There’s no other way to say it; cancer is a bitch. When I was fifteen,
Doctor’s diagnosed me with a rare brain tumor and gave me five years
to live. With my death imminent, I made a deal with the Devil. Well,
not the real Devil, but one of his minions for sure. Out of options,
I accepted an offer for eternal life. I agreed to become a vampire.
And all I had to offer in exchange was one year of service to a Duke
named Aldric. What is one year in the grand scheme of things?
Especially, when I’d live forever.
Now, two years later, I have a different view of vampires. I live in the
shadows and have no contact with any of my friends or family. I hate
what I’ve become and If I could go back and do it all over again, I
would. To make matters worse, Aldric is summoning me for my one year
of service. When I refuse, they hunt me like an animal. I’m run over
by a car and witness my mother’s death at the hands of Aldric’s
minions. No one stands up to-let alone refuses-Aldric, but enough is
enough. I can’t live like this. I’m always watching over my shoulder,
and fear each new person I meet is on a mission to kill me. This is
not a second lease on life; its torture and the only way it will end
is if I kill Aldric. It’s time for him to die.
Angel Nyx and I met through social media. She’s doing a beautiful thing – she’s put her book on sale for 99 cents and will be donating the proceeds for September and October to Breast Cancer Research Foundation!
Author Bio
Angel Nyx writes in multiple genres, including Paranormal, Contemporary, and Historical Romance, Romantic suspense, and Urban Fantasy. Her passion for literature was instilled in her at a young age when her mother read her fairy tale stories at bedtime. Her vivid imagination helps her get in tune with her characters to bring them to life for her readers.
She was once told that her ‘OCD is queen’ because it allows her to find errors in written word others miss. As a result, she has recently branched out to offer her proofreading services to other Indie authors.
When she’s not working or writing, she’s usually reading, gaming, listening to music, or finding new authors to fall in love with.
Tell us about yourself.
I’m a mom, a Nana, and a furmomma, but don’t ask me which I
like more because I’ll plead the fifth! I like to call myself an OG Gamerchick
because I’ve been gaming since my daddy brought an Atari home way back in 1977.
I know, I know, I’m dating myself! Let’s see, I’m very outspoken about the
things that matter most to me, sometimes to the point that I have been called
blunt and abrasive, I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve, and I am unabashedly
retro. I’m a huge fan of Star Wars and Harry Potter and a lover of all things
LOTR. Part of my pen name comes from the tattoo I have on my left shoulder. It
says ‘Angel’ in Tengwar cursive, which is the script used on the One Ring in
LOTR. A lot of people, when they find out, are surprised to learn that I suffer
from marked hearing loss. I lost the hearing in my left ear at the age of three
and over the years the hearing in the right has gotten damaged due to having to
try to compensate.
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
I’ve loved to write since I was a teenager. Back then I wrote poetry, and right before I started becoming a mom I wrote a book that was almost finished, but life happened and I lost everything I’d written. It took close to 30 years to finally pursue this dream, but I’m glad I finally did it.
What genres do you like to read? Are these the same genres you write in?
I read a variety of genres. Paranormal romance, urban
Fantasy, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense, Crime Thrillers, Murder
mysteries, even Horror. It all depends on my mood. The only genres I don’t
write in are crime thrillers, murder mysteries, and horror.
Is your book for adults, young adults or children?
Adults. Definitely adults!
What is your current release or project?
Well, it’s not a current release, per se, as it came out in
February, but it’s a special project for me. I wrote Whispers of Hope as an
homage to the women and men—past, present, and future—who face breast
cancer and all that comes with it. With October being Breast Cancer Awareness
Month, I decided to put it on sale for 0.99 for September and october and
donate proceeds to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Tell us about the key characters
Emma Kaine, the heroine, is 26 when she learns she has
breast cancer. Her grandmother died from breast cancer and her aunt had to have
a double mastectomy. Needless to say, Emma is freaked. In her professional
life, she has to be in control at all times, but in her personal life she prefers
to give up control. As a result, she is a member of Club Equinox, a kink club.
