New release…Let the haunting season begin!

Hi, Everyone. I love this time of year don’t you? Everything that can be whacky, will. Hubby’s car didn’t start first thing this morning and there I am out in my jammies wanting to drive a stake through the engine–I mean, helping. At least it wasn’t so freakin’ humid today.

*ahem*

In other news, I just wanted to let you know, I have a new story out.

A little something to get you in the Halloween Mood.

House of Cards

As a young nobleman, Sinjon escapes the Terror in 18th century France to find himself dragged into an even worse fate–a hellish underworld wherein he is cajoled by a hag-like Hanged Woman and put on trial for crimes he never committed. Can he answer the hag’s riddles and thwart his fate, one worse than the guillotine?

It’s available now at Amazon for you Kindle fans for $.99  (free if you’re in Prime). A little paranormal horror, with a historical twist. Just in time to begin celebrating for Halloween! *Kermit flail* YAAAHH!!

Twisting American History… for art’s sake.

Writers are always asked this, (okay, in my case, people are usually telling me “you know, I have this great idea. You should write about it, it’ll make us famous) but anyway…ideas. They come from everywhere, right?

Abigail Smith Adams by Gilbert Stuart, 1815

I’ve had this character bopping around my head for awhile named Abby.  Abigail, actually. I noted the name down after I caught a docu-drama on American Experience about John and Abigail Adams once (this one, I think). I don’t remember what it was that struck me about them, but good ole Abby stuck in my head.

Never could figure out where to fit her. Then I started working on what became my new novel, The Artist’s Inheritance, and Abigail peeked over my shoulder. “Damn,” she said when saw Caitlin in the starring role. “I missed the casting call again? Aren’t there any spots for me?”

So, it was either the missing mom, (and really she didn’t fit the crazy Welsh mom role) or the gallery owner-mentor role, or the who-knows-if-she-can-be-trusted accountant role. She could‘ve pulled off Accountant I think, but…there was all that math involved. *gah* So she opted for the mentor role. And now she’s  recurring character. So ha! Abigail finally found a home. I hope you’ll like what I did to her. (It was the closest I’d come to the dreaded mash-up. I don’t mash much. I’ve got enough ideas on my own thanks).

Of course now all we need to know is what Abigail would think if she knew the real reason behind what’s keeping Trevor away from work so much. I wonder how she’d deal with an onslaught of the paranormal, were Caitlin to tell her everything (one day she might). On the other hand,  I’m not sure I want to know what the real Abigail would say. I hope she doesn’t mind me using her name for my favorite gallery owner!

Interested in what this is all about? Here’s the trailer:

If you’d like to see how my Abby came out, The Artist’s Inheritance is available at Amazon and Smashwords.
Also, author Beth Trissel‘s recent post on the subject made me think to post this. She covers the Adams’ much better than I do, so go check it out, here.

Something clever here–and a guest post

A couple things, one: I haz a pretty new cover. Did you see?

Awesome, eh?

Well, I have no clever, witty words yet this morning, as coffee hasn’t kicked in. But I wanted to say I’m guest posting today over at Amie Louellen’s blog today, so do what she says: Live, Love, and be happy!

Oh, yes, and go see my guest post, here. *waves* to Amie. I will get you over here one day, sister, to. Until then, have a good morning, and me, I’m loping over to the coffee pot!

Another guest post

Is it wet here, or is it just my feet?

Erm,okay, failed attempt at afternoon humor. Yes, I have another guest post today, at the Saturated Page. You can see it here:

http://bit.ly/Q9kYbI

I hope you enjoy it.

 

Sweet Saturday Samples–#2 The Artist’s Inheritance

This is my second of the Sweet Saturday Samples. I missed last week, but not this time! hehe. I hope you like this Sample. This is from The Artist’s Inheritance, Antique Magic Book One.

This is a little about Gordon…He’s Caitlin’s deceased brother-in-law. He was…a little odd. Read on and you’ll see…

film cartridges by Toa55/Freedigitalphotos.net

The thought of an afternoon cleaning Gordon’s work shed did nothing for her spirits. But the project needed doing, and just as Trevor couldn’t look at Gordon’s photographs for long, he still couldn’t bring himself to enter the small structure. He said there was something spooky about the room.

Caitlin ducked her head in, stepped inside. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary to her. So, she braided her hair out of her face and set to work.

She cataloged all the bent and crumpled pictures—and there were many. Flipping through them, she noted several shots of Fort Pickens, of the garden, the house, and a few sites around town and lastly, several pictures of Amelia. All these proofs seemed just smaller versions of the photographs up in their attic. She made a pile of them for sending to her sister-in-law.

Next, she turned to the leftover silver nitrate and carried the canisters of it and other chemicals to safe chemical dumps. Then she threw away every empty film roll she could find. She called Amelia and offered to send her the camera equipment, but Amelia refused.

“Do what you want with it, Cait. He didn’t trust me with it, so I don’t see any point in keeping it.”

Gordon didn’t trust her? How peculiar.

What’s up with Amelia and why’s she so bitter towards her late husband? You’ll have to read to find out! The Artist’s Inheritance is available at Amazon and Smashwords.

To read more samples from other fine authors, see the Sweet Saturday Samples homepage.

Snippet from The Artist’s Inheritance

An excerpt from my novel The Artist’s Inheritance.

Caitlin comes home from working a long, frustrating day at Kameko’s Print Shop to find Trevor working on…well, you’ll see.

