Red Tash

A short non-fiction book about an accidental kitchen witch and the "spells" she has concocted for her life at home! His face was red, his mouth a sneer. I don't remember specifically what the fight was about, but I do remember one thing he said. Angry, grounded, and lashing out, my son reached deep into his bag of insults and produced: “You're a witch, Mom!” A look of triumph twinkled in his eye. What a sick burn. I was supposed to be hurt, I'm sure. Instead, I laughed. “You're going to have to try harder than that.” As he seethed, I tried not to smile. “A witch is a wise woman. She's crafty and learned. She's seen a lot of things, and not much scares her. Yes, son. Your mom is definitely a witch.” I never thought I'd say that. Ever. "What a wonderful book! Between the recommendations, the recipes, the advice, and the laughs, MY LIFE AS A KITCHEN WITCH left me magically refreshed. If you need to show your self some care without neglecting you responsibilities and loved ones, you need this book." ~ reviewer Marian A. "Creative and insightful. A fantastic reminder to not be so hard on myself while still striving for unlimited potential. Can't wait to try the spells. Especially Bacon Love Spell." ~ reviewer Michelle F.

My Life as a Kitchen Witch

In Troll Or Derby, fifteen-year-old Roller Deb is singled out by town bullies for both her skates, and for being different. When her popular homecoming queen of a sister is kidnapped by a scuzzy drug dealer, Deb must flee the trailer park in which she's grown up, and rescue her. Along the way, Deb becomes enmeshed in the magical realm of trolls and fairies, and the blood-thirsty version of roller derby at which these beings excel. But spending too much time among the fairies comes with a price. Will Deb choose to save her sister, with the aid of a mysterious troll? Or will she be lost to the lures of roller derby, and this magical new realm, forever? Jacket copy: "Red Tash delivers again with this tale of rockin', rollin' and full metal fantasy! I love this damn book." ~Axel Howerton, author of Living Dead at Zigfreidt & Roy "You'll quickly become engrossed by Deb and Harlow's story. Once you start, it's hard to put Troll Or Derby down. At 262 pages in the paperback edition, it's the perfect length for an afternoon of summer reading. If you're down for roller derby, fantasy, action, and a cast of completely insane characters (in a good way), you should definitely read Troll Or Derby." ~Captain Painway, LikeItDerby.com "This book has it all. Prophecies. Destinies. Royalty, trust, revenge. Sex, drugs, and rock and roll are doused in humor and lit ablaze with quirky snark. I blew through this book incredibly fast because I couldn't put it down. If you want a solid, fun read, then pick up Red Tash's Troll or Derby." ~Mercedes Yardley, Shock Totem "Roller Deb is a sexy ass-kicking heroine and I can't help but adore the chick! All that unleashed power is both scary and fascinating, it feels like staring into the sun. And Harlow, with his swoon-worthy name, is the kind of troll you want to fall in love with. Overall the story is crazy exciting and so fast paced you'll just keep on flipping the pages." ~ Braine of TalkingSupe.com Book Reviews Debra Wheeler seems like any other high school reject: at fifteen, she's more into roller skating than boys, and Mom plays favorites with big sister Gennifer, the homecoming princess. With little to love in ultra-rural Bedrock, Indiana, Deb's counting down the days until she can skate away to join the roller derby. When Gennifer is kidnapped, Mom's breakdown forces Deb to take charge. With no clue where to start and thugs on her tail, she turns to the only adult who has ever helped her out in a jam: Coach, the owner of the skating rink. So what if he has tusks and might be a troll? Coach gives her a pair of magical skates and sends her off into a world that reveals a magical, if somewhat sinister, nature. Deb soon discovers that beneath the "glamours" of everyday life flit a million fantastical stories--and her own might be the juiciest gossip in town. The Midwestern lifestyle every teenager loves to hate is turned inside out as Deb careens through Rumspringa, biker gangs, flea markets and tractor pulls--all teeming with fae. The valiant troll Harlow tries to intervene before Deb strays from her mission into romance and roller derby, but will they join forces to save Gennifer, or be lost to this strange new realm, forever? Readers will find Deb a smart and witty narrator who--like them--says the wrong thing, wishes she could be someone else, and falls for the wrong person. They'll be drawn in by a girl who is independent and street smart, and they'll fall for her destined BFF, the whimsical troll loner who guides them through this quirky dark fantasy romp.

