Please Welcome Author HEATHER BLAKE!

[becke_davis]

I'm excited to welcome HEATHER BLAKE, an author you may know better as HEATHER WEBBER.

Writing as Heather Blake, she has a wonderful new witchy mystery series featuring a mouse "familiar" named Pepe. Isn't this picture of Pepe darling? It's drawn by Heather's talented daughter!

[becke_davis]

Absolutely, Positively (Lucy Valentine Series #3) 

Truly, Madly (Lucy Valentine Series #1) 

Deeply, Desperately (Lucy Valentine Series #2) 

Weeding Out Trouble (Nina Quinn Series #5) 

Trouble in Bloom (Nina Quinn Series #4) 

Hearts Are Wild 

Surrender, My Love 

Digging Up Trouble (Nina Quinn Series #3) 

Trouble in Spades (Nina Quinn Series #2) 

A Hoe Lot of Trouble (Nina Quinn Series #1) 

Digging Up Trouble (Nina Quinn Series #3) 

Trouble in Spades (Nina Quinn Series #2) 

Secrets of the Heart              

Definitely, Maybe  

[becke_davis]

It Takes a Witch (Wishcraft Mystery Series #1)  

Overview

Darcy Merriweather has just discovered she hails from a long line of Wishcrafters-witches with the power to cast spells by making a wish. She's come to Enchanted Village to learn her trade but finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation...

 

Publishers Weekly

Blake successfully blends crime, magic, romance, and self-discovery in her lively debut, set in the Enchanted Village, a picturesque Salem, Mass., neighborhood that’s secretly the home to Wishcrafters, witches with the power to grant wishes (with certain restrictions). A sudden rise in crime—in particular, the murder of Alexandra Shively, a publicity seeker who claimed to be a Craft “high priestess”—has the community worried about the impact on the tourist trade. Suspicion falls on Sylar Dewitt, the owner of Third Eye Optometry, who was caught kneeling over Alexandra’s strangled body. When Sylar’s girlfriend asks her Wishcrafter niece, Darcy Merriweather, to investigate, Darcy soon realizes that Alexandra had more than one enemy in the village—and Sylar may not be as innocent as her aunt believes. Fans of paranormal cozies will look forward to the sequel. 

[becke_davis]

ABOUT HEATHER

Heather Blake grew up in a suburb of Boston, and enjoys going “home” in her novels. As a young mother, she tried her hand at writing novels and hasn’t looked back. Currently, Heather lives in the Cincinnati area with her family, and is currently hard at work on her next novel.

28 Things You May Not Know About Me

1) I am completely, hopelessly addicted to Dr Pepper.

2) Three of my favorite shows as a child were Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, and Quincy, M.D. (Is it any wonder I write what I do?)

3) I can eat a whole sleeve of Girl Scout Thin Mints without thinking twice. They’re there, and then they’re (poof!) gone.
4) I change my mind a lot.
5) I love animals and include them in all my books. (Except animal # 22)
6) I wake up every morning with a song in my head. (Sometimes one from #26)
7) My first trip to Salem, Massachusetts, was when I was a sixth-grader on a field trip.

8) I once quit a job at McDonald’s because I was only given a five cent raise.

9) I look forward to the first snow of the year every winter.

10) I like to be in complete control of the TV remote.
11) I'm a mass of contradictions.

12) Still own a pair of ice skates I used as a child (yet have not been ice skating in over twenty years!).

13) I’m a very good driver (probably as a result of learning to drive in Massachusetts).

14) I don't like merry go-rounds or carousels. Hello, dizziness.

15) I once kissed a dolphin (and loved it!).
16) I'm very stubborn about certain things. (Despite # 4)

17) I collect tiny glass and ceramic bowls.
18) One of my favorite places is Stowe, Vermont.
19) I once wanted to be a medical examiner. (Thanks to the doc from #2)

20) One of my favorite items on my desk is a laughing Buddha.

21) I am as klutzy as people come—and have the scars to prove it.
22) I hate, hate, hate centipedes.
23) I like fried chicken better the next day as cold leftovers.
24) I love a spinny chair. (See #11, then #14)
25) I hated coffee until a few years ago, now I drink it every morning. (See # 4)
26) I'm a closet Hall & Oates fan. (Shhh!)
27) I have bouts of vertigo. (See # 14)

28) I would probably be a nurse if I wasn’t a writer. (Thank goodness this writing thing seems to be working out.)

[becke_davis]

From Heather's Website: http://www.heatherblakebooks.com/

Once upon a time, three of my favorite shows were Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, and Quincy, MD. A strange combination to be sure, but I’m not exactly normal (don’t tell anyone).

