Mae Clair's Blog, page 106

Mae Clair’s Winter Celebration

We all know theworld isending todayaccording to the Mayan Calendar . . . well, actually they ran out of room and neglected to chisel a new set of hieroglyphics for the next century. That aside, (yeah, I know it’s hard to be blasé about anapocalyptic event, but Y2K had it wrong first), today is also the first day of winter and the Winter Solstice. It’s the longest day of the year which means dark falls early.

Seems like an odd day for celebration.

Usually, my husband and I will fill mugs with co...

Mae Clair’s Wizards with Words: Juliet Waldron

Guess what? This is a special edition of Wizards with Words because the ‘wizard’ I’m showcasing is someone I have known for many, many years.

Juliet Waldron and I met decades ago in a local critique group and became writer buddies. I remember attending many of her “Mozart parties” where she had an eclectic mix of writers, poets, artists and web-spinners, along with period beverages and food. I also remember camping out at our local Isaac’s restaurant on ‘writer nights’ and brainstorming about...

Cover Reveal: WISHING FOR A HIGHLANDER by Jessi Gage

Today, I have the pleasure of hosting a coverreveal for my Lyrical Press sister and wonderful critique partner, Jessi Gage. This novel is going to be a gem!

Title: WISHING FOR A HIGHLANDER

Author:Jessi Gage

Genre: Fantasy (time-travel) Romance

Publisher: Lyrical Press

PublicationDate: January 7, 2013

Blurb

While examining Andrew Carnegie’s lucky rosewood box, single-and-pregnant museum worker Melanie makes a tongue in cheek wish on the artifact–for a Highland warrior to help her forget about her che...

Mae Clair’s Wizards with Words: Debbie Peterson

Before I introduce you to today’s guest on Wizards with Words, I’m pleased to announce the winner of my giveaway during the Purrrfectly Giftastic Holiday Blog Hop. Congrats to Marlena Fein who won a $10.00 gift card to Amazon. Santa and his elves have a wondrous cache of gifts at the North Pole, but Amazon comes in a close second!

Speaking of blog hops, I want to rewind to the month of October because an interesting thing happened to me on the way to the Halloween Garden Hop – I found a book...

Mae Clair’s Mythical Monday: The Christmas Lads (plus G*I*V*E*A*W*A*Y)

Today is the last day of the Purrrfectly Giftastic Christmas blog hop. Many thanks to Drea Beacraft for organizing such a great hop. You can find a list of all participating authors here.

Because today is also a Monday, it’smy chosen day of the week to share a bit of myth, superstition or folklore. In keeping with the Christmas theme, I found an interesting tale from Iceland about the “Christmas Lads.”

These were no ordinary boys but thirteen sons of an ancient she-troll named Gryla. Their job...

Mae Clair’s Purrrfectly Giftastic G*I*V*E*A*W*A*Y

Welcome to the Purrrfectly Giftastic Christmas blog hop which runs December 14 through December 17 at midnight. Many thanks to Drea Beacraft for organizing such a great hop. You can find a list of all participating authors here.

Given the cute kitty mascot and the name of the hop, I thought I’d share a few memories of cats at Christmas.

Shortly after my husband I married, one of his co-workers offered us a kitten from a litter of farm cats. I’d grown up with two cats,two dogs and wanted a pet a...

Holiday Pet Safety

If you’re like me, youadore furry friends.Amid the hustle-bustle of the holidays it’s easy to overlook or forget precautions related to their safety. As a cat owner for years, I know my felines loved glittery Christmas balls, bows, ribbons and wrapping paper. It’s one matter for frisky felines to ‘sled’ across the carpet on a piece of wrapping paper, another to bat a glass ornament until it falls andshatters, creatinga safety hazard for soft paws. That’s why I’m pleased to have guest blogger,...

Mae Clair’s Wizards with Words: Donna Cummings

Hello, Wizard fans. I’m super excitedto have Donna Cummings on my blog today. I ‘met’ Donna several months ago when I read her novel, LORD MIDNIGHT. Since then she has proven to be a delightful writer and a great author friend. Even better, she’s just rolled out a new release called I DO…OR DIE. I’ve already downloaded it on my Kindle and can’t wait to devour it from start to finish. Donna is a master at weaving flirty romance with humor. If you want a fun, sexy read look no further. Please w...

Mae Clair’s Book Promo: Seeker of Fate by L.J. Kentowski

Title:SEEKER OF FATE (Book 2 of the FATE Series)

Author:L. J. Kentowski

Genre:Urban Fantasy

Release Date: Available Now

Created from the angels, Guardians don’t belong in Hell. But Cassandra Cosgrove is no ordinary Guardian, and she’s determined to get into Hell despite the blood that runs through her veins.

With a new resolve, and newly developed powers, she sets out on a journey into Hell to save a loved one from the tortuous hands of the King of the Underworld. But to get in, she must befriend...

Mae Clair’s Mythical Monday: The Snow Maiden

It’s December, and in a good portion of the U.S., that generally means cold temperatures, icy roads and the chance of snow. Usually.

This year is different. Could be because the Mayan calendar predicts the world is going to end in under two weeks or because the polar ice caps are melting at record rates. Whatever the cause, the weather has been curiously mild. I live in the northeast where we’ve had temperatures climb into the 60s during the day. Lovely, but not fitting with our normal attire...