Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Today's Special - - Cathy Maxwell


It's my pleasure to welcome Cathy Maxwell back to The Romance Dish today.  Not only is Cathy one of my favorite authors but she's also one of the nicest, most genuine, most joyful people I've ever met.  A New York Times bestselling author, Cathy has written more than twenty-five single title romances and contributed to several anthologies.  Her newest book, THE SCOTTISH WITCH (released into the wild today!)  is the second book in her new The Chattan Curse series.  THE SCOTTISH WITCH isn't the only new production in Cathy's life these days...but I'll let her tell you about that. Take it away, Cathy!









The Magic
By Cathy Maxwell

            I know I should write about the release of my new book THE SCOTTISH WITCH.  After all, how perfect the opportunity?  The word “witch” is in the title; tomorrow is Halloween.  PR, PR!

            However, I have something else on my mind.  As I’m writing this, my daughter and son-in-law are preparing to have their first baby.  He’s a boy and will make his appearance in the next twelve to twenty-four hours or thereabouts.  You know how babies are.  They never arrive when expected and keep us on our toes until they are out the door years from now.

            I will not go schmaltzy about the circle of life and all that jazz.  Okay, maybe a little schmaltzy.  It is that sort of occasion.

            What really galvanizes me is the magic of love.  The whole two become one thing, and another one and another one and so on and so forth until I end up happily spending a good portion of my income on Christmas presents for grandbabies.

            Love allows us to face the “what ifs.”  I wish there was a superhero Halloween outfit for love.  Whether pirate or nobleman, vampire, shape-shifter, police officer, soldier, or spy, love brings us all to what is truly important in life.  It can heal, it can motivate, it can inspire, it can create.  It makes us look at the very best in ourselves.  There have been times I’ve been completely humbled in the presence of love..

            Love can also be scary.  It can be a grand adventure, but first you must trust the unknown.  Loving someone, making a commitment to him or her is not for the faint of heart.  Just when you think you’ve mastered love, when you believe you have it tied down, it will change.  Sometimes it evolves into something better than you could have ever imagined . . . or it can vanish.  Evaporate.  One moment you have your arms around it and in the next—poof!

            That has happened to me and I don’t know but I think it has happened to you a time or two as well.

            Okay, back to the promo stuff—in the Chattan Curse Trilogy of which THE SCOTTISH WITCH is a part (and I strongly advise you to read LYON’S BRIDE before you take on this second book), I question how important love is to life.  How necessary is it?  

            My theory is that if you tell me what you love, whom you love—then I will know all that is important about you.  But what if you cut yourself off from love? What is left?

            By the way, you may also want to check out some pictures of Scottish Fold cats before you read my latest.  You don’t have to, but I’m just sayin’.   (Cats and Halloween and all that.)

            I’ll let you know how the baby turns out.  I know he will be adorable . . . and very well loved.

            Okay, blog question—What would your life be like without love?  

PS—Thirty hours later after finishing writing this blog, I can introduce you to Zavier, 20 inches long and 8lb 1oz of love.

Congratulations to Cathy and her family on the birth of Zavier.  Welcome to the world, little guy!

HarperCollins/Avon has graciously donated two copies of THE SCOTTISH WITCH for today's giveaway.  Two randomly chosen people leaving comments (U.S. addresses only) will each receive a copy.  




When a Chattan male falls in love, strike his heart with fire from above . . .

Portia Maclean believes she is beyond love and marriage. Then one moonlit night, while attempting a daring masquerade in a desperate bid to protect her family, she finds herself swept off her feet by a powerful stranger. But what will he do once he discovers she has betrayed him?

Harry Chattan is fighting for his family. For two hundred years the Chattan men have been destroyed by love . . . and now he's come to Scotland on the hunt for a witch to break the curse. Instead he finds himself bewitched by Portia. Harry has vowed to fight the demons that torture him.

But will that battle destroy her as well?

26 comments:

  1. Congratulations, Cathy! And God bless little Zavier! I don't think I can imagine my life without love. It would like our solar system without the sun, like our planet without water and trees. Ghastly thought!
    minadecaro@hotmail.com

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  2. Congratulations on the arrival of little Zavier! My son was due to arrive on October 31, 1987. I guess he did not want a Halloween birthday so he arrived on October 14th instead! We celebrated his 25th birthday last week when he surprised us with an unexpected visit home for the week end. It was so very special that he wanted to spend that time with us. We went through a lot of trouble to finally have a child, he's our one and only. I cannot imagine living without the love of a child in our lives.
    As for your new release, please accept my heartfelt congratulations; you had me at Scottish! Also, Mazal tov on the release of your new grandson!

