‘Tis the Season of Witches!

As September slips away, I see fall decor everywhere, cider and pumpkins in the grocery stores, ads for sweaters and boots on all my social media sites, and pumpkin spice everything!  Fall-ish things take over the stores, greenhouses, and movie channels. So why not your TBR pile, too?!

Today, I’m featuring humor and romantasy author Ashlyn Chase. Ashlyn describes herself as an Almond Joy bar–a little nutty, a little flaky, but basically sweet, wanting only to give her readers a satisfying experience that leaves them smiling.
She earned a degree in behavioral sciences, worked with children with disabilities, then worked as a psychiatric RN for fifteen years, and spent four more years with the American Red Cross.

Her jobs were great for character building, both as a person and an author. Ashlyn has identified her “Author theme” as found families, where being different makes no difference, and characters who reinvent themselves. She is a multi-published, best-selling, award-winning author of humorous paranormal and contemporary romances. And she writes fantasy adventure/magical realism books for young adults and children as E. B. Lorow (Elisabeth Lorow.)

And she writes fun books about witches!!

Here’s a look:

Autumn L.A.W. Part 1

The Dangerous Duo

Sahara Nadir trusts history, logic, and ancient languages. Lioness Graves trusts visions, instincts, and whatever wild idea pops into her head next. Working together has never been their strong suit, but dark humor gets them through.

When a mysterious obelisk erupts beneath Central Park, the League of Amazing Witches discovers it isn’t just an artifact. It’s a prison, and something inside is trying to break free.

Sahara, with the help of an unshakably calm mage, and Lioness, with a fearless firefighter who insists on returning her life-saving protection, must put aside their differences before an ancient evil possesses a human host. The future may depend on the one thing they’ve never mastered: teamwork.

And then . . .

Autumn L.A.W. Part 2

Crossing the Wrong Witch

Victoria De La Fontaine is a glamorous witch, helicopter pilot, and proud member of the League of Amazing Witches… until a dry-cleaning dispute goes spectacularly wrong. One magical mishap later, she’s trapped in a stranger’s body, wearing stained sweatpants, while the thief runs around in her long legs and designer wardrobe.

Determined to reclaim her identity, Victoria sets out on a globe-trotting search for six rare spell reversal ingredients. Her ally is Duke Masterson, the league’s occult librarian with access to some of the world’s rarest magical secrets and a few mysteries of his own.

As the stakes grow higher, Victoria discovers that reversing an ancient curse and getting her body back may be only part of what she needs to do. Learning and liking who she really is could be the life-altering challenge.

Enjoy this excerpt!

The world lurched. Not a rumble. More of an honest-to-Goddess tremor that made the trees shiver and sent a flock of birds blasting upward like confetti out of a cannon.

Lioness stumbled forward, catching herself on the caution tape that she and Sahara had not been authorized to put up but did anyway. Her sketchbook slipped from her fingers and flopped onto the grass.

“Okay,” she said aloud, because sometimes narrating her life helped. “That was not normal. That was ‘something is waking up, and it’s out to get us’ levels of abnormal.”

The cracked earth in front of her split again. A sharp seam zigzagged across the ground like a lightning bolt.

“Lioness!” Sahara called, barreling toward her from the far side of the site, ponytail whipping. “Back up. Now.”

Lioness didn’t argue. Mostly because the ground was shifting under her boots and arguing required stability. She hopped backward just as the crack widened and released a gust of air so cold it slapped her across the face.

She reeled. “What the—? Did someone leave the door to Antarctica open?”

“No,” Sahara said, sliding to her side. “Worse. I think the obelisk seal ruptured.”

Before Lioness could respond, a spike of nausea slammed into her gut so hard she hunched over. Her vision blurred at the edges. Heat prickled across her skin. Hot, then cold, then hot again, like a thermostat having a seizure.

Sahara swayed beside her. “Lioness? Do you feel—”

Lioness didn’t hear the rest. A wave of dizziness crashed over her, sending her to her knees.

“Okay,” she gasped, “I officially feel like I’ve licked a subway pole.”

Sahara’s hand trembled as she pressed it to her forehead. “This isn’t a normal illness. Something is—”

She didn’t finish. Both witches were hit by a synchronized punch of ancient magic, sharp as stone, and it felt like breathing in electricity.

