It’s that time again! Sydney Logan’s latest novel, Mountain Charm, is on the way. She took some time out of her crazy busy schedule to answer my usual questions and share an excerpt from the book. As you might imagine, I’m a big fan of any book that takes place right here in the south. No one does it better than Sydney–the magic, the friendship, and the sweet romance all add to up a delicious little book. Want to know more? Read on!
A Moment with Sydney Logan
As my husband always says, “What’s your book about?”
Mountain Charm is about twenty-one year old Angelina Clark. As a young girl, she cast a love spell (as all the women in her family do at the age of thirteen). At the time, she was thrilled to perform the ritual, but she’s had to grow up very quickly after the death of her dad. Now, she wants nothing to do with witchcraft and definitely doesn’t believe in magic or the spell.
The story opens on her twenty-first birthday, and she encounters a reporter named Dylan who has come to town to write a story on her family. Sparks fly! She struggles with her attraction to him because she’s afraid his feelings are manipulated by the spell. He works hard to convince her otherwise. It’s a story very much based on faith, family, and first love, and there’s even a little magic thrown in.
Do you remember the first thing you ever wrote? Can you tell us about it?
I remember the first thing I ever submitted for publication. I think I was twelve and it was one of those “Get Published” ads that used to be advertised in magazines. The story was called “Hope,” and it was about a bird. That’s honestly all I remember about it.
Do you prefer plaid or stripes?
Plaids
Was choosing to publish independently something you always wanted, or an option you hadn’t considered before?
It never crossed my mind to publish at all until my publisher approached me. They’ve allowed me to self-publish a few things, so I really have the best of both worlds.
Are you working on anything new at the moment?
I’m working on a short story and my third novel.
Do you have any rituals before writing? Music or silence? Coffee or tea? Twizzlers or M&Ms?
No rituals. It has to be quiet or at least be instrumental music. I don’t drink coffee or tea, and I snack way too much on junk food when I write.
Have you ever based a character on someone you know?
I incorporate pieces of several people into each of my characters. Lessons Learned’s Sarah was me in a lot of ways.
What color is your umbrella?
Blue and white
Who is your favorite author and why?
This changes all the time, but right now, Jeanette Grey. I’ve really fallen in love with her writing style.
What was the last book you read?
Healing Faith by Jennyfer Browne. She’s a friend and a new author who writes Amish romance.
Do you write about locations you’ve visited, or do you rely on research? Or do you make up entire settings in your head?
So far, I’ve written about the mountains, which is where I live. I make up the town names.
After the last word is written, then what? Do you have pre-readers and editors who take over? Do you begin query letters immediately?
I use pre-readers while writing. Once the book is finished, I submit to my lead editor and my editing team (there are three) read the manuscript and make a plan of action.
What song would be on the soundtrack for your book?
Landslide by Fleetwood Mac
Where can people find your book?
Website: http://www.sydneylogan.com/2013/06/buy-books.html
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sydney-Logan/e/B0096LZK90/
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/sydney-logan
TWCS: http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/authors/detail/41
Can we read a little excerpt?
“It’s your birthday?” Dylan asked.
“Yes, and it was blissfully uneventful until you showed up.”
“Beautiful and infuriating,” Dylan muttered. “Look, Angelina, I was just given this assignment yesterday. I don’t have a clue about Appalachian magic tricks or devil-worshipping or whatever it is you do up in these mountains, but I have a story to write. Just let me interview you and your mom, and I’ll be back on the interstate before you can say abracadabra.”
Instead of pointing out just how ignorant he sounded, Angelina decided what he truly needed was a strong dose of fear.
“Actually, I do have something you need to see. A family heirloom. Wait here?”
Excited for any useful information, Dylan’s eyes lit up and he nodded enthusiastically. Once again, those good manners kicked in, and Dylan opened the door for her.
Angelina raced inside the house. She hadn’t touched it in years, but she still remembered where her father kept the key to the case. She grabbed what she needed and quickly made her way back out to the porch, letting the screen door slam behind her.
Dylan jumped out of his chair. “What the hell?”
Angelina lifted the rifle and pointed it straight at him. He didn’t need to know the safety was on—or that the chamber was empty.
“This is a Remington, passed down from my father and his father, also known as an Appalachian magic wand. Just watch. It’s going to make you disappear.”
Angelina thought it was almost comical, hearing him curse and watching him leap off the porch. All the commotion caused her dog to chase after him, which only made Dylan sprint faster until he reached the sanctuary of his vehicle.
“Are you insane?” Dylan yelled.
“I tend to get a little crazy when someone trespasses on my property. Leave my family alone and don’t come back!”
He slammed the door and had to do some fancy maneuvering to get around her car, but within seconds, the only sounds Angelina could hear were Dylan’s squealing tires, her dog’s noisy bark, and her mother’s hearty laughter.
About the Book
“True love and sweet whispers, till death do us part;
Send someone to love my Appalachian heart.”
At the age of thirteen, Angelina Clark followed in the footsteps of her ancestors by casting an Appalachian love spell, which promised she would blossom into a beautiful and gifted woman who would find her true love. A young Angelina had been thrilled to participate in the sacred ritual, but through the years, her father’s untimely death and her mother’s failing health have shaken Angelina’s magical faith to its core. As her twenty-first birthday approaches, she refuses to practice her supernatural gifts and no longer believes in the love charm.
That is, until Dylan Thomas arrives on her front porch.
Dylan, a Nashville writer, travels to the mountain town of Maple Ridge to unearth the family’s supernatural secrets. While her clairvoyant mother is convinced that Dylan is her daughter’s soul mate, Angelina refuses to see the nosy reporter as anything more than a nuisance.
Despite their constant bickering, sparks fly.
Dylan admits he feels strangely drawn to Angelina and is in no hurry to leave Maple Ridge or publish his magazine article. Fearful that his emotions are being influenced by the spell, a stubborn Angelina struggles to fight her own budding attraction to the reporter.
The two inevitably grow closer just as her mother’s health begins to deteriorate, and Angelina is faced with the possibility of selling the family’s music shop to pay the mounting medical expenses. Desperate to help the woman he loves, Dylan explores his own family tree and finds support from an unlikely source. Can he finally prove his love is real—spell or no spell?
A story filled with love, friendship, family, and just a hint of Appalachian magic, Mountain Charm will leave you spellbound.
About the Author
Sydney Logan is an Amazon bestselling author and holds a Master’s degree in Elementary Education. With the 2012 release of her first novel, Lessons Learned, she made the transition from bookworm to author. Sydney has a very unhealthy obsession with music, and her iPod is filled with everything from Johnny Cash to Eminem. She is also the author of two short stories: “Mistletoe Magic,” available exclusively on Amazon Kindle, and “Stupid Cupid,” which is featured in the Romantic Interludescompilation. When she isn’t reading or writing, she enjoys playing piano and relaxing on her front porch at her home in East Tennessee with her wonderful husband and their very spoiled cat.
Her second novel, Mountain Charm, is slated for a summer 2013 release.
Visit Sydney’s website at www.sydneylogan.com.