Time Travelers Giveaway!

Enter to win the 
Time Travelers Giveaway! 

As a novelist, I adore road trips to do research for my latest books, especially when I can visit historical sites & heritage museums to see how my characters (who experience time travel in the Enchanted Outlaws Series) might actually live. For me, it's a chance to investigate the secrets that time keeps close to its chest, only revealing to those who are tenacious enough to walk off-the-beaten paths created long ago with a heart ready to listen to the echoes of ancient memory.  Recently, I went to New Mexico with my family to do further in-depth study on the colonial era in the northernmost region of the Spanish empire for my upcoming time travel sequel to Twixt, the novel Mission Archangel. As part of this journey, I visited 3 pueblos, 3 national monuments/parks & 3 museums in 6 days. Rather than be exhausted, I was utterly exhilarated! To talk with Native Amercian descendents of those who'd endured Spanish colonization and yet triumphed by holding on to their ancestral lands and cultures was a true honor I'll never forget. Along the way, I purchased turquoise and pottery directly from Native American artisans (a passion of mine), and this month I'll be sharing the bounty by giving away the following:

(1) a pair of green turquoise earrings 
(pictured below)

(2) a $25 Amazon gift card 
(3) a past-life reading (a $50 value)

All you have to do to enter is sign up 
for my newsletter mailing list by June 25th! 

If you've already signed up for my newsletter mailing list, you'll automatically be entered to win these prizes. And if you haven't signed up yet (which you can do on the left hand column of this website as well as on my facebook author page at
https://www.facebook.com/diane.j.reed/?ref=bookmarks), 
do so right away and you'll be entered! 

PLUS all those who've signed up for my newsletter
AND "liked" my author facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/diane.j.reed/?ref=bookmarks
will receive 2 ENTRIES in the Time Travelers Giveaway!

It's that easy!

Have a beautiful summer!
And stay tuned for my newest novella release in the 
Robbin' Hearts Series:  Secret Heart of Lacie Blade.
I'll be offering a special opportunity for the first 30 newsletter readers 
who respond to receive an advanced review copy in return for an honest review. 
More details to come in my next newsletter! :D 

Valentine's Day Giveaway!

Yes, it's that time of year for my 

Valentine's Day Giveaway!

To enter, simply do the two following things

before midnight, 2/14/2016:

1. Sign up for my newsletter either here on my blog or at dianejreed.com (OR if you've already signed up for my newsletter, just do #2)

2. Shoot me a quick email at banditsranch@gmail.com stating your name & that you'd like to enter!

That's it! What might you win?

GRAND PRIZE is a $25 Amazon Card, 

a psychic love reading & chocolate!

SECOND PRIZE is a psychic reading

(For more information about my magical readings, go here) 

Winners will be chosen at midnight, February 14th, 2016 among those who

emailed their entry by a random number generator app

(each email will be assigned a number, and you'll be notified by email if you win!)

Wishing all of you a wonderful Valentine's Day 

full of love for yourself and for your passions 

in whatever forms they manifest! 

~Diane J. Reed

SPIRITS OF THE SEASON: Eight Haunting Holiday Romances & Facebook Hop Giveaway!

Christmas is coming! And it just so happens that there is a perfect romantic box set for only .99 cents on Kindle to put you in the mood for all the warmth & love of the holiday season. It's called Spirits of the Season: Eight Haunting Holiday Romances, written by USA Today bestselling & award-ainning authors. I am so honored to be a part of this beautiful box set with my holiday novella Bandits Hollow, a tale about two lovers who travel through time to find one another & reunite under a magical moon on Christmas Eve. And to celebrate this box set, all the authors (including me) have arranged a Facebook Hop from November 12th-19th where you can enter to win $700 in prizes, including a Kindle Fire Tablet! All you have to do to enter our giveaway is go to our Spirits of the Season Facebook Page Hop at https://www.facebook.com/events/919060228181706/ and follow the instructions to win prizes! In addition to the grand prize of a Kindle Fire, each author is giving away jewelry, books, swag, and lots more from their individual facebook author pages.

