Welcome to The Cerridwen Press Monthly Newsletter for August, 2007!

Scoring Free Stuff: Our authors just love to give stuff away. Here are a few opportunities to have some fun and score free goodies in the process:

Jenyfer Matthews will be giving away Egyptian souvenirs and a free download of her September release ONE CRAZY SUMMER through the Romance Junkies Summer Newsletter contest. For more details go to her website jenyfermatthews.com or Romance Junkies

Larissa Lyons is giving away a dvd of the movie Firelight to celebrate the August of release of IMPURE LONGINGS. Contest runs through August 15. For details, check out her website larissalyons.com

July 2007 Releases

Bertie’s Golden Treasure (Cotillion) – Hetty St. James
A Rapture of Centuries – Jessica Shin
The Write Man for Her – Christie Walker Bos
Bunny Hop – Janice Bennett
Dancer’s Delight – Anny Cook
One Juror Down – Heather Hiestand
Haunting Melody – Flo Fitzpatrick
Remodeled Romance – Jeannie James
The Last Queen – Christine McKay
Ring Dancer’s Destiny – Patt Mihailoff
Tween Heaven and Hell – Sam Cheever
Unspoken Promises – Bonnie Hamre

Upcoming August 2007 Releases (release schedule subject to change)

A Limited Engagement (Cotillion) – Saralee Etter
Force of Nature – Robin Miller
Prophecy of Vithan – Charlene Leatherman
Stone Heart – Candace Sams
Blood Bytes – Susan Phelan
The Abduction of Miss Jenny Chandler – Teri Thackston
Song of a Druid Princess – Jean Hart Stewart
Best Laid Plans – Bronwyn Green
Starting Over – Terry Odell
Destiny’s Seduction – Isabo Kelly
No Accounting for Chase – Sara Dennis
Stallions – Julian Masters
Blame it on the Ghost – Delia Carnell
Don’t Close Your Eyes – Mary Eason
Witch Ball – Kathleen Coddington

August 3
7-9pm
Lorie O'Clare, Cris Anson and Judy Mays & Tara Nina
Borders
3000 Whiteford Rd
York, PA 17402

August 4
11am-1pm
Liddy Midnight, Cris Anson, Judy Mays,Jennifer Dunne, Ann Wesly Hardin & Tara Nina
Borders Express
828 Park City Center
Lancaster, PA 17601

August 4
2-4pm
Lorie O'Clare, Liddy Midnight, Cris Anson, Judy Mays, Tara Nina, Ann Wesley Hardin & Jennifer  Dunne
Borders
940 Plaza Blvd
Lancaster, PA 17601

August 4
6-8pm
Liddy Midnight, Cris Anson, Tara Nina, Ann Wesley Hardin, Judy Mays & Jennifer Dunne
Borders Express
Coventry Mall
Rt. 724 & Rt 100 Bypass
Pottstown, PA 17464

August 5
noon-2pm
Liddy Midnight, Cris Anson, Judy Mays, Ann Wesley Hardin & Jennifer Dunne
Borders Express
1665 State Hill Road
Reading, PA 19610

August 5
3-5pm
Lorie O'Clare, Liddy Midnight, Cris Anson, Ann Wesley Hardin, Judy Mays & Jenifer Dunne
Borders
1075 Woodland Road
Reading, PA 17610

Aug. 10-12
Various times
Elizabeth Donald
I-Con
Crowne Plaza
3000 S. Dirksen Parkway, Springfield, IL
217-529-7777

August 11
3-5pm
Sylvia Day
New & Recycled Romances
Toni Bruner, Owner
143 & 145 Broadway
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
949-645-0529

Aug. 11
2-5 p.m.
Elizabeth Donald
Borders
2501 W. Wabash Ave.
Springfield, IL
217-787-9076

August 30-September 3
Various times
Elizabeth Donald
Dragoncon
Marriott Marquis Atlanta
265 Peachtree Center Ave.
Atlanta, GA

August 30
8-10pm EDT
Hunks & Hussies Yahoo Group chat.
Winner of the "Be a Character in a Book" will be announced. The winner will be the heroine in a book in the Hussies Series by Sally Painter and Ciana Stone. Other prizes include an autographed photo of the first Official Hunk of the Hussies, Christian Boeving, EC card decks, books and hussy Merchandise. 

