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The Enchantment of a Good Witch

4/27/2016

by Kristina Wojtaszek

CHAR is second in a series begun by my novella OPAL, the main character of which is no longer the young queen Opal, but an entirely new character named Luna. Luna came to me in a series of images that caught my imagination and clung. Like the Changing Woman of myth, representing the phases of the moon and the life of a female as daughter, mother and old crone, I glimpsed Luna in a series of roles. I first saw her as a child, barefoot and cloaked in red, standing in the center of a ring of thrones, courageously awaiting her fate at the hands of a powerful few. Next I saw a young woman with skin the color of night, slipping silently from the human world on the wings of a moth (hence the name Luna, which means “of the moon.” Luna is also a species of magnificent moths). But perhaps the most impressive image I had was that of a woman made haggard by her own grief and isolation, living in a house of human bones and charred wood, alone in a world that shunned her, whispered accusations of a witch growing like poison around her.

That last image served as the beginning of CHAR, with the rest of the “witch’s” story unfolding in the heart of the book. Who could love a murderous witch with uncontrollable power?

That was my starting point, because I knew her story was more than the rumors, and I knew that it was her I loved best of all. Perhaps Luna is a shadow of myself, and of all women, who hold the powers of devastation and compassion in a single breath. As Luna walks the wooded paths of her story, learning the quiet language of plants, she struggles to conceal a passion and power that will threaten all she holds dear. Luna is also a scribe, a ruthless pursuer of knowledge through stories, and a writer of her own when what she learns fails to satisfy her. Along the way, she finds herself unsettled in love, caught easily in the webs of affection woven around her, yet struggling to free her wings, unravel her past, and find her own destiny. Shunned and beloved, feared and admired, Luna is the embodiment of Changing Woman’s magical shifting, from child to crone and over again, her light and shadows altering in the night sky.

To tell the truth, I found myself watching the moon instead of my path and got a bit lost in the telling; Luna took over a story I hadn’t initially intended to be hers. Ah, well. Such is the enchantment of a good witch.

Kristina Wojtaszek grew up as a woodland sprite and mermaid, playing around the shores of Lake Michigan. At any given time she could be found with live snakes tangled in her hair and worn out shoes filled with sand. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Management as an excuse to spend her days lost in the woods with a book in hand. Now a mother of two little tricksters and their menagerie of small beasts, she continues to conjure bits of fantasy during the rare spell of silence. Her fairy tales, ghost stories, poems and YA fiction have been published by World Weaver Press, Far Off Places and Sucker Literary Magazine. Follow her @KristinaWojtasz or on her blog, Twice Upon a Time.

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[Out Now] Char by Kristina Wojtaszek

4/26/2016

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World Weaver Press (Sarena Ulibarri, Editor-in-Chief) has announced CHAR, the second book in the Fae of Fire and Stone series and the highly-anticipated sequel to Opal by Kristina Wojtaszek that follows an isolated Fae struggling to save her people, is available in trade paperback and ebook today, Tuesday, April 26, 2016.

Fire is never tame—least of all the flames of our own kindling.

Raised in isolation by the secretive Circle of Seven, Luna is one of the few powerful beings left in a world dominated by man. Versed in ancient fairy tales and the language of plants, Luna struggles to control her powers over fire. When Luna’s mentor dies in her arms, she is forced into a centuries-long struggle against the gravest enemy of all Fae-kind—the very enemy that left her orphaned. In order to save her people, Luna must rewrite their history by entering a door in the mountain and passing back through time. But when the lives of those she loves come under threat, her rage destroys a forest, and everything in it. Now called the Char Witch, she is cursed to live alone, her name and the name of her people forgotten.

Until she hears a knock upon her long-sealed door.

Interwoven with elements of Hansel and Gretel and The Seven Ravens, Char is the standalone sequel to Opal, and second in the Fae of Fire and Stone trilogy.

Where to Buy

Ebook $3.99
Amazon Kindle (US)
Amazon Kindle (UK)
Amazon Kindle (Canada)
Barnes & Noble
iTunes/Apple iBooks
Kobo
OmniLit
World Weaver Press

Print $10.95
Amazon
World Weaver Press

Praise for Opal, FAe of Fire and Stone, Book One

“A fairy tale within a fairy tale within a fairy tale—the narratives fit together like interlocking pieces of a puzzle, beautifully told.”
— Zachary Petit, Editor, Writer’s Digest

“Twists and turns and surprises that kept me up well into the night. Fantasy and fairy tale lovers will eat this up and be left wanting more!”
— Kate Wolford, Editor and Publisher, Enchanted Conversation

“Lyrical, beautiful, and haunting … OPAL is truly a hidden gem. Wojtaszek [is] a talented new author and one well worth watching.”
— YA Fantastic Book Review

“Such a treat to read!”
— Bibliophilic Book Blog

“Fans of fairy tale retellings and stories involving Faeries will fall in love with Opal.”
— Chapter by Chapter

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A Time Travel Love Triangle: Vidar or Errol?

