If you make a deal with the Devil, don’t forget to read the fine
print.
Three operatives find themselves on the run after a corporate sabotage job
goes awry. Now, their predatory employer, a heavyweight weapons-tech firm,
wants its elite A-team dead at all costs. Jon is a smooth-talking
charmer. Friedrich is a hacker prodigy. And Guion is the ice-cold tactician
who keeps them all in line.
Backs against the wall, the men strike separate infernal pacts to stay
alive. They vanish into the urban badlands of New York’s Five Hives,
vowing to lie low and figure out why they’ve become targets.
Meanwhile, Jon suspects there’s an insidious evil possessing his
friends, and he wonders if they all got more than they bargained for.
Amid an escalating war between local gangs and the firm’s private
shock troops, the fugitives uncover a conspiracy that threatens to destroy
everyone they know and love. But can they stop the destruction before their
inner demons seize control?
About the Author
At the age of four, Russell Anders started telling stories, often
interrupting his mother during bedtime reading to ask, “Then what
happened?” She always answered, “You tell me,” and his
imagination conjured fantastical tales of dragons and dinosaurs.
He gravitated toward a career as a technical writer and writing coach for
software companies. He also briefly served as a columnist for Dragon
Magazine. One of his favorite hobbies includes tabletop role playing,
especially as the game master. And yes, he’s as cruel to the characters in
his games as he is to the characters in his books; his players love him for
it.
Russel lives with the constant canine companionship of whip-smart but goofy
Sigurd, an English Mastiff (the best breed ever).
Could these three words articulate distinct spiritual essences to fuse together?
Opaline’s
Discovery
The Witch DNA Trilogy Book 1
by Sonja Gunter
Genre: Fantasy Romance, Romantasy, Urban Fantasy
Love. Magic.
Danger.
Could these three
words articulate distinct spiritual essences to fuse together?
Bookstore owner,
Opaline Lunn, facilitates a Speed Dating Event, in hopes of finding her
soulmate. She meets attendee Detective Eamon Dayan, who wasn’t looking for
love, but sparks fly at their first kiss.
Together they
unearth Opaline’s powers which lead to the discovery that she has two sisters,
and someone called The Ancient One who wants to kill them.
Unraveling a myriad
of mysteries, with Opaline’s newfound ability to do spells, the soulmates must
find her sisters by her twenty-fifth birthday to be able to confront the evil
force and save all of them.
Now she was waiting for her fourth and final date.
Eamon.
Goodness, anticipation is everything.
She couldn’t believe he wanted to go out with her on a real date. Most guys found her too intellectual. It wasn’t her fault she owned a bookstore and loved to read. History, fiction, romance, fantasy, sci-fi—it didn’t matter. Everything was interesting to her. No genre was off
limits.
The buzzer sounded, and she waited for Eamon. He arrived and took his seat. He didn’t say anything. She didn’t either. They sat for a moment, looking at each other, his blue eyes to her green eyes.
Abruptly, the air surrounding her turned hot, but it wasn’t the kind of hot that made you sweat. It was the kind of sexual intensity that could consume a person, only to let go once it had been satisfied. Opaline fought the urge to fan herself.
Like a foggy night, the room around the two of them became hazy. Eamon reached across the table and touched her cheek. Her body had a will of its own, and she leaned into his hand, closed her eyes, and waited for him to kiss her.
“Opaline? Opaline, are you all right?”
“Wha-what?”
The room was clear again when she opened her eyes.
Eamon hadn’t kissed her. She had imagined the kiss. He hadn’t reached out to her. But he was now. He didn’t touch her cheek. like she had envisioned. Instead, he was touching her hand. Until he wasn’t.
Goodness sakes alive.
“Sorry. I guess the excitement of the night has gotten to me,” she said, recovering. “Did you ask me something?”
“No problem. I asked what you like to eat. If we’re going to go out on a date, I’ll have to find a restaurant because I don’t cook.”
“I haven’t technically agreed to go out with you.” She laughed nervously.
“I’m not going to let you say no.”
“Oh, is that how it’s going to be?” Opaline reached across the table and took his hand. “I guess I don’t have a choice, then. Yes, I would like to go out with you.”
“Great. Does tomorrow night work for you?”
“You do work fast,” she said, lowering her voice, which came out in a low silvery tone.
“Only when I need to.”
She knew he was implying other things, and she smiled again, wishing he had kissed her.
The buzzer ended their date, and Opaline stood. Most of the other attendees had finished their dates too. “I hate to rush things, but I need to wrap things up for the event.”
“If you would like, I can help you with the cleanup,” Eamon said.
“That’s so thoughtful, and here I was thinking you only liked to give the orders.”
She saw by the way his head tilted to the side that her reply had caught him off guard. He looked like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar, and he was having a hard time coming up with a comeback. He mustn’t be used to word games like her customers at the bookstore were. They usually gave it right back to her. Eamon, on the other hand, was still at a loss for words.
“Yes, I’d love your help. I have to stick around until everyone leaves. I’ll make an nnouncement to let them know what time we have to be out of here. Then I can—no, we—can start.”
“Sounds good. I’ll round up my sister to pitch in too,” he said.
Opaline heard him chuckle and wondered if he had offered his sister’s help without her knowledge.
