November 8th, 2009 — Guest Blogger, Magic Users, V-Z
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by Linda Wisdom, guest blogger
I love the idea of small towns because there’s so much you can do with them. A small mountain town for witchy Stasi Romanov and fellow witch Blair Fitzpatrick seemed right since they had lived there on and off for about 150 years by reinventing themselves over the decades.
You can also have quirky characters although there’s nothing more quirky than Horace, Stasi’s gargoyle, who hangs out in her lingerie boutique, because he enjoys hanging out in the dressing rooms with the customers who have no idea he’s real. It sure makes me think twice of trying on clothes at the store! And Stasi’s dog, Bogie, who floats instead of walks and disappears at will.
But a small town means everyone knows what’s going on and now that Stasi and Blair have outed themselves as witches, the town’s okay with that. At least, they were until Stasi’s accused of using a hexed sachet and being sued in Wizards Court and the human woman suing her is making sure everyone knows what an evil person Stasi is.
Even wizard lawyer Trev Barnes working for the plaintiff soon sees that all is not what it should be, not to mention he’s attracted to the sweet-natured witch.
But there’s still something going on in the town that can’t be explained. A lake that’s been harmed by magick. People Stasi considered as close friends now suddenly afraid of her and they’re using the word “witch” as if she’s suddenly turned evil.
All it takes is a snowstorm closing the town off to the outside world and a massive power outage to bring that fear to a high level and it’s up to Stasi, Trev and her friends to find out just what’s going on there and hopefully do it before it’s too late.
I always saw Stasi as the witch with soul of romance and her need to see women empowered by their sensuality. For her to be treated this way is hurtful and she sees the need to fight back.
When I came up with the idea for Wicked By Any Other Name I knew there would be darkness there. A town that couldn’t call out for help and with a fear that slipped through it like a disease and what they saw as an obvious villain and why not a witch? Shades of Olde Salem and I brought that up too because there was no reason why a 700+ year young witch couldn’t have lived there during that dark time.
And romance with a yummy wizard, humor with a pervert of a gargoyle along with some old friends such as Jazz, Nick and Irma. Yes, Fluff and Puff too. And some new characters that I hope will make you smile.
I love writing my witches. They make me smile. They make me laugh and yes, sometimes I have a sniffle or two. I hope you see them the same way and also enjoy the epilogue in Wicked by Any Other Name, which stars Fluff and Puff going up against Cupid.
Linda
Originally posted 2009-03-11 05:19:39. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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November 6th, 2009 — 3.5 Stars, Book Review, Contemporary, Cursed Lead, Detective, Magic Users, Paranormal, United States of America, Vampire
Linda Wisdom is the creator behind the latest paranormal sensation. Her hit characters Jazz Tremaine and Nick make an appearance in Hex Appeal, a fun little pun on sex appeal. The novel is a sequel to 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover
and contains the old gang plus some new faces. I particularly loved the slut shoes, Delilah and Croc. They were a hoot, chasing after guys in all directions.
Don’t know the characters? I’ll introduce you!
Jazz is short for Jasmine and she’s a witch. She’s over 700 years old and I have to know her beauty secret for eternal youth! Jazz is a curse eliminator and forays between the preternatural community and the mortal one to do her job. When she’s not eliminating curses she’s driving for Dweezil, an ugly bad tempered creature, but at least the pay is good. In short, Jazz is quirky, funny, and feisty.
Nick is Jazz’s long time vampire honey. Sure they’ve been on again off again a few times, but Nick is the one for Jazz and vice versa. Currently, Nick is working as a detective in the preternatural community helping to solve crimes that the mortals simply couldn’t deal with. He drinks his blood from a beer bottle and likes to watch sports. He’s also good in bed.
Krebs is Jazz’s mortal roommate. He likes computer programming, web design, and horror films. He’s petrified of Jazz’s bunny slippers and ghost dog, who likes to hump everything in sight. Not that Krebs can see the dog; no that would be too easy. Jazz will have to get on that so Krebs can avoid the canine.
