Blog Tour: A Witch's Tale By Maralee Lowder (Review + Interview)

I would like to welcome Maralee Lowder to The Avid Reader today. Thanks for stopping by Maralee. Please be sure and check out Maralee's novel A Witch's Tale. Check out my review of A Witch's Tale and my interview with Maralee.

Book Title: A Witch's Tale

Author: Maralee Lowder

ISBN: 13: 978-1481023979

ISBN: 10: 1481023977

Publisher: Taylor Street Books

PURCHASE

A Witch's Tale

Amazon

BOOK DESCRIPTION

A Witch's Tale

When hard-bittern reporter Mac McCormick is sent to Port Bellmont to report on the chilling death of the popular Reverend Elkins who has been found ritually sacrificed in a field just outside the town, he encounters an enraged crowd baying for the blood of a coven of witches whom it believes responsible for the crime.

However, when Mac subsequently meets the youngest of the witches, the beautiful flame-haired Cassie Adams, he immediately starts to doubt the crowd's interpretation of events - or has he just fallen under her cunning spell?

EXCERPT

A Witch's Tale

"Hey! Watch it, you moron!" Mac widened his stance, planting his feet more firmly on the pavement. This mob scene should not have come as a surprise to a reporter with Mac's experience. Nothing like a good burning at the stake to bring out the crowds, he reflected, sizing up the gathering mob.

Jockeying for a more advantageous position, he cast a searching glance over the rapidly growing mass of humanity.

At least a couple hundred people, both reporters and locals, had converged before the front steps of the tiny courthouse.

The sidewalk had long since reached critical mass, forcing citizens and the media alike out onto the street, until it had become necessary to divert traffic around the growing crowd.

Though he'd used the term 'witch hunt' often enough in the past, Mac had never expected to actually witness one.

And yet, here he was, smack-dab in the middle of a scene that belonged more in the seventeenth century than the twentieth.

Unconsciously licking his lips, he thought of the story he would file, one that had drawn him to this small town on California's north coast. It was a story which possessed all the elements of a paranormal mystery, complete with a coven of lovely young witches. Before he was through with it, every man, woman and child in the USA would be afraid to sleep at night, sure that, left unguarded, their souls would be ripped from their unsuspecting bodies by evil witches.

INTERVIEW

Maralee Lowder

The Avid Reader: What inspired you to write A Witch's Tale?

Maralee Lowder: The concept of A Witch's Tale came from two places. The choice of having my heroine be Wiccan came from my fascination with all religious beliefs. The choice of locations came from my love of the Northern California coast. The drama of the ocean pounding over boulder strewn shores contrasts perfectly with the mystery and splendor of the majestic redwood forests, creating an atmosphere perfectly suited for a tale of mystery and love.

The Avid Reader: When or at what age did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Maralee Lowder: I was not an early bloomer when it came to writing. My first love was the theater. From an early age I was convinced I would one day be another Sarah Barnhart. But there came a time when I realized having the career I dreamed of would not allow me to be the sort of wife and mother I wanted to be, so I left acting behind. I have never regretted that decision. As it turned out, my experience on the stage was a powerful tool when I turned to writing. I was in my early 40s when I first tackled writing a novel. Although that might seem like a late start, it was the only way to go for me. All writers are told, "Write what you know". Up until then I didn't know all that much!

The Avid Reader: What is the earliest age you remember reading your first book?

Maralee Lowder: That's an easy question! It was in the first grade and the book was one of the Dick and Janes. I remember it so well because I had a heck of a time learning to read. I was so bad at it that my teacher told my parents the only way she could pass me on to the second grade was if I took the book home and practiced reading it throughout my summer vacation.

The Avid Reader: What genre of books do you enjoy reading?

Maralee Lowder: I enjoy so many genres! But, if I had to choose just one, I'd say mysteries.

The Avid Reader: What is your favorite book?

Maralee Lowder: More often than not, it's the book I am currently reading. For many years my favorite book, and one I read more times than I can remember, was Jane Eyre. If I were going to reread a book today, it would have to be "books", and they would be the Harry Potter series.

The Avid Reader: You know I think we all have a favorite author. Who is your favorite author and why?

Maralee Lowder: Oh, boy, another "favorite" question. I don't think I can choose just one. J.K. Rawling would be my first choice, of course. But I also love Janet Evonivich for her crazy sense of humor. And Joseph Wambaugh for his police procedural novels.

The Avid Reader: If you could travel back in time here on earth to any place or time. Where would you go and why?

Maralee Lowder: Boy, you really ask tough questions! Only one place and one time? I guess if I can only choose one, I'd have to go with California back in the gold rush times. Although I would love to go everywhere on earth at many different historical eras, this would be my first choice because I can't remember a time in my life when I haven't been fascinated with the gold rush. I have had a passionate relationship with the gold fields on the northern loop of Highway 49 from the first time I went there as a young child.