There is one Dom she has always been attracted to but, because she’s curvy and
she’s only ever seen him with petite blondes, she thinks she doesn’t stand a
chance with him. She couldn’t be more wrong.
Griffin Frost, the hero, is the Dom Emma is attracted to, He
tends to be a heavy-handed player so he doesn’t play with a sub who has little
to no experience. This is the only reason he’s never approached Emma. it’s not
until the perfect opportunity presents itself that he does so, and when he
finds out about her diagnosis, he vows to be at her side through it all.
What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?
Club Equinox – Where your darkest desires are met!
Emma Kaine
Strong, independent and
successful in her professional life, in her personal life, Emma prefers to
submit. When she’s diagnosed with breast cancer, the same disease that took her
grandmother at a young age, her world
crumbles. Through her submission, she learns to lean on those around her and
realizes that maybe she really can have it all.
Griffin Frost
A long-time member, and Dominant, at Club Equinox, Griffin knows exactly what he wants. What he wants is Emma. When her world is turned upside down and she needs someone the most, he won’t let anyone else be the one to hold her. When cancer threatens to take her from him, will their love be enough to see them through?
Share an excerpt.
The fear in Emma’s voice, the terror in her eyes, had me reaching
for her. I pulled her close and just held her. “You’re not going to die, Emma.
And you’re not going to have to face this alone.” I could feel her shaking as
my arms enfolded her and it brought my protective nature to the forefront. I just
wanted to take care of her and make her feel safe.
“I
know. I’ll have Kate, but…”
“I’m
not talking about Kate. I’m talking about me. I’ll be right there, holding your
hand, every step of the way.”
“I
can’t ask you to do that, Griffin.”
“You’re
not asking me to. I’m offering. I’m not letting you face this battle alone.” My
hand lifted to caress her cheek. “We’ll get through it together.” There was no
way in hell I was letting her face this battle by herself.
“I’m
still not sure I understand this. You’ve never – not a single time – shown any
interest in me before.”
“That’s
where you’re wrong. You’ve just never noticed it before, Emma. I’ve watched you
from day one.”
“I’ve
been coming here for five years. Why now? If you’ve watched me for so long, why
did it take you five years to make your move?”
“I’ve
been in the scene for almost two decades, Beautiful. I learned, over the years,
that I can often be too intense for those who don’t have any experience playing
with others. I made the decision to not play with inexperienced submissives. To
not get involved with a woman who has
little to no experience.” There was a reason behind that but tonight wasn’t the
time to get into it.
“What
changed?”
“You’ve
gotten some experience. I watched the scenes you and Seth have done. I know you
can handle my intensity.”
“I
can handle anything you can dish out.”
The
cheeky grin she gave me made me chuckle. “That’s my girl.”
“Your
girl? I think I kinda like that idea.”
“If
you want to be. There is a lot for us to discuss. What do you say we get you
dressed and get out of here? We can go somewhere neutral and talk things over.”
“That
sounds like a great idea.”
There was a sincerity in her voice that told me she was being
genuine. It was so damn refreshing.
Do you have a favorite scene?
I think my favorite scene in the book is one that takes
place after the heroine, Emma, has had a double mastectomy. When she looks at
herself, she doesn’t see a beautiful woman anymore. She’s dealing with so many
emotions from the surgery, along with recovering from chemo and radiation, and
the hero, Griffin, decides that he needs to show her she is still beautiful to
him. He does it by loving her, by touching her with reverence. it’s such a
moving scene.
What advice would you give a beginner?
First, don’t be afraid to ask questions. There are no dumb
questions, because we have all been there at some point. Second, find your
tribe. For some of us, that can take awhile, but you need to find those people—fellow
authors as well as fans—who will have your back. Third, learn
everything you can. This goes back to asking questions, but there is more to it
than that. If you’re writing about a specific area/culture, research. If you’re
using a language you don’t speak yourself, DO NOT use google to translate it.
Find someone in the writing community who knows the language. Otherwise, you
risk having incorrect translations and angry readers.
Don’t be afraid to step outside the box when
deciding to write about a particular trope. When I decided to write my shifter
series, I knew I wanted to focus on them as people first, shifters second. This
isn’t the norm among shifter books. They tend to be more animalistic. It was
the same with my Mafia series. My mobsters aren’t cold, unfeeling monsters.
