THE WITCHES OF DIXIE is Book One in my "The Witchery Series" trilogy. It is a very uplifting, empowering story. Here's what this novel is about...
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"Meet the Witches of Dixie. Savannah Monroe's life is sliding toward disaster no matter how hard she works or how many spells she casts. Maylene Whitmire thinks she is disappearing. Mirabella Middleton's successful art career begins to crumble in a flat economy, while Ravena Riley's husband sinks toward the angry depths of a midlife crisis. Four Southern Witches whose lives suddenly turn widdershins as they scramble to understand what's happening. Several chapters from this novel won a Semi-Finalist Award in the Winnow Press Chapbook Award in Fiction competition. Another chapter won an Editor's Prize when it appeared in the literary journal Cezanne's Carrot where it was later nominated for a 2006 Pushcart Award."
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Here are the first two chapters for your enjoyment. Happy reading and magickal blessings!
CHAPTER ONE: BOOK OF SHADOWS
)O(
First week in June, and the scent of honeysuckle saturates the forest behind Savannah Monroe’s house, rain droplets from last night’s thunderstorm clinging to each leaf. As this sweet fragrance drifts through an open window, she thinks the Fey must be fanning it her way, one of their favorite methods of greeting.
“Where could it be?” Savannah asks Horus, his eyes glowing like brass buttons stitched to a black suit, idly licking his paw. She yanks open another drawer, carefully sifting the contents, but finds no Book of Shadows. Usually, it sits in the middle of her altar, surrounded by green candles, crystals, and statues of Bast, her Patron Goddess. Yet for the first time in her Wiccan years it seems to have disappeared.
This frantic search started with an email she received this morning, which sent her running to the altar for the book containing her best prosperity spells. Marge Wilkerson, the buyer for Tiko’s, a national chain of boutiques, emailed to cancel her monthly order of handbags, claiming they no longer sell well for the company. Marge wrote she hopes to resume her monthly ordering schedule soon.
Savannah wonders. Her handbags have sold briskly in those boutiques for the past three years. Now Marge cancels an order. After reading the email, Savannah sat at her computer, fiddling with the pentacle earring dangling from her right ear.
“Something is up,” she murmured. That’s when she dashed to the altar and discovered her Book of Shadows was missing.
*
Her company, Savannah’s Magickal Handbags, began years ago by accident. Savannah needed not only a pretty purse for her job but also a functional one, meaning lots of pockets inside and out. When she couldn’t find what she needed, she decided to design one herself.
She found an old purse she no longer used, ripped it apart to understand its construction, and then pieced a new handbag together from the fabric scraps in her sewing basket. She added lace, beads, and sequins for a splash of color. Then she attached several charms charged with spells for health, wealth, and protection.
The response from other women surprised her. At the time she worked as a personal assistant to a fashion designer in Atlanta, the next step toward achieving her long-term goal of one day designing a line of clothing under her own label.
Savannah worked hard and slowly advanced up the fashion ladder. Handbag design was never part of the plan. Yet news traveled fast, and soon she received weekly requests from women willing to pay the high prices she asked for her unique handbag creations. Most loved the fact that each handbag was charmed. Soon Savannah realized she enjoyed designing these funky purses more than clothing.
After a year her bank balance soared with the extra money from handbag sales. She had also accumulated a long list customers, so she quit her position with the fashion designer and moved to the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina, where she devoted her creative energy fulltime to Savannah’s Magickal Handbags.
Sales increased rapidly when she exhibited at Merchandise Marts and trade shows, including the International Gift Shows in New York and Atlanta. Department stores and boutiques across the country bought her handbags, and sales grew steadily for ten years.
Until now. Revenues dropped in January and continue to decline each month. June arrived, clicking its humid heels, and Marge canceled her monthly order.
Savannah shakes her head and continues to search for the misplaced Book of Shadows, while singing her daily chant:
“Beloved Bast, bring
money to me fast.
Bring business success.
May all my handbag
customers be blessed.”
An hour later Savannah stands in front of the altar, her personal spellbook still missing. She prays silently to Bast for help.