Irma is a ghost stuck with 50s hair and clothes. She watches pay-per-view, cries during Casablanca, loves to smoke, and can be a general pain but she’s got her uses. Irma can go through wards witches can not and makes a helpful side kick when she isn’t determined to be whiny.
Fluff and Puff are Jazz’s ultra scary bunny slippers. They terrify the preternatural community and Krebs on a regular basis. They love licorice, carrot cake, and Jazz – well when she isn’t punishing them for things they didn’t do! They would never eat a wereweasel because they’re disgusting and to imply otherwise is a grievous insult.
But potential murdering bunny slippers aside, Jazz has a lot more to deal with in Hex Appeal. Somebody is tampering with her dreams! She and Nick fight after a dream that was so vivid Jazz could feel the pain of it even after she woke up. If that weren’t bad enough she was turned mortal for 48 hours and mugged. Who hates her enough to do something to heinous? She was subject to mortal problems like acne!
As things start to pile up on Jazz and Nick, they have to figure out who is the cause behind all their problems, solve a murder, deal with the vampire police, and a couple of grouchy bunny slippers. All this before time runs out!
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Originally posted 2008-10-26 15:39:36. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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November 5th, 2009 — 3.5 Stars, 4 Stars, Entrepreneur, Guest Reviews, Lawyer, Magic Users, Paranormal, United States of America, V-Z
By: Mailani, guest reviewer
Banned to the mortal world for an undistinguished amount of time, Staci Romanov and her good intentioned trouble making friends weave through the centuries masking themselves as ordinary muggles. Early on in the gold rush, Staci and her best friend Blair stumble upon the town located near the power radiating Moonstone Lake. Staci owns a lingerie shop in the small present day town, to which she and Blair have vowed to protect; both friends see the town as home and the townspeople as family.
Staci places a charm on a satchel she sells to Carrie Anderson (a townsperson) to allow her husband to see what kind of person Carrie truly is. Right from the beginning of the novel you find out that Carrie has filed suit on Staci in Wizard's Court- a very aggressive legal medium. Trev Barnes, a wizard and Carrie's cut throat counsel, soon meets Miss Romanov in her small town, under the humorous insistence of his aged secretary.
With the Cupid's hearts dancing above both Trev and Staci's heads, this book makes for a very lighthearted mystery romance novel. Their meeting was nothing less than love at first sight. Even with the upcoming lunar eclipse and Mercury in Retrograde there is something still forbidding in the air that has the town's friendly ghosts trembling with shock and fear. Staci and Blair both put it upon themselves to find out what's causing the upset, later assisted by a motley crew of supernatural friends. The search leads them to Moonstone Lake, originally used as a sanctuary for the witches, now guarded by power-sucking orbs and a dangerous ward by an unknown assailant. The witches in the town are quickly placed under suspicion for causing the upset. Trev, whom is unable to remove the bitter Carrie from his case load- due to wizard's law- doesn't seem to mind crossing the social boundaries he has with Staci (as wizard's law isn't specific with interaction of opposed counsels).
I found the story funny and very entertaining. Some of the sex scenes were short and lacked description that I craved. The compilations sounded like an entrance and orgasm before I even knew what was going on. I enjoyed the food play in the book- always a treat or tea in a character's hand, which made the story seem more realistic to me. It also slowed the plot to allow the characters to develop. I felt like there were too many characters and time spent on too many side plots instead of being solely focused on the main plot. I found the mystery of Moonstone Lake’s mystic upset to be a great driver to push the character's forward, but would have enjoyed more interaction between the two protagonists. In short, Wicked by Any Other Name is well written with great flow.
Rating: 3.5 – 4 Stars
Interested in reviewing for LRP? Check out our Guest Review Submission Guidelines.
Originally posted 2009-03-08 14:19:36. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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November 3rd, 2009 — Author Interviews, Contemporary, Magic Users, Paranormal, V-Z, Vampire
Or more accurately an interview with her ragtag group of characters from the Jazz Tremaine novels, 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover and Hex Appeal.
LRP: We'll start by asking Croc and Delilah, Jazz' slutty but funny crocodile stilettos a few questions. Who’s the hunkiest character in Jazz’s world?
