No Warm and Fuzzies for These Witches: Guest Blog & Giveaway with Linda Wisdom

Thank you Fang-tastic Books for having me here today to talk about my witches’ sidekicks!

Most people envision a witch dressed in a shapeless black gown standing over a hot cauldron with a black cat sitting sedately by her side.

When Jazz, my first witch, popped into my head I saw her standing in front of a microwave oven wearing a tank top, pj pants with coffee cups on them, and wearing bunny slippers that sport razor sharp teeth. Ironically, their names are Fluff and Puff, prefer licorice root or chocolate over carrots and tend to get into trouble at the drop of a hat.

Perhaps it says something that their original names were Doom and Destruction before Jazz rescued them from an evil sorcerer. From the beginning of 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover Fluff and Puff took on a life all their own.

I write a lot of short stories featuring them on my blog and if I didn’t know any better, I’d say they inhabit my personal bunny slippers. Perhaps I shouldn’t have named them or have them tattooed onto my ankle. The tattoo artist even went so far as to add blood splatter around their fangs. Even then, I consider them my good luck charm.

When I moved onto to Stasi in Wicked By Any Other Name, I used my beloved Chihuahua/Yorkie, Bogie, as her dog adding that he floated more than walked and could disappear. But I also threw an eight-inch gargoyle named Horace into the mix. Horace isn’t just mischievous. He’s politically incorrect, loves the ladies, and why he was cursed by a troll. Never fool around with a troll’s wife. Even though he hangs out in Stasi’s lingerie boutique dressing rooms, watches way too much adult pay-per-view, he is loyal to Stasi and Blair, as long as it means he can create a lot of mayhem. Horace excels at that. And maybe that’s why he’s tattooed on my other ankle. I felt he was a perfect fit for soft-hearted romance loving Stasi and he does provide a great balance.

Since Blair in Hex in High Heels and Stasi share an apartment, it was natural they share Horace. Scary to think it takes two powerful witches to keep one gargoyle in line, doesn’t it? As I said, he’s also helpful and with Blair gifted in revenge spells, Horace was perfect to help out when need be. Who else could she call on to set out bags of flaming poop? But Blair also has Felix, a Kit-Kat clock, who can’t leave Blair’s shop, but soaks up gossip like food. I’ve always loved those clocks and knew one had to show up somewhere. With Blair owning a shop selling retro items, it was perfect to have Felix there.

And on to Demons Are a Girl’s Best Friend, and Maggie’s diamond-covered black widow spider tattoo sidekick, Elegance. Elle for short. It seemed appropriate for a kickass witch to have a tattoo and why not one who’s a black widow spider from France? Whose web is the softest of silk, who spends her free time surfing the World Wide Web searching for the perfect spell to keep her lovers alive for longer than one night of sexy, but also has the power to put down even a half fire demon if he gets out of line.

Sometimes I think it’s more fun to create the creatures than the characters. Possibly because they can get away with more than the characters can. I can throw them into situations that sound totally implausible, but they can carry if off.

They all have their own forms of magick, all with different personalities, and at least in my mind, are very real. They’re not pets. They’re friends. They have a life.

My agent took Fluff and Puff on vacation with her. I took Fluff, Puff, and Horace to Las Vegas with me. Never again. And I think Elle would be a great shopping buddy with her European sense of style.

I’ll give you a hint of what’s next. In A Demon Does It Better is a cat, but don’t call Cleo (yes THAT Cleo) a familiar or you’ll sorely regret it.

Cleo’s a silver chinchilla colored Persian cat who advises Lili on her love life and can detect old magick. But she can be distracted by the usual tricks to keep a feline entertained.

So don’t mess with me. I have magick bunny slippers that bite, a gargoyle that can create a lot of disaster in your life, and a black widow spider tattoo that can give you a whole new meaning of the word pain.

My question to you is – do you love a main character’s sidekicks? Do you feel it makes the book richer in flavor?

