akmael is not quite what his chief tutor is expecting; he's independent, bright and magically gifted.  He's also lonely and good at keeping secrets.  

When fate brings Eolyn and Akmael together as children, neither one knows how important their bond will become or that they'll end up on opposite sides of a future battle.  Even as their friendship grows and blossoms into early love, Akmael fears for Eolyn's safety - if his father's soldiers and mages find her practicing magic, she could be found guilty of violating the king's law and being burned at the stake.  Ms. Gastreich does a wonderful job providing us with the experiences they have together in the woods, and then the experiences they each have individually when they begin to go separate directions.  As Akmael is forced to take on more responsibilities in the Kingdom and is given further instructions by the mages, Eolyn begins her own journey to discover her destiny and begins to try to bring the old magical ways back.  Even if she has to move slowly and secretly at first.  

As the political and magical machinations of others around them continue to escalate, Eolyn and her new found friends become the opposition.  They see no reason for women not to be trained to be whatever they want to be and it soon becomes clear the war between the mages and magas is far from over.  As Akmael is forced to face the growing treachery among the mages - he'll have to make a choice too. 

Will Eolyn and Akmael's friendship and early love lead to their salvation or their destruction?  And what will the future hold for them both?  You'll have to read Eolyn to find out, I enjoyed this and can't wait to read the next book, High Maga, due out in 2012.  I do want to caution romance readers that while there is some romance in this book - this is not a romantic fantasy - most of the focus of this story is on the destiny and future of the world the two primary characters live in.  

My Rating:  4 out of 5 Crowns 

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Virtual Book Tour & Kindle Giveaway - Mark of the Witch by Jessica Gibson

Welcome to my stop on Jessica Gibson's Mark of the Witch Virtual Book Tour.  Please be sure to leave a comment or question below for Jessica to let her know you were here.  You can fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter her Kindle Giveaway.

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Character interview with Caroline by Jessica Gibson

Hi Maria, thanks for having me on the blog today!! I brought Caroline, one of the characters from Mark of the Witch with me and persuaded her to answer a few questions for us.

J: Tell us a little about yourself Caroline.

C: *laughs* This is kind of funny seeing as you created me and know me better than I know myself.

J: Humor me.

C: Fine, fine. Well, I’m 29, and I have a twin sister named Jillian.

J: Anything else you care to share?

C: Oh, I’m sort of a witch, and sort of married.

J: *laughs* That’s what I love about you Caroline, you’re so up front.

C: I’m not super comfortable with either of those, so I never really talk about them.

J: What makes you uncomfortable with being a witch when your sister Jillian (Jilly) embraced it so quickly?

C: Oh, I don’t know. I think I’m too practical. If I can’t explain something I generally won’t believe it. The whole witchy magic stuff just always seemed so hokey to me.

J: Do you still feel the same after everything that has happened?

C: *smiles* Not going to give away too much, where’s the fun in that? I will say that I can see that magic has a place in my life to some extent.

J: Tell me about Jilly.

C: *smiles* Jilly is the part of my life that wasn’t whole. For most of my life we were estranged, half of me was missing. I’m happy to say that the Proctor sister’s are together again. If you met her, you’d know what I mean when I say that Jilly is like sunlight. She makes everything brighter.

J: Awe, that’s so sweet.

C: *shakes her head* No, I’m not the sweet one in the family, that’s Jilly, or better yet that’s Emily.

J: So you’ve had a lot of life changes lately...

C: *snorts* You could say that yes. If you are referring to my estranged husband...

J: I am referring to Jack.

C: *sighs* I don’t really know what to say about him. I have been having some crazy dreams about a mystery guy with blue eyes. Do you know something about that?

J:*smiles wanly* I might. Do you have anything else you want to tell our readers?

C: *nods* Go and buy our book Mark of the Witch!! It’s really good, plus I’m in it.

J: You heard the lady!!!

Hope you all enjoyed our little interview :) Thanks again for having me on your blog today Maria!!!

Where can you find me??

Blog: www.thisauthorslife.blogspot.com

FB: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jessica-Gibson/120212814747940

Twitter: @jessicajgibson

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Mark of the Witch

Boston Witches Book 1

Jessica Gibson

Genre: Paranormal Romance

ISBN: 10: 1475119836
ASIN: B0087GFJ9Q

Number of pages: 192

Word Count: 51,520

Cover Artist: Russ Turner Photography

Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Paperback

Book Description:

Magic flows through Jillian Proctor's veins as surely as blood, but so far her life outside Boston has been peaceful. William Morgan blows into Jilly's life like a hurricane, unleashing her magic and sending her out of control.

Unknowingly, William brings an enemy who only wants to posses the power of the witch. Jilly must learn to harness her magic before she loses it - and everything in her life is destroyed.

Excerpts

Excerpt 1:

You may as well come out,” she called. “I know you’re in there.” Both girls scanned the trees for any trace of movement.

Finally, off to their left, a figure emerged from the thick brush. It was a man neither of them recognized. He was short and wiry, with bright red hair and freckles. Jilly thought he was almost too adorable to be afraid of. Almost being the operative word. He came to a stop about six feet in front of them and held up his hands in a gesture of peace.

    “I don’t mean you any harm,” he said, reiterating the gesture. “I’m only here to set up a meeting between you and Sabine,” he said as he nodded his head in Jilly’s direction.

    “And what if I don’t agree to this meeting? Will you mean us harm then?” she asked as she slowly rubbed her palms together. She felt the familiar reassuring tingle in her fingers.

