Kailyn Wilde first appeared in Magick & Mayhem and one of the best ways to learn about a person is by asking questions, so let’s get to know Kailyn.

Hi Dru,

Thanks for asking me to do this interview.

My name is Kailyn Wilde. I’m just shy of thirty, a fact I find startling. I’m the proprietor of Abracadabra, a unique shop that’s been in my family for generations. I sell all natural potions and lotions, creams and unguents from ancient recipes my mother and grandmother handed down before their abrupt and untimely passing. Just between you and me, the secret ingredient that elevates my products above all others is magick. I also sell magick spells – only white magick of course. My family never dabbled in any other kind. To sum it up, I come from a long line of sorcerers, although we never use that word outside the family. The Salem Witch Trials are never far from our minds.

The man in my life is Travis Anderson, local reporter and TV news anchor. We met when he came into my shop to buy some things at his mother’s request. Apparently her friends had purchased my products and raved about them. It was obvious from our first meeting that Travis considered magick to be utter nonsense. As you can imagine, we didn’t exactly get off on the right foot.

Although I have no children at present, I do want to have one or more – at the very least, a daughter. The magick in my family is genetic and passed down only through the women. If I fail to have a daughter, the magick of the Wildes will die with me. We had hoped my mother’s sister Matilda would have children, but it wasn’t meant to be. I’ve always loved my dear, silly aunt Tilly and I’m grateful for her presence in my life. With my mother and grandmother gone, she’s my only living relative.

Since graduating college my best friend has been Elise Harkens. She’s older than I am and believe it or not was once my babysitter. I went on to babysit her two little boys. Our relationship evolved into a deep bond of friendship once I became an adult.

Sashkatu would take strong exception to being called my pet. He was my mother’s familiar who inherited me through no wish of his own. He is getting up there in years, even for a cat and has a grumpy, often arrogant demeanor. But I love him. He is not just a family member; he is CEO of my house and shop.

My family has lived in Upstate New York since the seventeenth century. Over time the little town of New Camel grew up around the shop. The town has come a long way over the years and is now a charming tourist destination with old fashioned shops selling a wide variety of goods and crafts.

I live in the same house where I grew up, a Victorian dating back more than a hundred years. It was built to replace the small, original house built by my ancestors on the same site. I can’t imagine picking one favorite spot in the house. Every room holds wonderful memories of my mother and grandmother and the love with which they raised me.

My favorite meal is pretty much anything my aunt Tilly fixes. Her talent in the kitchen is another form of magick. If I have to fend for myself, I eat whatever is in the fridge or do take-out, my favorite is pizza!

My aunt is also an outstanding pastry chef. She spoils me with my favorite Linzer Tarts.

Investigating murders has quickly become my favorite hobby.

My favorite color depends on the item in question, but in general I love red.

There are too many wonderful authors to have just one favorite. When I was a child it was easier to pick – Carolyn Keene’s Nancy Drew.

I don’t travel much. My recent trip to Maine was as far from home as I’ve ever been. I have so many responsibilities right here in New Camel, running my shop, keeping an eye on my aunt Tilly and the unpredictable Merlin – yes that Merlin.

My favorite sports team is the NY Yankees, but I don’t follow sports a lot.

Movies or live theater? I love both, but movies are usually more accessible where I live.

I’ve always been a morning person.

I’m an amateur sleuth. My sidekick is either my guy, Travis, my best friend Elise, my aunt Tilly, or even Merlin.

On a typical day, I feed and care for Sashkatu and the five other cats my mom had summoned in a futile effort to fix whatever was going wrong with our magick. When the would-be familiars are settled, Sashkatu and I open the shop and get to work. My day often involves extricating Merlin from an impossible situation, and with the recent spike in the New Camel murder rate, I make time to pursue my investigation. And if I’m lucky, I get to see Travis.

Giveaway: Leave a comment below for your chance to win one (1) digital copy (Kindle or Nook) of This Magick Marmot. Contest ends April 11, 2020. Good luck everyone!

This Magick Marmot is the fifth book in the “Abracadabra” cozy mystery series, released April 7, 2020.

A fatal case of school spirit . . .

Kailyn Wilde, owner of the Abracadabra potion shop, feels some dread anticipating her ten-year high school reunion at the new hotel in New Camel—but it turns out even worse than she feared. Running into her very first boyfriend is pleasant enough. Chatting with Ashley—who still can’t let go of a tragedy that happened on prom night—is a bit more uncomfortable. But the worst part comes when one of Kailyn’s oldest friends is found dead in the ladies’ room.

Soon this upstate New York town is in an uproar. And with some help from time-traveling wizard Merlin—who has adopted an unusual and alluring creature as his familiar—it’s up to Kailyn to identify the alumnus most likely to commit murder . . .

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About the author
Sharon describes her writing career as having two stages. Back in the dark ages, before computers were in every household, she had three paranormal books published. The first one was condensed by Redbook Magazine, the first paperback original they had ever condensed. Around the same time, Redbook published her first short story.

Then life brought her an unexpected challenge that went by the name of breast cancer. When her treatment was over, she became a volunteer for the American Cancer Society’s Reach to Recovery Program and went on to be the program’s coordinator for Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island. Several years later, with the help of her surgical oncologist and two other survivors, she started her own not-for-profit organization to provide information and peer support to newly diagnosed breast cancer patients.

Once the organization was running smoothly and didn’t require as much of her time, she returned to her first love – writing. During this second stage of her career, she’s been writing cozy mysteries with a paranormal twist and a splash of humor. Visit Sharon at sharonpape.com.

All comments are welcomed.