C&D -- Oooh, that’s easy! Jonathon, although Jazz calls him Krebs. There’s a sexy boyish quality about him that makes us quiver and swoon. Yum!
LRP: I know you can match every outfit Jazz wheres but what’s your favorite color to turn into?
C&D -- We love to turn into red because the color is so sexy. We know many think black is sexy, but red stands out more. When we turn into red we love to be the sexiest stilettos in the universe.
LRP: I know there's some animosity between you and Jazz' other set of talking shoes so here's my last question. If you could get away with it, what would you do to Fluff and Puff?
C&D -- They are so mean to us! Nasty things! We’d like to turn them pink. They hate the color and they’d hate being pink.
LRP: Oo! Pink! I shudder to think how they would react. Now Nick, I have a few questions for you if you have a minute. Why is witches’ blood poisonous?
Nick – It’s a protection for them against our kind since the witches and vampires had been at war. We vamps were never told how it worked, only that the spell cast centuries ago would also protect future witches. So there’s no nibbling where Jazz is concerned.
LRP: Do vampires have a soul? More importantly, do you have one?
Nick – Our souls aren’t like a traditional soul, more the knowledge of right and wrong. Over the years we’ve had to remain in the dark, so to speak, and many of my kind used that to their advantage by preying on the weak. That’s why the Protectorate is in force, making sure rogue vampires aren’t on the loose and keeping order within our community.
LRP: When did you first know you loved Jazz?
Nick (laughing) – Don’t tell her this, but probably from the very beginning. Even during a time when women were supposed to be seen and not heard, she still made sure that she was heard … big time. She has an aura of energy that you wouldn’t believe. I knew I was a goner and I still am.
LRP: How romantic! Now let's talk to the witch behind all the magic. So why ‘because I say so, damn it?’
Jazz -- So mote it be is so old century and when I cast a spell I like it to stick. This way no one can undo it.
LRP: I'd hate to be cursed. Now Nick, tell us about him. When did you first know you loved him?
Jazz – Have you seen him? The man is seriously hot, so for a second it was lust when I looked at him, and once he spoke I knew it was much more. I wouldn’t have believed in the term soul mates if it wasn’t for him. Nick is the other part of me.
LRP: My final question for you is about a different kind of magic. What is your favorite spell?
Jazz – Truthfully? Glamours when I wake up in the morning looking like a hag. And I mean a literal hag! There’s no way I can leave the house looking like that, so a little of this and a pinch of that and I look gorgeous. Who wouldn’t want that spell in her arsenal?
LRP: Krebs, what’s it like having a witch for a roommate?
Krebs -- Very different, but she’s turned into my best friend. Magick flies all around and she eats all my pudding cups in my fridge in my work area, but Jazz makes life interesting, so it’s worth it.
LRP: What’s the craziest thing that’s happened to you since Jazz swept into your life?
Krebs – Just one? I’ve had Christmas trees destroyed courtesy of Fluff and Puff, my house has been turned into a toxic dump, Fluff and Puff ate my Grateful Dead T-shirt, which I still haven’t forgiven them for, I’ve met my share of vampires. So life definitely isn’t boring.
LRP: Haha, poor Krebs. So my final questions are going to the mischievous bunny duo, Fluff and Puff. Who was the last person you ate?
F&P – Contrary to popular belief we don’t eat people. Way too nasty. Sure, there’s been an occasional squirrel, but we’d rather have good stuff like carrot cake, licorice root and chocolate.
LRP: Are you going to punish Jazz for locking you up?
F&P – We were mad at her at first, but we knew she had to do it even if it wasn’t any fun for us. Of course, that doesn’t mean we won’t have our ways of making her miserable now and then.
LRP: If you could get away with it, what would you do to Delilah and Croc?
F&P -- Heh heh heh! We’d make sure they could NEVER use any make up or perfume. They’re really HATE that!
LRP: That would be tragic! Thanks for taking the time to chat with Love Romance Passion readers Jazz and gang.
If you have questions you would like to ask Linda Wisdom about her kooky and wild characters or about her novels submit a comment and I'll be sure to forward them to her!
