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She’s A Witch!
Toil and Trouble follows an eccentric witch, her daughter, and her grandchildren coping with the death of their father, who set out to visit her new home and encounter humorous adventures and a chance at healing. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
First and foremost, I wanted to entertain. I didn’t have a fun, loving, or even nice grandmother. She was quite mean. In fact, my daughter pulled my wife aside one day and said to her (very seriously), “I know why dad’s grandma is the way she is … it’s because she’s a witch!” And so I had to write a story about it. I actually based the villainous Lady Bishop on my own grandmother.
I loved how charismatic and compassionate Martha is. When creating her character, did you have a plan for her development and character traits, or did it grow organically as you were writing the story?
It was a little bit of both. Martha is based on the shared quirks between my daughter and me. I imagined, as best I could, the grandmother I would have liked to have had, magic or not, and then I took her to the extreme (in the best way), because let’s face it, grandmothers should be extreme in all that they do.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Kindness! To me, it is the most important and powerful gift every person can and should give. It’s free, for one, and just a smile can change someone’s day and even their life for the better. I also explored dealing with death and the way a loss can affect everyone differently, and the power of forgiveness and love, truth and support, and the bonds of family. I lost a dear friend at a young age without a good support system at home, and sometimes, unfortunately, that’s just how it goes. But I had other family members who impacted my life greatly, and still do to this day.
I loved following Martha May McKenzie and her adventures. Do you have more stories planned for her?
Yes! As of now, Toil and Trouble is unpublished, but even so, I am currently working on book 2, Boil and Bubble, which follows the witch on an even more chaotic adventure, not through time, but through a portal to another realm—the witches’ realm—where more secrets unfold, and the stakes are even greater.
Toil and Trouble
Toil and Trouble follows Martha May McKenzie, a wildly eccentric witch who hides her magic behind a tangle of snowy hair, a questionable eye patch, and a whole lot of chaotic charm. The story kicks off with her zipping across the countryside using a lavender broom she refuses to ride in the traditional way. Soon, her daughter Jamie and grandchildren arrive at Martha’s strange new home, still grieving the loss of Scott, their father and husband. From there, the book tumbles into a mix of heartfelt family struggles, magical mishaps, an unforgettable goat named Bubbles, and a dangerous witch’s council with secrets of its own. It blends grief, humor, and adventure in a story that keeps shifting between tender moments and absolute mayhem.
As I read, I kept catching myself laughing at the sheer weirdness of Martha’s world. The sparkly helper who explodes into sand, the nose-summoning magic, the whistling fish in business suits, even the awful but lovable goat, Bubbles. The writing leans fully into its own silliness, and honestly, I enjoyed that. The author knows how to paint a scene in bright colors. Sometimes the descriptions get a little long, yet I never felt bored because the voice stays playful. It felt like listening to a great storyteller who waves their hands a lot and grins at their own jokes. Beneath all the glitter and goop, though, you can feel the weight of the family’s grief. Scott’s death hangs over everything, and the moments where Martha tries to lift her family’s spirits hit surprisingly hard. I didn’t expect that blend to work, but it does.
The humor comes fast, sometimes so fast it interrupts the emotion. There were somes scenes that would leap into another gag or magical mishap before the emotions of the previous scene can settle in. Still, the characters won me over. Martha is ridiculous in the best way, and Jamie’s frustration feels painfully real. Their clashing personalities create a lot of the book’s energy. The kids bring softness to the story, too. They are grieving but curious, scared but hopeful, and watching them slowly open up again gave the book heart. Even the villains have flair. The witches’ council is both frightening and funny, and their magical poker games made me laugh more than I expected.
Toil and Trouble struck me as a warm and quirky story about family, healing, and the messy ways we try to take care of each other. It is silly, loud, and full of wild imagination. It is also gentle where it needs to be. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy whimsical fantasy with strong character voices. It is perfect for anyone who likes heartfelt stories wrapped in humor, magic, and a touch of chaos.
Pages: 200
LITERARY TITAN 