Waking Up With Dragons:

To all, I had the great fortune of entering a short story contest run by the wonderful Michelle Rowen (see michellerowen.com; she rocks). And I won 3rd place! Hooray!

The story will be up on her site on the 22nd. But I can post it here now. Still, go see Michelle's site, because she is amazing. So here is my story, called "Waking Up with Dragons."



Darkness was falling fast. Already, the pinks and golds of sunset were giving way to the blues and purples of the coming night, the shadows made thicker by the mountains and leaving the desert to grow cold without the warmth of the sun. As per usual, the sun must always surrender to the night.
Jenna Flores watched the coming night with a wistful heart. It had been two years, nearly three when she counted precisely, since she had moved away from her hometown with her husband. She missed her family and friends back home. More than that, she missed the companionship of her coven, especially on Yule. It was one of her favorite holidays, and celebrating as a solitary was not nearly as fulfilling.
Glancing towards her husband Robert, who leaned against a nearby boulder and was pitching rocks into the underbrush, she smiled slightly. He was a good companion, but he was far more in tune with the supernatural than she was. He was a good guardian, but she needed others to help her practice her craft, not just to advise her.
Heaving a sigh, she called, “You're going to make the animals angry.”
Robert looked at her and grinned. “No I won't. It's too cold for them to come above ground now.”
Jenna just shook her head as Robert turned to look up at the sky. “Any dragons hanging about tonight?” she asked.
Getting to his feet, Robert nodded, his eyes following a movement that she could not. “Yup. Seamus is hanging around right now. He's busy complaining that it's too cold.”
“Why is he here? He never hangs around for rituals, not even on the sabbats.”
Shrugging, Robert strode easily towards her, shoving his hands in his pockets. “He promised he'd be here tonight. Besides, he likes it when you do your rituals.”
“Because I'm so entertaining?”
Robert just grinned. “There is that.”
Glowering, Jenna said, “He's never going to let me forget about calling the wrong elements, is he.”
“Nope. He's actually laughing right now.”
A part of her was irritated. Not only was she a struggling practitioner, but the fact that Robert had conversations with invisible dragons that she could not, and had never been able to, see, drove her half-mad.
“Seamus, if I could see you right now, I would--”
“Honey? You know you don't want to taunt a dragon.”
The irritation boiled over. “It's not fair, you know! I've been practicing for four years now, and I'm nowhere near as open to all this as you are! You got stoned once, and bam! You talk to dragons and plants and can hop across different dimensions. Me? I don't hear a peep from the plants anymore, and certainly nothing from the gods.”
Robert approached his wife, and gently put his hands on her shoulders. “Jenna, it's okay,” he said comfortingly. “I know that you struggle sometimes, and whenever you don't practice constantly you have to regain the footing you had. It's okay that your mind isn't as open. It'll happen sometime. I know it will.”
Jenna watched him regretfully. “I don't know if it will, Robert. I mean, I try and try, but there are times when I think I'm just not meant for this.”
A smile touched his lips. “It's Yule, hon. I know you love this holiday. Don't you feel the energy around here? Everything's antsy for you to practice tonight. You know what you're doing. Let's celebrate here, and then we can go back home and feast. We got that great bottle of wine to look forward to.” He paused, searching her face.
“You are meant for this, Jenna. You know you are. Your mind will open up when it's ready to. I promise.”
Sighing heavily, Jenna nodded, accepting the kiss that he placed on her forehead. “All right. Let's get this going before the coyotes come out.”
“That's my girl.”
As Robert moved back to his boulder, Jenna took another deep breath and closed her eyes. Emptying her mind, she let the calm of the desert fill her. No cars going by, no helicoptors, no screaming people. Just her and the cacti and the small scurrying creatures seeking shelter from the night. A peace filled her as she paced her breathing, letting the energy of the earth creep up from her feet and slowly fill every cell of her being. At once she felt connected, in tune with Mother Earth and every living creature in the near area.
Smiling to herself, Jenna took another breath and slowly walked her circle, chanting more to herself than out loud as she drew the protective circle. With each footstep she felt the energy rise, creating a safe bubble around her from the energy of the earth. Something like static electricity rushed through her as the circle was completed, and it felt as if a door was smashed open in her mind.
Half-falling over, Jenna staggered as white light filled her mind. There was timelessness and connectedness and a rush of life. More than that, she could feel the essence of joy in everything around her. It felt like home, and made tears fill her eyes.
“Jenna? Are you all right?”
Fighting against the sob that rose in her chest, Jenna laughed. “Yeah. I think I just—I think I woke up.”
“Open your eyes.”
Slowly, Jenna looked up.
And found herself staring at a four-foot long scaled dragon's face from mere feet away.
“Merry Yule,” a booming voice echoed in her mind. “It's about damn time.”
“Gah!”

