Friday, April 29, 2022

Cover Reveal and Pre-Order Link: Ghosts and Legends of Genesee and Lapeer Counties #CoverReveal



Ghosts and Legends of Genesee and Lapeer Counties 
Haunted America Series 
Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani 

Release Date: August 29, 2022 

Book Description: 

Ghost stories and urban legends lurk throughout Genesee and Lapeer counties. 

A Clio man's spirit is thought to still reside in the junkyard office where he was murdered. For almost two centuries, the Flushing area has been fascinated by tales of the wealthy Brent family whose land is connected to numerous tales of murder, mystery, and ghosts. 

In Lapeer County, the Bruce Mansion's unnerving façade hints at the specters inside, and the land and buildings once belonging to the Lapeer State Home are plagued by haunting cries and ghostly activity. 

Join the authors of Haunted Flint, Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani, as they take you on a tour of Genesee and Lapeer counties’ most haunted locations. 

 Pre-Order at Amazon 


Character Confessions Sophia Rivers from My Vampire Streamer by Jessica Samuels #PNR



Streaming isn’t for everyone and when I started I had no idea how fun it would be. I loved playing games, especially The Supernaturals farming and mining is something fun to do. I loved to chill with people while they watched me play. 

It was the best heck once I ventured into the world of dating. I wanted it to be another streamer so I have someone to game with and hang out with. It was so fun to play with others and after the events of the book I looked forward to gaming and bringing mine and Leon’s communities together. Playing games with him and growing his and mine's stuff. I mod for him and he does the same for me and now since we found each other we will never be apart. We will continue to build out platforms on CreatureStream and build a better CreatureCord community. Everyone is welcome no matter the species. And I never thought any of this was possible till I started streaming, and the best part about it was making friends and connections. 

Games are fun to play by myself and with friends. It can make you forget everything and just enjoy the moment and it makes you feel a part of something special. A place you can go to in order to vent, hang out and just forget about life. I’ve met so many people who I talk to on a daily basis and they are fun to play with and talk to. Friendships I’ve made and some are life long ones. Heck I’ve seen the good and the toxic side. 

There are people who are streaming and just obsessed with followers and making money off it, not caring about the people who are giving them subs or bits. People who will turn on another just for taking a much-needed mental break from everything, and then getting mad over them leaving to the point where they bully them. 

I was bullied for my blood and the power and my feelings were never taken into account just how much I could support the evil Giles. This villain was the worst. He made me look bad just because I didn’t want to see my terrible ex after a breakup.  He turned all his followers against me but that is as far as his reach went since they were his friends and no amount of time would matter if the head streamer was scorned. He spread lies and rumors to make himself look like the victim and me look like the villan when in actuality he was a manipulative jerk and none of his followers would see it until it was too late and they were in too deep that they couldn’t leave. Or else they would be afraid the jerk would turn on them too even if he treated them badly they didn’t care. He was supposedly saying I was using him for clout, but what clout when he wasn’t even famous? He wasn’t even a partner and thought he had the ability to bully just because he was successful. But none of it matter since he isn’t even an issue anymore. He will never grow like Leon will and he doesn’t have the star power since his tactics are basically useless. He has a small group of people with devotion that is all a lie. They will attack anyone who disagrees with him and will cast them aside. I didn’t lose anything worth keeping and they all made me miserable being around them. 

Then we get to Leon’s group. They are awesome and welcoming and they actually care about my feelings and well-being. They feel like a real family. Even Ella joined us and mods for Leon too.  It is stable and people aren’t coming and going either. No real drama and the group is safe and awesome. It is all I ever wanted in a community. They are my real friends and they don’t focus on the numbers just having fun and hanging out and gaming. I love it since we all got closer and now I have a community I can stay in and grow with and never leave since the streamer is my soulmate and I love him. 

There is nothing better and safer than growing with someone you love and care about. Ever since he rescued me from the evil leader I’ve never been happier in my life. 


My Vampire Streamer
Vampire Witch 
Book Three
Jessica Samuels

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Date of Publication: 03/19/2022
ISBN: 979-8436003078
ASIN: B09VZPKMQ8
Number of pages: 106
Word Count: 21107

Cover Artist: illustration by alex_gavrilas Lettering by CrimsonJolteon

Tagline: A good streamer saves a girl from an evil one!

Book Description: 

Sophia Rivers was depressed until she turned to streaming and discovered her passion. Not everyone liked the fact that she was half vampire and half witch and when the evil Giles found out he wanted her for her blood. Along came Leon and he is the good streamer to save the day. 

Join her as she discovers the good and bad communities that will show her how magical it is to be a witch streamer!

Amazon      Books2Read      KOBO      BN

Excerpt:

Streams and streaming are life especially when you don’t have one. I like to keep to myself after my last breakup turned me sour. Being ghosted has to the worst feeling in the world. Despite the fact that I have a small online following I still felt alone. Sophia Rivers is my name, but my screen name is MysticWitch.