I was born and
raised in the cold and beautiful Minnesota, but I escaped to Illinois for
seventeen years to raise my two boys, and now I call Florida home. My husband
Andy, who’s always been my hero, has put up with my late night computer typing
and endless stacks of papers with my stories on them. We have one furry friend
as family: Chip, a sixteen year old ragdoll cat.
Life has been
full of ups and downs, but I’ve made it through the hard times. I love to
travel and go to Disney World to trade pins.
I’ve been a bowler for many years, and you can catch me writing my next
novel at the lanes.
I encourage you
to check out my web site, www.sonjagunter.com for more info and don’t be surprised if I
let my Norwegian heritage come through in my stories.
The Third Ring A.N. Horton Publication date: April 15th 2025 Genres: Adult, Romance, Urban Fantasy
Ten Trials. Two Oaths. One Chance.
To Adrian, the gods were never anything to be worshipped, just tolerated. But in the walled city of Sanctuary, whether through the religious fervor of the elite or the quaking fear of the poor, the Geist have always been served. And now it’s Adrian’s turn.
Born into power and raised for greatness, Dante stands for everything Adrian has come to despise, but he may be her only hope of survival. When the two of them are bonded against their will and forced to compete together in the Trials, the god’s ancient gauntlet of physical brutality and psychological torture, they have no choice but to set aside old prejudices and work together. Navigating religious zealots, a patriarch intent on breeding the pair for power, and the increasingly obvious cruelty of the gods, Adrian must come to terms with the fact that, whether Culled or Championed, we all serve the gods in the end. And, for her, betrayal has always been waiting just around the corner.
“He told me to seduce you,” he confessed, and I couldn’t help the laughter that burst out of me. His own lips quirked up into a smirk, amusement dancing in his bright eyes.
“I hate to break it to you,” I replied, still laughing, “but you’re shit at it.”
He laughed then too, a loud burst that had me grinning.
“I told him seducing you would be like trying to seduce one of the ancient serpentine beasts. But he only said that made you a true Viper.”
Author Bio:
A. N. Horton is a two-time award-winning author living in Nashville, TN with her husband, children, and moderately chunky Corgi. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, baking more cookies than her family can eat, and plotting crimes against her characters. Best known for crafting characters that steal her readers’ hearts as much as they shatter them, A. N. Horton is a cross-genre writer focused mainly on fantasy and romance with her upcoming urban fantasy series, The Third Ring, and her soon to be released historical romance novel, A Promise Kept.
What if you found out the artifacts from the fairy tales you loved as a child were real and one of them just predicted your death?
Title: The Mirror
Author: P.K. Eden
Publication Date: October 14, 2024
Pages: 390
Genre: Urban Fantasy
What if you found out the artifacts from the fairy tales you loved as a child were real and one of them just predicted your death?
That’s the dilemma Scientist Ben Michaels faces when Siene Dower, descendant of the Brothers Grimm, tells him that Snow White’s Magic Mirror sent her to stop him from getting into the cab that crashed and burst into flame right before his eyes at the intersection at Penn Station, New York City. Does practical Dr. Michaels dismiss everything he knows about reality and science and follow the curious and beautiful woman who just saved his life?
“Sit.” Siene motioned to the black sofa next to the door. She walked to the back bookshelf and pulled forward an old book with her forefinger. She skimmed the pages as she walked back to him. About halfway through the book she retrieved a fragile-looking, folded paper with timeworn brown edges.
She sat next to him. “Show me your palm.”
Ben held out his hand. “Why? Are you going to read it?”
“Do I look like a fortune teller?”
“You did predict the cab accident,” Ben replied.
She rolled her eyes and gently unfolded the paper. Carefully, she dropped three brown, shriveled ovals into his palm.
Ben’s brow furrowed. “What are these?”
“Beans.”
“I can see that.” He looked up. “Is this when I ask you why they were hidden in the book?”
“No, you’re supposed to guess.”
Ben lifted an eyebrow. “Do you really want to play games, Siene?”
She crossed her arms in front of her. “Actually, yes. You’re the hot-shot genius. I’m curious to see if that big brain of yours can think outside the . . .” She felt a wicked smile form on her lips “. . . outside the spit glands.”
He shot her an annoyed look and used his forefinger to move the beans around on his palm. They were shrunken but all the same size and shape. Kidney beans, he guessed. Very old kidney beans. He glanced at Siene. “Beans hidden in a book. Did you get them from a prom date instead of flowers and this is your way of telling me that you’re still thinking of the prom king?”
She saw amusement replace the annoyance on his face. Okay, maybe inside all the gray matter the man had a sense of humor. She’d try sparring with him later. Right now, she had to make a seemingly very obtuse point. “Did your mother ever read you fairy tales when you were a child?”
“Yes,” Ben replied, still holding the beans in his outstretched hand.
“Which ones?”
“The usual. Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, the Shoemaker and the Elves.”
“What about Jack and the Beanstalk?”
Ben glanced down at the beans in his hand and then back at Siene. “Of course, and I suppose you’re going to tell me these are magic beans.”
Skepticism lit his eyes and Siene knew he wasn’t quite there yet. “I know I’m asking a lot, but for a minute, just send all the Einstein stuff to the back of your gray matter and go with it.” His expression told her he thought she was nuts and she suspected ninety-nine percent of the world’s population would probably agree with him. “I guess laymen might say they are magic.”