So what am I giving away from my Facebook Author Page? A gorgeous bracelet (see photo below) that sparkles as brightly as the Cold Moon of December in my novella Bandits Hollow, which brings 2 eternal lovers together to be connected for all time, just like the lovely rows of faceted crystals on this bracelet:

In addition to the bracelet, I'm also giving away a free psychic reading in honor of my main character, Evangeline Tinker, a renowned fortune teller who finds her own magical way toward true love in Bandits Hollow. To see more information about my psychic readings, please click on this link: http://www.banditsranch.com/p/psychic-readings.html.

And to give you a taste of the magic in the Spirits of the Season box set, the following is a link to our stunning book trailer video that will make your heart flutter at the beauty, mystery, and promise of winter romance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm8ocTud2dQ.

So grab a cup of hot cocoa & visit our Spirits of the Season Facebook Page Hop at https://www.facebook.com/events/919060228181706/ to enter today! You never know, your gifts just might arrive early this holiday season <3

March of the Cranes

Every March, a miracle takes place in the San Luis Valley of Colorado. The Sandhill Cranes return by the thousands, during early spring on their migration route north, to mate & create their nests. Considered a high mountain desert area & rimmed by the spectacular snow-capped Sangre de Cristo & San Juan mountain ranges, the melting snow from the nearby mountains is enough to create wet marshes in this temperate valley that the cranes especially love for their breeding grounds. 

Yet what lends an even more epic quality to this annual beautiful migration, beyond the return of thousands of cranes (as far as the eye can see), is the fact that this species of crane has been coming to the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado for millions of years.

The phenomenon of these lovers' return is so ancient that it has been preserved in petroglyphs etched by Native Americans throughout the Southwestern U.S. for thousands of years.

Now, anyone who's read my blog or my books knows that I am as sentimental as they come and a sucker for true love! So of course it captured my attention that these elegant birds, who mate for life, are known for having a lovely heart-shaped marking on their foreheads. If you've read my novel Twixt, and seen how much I love the mysterious raven, then you'll understand why the Sandhill Cranes made my imagination soar, and I just had to use them as a symbol for the ancient lovers featured in my new novel Mission Archangel--the magical sequel to Twixt in the Enchanted Outlaws Series that tells the love story of Rose's best friend, Amy Tinker.

So while researching Mission Archangel (which will be out in 2016), I took a trip to the San Luis Valley where the novel is set to see the sights, sounds, and in particular, the beautiful arrival of the Sandhill Cranes against the back drop of the Great Sand Dunes National Park and the Sangre de Cristo mountains.

My only problem? They hadn't arrived yet! Despite the fact that I got up at dark-thirty in the morning & toted binoculars to the marsh areas of the San Luis Valley to see them in the freezing cold, there were no Sandhill Cranes to be found. Unfortunately, I'd hit the migration season a bit early in the year, so a little dejected, I went back to my hotel and picked up my husband & sons and took them out for breakfast. My children begged to go to a local skatepark afterwards, so I obliged them, and then I decided to take the long way back to our hotel on a remote country road to show my family some of the spectacular scenery of the area.

To my total surprise, and in one of the most magical moments of my life, the Sandhill Cranes began to arrive at that exact moment! I tear up just thinking about it--as my small family stepped out of our car and looked over the wetlands, the sky became peppered with the dark silhouettes of these elegant birds, arriving by the hundreds, to land in the marsh area. And I'll never forget their beautiful calls to one another as they began to arrive, with that reedy, haunting quality, as if to say, "We're here! We made it! Let the dancing begin!" Because what the Sandhill Cranes do during their mating season is spread their giant, 5-7 foot wings & leap & spiral & float in ornate dances that they spontaneously create for one another, which they began to do as we watched, spellbound, by this natural phenomenon.

My children were just as silent & mesmerized as I was as we watched these lovely birds move in almost a choreographed way for each other, with their striking white and red markings and long, elegant necks & legs.

And even though the cattails & marsh areas were still covered by frost, that didn't seem to deter the Sandhill Cranes as they gathered in huge flocks, sending out their lyrical calls that echoed over the wetlands to herald their annual greetings. 

