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the writing of Christine Malec

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The Writing of Christine Malec

Before the Tide: historical Harry Potter fan fiction novel

Before the Tide book cover
What makes five of the most powerful witches and wizards of their day retreat from the world to teach magic? 11th Century Britain is a perilous place, even for a sorcerer. It’s the summer of 1066, and England is on the brink of events that will bring destruction and transformation. A battlefield is an unspeakable place, but it can also be a place of astonishing heroism. Brought together by the manipulations of a wizard even more powerful than they, the Hogwarts four, inspired by the remarkable courage of Odo the Hero on Hastings field, find themselves embarked on a quest to the north, which keeps them one step ahead of the invading army. On their journey, they meet seductive sorceresses, vicious magical creatures, and people who are not what they seem. The country is changing, and magic is no longer as stylish as it once was. Should magicians interfere in the affairs of muggles? Should witches and wizards retreat from the world for their own safety? Is magic the only protection witches have in a violent world? And who is the cantankerous old wizard responsible for bringing these legendary friends together? This is a rollicking tale of adventure and magic, that peaks behind legends, and explores what it means to be different in a dangerous world.

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The book can be downloaded as an EBook or an audiobook

Beltane

Beltane book cover
In 1558 a young French woman sets out for Scotland with her servant/companion, to fulfill a bargain made by others: but all is not as it seems. Colin McLean has something her family wants, and they have something he wants. Caught in the schemes of others more powerful than she is, Margarete is forced to look for the sources of her own power.

Taking a catholic wife is no light matter for a Scottish landowner, nor is Colin eager to give up his freedom. However, Margarete’s odd mix of innocence and sensuality intrigues him. Why does an inexperienced girl make him feel as though he’s with an awakened woman?
Margarete knows why, but she also knows how dangerous it could be if anyone ever found out, and not just for herself. She has sworn an oath, and this loyalty is the one reliable bond that will carry her through dramatic changes and traumatic events.

This is a powerful tale of love and sensuality, loyalty and pleasure, religion and outlawry, empowerment and speculation. Songs are sung; stories are told. In the nearly self-sufficient community of the rural castle that is now Margarete’s home, she learns to inhabit her own power. In the intellectual turmoil of the Protestant Reformation, she finds space to test her own beliefs. Confronted with violence and the threat of losing what she values most, she finds resolve, and the strength to do what honour demands.

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