Wishful Wesnesday is my own little version of "Waiting On Wednesday". Every two weeks, I'll pick a topic or genre and list a few upcoming books (or book) that I'm anticipating the release for. This week, it's going to be a special "book spot" for The Last Witch by the awesome Debbie Dee, who was nice enough to share a guest post featuring the backstory for the Incenega Witches and an excerpt from the book.
Feel free to join in, grab the banner, and/or share your WoW or Desperately Wanting Wednesday lists with me.
Feel free to join in, grab the banner, and/or share your WoW or Desperately Wanting Wednesday lists with me.
In THE LAST WITCH, for generations the Incenaga Witches have been forced to use their power to fulfill the wishes of others until they are drained of their magic and left to die. Desperate to protect his infant daughter - the last surviving witch - Emmeline’s father escapes with her to the forests where he vows to keep her hidden from the world and from the truth. Sixteen years later, Emmeline is discovered and finds herself in the grip of a traitor who will stop at nothing to get what he wants, even if it means abusing her power until she dies. As she fights to regain her freedom she is faced with a choice between a prince who offers a lifetime of security and a common gamekeeper who has no idea of her power, but offers his heart.
But who can she trust when her power can be used against her?
By Debbie Dee
I like to begin my stories in the thick of action, in the moment when someone is forced to make a life changing decision. It is this decision that sets the course for the rest of the character’s journey and makes for an exciting story. But what about all the events that led up to that decision? The backstory? So often, the plot is driven by what happened before “the story” ever began, and yet it can slow the pacing of a novel if too much of it incorporated. As an author who loves to day dream about every detail of my character’s lives, I often struggle with how much backstory to include and how much to cut. Pacing is essential and yet character development is just as important.
The history of the Incenga Witches was a backstory that was instrumental to Emmeline’s upbringing, but was not essential for understanding her story. I was thrilled when Suz asked me to share some of the history because it was one of those tough cuts every author battles with.
It began with a powerful sorcerer who fell in love with a young maiden. He spent a great deal of time trying to impress her with his magic, but no matter his efforts, she did not return his affection. She loved another, but kept her love inside for fear the sorcerer would act out of jealousy.
Enraged at her denial, the sorcerer called all the townspeople together and cast a curse on the maiden for all to see and hear. Because he had planned to share his power with her, he proclaimed her cursed to possess a power greater than his own but without the ability to control it. She would be forced to obey the demands of any master who ruled over her and have no choice but to grant their every desire. She may have denied him, but she would never have the luxury to choose for herself again. He was so pleased with the irony of his curse that he declared the daughters of her womb would endure the same curse as well.
Frightened, the girl ran away from everyone she knew and loved. But the legend was born and the quest to find her had begun. Men searched far and wide to control the new and powerful witch. Women hoped to use her as a miracle worker. Soldiers sought to use her to win wars. But what the sorcerer did not know, and would never have wished upon his lost love, was the death his curse would create. Not just for the girl whose life would be drained each time her power was forced from her, but for the millions she would kill to grant a tyrant’s wish.
The history of the Incenga Witches was a backstory that was instrumental to Emmeline’s upbringing, but was not essential for understanding her story. I was thrilled when Suz asked me to share some of the history because it was one of those tough cuts every author battles with.
It began with a powerful sorcerer who fell in love with a young maiden. He spent a great deal of time trying to impress her with his magic, but no matter his efforts, she did not return his affection. She loved another, but kept her love inside for fear the sorcerer would act out of jealousy.
Enraged at her denial, the sorcerer called all the townspeople together and cast a curse on the maiden for all to see and hear. Because he had planned to share his power with her, he proclaimed her cursed to possess a power greater than his own but without the ability to control it. She would be forced to obey the demands of any master who ruled over her and have no choice but to grant their every desire. She may have denied him, but she would never have the luxury to choose for herself again. He was so pleased with the irony of his curse that he declared the daughters of her womb would endure the same curse as well.
Frightened, the girl ran away from everyone she knew and loved. But the legend was born and the quest to find her had begun. Men searched far and wide to control the new and powerful witch. Women hoped to use her as a miracle worker. Soldiers sought to use her to win wars. But what the sorcerer did not know, and would never have wished upon his lost love, was the death his curse would create. Not just for the girl whose life would be drained each time her power was forced from her, but for the millions she would kill to grant a tyrant’s wish.
Debbie Dee recently moved to southern Idaho with her husband and three children where she is learning how to be a country girl in her favorite pair of blue heels. She adores fairy tales and happy endings, but secretly crushes on the bad guy now and then. As a dedicated musician who practices way too much, she never expected writing would sweep her off her feet until she jotted down a scene from a daydream, which turned into two scenes, which turned into a messy house and her first novel. Since then she hasn’t been able to let a day go by without writing.
Author information taken from her Goodreads.
