Tuesday's Special Is...Rowan of the Wood!

ROWAN OF THE WOOD by Christine Rose

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After a millennium of imprisonment in his magic wand, an ancient wizard possesses the young boy who released him. When danger is nigh, he emerges from the frightened child to set things right. Both he and the boy try to grasp what has happened to them only to discover a deeper problem. Somehow the wizard’s bride from the ancient past has survived and become something evil. (National Best Books 2008 Awards Finalist.)



Christine Rose…. author, artist, filmmaker, gypsy, dreamer, & feral hippie… is an entrepreneur at heart. Often described as a “free spirit” she is believed to have gypsy blood running through her veins, which explains why she moves around so much. (Although some claim that she has ants in her pants.)

Christine produced two documentary films and has credits on IMDB.com. The first film enjoyed a theatrical premiere in Paris and a considerable amount of international press. She also planned and executed a 40-US city promotional tour for it. She has had articles appear in several magazines, including MovieMaker Magazine and IndieSlate Magazine discussing her career as an independent filmmaker.

Excerpt from ROWAN OF THE WOOD:

Cullen's eyes filled with tears. He covered his mouth to stop himself from crying out. He flattened himself up against the wall of the stall and pinched his eyes shut tight. He heard a scream and he crouched down, grasping his ears, trying not to hear the ordeal outside the stall.

"Oh, the wittle giwl is scared!" Rex chided. He jerked her up roughly then grabbed her cane from her and began tapping her with it from behind. She turned toward each tap until she looked like a dog chasing his own tail. They taunted her, laughing and passing the cane around. Fred turned the water on in the nearest sink and began throwing it at her, splashing her. Each time she tried to run, they pushed her back into the center of their gibes.

Cullen trembled, crouched in the back corner of the stall between the toilet and the wall—terrified; and he hated himself for it. Dangerous brutes tormented his best friend in the world, and he had precious few friends, but he lacked the courage to help her. What of all those glorious dreams where he, as her noble knight, rescued her from goblins and demons to earn her undying gratitude? Some knight he turned out to be, cowering in the corner of a toilet. Ms. MacFey would be so disappointed in him. He hated himself and cried. His fear felt as if it would burst through his skin, and then the nausea came.

A sharp pain filled his chest, and he couldn't catch his breath. At first, he thought it was the pain of his heart breaking, but as he grabbed at it, a light began to shine forth from under his shirt and between his fingers. He fell back against the toilet in pain, yelling and ripping his shirt open. The tree on his sternum glowed brightly.

Rex froze at the commotion from within the stall. His cronies stopped as well.

"What the...? Who's there?"

They heard agonizing sounds of pain emerge from the closed stall door. Beams of light emanated from under and around the door in rays of brilliance.

Rex started to get nervous at the strange sight and sounds. He turned back to his followers and said, "C'mon, let's go."

The walls of the stall began to vibrate and then to shake violently. The bullies began to back slowly towards the door, unable to tear their eyes from the trembling walls. The stall door burst open. Rex and his companions gaped dumbly as a grown man of about forty stepped out. He held a knobby wand in his hand. He stood six feet tall, dressed in a deep forest-green ceremonial robe. His blue eyes gleamed in anger at what the boys had done to April. His hair was red, not a suggestion of red like Todd’s buzz cut, but a full-blown, deep red. A short beard hugged his chiseled jaw, taut with rage. He stood in front of the decimated stall door, taking in the scene before him.

When Rex saw the wizard, he burst out in fake laughter, trying to salvage his courage with false bravado.

"Dude, the D&D convention was so last decade," Rex mocked with a flap of his wrist. Turning back to the boys he said, "Take care of this fag."

Fred and Todd hesitantly moved toward the man, while Rex and Scott turned once again to April. Scott grabbed her again to continue their torment. Both of their backs were to the wizard.

"Luchan!" breathed the man and gave a swipe of his wand. Fred and Todd unexpectedly found themselves much smaller and furrier, with a strange desire for cheese.

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