Open Book Interview: Celestine Martin
A native of New Jersey, Celestine Martin (she/her) writes whimsical romance that celebrates the beauty of everyday magic. She’s inspired to write happily ever afters and happy-for-now endings starring the people and places close to her heart. When she’s not drinking herbal tea and researching her next project, Celestine, with her husband, spoils their daughter in New York on a daily basis.
In this spellbinding rom-com about a wish gone wrong, two opposites might just get a second chance at love, perfect for fans of New York Times bestsellers Payback’s a Witch and The Ex Hex.
I love reading and writing on the sofa seat in our living room. I love a crocheted blanket that I can throw over my lap while reading. I make a huge cup of herbal tea every time I start a new book, and I get comfortable. This chair also doubles as my research area where I often review notes and notebooks.
Cozy. Delightful. Romantic.
I would love to have lunch with Grady Hendrix. I’ve read “How to Sell A Haunted House” and “We Sold Our Souls.” Those books kept me up at night and stayed in my brain for weeks. I’d love to talk about his creative process and how he researches his books.
I listen to movie soundtracks when I’m writing a new idea or trying to get a new series together. I’ve been listening to the Practical Magic soundtrack recently and feeling the magical cozy vibes. It’s Stevie Nicks’s season!
Geminis are known to be playful, great communicators, and intellectually curious. I love to talk and learn about new things. I constantly fall down Internet rabbit holes or randomly take a book home from the library because it looks interesting and strange. I love being a Gemini so much I got a mug with my sign on it.
The book I like more than the movie is Misery by Stephen King. I love watching the film and Kathy Bates in her iconic role, but when I read the book a few years ago, it gave me straight up nightmares. The infamous scene where Annie hobbles Paul is absolutely terrifying in the book and still makes my skin crawl to this today. The book also explores the relationship between a writer and their creation and how the items we create can reveal parts of ourselves we think are hidden to the world.
Ex-celebrity chef Sirena Caraway has had the wackiest October ever. Her cooking powers are on the fritz, she failed to land a career-saving job, and she embarrassed herself at the town’s Halloween party. Just before midnight, she makes a desperate wish for a second chance to fix her life. The next morning Sirena wakes up and realizes that she’s repeating the entire pumpkin spice-flavored month. Even sweeter, she runs into Gus Dearworth, whose magic leaves her spellbound.
A former reality star, Gus moved to Freya Grove to rebuild his reputation and heal his broken heart, but his restless magic is tempting him to return to the spotlight. And his secret crush on Sirena is making him want to try something dangerous like fall in love again. When Sirena realizes he can help her fix her powers, Gus makes her a deal. If she’ll help decipher a mysterious cookbook in his collection, he’ll help get her magical groove back.
Every encounter offers a new adventure—from tasting menus, harvest mazes, and a growing attraction that’s taking on an irresistible enchantment of its own. But as the month winds down and the wish grows stronger, Sirena and Gus have a decision to make. Will their second chance be their happy-ever-after ending or a bittersweet memory?