Because this was a special "research" trip for me to stir up ideas & be inspired to write Mission Archangel, I have to admit I felt especially blessed to catch sight of these birds, and it made me feel as though my novel might have a very auspicious--and even magical--destiny. I hope this novel can measure up to this early-morning sacred moment I was able to experience,  and most of all, I hope that Mission Archangel will remind us all of the eternal beauty of the path of these ancient lovers & their enchanting return to the San Luis Valley.

Photo credit note: All images on my blog are either my own or were gleaned from pictures in the public domains of popular social networks like tumblr, facebook or pinterest. If you own the copyright to any of these images & do NOT want them used publicly, please contact me & I will take them down immediately! : )

Sherwood's End is here! A New Adult Romance That Will Echo In Your Dreams

Magical greetings to you!

Sherwood's End, Book 3 in the Robbin' Hearts Series, is finally here! If you enjoyed Robin in the Hood and the sequel Stone of Thieves, you'll LOVE this spellbinding new novel where Robin and Creek return to Turtle Shores and Robin's former boarding school to find out the truth about Creek's past and his mother (with a little help from the ruby heart, of course!). Ghostly and enchanting, this is a novel that will grab you by the heart and echo in your dreams.

Sherwood's End is available as an ebook on Kindle 

and in paperback at Amazon. 

Description for Sherwood's End:

Sometimes a great love won’t let go…
until you believe 

The elite Pinnacle Boarding School for Girls is renowned for keeping away far more high school applicants from its hallowed halls than it lets in. But lately, someone has been lurking in shadows, writing cryptic messages on mirrors, and putting people’s lives in peril. When Robin and Creek begin to suspect that this otherworldly guest may have a connection to a tragedy in Creek’s past—and isn’t about to go away anytime soon—they return to Robin’s Alma Mater to try and uncover the truth behind the mysterious spirit’s rage. What they discover is a love story for the ages that leaves them breathless and inspires healing and hope for all those who dare to believe in miracles. 

Due to mature themes, readership is advised for ages 17+.

Creek's passion for Robin is jeopardized by his rage over the injustices of the past involving his parents. With Robin's help, love brings profound healing--
and miracles...

Caroline Gust is a scholarship student at a private boarding school. Her whole world turns upside down when she meets Sherwood Flynn (Creek's eventual father), and they begin a journey that will change both their lives.



Sherwood Flynn is a mad genius & a rebel who wins Caroline Gust's heart--and tries to rescue her from the dark forces that bring her down. His love for Caroline heals Creek when he discovers what his parents really meant to each other.

Sherwood's End is a timeless romance about a great love 
that won't let go--until you believe...

The Robbin' Hearts Series by Diane J. Reed: This edgy, young adult/new adult romance series follows teen heroine Robin McArthur on her magical journey as she reinvents her life from rich girl to gypsy outlaw and learns what it means to truly fall in love. Along the way, she discovers how precious her soulful friendships are in the enchanted trailer park of Turtle Shores, and that there's more than meets the eye in the backwoods when it comes to matters of the heart.

Summer's Spell

I don't know about you, but Summer overwhelms me with possibilities. All of a sudden, I want to spend every minute barefoot outside, feeling like a kid & going on free-spirited adventures. Here in the mountains of Colorado, many wildflowers don't even come out until mid-Summer, each one a burst of vibrant color that seems to shout, "Look at me! Life is grand!" It always astonishes me how in the harsh, arid conditions at 9,000 feet, these wildflowers blossom with a striking beauty, as though somehow their struggle against high altitude, fierce temperatures & thin mountain air has deepened their color & verve. But when they appear, like a child, I have to dash to each one & whisper "Welcome! So glad you made it!" Yes, I'm foo-foo like that, but I also know that these alpine blossoms are an incredible reminder of the splendor that can follow sheer tenacity—and many of them carry magical messages. So I invite you today to join me on my wildflower walk & to share in the lovely moment of serendipity that occurred to me recently which resulted in my special Summer Spell. I hope it will touch your heart the way it did mine : )

