Yep, here's C.L. Carhart sending her newsletter super duper late again. Not only is it (still) Sunday in the U.S., it's also St. Patrick's Day, which means a sizeable group of people have been celebrating their Irish heritage (or lack thereof) all weekend. Green beer, shepherd's pie, and corned beef have fallen onto the menus at local pubs, and the parties went late into the night last night. 🍀

As a stereotypical American mutt, I think I have about a 1/16th of Irish blood trickling through my veins, which ain't much in the grand scheme of things. And we're more about magical blood in my fantasy realm anyway.

Did you know one of the side characters in my debut series, His Name Was Augustin, has an Irish father? A pretty brave dude in my opinion, since he moved to Munich for work-related reasons, fell in love with a Teuton witch, and dared to face the blood-transfer ritual in order to seize magic of his own. But that's a complex back story you won't learn much about in the series. 😉

You can meet his snarky daughter Erika briefly in Veiled Magic, which should be a free download on most retailers. Or you can start the series with Arcane Gateway to join ice witch Swanie and her friends as they prepare to take on the struggles of the real world after high school.

And we know Swanie stumbles upon a mythical crystal rumored to open the gateway of time in the process....

Gift of Snow — Snippet #2

It's time for another sneak peek at Gift of Snow, the LAST full-length novel in my Elemental Bloodlines series. It's now scheduled to hit my shop and the retailers in eBook format on Monday, March 25th. Today we catch up with Nelke after her first day of secretarial classes in the city of Wels, Austria. As she exits her school expecting to climb onto her bike and ride back to her uncle's house...she runs into someone she met just a few days before.

A polite and handsome Teuton priest of earth. 🌳

***

“How did you know I’d be finishing at four?” I asked Tobias on my way down the stairs, my heart leaping at the notion that he was here for me. I doubted he had business to accomplish with the school’s administrator.

Tobias ducked his head in greeting, this time clad in a deep gray suit and tie with matching hat. “A lucky guess. My valet sought information on the schedule of the Albergaschule while I met with the Old One of Wels.”

“Your valet? The Old One?” My brain seemed to have forgotten how to form complex sentences. My parents provided for their branch of our family through revenue from our vineyard and my mother’s herbal remedies. Despite the extensive properties my uncle managed, the concept of valets was unheard of in my hometown. With a sinking feeling in my stomach, I began to suspect Tobias’ father would not approve of his interest in me. No matter how much our elements seemed drawn to each other.

“You didn’t think my father let me loose in the world all by myself, did you?” Tobias’ green eyes sparkled with fun as he offered me his arm. “Why don’t we grab some refreshments at Hasenfranz and talk it over. I’d love to find out what you’ve learned on your first day. I bet you’re the fastest typist in class.”

My cheeks flushed and I glanced back at the other ladies exiting the school. Some of them might have overheard Tobias’ words. If I accepted his arm, my peers would shower me with questions about my boyfriend-not-boyfriend. So instead I dropped my gaze and struck out for the café. Tobias followed.

“I’m not the fastest. And I have to be home for dinner at seven. I rode my—your mother’s bike here, actually.” My stomach clenched as I admitted that, unsure how he would react.

“Making an impact even after ascension,” Tobias said in a strained voice. He reached out to open the heavy wooden door to the café and beckoned me inside.

“My uncle respected your mother very much. I think they were childhood friends.” My element reached out to him in compassion while my physical senses measured the cozy café. Hasenfranz sported the motif of a hunting lodge—walls paneled in dark wood, oaken tables and bar across from the entrance, ivy curling around shelves and sconces enclosing flickering candles, and a pair of stuffed deer heads towering over the empty fireplace on the right wall. Only two tables were occupied, both by students from the Albergaschule. Three American servicemen sprawled at the bar, yapping loudly in English as they worked on giant mugs of wheat beer.

“Which do you prefer? Bar or table?”

