Category: writing

Dowser 8: the ‘girls’ go hunting

Jasmine glanced between us. “You two are a little crazy, you know.”

Kandy shrugged. “You’ll get it, baby girl. When you’re all grown up and never meet your match.”

Jasmine twisted her lips wryly, tugging her phone of out her jacket pocket. “I’ve already met him.”

Kandy laughed huskily, shaking her head. “The nearly immortal are more vulnerable than us three, darling. They’ve forgotten they can die. And it’s the possibility of death than keeps us sharp.” Kandy tapped on her temple.

Jasmine raised one eyebrow at the green-haired werewolf, texting without looking at her screen. “Thanks for the life lesson, wolf.”

Kandy snapped her teeth. “You can owe it to me, vampire.”

I laughed. “Shall we continue?”

– Dowser 8, first draft [unedited and unproofed]

Click here for the reading order of the Adept Universe.

Dowser 8 to be released late-spring 2018.

 

Dowser 7: chapter one, part two

Click here to read chapter one, part one first.

Continued …

“Nine minutes,” Kandy said.

I jutted my chin out. “This isn’t the right spot.”

The werewolf bared her teeth. “It’s exactly the right spot, dowser.”

Belligerently, I took two wide steps to my left. I might have been only half-witch, but I could still feel the slumbering current of magic that I was about to try to tap into underneath my feet.

Kandy narrowed her eyes at my position adjustment, but she didn’t comment.

“We could have at least set up distraction spells.” I gestured around the empty park. “People jog at night around here. Chalking runes on the seawall is going to look weird, even in Vancouver.”

“You know that any other spells might interfere with the casting of the grid.” Kandy’s tone was unusually cajoling. She was babying me in response to the baby I was being.

I exhaled harshly. No matter my previous bravado and declaration of might, in truth, I was worried that I was going to ruin the intricate spell that my grandmother and Kandy had spent six months planning and constructing. Twelve witches — most of whom had flown into the city for the occasion — were currently set up all around the borders of Vancouver, waiting for the stroke of midnight. Because together, we were going to attempt to raise a magically triggered boundary around the city.

In its primary phase, the grid would help the witches track magic users within a wide area — from the north edge of the Lions Gate Bridge to the property that Rochelle, the oracle, owned in Southlands; from the western edge of the University of BC to three eastern points along Boundary Road, the border between Vancouver and Burnaby. And if that initial grid held and functioned properly, the witches had plans to expand the coverage to include all of Greater Vancouver — aka all of the territory held and regulated by the Godfrey coven.

“Eight minutes.”

“Screw you, werewolf.”

“Any time, any place, dowser.”

I laughed. Kandy flashed her teeth at me.

“Fine. I’ll give it a go.” I glanced down at the runes carefully printed on the paper Kandy had given me, wishing I had more light and that the paper wasn’t so crumpled. “Why is it all wrinkled? It looks like someone balled it up and threw it away.”

Kandy shrugged.

All right, then.

I hunched down to chalk the first rune, copying it as precisely as I could from the paper onto the concrete. It looked a little like a —

Kandy cleared her throat expectantly.

I cursed under my breath. “What? Do you have a freaking checklist?”

“Hand them over, Jade.”

“You know it doesn’t matter if I’m wearing them, right? They are me.”

“Illuminating.”

“You know what I mean. What if I told you that you were going to have to take off the cuffs?”

“I refer you to the T-shirt,” Kandy said, her tone deceptively mild. She was pointing at her chest, where the words I do bite were emblazoned in thick black lettering on orange cotton. The aforementioned cuffs — gold, rune carved, and three inches across — adorned her wrists, creating a perpetual aesthetic conflict with her sporty outfits.

CHAMPAGNE, MISFITS, AND OTHER SHADY MAGIC (DOWSER 7)

COMING JANUARY 18, 2018

PREORDER NOW

AMAZON – iBOOKS – KOBO – BARNES & NOBLE – SMASHWORDS

 

New to the Adept Universe? Find the reading order here.

