Author Angela Addams: Witch Hunt: Author Interview

I had the opportunity to interview the authors from Witch Hunt: Of the Blood - One question, a variety of interesting answers...

It is my belief that out of all of the supernatural species the witch is the most powerful.

Agree or disagree and explain why.

K.L. Schwengel:

Trick question. :) Singly, I would have to disagree. There are likely more powerful species in the supernatural realm. But when witches combine their energy within their circle, I believe they can be incredible strong.

Devin O'Branagan:

Disagree. I actually think angels are more powerful because they access more realms of existence than I believe witches can.

Keri Lake:

Agree. The ‘supes’ we write about in fiction are based on real individuals who, throughout history, have fought against social persecution for what they believe. Weaving this trait into a character is what I enjoyed most about writing "The Banishing." The witches in the Witch Hunt story possess supernatural abilities, but they wield their power in a manner that is aligned with their beliefs.

Krista Walsh:

I have to agree! They may not have great physical strength, but they're able to manipulate the world around them to their advantage. No matter what "brand" of witchcraft you consider (Oz, Hogwarts, Grimm's Fairy Tales, Witch Hunt), the magic users are the characters to watch out for. They're also the most fun to write!

Suzanne Hayes Campbell:

Interesting question. "Supernatural" means: (of a manifestation or event) attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature: a supernatural being.

I do not believe in supernatural beings or magical powers. There are many things in the universe that are explainable by scientific means—I'm fine with that. This lack of belief in the paranormal doesn't preclude the writing of fiction based in that world however. In some ways a scientific mindset may makes it easier to write fantasy in a more convincing way.

If supernatural beings existed, their powers would be a continuum. At times one may best the other, but not all vampires would be always equally powerful, nor all demons, nor all fairies, etc. More importantly, witches are not supernatural beings. Witches are humans having a set of beliefs, and practice a craft associated with those beliefs, it follows that a witch's power is dependent on their abilities to perform their craft.

My character, Prissy Hawthorne—a young child, suffered the trauma of the Salem witch trials in the early 1700s when religious fanaticism was at a high, when knowledge of science (including herbology) was not widespread, nor deep. Anything not understood was the providence of God or evil powers. Women, were labeled witches for using knowledge outside the mainstream. Witches, ever since, have been associated with the underworld lumping them in with other "supernatural" beings such as devils, demons, ghosts and the like. They were not such beings then, or now.

Five novellas based on Devin O’Branagan’s bestselling novel, Witch Hunt!

You’ve closed the cover on Witch Hunt, but the story isn’t over … yet! Devin O’Branagan has handpicked writers to take up her characters’ stories and explore what happens next.

The anthology begins with O’Branagan’s own novella about Hawthorne matriarch, Vivian. Vivian and her fellow British witches work together to prevent a Nazi invasion during World War II. Then there is Colonial maiden, Bridget, who struggles with the guilt of failing her family in Salem, 1692. Her younger sister, Prissy, mysteriously disappears and finds another magical world. Julia, torn by family loyalties, love, and her spiritual quest, pays a huge price to continue the bloodline. And Miranda uses her powers against the great influenza outbreak of 1918—but finds the ultimate foe is prejudice against her kind.

Discover what was left out of Witch Hunt and revisit your favorite characters with these exciting novellas. The story isn’t done until the battle’s lost and won.

This anthology contains novellas by Devin O'Branagan, Suzanne Hayes Campbell, Keri Lake, K.L. Schwengel, and Krista Walsh.

All five authors of the anthology are available for discussion at Devin's writers' forum. This is the link to chat with them: Chat With The Authors!

Witch Hunt: Of the Blood is available in both print and eBook formats and may be found at Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords. (Smashwords provides copies compatible with almost all types of eReaders including Sony, Apple, Kobo, etc.) It is also available internationally via Amazon worldwide!

Two of the stories in this anthology are bridges to the upcoming sequel, Witch Hunt: Resistance, which will be released in 2013.

The original Witch Hunt is an international bestseller first published by Simon & Schuster's Pocket Books. It has been translated into German and Turkish and is consistently on the bestseller lists. It is the story of 300+ years in the history of a family of witches, from the time of the Salem trials to a modern-day witch hunt. It begs the question: could it happen again?

Witch Hunt is available as both a paperback and an eBook. It is available at Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords.