Sorchia's Universe

The Witch hits the fan in these episodes of “A Cold Spring.”  Need to find previous episodes? Start HERE . Episode 13: Magic of the Darker Sort Stately stewards carried in the main course on silver platters—a savory roast seasoned with rosemary and thyme. The sumptuous fragrance drew oohs and ahhs from the assemblage.  Cutlery clinked on the fine china, crystal goblets glittered, and the hall filled with laughter. Conversation bubbled throughout the room, ebullient as the champagne. Even the older relatives seemed to relax. Though the La Croixs sat on one side of the table and the Darkmores on the other, they chatted across the steaming plates and sparkling glasses as if the two families had forgotten centuries of uneasy alliances before Lucia blasted them apart.  With a flourish, the steward refilled Maddock’s glass with champagne and mine with sparkling apple juice. Maddock touched my glass with his and nodded toward the gabbling, laughing crowd. “Am I mista...

Witches and curses and magic–OH, MY! “A Cold Spring” is a wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimy story of tragedy and survival.  If you’ve just discovered it and don’t want to wander all over the Interwebs to read previous episodes–scroll to the bottom for a pdf of Episodes 1-8. Episode 7: Goblets of Fine, Old Wine Goblets of very fine and very old wine delivered by a young and slightly inebriated La Croix cousin put an end to any thoughts of a clandestine rendezvous upstairs. Our duties as host and hostess called. At last, the long road leading from the forest to the castle lay empty and it was time to toast and mingle among our disparate relations. Copious amounts of wine and Scotch flowed from crystal carafes, and the murmur of voices grew to a cheerful din. The moon peeped in the western windows of New Castle Highmoor before our respective circuits brought us back together on the veranda. “I’ve spent the better part the evening either tracing my lineage back t...

At the beginning of December, I started posting “A Cold Spring,” a witched-up serial story, on Paranormal Romantics for my monthly guest post. But it seems to me like a month is too damn long to wait–Let’s hear it for Immediate Gratification!!! So I’m speeding up things by posting here every week as well as on Paranormal Romantics when it’s my turn. If you missed the first 4 episodes–here they are! Episode 1 “A Cherry Tomato” and Episode 2 “Burning” Episode 3 “Coils of Enchantment: and Episode 4 “Down, down, down…” Episode 5: Everything Changed Twice, Lucia blasted the Darkmore and La Croix families nearly into oblivion. I was very young the first time, the memory a blur of panic and fear and grief. A thousand years later, Maddock and I intended to lay old ghosts to rest. We hoped the formal dinner to celebrate our marriage would be a first step toward healing the rifts between our two families. Ti...

Judith Sterling is in Sorchia’s Universe this week to tell us about her YA fantasy series, Guardians of Erin. Book 1–The Cauldron Stirred–is available right now.  Enter our giveaway for a chance to win a free e-copy. Book 2–The Stone Awakened–will be released December 19.  Inside the Witch House with Judith Sterling Every October in Salem, Massachusetts, is interesting, but this past one stands out; especially where I work: The Witch House, the home of 17th-century witch trials judge Jonathan Corwin. I knew the place had paranormal activity even before I started working there. Nothing negative and not all the time, just someone (or many “ones”) making their presence known from time to time. I’d heard the stories from other employees, and once I spent a little time upstairs in the two bedrooms, I felt a quiet companionship with whomever popped in and out. Then at the beginning of October, things took an intriguing turn. Each bedroom has a fireplace and a be...