Samuel DenHartog's Blog: The Road to 1,440 - Posts Tagged "witch"

I'm thrilled to introduce you to my latest book, "Magic of Coal Mountain." Set generations before the events of “Goblins of Coal Mountain,” this new tale brings you to the heart of the untamed Appalachian wilderness, where magic weaves through the air and ancient secrets lie hidden just beyond sight.

In “Magic of Coal Mountain,” you’ll meet Edmund Haywood and his wife Eliza, a young couple from England who brave the rugged slopes of Coal Mountain to carve out a new life for themselves. With their flock of sheep and dreams of freedom, they prepare to battle the elements, discovering that this land is alive with mysteries they never imagined. As they build their homestead, their young daughter Sarah is drawn to the enchantment around her. With her heart full of wonder and curiosity, she ventures deeper into the mountain’s secrets, uncovering a hidden realm of ancient spirits and fairies watching over the land.

This is a story of courage, discovery, and the untamed magic of Coal Mountain, where every rock, tree, and whispered breeze holds a piece of its legacy. As the Haywood family learns to embrace both the beauty and danger of their new home, they uncover an ancient power that will shape their family’s destiny for future generations.

Join Edmund, Eliza, and Sarah on their adventure, where courage and belief unlock doors to a hidden world, and the mysteries of Coal Mountain are waiting to be discovered. I hope you enjoy this journey as much as I did writing it and it inspires you to see the magic in the world around you!

After writing over 100 books, I find myself reflecting on two that I believe stand out as my finest achievements yet. For those who have followed my work, you'll know this is not a claim I make lightly. I believe this is the first or, at most, second time I've ever made such a statement about any of my books.

The first of these is “Goblins of Coal Mountain”, a novel deeply inspired by “The Princess and the Goblin” by George MacDonald. While I like to think this might be one of my best works, much of the credit belongs to MacDonald; it is, after all, his timeless story that I've reimagined in a new setting—the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia. With all my love of reading, I confess that I hadn’t read “The Princess and the Goblin” as a child or prior to this, so discovering it while crafting this book was a revelation and a true delight.

The success and satisfaction I found in creating “Goblins of Coal Mountain” compelled me to expand upon the story's universe. In MacDonald's original tale, the young girl Princess Irene becomes a young girl named Sarah in my adaptation, but I decided to delve deeper into her lineage. George MacDonald did write a sequel, “The Princess and Curdie,” which I have yet to read, but he left many questions unanswered—chief among them how Irene's great-great-grandmother became a fairy.

My second book in this series, “Magic of Coal Mountain,” fills these gaps. It traces the roots of Sarah's great-great-grandmother, also named Sarah, who was born after her parents from England arrived to settle in the Virginia Colony. This book spans the entirety of her life, exploring her journey, her love, and, ultimately, her transformation into a fairy. Along the way, the story is rich with fairy lore, bandits, a mysterious witch, a giant, and a dwarf, woven seamlessly with the everyday life of sheep herding, coal mining, and the dramatic backdrop of the Revolutionary War.

I genuinely believe that these two books, my 104th and 105th, represent the pinnacle of my writing career so far. I know my extensive bibliography can be a lot to keep up with, but if you’re considering diving into my works, I wholeheartedly recommend starting with these two. While very different, they capture the magic, mystery, and depth that I strive to bring to all my stories.

Looking ahead, I plan to continue this series with two more books, following Sarah and Jamie’s adventures after the events of “Goblins of Coal Mountain”. But don't let that stop you from diving into these two books now; each one stands alone as an engaging and complete story with its own magic and mysteries to explore.

While they are my two favorites to date, it is hard to judge your own work. I eagerly await your feedback—your thoughts here on Goodreads or your ratings and reviews on Amazon—to tell me if you, my readers, share my belief in these books as my best.

Coal Mountain (2 book series) Kindle Edition (amazon.com)

Creating Awakening the Coven has been an incredible journey, filled with twists and surprises—much like the story itself. Set in the vibrant city of East Haven, the book introduces four teenage girls who are each navigating the ups and downs of high school when something extraordinary shakes up their world. Laurel, Susie, Andrea, and Blanca don’t know each other yet, but they’ve all uncovered strange new abilities tied to the elements—fire, water, air, and earth. Their powers are confusing, exhilarating, and at times, a little messy.

On a seemingly ordinary Saturday, their paths cross for the first time in the library, where they all find themselves searching for the same mysterious book. What begins as an awkward encounter among strangers grows into something far greater than any of them expected. As they dive into the book’s secrets, they start to unravel the mystery of their powers and discover the spark of a magical bond that connects them all. From quiet experiments gone wrong to the thrill of their first successes, the girls begin to see that their powers are only the beginning.

This isn’t a story about instant heroes—it’s about four ordinary girls figuring out extraordinary things, one hilarious mistake at a time. Between school drama, cryptic passages in The Elemental Grimoire, and realizing their powers are stronger when they’re together, Laurel, Susie, Andrea, and Blanca have their hands full. Add in the backdrop of East Haven’s autumn festivals, library meetups, and late-night magic experiments gone awry, and you’ve got a story packed with all the energy, excitement, and unpredictability of teenage life—with a magical twist.

If you’re ready for a story that’s a little bit magical, a little bit mischievous, and a whole lot of fun, dive into "Awakening the Coven." It’s got everything—library mysteries, fire sparks, water ripples, wind gusts, and maybe even a few overgrown sunflowers. And most importantly, it’s the beginning of an adventure where nothing is as ordinary as it seems. The girls are waiting for you in East Haven—are you ready to join them?

