Men Don't Marry Witches: Interview with a witch

“Men Don’t Mary Witches” – from The Misspelled Charm

by Shereen Vedam

Tell us a little about yourself, Charmaine.

Well, I’m from Ponce, a village on the southeast of Edensa. My mother died when I was a child and my grandmother, whom some have equated to a sorceress, brought me up. I was honored to apprentice with her. Unfortunately, she, too, died about six months ago. I miss her.

Um…haven’t you left something out? I’ve heard rumors (won’t mention names) that you’re not exactly a conventional villager.

My grandmother used to say that living apart, with a cat for a familiar and charms the sole source of income are the hallmarks of a charmist, a witch, and I’d best get used to it. But to be honest, I’m no different than my friend Katie who just had a baby, or Widow Horner who lives across the street. But people like Anson, the silver smith, spread whispers that I’m evil. And I toss worms off pathways after a rain just so people don’t stomp on them! Evil is as evil does, I say.

Sounds like you want to fit in.

I had begun to fit in, to help people, to make friends, despite the Ansons of this world, but then my spells started to go wrong. Now I can barely look my neighbors in the eye. Business is on the decline. And I go hungry more often than I eat. But I don’t need anyone’s pity. I’ll be fine. I just have to figure out what’s affecting my magic.

So, being a witch, with powers and stuff, if your spells were working properly and you could do anything without consequences, what would it be?

Nothing in life is free, everything has a price, and all actions have consequences. Besides, what everyone always wants, love, we can’t get by ourselves. It needs to be given, freely.

I was hoping you’d bring up the subject of love. Is your ideal man like yourself, unconventional, or are you looking for the perfect man, Prince Charming? 

All I would ask for in a man is that he be kind and considerate of other people and be able to look beneath the picture that society paints of a person. But it doesn’t matter what my ideal man is. Grandmother says that a witch can take a lover for a night but not for a lifetime. Her favorite refrain was, Men don’t marry witches, Charmaine.

So marriage is out for witches? Seriously? And there is no one who has caught your eye? Tempted you to fix your hair, straighten your dress, bite your lips, pack up your broomstick and sell your cat?

Well, a stranger recently arrived in Ponce. He’s a framer.

I knew it! Spill!

There’s not much to tell. He loathes me. But even when he becomes furious, Kord is scrumptious. Better than a warm flatbread stuffed with pungent goat cheese and sweet strawberry jam.

Unfortunately, he is convinced that I’m responsible for him losing his betrothed because of a charm laid on him to love another. I didn’t do it! But my grandmother might have. So, I think I should try to help him break this spell. Except, I really can’t do it. You see, one witch’s spell can’t be broken by another. And no matter how hard he fights this spell, sooner or later, it will win out. You see, magic never needs rest.

Oh, the poor sap. Well, I hate to leave on a down note. Anything happening in your life that will put a smile on our readers’ faces? Something you treasure?

The best part of my life is my cat, Justin. He’s a ginger Tom that my grandmother handpicked for me. She said he has magic in him and that he’ll help me when I need it most. And to break this spell on Kord, I’m going to need all the help I can get.

Justin is also an excellent judge of character and he seems to have taken to Kord. And despite our differences, I’m starting to like Kord, too, and want to help him. Because no one should be compelled to love another. Love has to be given freely. Or it isn’t love.

Article first appeared on Emma Lai Writes Blogspot on May 11, 2012

Shereen Vedam is the author of heartwarming historical and fantasy romances that have a healthy dollop of mystery with a pinch of magic. Check out her website for her other books, become a fan on her Facebook page and follow her on Twitter and Pinterest