I stream potions, spells, and even do witch hauls to gather ingredients. I love getting in the kitchen to create a beautiful meal, and playing The Supernatural’s. Life sims are fun, especially ones that gather ingredients and grow crops. My black and purple hair is a cool part of my stream and I have gray eyes outlined in blue eyeshadow and always wear cat ears with corsets and leather. I loved the edge and style.

Once I started streaming I got the latest desktop with screens to see all the game, chat, and my streaming program. My apartment is nice sized with a living room, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, and a witch room aka a sunroom. I always get all my items from Witch emporium and I have a witch cupboard that keeps the best potions I need. I had it all till I felt like something was missing.

The last person I dated made me feel alone since he claimed he had issues and left without a trace making me wonder if I was good enough. Now I am stuck thinking of a plan to make my night less boring. But in hindsight my ass should have stayed home. It would be a lot less issues and drama, and I could have saved money, time, effort, and energy.

There are some people who shouldn’t have ever been allowed in my life in the first place. They wrecked everything and tried to run me down. Luckily, I got the help of The Killer Contract Agency and now joined the fight in good versus evil. Some groups are so evil they deserved to die especially after trying to use me.

I even have my pet cat shifter too with me. Ella Reed one of the cat shifters and guardian to the cat goddess Bast. She could see in the dark and had super-fast reflexes. She can land perfectly like a cat and retract her nails like claws. She was sitting down in a chair in the apartment we share together.

We live in the witches’ section and our coven the Witch Enlightening one. My powers are stronger than normal. I found her when I was drunk on the street and she was going through the trash, so I took her in.

She was beautiful in kitty form, a tuxedo cat black fur and white paws. Of course, in her human form she was gorgeous too. A pretty red haired and green-eyed beauty that made me look like a mess in comparison.

I literally look messy. My hair is everywhere and my eyes are puffy since I’m utterly depressed. I’ve never felt so ugly in my life like no one wants me. There are periods of me being alone and this aids my depression on a deeper level.

My mom was one of the high witches who paid for it all. She and dad who is one of the high vampires at court are my saving grace in this life. That is right I’m also more powerful than a normal witch due to being half vampire.

I sighed looking at the huge television in the living room and trying to watch whatever shit Ella put on. She was flipping the channels and then came onto the news Giles Black took home a trophy for best streamer and is celebrating in the Witch Haven bar. Omg. A bar I had access to only for elites.

This also reminds me of something I ached for since he had a small homey community. I was following him for a while, on Creature Stream and Creature Cord.

With creature stream you will be notified when your favorite streamer goes live. You can subscribe to them for special benefits and pics made for them like one streamer made an exclusive VIP place: in one of the bars just for him and his subs. You can even give them ghoul points as a way to cheer them on.

When you connected to Creature Cord you can get a special role to highlight how important you are to the community. I loved it and I watched streamers in between streaming. It was a nice way to connect with streamers and co-stream. It was also nice way to support your favorite streamers too. However, if I had known what he was about I should have avoided him. Instead, I didn't and paid the price in turn since they weren't white witches, but evil ones and I didn't know it.

Let's just say I should have stayed home especially since Giles was friends with the ex who used me and threw me away. Instead, I made the dumb decision of drinking more poison and turned to Ella and said, "Did you wanna go to Witch Haven?"

She nodded, "Yes since you haven't been out of the house in forever. I love going out."

“Yay! Hopefully, this will get me out of my funk.” I needed something to take my mind off things.

Break ups are the worst thing in the world. Witch Haven was a place I haven’t been to in a while, and what a perfect way to get over someone was with alcohol and getting under someone else. I can’t remember the last time I went there either.


About the Author:

Jessica Samuels is an author who writes young adult and new adult paranormal romance. When she isn’t writing about vampires, werewolves, witches and angels she is watching stream, reading and playing video games with friends to pass the time.


Website: https://jessicasamuelsauthor.com/

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Thursday, April 28, 2022

New Release: Rationality Zero by JM Guillen #SciFi #TechnoThriller

A living weapon. An attack on the laws of reality. 

One chance to save the world.


Rationality Zero
The Archon Conundrum
Book One
JM Guillen

Genre: SciFi, TechnoThriller
ASIN: ‎B09X214566
Publisher: ‎ Imperishable Press
Publication Date: ‎ April 28, 2022

Book Description:

A living weapon. An attack on the laws of reality. One chance to save the world. Michael Bishop is a man who never dreams, who never gets ill. He lives his entire life oblivious to the truths hidden from him. He is a tool in the hand of the most powerful organization on Earth. 

Michael’s world transforms when They bring him online- when They activate the mysterious technology buried within his skull. Then, the lies fall away. He becomes Asset 108. 

