Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 40
November 22, 2023
Potion Master by Sam Fairburn #DarkUrbanFantasy #MMFRomance
Potion Master Playlist –
Monsters by Ruelle(The man lurking in the dark.)
Eyes on Fire by BlueFoundation (Erick and Riley’s theme.)
War of Hearts byRuelle (Finn and Erick’s theme.)
Nature Boy Acousticby Aurora (Riley and Finn’s theme.)
Devil’s Dance Floor(The Drunken Sailor’s theme.)
Notorious byAdelitas Way (Here comes the bad guy.)
Breath of Life byFlorence + The Machine (Riley’s path.)
Cinema SkrillexRemix by Benny Benassi, Gary Go, and Skrillex (Intoxicating story.)
Electric (feat.Khalid) by Alina Baraz and Khalid (I can’t fight this anymore.)
The Other Side byRuelle (Climax of the book.)
Bridges by AishaBadru (End of book one and lead-in to book two.)
Potion MasterFate Cycle SeriesBook OneSam Fairburn
Genre: Urban Fantasy RomancePublisher: Sam Fairburn PublishingDate of Publication: November 16, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-998204-01-4 ASIN: B0CJ8DVMNT Number of pages: 340 pages.Word Count: 93976 wordsCover Artist: Erick Robillard at Kinos
Tagline: Moderation is key… That being said, when not one but two enigmatic liars creep into my life, what’s a witch to do?
Book Description:
Riley
All I want is to start this new chapter of my life in peace, brewing beer and mixing potions at The Drunken Sailor. Simple. Safe. Single. But when my skills as potion master and healer are noticed by a mysterious stranger, the stalking that ensues leads me to ask more questions than I should. Things take a dark turn as the secret I fought all my life to protect gets uncovered by the deadliest magical mob boss in the city. Now, my best chance at survival is down to a cocky criminal and a bookman that is too clever for his own good. As their presence haunts my every waking hour and the situation gets dire, I don’t know if I can keep fighting this relentless pull between us.
Finn
I have focused on only one thing for the last three years—work. But when Riley comes into my bookshop, searching for a way to undo the tracking spell placed on her, I am caught up in a journey that ushers me right back to the one man I am trying to forget. I was his to cherish, his to punish, yet the worst wound he gave me was not a physical one. And she might be my salvation.
Erick
My blood is made of hunger and fight, which serves me well on my side of the law. No one but him knows who I am or where I come from. And I have all the intentions for it to stay that way. But when witches start to disappear in the city and no one, not even the Sennex, does a damn thing about it, I make it my business to investigate. Grave mistake. My efforts only lead me to desires I should steer clear of and discoveries darker than I could ever fathom. I fought to keep them away, to keep them safe, but life is never as kind as to bring hope without taking something in return.
Witchy meets steamy in this tale of soul-wrenching magnetism, dreadful secrets, and magic that could wreck the world.
Potion Master is a slow burn dark urban fantasy MMF romance. It’s book 1 in the Fate Cycle series.
Excerpt from Potion Master :
The blue liquid is shimmering like its magic is trying to get out. One of my better cocktail recipes, I would say. The Siren, I call it, in honor of Evie. Even though she is not one of those long-extinct creatures, her voice bewitches her crowd all the same. Her tales captivate the audience with their rhythm and poesy.
“Hey! Will you give me my drink or not?” the patron shouts over the buzz of the crowded room.
Keeping hold of the glass, I swiftly glide it over the wooden bar toward him. “I don’t know, Carl. Maybe a little more respect and a smile now and then could do miracles for your shitty personality and help you get what you want.” I look the bastard straight in the eye, drink the shot myself, and take the money he had put on the bar top to pay for it. The liquid goes down like the charm that it is, giving me a boost of strength and energy in its wake.
Carl seizes my gloved forearm, “Listen, girl, I know that you’re new here, but when I ask—”
His touch is gone in an instant. A big, burly man hauls Carl by the collar of his shirt toward the pub’s door. Albert’s gray-brown ponytail sways in time with Carl’s feet off the ground as he carries Carl out the door. If I didn’t hate being manhandled by drunk pieces of shit so much, I would be laughing at the sight.
Albert grunts as he throws Carl on his ass out in the street. “Take the rest of the night to cool off,” Albert says, his voice deceptively calm. “The next time you touch one of my employees, you will lose your hand. Is that understood?”
Carl has the good sense to shut his mouth and skitter off. The patrons all shout in triumph and merrily raise their glasses to Albert. When he turns from the door, Albert’s green eyes find me. His face is all red under his thick beard. I nod my head once to show him that I am okay and can handle myself. It’s not my first rodeo, after all.
I don’t have much time to dwell on what happened, though. The Drunken Sailor is packed tonight. Every sticky table and disparate chair is in use. A small crowd has already gathered before the stage in the corner where my best friend will perform tonight, sipping their drinks. The decor is no different than any other Irish pub in Québec City. The only noticeable distinction really is the customers themselves—the vast majority of them have magical abilities or ties to the magical world.
My long black hair annoys me tonight, so I quickly tie it up in a messy bun before filling another pint of my first batch of beer to give to Albert as he passes behind me in the bar area. Then I go back to the steady flow of orders coming in. I am very proud of my first brew. It’s a white ale with faint notes of lavender and rosemary. The balanced taste of the herbs makes for a bittersweet lightness that, contrary to popular belief, doesn’t taste like perfume.