At that moment her two cats, Horus and Thoth, race through the living room, dashing beneath the altar. Black and sleek as an olive, Horus runs like a gazelle, a study in grace. But Thoth, a chocolate-swirl Maine Coon, looms large for his age and bumbles like a clumsy puppy.
Horus glides under the altar and into the kitchen with the slippery ease of a fish. But Thoth bumps into the leg of the altar, knocking half the contents over, some pieces crashing to the floor, including the box containing her tarot cards.
Savannah opens her mouth to scold Thoth, but stops when she notices the tarot cards spilled from the box, scattered across the carpet. All rest face-down except the Death card. And it lies in a reverse position.
Not a good sign.
CHAPTER TWO: THE TAROT CATS
)O(
Savannah retrieves the scattered pieces of her altar and moves each one back to its proper place. She leans the Death tarot card in the reverse position against a statue of Bast.
No doubt this is a message from the Goddess. One Savannah has refused to consider until now, and it laces her heart with dread. No business owner welcomes the idea that her business might be stagnant, that the time has arrived to change her tactics.
And it’s no surprise the card fell upside down. Change frightens her, especially when she’s worked so hard year after year to achieve a comfortable level of success.
“Ugh!” she groans, slumping into a chair, wrapping her arms around Thoth, scratching his fluffy head. “So now you’re dealing tarot cards?” She kisses his plush ear, knowing she should have seen this coming. For months Bast’s signs have buzzed around her as insistent as summer gnats.
Sales have been sliding all year, but Savannah continued to cast prosperity spells rather than consult her tarot cards. Now it’s no mystery why she misplaced her Book of Shadows. At some point she had to face the inevitable and listen to the voice of the oracle.
“What a mess,” she sighs. “I’ve wasted so much time. The first half of this year is ending in disaster.”
*
The next morning several finished handbags line Savannah’s worktable like a row of lovely ladies or Goddesses. A pile of various charms sits in front, the last touch she adds to each bag. Horus and Thoth roll impatiently at her feet, wishing she were working with lace, ribbons, or beads today, so they might swat at these tantalizing embellishments when she turns away.
Savannah gathers the charms in one hand, slips on a satin green robe embroidered with golden stars and faeries, and walks into the living room to her altar. Laying the charms in the center of a cloth cleansed in sunlight, she pulls the altar into the middle of the room. Horus and Thoth jump on the sofa to watch.
After grounding her energy, she lights four candles from the altar and places them in a circle around it on the floor, walking clockwise, each candle representing one of the four directions. She stands in front of the altar and lifts her wand, calling to the mighty Watchtowers.
Facing the East, she points her wand at a candle illustrated with a crow and says, ”Beings of the Air, Guardians of the East, I welcome you to this sacred space and ask you to guard and support the magick preformed here today.”
She turns to the South, pointing her wand at a candle etched in hearts and says, “Beings of Fire, Guardians of the South, I welcome you to this sacred space and ask you to guard and support the magick preformed here today.”
Moving to the West, she lifts her wand toward a candle adorned with fish and says, “Beings of Water, Guardians of the West, I welcome you to this sacred space and ask you to guard and support the magick performed here today.”
Facing the North, Savannah points her wand at a candle decorated with sunflowers and says, “Beings of the Earth, Guardians of the North, I welcome you to this sacred space and ask you to guard and support the magick performed here today.”
Raising a cone of power, she turns to the altar, pointing her wand at the charms on the cloth and says:
“Thank you, Bast, the circle is cast.
I charge these charms with power
to draw wealth. Money, Come!
I charge these charms with power
to attract health. Healing, Come!
I charge these charms with power
to form a shield. Protection, Come!
Thank you, Faeries. So mote it be.”
After meditating on her intent, Savannah raises the wand, walking around the circle in a widdershins motion, saying: “The circle is open, but never broken, thank you Dear Guardians for protecting me.”
Horus and Thoth jump to the floor and circle Savannah’s feet like minnows in a pond, meowing for the treats she bestows after a spellcasting, their reward for leaving the candles and circle unbroken.
Later, while moving the altar back to its corner of the room and rearranging its contents, she sees Horus flipping around on the rug with a tarot card snug between his paws. “Horus!” she shouts, rushing over to grab the card before he punctures it with his teeth. “Where did you find this?” she says, brushing cat hair from the card. “I thought I picked them all up.” She looks at the card and shakes her head.