Using intricate technology, he defends humanity from the gibbering, tentacled horrors that haunt our world. When mysterious renegades fracture the very laws of nature, Asset 108 is put into position. As the world begins to unravel, a cabal of madmen with physics shattering powers hunt 108 and his cadre, driving them into an alternate reality— a realm filled with inhuman horror. 

Between otherworldly arachnids, muscled brutes infected with psionic parasites, and depraved cultists, grisly deaths lurk behind Michael’s every choice. Yet all too soon, things become far, far, worse.


#weirdtechnology #weirdphysics #invasion #alternaterealities #sciencefiction #SciFi #technothriller 


A Guide to the Care and Feeding of a Seeker from Heir of Memory and Shadow by Rachanee Lumayno #FantasyYA


Author’s Note: In the Gifted Lands, each kingdom is known for a special ability. The kingdom of Orchwell is home to a variety of Seekers, people who possess a singular magical talent to find a certain something or someone. 

So you’re thinking of joining a Seeker’s team to help them on the hunt. Or maybe you’ve fallen in love with a Seeker and are planning your future with them. Congratulations! If you choose to work with a Seeker, or marry into a Seeker family, you’ll have an exciting adventure.

And a lot of craziness.

But don’t worry, I’m here to help. From my extensive research and time spent with Seekers of various gifts and abilities, here are three things you should know.

1) Seekers can be awfully temperamental. If the search is going poorly, or their gifts aren’t fully developed, expect them to be a bit touchy. No Seeker will want to admit they can’t find what they’re being hired to find — after all, that’s the whole purpose of a Seeker’s existence. Also, their touchiness might stem from the fact that…

2) Seekers have to use their gifts regularly or go insane. Get a calendar so you can mark when they go out on a commission, and keep a journal to note any signs that they may be slipping into madness. Help them out a bit by advertising their services to others. A working Seeker is a happy Seeker, which means you’ll be happy too.

3) Pack accordingly. Different Seekers have different reactions to that which they seek. Some have mild symptoms, such as nursing a continuous dull headache until they find their mark. Others can take on the characteristics of the creature they are looking for, the closer they get to their target. For example, the dragon Seeker Beyan often would feel an extreme chill if he was close to an ice dragon, or extreme heat if he was near a fire dragon. His team’s healer, Farrah, would either bring extra furs or a lot of cold compresses, depending on the commission. Get to know your Seeker well so you can anticipate their needs on the road. 

These are just some of the ways you can make your Seeker’s life easier. I’m sure, as you spend more time in the kingdom of Orchwell and the Gifted Lands, you’ll find some great tips to add to this list. I’d love to know what you come up with! 

Heir of Memory and Shadow
Kingdom Legacy Series
Book Two
Rachanee Lumayno

Genre: Fantasy/ YA Fantasy
Publisher: Miss Lana Press
Date of Publication: May 2022
ISBN: 9781736181126
Number of pages: 338
Word Count: 72, 197
Cover Artist: Fiona Jayde 

Book Description: 

Kaernan Asthore may be one of the most gifted Seekers in the kingdom of Orchwell, but he wants nothing more than to be rid of his gift: the ability to find lost loves, which often ends in heartbreak.

So when Lady Adallia Pahame hires him to find her own lost love, Kaernan assumes it will be an easy, routine commission.

But when the mystery surrounding his new traveling companion causes them to run afoul of an infamous gang of bounty hunters, Kaernan realizes this is one commission he might not return from. Will he be able to uncover the truth in time to save his friends — and himself?

Heir of Memory and Shadow is the second book in the Kingdom Legacy series.

Amazon      BN      Kobo      Apple Books

Tolino      Vivlio       Books2Read

Excerpt:

I bow over the lovely young woman’s outstretched hand as I agree to assist her. As we ride together, I see the sunlight halo behind her head, hearing her sweet laughter as she smiles hopefully at me, believing the world is full of possibility.

But, unfortunately, her hope is misplaced.

I watch as her face crumples in tears. Not the restrained, dignified sniffles that I would have expected from someone of her standing. Instead, the tears are great gulping sobs that rack her thin frame, threatening to break her in two.

Just as her heart was breaking.

I had been taught to remain neutral, but it is difficult to see to see the poor young lady react so violently to the news. But what had she honestly expected?

I try to calm her, to comfort her, even though it isn’t my place nor my business. I hold her firmly by the shoulders, speaking in a low, soothing voice as if she is an easily spooked animal.

The wild look in her eyes begins to settle. The tears begin to slow.

I breathe easier. It will be all right now.

Then, without warning, her hand shoots out toward me. I instinctively recoil, expecting to feel the sting of a slap. Instead, she grabs the hilt of the dagger sheathed at my belt. In one swift motion, she draws the knife out and plunges it into her heart. Her eyes never leave mine as the light fades from them.

I scream.

