Welcome, friend! Today I have the pleasure of hosting author, Paige Crutcher, to chat about her latest book, A Circle of Uncommon Witches. Enjoy the interview!
A Circle of Uncommon Witches
A witch generationally cursed to never find true love sets out to break the spell cast on her family, and must team up with the last person who wants to help her – the witch who set the curse in the first place.
Doreen MacKinnon is doomed to die of a broken heart – if she can’t break the centuries old curse placed on her family.
Three hundred years ago, Ambrose MacDonald, a powerful male witch, fell in love with a MacKinnon. And when the MacKinnon witches forbade him from seeing his love, by secretly hiding her away, he retaliated by cursing the family and its future generations to never find love. But it wasn’t without a cost. Now, Ambrose is imprisoned by those same witches, trapped in a tempest and doomed to outlive everyone he has ever loved.
But Doreen isn’t like the other MacKinnon witches. As the 13th generation of the MacKinnon line, Doreen is one of the most powerful witches in centuries… and one of the loneliest. So when she discovers where Ambrose has been trapped, she releases him to help her break the curse, once and for all. Ambrose agrees to help, but with his own motive: vengeance. He plans to use her as bait to enact his revenge on her family.
Together, they enter a series of trials, which take them to a castle in Scotland, off a cliff, and into a world beyond their wildest dreams. As they work together, sparks start to fly, but soon Doreen must choose how far she is willing to go to break the curse, and what she’s willing to sacrifice.
Paige Crutcher’s A Circle of Uncommon Witches is a story of adventure, romance, and destiny, that asks: is true love worth the cost?
Get to know the author: Paige Crutcher
Hi Paige! It is a pleasure to have you on Armed with A Book. Please tell me and my readers a bit about yourself.
Thank you so much for having me! I am a red-haired bookworm who loves Anne Rice, books about magic and witchcraft, art in almost any form, curling up with my tiny dogs and too many cozy blankets, anything to do with the counterculture of the sixties, my family, and getting lost in the forest.
A Circle of Uncommon Witches is centered on witches, curses, and forbidden love. Your previous books have also been about witches. What draws you to write about magic and supernatural elements?
I grew up reading Anne Rice. She very likely changed the course of my life, and her stories were an escape when I needed them the most. That inspiration rooted, and then I fell in love with shows like Charmed and Buffy, movies like Hocus Pocus and Practical Magic. I have never successfully marched to the beat of anyone else’s drum, so witchcraft was always appealing. The idea of ritual and manifesting, and when you learn the truth behind the villainization of witches as a way to control women, well, I find there is a ton of inspiration and support to be had. : )
Can you tell me about the significance of the number 13 and why the 13th generation of witches is important to the story?
13 is such a witchy number, isn’t it? The 13 lunar cycles, Friday the 13th, the meanings of 13 in numerology. 13 is a lucky number for the witches of our story, and the two that feature in A CIRCLE OF UNCOMMON WITCHES, Doreen and Margot, are the born of the 13th generation and that makes them very powerful and special.
The MacKinnon family curse is central to the story. Tell me about the curse and its impact on generations of witches.
Essentially, one MacKinnon witch fell in love with a MacDonald witch and their love was forbidden. Ambrose MacDonald sought revenge on the family for taking his love away, and the curse was cast. True love could never touch them thanks to his efforts.
Doreen grew up surrounded by powerful women in her family. How did her relationships with her aunt and cousin shape her view of herself and her role in breaking the curse?
I think Margot shapes Doreen in many profound ways. Their sisterhood and unconditional love for each other is one of the true love stories of the novel. Stella is a tricky one, she lives in the grey areas of life and her reacting from a place of fear certainly informs Doreen and her more rebellious nature.
I would love to know the backstory of Doreen’s mom! Can you tell me more about her power and life?
Doreen’s mom is mysterious in many ways, even to me! She gave in to a broken heart and she was unable to tame her own powers. I think her failings are part of what make Doreen so capable, and in some ways Doreen learned who she didn’t want to be – knowing that, she could become who she was meant to be.
Doreen and Ambrose go to a castle in Scotland and have cliffside adventures. Did you draw inspiration from real locations, or were these entirely imagined? Are there any regional legends that you drew from?
I definitely leaned into the Pictish Beast and its mysteries, but I also read widely on folklore and mythology in Scotland and consulted with an amazing tour guide there. There are a lot of nods to regional legends and myths in this novel.
Doreen and Ambrose face a series of trials that push them to their limits. Can you share more about how you created these trials and what they reveal about the characters?
Some of these came out of reading about legends, and others came from asking my plot partners if something I dreamed or thought up was too wild or weird (I have amazing writing besties who I run most ideas by). I also spoke with a few pals who also love fantasy. We talked about some of our favorite mythological trials and stories that feature them. From there, I played around with a few options and when I sat down to write, it all came together.
There is a certain alchemy to story, I find, where preparation meets creativity, and then it all can go out the window when the characters come onto the page and take over (or it can flourish and expand).
Do you have a favourite quote or scene in A Circle of Uncommon Witches that you find yourself going back to?
Oh, that’s a lovely question. I don’t so much, because I have moved on to writing a new story, and ACOUW is now out of my hands and in the hands of readers. I will say, I think a lot about the last line of the book and what that means for Doreen now.
A Circle of Uncommon Witches explores themes of love, vengeance, and sacrifice. What message or feeling do you hope readers take away after finishing the book?
True love is worth not giving up on. It exists and comes in many varied forms, and everyone is worthy of it.
Do you have plans to revisit this world or its characters in the future, or can you share any details about what you’re working on next?
I’ve pivoted a bit and am working on something new. It’s something a little witchy, a little literary, and it’s making me a lot happy.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I appreciate you having me! If you’re ever feeling like you need a happy escape, I hope you will visit (or revisit) Doreen, Margot, and Ambrose in A CIRCLE OF UNCOMMON WITCHES.
Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me and share with my readers.
Thanks for joining us! Connect with Paige on her website. You can find her on Instagram.
If want to dive into a book with witches and long time curses, I hope you will check out A Circle of Uncommon Witches on Goodreads.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Griffin for giving me a chance to highlight this book on my blog in exchange for an honest review. 🙂
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