Today, I'm especially pleased to bring you a wealth of info about a wonderful new paranormal release, The Witches of Dark Root, from author April Aasheim. She's sharing a fun guest post about the famed establishment in Dark Root--Miss Sasha's Magick Shoppe. I'm including my own review of the book. Also, be sure to enter April's contest at the bottom of this post.
*~*~*
When Sasha Shantay first
opened Miss Sasha’s Magick Shoppe in 1973 it put the small town of Dark Root,
Oregon on the map and gave rise to the town’s slogan: The Most Magical Town in
the Pacific Northwest. The store was the heart of the community and people from
miles around would come to see the general goods and strange oddities that Miss
Sasha had collected on her extensive travels. Forty years later Miss Sasha’s
daughters took over the shoppe and began the process of modernizing the store.
But if you had been a tourist in Dark Root in 1973 you might have seen some of
the following items in Miss Sasha’s Magick Shoppe.
Top
Five Selling Items in Miss Sasha’s Magick Shoppe (1973)
5. Native American Fetishes-A wide assortment of small,
animal carvings created from wood, bone, and semi-precious stones, and,
according to Miss Sasha, have all been blessed by a Zuni Shaman. These
hand-carved objects assist it’s owner in overcoming life’s problems. They are
also helpful when used in religious rituals such as a spiritual awakening
ceremony or communication with the supernatural.
Many of the fetishes are
decorated with stones, shells, feathers and other objects. Each animal
represents a different need, for instance, horses represent healing while
turtles stand for longevity. It is suggested that fetishes be kept in special
pots or pouches, which Miss Sasha also sells.
4. Parchment and Ink- Reading from a spell book
is fun and functional, but eventually every good witch needs to write a spell
or two of her own, and parchment - known for its durability - is the writing
surface of choice for most witches. Of note, Miss Sasha’s is one of the first
stores in Oregon to offer plant-based parchment, and, though not quite as
durable, is still very effective in spell casting.
Of course, every new spell
also requires the right ink and Miss Sasha carries a wide variety, her most
popular being Dove’s Blood. Don’t worry though, no doves are injured in the ink
creation process. Miss Sasha uses palm tree resin and adds in special oils to
enrich the magical potency of the ink. She can’t vouch for what competing
stores use in their ink, however. It’s probably best to just buy from her.
3. Rune Stones - Like tarot cards and I Ching
coins, runes are used as a form of divination. Each stone contains an ancient
alphabetic symbol, which, when read in conjunction with other stones, can be
used to predict things such as love, money and health. These small stones are
sold individually or in sets of 24 and are best used on a white cloth. In order
to get the most of your rune stones you must be able to read them. Miss Sasha
has many books that will assist you in this endeavor.
2. Everything Astrology - In the late 1960’s Linda
Goodman’s Sun Signs hit the New York Times best seller list and the
Broadway musical Hair let everyone know that the Age of Aquarius
was upon us. Astrology has become mainstream.
To fill the need Miss Sasha’s
Magick Shoppe stocks books, items used to create your own charts, and jewelry
and coffee cups depicting all twelve astrological signs. Now, when someone at a
bar identifies his sun sign, you’ll be able to differentiate between a ram and
a goat.
1. Candles-No magick store is complete
without a wide variety of candles, and Miss Sasha has the widest variety of
all. Candles are used for relaxation, meditation, and in spell work. Each color
represents a different desired effect. For instance, white is used for healing
and protection while red and pink are suited for love. Candles are most
effective when used with a catalyst herb and anointed with oils (both sold
separately). Be warned, Miss Sasha does not stock black candles out front. They
are available in the back room but only to her exclusive customers.
I
hope you enjoyed your mini-tour through Miss Sasha’s Magick Shoppe. For further
information on what was in her inventory in 1973 (and how it was revamped by
her daughters in 2013) please check out my website www.aprilaasheim.com and
click The Witches of Dark Root tab.
The Witches of Dark Root
The Daughters of Dark Root Series
The Daughters of Dark Root Series
April
Aasheim
Genre: Paranormal/Fiction
Publisher: Dark Root Press
Date of Publication: June, 2013
ISBN-13: 978-0615819327
ISBN-10: 061581932X
ASIN: B00D6OUDDG
Number of pages: 350
Word Count: approx. 112,000
Cover Artist: April Aasheim
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/klihdS5tQr4
Available at:
Book Description:
Deep in the forests of Central Oregon is a town called Dark Root,
a place shrouded in secrets, mystery, and witchcraft.
But for Maggie Maddock, Dark Root is also a prison, a place where
she is forced to spend her days working in her mother’s magick shop, forfeiting
any dreams of her own. So when a mysterious stranger suddenly appears and
offers to take her away from it all, Maggie jumps at the chance.
