INTERVIEW WITH S.K.ANDREWS (Bay of Darkness)

Bay of Darkness
The Kelly Society
Book One
S.K. Andrews

Genre: Paranormal Mystery
Publisher: Wild Rose Press
Date of Publication: October 2, 2019
ISBN: 1509227792
ASIN: B07WDL6HT6
Number of pages: 418
Word Count: 95,000
Cover Artist: Debbie Taylor

Tagline: To save the modern world, psychic Vivien Kelly channels an ancient Celtic life of treachery and murder—at the peril of her own soul.

Book Description:

After witnessing her fiancé’s murder and almost dying herself, Vivien Kelly’s mission is to destroy Dagda—a Celtic God turned demon.  When Vivien discovers she worshiped Dagda in an ancient life as Boudicca, the Celtic warrior queen, she’s compelled to the quaint Northern California town of Half Moon Bay. 

There Vivien finds Dagda’s creatures tormenting the locals—from a Fear Dorcha, to the Headless Horseman.  The Kelly Society is then born—her own paranormal cleansing team and the race is on when people around her begin to die. 

While banishing a Banshee, Vivien meets Neal Harrington—a soul partner who can promise true happiness.  But when Dagda’s black vapor creates a New World of darkness, her time is up.  Can Vivien abandon everyone she loves and succumb to Boudicca’s barbaric force to defeat the demon?  Her actions not only determine her future—but the future of the modern world.

Book Trailer https://youtu.be/UMA9IuWSrog

Amazon      BN     Kobo     Scribd     Indiebound

Excerpt:

Announcing her presence, Vivien slapped open palms against the bedroom door. Shrieking stopped, as the Banshee tried to stab into her intuitive power—not even making a dent.

Julie I’m here to help. Don’t be afraid. After sending her telepathic message, she felt a definite shift. The young girl now had hope.

Sensing another female entity in the bedroom, Vivien tuned in sharper. A spirit connected to the house stood in front of Julie, also protecting her.

“That horrible noise stopped.” Neal eyed the door urgently. “Is that good or bad? I mean, is Julie safe?”

“Yes, she’s safe. I put a protective light around her.”

Heaving a sigh of exhaustion, he rubbed his temple. “Oh, right—the light thing. This is all so weird.” Neal’s head popped up. “No offense.”

“None taken.” She grinned like a debutant about to dance with the coolest boy in school.

“What now?”

Vivien desperately prayed for someone to slap her in the face. Where was Donna when she needed her? Clasping her hands tightly, she pressed on. “I go in and—” Her mouth stopped moving. A dustbowl of black energy swirled through the house coming from Neal, as well as Julie’s friends. “Please bring the other girls to me. Tell them we need to help Julie.”

“What?” His horrified face reflected his confusion.

“Do you trust me?” Relaxed eyes connected with his.

Neal’s voice came out in a whisper. “I do trust you. I don’t even know why.”

The universe ceased movement while they gazed at each other again. Finally, Vivien cleared her throat and Neal turned on his heel. “I’ll get the girls.”

After he rounded the corner, Vivien’s head dropped into her hands. He distracted her to the point of possible error, and that she couldn’t afford. Why did she have to meet him on a case? A damn weird one at that. Bringing her head up, Vivien found three nervous girls peeking out from behind Neal’s legs.

Neal looked down upon them with an encouraging smile. “It’s okay. Vivien is here to help.”

They gawked at her like fawns caught in the headlights of a tanker truck. A red-haired, freckled girl held Neal’s hand, a brown-eyed girl grasped his thigh like a rope tow on a ski slope, and a sandy-haired, blue-eyed girl sporting a pink kitty shirt clung to his second hand. All three held guilty faces.

Then it hit Vivien like a shot to the chest— they believed they’d abandoned Julie to a horrible fate. Neal got them out, but before Julie could escape, the creature sealed the door with an oozing black substance. “I want to tell you all something—and you too.” Neal looked at her with surprise. “Yes?”

“I feel and can see the terror you’re all in right now. Everything in this world has energy, and you’re sending out powerful fear. That’s what the creature wants. So, when you’re scared, you’re actually feeding the banshee and making her more powerful.”

Her helpful speech made the girls burst into tears. Stretching out her arms, she kneeled in front of them. “Wait! I know how we can fix this.”

“We didn’t mean to! We really didn’t!” The girls proclaimed between sobs.

“Now, listen to me.” Beautiful young eyes gazed back at her expectantly. “Go back to Neal’s bedroom and sit in a circle. Hold hands and think of the best, most fun memory you have with Julie. I see you all at the beach making sand- castles. Use that one, or another, but focus on the joy of that day. It’s like a daydream. Keep that vision going until I’m done.”