September 14-16, 2007
1-4pm
Lora Leigh’s RAW 2007
Carter Caves State Resort Park
Olive Hill, KY
www.loraleigh.com/SE07/raw2007.htm

September 29
4-5:30pm
Marianne LaCroix
2007 Moonlight & Magnolias Conference
Hilton Atlanta Northeast
5993 Peachtree Industrial Blvd.
Norcross, GA 30092-3416
770-447-4747
www.georgiaromancewriters.org

Jessica Shin
jessicashin.com
A Rapture of Centuries

Tell us about your most romantic fantasy. If you could have a 24-hour romantic fling with anyone you wanted, anywhere you wanted, where would you go, what would you do and with whom would you do it?
     In last month’s newsletter Liz Jasper said she would go back in time to the beginning of her relationship with her husband and she typed the words right out of my keyboard. It would be so rejuvenating to experience that excitement again. To have the “perma-grin” of a new love plastered all over my face that’s so big it can be seen from space. There’s one weekend we spent in Kansas City early in our relationship that is particularly memorable and I would love to be able to relive those few days. We ate at some great restaurants, went to one of the best haunted houses in the nation, walked by the river at The Plaza and hung out at an Irish pub.

Tell us about A RAPTURE OF CENTURIES and what you hope readers will enjoy about it.
     It’s the story of a reluctant IRS agent, Noelle Parrish, who is sent to audit in a very unusual situation. The man who was supposed to be audited is dead and she is instructed to continue with her work, but the contact will now be the man’s nephew, Antonio Cristobal. It doesn’t take Noelle long to figure out that something strange is going on, and it’s not tax evasion. Mr. Cristobal appears to have been around for a while…say five or six centuries. When she gets trapped at his home during a snowstorm it may be cold outside, but it’s scorching hot inside between Noelle and Antonio as she tries to figure out his secret.

     I hope readers will enjoy a little twist on the eternal youth/ eternal life theme, the hot romance that brews between two people who are not supposed to be together (IRS agent and audited taxpayer!) as well as identifying with Noelle, a woman who just wants to do her work and not get fired. She thinks she’s just going to have another normal workweek when things take a turn for the paranormal…and the romantic!

What do you like to do when you’re not working?
     Read as many books as I possibly can, play with my cats (I have three), go to wine tastings and do martial arts. I’ve done a variety of different types of martial arts but Chinese Kung Fu and Tai Chi have made their home in my life. If I can just figure out how to fly like they do in kung fu movies I’ll be set.

What do you like about where you live?
     I love Georgia. We have beaches, mountains, history and pretty darn nice weather. Atlanta offers everything you could want or need and the suburbs have a calm, cozy small-town feel to them.

If you could have one special super or magical power, what would it be?
     I’d like to sample them all before choosing, but I think I’d have to go with teleportation. If I wanted to visit my mom, I could just be there. If I wanted to go to Paris or Beijing or Las Vegas, no airport needed. If a bad situation came up, I could get myself and someone else out of it. Someone needs rescuing? Boom—instant rescue. No need to wait for help. I always did want to save the day.

What’s your favorite smell?
     Red wine—particularly a good quality cabernet sauvignon. I can stick my nose in the glass and inhale so deep I can almost smell the day it was made. Sometimes I forget to drink it. Eventually my husband will have to say to me, “Would you drink it already?”

What makes a man attractive to you?
     Intelligence, confidence and integrity. There’s nothing sexier than a man who does right. Dark hair, dark eyes and a sexy accent don’t hurt either!

