interview Debby Grahl Author of His Magic Touch
Happy holidays to all! Give a big welcome to Debby Grahl, author of His Magic Touch. Have a seat and grab an insulated mug. I’ve got hot chocolate, hot cider and coffee. Choose your pot, they’re labeled. Pick 
your choice of a Snicker-doodle, Chocolate Chip or Peanut butter cookie from the plate. Yep, I baked them myself. Lets find out a little about Debby see what His Magic Touch is all about. Thanks for joining us!
What inspired this particular story?
I love the city of New Orleans. His Magic Touch is my second book set in the city of mystery, witchcraft and romance
What is your favorite Christmas tradition?
When I was young, every Christmas eve my brother and I got to open one present. We knew this would be pajamas, but the excitement was still there.
Now that my dad has grandchildren, every Christmas eve he reads Twas the Night Before Christmas which we all enjoy.
Favorite holiday memory
This would have to be waking up Christmas morning and opening gifts with my parents and grandparents. I loved running out to see all the gifts from Santa which were always wrapped in candy cane paper.
Funniest holiday memory
This would be the year in that to keep my little brother from pulling ornaments off the tree and putting them in his mouth, my parents put the tree in his playpen — because that was the only place he wouldn’t go.
What inspired you to write?
I’m losing my vision due to a disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa. I lost the ability to read in my early twenties, but even when I had sight, seeing the printed word was always difficult for me. Reading a book would take me twice as long as a person with normal sight. I became frustrated with this and began to make up my own stories and tell them to my friends. It wasn’t until the invention of computers and then this wonderful screen reading software that I was able to put my stories onto the printed page. Everything I type is read back to me aloud. This enables me to do my research, use the online dictionary, post on Google Plus and Facebook. This has truly opened a new window of opportunity for me.
SPEED ROUND FOR A LITTLE ADDED FUN:
Speed Round (one word only answer): Yep, I know torture for a writer!<evil laugh>
Favorite Christmas movie: A Christmas Story.
Favorite Christmas book: Tied Up In Tinsel, by Ngaio Marsh
Last Christmas or holiday book read: Dashing Through The Snow by Mary Higgins Clark
Favorite color: Pink
Stilettos or flipflops or elf shoes: Flipflops
Coffee or tea or hot chocolate: Coffee
Ebook or audiobook or paperback: Audio
Pencil or pen or candy cane: Candy cane
Favorite Christmas Carole or song: Santa Baby
All-time favorite Christmas present: My engagement ring
Favorite dessert: Cheese cake
Christmas Candy or Cake: Candy
Favorite thing to do to relax during the holidays: Watch Christmas movies
Champagne or gin or eggnog: Champagne
Paranormal or Historical: Paranormal
Wonder Woman or Top Model or Tinkerbell: Wonder Woman
Favorite Christmas or holiday TV show: Charley Brown Christmas
Hot or cold: Hot
I’d die if I don’t have: Chocolate
Review or Not: Review
Tell Us A Little About HIS MAGIC TOUCH:
The night before Jared Dupre’s wedding, a specter warns him the demonic witch, Adam Montief, has kidnapped his brother in a centuries-old vendetta unknown to Jared. A powerful witch himself, Jared tracks Adam from New Orleans to a remote island off the coast of Connecticut, where he’s given no choice. He must rescue his brother and break his engagement to Kendra O’Connell, or they both die. After complying, Jared engages in a sword fight and believes he has vanquished his foe, but when he returns to New Orleans, he finds evil still threatens all he loves. Kendra, not knowing why Jared broke their engagement, devastated, finds solace in another’s arms. With help from an ancestor’s spirit, can Jared defeat the dark magic descending over the Big Easy while winning back the woman he loves?
