I'm pleased to welcome Valerie Biel to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Valerie writes the Circle of Nine series. I hope you return to the blog Friday when I'll post my review of CIRCLE OF NINE: BELTANY, the first book in the series.
Kathy: In CIRCLE OF NINE: BELTANY we meet Brigit Quinn whose mom's pagan practices are the stuff of local gossip. Did your relatives ever cause gossip? Or do things that embarrassed a teenaged you?
VB: Oh, I live in a small town, and you wouldn’t believe the gossip! My closest relatives are not particular gossipers, but we all have those cousins who you know NOT to tell anything to—well unless you don’t mind everyone knowing in like 24 hours or so. My parents didn’t embarrass me much growing up. They were busy working and not as involved in my school life as we are today with our kids, so there were fewer opportunities for them to embarrass me!
Kathy: If you discovered that your ancestors had incredible abilities and you could inherit those powers if you chose, would you?
VB: Great question–I’d love to be able to go through portals and ride ley lines to other locations. Think of NOT having to fly coach anymore to far flung places. You’d save so much time!!
Kathy: Before writing this series were you familiar with Celtic legends and Irish mythology?
VB: The birth of the series really grew simultaneously with my knowledge of legends and mythology. That research fueled the writing idea I already had simmering after becoming enthralled with the Beltany Stone Circle in County Donegal.
Kathy: What first drew you to YA?
VB: I remember distinctly what it felt like to be a teen, and with the coming-of-age theme (or coming into your powers theme in my books) there’s just so much potential. It’s a wonderful jumping off point for a story with characters at the precipice of their adult lives.
Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?
VB: I write suspense/mystery and crossover stories to adult fiction (that may have started as YA), and I also write middle grade novels.
Kathy: Tell us about your series.
VB: The Circle of Nine series, which is being featured here, is a blend of Celtic myth, Irish legend, and magic all set within the mysticism of the ancient places of Ireland. It’s embedded in a modern-day storyline with a lot of historical content that follow the women who have been in the Circle of Nine through the centuries.
I also have a new series starting… the Chloe & Maggie Mysteries. Last year I published a murder mystery featuring 16-year-old Chloe, who is solving her dad’s murder. She teams up in subsequent novels with her Aunt Maggie, an investigative reporter, who is now her guardian.
Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
VB: It’s like asking about your own children–I LOVE them all. I swear!! (ha ha) I truly love my main characters, and I think you have to if you’re going to spend so much time with them. But for secondary characters, I really love the ‘guys’ my main characters like or love. Bodie, Brigit’s boyfriend in the Circle of Nine series is fun to write as is Jarvis in the Chloe and Maggie Mysteries. I also adore the strong women in the Circle of Nine series . . . Brigit’s mother and grandmother as well as many of her ancestors whom we get to know well.
Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
VB: Ha . . . I’d have a ghostly dinner party with Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott, Charlotte Bronte, and Mary Shelley. (Wouldn’t that be a hoot!?)
And for a lively living party, I’d love to hang out with Anne Patchett, Margaret Atwood, Roxanne Gay, and Colleen Hoover. (Can you imagine that conversation???)
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
VB: I Know What You Did by Cayce Osborne . . . for an upcoming book club discussion with her. (Our book club invites authors to join us for the discussion, which is a blast!)
Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
VB: I have no time for hobbies! I am always writing or editing or helping other authors with their book marketing– no, seriously! I read a lot, and I binge TV shows. I have a rather fabulously messy garden that I tend once in a while, along with a ton of fruit trees/bushes that require attention when the fruit is ripe–so I do like to make jams and pies and all that good stuff. I channel my inner Martha Stewart or Joanna Gaines about 10% of the time when I’m hosting parties, but that’s about it!!
But the one thing that takes a lot of time, and I willingly give it, is travel. My husband and I are huge travelers–often we are in out-of-the-way places for our charity The World Orphan Fund. We have learned so very much!!
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
VB: Bread & butter pickles, Butter, Almond butter, Microwave popcorn. How random is THAT!?
Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?
VB: The Circle of Nine series will get two more books before its conclusion – and I don’t have a set number of books for the Chloe & Maggie Mysteries–I know I just need to get writing book two in order to actually make it a series!
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CIRCLE OF NINE
by Valerie Biel
October 27 - December 31, 2025 Virtual Book Tour
CIRCLE OF NINE: BELTANY
Brigit Quinn has always felt like an outsider. Growing up in a small town where her mom’s pagan practices are the stuff of local gossip, she’s spent her whole life trying to be normal. On her 15th birthday, Brigit makes the same wish she always has—to just fit in. But the universe has other plans.
Instead, Brigit discovers she’s descended from a legendary Celtic tribe—guardians of Ireland’s mystical stone circles. A spellbound book reveals her astonishing family history and the incredible abilities of her ancestors—powers she’ll inherit if she chooses to embrace them.
When an ancient evil resurfaces, threatening her family’s legacy, Brigit is forced to quickly make this impossible decision. Will she accept her magical heritage and fight to protect it? Or reject it to live the "normal" life she’s always wanted?
This thrilling mix of magic, self-discovery, and Irish mythology will captivate fans of coming-of-age stories with a mystical twist. Lovers of ancient legends, enchanted stone circles, and family secrets will be drawn to Brigit's journey into a world where her true power could be her greatest strength… or her downfall.
CIRCLE OF NINE: NOVELLA COLLECTION
Return to the Celtic magic that began with the suspenseful, award-winning novel Circle of Nine – Beltany.
