Guest Blog + Giveaway: Crow's Caw at Nightmoon Creek by Calinda B.

Woodland Creek Series.

30 Authors. 30 Shifter Stories.

One Epic Release Day.

http://woodlandcreekseries.com

UFI welcomes Author Calinda B. Thanks for Joining us!!

 
On Crows and Mythology and Crow’s Caw at Nightmoon Creek

One of my favorite side effects about being an author is learning cool facts about the world through fiction. Every writer has to maintain a plausibility factor when crafting a story.  I always aim to write stories that both stretch the imagination and lay grounded in a framework of fact.

Writing about shape shifters always intrigues me. An avid nature lover, as well as explorer of the great outdoors both on land and under the sea, I’m fascinated by the animal kingdom. Whether I’m out on an adventure, or watching out the window of my home, I study and observe animals, birds, sea mammals, fish – anything that catches my eye. In my worldview, animals possess intelligence we often overlook, simply because they don’t possess qualities of speech. Crows have often been a favorite topic of study.

The first time I saw a crow flying high and dropping a sea-treat -- a clam, or maybe a mussel -- over and over on the asphalt until it became cracked and ready for consumption, I knew I loved their ingenuity. I later learned they’re extremely intelligent, and finding ways to crack open supper is only the start. In fact, it’s estimated they’re as smart as a seven year old human. They can solve complex problems like water displacement to get a drink, plus, they’re the only non-primate species to be able to fashion tools from sticks and such to get grubs and bugs out of hiding places. Speaking of hiding places, they’ve been known to cache food in a two-hundred mile radius, recalling where they hid it for over nine months. I doubt if I could recall the exact placement of food storage over two-hundred miles, unless I relied on GPS.

Crows possess uncanny communication skills. They’ll remember the features of one who has harmed them, passing this knowledge on to their friends and family.  In Chatham, Ontario, crows used to use the town as a migration stop, destroying crops and causing general mayhem. The townspeople went on the offense, declaring war on crows. A single crow was killed. The very next day the crowd of mischief making crows left, alerting crows far and wide. Now, crows fly high over Chatham to avoid getting hit. Only one crow in half a million suffered a fatality.

In mythology, the crow is often seen as one who ushers the soul of the departed to the other side. Celtic goddesses were said to assume the form of a crow, gathering over battlefields to consume the flesh of the dead. Seeing a crow or a raven before going into battle meant impending doom for the witness’ army. 

Excited by all this information, I set to craft the character of a crow shifter, Mercedes McCartney. Her character is that of a warrior type, one who supports and encourages the downtrodden. Throughout the book, she searches for her life purpose, hoping she’ll usher souls to the other side.

And then I got stuck on crow behavior. I mean, we’ve all seen it…a crow feasting on roadkill by the side of the road. How could my character reconcile said behavior with her human self? The only way I could come up with implied having plenty of time prior to shifting to digest in crow form, otherwise, her human brain would rebel and…you guessed it…there goes her lunch, splattered all over the sidewalk or forest floor. 

Mercedes loves to spread her wings and soar into the sky. I imagined it like when I scuba dive – I float, effortlessly through the water column, buoyed and buffeted by currents of water, much like currents of air. She loves to spy on people, knowing they probably won’t pay her any mind – she’s “only” a crow. I had loads of fun developing this story.

I hope you have a chance to read Crow’s Caw at Nightmoon Creek, as well as all the stories in the Woodland Creek series. We had a great time working together, conspiring, celebrating and are happy to share our stories with you, as well as the many ways we learned and developed our shifter stories. I’m sure I’m not the only one who learns interesting facts along the way to writing The End. As you read our stories, you might find out you learn a fact or two, as well. Enjoy Woodland Creek!

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Calinda B is a bestselling author who crafts erotic short stories and paranormal, sci-fi and contemporary romance novels. An avid adventurer and outdoor enthusiast with a quirky sense of humor, she's always finding ways to torture her characters, and to entertain her long time love, her two cats or her kids and friends. She lives in the breathtaking Pacific Northwest, a place that soothes her soul and gives her plenty of time to write, scuba dive, work, write, bike ride, write, kayak, write and write some more.

With seventeen books roaming the universe and more in her head, you can find her at www.calindab.com.

Find Calinda and her books

Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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Crow's Caw at Nightmoon Creek
Amazon

This is a standalone paranormal shifter romance.

Flying through the night sky is amazing...especially when you're a spy.

Tall, athletic Mercedes McCartney is good at what she does – shaping clay into art. Supporting the downtrodden in the town of Woodland Creek. Oh – and transforming herself into a crow to fly the night sky, the wind in her feathers, soaring over landscapes, vistas and endless wonder as she sources secrets and eavesdrops on people's folly.