A Sneak Peek Between the Pages of HIS MAGIC TOUCH:
In the stifling heat, Angelique Montief flicked her wrist and set the bamboo ceiling fan spinning. Kneeling on a woven mat with sweat coating her body, she lifted a small wooden brass-bound casket from the bottom of a large trunk, inserted a gold key, and opened the lid. Inside two objects lay wrapped in thick cloth. She carefully unwrapped the smaller bundle to reveal a pentagonal mirror, a gift handed down to her by her grandmother, its ancient oak frame carved with tiny pentacles. She glanced over her shoulder at her locked bedroom door, then stared into the mirror and whispered, “Show him to me.”
When the glass remained blank, fear clutched at her chest. Again, she said the words, and the image of a plantation house engulfed in flames appeared. “No, please, he can’t be dead.” Tears blurred her vision. The fiery image changed to reveal a human form lying beneath flowering bougainvillea.
Hope rising, Angelique peered closer.
“Show me his face.”
She saw his indigo blue eyes blink open.
“I’m coming, my love.”
He couldn’t hear her, but she hoped in his heart that he knew she would find a way to get to him.
As the smoke in the room thickened, she knew her time was running out. She rewrapped the mirror and placed it into the smaller casket among cloth bags of herbs and potion-filled vials. Relocking the lid, she hung the key on a chain around her neck, dropped a jeweled dagger into her pocket, and tucked the casket under her arm.
Crouched beneath the smoke, she considered the quickest way to reach her son and escape.
Augustus had locked her in, placing what he thought would be an impenetrable shield across both doors. Angelique coughed, choked by the smoke. Her husband’s biggest mistake was underestimating her power.
Kindle Pre-order Amazon
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Debby Grahl lives on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, with her husband, David. Besides writing, she enjoys biking, walking on the beach and a glass of wine at sunset. Her favorite places to visit are New Orleans, New York City, Captiva Island in Florida, the Cotswolds of England, and her home state of Michigan. She is a history buff who also enjoys reading murder mysteries, time travel, and, of course, romance. Visually impaired since childhood by Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), she uses screen-reading software to research and write her books.
Her first published book, The Silver Crescent, won the Paranormal Romance Guild Reviewers’ Choice award. Her second book, Rue Toulouse, a contemporary romance set in New Orleans, was a finalist in the National Excellence in Romantic Fiction Award and was selected as a May, 2016, ‘local read’ by Hilton Head Monthly.
Decorated to Death is a holiday mystery cozy. She also has stories in three anthologies, The Haunted West, Never Fear/Christmas Terrors; and Ebb and Flow from the local Island Writers’ Network.
Debby was featured in the January, 2016, Hilton Head Monthly article ‘Intriguing People of the Lowcountry’. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Florida Romance Writers, and First Coast Romance Writers.
Her latest book, His Magic Touch, will be released December 5, 2018, by Wild Rose Press.
Author Social Media:
Amazon Author Page
https://www.amazon.com/Debby-Grahl/e/B00B34HM26/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1539281994&sr=8-1
author website
author Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/debbygrahlauthor?ref=br_rs
It was wonderful having you with us today. Please feel free to stop by anytime. Good Luck with His Magic Touch!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Debby Grahl, fantasy, His Magic Touch, Romance by Tena Stetler with 19 comments.
Holiday Recipe from Pat Esden Author of His Dark Magic
Happy holidays to all! Give a big welcome to Pat Esden, author of His Dark Magic. Have a seat and grab an insulated mug. I’ve got hot chocolate, hot cider and coffee. Choose your pot, they’re labeled. Pick your choice of a Snicker-doodle, Chocolate Chip or Peanut butter cookie from the plate. Yep, I baked them myself. Pat as a recipe for us and a little about His Dark Magic. Thanks for joining us! Take it away Pat!
candle and enjoy a cup of tea while you listen to music or read a book. I suggest a tea with a gentle aroma and flavor like jasmine tea paired with a buttery-sweet cookie like almond moons. Almond moons are named after their crescent shape that honors the new moon. The new moon is a time for quiet reflection and new beginnings. It’s all about for planning how to move forward.
until light and fluffy. Add sugar, egg,
vanilla, and almond extract. Beat until well blended.
add flour mixture to creamed mixture, beating after each addition until
thoroughly blended into soft dough.
be chilled overnight.