They’re vicious toward their enemies, but with their families and the women
they love they’re loyal and passionate. I also did this with my demons in my
Hellfire series.
Also, you don’t have to ‘write what you
know’, but write what you love. If your passion is in reverse harem, write it.
Do you love MM or menage? Write it! Don’t be afraid to let your passions guide
you!
From #1 New York Times bestselling
author Ilona Andrew comes an enthralling new trilogy set in the
Hidden Legacy world, where magic means power, and family bloodlines
are the new currency of society…
In a world where magic is the key to power and wealth, Catalina Baylor
is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, and the Head of her
House. Catalina has always been afraid to use her unique powers, but
when her friend’s mother and sister are murdered, Catalina
risks her reputation and safety to unravel the mystery.
But behind the scenes powerful forces are at work, and one of them
is Alessandro Sagredo, the Italian Prime who was once Catalina’s
teenage crush. Dangerous and unpredictable, Alessandro’s true
motives are unclear, but he’s drawn to Catalina like a moth to a flame.
To help her friend, Catalina must test the limits of her extraordinary
powers, but doing so may cost her both her House–and her heart.
“Ilona Andrews” is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team.
Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications
sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was
never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was
never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in
college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade.
(Gordon is still sore about that.)
Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Texas with their two
children and many dogs and cats.
They have co-authored several NYT and USAT bestselling series. They are
currently working on urban fantasy of Kate Daniels, the paranormal
romance of Hidden Legacy, and thjeir independently published series,
Innkeeper Chronicles.
“A great story of murder, mystery . . . and well-developed
characters.”—Margie Hager, Netgalley Reviewer on A Drop of Magic
“A Drop of Magic is a damned fun and original read, with sass,
action, hot men, and a whole lot of magic.” —Diana Pharaoh
Francis, author of the Diamond City Magic, Magicfall,
and Horngate Witches series
Deeper into the shadows. . .
The paranatural community isn’t done with Alex. She’s been summoned
to the fae court, and she’s got her hands full trying to prepare.
But her date with the fae will have to wait. There’s been a death
at the gallery, and the man she hoped would be a part of her future
is the prime suspect.
Bitter enemies pull her into the middle of a paranatural war for territory
that has her dodging police, swords, teeth, and claws—not to
mention the truth. The deeper she digs, the more secrets she
uncovers, and the less certain she is about the innocence of the one
man she wanted to trust.
She thought she was done with murder and monsters, but she’ll have to
enter the belly of the beast if she hopes to save her friend.
With the world clinging to a fragile peace forced on the Fae by humanity
after the Faerie Wars, metalsmith Alex Blackwood is plunged into the
world of the half-fae who traffick in illegal magical artifacts. Her
best friend’s murder and his cryptic last message place her in the
crosshairs of a scheme to reignite the decade-old war between humans
and fae.
Worse, violent attacks against her and the arrival of a fae knight on a
mission force Alex to face a devastating revelation of who
and what she is. To catch a killer, retrieve a
dangerous artifact, and stop a war, Alex will have to accept that
she’s an unregistered fae “halfer” with a unique magical
talent—a talent that would change everything she believes about her
past, her art, and her future.
Her world is crumbling around her, and Alex will have to decide who to
trust if she and the world are going to survive.
“A Drop of Magic is a damned fun and original read, with sass, action,
hot men, and a whole lot of magic.”
—Diana Pharaoh Francis, author of the Diamond
City Magic, Magicfall, and Horngate Witches series
Born and raised in
Colorado, L. R. BRADEN makes her home in the foothills of the Rocky
Mountains with her wonderful husband, precocious daughter, and
psychotic cat. With degrees in both English literature and
metalsmithing, she splits her time between writing and art.
Life as a slave in the fight pits of Kenya is vicious and brutally short,
and no one knows this better than lion shifter Lazarus Kiprop. As a
prized champion, he lives with blood on his hands and guilt in his
heart. He’s survived longer than most, at a cost. With no end in
sight, Lazarus has given up on ever seeing another sunrise. The last
thing he needs is a vampire youngling taunting him with impossible
promises of freedom.
