Novel Magic: Harbinger

It’s getting pretty spooky in the Universe! Author Augustina Van Hoven steps into the dark side with her new supernatural suspense novel–Harbinger.

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Journey to the Supernatural in Harbinger

by Augustina Van Hoven

Do you believe in the supernatural? Have you ever walked into an empty room and known you were not alone? Have you ever seen movement in the corner of your eye and turned to find nothing there? How many among us have lost a loved one for whom we would give almost anything to see and speak to just one more time? I believe there are spirits who walk the earth among the living. I have had the experience of being alone in a room thinking of a loved one who has passed away and felt a hand brush my arm.

People have reported seeing spirits in graveyards, old buildings or any number of outdoor locations. Sightings have been reported ranging from the mere sense of a presence to seeing apparitions of people or animals, sitting, standing or walking about. There are often reports of a mist surrounding these figures and a notable drop in temperature when they are present.

All cultures have stories about the spirits of long dead loved ones appearing and helping their families. There are also tales of spirits haunting places where a tragedy or battle has occurred. These stories have a common point; the spirit has something tethering them to the earth rather than allowing them to pass over to the other side.

I have written ghost stories before, but Harbinger is my first step away from romance into supernatural suspense. I’ve taken the questions I’ve asked along with the myths and stories and created The Eldritch series. The dictionary definition of the word eldritch is an adjective meaning eerie, weird, or spooky, which is a good description of the series.

The journey into this supernatural world begins with the first book, Harbinger. The story is set in the town of Dante’s Hallow, Maine, in the year 1879, a few days before All Hallows Eve, when the barrier between the world of the living and the world of the dead is thinnest. Nicolas Harwood comes from a long line of apothecaries who know the truth about what is really out there in the world. Because of this knowledge, he is able to see and speak to the dead. One of the spirits in the local cemetery warns him of a coming evil. Witches are searching for an artifact that is buried somewhere near the town. With the artifact they can resurrect a great evil. Nicholas, with the help of an unlikely group of companions, will try to stop the witches before it is too late.

On All Hallows’ Eve, the barrier between the living and the dead is thinnest.

Nicholas Harwood has inherited an unusual job—keeping the dead quiet.

For several nights before All Hallows’ Eve, he pours a potion derived from a family recipe on the graves of the late residents of Dante’s Hollow to keep the dead from walking. So far, he’s been successful. But something—in addition to snow—is in the wind, and he can’t stop it alone. Nicholas and his unlikely group of companions—a druid sorcerer, a witch, and a ghost or two—are locked in a power struggle with rogue supernatural powers intent on unleashing great evil.

Here’s a Taste of Harbinger

He lit a lamp on the counter, intending to take it upstairs with him. He just slipped off his coat and tossed it on a chair when the front door flew open. The specter of an old woman came flying toward him, shrieking at the top of her lungs. He dove over the counter, but she came straight through the wood. Air caught in his throat. Someone threw a virtual rope around his neck to cut off his breathing.

He heard another woman’s voice. “Sybil, you can’t kill him outright; we have to make this look like an accident. Sybil!”

The room grew dark, and he didn’t have much time. He grabbed a jar from the shelf, not knowing what it was, and threw the contents at her. Salt. She shrieked in agony, and the rope around his neck loosened. He gulped for air.

“How dare you, you worthless little worm.”

Sybil flew at him again, this time stopping just short of his chest. She reached out a hand and touched his skin.

He screamed. It was like being stabbed with a piece of ice.

“You cost me my body. Your grandfather was a meddler, too. He stopped me from taking what I wanted from the cemetery. Your father was no better. And now, you get to pay for all the sins of your family.” She made a fist, and she squeezed his heart.

“Sybil, stop.” Senga shouted at her.

But Sybil wasn’t listening.

From the look of hatred on her face, Nick knew he was a dead man. The room grew dark again. The last thing he saw was a third witch pouring something on a perfume bottle before he collapsed on the floor.

Meet Augustina Van Hoven

Augustina Van Hoven was born in The Netherlands and currently resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and pets. She is an avid reader of romance, science fiction and fantasy. When she’s not writing she likes to work in her garden or in the winter months crochet and knit on her knitting machines.