Neal came forward. “I’ll do it with them. Let’s go.”

Amazed at his instant acceptance of her task, she stood.

Suddenly the girls sprang to life, all smiles and nods. They pulled Neal down the hallway, chattering about which memory they would choose. Neal walked with them, but gave her a last, concerned glance before turning the corner. He wanted to protect her but didn’t know how.

Glowing from the inside out, Vivien realized it had been a long time since a man worried about her well-being.

About the Author:

When Starra Andrews wasn't swimming the Pacific Ocean in her hometown of Laguna Beach, California, she busied herself by writing fantasy stories and acting on stage. 

Having grown up watching Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone and Night Gallery shows on TV, Starra quickly fell in love with paranormal tales with a message of wisdom and love.  Also, being a fan of romance novels and non-fiction ghost stories, she decided to marry the two and write paranormal novels of suspense, adventure, and intrigue with a strong romantic foundation. 

The sense of adventure inside her came from summers of camping with her family in Mexico (Baja California) and walking along beaches with no other footprints but hers, as her family members unpacked the camper and got ready to collect clams right off the shoreline for dinner.  Starra attained a B.A. degree in Theatre from University of California, Irvine, and a Professional Acting Certificate from LACC Acting Academy.  Starra is also a member of the International Thriller Writers, which hosts the Thrillerfest writers conference every year in NYC.

The beautiful Hudson Valley in upstate New York is where Starra now calls home.  She loves being a quick train ride from New York City, but also enjoys country life.  Her two tabby cats Audrey Hepburn and Vivien Leigh are her constant writing companions, and love to curl up on the table next to her laptop.

Her heroine, psychic/paranormal cleanser Vivien Kelly and her team are in a race to rid the modern world of deadly Celtic creatures in her book trilogy, The Kelly Society.  Bay of Darkness is the first book of the series.

https://www.skandrews.com/

https://www.skandrews.com/blog

https://twitter.com/magicstarra

https://www.facebook.com/pg/authorskandrews/

https://www.instagram.com/starraandrews/

https://www.pinterest.com/starraandrews/

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50086707-bay-of-darkness

https://www.bookbub.com/books/bay-of-darkness-by-s-k-andrews

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INTERVIEW WITH J.M. DAVIES (Destiny of the Witch)

Destiny of the Witch
The Rise of Orion Series
Book Four
J. M. Davies

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: J. M. Davies

Date of Publication: April 10th, 2020.

ISBN: ISBN-9798620706396

ASIN:  B085D8KJGG

Number of pages: 247

Word Count: 77,293

Cover Artist: Gabrielle Prendergast

Tagline: Haunted soul-shifter, Ella Masters’ destiny is to defeat her nemesis, the Morrigan, and save mankind, but since when does destiny ever play fair?

Book Description:

In the thrilling climax of the Rise of Orion series, the stakes are higher than ever before as  Ella Masters risks everything to fulfill her destiny. As the last Welsh witch and soul-shifter, she has battled many enemies, but none as malevolent as the Morrigan. The devious goddess is determined to destroy not only her, but mankind as well.

Betrayed by her lover Marcus Drayton, an agent for the security team Orion, and facing impossible odds Ella must find the strength to fight her deadly adversary—alone.

Marcus is desperate to save Ella. In a daring and calculated move, he surrenders  himself to the Morrigan to prevent his soul mate from clashing swords with the harbinger of death. But has he underestimated what’s at play? When the seductive goddess, manipulates him—her true agenda in this twisted game is revealed. 

With the world a battlefield and the very balance of nature under threat, will Ella and Marcus defeat their foes? Will destiny keep them together or tear them apart?

Amazon

Excerpt:

Ella spun around, facing a bloody battle scene. Chaos surrounded her and for a moment, she froze, unsure what to do. Marcus was at the edge of the beach, fighting several monsters, and the cats from the island were jumping on the creatures’ backs and clawing at them, only to be tossed aside. Ghostly skeletal and sinewy figures swarmed the wedding party like ants, wielding swords and brandishing axes and slicing down those in their way. The creatures dragged thick swirls of mist from the ocean, making visibility patchy at best. The moans and yells grew louder.

When a one-armed corpse hollered and lunged at her with his silver blade held high above his mottled head, Ella launched into action. Luckily, with her attacker’s reduced eyesight, his aim sucked, and he missed, giving her time to duck out of the way. The sudden movement ripped the delicate seam of her dress, revealing her stash of weapons strapped to her legs. Grabbing her knife from the holster secured around her thigh, she twisted around, ready to fight back, but hesitated for a second, unsure where to stick her weapon into the boney carcass to cause maximum damage. A silver breastplate covered the creature’s chest.

