Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 146
December 10, 2020
A Bewitching Thursday
In the Kitchen with Arabella Holmes - Indonesian- Style Chili Peanut Chicken #inthekitchen #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/HtNk50CHNk2
Spotlight & Holiday Extravaganza Recipe: A Demon’s Witch + Giveaway
http://sadiesspotlight.com/a-demons-w...
DECK THE HALLS WITH HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA - COZY MYSTERY - TAIL OF A FEATHER (Spellwood Witches, #3) by Melanie Snow #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/pVj650CHNsc
The Reaper Collection by Jade Royal @jaderoyalauthor #Paranormal #Thriller #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/NXwz50CHNuB
Queen’s Ascension Blood Prophecy Book Three by Barb Jones ~ Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/xoIJ50CHNpQ
Mystic UnRealized by S. Peters-Davis ~ Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/rTbr50CHNmR
Full Moon in Leo by Brooklyn Ray ~ Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/WbGg50CHNia
Fighting for Home by Kim Richards ~ Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/a4Tn50CHNfY
Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2020 AT 1 PM EST
https://www.facebook.com/events/10346...
Crow's Curse Series by Laura Bickle ~ Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza
Garnet has the blood of the legendary Morrigan – and legions of vampires and witches will go to war to possess that power.
All 3 books of the Crow’s Curse series by Laura Bickle are now available
https://amzn.to/37z68s2
#crows #vampires #witches #TheMorrigan #UrbanFantasy #DarkFantasy #UF #historical #NightWitches
December 9, 2020
A Bewitching Wednesday
The Magical Power of the Winter Solstice with Melanie Snow #bewitchingbooktours https://serenasynn.blogspot.com/2020/...
Please Welcome Barb Jones as She Tells Us About Her Paranormal Romance, Queen’s Ascension, Blood Prophecy, Book Three #bewitchingbooktours https://lindamooney.blogspot.com/2020...
Fighting for Home Descendants of the Amazoi Book One by Kim Richards - fantasy/historical fantasy #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/L9yx50CGItR
Death Masks by Kim Richards - Book Tour + Giveaway #bewitchingbooktours
https://www.jazzybookreviews.com/2020...
A Demon’s Witch Book One by Tena Stetler #bewitchingbooktours
https://midnightmusingswithbertena.bl...
Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2020 AT 1 PM EST
https://www.facebook.com/events/10346...
Full Moon in Leo by Brooklyn Ray ~ Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza
http://www.roxannerhoads.com/2020/12/...
The Reaper Collection by Jade Royal - Book Tour
https://www.jazzybookreviews.com/2020...
Interview - My Sweet Vampire by Arabella Holmes #PNR #ParanormalErotica #authorinterview http://www.roxannerhoads.com/2020/12/...
Mystic UnRealized by S. Peters-Davis ~ Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza http://www.roxannerhoads.com/2020/12/...
Crow's Curse Series by Laura Bickle ~ Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza http://www.roxannerhoads.com/2020/12/...
December 8, 2020
A Bewitching Tuesday
In the Kitchen with Jade Royal - Peanut Butter Cookies #inthekitchen #peanutbuttercookies #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Il3x50CFIk2
INTERVIEW WITH ARABELLA HOLMES (My Sweet Vampire)
https://supernaturalcentral.blogspot....
Paranormal mystery author Melanie Snow: Winter Solstice Almond Butter and Gluten-Free Cookies for Dogs + giveaway
#bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/d5Li50CFIgP
Fighting for Home by Kim Richards ~ Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/ctWD50CFI8p
Crow's Curse Series by Laura Bickle ~ Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza #bewitchingooktours https://paranormalists.blogspot.com/2...
Full Moon in Leo by Brooklyn Ray ~ Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/HMNW50CFI09
Mystic UnRealized by S. Peters-Davis ~ Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza #bewitchingbooktours https://paranormalists.blogspot.com/2...
Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza & #Giveaway ~ Traditions Shared with Our Pets – Our Christmas Tree by Tena Stetler, Author of A Demon’s Witch @TenaStetler ~ Paranormal Romance #PNR #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/utPA50CFHRc
My Sweet Vampire by Arabella Holmes #PNR #ParanormalErotica #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/oQPD50CFHUI
Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2020 AT 1 PM EST
https://www.facebook.com/events/10346...
Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza: Queen’s Ascension Blood Prophecy Book Three by Barb Jones
https://mommasaystoreadornottoread.bl...
Death Masks by Kim Richards ~ Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza
https://fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com...
Death Masks by Kim Richards ~ Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza
The pumpkin version of this cheesecake became a favorite of my Mom before she passed. I made it for every fall and winter family gathering. Give it a try! ~Kim Richards
Sweet Potato/Pumpkin Cheesecake
For Crust2 Cups gingersnap cookie crumbs (about 30 cookies crushed)6 Tbsp melted butterOr (for a more keto/carb friendly version) substitute crushed walnuts for cookie crumbs and butter.
For Filling:
3-8 oz packages softened cream cheese½ Cup butter melted1 1/3 Cups sugar (or mix half brown sugar and half white if preferred) can substitute stevia1 Cup cooked and mashed sweet potatoes or pumpkin¾ tsp. ground cinnamon¾ tsp. ground nutmeg3 Tbsp bourbon (or 1 tsp. almond flavoring)1 tsp. vanilla4 Eggs
Note: The recipe says sweet potato or pumpkin. You can use either or do a mixture of half pumpkin and half sweet potato if you like.
For Topping:
1 ½ Cups sour cream2 Tbsp sugar (or stevia)1 ½ tsp. burbon (or vanilla)Ground cinnamon
In a medium bowl, combine the crust ingredients and stir to mix well. Press crumb crust into the bottom and 1-inch up sides of a buttered 10 ½ spring form pan. Bake crust in a 350 degree oven 8-10 minutes until just starting to deepen in color. Remove from oven and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl (or food processor) combine filling ingredients, beat until smooth.
Pour batter into the prepared crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Then turn the oven temperature down to 300 degrees and continue baking for 35 minutes; Then again, turn oven temperature down to 250 degrees and continue baking 20-30 minutes until cheesecake is set around the edges and barely jiggles at the center. Remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Mix topping ingredients and spread evenly over top of cheesecake. Dust with cinnamon if desired. Bake for five minutes to just set the topping. Remove from oven and cool completely. Cover and chill for several hours, remove from pan and serve.
Makes 16 servings.
Death Masks Author’s New Updated EditionKim Richards
Genre: ThrillerPublisher: Kim RichardsDate of Publication: June 3, 2020Digital ISBN: 978-1-952564-01-7Audio: 978-1-952564-50-5Number of pages: 146Word Count: 53,826
Cover Artist: Dawné Dominique DusktilDawn Designs
Tagline: Let’s hunt a serial murderer!
Book Description:
Bill Cristo reluctantly takes up an exercise routine. One evening, he takes a jog and comes face-to-face with a killer. His local metro park is no longer safe for anyone. Unsure of why he survived that first encounter, Bill is determined to catch the murderer before anyone else dies. Then it sets its sights on his girlfriend.
Listen to a Soundcloud 15 minute Excerpt
Excerpt
It took less than a second for the young man to fall. Impact with the hard ground cut off his yelp. He rolled on his back with wide eyes. His fear, thick and tangible, mingled with the stench of rotted leaves and dust as the syringe’s needle pushed into his skin, taking a moment to pierce the earliest layers of flesh.
Standing back, emotionless brown eyes watched him thrash and struggle to scramble to his feet. The poor bastard looked drunk. It waited, breathing steadily as the jogger’s cries faded and his body fell back among loose sticks, pebbles and crumbling leaves. The predator strode a few steps forward to stand over the man’s shuddering form. It bent low, leaning just enough to peer deep into the wide pale blue eyes of its now-paralyzed victim. Then it grasped the man’s ankles and dragged him into the shadows, among the low foliage, and set to work.
About the Author:Kim Richards lives in Northern California where she works for the County Disease Control Covid 19 Task Force as clerical support for testing. She loves to sew, write, garden, and read. She also enjoys crafting to relax and is always looking for new ways to create.
Author webpage: www.kim-richards.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kim_richards
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimRichardsAuthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimrichards5576/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/kim_richards
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KimRichards
Newsletter sign up: https://forms.aweber.com/form/12/2104744212.htm
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00APPEHK4
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December 7, 2020
A Bewitching Monday
Hidden Dragon The Treasure of Paragon Book Seven by Genevieve Jack - Paranormal Romance - Her gift was to see—until their future was hidden. #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/H58I50CEyns
Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza & #Giveaway ~ Sweet Potato/Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe by Kim Richards, Author of Death Masks #Thriller @Kim_Richards http://ow.ly/xF3K50CEz1H #bewitchingbooktours
Author Brooklyn Ray #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/uHPT50CEz4U
DECK THE HALLS HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA - PARANORMAL - QUEEN'S ASCENSION (Blood Prophecy, #3) by Barb Jones #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/bfdz50CEzhy
Morrigan’s Blood Crow’s Curse Book One by Laura Bickle #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/BRFo50CEyXO
Cover Reveal Hidden Dragon by Genevieve Jack #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/IHCK50CEyIi
Black Oak [Book Tour Excerpt] #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/zl6f50CEyUQ
The Journeys of a Different Necromancer [Book Tour Excerpt] #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/xtvt50CEyTq
Excerpt: Mystic UnRealized by S. Peters-Davis + giveaway #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/lgp250CEydL
Cover Reveal: Hidden Dragon #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/dyQm50CEyPM
Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza & #Giveaway ~ Strong Woman Word Search ~ Fighting for Home: Descendants of the Amazoi Book One by Kim Richards @Kim_Richards ~ Fantasy/Historical Fantasy #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/6mVe50CCGcX
Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2020 AT 1 PM EST
https://www.facebook.com/events/10346...
Demon’s Witch by Tena Stetler ~ Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza
https://fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com...
Traditions Shared with Our Pets – Our Christmas Tree
Tail of a Feather by Melanie Snow ~ Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza
Winter Solstice Almond Butter and Gluten Free Cookies for Dogs
https://fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com...
A Demon’s Witch by Tena Stetler ~ Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza
Traditions Shared with Our Pets – Our Christmas Tree
Allergic to pine trees as I child, we had an aluminum silver tree with a color wheel that reflected colors over the tree’s shimmering branches. Not a pine but served the purpose. Santa left presents under it and we sang carols around it. Our special ornaments were hung on the tree along with candy canes and blue, green and red balls.
