The Fate of a Crush by Marie MacGrath

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Marie McGrath will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Why do you write juvenile fiction? What draws you to it?

Juvenile fiction has always resonated with me. I love the themes and the discovery of that age group. Even after I surpassed the age group myself, I still find myself scrounging the shelves for books in juvenile fiction. There is an innocence in all of the interactions between friends and couples. It’s all so new for each character and that situation that it’s exciting. I think no matter how old I become, I can still relate to discovering parts of myself and going into situations with a perspective of innocence.

What superpower would you love to have? Why?

I would love to have powers to freeze time. Time always seems to slip away when I don’t want it to. Unlimited time would be nice to finish a book I want to write or to finish a book I want to read.

What book is on your nightstand currently?

The Queen Will Betray You by Sarah Henning is currently on my nightstand. It is book 2 in the Kingdoms of Sand and Sky series. It follows a strong female lead trying to rule her kingdom when her father dies unexpectedly. Book 1 was beautifully crafted, so I had to follow her journey to the next one in the series. It is actually a three book series.

Favorite TV show from your childhood?

This is somewhat tied. I love Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Charmed. If it is based on how many times I’ve rewatched the episodes, then Charmed would win. I love the magic in both and always secretly dreamed about how cool it would be to have powers.

Ideal summer vacation.

My ideal summer vacation would be going to a secluded beach. I could sit on the sand and read or soak up the sun’s rays. I could swim and enjoy the warmish ocean water and just tune out the world. As a mom of two small children, peace and quiet are a luxury I do not see often right now. So as long as the vacation let me relax and have some quiet time to read uninterrupted, it would be ideal.

You’re stranded on a desert island—which character from your book do you want with you? Why?

I think I would want Mia, the main character’s best friend. She’s spunky and a go-getter. She may not know all the survival skills in the world and she is shorter, but she would help us survive. She’s persistent and that would be valuable if we were stranded.

You’ve just won a million dollars and you’re not allowed to save any of it. What do you spend it on?

Books? Obviously books and maybe a new house to put the books in with brand new shelves. A million dollars’ worth of books would require a lot of space because I like to read paperbacks. So some of the money would definitely need to be spent to put it somewhere and properly display them.

Favorite class in high school. Why?

I loved Child Psychology in my senior year in high school. I enjoyed learning how humans develop and the stages children go through. I knew I wanted to teach and so it was directly applicable to my life, including that I always wanted to be a mother as well. The ideas in that class are something I still come back to frequently.

Falling in love with a senior was risky … especially when he was your best friend’s brother.

Allie Duncan started sophomore year with two aspirations, make her school’s volleyball team and keep her crush on Hunter Baylor, her best friend’s brother, a secret. If Mia found out, she would feel betrayed. The crush was useless anyway. Hunter was a star basketball player and she was a nobody. Or so she thought until his attention was piqued after Allie went on the Baylors’ summer vacation. When Hunter goes to homecoming with Allie’s sophomore rival, she’s devastated and her confidence is destroyed, especially after his date tells her the Baylors pity her. Hunter tries to make it up to Allie, which leads to a kiss, leaving Allie confused.

Can she push this crush out of her heart to save her friendship? Or is Hunter worth the risk?

Read an Excerpt

“You have no idea how much I think about you, Allie Duncan.” He said my name almost as a whisper against my skin.

My body tensed and sent tingles to every spot he touched.

“I-I …” I squeezed my eyes shut and forced myself to say it. “I couldn’t think either. Being that close to you practically drowned all my brain cells and short circuited the wiring. If you had asked me my name, I doubt I would have been able to tell you.”

“Good,” he said as he straightened and outstretched his hand.

“What do you mean good?”

“It’s no fun if I’m the only one on the edge.”

I giggled. “You’re terrible.”

“Maybe, but at least I’m honest.”

About the Author:Marie McGrath lives in a small rural town in Maryland. She hopes to inspire others with her stories. Her favorite genres to read are YA Romance and Contemporary Fiction. She loves the color turquoise, tigers, and listening to music.

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Locksmith's War by Paul Briggs

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

If you could have one paranormal ability, what would it be?

The ability to find any lost object. If that wasn’t available, telekinesis, just because it has so many possible uses.

What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to learn about you?

I’ve never actually flown an ultralight.

When writing descriptions of your hero/ine, what feature do you start with?

