Who are your favorite goddesses?

I'm having such a blast researching goddesses for my Goddess Connection series. I love setting part of my stories in The Underworld, and placing mythological figures in present-day stories.

For The Magic of Lavender, the goddess Iris was the logical choice to launch The Goddess Connection series. Little is known about Iris, but she's the messenger between this world and the next, a bridge between mortals and gods. For this reason, she's considered the goddess of the rainbow, linking the two worlds.

In Dancing with the Devil, the goddess Persephone is the grandmother of my heroine, Lily MacInnis. The name MacInnis has special meaning as well - on a trip to Ireland, my sisters discovered it means, literally, "descendant of angels." So Lily's ancestors are from opposite worlds - The Undeworld and heaven.

Researching angels was fascinating, too. I used The Dictionary of Angels to find just the perfect match for Lily - Bodiel, the Ruling Angel of the Sixth Heaven. Bodie for short.

Here's another sneak peek at Dancing With the Devil, coming March 30:

“It’s best to avoid any sort of temptation while you are there.” Especially in the form of a certain archduke. Lily’s virginity was a highly sought prize in the Underworld.

From her tender expression, he knew she understood what he meant. But other temptations might present a greater challenge. One he’d have to trust her to overcome.

He ran his hands up her arms. The way she yielded to his touch ignited a fiery passion, but he quenched it with thoughts of banishment. If his superiors stripped him of his assignment, and his position as Ruling Angel of the Sixth Heaven, Bodie would be powerless to help her in any capacity. He had to stay strong.

“Lily. I will do everything I can to ensure your safety.”

“My safety,” she repeated dully, staring at the ground, then met his gaze to ask, “What if I need more from you?”

He searched her eyes, but knew too well her meaning.

“What about after all this?” she asked.

“I don’t understand.”

“When I return from the Underworld safe and sound, but still a granddaughter of the Prince of Darkness, then what? Will I ever see you again?”

Bodie had no answer. He’d never leave her side; he never had. He’d certainly be able to see her, well enough to torture him for the rest of his existence. But would he be confined to the other realm after completing this task? “I don’t know.”

On tiptoe, she pressed closer. “Can’t you stand up for yourself?”

“Yes, of course.”

She eased down. “So you don’t want to be with me. Not the way I want to be with you.”

“I didn’t say that.” He couldn’t, without lying.

“Wow. Are you sure you’re not the Ruling Angel of Cryptic?”

Rules bound him to silence. He ached to tell her everything. “It may be one of my subtitles.” He quirked his lips, but was fairly certain it didn’t resemble the smile he intended.

“Sooo funny. You may have missed your calling as a standup comedian.”

“No, I wouldn’t be successful at it.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I don’t care what others think.”

“Obviously,” she said on a sigh.

“Except you. You know that, Lily.”

“I don’t know anything anymore.” She toed a pebble, turning to walk away, but then whirled into his arms.

He cradled her, his cheek against her hair. “It will be fine. You’ll go on this journey of self-discovery. Have a brief visit with your family in the Underworld, then realize they’re better left underground. And you’ll return to your life, surreal as it may be.” And I will return to you.

So long as he didn’t lose her to the family who wanted only to ensnare her in their web of deception.

Do you have any favorite goddesses? One you'd like to see in an upcoming Goddess Connection novel?

What do you do to treat yourself?

We women are always so busy taking care of others, we often forget to take some time for ourselves.

Courtesy of Jocelyn Gibson, the heroine in The Magic of Lavender, book one of The Goddess Connection, who prepares lavender dishes for her guests at Lavender Hill Inn, here's a great way to embrace your inner goddess. Make it a girlfriend night! Kick back and enjoy.

Lavender Margaritas

1 cup tequila 

 ½ cup blue curacao or other orange-flavored liqueur
1 cup canned coconut milk
1/3 cup lime juice
2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries
2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened blueberries
4 cups ice cubes
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon fresh or dried culinary lavender blossoms
Lime wedge
Lavender sprigs to decorate

In blender, combine tequila, curacao, coconut milk, and lime juice. Cover and turn to high speed, then gradually add raspberries, blueberries, and ice. Whirl until margarita mixture is smooth and slushy.
Put sugar and lavender blossoms in a small bowl. Rub with your fingers or mash with a spoon to release some of the lavender flavor. Rub glass rims with lime wedge to moisten. Dip rims in lavender sugar or coarse salt, coating evenly.
Pour margaritas into sugar- or salt-rimmed glasses. 

Garnish with lavender sprigs and lime wedge.