Or, at least, I think I do. All I know is, my mouth is gaping open in shock as she falls gracelessly into my outstretched arms. Her blood is everywhere. On my hands, my arms, splashed all over the front of my shirt. Pooling on the floor beneath her crumpled body. Her now sightless eyes are still fixed on me.

Accusing me, forever, that I could have prevented this needless death.

Couldn’t I?

* * *

I came out of the magically-induced memory doubled over, gasping for air, even though I wasn’t bound by enchantment or by physical means.

No, I was just bound to the lady Rosemary through my memories of my failed commission. “Thank you for allowing the Council to see that once more,” a deep, gravelly voice above me said. “I know that isn’t easy for you to relive, over and over.”

The voice recalled me to where I was: in my home country of Orchwell, standing before the kingdom’s other governing body, the Council of Seekers, on day ten of what seemed like a never-ending trial.

My trial.

Because my commission had ended so brutally, the Council had called me before them, repeatedly going over the events that led to Rosemary’s death. This was the fifth time I had had to relive the memories of what had occurred.

While the memories were painful, they were nothing compared to the possible futures before me. Depending on the Council’s ruling, I could be stripped of my Seeker ability, which at best meant I would lose my livelihood and at worst meant I would go insane. Or they could even sentence me to death.

I didn’t know which was the better outcome.

My breathing now under control, I looked up to regard the seated members of the Council of Seekers. Pellham Ravenwood, head of the seven-person Council, regarded me from his place at the center of the raised stand where he was flanked on both sides by the other council members. I recognized some of their faces: elderly Madame Kenestra, her white hair piled high on her head as she turned her shrewd brown eyes on me; the former knight Sir Lantley, a lean, athletic man with silver-streaked black hair; and Lord Olivera, the queen’s cousin, a bulky, solidly-built man with long blond hair that he often wore tied back from his face. He was at least a good five or ten years younger than his peers on the Council.

Orchwell’s ruling king and queen were the ultimate authority in our country, but they tended to delegate many of the day-to-day affairs of governing to the Council of Seekers. It made sense; Orchwell’s royal family was, by design, one of the few families of nobility that did not have the Seeker ability running through their veins. Or, if any of the royals did, it was often an extremely weak ability, akin to a minor magical skill. If anyone in the direct line of succession showed a strong aptitude for seeking, they weren't eligible to inherit the throne. There were too many headaches as a Seeker — and in my world, heartaches — to wish upon a future king or queen. Orchwell needed their rulers at home in the kingdom, fully able to focus on their duties.

Which was another reason why the Council of Seekers existed.

Several of those on the Council were members of the royal family who had been ineligible for succession. The rest were former Seekers who had since passed on their duties to other family members, but still wanted to serve the kingdom in some way. Members of the Council weren’t paid, but would occasionally receive monetary gifts from the Crown.

Pellham Ravenwood was a rare combination: as the king’s fourth younger brother with strong Seeker abilities, he had actually been allowed to pursue his Seeker career since he was never a strong contender for the Orchwell throne. Being a part of both worlds gave him remarkable insight and made him a formidable leader, which helped him earn the position as Head of the Council.

Pellham turned to Lord Olivera. “Well, as you were the one who requested Kaernan go over his commission yet again, are you satisfied with what you saw?”

Lord Olivera tapped his chin thoughtfully. He was wearing an extravagant wide-brimmed red hat with a silver feather; as he nodded, the feather nodded in time with him. “It was thorough, to be sure, but it didn’t give us any new information. It would be nice to have another perspective on the situation.”

I ground my teeth, pressing my lips into a thin line to stop myself from blurting my thoughts. Of course my story, rehashed multiple times, wouldn’t have given the Council new insights. The only person who could give the Council another perspective is dead.

While I hadn’t expected much sympathy from the Council during my trial, I found I really disliked Lord Olivera. The man seemed to enjoy torturing me, asking the same questions repeatedly, making me relive the commission over and over before the Council, and casting doubt on every move or motive I had during Rosemary’s commission. I already had recurring nightmares about it, and had barely slept for the last four months since returning home with the lady’s death on my hands.

Besides my nightmares and insomnia, I was constantly on edge from not exercising my Seeker ability. Seekers had to use their gifts regularly or potentially go mad, and I had been denying my gift for several months. And pre-trial, when I had to undergo the Council’s intense process of magically sealing witnesses from talking outside of the courtroom, I had barely recovered from it.

So I was definitely not in good physical or mental shape right now. And Lord Olivera’s “attention to detail” — as he called it, although I would have termed it otherwise — wasn’t helping me. I firmly believed that the Council would have come to a decision about my fate much sooner if he hadn’t been present.

“Perhaps we could —”

“Pause the hearing here, and meet again in ten minutes after we get some refreshments.”

Madame Kenestra smoothly interrupted Lord Olivera. “These old bones can’t go for much longer without some sustenance.”

“But —”

“I, for one, agree with Madame Kenestra.” Sir Lantley also cut off whatever Lord Olivera was going to say. “A short break would do wonders to clear my head.”

