Thursday, May 28, 2015

Baba Yaga Novella Preview and Giveaway!


I have been hard at work at the next installments in the Baba Yaga series. I'm midway through the next novel, WICKEDLY POWERFUL, and I just finished the second novella and sent it off to my editor, Leis. It is called Wickedly Ever After, and it revisits the first Baba Yaga, Barbara Yager, taking place after the events of the first two novels, WICKEDLY DANGEROUS and WICKEDLY WONDERFUL. Basically, it asks the question: Can the not-quite wicked witch of the story get a happily ever after?

Of course, you will have to read the novella to find out the answer. (Chuckle.) But since the novella won't be out until January 2016, people have asked me to give them a sneak peek. So here you are! And in case that wasn't enough, I figured I'd do a Baba Yaga themed giveaway too. So I'm giving away a large double-sided tote bag with the covers on either side, and in the bag will be signed copies of each of the two novels, a cool wicked witch magnet, and a few other goodies.


Here's your sneak peak...enjoy! (The giveaway is at the bottom of the page.)



The irresistible sound of a child’s laughter drew Barbara Yager’s eyes out the window as she stood at the kitchen sink washing dishes. A sweet smelling blossom-scented summer breeze floated in the through the open casement carrying with it the unaccustomed joyful noise of childish giggling.
The source of the laughter became apparent as soon as Barbara looked; little Babs, her adopted daughter and pint-sized Baba Yaga in training, was lying on the bright green grass being tickled by Liam, Barbara’s new husband. Her other companion, the dragon Chudo-Yudo in his customary guise as a gigantic white pit bull, relaxed on the lawn nearby, gazing on in benevolent approval.
Barbara couldn’t believe this was her life. After all, it was a far cry from the one she’d lived until recently, a solitary roaming existence with only Chudo-Yudo for company as she traveled the United States carrying out the duties of a Baba Yaga. Not that she’d had any complaints, mind you. It had been the life she’d been raised for as one of a small number of Russian fairy tale witches whose job it was to keep the balance of the natural worlds and guard the doorway between the Human lands and the fantastical Otherworld. She’d never expected anything else.
Not until Liam came along and changed everything.
A call for help brought Barbara to Clearwater Country in rural upstate New York, where Liam dedicated himself to upholding the law as sheriff. To say that their styles had originally clashed would be an understatement; in fact, Liam had for a time suspected her of being behind the disappearances of several young children. With her gleaming royal blue classic BMW motorcycle and black leathers, Barbara hadn’t exact fit in with the local population, and her cover as a traveling herbalist at one point made her look even more suspicious.
Thankfully, they’d eventually uncovered the actual culprit and after Liam found out who and what Barbara really was, they’d worked together to rescue the children, even though that had meant a trip to the Otherworld. While they were there, they had discovered Babs, stolen as a baby and given to Liam’s insane former wife to raise as her own. The unpredictable magic of the Otherworld had caused the infant to be about six when they found her, even though it had been less than a year since she’d been stolen from her murdered parents.
The too-solemn little girl and the antisocial Baba Yaga had been drawn to each other right away, and in the end, Barbara, Babs, and Liam had formed a family, as wonderful as it was unexpected. As the not-quite wicked witch in the story, Baba Yagas rarely got to act the part of the princess. But this time, Barbara thought she’d actually get the happily ever after, as unlikely as that seemed.
All that remained was one technicality, and they were going to take care of that this very afternoon. Barbara glanced down at her hands, sunk deep into soapy water, and acknowledged that she’d probably been stalling. Not because she didn’t want to return to the Otherworld, which was something of a second home to her when she was growing up, but because nothing was ever certain there—especially when the High Queen was involved. Still, the moment couldn’t be delayed any longer, or the Queen might consider it an insult, and that could be a fatal error.
Barbara wiped her hands on a dishtowel and opened the back door that looked out over the yard. Back doors and yards were just one of the many changes she’d had to get used to after years of traveling in the shiny silver Airstream trailer she’d inherited from her mentor Baba, who had lived long enough to oversee its conversion from the original Baba Yaga’s hut on chicken legs so renowned in Russian folklore.
The old yellow farmhouse was far enough outside of the town of Dunville to give Barbara the privacy she needed, with the South River as a boundary to the back and rows of tall pines on the other three sides. A faded red barn leaned slightly to the right at the end of the driveway and the Airstream was parked behind it out of sight until it was needed. If you ignored the benign ghost that haunted the place and the witch who lived inside, it was practically the picture of normalcy.
Weird.
Still, in general Barbara liked her new life, especially the part currently walking towards her in well-worn jeans and a tight tee shirt that accented his broad shoulders and slim hips. Liam had dark blonde hair and hazel eyes that twinkled when they saw her, and the sight of him still made her heart skip a beat every single time.
 “Hey,” he said, folding his strong arms around her and giving her a quick kiss. “Where have you been? You’re missing all the fun out here.”
Barbara smiled at him. “So it seems,” she said. Liam swore that she still had a faint Russian accent, but she didn’t hear it in her own voice. “Was that actual laughter I heard coming from Babs?”
The girl in question picked herself up off the ground, brushing grass off of the brown shorts and shirt that matched her dark pixie-cut hair, and walked over followed by Chudo-Yudo. The dragon-dog had appointed himself her unofficial guardian and where one was, the other was likely to be found nearby.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

