Janina Grey shares the journey she took in writing her book, Love in the Forest.

I’m so grateful to Author’s Lounge for allowing me to share my life and writing with your readers. 

LIFE IS FOR LIVING/Earth and Sky Series Book 2, is the follow-up Contemporary Romance to LOVE IN THE FOREST. These glimpse into the lives of Pagan healers in Upstate New York, at a retreat called Earth and Sky. The very accomplished members of the Earth and Sky team of counselors and therapists are featured in this three-book series. The books invite readers to get to know a way of life few understand-let alone experience.

Barefoot Dan Cameron (whom we met in LOVE IN THE FOREST) shares his story in LIFE IS FOR LIVING. He’s the free-spirited barefoot Pagan who drums (and flirts) his way through life. He lost his heart to a one-night stand he thought was his soulmate. Dan soon discovers the Universe has other plans for him, with bachelorhood not even a consideration.

About Love in the Forest

Purple-haired Jayde MacMannan had no idea her coming out of the broom closet debut would land her into the arms of a major Pagan player who knew exactly how to sweep her off her feet and into his sleeping bag at her very first Beltane Celebration. Determined not to get her heart broken, Jayde slips out of Dan’s tent and life. She does this before the sun even has a chance to crest the distant mountainside the following morning.

Four years and two toddler twins later, Single Mom Jayde is back in the broom closet. She’s alienated from her family, struggling to make ends meet, but happier than she’s ever been. Pim and Cori, her two besties—who helped her through her pregnancy, delivery, and the last four years since they met in Lamaze Class—are her chosen family, despite them constantly nagging her to find a man and settle down.

The only thing missing is the twins’ dad, and this tugs at Jayde’s heart daily. But this changes when she and the kids literally bump into him one day while taking lunch. Jayde, sporting long brown locks that replaced her short pixie purple haircut four years prior, recognizes Dan immediately. But he has no clue she is the beloved “Lilac Locks” he’s been pining for the last four years. Petrified she may have to share her children, Jayde opts to remain silent, pretending not to recognize the father of her twins, Daphne and Dylan.

The Series

This whole series practically wrote itself, and I love every one of the characters as if they were my very best friends. Both LOVE IN THE FOREST and LIFE IS FOR LIVING are about finding yourself and embracing your own empowerment while trying to balance that with love and commitment and the crazy fireballs Life throws at you. Yet, it’s so much more. Even though its fiction, the life glimpses are educational, and I’ve even included a glossary of terms at the end of the book.

Sure, it talks about witches and moonlit rituals and communicating with dead people, but other than that, the main characters all live pretty normal lives. And that concept comes straight out of my own life, where 18 years ago I came ‘out of the broom closet’ and outed my very Pagan and witchy lifestyle. Since then I’ve been living life as a witch, helping others heal, while loving life with every breath I take. When I’m not stirring my cauldron or typing at my desktop, by day I’m helping all genders heal from the devastating trauma of domestic violence and sexual abuse as an advocate, counselor, and support group coordinator.

In this sweet but steamy romance, along with telling a sizzling and satisfying love story about learning accountability and how to trust, I share what life Is really like (for me, anyway) being a witch and Pagan.

Where Can I Find Them?

While LIFE IS FOR LIVING is set for an April 27 release day, you don’t have to wait that long to meet everyone. Get over to amazon.com today and pick up LOVE IN THE FOREST/Earth and Sky series Book One.

Later this year, look for the release of Book 3 – LOST IN YOUR RHYTHM. Here you’ll meet Jack and Liza as they join Brooke and Josh from Book One and Dan and Jayde from Book Two, in the newly blossoming Pagan community called Demilune. Demilune is a fictitious town fashioned after Halfmoon, New York.

I’m not sure if I will stop the series at three books, or continue on telling everyone’s stories. All I do know is that I hope that readers both Pagan and non-Pagan fall in love with everyone, and at the same time learn the difference between real witches and Pagans and those they’ve met via Hollywood. People who loved Charmed, Twilight, and contemporary romances with a very slight paranormal twist, will not be disappointed.

Spoiler Alert: I’m sorry but none of my characters slay demons, sacrifice babies, or shoot fire from their fingertips.

Thank you, everyone at Authors’ Lounge, for giving me the honor and opportunity to share great news about my upcoming April 27 release date.

If you’d like to read any of my books, you can find me at amazon.com at amazon.com/Love-Forest-Earth-Sky-Book-ebook/dp/B09233R53Q

If you want to reach out and say hi, you can find me at:

Website: www.janinagrey.com

Facebook: facebook.com/janinagrey

Goodreads: goodreads.com/author/show/18967836.Janina_Grey

Instagram: @janinagreyauthor

Twitter: @janina_grey

Bookbub.com: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/janina-grey