A newly made vampire, Willow has gaping holes in her memory and a
burning desire for revenge. With less than a week before her new
master arrives to claim her, she’s determined to find a way out of
captivity. And if the leather-clad guy in the cell next door doesn’t
believe it’s possible? That’s too bad, because she’s going,
with or without him. But while Willow may be able to escape her cage,
will she be able to escape her heart?
“A Lion’s Cage” is the prequel to “The Lion Shifters” series.
Emma Knight is in Kenya to bury a witch, and then she’s leaving. But
hostile forces are pushing her into a role she doesn’t want. When
Emma breaks a cardinal rule and rescues a lion Shifter, she finds
herself at a dangerous crossroads. Does she move on, or risk her
secrets and her heart to save the lion’s Pride and establish peace
in Nairobi?
Lion Shifter King David Kiprop is on a time-sensitive mission, one that
leads him into a poacher’s snare. While he’s relieved to escape
the trap, he’s not happy to owe a life-debt to the snarky,
secretive female who rescued him, even if he does find Emma
attractive. She’s a bewitching distraction King can’t afford. Too
bad the gods have other plans.
Join the Kiprop Pride and escape to a land where everything is possible.
Start your adventure today!
“A King’s Pride” is Book 1 in “The Lion Shifters” series. The
Lion Shifters is cliffhanger-free and is meant to be read in order
for the best reading experience
Summoned to Kenya by a dying witch, Grace Elkhart
can’t wait to leave. She agrees to stay only long enough to help
her cousin Emma establish some law and order in Nairobi. Being
a Demon, Grace has the power to do that. But settle down? Join
Emma’s Pride? There are too many reasons against it, starting with
Jed Kiprop, the only man to ever break her Demon heart.
As a lion Shifter, Jed knows he needs to join a Pride… eventually. Now
that his eldest brother King has formed one, it should be an easy
choice. Except his brother’s mate has a Demon
in her family. And that’s one Paranorm
Jed refuses to share space with, especially when that Demon’s name
is Grace, a woman he once loved before she betrayed him.
When a family tragedy and a king’s command force Jed and Grace to work
together, sparks fly despite their mutual distrust. But will they be
able to overcome their pride and prejudice in time to save the Pride
and each other from an ancient enemy?
Fun-loving Tana “Tiger” Shah is about to lose everything, including her
freedom. When her estranged mother shows up at her doorstep with an
indecent proposal, Tiger must make a decision: lose her home in order
to pay off her family’s debt
and preserve her honor, or marry a man she doesn’t know. Although
her heart says no, love doesn’t pay the bills. Tiger will do
whatever it takes to protect her family, even if it means turning her
back on her own dreams.
Lion Shifter Ezekiel Kiprop isn’t one to play games, especially if the
safety of his Pride is at risk. When it comes to his duty to defend
his king, he’s never hesitated until now. And that’s what makes
Tiger so dangerous: she makes him forget all reason when she’s
around. Determined to focus on an unknown challenger to his brother’s
throne, Ezekiel shuts down his feelings. As fate would have it, his
lion has other ideas, especially when it comes to Tiger. But will
their love survive the truth Tiger has been hiding?
Rebecca Keitany’s life has been one battle after
another, until the moment she’s hired by a witch to work at a tea
shop. Finally, it seems Rebecca’s future is looking bright: she’s
got a stable job, and an art dealer is interested in her paintings.
But that’s before she attracts the unwanted attention of the
powerful Lightning Bird who has one simple request, and he won’t
take no for an answer. So the last thing Rebecca needs is to be
saddled with Daniel Kiprop, a handsome socialite and brilliant tech
developer.
Lion Shifter Daniel is all too willing to offer his expertise to his
Pride’s queen. It’s an easy assignment, and then he’ll be back
to his normal business, including the endless parties that fill his
evenings. All is going according to plan until the night of a vicious
attack that changes everything Daniel thought about life, love and
the pursuit of happiness. But can he convince Rebecca he’s a
changed lion before she takes up the offer of the Lightning Bird and
disappears forever?
