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.