Sixteen-year-old Katie Wickliff lives quietly in the small town of Elspeth's Grove, unaware of the troubled past that forced her grandmother to flee Russia with her when Katie was only a child.  When people in the town begin to disappear, and Katie's own home is attacked by a terrifying creature, Katie and her grandmother return to Russia to find answers.
Pursuing them is the handsome William – who just might be a vampire.  Katie discovers that William is indeed partially a vampire, but he is also one of the Sidh, an ancient clan whose members are gifted with great power – a clan to which Katie's deceased mother also belonged.
Soon, Katie discovers that her mother's seemingly natural death was actually murder, and she is forced to confront the question she wants to face the least:  Is William her otherworldly protector, or is he the dark creature who killed her mother eleven years ago?



 Author Bio
Catherine Mesick is the author of the three books in the Pure series, and she is currently at work on the fourth. She enjoys ice skating, reading Agatha Christie novels, and spending time with her family. Catherine lives in Silver Spring, MD.

Links

Interview
1) What was the hardest thing about writing your latest book?
The hardest thing was just having the discipline to stick to deadlines and meet my writing goals each day. There's always something you could do around the house, or an errand you need to run. You have to tell yourself that you aren't going anywhere or doing anything until you get your writing done. I've heard you can tell much a writer is procrastinating by how clean his/her house is.

2) If you could meet any one of your characters who would it be and why?
I would definitely like to meet Simon. He reminds me a little bit of one of my friends, and I would like to tell him in a very nice way that he's a little too stuck in the past. It's wonderful to have cherished memories from childhood, but there are also good things ahead for him in the future. I'd like to tell him that he'll miss out if he's always looking backward.

3) How did you come up with the idea for this book series?
I was inspired by two things—Russian folklore and Fabergé eggs. I remember looking at a picture of a red-and-gold Fabergé egg and thinking that it looked like it was actually magic. And that became the basis for the 'clear fire' that appears in the books. And I'd always loved Russian folktales—they feature a lot of strong, beautiful heroines who go on dangerous quests. I wanted to bring that same sense of magic and adventure to the Pure series.

4) What's your next writing project?
I'm actually working on two things at the moment. I'm working on the next book in the Pure series, which is titled Ghost Girl, and I'm also working on a series of four supernatural short stories based on the seasons. Once the short stories are done, I'm going to post them for free on my website, http://catherinemesick.blogspot.com/.

5) What is the best way for readers to talk to you and stuff?
The best way to contact me is through Twitter (@CatherineMesick), or through my website, http://catherinemesick.blogspot.com/. I'm on both of those every day, and I love to meet new people ☺.

Guest Post

Katie's Russian Tea Cakes
I've never been much of a baker, but my protagonist, Katie Wickliff, is actually a very good one—when she gets the opportunity. Her grandmother largely disapproves of sweets ☺. But when Katie's hanging out with her friend Charisse, they often end up baking a few sweet treats. This recipe for Russian Tea Cakes is one of Katie's favorites.
Katie's Russian Tea Cakes
1 cup butter, softened (not melted)
½ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans
¼ teaspoon salt
Additional powdered sugar for rolling
1) Preheat oven to 350  F.
2) In a large bowl, cream butter, ½ cup powdered sugar, and vanilla. Add the flour, pecans, and salt, and stir until just blended.
3) Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place about 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
4) Bake 10-12 minutes (don't allow cookies to get brown). Remove cookies from sheet and allow them to cool. Then roll cookies in powdered sugar. Once all cookies are coated, roll in sugar a second time.

Giveaway