Guest Post and Giveaway - Kili Howell - Hidden Salem

Guest Post: Witch’s Gorp by Kiki Howell

Halloween is one of my favorite times of year. I love the decorations, the scary movies, etc. One tradition we have around this house are movie nights. And with those movie nights, we have some favorite treats as well. Now, I have two teen boys, so sometimes the treats in October come from our Fear Factor cookbook, but the one I think we all love the most is Witch’s Gorp night. It’s wonderful caramel and chocolate popcorn mixture that we serve in a plastic cauldron. It goes great with a nice cup of hot cocoa with Halloween marshmallows on top. 

Here’s the simple recipe. Give it a try this Halloween. You can even alter the candy choices to suit your tastes. We have from time to time, but always end up going back to this original recipe.

Witch’s Gorp

Ingredients

·         12oz box of Crunch n’ Munch Buttery Toffee

·         1.85oz box Milk Duds

·         1cup candy corn

·         2.6oz king size Hershey’s Bar

·         Handful of gummy worms for decoration

Directions

1.       Combine in bowl: Crunch n’ Munch, Milk Duds and candy corn.

2.       In small microwave-safe bowl, melt broken up Hershey’s Bar. Drizzle melted chocolate over Crunch n’ Munch mixture. Toss a little, not enough to completely cover though. You now have gorp.

3.       Break up gorp and place in a plastic cauldron.

4.       Place gummy worms around the sides of the cauldron.

5.       Serve with black plastic ladle.

 

Hidden Salem
Kiki Howell

Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Mitchell Morris Publishing Inc

ISBN: 9781937629281

Number of pages: 332

Cover Artist: Tara at http://fantasiafrogdesigns.wordpress.com/

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/lgy8wgA3bDI

Amazon     Barnes and Noble

Book Description:

Intuition alone brought Makayla to Salem, Ma in search of a story, but her research has her confronting more than she bargained for. With her empathic gifts stronger in Witch City, she physically suffers, landing her literally unconscious in the arms of both Noah Ayers, local cop and Dylan Baines, local history teacher. Yet, it is Lauri, a witch who owns a local shop, who teaches Makayla about who she is and what she can do.

Unfortunately for all of them, Makayla also stumbles upon a coven in the woods practicing a dark magic ritual. Now they are after her, threatening her life and the lives of those she has quickly come to care about. Immersed in things she never expected, like an old legend and necromancy due to residual hauntings, the race is on to stay safe from the coven and protect her heart from a certain sexy cop.

But, is Lauri correct in thinking Makayla might just have encountered the only real witch in Salem in 1692? And, do they share the same bloodline?

Reviews:

“Richly vivid and captivatingly engrossing, Hidden Salem is a mesmerizing tale that blends an eerie historical past with a rather terrifying present. Kiki Howell brings the fascination of the witches of Salem - both past and present - to a brilliant level, adding liberal doses of sensuous love, suspense and murder to provide a hard-to-put-down, provocative and memorable story that you don't want to miss.”  ~ April Pohren, Cafe of Dreams Book Reviews

 “Kiki Howell spins a tale that will bewitch your heart and leave you wanting more.” ~ Misty Rayburn - Top Shelf Book Reviews

" I really enjoyed reading Hidden Salem. You see a lot of books about the Salem Witch Hunt. This one is really different and I just really loved the characters and how they interact with each other. I enjoyed this paranormal. Had the right amount of suspense and love interest. " ~Crystal, Romancing the Book

Hidden Salem Bewitching Book Tour Giveaway

Kiki has four pieces of jewelry purchased from The Official Witch Shoppe in Salem, MA which was still open when she visited Salem in August 2010. Each week, throughout the month tour, a winner will be chosen from one of the tour stops.

All who enter will also be put into a final drawing for a $25.00 Gift Card from the winner’s choice of several retailers from Barnes & Noble to Starbucks (list will be provided to winner).

Open to US Shipping

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Want to know more about the four pieces of jewelry and the store they came from?

Here’s A Little Information From Front Page of http://www.theofficialwitchshoppe.com/:

The Official Witch Shoppe (formerly The Cat, The Crow and The Crown), owned and operated by Rev. Laurie Cabot H.Ps. , opened in November 2010 at 63R Wharf St. in Salem, MA. (closed in October, 2010)

Laurie Cabot opened her first store ("The Witch Shop") and the very first Witch Shop in America in 1970.  Laurie established her Witch Shop initially for the purpose of educating people that magic (or Majick as it is known in the Cabot Tradition) is real, beneficial and exists and that Witchcraft is not devil worship or evil. Ultimately her first shop and her subsequent stores have supplied Magical people and Witches of all traditions with all the tools and supplies required to perform their own Majick.

Why is Laurie Cabot known as the "Official Witch of Salem"?

In the mid 1970's, Governor Michael S. Dukakis of Massachusetts, bestowed upon Laurie Cabot the state's Patriot Award.

The proclamation is signed by the Governor and the Treasurer of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and it reads:

"I proclaim Laurie Cabot the Official Witch of Salem for her work with children with special needs."

Laurie's first official duty as a state Patriot residing in Salem, was to greet a delegation of artists who were visiting the city from China. The artists had been invited to the United States to display their art at the Boston Museum of Science, and were the first such group of artists to be invited to America after relations with China had been established by President Nixon.

While this certainly was a compliment to Laurie Cabot, it was and is today a symbol of hope for all Witches who do good works on behalf of their community and nation. Equally as important, it serves as a testament that Witches have a place in America today and are recognized as practicing a legitimate and honorable religion which shows a path of dedication for the good of all. This was the first time in history that a high standing politician openly recognized a Witch for their good works.

Product Descriptions From Website:

This delicate silvertone anklet has been decorated with an array of bells, chains, and flowers to create a piece of jewelry that will perfectly accent your ankle and ring out musically with every step you take. Measuring approximately 10" long, each anklet will vary slightly in size.

3 DZi Bead Bracelet

To Tibetans and other Himalayan peoples, the dZi is a "precious jewel of supernatural origin" with great power to protect its wearer from disaster. "Pure" dZi beads (based on Tibetan tradition) are regarded as the most valuable and desirable variety. To qualify as pure, a bead must be genuine etched agate and lie within a certain range of styles. It should also have a sharply delineated pattern, symmetrical shape, strong color, glossy surface, and no flaws. The nine-eyed dZi is a pure dZi with the most highly desired pattern. Etched agate beads not considered pure are called chung dZi, or "less important dZi." This adjustable necklace expands to a maxium of 10" in diameter.

Celtic Heart Earrings

Centered on the tangled knots of a Celtic knot, each layer of these fantastic earrings displays a new heart, wrapping around the first and the knot within, becoming at last a beautiful, full sized heart design, without beginning and without end. Made of fine, lead-free pewter each earring hangs approximately 2" long from a French hook, with the hearts being about 3/4" wide.

Flower Locket

Experience your favorite scent all day when you wear it in our pretty, practical lockets. Saturate a blotter pad (included) with an essential oil or perfume of choice, and place it in the locket - portable aromatherapy! Pewter locket with flower design is double-sided on black satin cord, and measure 1 1/2" long by 1" wide. Comes with five 3/4" blotter pads, refills also available.