I looked around the café again, seeing that we had caught the attention of the ladies at one of the two tables. “Better sit at the bar unless you want my peers to start planning our wedding literally tomorrow morning.”

Tobias chuckled and laid a hand against my lower back as we moved toward the bar. “You could always tell them I’m your cousin if you want to avoid the rumor mill.”

The sensation of his hand upon the fabric of my dress sent tingles down my spine all the way to my toes. Trying my best not to show it, I climbed onto the stool at the edge of the bar beside the dark hallway leading to the kitchen and restrooms. “I appreciate the offer, but I’d rather not build a reputation on lies. Too hard to keep them all straight.”

Tobias’ hand slid away as he sat beside me, an impressed expression on his face. “A witch who values honesty. I like it.” He set his hat onto the bar before him.

Heat warmed my face again, though he may not have noticed due to the low light in the café. I hung my bag over the back of the stool, and the bartender arrived seconds later, his hands cleaning a glass as he asked what he could get for us. The water permeating his aura was unmistakable, his skills at mixing drinks doubtless unmatched. Enough to lure foreigners to his café, even though the American-run refugee camp was on the opposite side of the city.

Tobias scanned the drink list on the chalkboard at the back of the bar, then said, “One chocolate milkshake with cream.”

“Make that two.” His choice surprised me, a stark contrast to the Americans at the other end of the bar with their beer. They seemed to be trying to work up the courage to approach one of the tables of secretarial students, for they were practicing basic German phrases. Their accents and grammar were atrocious.

“I’ll pay for both,” Tobias told me as the bartender withdrew to prepare our milkshakes.

“Exactly what a cousin ought to do.” I grinned at him and glanced toward the entrance. Another group of Albergaschule students made their way inside and converged on the occupied tables. “Not sure how much longer we’ll be able to stay in the shadows here. Eventually one of them might recognize me.”

“You never know. It’s easier to blend into the crowd in a city. To be honest, Wels seems a lot more like a small town to me. Vienna and München are both huge, and so is Berlin. The situation there . . .” His forehead crimped, and he brushed a stray lock of sable hair away from his face.

“Everything is such a mess. I can’t imagine how it must be for people who can’t get to the west.” While I had not formed strong political opinions thanks to my relatively sheltered life at home, Radomir shared bits of his story with me on Sunday. His father had been a Czech journalist, and after the war his entire family had to flee or be imprisoned for an indefinite time. Radomir’s opportunities to perform had vanished, creativity stifled in favor of repression.

“Sometimes I think our people should have handled things differently. But that’s neither here nor there.” Tobias frowned pensively and leaned against the bar. “Teutons don’t control most city governments. Wels though.”

Our milkshakes arrived before I could ask him what he meant by that. He pulled out his wallet to pay while I closed my right hand around the frosted glass, my snow cooling my blood in acknowledgement of a kindred spirit. The sweetness of the chocolate mingled perfectly with the cream at my first sip, my mood lifting at the privilege of such a treat.

“So why did you have a meeting with the Old One of Wels?” I opened a new subject after the bartender left us in peace, my interest in Tobias’ business dealings ever increasing. The title of ‘Old One’ referenced the oldest male on a city’s Teuton council, the sort of priest that inspired reverence.

“Because I couldn’t get one with the Keyholder. Yet.” Tobias took a lengthy drink from his glass, exhaling in relief. “Nothing like a refreshing chill after a long day.”

His observation prompted me to drop my gaze to my milkshake. Fantasies cropped up in my brain of a snow queen offering soothing cold to a weary earthen prince. Don’t get your hopes up. You barely know this man, except that he’s from a family of investment bankers in Vienna. Not in the same league as landowners. Right?

“I’m sorry; I’m beating around the bush, aren’t I?” I looked back at Tobias, who lowered his voice to say, “I don’t know. I just get this—odd feeling that there’s something amiss in this city. Everyone on the council holds positions of power, whether in the local government or public service. The Old One was the mayor for almost two decades. And the Keyholder’s a judge.”

