Cassandra Clare's New Fantasy Series!

 December’s Top Book Pick!

 

New York Times Best-selling Author Cassandra Clare launches a new epic fantasy series with Sword Catcher, Book One, The Chronicles of Castellane.

 

“It began with a crime. The theft of a boy.”

 

So begins the tale of Kel, a boy stolen from an orphanage to become the secret Sword Catcher—the body double for the sole royal heir, Prince Conor of Aurelian. All the trappings of royal life, including abundance and hedonistic thrills, and Kel’s growing closeness to Conor, are countered by the weight of living a lie and knowing his destiny is to die for Conor.

 

 Like Kel, Lin Caster is an outcast. A rare female doctor, Lin is      forced to live behind walls within the city because she is an Ashkar. After the Sundering, only the Ashkar possessed the last vestiges of magic, and all magical creatures disappeared overnight. But neither charmed talismans nor Lin’s extensive medical skill have succeeded in healing her best friend.

 

 After an assassination attempt, Kel, Conor, and Lin’s lives become entwined in a dangerous web of forbidden love, secrets, conspiracies, and betrayal.

 

Clare employs enviable writing to breathe life into disparate characters and factions. Her complex world building may send the spatially challenged (like me) puzzling over the included map. But once the pieces come together, readers will find this hefty book difficult to put down and eager for the sequel.

Wishing you all a wondrous holiday season. Be sure to take some time for yourself to snuggle up with a good book!

 

CopyrightⒸ2023 By Ariella Moon

Paranormal Ebook Sales for October!

  

Celebrate Halloween With Two Teen Wytche Saga Book Deals!

The Teen Wytche Saga by Ariella Moon.

Where friends, first love, and magic collide.

 

A spell book charged with aiding true love 

morphs into a new type of magic with each girl who possesses it.

Feel like bingeing on a Young Adult paranormal book series that begins on a fateful Halloween?

The Teen Wytche Saga Series Bundle Sale

  

Sign in to Google Play Books. 

 

Buy 2 Teen Wytche Saga books, save 50%

Buy 4 Teen Wytche Saga books, save 60%

 

Unfamiliar with book bundle deals?

Once you have clicked on the link above, Click on "Build" (to the right), then click on which ebooks you'd like. The sale price will show at checkout.

 

Sale ends October 31, 2023

Prefer to start with a spooky (slightly harrowing at times) tale of first love, sibling rivalry, mental illness, & magic?  Then check out Spell Struck, on Rakuten Kobo.

“A fantastic YA paranormal read, reminiscent of the film “Practical Magic”!

~InD’tale Magazine

$0.99 sale ends October 31, 2023

Happy Halloween. I hope you enjoy the Teen Wytche Saga!

Ariella Moon

October Magical, Witchy Recommended Reads!

 

 

This month I am recommending two very different novels that share common themes about families of the heart, coming of age, and magic.

The Only Purple House in Town by New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Ann Aguirre, is a delightful contemporary novel about Iris Collins, a young woman who never measures up to her family’s expectations. When she unexpectedly inherits a house from her great-aunt, Iris is determined to not add another failure to her life’s résumé. But when her plan to turn the house into a Bed and Breakfast goes awry, Iris switches to renting rooms instead to the displaced, the lonely, and the not wholly human.

 

A fortuitous misunderstanding leads Eli Reese to become one such boarder. Although wealthy and not in need of a rented room, he signs on in order to get closer to Iris, his childhood crush. Eli never forgot a fleeting act of kindness Iris bestowed upon him when they both attended Ridgecrest Elementary. Iris, who was two grades ahead of Eli, doesn’t recognize him. He promises himself he will tell her the truth, but the time never seems right, and the longer he waits, the more his lies of omission mount.

 

Meanwhile, witches have recently come out of the shadows and been recognized by the government. Iris is the only one in her family who wonders what other paranormal communities may exist, hidden in plain sight. A nasty neighbor doesn’t want any of thatsort living next to her, and if she discovers the truth about the purple house denizens, she will make sure Iris fails yet again.

 

Sparkling inner dialogue, an inventive take on witches, and endearing characters make The Only Purple House In Town a magical read that will keep you smiling long after you finish the book.

 

The Weaver and the Witch Queen by national bestselling author Genevieve Gornichec, is an epic tale of three girls in 10^thcentury Norway. Gunnhild’s family has wealth and prestige, but she is desperate to escape her cruel mother. Her dearest friends, sisters Oddney and Signy, are impoverished farm girls, who Gunnhild only sees during gatherings.

