Tag Archives: 2nd Edition Release

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NBtM: Interview & Giveaway – Shadow of the Witte Wieven by Debbie Peterson

Blog Post By Sue

Visit BookLover Sue Blog to check out the post and to comment.

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Book Tour: Shadow of the Witte Wieven by Debbie Peterson @DebbiePeterson1 @GoddessFish #Giveaway

Blog Post By Avid Reader (Check out the original post at The Avid Reader to comment and enter the giveaway)

Shadow of the Witte Wieven

by Debbie Peterson

Despite a contract on her head, lone Drug Enforcement Agent, Aliyana Montijo must ferret out a mole and stop the assassination of top DEA officials, as so ordered by the Colombian drug lord she seeks to take down. The task is a daunting one, for there is no one she can trust. No one that is, until she encounters a most unlikely ally.

Former seventeenth century captain of the Dutch West Indies Company, Wolfaert Dircksen Van Ness, now from a parallel dimension, encounters the beautiful agent during an unearthly storm in the Bermuda triangle. Drawn to the Spanish beauty he rescues, he pledges his assistance, despite her reluctance to accept either his help or his heart.

Can Wolf bridge both space and time to claim the woman he loves?

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Kobo ~ All Romance Ebooks

Excerpt:

“Are you going to answer the question, or are you not?” he quipped, ignoring her comment altogether.

“Ooh! Tu’ eres el hombre más exasperante que he tenido la desgracia de conocer!” she huffed as she folded her arms and slammed them hard against her chest.

“Sorry?” His eyes danced with sudden merriment, while his lips twitched in amusement. “I didn’t quite catch all that!”

In response to his mirth, she once again clenched her teeth. She could feel her cheeks flame as she jerked a pointed a finger toward his chest. “I said, you are the most exasperating man I’ve ever had the misfortune—”

The moment she drove her finger forward, her words abruptly ended and so did his mirth. Aliyana touched the tip of her tongue to her lips as she stared at what she could see of her finger. She slowly withdrew it from inside his chest, gazed at the digit, repeated her actions once more, and then gazed into his sky-blue eyes.

“Aliyana,” Wolf whispered. “Don’t be afraid of me. This isn’t what you think.”

She struggled to make sense of this new quandary. Her bewildered gaze shifted to his arms that still held her fast, traveled their length, and then rose to his face. Her lovely eyes, filled with such delightful indignation a moment ago, now held a trace of apprehension.

“Who are you?” she asked in a voice just audible to his ears. “Better yet, what are you?”

Guest Post:

Hello Nancy! Thank you so much for inviting me to your blog! It is such a joy to be here with you and all of your wonderful readers while I talk a little bit about the 2nd edition of Shadow of the Witte and Wieven and answer your intriguing question: If I could travel back in time, where would I go, and why on earth would I do that?

First of all, I have to tell you that I love history—especially ancient history and the middle ages. There are so many places and times I would love to visit (emphasis on the “visit”), so it is very difficult for me to narrow it down to just one time and place.

Wouldn’t it be great fun to visit Egypt and see the pyramids being built? Or how about taking a stroll through the Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Just what did Helen of Troy look like anyway, or Bathsheba, or Cleopatra that so bewitched the men who loved them and launched ships and stuff? A visit with William “Braveheart” Wallace comes to mind, and so does taking a walk with Robert the Bruce, or a bevy of brawny, handsome knights and some of the more interesting kings. I would love to witness the construction of the majestic castles of the world as well as the Taj Mahal. And did Vlad Drăculea a.k.a. the Impaler and Attila the Hun really do the horrendous things history accuses them of doing? I would love to explore the ancient pristine landscapes of Scotland, Wales, Ireland, England, Germany, or the Islands. Oh! And wouldn’t it be great fun to visit Hogwarts! (No, wait, that’s just fictional, isn’t it…) Ahem…

Okay, so where would I go? Well, right now, this very minute, in the frame of mind I’m in; I think I would set my clock to the summer of 1776, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and personally witness the birth of my beloved country. (I know, right?)