Cries and roars surrounded her. Ella couldn’t believe the chaos and plunged the knife into the monster’s side, where pink muscle and torn flesh hung loose. The creature wailed but managed to grab her throat and squeezed it tight. His sharp skeletal bones tightened, shutting off her air supply, stealing her breath. Blinking to stay awake, she watched as a blurry figure grabbed the decomposing form. In one fluid motion, he snapped the creature’s neck and ripped the head off, dropping it to the ground. Heaving in a lungful of oxygen, she didn’t have time to respond as Roman, the prince of vampires, whisked her off the ground to stand next to Isabella on the wedding dais. The vampire pulled her in close and hugged her tight.

“I should’ve known…” she said, still catching her breath. “I detected a foul scent earlier. It smelled like a dead body,” Ella said. Being a soul-shifter, one of her talents was to detect other creatures by their scents. She crouched low with her small blade out in front, backed against Roman, Isabella, and several vamps as the fog swirled around them.

“That monster would’ve killed you, Ella. How the hell did they get through the wards?” Isabella asked.

“I would like to know the answer to that,” Roman yelled.

“The wards were set up so no one would get inside…” Isabella shrieked.

“Well, the undead are definitely here and they weren’t on my guest list. These creatures don’t abide by normal rules. They are deadly assassins who’ll keep coming until they have achieved their goal. The only way to kill them is to sever the head. Nothing else will work. But for us to do that, we need to be able to see them. Now would be a good time to use your unique gifts to get rid of this infernal mist!” Roman hollered.

“You think I haven’t already tried?” Isabella replied.

The prince switched his gaze between the women and the battlefield, obviously weighing up the odds. Ella tilted her head, calling out for the spirits to help to disperse the fog that blanketed the ground.

“You need to leave. There’s too many of them,” Roman shouted. He nodded at one of his guards. The vampire grabbed hold of Isabella’s arm, but she struggled in protest.

“I’m not leaving. You can’t ask me to, Roman. This is my fight too. This is our wedding.”

Roman kissed her on the lips and without another word, Isabella vanished, along with the guard. The prince flicked his gaze over at Ella. “Don’t look at me like that. After all, she’s hardly dressed for a fight, and the creatures have weapons that destroy our kind. You shouldn’t be here either, not in your condition, but I suspect you would protest as much as Isabella. Fortunately for you, I have no authority where you’re concerned. But tread carefully, my feroce guerriero.”

About the Author:

J. M.Davies, Jen is the author of The Rise of Orion paranormal romance series as well as several contemporary and YA fantasy novels under the name, Jennifer Owen Davies. Jen’s novels are available worldwide in Ebook and print format.  In 2014, she was signed with Secret Cravings to write the Children of Annwn fantasy series and in 2018 signed with Limitless Publishing to write the Bound by Love series. Jen is also an indie author producing and publishing work of her own.

Jen loves to create realistic and flawed characters who deserve a happy ever hopefully providing a satisfying read.  

J. M. Davies, Jen, is originally from Wales in the UK, but now lives with her family in a small town in New England close to the city of Boston, the coast, and the mountains. Both countries are huge sources of inspiration for her writing. Since she could read, Jen has enjoyed an eclectic taste in books, but loves all thing's romance, and from her love of the written word stemmed the desire to create her own satisfying stories. Although, a shortie at only five feet tall, she has a big heart and hopes that is evident in her storytelling.

Jen has been married for twenty-three years to her greatest supporter. She is mom to four boys, an adorable rescue hound called Ella, and a feline called Kitkat. When she isn’t writing paranormal or contemporary romance, Jen manages a local romance only book club called ‘Babes with Books’. She loves discovering old treasures at yard sales and revamping them, watching Grey’s Anatomy, walking on the beach, cooking, biking and when there’s time the gym. She loves to chat to readers and below are some ways to stay in touch with the latest news about her books and competitions. If you haven’t read any of Jen’s book sign-up for her newsletter, and you’ll receive a free book! 

