Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 76
October 26, 2022
Unusual Light by J. Elizaga - Haunted Halloween Spooktacular
A Moment at the Louvre
With map in hand and Mona Lisa in my heart,I joined the mass of harried tourists scurryingFrom wall to wall of gilded frames. My eyes entranced in artUntil from my periphery you stood, perusing.
I moved right in a small intentional danceImpulsively and without thought — ugh, amateur guile,But then successfully, our eyes did more than a fleeting glance,My cheeks felt warm. I managed a smile.
We stood close, face to face, enough for an embrace,But seconds left with only our smiles. (Sigh!)I still remember the moment, and not attempting with grace,Any human greeting as I passed you by.
Unusual LightJ. Elizaga
Genre: Young Adult fantasyDate of Publication: July 31, 2022 ASIN: B0B85ZRPSZNumber of pages: 86Word Count: 20,000
Cover Artist: The Book Cover Designer
Tagline: A young engineer, a ghost, and a mystery at the morgue
Book Description:
How does one keep a promise to a ghost? Engineering student Ana Juliet (AJ) Diwa takes a summer job as a swing-shift security guard at a hospital morgue—the same morgue once investigated by the police for unusual calls received during full moons. And the calls happen only when Matt, a guard assigned to the overnight shift, is on duty.
AJ scoffs at the idea of otherworldly activities. But soon after, she witnesses a mysterious orb at the morgue. The orb reveals itself to be the ghost of Binni Almond, a teenager who went missing thirty years ago. Despite AJ’s shock, she befriends the entity. She vows to use her problem-solving abilities to find Binni’s family and solve the mystery of the young girl’s disappearance. But darker spirits are afoot.
As AJ descends to the morgue’s basement to capture evidence of Binni’s remains, Matt’s visions worsen. Evil spirits surge around the premises. And AJ is in danger of getting caught in the middle of a paranormal showdown.
Amazon
Chapter 1: An Unusual Call
AT half past midnight, a public safety dispatcher received a familiar but unsettling call. Amid the static and crackle, a voice uttered, “Send help.”
The strange calls started nine months ago, and they always occurred on or near the full moon. The voice supplied only their first name and location. The caller’s name changed every month, but the location stayed the same—Shoreline Hospital morgue. The police officer who responded to the first dispatch spoke with Matt Faulson, the morgue’s overnight security guard. He denied dialing for assistance. The officer walked around the perimeter of the building and witnessed nothing out of the ordinary.
But after three monthly calls involving the same person on duty, the department assigned Officer David Jackson to patrol around the time of the full moon, when they estimated a call would occur. They suspected the twenty-seven-year-old Matt to be the prankster.
Police interviews failed to pin him. Instead, the detectives saw video footage of stationary objects moving randomly in various rooms in the morgue late at night.
The young man admitted to seeing strange activity during his shifts. Adding to the mystery, the city’s emergency dispatch system saved the calls, but the hospital had no record of any of their phones being used.
David arrived at the parking lot with another patrol car at 12:25 a.m. He saw a lone figure sitting on a bench near the morgue’s main entrance.
“Matt.” He approached the security guard with friendly caution. As the guard greeted him, the officer couldn’t help but notice the dark shadows under the young man’s eyes and the ruffled hair. “Man, you look terrible.”
Matt sighed. “There’s not a lot of sleep with the graveyard shift, as you know. I don’t like walking the floors between midnight and one a.m., but I took too long answering an email, and I forgot the time. I rushed through the hallways, and let me tell you, I had more than one sighting,” Matt said. “I guess you received a call?”
David nodded. “You have to get me in there one of these nights. I want to see for myself.”
“I’ll call next time. But I didn’t make the call tonight,” Matt replied. He stood up and prepared to go back in the morgue, but froze. “Oh.”
“What is it?” David asked. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the second officer took a defensive stance.
“A gray entity floated out of the wall to my left,” Matt said softly as he kept his head very still.
David looked as soon as Matt spoke. “I don’t see anything.” He glanced at the other officer.
“I don’t see anything either.”
“Really?” Matt asked as his shoulders dropped. He gingerly turned his head and looked. “Am I the only one who sees ghosts?”
“I’m beginning to believe that,” David replied.
About the Author:J. ELIZAGA is a fan of science fiction and science mysteries. Born and raised in Manila, Philippines, she peered over her father’s shoulders as he watched TV shows such as In Search Of, and Carl Sagan’s Cosmos during the 1970s.
J. lives in California. She wrote stories in high school but had set aside her hobby for college and career…until she attended a writer's conference in San Francisco in 2010. The experience unsealed a door in her mind that she thought had long closed.
J. works in information technology by day, and makes time to write stories about humans who face extraordinary circumstances and discover their superhuman abilities.
