Magic All Around is the story of Vivian Marshall, an introverted artist who enjoys her mundane life.  Painting, cooking, hot baths and quiet evenings make Vivian happy.  Neighbors with poor boundaries, her mom’s coven-style living arrangement and dogs make her unhappy.  When Vivian moves into a new apartment, she finds her sensible life turned topsy-turvy by dogs, a pony-tailed landlord and an inconvenient prophesy.  Vivian is about to learn that there is magic all around!

What genre is it?
Although it’s set in Juneau, the capital city of Alaska, it’s not urban fantasy.  The U.S. Census Bureau defines any population under 50,000 as rural (Juneau hovers just above 30,000) so I’m hoping to start a new sub-genre called rural fantasy!  In the meantime, Magic All Around also fits neatly into the contemporary fantasy category.

We like “rural fantasy”. What kind of readers will it appeal to, though?
Magic All Around will appeal to anyone looking for a humorous and light story set in Juneau, Alaska.  It is written for adults but the content will appeal to some teen and pre-teen readers, as well. 

Complete this sentence for us: if you like _________________, you’ll love my book.
If you like dogs, Alaska or the magic of a good fantasy novel, you’ll love my book!

You’ve talked a lot about Alaska. For those readers who, perhaps, don’t care about Alaska but like a good heroine, can you tell us a bit about Vivian?
Before the start of the novel, Vivian’s home burns down.  It’s tough to find an affordable rental in Juneau and so she winds up living in her battered old station wagon.  Vivian is strong-minded and creative and makes the best of the situation by cooking hot meals on her engine block and focusing on her artwork, which is both her livelihood and her passion.

Vivian’s strength and resilience are further tested by the challenges she faces during the course of this novel.

Have you written any other books that we should read next?
I’ve written a short memoir about my youth in the Alaskan bush entitled, Head Buckets & Hashtags: An Alaskan Childhood In Tweets.

Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m a dog-crazy Alaskan who prefers rain to sunshine and is proud to live in the largest temperate rainforest in the world.  I’m a voracious reader, a curry lover and an advocate of playfulness.  I live with my husband and our pitsky (pit bull/husky mix) Jeb, in Juneau, Alaska.

Do you have a website where we can keep up with your work?
I have a website that I’d be delighted to have folks visit at http://www.marcylpeska.com/ and a blog at http://mpeska.blogspot.com.

How can we follow you on Twitter and/or Facebook?
I’m on Twitter and Facebook.  I’m even on Pinterest!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003956200354
Twitter: @MarcyPeska
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/marcylpeska/.

What’s next?
I’ve begun writing the sequel to Magic All Around and I’m eager to
complete it so I can share it with my readers.  I also have a few short stories skipping around in my brain that want to be written and a series of mental health related interviews that I’d like to do for my blog.