“You don’t think they want us to go public?” I spoke in an undertone, hoping the bartender did not overhear. The Americans had ambled over to where my peers gathered, leaving us ostensibly alone. “My uncle wouldn’t go for that. The husband and wife who manage his household don’t know what Teutons really are.”

“That sort of decision can’t be made by one small conclave. I might be totally off base, imagining corruption where there is none. But it’s unusual for every single council member to have the positions they do. Judge. Airport commissioner. Fire chief. CEO of the local bank. Property manager.”

Tobias nodded at me when he referenced Onkel Gustav. I thought back to the hints he and Radomir had dropped about the Keyholder’s fixation on our people’s declining numbers. A sensitive topic to open before an unmarried priest, but I saw no reason to avoid it. Taking a big sip of sweet creamy frost to bolster my nerve, I leaned close to Tobias and spoke in Teutonic dialect.

“My uncle told me this city’s Keyholder is worried our people are going to die out due to low birth rates. He kind of implied I might be forced into some sort of—breeding situation. Not sure if he means marriage or something worse. That’s why I was muttering to Heidi on the day we met. Trying to figure out what he didn’t say out loud.”

Tobias’ eyes widened, his essence enclosing me in earthen strength. “During our meeting today, The Old One asked me if I’m seeing anyone. He said there are many unspoiled flowers in Wels just waiting to be picked.”

“What did you tell him?” I quailed at the Old One’s terminology.

“I told him I’m betrothed.” A vise choked my heart until Tobias clarified, “Unlike you, I fabricate stories when strangers pry into my personal business.”

“Oh!” I clasped a hand to my chest, somewhat surprised my heart was still beating. Tobias was single, just as I had hoped. My snow sprinkled white into the edges of my vision in foolish delight. Gritting my teeth, I focused on what remained of my milkshake and forced my element back.

“That wasn’t the worst part. The Old One congratulated me but said if I get the—ahem—urge at some point while I’m here, he could direct me to a group of young witches who serve our people through preserving the bloodlines. Breeding, like you said before. I’m going to have to dig deeper to find out exactly what’s going on. Most ladies don’t agree to things like that unless they’re in dire straits.”

“Maybe—maybe the council members here are running something like what Hitler did, making blonde women breed with SS men,” I proposed in a tense voice, envisioning a secret brothel where unmarried witches churned out children. “That might be what the Old One was offering to you, with witches instead of blonde outsiders.”

“I certainly hope not. That would be disgusting and immoral.” A grimace appeared on Tobias’ visage as he finished his milkshake. “We’re supposed to walk the path of light and use our magic for good. Even though Wuotan would have us serve him with blood and sacrifice.”

“Magic is a tool. It’s not inherently good or evil. Just because we were born with magic in our blood doesn’t mean we can’t choose to do right.” Alix had taught me that after she began her studies with the Seefeld crone. Respect all creatures of the earth and use our gifts to heal.

“Some priests willingly lose themselves to the allure of Wuotan’s darkness,” Tobias said, his expression grim. “There probably ought to be stricter requirements for men who wish to study for the priesthood.”

An interesting proposition. “What requirements—”

Tobias rose before I could finish my question, jamming his hat atop his head and lifting my bag from my chair. “We need to go,” he uttered.

“What—”

“Come with me.” Positioning himself between me and the entrance, he took hold of my left arm to pull me to my feet. About that time my element detected two other Teutons stepping into the café. A witch of dark energy and a man of lightning. Power unlike any I had ever encountered rippled from the man’s spirit.

***

Why do you think Tobias insisted they leave the café as soon as the mysterious witch and Teuton male arrived? Maybe it has something to do with the secret breeding operation they were talking about. 😬

We'll all get to find out just 8 days from now when Gift of Snow leaps onto the retailers and my shop on March 25th. Gotta admit, I can hardly wait for Nelke's story to be out in the wide world. Right now I'm finishing the last 4 chapters, and the situation in Wels has escalated into a crisis with Nelke smack dab in the middle. She may have moved there just to get an education, but when there's a romantic fantasy author tailing her, well....