Coming back to Earth sucks...unless you uncover the truth.

Mercedes is horrified when she comes upon the dead body of her best friend, Elena Iris, at her favorite place, Nightmoon Creek. Nearby, stands the very much alive hot guy she’s been pursuing, Lennon Lusk. He's a suspect. She's a suspect. Mercedes' next mission becomes a big one – find out who really killed Elena, even if it means sacrificing her lust for Lusk.

She needs answers, fast. Her best clues come from a cat named Muffin and following her instinct, spying on the townsfolk. She uncovers secrets, lies and plots that fracture the calm appearance Woodland Creek presents. Only insiders know the truth. And insiders want Mercedes McCartney dead.

Get ready to fly into mystery. Buy Crow's Caw at Nightmoon Creek.

__________________________________

The Woodland Creek Series is an innovative and collaborative collection of Shifter stories set in one town, each with a guaranteed Happily Ever After.

Sibilance by Aria Kane -- This sexy trickster won't let Sophia Samson slither out of his life so easily. Amazon | Goodreads

Crow's Caw at Nightmoon Creek by Calinda B -- All she can think about is his naked body in the woods last night...and how he murdered her best friend. Amazon | Goodreads

Running Free by K Webster -- Can Frankie prove her innocence with a sexy detective hot on her trail? Amazon | Goodreads

Broken Wings by Mindy Larson – Love, secrets and lies make for a thrilling ride in Broken Wings. Amazon | Goodreads

Mina’s Revenge by J.M. Witt -- Her powers are changing and they're more than the bloodline inheritance from her mother. Amazon

Gargoyle by Scarlett Dawn -- Being stone-hard has never been this sexy and wicked before. Amazon | Goodreads

Zenko by J. Rose Alexander -- Blaze Riordan must find Melody Hastings before Halloween--and only a little red fox can help him do it. Amazon

The Scarlett Legacy by K.N. Lee -- All Evie wanted was to escape her family's secret...and then Avalon walked into town. Amazon

The Beast Within by Rachel M. Raithby -- Passion ignites, and pasts collide, when the Beast comes out to play. Amazon | Goodreads

Sinful Instincts by J.D. Hollyfield -- She was his temptation, and he was her ultimate Sin. Amazon

Moonlit Feathers by Sarah Makela -- After faced with crippling loss, a heartbroken raven must find her wings again…. Amazon | Goodreads

Hounded by Tasha Black -- This dog is about to have his day... Amazon

Dearborn by Jenni Moen -- I craved normalcy, to fall in love with someone untouched by the magic of Woodland Creek, but not as much as I craved him. Amazon | Goodreads

The Good Girl’s Guide to Being a Demon by April Aasheim -- What's a good girl to do when she starts developing horns, and a hunger? Amazon

Blind Trust by Raci Ames -- When Pia goes blind she must learn to trust what her heart can see, even if it means falling in love with two different shifters. Amazon | Goodreads

Dragon's Web by Lia Davis -- One sexy dragon, two strong-willed females, a family scandal, murder, and a love that requires plenty of ice. Amazon | Goodreads

Wicked Jackal by Cherie Marks -- The freedom to choose her fate is all she wants, but can she resist the draw of one wicked jackal? Amazon | Goodreads

One Insatiable by Tia Louise -- One wounded panther, one restless lynx, one insatiable hunger. Amazon | Goodreads

Dream Catcher by M.C. Cerny -- Happenstance brought Kerri Harper to Woodland Creek, but will she stay for the wolf intent on mending her broken heart? Amazon

The Viking’s Curse by Xandra James -- He was supposed to keep me alive after I was marked for death, but hiring the meanest Viking shifter in town might just kill me. Amazon | Goodreads

Tour Wide

There are three amazing prizes for this blog tour!

• Always Loyal, a Michael Stokes photography book
• Exhibition, a Michael Stokes photography book
• $20 Giftcard to your choice of Amazon, B&N, or Starbucks
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Dark Alpha's Claim by Donna Grant

Dark Alpha's Claim

Author: Donna Grant

Release Date: November 17, 2015

Publisher: St. Martins Paperback

Reaper Book #1

ISBN:   1466883383

ISBN13: 9781466883383

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Review Copy Source: NetGalley

Dark Alpha's Claim is the first in an exclusive new series from New York Times bestselling author Donna Grant!

There is no escaping a Reaper. I am an elite assassin, part of a brotherhood that only answers to Death. And when Death says your time is up, I am coming for you...

