Bellatrix Press Halloween Hop: Character Interview

 Magic comes in all shapes and sizes, and so do the people who use it. To celebrate Halloween, four authors got together to interview their magic-using characters and share the responses. And, as always happens when the four of us get together, to make some fun trouble.

That being said, the four of us have decided to break the interview pieces up so you can read them across our blogs.

Interview with April L. Wood's Winter Rose-Thorne

Q: Do you remember the first time you used magic? If so, please tell us about it.

Winter: When my mother gave birth to me and I took my first breath, the air fueled the budding natural magic inside me. Even though the element of air belongs to the Widow-Tears clan, and I am a Rose-Thorne, it has been rumoured that I may have some Widow-Tears ancestry.  So, I guess you could say that I am a mere vessel and magic breathed life into me!

Q: What is something you wish you could do with magic but haven't been able to yet?

Winter: I wish I could use magic to discover the true creator of the prize - winning cauldron soup recipe, to end the stupid argument between Grandmother Iris and High Priestess Ruth, once and for all. 

Q: What is something you wish you had never done with magic?

Winter: Ugh. Asking for proof of my spell from a great Goddess. She showed me proof, all right... 

Q: Do real witches have broomsticks and/or black cats?

Winter: I have both. A girl's gotta get around somehow and a broom is much more fuel efficient than a car. ;) And my grandmother's black cat, Madison, is awesome.

Q: If you lost your magical abilities tomorrow, what would you pursue instead?

Winter: I want to say a good psychiatrist, but April won't let me. Lemme think... If I lost my magical abilities tomorrow, I'd lose my connection with the element of earth and that would be very sad. I would be very sad. When the Elders strip magic of the witches it is usually for a very bad reason and to explain it simply, is our version of the death penalty. If I deserved it, that would be one thing. But if it just happened, you know, randomly... I'd seek revenge. 

April is shaking her head right now.

BLURB:

Winter's Curse, Season of the Witch 1

Before the light is reborn within the womb of darkness and the Sun returns, will Winter reverse the curse? 

When High Priestess Iris Rose-Thorne bets her granddaughter’s womb in a broom flying contest–-and loses, Winter wonders where the real danger lies: from the Witch Hunters she fled from the far North or her shady grandmother.

She finds safety with Turmeric of the Wormwood clan. His eagerness to protect her warms her frozen heart. But her love for him defies the Segregation Curse of Old, cast by the Elders to preserve ancient clan bloodlines.

Can they find a way around the Segregation Curse of Old to be together?

And with time running out as the Winter Solstice nears, will Winter be able to reverse the curse on her womb? Or will she agree to her fate and remain barren?

Print Edition: 310 Pages

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult, Urban Fantasy

Pre-Order Kindle Copy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Winters-Curse-Season-Witch-Book-ebook/dp/B01M59RS62/

Winter's Curse will be available in Print : Amazon and Barnes & Noble on 10/31

Winter's Curse will be available in Nook edition: Barnes & Noble on 10/31

About the Author

April L Wood is a debut author, book blogger for A Well Read Woman Blog, an author interviewer, a professional beta reader, and a caffeinated book reviewer. When she is not glued to her computer or pressing her nose in a book, she is busy obsessing over her gardens to the point of insanity, feeding wildlife, and propagating her ever-growing collection of African violets. She lives in a beautiful historic Tudor-Colonial filled to the brim with her family, two cats, and three dogs.

She is currently working on Spring in Summerland, Book 2 of Season of the Witch, and A Diamond in the Rough, Book 1 of the Precious Gems book series.

Below are all the blogs participating in the hop. Go check ’em out and tell me what you think about the witchy women of of Bellatrix Press.

April L Wood https://awellreadwomanblog.wordpress.com/

JA Noble http://www.27kingdoms.com/

Jennifer Allis Provost https://authorjenniferallisprovost.com/ 

 

Halloween Season Favorites: Scream Queens, Sleepy Hollow and More

October is my favorite month of the year, hands down.