Dowser 7: chapter one, part one

The green-haired werewolf handed me a broken stick of bright-pink chalk, fishing a crumpled wad of paper out of her backpack and halfheartedly smoothing it out on her blue-Lycra-clad thigh. The fake leather backpack was dyed bright purple and adorned with puffy leather spikes, mimicking some sort of dinosaur. It clashed spectacularly with the lithe werewolf’s deep-green-dyed hair and orange T-shirt.

I had needled Kandy about the backpack when she’d shown up wearing it, just before she dragged me from the comfort of my apartment fifteen minutes before midnight, forcing me to jog to one of the many parks along Kitsilano Beach. But needing to deflect the tension I was feeling over the spell I had been asked to cast, I couldn’t resist teasing her again.

“So … did you lose a bet? Or what?”

Once again, Kandy refused to engage on the backpack topic. Instead, she offered me a deeply disapproving glower and the still-wrinkled piece of paper. Of course, I might have been reading the judgement into the look.

I glanced at the carefully printed design, noting the handwriting of both my grandmother, Pearl, and my mother, Scarlett. Apparently, I was now expected to chalk the ornate circle they had scribed on paper onto the seawall. At exactly midnight. With only a smoke-shrouded sliver of a moon overhead for light.

“Runes?” I moaned dejectedly. “I thought it was just supposed to be a simple circle. And, like, just standing here.”

Kandy shrugged her backpack-laden shoulder. “The witches decided you might need some help. You know, focusing.”

I eyed her snottily. “I’m one of the most powerful Adepts in North America. A renowned dowser and skilled alchemist. I can tear down wards with my bare hands!”

“And you bake the tastiest cupcakes,” Kandy said mildly. Then she glanced at her phone. “You’ve got ten minutes.”

Still grumbling under my breath about my magical prowess, I surveyed the well-worn concrete path under my feet. Then I glanced to either side of the seawall running along the edge of Kits Beach Park. The Maritime Museum was just a short distance away, but this part of the seaside park was pretty much just a wide stretch of trimmed, mostly brown grass. So other than a large-leafed chestnut tree to our left, we were standing out in the open.

The eclectic mix of homes across the swath of grass behind Kandy were mostly dark, though I could see that someone was watching TV in the uppermost window of a Spanish-villa-inspired converted triplex on the eastern corner.

Those houses along Ogden Avenue rarely came on the market, as teardowns or otherwise. Hence the mixture of architecture. Practically every decade since Vancouver had been established was represented in this one residential block, from the fairly modern sandstone-clad mansion on the western corner, to the untouched Cape Cod. Across from where I was supposed to be chalking a rune-marked witches’ circle, a recently painted Craftsman stood, which I vaguely remembered was one of Godfrey Properties’ long-term rentals.

So yeah, I was dithering. Over architecture.

CHAMPAGNE, MISFITS, AND OTHER SHADY MAGIC (DOWSER 7)

COMING JANUARY 18, 2018

PREORDER NOW

AMAZON – iBOOKS – KOBO – BARNES & NOBLE – SMASHWORDS

 

New to the Adept Universe? Find the reading order here.

Click here to read chapter one, part two.

Cupcakes mentioned in Dowser 7

Champagne, Misfits, and Other Shady Magic (Dowser 7) features Jade back in her baking groove in Vancouver. Since readers last saw her (in Reconstructionist 1) she has created seven new cupcakes, and I’ve been sharing some of those recipes in my last few monthly newsletters. I will update the Dowser Cookbook to include those new recipes, and re-release the free PDF ‘aka the third edition’ to my new release email list on January 18, 2018.

But! I know that some of you like to bake cupcakes on or around release day (I normally do as well) and since there are numerous cupcakes mentioned in Dowser 7 – twenty-four!! – I thought I’d share the entire list ahead of time.

Appearing in Dowser 7: peanut butter cake, fudge cake, honey buttercream, chocolate buttercream, and peanut butter icing.

Cupcakes marked with an asterisk (*) appear in the Dowser Cookbook. Cupcakes with double asterisks (**) have been released in my newsletter and will be added to the cookbook for release day.