Being potion master and lead brewer are both my pride and my passion in life. It also allows me to work anywhere, in any magical establishment I want, since there are a lot of people that seem to either want to get drunk or out of a hangover—or another predicament—at some point. My healing balms and potions are particularly good if I do say so myself.
Healing is my specialty, after all, and I was well taught. Diane. A sharp pang of grief makes my eyes water at the reminder of my mentor’s passing. They say that home is where the heart is. Well, it feels like my home vanished with her last breath. Throughout the years, she’d always been there for me—be it to kick me in the butt for acting stupid or to help me regain my footing after yet another failed attempt at making something of my life. Her passing is too fresh for me to be able to recall the good memories of her with fondness or a smile. I am still at the anger stage, where every fiber of my being wants to cry hysterically and punch a wall about it, hating death, hating myself for not being able to heal her. I wipe furiously at my eyes and wrestle my mind into a better headspace.
I was lucky to get this job. The Drunken Sailor is one of the best breweries in the province, and its owner is allowing me carte blanche to do with the product creation as I please. All the equipment is state of the art despite the pub’s building being more than a century old—and looking it.
Perfect work arrangements, awesome new apartment, my best friend nearby—it’s all I need, really. This time, I will plant roots. This time, I won’t bolt at the very first mild inconvenience—I can’t. I have no one left to catch me from a fall. I am here to stay, and I mean it.
At the table by the door, four casters are playing at levitating objects in the air while arm wrestling. The first to either lose the strength contest or lose their concentration and drop their object pays for the next round of alcohol. A stupid game if you ask me, but still fun to watch and good for the tip.
Evie pokes her head out from the kitchen door with a mouthful of I don’t even want to know what. “Hey, Ry! I’m on in a couple of minutes,” she says while finishing chewing. “Do you need anything before I get up there?” She motions toward the stage with her head. The movement makes her silver dress sparkle in the dim light, contrasting nicely with the soft coffee of her skin. She recently buzzed her hair close to her head, which accentuates the graceful curve of her neck.
Her hazel eyes drift to the liquid I am currently mixing. She looks fascinated and with good reason. As soon as I sprinkle my last ingredient into the potion—dried hibiscus flowers—red fire seems to emanate from it, although it’s not hot to the touch. Passion is a difficult thing to capture, and it’s always mesmerizing when it’s encapsulated successfully. It’s easily the most expensive thing we sell here. Only one swig is needed to fuel your inspirations and fantasies, allowing you to create at will. Although it cannot put ideas into your head, it will allow you to birth your ideas into the world. Well, until it wears off, that is. I pour the liquid into a small vial and hand it over to the young woman who ordered it.
“I’m fine,” I tell Evie over my shoulder. “I don’t need you mothering me.” I wink at my best friend and turn back to the clientele at the bar. I hear her huff and puff before letting the kitchen door swing behind her. Not a minute later, she swaggers onto the stage, her generous hips swaying as she walks. The usual auditory chaos of the pub falls to whispers.
We’ve always been complete opposites, Evie and I. Where my best friend shines bright on stage, I prefer the darkness at the back of the room. She is all heat and sensuality, while I am all frost and contrast.
As soon as Evie opens her mouth to sing, the crowd starts to sway in time with the rhythm of her voice. The ones closest to the stage are completely enthralled by her story of epic love. They smile and huddle closer together, not aware that they are moving. The casters abandon their game to stare in fascination. As far away as I am, I only feel a small wave of fullness and happiness, but it’s still very nice. I have not experienced the brush of love for a very long time.
I pour the next beer directly onto my gloved hand, which then splashes onto my black tank top and jeans. I curse and shake my head slightly. I must have been more affected by her singing than I thought. Taking off my gloves and wiping them on a dish towel, I smile to myself. I have not been exposed to her kind of powers for some time now. I’ve lost part of the endurance I had built for it.
When I finally succeed at mostly drying my clothes, I throw the rag in the sink and lift my head to take the next order, but most of the patrons have now moved from the bar to the tables closer to the stage, listening quietly.
Most, but not all.
About the Author:
Sam is a Canadian author of dark fantasy romance and dark urban fantasy romance with a healthy dose of spice (because why not?). She loves daydreaming about new characters and can often be found staring into the abyss of the great nothingness, completely lost in thought. She also dislikes talking about herself in the third person. Hence, I’m going to stop this author bio here.
I am deeply grateful for every reader who takes time out of their day to lay their eyeballs on one of my books. I couldn’t be an author without you.