Between the cooling temperatures (I'm a polar bear at heart) and the Halloween decorations, it's a beautiful, dreamy, colorful time. This autumn, I'm looking forward to two book releases as well, so there's even more to celebrate! On November 28th, Engaged to an Alien Pop Star, the sequel to Dating an Alien Pop Star, drops through Crimson Tree Publishing. On December 12, 2016, The Unlove Spell drops through Bellatrix Press. The former is about sexy aliens, and the latter is about a witch, a Russian fae prince, an ice mermaid, and a bunch of misadventure. Cool, huh?

In celebration of these releases and my favorite month, Bellatrix Press asked me to share a few of my favorite books, TV shows, and movies for the Halloween season. And yes. Halloween is a whole season for me, don't you dare argue!

1. Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Gorgeous costumes, Johnny Depp at his peak, silly moments, Halloween deliciousness, and Christopher Walken. What more could you want from a Halloween movie? It's a must every year for me.

2.Scream Queens (2015-)
This show has it all! Halloween themes, amazing fashion, the funniest moments on television, and over the top horror that somehow isn't too scary, even though I'm a massive chicken. I love it so much.

3. Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone (book)
Is there any book ever that better encapsulates the joy and excitement of Halloween and magic? I've read this one three times, and love it more on every re-read.

4. Young Frankenstein (1974)
This silly, campy movie has been a part of my life since I can remember. Last year my friend invited me to a screening of it in a gorgeous historic theater, complete with balcony boxes and lush curtains... it was the coolest way to relive the movie, truly. Gene Wilder is brilliant in this, absolutely brilliant.

5. Fright Night (2011)
David Tennant as a sexy vampire hunter... in guyliner. Do I need to say more? Actually, I do. This movie feels nostalgic in a way that I can't quite put my finger on, and I love it for it. The music, the filming style, the clothes, all of it feels like a time capsule of pop culture in the year it came out. When you hear Pumped Up Kicks playing in the background of an early scene, you're transported to 2011. Colin Farrel is genuinely charming and terrifying in turn as a vampire. I'd say, in fact, that it's possibly his best role, and certainly my favorite! And after the very sad passing of Anton this year, the movie holds even more nostalgic power. An excellent horror comedy that you can watch again and again.

What are your favorite Halloween season movies, TV shows, or books? :)

NYFW... A View from Size 14

There's a certain magic in the air that permeates New York City every night... whether you're in Chinatown, wobbling on heels to try a new club, or rocking a sparkly dress in Soho, there's something about New York at night that will always be special. During New York Fashion Week? It's even more magical.

This is my third NYFW, and the excitement has certainly not worn off. Despite the fact that I think NYFW functioned more smoothly when it was centralized at the Lincoln Center, it's still awesome. And perhaps the best trend I've noticed in my years attending is that NYFW seems to becoming slowly more inclusive.

This year, I saw many people of color on runways. I saw a large amount of people of color in the front rows at shows, as designers, and as prized guests. I saw models with bigger busts, and hips. And butts! The shows at Art Hearts paid special tribute to Madeline Stuart, the world's first professional adult model with Down's Syndrome. It was an exciting time to observe fashion, truly... but there's still room for improvement.

*The chairs at some of the shows are so tiny that an average sized adult woman has a hard time fitting on them without spilling over into her neighbor.

*We still don't see enough models (American) sizes 6-12 on runways, a middle ground that is neither "model-size" nor "plus-size," but right in the middle, where most American women are

*Speaking of sizes 6-12, we don't see enough CLOTHES in high fashion for women in that size group. Many women with money to spend on beautiful clothes are between those sizes, and they feel left out. Tim Gunn recently wrote an excellent piece about this.

*There's still not enough makeup and hair care choices for Black models with natural hair or darker skin tones. This is improving every year, thankfully, but I still hear from many models who have to bring their own makeup, or help hairstylists with tips on what to do with their natural hair.


A huge HUGE thank you to Georgine for her celebratory, effervescent, New York City inspired show. Huge thank you to Fashion Istanbul for their amazing shows. Thanks to Art Hearts for the Charles and Ron show especially (exquisite!) and to Note, Trompeloeil, Cliff Bar, Boxed Water, Allegresse 24 Carat Skincare, and everyone else who provided gifts in the swag bags!