Website http://www.jenniferowendavies.com/

Twitter https://twitter.com/jendaviesuk  

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Blog https://welshjensblog.blogspot.com

Newsletter https://mailchi.mp/f285b8da4cf4/romanceauthorjmdaviesuk

Author J. M. Davies Cheerleaders https://www.facebook.com/groups/2463223277292776

Facebook Author Page https://www.facebook.com/Jennifer-Owen-Davies-YA-J-M-Davies-Adult-1421409368089313 

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LOVE SPELL in LONDON by SHEREEN VEDAM

Love Spell in London

The Cauldron Effect

Book Three

Shereen Vedam

Genre: Regency Fantasy Romance

Date of Publication: March 31, 2020

ISBN:  978-0-9953447-9-2

ASIN: B07ZTBR92H

Number of pages: 265

Word Count:  85,443

Cover Artist: Desiree De’orto

Tagline: By the pricking of my thumbs…

Book Description:

A healing witch hopes her stolen hellhounds’ passionate master will return soon to claim his hounds, and perhaps, notice her. When he does, not only does she catch his eye, but also that of his fiendish dark fae mother.

Amazon

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/1WVwU_jkqsk

Excerpt:

“Grace,” her mother said in a curt voice. “This is Mr. Devlin Chase Dewer. Mr. Dewer, my daughter, Miss Grace Elizabeth Adair.”

The stark introduction did not do justice to the young lady in the doorway. She stood with her left knee slightly bent, ankle provocatively tilted. She had raised her chin and head, emphasizing an exquisite neck, while her wide eyes observed him with direct, inquisitive scrutiny.

“He is here to reclaim his . . . beasts,” her mother said.

In Baroness Mandell’s hesitation over the word “beasts,” Dewer heard “demons.”

Her snub of his hellhounds slid off his back like a bead of oil. It wasn’t her first insult since his arrival. He had been here for forty odd minutes – feels like a month – awaiting this enchanting creature’s return home. All that while, Lady Mandell refused to be seated, as if admitting him into her home was an affront she could not take sitting down.

The baroness’s upright stance had meant Dewer must also remain on his feet. Not a terrible inconvenience as he had sat more than stood since leaving Wales yesterday morning. For the last five minutes, however, Lady Mandell had been shifting from foot to foot; suggesting their Napoleonic standoff would end shortly with either his departure or her capitulation by taking a seat and thus allowing him to do so as well.

“I have sent for a fresh pot of tea,” the old witch on the sofa said. Lady Mandell’s mother was apparently oblivious to the baroness’s intention to discourage their guest lingering.

Dewer was glad of the tea idea. He may not need to sit, but he was thirsty, for the raven-haired vision in blue in the doorway left his mouth as parched as a desert.

It was hard to mistake the family resemblance between these three females. All had high cheekbones, tall statures and a natural sensuality that age had not appreciably diminished. All similarities ended on the visual plane.

Miss Adair seemed intrigued by his presence, but wary. Well she should be. Thief.

Her mother, Baroness Mandell, had been itching to toss him out since he first stepped into her home. Harridan.

The eldest witch was the most approachable. Unfortunately, she was currently leaning forward to entice Farfur with a crumpet. Crumbs littered the Persian carpet between his feet and hers, as she made atrocious smacking noises from between pursed lips. Definitely Dotty.

Dewer took hold of Farfur’s scruff again, to ensure Dotty, his only ally in the room, would not lose her fingers if the hellhound decided to accept her insanely ill-thought-out offer of a treat.

 “We must leave for London forthwith, Grace.” A negligent flick of the Harridan’s hand, and the crumbs on the carpet vanished. “I hope your morning visit with your cousin was elucidating and makes Mr. Dewer’s visit timely.”

So, that is why Harridan permitted him to enter her home. She wants the hellhounds gone. Excellent!

Grace’s full mouth firmed, her hands clenched and that tempting ankle straightened, signifying that no matter her mother’s preference, Dewer was not about to depart with his hounds without protest. The young witch’s stormy gaze met his in a battle cry that tightened his chest muscles. He repressed the urge to smile with relish at the looming fight.

About the Author:

Once upon a time, USA Today bestselling author Shereen Vedam read fantasy and romance novels to entertain herself. Now she writes heartwarming tales braided with threads of magic and love and mystery elements woven in for good measure.

Shereen's a fan of resourceful women, intriguing men, and happily-ever-after endings. If her stories whisk you away to a different realm for a few hours, then Shereen will have achieved one of her life goals.

Website: http://www.shereenvedam.com

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Blog – Magic Ahoy! : https://www.shereenvedam.com/blog/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShereenVedam

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ShereenVedam

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/shereenvedam/boards/         

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3415603.Shereen_Vedam

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RELEASE DAY: OUT OF THE BLUE by STEPHANIE ROSE BIRD

 

 

Apologies, all. I am a little late getting this one out today. Over the past few weeks I managed to need six stitches to my left pointer finger, threw my back out twice, and had my usual Spring allergies. And then there's that whole other world mess going on. I work in the supply chain, so I really needed some down time this weekend.