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve ever done?
     A number of years ago I spent a week in Bolivia working with a mission team building a children’s hospital. It was very sobering to witness how many of the people we saw had to live. After being there, I never complained about not having enough worldly goods. I came back to my one-bedroom, subsidized student housing apartment and felt like the richest person in the world.
What else would you like readers to know about you or your work?

     I believe that the only way to get past your fears is to face them. I had a fear of heights so I went skydiving. Public speaking gave me heart palpitations so I joined Toastmasters International and have now given more than twenty speeches. Some of this attitude inevitably comes out in my characters as they make tough decisions, face danger and stand up to what frightens them.

Mary Eason
maryeason.bravehost.com
Don't Close Your Eyes

Tell us about your most romantic fantasy. If you could have a 24-hour romantic fling with anyone you wanted, anywhere you wanted, where would you go, what would you do and with whom would you do it?
     If I could trade places with my heroine in DON’T CLOSE YOUR EYES, and be with the man my cover artist depicts as the hero, Jack Montgomery, I’d say whatever we’re doing and wherever we’re going really wouldn’t matter .Wowzer, is he hot. The artist really outdid themselves, in my opinion.
Tell us about your upcoming release and what you hope readers will enjoy about it.

     DON’T CLOSE YOUR EYES is a romantic suspense that I think the readers will enjoy because it deals with two former lovers, Megan Beaumont and Jack Montgomery, who both have secrets they’ve been keeping from each other. Now they must put their past behind them and come together to track down the Angel of Death serial killer before he can take his next victim: Megan

What do you like to do when you’re not working?
     I LOVE to read. Everything and every genre I can get my hands on. It doesn’t matter to me. We have our first grandchild, a little girl, whom we love to spoil. And my husband and I have a cabin in Colorado where we go to get away from the long, hot Texas summers. There’s nothing better than waking up in the mountains.

What do you like about where you live?
     When not in Colorado, I live in Central Texas. We have house in the country where there are no neighbors or problems that come from living in the city. Just lots of peace and quiet, except for the occasional coyote howling in the distance.

If you could have one special super or magical power, what would it be?
     I’d have to go with the talent my heroine in DON’T CLOSE YOUR EYES possesses. She has psychic powers. Wouldn’t it be great to see into the future and know what’s coming next here on planet Earth?

What’s your favorite smell?
     I love the smell of fresh honeysuckle. In certain parts of Texas, it grows wild. There’s nothing better than catching the scent of it in the air. I also love the smell of pine trees in the mountains, warming in the sun. Oh and fresh brewed coffee in the morning. Nothing better.

What makes a man attractive?
     This for me changes, as I grow older. Oh sure, tall, dark, and sexy still do it for me, but things like being kind to others and showing respect are big on my list as well.  Oh and great eyes...my husband has beautiful green eyes and a sexy voice. And very nice hands.

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve ever done?
     Don’t know how interesting it was, but it was certainly strange. My husband and I decided we were going to invest in raising ostriches and emus, being out in the middle of nowhere and all. Emus are easy to raise; there’s just no end market for them here in Texas. Ostriches, on the other hand are next to impossible to keep alive because they are very delicate creatures. We figured out really fast that we were not meant for this profession.

What else would you like readers to know about you or your work?
     I love giving stuff away. It makes me feel positively Santa Clausish. So I hope that they will stop by my website, www.maryeason.bravehost.com from time to time to check out what I’m giving away as well as to catch up on the latest news. Also, I love to hearing from readers. They can email me at maryjeason@netzero.com any old time.

Saralee Etter
saraleeetter.com
A Limited Engagement

Tell us about your most romantic fantasy. If you could have a 24-hour romantic fling with anyone you wanted, anywhere you wanted, where would you go, what would you do and with whom would you do it?
     I’d be a member of a house party at an English castle, one of those ancient stone keeps that have been updated over the years but that still houses the family ghost. The guests all dress in Regency splendor for dinner, the women in high-waisted gowns and glittering jewels, and the men distinguished in well-cut frock coats and elaborately tied neckcloths. Beside me lounges a rugged, athletic-looking man who doesn’t look my way at all. He makes evening dress look casual. I resolve to find a way to capture his attention.