My whole existence is based on taking what Death wants. Born to eliminate Fae guilty of unforgivable crimes, my reckless, wild nature makes me the perfect assassin to carry out Death's bidding. I've seen more sinister and violent dealings than anyone could ever imagine. But it was the sight of her face that stopped me cold. I've never wanted a woman-never mind a human-so badly; never felt my heart, hardened by death, burn brighter and hotter until it burst into flames. She is everything I desire. The kind of woman that compels you to stake your claim on her, to let the world know that she's yours. A Reaper saving her life will only attract danger, but I vow to protect her at all costs from the Fae that hunt her, and keep safe the woman who has claimed me, body and soul.

The blurb for DARK ALPHA'S CLAIM pulled me in and since I've read quite a few of Grant's other series I figured I would enjoy it. Even though Grant's Reaper series is new, there are many mentions of characters from previous series. I don't think everyone will be confused or feel like you are missing something, but if you want to learn more about the world and the characters you might want to backtrack and read through the other three series that take place in the same world. Because there are so many books to get through, I don't see many new readers doing that though.

Since DARK ALPHA'S CLAIM is a paranormal romance, I will start with the romance. It was hot, but I expected nothing less of a Donna Grant book. The heat kicks off pretty quickly between Baylon and Jordyn and it never simmers down. It's insta-attraction and insta-love and Grant pulls it off with ease. It's pretty clear from the start—even though Baylon insists at first that he will walk away from Jordyn—that both would do anything for the other and they can't possibly live life without the other there. I thought Jordyn fit in with the other Reapers with ease. Speaking of the other reapers, I already have my favorites and I just might pick up book two if one of them are featured.

So why only 3 stars? There was a few things. There are a LOT of characters right off the bat. It makes it very hard to keep them all straight and it also makes it a bit hard to get to know them all. On top of that I had a hard time staying in the story and it just felt like something was missing and I couldn't figure out what it was.

I gave it 3/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Veiled Magic by Deborah Blake

Veiled Magic

Author: Deborah Blake

Release Date: November 17, 2015

Publisher: InterMix

ASIN:   B0125VU39Y

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Review Copy Source: Publisher

Since Witches came out of the broom-closet in the early 21st century, they have worked alongside humans as police officers, healers, stock traders, and more. But they aren’t the only paranormal entities in our world…

Police officer and Witch Donata Santori spends her days interrogating dead witnesses by summoning their spectral forms. Normally the job is little more than taking statements and filing reports. But when she’s called in on the case of a murdered art restorer, she finds herself suddenly in possession of a mystical portrait that both the human and paranormal communities would kill to get their hands on.

Unable to take on the forces hunting her alone, Donata seeks help from two unlikely and attractive allies: a reluctant shape-changer and a half-dragon art forger. But as the three of them hurry to uncover the truth about the powerful painting, Donata realizes that she’s caught in the middle of not one but two wars—one for possession of the painting’s secrets and one for possession of her heart…

I really enjoy books where the main character is a police officer and I have enjoyed Blake's Baba Yaga series, so picking up a review copy of VEILED MAGIC was an easy choice.

VEILED MAGIC starts off on the slow side, but things really pick up when multiple people start threatening  and giving Donata ultimatums to get her to do what they want. I enjoyed Donata's character. I liked what she does for a living with her magic and I liked her personality. There are actually some great secondary characters —as well as some animals— that are involved in VEILED MAGIC. Grimalkin and Elymr in particular really stole the show when they were in a scene.

Are you ready for a love triangle? Donata meets Peter for the first time in VEILED MAGIC, and they certainly have an attraction. I really thought there would be more romance between them, but then enters Magnus. Donata had a previous relationship with him and they are just friends now, but they have a history that shows and they actually DO get romantic in VEILED MAGIC, but Donata is adamant that their relationship would never work because of who and what they are and she is still pulled towards Peter. I wasn't too thrilled with the way the love triangle part of the story line left off, but maybe book 2 will make it up to me.

I enjoyed reading VEILED MAGIC, but I wish we got more of the cop feel I was looking for. Donata is an officer, but the case she is working on takes her out of the police station where she investigates with those that aren't officers, which to be fair, is stated in the blurb. I am hoping book two—which I will be reading—will have a bit more station action.

I gave it 3.5/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Guest Blog + Giveaway: The Good Girl's Guide to Being a Demon by April Aasheim

Woodland Creek Series.

30 Authors. 30 Shifter Stories.

One Epic Release Day.

http://woodlandcreekseries.com

UFI welcomes Author April Aasheim. Thanks for Joining us!!

One of the most-asked questions I get is: Why do you write about the paranormal?

In all honesty, I never intended to be a paranormal writer. In fact, I thought I’d end writing humor or women’s fiction.