The Avid Reader: When writing a book do you find that writing comes easy for you or is it a difficult task?

Maralee Lowder: It can go either way. A Witch's Tale came to me fairly easily. The book I am currently working on is a far different story, unfortunately.

The Avid Reader: Do you have any little fuzzy friends? Like a dog or a cat? Or any pets?

Maralee Lowder: I currently have two dogs - Molly, a beautiful little Shelty, and Crazy Brian, a mixed black Labrador and Rhodesian Razorback.

The Avid Reader: What is your "to die for", favorite food/foods to eat?

Maralee Lowder: My husband and I both agree that if we were left on a desert island with only one type of food, our choice would be Mexican. I think I could live on it! Any and all of it, with the exception of mole.

The Avid Reader: Do you have any advice for anyone that would like to be an author?

Maralee Lowder: Yes, of course. (I'm a mother, so I have advice for just about everything!) My advice is to become a writer only if you love it. I've known too many people who decide to write a book so they can make tons of money. If that's your only reason for writing, my advice would be to try another profession. But if you love to write, go for it.

If writing is your career choice, write the kind of books you like to read. AND, (and this is a big and), join a writing group in your genre. When I first started out I was writing romances. A wonderful friend told me about Romance Writers of America, which is absolutely wonderful. I can honestly say I never left a RWA meeting without learning something useful. It was the most supportive organization I have ever attended. I frequently recommend new writers join RWA even if they don't write romance if there is no other organization of their particular genre available to them. Beside the genre itself, RWA offers an opportunity to learn the publishing industry, as well as basic writing skills. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Thank you for the opportunity to meet with you and your readers. It has been a lot of fun!

All my best wishes.

MY REVIEW

A Witch's Tale

The following review is my opinion and not a paid review. I was given a copy of A Witch's Tale from the author for review via Bewitching Book Tours.

Cassie Adams' mother has been framed and charged with a murder that she did not commit. The whole town of Port Bellmont including the sheriff believe that she committed the murder. The reason that they think that she is the killer is because her mother is the High Priestess of the local wiccan coven. But what the town doesn't know or understand is that the murders were committed using dark magic. Cassie and her mother's coven only use good magic and would never harm anyone.

When her mother was arrested she was not the only one the sheriff took into custody. Cassie her mother and some of the other members of the coven were taken in also but were released. As she was leaving the jail Cassie saw a man who was a reporter, Mac that works for a sleazy newspaper called The Inquisitor. Although Cassie did not know anything about Mac and had never met him she knew that he was the only person that she could trust to help her save her mother.

Mac had once been a world famous reporter but he turned to alcohol and let it ruin his career. When Mac looked into Cassie's eyes he knew he had to help her. Mac saw in Cassie's eyes a very loving, caring and trust worthy person. He realized that there was no way he could make up a story in this instance he would have to find the truth. Cassie gave him back his life I guess you could say.

You know I don't understand how people can judge someone for what they believe in. Why can't they get to know that person and find out who they are? What you believe in does not make you who you are or what kind of person you are. How can someone be mean to another person just because they don't believe the same way that they do? They will treat them like they are dirt under their feet to be stepped on or walked over. Just because someone may not believe like you do does not automatically make them a bad person. I don't understand how people can claim to love everybody but at the same time hate someone just because they are different that they are.

I really enjoyed reading A Witch's Tale because Cassie was a real genuine heroine. I mean she knew that Mac was a good person before and after she found out who he worked for. She never judged him or even gave him any hassle for who he worked for. She just knew and could feel it in her bones that he was someone she could trust. She knew that he would never let her down or hurt her on purpose.

Mac was also a genuine hero for believing in Cassie and her coven. For knowing that they were good people and he knew that they would never hurt a living soul. He stood by Cassie and helped her investigate the murders trying to prove that her mother was innocent. Just because he had to turn to working for a sleazy newspaper did not make him a bad person inside. What reason did he turn to drinking which eventually caused him to lose his job and his reputation?

About the Author

Maralee Lowder found so much pleasure in reading such a wide spectrum of romance genres, she has never been able to write in just one. Her novels run the gamut of contemporary, historical, humorous, horror, paranormal and suspense.

Look for the sequel to "The Morticians Wife" coming soon

ONLINE LINKS

Website

Authors Den

Twitter

GIVEAWAY

5 print copies of A Witch's Tale

5 ebooks of A Witch's Tale

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure and check out all the other stops on the tour.

TOUR SCHEDULE

December 14 Guest blog Fang-tastic Books