Linda

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Linda Wisdom has published more than 70 novels with 13 million copies sold worldwide. Her bestselling books have been nominated for RT Book Reviews awards and the RWA RITA Award. She recently won the RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award for Hex in High Heels.

Linda lives with her husband in Murrieta, California, where she is working on her next book, A Demon Does it Better, set to release in January 2012.

For more information, please visit http://www.lindawisdom.com/ .

DEMONS ARE A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND BY LINDA WISDOM – IN STORES APRIL 2011

A Bewitching Woman on a Mission…

Feisty witch Maggie enjoys her work as a paranormal law enforcement officer—that is, until she’s assigned to protect a teenager with major attitude and plenty of Mayan enemies. Maggie’s never going to survive this assignment without the help of a half-fire demon who makes her smolder…

A Hotter-Than-Sin Hero with an Agenda…

Declan is a proprietor of an underground club and busy demon portal. No way he’ll allow his demon race to be blamed for the malicious acts of some crazy evil Mayans. But he’s already got his hands full when the sexy witch offers him a challenge he can’t refuse…

Would you like to win a copy of Demons are a Girl's Best Friend?

Thanks to Sourcebooks I have 2 copies to giveaway

Open to US and Canada Shipping

Leave a comment on this post answering Linda's questions about sidekicks: "do you love a main character’s sidekicks? Do you feel it makes the book richer in flavor?"

Be sure to include your email

Winner TBA Next Wednesday

Monday Musings October 19th

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

A Review of Hex in High Heels by Linda Wisdom

.5

Four and 1/2 half Fangs for Hex in High Heels by Linda Wisdom

Book Blurb:

In this sexy, funny paranormal romance by bestselling author Linda Wisdom, it's all beautiful witch Blair Fitzpatrick can do to keep a lid on her talent for revenge spells, but things are about to get a lot more complicated...

Blair loves running her vintage shop and hanging out with witchy friends Stasi and Jazz. She's forever had a crush on hunky carpenter Jake Harrison, whose Were nature (he's a Border collie) makes him loyal, lovable, and fierce when need be. Just as sparks are beginning to fly, Blair is served with a big surprise when Jake's mother shows up along with his pack leader, who threatens to make Jake heel! When the alpha does the unthinkable, Blair is pushed over the edge. No one messes with her boyfriend-to-be, even if he does shed on the furniture!

Linda Wisdom never disappoints. In her latest hexy installment about the 13 banned witches the story focuses on Blair, revenge witch extraordinaire, who operates the little vintage shop next to Stasi's lingerie store.

At the end of the last book Blair had just learned that her furry little Border Collie friend was actually Jake the town handyman that she had been lusting after for ages.

Now that she knows his secret and it's a pretty well known fact that the two are interested in each other she wants to get closer to him, but he keeps pulling away.

But when Jake's old pack, including mommy dearest and his brother, show up in town Jake has to share his secrets and let Blair in to keep the town safe.

Mean wolves, wicked magick and crazy elves abound in this wild magickal romp. Jazz even makes an appearance to drop off Fluff and Puff, who end up on Blair's ankle throughout the story and Horace the gargoyle finally gets to cause some mischief. Even ghostly Irma has her part in the story because she too decides to stay with Blair and Stasi while Jazz goes out of town. So all the cast of favorites make their way into this story.

Hex in High Heels is probably my favorite book in Wisdom's series so far. Sure, no vampires, but instead there's a sexy were that's my type of guy, even if he does turn furry ever now and then. I really love the wild and wicked Blair who doesn't back down from anyone and who is always ready to cast a revenge spell on anyone who does her or hers wrong.

Check out Hex in High Heels you are going to love it.

A Hexy and Creative Contest with Linda Wisdom and Night Owl Romance

Do you love all things paranormal and Halloween releated?

Interested in Linda Wisdom’s fabulous Hex Series?