I remember that day that all changed. I had been contemplating writing a story about a woman with a hoarding disorder. Her home was going to be condemned unless she could make it livable again. But how? Were some magic mice going to come in and clean it up for her?

Since this wasn’t a supernatural tale, the job of the mice fell to her four grown daughters instead.

It was a good concept. A returning home tale where mothers and daughters and sisters hashed out their old problems while sorting through years of collected junk and discovering themselves. I could see it appearing on Lifetime TV. In fact, maybe I already had.

A good concept, but done a few times in a few ways.

Now I was stuck again at square one. Still, I wanted to write something. So I closed my eyes and let my mind wander and when I opened them my fingers began typing. And this strange sentence appeared.  “If I were a real witch, the kind you read about in stories and fairy tales, I might have put a curse on Leah for walking in on me and Michael like she did.”

I stared at the sentence. Who said that? Was it me?

I kept typing. “Not a big curse, of course. Just a little something to teach her how to knock.”

Okay, so that got creepy. These sentences were not in my head. They just kinda…came out.

And then, in another strange moment, I knew these lines had something to do with the story that had already been in my head. It was my mother/daughter story, but different.

I began brainstorming: What if the mother was sick and the daughters had to come home to care for her - except the mother’s illness was ‘supernatural’ and the girls had all been raised up to be witches.

And what if the girls didn’t want to be witches and had left the town long ago to rebel?

There we go. Mother and daughter problems with a visit to the past, too.

And the words kept coming, without outline or plot. They just poured out. And through the course of the story I became the spirited witch Maggie Maddock in my book The Witches of Dark Root. And I fell in love. Not just with the town and the characters, but in the process.

The whole thing was…magical.

So you can say paranormal writing found me, in a Rod Sterling kind of way. And it continues to ‘find me’ as I write other books like The Good Girl’s Guide to Being a Demon and next year’s Nymph No More.

Will all of my stories have a paranormal element? I don’t know. But I’m open to whatever comes through.

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April Aasheim spent her childhood traveling around the Southwestern portion of the United States with her gypsy mother and her get-rich-quick stepfather. During those years she spent time traveling with the carnival, living in an abandoned miner's shack, and learning to read Tarot Cards. After spending her early adult years in California, Tennessee, and Arizona, she finally settled down in Oregon where she has lived for the last decade. April is a mother, a wife, and a reluctant homemaker. She has written several short stories and maintains an active blog. She is also the author of the witchy, Amazon Best-Selling fantasy series: The Daughters of Dark Root.

Find April and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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The Good Girl's Guide to Being a Demon 
Amazon

Strange changes are happening to Cassie Walker. She’s losing track of time, seeing shadows, and developing…horns?

Fearful, she returns to her childhood home to solve the mystery of what she’s becoming. There, she meets up with childhood friend, Josh Tucker, who convinces her to enter the annual Demon Run in Woodland Creek.

But things aren’t always what they seem in Woodland Creek, and people aren’t who they appear to be.

Soon, Cassie finds not only herself in danger, but Josh as well.

Can she save them both? Or has her lineage tainted her forever?

__________________________________

The Woodland Creek Series is an innovative and collaborative collection of Shifter stories set in one town, each with a guaranteed Happily Ever After.

Sibilance by Aria Kane -- This sexy trickster won't let Sophia Samson slither out of his life so easily. Amazon | Goodreads

Crow's Caw at Nightmoon Creek by Calinda B -- All she can think about is his naked body in the woods last night...and how he murdered her best friend. Amazon | Goodreads

Running Free by K Webster -- Can Frankie prove her innocence with a sexy detective hot on her trail? Amazon | Goodreads

Broken Wings by Mindy Larson – Love, secrets and lies make for a thrilling ride in Broken Wings. Amazon | Goodreads

Mina’s Revenge by J.M. Witt -- Her powers are changing and they're more than the bloodline inheritance from her mother. Amazon

Gargoyle by Scarlett Dawn -- Being stone-hard has never been this sexy and wicked before. Amazon | Goodreads

Zenko by J. Rose Alexander -- Blaze Riordan must find Melody Hastings before Halloween--and only a little red fox can help him do it. Amazon

The Scarlett Legacy by K.N. Lee -- All Evie wanted was to escape her family's secret...and then Avalon walked into town. Amazon

The Beast Within by Rachel M. Raithby -- Passion ignites, and pasts collide, when the Beast comes out to play. Amazon | Goodreads

Sinful Instincts by J.D. Hollyfield -- She was his temptation, and he was her ultimate Sin. Amazon

Moonlit Feathers by Sarah Makela -- After faced with crippling loss, a heartbroken raven must find her wings again…. Amazon | Goodreads