and form into small 2 inch logs. Bend logs into crescent moon shape and place
on ungreased cookie sheet. When shaping moons remember that dough will rise and
expand slightly as it cooks.
golden brown. Some golden brown will show around edges of cookies.
glaze or spread chocolate frosting along inner edge of cookie to accent moon
shape. Press slivered almonds into soft glaze or frosting.
a few away for that much needed holiday timeout.
altar on her windowsill. She struck a match and lit a candle. Its light
shimmered over a row of crystals and washed into the darkness beyond the open
window.
hands. “Guardians of thought and intent, grant me your presence today. Spirits
of fire, guardians of will and passion…”
the darkness and rustling against the window’s screen. She stopped chanting and
cupped her hands around the candle, shielding it from the breeze. She shivered.
There was a sense of foreboding in the air, a whisper and a chill that a witch
like her could not ignore. Someone else with powers was close by. And they were
thinking about her—at least that’s what her intuition murmured.
tiny parking lot, one story below. The windows in the house next door stood
dark and silent. She caught a whiff of bacon and hash browns, but the smell was
faint and not unexpected. It was almost five-thirty, breakfast time for the
couple upstairs.
stack of textbooks to the studio apartment’s front door. She opened it a crack
and glanced out. The hall light was on, its brightness fanning across the
hallway between her and the main staircase. But the doors to the other two
apartments on her floor were shut, everything dead silent.
she whispered, flicking her fingers to send a burst of energy at its flame.
rosemary-scented smoke trailing behind her as she opened the door all the way
and crept down the hallway, the hairs on the back of her neck prickling.
everything was still quiet. But after a moment, a faint thump-thump echoed
up from the foyer below.
Bang. Chloe froze, her breath knotting in the back of her throat. It was as
if someone had leaned into the front door, hard shouldering it to see if it
would give way.
then another. She gritted her teeth and took a cautious step downward.
being slid through the mail slot, followed by a hum of magic.
far enough that she could see the foyer and the front entrance. A narrow
envelope lay just inside the door, as white as moonlight against the worn
floorboards.
No one was looking in or lurking in the shadows on the porch, so she sprinted
down the rest of the stairs and snatched the envelope. Even before she read who
it was for, her intuition screamed that it was addressed to her:
controlled. Perfectly centered. But it wasn’t an envelope. It was handmade,
paper folded and held shut by a disk of gold sealing wax stamped with an N surrounded
by a circle.
crackled off of it, snaking up her arm. She gasped. Powerful magic. She was
certain of it, though if any of the other tenants had found the letter and
touched the seal, they wouldn’t have felt a thing.
she’d moved out of her parents’ house in Connecticut to take prerequisite
courses at the University of Vermont before applying for medical school. In all
those weeks, she hadn’t encountered any other true witches or magic. No way in
hell was she going to let someone drop off a thing like this and then escape
before she could meet them.
yoga pants, unlocked the front door, and charged out onto the porch. Her gaze
flashed to the left. Parked cars lined the dark street. But no one was getting
into or out of any of them.
came from the opposite direction. She wheeled and caught a glimpse of him.
Definitely a guy, striding down the sidewalk through a glimmer of streetlight.
Broad shoulders filled out his dark quilted jacket. Khaki chinos. Lean.
Athletic. Confident.
leap. She sprinted down the sidewalk after him, leaves scattering beneath her
bare feet.
the street.
Chloe needed. She willed her legs to go faster and in a dozen strides caught up
to him and snagged his sleeve.
twenty-four or -five. His dark- brown hair curled at the nape of his neck. Deep,
brown eyes. Muscular. Classy. Gorgeous. His magic purred in the air around him.
owe me an explanation.”
honey-blond hair, past her makeup-free face and stretched out T-shirt, down to
her stormy- blue painted toenails, then back up to her eyes. Dimples formed as
his lips twitched into a roguish smirk.
with an undercurrent of confident innuendo. It sent an excited shiver up her
arms. Still she glared at him. “First of all, I suspect you dropped off that letter
at this time of morning because you knew I’d be awake and sense you. That means
you’ve been spying on me.”