     The rules of etiquette require him to speak to me during alternating courses of the meal, and by the time dessert arrives we are engaged in a heated discussion about whether ghosts are real. A balloon goblet full of warmed brandy has made me reckless and I maintain they are; he is a confirmed skeptic. Our eyes meet and clash. I can feel my cheeks getting pink as all his attention is bent on me. His eyes are brandy-colored, and I savor the sensation of his admiring glance. The amused twitch of his lips tells me that he has more on his mind than paranormal phenomena. The sweet, heady scent of the brandy fills my senses.

     Late that night, strange distant cries lure me out of my room, and I am irresistibly drawn down the paneled hallway toward an unfamiliar wing of the castle. Soon the walls are cold, bare stone and I am lost. The sobs and sighs morph into mocking, gibbering laughter. A chill races through me. I spin around, groping blindly back toward safety, and slam into something hard. And warm. It’s him.

     His arms have wrapped automatically around me and I know he can feel me trembling. He looks amused. It is mortifying to be so scared after speaking so bravely about spectral encounters during dinner. He hasn’t let me go yet, so I pull myself free from his warm embrace. The cold rushes in to replace the heat where our bodies touched and I realize that I am dressed only in a nightgown. Wondering what he must think of me, I can’t resist looking up at him. To my amazement, his gaze is filled with a passionate intensity that takes my breath away. The moment hangs between us, an unspoken invitation filling his golden brown eyes. It takes all my will to turn away from him and walk back to my room.

     The next morning I decide to take a ramble through the countryside to think. It’s a glorious fall day, and after a while I spread out a blanket and lie down, staring up at the fleecy blue clouds. A twig snaps, and he strides out of the trees toward me, his long, lean body much more at home in riding clothes than in the elegant attire of the night before. I invite him to sit beside me, and he does. The air is cool and crisp, the trees blazing with fall glory, and the birds sing out, certain of their undisturbed solitude. This time, I don’t turn away as he takes me in his arms.

Tell us about your upcoming release and what you hope readers will enjoy about it.
     In my book, A LIMITED ENGAGEMENT, Miranda Luce expects to make her debut at Almack’s, but instead finds herself making her first public appearance as an actress at her brother-in-law’s theater. When confirmed bachelor Lord Justin Devereux needs a fiancée in a hurry, he turns to Miranda to play the role for a single evening with his family. But they both soon find that she can’t bow out until Justin’s family is convinced she’s really his intended bride. After Miranda reprises her performance on more occasions, she discovers that her feelings for Justin are no longer mere pretense. Does she dare to hope that he feels the same?

     As a lifelong fan of Georgette Heyer, I hope that A LIMITED ENGAGEMENT will transport readers back to the delightful Regency world of dashing gentlemen and spirited heroines who search for happiness and are rewarded by laughter and love in equal measure.

What do you like to do when you’re not working?
     I read, read, read! I also enjoy gardening, cooking, and all kinds of crafts. Currently, I’m working on making Christmas wreaths composed of different-sized glass ornaments – they look so pretty, like collections of soap bubbles. I’m also interested in silk ribbon embroidery, Hardanger embroidery, and crocheting. So many great ideas, so little time.

What do you like about where you live?
     Our house is nestled among tall trees, very secluded and private, with a garden full of flowers and veggies (weeds too, sad to say). With a roomy wooden deck, a big country kitchen, and a living room with a huge stone fireplace, it’s an ideal place to relax, inside or out. There’s a vegetable farm a mile down the road, and an apple orchard a short distance beyond that, and from there it’s a quick jaunt to one of the best libraries in the country.