4/21/2016

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In Kristina Wojtaszek's new fantasy novel, CHAR, the main character, Luna, is a dark-skinned fae who must travel a century into the past to rewrite a book that will save her people from a brutal enemy. It is primarily a story about Luna's own self-discovery, and about relationships between women (including a few familiar characters from Wojtaszek's 2012 novella, OPAL). There is, however, a tasty romance subplot. Errol keeps watch over the mountain cabin where Luna periodically returns to her present timeline; Vidar is the scribe she falls for in the past timeline. The photos below are how the author imagines these two characters.

Excuse me for a moment while I drool on my keyboard.

Vidar, with his darker features, represents what is, to Luna, a character out of the shadows of a distant past--a love forbidden. On the other hand, the copper-haired, sun-tanned Errol is as familiar as day, and she is almost amazed to find him all the more intriguing for his steady devotion. They are almost the personas of moon and sun, of brash intellect and quiet intuition, and who could ever choose between them? But when her separate worlds eclipse, Luna will find herself forced to find some resolution.

Of course there's more to the equation than looks, and which man Luna will end up with is influenced by political and historical factors as much as on her own desires. But which one of these two would you pick as your next book boyfriend?

Char will be published April 26th, and is available for Pre-order now:

Ebook:
Amazon Kindle (US)
Amazon Kindle (UK)
Amazon Kindle (CA)
Barnes and Noble
Kobo
iTunes/Apple iBooks
OmniLit

Trade Paperback:
Amazon (US)
World Weaver Press

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Cover Unveiling and TOC Announcement: Sirens, Rhonda Parrish's Magical Menageries Volume 4

4/13/2016

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It is our pleasure to reveal the cover art and the table of contents for SIRENS, the fourth installment of Rhonda Parrish's Magical Menageries, following last year's dual anthologies CORVIDAE and SCARECROW, and the 2014 hit FAE. SIRENS will be available in print and ebook July 12, 2016. Huge thanks to Jonathan C. Parrish for this awesome cover design!

Sirens are beautiful, dangerous, and musical, whether they come from the sea or the sky. Greek sirens were described as part-bird, part-woman, and Roman sirens more like mermaids, but both had a voice that could captivate and destroy the strongest man. The pages of this book contain the stories of the sirens of old, but also allow for modern re-imaginings, plucking the sirens out of their natural elements and placing them at a high school football game, or in wartime London, or even into outer space.

Featuring stories by Kelly Sandoval, Amanda Kespohl, L.S. Johnson, Pat Flewwelling, Gabriel F. Cuellar, Randall G. Arnold, Michael Leonberger, V. F. LeSann, Tamsin Showbrook, Simon Kewin, Cat McDonald, Sandra Wickham, K.T. Ivanrest, Adam L. Bealby, Eliza Chan, and Tabitha Lord, these siren songs will both exemplify and defy your expectations.

Sirens Table of Contents:

Siren Seeking by Kelly Sandoval
The Fisherman and the Golem by Amanda Kespohl
We Are Sirens by L.S. Johnson
Moth to an Old Flame by Pat Flewwelling
The Bounty by Gabriel F. Cuellar
The Dolphin Riders by Randall G. Arnold
Is This Seat Taken? by Micheal Leonberger
Nautilus by V. F. LeSann
Siren’s Odyssey by Tamsin Showbrook
Safe Waters by Simon Kewin
Notefisher by Cat McDonald
Experience by Sandra Wickham
Threshold by K.T. Ivanrest
The Fisherman’s Catch by Adam L. Bealby
One More Song by Eliza Chan
Homecoming by Tabitha Lord

Sirens (Rhonda Parrish's Magical Menageries, #4)

Pre-Order:

Amazon Kindle (US)
Amazon Kindle (UK)
Amazon Kindle (Canada)
Kobo
Trade Paperback (World Weaver Press

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Cover unveiling: Omega Rising by Anna Kyle

4/6/2016

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We are thrilled to show off the sexy cover art for OMEGA RISING by Anna Kyle, the first book in the paranormal romance series Wolf King. OMEGA RISING will be available in ebook and paperback June 7, 2016. Special thanks to WWP founding editor Eileen Wiedbrauk for this cover design.

Cass Nolan has been forced to avoid the burn of human touch for her whole life, drawing comfort instead from her dreams of a silver wolf—her protector, her friend. When her stalking nightmares return, her imaginary dead sister’s ghost tells her to run, Cass knows she should listen, but the sinfully hot stranger she just hired to work on her ranch has her mind buzzing with possibilities. Not only does her skin accept Nathan’s touch, it demands it. Cass must make a decision—run again and hope she saves the people who have become her family, or stand and fight. Question is, will it be with Nathan or against him?

Nathan Rivers’ life is consumed by his quest to find the Omega wolf responsible for killing his brother, but when the trail leads him to Cass and her merry band of shapeshifters, his wolf wants only to claim her for himself. When evidence begins piling up that Cass is the Omega he’s been seeking, things become complicated—especially since someone else wants her dead. Saving her life might mean sacrificing his own, but it may be worth it to save the woman he can’t keep from reaching for.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Omega Rising

by Anna Kyle

Giveaway ends May 06, 2016.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Pre-Order
Amazon (US)
Amazon (UK)
Amazon (Canada)
Kobo
iTunes
OmniLit All Romance eBooks
Trade Paperback (World Weaver Press)

Can't wait until June to get your Wolf King fix? The second book in the series, SKYE FALLING, a Wolf King Novella, is available now!

