Silvanus
Forrest's gypsy/fae heritage is a double-edged sword. The land he
inherited from his parents is rumored to be enchanted. But when Mercy
discovers the truth, his well-ordered life unravels, and they're
catapulted into the past to right a wrong. Along the way their lives
intertwine, and they discover the true meaning of family and love.
Will they change the past in time to save their future?
Wild
Women Authors is delighted to present
Mystic Maples the
latest release in the Deerbourne Inn series, by Tena Stetler. We have
an extra thrill of speaking with Mercy Rose, the heroine of Mystic
Maples.
Where
are you from? Colorado, my family owns a
little flower shop there. After my parents retired, they gave the
shop to my sister, Hope, and me. Now Mom and Dad split their time
between Colorado and the family castle in Scotland.
Tell
us a bit about Mystic Maples.
Earth/Fire
witch Mercy Rose's insatiable curiosity always gets her in trouble.
Silvanus Forrest's gypsy/fae heritage is a double-edged sword. The
land he inherited from his parents is rumored to be enchanted. But
when Mercy discovers what’s hidden in the barn, his well-ordered
life unravels, and they're catapulted into the past to right a wrong.
What
did you think the first time you saw Silvanus?.
He was very good looking and had a beautiful dog.
Works for us. And your second thought?
My track record with men sucks, so I should stay clear.
That didn’t happen.
No,
it certainly didn't. Was it love at first sight?
Not really sure. It was more a feeling that we were meant for each
other. You know fate.
Ah,
yes, that pesky fate thing. What do you like most about him? His
confidence and caring nature.
How
would you describe Sil? Down to earth but he
lets his family history drag him down, when there’s no reason for
it.
How
would he describe you? That I am a
spontaneous individual with insatiable curiosity that gets me in
trouble.
What
made you choose being a florist and plant geneticist as a career?
I’ve worked in the family flower shop since I could see over the
counter. There were so many opportunities to create flowers no one
has ever seen with gene splicing and a little magic sprinkled in. I
love working with plants. Did you know that bioluminescence can be
spliced or crossed into flowering plants, like roses, using
bioluminescent bacteria?
Gee.
Who knew. What is your biggest fear?
I know it sounds cliché but failure is my biggest fear in either my
personal or professional life. Heaven knows I’ve failed in my
personal life enough, but it’s never permanent, thank goodness.
How
do you relax? Working with flowers, bringing
a garden to life.
And
you certainly managed to do that, both at Sil's home and the
Deerbourne Inn. Who is your favorite fictional character?
Wonder Woman
Gee,
another 'well duh' moment. What is the best piece of advice you ever
received? Keep my curiosity in check. I still
haven’t mastered that though.
This has
been a lot of fun for us, Mercy. Having read the story makes it extra
special. We'd like to chat with Tena for a bit.
What
movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer?
Love the humor infused in Molly Harper’s books. I enjoy the writing
style of Deborah Harkness, and the hominess feel to Nancy Atherton’s
books. I’ve tried to incorporate some aspects of each into my
writing while still making it my own. If that makes sense. I hope it
does.
What
event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and
how do you feel it impacted the novel? I’ve
always had an overactive imagination and insatiable curiosity that is
forever getting me in trouble. I share those traits with my character
Mercy Rose which I think makes her an entertaining character.
Tell
us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what
influenced your decision to submit to them?
The Wild Rose Press is my publisher. I saw their name in the RWA’
monthly magazine. After being downsized from my job, I’d finished
polishing A Demon’s Witch
and was considering submitting it to publishers. That’s always a
scary step, the first time. Heck it’s still scary and Mystic
Maples was my ninth book in four years. My
best friend and my husband became insistent that I send it off. So I
finally did. The Wild Rose Press was the first to come back with an
offer. The rest is history.
What
book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? I am
reading all The Deerbourne Inn books as they are released, but
currently I am reading Destiny of a Warrior.
Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect
to see it on the shelves?
Well, let’s
see, I just turned in to my editor the sequel to Charm
Me, fingers crossed she
likes it. I’m also working on a three book cozy mystery series, as
well as, the third book in A Witch’s Journey, and eventually the
sixth book in A Demon’s Witch Series. I thought I was done with
that series, but my characters informed me differently.
Speaking of characters, of which there are many Mystic Maples, Tena brought an excerpt.
Still he couldn’t get the meddlesome
woman out of his head. Maybe I should give her
a chance to explain what she was doing on my property—well after
dark.
Returning to the ATV, he turned to his dog. “People
don’t run if they’re not guilty of something.” He scratched
Rag-a-Muffin behind the ears. She leaned into his hand.
Technically, she didn’t run. He shook his head, raking
his fingers through his hair. One minute she was standing there
bathed in the silver of the full moon reminiscent of a yoga pose. The
next, poof she disappeared into thin air.
At the location he’d spotted her last night, he parked
the ATV, got out, and examined the area. Two deep barefoot prints in
the dirt remained, as if she’d dug her feet into the earth on
purpose. Picking up a handful of soil, he crumbled it, and let it
sift through his fingers. His palm and fingers tingled. No doubt she
was a magic creature. But what was her angle? How much did she know?
Still sore, he absently rubbed at his lower chest where she’d
zapped him, unsure of his next move.
It had been a long
time since he’d used his talents or the gypsy intuition that his
mother swore by. There was more to this woman than meets the eye. He
could feel it
To
purchase Mystic Maples, go to: Amazon,
Barnes&Nobel
and
itunes
To learn more about Tena Stetler, go to:
Website: https://www.tenastetler.com
Authors’ Secret’s Blog -
https://www.tenastetler.com/category/authors-secrets-blog/
My Say What Blog -
http://www.tenastetler.com/category/my-say-what-blog/
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/tenastetler.author
Twitter Page: www.twitter.com/TenaStetler
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tenastetler/
