My May release, Curse of the Moon (Book 2,
the Secret Warrior Series) is a YA fantasy/paranormal (with romance) set present-day
in our Virginia Mountains. Native American and mountain people lore, my love of
herbs, colonial America, and wild imagination are part of the inspiration
behind the Secret Warrior Series. Shawnee
warrior/wolf shifters, witches, a warlock, the Star People, and other shifters and creatures run through the series and this story. I'm also being praised by reviewers for my wacky sense of humor. Can't think why. :)
The lizard shifting witch in Curse of
the Moon is drawn from mountain people lore about an old woman who basks in the
moonlight as a large lizard. They call her the Lizard Lady. According to the
tale, she’s been spotted not far from where we live on a farm in the beautiful
Shenandoah Valley. I first heard about the Lizard Lady from late valley
historian and author, John Heatwole, who interviewed elderly valley and
mountain folk and recorded their accounts in his book, Shenandoah Voices. He
also had a radio show, and that’s the very first time I heard about The Lizard
Lady. She caught my imagination, but it’s taken me about twenty years to bring
her to life. What a fun character to write.
I named her Lilith Dubois, and she lives in a ramshackle old house
back in the hollow in the mountains. Not only is she a lizard shifter in the
moonlight, she’s a witch with memorizing eyes. If you gaze into their green
depths, she can put a spell on you that only she can break. This sort of
enchantress is called a gorgon. Bad things happen if you look into their eyes. Tough not to do.
The old mountain home that inspired Lilith's house is one my hubby likes to photograph. (Many locals know the place.) He's captured it in spring, summer, and fall. His autumn pic is my favorite and perfect for the story because it takes place in fall.
Story Blurb for Curse of the Moon:
The bad news? Morgan
Daniel’s wolf is out of control. The good news? There’s a treatment. She just
has to get a potion from a lizard shifter witch--without looking into the
witch’s eyes. Easy, right? But when the witch puts a spell on her younger
brother, Morgan has to do the witch's bidding to save him.
Fortunately Morgan isn’t alone. She has Jackson to lean on, a few witches coming into their powers, a secret warlock, and the always mysterious Chief Okema. What could possibly go wrong?
Fortunately Morgan isn’t alone. She has Jackson to lean on, a few witches coming into their powers, a secret warlock, and the always mysterious Chief Okema. What could possibly go wrong?
***For
fun: If you had a super power, what would it be?
Like the Secret Warrior Series on FB: https://www.facebook.com/BethTrissel2YAFantasySeries/
Curse of the Moon (Book 2, The Secret Warrior Series) is available at all online booksellers. At Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Curse-Moon-Secret-Warrior-Trissel-ebook/dp/B01DH16746
One of our guests had difficulty posting here today. Not sure why.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a fascinating story! I love that it's based on a legend. Beautiful cover, too.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sandra. :)
ReplyDeleteI'll have to look this up--have to vet before I hand off to the 13 yr old I buy for--romance is a tricky business at that age. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, it is, but this is a very clean story.
DeleteWhat a creepy name: Lizard Shifter Witch. Probably fits the character perfectly. Good one, Beth.
ReplyDelete