Will her grief and his betrayal make her Willowbrook’s worst natural disaster?
Welcome to the October 24th stop on the blog tour for Natural Disaster by Alena Orrison with Bewitching Book Tours. Be sure to follow the rest of the tour for spotlights, reviews, more exclusive content, and a giveaway! More on that at the end of this post.
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About the Book
Natural Disaster
Witches of Willowbrook Book One
by Alena Orrison
Published 19 October 2023
Spirited Ink Press
Cover Artist: Aspire Book Covers
Genre: Genre: Low Fantasy / Witchy Fantasy
Page Count: 316
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When Jessica loses both parents in a car accident, she seeks to honor their legacy of service in Willowbrook. Her parents loved the town and its people, and despite her desire for solitude, Jessica becomes interested in the lives of those around her.
Grief-struck and juggling the garden along with her own business has Jessica stressed. She soon discovers the unpredictable weather reflects her internal turmoil.
Fearful of her powers and worried about the town’s reaction, Jessica takes her brother’s advice to attend a grief counseling group and begin meditating. She thinks she can restrain her magic if she can control her emotions. A witch from Willowbrook’s coven contacts her and offers to teach Jessica how to use her magic. But learning does not come easy. Jessica’s power spirals. The more she tries to rein it in, the wilder it becomes.
Then Zane, an attractive reporter from the city, arrives to do an investigative story on Willowbrook’s odd weather patterns. Jessica realizes if her secret gets out, everyone she loves could be in danger of a witch hunt. Wanting a change of pace, Zane moves to Willowbrook. Jessica worries he’ll be caught in the devastation of her powers.
Can she learn to control her magic before she creates a Natural Disaster? And can she keep Zane from revealing everything?
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Excerpt
I clenched my jaw in frustration. The front door suddenly flew open as a gust of wind whipped down the street. “See? I lose control even when I try to keep it.”
“That’s because you’re trying too hard,” Donna responded.
I shook my head. “No, I am following Sofia’s directions, but I can’t keep it in if I feel an intense emotion. Which is apparently all the time lately. Wait. What are your powers?”
Donna gave a slight smile. “I was wondering when you’d ask. I’m not a witch.”
“What? But Sofia—”
Donna interrupted me. “I know all about the witches and the Circle. My mom was a witch. I do not have any powers, however. None manifested when I turned thirteen or sixteen, and nothing happened when I was in that boating accident. I am mundane. So not only did your parents love you unconditionally until they died, but you’re also a successful business owner and a powerful witch. What am I? I’m just a tax accountant. My parents thought nothing I did was good enough, not even when I was named valedictorian. And I do not have magic.”
“But, Donna, we used to be friends. Best friends. What happened?”
Donna shook her head. “It doesn’t matter now. The bottom line is you’re amazing and everything this town wants, while I’m never good enough for anything. I’m not good enough to have magic, own a business, or even have a long-term relationship, let alone get married. Why are you even talking to me about this? Pity? Is that it?” Donna stood, snatching her jacket from the chair. “I don’t need your pity. I need you to quit acting like you don’t realize how special you are and to… to leave me alone!” Donna yelled the last phrase, then stomped out of the coffee shop. I stared after her, sitting perfectly still and ignoring the curious glances of the patrons as they quietly murmured to each other. The light from the windows dimmed and black clouds started covering the sky. Hard rain pelted the roof, drowning out the sound of conversations.
The lights flickered, eliciting a few gasps from the customers. I tried to reign in the anger, but deep yoga breaths weren’t helping. The longer I thought about what Donna said, the angrier I became. Thunder exploded directly over the building, and the electricity finally gave in to a mightier power. Several customers went to look out the window, apparently gauging their chances at making it home in the deluge.
About the Author
Alena Orrison is an award-winning author and a freelance writer and editor. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English, with an emphasis in Creative Writing. She started writing stories when she was three years old by telling them to her mom, who wrote them down. She has been editing professionally since 2015. Alena has several articles and stories published online and in anthologies.
She currently lives in North Idaho with her husband, four children, two grandchildren, mom, three dogs, five cats, and a varying number of chickens. When she is not spending time with family and friends, gardening, boating, hiking, or at the gym, she is reading and writing. Alena also likes to crochet and spin yarn for some downtime. Some of her favorite authors include Ann McCaffrey, Elizabeth Cunningham, Elizabeth Gilbert, and Erin Morgenstern.
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