Size/height, just because it’s the first thing somebody is likely to notice, unless something else is even more conspicuous. I don’t describe the color of the eyes until the point where somebody would get close enough to notice.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I’m a plotter, up to a point. Very often I’ll come up with a general outline, then realize about halfway through that about a dozen different things have to change.

Did you learn anything from writing this book? If so, what?

Don’t get hung up on writing the perfect fight scene or the perfect climax. Let the story come to whatever conclusion makes the most sense and is emotionally satisfying.

For Lachlan Smith, learning the secret of the apocalypse was the easy part.

Ever since Locksmith found the portal to the future, he has been wondering who or what was responsible for the empty, uninhabited world he found.

Now he knows—and now he has to fight them.

He thought he had fifteen years in which to prevent the extinction of the human species.

Now, he has only hours.

When the portal is stolen by a cabal of dangerous fanatics, his mother and many of his friends are trapped on the other side. Now the enemy is after him, and the only way to thwart their genocidal plan is to retake the portal and hold it—at both ends.

With very little time left, a handful of allies who don't trust each other, almost no chance of success and the survival of humanity itself at stake… Locksmith is going to war.

Read an Excerpt

Rikki’s first plan of escape

Rikki’s first plan of escape was simple — wait for somebody to open the door, then pounce on them, beat them up and start running. She couldn’t act on this plan until the drug wore off.

She was still feeling jittery from the drug when the lights went out, leaving her in something very close to pitch darkness. The tags on her ears glowed in the dark. The lights stayed off for a fair stretch of time — it might have been an hour. Before long, even with the drug out of her system her pupils had dilated to the point where the light that leaked in under the doorway looked like a line of yellow-white fire, dimly illuminating the room.

Then she heard the footsteps out the in the hall. Someone was headed this way. Rikki pointed herself at the doorway and got herself into a sprinter’s crouch like she’d seen Lock do.

The footsteps stopped in front of the door to her cell. She could see the shadows of somebody’s feet. Just one person. Good. Heavier than average, from the sound of the footsteps, but still better than trying to tackle two or more people at once. Her leg muscles were ready to launch her at the enemy. She got her fists into position. A few good blows to the solar plexus and kidneys…

About the Author:

In addition to writing books, Paul Briggs has worked as a newspaper editor, court reporter's assistant, and audio transcriber. In his spare time (when he has any) he sometimes performs in community theater, most recently taking on the roles of Bottom, Petruchio, Macbeth, Rosalind, and Richard III in a Shakespeare compilation. An Eastern Shore native who grew up in Chestertown, Maryland, Paul earned a BA in English from Washington College and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Maryland – College Park.

He is the author of several short plays, including the award-winning The Worst Super Power Ever and The Picture of Health. He is also writing the sequel to his 2018 science fiction novel Altered Seasons: Monsoonrise, which vividly imagines the dislocations that follow when the Arctic Sea ice finally melts and the Chesapeake Bay is drowned by the effects of climate change.

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The Virus of Beauty Series by C.B. Lyall

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The Virus of Beauty – Book 1

Ugliness is power, and the Virus of Beauty is spreading causing panic throughout the witch population.

Wilf Gilvary is a teenage wizard who is terrified of using magic. When his father dies under mysterious circumstances, the same day the Mages Crystal shatters, Wilf is plunged into the middle of a political struggle between the witches and wizards in the Magical Realm. He’d rather play soccer than practice magic, but he’s forced to make a choice between the life of a normal Hong Kong teen and one of wizardry after a powerful virus begins to decimate the witch community. The cure is spellbound in a journal Wilf inherited from his father and when his friend Katryna contracts the virus, Wilf understands that he must overcome his fear of magic to unlock the journal’s secrets – but will it be too late to save her?

The Veil of Corruption – The Virus of Beauty Book 2

Witches and magic are taking over Wilf's life.

After being thrust into a long-standing conflict between the witches and wizards that has destabilized the Magical Realm and finding the antidote for the Virus of Beauty, Wilf would like to return to his normal soccer playing teenage life. But he can’t rest until his stepsister, Myra, is caught and brought to justice. It’s been three days since Myra took to the skies above Hong Kong and disappeared. Now Wilf is accused of corrupting the Veil, a defensive barrier between the witch and wizard cities. As the spell expands throughout the magical realm it is attacking witches and wizards. But Wilf would rather embrace his witch friend, Katryna, than his wizard powers. When evil forces have other plans and they kidnap Katryna, Wilf realizes that he’d do anything to save her and the Magical Realm, even if it means risking his own life by connecting to the primary source of all magic.