Linda Wisdom and Night Owl Romance are excited to tell you about their Magickal Character Name Contest!

The contest started October 1 so you can now enter to win a fabulous giveaway package from Linda!

Linda’s series features sassy and sexy witches thrown out of the Witches Academy 700 years ago, and their lives and love stories living among humans in present day.

Each witch has a magickal side kick—who often will get her into more trouble!

Jazz from 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover and Hex Appeal has Fluff & Puff (Bunny Slippers with BITE!), Stasi from Wicked by Any Other Name has Horace, a feisty gargoyle, and Blair of current release Hex in High Heels, has Felix, her tick-tock clock.

Go to the contest page on NightOwlRomance.com and answer the question: “If you were one of the witches kicked out of the Witches Academy , who or what would be your magickal sidekick and why?” You response can be short—a few sentences or a paragraph!

Winners will be announced on October 30, 2009 via the NOR Blog!

1 grand prize winner:

- Magickal character will appear in an upcoming book!

- Basket of fun “witchy” spa stuff from Linda

- All 4 books in series so far (50 Ways to Hex Your Lover, Hex Appeal, Wicked By Any Other Name, Hex in High Heels) personally signed to winner from Linda

2nd and 3rd place winners:

- 4 book set personally signed by Linda (50 Ways to Hex Your Lover, Hex Appeal, Wicked By Any Other Name, Hex in High Heels)

7 Honorable Mentions:- Copy of Hex in High Heels (with bookplate signature)

For complete rules and entry form, please visit

the Night Owl Romance Linda Wisdom Contest Page!

Good Luck!

A Review of Wicked by Any Other Name

Four Fangs for Wicked by Any Other Name

The third book in Linda Wisdom's Hex Series, Wicked By Any Other Name, totally rocks. I love that good witch Stasi breaks out of her neat little nice shell and learns to fight for what she believes in and stand up for herself.

In Wicked by Any Other Name, there is something going on in Stasi's beloved town. Everyone there knows she and her best friend, Blair, are witches but now they are treating them like they are evil. It all started when one of Stasi's regular human customers accused Stasi of using bad magick to make her husband leave her. The human Carrie was so mad she went to a Wizard lawyer, Trevor Barnes. Now she's causing major trouble for Stasi, suing to have her powers stripped from her.

When Trevor shows up in town, Stasi can't believe the cruel joke fate and that pesky Cupid have dealt her. Trevor has dancing hearts over his head, meaning he is her true love though they are sworn enemies-on the wrong side of the courtroom not to mention the fact that wizards and witches just don't mix.

No matter what Stasi does things just keep getting worse, the whole town seems to be against her, people that used to be her friends are now treating her like she's the devil-sweet Stasi, the good witch, the devil?

Jazz and Nick show up to help with Irma, Fluff and Puff, and even Krebs and his new vampire girlfriend Leticia in tow. They arrive just in time to be bombarded with a complete magickal mess. The whole town is under a spell along with the lake, but it's magick none of them can penetrate or even figure out what it is. There is definitely more going on than just Mercury in retrograde and an upcoming lunar eclipse. Samhain just isn;t going to be the same this year.

Can they stop the evil that's spreading before it is too late and the whole town is consumed by hate and rage? If they don't figure out what is going on the 21st century may end up looking a lot like the 17th century when it was common to burn witches at the stake.

Wisdom's third book in the series explores more characters, more character relationships with each other and gives a much more complex look into their world than the previous two books. As wildly entertaining as the first two with more plot and story line, it's great. A magickal romp you'll love.

Horace the gargoyle is a total scene stealer and what's up with the border collie? You'll love it once you figure it out. I just wonder why the witches didn't figure it out when all the guys knew what was up.

You'll love how Fluff and Puff get even with Cupid at the end of the book, too. It's wonderful. I love those scary, crazy bunny slippers.