When I decided to take on another mystery series, it was natural for me to call on these old favorites, and soon Darcy Merriweather was born. She’s the star of the Wishcrafter Mysteries (shh, don’t tell that to her dog Miss Demeanor, aka Missy). Darcy’s a witch who has the ability to grant wishes.

Oh, there are all kinds of rules and regulations (which she quickly has issues with) to her new craft, but the one thing she never expected was to be involved in a murder investigation. Magic, mayhem, murder—all my favorites. Is it no wonder I’m having a blast writing the series? The first book, It Takes a Witch, is due out in January. Isn't the cover wonderful?

Heather is on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherBlakeBooks

And on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/BOOKSBYHEATHER

Here's a picture I took of Heather a few years ago at the Barnes & Noble in West Chester, OH:

[becke_davis]

Please welcome HEATHER BLAKE! (And HEATHER WEBBER, too!)

[Fricka]

Welcome, Heather. I enjoyed reading your bio, and look forward to reading your new book.

P.S. I'm also a secret Hall and Oates fan( leaves, singing very low, " You're a Rich Girl")

[becke_davis]

Heather - I love your daughter's illustration of Pepe! Has she drawn any others? I'd love to see her rendition of the wombat!

[Heather_Blake]

Thank you, Fricka. And that's one of my fave songs by H&O! Shhh!

[Heather_Blake]

HI Becke! Thanks for having me here, and for posting all that information! WOW! My daughter hasn't drawn any other characters--yet! A wombat would be adorable. And I'd love to see her draw Archie or Tilda. Maybe I can talk her into it.

[BlooBayoo]

Hi Heather!

I love all your books! How much of what goes in the books is inpsired by real life/real people (news reports, people you know, things you hear in the grocery store) versus made up in your mind?

Thanks,

Aimee

[eadieburke]

Welcome Heather:

I have read your book TRULY MADLY and enjoyed it very much and I have your book, TROUBLE IN BLOOM, in my TBR pile. I will definitely have to move it up! 

Is you main character in IT TAKES A WITCH anything like Samantha from BEWITCHED? I loved that show too!

Hope you enjoy your visit with us!

[becke_davis]

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Heather_Blake wrote:

HI Becke! Thanks for having me here, and for posting all that information! WOW! My daughter hasn't drawn any other characters--yet! A wombat would be adorable. And I'd love to see her draw Archie or Tilda. Maybe I can talk her into it.

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Yes!! You should publish a special limited edition with her illustrations. I'd buy it!

[becke_davis]

[becke_davis]

Hi Heather - How did you come up with the "rules" for wish granting? They fascinate me!

[Heather_Blake]

Hi Aimee!

I love taking news stories and twisting them to fit my plot. For example in IT TAKES A WITCH, I heard a news bit about someone having an allergic reaction to chamomile tea because they're allergic to ragweed (ragweed sufferers beware!), and that got me to thinking about other plants that might be dangerous to weakened immune systems. Some serious plotting later, I had a motive and a means to kill someone. I might still use the allergic reaction storyline sometime, though. So, to answer your question, it's a mix. Thanks for coming by!

[Heather_Blake]

Hi Eadie!

I was actually reluctant to write about witches (I didn't want to get any facts wrong) at first, but then I recalled how much I loved Bewitched, how light and funny and magical it was. Since I was still concerned about research, I decided to create my own form of witchcraft--and I couldn't be happier I did. It's a lot of work, but it's worth it. Darcy is still learning her Craft, so she makes lots of mistakes. Humorous ones, mostly.

[Heather_Blake]

Hmm..that's a great idea!

[Heather_Blake]

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becke_davis wrote:

Hi Heather - How did you come up with the "rules" for wish granting? They fascinate me!

---

LOL. It wasn't easy. And they're still changing. I sat with an author friend of mine, Sharon Short, for hours at a local Panera. Between the two of us, we hashed out as many rules as we could think of. As I was writing the second book, I realized some of them needed to be amended (or else poor Darcy could be ruthlessly taken advantage of), so I incorporated one very important new law in that book (A WITCH BEFORE DYING--out in August).

[becke_davis]

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Heather_Blake wrote:

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becke_davis wrote:

Hi Heather - How did you come up with the "rules" for wish granting? They fascinate me!

---

LOL. It wasn't easy. And they're still changing. I sat with an author friend of mine, Sharon Short, for hours at a local Panera. Between the two of us, we hashed out as many rules as we could think of. As I was writing the second book, I realized some of them needed to be amended (or else poor Darcy could be ruthlessly taken advantage of), so I incorporated one very important new law in that book (A WITCH BEFORE DYING--out in August).

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Will you be introducing other forms of witchcraft in the new book, too? (I like the vapor idea, and I bet there's more where that came from!)