The Vassal of Magic – The Virus of Beauty Book 3

Wilf Gilvary is a slave to the magic he hates.

Yet his powers seem a solution for saving the Magical Realm and Katryna, the girl he loves. If only he could figure out how to tap his magic’s full potential.

As factions of witches and wizards vie for control of the Magical Realm, Wilf embarks on a harrowing journey that plunges him into the realm’s ancient secrets. At first, Wilf begins to doubt everything. His affection for Katryna might be the remnants of a broken love spell. And he still struggles to control his magic.

But Wilf risks his life to learn more about his powers and his destiny. It leaves him facing an impossible choice: forever abandon his dreams of life as a Normal in Hong Kong, or allow magic and the Magical Realm to perish from the world.

Read an Excerpt from The Vassal of Magic – The Virus of Beauty Book 3

Wilf glanced over at Ermentrude and Jayden. “Ready?”

Ermentrude tightened her hold on Catcus and gave a brief nod. Wilf took a deep breath and laid his hand on the sphere’s surface. Flashes of energy spiked upward to connect with his fingers. He clenched his teeth and grunted when they made contact.

The wall on his left disappeared, leaving a view down Tai Wang Street. He swallowed the lump in his throat. These could be his last glimpses of the city he loved, but this was no time to be sentimental. He needed to focus on keeping to the right path through the Thermals. After they rescued Katryna, then he could worry about how he would return to Hong Kong. The portal shuddered and lifted off the ground.

Lights wove together, forming a pathway through the sky. The portal rattled and rose higher. Cloud patterns reflected on the surfaces of Mong Kok’s glass and steel skyscrapers, but the outline of both portals remained cloaked. He steered into a thick bank of clouds, and Hong Kong disappeared.

“Shouldn’t the fissure be appearing by now?” Jayden stared at the sky above them.

Ermentrude leaned forward. “You’re right. The gateway should have opened by now.”

Wilf pressed his hand down on the sphere, strengthening the connection. The energy spikes sizzled and expanded. He winced as the portal picked up speed. An explosion of green light burst in the sky and the fissure opened. The portal sped up, and they blasted into the Thermals.

About the Author: Carolyn Lyall was born in Stockton-On-Tees, United Kingdom. As a child Carolyn growing up in Northern England in the sixties Carolyn loved sports, reading and amateur dramatics. She joined a renaissance group, practiced the broadsword and dreamed of visiting other worlds. Her passion for what could be drove her forward when faced with everyday struggles. Her first memorable skirmish with gender inequality came at nine-years old when she was told that only boys were allowed to play soccer. In response, she simply refused to do any classwork until they changed their old-fashioned policies. She won that battle.

At the age of 18, she took a role as typist for a nursing school in Middlesbrough. She then moved to London and enrolled in night school. She was quickly recognized for her ability to fit in anywhere and for not being afraid to push back on the predominantly male leadership. She eventually became a project manager in software development and micro-computers, bridging the gap between computer programmers and management.

Her dream to travel was finally realized in 1990 when she moved to New York City, USA with her husband and the first of three sons. This was the steppingstone to a lifelong adventure that has taken her and her family to India, Belgium, and Hong Kong.

Raising her family in multiple countries around the world, she saw that each move, while a shock, was an opportunity for her sons to redefine themselves against new challenges and different cultural norms. Now, that her sons have left home, Carolyn has used her passion for the fantastic to create a world where every day gender inequalities are at the forefront of a world ending conflict. She shares this story through the eyes of a young man who is suddenly thrust into this new world along with all of his own woes and prejudices. The introduction to this world is in Carolyn’s debut YA fantasy novel, “The Virus of Beauty,” which was released July 31, 2019 under C B Lyall.

Carolyn has published two short stories in an annual anthology by 25 Servings of Soop. She wrote a number of articles for the American Women’s Associates Magazine. Fueled by her love of the works of Terry Pratchett, Sarah J Maas, Cassandra Clare, Brandon Sanderson and others, Carolyn has completed a number of writing courses, which included a Master Fantasy/Science Fiction writers course with Gotham Writers’ Workshop, a YA Voice class and Advance Novel Writing course at Sarah Lawrence College’s Writing Institute.

