I'm very pleased to be able to interview author Kiki Howell today about her new release, Hidden Salem. Contest Alert! See below for details.
What type of story is your heroine, Makayla, searching for when she travels to Salem, Massachusetts?
She’s not sure. Something is calling her there, as in intuitively she just feels dran to the location, confident she will be inspired once she’s there. Actually, this is a “thruth” part of the story, it is exactly how I went to Salem without any pre-concieved ideas of what the story would be about.
How does Makayla physically suffer from the side effects of her empathic gifts growing stronger when she enters Witch City?
Empaths who read residual energy stuck in the earth, well what they do is often not only physically but also mentally draining. Often feelings of others hit an empathy like a physical sensation, like a punch in the gut if dark enough. A lot of times it becimes hard to later distinguish their emotions from the ones they are reading from others. For example, a day of depression for no reason can be common.
In her visit to Witch City, Makayla meets Noah Ayers, a local cop. Why does she initially feel she must protect her heart from him?
The attraction was immediate, and Makayla guards her heart anyway, no feeling she can enter a relationship or the guy may find out her secrets and break her heart if he doesn’t accept her as she is..
While Makayla is there, some witches befriend her, like Lauri, a witch who owns a local shop. Others in a coven see her as a dangerous intruder. Why is she viewed differently by various local witches?
The covens are very different. Lauri is a local witch with a store, Wiccan, following the “harm ye none” rule. The coven on the other hand practices what some would refer to as black magic, their intentions are to use nature in a dark way to take what they want, for personal gain, harming whoever gets in their way. The dark coven is also secret, they doen’t publically announce to the world what they do.
Briefly describe the magical systems of your world. How do those who are empowered gain their witchcraft abilities? Do all the witches obtain their powers in the same way or do some vary?
Actually this is a much more magic realism book. All the practices, whether one choses to believe in them or not, are ones practiced in reality. The magic, well that is in the eye of the beholder I guess you could say. The inherited powers, well in this story are nothing more than empathy or psychic, necromancy, etc, all of which are practiced in the real world. The outcomes, I think people would explain differently depending upon their beliefs.
Hidden Salem
Kiki Howell
Genre:
Contemporary, Paranormal, Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Mitchell
Morris Publishing Inc
ISBN: 9781937629281
Number of pages:
332
Cover Artist: Tara
at http://fantasiafrogdesigns.wordpress.com/
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/lgy8wgA3bDI
Book Description:
Intuition alone
brought Makayla to Salem, Ma in search of a story, but her research has her
confronting more than she bargained for. With her empathic gifts stronger in
Witch City, she physically suffers, landing her literally unconscious in the
arms of both Noah Ayers, local cop and Dylan Baines, local history teacher.
Yet, it is Lauri, a witch who owns a local shop, who teaches Makayla about who
she is and what she can do.
Unfortunately for all
of them, Makayla also stumbles upon a coven in the woods practicing a dark
magic ritual. Now they are after her, threatening her life and the lives of
those she has quickly come to care about. Immersed in things she never
expected, like an old legend and necromancy due to residual hauntings, the race
is on to stay safe from the coven and protect her heart from a certain sexy
cop.
But, is Lauri correct
in thinking Makayla might just have encountered the only real witch in Salem in
1692? And, do they share the same bloodline?
Reviews:
“Richly vivid and captivatingly
engrossing, Hidden Salem is a mesmerizing tale that blends an eerie historical
past with a rather terrifying present. Kiki Howell brings the fascination of
the witches of Salem - both past and present - to a brilliant level, adding
liberal doses of sensuous love, suspense and murder to provide a
hard-to-put-down, provocative and memorable story that you don't want to miss.”
~ April Pohren, Cafe of Dreams Book Reviews
“Kiki Howell spins a tale that will bewitch your heart and leave you
wanting more.” ~ Misty Rayburn - Top Shelf Book Reviews
" I really enjoyed reading
Hidden Salem. You see a lot of books about the Salem Witch Hunt. This one is
really different and I just really loved the characters and how they interact
with each other. I enjoyed this paranormal. Had the right amount of suspense
and love interest. " ~Crystal, Romancing the Book
About the Author:
Ever since she was
young, Kiki Howell has loved to listen to a well-woven tale with real
characters, inspired plots, and delightful resolutions. Kiki could spend hours
lost in a book, and soon she knew that creating lives, loves, and losses with
just words had to be the greatest thing that she could do. To that end, she
pursued her study of literature and writing, earning a bachelor’s degree in
English. She then followed in a Master’s program in Creative Writing.
She has now had
over thirty stories published between eleven different publishers. She could not be more thrilled or grateful to
see her creations polished and out in the real world. In May, 2011, Kiki was
chosen as an Ohioana Book Festival author for her novel, Torn Asunder.
http://authorsbyauthors.blogspot.com
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This
delicate silvertone anklet has been decorated with an array of bells, chains,
and flowers to create a piece of jewelry that will perfectly accent your ankle
and ring out musically with every step you take. Measuring approximately
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To
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pattern. Etched agate beads not considered pure are called chungdZi, or
"less important dZi." This adjustable necklace expands to a maxium of
10" in diameter.