“Laymen.” Ben paused before shooting her a probing stare. “People off their meds like you, you mean.”
She held up her finger. “You agreed to go with it.”
“No, I did not.”
“Let’s pretend you did. These beans are the last ones left. It drives my brother, Reed, crazy that I keep them in a book. He thinks it’s the first place a Taltoian would look.” She held the book up so he could see the title.
“Taltioan?”
“I’ll get there in a minute.” She lifted her chin. “Look at the book.”
White paper showed through the frayed corners of the cover and the embossed lettering worn low by the passing years made the words hard to read. He leaned closer and squinted. Tales by the Brothers Grimm. His head snapped up. “Is this an original edition?” He turned the book over and then back. “It looks very old.”
Siene nodded. “They are my great-great–maybe another great, maybe not, it really doesn’t matter at this point–Uncles Jacob and Wilhelm. The book has been passed down through the generations.”
Ben’s wide-eyed gaze flared. “You are crazy. You expect me to believe these are the magic beans they wrote about? That if you plant them, a stalk will grow as high as the clouds and if we climb it, we will meet a giant who has a goose that lays golden eggs?”
“Yes, and other things. A golden harp…”
Ben stood. “This has been an adventure to say the least, and I will admit you might have a very valuable book that could command millions, but you being related to the Brothers Grimm, “ he looked down at his hand, “And these are magic beans, I don’t think so.”
“Why not?”
He handed her back the book and held up fingers in a vee. “Two reasons. One, I suspect if there actually was a goose that laid golden eggs, some billionaire would own it and two, a giant, by sheer atomic weight and mass, cannot stand or live on a cloud.”
Siene shrugged. “Whether you believe me or not, it’s still true.”
“Which part?”
“All of it.” She slipped her hand under his. “I better take those back now.” She carefully placed the beans inside the paper and back into the book.
Ben remained still for several minutes as though processing the information he just heard. “It appears your uncles, if they truly are, are not the only ones who can tell tall tales.”
She put the book back on the shelf. “They wrote the stories to protect the artifacts.”
“Artifacts. Like those in a museum?”
She looked at him and smiled. “No, the ones in my uncles’ stories.”
“Which stories?”
“All of them.”
– Excerpted from The Mirror by P.K. Eden, The Wild Rose Press, 2024. Reprinted with permission.
Interview
Can you tell us what your book, The Mirror, is about?
The Mirror is an urban fantasy involving the Artifacts from the fairy tales written by the Brothers Grimm. This is the first book in a series of three each set on a different continent and involves a different artifact. in The Mirror, Snow White’s mirror activates and shows a man getting into a cab at Penn Station, New York. When the cab reaches the intersection, it is hit by a city truck and exploded into flames. The Mirror then shows the city in ruins. It is now up to the Primogen Sentinels to find the man and discover who wants him dead and why before the omen becomes reality.
Can you tell us a little about your main and supporting characters?
The Primogen Sentinels are a secret group who have been protecting the artifacts in the fairy tales written by the Brothers Grimm from being discovered for hundreds of years.
The Sentinels are:
Siene and Reed Dower, Europe, brother and sister, direct descendants of the Brothers Grimm and overseers of the Grimm Protectors,
Siene – adept at German engineering, dabbles in nuclear technology
Reed – weapons expert, likes fast cars and fast women
Kai Soong, Asia, female, martial arts expert and electronics wizard
Caleb Buru, Africa, male, tracker and runner
Jon Two-Bear, North America, male, Shaman, attuned to the elements and nature
Paz Santos, South America, female, large network of contacts who can get almost anything
Quinnock E’ak, Antarctica, male, expert in survival techniques
Jack Brumboo, Australia, MacGyver-like abilities to make something from nothing
The Primogens are opposed by Taltos, a splinter group of former Primogens who have gone roue and want to use the artifacts for person gain and world domination. They are led by Lucian Davalos, one time Prime and former lover of Siene Dower.Dr. Ben Michaels, Primogen code name the Catalyst, is caught between fact and fantasy after Siene saves his life. With his science background cracking by the minute, he reluctantly agrees to follow her to find out why someone would want him dead.
Your book is set in New York City and three continents. Can you tell us why you chose this location in particular?
I am very familiar with the city and go there often. Also, with New York being one of the hubs of commerce, trade and science, it was only natural to start there. I chose to use three continents in the race for the artifacts to accent the fact that there is legend and folklore everywhere.
How long did it take you to write your book?
I write with a talented writing partner, Patt Mihailoff. Her strengths are my weaknesses and vice versa. We both have a fascination with fantasy and wanted to write something different from all those out there already. So, with the back and forth and editing and reediting, it took us a little over a year and a half to get it to a point we could begin to search for a publisher. We are thrilled the Wild Rose Press liked our story as much as we did.
As an aside, P. K. Eden comes from the initials of our first name – P and K – with Eden coming from the plot of the first book we wrote together called Firebrand about the return of the Garden of Eden.
What has been the most pivotal point of your writing life?
Besides meeting Patt, it was publishing my first book after 10 years of rejections. That taught me to persevere and not give up on my dreams.
What kind of advice would you give up and coming authors?