Geranium
First off is the wild Geranium—with its delicate pink flower that's plentiful in high altitudes (I've seen them blossom at 11,000 feet!). Did you know that planting Geraniums around your home will protect you from negative energy & unwanted visitors? The Geraniums in the Rocky Mountains vary in color according to the soil they're in, but each color has special properties. Red Geraniums invite love & abundance, while this pretty pink one attracts friendship & love. White Geraniums raise your sensitivity to the influence of your Angels & Spirit Guides. And folklore tells us that to relieve stress, scatter Geranium petals in your bath water to help you relax (and maybe adding few bubbles & a glass of wine on the side wouldn't hurt ; ). 

Rose
Perhaps wild roses might not seem unusual to you in spring & summer, but I've seen them growing in the most rocky & windblown environments at altitudes that will make you struggle for breath! What a testimony to their endurance & strength. Rose is well known to signify & attract love, but did you know that it can also enhance the love you receive from your Angels & Spirit Guides? We all know that you must truly love yourself before you can accept love from another, so to boost your own self love, inhale deeply from this delicate flower & let its scent fill you with the divine love that your Angels long to give you. And like the Geranium, scatter Rose petals or pour Rose water into your bath as a reminder to love & nurture yourself so you can spread your love & passions into the world. Roses are also known to bring good luck, so plant them in your yard to insure abundance & to ward off negative energy.

Thistle
Now wait a minute, a weed like Thistle can't be magical, can it? But folklore assures us that this bright plant deepens your connection to the divine & invites spiritual helpers into your life, as well as guards against thieving in every way—including mental, physical & spiritually draining situations. So place the downy fluff from the Thistle under your welcome mat to keep robbers & emotional leeches away from your home, and include Thistles in your flower arrangements to invite loving Spirit Guides into your sphere. In addition, meditating on the rich, purple color of the Thistle cleanses your spirit & many people feel it offers healing for the mind as well.

Indian Paintbrush
The spectacular Indian Paintbrush is the wildflower of passion. When you stumble across it, don't pick it! Let it dwell in the earth the way it's supposed to, brightening the world with its vibrant cheer. But do know that it's no accident you came across this fiery blossom—it's a message to you from your Spirit Guides to keep following your passions. Never waste a single day on regret or what could have been—today is a pure gift to you, and you are called to celebrate it with a newness & faith that will lead you to miracles. And when those opportunities do arrive, go after them with your whole heart! Indian Paintbrush never hesitates to spread is flame-colored petals to the sun, and neither should you.

Daisy
Who doesn't love a charming daisy? We've all played that childhood game of plucking the petals while saying "He loves me, he loves me not" to foretell our future in romance. But did you know that Daisies bring joy & renewed passion for life? Place them around the house to lift your spirits, boost your mood & remind you of possibilities once again. And if you DO want to attract a joyful suitor, place some Daisy petals under your pillow & allow your dreams to guide you to the right person (with a little help from the Angels, of course!). The bright Daisy (even this delicate, high altitude one above) is also known to protect children & to encourage you to let your inner child come out to play. So take off those socks & shoes & walk in the sunshine among the Daisies whenever you can.

Sunflower
Yes, this wild, Rocky Mountain sunflower may seem small to you, but it still carries the magic of bringing good luck & making your wishes come true! They are actually native to Peru & do well in high altitudes. Eating sunflower seeds is said in folklore to bring good luck, & sleeping with the seeds under your pillow will help you germinate your deepest dreams & bring them into your life. Sunflowers are also a symbol of faithfulness (for the consistent way these blossoms follow the sun), so if you'd like to attract a faithful suitor, plant them in your garden to encourage people of truth, integrity & fidelity into your sphere. And finally, few flowers can cheer one up as much as sunflowers, so make bouquets of these sunny plant for your home to send the blues packing. 