Hidden Salem Bewitching Book Tour Giveaway
Kiki
has four pieces of jewelry purchased from The Official Witch Shoppe in Salem,
MA which was still open when she visited Salem in August 2010. Each week,
throughout the month tour, a winner will be chosen from one of the tour stops.
All
who enter will also be put into a final drawing for a $25.00 Gift Card from the
winner’s choice of several retailers from Barnes & Nobleto Starbucks (list
will be provided to winner).
If you cannot use Rafflecopter
please post the giveaway and link to the Bewitching tour page for this tour
with a live rafflecopter form
Want to know more about the four pieces of jewelry and the store they
came from?
Here’s A Little Information From Front Page of http://www.theofficialwitchshoppe.com/:
The Official Witch Shoppe (formerly The Cat,
The Crow and The Crown), owned and operated by Rev. Laurie Cabot
H.Ps. , opened in November 2010 at 63R Wharf St. in Salem, MA. (closed in
October, 2010)
Laurie Cabot opened her first store ("The Witch Shop") and the very first Witch Shop in America in 1970. Laurie established her Witch Shop initially for the purpose of educating people that magic (or Majick as it is known in the Cabot Tradition) is real, beneficial and exists and that Witchcraft is not devil worship or evil. Ultimately her first shop and her subsequent stores have supplied Magical people and Witches of all traditions with all the tools and supplies required to perform their own Majick.
Why is Laurie Cabot known as the "Official Witch of Salem"?
In the mid 1970's, Governor Michael S. Dukakis of Massachusetts, bestowed upon Laurie Cabot the state's Patriot Award.
The proclamation is signed by the Governor and the Treasurer of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and it reads:
"I proclaim Laurie Cabot the Official Witch of Salem for her work with children with special needs."
Laurie's first official duty as a state Patriot residing in Salem, was to greet a delegation of artists who were visiting the city from China. The artists had been invited to the United States to display their art at the Boston Museum of Science, and were the first such group of artists to be invited to America after relations with China had been established by President Nixon.
While this certainly was a compliment to Laurie Cabot, it was and is today a symbol of hope for all Witches who do good works on behalf of their community and nation. Equally as important, it serves as a testament that Witches have a place in America today and are recognized as practicing a legitimate and honorable religion which shows a path of dedication for the good of all. This was the first time in history that a high standing politician openly recognized a Witch for their good works.
Laurie Cabot opened her first store ("The Witch Shop") and the very first Witch Shop in America in 1970. Laurie established her Witch Shop initially for the purpose of educating people that magic (or Majick as it is known in the Cabot Tradition) is real, beneficial and exists and that Witchcraft is not devil worship or evil. Ultimately her first shop and her subsequent stores have supplied Magical people and Witches of all traditions with all the tools and supplies required to perform their own Majick.
Why is Laurie Cabot known as the "Official Witch of Salem"?
In the mid 1970's, Governor Michael S. Dukakis of Massachusetts, bestowed upon Laurie Cabot the state's Patriot Award.
The proclamation is signed by the Governor and the Treasurer of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and it reads:
"I proclaim Laurie Cabot the Official Witch of Salem for her work with children with special needs."
Laurie's first official duty as a state Patriot residing in Salem, was to greet a delegation of artists who were visiting the city from China. The artists had been invited to the United States to display their art at the Boston Museum of Science, and were the first such group of artists to be invited to America after relations with China had been established by President Nixon.
While this certainly was a compliment to Laurie Cabot, it was and is today a symbol of hope for all Witches who do good works on behalf of their community and nation. Equally as important, it serves as a testament that Witches have a place in America today and are recognized as practicing a legitimate and honorable religion which shows a path of dedication for the good of all. This was the first time in history that a high standing politician openly recognized a Witch for their good works.
Product Descriptions From
Website:
Fancy
Silvertone Anklet:
3
DZi Bead Bracelet
Celtic
Heart Earrings
Centered
on the tangled knots of a Celtic knot, each layer of these fantastic earrings
displays a new heart, wrapping around the first and the knot within, becoming
at last a beautiful, full sized heart design, without beginning and without
end. Made of fine, lead-free pewter each earring hangs approximately
2" long from a French hook, with the hearts being about 3/4" wide.
Flower
Locket
Experience
your favorite scent all day when you wear it in our pretty, practical lockets.
Saturate a blotter pad (included) with an essential oil or perfume of choice,
and place it in the locket - portable aromatherapy! Pewter locket with flower
design is double-sided on black satin cord, and measure 1 1/2" long by
1" wide. Comes with five 3/4" blotter pads, refills also available.
1 comments:
Thanks for having me :)
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