The Witches of Wimberley
Book One
Victoria Danann
Genre: paranormal romance
Publisher: dba 7th House, Imprint of Andromeda LLC
Date of Publication: June 24, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-933320-61-8
Number of pages: 265
Word Count: 64,000
Cover Artist: Victoria Danann
Book Description:
Willem is an out of work actor. He gave himself ten years to make it and never got a single paying job. While waiting for what would probably be his last audition ever, the guy standing behind him in line gave him a card with a phone number and said, “If you’re definitely quitting, try the witches.”
He took the card for the sake of being polite and planned to throw it away. But he didn’t throw it away. He called the number, entered the annual competition to win a witch, and won. To his amazement, he got everything he’d ever wanted from life, but in the end would have to make a choice. What’s more important? Being happy or being free of commitment?
Excerpt:
“Lyra, this is
Willem.”
“Oh, yes.
Willem. Are you having fun?”
“I, ah, yes. I
just got here.”
“Have you had
something to eat? We wouldn’t want you to be hungry and there’s so much food!”
“I’ll never
forget the food.”
She barked out a
laugh. “You hope!”
It took me a
second to catch up and remember about the memory wipe thing.
“Well, yeah, I
guess I do hope I remember.”
Her grin
resolved into a smile. “So tell me what you’re going to do with your life if
you win, Willem.”
“You know, that
still sounds like one of those what-would-you-do-if-you-got-a-million-dollars
questions. It feels too unreal to take seriously.”
She nodded. “A
good solid honest answer. I like that.” After studying me for a few seconds,
she said, “Okay. You passed my test. Let me introduce you to Lilith.”
She turned me
around when she took my arm and, as she did, I happened to catch a heated look
exchanged between Harmony and Raider. It was an, “Ah hah,” moment immediately
followed by an, “Oh, crap,” moment when I realized that, if I won Harmony’s
sister, Raider would be my brother-in-law. I understood why he was happy enough
to star in the Orientation video and babysit inexperienced canoers on the
river. She was a catch and he knew it.
I decided there
are worse things than being in Raider’s family. He didn’t actually finish
drowning me in the river, but at the time it felt like he was trying. On the
other hand, he insisted on showing me to the ballroom. And he called me ‘hero’.
Who couldn’t get used to that?
I was ushered
from one beautiful woman to the next and each took measure of me in her own way.
It was an interview, or audition, but it was the most pleasant I’d ever
experienced. Or ever would, I was sure.
Still, after an
hour or so, I was getting hungry. When Bless tried to walk me to another chat,
I balked.
“Hey, could you
maybe give me a couple of minutes to partake of some of the amazing feast
stations? I haven’t eaten and that guy in the other part of the house carving
that prime rib really spoke to me.”
Bless had a
laugh that didn’t exactly sound like tinkling bells, but reminded me of them
just the same. “Certainly, Willem. Would you like me to accompany you?”
“That would be…”
I happened to look away and notice that most of the conversational groups in
the room consisted of clusters of contestants, not a witch in sight. I realized
that’s what I’d been seeing the whole time whenever I looked away from the
woman I was talking with. “Bless, I hope this isn’t an inappropriate question,
but am I getting special treatment?”
Bless treated me
to an extra big helping of her tinkling bells laugh. “Willem, you’re quite
perceptive. And you’ve passed my test.”
“You know,
you’re the sixth or seventh person to say that to me. Is this a gauntlet of
gorgeous women in sexy red dresses?”
Again the laugh.
“I love that description. You’re quite a character, Willem. You would fit in
around here.” As she smiled at me, she grabbed the elbow of another beauty
passing by. “Glory, this is Willem.”
When Glory
smiled, I knew how she was named. “Hi, Willem.”
“He’s hungry and
headed in the direction of prime rib.”
“Of course he
is. I don’t see a man like this eating watercress.”
“Yes, well,
perhaps you’d like to accompany him while he dines.”
Glory seemed as
ecstatic as if she’d won the prize herself. “Of course! Willem. I’d be
honored.”
She slipped her
arm in mind and walked me to the prime rib. “What would you like with that?”
she asked. “While Raleigh is slicing your rib just the way you want it, I’ll
gather up something to go with.”
“You sure?”
“Idle hands are
the devil’s workshop.”
“Okay, then.
Caesar salad. And did I see au gratin potatoes?” She nodded. “That should do.”
She pointed to a
table at the rear of the room. “I’ll meet you right there.”
She was there
with salad and spuds before I arrived with a hunk of prime rib that smelled so
good it was all I could do to not face plant into the plate and tear into it
with my teeth. Somehow I managed to preserve enough dignity to sit and take a
few bites of salad before digging into my current reason for living with fork
and knife.
Out of nowhere a
waiter appeared on my right pouring red wine into my glass. That was followed
with a delivery of ice water seconds later.
“You’ve eaten?”
I asked Glory, who sat smiling with her legs crossed as if there’s nothing in
the universe she’d rather be doing than watching me eat.
“Much earlier.”
Someone appeared
with a mint garnished drink that I hadn’t heard Glory order.
“I’ve decided
that Wimberley must have the best service in the world. I’m certain the queen
of England is envious.”
She smiled.
“Don’t you know you get what you pay for, Willem?”
“So I’ve heard.
I’m just a middle class boy from Alabama so I wouldn’t have much personal
experience in that department.”
“You don’t
strike me as someone who thinks of Golden Bull Buffet as a special occasion.”
“I had some nice
times courtesy of my agent.”
“Your agent? Oh,
that’s right. You were an actor.”
“How is it that
everyone seems to know me by name? And, obviously, some know more than just my
name. Have you memorized bios on all fifty contestants? And come to think of
it, why did you say ‘were an actor’?”
“First, yes. We
look over incoming guests. Second, some of us just learn names, some of us read
more and have good recall. Third, you told our people in L.A. that you’re done
with acting. That puts it in the past tense, right?”
“Right. So,
should I be asking questions about you?”
She grinned.
“You’re funny, Willem.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because you
have been asking questions.”
Hearing her say
it out loud, I realized that was true.
“This prime rib
is indescribable. And the wine, he didn’t ask me for a preference, but I’ve
gotta tell you. It’s amazing.”
“If you win,
you’ll eat whatever you want when you want it. As far as the staff goes,
they’re very skilled at reading people and anticipating needs.”
“Or desires.”
“You’re quick,
Willem. I like that. And you’ve passed my test.”
About the Author:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of eleven romances. Victoria's Knights of Black Swan series won BEST PARANORMAL ROMANCE SERIES THREE YEARS IN A ROW. Reviewers Choice Awards, The Paranormal Romance Guild.
Her paranormal romances come with uniquely fresh perspectives on "imaginary" creatures, characters, and themes. She adds a dash of scifi, a flourish of fantasy, enough humor to make you laugh out loud, and enough steam to make you squirm in your chair. Her heroines are independent femmes with flaws and minds of their own whether they are aliens, witches, demonologists, psychics, past life therapists. Her heroes are hot and hunky, but they also have brains, character, and good manners. **Usually.
Victoria lives in The Woodlands, Texas with her husband and a very smart, mostly black German Shepherd dog.
WEBSITE: http://www.VictoriaDanann.com
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