Mariposa Lily
This spectacular wildflower is one of the jewels of the Rocky Mountains, so delicate & fragile, yet it thrives brilliantly in alpine altitudes. In folklore, Lilies signify resurrection & renewal, which is why we so often see them at funerals to represent our hopes to reunite with our loved ones in the afterlife. But magical tradition also tells us that if you come across a Lily in your everyday life, something you thought was dead to you is about to rebloom. It could be a cherished dream, your hope to find true love, or simply to get your passion back for life. The tender Lily is here to tell you that you are much tougher than you thought you were, and your courage & endurance are about to be rewarded with wonderful openings for new possibilities. So if you feel you've lost your mojo a bit, surround yourself with the fragrance of Lily in your bath or in your home & arrange Lilies bouquets to inspire your hope. These lovely flowers will send a message to your Spirit Guides that "I'm ready now to start anew—please bring the best people & situations for my happiest future." Then take a deep breath & let the past go, knowing that your Angels will carry you to exactly where you need to be.

SUMMER'S SPELL

(Items required: an old, trusted tree)

While I was out on my wildflower walk this year with a friend, the most incredible (& magical) thing happened—I'd dashed over to take a picture of a flower, only to look up & realize I was beside a rare Ute Prayer Tree. Believe me, I got the chills at this moment of serendipity. The Ute Tribe, which are native to the Rocky Mountains, have a custom of tying select Ponderosa Pines to the earth so that they'd be "grounded" & continue to grow with a unique curve as their branches reach to the sky. You can tell when such a tree has been deliberately altered by man (& not by heavy snowfall) when you see distinct vertical marks on the tree where the Utes used rawhide to fasten the trunk.

If you look carefully at the photo above, you can see the vertical marks that probably occurred about 250 years ago (as indicated by the redness of the tree's bark, which signifies its age). My friend & I were both stunned. Neither one of us had ever encountered a Ute Prayer Tree before, and we had a hunch it was no accident. Why? Because the purpose of the Ute Prayer Tree is for you to lay your hands upon it, like a trusted old friend, and release every care, sadness, bitterness or regret you've ever experienced in life into the tree.  This stalwart companion has existed in silent strength for centuries, has seen many people (if not civilizations) come & go, and is hardy enough to absorb any negative or limiting emotion that may try to thwart your spirit. So spontaneously, my friend & I halted our wilderness trek & took a moment to let go—release any hurt or sadness we've known—so we could be cleansed & ready for a new possibilities.

And it worked! Both of us felt as though something magical & cathartic had taken place. Afterwards, we were filled with a tingling excitement, because we know that you're never asked to release the old unless something new is coming—and we felt that our Angels had guided us to this moment because there are special things in store. After all, in order for anyone to blossom in life—find love, fulfill dreams, or take a new path leading to fulfillment—you must first get rid of old growth that's already served its purpose & be open to the new. So I'd like to invite you to do a similar Summer Spell to eliminate negativity & accept fresh opportunities into your own sphere for enhanced joy & vitality.

Directions for the Summer Spell: First off, find an old tree—preferably a tree you've known since childhood or one that you discover in a grove with a wide trunk & large canopy that's particularly aged. Then approach the tree with a kind & gentle greeting. Explain that you're going to lay your hands on it for the purpose of healing by releasing any sadness, hurt, anger or bitterness from the past that might limit you. Don't worry, trees cleanse our atmosphere all the time & generously release oxygen so we can breathe, and your tree is strong enough to take any negativity & pool it at its roots to release into the soil where it will be dissipated. Then pray or meditate (whatever you like to call it) & visualize yourself letting go of specific emotions, memories, people, or situations that no longer bring you joy or help you on your path. That doesn't mean you don't love certain individuals anymore—it simply means that you recognize you need to grow in new ways & you desire now to change course. When you're ready, feel those old memories, images & painful moments leaving your heart & your body & entering the tree in a swirl of light. There, they will sink through the bark, into the sap & down into the earth, where they will never be able to thwart the new growth of you or the tree again. Now, feel yourself completely cleansed & ready to put joyful energy back into your life. This is extremely important—it does you no good to cleanse yourself if you don't make a concerted effort to refill your heart & mind with hope, sunshine, love, & new purpose. Visualize yourself bathed in sparkling sunshine that permeates your very soul, and ask your Angels or Spirit Guides to take you by the hand & help you go forward on your journey. Imagine your greatest desires—see them clearly—and know that your guides will help you every step of the way towards fulfillment. Most importantly, thank the tree for its generosity & ask that the tree be blessed with health & new growth as well. As you walk back to your starting place, notice any blossoms nearby, or go to a flower shop & purchase flowers to place in your home to remind you of the magic of flowers & the blossoming that is about to take place in your life. Finally, be grateful. Give thanks to your Angels or Spirit Guides for this cleansing & for Summer's gift of sunshine that highlights your new journey & brings cheer to you as you go forward.

