Scotch Broom

Scotch Broom

Book Three in The Witches of Galdorheim Series

A Novel by Marva Dasef

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Release: April 6, 2012

Editor: Nancy Bell

Line Editor: Penny Ehrenkranz

Cover Designer: Kaytalin Platt

Words: 48091

Pages: 145

ISBN: 978-1-77127-023-6

Price: $5.50

BISAC CODES: 

JUV037000 JUVENILE FICTION / Fantasy & Magic

JUV022030 JUVENILE FICTION / Legends, Myths, Fables / Norse

Back Cover:

Kat expects to have a great time on her graduation trip to Stonehenge. However, from the moment she leaves the witches’ arctic island, Galdorheim, she gets in nothing but trouble.  Her younger half-brother tries to horn in on her trip, she gets lost in the magical Otherworld realm, is led astray by a supposed friend, then she has to confront a Scottish goddess who’s fallen on hard times.

While dodging the goddess’ minions and trying to find her way out of the Otherworld, Kat soon learns she shouldn’t underestimate the old has-been for one second; the crone still has a few tricks that can drain a witch’s magic in a flash. To make matters worse, Kat's brother secretly followed her into the Otherworld. Now he’s in danger, too.  Kat has to go one on one with the goddess to save herself and her brother.

Excerpt:

When Galdorheim was no more than a speck on the horizon, Kat left topside and went below. The supply boat often carried passengers, so Sean had made a small, but comfortable, lounge on the lower deck. Kat reached the bottom of the steps and stopped in her tracks.

“Why, hello, Katty. How nice to see you.”

Kat wrinkled her nose. She’d forgotten Merry would be traveling at the same time. She walked to the opposite side of the lounge from Merry and slung her pack to the floor. Flopping on the couch, Kat glared at her nemesis. “Yeah, right.”

Merry jumped up and stood in front of Kat. She stuck her hand out. “Bygones?”

Surprised, Kat sighed and conceded a truce. It might make the boat ride more bearable. “Sure, bygones.” It wouldn’t help to stay mad at Merry. After all, she couldn’t help being a spiteful b...witch. Pasting on a smile, Kat extended her hand to Merry. Before they touched a flash of violet spit from Merry’s fingertips. Kat jerked her hand back as the electric bolt zapped the nail of her index finger sizzling it down to the quick. Merry threw back her head and laughed.

“You’re such a tool, Katty. I’ll miss having you around for entertainment.”

“You’d better watch your back,” Kat snarled.

Merry deliberately turned her back on Kat and traipsed across the lounge. “What? You’ve got nothing? I didn’t think so.” The witch smirked and dropped into her chair with her arms folded across her chest.

“I learned manners from my mother. Looks like yours just didn’t give a rip how you turned out.” Kat looked at her burned fingernail and spoke a soothing spell under her breath. “Look,” she said, glaring at Merry. “Just a word to the, well, not wise, but a word of advice. If you do stuff like that out in the real world, you might end up in jail...or worse.”

Merry pulled an emery board from her hand-stitched, silk purse and flipped her hair back over her shoulder. “Whatever.”

Kat walked toward the stairs leading up to the deck. “I think I’ll ride up top.”

Merry waggled her fingers. Kat recoiled, fearing another attack. Merry snickered. “Buh bye, Katty.”

Kat took a deep breath, trying to tamp down visions of the other witch’s hair in flames. Lovely as that might be, she was determined not to sink to Merry’s tawdry level. She climbed up to the deck and headed toward the bow and the cabin where Sean steered the boat. She heard Sean’s booming bass raised in song, a sea shanty about what to do with a drunken sailor. When he reached the chorus, he harmonized with himself and sounded like a whole barbershop quartet. She smiled and listened for a couple of minutes. She’d heard him many times use his special magic at the Witches’ Cauldron singing Irish ballads. With his pea jacket and braided captain’s cap, he looked every inch the master and commander of a fine ship, even if it was a dumpy, wallowing supply boat.

She slid the door aside, and Sean stopped. “Go on, Cap’n. I love your singing.” He glanced at Kat’s burnt fingernail. “Let’s fix that up first.”

Sean held out his hand, and Kat laid hers in it. The warlock’s spell grew her nail and erased the burn. “Sorry about that. I had a suspicion she came aboard early just to give you grief.”

“It’s okay, Sean. She’s just like that. Someday, she’ll get hers.”

“I’d like to be there when it happens.” He looked through the windshield. “Looks like clear sailing. Would you like to take the helm for a while?”

Kat grinned. “I’d love to.” She moved into position in front of the old-fashioned big wheel studded with spokes for handholds.

Sean pointed to the compass. “Just keep on this heading.”

“Aye, aye, Cap’n. Oh, I forgot to check. Did the ultralight get loaded okay? I should have thought to see if it would fit in my foldbox.”

“Fred’s magic box? I think your little plane would have overloaded it. Anyway, it’s snug as a bug in the hold. I could have sworn I heard it say your name.”

Kat smiled, remembering the brave little plane that almost gave its life to save hers just last spring. “I’m going to have to give him a name. Or maybe he already has one.”

Sean shrugged. “You should have asked Einar. He built the thing, after all. Me, I’ll take a good solid ship anytime. The thought of flying sittin’ on a broomstick gives me the heebie-jeebies.”

“What? You don’t fly by broom?”

“Truth be told, I always thought brooms were better for witches than warlocks.”

Sean slid the door open. “I’ll be back to relieve you in about a half hour. I just want to check that everything is battened down properly.”

“Sure. Take your time. This is kind of fun.”

Review:

Ms Dasef has the ability to write a series and make each book seem fresh and different from the previous one. At the end of each novel I believed I knew the characters well but Scotch Broom reveals yet another layer to the characters and world. Sue's Book Reviews...READ THE FULL REVIEW

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Customer Reviews:

And you thought your summer vacation had problems . . . .rnrnThe further adventures of Kat and Rune.rnrnKat's long-anticipated graduation trip to Stonehenge doesn't go quite the way she planned. When her carefully made travel plans are sabotaged by a scheming ex-classmate, Kat winds up in the Otherworld where she's hunted by a down-on-her-luck, goddess who wants to drain her magic. The old crone may be well past her prime, but she still has plenty of dirty tricks up her sleeve.rnrnTo make matters worse, Kat's brother Rune has followed her and managed to get himself into a whole bunch of trouble. Before she can make her way out of the Otherworld, Kat has to find and rescue her brother. At the same time, she must elude the minions the old goddess sends after her. Some of the magical creatures she meets along the way will help her, a few will become her friends, and one will betray her.rnrnThis third book in the Witches of Galdorheim series is just as enjoyable as the first two. With each book, we get to know Kat and Rune a little better. Looking forward to the next one.

For some reason, my average is 3 stars in the lists. That's just not right since there's only one review and it has 5 stars. It's an insult to Sue's astute assessment of the quality of my book. I'm kind of kidding around here, but I know darn well this is a fun read along with its older sisters, Bad Spelling and Midnight Oil.rn

Ms Dasef has the ability to write a series and make each book seem fresh and different from the previous one. At the end of each novel I believed I knew the characters well but Scotch Broom reveals yet another layer to the characters and world. rnrnI enjoyed the first two of this series and Scotch Broom drew me in so well that I read the whole book in one sitting. Ms Dasef deserves a standing ovation and I eagerly wait for the next book in the series.

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