Robercon Ho!

I'm working my butt off this weekend, trying to get as much done as I can on the 365 Day book for Llewellyn, because next weekend, I'm going to be at ROBERCON! I'm so excited!

Robercon is my "local" SF/fantasy convention, located in Binghamton, New York, about an hour from where I live. I have gone for the last few years and always had a blast.

Look at all the cool people who attend!

 The convention has both general SF/fantasy panels, cosplay, and the like, plus a bunch of guest authors, including yours truly. Last year, the amazing Tamora Pierce was the author guest of honor, and we had so much fun hanging out together, she is actually coming back this year. I can't wait!

Me and the fabulous Tamora.

 But the REAL reason I am so, so, so excited this year is that my friend Alex Bledsoe is flying in to be the author guest of honor. Alex and I have been friends for years, supporting each other's careers and cheering each other on, but this will be the first time we will actually get to meet in person!

Handsome devil!

Plus, of course, there is the convention guest of honor, Chase Masterson, who had a reoccurring role on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. This year is going to ROCK.

As an added bonus, for the folks who make it there, my publisher has kindly arranged for me to have my author copies of DANGEROUSLY CHARMING in time to take them to the con, even though the book isn't officially out until October 4th. So a few lucky people are going to get their hands on the book a week and a half before everyone else! Whoo hoo!

I hope I get to see a few of you there. Here's the schedule of events for those who are thinking of coming: Robercon Schedule I will be at both author signings (Saturday and Sunday). I will undoubtedly have a few goodies with me too.

Whoo hooo!

Tarot Deck Update and Announcements!

Cross-posted by Deborah and Elisabeth:

As many of you know, we (author Deborah Blake and illustrator Elisabeth Alba) have been working all year on a tarot deck for Llewellyn Worldwide. There was an important meeting at Llewellyn this week and we have a few exciting things to announce. First off, we finally have A TITLE!

Introducing…EVERYDAY WITCH TAROT (and its accompanying book, The Guide to the Everyday Witch Tarot). Ta da!

The book cover will feature the High Priestess card:

 And the kit cover will be the Judgment card:

This is what Elisabeth looked like after finally finishing the last painting!
 

The deck will be out in January 2017, a little over a year from now. We can’t wait!
 

For those of you who are impatient to get this deck (and who could blame you), Elisabeth and I will be posting an occasional "sneak peek" until it is released.

 So, anyone else excited too?

P.S. -- For the tarot lovers among you, I saw that Llewellyn has a big tarot sale on right now. You might want to go take a look, even though you won't be able to get this one for a year. Llewellyn Tarot Sale 

 

WICKEDLY MAGICAL--It's Novella Release Day!

It has been a long, long wait but today is the day—WICKEDLY MAGICAL is finally here!

WICKEDLY MAGICAL is the prequel novella for the Baba Yaga series, which means it tells a little bit of the “story before the story starts.” You don’t need to read it in order to enjoy the novels, but it does give you that first glimpse into the world of Barbara Yager (the first Baba Yaga) and her sisters.

Known as the wicked witch of Russian fairy tales, Baba Yaga is not one woman, but rather a title carried by a chosen few. They keep the balance of nature and guard the borders of our world, but don’t make the mistake of crossing one…

Barbara Yager loves being one of the most powerful witches in the world, but sometimes she’d rather kick back in her enchanted Airstream with a beer in her hand than work out how to grant the requests of the worthy few who seek her out.

But when a man appears with the token of a family debt of honor, Barbara must drop everything to satisfy the promise owed by her predecessor—and she isn’t above being a little wicked to make sure the debt is paid in full…

Here are a few links, in case you are in the mood to take a look (and don't worry if you don't have an eReader; you can get a free and easy Kindle app that will let you read on your computer). 

 PENGUIN

 AMAZON

 B&N

 iBooks

And don’t forget, WICKEDLY DANGEROUS (Baba Yaga novel #1) is out on September 2^nd and it’s up for pre-order now! And if you get a copy of WICKEDLY MAGICAL, be sure to come tell me (on the blog, or Twitter, or Facebook) what you thought. Spread the word, if you are so inclined--you know I appreciate it! In fact, I'm giving away a Big Bundle of Baba Yaga Swag to one random fan. You can enter the contest here AND/or on Facebook. (But it only runs until the end of Wednesday, so don't wait.)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Welcome to the world of the Baba Yagas!

Here's an excerpt to tempt you....

Barbara Yager glided her classic BMW motorcycle to a halt in front of the silver Airstream trailer that she lived in whenever she was on the road. It was currently parked in a lot on the campus of the Northern Illinois University where she was presenting a series of guest lectures on wild crafting herbs. Traveling botanist and college professor made for a useful cover for her other activities, which tended to be a little less conventional. To say the least.

