Wow. Can you believe it’s September? I’m amazed how quickly summer passed, but I’m also looking forward to cooler temperatures (and a smaller electric bill!). I had a terrific summer, though. I spent a ton of time with the kids, I read a lot of great books, and I caught up on some of my favorite television shows. I also finished writing BY MAGIC ALONE (including revisions!), revised my proposal for my first Silhouette Special Edition title, sent one child off to college (cried a whole bunch), and was taken by surprise–not once, but twice–with news from my first publisher, Dorchester Publishing.

Let’s talk about that for a second. It was announced on August 6th that Dorchester was going to cease printing mass market books. Instead, all of their currently scheduled titles (at least for the next 6 to 8 months) will first be released digitally, with a trade paperback following some months later. Eventually, from what I understand, the e-release and the trade release will happen at about the same time. My next release with Dorchester (By Magic Alone) is a December release, and it will not be available in mass market paperback. It WILL be available in e-book form, and sometime later (they tell me 6 to 8 months), in trade paperback. 

I am disappointed by this change. As a reader, I happen to like holding a book in my hands, and I have not yet converted to reading books digitally. Oh, I expect that some day in the not-too-distant future I’ll own a Kindle or another e-reading device, but I’m not there yet. I know there are a lot of folks like me, and I know some of them are my readers and will be disappointed that they have to wait close to a year to get a print copy of By Magic Alone. I’m sorry! I wish I could print them myself to hand out in December. Of course, if you are one of the many who already adore e-books, then you’ll be able to grab a copy of By Magic Alone in December.

All this being said, I am also optimistic that this change will prove beneficial in the long run. I am crossing my fingers that Dorchester will find success with this change, and therefore, that their authors will also find success. 

What does this mean for my backlist? Well, as of now, there are still copies of A Taste of Magic, A Stroke of Magic, and A Breath of Magic available for purchase. However, I’ve noticed that Amazon is currently out-of-stock on one of these titles, and is nearly out of stock on another. The last time I checked, Borders and Barnes and Noble still had copies available to order. I do not know if you’ll be able to find these books in the actual stores. I do not know what will happen once a title is completely sold out. As of now, I have no idea if Dorchester plans on reprinting any of them in trade format. 

Okay. That’s the story there. If you have any questions, let me know in the comments (or email me), and I’ll be happy to answer them to the best of my ability. And in the coming weeks and months, I’ll share more information as I have it.

Now, for something totally awesome, check out this video (which I found thanks to friend and author Sloan Parker):

Isn’t that great? I get a little teary-eyed whenever I watch it.

Finally, I’ll be blogging more regularly again. I’m hoping to be back to my Mon/Wed/Fri schedule. We’ll see how that goes!

Have a great Wednesday, everyone!!!

Okay, we’re back on track! Today is the official end of what has been a terrific month of guests, giveaways, and fun. I hope everyone here enjoyed the five weeks as much as I have.

So…here we go with last week’s winners:

• $10 Borders Gift Card goes to: Jenny S.!
  
• $5 Caribou Coffee Gift Card goes to: Janie!
  
• A signed copy of A Stroke of Magic goes to: Toni Sue!
• A signed copy of A Taste of Magic goes to: Tamibates!
  
• A Breath of Magic mini-gift set (tote bag, key chain, sticky notes, etc.) goes to: Olivia!

Congratulations Jenny, Janie, Toni Sue, Tami, and Olivia!!! Please e-mail tracy@tracymadison.com by Friday, June 4th, with your mailing address.

Now, we also have a couple daily giveaways from my guests last week! They are:

The winner of the signed copy of Seduced by Shadows by Jessa Slade is…misskallie2000!

Congratulations Miss Kallie! Please e-mail me with your address, and I’ll get your book sent out to you!

The winner of a Barnes & Noble $10 Gift Card from Christie Craig is…Amanda W!

Congratulations, Amanda! Please email me and I’ll put you in touch with Christie!

Month of Mysticism Grand Prize Winner

I had so many great spells to choose from that picking a winner wasn’t easy. Not at all. Everyone who entered did an amazing job of creating a spell, and I loved reading all of them.