I can only give them the best advice I ever got, and it was from my father. He asked if I knew the definition of failure. I gave him my thoughts on this, and he said no, that wasn’t it. He told me failure was giving up right before you were going to succeed.
So, keep on writing. You will succeed.
About the Authors
P.K. Eden is the alter ego of multi-published and award winning authors Patt Milhailff and Kathye Quick whose debut novel FIREBRAND was lauded as comparable to the Harry Potter series, garnered 5-Star reviews, and won numerous Reviewer’s Choice Awards.
Born long, long ago in a place not so far away, Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, Kathryn Quick has been writing since the Sisters in St. Casmir’s Grammar School gave her the ruled yellow paper and a number two pencil. She writes contemporary and career romances, romantic comedies, historical romances as well as urban fantasy.
Kathye has twenty fiction books in print with various publishing houses and one non-fiction compilation of her town’s history at the behest of the Manville Library Bord. She was honored to have been named an Amazon top 100 Romance Author for Ineligible Bachelor published by Montlake Romance. Other works include a three book Grandmother’s Rings Series – Amethyst, Sapphire and Citrine, a rom-com series that follows three siblings as they use their Grandmother’s Rings given to them by their mother to find their soulmates.
Because she has been fascinated by King Arthur and his knights for almost forever, her series Beyond Camelot, Brother Knights, is her vision of how the majestic kingdom may have survived after Arthur. Two books are written in this series with the third and final still in concept.
She is a founding member of Liberty State Fiction Writers and has been a part of Romance Writers of America and New Jersey Romance Writers.
She is married to her real-life hero, Donald, and has three grown sons, each having romantic adventures of their own. Her two grandkids, Savannah and Dax, happily cut into her writing time but she still manages to get a few pages done each day.
Thanks to novelist and editor, Dr. Nathasha Brooks-Harris who invited Patt Milhailff to write for several TRUE CONFESSION lines of magazines where she learned tight and entertaining writing and resulted in the publication of more than two hundred short stories and articles.
One of Patt’s most gratifying experiences was when she moderated a standing room only workshop at the African American Romance Slam Jam in 2004 and has since enjoyed speaking engagements at libraries, book clubs and other forums.
She was awarded 2009 Author of the year and 2010 Mentor of the year by Romance writers of America, New York City Chapter, a terrific organization that helped her to obtain valuable lessons and insight while on her writing journey.
Patt is also featured in A Dream Deferred, A Joy Achieved, a non-fiction novella by Charise Nesbit a co-producer at Tyler Perry Studios, about foster care, as well as being included in two of Times Bestselling Author Zane’s anthologies.
Patt is one half of the writing duo P.K. Eden along with Kathye Quick, authors of Firebrand, that received a five star Affaire de Couer Reviewer’s Choice Award.
She is also a member of Liberty States Fiction Writers the home of a magnitude of talented writers and fellow authors and is the author of nine novels.
Patt was raised, and educated in New York City, residing in New Jersey, and has since relocated to Delaware.
Genre: LGBTQ M/M Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Love is magical. Let it POOF into your life.
Hey there, it’s your favorite lovable P.O.O.F agent, Nozzag! Buckle up because I’ve got a wild tale for you. Their meeting? Total “oops, my bad” moment, if you catch my drift. Let’s just say, I may have given fate a little nudge! But don’t fret, Tiki and Amalesh are in for a fabulously happy ending. *winks*
Thikoz aka Tiki – a Dragonkin, Sassy Dragon Esthetician, who is dominant and longs to find his mate.
Tiki has countless fantasies about what his ideal partner would be like. He can only hope that when he finally encounters his mate, they’ll be eager to delve into the numerous interests on his Must Try Before I Die list.
Amalesh – a Vampire, Rare Blood Procurer, reclusive introvert, who simply wishes to be left alone with his collection.
When Amalesh is thrown into Tiki’s path, almost literally, he realizes that the world he has observed from a distance is far more enjoyable as an active participant. It only takes a few hundred years and an energetic, dominant dragonkin to uncover that little truth.
P.O.O.F. Please! is set in the world of Bloodlines of Fate. Twilight Temptations are instalove, high heat, low angst stories that feature various creatures and a guaranteed HEA.
Twilight Temptations is a continuous series and while each story can be read alone it is best to read them in order.
Within the shimmering guise of a mortal walks D.G. Carothers, a dragon of cunning intellect. A weaver of LGBTQIA Romance and Urban Fantasy tales, this enigmatic being revels in crafting narratives that dance between realms.
D.G. stands resolute in their commitment to unfurling tales unfettered by constraints. For in their eyes, love transcends all boundaries, a truth woven into the very fabric of their creations.
When a Witch-in-Training falls for a Demon-Possessed Soul…
#LGBTQ
The Northern Witch Series
The Complete Box Set
by K.S. Marsden
Genre: YA LGBTQ Urban Fantasy
The quirky, best-selling Urban Fantasy Series.
When Mark decides to follow in his Nanna’s footsteps, and train in witchcraft,
he takes on more than he could ever have imagined. Up until now, he has been
ignorant of the magical dangers, demons and monsters that his coven defend
against.
Everything changes when Damian moves to Tealford. He is everything Mark has
ever wanted, but he comes with his own cursed life.
Luckily, Mark has the support of his friends and family… as well as the
handsome newcomer.