Website: https://www.jelizaga.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jelizaga1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jelizaga1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j.elizaga/
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October 25, 2022
A Bewitching Tuesday
The Struggle of Juggling Family and Writing with Jen Colly #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/WVCk50Lk4aF
Character Confession from Alaric from Tome of the Vampire by Jason Goss #GothicHorror #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/3xuH50Lk4g6
Tarot Tuesday with Hollie Smurthwaite #TarotTuesday #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/AImo50Lk3YM
The Last Man? by Favian Segovia [Tour Spotlight] #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/WCGA50Lk4cs
Tips for Throwing Halloween Parties from Raye T. Watson #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular http://ow.ly/fG7S50Lk3Wv
Visit with a Psychic during the #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular ~ Spirits from the Other Side by Karen Michelle Nutt @KMNbooks @RoxanneRhoads #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/tq7U50Lk48l
[Blitz & Giveaway] Alpha Receptor by Karenna Colcroft #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/UnGE50Lk3UX
Unusual Light
A young engineer, a ghost, and a mystery at the morgue #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular #bewitchingbooktorus http://ow.ly/9UlE50Lk46Y
Ghost Circus
If You Think Life is Precious, Just Wait Until You’re Dead #bewitchingbooktours #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular http://ow.ly/CnLP50Lk46o
The Bruja's Guide to Everyday Magic with Maria DeBlassie - #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Tnsr50Lk3ZZ
Messengers of the Macabre: Halloween Poems by LindaAnn LoSchiavo and David Davies https://www.roxannerhoads.com/2022/10...
October 24, 2022
A Bewitching Monday
The care and feeding of vampires with Jen Colly #ParanormalRomance #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/17y950LiWvt
Guest Blog- Terra Nova by MtG #YAFantasy #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/kKOy50LiWY2
Author Guest Post with Maria DeBlassie: Weep, Woman, Weep #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/KQJ150LiXqT
INTERVIEW - FANTASY - DAINTY DAMSELS: Halloween Collection 2022 (Dainty Damsels Coloring Books, #12) by J.N. Sheats #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Z4lo50LiWA3
Tome of the Vampire by Jason Goss #vampires #giveaway #Halloween #horror #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/OBM250LiXkL
The Color of Betrayal The Psychic Colors Series Book Two Hollie Smurthwaite #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/e8JY50LiX7l
The Beginning of Forever Wellington Patriot Book Three by Cheryl R. Lane - Historical romance #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/UENj50LiX0J
[Blitz & Giveaway] Unusual Light by J. Elizaga #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/jSlT50LiXmw
Spotlight: The Gryphon & His Thief #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/q8v850LiXbh
Spooktacular #Halloween Coloring Book: Dainty Damsels #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/2QPt50LiWCw
New Historical Romance Novel ~ The Beginning of Forever (Wellington Patriot, Book Three) by Cheryl R. Lane #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Vujg50LiX2Z
Blog Tour for "Messengers of the Macabre: Halloween Poems! #bewitchingbooktours #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular http://ow.ly/w9jH50LiWUl
Hungry Business by Maria DeBlassie #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Ouez50LiWH9
[Blitz & Giveaway] Dainty Damsels Halloween Coloring Boks by J.N. Sheats #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/mVwb50LiWEo
Bloodlink by Raye T. Watson - #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Y9p950LiWwG
The Ghost Circus: An Onyx Webb Supernatural Thriller by Diandra Archer - #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/W67w50LiWtk
Giveaway – Dainty Damsels Halloween Collection Coloring Books
@RoxanneRhoads
#bewitchingbooktours #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular http://ow.ly/Z4Tz50LiWo2
The Last Man? Journey To New Eden by Favian Segovia #SciFi #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/ZJ8u50LiWKC
The Guardian by Jen Colly #ParanormalRomance #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/blS750LiXim
Vampire Musings #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/su9s50LiXpn
Tome of the Vampire by Jason Goss #GothicHorror #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/LQYJ50LiXer
Messengers of the Macabre: Halloween Poems by LindaAnn LoSchiavo and David Davies #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/PTZu50LiWPz
Tome of the Vampire by Jason Goss #GothicHorror
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Tome of the VampireVolume OneJason Goss
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Gothic Horror, Post -ApocalypticDate of Publication: Aug 30,2022ISBN:979-8849166322ASIN:B0BCCVQ6QNNumber of pages: 221Word Count: 67kCover Artist: Jason Goss
Book Description:
For over one thousand years after the world was nearly destroyed by the calamity known as Sinfall, the church has helped people recover. The recovery and safety the church gave came at a steep cost. Technology has been lost to the ages and banned by the church.
The land is plagued by a terrible curse that threatens to wipe out all life, and the church has no idea how to stop it. Until a chance encounter with a mentally unstable vampire offers an unlikely solution….
Tome of the Vampire is a dark fantasy story set in a post apocalyptic fantasy world filled with magic, dragons, and mystery surrounding the secrets the church has banned people from knowing, and what caused the calamity.
Amazon
PROLOGUE
It had been one thousand, four hundred eighty-one years since the calamity known as All Sins Fall, or Sinfall for short. And on this day, the vampire and his holy cleric accomplice are awaiting judgment by the Grand Inquisitor. Today is the day of reckoning.
The mighty steel doors of the keep slammed open in unison with the thunder strike outside, as a violent storm raged on. The dusk brought with it a storm so loud it was almost deafening. Two prisoners wrapped in starsilver chains were violently dragged into the keep towards the inner sanctum. The first, a young girl in her early twenties with long, dirty blonde hair, tied back and dripping wet. Loose, wet bangs covered her filthy face, hiding her green eyes. She was head to toe in regalia of the Knights of the Silver Star. Chain mail armor, wrapped in a silver star crested tunic. Her hands were bound behind her, and a chain clamped to her neck. The girl was aggressively dragged forward towards the Inquisitor.