her skin.
belly. Dear Goddess, this hadn’t been one of her brighter moves. Maybe she
could snuff out a candle with a flick of her fingers, but with seemingly no
effort his magic had aroused every inch of her. Clearly, he was extraordinarily
gifted—and not just with working spells.
found herself trapped against a cedar hedge.
if you’re so curious?”
felt the magic crackle off the seal. If she broke it, there was no telling what
kind of spell might be activated.
looked him square in the eyes, which wasn’t that hard to do. He was probably
five-foot-ten, but she was only a couple of inches shorter even in bare feet.
“I’ve got a better idea. How about if you tell me what it says?”
then surprisingly he stepped back and shrugged. “All right, if you insist. It’s
an invitation from the Northern Circle coven. Have you heard of us?”
pumping into her blood. Her parents had mentioned a few older hereditary
witches who lived in this area, but never this group.
if you might be interested in joining us and if we think you’re a good fit.” He
rubbed a hand down the sleeve of his jacket as if deciding whether he should
say more. Finally, he went on, “We’re dedicated to finding ways to access
ancient knowledge. Through out-of-body travel, retrocognition…” He studied
her face carefully, as if watching for her reaction.
one—though what he’d said totally enticed her.
he continued. “We believe there are cures to modern diseases and conditions
that have been lost to time. The wisdom and magic of Imhotep, Hippocrates, even
Merlin.” He smiled, slyly. “You are interested in medicine, right?”
life again deep inside her. But this time it had nothing to do with sex. Magic.
Medicine. Secrets lost to time. None of the classes she was taking or
anything she’d come across at the university were even remotely as exciting as
this.
you’d know I’m interested in that. You’ve been keeping tabs on me.”
use protection spells. We picked up on your energy. That’s one of the ways we
find new potential members.” He stopped, his jaw tensing as if he were holding
something back.
administration. We may have checked your college records as well: graduated
from a community college, taking additional prerequisites before applying for
medical school. Top-ten test scores. Not a great apartment. But somehow you
scored it last minute.”
to screen potential employees. She thrust the letter out. “If this is all so
innocent, then why don’t you open it? Or does the seal bother you?”
broke the sealing wax. The welcoming scent of sage and lavender perfumed the
air, and a trail of green firefly-like sparks twinkled upward, swirling around
before vanishing off toward the brightening eastern horizon.
to her.
the dim street-light, she could see he’d told the truth. It was an engraved
invitation signed: Athena Marsh, high priestess, Northern Circle.
a ride. She’ll probably ask me to pick you up, but she’s the one doing the
organizing. This is her pet project,” he continued. “You won’t be the only
newbie. No one will force you into anything.”
Magic. A chance to gain the knowledge from ancient physicians, scholars,
and sorcerers. Perhaps even pick the wizard Merlin’s brain. How could she say no?
It was wonderful having you with us today. Please feel free to stop by anytime. Good Luck with His Dark Magic!
Views: 1
Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Contemporary Fantasy, His Dark Magic Northern Circle Coven - Book One, Pat Esden by Tena Stetler with 2 comments.
Interview Mary Morgan Author of Trial of a Warrior
Happy holidays to all! Give a big welcome to Mary Morgan, author of Trial of a Warrior, Legends of the Fenian Warriors, Books 3.
Have a seat and grab an insulated mug. I’ve got hot chocolate, hot cider and coffee. Choose your pot, they’re labeled. Pick
your choice of a Snicker-doodle, Chocolate Chip or Peanut butter cookie from the plate. Yep, I baked them myself. Lets find out a little about Mary and see what her Trial of a Warrior is all about. Thanks for joining us!
Hi Tena! Thanks so much for hosting me on my release day! Let me give you a glimpse behind the scenes for this new book…
I have never had a story developed so quickly as Trial of a Warrior. Princess Abela stunned me one cold winter morning when she stepped forth within my thoughts and Liam’s prison. Uncertainty filled me as I fought against her choice for the heroine. Yet, she refused to leave, and I yielded to her demands. After all, she is royalty.
