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!

Today, please join me in welcoming one of the funniest women I know, award-winning author, Christie Craig!

Christie Craig grew up in Alabama, where she caught lightning bugs, ran barefoot, and regularly rescued potential princes, in the form of Alabama bullfrogs, from her brothers. Today, she is still fascinated with lighting bugs, mostly wears shoes, but has turned her focus to rescuing mammals instead of amphibians. She now lives in Texas with her four rescued cats, and a prince of a husband, who for the record, is not a frog. Her non-fiction and photography have appeared in over three thousand national magazines.

After selling four books in one day, she has gained a reputation for writing romance fiction that has both a witty humor and suspenseful, sexy tone. Shut up and Kiss Me, her seventh novel will be released May 25th. Her book, written with her non-fiction writing partner, Faye Hughes, The Everything Guide to Writing a Romance Novel, was a September 08 release and also out in June is their second non-fiction, Wild, Wicked and Wanton: 101 Ways to Love Like You’re in a Romance Novel. Christie has also recently sold a Young Adult Series to St. Martin’s Press titled, Shadow Falls Camp that will be published under the name C.C. Hunter. You can visit Christie online at www.christie-craig.com, catch her blogs on www.killerfiction.net on Tuesdays or check out her writing articles at www.writewithus.net.

Fate, Destiny & Soul Mates:  Real or Not? What Do You Believe?

I remember it as if it were yesterday. It was a stormy night, it was late, and the lights had gone out, I knew because the house had gone pitch dark and dead silent. No hot water heater humming, no background noise of the refrigerator generator keeping things cold. The lightening flashed through the windows and made ghost-like shadows on the walls. I was twelve years old and spending the night at my grandparent’s house. I’d snuggled under a soft quilt on the sofa bed when I heard my grandmother’s house shoes padding into the room. My grandmother was a small woman, her high cheekbones and brown eyes hinted at the “French” ancestry on her grandmother’s side. This great grandmother of mine called herself “French” my grandma once told me, because it wasn’t acceptable to say you were Native American.

That night my grandma thought I’d be scared of the storm, maybe I was, but I’d never admit it. Anyway, she sat down on the edge of the lumpy mattress and started telling me about a stormy night that happened to her when she was young. A bunch of her cousins had gotten together to spend the night, and they all asked the storm angels to give them dreams about the man they would someday marry. They were supposed to fall asleep looking at the four corners of the world, north, east, south, and west, and repeat their request for information. That night my grandmother had a dream , and while it didn’t give her a name it gave her letters: BB. She said she didn’t believe it.

It wasn’t until she met my grandfather years later, Burnett Bankhead Keith, who for obvious reasons went by the nickname, BB, that she recalled the dream. Even after she went to bed that night, her story intrigued me so much that I forgot all about the storm.

Was her dream a premonition? Was her husband/soul mate already written in the stars? Did the storm angels only give her the initials because who would want to marry a man named Burnett Bankhead? Needless to say, it was my grandmother’s story that got me thinking about Fate, Destiny and soul mates. I remember doing just as she told me to do that night, but I didn’t have a dream. I wondered if Fate had not yet decided who I would marry.

Years passed, and then I went and did it. I found my soul mate, tied the knot, started down the happily-ever-after path. (Hey, my grandparents weren’t Romeo and Juliet but they hadn’t gotten a divorce and I saw the way my grandma patted my granddaddy’s thigh as he drove.) Yup, I’d taken the first steps onto the road of marital bliss, but I must have taken a wrong turn, because I ended up on a road called a crappy marriage.

What happened? Had Fate and Destiny let me down? Or had I screwed up? I knew I should have waited for those storm angels to give me a name or at least a couple of initials. But even as I dealt with the big D, swore off love, men, and all forms of thigh patting, any time it would storm, and especially when the lights would go out, I would think about storm angels and soul mates. Had I missed my chance at a soul mate by choosing the wrong guy? Do we get more than one chance? Not that I was interested.

