Willem
The
Witches of Wimberley
Book One
Victoria
Danann
Genre: paranormal romance
Publisher: dba 7th House, Imprint of
Andromeda LLC
Date of Publication: June 24, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-933320-61-8
Number of pages: 265
Word Count: 64,000
Cover Artist: Victoria Danann
Book Description:
Willem is an out of work actor. He gave
himself ten years to make it and never got a single paying job. While waiting
for what would probably be his last audition ever, the guy standing behind him
in line gave him a card with a phone number and said, “If you’re definitely
quitting, try the witches.”
He took the card for the sake of being
polite and planned to throw it away. But he didn’t throw it away. He called the
number, entered the annual competition to win a witch, and won. To his
amazement, he got everything he’d ever wanted from life, but in the end would
have to make a choice. What’s more important? Being happy or being free of
commitment?
Excerpt:
“Lyra, this is Willem.”
“Oh, yes. Willem. Are
you having fun?”
“I, ah, yes. I just got
here.”
“Have you had something
to eat? We wouldn’t want you to be hungry and there’s so much food!”
“I’ll never forget the
food.”
She barked out a laugh.
“You hope!”
It took me a second to
catch up and remember about the memory wipe thing.
“Well, yeah, I guess I
do hope I remember.”
Her grin resolved into a
smile. “So tell me what you’re going to do with your life if you win, Willem.”
“You know, that still
sounds like one of those what-would-you-do-if-you-got-a-million-dollars questions.
It feels too unreal to take seriously.”
She nodded. “A good
solid honest answer. I like that.” After studying me for a few seconds, she
said, “Okay. You passed my test. Let me introduce you to Lilith.”
She turned me around
when she took my arm and, as she did, I happened to catch a heated look
exchanged between Harmony and Raider. It was an, “Ah hah,” moment immediately
followed by an, “Oh, crap,” moment when I realized that, if I won Harmony’s
sister, Raider would be my brother-in-law. I understood why he was happy enough
to star in the Orientation video and babysit inexperienced canoers on the
river. She was a catch and he knew it.
I decided there are
worse things than being in Raider’s family. He didn’t actually finish drowning
me in the river, but at the time it felt like he was trying. On the other hand,
he insisted on showing me to the ballroom. And he called me ‘hero’. Who
couldn’t get used to that?
I was ushered from one
beautiful woman to the next and each took measure of me in her own way. It was
an interview, or audition, but it was the most pleasant I’d ever experienced.
Or ever would, I was sure.
Still, after an hour or
so, I was getting hungry. When Bless tried to walk me to another chat, I
balked.
“Hey, could you maybe
give me a couple of minutes to partake of some of the amazing feast stations? I
haven’t eaten and that guy in the other part of the house carving that prime
rib really spoke to me.”
Bless had a laugh that
didn’t exactly sound like tinkling bells, but reminded me of them just the
same. “Certainly, Willem. Would you like me to accompany you?”
“That would be…” I
happened to look away and notice that most of the conversational groups in the
room consisted of clusters of contestants, not a witch in sight. I realized
that’s what I’d been seeing the whole time whenever I looked away from the
woman I was talking with. “Bless, I hope this isn’t an inappropriate question,
but am I getting special treatment?”
Bless treated me to an
extra big helping of her tinkling bells laugh. “Willem, you’re quite
perceptive. And you’ve passed my test.”
“You know, you’re the
sixth or seventh person to say that to me. Is this a gauntlet of gorgeous women
in sexy red dresses?”
Again the laugh. “I love
that description. You’re quite a character, Willem. You would fit in around
here.” As she smiled at me, she grabbed the elbow of another beauty passing by.
“Glory, this is Willem.”
When Glory smiled, I
knew how she was named. “Hi, Willem.”
“He’s hungry and headed
in the direction of prime rib.”
“Of course he is. I
don’t see a man like this eating watercress.”
“Yes, well, perhaps
you’d like to accompany him while he dines.”
Glory seemed as ecstatic
as if she’d won the prize herself. “Of course! Willem. I’d be honored.”
She slipped her arm in
mind and walked me to the prime rib. “What would you like with that?” she
asked. “While Raleigh is slicing your rib just the way you want it, I’ll gather
up something to go with.”
“You sure?”
“Idle hands are the
devil’s workshop.”
“Okay, then. Caesar salad.
And did I see au gratin potatoes?” She nodded. “That should do.”
She pointed to a table
at the rear of the room. “I’ll meet you right there.”
She was there with salad
and spuds before I arrived with a hunk of prime rib that smelled so good it was
all I could do to not face plant into the plate and tear into it with my teeth.
Somehow I managed to preserve enough dignity to sit and take a few bites of
salad before digging into my current reason for living with fork and knife.
Out of nowhere a waiter
appeared on my right pouring red wine into my glass. That was followed with a
delivery of ice water seconds later.
“You’ve eaten?” I asked
Glory, who sat smiling with her legs crossed as if there’s nothing in the
universe she’d rather be doing than watching me eat.
“Much earlier.”
Someone appeared with a
mint garnished drink that I hadn’t heard Glory order.
“I’ve decided that
Wimberley must have the best service in the world. I’m certain the queen of
England is envious.”
She smiled. “Don’t you
know you get what you pay for, Willem?”
“So I’ve heard. I’m just
a middle class boy from Alabama so I wouldn’t have much personal experience in
that department.”
“You don’t strike me as
someone who thinks of Golden Bull Buffet as a special occasion.”
“I had some nice times
courtesy of my agent.”
“Your agent? Oh, that’s
right. You were an actor.”
“How is it that everyone
seems to know me by name? And, obviously, some know more than just my name.
Have you memorized bios on all fifty contestants? And come to think of it, why
did you say ‘were an actor’?”
“First, yes. We look
over incoming guests. Second, some of us just learn names, some of us read more
and have good recall. Third, you told our people in L.A. that you’re done with
acting. That puts it in the past tense, right?”
“Right. So, should I be
asking questions about you?”
She grinned. “You’re
funny, Willem.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because you have been
asking questions.”
Hearing her say it out
loud, I realized that was true.
“This prime rib is
indescribable. And the wine, he didn’t ask me for a preference, but I’ve gotta
tell you. It’s amazing.”
“If you win, you’ll eat
whatever you want when you want it. As far as the staff goes, they’re very
skilled at reading people and anticipating needs.”
“Or desires.”
“You’re quick, Willem. I
like that. And you’ve passed my test.”
About the Author:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling
author of eleven romances. Victoria's Knights of Black Swan series won BEST
PARANORMAL ROMANCE SERIES THREE YEARS IN A ROW. Reviewers Choice Awards, The
Paranormal Romance Guild.
Her paranormal romances come with
uniquely fresh perspectives on "imaginary" creatures, characters, and
themes. She adds a dash of scifi, a flourish of fantasy, enough humor to make
you laugh out loud, and enough steam to make you squirm in your chair. Her
heroines are independent femmes with flaws and minds of their own whether they
are aliens, witches, demonologists, psychics, past life therapists. Her heroes
are hot and hunky, but they also have brains, character, and good manners.
**Usually.
Victoria lives in The Woodlands, Texas
with her husband and a very smart, mostly black German Shepherd dog.
WEBSITE: http://www.VictoriaDanann.com
MAIL LIST: http://bit.ly/1IfByBg
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