Pink Lock Picks and Sequined Witch Hats
Carla Rehse
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Date of Publication: 7-24-17
ISBN: 978-1546514534
Number of pages: 286
Word Count: 78k
Fashion. Dead bodies. And magic.
In this fantastical and mysterious tale, seventeen-year-old lock pick Gracie Mason finds herself inadvertently caught up in a world involving witches, bizarre rituals, romanceâand murder.
Book Description:
Witches must bond with humans in order to produce childrenâand once the bond is made, it cannot easily be unmade.
Imagine seventeen-year-old Gracie Masonâs surprise when she accidently bonds with a witch named Asher. Sure, heâs cute, but thatâs beside the point. Sheâs not going to settle for a guy just because sheâs magically bound to him.
To dissolve the bond, Gracie must seek out another witch to perform a magical rite. However, matters become considerably more complicated when witches begin turning up dead. Wanting nothing more than to get on with her life, Gracie must now team up with her enchanter and wade deeper into a complex world of enchantment and intrigue.
Pink Lock Picks and Sequined Witch Hats is an enthralling story of magic, mystery, and murderâand each new twist will draw you further under its spell.
Excerpt:
Daddy told me years ago that to succeed in life I need a strong plan, the right tools, and the gumption to follow through. His words of wisdom helped me get elected homecoming queen, become co-captain of the cheerleading squad, and voted on the student council. Now I plan to use them to help me pull off my first burglary.
My plan is solid. Iâve also never backed down from a challenge, not even last year when Brittany Thomas became overly friendly with the entire football team in a sad attempt to deprive me of my crown. People say I started the rumor about the rash of STD cases spreading through the boysâ locker room faster than a brush fire. I didnât, of course. Why start gossip when the squad of doctors from the local Health Department did it for me?
I take a deep breath as I enter the Trinity Building. At almost four oâclock on a Friday before a three-day weekend, the place is deader than a PTA meeting. It helps that today is the hottest July first on record for Central Texas and the air conditioning in this building is dismally subpar. The Trinity Corporation may claim to have the most upscale rental space in town, but one look at the gold leopard granite floor paired with peach-painted walls shows thatâs a downright fib.
The only guard on duty leans back in his chair and sucks down a Sonic Route 44 Coke like his life depends on it. I wave as I pass the security desk, wearing a megawatt smile and fully confident in the strength of my lavender-scented Lavanila deodorantâvegan, of course. Deputy Dawg gives me his usual perv stare before returning to the comic book balanced on his knee.
Centex Therapy, LPC occupies most of the first floor office space. A small bell tinkles when I open the frosted glass door. What decorum the overall building lacks, the waiting room has in spades. Brown leather chairs sit on a bamboo rug and pastel paintings from local artists brighten the walls. A tall grandfather clock in the corner softly chimes four times. This late on a Friday means the room is empty of other patients. Perfect.
Jane, the receptionist, fans herself with a copy of Country Living. âCutting it awfully close, Gracie. Go on in.â
Dr. McDozzle gives me a pained smile as I enter the room.
âGood afternoon, Miss Mason. Have a seat.â For a head shrinker, heâs incredibly formal. And a non-Texan, who hates football and sweet tea. I havenât learned much more about him in the last month, but thatâs enough to get him tarred and feathered if word got out.
The leather recliner squeaks when I sit down. âThanks for seeing me on a Friday, Doc.â I twirl a strand of newly highlighted platinum hair around my finger. It goes wonderful with my bubblegum pink manicure. âMr. Anderson, Daddyâs new lawyer, is now insisting I have two sessions a month with you. Of course, Mamaâs lawyer says once a month is just fine, seeing how Iâm such a well-adjusted high school senior and all. Almost a senior, I guess, since schoolâs not started.â
Dr. McDozzle straightens his glasses. âYes, well, your parents do seem to have quite the barrage of attorneys involved in their divorce. Have you worked on the homework I gave you during our last session?â
This is such a waste of time. My parents have spent the last five years embroiled in a divorce dirtier than a greased pig-wrestling contest. Both sides of the family have more money than sense, much to the delight of every lawyer in the tri-county area. Not that I want my parents to get back together. Anytime theyâre within spitting distance of each other, the tension between them gives me a migraine. Besides, if they hadnât split up, I never wouldâve met Ben.
Benâs the son of Daddyâs ex-girlfriend. Until four months ago, they all lived together in Daddyâs condo. Ben is a sophomore at the local college and is truly hot, in a geeky, stud muffin, save-the-world, kinda way. Crushing on my almost stepbrother might seem a bit sketchy, but itâs legalâI Googled it twice.
Which means itâs time to start step one in my Get Ben Plan.
I toss my hair over my shoulder before pulling out a pink glitter notebook from my Eiffel Tower-shaped mini-purse.
âYou wanted me to write down my feelings about my parentsâ shared custody thing. Honestly, I donât understand why the lawyers are so panty-twisted about me spending a week with Mama and the next with Daddy. It means I get double the wardrobe. Hello? What girl would say no to that? Itâs way better than Heatherâs situation. I told you about her last time, I think. The girl with the hideous frizzed-out curls but drives a cute BMW Z4 roadster? Anyway, her parents are insane.â I continue a steady stream of babble until Dr. McDozzleâs eyes glaze over.
Thereâs no clocks in the room, but Dr. McDozzle keeps checking his watch. Iâm sure the poor man created a nice therapy plan for me, but Iâve completely derailed it. Mama always says a girl has many tools to choose from in her arsenalâperfectly curled hair, well-placed boobs, and endless chatter are my faves. Besides, Daddyâs been paying therapists a fortune for years to show the divorce court how concerned he is about me. Dr. McDozzleâs earning his car payment today.
About the Author:
Although not a native Texan, Carla prides herself on having mastered the correct usage of âyâallâ and âbless your heart.â
Carla is owned by a persnickety kitty, who rules the computer keyboard and only allows Carla to write when demands for cat treats are met.
1 Comment
Carla Rehse
8/18/2017 06:12:58 am
Thanks for hosting me
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