Behind her followed the second prisoner. He was also bound in chains behind his back, with more chains tied to his neck, leading him forward. This prisoner stood out to the guards stationed along the inner sanctum hall. His pale face, white as marble, contrasted underneath his long jet black hair. His bright sapphire blue eyes were empty and limitless at the same time. It was like looking into a void that filled a person with both sadness and fear. The way he moved forward, led by the chain around his neck, still seemed unnatural and unnerving. Every step he took seemed effortless. He was dressed in a dark cloak with the hood down. Each step he took made the guards uneasy. This man was a vampire.
Vampires were not uncommon to the Knights of the Silver Star. The Order were responsible for waging war against such abominations. Dragons, demons, vampires, and other evil creatures were regularly hunted down and cleansed by the knights. What was shocking to the guard was to see one in the grand halls of the Silver Sanctum. Each guard gave the other an uneasy look, as they knew this was different. Something big was happening before them. Not to mention a member of the Order dragged along with him to answer before the Inquisitor.
A small set of stairs led to a sizeable and imposing limestone throne at the end of the hall. The chair's sculpted armrest was in the shape of an angel kneeling with its wings folded downwards to let you rest your hands on the angel's back between the shoulders. There were blindfolds covering the angel’s eyes. Down on all fours, they were clasping a sword stabbed in the ground beside them. The backrest of the mighty chair had two large wings spanning outward. They give the person sitting there an appearance of having majestic wings. The wings appeared inlaid with starsilver and gold. Upon the chair sat the Grand Inquisitor.
He sat on the throne, awaiting his prisoners’ arrival, looming over them as they approached. He was clad in thick starsilver armor. It looked almost decorative, if not for the battle-scarred dents in parts of it. The blemishes didn't detract from the practically holy glow it gave off. His shoulder pauldrons were shaped to look like griffons’ heads pointing outward, with its wings folding down in front and behind him on either shoulder. The Inquisitor’s chest plate was fashioned to look like that of a fierce lion's head. He had a blue and silver-lined cape flowing behind him. He was unarmed. His weapons were not far away, leaning against this throne. A massive silver Warhammer that looked heavier than the Inquisitor himself sat closest to him. Beside the hammer lay a large, two-handed great sword. Its decorations were hidden as a blue and silver cloak was draped over it.
As the prisoners got closer to the throne, the rain intensified outside. Thunder still crackled in the distance, as lightning flashes filled the room with bursts of light. The light glittered off all the silver decorations, armor, and weapons. The guards looked suspiciously at the vampire to see if the light bothered or hurt him. When he didn't react to the reflections of silver light, the guards collectively tightened the grip on their weapons, ready to strike should the moment call for it. The guards leading the prisoners pulled the chain forward and forced them on their knees.
"Alas, we have the infamous vampire, Alaric Caradoc." The Inquisitor smiled. "I expected an atrocity such as you to have put up a fight or resisted. The fact you have made no attempts to fight, kill or break free suggests you are up to something. Know that your words mean little to me, and you will most likely meet your end this night. And if you thought you could compel me with your neat little mesmerize trick... think again. I'm protected by the light of God and immune to such trickery. If you planned to attack from the inside... your plan has failed. Those silver chains will hold you while you die a quick and final death."
Alaric said nothing. He met the Inquisitor's gaze, the entire time without flinching. He appeared cold as stone. His marble-like skin didn't break a sweat or move.
"You can't kill him! We need his help!" interrupted the young female prisoner, as she tried to rise back to her feet. The guard behind her instinctively struck the back of her legs with his spear, knocking her back down.
"Silence, Yasmina! You are a traitor and a sinner. Conspiring with this creature condemns you to hell. I will end your suffering soon so that God himself can judge your sins. The only reason you still breathe is so I can find out the truth of what happened in the fires of Ghalat. Your mentor, Salazar, was a great hero and deserved to be honored. I will know what happened, and I will put you both to death."
"Not a compelling reason for us to give you answers," replied Alaric. "I expected the Grand Inquisitor to be a better negotiator. For fuck's sake, lie to us or something. Please, tell us if we help you, we may suffer less, or live or something. You sure this is your actual job?"
"Ric, let me handle this, please," said Yasmina in a nervous but stern tone.
"So you and this monster are on a nickname basis, eh? Does he call you Yas or perhaps Mina or something cute? You're nothing but a meal to him. I bet he calls you his little snack." replied the Inquisitor, laughing to himself. He expected more reaction to his sarcastic joke but got nothing.
"To answer your question... Ric, I don't need to lie. Lying is a sin, and men of God do not need to lower themselves to your level. You may not answer my questions honestly... but I will enjoy torturing you either way. And since Yasmina here seems to be fond of you, the more truthful she is, the swifter your death."
"I'm not fond of him," Mina interjected. "He is a monster. But he has information that could help us, and he has agreed to do so if we help him. When he has helped us, I will end his suffering myself."
The Inquisitor took a step towards her and firmly backhanded her to the ground.