Descended from a legendary Celtic tribe that guards the secrets of the ancient stone circles, the Quinn women have a great responsibility to protect their pagan rituals and way of life. As members of the formidable Circle of Nine, they celebrate the holidays of the year from Yule to Samhain, keeping the traditions of the Tuatha de Danann alive through the centuries against insurmountable odds. We first met these women in Circle of Nine – Beltany, and now a set of three novellas reveals more of their engaging stories.
In Bressa’s Banishment the power struggle between Father Banan and village healer Bressa Gormley unfolds amidst accusations of treachery, heresy, and murder. Can the Circle protect their trusted healer and the path of the Tuatha against a growing religious fervor?
Dervla’s Destiny brings us to medieval Ireland where the beloved character Dervla Quinn learns of her gifts and fights tremendous loss, betrayal, and violence, all the while never giving up on finding the love she deserves.
In Phoebe's Mission, when an evil force on a quest for ultimate power threatens the Circle of Nine, Phoebe Quinn must leave Ireland for the first time and travel to the United States to protect their way of life. Along the way, she meets the handsome Macklin Scott, taking her mission, and possibly her future, on a far different course than expected.
CIRCLE OF NINE: SACRED TREASURES
Brigit Quinn thought uncovering her magical heritage was the biggest shock of her life. But a year after learning she’s descended from a legendary Celtic tribe sworn to guard the mystical power of Ireland’s ancient places, the real battle is just beginning. As she trains for her place in the Circle of Nine, Brigit is determined to protect the secrets and sacred traditions of her people.
But when a cryptic warning arrives—hinting at a shadowy force hunting the Sacred Treasures—everything she’s fought for is suddenly at risk. If the ancient weapons fall into the wrong hands, The Circle could be shattered forever.
Haunted by doubts about her powers, the true intentions of those around her, and disturbing revelations about her family’s past, Brigit must navigate a dangerous path of betrayal, magic, and myth. The enemy is closer than anyone suspects—and time is running out. Can Brigit uncover the truth before darkness claims the Circle?
"The first time I summoned a portal, I didn’t understand how I accidentally opened a doorway to another realm. The second time wasn’t a mistake. I was ready—and I stepped through with the grim resolve that my mission must succeed." —Brigit Quinn
CIRCLE OF NINE: MERCY IN THE MIST
The danger was supposed to be over.
The sacred treasures are safe.
The enemies banished to the Otherworld.
But Brigit Quinn’s dreams tell a different story.
The condemned return to haunt her sleep—pleading, accusing, refusing to be forgotten. Something is still wrong, even if the rest of the Circle of Nine insists the threat has passed.
When anonymous warnings surface and the police begin asking questions about the missing, Brigit’s visions intensify, blurring the line between dream and prophecy. The Circle is unraveling. Shadows are gathering.
To restore what’s been broken, Brigit knows they must return to the Otherworld and seek answers from the immortal Elders—knowing that to question them is to risk everything.
In this spellbinding fourth installment of the Circle of Nine series, ancient magic, mortal danger, and Brigit’s quest for the truth collide in a journey that will test the bonds of loyalty, love, and the fragile trust between gods and mortals.
Praise for Circle of Nine:
"This was a truly beautiful read. Valerie Biel has a captivating, almost lyrical quality to her work that helps the flow and the smoothness of the piece wonderfully. You can just feel the words slide along as you read and it's a remarkable experience. I enjoyed her storytelling as much as I enjoyed the characters and the plot! Circle of Nine: Beltany is a wonderful blend of present and past, mixed with a healthy dose of Celtic mythology to captivate the brainiacs among us."
~ FIVE STARS from Readers' Favorite for CIRCLE OF NINE: BELTANY
"Each story is intriguing and suspenseful. I enjoyed learning about three generations of strong, independent women, who were tasked with protecting their ancient heritage, and about the men who loved and supported them."
~ Jerena Tobiasen, award-winning author for CIRCLE OF NINE: NOVELLA COLLECTION
"Great writing, enthralling plot, fast-paced, and utterly seductive. . . . This is an extraordinary story with a fantastic setting and characters that remind readers of the sacred in them. I enjoyed the way the author explored the struggle between good and evil in this work and how the conflict reaches every aspect of the story."
~ FIVE STARS from Readers' Favorite for CIRCLE OF NINE: SACRED TREASURES
"Mercy in the Mist delivers spellbinding suspense. Positively enchanting!"
~ Tracey S. Phillips, award-winning author of Forewarned for CIRCLE OF NINE: MERCY IN THE MIST
Series Details:
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Published by: Lost Lake Press
Find CIRCLE OF NINE series at Amazon & Lost Lake Press
Author Bio:
Valerie Biel writes award-winning books for middle grade to adult audiences--stories inspired by her travels and her insatiable curiosity. Her young adult fantasy series, Circle of Nine, was inspired by the myth and magic of Ireland's ancient stone circles. She's also the author of HAVEN, a contemporary middle grade novel, and BEYOND THE CEMETERY GATE, a mystery suspense story. She's a founding member of the Blackbird Writers & a member of Sisters in Crime & the Wisconsin Writers Association. When she's away from the computer, she's likely wrangling her overgrown garden, reading multiple books per week, or traveling the world--often on trips for the The World Orphan Fund charity she and her husband run. She calls a (tiny) portion of her family's century-old Wisconsin farm home, but regularly dreams of finding a cozy cottage on the Irish coast where she can write and write.
Catch Up With Valerie Biel:
ValerieBiel.com
Valerie's Substack Newsletter
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads - @valerie_biel
BookBub - @ValerieBiel
Instagram - @valeriebielauthor
Threads - @valeriebielauthor
X - @ValerieBiel
Facebook - @ValerieBielBooks
YouTube - @ValerieBielAuthor
Pinterest - @ValerieBiel
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CIRCLE OF NINE Series by Valerie Biel
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