Website: http://cblyall.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CarolynBLyall
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cblyall
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/carolynlyall

Book 1: https://www.amazon.com/Virus-Beauty-Book-1-ebook/dp/B08NF1L94T/ref=sr_1_1
Book 2: https://www.amazon.com/Veil-Corruption-Virus-Beauty-Book-ebook/dp/B08LW57DXQ/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2QEJZOZM75KKV
Book 3: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09WZJ18R5
Series Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08NGNYQL3

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Jester by Brielle D. Porter

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

What happens in Oasis, stays in Oasis.

Lisette’s father killed the King. His execution leaves Lisette alone, disgraced, and without the magic he intended to pass on to her. In Oasis, that’s a problem. Glutted with enchanted performers, Oasis is a sin city where courtiers pay in gold to drink, gamble, and above all, be entertained. To survive on its competitive streets, Lisette peddles paltry illusions in place of magic.

Desperate to prove herself, Lisette enters into a deadly competition to be chosen as the highest-ranked magician in the world, the Queen’s Jester. But her rival, the irritatingly handsome Luc, possesses the one thing Lisette does not―real magic. Lisette will do anything to win, but when evidence implicating the Queen in her husband’s murder surfaces, Lisette must choose between redeeming her family name, or seizing the fame she’s hungered for her entire life.

Read an exclusive excerpt

Even though the knife feels like it’s blistering my palm, I take a moment to pan the audience. This is always my favorite part. The tension is a palpable thing, visible in held gasps, wide eyes, and awe.

Magic.

And that’s when I see him. Expression carefully neutral, almost bored, one eyebrow raised, arms folded across a suit that costs more than my father made in a year. A seeker.

My heart pounds, as I realize more than Stefan’s crotch is at stake here now. If I nail this, that pretentious clown in a suit has the power to get my act in front of the queen. I could be the next Jester. It’s the reason I’ve come here tonight, the same reason I’ve performed for thousands of crowds like this one.

Sucking in a breath, I hold the knife level.

Stefan thrashes, but the binding’s pinning him to the wheel like a dead butterfly hold. Right as I pull back to throw, there’s a shout. “Kingkiller!”

The knife slips in my grip, but it’s too late. I watch, horrified, as the blade wobbles in the air, the trajectory off. It clatters to the ground a few feet away from Stefan, flames smothered in the dirt. There’s a moment of shocked silence, as though the crowd is waiting for me to do something.

Make a joke. Throw another knife. Something. I can still save this.

Even Stefan gawps at me as I stare unseeing at the crowd. But I don’t do anything. I just stand there, the word pounding in my head, over and over.

Kingkiller.

Even real magic couldn’t save me now.

About the Author

Brielle D. Porter decided to become a writer after a well-meaning elementary school teacher told her she had a gift for it. Stolen moments under the covers reading anything from Harry Potter to William Goldman solidified the desire to tell stories herself one day. Jester is her debut novel.

Brielle lives with her husband and three sons on a lavender farm in Northern Idaho. When she’s not writing, she can be found running and beekeeping. Only ask her about her hobbies if you have plenty of time to spare.

Author Website: https://brielledporter.com/
Goodreads Author: https://www.goodreads.com/briellums
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtshipofthemonsters/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/briellums

Direct from publisher (CamCat): https://camcatbooks.com/Books/J/Jester
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Ip4smU
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jester-brielle-d-porter/1140546918
IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780744305586
BookShop: https://bookshop.org/books/jester-9780744305586/9780744305586

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Potion by Dorlana Vann

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Dorlana Vann will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

#WitchesBeBitches

A Contemporary Retelling.

Eight years ago, the wicked witch held Hansel Lucas Jaeger and his sister, Melrose, captive. They barely escaped with their lives. Now, with high school, a garage band, and a part time job, Lucas finally feels normal.

But everything changes when Lucas sees his awkward, loner sister, hanging out with Star, one of the hot and hated popular girls known as The Bitches. At first, he’s just confused, but when he sees the tarot cards between them, he’s reminded of the curse the witch cast on Melrose.

His fears escalate when Star warns him about two witches from school who plan on using his sister for a ritual. Lucas wants to trust Star; he needs someone to confide in since Melrose thinks his fear of witchcraft is irrational. But Star is unpredictable and has toyed with his emotions before.

As Lucas searches for answers, more mysteries begin to unravel about Melrose’s childhood, Star’s motives, and his own family legacy. Lucas will have to make life and death decisions; but whom can he trust, and how do you rescue someone who doesn’t want to be saved?

Read an Excerpt

“You might have something I want.”