Rebirth.
Another puzzling message from Bast in response to her plea for help. She wonders how her business could be reborn when every new marketing strategy she implemented this year failed.
The ads she placed in newsstand magazines performed dismally, some bringing no response at all, certainly no orders. The mailing she sent to her customer list netted a dribble of orders, but not enough to cover her printing and postage costs. And the new lists she rented proved worthless for sales.
“Another card that makes no sense,” she murmurs, setting it next to the Death card on her altar.
(c) Laura Stamps
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THE WITCHES OF DIXIE: Book One of the Witchery Series
by Laura Stamps
Trytium Publishing, paperback, 254 pages (ISBN: 978-0-9798413-0-9)...............$12.95
by Laura Stamps
Trytium Publishing, paperback, 254 pages (ISBN: 978-0-9798413-0-9)...............$12.95
Meet the Witches of Dixie! Savannah Monroe's life is sliding toward disaster no matter how hard she works or how many spells she casts. Maylene Whitmire thinks she is disappearing. Mirabella Middleton's successful art career begins to crumble in a flat economy, while Ravena Riley's husband sinks toward the angry depths of a midlife crisis. Four Southern Witches whose lives suddenly turn widdershins as they scramble to understand what's happening.
Almost every chapter in this award-winning novel contains a real spell, chant, or ritual. You'll also find information on feral cat rescue, holistic healing, perimenopause, how to shrink uterine fibroids naturally, magickal prosperity principles, and much, much more!
Several chapters from this novel won a "Semi-Finalist Award" in the "Winnow Press Chapbook Award in Fiction" competition. Another chapter won an "Editor's Prize" when it appeared in the literary journal "Cezanne's Carrot," where it was later nominated for a "2006 Pushcart Award."
This novel can be purchased from:
1.) Barnes and Noble:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780979841309&itm=2
2.) Powell's Books:
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3.) Borders/Waldenbooks:
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4.) Amazon.com (US):
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http://www.amazon.com/Witches-Dixie-Book-One-Witchery/dp/0979841305/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230486936&sr=1-1
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5.) Amazon.com (UK):
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http://www.amazon.co.uk/Witches-Dixie-Book-One-Witchery/dp/0979841305/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195304760&sr=1-1
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6.) Your local bookstore or library (Distributors: Baker & Taylor, Ingram, NACSCORP)
7.) For eBook orders (Diesel Ebooks):
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7.) For eBook orders (Diesel Ebooks):
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~~TO ORDER A SIGNED & PERSONALIZED COPY FROM THE AUTHOR~~
* Make check or money order for $12.95 per copy, payable to: Laura Stamps (U.S. Funds only).
* Free shipping in the U.S. (if you live outside the US email laurastamps@mindspring.com for shipping charges)
* Mail to Laura Stamps, P.O. Box 212534, Columbia, SC 29221-2534
* If you are ordering copies to give as gifts be sure to include the names of those people so I can personalize them for you!