A Fairy Wicked Tale

Troll Or Derby

A brooding monster. A quirky professor. A small Indiana town with a soul of its own. Imagine if the writers of Northern Exposure sat down with Stephen King and decided to craft a dark fantasy thriller starring absent-minded academians, everyday goofballs, and a dark fantasy creature for good measure. Pondering big picture questions like "Why am I here?" and "Does Love Conquer All?" has never been so fun. That's THIS BRILLIANT DARKNESS, the top-rated dark fantasy debut novel by the author of TROLL OR DERBY, Red Tash. Nothing is as it seems to be, and no one behaves in ways characters are "supposed" to act. How will it end? It's anyone's guess, in a book that keeps you turning pages, racing to find out what will happen next. Christine Grace finds her predictable scholarly life comforting, if a bit boring. Her live-in boyfriend presses her for marriage, but she's too philosophically inclined to take an interest. So, really, why does she suddenly start imagining things in the window's reflection? Is time truly starting and stopping all around her, or is she inexplicably cracking up? Greachin is an age-old being so tortured by his own karmic cycle that he no longer knows how to connect, except to identify potential threats through the cosmic ripples of space. When he zeroes in on Christine Grace, he experiences second thoughts for the first time in millenia. Will he go through with his grisly plan of murder and destruction? And what of these other characters--an aging physicist of ill-repute, a stubborn monk who takes his vow of silence too far, and a time-shifting star visible only from Bloomington? What a tangled web we weave, when monsters practice to deceive. Dive into This Brilliant Darkness, and follow the journeys of these characters, from Britain to the Heartland, from January's snowfall to Halloween's costumed festivities. THIS BRILLIANT DARKNESS is a smart, karmic mystery populated by lovable brainy characters. Climb on, strap in, and hold tight. Readers are saying: "This is a fast-paced, exciting book that keeps you guessing until the very end. With an eclectic cast of characters, time travel and a karmic mystery, how can you go wrong?" ~Zombie Bedtime Stories author Thea Gregory "By midnight, I had not put the book down, and had no intention of putting it down. At 12:15am, my fourteen-year-old son stumbled out to get a drink of water. "You're still up?" he asked. "Go to bed." I looked up from my Nook, smiled, and said, "Not on your life, dude. Not until this ends." ~Librarian Amy Marshall "The way the author weaves fantasy, humor, science fiction, and mystery is, for lack of a better word, brilliant. I read the entire thing with admiration/envy, taking notes and thinking 'THIS is how you write a novel.' Remember when Scream blew the horror world away by actually using technology in a realistic way? Well here's blogging and online forums and long distance cyber friendships, honestly depicting the way we live in the 21st century." ~Poet Christina Grey AN OFFICIAL JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB MUST READ "The atmosphere of this book, so hard to simply label horror or paranormal...how about simply...A GREAT READ, is the true star. Ms. Tash so finely weaves a path of intrigue, terror, humor and suspense, that the reader is taken with each character, so very finely drawn. THIS BRILLIANT DARKNESS is that rare book that one truly does not want to end!! When it does...next question is 'What else by Red Tash can I get my hands on? QUICK!!!'"~ Rick Friedman

