Magic Thursday: Making Magic with Shelley Russell Nolan!

Like many authors, I have lots of story ideas roaming through my head. I have a long list of stories I want to write, so many that I doubt I will ever be able to write them all. I already had purchased the covers for some of those ideas, so it made sense to put those stories first in my writing and publishing plan. I was determined to resist the lure of shiny new ideas, to knuckle down and work my way through my planned stories one by one. Then I happened across a new to me cover designer. 

I scrolled through the pre-made book covers she had available, to see if any of them fit with the story ideas near the top of my list that I didn’t already have covers for. There were many pretty covers, but none of them suited my planned stories. That was okay. I still had plenty of books to write and there was no rush to find the covers for ones further down the list. But as I was scrolling, I spotted a cute set of covers, with a modern young woman in a fantasy setting. She was dressed as a witch and there was a black cat on each cover. 

Now, as the slave of a mini house panther, anything with a black cat is going to catch my eye. But I had no witch stories on my list, so that should have been it. Admire the pretty cover, and the kitty, and move on. Only, I couldn’t get the set of six covers out of my head. I kept returning to the cover designer’s site to check if anyone had bought them. A couple weeks later, the cover designer posted that all her unsold covers were on sale. The witch set was still there and I was tempted to nab it at the bargain price, but I resisted as I had no story to go with them and plenty of ideas on my list to chose from when I finished the current project. 

I wasn’t feeling well that day so I decided to have a nap. Instead of resting, as soon as I lay down an idea popped into my head, of a young woman accidentally transported from our world to one where magic existed. A world where she would be mistaken for a witch with powerful enemies. Without hesitation, I got up and bought the set of witch covers, and Merry Magic was born. Book 4 of the six released in July, and I have no regrets for putting Merry’s adventure at the top of my story list. After all, anything with a black cat on it has to be given the utmost priority.

When the Merry Magic series is complete, hopefully by the end of the year, I will go back to my list and start working through the rest of my story ideas.  Once again, I will try to ignore any shiny new ideas or pretty covers, but give no promises, especially if a black cat is involved.

Spell Struck (Book 1) is on sale now for 99c!

Magic may be her undoing.

When Merry inherits a bookshop from a grandmother she never knew existed, the last thing she expected was to be transported to another world. But while claiming her inheritance, she accidentally triggers a spell that takes her to Tirana; a world where magic is real, and where her grandmother left behind powerful enemies.

Now those enemies are after Merry, and she has to return home before they catch up with her. With the transportation spell broken, and mages and enforcers on her tail, she flees with her grandmother’s familiar, Sadie. But the black cat can’t save her when she draws the attention of the guild. On the run and searching for a way to remake the spell to take her home, Merry encounters dangers that may prove costly to both worlds.

Merry must learn to wield elemental powers of Air, Earth, Water, Fire and Spirit to have any hope of returning home. If she fails, she will be stuck in Tirana forever, while an ancient enemy may gain the foothold it needs to rid the world of magic for good.

Read the first book in a magical portal fantasy series now and get Spell Struck with Merry.

Spell Search 

Book 4

When freedom comes with a cost, would you pay the price?

Imprisoned by the mage guild and cut off from her friends and her magic, Merry’s hope of returning to her own world seems impossible. With hidden adversaries ready to strike, a desperate escape attempt could land her in even more trouble. But she will not give up on her quest to stop witch hunters from entering Tirana.

Her allies are scattered and time is running out, so Merry must do the unthinkable; journey into enemy territory in search of aid. Danger looms at every turn, and she will be pushed to the brink to have any hope of success. The alternative is to lose control of her magic forever.

Will Merry find the help she needs to save Tirana? Or will her search lead to the downfall of everyone she cares about

Find out in this magical portal fantasy adventure!

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Shelley Russell Nolan

Shelley Russell Nolan is an avid reader who began writing her own stories at sixteen. Her first completed manuscript featured brain eating aliens and a butt kicking teenage heroine. Since then she has spent her time creating fantasy worlds where death is only the beginning and even freaks can fall in love.

A member of Australian Romance Readers Association and Queensland Writers Centre, Shelley regularly attends workshops and writers festivals to meet other writers and readers.

Born in New Zealand, moving to Australia with her family when she was seven, Shelley currently lives in Central Queensland, Australia, with her husband and two young children. They share their home with two wrecking ball kitties, a deformed budgerigar and two dogs that are fairly normal as dogs go.

Shelley loves to hear from her readers so feel free to contact her on Facebook or leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads.

Visit Shelley's website!