These days, you can’t tell the real trees from the artificial. Our seven-foot tree with large sweeping boughs to the ground is put up the day after Thanksgiving. Since the Blue Spruce is artificial, no problems with pine needles and drying out. (If you look close at the picture, you can see Taco in front of the tree on a perch with Mystic looking on.)Christmas ornaments are a family tradition. We receive a special ornament all our own each year. This tradition is handed down from generation to generation dating back to the pioneers.
Our tree will never be a fancy designer tree with matching babbles and bows, but it is decorated with years of love. Ornaments range from Keepsake Frosty Friends, to handmade ones by friends and family. I’d guess there are over 150 ornaments we hang every year while reminiscing where the decoration came from and playing Christmas carols, joined by our parrot, Taco, dog, Mystic, and turtle, Sammie. (Pictured is Taco in front of our very large Christmas Cactus just before she bit off several blooms.) LOL A relaxing and memorable start to our sometimes crazy Christmas season.
Homemade candy is another scrumptious and fun tradition. Fantasy Fudge, Divinity and my all-time favorite Beaver Dams.
What are Beaver Dams you ask? Simple and tasty. Take a 12 oz. package of butterscotch chips, melt them in a double boiler, stir in half-package of crispy Chow Mein Noodles and one-half can (about 8 oz) of cocktail peanuts. Stir until all ingredients are covered with butterscotch. Spoon the concoction onto foil and let set. They look like beaver dams, thus the name. They taste fantastic.
Wishing you love and laughter all of your days!
A Demon’s WitchBook OneTena Stetler
Genre: Paranormal RomancePublisher: The Wild Rose PressDate of Publication: 9-25-2015ISBN: 978-1-5092-0309-3ASIN: B014BVSZICNumber of pages: 314Word Count: 82,115Cover Artist: Kris Norris
Tagline: Undeniable attraction and dark secrets between demon and witch promises to tear apart their professional and personal worlds.
Book Description:
Keeping a lid on all the paranormal beings inhabiting Washington D.C., is a daunting job. Bruce, a six hundred year old demon and the Territory Overlord of the Western Hemisphere, keeps his finger on the pulse of DC’s power players through the activities at his highly successful Wycked Hair Salon. His movie star good looks and body builder physique keeps his dance card full and the rumor mills running. Within these walls, his anonymity is safe, mostly.
Bruce’s world spins out of control when Angelique, a pint size, gorgeous witch, with an attitude breezes through the doors of his salon. She is the younger sister of Tristian, Bruce’s long time trusted enforcer, whose professional skills are second to none. Tristian is furious at the relationship between Bruce and Angelique, a dangerous situation, but something darker awaits them all. Yet undeniable attraction between demon and witch promises to tear apart both their professional and personal worlds.
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/9e5djB0mwVE
Amazon Amazon UK Amazon AU Amazon CA
Kobo BN iTunes Wild Rose Press
Wal-mart Google Play Goodreads BookBub
Excerpt
A feeling of dark foreboding, like storm clouds forming on the horizon before a violent storm, washed over Bruce as he maneuvered the SUV into the parking lot behind The Krystal Unicorn.
Tristian was already there and it wasn’t to give his report. Bruce could feel the fury in Tristian’s magic signature hanging in the air. A silver tipped arrow penetrated the windshield, split the arm securing the rearview mirror, and stuck in the headrest a quarter inch from Bruce’s neck. Blue liquid oozed from the tip and a stream of red mist escaped from the other end of the arrow.
“Hold your breath and don’t open the door or windows. The influx of fresh air will spread the poison.” He hissed though his teeth not daring to take a breath.
Air pressure inside the vehicle changed, Angie’s head felt like it was going to explode. “Bruce.” She whispered into his mind, a benefit of being mated.
“I know, just a few seconds more, I’ve got it handled.” His deep smooth voice floated reassuringly in her mind, as he reached over caressing her shoulder.
The pressure eased and the red mist sucked in on itself disappearing along with the oozing liquid. He pulled the arrow from the headrest, fingering the hole in the upholstery.
Through gritted teeth, Bruce growled. “His first mistake was that he missed me. His second deadly mistake was he risked your life. That is unforgivable.” Those two things also told Bruce that Tristian wasn’t thinking clearly, fury was coloring his judgment. That gave Bruce an edge, though the attack caught him off guard. He hadn’t expected Tristian’s attack to put his sister at risk.
The console between them lowered to seat level. He hoped to add fuel to the fury burning inside Tristian. Bruce put his arm around Angie’s waist and pulled her against him, his lips pressed against hers then gently covered her mouth as his tongue traced the soft fullness of her lips. He drew back, touched his lips to hers again trailing them down to the pulsing hollow of her neck and whispered, “You’re going into the shop now, Willow is waiting just on the other side of the door. Please stay there, you’ll be able to remain in my mind just don’t interfere. I need your presence there as a calming one. Willow can help you.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I know, there wasn’t time to explain how everything works and I’m not exactly sure myself. Only that I can feel you in my mind and I assume you can feel me in yours.”
“Yes, it’s a weird sensation,” Angie said a tremor in her voice.
“We’ll learn together to use it to our benefit, now is as good a time as any to practice.”
She snorted, “Sure, our lives are on the line. No big deal.” She threw up her hands.
About the Author:
Tena Stetler is a best-selling author of award winning paranormal romance with an over-active imagination. She wrote her first vampire romance as a tween, to the chagrin of her mother and the delight of her friends. Colorado is home; shared with her husband, a brilliant Chow Chow, a spoiled parrot and a forty-five-year-old box turtle. When she’s not writing, her time is spent kayaking, camping, hiking, biking or just relaxing in the great Colorado outdoors.
Her books tell tales of magical kick-ass women and mystical alpha males that dare to love them. Travel, adventure and a bit of mystery flourish in her books along with a few companion animals to round out the tales
Website: https://www.tenastetler.com
Authors’ Secret’s - https://www.tenastetler.com/category/authors-secrets-blog/
My Say What Blog - http://www.tenastetler.com/category/my-say-what-blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/tenastetler.author
Twitter Page: https://www.twitter.com/TenaStetler
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14187532.Tena_Stetler
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/tenastetler
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Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tena-stetler
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tenastetler/
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/tenajean2014
BookGorilla - https://www.bookgorilla.com/author/B014E0PEPM/tena-stetler
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Cover Reveal Hidden Dragon by Genevieve Jack
Hidden DragonThe Treasure of Paragon Book SevenGenevieve JackGenre: Paranormal RomancePublisher: Carpe Luna PublishingDate of Publication: April 27th, 2021ISBN: 978-1-940675-60-2ASIN: B08NSL12TLCover Artist: Deranged Doctor Designs
Tagline: Her gift was to see—until their future was hidden.
Book Description:
Her gift was to see—until their future was hidden.
Dianthe’s second sight has always been both a blessing and a curse. She can’t control her visions, yet they’re unerringly accurate…until an erroneous prophecy results in the destruction of her homeland. The revelation crushes her spirit and endangers her role in the rebellion to take back the Kingdom of Paragon.
Sylas, dragonshifter and exiled prince, is the leader of the rebellion, but he can no longer rely on his mate Dianthe’s psychic powers. To protect his mission, he has to shut her out, which strains their connection to the breaking point.
When changing circumstances accelerate the rebellion’s plans, Sylas must weigh his loyalty to his people against the instincts his dragon mating bond makes impossible to ignore. Then Dianthe has a world-altering vision, one that she’s certain is true. Can Sylas learn to trust her again before it’s too late? Or will his loyalty to the cause mean the end of their relationship?
Author Website
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About the Author:USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Genevieve Jack writes wild, witty, and wicked-hot paranormal romance and fantasy.
Coffee and wine are her biofuel, the love lives of witches, shifters, and vampires her favorite topic of conversation. She harbors a passion for old cemeteries and ghost tours, thanks to her years at a high school rumored to be haunted.
Her perfect day involves the beach, her laptop, and one crazy dog.
Newsletter: https://www.genevievejack.com/newsletter/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGenevieveJack
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Genevieve_Jack
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorgenevievejack/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/genevieve-jack
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6477522.Genevieve_Jack
December 6, 2020
Tail of a Feather by Melanie Snow ~ Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza
Winter Solstice Almond Butter and Gluten Free Cookies for Dogs
A Winter Solstice celebration is not complete without some magical and delicious treats for your canine familiar. This recipe is Addie’s favorite and Sarah in The Spellwood Witches series often bakes extra. This way during the solstice festivities, all the canine pals in her and Addie’s life have some treats as well.
When your feed your dog treats it is important to choose healthy and real ingredients. If you can get organic and fresh. I don’t recommend additives like artificial colors. If you would like these cookies to be festive, you can add some lightly browned rolled oats which adds a pleasant touch. Or using cookie cutters you can cut them into stars and bones, etc.
These cookies are fun to make. With prep and cooking, it will take about one hour and forty minutes. This recipe yields about two dozen cookies.
Ready to conjure up some Winter Solstice Almond Butter and Gluten Free Cookies for Your Canine familiar?
Here are the ingredients to get started.
Ingredients
2 ½ cups organic almond flour
2 large eggs
2 TBS of egg white
½ cup organic canned pumpkin
2 TBS unsalted almond butter (crunchy or smooth)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
@¾ cup of uncooked oatmeal (for decoration)
Directions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degree F (175 degrees C)
Step 2
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, eggs, pumpkin, peanut butter, salt, and cinnamon (minus the oatmeal and egg white). You want to make the dough workable, but it should be on the dry side and stiff. If it is too dry, you can slowly add water. Then roll the dough until it is ½ inch thick. Use cookie cutters to express the magic of the Winter Solstice, such as pine cones, stars, and bones.
Step 3
Bake in your preheated oven until hard, which is about forty minutes.
Note:
If you want to add a healthy decoration to your cookies try this. About five to eight minutes before they done, open the oven and brush the cookies with egg whites. Then lightly sprinkle with uncooked oats and cinnamon. Watch them closely so they don’t burn.
There you have it. As you celebrate the Winter Solstice with your doggo familiars make sure you have some of these delicious Winter Solstice Almond Butter and Gluten Free Cookies for Dogs straight from the magical recipe book of The Spellwood Witches.
Tail of a FeatherThe Spellwood Witches Book ThreeMelanie Snow
Genre: Paranormal Cozy MysteryPublisher: Spirit Paw Press, LLCDate of Publication: 10-6-20ISBN: 978-1-7324375-8-6ASIN: B08K4S9D9TNumber of pages: 225Word Count: 44644Cover Artist: Molly Burton
Tagline: A witchy sleuthhound. An enemy from the past. A threat to everything she loves…
Can Sarah stop the mayhem of Witchland before it is too late?
Book Description:
A mysterious portal. Eight crows with a message. A missing police chief.
Sarah Spellwood feels she maybe too late to save her beau, the handsome police chief Eli Strongheart, from disappearing from Witchland forever. But with the wisdom of eight crows, she and her collie sidekick, Addie, focus on their mysterious task ahead. Yet time is running out and the tension rises when they discover there is more to the mysterious portal than they expected.
As the clues fly, Sarah is shocked to learn that Madras Spellwood is trying to get back into Witchland to take over its beauty and magic. But Sarah and Addie are vowed defenders of the forest, and they will not let Madras succeed, or Eli get away.
Can Sarah save Eli and beat Madras at the same time?
Tail of a Feather is book three in the magical Spellwood Witches cozy mystery series. If you like paranormal puzzles, charming canine companions, and a bit of flirty romance, then you will love Melanie Snow’s crafty quest.
Buy Tail of a Feather and take flight into the magical world of Witchland today! Amazon
Chapter 1
Sarah snuggled into her jacket and relished the slight sting of the cold on the tip of her nose. Autumn was washing Witchland in rich oranges, browns, and yellows, and little frost crystals coated the ground in the morning. The scent of pumpkin pie and pumpkin spice espresso treats wafted continuously out of Javacadabra, where Susie and Karen worked tirelessly to delight the taste buds of the town with the help of their familiar, a talking white cat named Zeva.
Holding her tea latte between her palms to warm them, Sarah kept pace with Eli as they began the trek up the Mount Katribus trail. Sarah’s canine familiar, Addie, padded along at her side. “I wonder why I love autumn so much.” Sarah sighed contentedly.
“Because you’re a witch,” Eli teased, his gorgeous blue eyes twinkling as he smiled at her.
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and she snuggled in close. Addie looked up at them, love in her soft brown eyes. “I must say your warmth for each other is keeping me warm,” Addie joked.
Though Eli couldn’t hear her, he was starting to get to know the loyal collie mix well, and he asked her, “Where is your boyfriend, Kelvin, huh, girl?”
Addie barked happily when she heard the name Kelvin. “He’s in the woods, hunting rabbits,” she answered, which Sarah repeated to Eli so he could hear.
“Girls always love the bad boys. Or, in your case, the bad wolves,” Eli said.
“So Jenna did the rounds this morning? There’s no sign of Madras?” Sarah asked as the trail they were walking on began to incline up the mountainside. Eli Strongheart was the police chief of Witchland, and Jenna Mora was his deputy.
“Not a sign,” Eli replied. “Tonight is my turn . . . I imagine these woods make you a bit nervous now, don’t they?”
Sarah shrugged. “Not at all, actually. I love the woods so much that I won’t let my wicked great-great-great-whatever-aunt ruin them for me. Besides, I feel so much more confident knowing that I defeated her. That she’s banished for good.”
Eli smiled. “We always try our best to keep these woods safe. Even the greatest demon witch of all time can’t defeat our team.”
“So . . . I was thinking. I invited my parents to my house for a little dinner in two days. Would you like to join us?” Sarah went on. She had felt slightly apprehensive about inviting Eli, since they were a new couple. The last thing she wanted to do was scare him off. But she knew in her heart that Eli was in it for the long haul, and that made it easier to come out and say things, even things that made her nervous.
“Of course,” Eli said, looking slightly taken aback. “Any weird quirks I should prepare for?”
“Um, definitely don’t talk politics with my dad.” Sarah laughed. “It could get pretty heated. Also, let’s keep the magic talk to a minimum.”
“I thought you told them that you’re practicing witchcraft?” Eli said.
“I did. But it’s a touchy subject. You know that my father tried so hard to put distance between himself and the Spellwood legacy.” Sarah shrugged. “They’re accepting, but I just don’t want to make them super uncomfortable.”
“I think you should just be yourself,” Eli said gently. But then he added, “Although, I probably wouldn’t talk about witchcraft to my mom, either. She’s probably a far worse denier than your parents.”
“Well, my parents don’t deny it. They just don’t practice it. The last time was at my aunt Beth’s when we visited her, right before she passed away and I started seventh grade.” Sarah suddenly stopped in the middle of the trail. Addie, who was wandering slightly ahead, turned back and looked at her expectantly. “Let’s go visit Aunt Beth’s. I haven’t been able to bring myself to go since I moved here,” said Sarah.
“Your aunt Beth’s house? Well, sure,” Eli said, again taken aback. He laughed as they changed course and began to walk toward the small goat farm Beth Spellwood ran. “I love how spontaneous you are.”
“I haven’t seen her farm in so long, and I really miss that place. That was where I first discovered I had powers, and I was very close with my aunt.” As Sarah attempted to remember her way through the maze of trails to the farm she had not visited since she was twelve, she regaled Eli with tales of Aunt Beth, including Aunt Beth’s talking pet goat.
“So that was the original Addie,” Eli commented.
“Hey! No one is like me,” Addie protested.
“That is true. You are one unique dog,” Sarah assured Addie, who blinked at her happily.
They finally broke through the tree line and came upon a fence, which was sagging with the weight of the ivy growing on it. It enclosed a generous pasture with a goat shed in the center of it. Now, in place of the milk goats Aunt Beth had raised, there were two cows chewing cud listlessly. Beyond that, stood the modest farmhouse where Aunt Beth had lived, and where she and Sarah’s father had grown up. Smoke curled from the chimney.
“So many memories.” Sarah exhaled, feeling both joy and sorrow at the sight of her long-gone childhood. “I hope the family living here is happy.”
“Too bad we can’t go inside,” Eli commented.
“I suppose we could always knock and ask.” Sarah shrugged. She glanced at Eli, and when he agreed, she led him around the fence to the front door of the house. “Ah, I forgot about this knocker,” she said, tracing the bronze gargoyle knocker with her fingertip after knocking. “I always thought it was so cool, but now I realize how out of place it was against this modest little house.”
A woman carrying a baby on her hip opened the door. The minute she saw Sarah, her face softened in recognition. “You must be the little girl in all of those photos we found in the attic,” she cried. “Beth Spellwood’s niece?”
“Yes,” Sarah said happily. “You found pictures?”
“Well, yes, we did, and we have them. We tried to send them to family, but we couldn’t find an address. Come on in!” The woman stepped aside and ushered Sarah and Eli into the house. “Oh, hello,” she greeted Addie, also welcoming her inside.
“Puppy!” several kids cried as they flocked around the dog. Addie rolled on the floor and showed her belly happily as the kids scratched it.
“My kids love dogs, as you can see.” The woman laughed. “I’m Meg, by the way.” She set the baby down and shook Eli’s and Sarah’s hands as they introduced themselves. Then she excused herself to retrieve the pictures. “You can take a look around, if you want,” she called over her shoulder.
Sarah stepped into the kitchen. “The cauldron is gone.” She sighed, noticing the open fireplace with its hanging cauldron was now replaced with an oven. The fridge was also new and covered in kids’ art, with none of the strange recipes and spells that Aunt Beth kept on it.
Eli placed a comforting hand on her elbow. “You can’t expect it to be the same.”
“I know. It’s just so different.” Sarah sighed, breathing in the smell of the macaroni bubbling on the stove for lunch. “Well, actually, it seems like a happy home, and I’m just glad these people love it.”
Meg reappeared with the photos. “Here you go!”
Sarah smiled as she sifted through them. “That was my goat!” she cried, showing Eli the photo of the black-and-white goat hanging his head over her shoulder.
“You were cute,” Eli said. “So many freckles.” Teasingly, he touched her cheek, pretending to count the freckles she still had.
“She sure was,” Meg said, nodding her head in agreement. Then she added in an undertone, “Do you want to go upstairs? I have to ask you about some things about this house . . .”
Sarah and Eli followed Meg up the narrow staircase to a landing. Meg paused in front of a door. “Um, I hate to mention this, but . . . I know the reputation of Lativia Spellwood.”
Sarah smiled and nodded. “That is my ancestor, and the founder of Witchland.” Then she narrowed her eyes knowingly. “Let me guess, weird things happen around this house?”
“Yes, well, Neil and I don’t—well, we didn’t believe in that stuff. Not at all. But after moving here . . .” Meg bit her lip, looking nervously from Sarah to Eli.
“We don’t think you’re crazy, don’t worry,” Sarah assured her. “Weird things happen in Witchland, and especially in this house. It did house three generations of witches.” She and Eli exchanged knowing glances and then laughed, sharing memories of the many magical misadventures they had been on together in their efforts to protect Witchland from both Madras and greedy developers.
“Oh, good. I wasn’t sure where you stood with all of that.” Meg laughed nervously and gathered her hair into a ponytail. “Well, you see, we took the master bedroom here and . . .” She opened the door and pointed within.
Sarah stepped into her aunt’s old bedroom. As if she were a child again, she could remember the four-post bed that took up most of the space, and the rolltop desk where Aunt Beth sat to pay her bills and write letters. Though the décor was different, the atmosphere of the room still felt like Aunt Beth: calm, sweet, earthy, loving. Tears welled up in Sarah’s eyes.
“We keep cutting them back.” Meg led them to the window, where several flowers emerged from the wooden frame, vibrant and colorful. They were growing without soil and without water. “We’re not really sure how they keep growing.”
Sarah touched one of the blue flowers gently. “My aunt Beth loved her flowers, her garden, her goats. She was part of nature—so it seemed.” She turned to Meg. “These are enchanted flowers that she grew because she thought they were pretty. The only way to remove them would be to break the enchantment.”
“Oh.” Meg looked worried. “I have no idea how to do that.”
“I can bring some friends of mine by who can do that. If you don’t mind, can I have them?” Sarah imagined planting them in her own room and always having a piece of Aunt Beth near her.
“Of course! I would hate to kill them, but it’s just, well . . .” Meg shrugged haplessly. “Not our choice of décor. I hope that doesn’t offend you.”
“I get it.” Sarah nodded. “It is your home now.”
“Um, there’s one other thing.” Meg led them into the bathroom next and pointed to the blue tiles over the clawfoot bathtub, where Sarah had spent many afternoons pretending she was a mermaid in a frothy ocean of soap bubbles, with an army of rubber duckies to do her bidding.
Sarah smiled softly as she ran her fingers along the porcelain of the tub, entranced by her memories. Eli watched her, vicariously enjoying her reminiscing through the expressions on her face.