Her voice was definitely flirty, but Lucas had no idea what Star was all about. “Oh, really. And what is that?”

“Did you happen to find my tarot card?”

Uh-oh. The easiest answer would be “no,” however, Melrose would probably rat him out anyway. “It’s hard to explain, but I needed to get it out of the house.”

“So, it’s in the garbage?”

“Not exactly.” He stared at the dancing flames. “I burnt it.”

After a long silence, he looked at Star. Where she had been overly relaxed earlier, she now sat up straight with her arms crossed. Even in the dimly lit room, he could see that she thought he was crazy. Fair. In retrospect, his actions did seem a bit extreme.

“You burnt my card?” she finally asked as a breeze came through the open window and blew out the candles. “Why the hell would you do that?”

“Melrose can’t be around that sort of thing,” he mumbled

“Allergies?”

Lucas took the sarcasm he deserved and walked to the window. “Sorry. Just tell me how much I owe you.” He was going to shut the window before relighting the candles, but suddenly, Star’s hand was on his arm.

“You don’t owe me anything,” she said.

“No?” He turned around, and Star was standing right there, the curves of her body enhanced by the shadows.

About the Author:

Dorlana Vann loves taking elements from fairy tales (characters, mood, moral, plot) and mixing them with a paranormal element and then dropping them in a contemporary setting.

She has several supernatural fairy tale inspired stories, including novels, a short story collection, and Kindle Vella series. Her latest adventure is A Witchy Fairy Tale series; book 1: Potion.

Besides writing, life is all about family, food, book-club, BBQ team, festivals, trivia (even though she's horrible at it), and drinking on patios – All of which she shares on Instagram

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Harley James and the Perils of the Pirate's Curse by Leah Cupps

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Leah Cupps will be awarding $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Will Harley find the magic pearl before Port Royal is destroyed?

Harley James, explorer and amateur cryptologist, has just arrived in Port Royal, Jamaica—home to the Caribbean’s famous sunken pirate city. Her latest mission? Prevent a mysterious, mythical blue pearl from being discovered and prevent city’s total destruction.

No sweat for an adventurer like Harley, right?

But just when Harley thinks she’s on the right track, everything she believes is turned upside-down. Her friends become enemies; her enemies become friends; and Harley isn’t sure who to trust—including the ghost who’s started following her around.

With time running out, Harley must rely on her codebreaking expertise to discover the truth, solve the riddles, and save the city from certain disaster!
Read an Excerpt

Standing next to Dad was the captain of the ship, Tom. He was really tall—six foot something—and had teeth that lit up against his dark skin when he grinned.

I looked back toward the city of Port Royal, with all its boats and bustle. From where I stood, it was only about two inches tall on the horizon. Definitely far enough away that we weren’t going to crash into a wharf, especially with Captain Tom at the helm. Except for the fact that he was now standing next to me on the deck.

“Wait a minute,” I said, glancing at Tom. “If you’re here, who’s driving this thing?”

It’s bad enough being seasick, but being seasick on an out-of-control ship? That’s even worse, I thought.

“Oh, we’ll be fine for a bit,” Tom said. “This ship, she can almost steer herself.”

I clutched my stomach, not because I didn’t believe him but because another wave hit up against the ship, sending my guts into a nosedive.

Tom laughed. “You worried about your tummy? I have some tricks that may help. Walk with me.”

Dad nodded to me, signaling it was okay to follow. Dad is very overprotective of me, to the point where I get completely annoyed. Granted, I’m only eleven years old, but I am very capable of taking care of myself. In fact, last year, I saved the world from an army of Mayan zombies by stealing back a magical statue from a super bad guy.

About the Author:

Leah Cupps is an author, designer and entrepreneur. She came up with the idea for Harley James with her oldest daughter Savannah. Savannah had taken an interest in Mayan history and so the two of them worked together to come up with the idea for the first Harley James book; the Mystery of the Mayan Kings.

Leah lives in Indiana with her husband and three children. She is also the cofounder of Vision Forty Press, a small family owned publishing company.

Author website: https://harleyjamesadventures.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harleyjamesadventures/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/harleyjamesadventures

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XTKVR7L Buy the book for only $0.99.

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My Mummy After Our Baby by Namita Mahanama

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Namita Mahanama will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Why do you write juvenile fiction? What draws you to it?

I was drawn to write this children’s book because I felt like there were no resources available for this particular life-condition.