“If we could just —”

“Sir Lantley, you agree with me? Now that is a first! Pellham, did you hear that? Have the Council secretary note this day, for it truly is a momentous occasion: Sir Lantley agrees with me.” The twinkle in Madame Kenestra’s eyes as Lord Olivera’s face grew mottled red with rage told me she knew exactly what she was doing. I almost felt sorry for Lord Olivera.

Pellham Ravenwood sighed. After spending a few days with the Council, I had a vague idea of what he had to put up with on a daily basis. I ducked my head so the Council members wouldn’t see my smirk.

“Who would like to continue the hearing?” he asked the group. Only Lord Olivera’s hand shot up. “Who would like to take a short break?” Everyone else, including Pellham, raised a hand.

“All right, then, the majority has it. We will take a break and reconvene in, oh, about ten minutes.”

Pellham looked at me, then, really taking in my haunted eyes and drooping shoulders.

“And then, we will decide on the fate of Kaernan Asthore.”


About the Author:

Rachanee Lumayno is an actress, voiceover artist, screenwriter, avid gamer, and amateur dodgeball player. She grew up in Michigan, where she spent way too much of her free time reading fantasy novels. She still spends too much of her free time reading fantasy novels, although now she writes them too. Heir of Memory and Shadow is her second novel, and the second book in the Kingdom Legacy series. 

You can find her online at:







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Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Magic Takes Manhattan by Jade Greenberg #ParanormalWomensFiction #RomCom



Magic Takes Manhattan
Manhattan Magic  
Book One
Jade Greenberg

Genre: Paranormal Women’s Fiction / Romantic Comedy
Date of Publication: 04/26/2022
ISBN: 9781957615004
ASIN: B09WQGRP43
Number of pages: 186
Word Count: 30k
Cover Artist: Jennifer Schatten

Tagline: She always knew New York was a magical city. She had no idea how magical.

Book Description: 

A hilarious, quirky, and enchanting, “riotously funny night of magical mayhem” from USA Today bestselling author, Jade Greenberg.

She always knew New York was a magical city. She had no idea how magical.

What do you do if you tend to attract unfortunate incidents? Make it work for you, that’s what. Take me, Mandi Muscovitz, independent insurance claims adjuster and master of disaster. I’ve made a career out of bad luck. But no matter how good I get, every year on April 30th, my birthday, mayhem always ensues. This year’s no different, and I expected that. What I did not expect was to find myself at the center of a magical apocalypse. 

Lucky for the fate of the universe, I ain’t new to this type of stuff. And it don’t hurt I got a hot wizard to stare at while I save the planet from an eternal winter.

Yeah, alright, I may have caused the problem, but it wasn’t intentional. And I’m going to be the one to fix it, so it’s like it cancels itself out in a way.

But whatever. Don’t worry. I got this… Probably.

Join Mandi on her May Day adventure as she saves the world in Magic Takes Manhattan, a not-to-be-missed, humorous Paranormal Women’s Fiction novella. 

Excerpt:

Sometimes I’m blown away by my city. Trudging through the tedium of daily life, trying to survive, it’s easy to forget how Liberty Island is so close, or Ellis Island, or any islands with tourist attractions.

“The last time I was here, I was eight.”

“I come here often.”

As we head toward Lady Liberty, I swear she looks down and gives me a wink.

“Did you see that? She winked at me.”

“Maybe she finds you attractive.”

“Ha ha.”

“You should be so lucky,” Jack says, surprising me by having a sense of humor.

As we approach the entrance, I stop. “Don’t tell me I got to walk it.”

With a cocky grin that makes him look too hot to be human, he wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me in close.

Hello. This has taken a strange turn. Can’t say I hate it. The man is gorgeous. If a golden sunray were a person with an eccentric sense of style, it’d be him. Even so, I’m not marrying a stranger.

With a wave of his hand, we shoot straight up, flying past the top of her head into the sky, and I scream at the top of my lungs the entire time. Next thing I know, we’re in a shrine made of light and gold that shines like we’re standing inside the sun. It’s a big, ornate room suspended above the Statue of Liberty.

“Wow,” I breathe.

“Please try something for me.”

“Uh oh. If it has anything to do with jumping out one of these windows to see if I can fly on my own, the answer is no friggin’ way.”

“Perhaps try something simple.”

“Simple works.”

“Focus.”

“Alright. Focusing.” Deep breath in and exhale.

Oy, I feel like a dope, but I stop myself and open to the possibilities. Hello, I’m in a magic temple floating over the Statue of Liberty. Anything is friggin’ possible. Time to give this a real shot. What if Mr. B’s right? What if I’ve got powers? Who knows?

“Let’s start with something simple any witch could do—I’d like you to float a feather.”

A small white feather flutters in, hovers before me, and drifts toward the ground.

