Hi ,

The doves are cooing outside my window as I write you. Spring is in the air, despite a snow  thunderstorm last night. You read that correctly.

Last night, while I huddled under the covers, lightning turned the sky white, followed immediately by thunder.

Toronto gets plenty of thunderstorms in the heat of August, but this was my first winter thunderstorm.

Novella Update

The mystery novella is coming along. I've included some of the artwork I'm using for inspiration, plus a peek at the first chapter. Please keep in mind this is a (very) rough draft. :)

When the anthology comes out, I'll let you know how to get a free copy.

My novella is a murder mystery which takes place in Loon Lake (the setting of Feeding Frenzy) before the events of that novel. Expect witches, magic, and fiends that go bump in the night.

McCull Manor is a family museum, hidden in the woods. As members of a founding Old Family, the McCulls settled the area in 1850. The dry stone walls around the estate were built by Scottish masons, but the McCulls came to the New World with Irish farmers, looking to settle in Southern Ontario.

Chapter One

Stella Rive reported to an abandoned farmhouse south of Loon Lake for her summer job interview. The windows were cracked, and she thought she smelled mice, but Udolf McCull’s soft words across the kitchen table ran shivers up her spine. Perhaps it was his long, auburn locks or the mountainous shoulders straining his fine suit.

“Is your museum close to the university?” She wanted to work close to the dorm.

“We will disclose the location to the right applicant. How do you feel about antiques?”

“Love them. I’m a history major with a minor in fine art.”

He frowned. “How long have you lived in Loon Lake?”

“I started school in September but want to stay for the summer.”

Home felt lonely since Mom died, and Dad buried his grief in overtime. “It’s a beautiful town.”

“City.”

“Right.” A small city on a lake surrounded by farms and forests.

“Do you plan to stay?

“At least three more years.”

“That will do. Congratulations.”

“I got the job?”

“You passed the interview, but the museum will decide. This is your contract.”

She took out a ballpoint, but he handed her an old-fashioned nib pen. “Sign here, here, and here.”

“Three nondisclosure clauses?”

“We like our privacy.”

She should have backed out when he insisted that she make the final signature in blood—but a job meant she could afford summer in Loon Lake with its fascinating archives, and her even more fascinating boyfriend-to-be, Eric.

Besides, after all this secrecy, she was dying to see the place.

I hope you liked this sneak peek at the rough draft.

Now, it's time for me to work on the ending.

Happy reading,

Maaja

Special Mentions

Thief of Lies is a free prequel in the Shadowed Minds series.

Lee can phase through alternate realms and jump across St. Louis in an instant. What she can’t seem to do is leave her down-on-their luck thieving crew and escape her overbearing cyborg boss.

Meet Sidney Grace. Quirky journalist, Hesitant witch, Professional butterfingers.

Her grandmother believes Sidney’s talent for communicating with the dead makes her the most powerful witch in the family, but Sidney just wants to make it through the day without getting fired.

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