When I fell ill with postnatal depression, I wished we had something to explain what was happening at home to my 4-year-old son at the time, in a gentle and soft way. We were so engrossed in our reality and the darkness, that we didn’t have the capacity to do it ourselves.

I vowed upon my recovery that I would make a book to fill this exact void, because I know how much our family would have benefitted from having this tool in our belt.

I did enjoy writing the book…and learned a lot about the process as a self-publisher, so I gained a lot from the experience!

What did you want to be when you grew up? Why?

I wanted to be a dentist! I always knew I wanted to be a health professional as I have always loved science and maths vs the arts.

As I grew older, I realised that I can’t handle blood so ended up becoming a pharmacist instead!

Ironically though, I must be the master at manifesting…as my husband is a dentist! I get to be involved within our dental businesses and the industry, without the blood…so I feel like I have actually realised my childhood dream without the dirty work!

What would you write in a letter to your teen self?

I would definitely write to her these main points (ironically, I am in the process of recording my latest THRIVE with Whole-istic Healing Co. podcast episode, about what 10 things I would tell my younger self!);

+ To have more fun and not take life too seriously!

+ To know just how worthy she is, how she does not need any external validation or approval from anyone or any circumstance…she always has been worthy and always will be!

+ To always make time to do the things that fuel, rejuvenate and allow me to feel rested…no matter how busy I am, as I will be a better mother, wife, daughter, sister and friend if I do carve out time for these things

+ I would tell her to shine her light on the world and to not dim her light for anyone…she deserves to take up space and have her place in the world!

+ I would tell her to live in her divine feminine more…of allowing more joy and flexibility, rather than only living in her divine masculine of ‘doing’.

+ I would really want her to know just how special she is and that she needs to believe it from an inner space of knowing…as it will save her so many years of time and energy!

I would tell all of these things to my boys too…so they know how deserving they are to be here, how worthy and to have the confidence in being exactly who they are right now and not waiting until they have ‘this, that or the other’ but to embody this knowing RIGHT NOW!

What superpower would you love to have? Why?

I always tell my husband that I would love to be a fly on the wall! I could watch how people lived, what they did in their spare time, listen to what they say! I have always found it fascinating knowing what people are like outside of their mask…it does sound creepy though now that I write it down!

What book is on your nightstand currently?

I currently have Dr Shefali Tsabary’s ‘The Conscious Parent’ that she signed and gave to me on her tour here to Sydney!

I have it on my nightstand, because she is my real-life hero and I felt so blessed and honoured to have met with her, to have volunteered and helped with her event here in Sydney and to have her autograph and picture!

I love her content and all of her books, as I always grow and learn from her teachings. Her ‘portal of pain’ theory or concept was what allowed me to hold on when I was fighting for my life with my postnatal depression…so her wisdom truly saved my life, and I will be forever indebted and grateful for her power of speech and knowledge.

Favorite hot beverage. Why?

Coffee…coffee and coffee! I have a caffeine addiction, so without it I am a headache riddled and tired mess!

I love instant coffee (Nescafe here in Australia), with a splash of milk…as it is lighter and easier to digest for me than barista made coffee (I am weird I know!)

Ideal summer vacation.

At a beautiful beach resort in Bali or Fiji or Hamilton Island…cocktails by the pool or beach…kids playing on the sand or in the pool…warm air on my body, whilst I sip my drink and read a book or journal!

Absolute BLISS!

Counting down to do this again…as we would go to Bali from Perth every 3 months pre-Covid, and have not done it in 2.5 years now…so itching to go to a resort ASAP!

You’re stranded on a desert island—which character from your book do you want with you? Why?

I would absolutely love to be stranded on a desert island with my hubby Chandi or eldest son Ari! I know that I would have so much fun with both of them, and that they would be brave and look after me if we saw any strange animals or had to embrace a challenge there.

They would just chill with me, talk, have quiet time together…and it would be absolute bliss!

I wouldn’t take my youngest Kaiyaan, who now at 3.5, is a terror of a toddler and I would be pulling my hair out…if he wasn’t doing that to me already! Maybe in a year or two, we could all go there together and it would be just divine!

You’ve just won a million dollars and you’re not allowed to save any of it. What do you spend it on?

I would spend it on staying at a luxury resort, having a multitude of massages and facials…I would spend it on a personal trainer there, any courses with coaches there at this retreat too…completely self-indulgent!

From a philanthropic point of view, I would spend some at the retreat, and then help to build a women’s health centre there with access to nurses and health facilities for pregnant and post-birth mothers to access all of the resources they needed in that township.

My desire to help women’s health during this perinatal period extends to all aspects and areas of the globe…and I truly want this to be my life’s mission to allow access to resources that ALL women need for their health and life…but also for their children and their family.

Mothers are the backbone of our next generation, and we need to support and hold them now…especially now that we have moved away from our ‘tribal’ living.

Playlist for your current book.

I currently am writing an Ayurvedic Ecookbook for pregnancy and post-birth for mothers and their families. As an Ayurvedic Yoga Teacher and soon to be Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultant, this book is close to my heart as a way of being able to give back knowledge and information to help women best nourish and rejuvenate themselves during this journey from maiden to matrescence.

I am so excited to be bringing it into the world, together with MY Mum who helped me along my journey to recovery…as well as the Ayurvedic principles running through her veins with her Indian heritage. It is a real blessing to be bringing it all together with her, so this is a project that is close to my home and heart.

My Mummy After Our Baby: A Journey Of Hope and Healing is a beautifully written and illustrated story, about the reality of post-natal depression setting in after the birth of their perfect little baby. It is a gentle, soft, perfectly put together story, filled with an abundance of emotion and heart to explain what is happening at home, for all children who may be feeling lost and confused about what is happening to their Mummy after becoming unwell.

It is written by a mother who experienced this twice herself and vowed to create a beautiful explanation and tool, in order to provide hope, solace and strength for other families, that she wished was available for her children.

This beautiful book is written in the hope of educating, as well as to be a connective and bonding tool, at a time when a family needs it the most. It is gently and eloquently written, with the most amazing illustrations, that will form the basis of a vital healing tool in the home of everyone who is going through this harrowing chapter.

The author has brought the prospect of hope in a perfect package here and is her gift to you and your family, to navigate through this chapter with as much peace and lightness as possible.

Read an Excerpt

The next day when Aydan went to school, his Mummy went into the hospital and after six hours of having a really sore tummy ache, she welcomed their beautiful little boy Kameron into the world!

The sun shone brightly that day, the birds chirped happily and his Mummy and Daddy were crying with how grateful, happy and blessed they felt! Aydan had never seen his Mummy glow so brightly and he loved his brother instantly for giving that to her.

Aydan had to be brave for a few days whilst his Mummy stayed in the hospital with Kameron to rest her body…but was so excited to welcome them back home.

When his Mummy did come home, she was so happy to see Aydan that she cried and glowed all at the same time! Rupert was so excited too that he couldn’t stop wagging his tail and cuddling his Mummy. It was perfection!

The next morning, Aydan noticed his Mummy looked a bit tired and she wasn’t shining as brightly as he remembered. He cuddled her and told her just how much he loved and missed her.

As the Autumn leaves started to fall down heavily over the next few days, Aydan looked at his Mummy and noticed that today her light had almost completely gone. Her smile, her glowing eyes, the light in her heart had almost completely disappeared and he felt so sad not knowing where they had all gone.

About the Author:

Namita is a mother of two boys and draws upon her heart-wrenching first-hand experience of post-natal depression, after the birth of both of her children. She is creating a myriad of support tools for women and their families, to navigate through their journeys of PND with as much ease and grace as possible.

Namita is a registered pharmacist who has qualifications in Ayurveda and Ayurveda Yoga teaching, as well as being a PMC (paediatric massage consultant) and CIMI (certified infant massage instructor). She draws upon her professional knowledge as well as her own experience, to be the support lifeline at a time when families need it the most.

Her intention is that she can be a beacon of hope and shine much-needed light, on the road towards the mothers and the entire family's healing and recovery. She hopes to inspire and uplift you through this chapter in your life.

Connect with Namita Mahanama

WEBSITE http://wholeistichealingco.com/
INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/whole_istichealingco/
GOODREADS https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22118373.Namita_Mahanama

Get Your Copy of My Mummy After Our Baby

AMAZON.COM https://amazon.com/dp/0228862930
AMAZON.CA https://amazon.ca/dp/0228862930
INDIGO CHAPTERS https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/my-mummy-after-our-baby/9780228862932-item.html
BARNES & NOBLE https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-mummy-after-our-baby-namita-mahanama/1140827876
BOOK DEPOSITORY https://www.bookdepository.com/My-Mummy-After-Our-Baby-Namita-Mahanama/9780228862932

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