Lioness clutched the grass. “Am I dying? Don’t let me die looking like this. I haven’t fixed my brows for a month.”

“It’s a curse,” Sahara managed, voice tight. “An ancient Egyptian one. I can feel the glyphs vibrating under the soil.”

“Well, tell them to stop,” Lioness snapped, then immediately gagged, because she felt the world had tilted in a way physics never intended.

Sahara dropped to her knees beside her, breath shallow. “It’s not removable. Not without… not without the counter-glyphs.”

Lioness blinked hard. “And I’m guessing you don’t have those lying around in your Gucci bag?”

“No,” Sahara said weakly. “And I think whatever’s buried down there just woke up enough to sneeze on us.” Sahara collapsed onto her side. “Great. Cursed by dirt. My mother told me this was how it would end.”

A vibration rippled through the soil again. Deeper this time. Almost sentient. The ground pulsed like something beneath it had a heartbeat.

Lioness forced her head up and saw the crack widen one more inch. She screamed.

Thanks so much for sharing with us, Ashlyn! Happy Fall reading to all!

Darlene

To connect with Ashlyn:

http://www.facebook.com/AuthorAshlynChase

http://www.instagram.com/ashlynlaughin/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0H51WHVHH?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_3&storeType=ebooks

 

So Long, Summer … I’ll Miss You!

Sigh. Summer has officially slipped away. Just last week, my zinnias still looked great, and the temps were in the mid-90s. This week, what a drastic difference—the zinnias look tired, and the temps are in the mid-70s! It always happens too fast for me.

I’m a summer girl. I go kicking and screaming into fall (but mostly winter). I want to hang onto the longer days, my flip-flops and easy summer wardrobe. No hats, scarves, or gloves to keep track of. No cumbersome boots or coats. No snow shoveling or ice scrapers to deal with!

I had a short but great summer! Three visits with our sweet granddaughter (my first trip to the Jersey Shore), a couple of trips to Colorado, the completion of our kitchen remodel, and a fabulous trip to Santorini! I also finished a book I’ve been working on for a while.

Hard Lemonade is set to release Oct. 1! That will probably be the highlight of my fall as I start yard cleanup and switch out my closets. I would also enjoy fall more if I didn’t have squirrels at my house. I’ve tried year after year to decorate. I buy mums and pumpkins, pick up hedge apples and create arrangements only to have everything eaten and destroyed by the little varmints. It’s soooo annoying!

I’ll still probably buy a couple of pumpkins because I like to harvest and roast the seeds. Oh, and I like a variety of apple that I can only find in the fall—SweeTango from upstate New York.

For those of you who love the pumpkin spice and cooler temps…enjoy the season!

Darlene

Catching the Color of Fall

For years, my husband and I have gone to the Pikes Peak region of Colorado for summer vacations. It’s a great place to escape hot, humid summers filled with mosquitoes and hazy days.

This year, with a little more time on our hands, we decided to make a trip out to see the aspens turn. I’m not a cold weather person, so this was only marginally appealing to me. But the forecast looked pretty good, so off we went. I’m so glad we did!

Yes, we had cool nights and had to run the heater in our little cabin, but the days were warm and sunny. We had beautiful, crisp blue skies and hardly saw even a wisp of a cloud in five days! The pop of orange and gold against a bright blue sky was stunning!

That said, I hope the region gets the rain it needs and can shut down the  wildfires that have taken a toll this year. Our area was a little dry and dusty, but the colors were spectacular, and we were able to walk, hike and dine outside every day. Enjoy a peek at the change of seasons in “Colorful Colorado!”

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Hope you are having a lovely fall and can take time to enjoy it. I know it’s unfortunately allergy season for some. Maybe you can curl up inside with a book and still enjoy a view!

Stay safe, friends! And happy reading to all!

Darlene

Fabulous Fall in the Finger Lakes

The good thing is we had nice weather and were able to be outside enjoying the vineyards, orchards and state parks. But the books I loaded on my Kindle? The contest entries I need to read and judge? Those works-in-progress waiting on my computer? Nah. Didn’t write or read a word!

Fall in central New York was just too pretty!

After checking the weather forecast almost every hour for a few days before we left (yes, it changed by the hour!), we expected some rain and chilly temps. Lucky for us, it… changed!