Skye, a Fae-shapeshifter halfing, could die if she doesn’t find out how to wake her dormant wolf, so mere rumors of the Wolf King’s return are enough to convince her to sneak through the portal between Faerie and Chicago in search of his aid. But the dizzyingly bright lights and sounds of the human realm are too tempting to ignore. So is the sexy shapeshifter wolf intent on capturing her—the one who stirs her sleeping wolf just long enough to bind the handsome stranger in a mate-bond.

Lake is willing to do anything to protect the Wolf King, a man he also calls friend. So when he receives word that a Fae princess has slipped into Chicago, he suspects a plot to assassinate the Wolf King. He’s certain capturing her will be as easy as locating her—that was his first mistake. Not only is his wolf a little too interested in Skye, but the wolf accepts her mate-bond without any say-so from him. As he unravels the truth surrounding the smart-mouthed princess and whether she’s hunting his friend or being hunted by someone else, Lake’s mission changes: protect Skye at all costs. And keep her for himself.

aBOUT THE aUTHOR

Anna Kyle wrote her first story at age 12 on an old manual typewriter, and though the technology has changed, she hasn’t stopped since. She lives in the Midwest surrounded by family and friends and dogs and horses. They’ve forgiven her (mostly) when they appear in her stories. She reads everything she can get her hands on, but romances, especially paranormals, are her favorite. Vampires, humans, Fae, shapeshifters, or demons, it doesn’t matter—Anna’s heart goes pitter-pat for the Happily Ever After. Hot heroes + strong, funny heroines = awesome.

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Win Free Books! Five WWP Giveaways Happening Now

4/4/2016

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Want some free books? That's a silly question; of course you do. We have FIVE, count 'em, FIVE different giveaways happening right now for four different World Weaver Press books: CHAR by Kristina Wojtaszek, BITE SOMEBODY by Sara Dobie Bauer, THE FALLING OF THE MOON by AE Decker, and OMEGA RISING by Anna Kyle. All our current giveaways are for paperback versions.

Char by Kristina Wojtaszek

Two ways to win a paperback ARC of CHAR, a lyrical YA fantasy that re-imagines the real story behind the witch from Hansel and Gretel. CHAR is the sequel to Wojtaszek's 2012 novella OPAL, but it can also stand alone. CHAR is available for pre-order, and will be published April 26, 2016. Read an excerpt here.

Method One: Enter the CHAR Goodreads Giveaway, ends April 5, 2016!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Char

by Kristina Wojtaszek

Giveaway ends April 05, 2016.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Method Two: Enter the CHAR Enchanted Conversation Giveaway, ends April 10, 2016!

Leave a comment on this Enchanted Conversation page with a random number guess. Note: you must follow Enchanted Conversation on Twitter, Facebook, or other social media to be eligible to enter. (And really, you should be following them anyway!)

Full address for the Enchanted Conversation giveaway: http://www.fairytalemagazine.com/2016/04/char-books-giveaway.html?m=1

Bite Somebody by Sara Dobie Bauer

BITE SOMEBODY Goodreads Giveaway, ends April 30, 2016! Win a paperback ARC of BITE SOMEBODY, a paranormal romance about an awkward newbie vampire who's looking for the right guy to be her first bite. BITE SOMEBODY is a vampire beach read with an eighties soundtrack. BITE SOMEBODY is available for pre-order, and will be published June 21, 2016. Read an excerpt here.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Bite Somebody

by Sara Dobie Bauer

Giveaway ends April 30, 2016.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

The Falling of the Moon by A.E. Decker

THE FALLING OF THE MOON Goodreads Giveaway, ends May 1, 2016! Win a SIGNED paperback of THE FALLING OF THE MOON, a humorous fairy tale-inspired fantasy with a bat-winged cat companion, a big bad wolf who reads Dostoevsky, and a heroine determined to win the Prince and save her messed up kingdom. THE FALLING OF THE MOON is Book One of the Moonfall Mayhem series — be on the lookout later this year for news about Book Two! THE FALLING OF THE MOON was published October 27, 2015 and is available in ebook and paperback from all your favorite online retailers. Read an excerpt of THE FALLING OF THE MOON here.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Falling of the Moon

by A.E. Decker

Giveaway ends May 01, 2016.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Omega Rising by Anna Kyle

OMEGA RISING Goodreads Giveaway, ends May 6, 2016! Win a paperback ARC of OMEGA RISING, a paranormal romance about a shapeshifter who has always been burned by human touch, until a hot new stranger starts to work at her ranch and changes everything. OMEGA RISING is the first novel in the Wolf King series, and the following volume, SKYE FALLING: A WOLF KING NOVELLA is already available! OMEGA RISING will be available for pre-order soon, and will be published June 7, 2016. Read an excerpt of OMEGA RISING here.