 

After a visiting seeress’s prophecy casts a shadow over the girls’ future, the three take a blood oath to always be there for each other even of they don’t walk the same path. Their paths soon diverge in terrible and epic ways, plunging the reader into a sweeping tale of queens, kings, witches, sisterhood, and the search for personal sovereignty.

 

Rich historical details, compelling characters, and a well-researched and beautifully written system of magic drew me into this wonderfully woven saga. The tribulations, choices, and fates of Oddney, Gunnhild, and Signy stayed with me long after I finished The Weaver and the Witch Queen.

 

I look forward to reading more novels by both authors.

If you love epic Viking Tales, consider The Viking Mist by Ariella Moon

AMAZON  

Happy reading and Blessed Samhain,

Ariella Moon

 

 

 

 

 

 

Holly Black's First Book For Adults

 Book of Night by Holly Black

 

Holly Black takes a dark turn in Book of Night, her first novel for adults. Black plunges readers into a sordid world populated by con artists, thieves, and occult figures, where shadows can be altered and manipulated.

 

Usually, I abandon novels where the main character appears caught in an unending loop of bad decisions. Black’s latest protagonist, Charlie Hall, a life-long con artist and thief, checks all the boxes. But I stuck with Charlie’s story because of my tremendous appreciation for Holly Black’s Young Adult and Middle Grade novels and my faith in her story telling. Sure enough, Black drew me in with her deft world building and illuminating back-stories. I even began rooting for Charlie. Stick with Book of Night and you, too, will hope Holly Black’s memorable characters find their happy endings. 

Happy reading!

AMAZON

Review: The Fourth Wing (Empyrean Book 1)

I loved this Coming of Age, Fish Out of Water, and Redemption story set in Rebecca Yarros's magical Fourth Wing. Every page, sometimes every paragraph, is filled with internal or external conflict as Violet Sorrengail, whose mother is the commanding general of the Basgiath War College, forces her bookish daughter into the brutal Dragon Riders Quadrant. Violet faces daily life or death situations - because of her mother, because of her small size and fragile condition, and because of Xaden Riorson and other marked separatists cadets whose parents were executed as traitors during the rebellion.

Violet must draw upon the knowledge she acquired in the Archives to outsmart and outwit her deadly opponents and be chosen by a dragon. But her greatest threat - her wingleader, Xander Riorson - may not be exactly what Violet first thought.

Normally, I shy away from books littered with F-bombs. The word often appears gratuitous and indicating a lack of imagination. But in Fourth Wing, the expletives felt organic and appropriate.

I look forward to reading the next book in the Empyrean series!

If you would like to delve into The Two Realms fantasy series, 

The Beltane Escape, The Viking Mist, and the Lady of the Lake companion novella, 

The Amber Elixir, are now available to read for free with Kindle Unlimited. Also available in paperback.

Happy summer reading!

~Ariella

Ariella Moon Book Signing Event in Palm Springs

 

I am super excited about my next book signing/featured reading!

July 15, 2023 at Noon

The Palm Springs Cultural Center Upstairs Lounge

2300 E. Baristo Road, Palm Springs, CA

I will be presenting and selling books along with author H. Les Brown

There will be an open mic.

Thank you, D. Marie Fitzgerald, for organizing and hosting the event!

See you there!

AriellaMoon.com

The Two Realms Series Now in Kindle Unlimited!

 

In medieval Scotland and the hidden world of shape-shifters, fairies, and magic, a kidnapped heiress, the new Lady of the Lake, and a time traveling Viking slave navigate the realms of Cold Iron and sorcery in desperate quests 

against time and fate.

When the summer heat gets overwhelming, I love escaping into fantasy novels. Do you? If so, pull up a chair next to the air conditioning and catch up on the Two Realms series. For a limited time, you can read Books 1, 2,  and the companion novella, The Amber Elixir, for free with kindle unlimited.

THE BELTANE ESCAPE Book 1

THE AMBER ELIXIR Book 1.5 A Lady of the Lake novella

THE VIKING MIST Book 2

Happy reading!

Ariella Moon

Ariella Moon Presents: "Diabolical Devices For Creating Page-Turning Fiction"

 I am super excited to present "Diabolical Devices For Creating Page-Turning Fiction" to the Central Oregon Writers Guild on May 9, 2023!

Plot twists, reversals, red herrings, and chapter cliffhangers are just a few of the devices that will keep readers up all night swearing, "Just one more chapter!" Writers will discover how to avoid sagging plots and amp up their writing.

Learn more at:

https://centraloregonwritersguild.com/index.html

In the meantime, 

Happy writing and reading!

A Magical Zoom Writing Class From Ariella Moon!

 Let's get magical!