To pick a winner, I first chose my three favorite spells. I’m going to share those here, in no particular order:

From Kirsten, a Healing Spell:

To curse the writer of a bad book review (as if you’ve ever even received such a thing, but just pretend you might):

1. Clip out the review from your paper or print it off the internet.

2. Shred the review. Place it with one tbsp each of hensbane, forked snake’s tongue, and graveyard dirt into your mortar. Grind to a rough, grainy consistency with your pestle and pour the mixture onto your ritual hand mirror.

3. Stir mixture thrice widershins with your athame while chanting:

Illiterate critic spewing lies,
Watch out for the weight gain on your thighs;
The farther you spread your libelous stew,
The more calories will stick to you.

4. Throw mixture onto your compost pile where it clearly belongs.

5. Listen for the shrieks of horror when that critic steps on their bathroom scale. If you’ve done it right, you’ll probably be able to hear it from your house. You’re welcome =).

From Virgina, part Love Spell part Curse:

So, the above are the three I liked the best, but who won?

I have to tell you all that choosing the winner was tough…really tough, but it came down to the one that made me laugh (I like humor), and that person is…ZITA!!!!

Major Congratulations, Zita! You’re the Grand Prize Winner!

You have won:

• An extra-large customized Magic series tote bag:

Filled with: rose quartz heart-shaped pendant on sterling silver chain, chakra bracelet, heart’s desire jewelry set, Book: Seven Days of Magic, New Age CD: Dreamscapes,  Aventurine Tumbled Stone pendulum, Book: Pendulum Magic for Beginners, Music Dreamer tarot deck and book, rose incense, candles, mood lipstick, lavender aromatherapy body soak, lavender aromatherapy body lotion, lavender aromatherapy scented eye mask, aromatherapy fizzy bath, aromatherapy facial mask, aromatherapy essential oils – green tea, aromatherapy essential oils – jasmine, aromatherapy essential oils – ocean, signed copies of A Taste of Magic, A Stroke of Magic, and A Breath of Magic.

But that’s not all! The grand prize winning bag also includes items from last week’s guests:

• A signed copy of Divorced, Desperate and Delicious by Christie Craig (Tuesday’s Guest!) – Christie has also donated Peace Potion Massage Lotion and some fun promo items (mini-notebook, pen, signed cover flats, chapstick, bookmarks)
• A signed copy of Stroke of Genius by Emily Bryan (Wednesday’s Guest!) – Note: Emily will send the book under separate cover to the winner.
• A signed copy of Seduced by Shadows by Jessa Slade (Thursday’s Guest!)
• And a handmade Native American Choker by Clairvoyant Medium Dakota Lawerence (Friday’s Guest!)

And you have also won:

• A 30-Minute Free Reading with Clairvoyant Medium Dakota Lawrence!
• A name of your choosing (subject to approval from Dorchester editorial) given to a minor character in my December release, By Magic Alone.

I love the spell you wrote, Zita, and I hope you enjoy all of the goodies and your reading from Dakota! Please e-mail me at tracy@tracymadison.com by Friday, June 4th to claim your prize.

Okay, everyone, I loved the past five weeks and I hope you all loved it, too! I’m going silent on the blog until Friday, when I’ll post Dakota’s final Q&A, and then next week, I’ll return to my M/W/F posting schedule.

Thank you for your support in celebrating the release of A Breath of Magic!

This will be quicker (and less pretty than normal) as I’ve had a weekend of birthday celebrations with my kids and am running behind schedule on almost everything. Please forgive me the lack of pictures!

The winners from last week are:

• $10 Borders Gift Card goes to: Kimber-Lee!
  
• $5 Caribou Coffee Gift Card goes to: Kelly T!
  
• A signed copy of A Stroke of Magic goes to: Deanna N!
• A signed copy of A Taste of Magic goes to: Abigail S!
  
• A Breath of Magic mini-gift set (tote bag, key chain, sticky notes, etc.) goes to: Jennifer S!

Congratulations Kimber-Lee, Kelly, Deanna, Abigail, and Jennifer!!! Please e-mail tracy@tracymadison.com by Thursday, May 27th, with your mailing address.

The winner of the filled A Breath of Magic tote bag, as shown HERE, is….Raelena!

Congratulations Raelena! Please e-mail tracy@tracymadison.com by Thursday, May 27th, with your mailing address.

All winning items will be sent out on Friday, May 28th. Congratulations, everyone!

