Welcome Imogene Nix

I'd like to welcome Imogene Nix to the Blog today. Imogene is dropping by as part of her Blog Tour for The Illuminated Witch, the second book in her Blood Secrets Trilogy. Take it away, Imogene... ☺

Things I had to learn

When I sat down to write The Illuminated Witch, it seemed easy. After all, how hard could writing about witches be? I mean we see witches on the screen regularly. Who remembers the original Bewitched?

But as I started to dive into the story, it stalled. I couldn’t understand why, until someone made a comment about witches and I started doing some research. You see, learning about witches and Wicca isn’t exactly what we see on television or read in books.

I was also incredibly lucky, that at that time, a course was about to be run on writing about witchcraft for romance. Wow! Did that open my eyes, especially as we had a certified witch who also happened to be an author running it.

Without this course, I think my witches would have come off as not just flaky, but thin and transparent. Without any real substance. Most of my witchcraft scenes were actually run by this woman and she gave me the tick of approval, so I was able to do justice to Celina.

Of course, now that the sequel, The Sorcerer’s Touch is coming due, I feel I need to contact her again, just to read through the magic scenes. But I’m already getting excited about it.

Ciao

Imogene

Blurb:

Celina has always been alone, until the new Master, Javed, draws her close. But danger and passion are never far away.

After years of struggling alone, Celina—a witchling of immense power—must find her place in the world of vampires.

But while Javed is building a new nest—the first new one in a century—and struggling to overcome his own demons, an ancient evil stirs.

Now with Celina in danger, time running out and the demands of a fledgling nest, can their love possibly overcome every obstacle?

Reader Advisory: This book contains brief reference to incest.

Buy Links:

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Kobo http://bit.ly/1pwJdjR

Excerpt:

Celina grabbed her aching head. Another headache, just like the day before, but perhaps it was more violent. Her stomach lurched uncertainly and she rubbed her belly while it heaved and roiled. It was only four in the afternoon, too early to head home, but she glanced around the office, looking vainly for an escape.

“Hey, Celina? Can you cover for me tomorrow? I’m going to call in sick ‘cause I’ve got a hot date tomorrow night,” Sylvia, her cubicle mate, whispered to her excitedly.

Celina closed her eyes. Great. Just what I need. “Honestly? Syl, I don’t know. I’m not feeling so great.” She mumbled a little, knowing what Sylvia’s reaction would be.

“Have you been to see the doctor yet?”

Celina swivelled in her seat and cast a dark glance at her workmate. “I’m going to call—” Her words ended abruptly as the lights dimmed and went out. “Damn… This is like the third time this month. What the hell is going on?” The heat of the office space swelled as the air conditioning failed. The cloying scents of a multitude of perfumes and hot sweaty bodies in the summer wave closed in on her.

Celina’s tummy jostled once more, demanding her attention. She rose, racing unerringly to the bathroom, making it just in time to empty the contents violently into the toilet. The clunk of the door somewhere behind alerted her to the fact that she was no longer alone. She sighed loudly. Sylvia had followed her, she knew. The sound of wood banging closed reverberated off the walls. The ensuing echo splintered her thoughts.

“Celina, you have to see the doctor.” There was concern in Sylvia’s voice and Celina shied away from it.

Celina leaned limply against the wall of the stall, the dim security lighting flickering in and out. “Yeah, I think you’re right.” She didn’t want to face it, but the headaches had become an almost everyday occurrence in the past few months. One she’d tried to ignore, but with little success. But something had to be wrong. Her stomach quivered at the possible reasons.

She pushed away from the wall and headed for the sink, turned the tap and was rewarded by the sound of running water. Celina scooped the liquid up, washed her face and swilled some around in her mouth, trying to banish the sour taste. Her knees shook like wet noodles beneath her.

“Okay, I’ll ring in the morning and see how soon I can get in for an appointment.” A sound from outside caught her hearing, a thudding noise, as if someone was testing the door. She wouldn’t be able to hide from the problems for much longer and right now, she really needed some air. “We’d better get out there.”

“Yeah. Okay.” She heard the concern in Sylvia’s voice. “Will you be okay to get home?”

