M.A. Church's Blog, page 41

Tuesday Teaser - new book started! No title as of yet.

 

***Trigger Warning***

Warning for child abuse. It does NOT actually take place in what you are about to read. But be warned that events are leading up to it happening... before something stops it. But the tension and fear is there, but again, it DOES NOT actually happen.

I don't want to trigger anyone, but this little bit needs to happen for the story to make sense later.

You could scroll down to where is says “No, he isn’t.” and be safe, I think. Notice I said 'I think'! The threat is over by then, but use your best judgement.

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Prologue

AUSTIN CLIMBED into bed and pulled the covers up to his chin. He stared at the bedroom door, willing it to stay closed. Time dragged by and nothing happened. Had he gotten lucky? 

Maybe that slap from earlier was enough to satisfy his father.

Eventually his heart stopped beating so hard. He yawned, then yawned again. He needed to stay awake, he really did, but eventually his eyes grew too heavy. 

Just as he drifted off, he could’ve sworn he felt a gentle breeze in his room. Which was odd. He hadn’t heard the air conditioning kick on.

A LOUD crash startled him awake. Confused, and still half asleep, he sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes. Another crash came from downstairs, along with bad words. His tummy cramped. The words were slightly slurred, and the tone was angry.

Footsteps stomped up the stairs. 

Should he run? Maybe he could get past his father and hide somewhere in the house. He’d done that before. But was there enough time? Maybe he should just run out the front door and keep going.

How near was his father? Austin’s breath all but strangled in his chest when he heard the muttering getting closer. Tears welled in his eyes, and he frantically wiped at them. Crying only made his father madder. 

Throwing the covers back, he scrambled out of the bed and fell to the floor. He whimpered at the pain then crammed his fist into his mouth. Quiet. He had to be quiet.

The muttering was getting louder. It was too late to run.

Hiding under the bed was stupid. He knew it was stupid, but still he thought about it. His father would simply pull him out, kicking and screaming. He’d done it before. Same with the closet. There was nowhere to hide. Nowhere was safe.

Trembling, he stared at the door. “He’s gonna whoop me. He’s gonna whoop me so bad.”

“No, he isn’t.”

Austin froze. 

“Get back in the bed. Hide under the covers, and no matter what, don’t look. Promise me, Austin.”

The voice was coming from underneath his bed, and it was speaking to him. Eyes wide, he stared at the darkness underneath it. 

There was a monster under his bed! And it knew his name! He wasn’t sure if he wanted to scream or throw up. Maybe both. His chest hurt, and he couldn’t swallow. He whimpered. Monsters were real. They were real, and one was in his room with him. What was it going to do to him? Was it… was it going to—

“Oh, hey, no. None of that! I’m not going to hurt you. You’re safe.”

Nowhere was safe. Never had been. 

“I promise.”

He’d had promises broken before. Was there… was there something moving under there? He leaned closer to the floor.

“No peeking.”

Austin’s head jerked up. How had it known? His breathing increased. Had he made it mad by not minding? “I’m sorry! Don’t… don’t….”

“Oh, sweet boy, I’m not mad. I just don’t want you to see me. You’re not ready.”

Sweet boy. No one called him cute names like that. Other moms and dads did, but not his father. “Then… then are you… are you a good monster or a bad monster?”

Soft laughter floated out from underneath the bed. “I’m whatever you want me to be.”

Tears dripped down Austin’s face. He was so tired of being scared and hurt. “I don’t want to get a whooping, Mr. Monster.” His father’s belt really hurt. Sometimes he had problems sitting afterward.

“Would you like me to make him stop? Permanently?”

There was a creak outside his door. Oh no. His father was there. 

“Permanently?” Austin asked. “Do you mean…?”

“Would you like for your father to join your mother in Heaven?”

Dead. The monster was asking if Austin wanted his father dead. He was old enough to understand what the monster was asking him. For a split second, he thought about it. But… that was the only father he had.

“Don’t… don’t kill him, please. Just, maybe, make him leave me alone? Please? Maybe scare him some too,” Austin added as an afterthough.

“Are you sure?”

“No killing, Mr. Monster. My grandparents suck too.”

Another laugh drifted out from underneath the bed. “Mr. Monster. I like that. 

“Is that okay?”

“Yes. I’m your monster.”

“Cool!” He had his very own monster.

“Back into the bed. And remember, no looking.”

Austin did as he was told. This was crazy. Completely insane. Maybe his father was already in his room beating on him, and he was just dreaming this. Huh.

“Is this a dream?” Austin asked.

“No.”

Of course the monster in the dream would say it wasn’t a dream. “Oh. It feels like it. Will I ever see you again? You said you were my monster.”

“I will always be near, sweet boy.”

Right before he covered his head, the night-light showed the handle to his bedroom door turning—another thing his father would get mad about. According to him, Austin shouldn’t need such. He was a big boy, after all.

Austin jerked the covers over him and hunkered down as his bedroom door flew open. It slammed against the wall, and every muscle in Austin’s body locked up. It sounded like his father was mad. Really, really mad.

“Austin, get your worthless ass out from under the—”

His father’s angry tirade abruptly ended in a terrified scream. Something crashed to the floor, which was then followed by a choking sound. And a low growl. There was heavy breathing, gagging, and a high-pitched whine. 

“Not so brave when confront by something bigger and badder, now are you?”

Austin heard wheezing. He didn’t think it was his monster.

“I should pop your eyes out and make you eat them.”

Okay, that was gross. A strangled scream echoed through the room. Guess his father thought so too.

“Then cut off the hands that have abuse that boy.”

Yuck. That was gross too.

“As much as I would like to choke the very life out of you, I’m not going to. I… well. Pissed yourself, huh? That didn’t take long.”

