More Kickstarter FUN

Our Kickstarter campaign will be ending at 9 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday, May 26. This will be your final opportunity to snag a copy of the deluxe print copy. It won’t be made available in retail stores until late November. And, if you want a digital copy, now’s your chance. We won’t be offering it through any retailer.

Visit our Kickstarter page now so you don’t miss out: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ronesa-aveela/77-1-2-magical-healing-herbs-the-secret-power-of-herbs?ref=4clmvo

While you’re there, check out these awesome ongoing campaigns. You won’t regret it.

Godsverse Chronicles: The complete portal fantasy series Kickstarter campaign

Are you obsessed with mythology?

Are you gaga for monsters?

Do you love exploring new fictional worlds?

Then you’ll love my twelve book portal fantasy series, The Godsverse Chronicles (covers and reading order listed in the image above).

Portal fantasy is my absolutely FAVORITE genre of fiction, whether it’s The Wizard of Oz, Alice In Wonderland, The Magicians, His Dark Materials, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe The Hazel Wood, Caraval, Ten Thousand Doors of January, Peter Pan, Coraline, or literally any other book about characters traveling to different places, worlds, realities, they are my jam.

If it has portals, then I’m there, and the Godsverse Chronicles has just about every portal story you can imagine.

Across the twelve books of the series, the main characters of the Godsverse travel to Heaven, Hell, Mount Olympus, Valhalla, other dimensions, different planets, time, space, and reality on their adventures across Greek, Roman, Norse, Egyptian, and Judeo-Christian mythology.

Before this campaign, there were seven novels and three graphic novels in The Godsverse Chronicles.

Now we’re BACK on Kickstarter to complete the series with four more books with Kickstarter exclusive covers that will never be printed again!

In total, there are now 11 novels and 1 novella in this series. The entire series in reading order is listed above, and is discussed below.

This campaign features FOUR new portal fantasy novels, including And Magic Followed Behind Her, And Evil Followed Behind Her, And Time Followed Behind Her, and And Heaven Followed Behind Them, and a prequel novella which comes included in every pledge.

This one was so cool that I backed it right away. So much spooky fun!

Eerie Ghosts and Vampires of the New Orleans French Quarter

An exclusive pair of spooky, self-guided tours created by two Big Easy storytellers. In ebook, print, and audio. Enjoyable anywhere!

Do you love ghost stories?

Do vampires intrigue you?

Are you curious about New Orleans and her haunted past?

If so, then our project – The Dark Side of New Orleans – is right up your alley!

One Halloween, my husband, Dan, and I decided to join a nighttime ghost tour through the legendary New Orleans French Quarter. Although we appreciated the theatrical enthusiasm of our tour guide and relished strolling through the historic streets of our neighborhood, listening to assorted tales of tragic hauntings, the experience ultimately let us down.

The unwieldy size of our group made it tough for us to hear the guide and, worse, kept us from immersing ourselves in the haunting ambience of the city’s oldest district.

In search of a more riveting, less restrictive experience, we decided to create an affordable, self-guided excursion of our own, one that would blend our love of scary stories and our fervor for New Orleans with our desire for autonomy.

Eventually, we produced two self-guided audio tours of the French Quarter – In the Footsteps of Ghosts (featuring 15 spooky locales) and Strolling Among Vampires (one nocturnal bloodsucker’s first-person account of 11 riveting sites). Together, they present classic stories as well as never-before-heard tales, with just enough immersive sound effects to enhance the creepy vibe. Our initial listeners loved them, relishing the stories as well as the flexibility of our tours – particularly the fact that they could take them at any time of day, at their convenience, and even pause the tours between meals and other diversions.

We’d created these excursions out of a mutual passion for history, storytelling, the Big Easy, and all the things that bump and bite in the night, but eventually, we realized that we were limiting ourselves – and our tours. We longed to spread the love, so to speak – and send our creations beyond the confines of the French Quarter.

So, that brings me to this Kickstarter campaign – our very first ever.

What’s Special About This Book?

If this is news to you, our campaign is about the book people have been asking for. It provides lots of fascinating information about the herbs that make up a Bulgarian Eniovden (Midsummer’s) wreath.

I, too, was curious what herbs made up the 77½ in the wreath, so I researched old Bulgarian books and articles and finally discovered a list. That is how the idea of “77½ Magical Healing Herbs” was born.

In this unique book, you’ll also learn about well-known healers from Bulgarian history. Baba Vanga is one whom many people these days have heard about. She’s a clairvoyant who’s been called the Nostradamus of Balkans and has predicted many events that have happened in our lifetimes. But she was also an herbal healer. All the healers from the past were not treated kindly or with respect, however. In the tenth century, the Bogomils were burned like the Salem witches. These are only two of the healers mentioned in the book.