 

So, with belated apologies, let's sit down and chat with Stephanie about her new book, shall we? 

 

SC: Tell me a little bit about your main character of this book.

SRB: The main character of “Out of the Blue” is Earnestine Daniels, but she prefers to be called Tina. Tina is a self-possessed 15 year-old that is in possession of a lot of grit. She has many adventures and challenges throughout the story that she navigates with aplomb. Tina is a teenager that guides us through difficult topics and unusual territories in a commendable and inspirational manner that speaks to Black Girl Magic and demonstrates the Black Girls Rock!

SC: Do you believe in the paranormal and if so, do you have an experience you can share?

SRB: I absolutely believe in the paranormal. Once I was washing dishes with my boyfriend (now husband) and it was in the home of a woman that was recently deceased. I was a college student, renting a room in the home from her husband. While my husband and I were in the kitchen of the home, things kept moving on their own, falling and breaking, around the sink area, where we were washing the dishes. It wasn’t as though things were flying or anything but they were definitely moving. They were subtle movements to the left, right or downward and because there was a lot of china and dishes in the kitchen, the noise these moves made was startling. We both saw the moving objects. We felt a chill in our bones. It was unmistakable and undeniable. Finally, we had to leave the house altogether because the presence of what we believe to have been the woman’s spirit and her energy to ‘get-out- was just too strong. Ever since then, I have been absolutely sure that the spiritual exists and is real.

SC: Thanks for sharing that story. It must have been unsettling at the time. What titles are you working on now that you can tell us about?

SRB: I am working on a book about ancestry and spiritual practice. It is a work of nonfiction built around magick and building a deep relationship with one’s ancestors. In the world of fiction, I am working on a novel that also explores ancestry and identity. It is my third novel and it is called “Sophia’s Tale.” “Sophia’s Tale” is a Young Adult Novel. It is centered on a bi-racial and bi-cultural teenager’s search for her aunt so she can connect to her African culture, since she lives with her British father, who is white, in a community with very little diversity. Her aunt is a complex character. She is an older mother figure but she is also a sorceress who seems to have something to do with the troubling dragon apocalypse that is destroying in Sophia’s town. The book is set back in time, in mythical Britain. Sophia is inspired by and connected to Lalla Aisha, a legendary, mysterious and powerful Djinn. The young lady is always accompanied by her stalwart pet, a ornery goat. Like most of my books, this novel features magic and sorcery, adventure and is a coming-of-age tale with elements of dark fairy tale as well as a female heroic protagonist.

Thank you for inviting me to share on the release day of my new novel “Out of the Blue.” I really welcome the opportunity to share about my work, with your audience!

SC: Thank you! Let's take a look at it now.



Out of the Blue

Black and Blues

Book One

Stephanie Rose Bird

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Publisher: One Odd Bird Press

Date of Publication: March 22, 2020

ASIN: B084SNJ8K2

Word Count: 58,500 words

Formats available: E-Book and Paperback

Cover Artist: Najla Qamber Designs and Qamber Kids

Tagline: Out of the Blue is a young-adult, coming-of-age novel that seamlessly bridges elements of African American folklore and spirituality with Greek mythology.

Book Description:

When two worlds collide, only one girl can unravel the mythical threads and save her father’s life. . .

Mobile, Alabama, 1947

Bobby “The Shrimp Man” Daniels, a blues singer and shrimper from Mobile, lies unconscious in a hospital bed, suffering from a mysterious illness. His daughter Tina, a sheltered sixteen year old, torn between her love for her father, and her disappointment in his relationship with Kyane, his much younger mistress, is determined to heal her father, no matter the cost.

Kyane isn’t just a mistress, she’s a Siren, obsessed with her overwhelming desire to become human and merge her otherworldly singing voice with Bobby’s incredible music. She’ll do anything to get what she wants, annihilating anything, and anyone who stands in her way.

In order to save her father, Tina will have to travel to the Kyane’s world, a world of strange and magical creatures, and figure out how to wrestle his soul from  the Siren’s control. As Tina’s magical journey twists and turns, she’ll learn what it means to be a woman and what it means to save not only her father, but herself.

Out of the Blue is a young-adult, coming-of-age novel that seamlessly bridges elements of African American folklore and spirituality and Greek mythology.

Amazon     One Odd Bird Press

Chapter 2 The Denby Twins

           

“Mabel?”