~~EXCERPTS FROM SEVERAL REVIEWS~~
"Lyrical prose, Southern warmth and wisdom, and incredible insight. The perfect read to get you through a cold night!" (Madelyn Alt, National Bstselling Author of Hex Marks the Spot)
"THE WITCHES OF DIXIE draws you in from the very first page with it's "feel-good" imagery and strong character development. Powerfully descriptive, this fictional novel tells the story of four women, each of them Wiccan, and each of them with a particular problem in their life, a personal hurdle to overcome. Problems that women of any belief system can identify with. These four women are very likeable characters that are easy to relate to. Stamps' writing talent presents them in a very real, empathetic, and sometimes amusing way. The growth and faith of these four women is exhibited through their belief in magick and spells, through the spiritual practices of modern day White Witches. And the book is written in way that the reader doesn't become lost in Wiccan terminology....something I thought I might have to look out for, but was pleasantly surprised. It's actually a fantastic book if you're new to the Wiccan/Pagan path or just wanting to learn more about it. I read this book in one sitting, and have already began re-reading it. It's definitely one of those "can't put it down" books, that leaves you with an overall sense of satisfaction and faith that things can and do work out!" (Gabrielle Albano, Bohemian Book Marketing)
“This is a very pleasant book that I am happy to review at UFR. Laura Stamps' writing style is very poetic in the way she describes the delicate and reverent view of nature that the women in the stories have about the world around them and how it inspires them in their Wiccan faith. The rituals and spellcasting that are incorporated into the Wiccan faith also makes for a very interesting read. This is a great book for anyone interested in how Wiccan’s use their faith in their daily lives or for people looking for inspirational stories of women tackling the problems life throws at them with strong faith and determination.” (Lisa Stinnett, Book Reviewer for Urban Fantasy Reader)
"Stamps’ writing style is lovely. She has a wonderful voice, and a definite talent for description. Her dialogue is believable, and her stories are rich and have good progression from beginning, to middle, to satisfying (in that there’s definite solid closure) end. There are spells and bits of lore wrapped in the tales, as well as other interesting bits of health-related information. It’s a good teaching tool, an enjoyable read, and well-written overall, and I’d love to see later books in the series." (by Lupa, Book Reviewer for Pagan Books)
"THE WITCHES OF DIXIE comes with an invisible vial of faery dust that sprinkles upon you when opening the first page of Laura Stamps' newest novel. Enchanting, magical yet down to earth, the author weaves a story full of witchery, spiritual wisdom, and simple truths. For lovers of cats and followers of the Old Ways in the modern world, this book is for you. A blessed read!" (by Cherie Lassiter, Pagan Reviewer)
"Stamps offers a glimpse into the lives of four women, all practitioners of Wicca, who are facing the same daily pressures and problems with which all of us contend. What is different about these women is the way that they deal with what life throws at them. Each woman begins to solve the problems facing her by using the real spells, chants and rituals included throughout the book. As each ultimately conquers the worst that she is faced with, the reader is left with a clear understanding of the principles of Wicca and those who practice it in the twenty-first century. It is a fascinating look into a lifestyle of which most of us know very little, and understand even less." (Sam Sattler, Book Reviewer for Book Chase)
~~COMMENTS FROM READERS~~
I receive lots of emails, cards, letters, and messages every week from the readers of my novels, so I thought it might be fun to list some of those comments here. My readers are the ones I write for, and every one of you is very dear to me. So I thought it would be fun to use this space for you (grin)!
"I have recently discovered your website and I love it! Also I have just bought and read THE WITCHES OF DIXIE. I treasure it...it is so inspiring and poetic. I've read it again and again and see new things each time I read it. Look forward to the next novel in the series. Blessed be!" (Yvonne, England)
"Hope you have a great holiday. I love your novels!" (Kathy, Nebraska)
"Laura, I just read the first chapter in WHAT WITCHES WANT, and loved it. Your characterization has already made Savannah seem like a real person. Good job!" (Pam, Texas)
"THE WITCHES OF DIXIE is divided into four parts. Every part tells an episode out of the life of four women who are witches and are living in South Carolina. I was enchanted by this magical book and can only recommend it. This book reminds me that there's magic everywhere around, and I just have to open my eyes and see." (Klaudia, Austria)
"I greatly enjoyed THE WITCHES OF DIXIE, and I found it inspiring. While I am not a Wiccan and I haven't ever really looked into it, I did find the message expressed in the book to transcend any boundaries of religion. This book is beautifully written and the words seem to leap off of the page. If you find yourself at all interested in the material or if you just need some inspiration, definitely pick this story up." (Tiffany, Maryland)
"I really enjoyed this book, I have been looking into Wicca for awhile now, and this book was like a peek into living with Wicca on a daily basis. I found myself caring about the women and the outcomes. And best of all, any book that can weave caring for cats into the storyline is wonderful! Over-all I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book!" (Dawn Alabama)
"Hiya, Laura! I just finished THE WITCHES OF DIXIE. Great writing! I love your use of description and the wonderful spells you wrote, and the way you made Ravena an "everyday" witch. Hope you don't mind if I borrow one or two *grins* especially the traveling spell. The novel mentioned a healing gruel for cats, and I'm interested in it. I've been doing a lot of reading on natural healing for animals, as that's something I would like to pursue. Thanks!" (Naomi, California)