Containing the full 6-part series:
Winter Trials (Northern Witch #1)
Awaken (Northern Witch #2)
The Breaking (Northern Witch #3)
Summer Sin (Northern Witch #4)
A Dark Fate (Northern Witch #5)
All Things End (Northern Witch #6)
**On Sale for Only .99cents for
December – Get it Now!!**
Kelly S. Marsden grew up in Yorkshire, and there were two
constants in her life – books and horses.
Graduating with an equine degree from Aberystwyth
University, she has spent most of her life since trying to experience
everything the horse world has to offer. She is currently settled into a
Nutritionist role for a horse feed company in Doncaster, South Yorkshire.
Her first book, The Shadow Rises, was published in January
2013, and she now has several successful series under her belt.
Chase the Dark Annette Marie (Steel & Stone, #1) Publication date: October 25th 2024 Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Urban Fantasy
Piper Griffiths wants one thing in life: To become a Consul, a keeper of the peace between humans and daemons. There are three obstacles in her way.
The first is Lyre. Incubus. Hotter than hell and with a wicked streak to match. His greatest mission in life is to annoy the crap out of her, but he isn’t as harmless as he seems. The second is Ash. Draconian. Powerful. Dangerous. He knows too much and reveals nothing. Also, disturbingly attractive — and scary. Did she mention scary?
The third is the Sahar Stone. Top secret magical weapon of mass destruction. Previously hidden in her Consulate until thieves broke in, went on a murder spree, and disappeared with the weapon.
And they left Piper to take the fall for their crimes.
Now she’s on the run, her dreams of becoming a Consul shattered and every daemon in the city gunning to kill her. She’s dead on her own, but there’s no one she can trust — no one except two entirely untrustworthy daemons … See problems one and two.
Celebrate the 10th anniversary of Annette Marie’s gritty epic urban fantasy universe, Steel & Stone, with luxurious collector’s editions. The first of two campaigns, this one will feature the Spell Weaver trilogy and the first book in the Steel & Stone series, Chase the Dark.
The Steel & Stone universe encompasses the Spell Weaver Trilogy (three books) and the Steel & Stone Series (five books). These 10th anniversary special editions include:
The first book in the Steel & Stone series: Chase the Dark including all-new scenes and POVs
All three Spell Weaver titles: The Night Realm, The Shadow Weave, The Blood Curse
Iridescent foil stamping on faux-leather hardcovers
Four different double-sided and embossed dust jackets
New interior design
Hand-signed by Annette
Colored & textured endpapers
Sprayed/printed edges
Unique metal bookmark, stickers, and more! (More via stretch goals)
—
EXCERPT:
Piper dropped to her knees beside the vent and listened to the sound of claws on metal. A soft thump came from the other side of the wall.
She looked up. She was sitting right outside Ash’s room. The dragonet had run straight to Daddy.
Unmoving, Piper contemplated the door. Ash was somewhere behind it. Was he asleep? What were the chances she could sneak in and retrieve the ring box without him noticing?
She considered it for half a second. Yeah, zero.
Before she could come up with a better plan, the door popped open. Framed in the threshold, Ash looked toward the sitting room. Then he glanced down, saw her sitting at his feet, and blinked.
Piper shot up, struggling to keep her gaze on his face. He wore a loose, sleeveless shirt that clung to the planes of his chest and left the sweep of heavy muscles on his arms bare, his fair skin flawlessly smooth in the shadows. The only other thing he wore was black cotton pants.
With a soft chirp, the dragonet hopped off the doorframe and landed on his shoulder, its golden eyes trained on Piper.
“What are you doing?” Ash asked, breaking the oh-so-awkward silence.
Piper shivered as his deep tones slid through her. How did his voice do that? Fear tickled her stomach, reminding her that she’d never been alone with him before.
Drawing herself up, she looked him square in the eye. “Your dragonet snuck into my room and stole something from me.”
His eyes held hers, and his gray irises dimmed to the color of storm clouds. Piper was abruptly aware of how dangerously close she was standing, barely a foot of space between their bodies. She was also aware of how much taller he was, the top of her head barely reaching his chin, and how his biceps were double the circumference of her arms.
The air felt hot and electric, the hallway darker than it’d been a moment before, and adrenaline flooded her bloodstream.
She was an idiot. Such an idiot.
Author Bio:
Annette Marie is the best-selling author of The Guild Codex, an expansive collection of interwoven urban fantasy series ranging from thrilling adventure to hilarious hijinks to heartrending romance. Her other works include YA urban fantasy series Steel & Stone, its prequel trilogy Spell Weaver, and romantic fantasy trilogy Red Winter.
Her first love is fantasy, while fast-paced adventures and tantalizing forbidden romances are her guilty pleasures. She lives in the frozen winter wasteland of Alberta, Canada (okay, it’s not quite that bad) with her husband and their furry minion of darkness—sorry, cat—Caesar. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in one art project or another while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.
Spellcaster Wild Card Nikki Jefford Publication date: October 1st 2024 Genres: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
Win the game. Change the world.
Winning the show means living forever. It is the golden ticket to fame, fortune, and a place among the vampire elite.
Being remade isn’t on my wish list. I like being me, and with nearly a million online followers, it’s working. My parents and big sister are the do-gooders in our family who want to make the world a fair and just place for all humans and paranormal creatures. I just want to finish high school and keep doing what I do best—sharing hair and beauty tips while discussing Spellcaster and how the show’s vampire judge Malachi Rayne is the hottest male on the planet.