A Dark Contemporary Fantasy

This Brilliant Darkness

Miss Fitz at Midlife! Melissa Fitzpatrick (aka Miss Fitz) is a blissfully married mother of four living happily ever after in a cozy-yet-bustling tourist village in picturesque Brown County, Indiana. Between juggling the needs of her family and a part-time writing gig, she soaks in quality girl time with her besties, aiding them in the running of their side-by-side popular coffee shop and handmade soap boutiques. Missy simply adores animals of all shapes and sizes, and they love her right back--from the strays she collects at her home, to the black cat in town who seems to read her thoughts. Pleasantly plump and practically invisible in her mom attire and minivan, Miss Fitz revels in her Hallmark Channel-ready life--that is, until a tycoon of local business sends his vehicle careening through a wrought iron fence into the well-manicured flower beds of the shopping center, thrusting a group of coffee shop regulars into harm's way. Reacting instinctively, Missy throws her large quilted handbag at the truck--only to find that sometimes a purse is more than a purse, and her two besties are into more than just tarot cards and Stevie Nicks. It's not long before Miss Fitz finds herself in the center of a murder investigation, discovering there's more to midlife than menopause. Are you ready to come out of the broom closet with Miss Fitz at midlife? Who better to play detective than a well-read, wise-cracking woman finding her power in her forties? A tale of friendship and love, MISS FITZ DISCOVERS MIDLIFE MAGIC is a cozy mystery by Red Tash that will have you laughing as you discover along with Miss Fitz and friends that midlife can be truly magical. "I loved this book. Melissa Fitzpatrick (Miss Fitz) is a sleuth I can relate to and root for. Her world is both perfectly plain and transcendently whimsical; love, family, and friendship are rock-solid, yet wreathed in tendrils of fantasy as light as air. And there are recipes, because Miss Fitz rocks in the kitchen, just like her creator, Red Tash. In short: read this charming mystery, try a recipe or two, and join me in happy anticipation of more books in the series." ~Emma Jameson, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author "A magical, midlife mystery with a touch of whimsy. Can't wait for the next Miss Fitz adventure!" ~Shéa MacLeod, author of Lifestyles of the Witch and Ageless, Season of the Witch series of Paranormal Women's Fiction Cozy Mysteries "Miss Fitz and friends are a kind of found family--and they know how to throw a great girl's night out! I wish I could live in their town and have coffee with them at Bethany's Brews." ~Reviewer A. Channing "These characters are like the women from Practical Magic, if they were on the Hallmark Channel--but funnier, and smarter. I wish I had Missy's purse!" ~Reviewer S. A. James Includes recipes, talking cats, wildflowers, and a few choice words. This is a Paranormal Women's Fiction Cozy Mystery, where mature women not only deal with aging and chronic illness, but sometimes say naughty words and drink midnight margaritas as they sleuth their way to hidden truths. Good witching fun, with a sidecar of the supernatural.

A Paranormal Women's Fiction Cozy Mystery

Miss Fitz Discovers Midlife Magic

The Wizard Takes a Holiday is a flash fiction humorous rural fantasy of about 1500 words, by Red Tash. Originally meant as a one-off, it has since inspired six other Wizard Tales, each growing significantly longer as readers demand to know more about this mysterious character & the hidden world he roams, so like our own.

a very short story

The Wizard Takes a Holiday

Marian Allen

Jessica McHugh

Claudia Lefeve

Jack Wallen

Axel Howerton

Tim Tash

T. Lee Harris

Connie Roberts-Huth

Mercedes Yardley

With a range of holiday tales tying into a variety of imaginative fictional worlds, you'll rediscover favorite characters, and meet a host of new ones in this fantastic holiday mix. It's snow trouble, just skate away into stories born of: Troll Or Derby by Red Tash, I Zombie I by Jack Wallen, Rabbits in the Garden by Jessica McHugh, Hot Sinatra by Axel Howerton, Tales of Haydon by Tim Tash, Parallel by Claudia Lefeve, Force of Habit by Marian Allen, and many more!

A speculative fiction holiday anthology

Let it Snow! Season's Readings for a Super-Cool Yule!

Five short stories: The Wizard Takes a Holiday is a flash fiction humorous rural fantasy of about 1500 words. The Wizard Takes a Fitness Class: A wandering wizard with regrets on his mind finds himself in a dance-off against an old enemy. About 5600 words Lucian's First Trick is the story of a young man's last night in the childhood realm of his mundane life. Sometimes when you say “Trick or Treat,” you get what you ask for. Originally published in Sirens Call Issue #5, October 2012. Approximately 3500 words. The Wizard Takes the Cake: The mysterious Wizard takes a student as his “+1” to the wedding of an old friend in this episode of the Wizard Tales, the longest yet. About 10,000 words A Laurents County Landfill Christmas: The Wizard bookends this fantastical tale from ruralfab Indiana. Starring the characters of Troll Or Derby. Originally published as part of the Let It Snow! Season's Readings for a Super-Cool Yule collection. About 6500 words These humorous, off-beat, philosophical contemporary fantasy stories are appropriate & safe for readers of all ages.

Red Tash

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