Website - https://www.samfairburn.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/samfairburnauthor
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/samfairburnauthor/
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@samfairburnauthor
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@samfairburnauthor
Newsletter sign up - https://samfairburnpublishing.eo.page/xwz17
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/44354199.Sam_Fairburn
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/GplLWYBjBpE
November 21, 2023
A Bewitching Tuesday
Cracking the Case: Unveiling My Lifelong Affection for Mysteries with D. W. Brooks #RomanticSuspense #AfricanAmericanFiction #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3undEFk
Potion Master Fate Cycle Series Book One Sam Fairburn - Urban Fantasy Romance - Moderation is key… That being said, when not one but two enigmatic liars creep into my life, what’s a witch to do? #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3QRf7eN
Writing with Kids- Guest Blog by D. W. Brooks #RomanticSuspense #AfricanAmericanFiction #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3QRpZce
Author Interview- Homecoming Chaos by D. W. Brooks #RomanticSuspense #AfricanAmericanFiction #AuthorInterview #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/47CDqUi
INTERVIEW with MARIAH STILLBROOK (IN THE PINES) #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3unNT7Z
INTERVIEW - CONTEMPORARY SUSPENSE - HOMECOMING CHAOS (Model MD Novel, #1) by D.W. Brooks #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/49Izi7c
In the Kitchen with Jana Klánová - Recipe for Fried Rice #InTheKitchen #FriedRice #RecipeforFiredRice #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3ukTw6Q
In The Pines by Mariah Stillbrook #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3MO5Zq4
Potion Master by Sam Fairburn #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/46qk8Rc
Enlightenment of the Rogue Emperor by Jana Klánová #YAFantasy
#bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3R6mpfV
As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases #Amazon #ad #CommissionsEarned
Release Day Blitz Homecoming Chaos by D. W. Brooks #RomanticSuspense #AfricanAmericanFiction
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Homecoming ChaosA Model MD NovelBook OneD. W. Brooks
Genre: Romantic Suspense/ Contemporary Fiction/ African AmericanPublisher: Life: The Reboot LLCDate of Publication: October 31, 2023 Cover Artist: 100covers.com
Book Description:
Jamison Jones Scott has been out of the country and out of contact with most of her family for four years. Distraught, she had left the States previously to join a physicians’ relief organization after canceling her wedding and turning down a cushy job offer.
Now Jamie is back. It’s a homecoming where she is unsure of her family’s reception—especially her mother’s—and she walks into a murder mystery at her family’s business and a big birthday soiree. While trying to navigate her return and learning more about this case, she runs into a tall, handsome detective who is working to solve the mystery and who finds her a sexy challenge even when she interferes.
Can Jamie survive the chaos and protect her family’s business, deal with her family, and handle the dance with the hot detective without managing to get herself killed?
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Excerpt
Thesound of the flight attendant on the loudspeaker startled Jamison Jones Scottout of her light sleep. Despite having traveled frequently in her lifetime, shestill couldn’t sleep comfortably on a plane. The seat location— first-class oreconomy—didn’t make a difference. The plane was nearing its destination, so thepassengers needed to finish filling out their declaration cards. Jamie wasreturning to Atlanta to stay at her parents’ home with only the clothes on herback, a computer bag, the few items of clothing in her duffel, and astethoscope. She had nothing to declare.
Herseatmate appeared to be sleeping through the announcements. Jamie was jealous.The four-year-old in front of her turned around and started babbling excitedlyin French. She must have noticed that Jamie was finally awake. With her headstill fuzzy from her nap, Jamie couldn’t completely follow the child’s rapidwords, but the gist was that she wanted something from Jamie. Something about aplaydate? Jamie smiled at the girl and hoped the girl’s mother would intervene.No such luck; she was asleep as well. The child eyeballed Jamie expectantly.Jamie realized she and the seatmate had started this situation by playing withthe dark-haired child while they were over the ocean. Now, when she didn’tagree to the latest request, the little girl scrunched up her face to cry.
“Nousatterrissons bientôt. Elle ne peut pas aller avec vous,” Jamie’s seatmateanswered, eyes still closed. “Mais vous pourriez être en mesure de visiter. Jesuis sûr qu’elle tu aimerait garder les enfants.” He grinned.
Jamiegasped while the young girl clapped. This guy had just volunteered her as ababysitter!
“Jesuis désolé, mais il se trompe. Je ne serai pas disponible,” Jamie stated. “Jeparie qu’il a une surprise, pour toi.” The child looked at Jamie’s seatmate forher present and clapped again. This reply made him open his eyes.
“Qu’est-ceque c’est? Qu’est-ce que c’est?” the child asked. Startled, her pregnant motherwoke up and turned around in her seat sheepishly.
I’msorry, she mouthed. She made her eager daughter turn around in her seat andasked her to leave the other passengers alone. The girl was disappointed, buther mother handed her a shortbread, which made her forget the people behindher.
Herseatmate smiled, opened his eyes, and said, “I could have given her the stuffedbear I bought. I have a daughter the same age.” He stretched gingerly. “I can’twait to get home. I’ve been traveling for too long. What about you? Lookingforward to getting home?”
Jamiethought about her return to Atlanta. She hadn’t been home in a while, so shewasn’t sure how she felt.
Revelin the chaos.
Revelin the chaos.
Revelin the chaos.
Jamietried to live by this motto for most of her life because her life seemed toinvite chaos. She learned to expect—and sometimes encourage—complications. Asthe plane taxied to a halt, she repeated her motto to herself. This phrase,tattooed on her right hip, particularly applied now.
Theinternational terminal of Hartsfield-Jackson Airport had changed since she waslast there. Her brother, Jonathan, would pick her up at the baggageclaim—alone, she hoped, and not sporting a clingy girlfriend. Time tore-acclimate and re-establish family bonds. Dealing with an unknown woman inher face when she wanted to spend time quietly with her brother wasn’t at thetop of her to-do list.