In order of appearance:

  1. Elation in a Cup** – peanut butter cake with chocolate buttercream
  2. Delirium in a Cup** – chocolate peanut butter cake and chocolate peanut butter icing
  3. Clarity in a Cup* – apple spice cake with honey buttercream
  4. Happiness in a Cup** – peanut butter cake and honey buttercream
  5. Enchantment in a Cup – chocolate peanut butter cake with peanut butter icing
  6. Glee in a Cup** – peanut butter cake with peanut butter icing
  7. Exultation in a Cup – chocolate peanut butter cake with dark chocolate buttercream
  8. Wonder in a Cup – white cake with dark chocolate buttercream
  9. Lust in a Cup* – dark chocolate cake with chocolate cream cheese icing
  10. Charm in a Cup* – citrus yellow cake with strawberry buttercream
  11. Hug in a Cup* – dark chocolate cake with buttercream
  12. Buzz in a Cup* – mocha fudge cake with mocha buttercream
  13. Comfort in a Cup* – banana cake with buttercream
  14. Cozy in a Cup* – chocolate chip banana cake and dark chocolate buttercream
  15. Serenity in a Cup* – carrot cake with cream cheese icing
  16. Bliss in a Cup** – fudge cake with peanut butter icing
  17. Tart in a Cup – blackberry cake with blackberry buttercream
  18. Vixen in a Cup* – chocolate gingerbread cake with salted caramel buttercream
  19. Love in a Cup* – dark chocolate cake with strawberry buttercream
  20. Sass in a Cup* – chocolate blackberry cake with chocolate blackberry buttercream
  21. Flirt in a Cup – blackberry cake with chocolate blackberry buttercream
  22. Harmony in a Cup – white cake with cherry buttercream
  23. Sex in a Cup* – cinnamon chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream
  24. Ecstasy in a Cup – double chocolate cake with lemon buttercream

I think I’ll either bake Cozy in a Cup or Serenity in a Cup. Join me live on Facebook at 4pm PST January 18 to find out which cupcake I decided to bake!! And seriously, between you and me, getting through chapter five of Dowser 7 without cupcakes is going to be difficult!

Will you be indulging in any treats and/or cupcakes while reading Dowser 7? If you do, and you enjoying sharing photos, please tag me in your social media posts!! I’d love to see what you’ve baked/chosen.

Tags: Facebook/Instagram: @meghancianadoidge Twitter: @mcdoidge

Possible hashtags:  #dowserseries #cakeinacup #[cupcake name]inacup #amreading #dowser7

GETTING EXCITED!

Dowser 7, chapter 1: taste of peppermint

Walking the seawall, rather than cutting through the streets of Kits Point, we rounded a wide corner as the sandy stretch of Kits Beach came into view. The ocean was to our right, with a stretch of sparsely spaced evergreen trees interspersed with picnic tables to our left.

The taste of peppermint tickled my senses. My step hitched.

“What?” Kandy whispered, immediately alert.

I glanced around. The moon was still a tiny sliver overhead. The buildings ahead of us were dark. I could see a pair of joggers in the distance, lights clipped to their wrists.

But no magic.

No vampires.

Specifically, no Kett.

“Kett,” I murmured. “I thought I tasted Kett’s magic.”

Kandy grumbled under her breath. The werewolf was seriously peeved at the executioner and elder of the Conclave, who hadn’t been in Vancouver for longer than a day or two since the previous October. And who had barely communicated with either of us since late April.

“He’s coming for the engagement party, isn’t he?” I asked, slightly annoyed at the needy note that twisted its way into my question.

“He RSVPed,” Kandy said with a shrug.

COMING JANUARY 18, 2018

PREORDER NOW

AMAZON – iBOOKS – KOBO – BARNES & NOBLE – SMASHWORDS

WONDERING WHAT KETT HAS BEEN UP TO SINCE DOWSER 6? You find out in the Reconstructionist Series, starting with Catching Echoes. If you haven’t had a chance to read Wisteria and Kett’s trilogy yet, you still have 21 days to catch up!

