Please welcome Heather Blake, author of the Magic Potion Mysteries and the Wishcraft Mysteries. One Potion in the Grave, the 2nd Magic Potion Mystery, will be published on October 7th by Signet.
Halloween in Hitching Post, Alabama
By Carly Bell Hartwell, healing witch, empath, and potion shop owner
from Heather Blake’s Magic Potion mysteries
Halloween in Hitching Post means one thing to an unusual witch like me.
No, it’s not the treats. Though, dang, I do love those peanut butter pumpkins. Heaven on earth. Heaven. On. Earth.
And no, it’s not the tricks. Though, blessed be, I’ve played a few good pranks in my day. Usually at the expense of my aunts, the Odd Ducks. Like the time I stole all Aunt Eulalie’s pristine white unmentionables and dyed them black. Or the time I broke into Aunt Hazel’s inn, the Crazy Loon, and used shaving cream to write a message on her bathroom mirror. The next time the mirror steamed up, she saw “I’m watching you” and it’s documented that people from miles away heard her screams. Then there was the trick on Aunt Marjie that involved a firecracker and a pumpkin that didn’t end so well. She still hasn’t forgiven me for that, and I reckon she’s still plotting her revenge.
But I digress.
For me, Halloween is none of those things.
It’s a warning.
A take cover, hunker down, batten-the-hatches warning. Because it’s just two days before All Soul’s Day. The day that we’re supposed to honor the dead. However, thanks to my empath abilities (feeling the emotions and pains of others), it’s a day I can feel all the lost souls roaming around town. That’s right. Ghosts. In all their glory.
Usually, I close the Little Shop of Potions that day, stay home with my guard kitties Roly and Poly, keep the curtains closed, and try my best to keep the ghosties at bay. But every once in a while…one or two sneak on in and wreak havoc in my life.
The only way is to get rid of them is to figure out why they’re lost and help them cross over. And let me tell you, there aren’t enough peanut butter pumpkins in the world to deal with that kind of thing… But feel free to send them along. Just in case.
One Potion in the Grave
A Magic Potion Mystery 2
Signet, October 7, 2014
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 336 pages
A Magic Potion Mystery 2
Signet, October 7, 2014
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 336 pages
Carly Bell Hartwell’s love potions are always in demand in Hitching Post, Alabama, the wedding capital of the South.…
When Katie Sue Perrywinkle walks into the Little Shop of Potions, Carly is surprised and delighted to see her old childhood friend. Katie Sue fled her hometown and a troubled family over a decade ago. But she’s not back for a social visit. She’s come to settle a score with Senator Warren Calhoun, who is in town for his son’s high-profile wedding.
But before Katie Sue has a chance to voice any objections, she’s forced to forever hold her peace. After finding her friend dead, Carly vows to find her murderer. Were the corrupt Calhouns willing to go to any lengths to avoid a scandal? Did Katie Sue’s family take the term “bad blood” to a whole new level? And why did the bride-to-be come to Carly for a love potion? As Carly gets closer to the truth, a killer is planning a very chilly reception.…
A Potion to Die For
A Magic Potion Mystery 1
Signet, November 5, 2013
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 336 pages
A Magic Potion Mystery 1
Signet, November 5, 2013
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 336 pages
TROUBLE IS BREWING…
As the owner of Little Shop of Potions, a magic potion shop specializing in love potions, Carly Bell Hartwell finds her product more in demand than ever. A local soothsayer has predicted that a couple in town will soon divorce—and now it seems every married person in Hitching Post, Alabama, wants a little extra matrimonial magic to make sure they stay hitched.
But when Carly finds a dead man in her shop, clutching one of her potion bottles, she goes from most popular potion person to public enemy number one. In no time the murder investigation becomes a witch hunt—literally! Now Carly is going to need to brew up some serious sleuthing skills to clear her name and find the real killer—before the whole town becomes convinced her potions really are to die for!
The Wishcraft Mysteries
About Heather
Heather Blake (aka Heather Webber) is the author of more than twenty novels and has been twice nominated for an Agatha Award. She's a total homebody who loves to be close to her family, read, watch reality TV (especially cooking competition shows), drink too much coffee, crochet, and bake cookies. Heather grew up in a suburb of Boston, but currently she lives in the Cincinnati area with her family and is hard at work on her next book.