Asshe waited in line to get through passport control, she thought about how shegot to this point—back in Atlanta after several years abroad. She had spent twoof those years working with the non-profit organization Doctors Overseas. Jamieworked in several locations, including the Central African Republic. She hadher reasons for joining the charitable organization; not all were altruistic,and she kept those to herself during her entrance interview. The horrors shewitnessed overseas helped her put her personal chaos into perspective. Sherealized her issues were nothing compared to what people endured in other partsof the world. This realization allowed her to embrace her job and enjoy whatshe was doing, despite the frequent threats of bodily harm. To help maintainher sanity while overseas, she traveled a lot and spent six months in Italy workingwith a designer friend.
Theagent summoning her snapped her out of her reverie. Handing over her passport,she said, “Nothing to declare. Coming back home for my mother’s birthday andChristmas.”
Atthe check-in counter, the inspector carefully examined her and her passportphoto. Jamison understood the scrutiny. At the time of that picture, she hadbeen at the height of her glamor phase with a history of modeling and aresulting, above-average concern about how she looked. In medical school, sheoften showed up at rounds with perfectly coiffed hair and more than a swipe ofmascara and lip gloss.
Butin Africa, those concerns fell away. Right now, Jamie was makeup-free, and abaseball cap covered her hair. She was still beautiful, but now it was agirl-next-door beauty. Jamie had high cheekbones, almond-shaped dark browneyes, a straight nose, a square jawline, and her golden-brown skin was stillsmooth. She wasn’t stomping down runways anymore, as in her past life, becauseshe had shifted her priorities.
Hermother would hate it.
“Welcome to Atlanta,” the inspector said as shestamped her passport. “Have a pleasant stay.”
About the Author:
The author lives in Texas with her husband and children. She enjoys trying to stay in shape, sporadically cooking, reading (still), writing, and working on her blog. She is eternally grateful to the woman who donated a kidney to her over 5 years ago and continues to advocate for organ donation as much as she can.
https://twitter.com/lifethereboot
https://instagram.com/authordwbrooks
https://facebook.com/authordwbrooks
Enlightenment of the Rogue Emperor by Jana Klánová #YAFantasy
Enlightenment of the Rogue EmperorRogue, Arcane and Desolate Book OneJana Klánová Genre: YA Fantasy AdventurePublisher: Jana KlánováDate of Publication: 19th May 2023ISBN: 978-80-11-03194-7ASIN: B0C4LH4VYVNumber of pages: 526Word Count: 155kCover Artist: nskvsky
Tagline: Until death or authorities do us part
Book Description: Eugenie is a certified, double-vetted, regular, ordinary high-school girl living her best life someone more competent planned for her, in a perfectly normal world, where strange things don't happen because that is simply impossible.
Or so she thought.
Right the second she graduates, the rug under her feet gets pulled and she, alongside a young, mysterious scoundrel, takes a wild tumble down a mountain of myths and hoaxes that her country has been built upon into a whirl of unknown, scary… but oh, so exciting.
Excerpt:
It was finally over. The last day of Academy began with arather underwhelming and bleak summer morning.
After spending four long years at the Military Academy ofthe capital city Concordam, cadets were anxiously shivering with expectationsfor the Commander’s arrival; it was his decision that would sort them intospecialized military branches and launch them into their new lives and careers.
While Eugenie sluggishly approached the classroom through adim academy hallway, she couldn’t help but overhear the excited chatter of herclassmates.
“Oh, I hope I go to the Navy! I submitted my preference forma day after the deadline.
Do you think they’ll still accept it?”
“I applied for covert ops!” exclaimed an annoying voice ofan annoying classmate.
“You just proved that you’re too dumb for that,” someonereacted, and a burst of clamorous laughter followed.
Eugenie rested her back against the wall outside theclassroom door. Waiting quietly all by herself for the chime to announce thebeginning of the end. When it finally rang, she slung her bag, packed inaccordance with the protocol for immediate transfer, over her shoulder and thenheaded into the classroom. It was easy to notice that the second she entered, thejoyous murmur of the class notably faded.
Eugenie was odd.
She used to strike everyone’s attention by being decisivelythe tallest girl in the class with a wordless greeting of an unimpressed stare–eyes cold and grey like a stone. Her chestnut hair, slovenly laid to hershoulders, naturally rebellious fresh face and slender stature were stillmaking people turn around, but it had been a long time since boys had droppedthe attempts to impress her, and girls gave up on involving her in recess chat.Eugenie did not seem bothered. By nothing and no one. She could returncompliments, but that idea never crossed her mind.
Days passed by without her saying a full sentence. Her wholeimage and emotionless behaviour that she had displayed steered her classmatesto the conclusion that she was an incorrigible, arrogant bitch.
She waddled to her desk at the back of the room andcollapsed unglamorously into the seat. Before classmates managed to revive theflow of the chat that Eugenie disrupted, the Commander of the Academy walkedin. In a blink of an eye, the class stood in a rigid salute, greeting.Commander Vance Ewin, who had constantly smelled like an ashtray, was aremarkably vital man in his early seventies. Or unusually worn out in hismid-fifties. No one knew for sure. His age was the first military secret cadetscame across.
“At ease, sit down,” he answered and casually slid his handsinto pockets of his heavily decorated olive-green uniform.
“The time has come for cadets to follow their own paths tocarry out the will of the motherland. As we all did. In the past years, whileya’ll have been training on the grounds of our Academy, your performances andphysical and mental strengths were up for some evaluations.