Charles and Ron finale: https://youtu.be/2cuzZR8ashE

Review: Mary Kay's Rock the Runway palette

Recently my friend was kind enough to gift me with the Rock the Runway eyeshadow palette by Mary Kay in exchange for an honest review and demo. I was a bit unsure at first about using a blue color, as I very rarely wear blue tones, but I agreed to give it a try.

Happy to say that not only did I like the blue, but I LOVED it! The color payoff is good, the color stays well throughout the day, and the two blue shades are both very flattering on pale skin types. I can't say how it swatches on darker skin, but I'm impressed how it looks on very very fair/pale skin like mine! It's not easy to find blue tones that look good on someone as pale as I am.

Here's some pictures of Rock the Runway, worn with Moonchild Glowkit over it, at New York Fashion Week!

Order the palette: https://www.marykay.com/lalexander315

New York Fashion Week: Griffin Valentino's Style Rules

If you haven't read Dating an Alien Pop Star yet, you should totally grab a paperback or ebook copy on Amazon, or at your local bookstore. #shamelessplug

Whether you're already a fan, though, or still need to read the book, I thought it would be fun to "talk" to Griffin Valentino, alien pop star and fashion obsessive, about fashion. Perfect timing, with New York City Fashion Week upon us!

Read on for some spacey fashion talk...

Q: Have you been to any runway shows yet?
GV: No, unfortunately I have not, but you can invite me to one, if you'd like. And please tell Karl Lagerfeld that he can invite me to Chanel whenever he wants. I'll sit front row for him.

Q: Is Chanel the design house you'd most like to attend a runway show for?
GV: Well, they're Chanel, aren't they? I'd love to see Dior, too, and Balmain. And Versace. McQueen. And Armani! There's a lot of them I'd like to see.

Q: What designers do you like wearing?
GV: I'm a famous pop star, so I only wear the best clothes. Whatever's best, I'll put it on. And I like anything that David Bowie would approve of.

Q: What are your personal style rules?
GV:

1. If you like a color, you can wear it. Even better, if you like loads of colors, you can wear them all!
2. Anything can sparkle, including your shoes, and your underpants. And your hair.
3. Eyeliner gives you rock edge.
4. Become Karl Lagerfeld's muse so you can get loads of free clothes! (Still working on this one, myself)
5. You don't have to be a girl to wear clothes that are meant for girls. Do you honestly think David Bowie would let such a trivial detail stop him from being fabulous? Speaking of Bowie:
6. Always ask yourself if David Bowie would wear it. If he would, you are clearly doing something right. Better yet, ask yourself if I would wear it!
7. Prints are nice. Loads of prints together are even better!
8. Purple sweaters are very stylish, no matter what Daisy Kirkwood tells you.
9. High heeled boots will make you look taller and sexier. If it works for Prince, it works for you.
10. Wear a necklace with something that reminds you of home. It will keep you centered and give you energy when you're feeling sad or tired.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Review: Moonchild Glowkit, Modern Renaissance Palette, Sad Girl Liquid Lipstick

Summer 2016 has been the year of Anastasia Beverly Hills for this girl.

A couple months ago I started seeing hyped posts about the Modern Renaissance Palette from ABH. The photos on Instagram looked gorgeous, no matter the lighting or the skin color of the people wearing the warm swatches. This excited me immediately.

As a very pale with blue undertones in my skin, I have to be careful about wearing muddy colors on my face. The browns, golds, and bronzes I see suggested for bringing out blue eyes usually just translate badly on my skin.  After years of trying and failing to find "my colors", I finally stumbled across a fabulous red color in a Sephora palette that a friend gave me. That tiny red tin became my favorite color to wear, and I knew that I'd use it up before long. Finding another suitable red shadow wasn't as easy as I'd hoped, and it led me on a journey on par with the greatest fantasy stories of all time. If you've ever been on a hunt for JUST the right shade of eye shadow, you know what I mean. After checking Ulta, Sephora, Target, NYX, and a million brands online, I was close to giving up.

And then, there it was: the Modern Renaissance Palette.

