Now that we’re well into September and Halloween is rapidly approaching, the topic of curses seems like an appropriate topic.

According to Merriam-Webster online dictionary, a curse is a prayer or invocation for harm or injury to come upon one; evil or misfortune that comes as if in response to imprecation or as retribution; magical words that are said to cause trouble or bad luck for someone or the condition that results when such words are said.

It’s easy to decide it’s all just superstitious nonsense, but curses exist. Everyone can access the “how to” information about setting a curse these days in countless books and on websites. Cursing the person who stole your mate or the rival who destroyed your business is, therefore, easier than ever.

Famous Curses: the Kennedy and Onassis families are said to be cursed, and two famous cursed jewels are the Hope Diamond and the Koh-i-Nor Diamond.

I’ve met those who believe they’re cursed, as well as curse-casters and curse-busters.

Irish mythology—and even recent history—is rife with stories of those who curse and those who are cursed. Ireland has a legendary amount of “cursed” locations.

I was thrilled to be invited to write a contemporary Gothic mystery novella for the new series, A World of Gothic, having grown up reading the stories of Victoria Holt, Phyllis Whitney, Daphne du Maurier and other classic Gothic authors.

Keep this secret in mind about curses. Anyone can curse you, but the curse won’t work unless you believe it will. Curses are activated by your fears.

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Here’s a blurb about my new novella, Raven of Blackthorn Manor. It’s now available for a limited time exclusively on Amazon for $0.99.

When Morgana Pierce accepts an invitation to visit Blackthorn Manor, known as Ireland’s most haunted property, she hopes to convince the gloomy owner, Sir Dermott Blackthorn, to let her crew film the property for her paranormal television special.

But Morgana has a secret reason for being at Blackthorn Manor. Her only clue to the whereabouts of her father is a thirty-year old letter on the manor’s letterhead. Her quest leads her to this bleak property on an isolated windswept Irish peninsula.

Morgana’s ability to communicate with the dead soon lands her in danger as she learns about several suspicious deaths and disappearances in recent years. Threats against her life then force her to figure out how to navigate an ever darker reality.

Dermott Blackthorn’s ancestral line was cursed for nine generations, and he is the last. His death is imminent if things unfold as they have for the previous eight Blackthorns.

Morgana is attracted to Blackthorn’s mysterious and moody house guest, Ronan McIver. He is both protective and dismissive, sending mixed signals. Why is he staying at Blackthorn Manor?

As danger intensifies, the setting becomes ripe for the perfect storm. The time arrives when she must rely on someone, but who can she trust?

AMAZON BUY LINK: http://a.co/5qGdAdS

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GEMMA JULIANA has traveled the world and lived in many countries, so she enjoys placing characters in international settings and sprinkling magical spice into her stories. Whether she’s turning up the heat on a character or playing matchmaker, writing gives her great satisfaction, especially when her muse cooperates. She shares a cozy Texas cottage with her true love, teen son, and a very crafty dog, who rules them all. Her muse is nourished with the finest fuel for creativity – chocolate.

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