The bond of friendship and magic takes center stage as the girls of East Haven return in their second journey, a tale of growing powers and even greater dangers. A few months have passed since they discovered their shared legacy as a coven, and now they must delve deeper into their abilities to face a chilling new threat. As they balance the challenges of teenage life with their blossoming magic, an ancient curse awakens in the form of a relentless witch hunter, set on destroying them at any cost.

Unlike their first journey, which was about discovering who they were, this story dives into what it means to grow into their powers and face challenges together. Spells misfire, tempers run high, and doubts creep in as they realize just how much they have to learn—not only about magic but about trusting one another. At the same time, the hunter’s presence grows ever more menacing, forcing them to confront their fears and their limitations in ways they’ve never imagined.

But this isn’t just a story about magical battles or ancient curses; it’s about the strength of friendship and the courage to grow. As they unravel the hunter’s curse, they’ll also discover more about themselves and the legacy they’re tied to. With every choice, the girls are reminded that their bond is their greatest strength—but also the key to their greatest challenges.

For readers who loved the blend of magic, danger, and emotional growth in the first book, this book takes the stakes even higher. As the hunter closes in, the girls must rise to the occasion, pushing their powers and their friendship to their limits. It’s a story of resilience, discovery, and the unbreakable ties that make them a coven.

For those who have followed the adventures of Laurel, Susie, Andrea, and Blanca, the latest installment in their journey takes readers to new heights of suspense and discovery. "Shadows in the Coven" explores the lives of these four young witches as they navigate the trials of adolescence alongside the growing dangers that threaten their magical world. The stakes are higher than ever, and the girls must not only master new spells but also confront the emotional challenges of working together under pressure.

This book delves deeper into the balance between their ordinary teenage lives and the extraordinary weight of their responsibilities. As the girls face exams, social tensions, and the usual chaos of the holiday season, they also investigate a mysterious force targeting magical artifacts in East Haven. The blend of real-life struggles and supernatural intrigue makes for a compelling, relatable story that readers of all ages will connect with.

What sets this book apart is the focus on the characters’ growth as individuals and as a coven. Each girl’s strengths and vulnerabilities are explored, whether it’s Laurel’s fiery determination, Susie’s quiet resilience, Andrea’s sharp intellect, or Blanca’s steady wisdom. Their journey is not without its bumps—arguments, insecurities, and doubts test their bond—but their shared purpose reminds us of the power of friendship and trust in the face of adversity.

Whether you’re a longtime fan of the series or just discovering the magical world of East Haven, this story will captivate you with its intricate spellwork, heartfelt moments, and gripping plot twists. As the girls uncover the truth behind the mysterious figures haunting their town, they learn more about their abilities and the prophecy that ties them together. It’s a spellbinding tale of courage, connection, and the enduring fight against the darkness.

The journey from East Haven to Cornwall isn’t just a shift in setting. It’s a crossing into something older, something wilder. The cliffs and moors of Cornwall, especially near Tintagel, don’t just hold history, they pulse with it. The land feels like it’s waiting for someone to listen. For the girls at the heart of this story, stepping into that landscape means stepping into something much bigger than themselves.

These four witches have long shared a bond, but this time, the magic they face is more personal. It doesn’t ask them to fight. It asks them to choose. Each of them arrives in Cornwall carrying something different, uncertainty, curiosity, hope, or doubt, and the land responds to all of it. I wanted their magic to feel alive, tied to more than just spells and elements. It’s shaped by what they believe, what they fear, and how far they’re willing to go to protect one another or themselves.

Cornwall gave the story its breath, but Tintagel gave it its bones. I’ve always loved places where myth and landscape blur, and writing in that space allowed the story to shift between what’s real and what’s remembered. The girls aren’t just tested by what they find, they’re tested by what they want. And sometimes, those are the same thing.

What started as a story about magic quickly became a story about decisions, the quiet kind that change everything. These girls may come from East Haven, but the heart of their strength is forged among sea-worn stone and whispered legends. The rest of the story waits for you in "The Sorcerer’s Key."

After all the buildup, the story finally continues. In this latest installment, our four witches leave behind the familiar streets of East Haven and step into a fractured past where magic still lingers in stone and silence. The riverbank, once a place of quiet reflection, becomes the entry point into something far older. They find themselves in Alexandria during the last days of its great Library, where a secret coven entrusts them with a task only they can complete.

Each girl is pulled into a different thread of time and place. Laurel walks among the firekeepers of ancient Ireland. Susie finds herself in a village ruled by fear during the witch trials of England. Blanca witnesses the fall of a kingdom in Spain as earth magic slips beneath the soil. Andrea follows the wind into the depths of the Black Forest, where superstition and truth twist together. These chapters test who these girls are becoming and ask who they are willing to be.

The heart of this story lives in the way the past speaks to the present. Each setting reveals something elemental about the girls, both in terms of their magic and their character. The history they walk through is not static. It asks for something in return. It demands courage, honesty, and sometimes loss. As they recover the ancient texts, what they truly gather is a deeper sense of what legacy means and how much power lives in what we choose to carry forward.

Back in East Haven, life seems unchanged. But under the stillness, something new stirs. The girls have brought more than magic back with them. They carry memory, responsibility, and a bond shaped by everything they had to survive alone. In the quiet moments after the final page, that feeling lingers. The sense that what was lost has only been waiting to return. And now it has.