As she swung one lean, leather-clad leg over the saddle of the bike, she caught a glimpse of something curious, reflected in the shiny royal blue paint. The reflection should have been impossible, given the angle, but like everything else about Barbara Yager, the motorcycle was not quite what it seemed.

“Hmph,” she said, not very loudly, and strolled over to the front door of the Airstream without looking back.

“We have company,” she said as she closed the door behind her. “Again.”

She removed her helmet, releasing a cloud of dark hair that flowed over her shoulders like silk. The helmet and black leather jacket were hung on branch-like pegs that sprouted out of the wall as she snapped her fingers, leaving her clad in matching black leather pants and a crimson tee. Not what the university administrators had been expecting, she suspected, but she didn’t much care. Following the rules had never been her strong suit.

A blunt black-nosed snout pushed aside the velvet curtain covering the window, as Chudo-Yudo looked for himself. He gave a barking laugh, one that went well with his current guise as a huge white pit pull; not exactly subtle, but a lot easier to explain than his true form of a ten-foot dragon. They’d been companions since she’d been a child…which was a lot longer ago than one would suppose based on appearances.

“Not very smart,” Chudo-Yudo growled. “Stalking a Baba Yaga.” He showed a set of sharp white teeth. “Maybe he has a death wish. I could help with that. You want me to eat him?”

Barbara rolled her eyes. “I don’t think that will be necessary. It is not as though he is a threat.”

As if an ordinary mortal could harm a Baba Yaga in a face-to-face confrontation. Barbara was one of the three Babas currently living in—and responsible for—the United States. Like the others, she’d been trained in magic by the Baba Yaga who’d preceded her, and like the others, she was tasked with guarding the doorway to the Otherworld, keeping the balance of nature (as much as anyone could in these modern times), and occasionally, helping a worthy seeker. 

That last one was a pain in the butt.

Barbara sighed, peering out the window over Chudo-Yudo’s massive furry shoulder at the rusting blue pickup truck parked under a nearby tree. For three days, it had followed her from the building where her class was held. Each day, it sat there, idling, for about twenty minutes, no doubt while its driver attempted to work up his nerve to confront one of the most powerful witches on the planet. Each day, it drove off again, the man inside only a vague image of ragged hair and bowed shoulders, leaving behind it a miasma of exhaust and sorrow.

Barbara was tired of waiting. In theory, those seeking her assistance were supposed to come to her. She decided that parking within twenty feet of her home was close enough to count. There was a cold beer with her name on it (literally, since a small organic brewery in Utah made a beer called “Baba” that she was quite fond of), and she wasn’t going to be able to relax until she figured out if she was truly needed, or if whoever was out there was just wasting her time and annoying her. It was never a good idea to annoy a Baba Yaga. Particularly not this Baba.

Muttering under her breath, she stomped over to stand in front of the driver’s side door, arms crossed, booted feet planted firmly on the ground. Chudo-Yudo trailed along behind her, probably out of sheer boredom. They tended to spend more time away from civilization than in it, which made it easier for him to be out and about, and a week stuck in the Airstream in the middle of a parking lot had made the dog-dragon even grumpier than usual.

The window lowered slowly, revealing a pale, rugged face under badly cut brown hair. Baba thought the man might have been reasonably attractive when he didn’t look so tired and worried. The lines of strain had carved crevices and valleys onto an otherwise pleasant landscape, and dark brown eyes were ringed by shadows that spoke of many a sleepless night.

Barbara hardened her heart. Just because someone wasn’t sleeping well didn’t mean he merited her assistance. Maybe the guy had a guilty conscience. Or stayed up all night gambling and chasing women.

She hoped he hadn’t come to her in search of some kind of magical treasure to get him out of debt. That might have worked on occasion in the old days, back in the dark green, mysterious forests of Mother Russia, when Baba Yagas were more inclined to play along with the fairy tales people told about them. Not anymore, and definitely not her. He was going to have to really need her help, or she’d turn him into a toad and go drink that beer.

“Hey,” she said, possibly a touch more forcefully than she’d intended to, based on the way the guy flinched. “I’m guessing you wanted to talk to me, since you’ve followed me back here three days in a row. Were you ever planning to get out of that truck?”

The man eyed her dubiously, and looked even less encouraged by the sight of the large canine sitting at her feet, long pink tongue lolling, and just a hint of steam curling out of his nostrils. But after a minute the man shut off the engine and opened the door. For all his hesitation, once he was in front of her, he straightened up and pulled his shoulders back, as if gathering his courage. A couple of inches over her five foot ten, he wore a clean blue shirt over jeans that actually looked like they’d been ironed. One hand gripped a small box.