Then, life as I know it ends. There are evil forces who will stop at nothing to maintain world dominance—indefinitely.
It’s hard to care when I’ve become dead inside and out.
After my family is violently attacked, the host of Spellcaster insists I audition for Season 13. For the first time in the show’s history, they want to represent every species of paranormals. That’s me now. Not human. Not vampire. Not the class of creature anyone EVER cheers for.
This season’s prize is power beyond anyone’s imagination. It is the kind of reward that contestants and their sponsors would kill to possess.
Let the other contestants and judges underestimate me. They can gossip all they want about the hotshot wizard and the alpha werewolf behaving as though I’m another prize to be won. And if Coach Malachi can’t handle a bold influencer with abilities, then he can suck it. I preferred watching him from the other side of the screen. He’s about to discover that Haylee Hutchins is a force to be reckoned with. The whole world will.
Someone thought they could silence my family for good. Instead, they created a monster. I’m still here, and I am much harder to kill.
Everything is spinning. My body. My vision. My brain. I clamp my mouth shut to keep from vomiting. The cleaning crew just got the stage cleaned. Then there’s the second reason I keep my lips pressed tight. I refuse to beg Malachi for mercy.
My hands flail and grasp for something to hold on to, but the wind rushing between my fingers is no help. If this is what flying feels like, then it’s highly overrated. I lean forward in an attempt to go vertical, which has the ill effect of pitching me forward so I catch a brief view of how far I am from the stage. My body flips around another time. I don’t want to land on my feet and crush my ankles. I certainly don’t want to land on my head and shatter my skull. I don’t want to break anything on my body!
If I won this season’s prize, I could defend myself instead of swirling helplessly like the roof of a house caught in a tornado.
The wind rips out my hair tie and blows my braid out in an instant. Blond hair whips me in the eyes. My body begins to descend slowly, while the spinning continues in full force. The tornado fades little by little into the stage until I am set down gently and it disappears altogether. I try to remain standing while the theater seats and stage continue to spin, but I tilt to one side and misstep. Thump. I fall to the stage, sprawled out on my side. It could have been worse, though. Way, way worse.
It’s a little hard to feel grateful as partially digested lunch rushes up my throat. I swallow it down.
Malachi stomps over. “What the hell was that, Hutchins?”
Great. He’s using my last name. The coaches never use contestants’ last names. I must be in trouble.
It’s a serious effort to get to my feet, which takes outstretched arms to keep my balance, but I’m not about to listen to this lecture in a crumpled heap on the stage.
My loose hair tickles my cheeks. I swallow again and cover my mouth with my hand. Malachi’s not in my face, but I don’t want him scenting my vomit breath. Well, not technically breath, but whatever foul waft might originate from the leftover taste on my tongue.
Malachi doesn’t wait for me to answer his question before drilling into me. “First rule of magical combat—never lose hold of your wand.”
“You lost yours,” I mutter, which is the wrong thing to say.
Author Bio:
Nikki Jefford is a third-generation Alaskan nomad married to an amazing Frenchman. She loves fictional bad boys and heroines who kick butt! Books, travel, TV series, hiking, writing, and motorcycle riding are her favorite escapes. The dark side of human nature fascinates her, so long as it’s balanced by humor and romance.
To get in on the fun and adventure, visit Nikki at her website for release alerts, updates, exclusive giveaways, and a free story when you subscribe to her newsletter: https://nikkijefford.com/newsletter/
Jonathan comes from a long line of sorcerers, and all his ancestors
attended the Familiar Training Academy, where they were paired with
shapeshifters. All seems fine for Jonathan until he discovers his familiar
is a woman who can shift into a snake. And he’s supposed to bond with
her?
Tamra is excited she’s getting another chance to serve as a familiar,
especially because she’ll get to mate with her new master as part of
their bond. Unfortunately Tamra just can’t follow rules. Any rules.
Ever. When her rebellious nature conjures up evil from the school’s
past, she and Jonathan have to jump in to reverse the disaster her impetuous
nature’s caused this time.
Tamra smiled to herself as she slithered into the professor’s office.
No one ever expected a snake, and because she was small, on the floor, and
silent, her new charge — supposedly her master — hadn’t even noticed
she’d entered the room. The guy was in for a big surprise.
The professor was just finishing his spiel for rookie sorcerers.
“We’ve paired you with a familiar according to the
questionnaires you filled out. It may seem an unusual match but be assured,
you two are perfect for each other.”
“When can I meet her?”
“She’s here now,” the professor said.
Tamra took that as her cue to introduce herself. She wrapped her slender
body around the leg of the visitor’s chair, climbed onto the seat and
curled up in a perfect coil of brilliant scales.
The rookie jumped up and backed away about five feet. “It’s a
snake.”
“She,” the professor corrected again. “This is
Tamra.”
The guy obviously had a crappy attitude about snakes. This had happened
before, more than once. Her last potential master had screamed and run from
the room. The professor had been forced to assign a more placid animal to
the man. A guinea pig, for God’s sake. Word on the grapevine was both
of them were now miserable with each other. Served him right.
Anyway, this one wasn’t running, but he obviously wasn’t happy.