If you could have one special super or magical power, what would it be?
     I’d like to be able to fly. I mean, just launch myself up into the air and soar effortlessly through the sky like a glider. That would be fun. It may not be very practical, but it would be a great stress-reliever.

What’s your favorite smell?
     Salt air and pine trees, like at the ocean side. I would love to have a cottage at the beach and spend long, warm summer days writing, or walking beside the ocean waves, or just being with friends and family.

What makes a man attractive?
     I go for the personality every time. A sense of humor, a calm, tolerant demeanor, intelligence and a positive, optimistic outlook on life are the qualities that I value in a man. Everything else is negotiable.

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve ever done?
     Hmm. Well, let’s see…In 1994, I earned my black belt in tae kwon do. I studied for a total of six years before retiring (1990-1996), and still miss it even though it’s hard on the knees and feet.

     Earlier, when I was in high school and college, I was lucky enough to be able to travel. I spent three months in Germany during high school, and even made a trip to East Berlin—this was back before the wall came down. In college, I spent my junior year in Switzerland, studying at the University of Geneva and at the Graduate Institute for International Relations. That same trip began with a two-month stay in Paris to brush up on the French language—it was pure bliss.

What else would you like readers to know about you or your work?
     I think readers are awesome. To my mind, reading is a performance art—just like a violinist interprets a composer’s score, a reader interprets a writer’s story and plays it out in their own mind. You read the words and then instantly, you’re everyone in the entire novel! And you’re the scenery designer and costume maker, stunt choreographer and special-effects person as well. The entire story springs to life because the reader’s mind gives it life. Without a skilled reader, our best stories are just words on the page. So let’s hear it for readers!

     I can’t wait to get to know everyone in the romance community.

Charlene Leatherman
Prophecy of Vithan

Tell us about your most romantic fantasy. If you could have a 24-hour romantic fling with anyone you wanted, anywhere you wanted, where would you go, what would you do and with whom would you do it?
     The love of my life, my soul mate is a quadriplegic from stroke. My most romantic fantasy would be to have Ken back in my life, healthy, and as sexy as ever. We would be on a tropical island where no dangerous beasts or bad guys dwelled. We would have fresh fruit at our fingertips, and fish would jump into our net. All we would have to do every day is enjoy each other. But I would want this fantasy to last a lot longer than 24 hours.

Tell us about PROPHECY OF VITHAN and what you hope readers will enjoy about it.
     This book challenges the definition of romance. If you appreciate strong, savvy, sexy heroine who always saves the day like Sidney Bristow in Alias, and Geena Davis in The Long Kiss Goodnight, then this romance is for you. Morgan Taj Zephyrain finds herself faced with obstacles that challenge her as a human being. She will stop at nothing to see good prevail over evil. Morgan is smart and capable, with the kind of confidence that every woman dreams of carrying into her own life. PROPHECY OF VITHAN provides thrilling and unpredictable reading. Combining adventure, fantasy and romance, you can count on Morgan to Defeat the villain, destroy the monster, deliver the hero, and never break a nail.

What do you like to do when you’re not working?
     I like to go thrift shopping. Thrift stores have the most wonderful hidden treasures. You never know what you will find. Maybe a tiny jade statue that someone donated because it was Aunt Sue’s and they didn’t want to sell it, but couldn’t keep it because it is ugly. Or a first edition of Swiss Family Robinson that was given away because it was a child’s book. Even if I don’t buy anything, I love looking through thrift stores. It makes me feel like a kid looking for buried treasure.

What do you like about where you live?
     I live in Desert Center. Living in a tiny town (population 150) is difficult. Everyone knows what everyone is doing even before you do it. There is a saying that if you start a rumor in the little grocery store it will beat you to the café five miles away. However, there is a special quality about a tiny town. People care. Granted everyone knows what is going on and sometimes the rumors can get harsh. On the other hand, because everyone knows what is going on, everyone wants to help those in need or in trouble. People have taken neighbors into their homes when there is a problem like damaged plumbing or roofs. The reason they are willing to do this is that they know their neighbors so well they are comfortable with moving them into their homes. We recently had two major events in Desert Center. One was a graduation of a home-schooled student. The entire town showed to support this girl. Another was a wedding. The entire town got caught up in the excitement of the wedding. How many people can say that?