I have been blessed to know talented Bulgarian painter Keazim Issinov. With his permission, we have included in the book five of his one-of-a-kind paintings of Bulgarian healers.

The bulk of the book focuses on the Midsummer’s Day herbs—all 77 (and a half) of them. It’s an ultimate guide to tap into knowledge that has been passed down from generation to generation.

More than 200 eye-catching images illustrate the book, including a full-page botanical image, to help you recognize the herbs, along with the descriptions. But the book contains much more information.

Historical facts and traditions will take you back to school days, while medical, culinary, and magical uses will have you heading to the kitchen or garden store. Fun facts, legends, and recipes fill the pages. Or perhaps you’ll just want to forget about everything that’s going on in the world and bury yourself in the book.

The book is for anyone who wants to widen their knowledge about herbs and also learn about Slavic traditions and beliefs. It will satisfy your curiosity and widen the horizons of your mind. It’s the perfect gift that will make a beautiful coffee-table book.

Here’s your chance to learn how to make basic recipes and discover fun facts, lore, and magical beliefs.

But you can only do it if you back this campaign through Kickstarter. The print version won’t be available on any retailer until the end of the year. Backers get advance copies. Head on over to Kickstarter now: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ronesa-aveela/77-1-2-magical-healing-herbs-the-secret-power-of-herbs?ref=a23n7m

Kickstarter Challenge Results

And… the results are in. Thank you to everyone who participated. I hope you had as much fun as we did during this event.

CHALLENGE WINNERS

For those who missed it, the official winners of the challenges are below.

Kickstarter Challenge 1: Lesly

Kickstarter Challenge 2: Jane

Kickstarter Challenge 3: Lesly (for both parts)

But everyone who participate is a winner! Thank you so much for taking the time to submit your responses and learning more about herbs in the process. It was fun, and I had a blast doing this with all of you. I hope you enjoy your prizes.

CHALLENGE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Kickstarter Challenge 1 Answer: Elderflower (Sambucus nigra), Marigold (Calendula officinalis), Lavender (Lavandula vera)

Samodivi Apothecary Cream

500 g of organic olive oil
1 handful of marigold petals, elderflower, and died lavender

Warm up the olive oil in a clean pan over low heat. Add the marigold petals. Leave it on the stove for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let it stand for 24 hours. Reheat two more times and then strain out the flowers. When it’s cool, store the ointment in a jar in a dark cool place.

If you don’t like olive oil, substitute coconut oil or shea butter. You can also add beeswax to the recipe, but Diva’s recommendation is to keep it easy and simple.

Kickstarter Challenge 2 Answer: Yellow bedstraw or Lady’s bedstraw (Galium verum)

Kickstarter Challenge 3 Answer: This was a trick question, because the answer is ALL of the herbs listed can be found in a Znahar’s garden. Each herb from the magical Eniovden wreath is used for medicinal or magical uses throughout the year.

For the second part of the challenge, the five herbs in particular we were thinking of are Fennel (Foenicilum officinale), Thyme (Thymus serpyllum), Nettle (Urtica dioica), Summer savory (Satureja hortensis), and Water clover / Raskovnik (Marsilea quadrifolia).

Our Campaign Is Ending Soon

Our campaign is ending on Thursday, May 26, at 9 p.m. Eastern time. If you’d like to learn more about the herbs in this book, head on over there and pledge at the level of your choice: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ronesa-aveela/77-1-2-magical-healing-herbs-the-secret-power-of-herbs?ref=a23n7m

Kickstarter Challenge #3 – Magical Herbal Garden

And here’s our final challenge.

There are multiple herbs that qualify. The first person to guess 5 of these herbs that might grow in this garden will receive a digital copy of our children’s book about a Znahar, Born From the Ashes.

If you also guess the 5 herbs  we’ve selected for this garden, you’ll also get a digital copy of Mystical Emona: Soul’s Journey, our fantasy romance in which a Znahar is one of minor the characters.

To participate, head on over to our Kickstarter campaign and check out the full instructions in the UPDATES section: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ronesa-aveela/77-1-2-magical-healing-herbs-the-secret-power-of-herbs?ref=a23n7m

If you want to qualify for the prize, you MUST submit your answer on Kickstarter in the COMMENTS section. Include “KS Challenge 3” in your response.

Kickstarter Challenge #2 – Queen of the Herbs

Do you think you know herbs? Today and tomorrow, we will be holding a challenge to test your knowledge with information from our book. (We apologize for not posting the first challenge. There was a mixup in the posting time.) Prizes are available for the winners and will be announced on Friday, May 20.

