The Gypsy Chronicles

Hello all,

I have great news! I’ve finished writing and going through the first edit of Book 2 of The Gypsy Chronicles: Grave Talk!  Just one more run through and then it’s off to the publisher.

I’ve decided to use IUniverse.com again. They did a great job with Grave Robber. The process was comfortable and easy. So, unless I get an agent and publisher within the next month…..I’ll be self-publishing again. 

Book 2 was more of an arduous process than I thought it would be. I think that was because of the excitement and anticipation of having my childhood dream realized with Grave Robber. I kindof let up on the reigns with my 2nd contribution to the series. Plus, I have had some personal traumas over the last six months that have demanded my time and energy. Because of those issues, I broke the cardinal rule of writers…..I didn’t write every day. Shame on me. Remember kiddies: writers write!  If you have a story and you don’t write it down, you’re a dreamer….nothing wrong with that, unless of course you would like to be a writer!

Today, because of many factors, including a more stable personal life…I’m back on track and am making big headway to continuing the series. More on my happy personal life later….

I want to thank everyone who has urged me on. Thank you for all your support and enthusiasm of Trudi’s adventures. Writing continues to be a source of great joy for me and I’ll continue to do it as long as you continue to read.  and maybe longer! 

Cheers, Maria

Ok, I know…..I”m soo late with this list, but a girl’s busy around the holiday. Besides, you still have a week for a New Year’s gift….just to be different.

Since I”m a writer and an avid reader, I”m asked quite a bit about which books I would recommend to read and at this time of year, to give as a gift. So, I thought I would provide a list for all of you last minute shoppers or folks just looking for something new to check out. 

Here goes:

Neil Gaiman is my all-time favourite author. He has a beautiful way of painting a scene and he writes on just this side of scary, so that you aren’t sure whether to be freaked out or feel like you’re missing something. I’ve read just about everything he’s written and one is as good as the next, but if I’d had to choose, I’d say start with “Smoke & Mirrors,” his collection of short stories or “Neverwhere.” Brilliant!!

For those of you who like your horror with a bite, try Nancy A. Collins. She’s tough to find, but well worth the effort. Her specialty is werewolves….you can’t go wrong there. Mind you, she’s very descriptive and werewolves aren’t cuddly, so the gore factor is a little high. Be warned! 

If you liked the HBO series, True Blood, then you’ll love reading Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse Series. Wonderful! It’s fantasy/horror lite……kindof like the Gypsy Chronicles!

Jim Butcher’s “The Dresden Files” are fantastic! Too bad the Sci-fi series wasn’t renewed. It was awesome! Jim also writes about the Fairie World, if that strikes your fancy. 

Laurel K. Hamilton is also a great go to series. I like to read series books, because I love following characters. Her series tends toward the erotic…….fun every once in awhile.

Charlie Huston is my new favourite. He writes the best horror mystery noir out there. Plus, his writing style is different and that makes it more fun to read. 

As a writer, I’m always interested in reading how other writers go through the process of writing. The best book of this type is Stephen King’s, “On Writing.” Fantastic! King is just cool….in a creepy way. In this book, he takes you through his childhood and what made him interested in writing in the first place and why he writes about what he writes about. Totally interesting! 

As you can tell. I’m pretty partial to the fantasy/horror/mystery genre. No romances here! In fact, I don’t even know if I’ve read a romance book……unless of course you’re talking about the vampires/werewolves/human kinds. LOL!!

One other suggestion I would make is totally off the board, so go with me. I LOVE history and books about it. “Team of Rivals” is one that I would recommend and the book about the Civil War that talks about how death and those folks of that time viewed it…..sounds morbid, but it’s not. The Civil War affected our society more than we know….in many ways! 

So, there you go. I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you to get “Grave Robber” for that special someone. If you do, please let me know what you think. Always love the feedback. 

The happiest of holidays to you all! 

Cheers, Maria

Anyone who knows me, knows I love dogs. Our furry friends are such a huge part of our lives! My dog, Trudi was my sanity after a confusing divorce and move back home to Pittsburgh. She introduced me to my great friends and helped me keep physically fit with our daily walks/runs. She was my best friend, my muse. 