“If it touches the floor, the floor will disappear,” he says, and my heart jumps into my throat.

With as much speed as I can muster, I try to snatch the thing. No matter what I do, it flies away. Soon enough I’m chasing this thing around like a psycho, flapping whatever parts necessary to create enough wind to keep it afloat.

“Magic! Use Magic,” Jack chides.

“The stakes are too high!” I shout as I keep it up with the breeze from my spastic body movements.

“Use your powers!”

“I don’t have any!”

Wait, I know! I pull out my lint roller with such speed it might as well be magic and use the rest of my body to guide the feather to the sheet of stickum. Thank God, it works!

“Screw you, feather! I win!”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I know, but I don’t want to die like that, and I don’t have any powers. I’m sorry.” I plop down onto the gold floor etched with sunray patterns.

He takes a paper out of his pocket and reads as he paces before me.

“Have you ever felt like you knew when the disasters you experience would strike?”

“Only around my birthday because it’s always a disastrous time. The others catch me unaware, even now. I mean, I’ve gotten to where I can spot and avoid them, but that’s from experience, not from a magical power or nothing like that. It’s my job to notice those things.”

“Do your dreams ever come true, or your nightmares?”

“Yeah,” I say with a chuckle.

“Why’s that funny?”

“If I remember my dreams, it’s always boring stuff, like I’m at work filing or some random crap. I don’t have interesting dreams. Never have. They come true, but it’s because I’m dreaming about the stuff I do every day.”

“That’s unique.”

“Is it?”

“Perhaps not,” he says and sighs, massaging the bridge of his nose.

“If I had magical powers, I’d have used them by now, wouldn’t I? It’d be great to be a goddess, but that’s not my reality. And it’s cool. Most people don’t have magical powers. I’m happy to be most people.”

“Maybe we could try one more time. Maybe you’ll undergo some transformation if you find them–”

“I’ll look like a woman you could love?”

What a dick.

“I… I’m sorry, but I’ve had a very clear image of her in my mind my entire life and you are nothing at all like her.”

The sigh that escapes me is unavoidable.

“Look, I want to be offended, but I saw her in Evelyn’s memory. She’s smoking hot, and I am nothing like her. That’s alright though, because she’s a goddess, and I’m just a person.”

“If they buried the magic… Maybe we could try—”

“—Alright, let’s try again.” I pull myself up to standing. “Go ahead. Give me another test. Can it not be a life-or-death thing, though?”

After a moment, he proffers his arm, his hand reaching into a ray of light that shines in through one of the ornate windows. He grasps the light and squeezes it. When he opens his hand, a glowing amber colored marble is there.

“Uh, so, how do I do that?”

“Catch the light in your palm and make it solid.”

“Oh, sure. No problem. Make light solid. Easy peasy,” I say and walk over to the same sunbeam.

When I try to grab the light like he did, nothing happens.

“Maybe it’s that sunbeam that’s the problem, since you already grabbed it,” I say, trying to appease him and go to the next one, and the next. Each time, reality reminds me it exists by laughing in my face. “I feel like an idiot,” I say, and he sighs. “I suck. Admit it. I suck at magic.”

“This is not the way it’s supposed to happen,” he says as he sits on the floor, his head falling into his hands.

Defeated, miserable, and distraught, he pouts. I sit and give him a pat on the back.

“I wish I was her. Believe me, I do. You’re a jerk, but you’re a handsome jerk. Who’s not into me. Most everyone else is though, so I’m not worried.”

“Belvedere says it’s the human body—it’s nothing like living as a god—but visions of her plague me. If I look somewhat like who I was, why wouldn’t she?”

“No clue.”

“If you’re a pawn and not a minion, then the Winter Witch cursed you too. I’m not so sure being near each other is best for either of us. We’re at the brink of the apocalypse.

Somehow, you are at the center, perhaps to create disasters, obstacles. From what I’ve gathered, you’ve been disastrous since birth.”

“Let me make sure I’m hearing you right—you’re saying every messed-up thing that’s ever happened to me—”

“—Is part of a curse to keep me and Flora apart, to end our reigns as gods. Which means the death of Spring and Summer for eternity. No growth, only decay. Nothing to harvest. Only cold darkness year-round. If I die, if she dies, both seasons die with us. Gods are immortal for a reason.”

“You’re a god now? An actual god?” I say and snort. Talk about ego problems.

“I am the God of Summer. Flora is the Goddess of Spring. That day, we were to commit to each other for eternity.”

“But I was born the day before—”

“Of course, the Winter Witch knew what she would do to us before she did it. She was prepared. With you and who knows who else.”

“Basically, you’re saying all the tragedy in my life is because of you and your girlfriend and the old hag who hates you, and now the end of the world is going to happen because of me.”

“Put in the most remedial of ways, yes.”