Hounded by Tasha Black -- This dog is about to have his day... Amazon

Dearborn by Jenni Moen -- I craved normalcy, to fall in love with someone untouched by the magic of Woodland Creek, but not as much as I craved him. Amazon | Goodreads

The Good Girl’s Guide to Being a Demon by April Aasheim -- What's a good girl to do when she starts developing horns, and a hunger? Amazon

Blind Trust by Raci Ames -- When Pia goes blind she must learn to trust what her heart can see, even if it means falling in love with two different shifters. Amazon | Goodreads

Dragon's Web by Lia Davis -- One sexy dragon, two strong-willed females, a family scandal, murder, and a love that requires plenty of ice. Amazon | Goodreads

Wicked Jackal by Cherie Marks -- The freedom to choose her fate is all she wants, but can she resist the draw of one wicked jackal? Amazon | Goodreads

One Insatiable by Tia Louise -- One wounded panther, one restless lynx, one insatiable hunger. Amazon | Goodreads

Dream Catcher by M.C. Cerny -- Happenstance brought Kerri Harper to Woodland Creek, but will she stay for the wolf intent on mending her broken heart? Amazon

The Viking’s Curse by Xandra James -- He was supposed to keep me alive after I was marked for death, but hiring the meanest Viking shifter in town might just kill me. Amazon | Goodreads

Tour Wide

There are three amazing prizes for this blog tour!

• Always Loyal, a Michael Stokes photography book
• Exhibition, a Michael Stokes photography book
• $20 Giftcard to your choice of Amazon, B&N, or Starbucks

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview: Realm Walker Series by Kathleen Collins

UFI welcomes Author Kathleen Collins. Thanks for Joining us!!

What can you tell my readers about yourself that they might not know from looking on your bio or reading in another interview?  

Hmmm…..I can play the violin and the piano.

What do you enjoy doing on your down time? 

 Reading, doing papercrafts, playing video games with my kids.

What is your Favorite part of writing?  

Getting letters from readers about how much they enjoyed the book.

Do you have any certain routines you must follow as you write?  

I must have music to write. It helps block out the outside world and helps the words flow.

What are some of your Favorite books or Authors in the Urban Fantasy/ Paranormal Genres?  

I love anything by Ilona Andrews. Karen Chance’s Cassie Palmer series is another favorite.

How would you pitch the Realm Walker series to someone who has not heard of it before?  

A dark urban fantasy about a woman that serves as a sort of police officer to keep supernatural creatures in line.

Can you tell us a little bit about the world that the Realm Walker series is set in?  

Supernatural creatures kept to the night because their magic was sensitive to even the faint radiation from the sun. The invention of the atom bomb made it impossible for them to hide any longer and the world has been adjusting ever since.

Do you have a favorite scene in the Realm Walker series?  

Most of my favorite scenes would be spoilers. There is a scene at the very beginning of the first book where Juliana fights a troll that I’m particularly fond of.

Which one character out of all your books was your favorite to write about? What about the hardest to write about? 

Juliana is still my favorite. It’s always hard to write the bad guys.

What Other Projects can we look forward to reading from you?  

Next in the series is a novella. I’ve also got a couple of other non-related projects I’m working on.

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Kathleen Collins lives and works in Missouri. By day, she labors in the local prosecutor's office. At night she writes while surrounded by her husband, two boys and two loveable mutts. She is constantly thinking of her next project and loves to connect with her readers. You can find her most often on Facebook or on her website.

Find Kathleen and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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Realm Walker
Realm Walker #1
Amazon BN Harlequin Print

An estranged mate, a mangled body and a powerful demon who calls her by name…

As a Realm Walker for the Agency, Juliana Norris tracks deadly paranormal quarry using her unique ability to see magical signatures. She excels at her job, but her friends worry about her mysterious habit of dying in the line of duty without staying dead. That’s only the first of her secrets.

Most people don’t know Juliana became the mate of master vampire Thomas Kendrick before he abandoned her seven years ago. Most people don’t know the horrors she endured at the hands of the vampire he left in command. Most people don’t know her true parentage, or why a demon on a world-threatening rampage has taken a personal interest in her…

Even as Juliana pursues the demon, it goes after all she holds dear—including Thomas, who is back to claim her for his own. But if she can’t reconcile her past and learn to trust herself again, she will lose him forever.

Excerpt #1:

The troll picked her up with nothing more than his teeth in her shoulder and shook her like a hellhound with a chew toy. She clenched her jaw in pain and let out a terrible keening groan as muscle and tendon ripped. She fought her base instinct to struggle, to squirm away from the source of the pain. If she did, she’d only injure herself further. Blood poured from the wound, staining the ground a horrible, vibrant crimson.