Mavis, pauses and waits for her sister’s response, but none comes.

 “Maaaa-bel?” Mavis, projects her voice louder and annunciates each syllable of her sister’s name, but still nothing by way of a reply comes.

Three minutes older than Mabel, Mavis still takes her elder-sister-status seriously. She’s always watchful, attentive and curious about what her twin sister might get up to next.

Rather than wasting any more breath, she walks into the parlor, the swooshing of her heavy floral skirts grows louder with each agitated step. The sound, as much a part of her, as the swirl of her fingerprint, announces her presence to Mabel.

“I might have known.” Mavis’ disapproval is obvious.

“What you tink you goin’ find in the bottom of tat teacup tis time?

Lost in thought or perhaps a vision, Mabel continues to peer intently at the pictures forming in the tea leaves at the bottom of the china cup.

With a jarring clang, she sets it down heavily on the saucer, upside down, so the true reading can commence.

“Mavis?” She blinks several times, adjusting her eyes back to this world, so lost is she in her visions.

“I’m just wondering if you are ready. We need to head back over to the infirmary.”

“Does I look ready?” Mavis casts a dark look. Leaning back, her yard-long natty-dreads nearly touch the floor, as she props up her pink slipper-covered feet.

“Well, we ain’t got tat much time. Gots to see folk coming over later tis afternoon too, you know. Best we do what we gots to do in town, and then come back and prepare for our clients, don’t you tink?”

By the way her sister shuffled into the tiny, but tidy, bathroom, Mabel could tell Mavis hardly heard her.

Thrusting a soft white wash cloth into Mabel’s hand, she said, “Take yourself a duck bath and throw some’ting decent on.”

“For what?” Mabel asked.

Her twin is feeling fuzzy. She’s still not fully adjusted to the here and now. Mabel has seen it so many times over the years. She knows all about her sister, her moods, expressions, movements, so well that sometimes she’s sure she knows Mavis better than she knows herself.

“Silly old bird. We got to head on over to Mobile, to check in on Bobby,” said Mavis, slow and low, not even trying to veil her growing annoyance.

Never much on words, Mabel gets up and heads to the bathroom. First the water runs into the enameled basin, and then splashing ensues. Mavis is in the kitchen gathering the rest of her things. She perches on her foot stool. Mavis takes her time sorting through her collection of drying and steeping herbs. A foul-smelling asafetida brew, was an essential for her longstanding client, who’d fallen spiritually ill. That herb cleansed, strengthened and protected, all at once. It’s a formidable root with a pungent smell that’s unmistakable.

As a still-moist Mabel appears from around the corner in her lavender housecoat, Mavis finishes up the rest of her preparations. After a fresh sprinkling of hot foot powder on the insoles of her boots, she grabs her well-loved nation sack, a type of feminine mojo bag, and stuffs it into

the left side of her bra. She likes her nation sack to ride with her, directly over her heart. It is essential to what she does. The chamois cloth with which she’s wrapped the red flannel bag, feels soft and comforting against her breast.

“Yous so busy fussin’ at me all the time. You need to just shut your crooked-toothed- mouth and get your own self ready. Now, look at us. Who’s holding up who?” Mabel loved bickering with her sister.

But, then Mabel leaves the conversation altogether. She busies herself up, looking out the window, past the wildflowers and into the wood.

“At least I takes time with my visions. I prepare. It takes time,” Mabel said. The two constantly squabbled but are inseparable.

“Yous forgetting some’ting, ain’t you?” Mabel hands Mavis her Van Van oil, causing the fool’s gold chunks and lemongrass leaves to move about in the bottom of the tiny vial, which could double as a terrarium, were it not so tiny.

Mavis dabbs at her temples, wrists and the creases in her arms, as well as the back of her knees. Lemon and musk spread quickly throughout the room with all its tropical plants and velvet-covered chairs. With its scent, her mind begins to expand.

“Gimme some of tat,” Mabel orders more than asks, her hand is outstretched. Quickly, she mimics the ritualistic application of the Van Van, done by her sister.

Prepared with magickal oil known to open-the-way, the sisters set out.

Sugar-foot, how could I forget?

“Hold on a minute!” said Mavis.

She flies back inside to get her Lodestone Big Outfit.

“Dat your new stuff you ordered from . . . where was it now?” Mabel asked.

“Came in the post a couple of weeks ago, from King Novelty Catalog, from the south side of Chicago.” Mavis told her.

“I ain’t never really knowing what I be needing, so I gets me these big outfits prepared for instances like this. She’d wrapped it in a cloth smelling of lovely violet flowers, ranging from lilac to lavender, with its heady blend of oils and petals.