    “Sabine doesn’t want you hurt. She just wants to talk, but if I have to hurt you I will.” He walked a step or two closer. The look on his face was anything but friendly.

    “I’d stay where you are if I were you,” Jilly said forcefully. “You really don’t know me.” She rubbed her palms faster. Her palms and fingers were glowing by now.

The man looked at her and shrugged before charging toward her. Jilly put up her hands and grabbed his arm; he went down fast. She kept a hold of his arm until she felt the warmth in her hands start to fade, and yelled for Caroline to make a run for it.

    “No, I’m not going to just leave you here with him,” Caroline yelled.

    “Does it look like I’m helpless?” she shot back. Caroline looked at her with narrowed eyes and Jilly said, “I’ll be right behind you, just go!”

Caroline nodded and took off running as Jilly started to rub her palms again. She shocked the man once more to make sure he stayed down for a while and took off after her sister.

She caught up to Caroline a little ways off from the house. They both ran at full speed the rest of the way back and up into the house. Caroline slammed the door and threw the deadbolt.

    “Right,” Jilly said sarcastically, “do you really think something like a locked door is going to stop them if they really want to get in?”

    “I don’t know, it just seemed like the right thing to do,” Caroline said in a nervous voice.

Excerpt 2:

William watched her fingers move smoothly through her hair, with an odd expression on his face. Looking up, she found him staring at her, and smiled shyly. She had been so absorbed in telling him the dream that she had forgotten he wasn’t wearing a shirt; now that was all she could think about. She could almost feel the heat coming off of him, and she shifted a little on the bed. The look in his eyes was unmistakable now, and she got up quickly. She had stayed in his room far too long and he was wearing too little clothing for her comfort.

He got up as well and pulled her into his arms, kissing her so fiercely it took her breath away. Her head got a little foggy, and she was enjoying the feeling of his bare skin under her hands and the tiny jolts of electricity running all over her body. The voice in the back of her head telling her to get out was quickly being drowned out by the much louder voice shouting at her to stay.

As though he could hear her mental argument with herself, he pulled away and stepped back a few steps. “You should probably go,” he said in a husky voice. “If you don’t we’ll end up doing something we’ll both regret in the morning, and I don’t want us to end this before it’s even started.” He stepped closer, brushed his thumb across her swollen lips, and kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll see you in the morning, Jilly. Sleep well.”

She hadn’t spoken at all; she just nodded her head to whatever he had been saying. She stumbled back to her room and collapsed back into bed, her body melting into the mattress as though all of her bones had gone missing. She slept like the dead until morning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chasing the Witch

Boston Witches Book 2

Jessica Gibson

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Coming Soon

Book Description

After the events of Mark of the Witch, Jilly at last begins to breathe easier though her powers are still growing. But can she harness them in time to confront a new chain of events that threatens to change everything?

Caroline has finally accepted her life as a witch, but when a stranger comes into her life she's forced to question her family loyalty.

The sisters are thrown together to protect a young girl from the enemy determined to hunt her down. Can they save her -- and themselves?

~~~~~~~~~~~~

About the Author:

Jessica lives in California with her husband and young son. She loves to read, and that love helped her to branch out into writing. Aside from writing, she runs an online event planning business called the Release Day Diva. In addition to novels, Jessica writes and maintains the blog Book on the Bright Side. Keep up with Jessica and her latest releases and events on her blog.

Website: www.releasedaydiva.weebly.com

Blog: www.thisauthorslife.blogspot.com

Book Blog : www.bookonthebrightside.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jessica-Gibson/120212814747940

Twitter: @jessicajgibson

Don't forget to leave a comment or question below for Jessica.  You can enter her Kindle giveaway by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.

Here are the stops on her tour:

October 24 Interview and review
Book Dream Land
http://booktimeforlife.blogspot.com/
October 25 review
Persephone's Winged Reviews
wingedpersephone.wordpress.com
October 28 review
Bookworm Babblings –
http://inspirationsbysimone.blogspot.com
October 29 guest blog and review
My Escape /
http://myescape84.blogspot.com
October 30 Promo and review
Cover2CoverBlog
www.cover2coverblog.blogspot.com
November 1 Interview
Books & Other Spells.
nightskydarkstar.blogspot.com
November 2 Guest blog
Carly Fall - Where Fantasy Meets Romance
CarlyFall.com
November 4 Promo
Place of Reads Book Blog
Http://placeofreeds.blogspot.com
November 5 Guest blog
http://www.pwcreighton.com/surveillance-report/
Paranormal Perceptions series
November 8 promo
Blooding Book Reviews
http://frankieblooding.wordpress.com/
November 9 Guest blog
http://jacqpaige.blogspot.com/
November 10 Review
crossroad reviews
www.crossroadreviews.com
November 11 Promo and review
Stuffed Shelves
www.stuffedshelves.com
November 12 Interview
A Writer's Mind-
www.skypuringtonwrites.blogspot.com.
November 13 Promo
SMARTMOUTHTEXAN
www.smartmouthtexan.wordpress.com
November 14 Guest blog and review
Romance Book Junkies
http://www.romancebookjunkies.com
November 14 Promo
Mila Ramos, Paranormal & Contemporary Romance
http://jademystique.blogspot.com
November 17 Promo and review
Stressed Rach
http://StressedRach.co.uk
November 17 Promo
Nomi’s Paranormal Palace
http://nomisparanormalpalace.blogspot.com.au
November 18 Interview and review
compelledbywords.com
November 19 guest blog and review
Michelle's Paranormal Vault of Books
http://concisebookreviewsbymichelle.blogspot.com/

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