Barbara raised a dark eyebrow, but didn’t say anything. She’d gone as far as she was going to—the next step was up to him.

COVER REVEAL!!! Wickedly Wonderful

I just got the final cover art for WICKEDLY WONDERFUL, the 2nd book in the Baba Yaga Series. It isn't even up at Amazon or Penguin yet, so I get to share it with you here first!

Remember, there is a different Baba Yaga protagonist in each book, so the Baba Yaga for Wickedly Wonderful looks completely different (as does her Chudo Yudo, a magical dragon disguised as a Very Large dog). Unlike the first book, which took place in upstate NY, this one takes place in CA, on the Monterey Bay.

Meet Beka and Chewie!

What do you think--do you love it as much as I do?

The book isn't out until December 2nd, but you can preorder now at Barnes and Noble and Amazon

Here's the book summary:

Known as the wicked witch of Russian fairy tales, Baba Yaga is not one woman, but rather a title carried by a chosen few. They keep the balance of nature and guard the borders of our world, but don’t make the mistake of crossing one of them…

Though she looks like a typical California surfer girl, Beka Yancy is in fact a powerful yet inexperienced witch who’s struggling with her duties as a Baba Yaga. Luckily she has her faithful dragon-turned-dog for moral support, especially when faced with her biggest job yet…

A mysterious toxin is driving the Selkie and Mer from their homes deep in the trenches of Monterey Bay. To investigate, Beka buys her way onto the boat of Marcus Dermott, a battle-scarred former U.S. Marine, and his ailing fisherman father.

While diving for clues, Beka drives Marcus crazy with her flaky New Age ideas and dazzling blue eyes. She thinks he’s rigid and cranky (and way too attractive). Meanwhile, a charming Selkie prince has plans that include Beka. Only by trusting her powers can Beka save the underwater races, pick the right man, and choose the path she’ll follow for the rest of her life…

 Are we excited yet? (I feel a giveaway coming on...)

The Books are Here!

Look what I got yesterday!!!

As you can see, Magic the Cat was pretty excited too. Of course, she does think her picture is on the cover...

Apparently the books arrived in the Llewellyn warehouse a little ahead of schedule, because I noticed that Amazon has changed the release date from April 8th to APRIL 1st!!!! Yes, that means that you folks who preordered will be getting your books sometime next week!

And the arrival of the books at my house means that those of you who used the "Buy Now" button on the blog (or on my website) to order a signed book from me will be getting those soon too. I plan to sign them and pack them up this weekend, and take them to the post office on Monday. (They may still take a little longer, since I will probably be sending them media mail, which is cheaper, but also slower.) If you wanted a signed book but haven't ordered one from me yet, you can use the button at the top left of the blog, which will take you to Paypal. (Remember that I am only going to send out signed books to the first 100 people who ask, since it is a lot of work, and I should REALLY be working on the next book! So after those 100 are gone, I'll be taking the button down.)

I can't tell you how happy I was to hold this book in my hands at last--it is just the coolest little thing, if I do say myself. And I can't get over how excited everyone else is about it. That makes it all way more fun for me, too.

There will be one more giveaway to celebrate the actual book release week, probably on Monday...along with a really fun announcement and a special surprise for you all that I think is going to knock your socks off. In the meanwhile, I hope you are all having a great weekend. This is me, off to work on revisions...

Oh, and don't forget to enter the Goodreads Contest, which runs until the 8th!
 

 
 

    Goodreads Book Giveaway
 

   

       
   

   

     

          The Witch's Broom
     

     

          by Deborah Blake
     

     

         
            Giveaway ends April 08, 2014.
         

         
            See the giveaway details
            at Goodreads.
         

     

   

   

      Enter to win

New Cover! I've Got a New Cover!

There are a few really stellar days in an author's life: the days when you sell a book, finish the first draft, finish the edits (whew!), and of course, the day the book is released. But one of my--and many other authors'--favorite days is NEW COVER DAY!

That's the day when you finally get to share the cover of your upcoming book with all your fans and friends. Well, guess what today is??????

I just got the okay from my lovely editor, Elysia Gallo at Llewellyn, to share the cover of my upcoming book, Everyday Witch Book of Rituals, coming out in October. The cover isn't even up on Amazon yet, although the book IS available for preorder at a spiffy sales price. [Everyday Witch Book of Rituals]

So, with no further ado, HERE IT IS! Tell me, what do you think? Isn't it magickal?