In the end, it was a perfect match.
Tell us a little about Trial of a Warrior:
Liam and Abela took me on an amazing adventure. I allowed these characters to involve me—the writer—on their epic journey. We also learned that the greatest Fenian Warrior, Aidan Kerrigan, had his own secret. Did I know this important fact? No. The warrior chose not to reveal this particular information until I was almost finished writing the story.
And this is what happens in the life of a writer. Some elements of a story unfold immediately before we hit the first keystroke. However, there are times when you have nothing, and when you sit down to begin, the characters reveal the story to you.
“You met them in the Order of the Dragon Knights. Now, journey to the realm of the Fae and witness their legends!”
A warrior sentenced to die.
On trial for breaking a supreme Fae law, Fenian Warrior, Liam MacGregor has no regrets. He is prepared to accept his sentence—even if it means his death. However, freedom comes in an unexpected manner, and brings with it certain dangers as he travels through the Veil of Ages.
A princess honor-bound to remain hidden.
Princess Abela might be a priestess and the daughter of royalty, but that doesn’t prevent her from doing the unimaginable. She sacrifices duty and honor to set free the man who captured her heart so many years ago. No matter the severity of his crimes, she cannot let Liam die.
A rescue that will bring about a war and divide a kingdom!
In their quest to secure a treaty to forestall Liam’s death sentence, they must fight their desires for one another, as well as the Fenian Warriors sent to capture them.
How about a sneak peek between the pages of Trial of a Warrior?
A tremor of longing to be kissed filled Abela. She should flee this instant, but her feet refused to listen to her mind.
Liam reached out and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. His finger trailed down the side of her neck, and she shuddered. “You have not answered me.”
“Yes,” she replied rapidly.
The smile in his eyes contained a sensuous flame, and she was drawn to him. A soft breeze billowed around them. She ached to press her mouth against his. Just one kiss.
As if reading her thoughts, Liam cupped her chin and stroked his thumb over her bottom lip. “Your mouth begs to be kissed, princess.”
She swallowed and did the unthinkable. “Then kiss me, Liam MacGregor.”
His groan echoed around them as he took possession of her mouth. The kiss sent the pit of her stomach into a wild swirl of delicious sensations. Abela’s body yearned to touch him, so she wrapped her arms around his neck. The contact of his skin against her chest ignited a burning desire for more.
Liam grasped her firmly around the waist with one arm and deepened the kiss. When his silken tongue sought entry, she opened fully to the seduction, tasting wine, apples, and his own scent. His moan resonated deep within her, and she found her body responding to a rhythm as old as the land they lived upon.
Never did Abela imagine the power behind a kiss—seductive, enchanting, shattering, and she craved more.
Buy Links:
Amazon: BarnesandNoble: iTunes: Kobo: The Wild Rose Press:
About the Author:
Award-winning Celtic paranormal and fantasy romance author, Mary Morgan, resides in Northern California, with her own knight in shining armor. However, during her travels to Scotland, England, and Ireland, she left a part of her soul in one of these countries and vows to return.
Mary’s passion for books started at an early age along with an overactive imagination. She spent far too much time daydreaming and was told quite often to remove her head from the clouds. It wasn’t until the closure of Borders Books where Mary worked that she found her true calling–writing romance. Now, the worlds she created in her mind are coming to life within her stories.
If you enjoy history, tortured heroes, and a wee bit of magic, then time-travel within the pages of her books.
Social Media Links:
WEBSITE: http://www.marymorganauthor.com
BLOG: http://www.marymorganauthor.com/blog
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/m_morganauthor
FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/MaryMorganAuthor/
GOODREADS: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8271002.Mary_Morgan
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: http://www.amazon.com/Mary-Morgan/e/B00KPE3NWI/
PINTEREST: www.pinterest.com/marymorgan50/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/marymorgan2/
BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mary-morgan
It was wonderful having you with us today. Please feel free to stop by anytime. Good Luck with Trial of a Warrior!
