BOOK REVIEW / GIVEAWAYS / INTERVIEW - WITCH by FIONA HORNE - ALLEN & UNWIN

Today on NOVELS ON THE RUN I have my book review for WITCH by Aussie author, FIONA HORNE and an Interview with Fiona , who is also a practicing witch amongst many other things. I have also got a spell that you can try and some paperbacks to giveaway.
Big Thankyou  to Allen & Unwin for kindly donating the paperbacks to give away, much appreciated.

Enjoy!

Michelle

By: Fiona Horne

Published By : Allen & Unwin

Released : Available Now

Details: Paperback for review from publisher, 251 Pages

RATING: 3.5 VANIA STARS!

Blurb:

When Vania moves from Australia to Summerland, California, the last thing she expects to feel is that she's come home. Maybe it's Summerland's unusual history - Vania is drawn to stories about magic and witchcraft and, as she discovers, the pretty coastal town was settled by Spiritualists.

And Vania's not the only teenager in town interested in magic. There are a few others including good-looking class president Bryce. Together they form their own club - a coven - but when they use their powers to investigate what happened to the mysterious woman of Queen's Cross, something goes wrong.

Vania knows that the coven's power is good but there is evil out there too. Something or someone is determined to hunt them down. What does this force want with the coven. What price will Vania have to pay for the truth?

BOOK REVIEW by Michelle :

“Mm-m-massive lips.....Mrs Fish, Vania Thorn, Fish Lips.”

Cassidy Walters is a mean girl. I am older and wiser, now. With what I know now, she would have been going dooowwwnnn!! on that school bus trip. Alas I was just like Vania, I was not a hero or a toughie. It would have been nice to have had some mind mojo....just a little J

Vania Thorn has lived fifteen years of her life in Australia. A job opportunity arises and her parents take her home to their town of Summerland, USA.

Vania soon finds herself some awesome friends, the twins , Amelia and Alyssa, Dean and to Cassidy’s surprise, Bryce.

This is a cute read. Maybe a little younger than the average YA book in storyline. I enjoyed it.

I could ‘feel’ Fiona had poured a lot of herself and witch knowledge into the storyline.

The romance is light, the friendships are true and strong. The villain, maybe a little obvious, but what I loved was the twist thrown in. Fiona got me goooood! I air high fived Fiona with that twist.

I loved the visual I got from Vania’s 16th birthday séance scene. I also learnt a thing or two. I did not realise you had to be given a pack of tarot cards. You didn’t just go buy yourself a pack.

There was a cute Nancy Drew style mystery that wove this story together nicely. This was a lovely clean read about friendship, discovery, spells , an unsolved murder, and a hot boy named Bryce who had his own secrets....... and that twist! 

Michelle

INTERVIEW with FIONA HORNE

Hi Fiona, thanks for taking the time to answer my Q & A’s for our Aussie blog Novels On The Run, much appreciated J

Fiona:  Cheers!  Thank you for interviewing me!  J

Michelle:   What 8 words describe Fiona Horne Witch? 

Fiona:  Magic, mystery, ocean, love, freedom, self-love, surprises, wisdom 

Michelle:   What 8 words describe Fiona Horne , author? 

FIONA HORNE

Fiona:  I guess the obvious ones are: 

Writer, witch, rockstar, skydiver, scubadiver, pilot, actor, tv/radiopersonality (is that one word? LOL) 

But another 8 words I would like to offer are: 

Adventurer, magic, dreams, passion, warrioress, hard-worker, hard-player, friend! 

Michelle:   What drew you to witchcraft and how does it play a part in your life on a daily basis aside from writing books on the craft? 

Fiona:  The strong bond a Witch explores with nature is what drew me to the Craft. Growing up running around in the Aussie bush and interacting with the elements planted a seed of ‘magic’ in me from a very young age. As I grew up and started to read more about spiritual traditions and practices of indigenous people of different cultures I kept feeling drawn to the Celtic and pagan practices of the pre-Christian northern European tribes. I’m adopted and ironically one part of my origins is Germanic and linked to these tribes. So maybe it’s just in my DNA : ) In my daily life as a witch it’s still about communing with nature, treading lightly on the earth, helping others with my ‘gifts’ (for example psychic divination, advice and healing) and seeing life as a magical adventure to be lived to the fullest. That doesn’t always mean times are easy – a witch goes through very hard times – there is no magical spell that makes life’s challenges disappear. But as a witch when life gets tough I decide to let it show me how strong I am - not how weak! 

