Reviews


DARK MOON
by Maggie Tideswell
About the Book
Review
Author Interview
DARK MOON
Set in the romantic city of Cape Town, Storm tries to force a proposal from Trevor, and instead, she meets Jarred. Trevor has been preparing himself for what he plans for Storm, which is not quite what she expects. When she tells Trevor that she is carrying Jarreds baby, she releases true evil in Trevor. Storm, feeling that he ruined her life, refuses to have anything to do with Jarred, but he pursues her relentlessly. Donna, Storms roommate, bears the brunt of Trevors anger. Elle, Trevors sister, a fact unknown to them, makes it her mission to catch Trevor and bring him to justice, but he draws power from her for his evil purposes. Their mother senses what Trevor is doing and she uses her considerable knowledge and experience as a witch to curtail him. For a while it works, but he soon gathers his power, which he uses to his unfair advantage on Storm. Would Sybil and her helpers get through to Storm before she makes the mistake of her life?
REVIEW of DARK MOON
by Books4Tomorrow
Yet again I was pleasantly surprised, and suitably impressed, with the writing of another South African author. Maggie Tideswell has done what only a handful of others have been able to do before her - and that is to prove that South African authors can compete on an international level with the best out there.
“Dark Moon” is a splendidly written novel which takes the reader on an unforgettable journey full of twists and turns and keeps you guessing until the end. The author introduces all the characters at the start of the book and develops their stories throughout to tie together in an explosive ending that will surprise even the most hardcore of readers. In this novel she expertly blends romance, mystery, fantasy and the occult; and explanations are given out of every angle and for every situation the characters are faced with, so that the reader isn’t left hanging at the conclusion of the story. It is clear that Ms Tideswell has thoroughly researched every element that is used to make this a great novel.
The book is written in a unique South African voice and the dialogue reflects this accordingly. I have to applaud this author for being one of few who successfully uses the more-showing-less-telling technique. Not many have mastered this.
Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Southern African landscape, any reader who hasn’t visited the country before will feel like they are taken on an explorative journey to the spectacular sights, sounds and colors of this strikingly beautiful tip of the African continent. The author doesn’t hold back on the descriptions of the characters’ surroundings and thus lets readers immerse themselves into the real-life world the story is based on.
Even though I had reservations when I started reading this novel, I am now a dedicated reader of this author’s work and am looking forward to what Maggie Tideswell will surprise us with next.

 

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INTERVIEW with author MAGGIE TIDESWELL


Q: What inspired you to write “Dark Moon”?
A: First meetings between men and women have always fascinated me. Will they only remain platonic, or might there be far reaching effects, like the chance of a long term relationship? And another theme I could not resist, are people really what they seem? One might fall in love with a person – the way he/she portrays him/herself, but is that the real person you see? So you could say that I am inspired in all my writing by relationships between men and women. What makes them notice each other in a romantic way in the first place, what keeps them together, what makes them drift apart. Fascinating stuff.
Q: How did you come up with the title?
A: Dark Moon has had many working titles, most of which I don’t remember anymore. The last one was Storm’s Choice, which came from the fact that Storm had a weighty decision to make. The title seemed apt, although it had the book sound like a soppy romance. Dark Moon is a romance, but a soppy little love story it certainly is not. Then during the edit, my editor suggested changing the title to Dark Moon, as the final scenes of the book takes place at the dark/new moon. My instant reaction was - why hadn’t I thought of that?
Q: Who designed the cover and how much input did you have regarding the design?
A:  Mark Knox of Knoxworx designed the cover and the book trailer for Dark Moon. Mark interpreted my ideas and he did a wonderful job. He is very talented. For the video I told Mark how I saw it and he told me what was doable and what not. Mark came up with a stunning cover and fantastic video that was perfect for Dark Moon.
Q: Which of your characters in “Dark Moon” are your favorite and why?
A: Jarred, without a doubt. He is the tall, dark and handsome, reliable man all women want to fall in love with. He is determined and strong and not afraid of his own emotions. The adage “men don’t cry” does not apply to Jarred.
Q: Is “Dark Moon” your first book?
A:  I have written seven complete novels, but Dark Moon is the first to be published. It took a while to find the right publisher, and I shall never look back. All Things That Matter Press is like a family and I am happy to say that my second book, titled Moragh, will be published by them as well later this year. The others will follow, hopefully one a year.
Q: What was the hardest part of writing “Dark Moon”?
A: The end, oh yes the end. It had to be right, with a combination of the witchcraft element in the book coming to a head without seeming ridiculous or like Harry Potter characters wafting wands all over the place. And the romance had to come together and still feel real.
Q: Did you learn anything from writing “Dark Moon” and what was it?
A: Yes, writing Dark Moon has taught me one valuable lesson, and that was to write what you know. If you don’t, you can get so entangled in nonsense that the story just doesn’t work. One has to write from the heart, and you as the writer, have to love the characters you create – even the baddies. If you don’t, nobody else will either.
Q: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in “Dark Moon”?
A: No, to me, Dark Moon is as close to perfect as it could be. I love it.
Q: What are your current projects?
A: I am putting the final touches to Moragh, my 2nd book to go to print, getting it ready for the editing process. My 3rd book, the working title of which is Roxanne, is needing a lot of attention and as soon as Moragh is edited and released, it will receive my full attention.
Q: Can you share a little of your current work with us?
A: Of Course. Dark Moon is a romance and it involves what I like to call a love square (as opposed to a love triangle). Storm loves Trevor, Jarred loves Storm, Elle loves Jarred, and Trevor loves nobody but himself. There are strong elements of witchcraft in the novel, but nobody can come to harm from rituals and spells as none are fully described. This is not a text book on the Craft, but a love story. It involves an unwanted pregnancy which terminates spontaneously. There are close, real friendships that carry the story, between Storm and her roommate, Donna, between Storm and Cecily, Jarred’s mother. And the reuniting of a broken family. In total, Dark Moon deals with life as we know it, here and now.
Q: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
A:  Yes, I do, and it is simple – persevere and don’t take no for an answer. If one publisher doesn’t like your work, there are many, many more who might. Don’t give up. You know the saying, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. And in this business, it is truer than most. It is not easy, but you may never give up your dream. If you do, a part of you dies.
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