FEATURED AUTHOR: JUDY SERRANO

ABOUT THE BOOK

Moving to Sedona was the only way Ivy could think of to start over. She would meet her high school sweetheart and work on making things right between them. Her psychic abilities were gradually becoming a curse and she needed a new start. Little does she know that when she applies for a waitressing job at a local, upscale French bistro, she will come in contact with the dark and mysterious Eli Dubois. What she doesn’t realize is she has just walked into the middle of the Vortex Murders, which involve a great deal of paranormal activity. Elijah’s army of seers are being murdered, one by one, which seems to be magnifying Ivy’s special abilities. 

Eli's best friend, Jake, arrives on the scene and reveals the secret that changes everything. With nowhere to turn, Ivy leans on the two men who offer her solace. And who is the old woman in the shroud? Is she a vision, a dream, or is she real? Only time will tell.

Book Details

Title: Ivy Vines, Visions

Author: Judy Serrano

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Series: Ivy Vines, Book 1

Publisher: Judy Serrano (November, 2013)

Page count: 267

On tour with: Pump Up Your Book

LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT INTERVIEW WITH JUDY SERRANO

Things you need in order to write: My flashdrive and my Macbook. That is really all I need.
Things that hamper your writing: My job. That about covers it.

Things you love about writing: I love to travel in my imagination. I love to wear formal gowns, drip with diamonds, live in a mansion, meet handsome men, and travel to exotic locations.
Things you hate about writing: Not one thing.

Hardest thing about being a writer: The hardest thing about being a writer is that I cannot do it full-time. I dream my storylines, and I think about them all day long. It is painful sometimes to be stifled and unable to find the time to devote to it.

Easiest thing about being a writer: The actual writing. I can put down 5,000 words in an hour. I love it. 


Things you love about where you live: I love how my children are well-loved in their school district. They are achievers with big hearts and the district cherishes them.
Things that make you want to move: I want to move closer to the city. To go anywhere or do anything, it is a considerable drive.


Things you never want to run out of: Ideas.
Things you wish you’d never bought: My hair straightener. I never use it.


Words that describe you: Strong, intuitive, intelligent, creative, loving, loyal and hardworking.
Words that describe you but you wish they didn’t: Stubborn, perfectionist, and impatient.

Favorite foods: Salmon, shrimp, crab, lobster, and hot wings. Yes, I said hot wings.
Things that make you want to throw up: Kale, seaweed, cactus, greens, and squid.

Favorite music: Country and contemporary Christian.
Music that make your ears bleed: Screemo and anything Metallica.

Favorite smell: apple cinnamon.

Something that makes you hold your nose: Broccoli.

Something you’re really good at: Music, writing, teaching
.
Something you’re really bad at: Math (lol).


Something you wish you could do: Balance a checkbook.
Something you wish you’d never learned to do: I’ll have to get back to you on that one.

Something you like to do: Sing and write.

Something you wish you’d never done: Quit college as a young person.



Last best thing you ate: Ballerina pasta at the Hilton.

Last thing you regret eating: A piece of dried seaweed given to me by someone at Costco.

Things you’d walk a mile for: The best hot wings in town.
Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: Spiders.

Things you always put in your books: Romance
.
Things you never put in your books: Swear words.

Things to say to an author: Your books rock!

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: I hated your main character.

Favorite genre: Romantic suspense or paranormal romance
.
Books you would ban: If there is no love in it at all, I am doomed.

Favorite things to do: Write, sing, watch sitcoms or Hallmark movies, read a good book.

Things you’d run through a fire wearing gasoline pants to get out of doing: Go to the doctor.

Things that make you happy: My family.

Things that drive you crazy: My family.

Best thing you’ve ever done: Married my husband.

Biggest mistake: Not meeting him ten earlier.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: Climbed rocked with no ropes
.
Something you chickened out from doing: Auditioning for The Voice.

The last thing you did for the first time: Took an important test for my career
.
Something you’ll never do again: Go back to school.