    A growl tore through the clearing seconds before a brown blur flew through the air and landed on the troll’s back. Nathaniel. They all rocked forward with the impact and fresh pain lanced through her shoulder. The troll roared in anger, releasing Juliana’s shoulder by default and she dropped to the ground. She backed away, eyeing the two of them warily. The troll reached over his back, trying to grab Nathaniel who still had his teeth and claws dug deep into the beast. The wolf snarled, growled and shook his head as the troll danced around the clearing trying to get a grip on his attacker.

    Juliana’s arm hung limp and worthless by her side. Pain burned through the wound and nausea rose in waves. Her head swam. She swallowed the acid down, sucked in crisp, cool air. She used her right hand to wrap her left arm around her waist in an effort to keep the shoulder from moving any more than necessary.

    “Nathaniel,” she yelled as the troll ran backward into the trees.

    He slammed his back with Nathaniel still attached into the trunk of a large oak tree once, twice, three times. The blows stunned Nathaniel enough that the troll was finally able to snatch the wolf and hurl him across the clearing. Her friend lay unmoving on the ground.

    The troll locked crimson eyes on her and stalked across the clearing. She fought every impulse inside of her that told her to run and waited for him to come. One taloned hand wrapped around her throat and picked her up. Pulling her close, the troll roared in fury once they were almost nose to nose. She wrapped her legs around his waist to take the pressure off her throat. Juliana raised the Taser and jammed it into his ear. Not caring anymore if she fried his brain, she squeezed and held the trigger. His roar changed to one of agony.

    He released her throat and raised both hands to his head. He stumbled backward in an effort to get away from her but her legs stayed clamped around his waist. She continued to pour electricity into him until he dropped to his knees. Only then did she put her feet on the ground and back away.

    Her opponent stayed on all fours, shaking his head, trying to clear it. The air hung heavy with the scent of burnt fur and troll. As he rose to a kneeling position, she adjusted her grip on the weapon. From the corner of her eye she saw Nathaniel stagger to his feet.

    The troll held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. “No more, Walker. I will go where you ask. Wherever you ask.”

    Relief eased the tightness in her chest. She wasn’t sure she was up for another round of Taze the Troll. She ran her thumb along the side of her ring preparing to use it to call the portal tied to it. Then the troll began to laugh. A low sound at first, it quickly grew to a volume that made her ears ache. Great. She had fried his brain and now she had a crazy troll to deal with.

    After putting more distance between them, she put her Taser away and drew her sword. It left the sheath with a ring of steel. She adjusted her hand on the grip. Nathaniel came to stand beside her, leaning his weight into her leg to let her know he was near. “You okay there, Mr. Troll?”

    He opened his blazing red eyes and looked at her. “I’ve had your blood, Juliana Norris. It tells me things.” Apparently it told him her name, because she’d never given it.

Death's Daughter
Realm Walker #2
Amazon BN Harlequin Print

Juliana Norris, Realm Walker with the Agency, is an Altered. A fact that she runs up against every time she's forced to work with human police officers, and their species-ist commissioner, on cases they can't solve themselves. Which happens more than they would like to admit.

Her gift--the quality that makes her the best Realm Walker in the business, without boast--is the ability to read magical signatures. Whether the gift came from her father, the dark fae god of death, or the mage mother she can't remember, is anyone's guess. And when Altered children start going missing with only wild magical signatures as clues, her heritage is the last thing on her mind.

She can't afford such distractions, and she definitely can't afford to worry about the fact that her mate, master vampire Thomas Kendrick, hasn't spoken to her since she saved him from a demon--maybe it's because she had to stab him to do so. Because whoever is kidnapping these children must be very powerful to wield wild magic. Very powerful, and very dangerous indeed.

Excerpt:

In the warm afternoon light, a lone swing rocked back and forth in a steady rhythm, its chains groaning a mournful dirge despite the fact no one sat upon it. It hadn’t faltered once in the hour since the child vanished. The fifth to disappear in three weeks. Each one taken in front of at least a dozen witnesses who couldn’t recall a single thing later—no details of when they’d last seen the child, nothing about any strangers hanging around. They didn’t even recollect hearing a scream of protest. In this case, every student and teacher on the playground had been distracted at the same exact moment, but no one could remember by what when asked.

Police and technicians swarmed the steps of New Hope Elementary and the courtyard in front. All of them instinctively avoided the playground and the magic at work there. All except the figure that stood in the far corner by the rusty swing set, hands in her pockets as the late-October wind whipped around her, snatching at her clothes and carrying the scent of burning leaves. Her hair was short but still long enough for her to catch an occasional glimpse of the royal-blue streaks among the black as it blew into her face. She tucked an errant strand behind one ear, but doubted it would stay put for long.