Dowser 7: synopsis

Coming January 18, 2018 

Synopsis:

I had everything I’d ever wanted — a successful business with a second bakery in the works, a sexy fiance who I adored, and good friends who loved to laugh almost as much as I did.

So of course it couldn’t possibly last.

Unfortunately, this time the trouble was homegrown in Vancouver, threatening my own backyard and those who were under my protection — whether they wanted to be or not.

I was, after all, the wielder of the instruments of assassination.

Apparently, cutesy cupcakes and being nice only stretched so far.

PREORDER NOW

AMAZON – iBOOKS – KOBO – BARNES & NOBLE – SMASHWORDS

***

New to the Adept Universe? Start with Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic (Dowser 1) and you can find the full reading order here.

A conversation with Michael ten minutes ago

Me: *getting a drink of water from the kitchen, and – lets be honest – some chocolate.*

Michael: How is the writing going?

Me: *introspectively, speaking mostly to myself* Ah, good. I know how the rest of the chapter unfolds, I just have no idea what complication occurs in the next chapter. But, I had this idea last night when we were putting the chickies to bed, about this really … well, about this really horrible moment that happens when … *I look up to see Michael grinning to himself gleefully* What? Did I say something funny?

Michael: *shaking his head, still grinning gleefully as he rubs his hands together in anticipation* Oooo, a horrible moment!

Me: *indignant* I don’t write them for the shock value, you know! It’s just how the story unfolds sometimes.

Michael: *grinning even wider, his eyes beginning to twinkle.* Sure, sure.

Me: *narrows eyes at him* I’m going back to the office.

Michael: *laughing*

So yeah.

I’m writing.

Dowser 8.

A completely incomplete list of MCD’s favourite books

[updated: August 2023]

I often get asked about my favourite books/series/authors, specifically in the urban fantasy genre (which I read almost exclusively these days). And since I find myself repeating myself a lot – I’m a rather loyal reader – I thought I’d start a list here, then add to it as it becomes necessary.

To make it easier on myself, the links below lead to book one of the series on Amazon.com (simply replace the .com with .ca or .co.uk to find the book in your region). FYI these are affiliate links. I reinvest any $$ I make into paperback (etc) giveaways.

Favourite authors:

Authors who I preorder the instant I know they have a new book coming, and who I reread.

Ilona Andrews – Kate Daniels (Magic Bites), Hidden Legacy (Burn For Me), and my favourite (by a terribly slim margin), The Innkeeper Chronicles (Clean Sweep).

Patricia Briggs – Mercy Thompson (Moon Called) and Alpha & Omega (Cry Wolf).

Faith Hunter – Jane Yellowrock (Skinwalker) and Soulwood (Blood of the Earth).

Kalayna Price – Alex Craft (Grave Witch).

Kelley Armstrong – my current favourite is the Casey Duncan thrillers (City of the Lost), but also any of her Otherworld novels, including the YA offshoots, starting with Bitten. Kelley gets bonus points for being a fellow Canadian. 😀

Hailey Edwards – I loved her Foundling series (Bayou Born). Also her Beginners Guide to Necromancy (How to Save an Undead Life) and her newest series, Black Hat Bureau (Black Hat, White Witch).

Jennifer Lynn Barnes. I’m absolutely in love with her The Inheritance Games series but I have now read her entire backlist.

And new to the list: Tracy Deonn. Her Legendborn Cycle (Legendborn) is actually life-altering. I can’t wait for the next book!

Favourite series:

The Psy/Changeling Series (Slave to Sensation) by Nalini Singh. I was late picking up my first Nalini Singh book (Why? Such a terrible oversight on my part!) but I’m now all caught up and have book 21 preordered! I’ve reread Mine to Possess, Kiss of Snow, Heart of Obsidian, and Shield of Winter. And loved all of the off-shoot series. I’m also a fan of her Guild Hunter Series (Angel’s Blood).

Terry Pratchett – any Discworld book with witches in the lead POV with Wintersmith being my favourite. I own but find myself unable to read, The Shepherd’s Crown, which was published after Terry passed away. I got to a certain plot point, lost it, and had to put the book away so I could continue to function in my everyday life.

