Do you have a fear of Halloween?
Then you suffer from Samhainopobia.
I don't fit in that category! Do you?
Today Halloween is attracting adults in a masquerade type atmosphere, much like Mardi Gras. Their costumed antics mock, challenge and tease the mysterious, possible malevolent forces of the night. The otherworld becomes our world on this night of enchanted possibilities and transcendence. Are we reaffirming death as a part of life in an exhilarating celebration of magic for an evening? Or like me, just enjoying the air of celebration on a night the veil between the living and dead is purported to be the thinnest. Every year with the help of my hubby, I decorate our house to the hilt on the first day of October and revel in Halloween décor the entire month.
Most present day Halloween traditions are traceable to the ancient Celtic day of the dead. Halloween consists of mysterious customs, but each has a history, or at least a story behind it. Take wearing costumes, and roaming from door to door demanding treats. This behavior can be traced to the Celtic period and the first few centuries of the Christian era, when it was thought that the souls of the dead were out and about, along with fairies, witches, and demons. Offerings of food and drink were left out to placate them. As the centuries wore on, people began dressing like these creatures, performing antics in exchange for food and drink. This is where the practice of trick-or-treating began. To this day, vampires, witches, ghosts, and skeletons are among the favorite costumes.
Our Halloween also retains activities from the original harvest holiday of Samhain, such as bobbing for apples and carving vegetables, (pumpkins) as well as the fruits, nuts, and spices for cider associated with the day. Although at my house, hot chocolate is pretty popular, since Halloween almost guarantees the first snow of the year.
Well, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to don my vampire costume, custom fitted fangs and pull up a stool in the shadows of my front door, candy bowl on a stand beside me. I sneakily turn on the fog machine and out of the mist greet the little trick or treaters or scare the bejeebers out of the older ones with bats hanging over head and screeching on my command. Won’t you join me? Happy Halloween!
A Magic Redemption
A Demon’s Witch Series
Book Five
Tena Stetler
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Date of Publication: 12-5-18
ISBN: 978-1-5092-2343-5
ASIN: B07JVN4DYD
Number of pages: 322
Word Count: 80,585
Cover Artist: Kristian Norris
Tagline: Even with magic, finding your place in the world proves more difficult than imagined especially when someone is out for revenge.
Book Description:
Synn, a demon, carries extraordinary magic and power, but there is more within her than she dreams. Kidnapped as a child, her captors murdered her family and forced her into training as a warrior assassin.
When an assignment goes horribly wrong, she finds herself at the mercy of the friends and family of her intended target. Offering valuable information in exchange for protection, she gains her freedom, but it is not without its challenges.
Gavin Shaughnessy is the publican at his family’s Irish pub. He is certain Synn is meant to be his and isn’t bothered by her past. He must find a way to convince her their future together is stronger than the dark memories that haunt her dreams.
When her past comes calling for revenge, will their love survive the raging inferno she brings down upon them? Or will the searing path of destruction destroy all they hold dear.
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/lELj0amtkk8
Excerpt:
The
road to her cottage took them by the pub. He didn’t want to spoil a great day
by stopping by Shaughnessy’s. But he had a nagging feeling that was exactly
what he was supposed to do. Prior experience taught him nothing but trouble
would come if he ignored his gut. “Mind if we stop by the pub on the way home.
Storm can stay in the truck for a few minutes. I want to make sure—”
“Everything
is all right?”
“Of
course it’s all right. I’ve taken time off before.” Gavin bristled. “I had a
life before—” He stopped mid-sentence. No way was he going to spoil this day.
She
shifted in her seat to face him. “Before what? Me? Before your sister married
an assassin? Or Brandy became engaged to a vampire? Before your world came
crashing down amid demons, vampires, witches, and world ending shit?” She
paused, closed her eyes, and leaned her head against the seat again. “I didn’t
mean that. I’ve been on edge since the dream—nightmare—premonition. Call it
what you want. Today was a nice reprieve. But when we hit the edge of town—what’d
you call ’em—” she tapped her temple. “My spidey senses went off.” She
shivered.
About the Author:
Tena Stetler is a
best-selling author of award winning paranormal romance. She has an over-active
imagination, which led to writing her first vampire romance as a tween to the
chagrin of her mother and delight of her friends. After many years as a
paralegal, then an IT Manager, she decided to live out her dream of pursuing a
publishing career.
With the Rocky
Mountains outside her window, she sits at her computer surrounded by a wide
array of witches, shapeshifters, demons, faeries, and gryphons, with a Navy
SEAL or two mixed in telling their tales. Her books tell stories of magical
kick-ass women and mystical alpha males that dare to love them. Travel,
adventure and a bit of mystery flourish in her books along with a few companion
animals to round out the tales.
Colorado is home;
shared with her husband of many moons, a brilliant Chow Chow, a spoiled parrot
and a forty-five-year-old box turtle. When she’s not writing, her time is spent
kayaking, camping, hiking, biking or just relaxing in the great Colorado
outdoors. During the winter you can find her curled up in front of a crackling fire with a good book, a
mug of hot chocolate and a big bowl of popcorn. Visit Tena’s website at
tenastetler.com where you’ll find links to all of her books, blog and pictures
of recent travels and setting of her books.
Website: http://www.tenastetler.com
Authors’ Secret’s Blog - http://www.tenastetler.com/category/authors-secrets-blog/
My Say What Blog - http://www.tenastetler.com/category/my-say-what-blog/
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/tenastetler.author
Twitter Page: www.twitter.com/TenaStetler
The Wild Rose Press: http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/1264_tena-stetler
Newsletter: http://www.tenastetler.com/newsletter-signup/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/tenastetler
Tribber - http://triberr.com/TenaStetler
Thanks so much for featuring A Magic Redemption on the Halloween Spooktacular!
ReplyDelete