I think it would have been a frightening time and an exciting time for the colonists. The thought of freedom from England’s rule and the right to govern themselves must have been thrilling. I would love to see the Declaration of Independence being drafted, revised, and then ratified. I think having a very long visit with George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson would be an amazing experience.

So, I guess that’s it. If I had a time machine that’s the time and place I would visit today. Now if you ask me this same question tomorrow, it might be something altogether different!

What about you? Where would you go?

Author Bio:

Debbie has always had a soft spot for fairy tales, the joy of falling in love, and happily ever after endings. Stories of love and make believe filled her head for as long as she can remember. However, it was her beloved husband who encouraged, cajoled and inspired her to take up a pen and write some of them down. In 2012, The Wild Rose Press published her first novel, “Spirit of the Rebellion.”

When she’s not busy conjuring her latest novel, Debbie spends time with the members of her very large family. She also pursues her interests in family history which she also teaches, mythology, and all things ancient and historic.

Website ~ Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

Giveaway:

$15 Amazon GC

Follow the tour and comment; the more they comment, the better their chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:

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Feminine Rulers of the Sea… Nehalennia and Salacia…

Blog Post By Debbie Peterson (Check it out at the Official Blog Of Debbie Peterson to comment and enter the giveaway)

In the year 1645, after a raging storm destroyed the dunes in Domburg, Zeeland, twenty-eight inscriptions revealed the remains of a temple dedicated to the goddess Nehalennia. Again, between 1971 and 1972, more inscriptions were uncovered in Colijnsplaat. A few more turned up in Cologne, Germany, all of them giving credence to her worship. Have you ever heard of her?

This lovely Germanic goddess, whose origin remains murky, reigns over the portion of the North Sea where Dutch mariners make their crossing from the Netherlands. She is most often depicted with various marine symbols, a large dog at her side who gazes loving into her eyes, a basket of apples and a loaf of bread. (I don’t know, maybe she’s hungry.)

We don’t know a whole lot about Nehalennia, but we do know that ancient sailors paid homage to and made bargains with this lovely goddess in a bid to ensure a safe passage across the sometimes volatile waters of the North Sea.


Then we have Salacia, the beautiful sea nymph and goddess, who presided over salt water and is the embodiment of calm, sunlit oceans. According to Roman Mythology, Neptune, the great god of the sea wanted to marry Salacia, but understandably, she felt a little out of her league. So, in order to preserve her virginity and perhaps do a little soul-searching, she hid herself within the depths and boundaries of the great Atlantic Ocean. A brokenhearted Neptune sent one of his faithful dolphins out to look for her and deliver a message. Once the dolphin located her, he told her that Neptune loved her and wanted nothing more than to share his throne with her as his wife and queen. Salacia demurely accepted his proposal. Upon her return,a joyous Neptune, rewarded the dolphin by giving him a forever place in the heavens where he still resides to this day and is known to us as the constellation Delphinus. Our lovely goddess went on to bear three children for her sea king, the most well-known, being Triton…

Throughout the ages, we have countless sailors who encountered sea gods and goddesses. If they were lucky, and they found favor with the gods, they would travel safely to their destinations. If not? Well…

Now Wolf, our dashing captain of the Witte Wieven  never mentioned an encounter with the rulers of the sea. Nonetheless, the fact that he’s sailing the oceans of the world and made it through that violent storm in the Bermuda Triangle, gives credence to the notion that not only might he just know a few of them fairly well, but that they also count him as a favored son!

What about you? Have you passed through a violent storm while at sea?

Today I am visiting with Nancy over at The Avid Reader. I hope you’ll take a minute to drop by and say hello!

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January 7:Blog tour for SHADOW OF THE WITTE WIEVEN by Debbie Peterson

Blog Post By Sarit Yahalomi (Check it out at Coffee Books & Art to comment and enter the giveaway if you haven’t already!!!)