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    1. A belated Happy Birthday to your son, Flora!

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    2. Thank you, PJ. I'll tell him. He says he'll come to RWA/Atlanta next year to meet you all!

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  3. Congrats, Congrats! I don't think I would have been born if it weren't for love. Nor would I be reading any of these fabulous romance novels. I think it wold be like the underworld where nothing ever shines and everything is just plain old dark and gloomy and just gray.

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    1. I think it wold be like the underworld where nothing ever shines and everything is just plain old dark and gloomy and just gray.

      Exactly!

      Glad you stopped by today!

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  4. Aloha, Cathy! I love the pictures of Zavier on Facebook! I offer you a Hawaiian proverb:

    UA OLA LOKO I KE ALOHA

    Love gives life within.

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    1. Kim! Aloha, my friend! Thank you for sharing that beautiful proverb.

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  5. Congratulations on the release of The Scottish Witch, Cathy. I loved Lyon's Bride and look forward to reading TSW.

    And congratulations on the birth of your new grandson. A glorious welcome to him! My family is celebrating today too. Grand #3 turns eleven, and he continues to fill our hearts with joy and pride.

    As for a life without love, it's unimaginable. Babies aren't the only ones who need love to thrive. Without it, even if we survive physically, spiritually and emotionally, we wither.

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  6. Life without love would be EMPTY. I can't imagine my life without the love I have for my husband of 35 years, my mother, my sister, my brother, my 4 children and all the other friends and family that have so impacted my life over the years!

    The birth of our first grandchild last November 10th has brought so much fun, laughter and love into our lives. She's such a cherished blessing.


    Enjoy every moment you are lucky enough to share with Xavier!

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    1. How blessed you are, Laurie, to be surrounded by so much love. It adds such an immense richness to our lives, doesn't it?

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  7. Oh, big congratulations!!! I'm still waiting and hoping that a grandchild is in my future. I've been married 42 yrs. and have two wonderful girl and lots of furbabies to love too. As the old quote says, "love makes the world go round." I love anything Scottish and your stories sound like something I would really enjoy and great cover!

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  8. Congratulations on your new release and the birth of your grandchild. A life without love is a grim prospect. I think love allows us to care about something greater than self.

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  9. I really enjoyed Lyon's Bride and look forward to continuing the story in The Scottish Witch.

    As for your question, I can't imagine a life without love. I'm a religious person, and that strongly influences how I see love. I'm also a grandmother and, as Cathy suggested, those little ones make all the differences.

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  10. Congrats on the release of The Scottish Witch and the birth of your wonderful grandson, Zavier!

    I can't imagine life without love. Well, scratch that, and I can, but I don't want to live without the love and love for my DH of 39 years. You know what they say: Love makes the world go round, and that is so very, very true.

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  11. Congrats on the release and the new family member!!!

    Thanks for such a fun post! I think that my life would be sorry indeed w/out love.

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  12. Congrats on The Scottish Witch - love the cover - and congrats on Zavier!

    Life without love would be a dismal thing, I am fortunate to have much love.

    Thank you for the contest!

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  13. My life would be much more lonely, empty and dull without love. Congrats on the release of The Scottish Witch, as well as the birth of little Zavier.

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  14. Congrats on the book and baby!

    It'd be pretty sad.

    bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  15. Congrats on the new baby and the book.

    I not sure I could handle life without love.

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  16. Congratulations on your new grandson, Cathy. How exciting. I remember how wonderful it was for us when our granddaughter arrived last year. Babies are such a joy. Enjoy Zavier and watching your daughter and son-in-law discover the joys of parenthood.

    Without love, life would be terribly lonely. I would still have friends, but that isn't the same or enough. Coming home from work to an empty house, no one to spend the evenings or days off with just doing nothing, and no one to hold when things go wrong, the night is cold, or I just need a hug. It would be a very empty life. Children can help fill that empty space, but there is nothing better than a loving partner.

    I love Scottish Fold cats. I wanted one the first time I saw a picture. There is a Scottish Fold group not far from here. I may just have to check them out.

    THE CHATTAN CURSE series sounds like one I'll enjoy. I need to track down LYON'S BRIDE and look forward to reading THE SCOTTISH WITCH. Congratulations on its release. I know it will do well.

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  17. Oh, happy days! Congratulations on not only your new grandson but on your release. :)

    I can't even imagine life without love in it.

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  18. Your book sounds wonderful and exactly the type of book I enjoy reading. Congrats on its release!

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  19. Congrat's on the new grandbaby. Without love, I'd be a lonely person. However, there is always a need in the world for us to give love to others, and I think that would help a lot.

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