"Idiot child," he explained, "we do not help or work with the cursed. Your mentor would be ashamed. Alaric is simply using you and attempting to poison your mind. The only way he can help us is to die in the light's fire. His soul is past redemption. And all that remains is to rid the foul curse from the land, so his sickness doesn't spread and corrupt any more lives."
Alaric tried to remain quiet, as Mina suggested. But he couldn't help himself.
"Do you even hear yourself speak? You sound like a brainwashed twit diddler. If your goal is to end corruption, and someone has a way to help you end it better or faster… doesn't it make sense to at least hear them out?" he asked.
"My goal is to kill you before you taint any more minds. Yasmina was Salazar's brightest pupil. You have corrupted her, and now I have to kill her. Now all I want is to learn his fate, then kill you before you pull off your plan to kill us. You don't fool me, cold one. I know you would kill us the second you get the chance."
The vampire finally showed a glimmer of emotion on his face, and he smiled at the Inquisitor's comments. He shook his head ever so slightly to clear the hair from his face so that the Inquisitor could see his face.
"Yes, and no. I could kill you if I wanted to, right here and now. But would I? It doesn't serve me to kill you all. But the vile plans you think I'm up to require your help. And in exchange... I will help you purge more evil than you could ever do on your own. I could teach you more about our weaknesses and lead you to them. I can help you," Alaric insisted.
The Inquisitor just laughed. He watched as Yasmina crawled up back to her knees, eagerly waiting to see his response. He looked back towards Alaric, still smiling in a smug, confident way.
"You should take your advice, cold one. Now, who is the shit negotiator? You have not provided me a compelling reason to hear you out. You are in silver chains and about to die. I hold the cards, and from where I stand, you are in no position to kill us all, as you claim. Frankly... your kind can't be trusted. Once I have my answers from Yasmina...I will put you to death. If she lies, it will be a drawn- out, painful death. If she doesn't lie, your death will be swift and painless... as will hers,"
Alaric's smile slowly faded to reveal his annoyance as the Inquisitor stubbornly refused him. He pulled his bound hands forward, breaking free of the silver manacles that bound his hands to his back, and quickly grabbed and broke the silver ring around his neck.
"Listen, you know fuck all about vampires. If I wanted you dead I'd have killed you and everyone in this tacky room already. Her included." he said as he pointed towards Mina, still shackled beside him.
The guards immediately drew all their weapons and pointed them at Alaric. The Inquisitor stepped back, reaching for his Warhammer behind him. His eyes locked on the vampire in disbelief at what he had just seen. He tried to hide his panic, but he couldn't. Silver was a weakness from all his experience and training with prior vampires. It should have stopped him from being able to use his unholy strength. Or any of his vampire powers. He knew each vampire's powers could differ significantly, but they had all been weak against Starsilver until now.
Alaric raised his arms high to show he wasn't about to attack. "Relax, I do not intend to fight you. Now lower your weapons before I change my mind," Alaric said.
All the guards looked to the Grand Inquisitor for direction. He nodded and raised a hand to indicate they could lower their weapons. He still grabbed his hammer and brought it in front of him, but left the hammer's head firmly on the ground before him.
Alaric thought it was comical that a man so devoted and sure of his God's protection would need to cling to his weapon, as if it were a comforting blanket a babe might need to fall asleep at night. But he decided not to mock the man, as he could see he might be making progress after all.
"Alright, vampire, you have my attention. We still have things to learn of your kind. You could have surprised attacked us at will, or at very least escaped with your life, yet didn't. I wouldn't be doing my job as Inquisitor if I didn't at least try to learn why."
"I know you have no reason to trust me, nor can I give you a compelling reason to. But so long as your knights don't attack me, I will spare them. I will also not attempt to flee till you have heard our proposition. After that, you may do as you wish,"
"And if I still wish to remove your head?" asked the Inquisitor.
"You are welcome to try," said the vampire, as his smile playfully returned, "but first, I suggest you at least listen to Mina's story of how we got here. And then I can explain how I may be able to help you. Besides, you wanted to learn of dear old Salazar's fate, didn't you?"
The Inquisitor looked annoyed, but the vampire was correct. He had questions he needed answers to—both for himself and the church.
"Fine. But we will take you to separate interrogation rooms, and I will uncover your scheme, vampire. And once I've learned all I need, we will sacrifice you to God."
About the Author:Jason Goss is an aspiring Canadian author from London Ontario, and a self proclaimed nerd. He enjoys pretty much anything sci fi or fantasy themed, and is a big fan of dark fantasy and grim dark stories. He would include Anne Rice and Jay Kristoff as his biggest influences for his writing.
In the past, Jason has wrote for various youtube channels, screen plays, songs, and even short stories. He has many stories he wishes to tell, spanning several genres.
When he is not engaged in reading, writing or any of his several nerdy hobbies, he can often be found in the woods hiking with his rescued husky/shepard doggo. Or cuddled up with his two rescued cats binge watching a new show online.
https://twitter.com/JasonMGoss
https://www.instagram.com/jasongoss01/
https://www.facebook.com/JasonGossFanpage
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22779148.Jason_Goss
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October 23, 2022
The Guardian by Jen Colly #ParanormalRomance
The GuardianThe Cities Below Book FiveJen Colly
Genre: Paranormal RomanceDate of Publication: 10/11/2022ISBN:9798201144319Number of pages: 300Word Count: 97,000Cover Artist: Ryan Imbrock
Tagline: Prepared to die...fighting to live.