So much for that peaceful, boring life, right? 😜

🌿 Spring Has Sprung 🌿

Not sure what nature's up to in your neck of the woods, since several of my real-life friends are digging their way out of heavy snowstorms right now. But here in the southeastern section of the U.S., daffodils and hyacinths are blooming in people's yards along with tulips. One of my friends from college shared this colorful photo with me recently and gave permission for me to share it with you.

I hope that photo gives you a burst of happiness if you're trapped in a snowy blizzard right now. Or if it's gray and rainy in your area. If you read books on Amazon, feel free to check out my friend's author page at the link below. She's got 2 young adult fantasy books out right now, and while I haven't read the second one yet, I can definitely vouch for the first! ✨

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Amanda-Cale/author/B00HTQW9XO

🍀 Gift Card Giveaway 🍀

On the subject of Amazon goodies, I've joined a big group of indie romance authors to offer you a BIG opportunity to win one of 3 gift cards! The giveaway ends in just a few hours, so now's the time to see how lucky you can be by clicking the graphic above. 🍀 Fair warning that entering will sign you up for a bunch of author newsletters—some of which (like mine!) you might already have joined. But just like always, you can sign up and then say farewell with the unsubscribe buttons once our newsletters start dropping into your inbox. It's totally up to you!

Rather take a peek at a couple book fairs instead? Here's your chance.

March Fantasy Freebies - ends 3/31

Myths, Legends, and Fairy Tales - ends 4/16

Other Books You Might Like

Got 2 books by other authors like me for you to check out today. One looks like a sizzling story of witchy goodness, while the other is a charity anthology that benefits an autism organization in Milwaukee. So whether you're in the mood for fiery witches or tales of rugged dudes going to a good cause, my fellow authors have got you covered.

They call me the Ink Master. Sounds badass, right? I come from a long line of monster hunters, so why not?

Don't get too excited. It's just a fancy word for librarian. In reality, I'm the most inept witch who ever had the nerve to call Salem her home.

And I've just possessed myself with a demon. Yep, I accidentally invited him in, trapped him in my head, and I don't know how to get him out. And let me tell you, he is pissed.

He's not just any demon, either. When I flub, it has to be epic, so I summoned Chaos himself. As if I'm not enough of a hot mess on my own.

I've got two weeks to get this demon out of my head before Chaos takes over completely and I become the voice in his head.

No problem for a flame-touched witch of Salem, right? Right???

✨ All Retailers ✨

Come along with us as we venture into the mountains and forests of rough and rugged men.

Best-selling and award winning attending authors of the Meet Me In Milwaukee signing have joined forces to bring you stories in a collection of mountain men and lumberjacks.

This charity anthology is donating all proceeds to a local autism organization.

The cause is close to the hearts of participating authors and the event host.

From sweet to sexy, there will be something for all readers.

✨ Amazon Only ✨

I hope you enjoyed today's snippet of Nelke's story, and that you'll find some sort of fantastical world to enter while we wait for her story to arrive in all its wintry wonder. The scene I'm working on right now involves a rather sinister castle you might have visited once already...if you read Gift of Light.

I hope to send another quick update on Wednesday or Thursday this week, and after that we can all join Nelke and Tobias as they navigate unexpected twists and turns in the Teuton city of Wels in 1955.

For now, enjoy the green fun of St. Patrick's Day, and then have yourself a wonderfully weird week. 💖

Talk to you soon,

C.L. Carhart

Get Veiled Magic for free:

https://books2read.com/hnwavm

Elemental Bloodlines series:

https://clcarhart.com/collections/elemental-bloodlines-series-ebooks

His Name Was Augustin series:

https://clcarhart.com/collections/hnwa-series-ebooks

Amazon gift card giveaway:

https://kingsumo.com/g/3btyvh/lucky-in-love-romance-reader-gift-card-giveaway