For
Prime Day (July 15-16) I'm participating in a 30-thriller giveaway. You
can pick and choose, or just go to the linked page, click the ADD ALL
TO AMAZON CART button. and get all thirty delivered to your Kindle,
including my witch thriller Book of Shadows.
Homicide
detective Adam Garrett is already a rising star in the Boston police
department when he and his cynical partner catch a
horrifying case that could make their careers: the ritualistic murder of
a wealthy college girl that appears to have Satanic elements.
The
partners make a quick arrest when all evidence points to a troubled musician in a Goth band who was either dating or
stalking the murdered girl. But Garrett's case is turned upside down
when beautiful, mysterious Tanith Cabarrus, a practicing witch from
nearby Salem, walks into the homicide bureau and insists that the real
perpetrator is still at large. Tanith claims to have had psychic visions
that the killer has ritually sacrificed other teenagers in his attempts
to summon a powerful, ancient demon.
All
Garrett's beliefs about the nature of reality will be tested as he is
forced to team up with a woman he is fiercely attracted to but cannot
trust, in a race to uncover a psychotic killer before he strikes again.
"A wonderfully dark thriller with amazing is-it-isn't-it suspense all the way to the end. Highly recommended." - Lee Child
"Sokoloff successfully melds a classic murder-mystery/whodunit with supernatural occult undertones." - Library Journal
"Compelling,
frightening and exceptionally well-written, Book of Shadows is destined
to become another hit for acclaimed horror and suspense writer
Sokoloff. The incredibly tense plot and mysterious characters will keep
readers up late at night, jumping at every sound, and turning the pages
until they've devoured the book." - Romantic Times Book Reviews
"Fast-paced
with strong characterizations, fans will enjoy this superb thriller, as
Adam and the audience wonder if The Unseen could be the killer." - Publisher's Weekly
And here's a plus - the audiobook of Book of Shadows is narrated by RC Bray, my fantastic narrator from the Huntress series. Get it on Audible for $7.49 or 1 credit!
MORE ABOUT BOOK OF SHADOWS
And here's a plus - the audiobook of Book of Shadows is narrated by RC Bray, my fantastic narrator from the Huntress series. Get it on Audible for $7.49 or 1 credit!
MORE ABOUT BOOK OF SHADOWS
It’s
fascinating to me how when you write a book, everyone always assumes
it’s about you. Few people get that sometimes, if not most times, when
you write a book it’s about getting OUT of you. Just like reading is,
right?
Book of Shadows is about a cynical Boston cop who teams up with a mysterious Salem witch to solve what looks like a Satanic murder.
Book of Shadows is about a cynical Boston cop who teams up with a mysterious Salem witch to solve what looks like a Satanic murder.
So
naturally everyone who reads it assumes that I’m a witch (that’s with a
"w"). Oh, the interviewers don’t come right out and say it, but you
know that’s what they’re asking.
Well, I’m not. Really. Not really. No more than any woman is a witch.
But I can’t deny that writing Book of Shadows was
a really excellent opportunity for me to indulge some of my witchier
nature. I wanted to dive right in and explore some of those things that
make some men – and a lot of women – uncomfortable with feminine power,
and feminine energy, and feminine sexuality, and feminine deity.
I
was working up to this book for quite a while. I’ve been around
practicing witches most of my life. That’s what happens when you grow up
in California, especially Berkeley. Actually the Berkeley part pretty
much explains why I write supernatural to begin with, but that’s another
post. Those of you who have visited Berkeley know that Telegraph
Avenue, the famous drag that ends at the Berkeley campus, is a gauntlet
of clothing and craft vendors, artists, and fortunetellers, forever
fixed in the sixties. Well, look a little closer, and you’ll see just
how many pagans, Wiccans, and witches there actually are.
I’ve walked
that gauntlet thousands of times in my life. It does something to your
psyche, I’m telling you.
There
was also the Renaissance Pleasure Faire, where I spent many summer days
in my interestingly misspent youth. Renaissance Faires are teeming with
witches (check out the Fortune Tellers’ Grove next time if you don’t
believe me).
