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Chaos and Misfortune
Hummingbird Moonrise follows the descendants of a man who made violent choices, leading to a family curse forged in dark magick that lasts for five generations. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
As a trilogy, I wanted to make the storyline unique from the other books. With my first two books – Murder Under Redwood Moon and Moonset on Desert Sands – Arista and Auntie are unsuspectingly dealing with ‘symptoms’ of their ascendant’s deeds. They had the unknown serial killer in book one. In book two, they had Arista’s psychotic uncle out for blood. For the final installment, I wanted Auntie and Arista to stumble upon the cause of the continued chaos and misfortune, root it out, and work toward their HEA! The inspiration came from my own maternal grandfather who was not so different than Bethie’s – dog trader, retired Navy, and full-blown cuss – so the character was quite familiar and easy to create.
What is one pivotal moment in the story that you think best defines Arista?
While Arista started this trilogy as an ideological day dreamer in book one, I wanted her to exponentially grow throughout the Murder, Tea, and Crystals trilogy. (The secret revealed – a discreet Coming of Age trope!) In book two, she found her anger as well as grief. But she also learned to better trust her instincts. For Hummingbird Moonrise, Arista finds her truest self at her toughest trial. Without giving it away, the moment when she taps the warrior within her is her defining moment. Also, we cannot overlook that Auntie, a close second of a Main Character, manifests a long-time endeavor in this final installment as well! To have a defining moment in your mid-70s shows that you are never too aged to realize your own greatness!
The Kelly family curse began with one man, generations ago, who left his descendants to continue paying the price for his choices. Do you think there’s a single moment in everyone’s life, perhaps not as traumatic, that’s life-changing?
Each of us has our own experience that contributes to our personality. I’ve read a few books that believe some of it comes from the soul wound that we carry from generations past. If we are lucky, we know what the damage is, as knowing is half the battle! Why do ‘these’ matters trigger us into rage, ‘those’ scenarios bring us to tears, and ‘that’ action cause us to melt into a soft, cuddly lamb. If we take a good look at ourselves yet still cannot ascertain why we react the way we do, a next step may be to inquire with our family members and discover more about our past.
Where do you see your characters after the book ends?
While I left an interesting development late in Hummingbird Moonrise, and my ideas are vast as to what comes next, it is up to the readers if my characters get to express their next phase of magick and mayhem!
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Still, one additional trial remains. While searching for Iris, Bethie and Arista stumble upon a grand revelation in the eccentric woman’s home. With the discovery, they realize their run of chaos and loss of kin may have roots in a curse that dates back to the 1940s—the time when their family patriarch first built Arista’s cottage in the redwoods and crafted his insightful Ouija table.
This pursuit will not follow their accustomed recipe of adrenalized action, but the high stakes remain. Will the mysterious slow burn of unfolding events finally level Arista’s entire world or be fully extinguished, once and for all?
Hummingbird Moonrise, Book 3 of Murder, Tea, and Crystals Trilogy
Hummingbird Moonrise opens with a historical bang with a hauntingly dark and emotional prologue set in 1940s California. It traces the grim consequences of a man’s violent choices, the echoes of which reverberate through five generations. We’re introduced to a family curse born from vengeance and sustained by ritual, tragedy, and an unshakeable belief in the power of dark magick. From there, the story weaves between timelines, following Arista Kelly, a modern-day woman grappling with supernatural inheritance, witchcraft, and an old stone tablet that may seal her family’s fate. Part cozy mystery, part witchy thriller, it blends murder, magic, family trauma, and healing in a way that’s both suspenseful and tender.
What struck me most about Dodd’s writing was the way she mingles the everyday with the mystical. One minute, characters are sipping tea or feeding stray cats; the next, they’re channeling spirits or breaking into homes to investigate arcane symbols. I appreciated the humor that peeked through, especially Auntie, whose wit and warmth anchor many of the darker moments. The voices feel distinct, the pacing surprisingly tight despite the multi-generational sprawl, and the dialogue sings with emotional truth. The way Dodd writes female relationships—particularly between Arista and her Aunt—is just beautiful. There’s a lived-in realness to their bond that made me care about what happened to them far more than I expected from a story with spells and curses.
The shifts in tone—moving between drama, horror, humor, and a touch of paranormal whimsy—were bold and creative. A few sections leaned more into exposition, which briefly slowed the momentum. The supernatural elements are intriguing and imaginative, and the atmosphere was rich, the stakes personal, and the themes like grief, redemption, and inherited pain rang true. Dodd clearly cares deeply about these characters, and that care spills onto the page.
I was moved. Not just by the tragic past that hangs over the Kelly family, but by the hope that emerges through Arista’s strength. This is a book for those who like their witch stories intimate, their mysteries character-driven, and their fiction laced with emotion and weirdness in equal measure. If you enjoy Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic, but wish it had a bit more grit and ghost stories, Hummingbird Moonrise might just be your cup of tea. Or maybe your crystal-infused moon water. Either way, it’s worth the read.
Pages: 304 | ASIN : B0FB5QV948
LITERARY TITAN 