The colors in this palette are rich and the payoff is incredible. The shadows blend beautifully, and, perhaps most importantly for me, they stay put where you place them. I've taken to spraying a bit of hairspray over my eye makeup when I'm finished applying it (eyes CLOSED, of course), but even when I don't do that, the colors really stay. All in all, it's not only my favorite palette I've ever used, but also pretty much the only one I've used since purchasing it. It's completely worth the money if you like to wear warm, earthy reds, oranges, and (flattering) bronzes. And it even looks amazing on pale skin!

And then there's the Moonchild Glowkit. O. M. G. Basically this is a must have if you want to look like a magical creature. The payoff is great, and the sparkle is surprisingly subtle given how bright and exciting the colors are. It can be worn alone, over makeup, under makeup, on your chest, shoulders, across your forehead, or all over your damn body, if you feel so inclined. It's magic. MAGIC. It turns you into the unicorn emoji in seconds. I 100% recommend.

Note: The Moonchild Glowkit is ONLY available through ABH's website. It is not sold in stores, or through Sephora or Ulta. Get it while you can!

Finally, I need to mention the Sad Girl liquid lipstick from ABH. With its Lana Del Rey-esque name, incredible staying power, matte finish, and subtle gold sparkle, it's one of the most gorgeous and comfortable dark liquid lipsticks I've used. I wear it alone, or with a lighter color layered over top for a more voluminous, textured look.

Size, Expression and Fashion: Musings from Columbus

 Returning to Columbus, OH last week for a visit was a great chance to rediscover the colorful, eccentric vibe of one of the Midwest's most fashionable cities. It also reminded me of a few important aspects of the connection between fashion and life:

*It's okay to dress for personal expression
In Columbus, the artsy people of all ages display their style as an exclamation mark of their own expression, rather than a means of fitting into a narrow idea of flattering, professional, or average. Of course, there are plenty of people wearing subtle outfits and uniforms, but you see more than a small amount of people who wear bright colors, crazy patterns, huge accessories, neon hair, baggy vintage dresses, oversized hats, and shoes meant to garner attention.

There's a freedom that comes in dressing how you want, regardless of whether it's considered flattering to your body type, or appropriate for your age. It's scary at first, of course, but if wearing a color you love, or oversized plastic accessories, or 80s jean jackets, or clashing patterns, or a design worthy of a couch from the '70s is something that makes you feel like your best self, it might be time to go for it.

Conventional wisdom tells you to dress in colors and shapes that are flattering for your body. This is an important talent to learn if you're wanting to achieve a slimmer (or bigger!) silhouette. There's no harm in trying on all different types of clothes until you can achieve that desired look! But it's not your only option. If you truly want to wear clothes that you've been told you shouldn't because of your coloring, age, or size, there is great freedom in doing it anyway... and, like the people of Columbus, doing so with confidence. That confidence becomes infectious over time, and allows you to experiment more, carve your OWN image out for yourself, and even inspire others.

So why not give it a try?

*It's okay to love fashion at any size
One thing that really struck me during this visit to Columbus was that women of all sizes walked through the artsy Short North area in their favorite dresses, heels, boots, jeans, accessories, or shorts with an equal sense of confidence and vigor for life. It's different than in some cities, where plus size or even average sized women feel uncomfortable walking among the glitzy, well dressed Friday night crowd. In Columbus, you see people of all shapes and sizes laughing, enjoying their lives, and partying together. I've seen people in other cities that seemed to send out an apologetic message above their heads, something along the lines of, "I'm sorry I'm fat! I'm on my way to the gym, though, I promise!", even as they dash about or hide in crowds. I've been that girl, myself.

During my time in Columbus, I remembered that it's okay to be a size 14 and still enjoy life, unapologetic. It's okay to be a size 14 and have a drink with girlfriends, wear a short dress, and eat a delicious meal in front of people.

*Dry shampoo and a topknot can be your best friend
When it's hot as balls out, it's totally okay to spray half a can of dry shampoo on your hair, and pull everything into a topknot. No one will judge you, and you'll feel a lot more comfortable in the sun. This dry shampoo by amika is especially amazing, as is this volumizing powder by Got2B. Enjoy!

(With my best friend Dusty, for her birthday! <3 )