      One other thing is simply fantastic about our town. Desert Center is a poor town and most of the people are poor. However, in June we were able to send 16 kids to camp for a week. Collecting recycling from everyone in town for a full year, the Eagle Mountain Baptist church and I were able to raise $3,600. When we took the kids to camp we were told that some of the larger organizations were unable to send kids this year due to finances.

      I guess the one outstanding thing I like about Desert Center that it is a town that has a very big heart.

If you could have one special super or magical power, what would it be?
     I would choose the super power of shape-shifting. I would love to be able to shift into the form of a dolphin and swim to the deepest part of the ocean. Of course, I would have to keep my human intelligence and memory. Just imagine, shifting into an eagle and flying above the clouds. I would become a snake so I could slither into crevices in caves traveling deeper than any human has. Naturally becoming a spider on the wall so you can spy on someone is something everyone wants to do once in a while. Of course, I would also want to be able to shape-shift and immediately lose inches and instantly firm up muscles. Be small enough to ride a super-scary roller coaster and then be tall enough to get the Frisbee off the roof.

What’s your favorite smell?
     My favorite smell is the smell of ginger cookies. Not freshly baked, just the smell of ginger cookies when you open the package and the ginger wafts up to you and covers you. My favorite perfume is Opium, a cinnamon- and ginger-based scent. My mother never baked, so I can’t blame my attraction to the ginger scent on home cooking. The feeling I have when I smell the ginger cookies is one of exotic lands.

What makes a man attractive?
     My hormones say wide shoulders, narrow waist, muscular arms and legs, strong chin, and eyes that look directly at me are what make a man attractive. Romance readers and women all over the world agree with me. However, that being said, honesty, intelligence, gentleness, knowing when to be tender and when to stand tough, being a protector when necessary and allowing the woman to be protective, and having respect for women and their abilities makes the man someone who I would want in my life. Personally, I also really like a hairy chest. Most women disagree, but a furry man makes me want to run my fingers over his chest. Happily for me I married a man who qualifies in every way, even to the fur.

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve ever done?
     On my 25th wedding anniversary, my husband and I went on a Windjammer cruise. That means sailing on a clipper ship—the kind you see in Errol Flynn pirate movies. We were supposed to sail on one ship but because of a hurricane in the area, we got changed to another ship. The hurricane caused us to change itinerary as well. Instead of visiting the traditional islands—St Bartholomew, St. Martins, etc—we visited an unnamed island where millionaires pay thousands of dollars to spend a night in a hammock. We visited a privately owned island where the owner hosted a dinner and dance complete with native music and freshly caught fish. Our room was underwater at times because of the hurricane and the ship keeling over. The ship never toppled, but it came real close. On one of the days of the cruise, due to damage caused by the hurricane, the electricity went off. All the passengers slept on deck under the stars just like the sailors of old. Some of the passengers complained, but to me it was the most romantic and most exciting cruise in history.

What else would you like readers to know about you or your work?
     Once upon a time I was told I was born under a backwards star. The star that governed my life put me in unusual situations and because it was backwards, my solutions were sometimes the opposite of what society would choose. But my solutions worked. My writing is like that. My heroines are not shrinking violets but roaring lions. Their choices are ones that are unusual at first glance, but work.

Kathleen Coddington
Witch Ball

Tell us about your most romantic fantasy. If you could have a 24-hour romantic fling with anyone you wanted, anywhere you wanted, where would you go, what would you do and with whom would you do it?
     I’m an old-fashioned girl. I love moonlight, flowers and romantic candlelit dinners. Is it any wonder that I write romance? Actually my husband arranged my perfect romantic fling a few years ago for our 30th anniversary. He planned everything. I had no idea where we were going. He even had my sister come and pack my suitcases. We left early in the morning for a seven-day adventure that ended with three days at the famous Greenbrier resort in West Virginia. I’d seen a story about the resort a few years earlier on a travel program and dreamed of going there one day. Obviously anywhere with my husband is the best romantic fantasy for me, but that trip was truly special.