“What’s in dere?” Mabel pointed at the wrapped box.

“Well, you know I gots me some High John the Conqueror Root – just ‘bout the strongest, of all the magickal roots— and then, male and female White Lodestones to draw goodness, in whatever so form it chooses.

“Dat ain’t all dat’s in tat box, now is it?”

“Nah, not by a long shot. I got me some Devil’s Shoe Strings to trip up the devil if need be. Southern John the Conqueror Root, like High John but a tad bit stronger, and High John regular, that’s going to strengthen every’ting in this here box, and every’ting I needs to do. Oh, and dere’s a rabbit’s foot talisman for luck and agility,” said Mavis.

With her ear pressed to the box, Mavis shook the box back and forth gently. Hearing the sounds, something like rocks and pebbles, a smile brightens her face as she goes on with her inventory list . . .

“Gots the holiest of all incenses – frankincense and myrrh. You know in the Bible, around Exodus XXX it said some’ting like, ‘Thou shall set yourself up an altar to burn frankincense and myrrh.’”

“Hmm.” Mabel’s sigh was almost a growl.

“Oh, and dere’s Five-Fingered Grass, you know, dat one looks like fingers made from grass? Tat to pull good fortune.”

Then she shakes her outfit, ever so gently up and down. She needn’t worry about disturbing the contents of her box, as each element was cradled in its own individual section.

“Oh, and a dream book . . . I needs it, in case I hears my client has a special kind of dream that stick with him. Helps me interpret tings. Well, at least when theys talking, it help me a lot.”

After a painful silence, her sister responded.

“Yous pretty well-stocked for conjuration and rootwork, but you bes’ ta leave that dream work to me. I don’t need no books for dat. And you know I don’t go in for all that Bible crap. What you telling dem quotes for? Save tat kind of talk for someone tat believes,” Mavis said.

***

They didn’t see the need for a car, yet getting to town was becoming increasingly difficult for the two sisters, what with their flat feet and ever-growing bunions. They walked to their apprentice’s house instead, and hitched a ride on her Appaloosa mare, Finnegan. The girl, a twelve year-old named Sage, was grateful for how the two opened up new worlds for her, and she gladly loans them Finnegan whenever they need her.

While Mavis and Mabel have a modest vegetable and herb farm, on which the cottage is situated, that meets their basic needs, now and then, they need to go into Mobile. They go to visit folks in the infirmary, people who call on them for their ancient, mostly African, knowledge.

Finnegan, a steady bay roan, took the twins on rides into town for baking fixins like flour, baking soda and cornmeal, magickal and spiritual supplies, and fabric from which their clothes and aprons were made. In addition to providing transportation, Sage shares the metal filings from Finnegan’s shoeing, and this powerful substance strengthens their diverse, and thus formidable powers. They place the filings in their mojo bags and nation sacks and this feeds the ingredients, helping them stay alive and come together to grow stronger.

Sage, watches the two, marveling at how quickly their bodies conform with the horse’s, and how easily they adapt to her rhythm. If you figure Sage isn’t her real name, you’d be correct. It’s a name they’d given her when they’d first met her, and since then, it is the only way Miz Mabel and Miz Mavis, as she calls them, address her. They believe her to be a Sage, in the making, and they’ve grown quite fond of the girl.

Finnegan kicks up dust from the red-dirt road, and the two women, whom many mistakenly called witches, though actually one is a root doctor and the other an intuitive, go.

***

Watching her sister tether Finnegan to the post, a coldness creeps up Mavis’ spine, just as though someone has thrown a bucket of ice water inside the back of her white blouse.

Mabel has always been the dreamy sister, and Mavis sees that she’s lost in thought. She doesn’t even take notice at first. Soon enough, as is the way with the pair, Mabel feels her sister’s shock from the inexplicable chill, in her bones, in much the same way. With an otherworldly shudder, she nearly jumps out of her skin.

Even though they’re elders, the sisters have plenty of vim and vigor, and that spunk is accentuated by the Van Van oil. The magickal oil has seeped into their bodies through their pulse points during the half-hour ride. As usual, they ignore curious stares, because they know they cut quite the picture, what with the fact that they carry a black umbrella that matches their equally dark complexions. When anyone asked, they say it’s shielding them from getting darker, while this may be true, considering they carry it no matter what the sky condition it seems as though they just carry it because they feel like it. Then there is the floppy straw hats, complete with wide, colorful ribbons and pinned-on fresh flowers, the big, busy-patterned, aproned-skirts with old-fashioned petticoats underneath, finished off with laced-up mahogany-colored granny boots. They were an odd-ball pair who had mix-matched the most colorful parts of their homeland, Jamaica, with the staid manners of the Southern Negro.