Last month you were ordered to submit your preference forms!If there is a match between your skills and the General’s demand, your wish islikely to be granted. If the demand can’t accommodate you and your preference,don’t think we’ll send you home. You’ll be sorted into a branch that willutilize your existing skillset the best… Well, I bet ya’ll know the drill bynow pretty well, so let’s move on to what everybody is waiting for.
I’m now going to hand out envelopes. Each envelope has anumber inside. A respective military branch officer will come later, call anumber, and if they call yours, you’ll follow, no questions asked. Until then,you’ll be quiet like a mouse. Instructions couldn’t be clearer.”
He didn’t wait for any response and barked the name of thefirst cadet in the alphabet:
“Aikman!”
Trissy Aikman was briskly on her feet and paced to theCommander confidently. There was no need to hesitate; they all had been throughsomething similar before. She saluted. The Commander then shook her handformally and passed the envelope to her. After that, she skittered to her deskto find her result. She raised four fingers in the direction of her besties,sitting across the aisle, to indicate which group she landed in.
Ingo Broft repeated the same protocol precisely.
“Dean!” Eugenie got minor heart failure when she heard hername. She stood up so rapidly that her chair tumbled on the floor with anear-splitting clatter. Her face flushed red from embarrassment. Eugeniestaggered as if she instinctively wanted to put it upright again, but she frozein motion. Fixing mess was not part of the envelope protocol. She oversteppedthe disaster on the floor and headed towards the Commander. The Commanderrolled his eyes and nodded, albeit begrudgingly.
“Commander! An amazon is attempting to destroy the Academyproperties!” Broft, now a successful navy candidate from Panumbreno, caused aboom of boisterous laughter.
“Broft! You think I can’t hear that damn racket? Well, Idid, but did you hear my order to shut the hell up and wait? Maybe you want torun laps till your hearing gets better?” Commander Ewin growled back at him.
“No sir,” the classmate peeped, humbled.
Eugenie made it to the Commander and saluted with apologeticeyes, but the Commander’s capacity seemed to be completely spent by thecorrectness of the envelope ritual while simultaneously emitting hisdon’t-fuck-with-me vibes in Broft’s general direction. After Eugenie returnedto her desk, she got her chair upright and hid her face away from the judging looksof her fellow classmates.
The Commander took only minutes to serve all the envelopeshe had at hand.
“Respective officers will be in here shortly. Make us proud. Make yourselvescount,” were the last words of advice they heard from the Commander before heleft the religiously quiet classroom.
Eugenie opened the packet slightly. But she saw nothing. Shepulled the paper out to see the other side. Empty. She flipped the pagefrantically and then inspected the inside of the envelope, utterly dumbfounded.
Eugenie was given a blank paper.
Every time a group of classmates left, her stomach clenchedtighter and tighter. It did not take long for the classroom to get deserted.The thick aura of frustration, condensing slowly around Eugenie, became theonly other entity to keep her company.
The blank paper’s gotta mean something. The Commander gavethe order to shut up and sit. That means I can’t just leave yet, Eugenieassessed.
She did not know how to execute the white paper protocol,but she was as sure as sun that no cadet in the Academy of Concordam was meantto take any action against orders.
I’m getting kicked out of the Army, she concluded, breakingout into a cold sweat.
The dreary tension was making every tick of the clock draglike years. Eugenie was in quiet panic mode, mentally preparing for thepossible outcomes of expulsion from the Army. The regime was not leaving manyoptions to anyone, but Eugenie did not fear the prospects that unsuccessfulcadets and students were haunted by.
It was the terrifying uncertainty of what would happen nextthat was curdling her blood.
On top of that, she was not even permitted to leave; an officerhad to allow that first.
The Academy had emptied. Eugenie did not hear a singlesqueak in the hallway for a long while. Suddenly, the silence was shattered byan ear-splitting tire screech from outside. Her desk by the window allowed alittle peek into the Academy’s backyard; Eugenie leaned in to quench hercuriosity, fuelled by the boredom. She witnessed how an executive limo hadparked in the middle of the backyard with almost dastardly disrespect to anykind of order. A distinct shape of an officer emerged from the driver seat andscooted across in an agitated rush.
Oh no, Eugenie thought. Nope. It’s not him. It’s NEVER him.He never visits the Academy. I wish that maybe someday, SOMEDAY, I’d get tomeet General Everian. He’s a rockstar just by the rank, an Imperial... and hislooks on top of that! She had been lost on a train of her gushing fangirlfantasies until steps in the hallway grew louder and disturbed Eugenie from herconvenient daydreaming.
Gingerly, she glanced through the open door in the directionof the incoming noise and in that second, her heart stopped beating.
A man in his late twenties, of a tall, athletic stature,with a decorated army hat pressed against black hair, brushed into a fringe,was rushing through the corridor like a merciless tempest. Even if this wasEugenie’s first time to see a general in person, she could clearly recognizethe sign of the Imperial family; a coral-red sash was peeking through hisloosely unbuttoned, anthracite officer trench coat. And yes, he was carrying along-hilted sword clipped to his belt.
There was no doubt left. General Alistar Everian was comingat her. A reflex immediately kicked Eugenie into a frenzied attention stance.