Tell us about your upcoming release and what you hope readers will enjoy about it.
     WITCH BALL is my first foray into paranormal romance. The idea for the book popped into my head while I was in a gift shop where I purchased a beautiful glass ball. According to the attached card, balls like these were used in New England in the 1700s to protect houses from witches. I thought how cool would it be if a contemporary man received a witch ball for a housewarming gift and there really was a witch trapped inside.

      This is exactly what happens to my hero, Nathaniel, when he moves with his young daughter to a small town in Maine. He drops the ball, it shatters and a beautiful woman appears in his kitchen. She calls him by name and kisses him passionately. The woman, Miranda, spins an unbelievable tale about ancient religions, reincarnation, lost love and a curse. Somehow Nathaniel must overcome his rational mind to take the leap of faith necessary to save Miranda.

     I hope my readers will sit back, put up their feet and get swept away by Miranda and Nathaniel’s journey of the heart. If I can provide my readers with a few precious hours of escape and relaxation and perhaps the hope that true love does exist, then I’ve done my job. Obviously I’d be delighted if my readers found WITCH BALL to be an entertaining, satisfying read, passed it on to a friend and then contacted me with their comments.

What do you like to do when you’re not working?
     I love to read, of course. Not surprising since I was a middle school librarian for 30 years. My second passion other than writing is history, especially the American Civil War. My husband and I are members of two Civil War reenacting units. We do living histories and educational programs at schools and historical societies. We are also involved with the preservation of a farm outside of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, that served as a field hospital for Confederate troops. My fascination with the Civil War era has led me to collecting antique fans and Victorian hair combs and decorative hairpins. I have published articles about both subjects. My husband and I also love Victorian dancing and attend several balls each year.

What do you like about where you live?
     I live in Bath, Pennsylvania, a small town near Allentown and Bethlehem. Our neighborhood is quiet and green and still mostly surrounded by fields. We have a large deck and I love nothing more than sitting there in the morning with my cup of tea and my furry feline friends. Our location allows us to enjoy country living, but New York and Philadelphia are only an hour and a half away.

If you could have one special super or magical power, what would it be?
     Actually I have two. I adore animals so like my antagonist, Beth, in WITCH BALL, I’d love to be able to communicate telepathically with them, especially my cats. I have one who I swear understands that we’re having a conversation and is frustrated because he can’t find the universal translator. Of course with my love of history I’d love to be able to transport myself through time. Being able to visit the past or the future would be a useful talent for a writer.

What’s your favorite smell?
     This one is easy—honeysuckle. Growing up, I spent summers with my grandmother who lived in a tiny house with a huge hedge of wild honeysuckle in the back yard. I’d wake in the morning and fall asleep at night with that heavenly scent wafting through the window beside my bed. The sweet, powerful scent could almost make you drunk.

What makes a man attractive?
     What really attracts me to a man are his brains and his sense of humor, the more wicked the better. Beautiful eyes and a killer smile are nice too.

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve ever done?
     I live a pretty mundane life. At various times I have chopped mangoes for a government food project, taken belly-dancing lessons, flown a falcon, floated down the Mississippi on a paddlewheel, and at 55, was adopted by my wonderful step-father, a rare event that made the front page of the Lancaster, Pennsylvania, papers. In fact adult adoption is so rare these days that the lawyer and the judge had to go back to ancient Roman law to find precedents. Pretty cool I thought.

What else would you like readers to know about you or your work?
     I write the books I’d like to read. I try to imbue each one with my passion for history, myth, magic and above all, my enduring belief in the power of love.