Book Description:
Savard was in a mood to die, but when a human insists on saving his life, death is no longer an immediate option. He knew of no species – human, vampire, or demon – that could see him while in his invisible Spirit form. Unique to this world, this woman's singularity was a danger to the entire vampire race.
Waking behind bars in an underground vampire city was not how Sera envisioned her night drive ending. She has come to expect nothing from those who pass through her life, but this man, dying on the side of the road, proves to be different. Savard fights to free her from tyrannical vampire laws and to hide her unique abilities. What Sera doesn't understand, is why he would fight his growing love for her.
Savard's haunted past threatens to tear them apart. Soon, Sera discovers just how far her guardian is willing to go, and what he's willing to do, to keep her safe.
Books2Read Amazon BN Kobo
Excerpt
Savard watched her delicate jaw drop at the sight of his fangs. Never in his long life had he shown a human what kind of creature lurked behind the visage of a man. He waited for her scream, expected her terrified flight or even a fainting spell. Instead of acting like a normal human, she just sat there, taking it all in, processing, and then out of the blue, the minx slugged him in the shoulder.
He groaned, not so much from her punch, but from stabilizing his core muscles to keep his body upright. Through gritted teeth, Savard asked, “What the hell was that for?”
“Give it a guess,” she huffed, not frightened, and certainly not shying away. “You can speak. Just say what you are. You didn’t need to threaten me with the pointy teeth.”
“Wasn’t a threat…won’t bite,” he mumbled. He knew he was behaving poorly, but his body ached, his hunger beat a heavy cadence against his tongue, and this woman had ruined his plans for a quick death.
His eyelids drifted shut, his head tilted back against the cushion. He was getting worse. The pain was there, but not exactly excruciating, making it easier to speak. His body was numbing out, going cold on the inside. Sensation was slipping away, along with life.
“If you’re what I think you are, then…” her soft voice trailed off, as if redirecting her question.
“What can I do? Be honest.”
“Nothing you’d be willing to do,” Savard said, cracking one eye open to observe her reaction, and when she shifted closer, he suddenly realized she still held his hand. In fact, her grip had never wavered. Even after he’d bared his fangs.
“Like letting you bite me? How can you be sure I wouldn’t?”
“I’m not asking.”
“But if it would help you…” Her delicate eyebrows scrunched together, and she asked in earnest,
“Would it help you? And would it hurt?”
His lips twitched, the beginnings of a smile that never fully formed. For some reason, he found explaining the nuances of a vampire’s bite to this innocent human amusing. “Blood heals. A bite is more pleasure than pain.”
“I wouldn’t turn into a…”
“No.”
“When you bite someone…” Her voice was hesitant, the first subtle hint of trepidation he’d found in her. “Do they die?”
“No. Life is precious,” he said quietly.
Deafening silence surrounded him and he closed his eyes again, the calm lulling him. Several minutes passed, or perhaps more, and then he unexpectedly caught her scent. The soft, delicate flesh of this woman had a scent all its own, and he opened his eyes to see her leaning close to him, her hand pulling that fluffy white-blonde mass of randomly braided hair away from her neck. Savard growled, closing his eyes against the temptation, and turned away from her.
“Why not?” she asked, her steady voice sending shivers through his battered body.
Teeth clenched, he said, “You should have left me there.”
About the Author: Jen Colly is the rare case of an author who rebelled against reading assignments throughout her school years. Now she prefers reading books in a series, which has led her to writing her first paranormal romance series: The Cities Below. She will write about anything that catches her fancy, though truth be told, her weaknesses are pirates and vampires. She lives in Ohio with her supportive husband, two kids, one fluffy dog, and four rescued cats.Website - https://www.jencolly.com
Twitter - https://twitter.com/collyjen
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jen.colly.1/
Blog - http://www.jencolly.com/the-jen-mind-blog
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/authorjencolly/
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8634547.Jen_Colly
October 21, 2022
A Bewitching Friday
MtG's Favorite Books #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/WzxE50LhtcL
***Vampire Interview*** The Guardian The Cities Below Book Five by Jen Colly - Paranormal Romance - Prepared to die...fighting to live. #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/A65650LhtyU
The Beginning of Forever by Cheryl R. Lane - Book Tour + Giveaway
https://www.jazzybookreviews.com/2022...
Author Guest Post with Karenna Colcroft: Alpha Receptor
https://www.westveilpublishing.com/?p...