A Realm Walker, an officer for the Agency, Juliana Norris was here because the first policeman on the scene had called her directly. This wasn’t the Agency’s investigation. Not yet, anyway. Her involvement was strictly advisory until the commissioner climbed down from his shiny pedestal long enough to admit local law enforcement wasn’t up to doing the job on their own. While the victims thus far had been Altered, the perp hadn’t been identified. Since it was possible a human was behind this, Commissioner Phipps claimed jurisdiction. No one high enough at the Agency cared enough to contradict him. Yet.

Her phone vibrated at her hip. She glanced at the screen as she pulled it out—Ben Nichols, her boss. The initial kidnappings had garnered so much attention in the Altered community he’d been forced to cut her suspension short by a week—an action he hadn’t been happy to take at all. A fact he reminded her of every day.

“Norris,” she answered and braced herself for another reprimand.

“You haven’t filed a report. What’s your status?”

The clipped tone of his voice exhausted her. She was tired of the daily conflict. “I haven’t filed a report because there is nothing to report. We know nothing further than we did before.”

“I took you off suspension to get results, Norris. So far I’m not impressed.”

“No, you took me off suspension because you didn’t want to get shredded by the press for keeping the Walker with the best record out of the game while the Thief does his hunting. You know I’m the most likely to find him.”
There was a stretch of silence. “I know you are. That doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

He hung up and she slipped her phone back into her pocket. Her insistence she was the best Walker for the job had nothing to do with arrogance and everything to do with her particular blend of talents.

She possessed a gift that enabled her to see the unique signature of any living being. A signature was a spectrum of colors that told her exactly what type of creature an individual was, no matter how artfully they might try to hide it. She could also see the signature of a spell cast on anyone, or anything, other than herself. Whether the gift came from her father, the dark fae god of death, or the mage mother she couldn’t remember, was anyone’s guess.

Activating her gift made her eyes glow several shades brighter than their normal emerald, so she kept them hidden behind a pair of dark glasses. She studied the muddy brown of the stasis spell used on the swing. This particular shade of brown marked it wild magic. Dangerous magic. It also meant that whatever cast the spell wasn’t using his own power. Wild magic belonged to no one; it simply existed. And its signature was strong enough she hadn’t been able to get a read yet on what was doing the casting. It could be a mage, a fae, a god or anything else with any kind of magic ability. Which narrowed the suspect list down to about nine-tenths of the Altered community.

What she did know was the magic took great power or skill to wield. While it was better for everyone if they did, power and skill didn’t necessarily go hand in hand. Maybe luck would be with them for once and one of the bastard’s spells would backfire and fry him.

The Making of Michael Bischop
A Realm Walker Short Story
Amazon and BN

Keep your distance. Don't look him in the eye. Feed him and leave.

Michael D'Augustino is a priest in the time of the Inquisition. Marked as weak for his refusal to torture those charged with sorcery, heresy, devil worship or worse, he's given another task. Feed the prisoner in the cell in the darkest corner of the dungeon. With the edict comes a set of instructions.

Ever obedient, Michael does exactly as he is told. Until the night his charge doesn't eat and Michael has to enter the cell to find out why. Instead of the beast he believes to be imprisoned there, he finds a man. A broken, tormented man who asks for help.

But all is not as it seems and, before the night is through, Michael will be changed forever

Excerpt:

An unlit torch hung on the wall beside the cell and Michael took the flint from the table beneath it. His hands shook as he tried in vain to light the torch. Finally, it sparked and flared to life. With trembling fingers, he pulled it from the wall and reopened the door. Stepping quickly inside, he shut the door behind him and pressed his back to it. He could not risk anything escaping, animal or otherwise.

Darkness recoiled from the flickering flame and receded before him. There along the back wall a huddled form. Michael’s pulse raced and his palms grew slick with moisture. He adjusted his grip on the torch. He both anticipated and feared the moment the creature revealed itself.

“I can smell you, priest,” it said, without lifting its head. When Michael didn’t respond, it looked up, squinting its eyes against the light. Michael was careful not to meet its gaze directly. His father told him the creature could ensnare with a look.

He was struck by how normal the man—the vampyr, he corrected himself—looked. Emaciated from his captivity perhaps, but otherwise his blond hair and dark eyes could have belonged to anyone. Any human. This was not the beast Michael had been led to believe was imprisoned here. Was this another innocent falsely accused? No, Michael had heard it kill and eat the animals he brought to it. Whatever it was, it was not purely human. He needed to remember that.

“You’re the timid one. If they sent you, they must intend for me to live another day yet,” its abused voice croaked.