Talk about screwing someone over. I’m cursed because of this crap I ain’t got nothing to do with no how? Who does that to a baby that ain’t even born? There’s no way I’m causing the end of the friggin’ world. This winter witch can keep dreaming. She picked the wrong girl… woman… whatever. And if I am cursed, and she’s the one who cursed me, I wonder.

“Let’s say I find your goddess for you. Does my curse break too?”

“If your misfortune results from this curse, yes, it would, in theory, break too. But if we find her, Mandi, I promise you, I will break the curse for you. I am a God. When I have the full force of my powers returned to me, I will remove your curse and bless you. You have my bond.”

“Does this blessing include magical real estate? Specifically, I could use a rent-free penthouse with magical perks, like built in cleaning and laundry. And one of those enormous gardens the size of Central Park like you got. That’d be incredible.”

He cracks a smile and almost laughs, but I’m not kidding.

“I’m being serious, Jack. If you could hook me up, I’d appreciate it. Living without disasters…” I stop and think about what that might be like. “I never thought about that as a possibility. That’d be…” Knowing nothing was going to happen to me would change everything.

“I guess that’d be blessing enough. But I’m homeless. I don’t want to go back to Danny.”

“How would that even be an option?”

“What do you mean? I got nowhere else to go.”

“What about a friend who might let you stay on their couch?”

“Nah, I’m not a social person.”

“You don’t appear to be introverted. In fact, you should be far more introverted than you are.”

“Alright, I’ll ignore that because you’re stressed. Don’t you worry, Jack. A witch-goddess, I may not be, but I fix screwups for a living. You’re looking at an expert—this is what I do. I got this,” I assure him. “Come on. Let’s blow this sunbeam. We got work to do. I got a plan. Magic us on out of here.”

“I knew it wouldn’t work,” he says with a sigh, takes out a golden whistle, and blows it, but I don’t hear nothing.

“Dog whistle?” I ask with an arched brow. “I’m not riding no dog back to the city, magic or not.”

“Dragon whistle.”

As the vaulted ceiling opens to the sky, a massive golden dragon glides down and lands, perching on the top of the wall. A staircase of light materializes, and we climb it to a landing.



About the Author:

Jade Greenberg is a USA Today bestselling author of Paranormal Women's Fiction with a Rom-Com twist. She lives in New York City with her family and loves finding magic in unexpected places. 














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Monday, April 25, 2022

How to Survive Life as a Succubus - Damned When I Didn’t by Cherie Colyer #YA #PNR



Surviving Hell can be quite tricky for those who end up with a one-way ticket to the pit. And sadly, not all damned souls deserved their sentence. Take Avery and Cole, for instance. Neither were criminals or murderers. They weren’t cruel or unkind. Quite the opposite, but their souls still ended up in Hell. So it can’t hurt to have some tips for surviving an afterlife as one of Hell’s servants. 

One of the most important things to remember is don’t piss off the demons you report to. They are the ones who can make your afterlife a nightmare, and you might just find your soul tossed in the fiery river that runs through Hell, left to burn for eternity.

It may not seem like it at first but being assigned a job in Hell is a good thing. After all, you’re not one of the souls trapped in the fiery river. And being a succubus is like winning the lottery. Succubi and their male counterparts incubi live on earth. And, as long as they follow the rules and don’t draw attention to themselves, Hell leaves them alone. The task given to succubi and incubi is quite simple: mark souls for Team Lust. It only takes a long, meaningful kiss to mark a soul and keep Hell’s bosses happy.

What’s in it for a succubus? Did I mention life on earth? Blue skies, green grass, delectable lattes, scrumptious meals, and friends. All the pleasure of the living and none of the torments of Hell. It’s worth giving the new life a go.

So how do you survive life as a demon of lust, especially if you’re not the promiscuous type?

1. Choose your targets wisely. They have to be people whose souls haven’t already been marked by another sin. People who have been faithful. Otherwise, the kiss is just a kiss.
2. Mark at least thirteen souls a year. 
3. Assume Hell sees and hears all. 
4. If you suspect you’re about to do something that the bosses will disapprove of, stop what you’re doing at once.


Worth mentioning one last time… don’t piss off the boss. The punishment for disobedience will go against your very morals. It will be the thing you despise the most, and failure to comply will land you in the river of souls. Don’t believe? Ask Cole or his friend Ian.

Discover if Avery survives her fate in Damned When I Didn’t.

I’d like to thank my lovely host for having me here to day. And thank you for stopping by.



Damned When I Didn’t
Cherie Colyer

Genre:  YA Paranormal Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose PRess
Date of Publication: November 18, 2020
ISBN:  978-1509233335
ASIN:    B08K39XQRZ
Number of pages:  298
Word Count: 76140
Cover Artist:  Diana Carlile

Tagline: Can an eighteen-year-old virgin fulfill her succubus duties without losing her innocence?