Ho-Ho-Ho

Happy Holidays everybody!

It's that magical time of year when everyone gets into a frenzy for gift-giving, and no one knows what to buy. So what should you get?

Why, pick up a copy of my book, of course! It's a great gift because you know the author, it's a great read for anyone who needs something new to read, and you know that you want to spread the word!

No, really. My book would be a great gift for the people on your list because it's a smooth read, absorbing, and a great study of the time period. So says Romantic Times magazine. And several reviews. If I haven't already, I can post later on.

So remember: you can order my book from Eloquent Books; Amazon; Borders, and Barnes and Noble. Send them to me, and I will sign them for you! (Just send a SASE along with it.) Even makes a great after-holidays gift!

Much love and holiday spirit to you.

Maggie

Ah the reviews... such reviews

Welcome once more!

I will once again take the opportunity to persuade everyone to head to their local bookstore and pick up the November issue of RT Book Reviews, as the review of "What Might Have Been" is in it! I have yet to pick it up myself, so I'm anxious and nervous to see what was said.

So go forth and see.

And also, thanks to you lovely people who have posted reviews online. *kisses*

Maggie

Sales: myth, reality, or dream? You decide

So I just checked my sales figures. 13 books sold since it was released. Yays! 13 beats 0!

I figure once I hit the marketing hard, i.e. have time and a smidgen of money to put towards it, then those numbers will keep going up.

So mom, stop asking me when I'm getting paid. I make money when you buy the book. Buy my book. Support your daughter.

In other news, I have TONS of research to do for one of the (four) other books I'm someday going to finish. You know, it's funny how writing one book makes you want to write and finish more. I love that my book is out there. Not in stores yet, but it will be. I love that you can Google me. That's awesome.

What are my next projects? A spectacular array of mixed media: a young woman's sojourn to England and her drunken escapades; a failtacular vampire slayer; a plethora of short stories wrapped up in one handy handbasket, and my latest brain child: a thriller involving--come on, if you know me, then this is a no-brainer--government conspiracy.

So, lots to do, things to write, head to explode. And someday, it shall be ME on the author tour, doing fun updates from different cities. Someday...

So for the whole 8 of you, and Ash, lots of love, till next time. Which is strangely coming more and more often.

Remember: I love pasta because my house is made of bricks. Circular logic has no place here.

Maggie

I talk and talk to an empty room

It's very quiet here. No response, no comments... Is anyone out there? Not even my family follows me. Of course you all have lives to lead. I'm no big name. Yet.

Wait for it. Someday I'll have a name. Mud, probably. Or maybe I'll slip back into the woodwork.

*shrugs*

Head to your local newstand or bookstore

Good morning, everyone,

It's time to head to wherever magazines are sold! The September issue of RT Book Reviews (#307) is currently available, and there is a lovely little spot in the magazine for yours truly under the New Author Spotlight.

That's right, my first magazine exposure. Huzzah! I could be mature about it, but come on, that's freaking cool.

So tell everyone! Jabber to the clerk as you buy it that you know me and are going to purchase the book immediately. Then ask the clerk when the book will be in stores, and to tell the higher ups that it needs to be in store IMMEDIATELY.

So go forth, my minions! Enjoy!

And p.s., for those of you who actually do read this blog, I will update more in the future. I am currently sitting on THREE plot bunnies and will have to figure out which on is going to be the numero uno priority.


Live long and profit,
Maggie

Good reports

Hey, all,

It's been a busy two months but I am finally updating again :) So far I've gotten some good feedback on my book. Here's a nice little email that was sent to my publisher:

Dear Ms. Mater,
I thought your book was excellently researched and included many fun facts within its story. Your writing style is beautiful, easy to read, and creates easily visible pictures. Though I am not one much for romance novels myself, there was enough surrounding plot to keep me interested enough to be eager to continue to pick up your work every time I was forced to put it down. I sense there may be some personal reflections in your novel, and believe those to only make it a stronger work. Congratulations, and I look forward to seeing more work from you in the future.

Best regards,

Mary Norland

And a lovely note on my myspace page from Ms. Sterbenz:

hey read your book i totally loved it couldnt put it down now reading it for the secound time lol


So thanks guys for your kind words!

I also have awesome news: You can look for the September issue of "RT (Romantic Times) Book Reviews". Me and my little book have a nice little feature space in there! Nothing huge, but it's also getting reviewed. Professionally. *trembles in my sandals* And there will be the true test. The lovely folks at RT Reviews, though, have been super wonderful and friendly; I can only hope they'll be kind in the review.

So make sure you check that out! Usually the mag is found IN the Romance section in your bookstore, so there.

Remember: until I can afford lots of great publicity, you guys are my greatest asset. Tell everyone you know to pick up a copy! I'm working to get the book in stores, so hopefully that will happen soon.

*kisses*

Maggie