Be sure to check out the Casablanca Authors Blog, where Linda is a regular contributor for more information on other going-ons in her world. This blog is a group blog for Sourcebooks Casablanca authors so you can learn more about your favorites.
Originally posted 2008-10-28 05:59:52. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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October 16th, 2009 — Guest Blogger, Lycanthrope, Magic Users, Paranormal, V-Z
by Linda Wisdom, guest blogger and author of Hex in High Heels
Thank you to Love Romance Passion for having me here today!
As an author who’s been published for many years, I still get excited when a new book comes out. It’s fun to go into the bookstores and see the books there and so tempting to say “I wrote that book” when someone picks up a copy. Yes, I have done it a few times. So far, Security hasn’t hauled me out. :}
It’s even more fun now because I have these wonderful stand-out covers that grace the shelves.
I started out with the concept of rebellious witches. The best part is that it’s taken off from there.
Unlike most series, mine deals with a different heroine in every book, but I do sprinkle in the others and introduce future witches in the books. In essence, the same part is a rebellious witch with special gifts and accessories along with a hot male, but the difference is in personalities and their adventures.
Blair Fitzgerald is the main witch in Hex in High Heels
, although Jazz and Stasi also appear along with sightings of Thea and Maggie who will be in the next two books. Since layers are important to a book, I’ve added sexy carpenter Jake Harrison, Blair’s Were Border collie love interest and some nasties as in Jake’s Were mother and brother who aren’t happy about the idea of Jake being involved with a witch. Let’s just say there are reasons there that are not good at all.
But Blair can’t just have furry boyfriend trouble, although that’s there in spades. Not when Fluff and Puff have decided to hang around as tattoos on Blair’s ankle, Irma’s staying in Moonstone Lake because she’s found a boyfriend who’s older than her, and some elves that Santa wouldn’t want at the North Pole.
Blair’s not just a witch, she’s a stubborn and determined witch and if anyone messes with her boyfriend she’ll go after them with spells a’blazin’ and the same if anyone thinks they can harm her town. How Blair handles it is fun and more than a bit scary, since we are talking a witch who’s gifted in revenge spells. She also shows a cheating boyfriend it’s never good to lie to his girlfriend or strange things can happen.
That’s my thing. I love to add layers to my books. One thing will lead to another then to another and eventually go back to the original incident. Even if you throw them all up into the air, they’ll come down in a strangely chaotic and fun arrangement that goes together.
I may have started out with a witch in lust over a Were Border collie, but pretty soon a lot of roadblocks were thrown Blair’s way and being the witch she was, she managed to zap them out of the way.
An excellent reason why I also love writing paranormal, because it’s so much fun to add magick to the book and what some might oddball situations.
What can I say? I love the unusual!
And I hope too.
What is it you love about paranormal books?
Linda
Hex in High Heels, Book 4 in the Hex Series,
In Stores October 2009!
In this sexy, funny paranormal romance by bestselling author Linda Wisdom, it's all beautiful witch Blair Fitzpatrick can do to keep a lid on her talent for revenge spells, but things are about to get a lot more complicated...
Blair loves running her vintage shop and hanging out with witchy friends Stasi and Jazz. She's forever had a crush on hunky carpenter Jake Harrison, whose Were nature (he's a Border collie) makes him loyal, lovable, and fierce when need be. Just as sparks are beginning to fly, Blair is served with a big surprise when Jake's mother shows up along with his pack leader, who threatens to make Jake heel! When the alpha does the unthinkable, Blair is pushed over the edge. No one messes with her boyfriend-to-be, even if he does shed on the furniture!
Buy: Hex in High Heels
About the Author
Linda Wisdom has published more than 70 novels with 13 million copies sold worldwide including traditional, paranormal, humor, action/adventure romance, and romantic suspense. Her bestselling books have been nominated for Romantic Times awards and the Romance Writers of America Rita Award. She lives with her husband in Murrieta, California.
Giveaway: 2 readers can win 1 copy of Hex in High Heels. Open to US and Canada readers only. Enter by answering Linda's question or leaving a relevant comment. Multiple entries allowed. Ends on October 23, 2009.
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