by Sarra Cannon
I dropped down, hurrying to gather my things.
A girl knelt down on the floor with me, her blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail and her eyes sparkling.
“I’m so sorry. I’m such a clutz,” she said, laughing. “Let’s just say it’s been a long couple of weeks.”
I took a deep breath, trying my best to hold back tears.
I had expected the girls to all be out of school for a while, despite the fact that they were all safe and no one had been seriously injured. Martin refused to explain to me how their memories had been wiped, insisting those were secrets I didn’t need to know about just yet, but I still hadn’t expected to see her so soon.
If I’d known I was going to run into her, I would have prepared myself emotionally. Now, though, my heart overflowed.
“You’re the new girl, right?” she asked with a smile that made me wonder if we really could be friends, after all. “I heard about you. What’s your name again?”
“Lenora,” I said. “But my friends call me Lenny.”
“Well, Lenny, it’s very nice to meet you,” she said, holding her hand out to me. “My name is Peyton.”
Book 2: The Witch’s Door
I sincerely hope you loved The Witch’s Key. I would appreciate an honest review. Reviews help so much!
* * *
Book 2 of The Witch’s Key series will be coming soon! Just like with this first book, I’ll be reading my rough draft of the book LIVE on YouTube before it is published! It’s really fun. Come join us!
* * *
If you want more news on this and other book releases, please sign up for my mailing list!
* * *
To read my bestselling series, The Shadow Demons Saga, start with the first 3 full books FREE here.
A Message To The Reader
This story was something completely new for me! In fact, when 2020 began, I didn’t even have this story on my radar.
However, when the world shut down due to the virus, I started thinking, “How can I do something fun for myself and for my readers to help us get through this in an interesting way?”
That’s when the idea of reading an original story LIVE on YouTube came to mind. I had wanted to try something like that for a while, so this was my chance.
I thought, okay, this will be a couple of weeks, maybe 20,000 words. I’ll pull from an old story idea, and it will be great!
I should have known better!!
That original idea grew into over a month of daily live video readings, and a novel now of more than 80,000 words! Wow!
I was also reading the story AS I WAS WRITING IT! It was fun and motivational, and I feel like this experience truly brought me back to life.
Thank you to everyone who was there for either the Live YouTube events every day in April or the replays. It means the world to me, and I hope you had just as much fun as I did!
If you weren’t a part of the event, you can still go back and participate in a couple of ways.
Watch the replays of my Live Readings!
Read the rough draft on Wattpad.
Read the rough draft on my Website.
* * *
Come subscribe!!
I’m still going live three times a week. Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays, I go LIVE on YouTube at 4PM Eastern time (NYC time - check this time zone converter to find your local time) to read stories and chat with readers. It’s so much fun! Come join the community!!
Season Two of The Witch’s Key will be coming soon, so now that you’ve read the first “season” / novel, I’d love for you to join us in the YouTube community.
Also, come join us in my fan group on Facebook, Sarra Cannon’s Coven.
Yes, I’m still working on my normal series, too. Join my Mailing List for news on new releases in the Eternal Sorrows trilogy and the Shadow Demons Saga. The Spiritwalkers is also coming up in 2021.
Thanks again for joining me on this journey. It was fun, emotional, and truly life-affirming.
* * *
All my love,
Sarra
* * *
P.S. We even have “Sir Bean” merch! Come grab a t-shirt, sticker or mug with the official “Sir Bean” logo from the story! Yes, a knight riding a coffee bean. He fights for coffee beans everywhere!
And turn the page for Moondust cupcake recipes! If you create your own, use the hashtag #MoondustCupcakes on social media!
Moondust Cupcake Recipes
Chocolate Peanut butter Pretzel Cupcakes
Level: beginners
Yield: 14 cupcakes
* * *
INGREDIENTS
* * *
•Chocolate cupcakes
•Peanut butter frosting
•Pretzels or chocolate covered pretzels
•Ganache (optional)
* * *
Chocolate cupcakes
Yield: 14 cupcakes
* * *
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
7 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
½ cup sour cream (buttermilk or milk are good substitutions)
½ cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ hot coffee (or hot water)
* * *
Procedure:
1.In a mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
2.In a separate mixing bowl combine with a whisk egg, sour cream, oil and vanilla extract.
3.Add the egg and sour cream mixture to the flour mixture and mix until well combined.
4.Add hot coffee or water a little at a time and mix until batter is smooth.
5.Line cupcake pan with liners. Spoon the batter equally into 14 or a little more than half way.
6.Pre-heat the oven to 350F or 180C.
7.Bake them for 12-17 minutes until they feel spongy to the touch or when a tooth pick is inserted in the center comes out clean.
8.Remove from the oven and let them cool completely before decorating. If you decorate them when they are warm the frosting will melt.
* * *
Peanut Butter Frosting
* * *
Ingredients:
1 stick butter, soft
½ cup peanut butter (if you are going to pipe the frosting use smooth peanut butter)
1 ½ cups powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
2 Tablespoons of milk (if needed)
* * *
Procedure:
1.Place in a mixing bowl butter, peanut butter and half of the powdered sugar.
2.Using the paddle attachment of the mixer, combine until smooth. Add remaining powdered sugar and milk if the frosting is to stiff.
* * *
Note: if you don’t have a mixer you can use a spoon or spatula. Just make sure the butter is soft.
* * *
Ganache (optional)
* * *
Ingredients:
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate (bittersweet is fine)
½ cup heavy cream
* * *
Procedure:
1.Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place it in a bowl.
2.Heat the cream either in a small sauce pan or in the microwave and add it to the chocolate.
3.Still the mixture until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. You can use a whip if necessary.
* * *
To finish the cupcakes
* * *
1.Place peanut butter frosting on pastry bag with a star tip and pipe on the cooled cupcakes. If you don’t have a pastry bag or pastry tip you can use a spoon or knife and spoon some frosting on top of the cupcake.
2.Decorate the cupcakes with either chocolate covered pretzels, plain pretzels or crushed pretzels and drizzle some ganache on top.
* * *
THANK YOU to Pamela Batalla for creating this amazin
g Moondust Cupcake Recipe. For others like a S’Mores cupcake and Lemon Meringue, join my Facebook Group!
About the Author
* * *
Sarra Cannon is the author of several series featuring young adult and college-aged characters, including the bestselling Shadow Demons Saga. Her novels often stem from her own experiences growing up in the small town of Hawkinsville, Georgia, where she learned that being popular always comes at a price and relationships are rarely as simple as they seem.
Sarra owns her own publishing company and has sold three-quarters of a million copies of her books. She currently lives in Charleston, South Carolina with her programmer husband, her adorable redheaded son, and her brand new baby girl.
Love Sarra’s books? Join Sarra’s Mailing List to be notified of new releases and giveaways!
Also, please come hang out with me in my Facebook Fan Group: Sarra Cannon’s Coven. We have a lot of fun in there, and I often share exclusive short stories and teasers in the group. Join now.
Want more? Come join us LIVE three times a week on my YouTube channel.
Connect With Sarra Online:
www.sarracannon.com