The first person to name the right plant will receive a digital copy of our book of dragon fairy tales, Dragons Tales of Eastern Europe.

The contest ends at 9 a.m. Eastern time tomorrow (Thursday, May 19) or when we get a correct answer.

The final contest will be posted on Thursday.

To participate, head on over to our Kickstarter campaign and check out the full instructions in the UPDATES section: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ronesa-aveela/77-1-2-magical-healing-herbs-the-secret-power-of-herbs?ref=a23n7m

If you want to qualify for the prize, you MUST submit your answer on Kickstarter in the COMMENTS section. Include “KS Challenge 2” in your response. Responses left on our website are invalid.

More FREE Fantasy Books

Check out the new free ebooks you will receive if you back by the end of this week. You can back at any pledge level. Everyone who has already backed the project will get these ebooks added to their rewards at no additional cost.

So, head on over to out Kickstarter campaign and select any pledge level before the end of the day on Saturday, May 21 to get these books: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ronesa-aveela/77-1-2-magical-healing-herbs-the-secret-power-of-herbs?ref=a23n7m

Shadowborn by Moira Katson

I was four hours old when I was cast out by my mother. I was cursed, she said. Kinder to let me die in the snow and the wind than let me live, only to be betrayed.

I was twelve when the Duke found me and turned me into a Shadow: bodyguard, spy, and assassin.

I was fourteen when he brought me to court. He wanted his niece on the throne, by any means possible. I was to be her weapon, wielded as she and the Duke saw fit.

But she wants more. She’s playing her own game.

And the court holds its own secrets. A war centuries in the making is ready to erupt, and we are in a race against time to keep it from consuming whole empires.

… If we survive.

Shadowborn is the first book in Moira Katson’s acclaimed Light & Shadow series, all free to read in Kindle Unlimited! Based on the intrigue and shifting loyalties of the War of the Roses and the Tudor dynasty that followed, Light & Shadow exists in a world that never was – a world of magic and prophecy….

The Mantle by WT Meadows and Chrishaun Keller-Hanna

Stefen and Maria Mauer were the fiercest and most famed Hunters in Tennessee. Until a lethal hunt left one man dead and Stefen without his legs.

They left the Hunt and never looked back.

18 years later, their son Edward gets news from home – his mother is pregnant with twins. Three siblings of the same gender mean they all have to Hunt or face monsters coming to their door.

He wasn’t raised in the Hunt, and no real desire to enter it.

But Edward begins to see what life would be like if he takes up the mantle of the Hunters before him.

Is he ready?

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1766235377012639, https://www.instagram.com/shamanstates/

And Death Followed Behind Her by Russell Nohelty

Katrina was just a normal person with a simple life. Then, the Apocalypse descended upon her, and she spent two years fighting with and living among monsters.

They were neither pleasant nor polite neighbors, so she snapped and set out to Hell to kill the Devil.

That’s when the carnage started.

Action, adventure, humor, and chaos abound in this mythological fantasy supernatural thriller book box set that’s paced for edge of your seat excitement.

Join Katrina on three hair-raising adventures that pit her against God, the Devil, Zeus, Hera, and Cronos himself as she traipses across the universe breaking as many things as she fixes, fighting her way through Greek, Roman, and Judeo-Christian mythology, and causing trouble at every stop along the way.

If you love action-adventure fantasy stories, monsters, mythology, and heroines with their sass and snark turned up to 11, then this book is for you.

https://www.facebook.com/russellnohelty

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8284860.Russell_Nohelty

https://twitter.com/russellnohelty

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/russell-nohelty

Ready for More FREE Goodies?

The early-bird perks are gone, but we have more FREE ebooks for you if you back the campaign at any pledge level. You have until the end of the day on Saturday, May 14 to snag these books. If you’ve already pledged at the early-bird level, don’t worry. You’ll get these as well, and any other weekly perks we offer during our campaign.

If you haven’t done so yet, you can find the project here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ronesa-aveela/77-1-2-magical-healing-herbs-the-secret-power-of-herbs?ref=a23n7m

FREE ROMANCE BOOKS for backing early

Here’s a look at the perks for the rest of this first week.

Courage to Heal by Shanae Johnson

Grumpy Vincent Klause’s plan to turn the town’s Christmas Tree farm into a paper mill is not a popular one, especially not with the town’s #1 holiday enthusiast, Isabella Snow. Not that a man like Vincent, who prefers sonnets to society, cares what the beautiful bookworm thinks.