Then it happened. I met a guy. Okay, so I was weak. Not that I was going to let it get serious. And I probably wouldn’t have if he hadn’t started talking about it. Started talking about Fate, and Destiny, and about how many things had to happen for us to meet. If he hadn’t lost his job in Houston, if he hadn’t decided to give California a try, if he hadn’t chosen Pepper Tree Apartments to live, if he hadn’t heard my mom’s southern accent and asked her where she was from.

That was over 25 years ago, and guesses what? We’re not Romeo and Juliet, but darn if I wouldn’t do it all over again, and I still do my share of thigh patting, too. Are we soul mates? I like to think so. Do I really believe in Fate and Destiny? I do. But I also believe that we have to follow the right path for Destiny and Fate to take effect. In other words, you can’t be at the boat dock waiting for your train to come in.

Nevertheless, because of my belief, because of the years of being with my soul mate, and because of my grandmother’s story, I came up with the plot for Shut Up and Kiss Me. My hero’s foster father, Redroot, believes the spirits come to him in dreams and tell him who is whose soul mate. He is determined that Shala Winters, the new tourism specialist/photo journalist coming into town, and his son, the Chief of Police, Sky Gomez, are soul mates. Sky takes one look at Shala and decides he wouldn’t mind the “mating” part, but the “soul” part, meaning the forever kind of love, . . . well, Sky doesn’t do that. He watched love destroy his parents, which ended in a murder suicide. Shala, having taken a wrong turn herself in life, is not too keen on it, either. Unfortunate for Sky, she’s sworn off any thigh patting stuff, as well.

Ahh, but this is Precious, Texas, where you don’t get between Fate and what It wants. Because Fate doesn’t fight fair. It will use whatever it can: skunks, fire ants, and it has a whole pack of whacky town folk to help it, too. But it’s not just Fate stirring up trouble in Precious. It becomes clear to Sky that someone is willing to kill to get Shala’s camera, and it’s Sky’s job to find out why and who. It’s Sky’s job to keep Shala safe. But can he do it? And can he save Shala without losing his heart to the one woman who might be his soul mate?

I had a blast writing Shut Up and Kiss Me and now what I’d love to hear from you guys is—Do you believe in Fate, Destiny and soul mates? Oh, one lucky person will win a $10 gift card to Barnes & Noble, so make sure you leave a comment. And . . . to celebrate the release of Shut Up and Kiss Me which is out today, I’m blogging and giving away prizes all over the place. Today find me at my own blog, http://killerfictionwriters.blogspot.com/ and at http://www.popsyndicate.com/books. Tomorrow I’ll be at http://siamckye.blogspot.com/.

Oh, I have another zany release in June. Check out Wild, Wicked & Wanton:  101 Ways to Love Like You Are in a Romance Novel. It’s a self-help, humorous relationship book that tells a woman what she can learn from a romance novel.

I love this: “You can’t be at the boat dock waiting for your train to come in.” What a terrific post, Christie–and thank you so very much for being here today and for offering up so many great items to the Grand Prize winner. Also, folks, in case you missed it, Christie is giving away a $10 Gift Card to Barnes & Noble, so be sure to leave a comment on today’s blog to be entered to win!

Remember, the winner of the Magic Spell contest will receive a signed copy of Divorced, Desperate and Delicious, Peace Potion Massage Lotion and some fun promo stuff (mini-notebook, pen, signed cover flats, chapstick, bookmarks) from Christie, as well as the rest of the items in the grand prize winning package. Thanks, Christie!

Do you want a chance to win? Create 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! There are only 4 days left to enter to win the thirty-minute free reading from Clairvoyant Medium Dakota Lawrence, the awesomely extra-large filled A Breath of Magic tote bag, and a name of your choosing (subject to approval from Dorchester editorial) given to a minor character in my next release, By Magic Alone!

Don’t Forget

I have an interview up today at Fang-tastic Books! Stop on by and comment for a chance to win a signed copy of A Taste of Magic.

Come back tomorrow to meet historical and paranormal romance author Emily Bryan!

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!

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, I am so excited to welcome historical and paranormal romance author Barbara Monajem!

Barbara Monajem wrote her first story in third grade about apple tree gnomes. After dabbling in neighborhood musicals and teen melodrama, she published a middle-grade fantasy when her children were young. Now her kids are adults, and she’s writing historical and paranormal romance for grownups. She lives in Georgia with an ever-shifting population of relatives, friends, and feline strays.