So, she flicked her forked tongue at him.
“I assure you, Tamra is ideal for you,” the professor said.
“We did a multivariate assessment of your personality and your
needs.”
“And it said I needed a snake?” the man asked, his voice now a
croak.
The professor folded his hands together on top of his desk.
“Absolutely.”
Of course, no one had asked Tamra what she needed. The fact was, if she
didn’t get a master soon, she might flunk out of this place, and
she’d have to find another one. Schools for sorcerers and their
familiars didn’t pop up everywhere.
The man started pacing. “There must be some mistake.”
The professor opened a computer file. “You are Jonathan Woodrow
Dillson, correct?”
“Well, yes.”
The professor squinted at the screen. “Your father, grandfather, and
uncles were all paired with familiars here, I believe.”
The man ran his fingers through short, dark hair. “Yes, yes,
but…”
“They were all excellent students and went on to contribute to the
field of arcane knowledge,” the professor said. “They all bonded
with their familiars here according to our methods.”
The man slowly approached the chair Tamra was coiled up on.
“It… she… can change into human form, can’t
she?”
Well, duh. They wouldn’t be physically compatible if she remained a
reptile. He’d never fit a huge, human cock inside her cloaca — the
one benefit of pairing with him rather than another snake. Forked penises
were cool, but doing it with a human was lit AF. Or at least, that was the
word around the familiars’ dorm.
“Of course she can change,” the professor answered. “All
our familiars are shifters.”
“Then why doesn’t she?”
They both stared at Tamra, expecting her to perform for them. The professor
had already warned her about her Bad Attitude. She was going to make nice
with the rookie eventually. She might as well start now. So, she
concentrated on her human form — size, arms and legs, hair, her face — and
in a moment, she was sitting, naked, in the chair next to the one the man
had jumped out of.
He jumped again, though not as far this time. “She’s
naked.”
She wasn’t going to explain the obvious to him, so she gave the
professor an expression that said, “Really? This guy?”
The professor ignored her. “She has clothing waiting in your
rooms.”
“Of course.” The man sat back down and avoided looking at
her.
“Introduce yourself, Tamra,” the professor said.
“I’m Tamra. I’ll be your familiar today,” she
said.
The professor lifted an eyebrow in warning, so she extended a hand toward
the man. “I’m Tamra.”
The man shook her hand but avoided looking directly at her.
“I’m Jonathan. Good to meet you.”
“Splendid.” The professor clapped his hands together. “I
just knew you two would get along swimmingly.”
About the Author
Alice Gene likes her romance hot. She writes in a number of different
genres, including paranormal, historical, and contemporary. As Alice
Gaines, she’s a USA Today bestselling author.
Alice has a PhD from UC Berkeley and lives in an apartment the size of a
postage stamp in Oakland. She loves knitting, singing in her church
choir, and funking out with Tower of Power. She also loves hearing from her
readers!
Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok:
@changelingpress
Preston, son of Hermes, has a secret. He’s been cursed to live as a
satyr — a monster with a dubious job he hates. He knows love is not in his
future. Can’t be.
Then he meets Lulu — the daughter of a witch and Elf. A woman unsure of
her place in the world. Luna has come back to Eerie to hide and heal, but a
chance meeting with sorcerers and being thrown together with Preston changes
everything. Love may be possible if only Luna can open her heart and change
Preston’s mind.
Back to the old homestead. Lulu snorted and pulled onto the dirt road
leading to the witch enclave. She wasn’t a witch herself. Hell, she
wasn’t even sure what she was — the daughter of a witch and an elf.
Did that make her a Wilf? An Elch? She had magic, but she wasn’t good
with spells. She couldn’t bake for shit and refused to live in a
tree.
She drove the mucky path passing for a street to the house she’d
grown up in. When she’d left for college, she’d been so
wide-eyed and excited. So ready to embrace the world.
Then Tom happened. He’d consumed her life. He made her feel things.
Showed her there was more to life, but most of it wasn’t good. He
needed control.
Of course, he did.
Being a sorcerer, he lived for control.
Every time she looked back on her last few years, she winced. She’d
been so naive. She’d let him do all the things he’d done because
she thought she loved him.
He’d never loved her.
But that didn’t matter now. She’d broken free from his control,
and he’d moved on to his next victim.
She stopped in her parents’ driveway, but her thoughts clogged her
mind. She’d considered his next girlfriend a victim. God. What a piece
of work Tom was!
That didn’t matter. She’d come home. She’d gone back to
what she knew so she could heal her heart.
She left the car and strode over to the barn. Poofs of colored smoke shot
from the chimney. Her mother must be creating.
She spied the plants in the field. Her father had finally got the crops out
on time. Good for him. A smile pulled at her lips. At least someone had
their life going in the right direction.
She’d figure hers out soon enough.
She diverted from the barn and made her way over to the field. She breathed
in the clean scent of the crops. Eerie was a hot mess at times, but it was
also the place for paranormals to be themselves. It was a safe place.
She’d thought she needed a place to run away to, but not when home
called. It wasn’t like she had a lost love back home. She’d
never had a boyfriend when she’d been in Eerie. She hadn’t been
enough of a paranormal — not looking like an elf or witch. She’d been
too normal and teased for her appearance. Being different hadn’t
bothered her, though. She shook her head. She’d pulled herself up and
grown. She wasn’t the same girl who’d left town.
