And the world hasn't been the same since...
This is the third installment of my Bottled Magic series about genies, and in this one, well, let's just say that maybe it's not exactly the world that's never been the same, but a certain town in northeast PA hasn't been. Not for the past hundred plus years.
See, that's when Vana, a genie who kinda, well, sorta, maybe, skipped out on her genie training, and might have caused just the teensiest tiniest bit of trouble for the master who'd brought her to his home town.
Okay, maybe big trouble. From the vanishing staircase, to the bear who showed up at a luncheon, to the flying berries, rolling gristmill, and let us not forget the ugly rose-colored window she'd zapped into the church, Vana's magic had been wreaking havoc for her master, giving him the sad legacy of being known as a crazy man.
Her new master, Zane Harrison, is out to change all of that. He lived with that legacy until his family moved out of town. Now he's back to sell the family estate, and get away from the rumors forever.
Vana's got different plans. She's going to save the family';s reputation and homestead by setting things to rights.
Too bad they turn out oh-so-wrong. For all her hundred years stuck in her bottle between masters with the Djinnoire, a genie how-to book, she still hasn't grasped her magic.
Until Zane grasps her. And kisses her. Then her magic works wonderfully.
Take a magic carpet ride (literally, they do) with Zane and Vana as they try to figure out how to overcome his great-grandfather's reputation, put the hide-and-seek-playing gargoyles back on the room, unmagic the furniture and deal with Merlin, the gender-curious, cross-dressing phoenix who isn't afraid to speak his mind--sometimes at the most inopportune moments.
Here's an excerpt:
This is the third installment of my Bottled Magic series about genies, and in this one, well, let's just say that maybe it's not exactly the world that's never been the same, but a certain town in northeast PA hasn't been. Not for the past hundred plus years.
See, that's when Vana, a genie who kinda, well, sorta, maybe, skipped out on her genie training, and might have caused just the teensiest tiniest bit of trouble for the master who'd brought her to his home town.
Okay, maybe big trouble. From the vanishing staircase, to the bear who showed up at a luncheon, to the flying berries, rolling gristmill, and let us not forget the ugly rose-colored window she'd zapped into the church, Vana's magic had been wreaking havoc for her master, giving him the sad legacy of being known as a crazy man.
Her new master, Zane Harrison, is out to change all of that. He lived with that legacy until his family moved out of town. Now he's back to sell the family estate, and get away from the rumors forever.
Vana's got different plans. She's going to save the family';s reputation and homestead by setting things to rights.
Too bad they turn out oh-so-wrong. For all her hundred years stuck in her bottle between masters with the Djinnoire, a genie how-to book, she still hasn't grasped her magic.
Until Zane grasps her. And kisses her. Then her magic works wonderfully.
Take a magic carpet ride (literally, they do) with Zane and Vana as they try to figure out how to overcome his great-grandfather's reputation, put the hide-and-seek-playing gargoyles back on the room, unmagic the furniture and deal with Merlin, the gender-curious, cross-dressing phoenix who isn't afraid to speak his mind--sometimes at the most inopportune moments.
Here's an excerpt:
“Vana, you’re
never going to believe what happened!” Merlin, the phoenix who’d been keeping her
company throughout the past centuries, poofed onto the mirror with his usual burst
of sparkly orange fire, though this time he’d paired it with fuchsia feathers, his
colors as changeable as his moods. “There’s a Harrison back in town.”
Merlin did obvious in so
many aspects of his life.
“Yes, Merlin, I know.” She let go of Zane’s
arms (reluctantly) and held out her hand as Merlin’s perch. “Master, allow me to
introduce you to Merlin Pendragon. Merlin, Zane Harrison.”
“A talking bird?” Zane’s mouth fell open.
“You’re kidding, right? And Merlin?I thought merlins were smaller, and as for Pendragon,,,
Delusions of grandeur much?”
“Where do you think your kind got the story?”
Merlin fluffed his breast feathers and a shower of pink sequins fell like peri
dust onto her arm. “And no, I’m not a merlin, though I must say, I do appreciate
the honor of having a species named after me. I’m a phoenix, you know. And not just
any
phoenix, mind you. I’m the First Lieutenant of the Third Order of Pyre. Pretty spiffy
stuff, if I do say so myself.
“You should be thanking your lucky stars—which
are Vega and Rigel, by the way—that you’re meeting me. Do you know how many mortals
go their entire lives without seeing a phoenix?” He struck a pose, one orange and
red-striped leg stretched out beneath an open wing. “So, Mr. Negativity, are you
sufficiently impressed?”
Zane looked anything but impressed.
Disbelieving, stunned, maybe even a touch angry… And, with his gaze on the ceiling,
praying.
Great. She did not need him invoking the gods.
One word from Saraswati to the High Master and it’d all be over. She’d be whisked
right back to Al-Jannah, the djinn capital city, to be reprimanded for all her transgressions
(of which there were plenty) and possibly stripped of her status.
Sounds fun! Congrats on the new release!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun excerpt. LOVE the cover and the story. Congratulations on a big-time best seller!
ReplyDeleteMorning ladies! Yeah, gotta love the SB cover artists!
ReplyDeleteGreat title, cover and excerpt. Wishing you tons of success and missed seeing you at conference! Hope you are well.
ReplyDeleteAmelia
Congrats on the release, Judi! I just love the way your mind works...and loved the excerpt. Can't wait to get my hands on a copy. :)
ReplyDeleteLove the excerpt! It looks great.
ReplyDeleteSo excited for this story, Judi! CONGRATS on the release!!! I read the first 2 in no time... they were my first genie stories and I was quite surprised at how much I enjoyed them:) Now I can't wait to get my hands on this one!
ReplyDeleteJudi, sorry for the late arrival. Congrats on your newest release!!
ReplyDelete