The winner of the signed copy of Ancient Whispers by Marie-Claude Bourque is…Jessica Rabbit!

Congratulations Jessica! Please e-mail me with your address, and I’ll forward that on to Marie-Claude.

And the winner of a simple tarot card reading by paranormal romance author Sharon Ashwood is…Donna S!

Congratulations, Donna! Please e-mail me and I’ll put you in contact with Sharon!

Contest News!

This Week’s Random Giveaways: Comment on my blog each day this week (Monday through Friday, one entry per person per day, for a total of five entries) for a chance to win one of five prizes:

• One $10 Borders Gift Card
• One $5 Caribou Coffee Gift Card
• One Signed Copy of A Taste of Magic
• One Signed Copy of A Stroke of Magic
• One A Breath of Magic mini-gift pack that includes: a tote bag, sticky notes, key chain, bookmark(s), and a signed cover flat

I’ll use random.org to choose five winners, and I will announce their names here (and what they won) on Monday, May 31st! This is the last week of giveaways for the Month of Mysticism.

Grand Prize Information – Only Five Days Left to Enter!

While the weekly Magic Series Contest is now over, you still have a chance at winning an awesome A Breath of Magic tote bag filled with tons of stuff. One Grand Prize winner will win:

• An extra-large customized Magic series tote bag:

What will be in this bag? Check it out: rose quartz heart-shaped pendant on sterling silver chain, chakra bracelet, heart’s desire jewelry set, Book: Seven Days of Magic, New Age CD: Dreamscapes,  Aventurine Tumbled Stone pendulum, Book: Pendulum Magic for Beginners, Music Dreamer tarot deck and book, rose incense, candles, mood lipstick, lavender aromatherapy body soak, lavender aromatherapy body lotion, lavender aromatherapy scented eye mask, aromatherapy fizzy bath, aromatherapy facial mask, aromatherapy essential oils – green tea, aromatherapy essential oils – jasmine, aromatherapy essential oils – ocean, signed copies of A Taste of Magic, A Stroke of Magic, and A Breath of Magic. But that’s not all! The grand prize winning bag also includes items from this week’s guests! The winner will also receive:

• A signed copy of Divorced, Desperate and Delicious by Christie Craig (Tuesday’s Guest!) – Christie has also donated Peace Potion Massage Lotion and some fun promo items (mini-notebook, pen, signed cover flats, chapstick, bookmarks)
• A signed copy of Stroke of Genius by Emily Bryan (Wednesday’s Guest!) – Note: Emily will send the book under separate cover to the winner.
• A signed copy of Seduced by Shadows by Jessa Slade (Thursday’s Guest!)
• And a handmade Native American Choker by Clairvoyant Medium Dakota Lawerence (Friday’s Guest!)

The winner of the grand prize will also receive:

• A 30-Minute Free Reading with Clairvoyant Medium Dakota Lawrence!
• A Name of their Choosing (subject to approval from Dorchester editorial) given to a minor character in my December release, By Magic Alone.

To enter the Month of Mysticism GRAND PRIZE Contest: Have you ever wanted to write your own magic spell? Now is your chance! Whether you decide to bewitch a would-be-lover, hex your arch nemesis, alter the flow of time, create a healing spell, or any other magical charm, spell, or curse you can think of, create a magical enchantment and send it to tracy@tracymadison.com with the topic Magic Spell. You can write the spell in any format you choose (a recipe, a poem, etc), so be creative!

Spells must received no later than May 28 in order to be entered. I’ll pick my favorite and that person will win all the above prizes! The winner’s name will be announced here on May 31, 2010.

Only FIVE more days to get spells in!

The Magic of Birthday Parties

Okay, I know a birthday party isn’t a paranormal activity (at least, not in the real word!), but I thought I’d touch on a little everyday magic today. See, my twins just celebrated their 8th birthday, my eldest son’s birthday is today (he’s 18!), and my brother’s birthday is also today. So I have birthdays on my mind. The twins celebrated with a party at, of all places, Chuck E Cheese. And there were a LOT of people in attendance. I’ll be honest. I dislike planning kids’ birthday parties. It’s always so much work, but it is always worth it at the end of the day. This party was no exception. My little boys, in the middle of the party, looked at me and said “This is the best birthday party ever!” and yep, right there, it’s all worth it. What was even cooler is this happened before cake and before presents. So that got me to thinking: why was it the best party ever (in their eyes).

And the answer, I think, is so much bigger than any one (or a dozen) present a child receives. It’s about feeling special. Being the center of attention for a little while. My boys definitely felt like they were the star attraction at their birthday party, and I’m pretty sure that’s what put the stars in their eyes. So I walked away a happy mom, even though I was mentally worn out by the end.

But I thought about the birthday parties I had as a child, and I instantly remembered the one I deemed the “best party ever.” It was the one and only year my mother went out of her comfort zone and made me a Holly Hobbie cake. Do you remember Holly Hobbie? My mother spent hours upon hours decorating this cake with tiny little stars of frosting in the appropriate colors. Seriously, she spent HOURS. My mom is wonderful in many ways, but she isn’t the most creative of folks, and this was a time-consuming job. But she did it for me, because I wanted it. And I remember how very special I felt on that day. Honestly, I don’t remember much else from that party. I couldn’t tell you what games we played or what presents I got. But I remember that cake.

So, you tell me: What is your favorite birthday party from your childhood and why?

Don’t Forget

Come back tomorrow to meet award-winning romance author Christie Craig!

The Novel Girls are celebrating the release of Not Ready for Mom Jeans by Maureen Lipinski (a Novel Girl sister!). Head on over and join the fun!

A Breath of Magic is available NOW!

Today begins Week Four of my Month of Mysticism celebration for the release of A Breath of Magic! There are only two weeks left of great guests & great prizes!

As normal, before moving on to anything else, I’ll announce the winners from last week…

• $10 Borders Gift Card goes to: Jennifer S!
  
• $5 Caribou Coffee Gift Card goes to: Mary Marvella!
  
• A signed copy of A Stroke of Magic goes to: Estella!
• A signed copy of A Taste of Magic goes to: Van P.!
  
• A Breath of Magic mini-gift set (tote bag, key chain, sticky notes, etc.) goes to: Molly O!

Congratulations Jenn, Mary, Estella, Van, and Molly!!! Please e-mail tracy@tracymadison.com by Thursday, May 20th, with your mailing address.

And the winner of the filled A Breath of Magic tote bag, as shown HERE, is….Jessica Rogers!

Congratulations Jessica! Please e-mail tracy@tracymadison.com by Thursday, May 20th, with your mailing address.

All winning items will be sent out on Friday, May 21st. Congratulations, everyone!

And the winner of the signed copy of Barbara Monajem’s Sunrise in a Garden of Love & Evil is…Jane!

Congratulations Jane! Please e-mail me with your address, and I’ll forward that on to Barbara! I love this book and I hope you do, too!

Contest News!

This Week’s Random Giveaways: Comment on my blog each day this week (Monday through Friday, one entry per person per day, for a total of five entries) for a chance to win one of five prizes:

• One $10 Borders Gift Card
• One $5 Caribou Coffee Gift Card
• One Signed Copy of A Taste of Magic
• One Signed Copy of A Stroke of Magic
• One A Breath of Magic mini-gift pack that includes: a tote bag, sticky notes, key chain, bookmark(s), and a signed cover flat

I’ll use random.org to choose five winners, and I will announce their names here (and what they won) on Monday, May 24th!

This Week’s Magic Series Contest & Giveaway: I will post one question each day this week (Mon-Friday, five questions total) on my blog regarding the second book in my series, A Breath of Magic.

E-mail the answers to tracy@tracymadison.com with the subject line: Magic Contest by Saturday, May 22nd, to be entered for this week’s drawing. Only correct answers will be included in the drawing, up to five entries per person (one per day). This is the last week for this contest.