Shadow of the Witte Wieven

by Debbie Peterson

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BLURB:
Despite a contract on her head, lone Drug Enforcement Agent, Aliyana Montijo must ferret out a mole and stop the assassination of top DEA officials, as so ordered by the Colombian drug lord she seeks to take down. The task is a daunting one, for there is no one she can trust. No one that is, until she encounters a most unlikely ally.

Former seventeenth century captain of the Dutch West Indies Company, Wolfaert Dircksen Van Ness, now from a parallel dimension, encounters the beautiful agent during an unearthly storm in the Bermuda triangle. Drawn to the Spanish beauty he rescues, he pledges his assistance, despite her reluctance to accept either his help or his heart.

Can Wolf bridge both space and time to claim the woman he loves?

Excerpt:
Something terrible had happened. She could feel it. She raced toward her supplies and grabbed hold of her backpack. Her fingers shook as she unzipped the bag and yanked out her phone. She tried to call Greg several times over before it dawned on her that he had already boarded a plane headed for Colombia. She wouldn’t be able to contact him until the morning.

Despite all attempts to banish it, the dread grew stronger with each passing hour. A growing notion that Wolf and his crew never vacated the sub, took firm hold. The conscientious men of the Wieven could very well have remained behind to ensure that all went according to plan. The thought of such an occurrence made her sick to her stomach. She couldn’t sleep, and she couldn’t eat. All throughout the long hours of the night, she restlessly paced along the shore, waiting, hoping—and praying.

By the time the gloomy morning arrived, what little hope she’d carried throughout the long night, dissipated. Somewhere in her heart, she finally accepted that her beloved captain wouldn’t be coming for her. Not now. Not ever again. Excruciating pain accompanied that knowledge, and in that same moment, she could feel her heart shattering into an infinite number of pieces. Even though she had endured such pain many times before, it had never assaulted her with the intensity it did right now. She didn’t know if she could survive it. Indeed, she didn’t know if she wanted to survive it.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Debbie has always had a soft spot for fairy tales, the joy of falling in love, and happily ever after endings. Stories of love and make believe filled her head for as long as she can remember. However, it was her beloved husband who encouraged, cajoled and inspired her to take up a pen and write some of them down. In 2012, The Wild Rose Press published her first novel, “Spirit of the Rebellion.”

When she’s not busy conjuring her latest novel, Debbie spends time with the members of her very large family. She also pursues her interests in family history which she also teaches, mythology, and all things ancient and historic.

Connect with Debbie:

Shadow of the Witte Wieven Buy links:

Hello Sarit, I am so excited to be here today while I answer a few of your questions. So, thank you very much for having me!
Where did you grow up?

I was born in and spent my first three years of life in southern California. From there my family moved to a small community in north-central Utah. Then, at the age of eleven, my family moved to Las Vegas. So I guess that means I get the unique opportunity of calling California, Utah, and Nevada, home! (Wow! your family certainly did some travel! !)

What’s the worst job you’ve had?

Working in the camera department at JC Penny. Not my thing…at all… I still can’t figure out why they wanted me there and after three months, I found employment elsewhere.

What do you consider your best accomplishment?

My handsome son and my four beautiful daughters! ()

What is your favorite quote?

I have an entire journal filled with favorite quotes (), so it’s very hard to choose one from among them. However, because you asked for one, I’ll have to give you at least two (Thanks !):
“The man who follows the crowd will usually get no further than the crowd. The man who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been.” Alan Ashley-Pitt “She stood in the storm, and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails.” Elizabeth Edwards

Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process?

I think the cover is very important. Sadly, I have found–at least in my experience–that no matter how great the book, if the cover isn’t appealing, most people will just move on without taking the time to read the book or even the blurb for that matter (It’s a well known sad fact ! people are so visual).

What do you think of “trailers” for books?