The handsome machine of authority charged into the emptyclassroom but quickly lost his momentum in front of the blackboard. Perhaps, hecame to a shocking realization that it would be easier for him to navigatewithout his hat. The annoying visor of his General headpiece kept invading hisline of sight constantly. He took it off, furrowed his thick eyebrows andpierced Eugenie with a fiercely stern gaze. Even across the classroom, Eugeniewas snared by his frosty blue eyes.
“It is alright, Cadet. At ease,” he uttered coldly. Adispleased grimace on the General’s face curved his lips and revealed hisperfect, glistening teeth.
Eugenie felt like all her blood had decided to go on astrike, despite her heart’s insane efforts. She tumbled down to the seat like apine tree defeated by a hurricane. General Everian paced to her, and with aswift move, he snatched a chair belonging to another desk and descended on it,right in front of Eugenie, with grace that would make a swan jealous. Eugeniepanted for a breath and leaned away in a desperate attempt to increase thedistance between them.
“Cadet, none of this is in my job description, and I have notime for this. Are you even at least aware of what could possibly bring mehere?” He was not smiling. Nor graceful. His voice was so neutral that Eugeniecould not tell if he was trying to comfort or intimidate her. She shook herhead and turned her eyes down in a negative response. The General softlyexhaled, and from his exasperated hand gesture, it was clear he was searching forwords.
“Alright. Let me tell you the story from my end. On one fineevening, I am sitting in my Commanding centre, minding my own business. Nothingtoo important. As a Cordam General, I am only responsible for supplyingmilitary personnel into seven provinces.” Even though he was ranting, Eugeniecould not help herself; all she could think of was how glorious General lookedwhen he was doing that.
“That’s the core responsibility of Cordam. We producesoldiers, officers, clerks, lawyers, doctors, teachers and all this—” he wavedhis hand impatiently, “—to maintain public order in the Unity lands.” Eugenienodded vigorously. The word he was missing was infrastructure, but she did notfind the courage to suggest it.
“Then this fat piece of – Commander-- waltzes in myCommanding centre and tells me: look, Alistar, I have one excellent cadet witha unique psychological profile, and I don’t know how to sort her after shegraduates, which is roughly in 14 hours. Now you see, cadet, I got played likea banjo by that stinker because you can already deduce, he got me to visit thehellhole he runs to check on your sorting process,” he fired off his version socasually as if they were drinking buds. Eugenie pulled another weak apologeticface. When General noticed her reaction, his murderous drive faltered. Helooked around erratically as if he was supposed to search for some hidden clue.
“Looking at you, I assume that you’re already guessing thecause of my presence. Can I see your envelope, please?” By the end of thesentence, he posed his hand in a demanding gesture to Eugenie. Even though hesounded calmer, saying no was not an option. Eugenie was shaking when shepassed the envelope to the General. He pinched it with two fingers andinspected it against the light without any due. He scoffed at his findings.
“Cadet Dean, why did you not fill out your preference form?You would get sorted by your choice, I can guarantee that,” there was anegligible hint of curiosity in his tone.
“I didn’t like any of the options, sir,” she repliedbluntly. Immediately, she regretted not thinking her answer through.
“And what would be to your liking then?” he fired back ather. This time she was ready with an answer. She had spent years waiting forsomeone to ask her this question.
“I’d like to be Emperor’s personal guard, sir!” Eugeniespouted proudly.
Although General Everian was a seasoned professional in histrade, he lost his face in front of her again. This time, he was genuinelybaffled.
“Do you know how ridiculous that sounds? Imagine as if I,when sitting here ten years ago, said: I wanna be a General, but there is nobox to tick in your form, so piss off.”
Eugenie just kept her eyes low; no military officer was everin the mood for delusions of grandeur.
“No wonder you couldn’t find a match in the preference form.Are you even aware that the Emperor has no dedicated military personnel?”
“Yes, I know, sir. That is why I submitted an incompletepreference form. No matter what I’ll get sorted into, it will be adisappointing result.” The General could no longer maintain his ironcladcomposure, and his face got tainted with an amused grin.
“Why the Emperor? Why not… me, for example?” he actedfrisky.
“Ignore that question, Cadet,” he waved it away the secondhe noticed that Eugenie was violently blushing.
About the Author Jana Klánová is an author from the capital of beer and magic, Prague, Czech Republic.
Her work is hugely influenced by authors like Terry Pratchett, J.R.R. Tolkien, George R.R. Martin, Stephanie Meyer, Tara Gilesbie and other absolute legends.
https://www.janaklanova.com
https://twitter.com/JanaKlanova
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jana-klanova
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/26602726.Jana_Klanova
November 20, 2023
A Bewitching Monday
Potion Master by Sam Fairburn #DarkUrbanFantasy #MMFRomance #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/47kVhQ1
BLOG TOUR – Enlightenment of the Rogue Emperor by Jana Klánová #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3swGmmM
WTF-ery!? (What the flockery!?) with urban fantasy romance author Sam Fairburn + excerpt
http://www.ismellsheep.com/2023/11/wt...
Tarot Guest Blog & Bewitching Book Tour In The Pines by Mariah Stillbrook #ParanormalFantasy #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3SLlaUr
In the Kitchen with Jana Klánová - Recipe for Fried Rice #InTheKitchen #FriedRice #RecipeforFiredRice #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3ukTw6Q
Magick Wands with Mariah Stillbrook #AuthorCrafts #ArtsandCrafts #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3QHRGnW
Mariah’s Success Spell with Mariah Stillbrook #WitchTips #Spells #Magick
https://paranormalists.blogspot.com/2...