“You made it.” Daff, her father, bounded up to her. “Got
a lot to move in?”
“I’m not moving in, Daddy.” She’d found an
apartment on March Avenue, above a bakery. Sue her for liking the
smells.
“I didn’t think you would be, but I cleaned up the second floor
just in case.” He wiped his hands on a towel hanging from his pocket.
“What are you planning to do?”
“I’m living in the Towers. Fourth floor. I’ll get the
keys this evening. It’s furnished so I don’t have to move
anything but my clothes.” She’d worked out a deal with Marina,
her second cousin, to get the last furnished unit.
“Good. I’m glad.” Her father hesitated. “Are you
having a roommate?”
“No.”
“Are you sure? A witch alone?” Her father shook his head.
“We have room.”
“You do, but I need to do this on my own.” She hugged him.
“But I appreciate the concern. I’m only a call
away.”
“I know,” her father said. “Got a job yet?”
“At Linc’s.” She wasn’t sure working at a bar was
smart, but it was a job.
“The bar?”
“In the restaurant. I head there next.” She stepped back.
“Just wanted to see you and Mom. I can use all the anchors I can
get.” She needed them.
“You’re always welcome here.”
“I know. Is Mom around?” She hadn’t seen her and her
mother tended to be the center of attention.
“She’s mixing spells with Grinella.”
She should’ve guessed. “She spends a lot of time there with
her.”
“She does.”
Sadness tinged his voice and she hesitated. “To the exclusion of
you?”
“A bit.”
“Daddy.” She wasn’t sure what to do to help him.
“She needs to find herself, so I’m letting her.”
“But you’re unhappy.” She would be, too.
“I am, but I’ll be here for her.”
“What do you want? For you? Not for Mom?”
He stared at her. “I never thought about it.”
“I know.” She sat beside him on the fence. “What do you
want?”
“To farm. To have my animals and work the land. To feel the earth in
my hands. To be loved,” he said. “All those things.”
“Then that’s what you should do. All of those things. Have you
told Mom you don’t feel loved?”
“She’s never home and when she is, she’s drifting.
It’s like I can’t reach her.”
“You need to try and tell her.” She hugged him. “I
didn’t tell Reuben how I felt and it made life miserable. It
would’ve changed so much and might have kept me from dating
Tom.” Might have made her life better.
“I will.”
“You need to.” She sighed. “I’ll check on you, but
I need to get to work.”
“Go ahead. I’ll be okay.” He nodded. “It’ll
always be okay.”
“You’re sure?”
“I am.” He offered a sad smile. “Go. Get your life
going.”
“I will.” She hesitated before heading to her car. She wanted
to be there for her dad. To help him have the best. For both him and her
mother. She loved them and they did love each other, but they weren’t
good at communicating. Right now, they seemed pulled apart. Sort of like her
situation with Reuben. He’d felt abandoned and used that feeling to
walk away. He claimed he had to find his happiness. He hadn’t cared
that she was confused by her own feelings and overwhelmed. He didn’t
care that she wasn’t sure how to deal with stress, but he wanted what
he wanted when he wanted it, and if someone argued, they were wrong. Not
him.
She’d been wrong often. But she hadn’t told him how she’d
felt.
She slid behind the wheel, then left the farm. Dust swirled in her wake.
Gravel crunched under her tires. A sense of freedom washed over her. She was
her own woman. No Tom or Reuben to stand in her way. A single lady. And it
was time she found her own happy.
Not at a bar, but that was a job. She drove across Eerie, passing the
woods, the lake with light sparkling on the water and so peaceful.
She’d never been much of a nature lover, but she appreciated the
solitude and ability to get lost in the woods to center herself.
She continued to the east end of town. Most residents hated the east end
because of the rough crowd that tended to frequent the area. The bars and
dance halls were there. So was the bail bondsman’s office.
She parked in the lot behind the bar in the staff area. The hotel stood
behind the bar and seemed to groan in the late afternoon sun. She
didn’t know many of the vehicles, but she hadn’t worked there
yet. She hadn’t met the gang. Being hired the day before made knowing
people difficult. She left her car and locked it, then ventured into the
building.
“Hi.” A blond man with a dirty T-shirt stood by the kitchen
sink. “First day?”
“It is.” She recognized the man. The satyr. She thought his
name was Stav. Or something like that. “You’re here
today?” She’d been warned against him.
“Always.” He grinned and dried his hands. “My brother
owns the bar. I’m sure Lance hired you.”
“He did.” The easy conversation reassured her. “He
mentioned his baby brother.”
“Good or bad?” A wicked glimmer filled his eyes.
“A little bit of both.”
About the Author
Megan Slayer, aka Wendi Zwaduk, is a multi-published, award-winning author
of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing
since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary
and paranormal to LGBTQ and white hot themes. No matter what the length, her
works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her
characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s
been nominated at the LRC for Best Author, Best Contemporary, Best
Ménage, Best BDSM and Best Anthology. Her books have made it to the
bestseller lists on various e-tailer sites.
When she’s not writing, Megan spends time with her husband and son as
well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but
football is her sport of choice. She’s an active member of the Friends
of the Keystone-LaGrange Public library.