Have you ever channeled a character and let them dictate a story from their perspective? Do you invoke helpful ancestors or other guides to lead you to needed research information? Does your Shadow-Self (Inner Critic) need to be contained? In “Magical Tools for Every Writer’s Toolbox,” award-winning author Shaman Ariella Moon will aid participants in safely accessing unseen realms, where they will discover and work with supportive energies and entities beneficial to their writing career.

This will not be a typical writing craft class!

Get the full scoop and register at Palm Springs Writers Guild You do not have to be a guild member to register. (But you will have to pay the higher non-member price.)

#writingtips #writingcommunity #writinglife #ariellamoon #PSWG #palmspringswritingguild

Be Your Own Date for Valentine's Day!

Feeling overwhelmed by the bombardment of ads showing happy couples?

Shift from a sense of lack to a sense of joy, peace, and gratitude. 

Here are some tips to avoid the pressure and boost your morale:

1. Host a casual gathering with friends. Have a pizza party. Watch a movie. Play a sport. Time spent with friends reminds us of how lucky we are to have special people in our life.

2. Hike the great outdoors. Nature is the great healer. Even just a walk around your neighborhood can boost your mood. Greet the people you meet. Make their day and yours.

3. Do good. If the walk around your neighborhood highlights problems, then spend time bagging up litter or help a neighbor in need.

4. Spread love. Perform random acts of kindness.

5. Escape into a good book. Reading is my favorite escape! Before you know it, the big heart day will have passed.

If you are tempted to perform a love spell... I suggest you first read SPELL CHECK, a sweet romance about a teen's attempt to stop her best friend from casting  a wrongful love spell. Book 1, The Teen Wytche Saga.

Happy reading!

Ariella

 

Ariella Moon Book Signing Event!

Meet Ariella Moon and other Coachella Valley authors at the 

Palm Springs Writers Expo

January 14, 2023 from 1:00- 4:00

The Mizell Center in Palm Springs

480 S. Sunrise Way

Admission is free!

Don't miss this chance to meet award-winning and upcoming 

fiction and non-fiction authors.

                                                  

 Award-winning author and shaman Ariella Moon will be signing and selling books from her two Young Adult fantasy series: 

THE TWO REALMS TRILOGY and THE TEEN WYTCHE SAGA. 

Additionally, Ariella's visitors can receive chocolate (while they last) or an oracle card reading if they say the secret magic password:

"I believe in fairies!"

Copyright 2023, Ariella Moon

New Zoom Class For Aspiring Authors!

Connecting with fabulous presenters is a key perk of being the Writing Labs Coordinator for the Palm Springs Writers Guild, including January's presenter,  Margaret Lucke. 

Margaret Lucke

"From Brilliant Idea to Successful Publication"

January 13, 2023    1:00 PM -3:00 PM

A Palm Springs Writing Lab on zoom

$45. for students and PSWG Members

$90. For Non-Members

 

From Brilliant Idea to Successful Publication 

 

Everyone has stories to tell, and many of us want to put our stories into the hands of readers. The start of a new year presents a good opportunity to take a big-picture look at what you want to accomplish with your writing in the months ahead. 

 

In this session we’ll explore the process of developing your story, from getting the initial spark, through putting it down on the page, to getting it published and out into world. Whether you are writing a novel, a short story, a memoir, or a personal essay, you’ll come away with inspiration, helpful information, and a clear idea of the path that leads to becoming a published author. 

 

What you will learn:

 

·     How to find story ideas when you need them

·     The six essential elements of any good story

·     How to approach doing the necessary research

·     Strategies for writing the first draft

·     Strategies for rewriting process

·     Approaches to getting your story published

 

 REGISTER

About Margaret Lucke 

Margaret Lucke flings words around as a writer and editor in the San Francisco Bay Area. She writes tales of love, ghosts, and murder, sometimes all three in one book. She is the author of four novels—House of Desire, House of Whispers, Snow Angel,and A Relative Stranger(an Anthony Award finalist)—and is the editor ofFault Lines,a short story anthology from the Northern California chapter of Sisters in Crime. She is a former president of Mystery Writers of America NorCal.

 

Margaret has also published two how-to books on the craft of writing and more than 60 short stories, feature articles, and scripts for mystery weekends. For many years she has taught fiction writing classes for UC Berkeley Extension and other venues. Visit her at www.margaretlucke.com.

Connect With Margaret Lucke

AMAZON

FACEBOOK

To sign up for 

"From Brilliant Idea to Successful Publication" REGISTER HERE

When not booking presenters on writing craft, Ariella Moon can be found walking her dogs and dragon, eating chocolate, or writing the sequel to THE VIKING MIST.