Sookie Stackhouse (Dead Until Dark) by Charlaine Harris – one of my first entry points into ‘modern’ urban fantasy. I recently picked up her Gunnie Rose Series (An Easy Death) and absolutely adored it.

The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (Illuminae). Also their newest collaboration, The Aurora Cycle (Aurora Rising).

The Consortium Rebellion (Polaris Rising) by Jessie Mihalik. Also, I’m really enjoying her newest, Starlight’s Shadow (Hunt the Stars).

A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses) by Sarah J. Maas. I’m also enjoying her newer Crescent City series (House of Earth and Blood).

InCrypid Series (Discount Armageddon)[ongoing] and October Daye (Rosemary and Rue)[ongoing] by Seanan McGuire. Seanan also writes as Mira Grant, and I LOVED her Newsflesh Series (Feed).

Kingmaker Chronicles (A Promise of Fire) by Amanda Bouchet

The Firebird Chronicles (Rules of Redemption) by T.A. White [Ongoing series]. I’m obsessively in love with this space opera.

Forgotten Empires (The Orchid Throne) by Jeffe Kennedy [completed trilogy]. And Bonds of Magic (Dark Wizard) [ongoing].

The Scholomance (A Deadly Education) by Naomi Novik. Loved! I reread, bought the audiobook, and I instantly preordered book two. Then I read that and instantly preordered book three! Big fan.

The Bonds That Tie (Broken Bonds) by J Bree. This series totally sucks you in and keeps you guessing, full of sexy times (Why Choose!!), magic, enemies to lovers, and traumatic histories. I also enjoyed J Bree’s Hannaford Prep series (Just Drop Out).

The Legend of All Wolves (The Last Wolf) by Marie Vale. Love this very different take on werewolves/magic/etc. The first and the fourth book are my favs. Sexy, emotional reads.

Influential books/series/authors:

William Gibson – his sci-fi Sprawl Trilogy (Neuromancer). The character of Molly Millions has definitely influenced how I perceive/write/create my own superhero females. [Also the namesake of my chocolate Shar Pei). I’m also a big fan of Pattern Recognition (just adding that link makes me want to reread it).

Stephen King – favourites: The Talisman, The Stand, and more.

Jane Austin – Pride & Prejudice and more.

Anne Rice – all of her early books, starting with Interview with a Vampire (of course!! and probably goes without saying). But I also really enjoyed The Mummy.

More recent great reads:

Messenger Chronicles (Shoot the Messenger) by Pippa DaCosta [Complete series.]

Shadowspell Academy (The Culling Trials) [complete] by K.F. Breene and Shannon Mayer

All three books in the Galactic Love series by Ann Aguirre. But the first book, Strange Love, had me in tears because I was laughing so hard. Also sexy! Sexy!

The Crownchasers duology (Crownchasers) [complete] by Rebecca Coffindaffer.

The Guild Codex: Demonized (Taming Demons for Beginners) [complete] by Annette Marie. Fellow Canadian!

Mercenary Librarians (Deal with the Devil) by Kit Rocha.

Gargoyle Queen (Capture the Crown) by Jennifer Estep. This is an offshoot of Jennifer’s Crown of Shards (Kill the Queen) series but I think it can also be read separately.

Fourth Wing (Empyrean 1) by Rebecca Yarros – definitely worth the hype and I’m looking forward to book 2 in Nov 2023.

Baby & the Late Night Howlers (Sweet Omegaverse 1) by Kathryn Moon as well as books two and three, Lola & the Millionaires (Part One). Sexy, Why Choose, with bites, knots, and a plot! Fun, Fun!

The two-volume, Pack Darling (Part One) by Lola Rock is a great omegaverse (knots, butes, Why Choose) as well.

And, if I’m listing fun Why Choose romps, I’d be seriously remiss if I didn’t mention the epic (21 books and counting) Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon. Blue aliens, mating bonds, and seriously sexy times. I’ve currently tapped out at book 10, but don’t doubt I’ll pick it up again at some point.

Find my current reads on Bookbub and Goodreads.

What are some of your favourites?