They were two women who were used to walking between worlds.

A strange feeling overtook Mavis’ chill, as she clicks her stacked wood heels down the hardwood floors of the infirmary’s hallway. Instinctively, as she walks past the closed doors of all the patients, she reaches for her nation sack, the way a man or woman of the law, or not, might reach for a gun. Looking around to make sure no one was looking, she takes the bag of magickal herbs and special curios out from her bra, and squeezes it a few times, releasing a complex aroma in the otherwise sterile-smelling hall. Moving like electricity, the energy from her nation sack travels from her hands, up her arm and settles in her chest. Bolstered by its power, she quickens her step, after putting her powerful nation sack back in her bosom.

***

“What the hell?” Mabel said to no one in particular.

Mabel looked to the infirmary floor, where Tina laid. Dressed in her Sunday finest, with a dainty straw cloche to top it off, the reddish brown-skinned girl people call a Red Bone, was tiny and small, stuck somewhere between girl and woman. She likely doesn’t weigh much more than a couple of feed bags. She sure is a sad sight with a steady trickle of blood coming from her head. The poor girl is crumpled in a pool of water tinged pink with the blood flowing into it.

Tina was also surrounded by jagged shards from the shattered cobalt-blue glass.

As Mabel addresses Tina’s wound, Mavis goes straight over to Bobby’s bedside. She waves her hands over his eyes, which are still open.

Although her brass and copper bracelets clang loudly, Bobby doesn’t wince or blink. He takes no notice. His pupils seem to have rolled far back into his head.

Gently, she runs her fingers over his eyelids, closing them, and lays him back down, taking him out of the strange upright position he’s been stuck in. It’s difficult because he’s rigid, but she manages to do it, so at least if he awakens he won’t be greeted by the alarming sight of his daughter sprawled out on the wet floor, before him. Everyone knows how much he loves his sweet, oldest daughter, Earnestine.

“The devil is busy,” said Mavis. “Sho’ nuff,” her sister replied.

Even though, she’s perfectly capable of handling just about any situation, Mavis knows she needs to reserve her energy for doctoring, so she calls out for help.

“Nurse! Doctor! Orderly!” She uses the pointed end of her witching boot to hold open the heavy door and continues shouting, not caring a lick whether or not she upsets the other patients.

“Someone—"

But before she has the time to go into a full rant, waking up sleeping patients, Bessie comes to see what all the commotion is about.

“What in the world?” Bessie calls back to Mavis.

Mabel should have known better. She’s usually so carefully in situations like this but seeing Tina on the floor stirs her sympathies something fierce. Mabel just jumps right in and acts before thinking things through. She’s about to give Tina mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Before Mabel can place her mouth over the girl’s, Tina reaches out and grabs the collar of Mabel’s blouse with all the strength she has in her ninety-five pound body. One hand latches on to the seer’s left hand. Quick as a wink, they’re connected. The girl’s touch acts like a lightning rod, pulling Mabel along an electrical current. Through this conduit, Mabel travels to a distant land– the land where Tina and Bobby are currently living.

Whether the father and daughter are captives or not, well now that’s still to be decided.

About the Author:

Stephanie Rose Bird is the author of the critically acclaimed and award-winning, “Sticks, Stones, Roots and Bones: Hoodoo Mojo and Conjuring with Herbs.” Her other books include: “365 Days of Hoodoo,” and “Four Seasons of Mojo,” all three were published by Llewellyn Worldwide. Bird also contributes to Llewellyn Spell-a-Day,” “Llewellyn Herbal Almanac” and “Llewellyn Magical Almanac.” She is the author of: “Earth Mama Spiritual Guide to Weight-loss” (Green Magic Publishing), “A Healing Grove” (Lawrence Hill Books), “The Big Book of Soul,” (Red Wheel Weiser/Hampton Roads Publishers) and “Light, Bright and Damned Near White: Biracial and Triracial Culture in America and Beyond.” (ABC-Clio).

She is a novelist, published by One Odd Bird Press, in the Young Adult Fantasy and Magical Realism genres. “Out of the Blue” is her debut novel in the Black and Blues Series. One Odd Bird Press will also publish “Pine Barren Blues.” She writes and paints where she lives (Chicagoland) with her husband, near her children, and along with some very busy animal friends.

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Website: www.stephanierosebird.com              

Blog: http://stephanierosebirdstudio.blogspot.com

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