Three Wishes Book Premise:
Do you believe in magic?
Abigail O’Malley’s world turns upside down when a rival Irishman threatens to take her bar, an historic Savannah landmark, mere days before the start of the annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
When she captures a leprechaun, her three wishes include his gold, fairy magic, and the mystery of her One True Love.
Will Michael McKnight have time to prove he’s up to the task of granting all her wishes before the bad guys close in and destroy Abby’s dreams forever?
Blurb:
“Abigail O’Malley wants to find true love…which is about as easy as catching a leprechaun.”
BOOK BUY LINKS:
Boroughs Publishing Group Book
Excerpt #1:
Abigail O’Malley wants to find true love…which is about as easy as catching a leprechaun.
The afternoon had gotten away from her and twilight loomed, so Abby took the charms and strode across the yard to the old oak. Her imagination ran wild with thoughts of fairies dancing in the wooded area, fireflies though they might have been. She longed to see them again, longed for a time when she had the unfettered mind of child, when her world revolved around her parents, when she was safe and loved, and happy.
She approached the old live oak and placed the miniature fairy door at the base of the tree, just so. Next she settled one of the delicate little chairs beside it. Now the bench, and the remaining two chairs belong on the other side, on the old rock. She walked around the tree, set up the fancy little charms in an inviting arrangement, squeezed her eyes shut and asked a mighty question of the universe and whatever power imagination truly held within the world. She asked for hope, peace, and some way to solve this mess with her father’s bar.
“Please, little fairies, I need all the luck you can lend me today. I’m inviting you back to play. Please come back home and show me what to do.”
A mighty wind kicked up and swirled through the branches of the grand old oak, fluttering her hair with its force. Abby opened her eyes then frowned, surprised. Clearly, the stress of it all had finally taken its toll. The fairy charms vibrated and glowed with brilliant color, and a leprechaun dressed in a Kelly green suit, with a top hat and pointed shoes, stood waiting on the other side of the tree. A radiant smile lit his face.
Abby gasped, stepped back, and scurried around the oak toward the safety of the house. Then she shrieked. Her world closed in around her. Her heart hitched and her brain screamed foul. Her knees chose that moment to give way, and she collapsed into a heap at the base of the tree.
(keep reading for more!)
Author’s Bio
Paula Millhouse grew up in Savannah, Georgia where Spanish moss whispers tales in breezes from the Atlantic Ocean, and the Intracoastal Waterway. As a child Paula soaked in the sunshine and heritage of cobblestones, pirate lore, and stories steeped in savory mysteries of the south. She’s a member of Romance Writers of America, the Fantasy, Futuristic, & Paranormal chapter, the Mystery/Suspense chapter (Kiss of Death), and a member of Savvy Authors.
In the southern tradition of storytellers, she loves sharing the lives of her characters with readers, and following her muse on the quest for happily-ever-afters in thrilling romantic fiction.
She lives with her husband at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains with their pack and pride of furry babies.
AUTHOR LINKS/Social Media:
Website/Blog Address: http://www.paulamillhouse.com
Twitter Address: https://twitter.com/@pmillhouse
Facebook Address: http://www.facebook.com/authorpaula.millhouse
Boroughs Publishing Group Book site: http://boroughspublishinggroup.com/books/three-wishes
Excerpt #2
Michael McKnight heard Abby’s plea, felt the waves of magic radiating out to him from the fairy charms she’d acquired, and the instant she asked and put that door at the base of the grand live oak he bent time and space to get to her. Banished for the last ten years for the misuse of his magic—and for hoarding gold—he had spent a life apart from her, one that had literally been a living hell.
But I’ve paid my debt, and nothing will keep me from her now.
She rounded the tree, screamed, and dropped in her tracks.
Panic seized him. He tossed away his tiny green hat and dove for her, catching her head in his small arms before she hit the dirt. She’d crashed. Totally passed out. Dusted the fallen leaves with her golden-red locks. Good God, she’s not breathing!
“Abby? Abby! Wake up, Abby!” His frantic voice filled the woods. He’d scared the precious thing to death. “What have I done? Damn it, Abby, don’t do this to me! Come on, sweetheart, wake up!” No. He couldn’t lose her now that she’d called for him. “Please! Abby, come back to me!”
Getting caught by a human was end-game for any leprechaun, but Michael wanted her to catch him. He’d loved her since they were children, and sometimes he thought he’d dreamed her into life. She’d never recognize him now—penance for his sins included the curse of living in this ridiculously tiny body with the green felt hat and shoes. But he didn’t care. Whatever she needed, he’d be sure to see she got. If he could. There were limits to magic, of course.
Excerpt #3:
“For the love of God, you’re a leprechaun!”
Folklore about these little men swam in Abby’s clouded head as she reared up, the creature’s lapels in her grasp. Leprechauns were a sort of fairy without wings. But also… “Gold! Good God! Leprechauns are magic fairies who own gold!”
He narrowed his eyes. “That’s the best you can do?”
“What?” She couldn’t believe she’d caught him.
“Gold. That’s all you got? Is that the only thing you know about us?”
Abby cocked her head but didn’t take her eyes or hands off the creature. Weren’t they supposed to be ugly little old men with canes and a penchant for evil? She moved in closer and inspected him. Definitely not ugly. Handsome, in a way, if a good deal smaller than herself. He looked about four feet tall. More like a dwarf.
A smile lit her eyes. “You’re tall for a leprechaun.”
He leered at her. “Let me introduce myself. My name is Michael McKnight…the Tall.” He winked.
The bitterness in his comment surprised her. Leprechauns were apparently sensitive about their size. Who knew?
She opened her mouth to speak but found herself mute. Michael McKnight didn’t look old, maybe in his late twenties. He had green eyes that sparkled with a color she’d seen somewhere before—maybe in the depths of the ocean? Almost turquoise, with flecks of gold, they drew her in. His hair hung long, a shock of red-blonde locks like hers. Coarse, untamable and thick… She reached out and touched it, curious about the texture. He tried to pull away, his eyes wide, and under her hands firm muscles rippled. She blinked her eyes to clear them while her tummy responded with a strange flutter. Was that attraction? Her leprechaun was buff. Weird.
She shook her head to clear her thoughts and stared into the ocean of Michael’s eyes for a second too long. His expression softened and he drew in a breath, flaring his nostrils. Then he put his hand on her arm and tried to wiggle free. “Not so tight.”
Her heart pounded in her chest. “You owe me three wishes.”
His mouth fell open, and an expression of annoyance clouded his face. “Let me guess. You want my pot of gold.”
A smile pulled at the edges of her lips. Was that what everyone who caught a leprechaun wished for? It would certainly solve a lot of her problems.
He drew in another sigh and searched the far-off woods with his eyes. “Go ahead. Ask away.” The resignation in his voice only spiked her curiosity.
“It’s true, I need money. I…I…”
He leaned closer and peered into her eyes. “Go on, Abby.”
She knitted her brows and chewed on her bottom lip. “How do you know my name?”
His expression brightened considerably. “Is that one of your wishes? To know how I know your name?”
Curiosity flared, but she held her tongue. He seemed to want to tell her, but panic raced through Abby’s mind and she shook her head. Just state your three wishes. They’re known for their trickery. She refused to let him cheat her out of what she really needed.
“State them.”
“Huh?”
He averted his eyes. “Your wishes. Let’s get this over with, shall we?” Disappointment resonated in his voice.
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So tell me? What would you wish for?
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