And if you have a minute, please let me know in the comments below if this spell worked for you! Have a joyful Summer :D

If you love the gentle enchantment of
nature & spells, check out my
magical novels on Amazon & Kindle!

The Robbin' Hearts Series

Twixt

(Photo credit note: All images on my blog are either my own or were gleaned from pictures in the public domains of popular social networks like facebook or pinterest. If you own the copyright to any of these images & do NOT want them used publicly, please contact me & I will take them down immediately! : )

Stone of Thieves: A Sexy Romance To Steal Your Heart!

Stone of Thieves is here! A sexy, new adult romance & the HOT stand-alone sequel to Robin in the Hood that will make you believe once again in true love. You don't need to read Robin in the Hood to enjoy this magical & sensuous adventure as Robin & her boyfriend Creek journey to Italy to find her long-lost mother. There, Robin discovers the dark secrets behind her true gypsy heritage through the powerful Stone of Thieves. Check out the book description:

The Stone of Thieves . . . for centuries its magnetic draw has twisted the hearts of ambitious men and women with the promise of power, passion, and intrigue until it fell into the hands of unlikely thieves Robin and her boyfriend Creek. But can they steal their destiny away from the curse that pursues this magnificent ruby heart? As the stone begins to spread its sorcery, Robin races to find her long-lost mother in Italy in the hopes of discovering the truth about her unique gypsy heritage and the ruby heart that is rumored to steal souls. Yet when the desire for this stone by powerful members of her family threatens their very lives, Creek decides to take matters into his own hands to protect Robin, his greatest treasure of all . . .
 

I had so much fun writing this novel & exploring various aspects of gypsy traditions that I could share with readers. One thing that appealed to me is the lure of freedom in gypsy culture to explore your identity, which is particularly important for my main character Robin as she transitions to young womanhood & has to sort through the lies about her past & how she wants to redefine her future.

After all, Robin McArthur used to attend an uptight boarding school, but as she roams the Italian countryside in search for her mother, she gets swept away by the beauty and grandeur of Italy & the nudgings of they gypsy woman Zuhna, who urges her to follow her heart. And where does her heart lead—to a more profound love with Creek, of course!

Creek...the very same man who'd kill to protect Robin & who encourages her to find her real mother & unravel the mysteries of her identity so she'll be whole in body, mind, and spirit. It is Creek in Stone of Thieves who also teaches Robin how to be a woman as they encounter their first intimate moment inside an enchanting gypsy wagon.

 Yet becoming a "woman" in every sense of the word means that Robin poses a new threat to her Italian relatives as she mystically becomes the next Gypsy Queen—and this means they'll stop at nothing to take her life. While the clock is ticking, Robin races to find her mother, using the power of the gypsies' Ruby Heart (the Stone of Thieves) to outwit those who have persecuted her kind for centuries.

Can true love conquer all? Hell yeah...

Is Creek's love enough to protect Robin through their ordeal? I'll let you find out—and I truly hope you enjoy this sexy & magical thrill ride that brings Robin & Creek deeper together than ever before. If you do get the chance to read Stone of Thieves, I'd love to hear what you think! Until then, as they gypsies say, Baxti hai sastimos tiri patragi! (Wishes to you for luck & good health!)