Views: 1
Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged fantasy, Historical Paranormal Romance, magic, Mary Morgan, Time travel, Trial of a Warrior by Tena Stetler with 16 comments.
Enchanting Yuletide Anthology
Happy holidays to all! Give a big welcome to Jena Baxter, Raven Williams, Ellie Lieberman, Barb Lieberman, Guy Donovan, CK Brewer authors of Enchanting Yuletide Anthology . Have a seat and grab an insulated mug. I’ve got hot chocolate, hot cider and coffee. Choose your pot, they’re labeled. Pick your choice of a Snicker-doodle, Chocolate Chip or Peanut butter cookie from the plate. Yep, I baked them myself. Lets see what Enchanting Yuletide Anthology is all about. Thanks for joining us!
are on the top of my list. There are all kinds. Some require special attention,
and others are downright easy. I don’t recommend the traditional oil and sugar,
unless you want to slip and slide, then spend the day cleaning your tub. I
think this one is much better, and the ingredients are easy to find. They make
great gifts too.
Glycerin Soap Sugar Scrub Cubes
to work fast.
soap base. Most craft stores carry it. Michael’s now carries some great
detergent-free bases
coconut oil is a great choice and can be found in your supermarket. Sweet
almond oil, avocado or olive oil will work well too. Macadamia is wonderful,
but not as easy to find.
They will be available in the area you find the glycerin soap. Read the label,
they MUST be skin safe. Don’t use candle colorant. Choose a nice fragrance for
the season. Peppermint, pumpkin, cookies, or gingerbread.
this recipe, I use regular white granulated sugar. For a face soap, I would
probably use brown sugar. For a foot soap, I’d use demerara sugar, because the
granules are larger.
buy one for this recipe however. You can use a silicon mold or ice tray, or a
sanitized milk carton cut to size; the box quarts are pretty perfect. Line it
with saran wrap. You want the mold to give, so you can push the scrub out once
it’s set. If you use the milk carton, you can carefully rip the paper off.
make your Sugar Scrub
Cup Oil
Cup Melt and Pour base
Cups plus Sugar
drops or a half teaspoon to get the fragrance you want. Be cautious not to use
more than necessary because even skin safe fragrance can be harsh on your skin.
1 teaspoon per pound of soap base is the limit.
Have your mold ready before you start and remember to work fast.
boiler is good, or you can microwave it in 30 second pulses. I use 30 seconds to
start and stir. If I need more time, I do 15 second pulses. You don’t want it
to get too hot, because soap can burn.
large bowl, add your oil. Mix well.
the shade you want but use as little as possible; too much colorant can stain
washcloths. Mix well
harden on you. You want to pour it as
soon as possible. When it’s incorporated pour it into your mold. If it’s too
thick, spoon it in and press it down.
of hours. I leave mine overnight). Carefully remove it from the mold, placing
it onto a plate, or anything oil can’t seep through, because there is always
some oil that seeps out of the soap. Work gently because the scrub will be
crumbly.
it, so it can soak some of that up. There will usually be seeping oil.
package. You can use cellophane wraps or jars, label it, and add trinkets or
bows to the top. Be creative. Just remember to use something the oil can’t seep
through. I also place a note on the label telling people to be careful in the
shower or tub, because oils can make it slippery.
an area until the sugar is gone. Rinse well, and pat dry. It usually takes one
or two cubes per shower.
you’ll be addicted.
If someone is allergic to a food product, (Like nuts, avocados, etc.) they will
be allergic to the oils produced by that item as well.
Jena Baxter, Raven Williams, Ellie Lieberman, Barb Lieberman, Guy Donovan, CK Brewer
Genre: Holiday / Fantasy
Publisher: Pipe and Thimble
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Barb Lieberman, Christmas, CK Brewer, Ellie Lieberman, Enchanting Yuletide Anthology, Glycerin Soap Sugar Scrub Cubes, Guy Donovan, Jena Baxter, Raven Williams by Tena Stetler with 2 comments.