They slowly made their way through the door and back into the office, where the blast of heat and the waft of body essences made her want to gag again. She struggled through one shallow breath then another.

“I’m planning on going straight home anyway.” Celina shuffled towards her desk and groped around in the dark, hunting for her phone. She grasped it in her damp hand and pressed the screen, waiting for it to lighten sufficiently to see her desk. She spied her bag and opened the desk to find her keys. “It looks like these are going to be out for a while. Can you…?” She indicated the light fittings, then towards the office at the end of the row, hoping Sylvia would understand.

“I’ll go tell the supervisor. You go on. Head home and take some painkillers.”

With a small nod, which she quickly regretted as a pulse wavered through her throbbing skull, Celina headed to the emergency stairs. As she passed desks she saw others grabbing up their items, including laptops. No doubt they obviously thought the same thing.

Finally she made her way down the fourteen flights of stairs. On the way she heard many voices, some shrill and others filled with laughter in the darkness. Here and there she caught glimpses of light, probably from mobiles, illuminating the gloom.

One foot after another she plodded down the steps, her head aching viciously and finally, light glowed ahead and a breeze started to clear the stuffy wooliness from her head.

* * * *

Javed shook his head. The missive he held in his hands filled him with emotions he hadn’t experienced in hundreds of years. He knew what it was. It was confusion. The sense of having the carpet jerked out from beneath him. His hands felt clammy.

“So… That’s your destiny, there in your hands.”

His hand shook and the sound of parchment moving back and forth filled the air. He held not just his destiny, but also that of so many others.

He glanced at Xavier, his master, and Hope. They were two very powerful vampires as well as his friends. “I don’t know what to say.”

Hope rose and glided towards him. “You don’t have to say anything. We will say it all. Your leaving us on one level makes us sad, but you will be a master in your own right. You’ve earned this.”

Javed wanted to sputter and stop her words, but he couldn’t. The intent of the letter was clear. On the night of the next full moon, Cressida would grant him his own nest. He would be elevated to the position of master.

If that wasn’t enough to accept, there was the knowledge that there hadn’t been a new house in over a century.

There was so much to do. So many decisions to make and all of them would fall on him. He would need to choose a Yeux Secondes, the human who would oversee the financial and day-to-day aspects of the nest. He would also require a second, a guardian who would stand at his side. A fellow warrior, in whom he could place his trust, one who would help him build a safe haven in their house. He would need witches to help protect the vampires and followers… Where the hell do I even start with that?

“You’ll need a house. Somewhere for your people to call home.” Hope grinned and he saw the lurking humour she couldn’t quell. “I know of an interior designer, if you want their details?”

He rolled his eyes, remembering the problems she’d had with her parents before she had been turned and the way she’d arranged for the entire block of units to be furnished. It had taken her one night to order and arrange for the delivery of all the furniture. Unlike the immense task her mother had proposed.

But her smile died away as her own memories must have surfaced.

“I don’t know about that, but if you’re offering help, then I’ll accept it. I don’t have a clue where to start.” He moved back to the armchair and slumped into it. “I don’t usually concern myself with those types of problem.” He allowed his head to drop into his hands and muttered. “I don’t think I’m ready yet.”

A soft touch on his shoulder captured his attention. “Cressida thinks you are. Otherwise she would not have petitioned the Councillors. Now come on. You need to start planning. We have one month to arrange your investiture…”

About Imogene:

Wife, mother and nutty bookstore owner all describe Imogene Nix, but the real secret is Science Fiction, Paranormal Romance with a hefty dose of Romantic Suspense is what she adores. Dedicated to high quality romance, with a dollop of erotic interactions, Imogene has dipped her toes into Science Fiction, Contemporary Rural Romance and Paranormal Romance featuring feisty headstrong female leads.

About The Illuminated Witch:

The Illuminated Witch is the second in the Blood Secrets Trilogy. The first, The Blood Bride, was an ARe and Totally Bound Best Seller.

How to follow Imogene:

Blog: www.imogenenix.blogspot.com

Website: www.imogenenix.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/ImogeneNix

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ImogeneNix

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