Unusual Light by J. Elizaga - Young Adult fantasy - A young engineer, a ghost, and a mystery at the morgue #bewitchingbooktours #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular http://ow.ly/J2gI50LhtNA
The Last Man? Journey To New Eden by Favian Segovia #SciFi #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/rhfW50LhtHm
Weep, Woman, Weep by Maria DeBlassie - #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/MJcH50LhtPO
The Beginning of Forever
Good fortune seems to finally come their way, but someone from their past seeks to prevent their happiness #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/9wVr50LhttO
Giveaway – Messengers Of The Macabre @RoxanneRhoads #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/5UaH50LhtaL
New Story Just in Time for the Haunted Halloween Spooktacular Event ~ The Alp by Kyle Germann ~ Vampire Musings Articles and Short Stories: Compiled by Bertena Varney #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/ATU050Lht53
Dainty Damsels: Halloween Collection 2022 (Dainty Damsels Coloring Books Book Twelve) by J.N. Sheats + giveaway #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/OeiL50Lht2s
Check Out Bloodlink, a YA Vampire and Paranormal Mystery by Raye T. Watson #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/5To250LhsX1
October 20, 2022
A Bewitching Thursday
W.I.P. it real good: PNR Author Jen Colly shares an excerpt
http://www.ismellsheep.com/2022/10/pa...
TERRA NOVA BOOK 1 MtG #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/BGC850LgqSe
The #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular Post on How to have a Haunted Halloween Party | Tips from , a YA Vampire Author #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/rK0J50LgqHW
Giveaway – Unusual Light by J Elizaga @jelizaga1 #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/UiEY50LgraH
[Blitz & Giveaway] The Beginning of Forever by Cheryl R. Lane #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/aVeO50LgqU9
The Last Man?
A new sci-fi book series awaits readers as author Favian Segovia releases the first installment in The Last Man?
https://lshadowlynauthor.com/2022/10/...
THE GRYPHON AND HIS THIEF BY KAREN MICHELLE NUTT - BOOK TOUR + GIVEAWAY #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/9geb50Lgr5y
Dainty Damsels: Halloween Collection 2022 Dainty Damsels Coloring Books Book Twelve by J.N. Sheats #bewichingbooktours
https://jbbookworms.blogspot.com/2022...
THE GHOST CIRCUS by DIANDRA ARCHER BONUS: ALIVE AGAIN POEM #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/IXgh50LgqZ3
Messengers of the Macabre: Halloween Poems by LindaAnn LoSchiavo and David Davies #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular http://ow.ly/fT0U50LgqQA
Check Out this New Coloring Book Collection ~ Dainty Damsels: Halloween Collection 2022 (Dainty Damsels Coloring Books, Book Twelve) by J.N. Sheats
@jnsheats
#Review #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/tKjR50LgqOT
Hungry Business: A Gothic Story about the Horrors of Dating by Maria DeBlassie - horror, comedy - Dating. It’s hungry business. #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular http://ow.ly/I3wk50LgqFy
Alpha Receptor Real Werewolves True Mates Book One by Karenna Colcroft - Paranormal Romance - Can a “curmudgeonly” Alpha who has closed his heart to love open up when he finds his true mate? #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular #bewitchingbooktours https://jbbookworms.blogspot.com/2022...
Weep, Woman, Weep by Maria DeBlassie - #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/FIga50LgrcV
The Beginning of Forever by Cheryl R. Lane #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Gt8l50LgqVi
Weep, Woman, Weep by Maria DeBlassie - Haunted Halloween Spooktacular
Witch's Brew Cocktail
It’s been a while since I’ve concocted a cocktail recipe, and even longer since I’ve come up with one for Halloween. I love a good cocktail because they’ve always struck me as one of the most basic kinds of potions. Think about it: a good cocktail can give us liquid courage, exorcise a hard work week, or even act as a temporary love spell. And as will all potions and spells, the medicine is in the dosage. Too much and it’s poison, too little and your Friday night is perhaps a little less adventurous (wink wink).
It bears repeating that I like to avoid syrupy or excessively sugary ingredients and stick to clean tastes modeled after the classics when it comes to cocktail making. I do this because most novelty cocktail—a la Halloween drinks—are sugar bombs. Not my idea of a good time or a tasty drink. Although I call these Halloween-inspired concoctions, I have been known to drink them throughout the year, especially the green fairy, a tasty absinthe-kissed cocktail perfect for ending the workweek and stirring up some writing inspiration for the weekend.
Lately, come Saturday night, I’ve been experimenting with this new drink: Witch’s Brew. It was inspired by my garden and all the herbs I cultivate there: rosemary, lavender, sage…all delicious, all medicinal, all typically associated with healers and witches because of their various magical and healing properties. I started wondering how I could fold those flavors into a tasty magical brew.
I used gin as the base because of herbaceousness and went for a bold choice of mixer: chartreuse. It’s what gives this drink the verdant green color we typically associate with potions. It’s also an ancient healing tincture made from over 130 herbs. It tastes fresh, like mint and fennel, with the other herbs as a strong supporting cast. Yum! I paired this refreshing taste with lime because I love a good gimlet and its variants.
The real kicker to this is what I do with the gin. I infuse it with green apples—who doesn’t think of witches without thinking of forbidden fruit?—along with rosemary and a few juniper berries to make the herbaceousness of the gin really pop. Also because I love rosemary, the natural protector of the herb world. Juniper berries are also fast becoming a kitchen witch staple in my home. Did you know juniper both protects good energy and repels the negative? If that’s not magical, I don’t know what is! Add a dash of bay leaf bitters, for the leaf’s powers of divination.
As with all spells (and drinks), feel free to play with the recipe. Chartreuse might be a bit pricy for some (though a little goes a long way so it will last a while!), try swapping it out with rosemary or ginger simple syrup or apple schnapps (or both!)—it will change the flavor, but will no doubt be equally festive, if with more sugar. The infused gin makes about two cups of yum—plenty to experiment with or to whip up a magical batch of this brew.