When Izzy goes to chop down a tree for the holidays she doesn’t expect her swing to land right at the heart of the handsome new owner… and give him a concussion. Now trapped in a snow storm with a grumpy beast, can Izzy get Vincent’s heart to thaw before the storm is over?

Find out if love can truly heal all wounds in this light-hearted, sweet holiday romance. “Courage to Heal” is a standalone short story that can be read at any point in the Brides of Purple Heart Ranch series which features Wounded Warriors who are healed with the power of love.

Hunting Season by Kate Rudolph

This werewolf will protect his mate.

Owen has one job: keep Stasia from being abducted. Easier said than done when his fiercely independent client tries to fire him the moment they meet. His werewolf senses howl to life and he’s certain of one thing: Stasia is his.

She’s sick of cocky men.

When her wealthy father hires a bodyguard, Stasia says no. Not exactly a smart move after someone tried to nab her off the street. But she doesn’t need a babysitter. Especially not a cheerfully overbearing bodyguard who makes her heart pound and her fantasies run wild.

When Stasia is yanked out of her glittering world and into Owen’s she’ll need to grapple with an impossible new reality that includes werewolves, silver bullets, and fated mates.

Is she ready to embrace her new world? Or will she run back to a universe of glittering high rises and leave her destiny behind?

https://www.facebook.com/katerudolphauthor; www.katerudolph.net

Love You Like a Catfish by J. Leigh James

Can a fake online profile lead to real love?

Fiona is forced to live with relatives while her parents pursue their dreams. Her aunt doesn’t want her there, and her cousin, Cyn, only wants revenge on her ex-boyfriend. That’s when Audra is born; a fake online profile using glammed up pictures of Fi. All Fiona wants is peace until she can convince her parents to come get her. Even if that means lying to a guy who may not be as evil as her cousin proclaims.

Nathan has enough to deal with. He needs his secret business to succeed and get his dad off his back. He needs to distance himself from his clingy ex-girlfriend. The last thing he needs is to get distracted by the mysterious new girl in town. But there’s something about Audra that’s captured his attention and interacting with her online is the most fun he’s had in a long time.

Catfishing is a dangerous game. Will Fiona get caught in her lies and ruin her chance for love?

www.jleighjames.com, https://www.facebook.com/jleighjames, TikTok @jleighjamesauthor

 

Magical Midsummer Herbs

Here’s a little about the meaning behind the 77½ Magical Healing Herbs book. Today, we look at the half herb.

“On Eniovden (Midsummer’s Day), the stars fly down, infusing herbs and water with magical healing power.”

Every year on June 24, I remember these words spoken by my grandmother. She understood the power of herbs and used them to heal soul and body, protect the home and family, and bring fertility and prosperity to the household.

“There is an herb for every illness, and the half for all unknown.”

I never fully understood the meaning of the “half” herb as a child—and not even as an adult. How can you have a half herb? Even if you break it in half, it’s still an herb.

In Bulgaria and other Slavic countries like Ukraine, June 24 is a special day filled with magical rites. Healers gather herbs at dawn, because this is the time when they have the most healing abilities.

In our book, we go into more detail about what the half herb is, and provide folk beliefs and tales about the herb.

Be sure to follow our campaign on Kickstarter, where we’ll keep you updated about the status of the campaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ronesa-aveela/77-1-2-magical-healing-herbs-the-secret-power-of-herbs?ref=a23n7m

Our Kickstarter Campaign Is LIVE

We’re so excited. Our book is finally available for pre-order through our Kickstarter project! If you’ve followed the campaign, then you’ll have already received your email notification from Kickstarter the moment the campaign went live.

Here’s a little bit about what the book is all about.

Venture into the magical, healing world of herbs and embrace the power of nature.

• Have you ever wondered what use you can make of all those “weeds” in your yard?
• Do you prefer a natural way of cleansing the body and soul?
• Are you looking for creative ways to add magic to games or novels?

If this sounds like you, then 77½ Magical Healing Herbs is the perfect solution. The book is an introduction to herbs found in a special Midsummer’s wreath. This is an especially enchanting time of year. Among the Bulgarians, the day is called Eniovden.

You may think herbs are only for spicing up food and healing the body and mind, but they have other uses, as well.

Herbs can:

• Help prevent hair loss.
• Eliminate turkey neck.
• Repel insects.

And did you know herbs have magical properties?

Here are a few:

• Attract love or repel it.
• Provide protection from curses and unseen forces.
• Help an individual find favor in court or success with money matters.
• And so much more.

This unique herbal book is an essential guide for tapping into the power of herbs. It highlights centuries of lore and historical facts about healing and magical uses of herbs from Slavic and other traditions.