Meg turned on the shower. Gradually, words began to form across the tiles as the steam started to bloom from the water. Sarah squinted and realized that it was a spell for making the room smell like roses. Just as soon as she read the spell in her mind, the bathroom flooded with the flowery scent. “Aunt Beth’s scent,” Sarah murmured. “I always just thought it was a perfume.”
“It’s strong, like Margaret and Hua’s greenhouse,” Addie complained, backing away toward the door.
“Any way you can break this enchantment? We love this scent, but . . .” Meg again looked hapless.
Sarah acquiesced and said a quick spell to erase the enchantment.
Spell be gone,
You have grown wan.
You have done well,
But it’s no time to dwell.
Instantly, the words began to unfurl and stretch until they made a popping sound like bubbles and ran down the walls in streams of black ink. Then the ink grew clear and disappeared. The rose scent began to gently fade. If only I could capture that scent in a bottle, Sarah thought. I have to enchant my bathroom to do that so that I can always smell Aunt Beth’s rose scent.
“I’m so sorry, and thank you so much,” Meg said profusely as she showed them out. She handed Sarah the pictures in a bundle.
“Thank you for letting us inside and these pictures. I’ll definitely treasure them. I’ll come back with my friends, Margaret and Hua, later. They will transplant the flowers for you and remove the enchantment,” Sarah promised.
As she, Eli, and Addie walked back into town, Sarah sighed. “It’s so hard to let go of the past and watch things change. I sure miss my aunt Beth.”
“Can you visit her, you know, in that ghostly clearing?” Eli inquired. He was referring to the place where ghosts communed with Lativia Spellwood’s ghost on the top of Mount Katribus.
“She moved on to the other side,” Sarah said sadly. Then she interlaced her fingers with Eli’s and cuddled against his muscular shoulder. “I miss her, but I know she’s in a good place. And I’m very happy with how my life is now. I can only embrace the present.”
Eli kissed the top of her head, and Sarah felt happy. “I think Aunt Beth would have adored you,” she told Eli.
About the Author:
Melanie Snow is the pen name for Wendy Van de Poll, a bestselling author, pet loss grief coach, and animal medium. She is the author of The Spellwood Witches, a paranormal cozy mystery series.
Her books weave together positive magic, snarky forest faeries, and insightful animals with fun and eclectic humor. True life adventures and intuition are woven into her stories laced with unbridled imagination. She has been followed by wild wolves in minus sixty degrees, hissed at by a mama bobcat, and played ball with a wild owl—among other animal encounters.
Find out more about her work at:
https://wendyvandepoll.com/melanie-snow
https://www.facebook.com/melaniesnow.cozymysteries
https://www.instagram.com/melaniesnow.cozymysteries
https://www.facebook.com/groups/melaniesnowcozymysteries
https://amazon.com/author/melaniesnow
https://www.goodreads.com/melaniesnowcozymysteries
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My Sweet Vampire by Arabella Holmes #PNR #ParanormalErotica
My Sweet VampireArabella HolmesGenre: Paranormal Romance EroticaPublisher: Little WillowDate of Publication: 29th November 2020ASIN: B08N66SBMKNumber of pages:478Word Count: 170,000Cover Artist: E L Savage
Tagline: One night with a vampire hypnotherapist is an experience no woman will ever forget.
Book Description:
Meet Dr Nick Craven – a renowned hypnotherapist who works in London’s affluent Harley Street. Tall, dark and debonair, Nick is everything a woman could want. Except for one thing – Nick Craven is a vampire with an insatiable blood lust.
When the beautiful Carly Singleton books a session with him to help her quit smoking, Nick is overwhelmed by desire and will do anything to get her into his bed.
One night with a vampire hypnotherapist is an experience no woman will ever forget.
Can Carly resist Nick’s devilish charms and will she live to tell the tale?
My Sweet Vampire is a steamy page turner that will keep you guessing right until the end.
Amazon
Excerpt:
Our suite is on the second floor of the hotel. As soon as we get inside, Nick switches on the lights, and I feel a flutter of apprehension. My legs are weak and it’s a struggle to put one foot in front of the other. I can’t believe I’m about to do something I’ve dreamed of constantly since the first day we met. And yet, a part of me is petrified I’ll end up disappointing him. It’s been so long, and I’m so out of practice. What if this is all a big mistake?
Folding my arms across my chest, I step into the bedroom area of our suite. It’s breathtaking, with a king-size bed, leather-panelled walls, a plasma-screen TV and a balcony with a panoramic view of the River Thames. By the window is a large cocktail cabinet, a gas fire and an ornately carved walk-in wardrobe. To my right, a glass partition slides back to reveal a spectacular bathroom with marbled walls, a huge stone bath and a gold-plated shower.
Suddenly, I start to panic; things are moving too fast.
“I’m sorry. I don’t think I can do this.” I turn to go, but before I reach the door, Nick’s in front of me, barring my exit.
“Please don’t go,” he begs, slipping his finger under my chin so he can see my eyes. “Nothing’s going to happen if you don’t want it to. We can just sit here and talk, or watch a movie. I don’t want this night to be over. Please, stay. Is that too much to ask?” I stare up at him and for the first time, I see a desperation that almost matches my own. “Nothing’s going to happen,” he repeats. “Scout’s honour, I promise to be on my best behaviour. I just want to spend some time with you, Carly.”
My head is screaming for me to get out of there, but his eyes hold me entranced and my body is refusing to take instruction.
At last, I let out a sigh. “All right, I’ll stay.”
Bowing my head, I allow him to lead me over to the bed, and for what seems like forever, the two of us sit side by side, looking away from each other, the air thick with unspoken tension. My arms are still folded across my chest, putting up an invisible barrier between us. The screeching silence pulsates through the room like an electric current.
I start getting heart palpitations; Nick’s giving me long, lingering looks that make my body tingle. He’s probing me deep, reading my face like my features are hieroglyphics.
Suddenly, he leans forward and whispers, “You’re so beautiful. Can I touch you?”
I catch my breath then nod slowly.
Cautiously, he reaches out and tenderly caresses my cheek with the back of his hand. Then he gently strokes my hair and the dip and hollow of my ears, his fingers warm and slightly shaky. With a shock, I realise he’s just as scared as I am, and this knowledge makes me feel a little less insecure.
Slowly, his hand travels down the side of my face, then down to my neck, and lightly caresses the sculpted base of my throat. As he works his way back up, tracing the outline of my veins, I marvel at the silky softness of his fingers.
“Shall I take off your jacket?” he breathes.
I swallow hard. “Y-yes.”
With deliberate slowness, Nick eases off my coat and drops it to the floor. Then he takes off his own and I find myself becoming aroused as he fixes me with an expression so hungry, it’s like he’s got me paralysed. Desire spreads under my skin and burns me all over as he sits back down next to me. His sweet cologne is making my head spin.
“You’re trembling,” he observes.
I drop my hands into my lap. Damn. He wasn’t supposed to see that.
“Don’t be afraid …” He reaches out again and delicately touches my lips, my nose, my eyelids. I arch my back and moan softly as his strong hands slither down to my waist and pull me closer to him.
“Can I kiss you?”
I nod mutely.
Tentatively, Nick presses his lips against my cheek and breathes in my scent. Lightly, he kisses his way from the corner of my mouth to my neck and runs his hot tongue in and out of my ear hole. The heat from his breath makes me crazy and I utter a low groan of pleasure.
Goaded by my desire, he gently but firmly tilts my face toward him. His lips brush the periphery of my cupid’s bow, teasing me into a frenzy that shoots straight to my crotch. With trembling hands, he cups my cheeks and takes my mouth in his, pulling on my lower lip with his teeth. I whimper as he kisses me hard and deep, his long, agile tongue plunging down my throat with reckless abandon, igniting an inferno of longing inside me. The force of his need leaves me breathless, his soft lips eating me out like he wants to consume every piece of me. No one has ever kissed me this way before, and the depth of his passion tips me to the brink of insanity.
For what seems forever, our tongues glide together in a flurry of unrelenting lust. Finally we pause for air, and the room is quiet except for the sound of our heavy breathing. Nick stares down at me, his body shuddering in a way that indicates he’s trying mighty hard not to act on a violent impulse.
Instinctively, I raise my fingers to my lips; they feel all puckered and bruised.
“It’s been so long,” he murmurs. “So very long …” His hand snakes around my back and starts to lower the zipper of my dress. I moan as he brings his face level with mine and whispers, “I promise I won’t go too crazy.”
About the Author:Arabella Holmes grew up in Wandsworth, South London. From a young age she developed a great love of horror films and gothic romances. Her favourite director is Stanley Kubrick and her favourite authors include Charlotte Bronte, Sarah Waters and Mark Edwards. When she isn't writing, Arabella enjoys directing short films for the festival circuit and looking after her cat, Mambo. An avid tea drinker, Arabella can be found hanging out in cosy London cafes in search of new brews to tease her taste buds. My Sweet Vampire is her first Paranormal Romance novel.
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December 4, 2020
A Bewitching Friday
THE MAGICAL POWER OF THE WINTER SOLSTICE with MELANIE SNOW (Tail of a Feather) #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/kHin50CCGiU
Morrigan’s Blood Crow’s Curse Book One by Laura Bickle - Urban Fantasy, Dark Fantasy - Garnet has the blood of the legendary Morrigan – and legions of vampires and witches will go to war to possess that power.
https://jbbookworms.blogspot.com/2020...
Queen’s Ascension Blood Prophecy [Book Tour Excerpt] #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/EPOz50CCGhd
Mystic UnRealized by S. Peters-Davis ~ Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/tBC850CCGfm
Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza & #Giveaway ~ Strong Woman Word Search ~ Fighting for Home: Descendants of the Amazoi Book One by Kim Richards @Kim_Richards ~ Fantasy/Historical Fantasy #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/6mVe50CCGcX
The Journeys of a Different Necromancer by James J Crofoot #bewitchingbooktours https://www.facebook.com/bookpimpette...
Death Masks by Kim Richards #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/HJLR50CCGb2
Full Moon in Leo by Brooklyn Ray - Queer Holiday Romance - Small-town magic, two heavy hearts—one unforgettable winter solstice #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/h6zU50CCG5U
Black Oak The Loveless Chronicles Chapter 1 by Titus Murphy - Horror, Fantasy - WELCOME TO BLACK OAK! #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Ieab50CCG7g
A Demon’s Witch by Tena Stetler ~ Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/PwYv50CCG43
Deck the Halls with Books Holiday Extravaganza
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2020 AT 1 PM EST
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The Reaper Collection by Jade Royal
http://www.roxannerhoads.com/2020/12/...
