Please help me welcome today’s guest, Chelsey M. Ortega…
Identifying 10 moments that changed my life felt like a challenge because I’m still young (yes, 35 is young no matter what my students say), and I’ve lived a pretty standard life. Nothing big has happened to me. But as I thought about my life, something big doesn’t have to happen to be considered life-changing and noteworthy. I also discovered that my life-changing moments were not obvious right away. The changes happened over time, and started with that one seemingly insignificant decision.
1 Joining the ballroom world. I took my first ballroom class when I was 11 years old. Dancing on teams and competing brought me a group of lifelong friends, helped me hone my social skills, and taught me the value of hard work.
2 Getting Engaged. Other than the obvious changes of choosing to combine my life with my husband’s, our engagement taught us how to choose our love over other’s opinions.
3 Moving out of my parents’ house. I went straight from my family home to my married home. I chose to live at home after graduating high school because I couldn’t imagine living with five other girls in college. Moving in with my husband was special because I chose him, and he chose me; we weren’t assigned to be roommates.
4 Having my first baby. This was a big deal for me because I thought I didn’t want kids, but I knew I would “have to” because of my religious upbringing. I learned that I can love, care for, and raise children. None of it was easy, but my beautiful family was worth any struggles I’ve had in the early years of motherhood.
5 Picking the “wrong” degree. I received my Bachelor of Arts in History Teaching with a minor in TESOL. I was strongly encouraged to not go that route, and I didn’t listen. Even though the decision to pick a “less marketable” degree seemed like a bad idea at the time, it led me to a much better future for my teaching career.
6 Attempting to be a blogger. After I had my first baby, I became lonely because I stopped working, and I was now different from my college classmates. I tried to enter the mommy blogging-sphere of the early 20-teens. I wasn’t successful, but what I did get out of it, was a consistent practice to my writing craft.
7 Moving to a place I “feared”. When we were ready for house shopping, we could not afford the houses in the cities I wanted to live in. Our agent recommended some houses in a city I never considered. I cried on the way home after those first showings. I could not see myself living there. We’ve now lived here for almost seven years, and I can’t imagine living anywhere else.
8 Going to work earlier than planned. My husband’s first career was a casualty of Covid. I had a very strong feeling that even if he did get a new job quickly, it was time for me to go back to work. It’s a good thing that I followed that prompting because my husband was unable to find a new job in his old field. He stayed home with the kids and went back to school (online) to do a career switch. Six years later, we are both very happy in our careers.
9 Publishing my first book. The trials of Covid also brought on completing my first manuscript. When I completed Bondwitch, I knew it was worth sharing, and I knew that could write more books. The Wild Rose Press accepted Bondwitch and officially made me a published author!
10 Getting my Masters. I am currently in the middle of this moment. When I was one semester away from graduating college, I realized that I had chosen the wrong major, but I didn’t want to start over. One of my professors recommended that I continue as is, and once I had a few years of teaching under my belt, get my Masters in TESOL. 11 years later, I have officially started my Masters program, and will graduate in 2027!
Life is made up of choices. And our choices take us to places we were meant to be. What is a decision you’ve made that you now see the worth in making?
Blurb:
To Grandmother’s house they went, but Grandma dishes out judgement and threats instead of cookies and hugs.
Annamaria Lyons is finally with her grandma. But Libby holds unyielding control of her coven and granddaughters. Annamaria has been betrothed to a male witch, but her heart yearns for her vampire boyfriend. Libby threatens deadly consequences if Annamaria refuses her upcoming wedding. Will Annamaria give in or risk everything to follow her heart?
Marianna Lyons is a big disappointment. She lost her magic when she was forcefully turned into a vampire. As the inferior minority, Marianna craves Libby’s approval. When Marianna is tricked into breaking coven rules, she has a choice to make: go through a tortuous rehab, or leave her new home. As Marianna rediscovers herself, will she accept her new identity, or conform to Libby’s impractical expectations?
Excerpt:
“Open the gate.” Annamaria stood as tall as she could in front of the two inside guards.
“I’m sorry, Miss. Madam Libby’s orders. No one goes in or out tonight.” His face was a mask of neutrality.
“But tonight’s the night Anthony returns.” The guard’s eyes softened, pity swirling in their chocolate brown depths. She pinched her brows. Was this why Libby snooped through her phone this morning? Annamaria looked to her left. The other guard was talking to Zeke, who bobbed his head with folded arms. She looked to her right. No one. She ran along the perimeter, calling on the air to give her a boost. Annamaria leaped upward, a strong wind from her palms catching and guiding her.
“Miss!”
The guard ran right behind her. His fingers grazed her ankles. Annamaria’s control of the air flickered and she wobbled. She kicked at him, planted her foot against his head, and used his sturdy form to thrust herself upward. She called on a final boost of air, landing on top of the wall. The guard cried out as he landed flat on his back on the ground below. Annamaria looked over the wall. Four figures stood near a vehicle in the dark.
She jumped and used the air to slow her fall. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she ran toward the group. The figures became clearer. Two shifter guards, Marianna, and Anthony. Annamaria made a beeline to Anthony and threw herself into his arms. He caught her without changing his stance or breath. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and he wrapped his arms around hers, nuzzling his nose into her hair.
She kissed him in front of their small audience, and anyone else who might be watching. Anthony kissed her back, parting her lips with his tongue and lightly sucking on her bottom lip. Though they had been “dating” for the past month, their last kiss had been before she fled Will’s over a month ago. She kissed him until she ran out of breath, then inhaled and rested her forehead against his.
“Welcome home,” she whispered, gazing into his dark brown eyes and dropping her feet to the ground.
Anthony chuckled, and his black skater hair fell forward as he looked down to meet her gaze. “I’ll go away more often if this is how you’ll greet me.”
Buy links:
Amazon Barnes & Noble The Wild Rose Press Walmart
Other buy options: https://chelseymortega.com/bondwitch-2/
About the Author:
Chelsey M. Ortega is a teacher by day and award-winning author by night. History is her first love, and any story involving magic and romance, her second love. She especially loves witches and is still awaiting her acceptance letter to a well-known school. Chelsey received her Bachelor’s in History Teaching from Brigham Young University. In addition to writing, Chelsey teaches high school U.S. History and ELD. She lives in Utah with her husband, three children, and two cats. Follow Chelsey at www.chelseymortega.com
Author Alicia Dean 