All good spells require a little time, a little love, and quality ingredients. While this cocktail is a touch more labor-intensive than my others in that you first need a week to infuse the gin, it’s worth it. Plus, while you wait, you can prepare the right kind of energy you want to infuse into this brew. Do you need a little more magic in your life? A little more mischief? A dash of hope or a heading dose of healing? Whatever you need, let it brew until you’re ready to infuse it into a batch of this tasty elixir.
Ingredients:
For infused gin:2 cups gin1 Granny Smith apple2-4 juniper berries (depending on how strong you want the juniper flavor to be)1 large spring of rosemary
For cocktail:
2 oz apple and herb-infused gin2 dashes bay leaf bitters.75 oz chartreuse.5 to .75 oz freshly squeezed lime juice (depending on how tart you like it)
In infuse gin, slice green apple and place in clean mason jar. Squeeze juniper berries so they crack a little—this will help the alcohol absorb their flavor more—and place in jar. Pour gin over ingredients and let sit for a week, shaking when you remember to. A day or two before you want to enjoy your cocktail, throw in a sprig of rosemary that has been slightly bruised, again, to help the alcohol better absorb its flavor. I wait for a little on the rosemary because the fresh stuff takes less time to be extracted in alcohol and letting it sit too long in the gin muddies the flavor. To use, pour gin through a strainer into a clean mason jar.
For the cocktail, mix gin, chartreuse, lime juice, and a dash of bitters in a shaker. Add ice and shake until the container is frosty. Serves one—so double or triple the batch and invite your coven over. Pair with a chilly autumn night, a full moon, and a handful of spells. Cauldron optional.
This post originally appeared on Enchantment Learning and Living, home of professor, writer, and bruja Maria DeBlassie, where true magic is in the everyday!
Weep, Woman, WeepA Gothic Fairytale about Ancestral Hauntings Maria DeBlassieGenre: Gothic Fairytale, Occult, SupernaturalPublisher: Kitchen Witch PressDate of Publication: August 25, 2021ISBN:978-0-578-97464-4ASIN: B09CV9P9SHNumber of pages:150 pagesWord Count: 37,935Cover Artist: Rachel Ross
Tagline: Nothing makes a woman brave except getting on with the business of daily life.
Book Description:
A compelling gothic fairytale by bruja and award-winning writer Maria DeBlassie.
The women of Sueño, New Mexico don't know how to live a life without sorrows.
That's La Llorona's doing. She roams the waterways looking for the next generation of girls to baptize, filling them with more tears than any woman should have to hold. And there's not much they can do about the Weeping Woman except to avoid walking along the riverbank at night and to try to keep their sadness in check. That's what attracts her to them: the pain and heartache that gets passed down from one generation of women to the next.
Mercy knows this, probably better than anyone. She lost her best friend to La Llorona and almost found a watery grave herself. But she survived. Only she didn't come back quite right and she knows La Llorona won't be satisfied until she drags the one soul that got away back to the bottom of the river.
In a battle for her life, Mercy fights to break the chains of generational trauma and reclaim her soul free from ancestral hauntings by turning to the only things that she knows can save her: plant medicine, pulp books, and the promise of a love so strong not even La Llorona can stop it from happening. What unfolds is a stunning tale of one woman's journey into magic, healing, and rebirth.
CW: assault, domestic violence, racism, colorism
Amazon
Excerpt:
One time, I was feeling mighty fine and thought I’d try something different. I saw this ad in a magazine where a woman was in an obscenely large bathtub and covered up to the neck in bubbles. This was in a room with a marble floor, and there were candles everywhere, and she had her hair up all nice and a face mask on. Well, I got to thinking a nice long soak after a hard day’s work would be nice.
This was a few months after my run-in with Sherry, and I was trying hard to let myself enjoy things more. It occurred to me after seeing her that her fatal flaw was not believing that her future was right in front of her. Or maybe she was too afraid to take it with both hands. I began to wonder if we didn’t hold back and do half the work for La Llorona with all that we ran from life.
So I bought some bubble bath and made more beeswax candles and set about having myself a spa night. I mean, my bathroom was nowhere near as nice as the one in the picture. My tub was only long enough for me to sit upright and was right next to the toilet, but I made do.
It was lovely. I mean, divine! I could see why fancy women liked this. I put on the radio, and the music was soft and sweet, like the candlelight against the fading day. I was so relaxed, that I was about to fall asleep in that tub.
That was when I felt cold hands grip the soles of my feet and pull me under.
I should have seen it coming. Why willingly linger in a body of water? But I didn’t, and that was how I found myself drowning in bubbles and thrashing around in my tub. It’s also how I learned that evil woman could find me anywhere—and I mean anywhere—so I could never let my guard down.
Her grip was strong. Seemed like the harder I fought, the stronger she got. I was flailing about, my arms searching for anything and everything to hold on to, when I knocked one of those beeswax candles into the tub. To this day, I have no idea why that scared her, but it did. She recoiled something quick at the hiss of the flame when the wax hit water.