My husband and daughter and I visited a lot of great places where I could’ve spent all day on a bench with a book. What could be better than a book and a pretty perch on a sunny day with the sound of a waterfall in the background? Had I been alone, that most definitely would’ve happened. Instead, we hopped from one beautiful venue to another for four days. We walked leaf-carpeted paths, hiked alongside stunning waterfalls, and sampled the local cider and wines. And couldn’t stop taking pictures! The colors were amazing.

Hope you enjoy these select few.

 

Happy Fall to all!

Darlene

Fall . . . season of love or loss?

Well, it’s that time of year. So far this week, I’ve: 1. Worn socks. 2. Turned on my electric blanket. 3. Turned the heat on in my house. Sigh.

Yes, it’s pretty out. Sort of. We’re seeing yellow, orange and red in some of the trees. But it’s messy, too. The patio is littered with leaves, as is the yard. Leaves are caught in the bushes, ground cover and patio furniture. We have a lot of trees, and I can’t keep up. (Not to mention the oak mites.)

A few flowers are valiantly trying to hang in there, but you can tell the jig is up. It’s that time of year. The mornings are chilly. The days are shorter. Those pretty falling leaves are just a prelude of what’s to come.

And that’s my whole issue with fall.

For many, fall is a favorite season. You like the milder temps. You’re ready to wrap up in scarves and sweaters. For me, fall is a loss. A warning. It’s the mourning of long, warm summer days. Yep, end of October, and I’m still mourning summer. It’s my season. Flip flops! No coats, jackets, scarves, gloves and other baggage to haul around and keep track of. No warming up the car. No raking or scraping or shoveling!IMG_2451

So, facing the inevitable, I pulled a few waning plants out of sad-looking pots and put some pumpkins on the porch. Ah, pumpkins! Now there’s a bright spot in fall. I have to say, I’m happy to be done with the days of finding the perfect pumpkin patch and making costumes and trick-or-treating. But I do like the pumpkins even if they’re just bought at the neighborhood grocery store. This weekend, we’ll hollow them out and roast the seeds. And for a day or two, I’ll enjoy the fruits of fall. 🙂

What do you enjoy about fall?

Last Gasp of Summer

I know some of you are fawning over the onset of fall. You delight in cooler temperatures, sweaters and pumpkin spice. I get it. Fall is generally pretty nice. But I lament for summer. I love the warm, sunny days. I enjoy sipping iced tea by the pool or in the shade and being WARM. Yes, fall can be warmish, but it’s the prelude to cold – the calm before the storm. Ugh. Winter. I truly hate winter.

So, with that in mind, I’m enjoying the last gasp of summer! I’m trying to ignore the subtle color in my dogwood trees and focus on the final rose buds and blooms. Only a few days ago I was in Colorado and came across this gorgeous field of wild flowers. Even as a few aspen were beginning to turn yellow, these cheery flowers were standing tall, keeping up the appearance of a bright summer season. It makes me smile just to look at the photos. Hope they cheer you, too! 🙂

What season brings you the most joy?

 

Move over, Martha

p1070029So this is it – the extent of my Fall/Halloween decorating. You’re jealous of the originality and effort that went into it, aren’t you? I must be the next Martha Stewart, right? Well, it did require a trip to the grocery store and some physical activity to gather the hedge apples.

Maybe some people do more lavish decorating once their “nest” is empty, but this is it for me. There’s no fake spider web material in the windows (I have enough of the real thing, thank you very much), no ghosts or skeletons hanging around, and no twinkling lights or sinister sound machines blowing in the trees.

Because, of course, there are no kids! Well, maybe. I suppose that’s part of it. I think it might just be the next phase. A transition. Decorating for all the seasons/holidays isn’t a high priority anymore. We’ve morphed into the de-cluttering phase. Scaling back. Less is more.

I visited a friend’s house last weekend and was amazed at the level of fall decorating both inside and outside her house. It was beautiful – wreaths, flowers, candles, etc., all artfully arranged throughout the rooms. Rich tones of gold and bittersweet were woven into impressive mantel and table displays. But as I looked around, I couldn’t help thinking, “Wow. That’s a lot of work.” And time. And money. And storage. The truth is, my house won’t ever look like that because I’m simply not inclined to devote the time and energy to that level of seasonal transformation. That’s OK. I thoroughly enjoyed her efforts! 🙂

Which holidays do you enjoy decorating for?