Or, for easy Lavender Margaritas, use a can of frozen margarita mix, follow the recipe on the can and add lavender!

Here's the book video for Dancing With the Devil, book 2 of The Goddess Connection, coming March 30. 

What's your favorite way to treat yourself?

Cate Masters loves romance with a dash of magic and mayhem! Multipublished in contemporary to historical, sweet to erotic, fantasy/dark fantasy to speculative, she sometimes mashes genres. Reviewers have described her stories as “so compelling, I did not want to put it down,” and “such romantic tales that really touch your soul.”

When not spending time with her family, she can be found in her lair, concocting a magical brew of contemporary, historical, and fantasy/paranormal stories with her cat Chairman Maiow and dog Lily as company. Look for her at http://catemasters.blogspot.com, and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.

Do you have The Goddess Connection?

by Cate Masters

Every woman should embrace her inner goddess! That’s the premise of The Goddess Connection series, and The Magic of Lavender, a full-length paranormal romance, kicks off the series.

I have several more novels in this series in mind to follow. In each, the heroine will be somehow connected to a goddess. Her lifelong quirks will become strengths once she finds her true place in the world, and accepts herself for who she really is.

In The Magic of Lavender, Joss is related to the goddess Iris. Many figures from Greek mythology appear in this story. I'm a research nut, and love to incorporate cool myths and legends.

Why select an obscure goddess like Iris? As it turns out, she’s actually the perfect one to begin this series. As the Goddess of the Rainbow, Iris connects the gods to humans, and the otherworld to this world. She’s also called the Messenger of the Gods, and can travel at the speed of wind anywhere in the world, or beyond. So my subconscious must have been working overtime – sometimes it knows best!

Iris also has some cool goddess connections herself – her mother’s Electra, the ocean nymph, and her father is the Titan named Thaumaus, whose mother is Gaia, or mother Earth. This is an important link to the story line, because the heroine buys an old bed and breakfast which happens to sit atop ley lines, which convey powerful energy.

In ancient times, some believed ley lines held spiritual power. Many people today still seek out the positive energies from ley lines such as those in Sedona, Arizona, or the Great Pyramid at Giza, Nazca in Peru, or Stonehenge.

So you can see why it might cause a conflict with the Underworld if the relation of a goddess moved to such a spot. Poor Joss has no idea what she’s gotten herself into! All she wants is to fill in the void left when her husband died, and grow lavender to flavor special dishes at the inn.

Joss also doesn’t realize that planting lavender will draw the fae. Lavender also has many interesting legends. Throughout history, lavender has been used to protect against evil, to heal (doctors used it during World War I to disinfect walls and floors), and to help calm and soothe people’s troubled minds. In Ireland, brides used to braid lavender in their hair to retain their sacred power, and used it as an aphrodisiac. So if you need a little boost to your love life, or in your own sacred power, plant some lavender. *grins*

And, like at the fictional Lavender Hill Inn, people cook with lavender. Here’s a taste of one of Joss’s offerings at the inn:

Lavender Lemonade

Ingredients

3 cups sugar

7 sprigs lavender (stems and buds), plus additional for garnish*

2 cups fresh lemon juice (from about 12 lemons)

1/2 cup fresh lime juice (from about 5 limes)

Directions:
In a large saucepan, bring one gallon of water and the sugar to a boil. Remove from heat; add 7 lavender sprigs and lemon and lime juices. Cool to room temperature, strain, and chill. Serve on ice, with additional lavender for garnish.
* If unavailable, substitute fresh basil or lemon thyme.

Blurb:

Jocelyn Gibson forgot about the realm of magic. But it never forgot her. Gram always told her: don’t ignore your magical gifts, it will insult the family. But Joss didn’t realize her gifts included channeling the energy of powerful ley lines. Or that her family included a goddess. Family connections come in handy when the Lord of the Underworld kidnaps local vet Eric Hendricks. He’s an amazing lover, but Joss didn’t know she loved him until too late. With a little help from the Goddess Iris, Joss defends the new life she’s forged, and helps save the town of Boiling Springs from destruction. Once Eric escapes Hell, can she stop loving him to keep him safe? 

You can read the excerpt, see the book trailer, Casting Call (who I envisionedin these roles, a very fun blog series I started), and read the first chapter ofThe Magic of Lavender on my blog. 

Giveaway!

I’d love to give an ebook of The Magic of Lavender to a commenter. I’ll leave the giveaway open until this weekend and select a winner at random on Saturday. Be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you!

Thanks so much for reading! Always remember to treat yourself like a goddess! And now it's easy to get the Goddess Connection –The Magic of Lavender is available at Amazon and Smashwords