Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Guest Blogger: Helen Scott Taylor

The winner of Helen's book is: Davina! Congratulations! Give me your snail mail info and I'll pass it along to Helen. Thanks to everyone who participated.


Magical Creatures

I love reading contemporary paranormal and fantasy stories (usually romance) where a hidden paranormal world exists alongside the normal world we humans live in. The main appeal for me is the fantasy that these magical beings really do exist. I love the idea that there is more out there than the mundane world we live in. With the popularity of television series such as Buffy, Supernatural and Charmed, and the numerous contemporary paranormal books on the shelves, I’m obviously in good company.

There are many wonderful paranormal stories about vampires, and shape-shifters of all kinds, so in my debut paranormal romance The Magic Knot, I chose to write about fairies. They live beside us in the modern world utilizing modern technology. The hero is half Irish Tuatha dé Danaan and half leprechaun, yet he rides a motorcycle and plays the stock market using his leprechaun touch of luck. His twin brother drives a Porsche. Yet they have special powers as well. With a winged vampiric nightstalker as a friend and a psycho fairy queen who wields fire out to get them, their life is anything but ordinary.

My heroine Rose is drawn into this world, unaware that she is half Cornish pisky. She soon discovers monsters really do exist! The fantasy for me is walking in her shoes as she discovers the fairy world, witnesses the amazing power these creatures have, and realizes her own hidden fairy qualities of power and beauty. I suppose this is my dream, discovering that deep inside, I am like Rose, that I have hidden magical depths waiting to be discovered. We all want to feel special. Rather like every little girl dreams of discovering she is really a princess and is swept away to marry a prince, I’d love to discover I’m something magical and special.

If someone told me there really was a paranormal world out there, I would like it to be a world populated by the sexy fairies and magical creatures from The Magic Knot. If you could chose a paranormal world to discover, what type of magical creatures do you wish existed?

To find out more about my writing and to read a two chapter excerpt of The Magic Knot please visit www.helenscotttaylor.com

The official release date for The Magic Knot is January 27, although it is already in stock at online retailers Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

The Magic Knot Back Cover Copy:

HE’S A BIKER WITH AN ATTITUDE

What woman wouldn’t be attracted to Niall O’Connor’s soft Irish brogue and dark good looks? But Rosenwyn Tremain must find her father, and she isn’t going to let a sexy, stubborn Irishman and his motorcycle distract her. Rose’s intuition tells her he’s hiding something, a secret even the cards cannot divine. Her tarot deck always reads true, but how can one man represent both Justice and Betrayal?

SHE’S A WOMAN ON A MISSION

Magic. Niall’s body tingles with it when he finds the woman snooping in his room. Rosenwyn might believe she’s a no-nonsense accountant, but her essence whispers to him of ancient fairy magic that enslaves even as it seduces. Her heritage could endanger those he’d die to protect, but her powers and her passion, if properly awakened, might be the only thing that can save both their families, vanquish a fairy queen bent on revenge, and fulfill a prophecy that will bind their hearts together with…THE MAGIC KNOT

*************
Helen will give away a signed copy of THE MAGIC KNOT to one commenter. The winner will be selected and posted here on Friday evening.

27 Comments:

Blogger SciFiGuy said...

Being drawn into the shared fantasy of learning about a secret world is timeless and for me one of the major attractions of many urban fantasy novels. The Magic Knot sounds wonderful and I plan to get a copy regardless of the outcome of the contest.

9:36 PM  
Blogger Lynda Hilburn said...

Hi, SciFiGuy: I just wanted to pop in and thank you for checking out my blog, for saying such nice things to Helen (and other authors you've commented about here and elsewhere), and for generally being a very supportive person. I really appreciated the thoughtful review you gave my DARK HARVEST. In fact, it's my favorite review. You're a sweetie.
Lynda Hilburn

9:42 PM  
Blogger donnas said...

The Magic Knot sounds like such a great book. I will definitely be tracking down a copy. I love when the story has the paranormal co-existing in the modern world. I think if I could discover any magical creature it would be a fairy. There is something about them that I just love to read about.

Thanks for posting!

11:06 PM  
Blogger Davina Pearson said...

This book sounds fascinating! I love paranormal stories that are a bit different, playing with different kinds of fairy tale and legend, and this sounds like it fits the bill quite nicely! I headed over to check out the excerpt too and I am very much intrigued - I will be keeping an eye out for a copy!

3:11 AM  
Blogger Margay Leah Justice said...

I have been fascinated by the concept of this book since I first read about it in the last American Title contest. I'm really eager to read it. And if I could discover that some magical creature truly existed, it would be unicorns.

3:44 AM  
Blogger Helen Scott Taylor said...

Lynda,
Thank you so much for inviting me to blog with you today. I'm so excited my book is finally out! Or almost.

5:21 AM  
Blogger Helen Scott Taylor said...