It’s going to be a night to remember, and not in a good way. When election
chaos combines with the storm of the century, Nairobi becomes an even
more dangerous city than usual. The lion Shifters retreat to their
Prideland, under strict orders from their king to stay at home.
Trouble is, Isaac Kiprop was never one to follow the rules. While the other
lion Shifters settle down for a long night, Isaac has other plans:
his last burglary job for the hyena gang. After that, he’ll be
free, or so he tells himself. And he’s pretty sure he can get away
with it, until a pretty but irritating, know-it-all wolf Shifter
crashes his party and his heart.
Lara Kraft is on a mission, one that doesn’t involve Isaac and his
never-ending efforts to push her buttons. Her research takes her into
the territory of a dangerous criminal game, and all her carefully
laid plans go awry. When Lara learns the truth about the gang’s
latest assignment, she’ll do anything to stop
them. But good intentions have a way of
getting complicated, especially when Isaac is involved.
I was born and raised in Kenya. Living up to my name, I decided an
office job wasn’t my cup of tea. When I’m not rescuing orphaned
elephants or conducting a lion census, I write about people who walk
the thin line between the human world and the supernatural. Visit my
world at www.ParanormalAfrica.com to receive exclusive gifts and top
secret info.
With the world clinging to a fragile peace forced on the Fae by humanity
after the Faerie Wars, metalsmith Alex Blackwood is plunged into the
world of the half-fae who traffick in illegal magical artifacts. Her
best friend’s murder and his cryptic last message place her in the
crosshairs of a scheme to reignite the decade-old war between humans
and fae.
Worse, violent attacks against her and the arrival of a fae knight on a
mission force Alex to face a devastating revelation of who
and what she is. To catch a killer, retrieve a
dangerous artifact, and stop a war, Alex will have to accept that
she’s an unregistered fae “halfer” with a unique magical
talent—a talent that would change everything she believes about her
past, her art, and her future.
Her world is crumbling around her, and Alex will have to decide who to
trust if she and the world are going to survive.
“A Drop of Magic is a damned fun and original read, with sass, action,
hot men, and a whole lot of magic.”
—Diana Pharaoh Francis, author of the Diamond City Magic, Magicfall,
and Horngate Witches series
Born and raised in Colorado, L. R. BRADEN makes her home in the foothills
of the Rocky Mountains with her wonderful husband, precocious daughter, and
psychotic cat. With degrees in both English literature and
metalsmithing, she splits her time between writing and art. A
Drop of Magic is her first novel.
Aristocratic witch, Isabella Pethany, has heritage but not magic.
Underworld powerbroker, amnesiac vampire Maldit,
has magic but no heritage.
Lukas Sindis, coven sorcerer and famous psychopath, has both.
Isabella knows her null magic status makes her an embarrassment to her family,
but since Natalie, her sister, was murdered, she is all they have
left. Guilt makes her willing to do almost anything to compensate for
her lack of value, but her grandmother’s proposal to match her with
Lukas, in an attempt to bring strong magic back to their bloodline,
is a step too far.
When Maldit rescues a strange witch from hunting vampires, his main
concern is to limit trouble in his territory. Everyone knows witches
are troublesome, and this one is no exception. Her proximity slashes
through his damaged memory, allowing him to catch glimpses of his
forgotten past.
Drugs have suppressed Lukas’s magic for almost twenty years, filling him
with a reservoir of trapped power. When he escapes, his magic flies
free, washing over Maldit and Isabella, and clearing away the spells
paralysing both of them.
The dark secrets of the London coven are about to explode into the light
of day.
Annalisa Carr lives in the English Lake District, where she shares a view of
the fells with three cats. She spent the early part of her life
working as a protein crystallographer, a job she found fascinating.
She now spends her time writing, in a variety of genres. Science
Fiction, fantasy and fantasy romance are her favourites.
“Vampires, Immortals, Bacchae—they’re all the same.
The name may change, but their appetites never do.”
Ever since archaeology student Serafina Finch found an ancient Roman
amulet on a dig in Italy, she’s been having dreams. Strange dreams
that leave her with an eerie sense of foreboding. But between a busy
college schedule and a boyfriend she’s hoping to marry, she doesn’t
have time for strange.