I love them! But I’m not sure they’re all that important to most readers. As I have looked at the various book trailers, I’ve noticed that the vast majority don’t have as many views as one might expect them to have. Why do you think that is? (Well, from previews reviews with other authors in the past, I mostly got a positive answers to this question. Maybe people don’t comment on the trailer themselves, but they do watch it when they have the opportunity, and maybe it did ignite their interest. But as a reader I do admit that a good cover is the first thing that sale,)

How did you come up with the title? Names?

The “Witte Wieven” is the name of Wolf’s ship, christened in honor of the lovely witch who once saved his life. That incident is explained in the prequel, entitled “Van Locken’s Witch.” The “shadow” part of the title refers to our hero, who while in this dimension is more shadow than he is flesh. Not that he lets something so trivial get in his way. The names for Wolf and his crew are Dutch names from the 17th century (Oh I it! the Dutch where well known great seamen !) , and Aliyana is one of my favorite Hispanic names for females.

What was the most surprising thing you learned while creating your books?

My most surprising discovery is that somehow the characters in each book take on a life of their own while I’m telling their story (Sure right). Many times I sit down to write a specific scene and by the time I’m finished with it, it has evolved into something quite different and without any forethought from me. I can tell you, the characters are always right! (Again, sure right)

Did you do any kind of research to determine the details of your characters’ lives / lifestyles?

Yes, I did and I do. All of my characters have careers that I know very little about (Lol!). Those careers have to be researched. In the case of Shadow of the Witte Wieven, I had to research drug cartels, the DEA, technological gadgets, and 17th brigantines, just to name a few.

Do you have strange writing habits?

Not strange really…at least I don’t think of them as strange. However I do have to have my music on and that playlist must match the mood of the scene I’m working on. I also have to have a glass of ice water by my side and either a stock of cinnamon bears () or hot tamales to nibble on…

(Mexican Food dish! I had to google it! and here one traditional from the many recipes that I found)

Ingredients:

Yield: 50 Tamales

Directions:

  1. In a 5 qt Dutch oven, bring pork, water, onion, garlic and 1 1/2 salt to boil.
  2. Simmer covered, about 2 1/2 hours or until meat is very tender.
  3. Remove meat from broth and allow both meat and broth to cool. (Chilling the broth will allow you to easily remove the fat if you desire to do so).
  4. Shred the meat using 2 forks, discarding fat.5 Strain the broth and reserve 6 cups.
  5. In a large sauce pan, heat the red chili sauce and add meat; simmer, covered for 10 minutes.
  6. To make masa beat shortening on medium speed in a large bowl for 1 minute.
  7. In a separate bowl, stir together masa harina, baking powder and 2 teaspoons salt.
  8. Alternately add masa harina mixture and broth to shortening, beating well after each addition. (Add just enough broth to make a thick, creamy paste).
  9. In the mean time, soak corn husks in warm water for at least 20 minutes; rinse to remove any corn silk and drain well.
  10. To assemble each tamale, spread 2 tablespoons of the masa mixture on the center of the corn husk (each husk should be 8 inches long and 6 inches wide at the top. If husks are small, overlap 2 small ones to form one. If it is large, tear a strip from the side).
  11. Place about 1 tablespoon meat and sauce mixture in the middle of the masa.
  12. Fold in sides of husk and fold up the bottom.
  13. Place a mound of extra husks or a foil ball in the center of a steamer basket placed in a Dutch oven.
  14. Lean the tamales in the basket, open side up.
  15. Add water to Dutch oven just below the basket.
  16. Bring water to boil and reduce heat.
  17. Cover and steam 40 minutes, adding water when necessary.
  18. To freeze these for future meals, leave them in the husks and place them in freezer bags. To reheat, thaw and wrap in a wet paper towel and reheat in the microwave for 2 minutes for one or two or re-steam them just until hot.

Hi Debbie,

It is a real great pleasure to host you on my blog!