This week’s winner will receive a customized Magic series tote bag filled with “items from Chloe’s store, the Mystic Corner“:

The contents of this bag include: amethyst crystal earrings, guardian angel charm bracelet & necklace, Book: Bewitchments, New Age CD: Morning Java,  set of Paulina tarot cards w/ instruction booklet, rose incense, candles, mood lipstick, lavender aromatherapy body soak, lavender aromatherapy scented eye mask, aromatherapy fizzy bath, aromatherapy facial mask, aromatherapy essential oils – green tea, a signed copy of either A Taste of Magic or A Stroke of Magic (winner’s choice), various bookmarks and signed cover flats. But that’s not all! This week’s bag also includes items from this week’s guests! The winner will also receive:

• A signed copy of Ancient Whispers by Marie-Claude Bourque (Tuesday’s Guest!) – Note: Marie-Claude will send the book to this week’s winner once she receives her author copies.
• Signed copies of La Vida Vampire and Last Vampire Standing by Nancy Haddock (Wednesday’s Guest!). Nancy is also donating candles, essential oils, scented beads, and two spiritual stones (transformation and health) to this week’s bag. Wow! Thanks, Nancy!
• A signed copy of Scorched: The Dark Forgotten by Sharon Ashwood (Thursday’s Guest!), PLUS she has a special giveaway planned for Thursday’s post.
• And a handmade Native American Choker (seen in the picture) by Clairvoyant Medium Dakota Lawerence (Friday’s Guest!)

The bags are getting bigger each week, and this one is no exception. I’ll use random.org for all correct answers received, and announce the winner here on Monday, May 24th.

And don’t forget: To enter the Month of Mysticism GRAND PRIZE Contest, write a magic spell and send it to tracy@tracymadison.com with the topic Magic Spell.

Spells must received no later than May 28 in order to be entered. I’ll pick my favorite and that person will win an extra-large filled tote bag, a name of their choosing (subject to approval from Dorchester editorial) in my next release, By Magic Alone, and a free 30-Minute reading from Clairvoyant Medium Dakota Lawrence. The winner’s name will be announced here on May 31, 2010.

Only TWELVE more days to get spells in!

Magic Series Contest Question of the Day!

Today’s Magic Series question comes to us from A Breath of Magic:

Elizabeth can bake wishes into cakes (and other yummy stuff). Alice can draw/paint scenes from the past & the future. What is Chloe’s magical ability?

E-mail the correct answer to tracy@tracymadison.com with the subject line Magic Contest no later than Saturday, May 22, to be entered to win the awesome filled tote bag shown above!

Astrology & Horoscopes

What’s your sign? I’m the crab, and yep, just as we discussed when we looked at our numbers, when I read the description for my sign, there are a lot of similarities. For example, I love being at home and making a home for my family. I’m sensitive, emotional, and in fact, tend to make many decisions based on how I feel over rational thought. I like to call this following my instincts, though some decisions I wish I’d given a little more thought to at the time. <G> I tend to trust my instincts first, though, and sometimes this has proven very beneficial, and other times (though, thankfully, rarely) not so much. I read my horoscope every month at Astrology Zone, though once I’ve read it, I don’t necessarily think about what I’ve read as the month continues.

What about you? What’s your sign, do you see any similarities in your sign’s description and who you are, and do you check your horoscope on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis?

Don’t Forget

Come back tomorrow to meet paranormal romance author Marie-Claude Bourque!

The Novel Girls are celebrating Mother’s Day all month long! This week, we’re each sharing how we drove our moms crazy! I’m sharing some…interesting tales from my past.

A Breath of Magic is available NOW!

Today begins Week Three of my Month of Mysticism celebration for the release of A Breath of Magic!

I had a lot of fun last week, and I hope everyone else did, too. Before we move on to this week’s stuff, however, I bet you’d like to know who won goodies last week, right? Okay, then…here we go:

• $10 Borders Gift Card goes to: Kelly Tompson!
• $5 Caribou Coffee Gift Card goes to: Sherry S!
• A signed copy of A Stroke of Magic goes to: Donna S!
• A signed copy of A Taste of Magic goes to: Chelsea B!
• A Breath of Magic mini-gift set (tote bag, key chain, sticky notes, etc.) goes to: Lynnette P!

Congratulations Kelly, Sherry, Donna, Chelsea, and Lynnette!!! Please e-mail tracy@tracymadison.com by Thursday, May 13, with your mailing address.

And the winner of the filled A Breath of Magic tote bag, as shown HERE, is….Robin K!

Congratulations Robin! Please e-mail tracy@tracymadison.com by Thursday, May 13, with your mailing address AND if you’d like a signed copy of A Taste of Magic or A Stroke of Magic.

All winning items will be sent out on Friday, May 14th. Congratulations, everyone!

Contest News!