Website ~ Twitter @BooksbyHeather ~ Facebook
Website ~ Twitter @BooksbyHeather ~ Facebook
Author Giveaway
Heather is running a month-long ONE POTION IN THE GRAVE Witchtastic giveaway via Rafflecopter (9/23 – 10/23). Win a set of “Cast a Spell” measuring spoons, a set of three Yankee Candle potion bottle tea light holders, a Lego minifigure witch, and a $20.00 gift card to Barnes & Noble -or- Amazon (winner’s choice). To enter: http://www.heatherblakebooks.com/p/giveaway.html or http://tinyurl.com/k9rzmby
Heather is running a month-long ONE POTION IN THE GRAVE Witchtastic giveaway via Rafflecopter (9/23 – 10/23). Win a set of “Cast a Spell” measuring spoons, a set of three Yankee Candle potion bottle tea light holders, a Lego minifigure witch, and a $20.00 gift card to Barnes & Noble -or- Amazon (winner’s choice). To enter: http://www.heatherblakebooks.com/p/giveaway.html or http://tinyurl.com/k9rzmby
The Qwillery Giveaway
What: One entrant will win a Mass Market Paperback copy of One Potion in the Grave by Heather Blake.
How: Log into and follow the directions in the Rafflecopter below.
Who and When: The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59PM US Eastern Time on October 20, 2014. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 years old or older to enter
*Giveaway rules and duration are subject to change without any notice.*
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This looks like a fun series!
ReplyDeletedmskrug3 at hotmail dot com
Oh, and I love the costumes and everything pumpkin and caramel apples that go with Halloween
DeleteI love caramel apples, too. Yum! Thanks for stopping by and good luck with the giveaway!
DeleteMy favorite Halloween tradition would be dressing up in costumes. sclickner at juno dot com
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the giveaway! I haven't dressed up in years, but my I loved dressing up my kids. (They don't let me do that anymore--ha!)
DeleteI can't wait for this to come out!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite tradition is making homemade pizzas before the kids head out for trick or treating
DeleteThanks, Angela! We always tried to feed the kids before going out, too. Hard, though, when they were so excited. Our meal tended to be spaghetti. Quick and easy.
DeleteGood luck to everyone entering the give away.
ReplyDeleteWe didn't have any special Halloween traditions, just the usual dressing up and trick or treating.
ReplyDeleteThat's what really counts, right? :)
DeleteBeing born on Halloween and sharing the same birthday with my younger brother seven years later is one of the BEST traditions we can think of. Our family loves all things Halloween so this time of year it's all out fun! Decorations, pumpkin picking and of course Pumpkin Pie. Heather U.
ReplyDeleteThat is so cool! Happy almost-birthdays!
DeleteI love the jack o'laterns! All those scary carved pumpkins with candle-light flickering - so spooky! :-)
ReplyDeleteMe, too! One of my favorite parts of Halloween--though I could do without touching the pumpkin guts. Ew!
DeleteI just love candy corn--so that I don't eat too much of it, I now have a tradition to eat it only the week of Halloween.
ReplyDeleteI went on a candy corn kick a few years ago and haven't eaten it since! LOL. I've yet to learn moderation... it's feast or famine.
DeleteMy favorite tradition has always been eating the candy.
ReplyDeleteCat, yes! Snickers are my favorite, though I'm not truly *that* picky. Just don't give me those starchy Necco wafers. Ugh.
DeleteI've always loved dressing up in costume. It was so much fun to become someone else for a few hours. Plus it didn't hurt that sometimes, if the costume was considered good or cute enough, you got just the little extra bit of candy while trick-or-treating. :)
ReplyDeleteDecorating the house with cute Halloween decorations!
ReplyDeleteI love all of the decorating - online too.
ReplyDeletecarving pumpkins
ReplyDeleteWatching scary movies and all kinds of fun decorations.
ReplyDeleteI'm from England and we don't seem to go in for Halloween as much - but I love Bonfire night on 5th November and the burning of the Guy! :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm not celebrated Halloween and it's so rare to see any Halloween celebration here, but I like to see when people wearing a costum to the party :)
ReplyDeleteDecorations and candy are my fave Halloween traditions
ReplyDeletepatucker54 at aol dot com