"I could accept the idea that someone would copy my father.
I could even accept that it could happen in this jurisdiction, near my father's regular hunting grounds.
But a small, selfish, terrible part of me hoped it was him that he was back with me once more."
Excerpt from The Hunter's Daughter by Nicola Solvinic from Berkley Publishing Group . Now available for pre-order: https://bit.ly/3YDcQHB
#nicolasolvinic #mysteryauthor #crimeauthor #thrillerwriter #criminology #criminologymastermind #crimefiction #crimethriller #crimenovels #detectivenovels #suspensenovels #thrillerbooks #murdermystery #mysteryseries #whodunit #mysteryreads #bookcommunity #mustread #bookrecommendation #bookish #booklovers #readinglist #bookclub #bestseller #newrelease
Québec City’s underbelly never sleeps. All Riley wanted was to brew potions in peace at The Drunken Sailor.
But her powerful magic caught the eye of a man lurking in the shadows. And the caster she chooses to trust knows more than he lets on.
Witchy meets steamy in this tale of soul-wrenching magnetism, dreadful secrets, and magic that could wreck the world.
PotionMaster is a slow burn dark urban fantasy MMF romance. It’s book 1 in the Fate Cycle series.
https://linktr.ee/samfairburn
#darkfantasyromance #romantasy #fantasyromance #spicyromance #spicyromancebooks #LGBTQbooks #slowburnromance #secondchanceromance #mmfromance #friendstoloversromance #fantasyromancebookseries #witchybook #fatecycleseries #urbanfantasyromance #darkurbanfantasyromance
Enlightenment of the Rogue Emperor by Jana Klánová #YAFantasy #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3SI2uFk
As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases #Amazon #ad #CommissionsEarned
November 17, 2023
A Bewitching Friday
Tarot Guest Blog & Bewitching Book Tour In The Pines by Mariah Stillbrook #ParanormalFantasy #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3SLlaUr
In the Kitchen with Jana Klánová - Recipe for Fried Rice #InTheKitchen #FriedRice #RecipeforFiredRice #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3ukTw6Q
Magick Wands with Mariah Stillbrook #AuthorCrafts #ArtsandCrafts #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3QHRGnW
Potion Master Fate Cycle Series Book One by Sam Fairburn #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3uoUUp6
Enlightenment of the Rogue Emperor by Jane Klanova. #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3O3D8Pq
In The Pines by Mariah Stillbrook #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3R1JUqu
"The snake crawled up the foot of the bed, under the blankets, and coiled around my ankle. I couldn’t stop it. I couldn’t tell anyone about it. I just had to pretend it wasn’t there.
I was good at pretending."
Excerpt from The Hunter's Daughter by Nicola Solvinic from Berkley Publishing Group. Now available for pre-order: https://bit.ly/3YDcQHB
#nicolasolvinic #mysteryauthor #crimeauthor #thrillerwriter #criminology #criminologymastermind #crimefiction #crimethriller #crimenovels
In The Pines by Mariah Stillbrook Virtual Book Tour #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3SKUZ08
BLOG TOUR- Enlightenment of the Rogue Emperor by Jana Klánová #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3ulOF5r
Mariah’s Success Spell with Mariah Stillbrook #WitchTips #Spells #Magick
https://paranormalists.blogspot.com/2...
As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases #Amazon #ad #CommissionsEarned
November 16, 2023
A Bewitching Thursday
In the Kitchen with Jana Klánová - Recipe for Fried Rice #InTheKitchen #FriedRice #RecipeforFiredRice #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3ukTw6Q
Paranormal Fantasy Author Mariah Stillbrook - Making Twigsters (magical wands) + giveaway http://www.ismellsheep.com/2023/11/pa...
INTERVIEW WITH SAM FAIRBURN (Potion Master, Fate Cycle Series, Book 1) #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/40Iuuuz
INTERVIEW - PARANORMAL FANTASY - THE PINES by Mariah Stillbrook #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3QHYTEx
BLOG TOUR – Potion Master by Sam Fairburn #DarkUrbanFantasy #MMFRomance #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/46h8Nmb
“I think what we’ve got here is some kind of copycat, and I sure as hell am not gonna put up with that kind of monster in my jurisdiction.”
Excerpt from The Hunter's Daughter by Nicola Solvinic from Berkley Publishing Group. Now available for pre-order: https://bit.ly/3YDcQHB
#nicolasolvinic #mysteryauthor #crimeauthor #thrillerwriter #criminology #criminologymastermind #crimefiction #crimethriller #crimenovels #detectivenovels #suspensenovels #thrillerbooks #murdermystery #mysteryseries #whodunit #mysteryreads #bookcommunity #mustread #bookrecommendation #bookish #booklovers #readinglist #bookclub #bestseller #newrelease
In The Pines by Mariah Stillbrook - Paranormal Fantasy - These witches have one month to end the spiritual threat to their bloodline. And not kill each other. #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3sFie19
As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases #Amazon #ad #CommissionsEarned
November 15, 2023
A Bewitching Wednesday
Enlightenment of the Rogue Emperor Rogue, Arcane and Desolate Book One by Jana Klánová #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3ubU26R
BLOG TOUR – Potion Master by Sam Fairburn #DarkUrbanFantasy #MMFRomance #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/49z3RMy
Mariah’s Success Spell with Mariah Stillbrook #WitchTips #Spells #Magick #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3SC4oHl
"I didn’t know how much time I had, but I felt as I did decades ago, running in the woods with a monster on my heels."