Book Description:

Death isn’t the end for eighteen-year-old Avery Williams, and her final resting place isn’t beyond the Golden Gates. No, the Queen of the Damned has plans for her and, unbeknownst to Avery, fought hard to gain possession of her soul. 

As Hell’s newest succubus, Avery is expected to siphon life from the living. It only takes a long, meaningful kiss, but for a virgin like Avery, kissing guys she barely knows isn’t something she’s comfortable doing. Avery focuses on the upside of her fate—she’ll be returning home, or so she thinks. 

When the Queen of the Damned cuts her off from her old life, Avery is determined to find a way back to her family and friends, even if it means facing Hell’s fury if she’s caught.

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Excerpt 2:

We got to Brookfield Zoo around ten, and even though I had forty dollars in my purse, Cole insisted on paying for the both of us. We entered through an underground tunnel that led to the main entrance. Images of ostriches and lions watched us pass as we followed the crowd to the turnstiles.

Cole handed a heavyset guy in a blue uniform our tickets and then held his hand in front of him.

“Ladies first.”

“Thanks.” I tucked my hair behind my ear and asked, “Are you sure your friends won’t mind me tagging along?”

During the drive over, I envisioned Cole’s friends as a group of unruly demons. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t asked him what to expect when he first mentioned getting out of the apartment. When I voiced my concerns to Cole, he let out a loud guffaw. A minute later, he assured me there wouldn’t be a demon in the bunch, except for us. He also told me that Luz was psyched to meet me. She was tired of being the only girl in the group.

Cole and I headed toward a large water fountain at the center of the zoo. A boy wearing a lion sun visor held his little hands up as if they were paws and roared. His sister—who was about half his size—screamed. I couldn’t help but laugh. Then I remembered Cole’s comment back at the apartment.

“Are you really a fan of leopards?” I asked.

“Snow leopards,” he corrected. “They’re smaller than other wild cats, but they’re graceful, cunning, and exceptional survivors.”

I got the feeling he related to them on a personal level. Cole had said incubi were low on Hell’s totem pole of bad asses.

“What’s your favorite animal?” he asked.

I tapped a finger to my lips. “Hmm—”

He jumped in front of me, walking backward with a bounce in his step. “Don’t tell me. I’ll guess.”

I giggled. Cole’s behavior was so human it was hard to believe he was a demon. But then again, so was I.

“You’ll never guess.”

He tipped his head to the side. “Is that a challenge?”

“Maybe,” I replied with a smile.

He slowed, avoiding bumping into a stroller even though his back was to it.

“How’d you know they were there?” I whispered, fully expecting to be told that demons had the radar-like senses of a shark.

“Reflection in your sunglasses.” He wiggled the ones he wore.

Darn on the supernatural radar, or lack thereof.

“Where were we?” he asked.

“You were about to admit there is no way you’ll guess my favorite animal.”

“You think so.” Cole smirked. “Let’s make it interesting…winner sleeps in the bed tonight, his choice if he wants to share.”

“Or hers, and just so you know, I’m not sleeping in the same bed as you.”

“You did last night.”

“I was passed out due to being drugged. It doesn’t count.”

I hadn’t given much thought to the fact that Cole and I shared everything in a one-bedroom apartment. “Does the couch pull out into a sofa bed?”

“Nope. I usually don’t have company sleep over. I discovered last night you’re a cover hog.”

Since most mornings I woke tangled in the sheet, I knew better than to argue with the latter statement. “Don’t you have girls over?”

“Definitely not. Except Luz, but she’s a friend and doesn’t stay the night.” His expression became serious. “No bringing work home. House rule.”
I didn’t plan on hooking up with anyone, so that rule was fine by me. “Deal.”

His lips curved upward into a devilish smirk. “Which one: you won’t bring strange guys home, or you’re willing to risk losing dibs on the comfy mattress?”

I began to think Lilith had purposely paired me with Cole as a way to add to my own personal Hell. He was seriously charming and—had we been human—the type of guy I went for.
But he’s not human, and the only reason you find him charming is because he’s the only person you’re still allowed to talk to.

Even Gregory Davis—the geeky brain from school with thick black glasses and a never-ending supply of sweater vests—would look appealing when you’re staring down eternity and he’s the only person you know.

I shook my head to clear my runaway thoughts and replied with confidence, “Both.”

“Be prepared to lose.” He turned and fell in stride with me. In a low voice, he said, “Luz, Nick, and Dylan are human. Hunter’s something else.”

I stopped. “What’s Hunter?”

About the Author:

Professional network technician by day, novelist by night, Cherie lives a quiet life in the Chicago suburbs with her charming husband. She has four amazing sons who she loves dearly. Cherie magically weaves together stories with a paranormal twist. She’s the author of the Embrace series (Embrace, Hold Tight, and Entwined), Challenging Destiny, Damned When I Didn’t, and Friends to the End. She waltzes into the adult novel world with this enchanting holiday romance, Merry Little Wishing Spritz.
















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