Now, let’s talk about this week’s giveaways:

This Week’s Random Giveaways: Comment on my blog each day this week (Monday through Friday, one entry per person per day, for a total of five entries) for a chance to win one of five prizes:

• One $10 Borders Gift Card
• One $5 Caribou Coffee Gift Card
• One Signed Copy of A Taste of Magic
• One Signed Copy of A Stroke of Magic
• One A Breath of Magic mini-gift pack that includes: a tote bag, sticky notes, key chain, bookmark(s), and a signed cover flat

I’ll use random.org to choose five winners, and I will announce their names here (and what they won) on Monday, May 17th!

This Week’s Magic Series Contest & Giveaway: I will post one question each day this week (Mon-Friday, five questions total) on my blog regarding the second book in my series, A Breath of Magic.

E-mail the answers to tracy@tracymadison.com with the subject line: Magic Contest by Saturday, May 15th to be entered for this week’s drawing. Only correct answers will be included in the drawing, up to five entries per person (one per day).

This week’s winner will receive a customized Magic series tote bag filled with “items from Chloe’s store, the Mystic Corner“:

The contents of this bag include: freshwater pearl/jade bracelet & ring, sodalite teardrop pendulum, Book: A Creative Writer’s Kit, Book: Pendulum Magic for Beginners, New Age CD: Thunder by the Sea, rose incense, candles, mood lipstick, lavender aromatherapy body lotion, lavender aromatherapy scented eye mask, aromatherapy fizzy bath, aromatherapy facial mask, aromatherapy essential oils – jasmine, a signed copy of either A Taste of Magic or A Stroke of Magic (winner’s choice), various bookmarks and signed cover flats. But that’s not all! This week’s bag also includes items from this week’s guests! The winner will also receive:

• A signed copy of A Tale of Two Demon Slayers by Angie Fox (Tuesday’s Guest!)
• A signed CD containing Indulgence by Natalie J. Damschroder (Wednesday’s Guest!)
• A signed copy of Sunrise in a Garden of Love & Evil by Barbara Monajem (Thursday’s Guest!), PLUS The Vampire Tarot donated by Barbara!
• And a handmade Native American Choker (seen in the picture if you look closely) by Clairvoyant Medium Dakota Lawerence (Friday’s Guest!)

Another bag filled with terrific stuff! I’ll use random.org for all correct answers received, and announce the winner here on Monday, May 17th.

And don’t forget: To enter the Month of Mysticism GRAND PRIZE Contest, write a magic spell and send it to tracy@tracymadison.com with the topic Magic Spell.

Spells must received no later than May 28 in order to be entered. I’ll pick my favorite and that person will win a filled tote bag, a name of their choosing (subject to approval from Dorchester editorial) in my next release, By Magic Alone, and a free 30-Minute reading from Clairvoyant Medium Dakota Lawrence. The winner’s name will be announced here on May 31, 2010.

I’ve gotten more spells this past week, but I’d like to get lots more, so get busy guys!

Magic Series Contest Question of the Day!

Today’s Magic Series question comes to us from A Breath of Magic:

In the opening of the story, Chloe asks Elizabeth to bake her a cake with a bit of magic. What is the wish that Chloe wants Elizabeth to cast?

E-mail the correct answer to tracy@tracymadison.com with the subject line Magic Contest no later than Saturday, May 15, to be entered to win the awesome filled tote bag shown above!

Moving On…

What is your favorite type of fictional paranormal character? Meaning, are you into vampires, werewolves, witches, zombies, shifters or…hm…something else? For me, I don’t truly have one favorite. I’m an all-around fan of just about everything paranormal. However, my moods will play into the type of story I want to read. For example, I just went through a vampire craze–this time, it was light paranormal vampires, though, like Nancy Haddock’s La Vida Vampire series and MaryJanice Davidson’s Undead series–and now I’m on a werewolf/shifter craze and have been devouring Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series. I also have a penchant for Goddess stories…

What about you? I’d also love to hear what some of your favorite paranormal books/series are…I’m always looking for new books to read!

Don’t Forget

Come back tomorrow to meet Angie Fox, the NY Times Bestselling author of The Demon Slayer series!

I’m blogging about an addiction of mine over at RomCon today! And I’m giving away a signed copy of A Taste of Magic, so head on over and leave a comment!

The Novel Girls are celebrating Mother’s Day all month long! This week, it’s all about the best thing(s) mom has taught us!