You can learn more about Barbara and her amazing books at her web site!

The Demon Wisteria, or Plants Run Amok

I don’t write about demons, but that doesn’t mean I don’t believe in them – the vegetable kind, that is.

It all started when, as a child, I read Finn Family Moomintroll by Tove Jansson. It’s the first in a charming series about some lovely little trolls and their friends. I won’t go into the story, but suffice it to say that at one point magic causes plants to grow at super speed, crawl in the windows, and generally take over the house. This scenario totally caught my imagination. At the time, I didn’t wonder why; I just thought it was a little scary but way cool.

Now, I see it as the passive turned aggressive, the slow suddenly fast, the controllable gone demonically wild. This, for me, is the stuff of nightmares – and wonderful stories. Plants might show their power in the cause of good—such as when Jack climbs the beanstalk—or evil, such as in Unraveled by CJ Barry, a sci fi romance where, in the course of their adventures, the hero and heroine encounter some very frightening plants.  (Although, to be fair, from the otherworldly plants’ point of view they were probably the good guys, and the giant at the top of the beanstalk had his own, perfectly valid agenda, too. )

I adore plant magic. I love the idea of the strong green energy of plants taking over, whether to help out or to create havoc.  I grew up in a cool climate, where wisteria grows slowly and is easily controlled—coddled, even. It’s a tangled, slow-growing, friendly plant, useful to help one climb from one’s window at dead of night to meet one’s friends and swim in the moonlight. (!)

Now I live in a warm, humid climate where wisteria runs rampant. It’s not helpful at all. It’s a crafty vine that dresses itself in gorgeous purple flowers in spring, knowing no one will have the heart to destroy such a stunning display. Then the petals fall and… bwa, ha, ha!  In the space of a few days, it grabs everything it can hold onto. It smothers pine trees. It pulls down power lines. It tried to choke a plastic chair on my deck, and a few days later the chair leapt to its death rather than succumb. Wisteria separates the siding from the house, sneaks in the windows, and uncurls above my bed.  It totally gives me the creeps… and yet I love it.

This doesn’t mean I wouldn’t attack it, if I were inclined to do any gardening at all. I think one of the reasons Ophelia Beliveau, the heroine of Sunrise in a Garden of Love and Evil, is a landscaper (well, a vampire landscaper, but she’s not undead or allergic to sunlight, so no worries) is because I’d enjoy tackling such a worthy opponent, such a hungry demon as wisteria, but I’ll only do it in my imagination. Ophelia lavishes tender care on most plants, but she also has what it takes to rid the world (or at least the garden), of wisteria, kudzu, poison ivy, clumping bamboo… you name it, she’ll conquer it.  (Of course, this may just be the result of intense sexual frustration; maybe she’ll be less energetic after the hero satisfies her vampish desires. )

I admit it–I’m a plant magic freak. One of these days I’ll have to write about demonic plants just to get them out of my system. What sort of magic tickles your fancy? Do you like gems and crystals? Tarot cards and Ouija boards? Spells and incantations? Control of wind and weather? Flying sloths?

One more or less random commenter will win a signed copy of Sunrise in a Garden of Love and Evil.

What a terrific post, Barbara! I love your description of wisteria, though I’ve never had to battle it myself. Thank you so much for being here today and for your generosity. In case you all missed it, Barbara is giving away a signed copy of her fantastic book, Sunrise in a Garden of Love & Evil, to one lucky commenter!

And, the winner of this week’s Magic Series contest will ALSO receive a signed copy of Sunrise in a Garden of Love & Evil and the very awesome Vampire Tarot Deck that Barbara donated, 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 Breath of Magic:

A mysterious teenage girl with sky blue eyes keeps showing up and asking Chloe for help. What is this girl’s first name?

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 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

Tomorrow, I continue my interview with Clairvoyant Medium Dakota Lawrence!

Today, you can find me at the Silk and Shadows blog! I’m giving away a signed copy of A Breath of Magic!

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!

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!