Now, seven years later, a strange phone call sends Maggie back to
Dark Root and she is unprepared for what awaits her: a dying town, a sick
mother, a renewed sibling rivalry, and a past she had hoped to forget.
Part Practical Magic, part Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, The Witches of Dark Root is a tale that seamlessly weaves the normal with the mystical, the mundane with the fantastic. Zipping in and out of time from Maggie’s childhood as an apprentice witch to current day, where Maggie struggles with her increasing powers, as well as family obligations, The Witches of Dark Root is a book rich in both fantasy and heart which will leave readers believing in magic.
Part Practical Magic, part Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, The Witches of Dark Root is a tale that seamlessly weaves the normal with the mystical, the mundane with the fantastic. Zipping in and out of time from Maggie’s childhood as an apprentice witch to current day, where Maggie struggles with her increasing powers, as well as family obligations, The Witches of Dark Root is a book rich in both fantasy and heart which will leave readers believing in magic.
Excerpt:
Harvest Home, Dark Root,
Oregon
October, 1995
“Maggie,
wake up.” Merry jostled her sister, rousing her from her nap on the couch.
Maggie
sat up, rubbed her eyes, and looked around. For a moment she forgot that she was
in the living room of Harvest Home.
“Already?”
Maggie asked, pushing herself onto elbows.
A
loud chime coming from the grandfather clock confirmed that that it was
midnight, time for the ritual. Maggie felt the chill from the open door and
looked around for her sweater.
“We
aren’t supposed to wear anything other than our robes tonight,” Merry
cautioned, but helped Maggie into the sweater, anyways.
“Where’s
Eve?” Maggie asked. If she was going to have to wander the woods in the middle
of the night for some crazy ritual, then Eve better be up, too. Maggie saw her
standing by the door, jumping up and down, not tired at all.
Miss
Sasha and six of her friends emerged from the dining room, talking excitedly
and exchanging knowing glances.
“You
girls ready?” Miss Sasha asked. This was to be their first grown up moon chant
and Miss Sasha could hardly contain herself. She noticed the sweater Maggie
wore over her long blue robe and frowned but didn’t mention it.
Merry,
Maggie, Eve, and Ruth Anne followed their mother and her friends into the
night.
It
was cold and the sisters shivered as they wound their way along an old dirt
road shrouded by trees to a circular clearing, a half-mile away. The girls had
played in the clearing many times during the day, but this was the first time
they had seen it beneath the light of a full moon. The grass looked dewy and
lush as the soft light fell upon each blade, but the trees that surrounded the
meadow looked foreboding and ominous, as if their long, twisted boughs were
ready to snatch the girls, if given the chance.
“What
are we doing here again?” Maggie asked, as they made their way towards the
center of the circle. “...And how long do we have to stay out?”
The
adults moved to a point in the very center of the clearing and the girls
positioned themselves a few dozen feet behind them.
Ruth
Anne surveyed the area and sat, cross-legged, on the moist grass. “We are
rooting out the evil spirits that are trying to infest Dark Root.” Her voice
was as flat and informational as an encyclopedia entry.
She
reached into the pocket of her dress and pulled out a key-chain flashlight and
a comic book and started reading.
“How
do we do that?” Maggie asked, watching as the elders––five women and two
men––linked raised hands towards the sky.
They
began singing, a soft melodic chant that Maggie had heard before.
Merry
answered, “Every fall, the Council of Seven places a protective spell around
our town. It must be done before the second half of the year begins, on
November 1st. It keeps out the dark energies and ensures that the circle is
strong.”
Maggie
hopped on one foot, and then the other, trying to find warmth in the chill of
the night. “But why do we have to do it now?” she moaned. “When it’s so cold?”
Ruth
Anne responded, never lifting her eyes from her book. “It’s the witching hour.
According to legend, the hours between twelve and three AM are when all things
magical, including witches, are at their most powerful.” She turned the page of
her book and cracked a smile at one of the drawings. “...It’s too bad we can’t
keep out the crazy.”
Maggie
widened her eyes. “But if witches are the most powerful now, won’t the bad
things be more powerful too?”
“I’m
scared,” Eve said, jumping in place as the elders continued their chant. Eve
liked magick, but only the lighter arts, and those that yielded her a reward.
Merry
took Eve’s hand and kissed it, and Maggie latched onto Merry’s other hand.
“I’m
scared, too,” Merry fibbed.
Merry
wasn’t afraid of anything.
There
was a long silence, followed by the heavy beat of a loud drum. Miss Sasha
looked over her shoulder at her daughters, letting them know that it was almost
their turn. They had been practicing the spell for weeks now, and Maggie hoped
she wouldn’t forget the words.
Ruth
Anne set down her comic book and the four girls clasped hands and waded towards
the center of the circle.
Miss
Sasha nodded and the girls began their incantation.