So even though I don’t actually practice, not in an
organized covenish kind of way, I’ve been to a ceremony or two, and you
could say I’ve been researching this book for quite some time. In fact, I
think I’ve known I was going to write this book ever since I first saw a
"Calling of The Corners," a Craft ceremony which is one of the ritual
scenes I depict in "Book of Shadows." It’s one of the most extraordinary
spiritual experiences I've ever had -- such elemental, feminine
power.
And in everyday life, there some things that are just useful to
know about the Craft.
I’m
not much one for spells, I’m more of a meditator. But when I had to
kick my evil tenants out of my rental house? A cleaning service was just
not enough. You better believe that the second the locksmith was done
changing the locks, I was down at the witch supply store, buying black
and white candles (for protection and cleansing), and sage (smudge it
for purification). I opened every window and swept the whole house
widdershins (to the left, to dismiss) with a new broom dipped in salt
and rosemary to dispel all lingering energy. Ritual works, and it
doesn’t really matter what accoutrements you use; it’s really about the
intention: in this case to cleanse, heal, and start over fresh.
Another
concept of the Craft that I’ve always found particularly useful is
Maiden, Mother, Crone. Those are the three aspects of the Goddess, and
also the three phases of the moon, corresponding colors white, red and
black. They represent the three cycles of a woman’s life – youth,
womanhood and age – but women also pass through all three aspects every
month when they’re menstruating, and knowing that has saved my life (and
the lives of many of those around me) many a time.
The time right
after your period is Maiden: you have a rush of estrogen, so you’re
glowing, you’ve just dropped all that water weight, you have a ton of
energy, and you’re – well, up for it. And men can sense it. Best time to
snag a partner, although your choices might not be exactly the best in
this phase of the cycle.
The
Mother (also called Queen) phase of the month is around ovulation.
You’re powerful, grounded, and can get a lot done, especially
creatively, because of the pregnancy connotations. It’s a sexy time in a
different way than Maiden, because there’s the extra knowledge
that
yes, you really can get pregnant right now.
The
Crone phase is raging PMS and the "death" that a period often feels
like. Wise people know to avoid you at this time unless they really want
a faceful of truth, and I try not to schedule meetings, especially with
men, when I’m in this phase. Best for me to be solitary and
contemplative. And contain the damage.
But the things that come out of
your mouth during this phase are the deep truth, even if they’re not
pleasant, and if you remember to breathe, put the knife down, and pay
attention to what you’re feeling and saying, you can learn a lot about
your life and what you really need to be doing. Also your dreams will
tend to be the most powerful, vivid, and significant in this phase. I
know mine are.
I
appreciate the earth/nature centeredness of the Craft. I like to be
aware of whether the moon is waxing or waning, and focus on bringing
things into my life during the waxing, and letting go of things (or
people!) in the waning. And I like knowing that there is extra power and
magic at the Solstices and Equinoxes; that knowledge makes me stop at
least four times a year to consider what I really want to manifest in my
life.
(Obviously I used all of that Moon knowledge and more in the Huntress Moon series, too…)
Let’s
face it: I also like the clothes. With my hair, I’ll never be able to
pull off the tailored look. I love lace and fishnets and velvet and
sparkles and corsets and big jewelry. I love the candles and the scents
and that every day has a color (today is white, if you’re
wondering).
And there is another aspect of the Craft that has been truly
important to me, spiritually. It’s about balance. I have never, ever
bought the idea that God is male. It runs contrary to my entire
experience of reality. I love you guys, really I do, but you’re only
half the equation. I can’t see how an ultimate power could be anything
but BOTH male and female. So the notion of a Goddess, in all Her forms,
to me, completes the equation.
These days, we need all the feminine power we can get.
So
how about you? What’s your take on witches? Are you familiar with the
way witchcraft is actually practiced, or is that whole world completely
mysterious to you? Or do you do the odd spell or two yourself?
-- Alexandra Sokoloff
