The New Black

About a year ago, I started writing a new paranormal series, The Witches of Freedom Moon. Each book features a modern day white witch who lives at a spiritualist camp in northern Florida. There's a suspense plot in each book, and all the stories highlight the modern practice of witchcraft. Sure, I've ramped up the magic, but this is fiction and I can build my world how I want it to be, right?

Soon after I published the first book, HIDDEN MAGIC, I started noticing a new trend. Books, movies and TV shows about witches were popping up everywhere. There was Deborah Harkness's A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES, Nora Roberts' DARK WITCH. New witch movies included BEAUTIFUL CREATURES and HANSEL & GRETEL, WITCH HUNTERS. Even Television got in on the action with THE WITCHES OF EAST END and AMERICAN HORROR STORY, COVEN.

Witches, I realized had become a new staple of paranormal entertainment, the new black, so to speak. And I couldn't be more thrilled. Usually I am way behind on trends. But finally, I am getting out books that are timely and trendy! KILLER MAGIC just came out a few weeks ago and I am busy working on the next in the series.


 I loved AHS, COVEN and enjoyed reading Liz Schulte's EASY BAKE COVEN. Have you read any good witch books lately? Seen any movies? Do you think witches have overtaken vampires and zombies for the moment? Is witch the new black?

Seriously, a Series

I've always enjoyed reading series. Some of my favorites are Cynthia Eden's Deadly series and Allison Brennan's Lucy Kincaid series. I've never ventured into writing my own romantic suspense series before, but I decided to give it a try about a year ago. And damn, it wasn't easy!

First, you have to come up with a world to build, some characters with a common thread or one character with a whole lot to him or her. I decided to add a little paranormal flare to my series by setting in a spiritualist community and making my heroines witches. Not point-and-shoot witches, like Samantha Stevens, but real live, modern day witches. They are members of the same coven, and each has her own special talent. And her own suspenseful plot to meander through.

So I worked, I researched, and I even attended a few witch circles. And finally, I've released book one and two of The Witches of Freedom Moon—Hidden Magic and Killer Magic. But I wonder how the reading public will take to my modern version of witches. They do spells, but they can't wiggle their nose to make things happen. They are spiritual—not demonic. They worship nature and embody all that contemporary pagans do. I hope that realism isn't off-putting for anyone expecting Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

But I digress. The series has been challenging for me, mostly because I have ADD! One book captures my attention, and then one day, another spark of an idea steals it away! Although I've planned the series as three books, I don't know when I will get to book 3. Unless of course, a gazillion people read the first two books and beg me to write the third;-)

I seriously admire anyone who can write series well, particularly those with more than three books in them. Many of those very talented series writers are right here at NYUS! Hats off to you if you can capture not only your own attention for multiple books, but that of your fans. I sure hope I can follow in your footsteps.