Plus, it includes rituals, herbal remedies, and simple recipes. Not only that, you’ll learn about several renowned Bulgarian healers throughout history—from St. Ivan Rilski to Baba Vanga.

One or two high-quality color photos, as well as a full-page botanical illustration, accompany each plant, so anyone can use the book as a field guide in their backyard or when they go foraging.

An index identifies some of the more interesting medical and magical abilities and the herbs that fall under them.

With more than 200 color images and fascinating information, 77½ Magical Healing Herbs is certain to entertain and enlighten you. 

***

Don’t forget to pledge early, so you get the EARLY-BIRD PERKS. You can find them at the top of our campaign page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ronesa-aveela/77-1-2-magical-healing-herbs-the-secret-power-of-herbs. But, they’ll be gone after 9 a.m. Eastern time tomorrow (Wednesday, May 11).

Herbal Prints

The botanical prints are available on merchandise on our Redbubble store. Keep checking back as we add new ones to the list.

Our Store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/ronesaaveela/shop

Rose image: https://www.redbubble.com/i/art-board-print/Rose-Botanical-by-RonesaAveela/105192854.NVL2T

 

A Sneak Peek at the Early-Bird Campaign Perks

Our Kickstarter campaign for 77½ Magical Healing Herbs will launch within 24 hours!

So, we’ll be posting daily about it to let you know what’s happening. You can also follow our campaign now to get the daily updates and participate in contests we’ll be holding later on in the campaign.

Simply go here and select the “Notify me on launch” button: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ronesa-aveela/77-1-2-magical-healing-herbs-the-secret-power-of-herbs

And we have MORE EXCITING NEWS. We’re giving everyone who backs the project within the FIRST 48 HOURS… some early-bird perks. If you support our project AT ANY PLEDGE LEVEL, we’ll add these FREE ebooks to your pledge. You’ll receive them, along with your other rewards after the campaign ends if we meet our funding goal.

In order to get these ebooks, though, you MUST back our project by 9 a.m., Thursday, May 12, Eastern time. Then, when the campaign ends successfully, these will be yours!

We’ll have more FREEBIES and GAMES throughout the campaign, too, so be sure to read the daily updates. The earlier you help us reach our goal, the more goodies you’ll receive.

Thank you for your support.

FREE FANTASY BOOKS for backing early

Here’s a look at the early-bird perks we’re offering.

A Tribe of Kassia by Tom Leveen

For Family. For Vengeance. Tanin, a desert elf who’s grown up in a peaceful desert enclave, is the only member of his clan not killed when White Riders ravage his town. They take few prisoners, but one of them is his betrothed, Memine.

Orrock of Guar has become a monk, taken in by a race of creatures not his own for the past ten years. With his training complete, he is sent back into the world to discover his creator’s will for his life . . . never anticipating that he would be challenged to revert to his former barbaric nature to serve his god.

Despite crippling panic attacks after seeing the carnage back home, Tanin swears to track down the White Riders and rescue Memine. With Orrock’s help and the aid of two other odd companions, he may stand a chance of finding the Riders somewhere in the wilds of Kassia . . . if his guide is truly leading the way . . .

https://twitter.com/tomleveen

https://youtube.com/user/tomleveen

https://www.instagram.com/tomleveen/

Dragonwar by Mirren Hogan

In Dargyn, war is looming.

As dragonrider of Dargyn, Laynin Laithorn is treated like royalty, given the best of everything, with little but the care of her dragon to occupy her time. But she wants more.

Travin, talented bard and magic user, just wants stop singing in the town’s taverns and bond a newly hatched dragon.

News of a deadly invasion to the south shakes the Dragonhall to its foundations. It brings with it unease, and conflict between the draakin.

Their leader, Ara, is determined the dragons won’t become involved. But as war draws near, it becomes clear she might have to lead the dragons into battle.

https://www.facebook.com/MirrenHoganAuthor/

Wyvern Awakening by Joanna Mazurkiewicz

A Wyvern dragon shifter. Revenge, lies and a deadly magical challenge.

When her parents were murdered eleven years ago, leaving her physically scarred during the event, dragon shifter Astri never learned the identity of their killer. That is until he appears to her in a nightmare.

The powerful Duke Jorgen not only rules the city of Rivenna where she lives, he is also responsible for her parents’ death and for the disability she’s had to bear most of her life. When the chance arises for her to compete to become Duke’s assistant, she realises this is her opportunity for revenge.

But everything in Astri’s world comes with a price. Can she overcome her disability and make Duke pay?

http://jmazurkiewiczauthor.com