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Wolf and Aliyana Seek a Little Ghostly Help… Shadow of the Witte Wieven Book Tour Continues!

Blog Post By Debbie Peterson (Visit the Official Blog Of Debbie Peterson to check out and enter the giveaway!!)

Can you believe it’s January 2015 already? Where did the last year go…

Anyway, as we head into the New Year and the final month of our Shadow of the Witte Wieven Book tour, I thought I’d give you a never before shared excerpt, chosen by my lovely daughter. This is the part of the book wherein Wolf and Aliyana ask for a little ghostly help to catch the bad guy…
Excerpt:
“Buenos días, Padre,” he said in greeting.
“He is here?” asked Aliyana, as her eyes darted about the area.
“Yes, he is standing right in front of me. At this moment, he is looking at me with a bit of suspicion, so perhaps you might want to take over and give him the reassurance he seeks.”
Aliyana fixed her gaze in the exact same spot as Wolf and gave the priest a smile. She placed the palms of her hands together, raised them to her chin, and bowed respectively to the clergyman she couldn’t see.
“Hola Padre. Me llamo Aliyana Rosa Montijo, y yo nesacito tu ayuda desesperadamente,” she said, giving him her name and asking for the assistance they so desperately needed.
He appeared to her then and bestowed a kindly smile. The mature priest, wearing nineteenth century robes, swept a hand toward the church. “Venga hija, podemos hablar de tus nesacidades dentro de la iglesia.”
Aliyana shot Wolf a glance and gave him a relieved smile. “He is going to hear us out. Come on. He’s invited us into the church.”
They followed the priest up the crumbling walk and into the dilapidated structure. He led them through the broken glass on the floor, passed the weathered pews, and around the side to what remained of his office. Once he had them seated on a rickety wooden bench in front of a decrepit desk, he gave her a nod. “Que puedo hacer para ti mi hija?” He wanted to know how he could help them.
“Mi amigo y yo estamos tratando de detener el asesinato de varios hombres inocentes, y sus esposas y sus hijos,” she said, revealing their quest to halt Emil Mercado’s assassination plot of the DEA officials and their families.
A mixture of anger and anticipation, flashed through the eyes of the priest. He leaned forward and took in both their faces. “Cómo puedo ayudar?” he asked, wanting to know how he could help.
Aliyana took a deep breath and launched into a detailed explanation of their plans. She told him about Emil Mercado—how the drug lord had already murdered an unknown number of people, including her brother. During her dissertation, she described the consequences of his illicit drug empire on those he ensnared around the world. She told him of her own work and involvement as an agent for the DEA. Finally, she laid out their plans to capture Mercado and his cohorts, as well as the part they hoped he would play in making that a reality.
The priest leaned back against his chair and nodded. His gaze traveled over to Wolf before they wandered back to her. He paused for a moment and then rose from his seat. With a single wave of his hand, he bade them follow. They trailed him down the hallway and to the back entrance of the church. Once outside, he led them to the cemetery. While they traversed row upon row of graves, he spoke. Aliyana translated his words for Wolf.
“Many are buried here that have fallen victim to men such as Emil Mercado and his accomplices.” He pointed to a fragmented stone, and then another, followed by yet another. “The blood of these innocent men, women and children compel me to leave my sanctuary for the first time since my death and give the assistance you seek. I have but one request.”
Since the priest directed the question to Wolf, Aliyana paused so that he could answer.
Wolf gave him a nod born of respect. “Name it, and it’s yours,” he said.
The priest returned a grateful smile. “I would like a moment to explain to my little flock, the need for my absence. Many of them will panic otherwise, for you see, even now, they are still in need of a shepherd.”
As Aliyana translated his words, a nineteenth century lad, aged approximately nineteen or twenty at the time of his death, emerged from the mausoleum a short distance away from where they stood. He glided toward them, shot her a shy glance, and then with a slight bow of his head, said, “Perdón por la intrusión, Padre Romualdo.”
“Si, Pedro?” the padre asked with lifted brow.
Aliyana placed a hand against her mouth as she listened to their entire exchange without interruption. Once they arrived at an agreement, she turned toward Wolf. “Pedro overheard our earlier conversation with the father. He said he feels it is his right and his duty as a soldier, to continue to defend his country from men of Mercado’s ilk. Pedro would consider it an honor to assist us in achieving our goals. In so doing, Padre Romualdo wouldn’t need to abandon his flock, which so desperately needs his guidance. This arrangement is agreeable to the father, if it’s agreeable to us.”
Wolf extended a hand toward Pedro, who grasped it in the instant. “We’re grateful for your willingness to help us.”
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Today you’ll find me at Coffee Books & Art, for yet another interview. I would love for you to stop by and say hello for another chance to win!
Remaining Tour Stops:

January     14: The Avid Reader
January     21:  Booklover Sue
January     28:  Yeah Books! Blog

And don’t forget…for the entire month of January you can get Shadow of the Witte Wieven as well the prequel, Van Locken’s Witch for just 99 cents each!

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The Magic of Winter…

Originally Posted By Debbie Peterson (Check it out to comment and enter the giveaway)

On this windy, cold and cloudy, New Year’s Eve, the weatherman is calling for snow. Call me skeptical if you will, but so far today, I haven’t seen so much as a drop of rain here in Las Vegas. Now that doesn’t mean we never get snow here. We have had some on occasion. So when we do, I sit back with a hot cup of cocoa, and watch it through the window–from the comfort of my heated home–with a fire roaring in the fireplace.

American Homestead Winter – Currier & Ives

I bet I had an ancestor or two that would’ve loved to have traded places with me. Long ago–when life depended on the planting and harvesting of crops–the long days of winter were filled with various magical rituals. They had rituals for the fields they hoped would ensure an increase in flocks, herds and the harvest. Rituals were held to protect hearth and home. They even had rituals meant to bring back the light of the sun.

Feast of St Martin

In several countries in Europe winter began on Saint Marin’s Day. Those gifted with “sight” would see this saint riding his beautiful white horse across the grasslands. This patron saint of wine and vintners would open his cloak and release the first snow of winter. On the eve of this day bonfires were lit and the animals that would not live through the season were slaughtered and salted. A feast in Martin’s honor was held and the first of the new wine served to all in attendance.

In memory of this saint, the children in Germany would put containers of water on their doorstep with childlike faith that St. Martin would stop by and change the water to wine. As they awoke on Martinmas day, they would run to the door and indeed find the water changed to wine. Beside the wine they would find a special horseshoe shaped cookie, providing proof that St. Martin had stopped by.

There were customs for New Year’s Eve as well. In many places all throughout Britain and spreading all the way to Austria, a body fashioned from straw was carried through the streets. “Death,” as they called this hapless form, was then burned, buried, or drowned, whichever was the handiest way to rid themselves of this demon, so that the new year could bring prosperity without hindrance.

In other places, revelers donned masks and costumes so that they could elude the evil powers lurking about as they paraded throughout their towns. They would crack their whips, clang bells and beat on their drums, all in order to drive out the ghosts of the waning old year and bring in the new.

I guess in our own way, we still do a little “town-rattling” of our own with the party favors, feasts, reveling, and fireworks.

So tell me, how do you bring in the New Year?
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Today, on the final December stop of our book tour, I am answering questions at Bunny’s Book Reviews, so if you have the chance, stop by and say hello!

AND… to Celebrate the New Year…drum roll please… Inkspell Publishing has agreed to put Shadow of the Witte Wieven on sale for one month only! Now through January 31st you can enjoy both Shadow of the Witte Wieven and Van Locken’s Witch for just 99 cents each!

Remaining Tour Stops:

January      7:  Coffee Books and Art
January     14: The Avid Reader
January     21:  Booklover Sue
January     28:  Yeah Books! Blog