BOOK EXCERPT




One

My heart was beating almost out of my chest as I drove to the restaurant to see Simone. I checked my rear view mirror often; just to be sure I wasn’t followed. I parked the car and ran as fast as my legs would carry me to the front door. I felt like I was burdened with cement weights around my ankles as I forced my body to keep moving forward. Trying to catch my breath was futile when Eduardo met me at the entrance. I was in no mood for his pretentious smile and flippant tone, but still he would not let me pass.
“I need to see Simone,” I told him, barely able to form the words due to the lack of air in my lungs.
“Will that be one for lunch or two?” he asked me.
I almost punched him. “Two,” I answered, regaining my composure. “Simone is off in a few minutes. She’ll have lunch with me, I’m sure.”
“Very well then,” he answered. He slowly took out two menus and sat me at a table by the window.
“Thank you,” I managed. “Please tell Simone I’m here.”
He made an unfavorable face at me and walked away. I looked out the window and began to recapture a normal breathing pattern. I noticed an old woman walking by the creek. She had her head covered by a black scarf, and she was wearing what looked like a black cloak over her body. It was warm out, being early September, and that’s why her clothing caught my attention. She took off the scarf and looked at me. When our eyes touched, I could feel my blood pressure rise. My face got warm. Long grey curls cascaded down, past her shoulders, and her expression got very grave. Her nose looked like a misshapen staircase and she had a mole on the left side of her face along her jaw line. She pointed her finger at me, slowly straightening it out as far as it could go, and I felt a surge of fear strike through my body. I stood up quickly, pushing my chair back with the backs of my knees and felt a hand on my shoulder. I let out a shriek, that was certainly noticeable, and when I turned, it was Simone’s hand on my shoulder.
“Ivy, what is it?” she asked. “The last time I heard you scream like that…”
I dismissed her, mid-sentence, knowing exactly what she was going to say. Since that day. The day we don’t dare talk about or even remember if we can help it. I turned my attention back to the creek but the old woman was gone. I could feel her.
“It’s nothing I told her. Are you done with your shift yet?”
“Yes, I’m done,” she answered. “Eduardo is making me change my clothes first. So, sit tight and I’ll be right back.”
I sat back down and looked out the window again. A breeze blew open one of the side windows unexpectedly, and I almost fell out of my chair. I could hear a faint humming. It was all too familiar. There was still no old woman, but I knew she was there. She was watching me somehow. Simone finally came back and sat beside me. “What’s going on, Ivy? I haven’t seen you this unraveled in a very long time. It’s a little disconcerting to say the least.”
“He’s after me,” I told her. “He knows I’m here.”
“Who knows you’re here? Ivy, you’re not making any sense.”
“Lucifer,” I whispered, leaning into her so that no one else would hear me. “He thinks I know.”
“He thinks you know what?” she asked, looking at me as though I had gone mad.
“When Jesus is coming. He thinks I know.”
“Do you?” she asked. “Do you know?” A hiss filled the air in the room as the wind picked up and gushed through the open window. I drew a breath but I dared not answer. She was listening. 



OTHER BOOKS BY JUDY SERRANO

The Easter’s Lilly Series:
Easter’s Lilly
Brother Number Three
Relatively Close
Memoirs of a Mobster
The Lost Years
The Last Fall

The Linked Series:
Linked

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Judy Serrano graduated from Texas A&M University-Commerce with an MA in English. She is the owner of Make Cents Editing Services, and was an adjunct professor at a local college. Currently she teaches high school English and is a freelance writer for certain on-line publications. Judy also writes romantic suspense and paranormal romance novels. She is the author of The Easter’s Lilly Series, The Linked Series, and Ivy Vines, Visions.



Although originally form New York, Judy resides in Texas with her husband, four boys, two dogs and now five cats. She sings and plays guitar when she has time and enjoys singing with her very musical family in church when she is able.

Connect with Judy:
Website  |  Blog  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Make Cents Editing

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