I’m sure that you have a Trudi of your own or know of someone who does. I’ve been trying to figure out a way to give back to the memory of Trudi through a charity. I have many ideas and I”m working through them one by one to see which is feasible. If you have any suggestions, please let me know!

In the meantime, I’m taking part in the K9 Kingdom Dog Wash a thon to benefit military working dogs this Sunday. I bought space at a table and will be selling my book, Grave Robber, with part of the proceeds going to the charity. 

Now, you may be wondering: Maria, where’s the tie between the Dog Wash a thon and the Supernatural? Well….WEREWOLVES & SHAPESHIFTERS!! of course!! 

So, tell your friends and bring your dogs! It should be a great day at K9 Kingdom!!  

and remember……books make great holiday gifts.

Cheers, Maria

The rescheduled McCandless Days went off without a hitch….except for the woman who said the rock band was too loud.  If only she would have walked outside of the building where the band was playing! Silly woman!  Other than that spoiled sport, it was a great day for the township of McCandless and for the Gypsy Chronicles. 

I had a table in the front, directly opposite the stage and took delight in all the musical performances, even the rather tame and traditional German band dancers. There was a lot of traffic at my table and many people either bought the book, signed of course, or inquired about Tarot parties. 

I found the age discrepancy of people who were interested in having their cards read, very interesting. The elderly and children alike wanted to know what their future holds. I think wanting to know what’s going to happen to you is human nature. To me, reading Tarot is like talking to a colourful friend. The cards reveal where your energy lies and what direction you could take. In the end, just like taking your friend’s advice, it is always your choice. 

The most interesting person to approach my table came in the form of a tiny girl. She was adorable. Hailey. She must have stopped by my table four times and then would run to tell her mum that she wanted to buy the book. She told me that she loved all things supernatural and assured me that she wasn’t the least bit afraid. Just thinking about her puts a smile on my face. 

When her mum finally did come to my table, I blushed. I didn’t want her to think that I had put little Hailey up to buying my book! But the mother said that that was something Hailey would do. She’s a voracious reader and she loves all things supernatural. I felt inclined to tell the mother that there are monsters in my book, specifically zombies and that zombies are monsters and they are known to eat the bits and pieces of humans. She was undeterred and Hailey smiled broadly. 

So, I signed the book and gave it to my littlest reader. 

I took a few pictures of the McAutumn Festival and when Micah and I figure out how we would like to display them, you’ll see Hailey and the other pics. I’m anxious to hear from Hailey as she promised that after reading Grave Robber, she’ll let me know what she thinks. Fun!!

My next stop will be the Borders Bookstore at Northway Mall. I’m thrilled to be there and am looking forward to seeing you!! If I miss you, please know that Grave Robber is now on the shelves of that Borders. A fact that thrills me, no end!

All for now.

Cheers, Maria

Welcome to my “reVamped” website for The Gypsy Chronicles. I’m thrilled with the new design! My goal of this website is to make it three-dimensional. So many of my readers want to know more about the characters, more back story and want to share their thoughts about The Gypsy Chronicles. My hope is that this website proves to be an interactive forum between readers and myself.

I’m still developing ideas for this site, so this will be a work in progress. That could cause me some anxiety, because I do love to get to the end of things.  …one of the reasons I could never be a car salesman…their inventory never goes down!!!…..But, I’m sure that, with your help and interaction, my anxiety will diminish and The Gypsy Chronicles website will become a living, breathing trip to the supernatural world, much like a Tarot spread. That’s what I love most about reading the Tarot! The position of the cards affects the other cards making the reading flow as if it were an entity of its own. And just like a Tarot reading, hopefully visiting this site will be a unique experience for each visitor.

I’m soo excited to bring the adventures of Trudi to you! If you have any questions, comments or contributions, please write to me. I’d love to talk to you about “all things Trudi!” I’ll be updating the website at least twice a week, plus I have some great surprises on the way! Please visit often and tell your friends!!

Thank you soo much for all your support! The response to Grave Robber has blown me away!! Book 2 of the Gypsy Chronicles is almost done and will be out by the fall!

Welcome to the Supernatural World of Miss Trudi MacKenzie!! 

Take a look around…..if you dare!