As the Witching Hour chimes
And the whole world sleeps and dreams
We join our hands in sisterhood
Staving back the darklings
The circle stands, its shape eternal
Though the darkness is still beckoning
Our light will ward back the infernal
And shield us from the doomsday reckoning
Maggie
was still tired and stumbled on a few of the words, completely missing some of
them; however, Merry spoke them as loud and clearly as she recited The Pledge
of Allegiance at school. All the while, Eve played with her hair and hardly
tried at all. For her part, Ruth Anne recited the words without emotion,
anxious to get back to her comic book.
“Who
wrote the spell?” Ruth Anne had asked their mother earlier that day while they
were preparing. “It doesn’t sound right.”
“It
doesn’t matter if it sounds right or not,” Miss Sasha had explained. “It’s the
power of words––especially when spoken in numbers––that matters. When we stand
together, no enemy would dare traverse the boundaries of Dark Root.”
Maggie
caught a movement to her right. She thought she had seen a dark form take shape
and then vanish. And then another. Were they coming or going? She couldn’t
tell.
About the Author:
April Aasheim spent
her childhood traveling the Southwestern portion of the United States with her
fortune- telling mother and her get-rich-quick dreaming stepfather. During that
time, April and her family toured with a carnival company, sold bug repellant
door to door, and resided in an abandoned miner’s shack in The Superstitious
Mountains of Arizona.
When April became a teenager she went to live with her biological father in California. Her father saw April’s need to express herself and encouraged her to write her stories rather than tell them. By learning to write April was able to make sense of her family and the world she lived in. She continues to do that to this day.
April currently lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband. She is the mother of two incredible sons and the step-mother to a beautiful little girl. She is the author of numerious short stories, has contributed to several anthologies, and is the author of the well-received novel: The Universe is a Very Big Place.
The Witches of Dark Root is The first in the Daughters of Dark Root series and April looks forward to writing the second book in 2014.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AprilAasheimWriter
When April became a teenager she went to live with her biological father in California. Her father saw April’s need to express herself and encouraged her to write her stories rather than tell them. By learning to write April was able to make sense of her family and the world she lived in. She continues to do that to this day.
April currently lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband. She is the mother of two incredible sons and the step-mother to a beautiful little girl. She is the author of numerious short stories, has contributed to several anthologies, and is the author of the well-received novel: The Universe is a Very Big Place.
The Witches of Dark Root is The first in the Daughters of Dark Root series and April looks forward to writing the second book in 2014.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AprilAasheimWriter
Website: http://www.aprilaasheim.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AprilAasheim
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6535145.April_Aasheim
Marsha's Review:
I must preface this with the fact that I so rarely do reviews, I'm sure my readers are shocked. But this book caught my eye, and I'm definitely glad it did. It was a fantastic read.
Marsha's Review:
I must preface this with the fact that I so rarely do reviews, I'm sure my readers are shocked. But this book caught my eye, and I'm definitely glad it did. It was a fantastic read.
The Witches of Dark Root was a compelling story about the growth of
four sisters that used plenty of delightful, inventive magic to showcase their
struggles and victories. I thoroughly enjoyed how the author used common
problems to build three-dimensional characters. Flashbacks and present day lingering
concerns showed how the sisters fought as teenagers for independence from their
mother, the revered town witch. The girls desperately wanted to be normal, not
young witches in training. As soon as possible, each left Dark Root and all it had
meant to them growing up.
Later as adults, the sisters fought
again to negotiate their wills to maintain hard-won independence and
accept new terms—the dependence of their aging mother and aunt. Personally, I
stumbled a bit upon discovering that their elderly mother suffered from
dementia, since I helped my own mother through her battle with that illness
until she passed a year ago. The author used the issue effectively to
illustrate how different personalities coped. Magical talents unique to each
sister showcased the cycle of growth each experienced—truly wonderful. That was
the real highlight of the book for me. The relationships of the women in the family
twisted and turned as they learned to use their magic and to accept their
problems of past and present.
The main character, Maggie, fought
the most to grow into her own personality and witchcraft strengths. The plot
followed her experiences, largely centered along a string of shaky romantic
relationships before she developed confidence. And when she did, it was a compelling,
quick read to follow her journey. However, the beginning one-third of the book
lagged, showcasing Maggie’s weaknesses while she remained too long in a failing
romantic relationship. While that
development did allow the reader to get to know the character and appreciate her
amazing growth later, I think it could have been shortened. When
Maggie finally took steps to leave that bad relationship, she returned to
her family she hadn’t seen in seven years—that’s when the magic of this story shines.
Maggie swallowed hard and plunged in, healing old wounds, opening a few she’d
forgotten, and in the process, found herself.
Tour Wide Giveaway:
1 prize back featuring a mug, keychain, pen, signed book and a few assorted other goodies- open to US Shipping
5 Kindle Versions of the book gifted from Amazon
3 Signed paperbacks sent to winner- open to US Shipping
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