A Breath of Magic is available NOW!

Please join me in welcoming Clairvoyant Medium Dakota Lawrence!

Clairvoyant Medium Dakota Lawrence knew at a young age that he was different from other children. With a psychic bloodline that exists on both sides of his family, no one was surprised when he gave his first psychic reading at the age of twelve, or when he entered the professional arena at the age of fifteen. Raised in Louisiana by his mother and grandmother, Dakota learned firsthand how his innate gift can help others.

Now, with more than a decade of experience and more than 8,000 readings to call upon, Dakota Lawrence is a known Paranormal Investigator and lectures all across the United States on topics relating to Psychic Investigation, Paranormal Investigation, Spirit Guide Communication, Spirit Guide Meditation, and Psychic Development. His passion is sharing his knowledge and insight in the hope that he can assist people in understanding their true (soul) purpose in life.

You can learn more about Dakota at his Facebook page, web site, and his weekly blog radio program: Enlightenment Radio.

Q & A with Dakota – Part One

How old were you when you realized you were clairvoyant, and what happened to make you aware?  

I’ve always been aware of my gifts. I was raised by two very gifted women (my Mom and Grandmother), so I cannot really reflect on this great epiphany of psychic awareness. It was just part of who I was and part of who I will always be. 

I think it’s amazing you gave your first reading at the age of twelve and became a professional at the age of fifteen. Can you tell us a little more about your specific abilities? 

I’m a clairvoyant medium. Clairvoyant meaning the ability to perceive things beyond the natural sense and a medium, which is a person who has the ability to read for people both living and crossed over. 

Psychic abilities exist on both sides of your family. Is there one specific person in your family who you feel you’ve learned the most from?  

I would have to say both my Mother and Grandmother. 

Tell us what it is like when you begin a reading, i.e. how do you connect with the other person, how do you receive the information? 

Well, we’re all composed of energy so when I start a phone reading or a in-person reading it’s just connecting to that persons energy and then letting Spirit take over. When I receive information, it will come in the form of the “knowing sense,” where basically you just know. I’ll also see things clairvoyantly (through my third eye) and hear things in my mind. It is very rare to hear or see things physically for most intuitive in this field, and it’s a common misconception in the field. 

You’ve probably faced a good number of skeptics over the years. Why do you think some people find it so difficult to believe? 

When people do not understand something, it is easier to close a deaf ear to what I do. It’s easier to say “in the box” then to venture outside of their personal realm. There will always be non-believers, but I must say that there are far more believers in the paranormal and psychic phenomena now than just even five years ago and the numbers are just getting higher.  

What is the most asked question you get during readings? 

You know, it truly depends on the session. Honest, it is one of those things that vary from reading to reading. I can’t really say that I hear one question too often. The main focuses are usually on their love, career/finances.

Thank you, Dakota, for taking the time to answer some questions! We’ll continue this intervew over the next three weeks…I can’t wait to learn more!

Remember, the winner of this week’s Magic Series contest will receive one of Dakota’s handmade Native American Chokers along with all the other tote bag goodies! AND, the winner of the GRAND PRIZE will receive a thirty-minute reading with Dakota!

Guest News!

Next week is packed with guests! I’ll be here on Monday with the winners from this week’s contests. On Tuesday, May 11th, New York Times Bestselling author Angie Fox will be here. Wednesday, paranormal romance author Natalie J. Damschroder will be my guest. Thursday is paranormal and historical romance author Barbara Monajem. And on Friday, I’ll continue my interview with Clairvoyant Medium Dakota Lawrence. It’s going to be a fantastic week, and one you don’t want to miss! 

Magic Series Contest Question of the Day!

Today’s Magic Series question comes to us from A Stroke of Magic:

Ethan suffers an injury toward the end of the book. What happens to cause this injury? 

E-mail the correct answer to tracy@tracymadison.com with the subject line Magic Contest no later than Saturday, May 8, to be entered to win the awesome filled tote bag shown HERE! 

Be sure to leave a comment to be entered to win one of the five random giveaways for this week. Winners will be announced on Monday!

Are you creating a magic spell to enter to win the Grand Prize package? You can write the spell as a poem, as a short story, as a recipe, or any other way you’d like! E-mail tracy@tracymadison.com with the topic Magic Spell no later than May 28, 2010, to be entered!

