Secret Realm's New Year's Blog Hop with Dawn Marie Hamilton

Welcome to the hop!

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Happy New Year! I wish you and your family all the best for 2016. But consider taking a wee trip to a magical garden with me today. To a place slathered with magic. To the Enchanted Highlands of Scotland. To a place where, on the winter solstice, the veil between realms thins and easily tears, and a soul might find oneself transported to another time.

The Enchanted Highlands collection:

Three magical love stories from three Celtic authors --
April Holthaus, Victoria Zak, and Dawn Marie Hamilton. Available at Amazon for a limited time at 99 cents or free with Kindle Unlimited.


My contribution to the collection:

Twelvetide (Twelve Nights of Highland Magic)
By Dawn Marie Hamilton

He has twelve nights to gain her love.
She has twelve nights to save his soul.

Fulfilling a childhood promise, Ashley Dumont returns to an ancient Druid garden in the Black Hills of Scotland on the eve of the winter solstice—a time when magic hums and the veil between realms thins and tears, allowing all manner of supernatural creatures through. Will the ghost who claimed to be her destiny still be there?

Caelan Innes awaits her arrival. Unjustly murdered in the sixteenth century, a second chance at life depends on this woman. The Druids grant them the twelve nights of Yule to find love and save Cael’s soul. Will a trip through time and the treachery of enemies make the sacrifice too dear?

Excerpt:

“Then again…” The woman frowned. “I’m afraid the veil is rather thick this year. So few believers.”

“Believers? What do you mean?”

“Those who embrace magic.”

“What does magic have to do with Cael?”

“Ah, so it’s Caelan you seek. He is braw, is he not?”

Ashley had dreamed of Cael since the age of seven. First as a playmate, then as a co-conspirator, and more recently as a lover. If memory—and dreams—served, he was hot, sexy, and to live for. Long blond hair framed emerald eyes, gorgeous hair tumbled over broad shoulders. Tall. At least, he’d towered over the child she’d been. He stood tall in her fantasies. Her nipples hardened in response to the recollection of the last steamy dream featuring Cael as hero.

“You must believe in magic, in all its forms, to save Caelan from an undeserved fate within the in-between.”

She snapped attention back to Aileen. “Tell me what I must do.”

“Do you believe? Truly believe?”

“In magic? I think I do.”

“Your heart, your soul, your mind must be dedicated. Especially your heart.”

She’d lost her heart to Cael a long time ago. She’d do whatever it took to find him and learn what he meant when he claimed to be her destiny. She prayed he spoke the truth.

“There will be dangers.” Aileen’s earnest features put a knot in Ashley’s already churning stomach.

Ashley nodded. “I must find Cael. I promised.”

“Ach, well, then collect nine leaves from the holly tree.” She pointed to a berry-laden tree at the garden’s edge. “Prick your finger on one of the leaves, leaving behind a droplet of blood. Wrap the leaves in linen and add a teardrop. Tie the cloth with nine knots and tie the ends together in a lover’s knot. Place the packet beneath your pillow tonight and your dreams will come true within this ancient garden at the hour of the solstice.”

Before Ashley had a chance to ask a question, the woman slipped away as silently as she’d arrived. Ashley worried her bottom lip. What Aileen described seemed an odd bit of witches’ hocus pocus. But if one believed in ghosts…

***Giveaway***

I'll gift a kindle edition of one of my books to three hop visitors, who answer the question -- when does the veil between realms thin in the magic garden -- by leaving a comment, email address, and preferred gift book below. All my books can be found at Amazon. Good luck!

***Please leave your email address and choice of book with your answer in the comments. If you wish it to remain private, email the entry to author@dawnmariehamilton.com Thanks!***

*Note: the giveaway runs through midnight January 17th. Winners will be notified on Tuesday, January 19th. Thank you for participating in the hop!

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Now, to continue with the hop, visit Tina Donahue, and then Maureen L Bonatch, or return to the event page. Have fun hopping!


~Dawn Marie