He’d called earlier and promised a surprise for dinner, but all she could see that looked food-like was the half-eaten apple by his elbow.
“You’ve nothing to apologize for.” She slipped off her ink-stained smock and took in the state of the desk. What she saw there worried her.
Newspapers covered its surface, and Trevor leaned across them, digging his fingers into a small block of gray clay. She’d never expected this.
“Yes I do.” He waved a clay-covered hand toward the kitchen. “I promised you dinner when you got home and now dinner’s late.”
She leaned into him, kissing the top of his head. “It’s okay.” She frowned down at him worriedly as he hadn’t yet looked up. “No worries. Whatever you’re making, it smells scrumptious.”
“Lasagna. Frozen lasagna. I tossed it in about ten minutes ago.” He blinked up at her, reached out and taking her hand, kissed it. “I lost track of time. I’m a terrible househusband. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” she assured him watching him turn his attention back to his clay. “Trevor?”
“Hm?”
She drew his clay-caked fingers away from the figure on which he worked. “You all right, honey?” He nodded, and she nudged a lose lock of dark hair away from his eyes. “Are you sure? I’ve never known you to be so engrossed in your work.” Studying it and selling it was another matter; sometimes he seemed more marketer than artist.
He smiled. “I know. It’s odd, isn’t it? I’ve never worked on something so small before.” He picked up the block he’d molded, shaped, and reshaped. “Isn’t it cool?”
Caitlin took the small figure out of his hands, studying it in the overhead light. The work was spectacular—and familiar. A square-shaped, spindly structure of some sort. “Very postmodern of you, honey.” She handed the figurine back. “I like it.”
Trevor set the figure lovingly on the papers. “You’d have liked a better dinner more than coming home to a bunch of tiny sculptures.” He crossed to the bathroom to wash his hands, and she turned her steps to the kitchen.
He didn’t point out one small fact about the clay figurine—and Caitlin refused to panic, but hadn’t overlooked it: the figure resembled the chair he stored in their attic.

* * *

Poor Cait… The moral of the story is, if you’re beloved seems obsessed with art, it might be okay…if he or she is so obsessed that there are hundreds, going on thousands of little works piling up…you might want to think about finding a paranormal investigator! Or a couple friendly witches…

I’d never heard this song before but I think it’s kinda cool and…well, could fit what’s going on between these two. (Poor Cait!) Song by Sara Sail. Very avant garde.  Enjoy.

Have a great day! I feel like saying tune in next time when… *smiles*

* * *

Juli D. Revezzo is a writer of paranormal fantasy who always finds a way to add a splash of magic into her work. Ghosts and gods drive a certain witch up the wall in her Antique Magic series. Book one, THE ARTIST’S INHERITANCE, is available at Amazon, Createspace, and Smashwords.

Jolene Dawe–The Fairy Queen of Spencer’s Butte, review

In the interest of open communication let me say no, this review has nothing to do with the fact that Jolene Dawe’s hosted me in the past and soon will again. I’ve had this book on my pile since she (interest again) sent it to me at Christmas but with all that’s happened this year I just didn’t have a chance to get around to it. Jolene, bless her heart, has the patience of a …well, you know. Truth is,  I’ve known Jolene a long time. She’s my friend, but also my #1 writing buddy. So, I heard all about this collection from the time of its inception. Please do not let that sway your judgement….I wouldn’t say this if it wasn’t true:

HOLY SMOKES, THIS LADY CAN WRITE!!!

Her book(s) are one of a handful that I’d gladly shove in front of anyone whether they like to read or not. One of those writers who I Wish. She’d. Write. Faster. Darn it. (Speaking of darning…she knits too)…

*Hides friendship bracelet* Yes, well, judge me if you will, I love Jolene’s work and she’s never handed me anything that would make me change that view. I loved her last collection, I love her short stories that have been published (*Cough* here and here), even ones that haven’t (and why they haven’t been is a damned crying shame).

She’s one of my best buds, and darn it, an influence on my work. There, I said it, and truthfully. See the italics above.

But I digress…. ahem, my official review for The Fairy Queen then, goes thusly…
What can I say about Jolene’s new book? The Fairy Queen of Spencer’s Butte , being currently available for Kindle and paperback, and pdf, is her latest collection of tales of magic and mystic wonder fueled by the landscape around Eugene, Oregon, of which she is clearly fond. But this is no mere travelogue. In these tales, she twists reality to create a stage for the mythic side of nature. Each story tells of an underground (quite literally in some cases) community of faeries, werecats, werefolk of all species, dryads and trolls making their lives among the mortal community of the area.

I enjoyed them all, but I think the standouts among the collection were “The Elk King” about a young woman who, finding herself lost in the woods, happens upon a ruffian who offers her rest, and a place to spend a long dark night. Nine months later, the woman realizes her baby is the Elk King’s son and that discovery leads to true love, and a little insanity.

(Remember a while back when I reviewed Snow White and the Huntsman? This is the character I had in mind when I saw the scene with the magical elk).

“Crown her With Poppies” is a dragon tale of a different sort, a love story between two different peoples that results in war, and sorry.

The title story, “The Fairy Queen of Spencer’s Butte”, tells of a young woman who is saved after a vicious rape and tended to by the Fairy Queen and her people. From them, the woman learns—well, I’m not going to tell you.

One of these fine days I’m going to get her on my blog (if I have to send the guards out after her, I will. )
In the meantime, you’ll have to read this wonderful collection yourself to discover all its secrets. Highly recommended for lovers of fantasy and myth. Do check Jolene‘s work out. I think you’ll enjoy it.  I hope you do… and I hope you like them as much as I do.

(No, I don’t usually post book reviews over here, but  like I said, trying to get Jolene over here. So, I put it here to give her more views, and hopefully link back and forth and *pokepoke* to entice her so I don’t have to send the guards out after her–oh, all right. Maybe I’ll send the cute ones. Anyway, I hope you’ll give her book a try sometime.

If you’d like to know more about Jolene Dawe and her wonderful works, see her site:  The Saturated Page.