Michelle:  Do you have a spell or ritual you do regularly for yourself? 

Fiona:  Skydiving! I see that as a purifying and life affirming ritual of communing with the element of air! And there are lots of spells and rituals in ‘Witch’ that Vania the main character does that are based on my personal practices. I always take a shower at the end of the day – what makes it magical is that I sprinkle salt on the floor of the shower and when the water runs over me I let the salt draw any negative energy away and release it down the drain! And I often place a piece of amethyst crystal under my pillow when I sleep – helps to have happy dreams! 

Michelle:  Is there a spell that the blog readers could use , if they chose, something for good? 

Fiona:  I love this:

 ‘Spell for Positive Manifestation’ 

Carve your initials into a white candle. 

Lick your thumb and trace over the carving with your spit to make it ‘yours’. 

Light the candle and then by its light on a piece of paper write down five good things you want to happen. 

Place the paper under the candle and say this charm: 

“Sacred flame shine your light on the path that makes my dreams come true.” 

Picture those good things you want to happen really happening.... and they will! 

Michelle:  Have you read many YA genre fictional Witch books e.g Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins ? 

Fiona:  No! None! If I get time to read it’s usually books about travel, space and the ocean.... and instructional books about flying. I am a newly certificated Single Engine Land pilot and there’s always a lot to learn! 

Michelle:  The Fiona who lived in Australia who was in the band Def FX to the Fiona living in USA now, what have you learnt about yourself? 

Fiona:  That is a massive question! I have learned to be less critical of myself, and I have learned to live in the moment and not always worry about what I did wrong yesterday or have to do better tomorrow. 

Michelle:  I know you are still in your band, but is there anything that has come out of your life that was a memorable moment? 

Fiona:  Well there are millions of memorable moments to be honest – the world record in skydiving I got last year, soloing a plane for the first time this year, scuba diving wrecks in Truk Lagoon twenty years ago! Playing with my gorgeous nieces and nephews in Australia this year after I hadn’t seen them for two years.... receiving a copy of ‘Witch’ in the mail and holding my new baby book! And you mention my band .... well, yes performing on stage with Def FX again this year for the first time in 15 years was massively memorable and mega fun! 

Michelle:  You left school at fifteen, you have carved an interesting career that has been long standing, if you had a yearbook back then, what do you think the teachers would have written in it? 

Fiona:  I’ll tell you what my teachers wrote.... ‘Fiona is a gifted but troubled child’... LOL. They really did! I was always a bit different. I don’t know what they thought I would end up doing with my life.... but I bet it’s a lot more than they could have imagined! LOL 

Michelle:  What is one thing that you still have not done, that you would like to achieve? 

Fiona:  Gosh, I sit here and I am a bit stumped thinking how to answer this... I have done a lot of things! I would really like to finish writing Vania’s life story. Witch is the first book of three.... in theory! I have the rest of her life in my head... I want to get it out of my head and on the page! 

Michelle:  Big Thankyou Fiona for taking the time to answer these questions. We at Novels On The Run wish you all the best with your writing.

Fiona:  Cheers, thanks Michelle!!! 

NOW IT'S GIVEAWAY TIME

WOO HOOOTTT!!!

Allen & Unwin have kindly donated 3 paperback copies of Witch.

3 of these!!

THANKYOU!

This is for AUSSIE ENTRIES ONLY as the publisher is posting the prizes.

TO ENTER:

Please leave a comment regarding the review or interview and your email address. So winner can easily be contacted. Please not if you are a winner to respond to the email within 48 hours.

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GIVEAWAY STARTS NOW!

ENDS MIDNIGHT AUSSIE TIME 20TH OCTOBER 2012

GOOD LUCK!

Michelle