I didn’t waste a second—I hoisted myself out of the tub and collapsed on the bathroom floor, choking and sputtering and sopping wet. Took me forever to clean up the mess and cough up all those flower-scented bubbles. My feet were cold and sore for days, with claw marks where her bony fingers hooked into my skin.
Whoever said bubble baths were relaxing was a big fat liar.
About the Author:Maria DeBlassie, Ph.D. is a native New Mexican mestiza blogger, award-winning writer, and award-winning educator living in the Land of Enchantment. Her first book, Everyday Enchantments: Musings on Ordinary Magic and Daily Conjurings (Moon Books 2018), and her ongoing blog, Enchantment Learning and Living are about everyday magic, ordinary gothic, and the life of a kitchen witch. When she is not practicing her own brand of brujeria, she's reading, teaching, and writing about bodice rippers and things that go bump in the night. She is forever looking for magic in her life and somehow always finding more than she thought was there.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/enchantmentll
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/enchantmentll
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mdeblassie.writer
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7rY-gLkSH-w8uuVyrhVALA
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October 19, 2022
A Bewitching Wednesday
In the Kitchen with J.N. Sheats - Grandma's Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/So5O50LfeOH
INTERVIEW - YA FANTASY - TERRA NOVA (Terra Nova, #1) by MtG #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/67pN50Lff7K
INTERVIEW - HISTORICAL ROMANCE - THE BEGINNING OF FOREVER (Wellington patriot, #3) by Cheryl R. Lane #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/PFXI50Lff3P
The Terrible Delights of Spooky Stories with Maria DeBlassie - #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/nSzw50LfeKT
Weep, Woman, Weep A Gothic Fairytale about Ancestral Hauntings by Maria DeBlassie - Gothic Fairytale, Occult, Supernatural - Nothing makes a woman brave except getting on with the business of daily life. #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/PvcH50LffNI
#hauntedhalloweenspooktacular Spotlight: Vampire Musings #bewitchingbooktours #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/OaJ250LffLO
Dainty Damsels: Halloween Collection 2022 by J.N. Sheats Virtual Book Tour #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Gq8B50LfeQN
Alpha Receptor by Karenna Colcroft
https://buffykennedy.com/2022/10/alph...
Unusual Light by J. Elizaga Poem, Excerpt & Giveaway #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/8i5850LffJP
The Last Man? by Favian Segovia Virtual Book Tour #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/TbvB50LfflH
Dainty Damsels: Halloween Collection 2022 by J.N. Sheats #Fantasy #ColoringBook #bewitchingbooktours
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Giveaway – The Ghost Circus by Deandra Archer @RoxanneRhoads @OnyxWebb #bewitchingbooktours #hauntedhalloweenspooktacular http://ow.ly/6lib50LffiC
The Gryphon and His Thief by Karen Michelle Nutt - #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/CYJj50LfeMc
DAINTY DAMSELS: HALLOWEEN COLLECTION 2022 BY J.N. SHEATS - BOOK TOUR + GIVEAWAY #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/MbRu50LfeH2
The Beginning of Forever by Cheryl R. Lane #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/LmQe50LffcS
#HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular: Bloodlink by Raye T. Watson #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/lAKe50Lfexn
The Last Man? Journey To New Eden by Favian Segovia #SciFi
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The Last Man? Journey To New EdenFavian Segovia
Genre: SciFiPublisher: Writers Republic LLCDate of Publication: August 26, 2022Number of pages: 132 pages
Book Description:
A new sci-fi book series awaits readers as author Favian Segovia releases the first installment in The Last Man? He invites readers to embark on this journey to the New Eden with the last man on Earth. What will happen to the world, as people know it? Can one man still bring hope despite the challenging circumstances that lie ahead? Readers will find out in the pages of Book One of “Journey to New Eden”.
A world war of greed and power pushes the governments into their own extinction. A virus outbreak targets men into a near extinction. A military driven by women search for surviving men in an attempt to control a world in ruins. All faith has been lost with no future and no hope. Only one secret place holds the answer to restore peace. One man is the key of hope.
A man out of the ashes rises forward in search for the last city called New Eden, in the hopes and desperation to re-establish humanity. But he has to find out the hard way the perils of being the last man.
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/Yg9huFumNcY
Amazon Writer’s Republic
About the Author: Favian Segovia was born in the city of Bravo state of Nuevo Leon in the republic of Mexico.Favian believes that just like most talented people that were born with a beautiful voice or with an exceptional ability to draw or paint fine arts. He believes that every person in the world has a talent that almost no one can replicate. Everyone is unique in their ability, everyone has a different approach to doing things and building great ideas or structures of disbelief. Favian believes that the mind is so powerful that it can be used for the good of humanity or its destruction. Favian believes in opportunity for everyone. Sometimes finding a great person is like trying to find a diamond in the rough. Favian wants to be recognized one day as one of the best sci fi writers.
Favian believes he can get to the top if he steps out of the ordinary in writing and goes beyond or above conventional writing. But he also is also a down to earth person knowing that it's not easy going out to change what is already established. But truly believes that nothing is out of reach if you keep dreaming and keep making those dreams come true by never giving up hope and doing everything in his power to make it happen. Once you give up you will never accomplish your dreams.
https://authorfsegovia.com/
https://www.tiktok.com/@1980author
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