Then a mysterious cult takes an obsessive interest in the artifact.
Serafina finds her life in chaos as she’s thrown into the
supernatural world, where Immortals and witches alike claim ownership
of the amulet. Heramulet.
As her connection to the amulet grows, she discovers a dark secret about
her past. Serafina realizes she must protect the powerful relic at
all costs–even if it means losing one of the people she loves most.
“Invisible. Powerful. Immortal. We are Bacchae.”
BIRTH OF THE BACCHAE is a New Adult Urban Fantasy novel exploring the
origins of vampire lore in a modern setting. Where do the stories
come from? How were vampires created? Do they still exist today?
Stephanie Mirro’s lifelong love of ancient mythology led to majoring in the
Classics in college, which wasn’t quite as much fun as writing her
own mythology stories as she did as a child. But that education,
combined with an overactive imagination and being an avid fantasy
reader, resulted in a writing career.
Starting her days with coffee and ending them with wine means Stephanie can
usually be found juggling household chores, keeping the kids alive,
and trying to write, edit, publish, and market the stories that haunt
her dreams.
Born and raised in Southern Arizona, Stephanie now resides in Northern
Virginia with her husband, two kids, and two furbabies. This thing
called “seasons” is still magical.
Four years ago, my world—the world—exploded with wild magic. The
cherry on top of that crap cake? The supernatural world declared war
on humans, and my life went straight to hell.
I used to be a detective, and a damned good one. Then Magicfall
happened, and I changed along with the world. I’m witchkin
now—something more than human or not quite human, depending on your
perspective. To survive, I’ve become a scavenger, searching
abandoned houses and stores for the everyday luxuries in short
supply—tampons and peanut butter. Oh, how the mighty have fallen,
but anything’s better than risking my secret.
Except, old habits die hard. When I discover a murder scene screaming with
signs of black magic ritual, I know my days of hiding are over. Any
chance I had of escaping my past with my secret intact is gone.
Solving the witchkin murders is going to be the hardest case of my
life, and not just because every second will torture me with
reminders of how much I miss my old life and my partner, who hates my
guts for abandoning the department.
But it’s time to suck it up, because if I screw this up, Portland will
be wiped out, and I’m not going to let that happen. Hold on to your
butts, Portland. Justice is coming, and I don’t take prisoners.
Diana Pharaoh Francis is the acclaimed author of a dozen novels of fantasy and
urban fantasy. Her books have been nominated for the Mary Roberts
Rinehart Award and RT’s Best Urban Fantasy. The Witchkin
Murders is the first book in her exciting new urban fantasy series—Magicfall.
She never laid a hand on him to take his life. She didn’t have to.
As her boss lies on the floor with a dozen witnesses staring and
paramedics working in a futile effort to save him, a mysterious
stranger approaches Angie with a bizarre offer.
It’s a job with the ExtraTerrestrial Protection Agency, a secret
organization. Can Angie trust a group whose very existence is ultra
classified?
She has to decide in a hurry because her newly released power starts
drawing attention from life-draining, telepathic, Mindworms and alien
scientists obsessed with abducting humans. Most terrifying of all,
she’s stalked by one of the most fearsome predators in the galaxy.
If you loved Men in Black or Ilona Andrews’ Innkeeper Chronicles
series, buckle up for a wild ride with Angie Faust in Cursing. Get it now!
Lynne Murray was born in Illinois, but she grew up in transit due to her
father’s work with the military. She’s lived in Texas, Alaska,
Florida, Washington state, and Southern California, before landing
and staying in San Francisco.
Lynne writes the kind of books she loves to read. Those usually feature a
lot of action, quirky characters and supernatural attitude. She just
might read anything that isn’t tied down, but some of the books that
have to be restrained also make it onto her list. Her favorite
authors include Illona Andrews, Faith Hunter, Patricia Briggs, Kim
Hamilton, Terry Pratchett and T.H. White.
She now lives and writes and stares out the window at the ocean with a
group of rescue cats, who rescue her right back with heroic feats of purring.