Hi SciFiGuy,
I'm glad you like the sound of The Magic Knot. I'll be interested to hear you opinion on the book. You're in Canada, aren't you? One of my two critique partners lives in Toronto. We're truely international. I live in the UK, and my other cp lives in Florida. Thank heavens for the Internet.

Helen

5:24 AM  
Blogger Helen Scott Taylor said...

Hi Donna,

Another fairy lover! I think the wonderful thing about the fairy world is it can include any type of magical creature imaginable.

Thank you for stopping by.

Helen

5:30 AM  
Blogger Helen Scott Taylor said...

Hi Davina,

I'm delighted you enjoyed the excerpt. I love blending the myth and legend of the fairy world with my own creations.

Thanks for commenting.
Helen

5:32 AM  
Blogger Helen Scott Taylor said...

Hi Margay,
It's amazing how many people have mentioned they remember my book from the American Title contest. I'm glad you like the concept of The Magic Knot.

Unicorns are a timeless favorite. Maybe I'll include one in one of the Magic Knot sequels. It might be interesting to include a bad Unicorn. I like turning things on their heads LOL.

Thanks for stopping by.
Helen

5:36 AM  
Blogger Margay Leah Justice said...

Well, that got my attention, Helen! I think my fascination with unicorns started with the movie Legend with Tom Cruise and Mia Sara. If you haven't seen it, it's worth checking into. It was just a beautiful movie.

And I think it's cool that you built up a following through American Title.

Margay

5:40 AM  
Blogger Ruth Schaller said...

I love them all, witches, vampires, shapeshifters ....!!! Ever since I was little I've always loved the darker side. It makes you mind wander in thinking what the world would be like 'if' these things really existed! Although they might, lol, who knows, I have yet to actually meet one!

7:33 AM  
Blogger Pamk said...

I need to add this one to my wish list at amazon. Sounds like my type of story.

10:26 AM  
Blogger tetewa said...

Sounds like my kind of read, I haven't read anything with fairies in it for awhile!

10:37 AM  
Blogger Jane said...

Congrats on your upcoming release, Helen. Who are your favorite paranormal authors?

11:33 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This sounds like a great book! It's a neat twist on the usual stories. I like how the characters live in the modern world with a magical twist. It sounds great!

11:45 AM  
Blogger Brooke Reviews said...

this sounds really good! Plus the cover is very pretty. :D

1:56 PM  
Blogger Helen Scott Taylor said...

Hi Ruth,

I agree, all the types of paranormal are intriguing. One of the things I love about the fairy world is that it includes everything. In the sequel to The Magic Knot the heroine is a fairy witch.

Thanks for stopping by!
Helen

4:23 PM  
Blogger Helen Scott Taylor said...

Hi PamK, Hi Tetewa.

If you think The Magic Knot sounds like something you'd enjoy reading, you can sample the first two chapters on my website. There's a link to the excerpt on my front page.

Thanks for commenting.
Helen

4:25 PM  
Blogger Helen Scott Taylor said...

Jane,
Thank for the congratulations. I must admit I don't read a lot of paranormal now. I purposely read other genres so as to keep my own paranormal ideas my own and not become influenced by other authors. I used to love Dara Joy and Christine Feehan before I started writing paranormal. And I read all Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake books up until a few years ago. I do read fantasy, though. I love Trudi Canavan's novels.

4:31 PM  
Blogger Helen Scott Taylor said...

Hi Lisa,

Thanks for stopping by. I'm glad you like the sound of The Magic Knot. I love the concept of magical beings living in our world and we don't know.

Helen

4:34 PM  
Blogger Helen Scott Taylor said...

Hi Brooke Reviews,
I am really pleased with the cover. Dorchester unveiled it on stage at the Romantic Times convention when I won American Title. That was a memorable moment in my life LOL.
Helen

4:35 PM  
Blogger Vicki said...

I can't wait for this book. From the first time I read the excerpt on your website I was hooked. :)

Sexy biker that's part leprechaun and a half Cornish pisky...yeah, can't wait to read it.

4:37 PM  
Blogger Lynda Hilburn said...

Thank you so much for being here, Helen! Your book sounds absolutely wonderful and I hope it's a huge success. Hugs, Lynda

9:50 PM  
Blogger Pam P said...

Congrats, Davina! Helen I just got it from Dorchester, sure to enjoy it lots, my kind of story.

1:02 AM  
Blogger Helen Scott Taylor said...

Hi vicki,
Thanks for dropping in. Glad you enjoyed the excerpt on my website.

Hi PamP,
Dorchester told me it was one of their February picks for their bookclub. Hope you enjoy The Magic Knot.

Lynda,
Thank you so much for having me. I've enjoyed being here very much!

1:23 AM  
Blogger Davina Pearson said...

I won?! Wow, how exciting! Thank you! I'll really look forward to reading that.

I'm sure I'm missing something, but I'm not sure where to contact you, Lynda - my email is davina [AT] vividclouds [DOT] com :)

3:08 AM  

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