My great grandmother Margaret O’Hara was from County Tyrone, Ireland—and because of unfortunate circumstances, she was basically the one who raised my mother in the U.S. While I was growing up, my mother often talked about Margaret O’Hara’s superstitions as well as the unique, “enchanted” way she had of viewing the world. It was my mother’s internalization of that enchantment that made her an exceptionally creative woman—someone who had endless artistic ability and was always able to think “outside the box” (almost as if she’d tapped into some special “force” that helped her! She was truly a brilliant woman). As an adult, I really began to revere that legacy as something akin to sacred, because I see what happens when people rely solely on “logic” and the material world—they seem to lead impoverished lives of the soul. Creativity, imagination, instinct, vision, even love—these are the intangibles that cannot be “measured”, but without them our lives lose meaning. For me,” fairy magic” is a metaphor for what is deeply valuable—and sometimes overlooked—in our modern, technology-focused society. “Fairy magic” represents the courage to go by feel, even when everything around you seems so dark, because you’re willing to believe that something higher might just be guiding you to a better future—and to miracles…

I personally love it in in Chapter 22 of TWIXT when it occurs to Rose that her stalwart, no-nonsense sister Laurel has been able to see the fairies (or “good people”) all along—she was just too scared to admit it! And then Rose says, “Maybe everyone can see them, if they really want to.” (I personally believe that sentiment, by the way—and yes, I actually saw a fairy once! And I wasn’t even inebriated ;).

Caffeine!! And getting up very early in the morning (before the children do) to write—that’s my safeguard, the only way I know to remain consistent as a writer. Also, find a great writing buddy who you can set mutual goals and sprint challenges with to help keep you honest. Great cupcakes don’t hurt! (Insert wink at Athena Grayson here 🙂 )

Everyone in Ophir Creek, Idaho knows the wild legend of Corvine O’Dannan, a mysterious Irish woman with “fairy powers” who came to town during the gold rush to find her fortune, only to be betrayed by her lover and meet a tragic end-Fast forward to the twenty-first century, and her descendent Rose doesn’t have time for such nonsense! After a crash-and-burn marriage, she’s returned to her hometown to renovate her father’s gold-panning business and to start over. But everything changes on her 30th birthday when her friend talks her into doing a love spell. Unbeknownst to them, they conjure the spirit of the very same man who once tormented Rose’s ancestor. Why? Because Rose was Corvine O’Dannan in a past life-and her really bad habit of attracting Mr. Wrong still haunts her, and now jeopardizes her very life…

What Rose doesn’t realize is that along with this dark curse comes an extraordinary blessing-in the form of a soul guardian named Chance Murphy who’s been protecting her for centuries. But this time around, the evil spirit that plagues Rose has stolen Chance’s body. So the only way that Chance can reach her is late at night in her dreams, when he appears as a magical raven who escorts her to an enchanted island off the coast of Ireland. There, Chance becomes a man again, and he shows Rose how to heal her past through the fairies’ special brand of magic. But will Rose finally be able to forge a new future and make the man of her dreams become real? Only if she can once again believe…

Pick up your copy of Twixt and be prepared to believe this weekend for FREE!