41 comments:

  1. I would love to give those novels a try! I mean some extra magic wouldn't hurt my day :)

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  2. I absolutely love this series of books! It is how I discovered Ms. Blake as an author and now am reading her non-fiction books. Has opened up I whole new world for me.

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    1. Yay! I love it when that happens. (In either direction.)

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  3. Oh my Goddess, thank you!!!!!!! Now I need more.

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  4. I want to read the books. Haven't yet but they sound great. :-)

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  5. I can't wait for the third book. Seems you said it was set in Wyoming, my territory.

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  6. Excellent! Looking forward to reading it :D

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  7. Yay another big ass Deborah Blake giveaway! I'm all over it!

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    1. I am loving this too... If I win, I can pass my copies of the books to an unsuspecting friend to get her hooked!

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  8. I've read all that have been published so far and looking forward to the new one(s)
    Bonnie Schoening
    windsongbreeze2001@yahoo.com

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  9. I can't wait to read the next book! Thanks for the snippet!

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  10. Love these, and thanks for the giveaway! I have been enjoying getting to know you via Facebook and Twitter!

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    1. Thanks, Shel! I love getting to know my readers. (And even folks who just follow my blog...)

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  11. I haven't read any of the Baba Yaga books yet, but I have heard very good things about them! I find that I particularly enjoy paranormal fiction written by Pagan authors because they tend not to screw up things that take me out of the story.

    Thanks for having a giveaway!

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    1. If you like paranormal fiction written by Pagans, you'll probably love these :-) Just sayin'.

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  12. I have just started the series but am enjoying it so far.

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  13. Love to win your book!! I haven't read these yet, would love to start!

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  14. Going to read these books wow love it

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  15. Going to read these books wow love it

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  16. A friend linked to this giveaway, and even if I don't win, I think I need to get these books on my to-read list. :)

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    1. Yes, yes you do :-) And give my thanks to your friend!

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  17. What a fun and magical series...thanks gir the giveaway. Kuzlin at AOL.com

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  18. OK I've tried logging on and can't seem to get it done properly so I'm still in anonymous mode. I just finished your book The Witch's Broom and loved it! It's my third read from your catalog and can't wait to continue to the next of your works. I've not yet begun reading your novellas so I figured I would enter the contest and see if perhaps I am lucky enough to get the prize and begin my novella journey with your Baba Yaga series...which I will be happy to share with my two teenage nieces who love this type of genre. I'm really enjoying reading your books Deborah. Thanks for writing them!

    Sofia
    itsmydejavu@yahoo.com

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    1. Argh. I'm sorry you're still having problems, Sofia. I have no idea what the issue is. But at least you get to enter the contest anyway. I'm not giving away the novella, which is in ebook form only, but I am giving away both novels, so that would definitely get you started! I'm so glad you like The Witch's Broom! (If you have the time, I'd love it if you'd leave a review on Amazon, B&N, and/or Goodreads. Thanks in advance!)

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    2. I did complete reviews for the three books I've read on Amazon but I'll add the same to the B&N and Goodreads sites too. :-) Sofia

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  19. I have both the first two books; the first I bought and I won the second and I can't wait to read the third. I also have almost all of your non-fiction books (just missing The Witch's Broom and the Summer Solstice ones and they're both on my Amazon wish list as ideas for my birthday next month). I love you and all your books.

    Kit

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  20. Your giveaway and sneak peek just interrupted me cursing at html so thank you :)


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  21. I love these books so much! Can't wait to read about Barbara again. She's my fav. :-) Plus today is my birthday!!!

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    1. Happy birthday! (And she's my fav too, don't tell the other Babas...)

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  22. Congratulations to Jasmine White! I've sent you an email, so be sure to write back and let me know where to send your goodies!

    Thanks to everyone who took part--and not to worry, there will be another giveaway soon!

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  23. Love the Barbara Yager character/storyline. I though the Beka Yancy character was too whiney. I know she was supposed to be naive and insecure, but she just put me off.

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    1. You're not to first person to say that, although of course, I didn't intend her to come across that way. Don't worry, Bella in Wickedly Powerful doesn't whine and isn't naive :-)

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