I really love how Wisdom brings all these crazy characters to life, like Fluff and Puff and Horace. They are something totally different and unexpected. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series featuring Blair and I am guessing, Jake. Hmm...we'll see how that goes.

Interview with Linda Wisdom

OK, continuing on with Linda Wisdom Tuesday we have an interview for you all to enjoy.

Are the Hex books your first paranormal books or have you dabbled into the realm before?

I’ve written several paranormal books before in category romance and I felt it proved I needed to continue with my favorite genre. .

A lot of paranormal writers admit they have always had an interest in vampires, witches, ghosts, etc. while some just stumble into the genre with an idea along the way. Which is it for you, have you always been a lover of all things spooky or did inspiration entice you into the web of the otherworld?

Definitely loved anything and everything that goes bump in the night. To me, it’s a genre of infinite possibilities.

In another interview you mentioned you hope to have at least 16 books in the series, is that a definite or just what you have planned to write?

It’s what I have planned since there are 13 witches in the class of 1313 and I had at least three books planned for Jazz.

I also read that there may be TV shows or movies featuring your characters in the future, any definite news on that?

No definite news on that yet, but the producer is out there pitching them.

Do you plan your books in advance or let the characters lead the way?

The characters are very much in charge, even to who goes next. And it seems the stories go the same way because the story has to fit that particular witch.

Where do you get the inspiration for your characters? I know this can be hard question because mostly ideas just pop into a writer's head (thank the muse) but I am curious about some of your "out there" characters like Fluff and Puff, Dweezil and the horrid Foulshadow- any interesting stories behind those characters?

LOL! Mine are definitely out there and more out there coming. Fluff and Puff popped into my head as in I could see Jazz in her Happy Bunny pjs and wearing bunny slippers that talk and have razor sharp teeth. Fluff and Puff are so special to me that they’re tattooed on my ankle and the artist did an awesome job of inking them and their personalities. I have no idea where Dweezil came from but he was very fun to write. He’s so politically incorrect, given to drama and has some odd quirks. Foulshadow is a bit Jabba the Hutt in looks, but with the noxious farts. I wanted something that people would go “euww!” when they read about him, and they did.

Will all the books have Jazz and Nick in them or will they branch out? The third book features one of Jazz's fellow banished witches, Stasi, yet Jazz and Nick are supposed to make appearances, will that be the theme for most of the books? The stories wil focus on one of the other banished witches while Jazz may pop in from time to time?

Not all the books will have Jazz and Nick, but she could show up in a few of the future books and I see a third book for her.

How many books in the series have you written so far? Stasi's book, Wicked by Any Other Name, is the third- how many others are finished or currently in the works?

Four books are written and a few more are drafted along with a few other witches chattering away in my ear.

Do you know when your next book is scheduled to be released? Is there a working title yet?

Hex In High Heels will be out in October and features Blair.

So can you tell the readers a little about your current release, Wicked by Any Other Name?

Stasi is being sued in Wizards Court and now dealing with the plaintiff’s wizard attorney who’s revving her hormones and vice versa. It doesn’t help that red hearts are over both of their heads. Cupid’s way of telling them they’re meant for each other. But the town of Moonstone Lake is also in danger from some very olde magick that’s affecting the humans in the town. While Jazz, Nick and Irma are there to help out, Stasi knows it’s her problem and she has to be the one to fix it before something really bad happens. And look for a Fluff and Puff extra at the end of the book and Horace, a gargoyle with total attitude.

You've had a rather prolific writing career with very little rejection, that's unusual in the writing world. Any secrets or advice to share with struggling writers out there?

Some of my rejections later ended up in sales because I had faith in the story and I wasn’t going to give up on it. You have to have faith in your work, be willing to do what it takes and realize it doesn’t always happen overnight.

Is there anything else you would like to share with the readers?

Just that I hope readers enjoy Stasi’s story as much as they enjoyed Jazz’s and keep demanding more of the series!