Excerpt from The Hunter's Daughter by Nicola Solvinic from Berkley Publishing Group. Now available for pre-order: https://bit.ly/3YDcQHB
#nicolasolvinic #mysteryauthor #crimeauthor #thrillerwriter #criminology #criminologymastermind #crimefiction #crimethriller #crimenovels #detectivenovels #suspensenovels #thrillerbooks #murdermystery #mysteryseries #whodunit #mysteryreads #bookcommunity #mustread #bookrecommendation #bookish #booklovers #readinglist #bookclub #bestseller #newrelease
SPOTLIGHT w/EXCERPT - POTION MASTER by Sam Fairburn #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3QwSr3a
In The Pines by Mariah Stillbrook #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/40HSoGy
As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases #Amazon #ad #CommissionsEarned
In The Pines by Mariah Stillbrook #ParanormalFantasy #bewtichingbooktours https://buff.ly/49tXn1k
November 14, 2023
A Bewitching Tuesday
Mariah’s Success Spell with Mariah Stillbrook #WitchTips #Spells #Magick #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3SC4oHl
Potion Master by Sam Fairburn Virtual Book Tour #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3SF1AJN
Enlightenment of the Rogue Emperor
Rogue, Arcane and Desolate
Book One
Jana Klánová #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/47PlVR1
In The Pines Book Tour
These witches have one month to end the spiritual threat to their bloodline. And not kill each other. #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3QzMcM1
"I could accept the idea that someone would copy my father..."
Excerpt from The Hunter's Daughter by Nicola Solvinic from
@berkleypub
Available for pre-order: https://bit.ly/3YDcQHB
#nicolasolvinic #mysteryauthor #crimeauthor #thrillerwriter #criminology #crimefiction
INTERVIEW WITH JANA KLANOVA (Enlightenment of the Rogue Emperor) #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3staIXb
Potion Master by Sam Fairburn #DarkUrbanFantasy #MMFRomance #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3QYO1nh
In The Pines by Mariah Stillbrook #ParanormalFantasy #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3G4H4KN
New college student, Joey, finds herself in a world of dreams with no way to tell what is real and what is fantasy. Will she discover the truth behind the Dream Conductor? Or will she be consumed by her darkest nightmares? Dreamscape: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CKB8Q4HZ
#WitchesCoven #Dreamcatcher #ParanormalMystery #ParanormalRomance
As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases #Amazon #ad #CommissionsEarned
In The Pines by Mariah Stillbrook #ParanormalFantasy
In The PinesMariah Stillbrook
Genre: Paranormal FantasyPublisher: Creative James MediaDate of Publication: November 14, 2023ISBN: 978-1-956183-50-4Number of pages: 374Word Count: 110,334Cover Artist: Triumph Covers
Tagline: These witches have one month to end the spiritual threat to their bloodline. And not kill each other.
Book Description:
Two witches, two secrets, and a curse that could tear a family apart.
Olivia and Ellie have lived their lives knowing a dark entity is stalking their family, determined to kill them all. After the death of Olivia's son, she abandons her magic and her family, leaving Ellie in a nightmare of heartbreak, her marriage crumbling and her sister gone.
Determined to save their mother Arianna from a spell that left her comatose, the two sisters must come together to unravel the riddle of the curse that has haunted their family for generations.
But as they delve into the past, the truth they uncover is more twisted and treacherous than they ever could have imagined. Will they be able to break the curse, or will it consume them all?
Amazon Books2Read Goodreads
Excerpt:
The sound of the waves crashing down below, the impendingfog rolling in, the wind sending curses past my cheeks, streaked with saltwater—all of it seemed to have been put into slow motion as I stood there, fullof rage and powerless against this demon as she held my daughter’s life in hertainted, dead hands. Eight words were all I was afforded in the two secondsthat followed. “You were the one who let me in.”
And then it all happened at once. There was a "utteringof feathers, the sensation of a stick being forced into my hand, and the soundof my own screams as my daughter’s body fell; but then I just as quickly lungedforward, standing on air and pointing my bit of willow down at her body justbefore it was about to make contact with the jagged rocks below.
Maddie,now in possession of her own body, stared up at me with wide eyes and a gapingmouth as I floated over her like the witch I once was. And before she couldutter a single word, before I could make out the laughter that seemed to bedrifting back into the fog, I used my wand to lift her back up to the cliff andset her down before landing back on solid earth myself.
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About the Author:
Mariah Stillbrook, originally from Iowa, lives in Colorado with her white German shepherd, husband, and little girl. She graduated from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. She spends most of her days writing, reading, and enjoying the occasional hike. In her late twenties she realized that her writing was missing something, magic. She now focuses her writing on horror and urban fantasy in both adult and young adult genres.
Website: https://www.mariahstillbrook.com/
Newsletter: https://bit.ly/45EeLxb
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mariahstillbrook
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mstillbrook
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariahstillbrook/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100079061712302
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22508599.Mariah_Stillbrook
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