It's #RIAuthor Month! Meet Susan Catalano

My Salem MuseMaybe it was watching Bewitched or reading The Witch of Blackbird Pond that first turned me on to witches and the Salem Witch Trials. But stepping foot on the historic streets of Witch City aka Salem, Massachusetts, was the spark that ignited The Timeless Ones, a story about Merry, an accused witch who leaps from the 17th century into modern-day Salem.I love visiting Salem--the history, the shops, the New England seaside town vibe. Halloween is always a thrilling time, and I loved incorporating the experience into A Necessary Darkness. Another favorite holiday is July 4^th on Derby Wharf with fighter jets flying overhead and an orchestra playing while fireworks light up the harbor. From the beautiful green Common to the bricks and cobblestones of Essex Street to the waterfront - any day in Salem is a good day.But, what some may not know is that the witch hysteria that spawned the Salem Witch Trials began in the neighboring town of Danvers, MA that used to be known as Salem Village. This is where the afflicted girls began throwing fits and accusing their neighbors of witchcraft and where many of the accused were interrogated and handed an unfair fate.There are many sites to see in Salem proper—one of my favorite being the Witch Trials Memorial next to the Old Burying Point. Within the stone walls are 20 granite benches honoring each of the victims.But, lesser known is the Witch Trials Memorial in Danvers. A beautiful granite display containing unheeded claims of innocence behind a pulpit holding the Book of Life, beside which lay the shackles that anchor these unfortunate events to our history forever. If you’re in the area, I highly recommend stopping for a visit.

Susan Catalano spent most of her youth in a one-traffic-light town in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York. Her first act of writing consisted of scrawling a murderous confession on a crumpled piece of paper. She then told her 3rd-grade friends that she'd found it in the wall of the spookiest room on the scary, vacant floor of the Victorian Hotel her family owned. Eventually, Susan ended up in Massachusetts where Salem, known as Witch City, captured her heart and imagination and inspired her first novel, The Timeless Ones. That and A Necessary Darkness are available in paperback and ebook formats. Witches 3, a companion story, is available on Kindle. Susan is currently working on another fantasy book series, this time set in an alternate version of New York state. Visit her website and follow her on Twitter

 

GIVEAWAY! The author is offering a $10 Amazon gift card to one lucky winner. All you have to do is comment below. One winner will be chosen at random and the author will contact you directly. Contest ends one week after publication of this blog post.Meet over 100 local authors on Saturday, December 2! The Fifth Annual RI Authors Expo