Well Linda, thank you so much for taking the time to do an interview with Fang-tastic Books and Paranormal News . I look forward to reading any and all upcoming books in the series. So far all the ones I've read have been a mystical romp on the wild and witchy side of life.

Thank you for joining us at Fang-tastic Books!

~Roxanne Rhoads

Want more Linda visit her at MySpace, read another interview with her at Darque Reviews, and check out this fun snippet about Wicked by Any Other Name where Horace the gargoyle chats with Stasi. You may also find Linda at Witchy Chicks and Wickedly Romantic.

Vampire Poetry Monday

Here's another sexy vampire poem for your vampy pleasure. Hope you enjoy.

Tomorrow will be Linda Wisdom Day with an interview, a review of Hex Appeal and some links to excerpts and info about Wicked by Any Other Name.

Pleasure Fingers

Pleasure drenched fingers
entwined in dark curly hair
Watching you flow into me
blood coursing hot through
ecstasy open veins
Passion fangs puncture
soft white flesh
Pulsating penetrating pain
drain me now
and forever I’m yours

Pleasure Fingers Copyright 2005 By Roxanne Rhoads, poem may not be reprinted or used in any way without author's permission

Free Book Friday-Enter Contest for Free Copies of Wicked Hot and Dangerous Pleasures

So, no one ever answered with email or mailing addresses from the last giveaway of Wicked Hot by Charlene Teglia. So I am putting it up for grabs again. I am also throwing in a ARC copy of Beatrice Small's Dangerous Pleasures.

Now I know these are releases from last year but I will have new freebies coming up as publishers and authors start sending more products and showing more interest in doing contests.

I am going to start a regular thing here, Free Book Fridays. Now I may not have a free book every Friday but when I hold a contest (unless it is a special author initiated contest) the freebies will be posted on Fridays.

If you would like to enter the contests please, please, please leave a comment with your email address so I can contact you if you are chosen as a winner. Thank you. I will choose a winner next Wednesday. Unless otherwise specified I will always choose winners on Wednesdays. So we'll have Free Book Fridays, Winner Wednesdays....oh and Fang Filled Poetry Mondays. And of course there will be the regular book reviews, news, author events and fun sprinkled in between.

Some very special upcoming events include an interview with Linda Wisdom author of the Hex series starring the fun witch Jazz Tremaine and her boyfriend Nick, a sexy vampire along with some other interesting characters and other wild witches. Her newest release is Wicked by Any Other Name.

In April I will also have a guest blogger, author Donna Lea Simpson whose book Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark will be in stores April 15.

Two Books Read this Week: 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover and The Witch's Grave

I managed to read two books this week: 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover by Linda Wisdom and The Witch's Grave by Shirley Damsgaard. Two very fabulous books.

I have been waiting for The Witch's Grave for awhile now but while I was waiting I found Linda Wilson's witch series. The first book is 50 Ways.

I love Jazz, a great witch with attitude and spunk who is head over heals in love with a vampire, even if she doesn't want to admit to it. For centuries Jazz and Nick have been on again, off again lovers, though their encounters usually end up with Nick sticking Jazz in jail, for her own good. No one wants to be stuck in a jail cell, especially not a feisty witch, and really not ever by your vampire boyfriend. Well, this time Nick really needs Jazz's help. Can she help him without getting stuck in jail? Can she resist the attraction and desire between them while doing what needs to be done? Or will this mission be the end of them and their lives?

Great book, I am off to read the second one, Hex Appeal very soon.

Now to The Witch's Grave. Ophelia's been having sexy dreams and sudden;y her dream lover is right in front of her but as soon as she meets him he's shot. Did Ophelia lose her soul mate before having the chance to love him in this life or was it just not meant to be?

My full review of The Witch's Grave will soon be on NightOwlRomance.com, I'll post a link when it is up.

Really fabulous book. I love Abby and Ophelia. I hope to see more of them soon.