#AtoZChallenge - The Power Animal

When I first began to write Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel), I had no idea of the twists and turns that were ahead of me for the Redcliffe novels. There was never even meant  to be a trilogy, much less a series. It just sort of happened. And now we are in a crazy world populated by powerful witches, possessive vampires, and proud werewolves. And a very intriguing Power animal familiar.

The power animal can take many forms. It can be a domestic pet, such as your beloved cat or dog. It can be a creature that visits your dreams, recurring, offering support, guidance or advice. It can be an ethereal creature that lives in a parallel world accessed through your human mind… really? Apparently so! That is how I met the power animal familiar of our new witch Jessica Stone. Suri, the snow tiger, made her dramatic appearance in my second novel, Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel). She is a force to be reckoned with, not least because she has set her sights on the alpha werewolf, Danny Mason, and she detests the vampire, his identical twin brother, Jack.

Power animals are confusing creatures. Witches and shamans traditionally revere them for their wisdom and knowledge of the universe. Totems are created in their honour, and rituals are performed at different times of the year, and to represent different needs or situations. A power animal can offer deep spiritual fulfilment. They can also offer a strange version of reality that sits awkwardly with ‘real’ humans and their daily drama. When Jessica Stone meets her power animal in the Redcliffe novels, she embarks on a wild adventure, all within the peaceful confines of a picturesque, English seaside resort town.

If you are interested in seeing other participants for the #AtoZChallenge, check them out on the official website. We have everything from book stuff, to cooking, to photography, to travel, and a whole lot more. Happy April!

*Power animal image found on Pinterest

#AtoZChallenge - Use Your Imagination

One of the big lessons I learned when I embarked on my spiritual journey many years ago, was that to access the paranormal, or supernatural world, you must be able to use your Imagination. When I was a child I was always told by adults that I had a very vivid imagination. I saw lots of things that maybe other people did not see, but to me it was normal. As I grew older I tried to ignore my imagination, believing it to be childish and wrong. But then, when I seriously started practising in the spiritual world, I realised just how important my imagination was, and is, as a tool for divination and understanding.

This is a lesson that Jessica Stone must accept if she is to learn how to be an effective witch. Her magical power and strength has burst forth in a chaotic stormcloud of energy. She is confused, angry and irritable, because she does not know what to do with all of these intense feelings and emotions. It takes a while for her to accept her new position in the world, although she has to make some snap decisions in the face of scheming vampires and warring werewolves. She is unfortunate enough to be caught in a powerful love triangle, but the love is perhaps better explained as lust. All of this adds to the magic and confusion, and Jessica must learn to work with it, or the whole thing will consume her and leave her broken.

Jessica learns that she must allow her imagination to be free if she is to explore the full potential of her witchcraft. This is explained to her by her witch mentor, Crystal, who supervises some meditation sessions in which Jessica can access the world in which her animal familiar resides. Suri, the snow tiger, is an ethereal creature, and she is trapped within a magical world accessed only by Jessica. Using her imagination, Jessica can meditate on the world that she sees in her mind, and she can speak freely with Suri, to learn more about her power animal and how they can work together to manage the vampires and werewolves.

If you are interested in seeing other participants for the #AtoZChallenge, check them out on the official website. We have everything from book stuff, to cooking, to photography, to travel, and a whole lot more. Happy April! 

*Imagination image found on Pinterest

#AtoZChallenge - Every Witch has a Familiar

As we progress through the Redcliffe novels and learn about Jessica Stone’s hidden heritage as a witch, we begin to learn more about her new position in the world, and what it means as she fights to maintain a relationship with her vampire lover. It is a very passionate embrace with Jack one night that brings forward Jessica’s animal Familiar, Suri, an ancient and magical snow tiger.

Traditionally, animal familiars are believed to be in the spirit of the domestic black cat, but I believe this may be a very old literary invention, although I cannot be sure. Anyway, I had always believed that a witch’s familiar was a physical, living animal. I now know that is far from the truth. A familiar can also be a spirit animal, a ghost-like creature that is intelligent and powerful, and that lives in an ethereal other world accessed directly by the witch. Perhaps they take the physical form of their animal kin on occasion, and perhaps this will happen with Suri at some point, but I am still getting to know Jessica’s animal familiar, and she is an unpredictable and proud creature.

 Jessica finds it hard to believe that a being as powerful as Suri could have remained hidden and undiscovered for nearly thirty years, but perhaps she will find the answers as we continue reading about her adventures. Certainly, book 4 in the series, my current work in progress, Eye of the Tiger (A Redcliffe Novel), is all about the snow tiger and her power games with Jessica’s boyfriend and his brother. Suri is excited to be free after such a long imprisonment. She is full of energy, and she wants to cause mischief in the Redcliffe wolf pack.

 If you are interested in seeing other participants for the #AtoZChallenge, check them out on the official website. We have everything from book stuff, to cooking, to photography, to travel, and a whole lot more. Happy April! 

*Witch and her familiar image found on Pinterest

Supernatural Chaos in Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel) #HDH

Hello and welcome to the Hump Day Hook. Today I offer another excerpt from my third novel Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel). The young witch, Jessica Stone, is struggling to contain the power of her animal familiar. In this snippet, she has caused a little trouble with the Redcliffe werewolf pack…

“Jessica,” Simon said from his position in the living room, “Are you alright?”
Suri heard him and she turned her head.  I turned mine to face Simon, and I could feel the heat of my eyes as the power swirled hot and heavy around me once again.  Simon’s expression changed from concern to alarm, his eyes widening.  He held out his hands in a submissive gesture as he recognized the tiger in my gaze.  I smiled, and I knew it was more of a grimace by the tightness of my lips.  I advanced slowly upon the wolf lieutenant.
“I am well,” I said in a silky voice, “But I am hungry.”
Simon backed away, walking behind the sofa, preparing to fend me off as I approached.
“Jessica,” he said, “Jessica, please don’t do this.  I am not the alpha.  I am not Danny.  I cannot give you what you need.”

The Redcliffe novels are available in paperback and eBook formats, from retailers including Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble, and Waterstones. There will be more in the series, but first I have the small matter of expecting a baby to contend with…

Now, why not check out some more Hump Day Hook excerpts over on our blog? Or you can join us on Facebook. Happy Humping!