The following are links to buy Stone of Thieves on Kindle:

For U.S. Kindle, click here

For U.K. Kindle, click here

For Canadian Kindle, click here

For Australian Kindle, click here

(Photo credit note: All images on my website are either my own or were gleaned from pictures in the public domains of facebook, pinterest, or other popular social networks. If you own the copyright to any of these images & do NOT want them used publicly, please contact me & I will take them down immediately! : )

Full Wolf Moon

(photo credit link)

Last night was the first full moon of the new year, what some Native American tribes call the "Wolf Moon"—a time when wolves become restless during the heart of winter & hunger demands they be the most active. This moon's rising presence was no secret to me, because the light that streamed through my window was so bright I could actually capture it on film! 

The silvery moonlight that caressed my shoulder felt like a gift from the heavens—a bright symbol of hope in cold winter time, which is why ancient Celts called it the "Birch Moon," heralding rebirth & regeneration. The stark white bark of the birch tree becomes radiant under moonlight, and birch trees are known to be the first to rebound & thrive after forest fires. How does this compare to the luminous moon? During the Birch Moon the winter solstice has already passed, so even though nights are cold, the days are getting longer, reminding us that spring will indeed come. 

But even if I didn't know the lore behind the first moon of the year, I would still find its glow inspiring. Because what we see at night by the light of the moon is different than what we perceive during the day. Shapes take on new textures, landscapes show different facets, and even what we know to be certain colors can demonstrate entirely new hues. Below is a photo I took of a wintry twilight a few days ago. Normally my yard is brown in January from the dead grass & fallen leaves, but as you can see from this unretouched photo at the brink of nightfall, the whole world has become washed in cobalt blue:

And what about ourselves? Is it possible that we can discover new facets of our personalities at night, especially under a full moon? In my novel TWIXT, Rose has been so wearied by her difficult life journey that she's forgotten how to dream. But all that changes when a mysterious soul guardian named Chance Murphy takes her by the hand for a midnight waltz under a full moon, encouraging her to get in touch with her heart once again. This lovely art print created by Liza Lambertini at www.faeriewood.com captures the very moment when Rose finally allows herself to dream:

Yet sometimes moonlight forces us to face harsh realities, too. In my novel ROBIN IN THE HOOD, after the two main teen characters succeed in their first robbery (& steal money to provide for their families), Creek turns to Robin and says, "We're like vampires now—nocturnal creatures who only strike at night." As fugitives, they can't ever be seen in daylight again or else they'll be caught. So the two of them sleep while the sun is up & only pull off their heists under the cloak of night. Part of Robin is seduced by the danger of her new occupation, and another part of her has to work to overcome her fears. But one thing Robin understands, as all lovers do who've ever kissed under a bewitching full moon—the night holds a unique appeal, especially the chance to try on new identities. And it's that very opportunity for a former boarding-school girl who was imprisoned by her lonely & stale life that makes the moonlight so alluring . . .

(Photo credit link)

Who do you become under a full moon? Have you ever taken a chance on love or in life that you normally wouldn't in daytime? I'd love to hear your thoughts, so when you have a moment drop me a line. And until then—allow the spell of this full Wolf Moon to lead you to new realms, both inside and out : )

P.S. Yes, I still do intuitive readings (especially under the light of a full moon!). If you would like an intuitive reading, please follow the directions below.

Directions to receive a free intuitive reading:

1. Put your name (or a pseudonym) in the "comments" section of my blog below this entry and write, "I would like a free reading." IMPORTANT: DO NOT TELL ME YOUR PROBLEM OR CHALLENGE. That causes me to want to "fix" the issue or "make things better," which skews the reading. It's best if my ego gets out of the way & I just allow the angels to speak through me so that the information remains pure.
2. I'm not a substitute for medical/psychiatric/legal help. I can only offer spiritual solace, so if you are in need of such assistance, please see a professional. Also, I don't offer financial advice—only spiritual upliftment. Any words that come through me should resonate with what you know to be true for you. If it doesn't, then I am not the right conduit for you! You should ask your angels to guide you to someone who is more attune with your needs.
3. My readings for this month are free. If you want to return the "karmic favor", please consider joining my blog & buying my books—that's the best way to support what I do.