The creature’s words had an echo of the bishop in them. Pointing out Michael’s flaws, his inability to hurt another as if it was something to be ashamed of. “Why do you say that?”

“You feed me, heal me. You have never injured me.” The voice sounded so pained, Michael cringed in sympathy. The creature detected it, though it misinterpreted the cause. “You have no reason to fear me. You have done me no wrong.”

“I am uncertain of that,” Michael said. “If I were a merciful man, I would not continue to bring you food.”

The vampyr’s dark eyes studied him, the flickering flame of the torch reflected in their depths. “Why do you say that?”

“They only heal you so they can torture you afresh on the morrow. If I did not feed you, you would not heal and perhaps they would leave you be. For a day at least.”

“Do you honestly believe that?”

Michael shook his head. If it didn’t heal, the bishop would only torture it further to find out why. “Abomination you may be, but no one deserves an existence of endless torture.”

The vampyr chuckled, a low sound, halting as if he’d forgotten how to laugh. “Don’t be so sure of that, timid one. I can think of many who deserve the punishment I have been given, even if I am not one of them.”

Blood Slave
Realm Walker #3
Amazon BN iTunes

Can she find a killer in a town where the basest desires are allowed to run free?

There are zombies in the Dead Zone and Juliana Norris is sent to take care of the problem. And for there to be zombies, there had to be bodies. When vampires are found to be the culprits, Juliana is sent undercover in the red light district of Kansas City. Lying to her mate, Thomas Kendrick, isn’t something she wants to do, but she’s in another vampire’s territory and Thomas would not be pleased. Besides, she’s more than capable of doing the job and she needs to prove it to everyone. Most of all herself.

Charles Morgan is in control of the Kansas City area, making a rich living off his various enterprises. Juliana goes undercover at the strip club Lust and gets sucked into his dark, decadent world. More victims turn up and the Agency is positive they’ve got their man, but Juliana is not so sure. When the Agency refuses to listen, she reluctantly turns to Thomas for help. He intervenes but finds Juliana unaware of the danger she is in and discovers she may just be too deep for him to save.

Excerpt #4:

Juliana Norris lay in the dirt at the top of a hill, tracking the necromancer through the scope of her rifle as rocks dug into her belly. Dry, dead grass scratched at her arms and a brisk breeze car-ried the scent of smoke from the herbs the death wrangler burned below her. Shifting her weight for the hundredth time in an effort to get comfortable, she watched the old man pace and place bundles of smoking herbs in a pattern she was certain wasn’t as random as it looked. An over-sized suit hung on his thin frame making him look emaciated. The tattered cuffs spoke to many long nights spent in cemeteries with the dead. But tonight they weren’t in a graveyard; they were in the Dead Zone.

The Dead Zone was the result of an accident at a germ research facility that some dumbass politicians decided should be relocated to America’s heartland about a decade ago. Less than five years after they opened the doors, the outbreak occurred. A quick response from the government kept the epidemic from becoming global, but every mammal within fifty miles succumbed to the plague, humans included. The Altered hadn’t been affected regardless of their species. All the reasons for this were unclear but the most obvious answer would be their magic made them im-mune. Affected or not, the Altered had cleared the area just like everyone else. Recently a few Altered stragglers had begun to move back into the area and with them came rumors of zombies rising in the night.

Every now and then, the Agency or local law enforcement would someone out to investigate the claims, but it usually led to nothing. Lately, the rumors had been more rampant than usual and a scouting group had been sent through the area. They had reported in the day before with an actual sighting. So here she was, playing guard duty to a necromancer. She’d tried to convince her boss it was a waste of time and resources to send the death wrangler. She could have just put them to sleep her way. One quick shot to the head and the zombies would cease to be a problem. Even the undead needed a brain to function. Apparently, however, it was bad PR to kill them for good without giving the mage a chance to put them down humanely.

As soon as the necromancer finished preparing, he would cast a spell to summon all the un-dead in the area. The zombies would come straight to them. She supposed that was one bonus of him being here, at least. They wouldn’t have to spend the whole night tracking down the undead. Once they’d gathered, he’d perform an incantation and lay them all to rest at once. That was the plan anyway. Unfortunately, things so very seldom went according to plan.

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New Releases: 11/15-11/21

Mon. Nov. 16th 

 Embraced (The Eternal Balance #2) by Jus Accardo

 Ice Moon (Moon #5) by Lisa Kessler

 The Queen's Flight (The Emerging Queens #2) by Jamie K. Schmidt

Tue. Nov. 17th

 Blood of the Lost (Rylee Adamson #10) by Shannon Mayer  

 Dark Alpha's Claim (Reaper #1) by Donna Grant

Veiled Magic by Deborah Blake

Happy Reading!!