Don’t Forget

Come back on Monday to see who this week’s winners are! And a hint — next week’s Magic Series questions will be from A Breath of Magic!

The Novel Girls are celebrating Mother’s Day all month long! This week, we’re talking about our favorite fictional moms, so head on over and say hi!

A Breath of Magic is available NOW!  

Please join me in welcoming paranormal romance author Helen Scott Taylor!

 

As a child, when Helen didn’t pay attention her teachers accused her of being away with the fairies. Things haven’t changed much! Only now, the fairies are tall and sexy and they live in her stories rather than just in her head. Helen resides in South Western England near Plymouth with her husband, two teenagers, two Shih Tzus, and a cat who rules the household with a velvet paw. With the rocky cliffs of the Atlantic to the south and the windswept expanse of Dartmoor to the west, she loves to walk in the countryside while she plots her stories. She believes deep within everyone there’s a little magic.

Helen would love to hear from readers. You can find her at www.HelenScottTaylor.com.  

Symbols in Fiction

Symbol Definition: Something used for or regarded as representing something else; a material object representing something, often something immaterial; emblem, token, or sign. (Dictionary.com)

I’m fascinated by the charms and keepsakes people have. In our society, Jewelry such as wedding or engagement rings and lockets have special significance when given by a loved one. When we attach emotion to an item, it comes to symbolize those feeling and the relationship.

Concrete symbols that represent important events or relationships between characters often have huge meaning in fiction. Even items that have no intrinsic value can become significant when they indicate the characters’ feelings. Although I’ve long since forgotten the plot of the first of J.D. Robb’s In Death series, Naked In Death, I still remember that Roarke found a button from Eve’s jacket and kept in his pocket through much of the story. This demonstrated beautifully his interest in her without the author having to stress the point.

Symbols are often used in paranormal and fantasy stories, including romance. They can signify emotions, relationships, conflict, or other important elements of the story. Concrete symbols such as rings or swords are used to make an intangible concept tangible so the reader is given a focus to follow that element of the story.

I’ve used tokens and symbols in my Magic Knot fairies series. The Magic Knot itself is symbolic of the person who owns it. Each character of fairy blood has a Magic Knot consisting of three linked stone rings that hold the essence of their body, mind, and spirit. Lovers exchange Magic Knots placing the care of their essence in the hands of their loved one, demonstrating the ultimate in trust and connection. Divorce is not possible in my fairy world. Once lovers exchange Magic Knots, they are bonded with one another for life. That’s a long time when some of them are immortal.

In The Phoenix Charm, the heroine is a sensual water nymph whose power has been bound with Celtic symbols painted on her skin. When she finally removes the Celtic symbols near the end of the story and releases her true nature, it is symbolic of her acceptance of who she is.

Can you think of any symbols used in fiction that you found enhanced your experience of the story?

Thank you so much for being here today, Helen! I love both of these books, and one of the first things that drew me to them was your use of Celtic symbols. I’m a huge fan of anything Irish.

Remember, the winner of this week’s Magic Series contest will receive a signed copy of The Phoenix Charm along with all the other tote bag goodies!

Magic Series Contest Question of the Day!

Today’s Magic Series question comes to us from A Stroke of Magic:

Alice’s grandmother, Grandma Verda, has an interesting method for ranking men. She uses fruit. From Verda’s perspective, rank these fruit from highest to lowest: Orange, Lemon, Pear, Apple, Pomegranate. 

E-mail the correct answer to tracy@tracymadison.com with the subject line Magic Contest no later than Saturday, May 8, to be entered to win the awesome filled tote bag shown HERE! 

Be sure to leave a comment to be entered to win one of the five random giveaways for this week. Winners will be announced on Monday!

Are you creating a magic spell to enter to win the Grand Prize package? You can write the spell as a poem, as a short story, as a recipe, or any other way you’d like! E-mail tracy@tracymadison.com with the topic Magic Spell no later than May 28, 2010, to be entered!

Don’t Forget

Clairvoyant Mediaum Dakota Lawrence is my guest tomorrow!

The Novel Girls are celebrating Mother’s Day all month long! This week, we’re talking about our favorite fictional moms, so head on over and say hi!

A Breath of Magic is available NOW!