Austin snickered. His monster made his father pee himself. He loved it! 

“And now you’re turning blue. Humans! You all are so delicate. It doesn’t take much to beak your kind.”

There was gurgling, then a thump. A small cry drifted up from the floor.  

“What… what are you?”

There was no missing how raspy and strained his father’s voice sounded. 

“I am the shadow that lurks in the darkness. Take heed, human. I’ll be watching you. That child is now mine to protect.”

“I-I… what?”

“Never hurt him again. Can your alcohol-soaked brain comprehend that? Speak cruelly to him and lose your tongue. Leave bruises on him and lose your hands. Look at him with ill intent and lose your eyes. I will take you apart piece by piece all while you are still alive and begging for mercy.” 

“Oh God, oh my God, yes, yes, I understand! I’ll never lift a hand to him again. I swear!”

“See that you don’t. Now leave his room. Never come in here again unless Austin gives you permission. Go!”

His father’s scream was hoarse, but the pounding of feet was loud and fast. Austin giggled. Oh, how he’d like to have seen his father scared shitless. 

Austin started to lift the cover, but a hand settled on top of the bedspread and gently held it in place. “No, sweet boy. You don’t need to see me.”

“Okay, but I really want to.” Austin tried to peek past the edge of the bedspread. He thought he caught a glimpse of pitch-black skin and long black nails. “Are you really real?”

“I am really real.”

“Will you tell me what you are?”

“I am exactly what I told your father—the shadow that lurks in the darkness. I will be watching you, Austin. You’re mine.”

Pucker Up Monday - Pride style!

Welcome to Pucker Up Monday. It’s not what you think, lol. Since Mondays do tend to suck, I thought I’d try to start the week off right for y’all.

Bound by War is up for pre-order!

Release date is June 21st. It's been a long time in  coming, but we're finally here! I'm really excited over this one.

Blurb:

A brief moment in time can change everything.

Laken Fihk has no idea his destiny waits for him on the Unity, a Tah’Narian starship. But all it takes is one look at the incapacitated male, and Laken knows that’s his fated mate. Which is a problem, because the severely beaten, bloody, and unconscious male is the Blishue warrior named Torin. The species is considered sadistic, cruel, and without mercy—bloodthirsty monsters who kill without regard.

No one, absolutely no one, is going to be happy if Laken claims Torin as his.

Torin, member of the Blishue House of Dorntok, has found his mate and nothing will stop him from claiming Laken. So what if he has Tah’Narians doubting his honor, Ne Reynians wanting to kill him, and a battle brewing that could jeopardize all he holds dear? War has bound them together, and nothing can break them apart. He and Laken will overcome all obstacles to find a love that could last a lifetime. No matter what.

Destiny doesn’t make mistakes.

Trigger Warnings: violence, mention of past sexual abuse and rape, flashbacks

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B36NYNTF

Thursday Book Recommendation

 

These are books I’ve read and really enjoyed. Most of what I talk about will probably be paranormal/scifi but not always. Although it’s rare, I do read some contemporary.

 

This week is The Scars That Bind Us: The Magi Accounts 1 by Michele Notaro

 

 

Blurb:

What kind of mage would be crazy enough to crush on a shifter? Me. Apparently me. 

The world is a messed-up place. Especially for those of us who have magic, and I know just how terrible it can be firsthand. Which is one of the reasons I try to stay away from people… humans and shifters especially. 

Unfortunately, the NHSO forces magi to work alongside shifters to help protect the humans from taragorians—scary beasts from another realm. Which means I’m thrown onto a new team and forced to work with Cosmo Ono-Nai, a lion shifter. 

And for some reason, I can’t keep my eyes off him.

 

 

The Scars That Bind Us is a 115K word novel and the first book in the MM urban fantasy series, The Magi Accounts.

 

*Intended for adults only. Please read the trigger warnings at the beginning of this novel.

 

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09L57W5KN

Happy Pride Month!

 

Pucker Up Monday

Welcome to Pucker Up Monday. It’s not what you think, lol. Since Mondays do tend to suck, I thought I’d try to start the week off right for y’all.

Thursday Book Recommendation

These are books I’ve read and really enjoyed. Most of what I talk about will probably be paranormal/scifi but not always. Although it’s rare, I do read some contemporary. 

This week is: Never Trust A Guy With Fangs (Covens of Eaton Falls Book 1) by Mia Monroe

Blurb: 

Waking up in my enemy’s bed is just the start of my problems.

The first rule of being a witch: don’t trust the vampires. My entire life has been filled with stories of our warring covens. We tenuously coexist in the New England city of Eaton Falls, where the locals think we’re merely the stuff of fairy tales and horror movies.

We live life as the mortals do, keeping our magic behind the scenes. Everything is fine until the day I wake up inside notorious Eaton Manor, in the bed of none other than the sexy and terrifying head vampire, Augustus Rainier, with no memory of how I got there.

His presence makes my skin tingle and my heart beat just a little faster. I know the inherent danger of associating with violent, often unpredictable vampires. I’ve got bigger problems, though, when I discover my coven is in hiding, leaving me on my own.

When danger shows up at Eaton Manor, it becomes clear it’s not only the witches in trouble. Both covens need to decide: do we fight separate battles against the same enemy or break every rule in our history and join forces to defeat a common foe? The other major question—will possessive and domineering Augustus let me go when this is over?

Never Trust A Guy With Fangs is an MM paranormal romance. It is book one in the Covens of Eaton Falls series featuring a rebellious twink of a witch with eternal optimism, an edgy vampire with a strong mistrust of witches, two stubborn and quirky covens, a threat from an unknown enemy, and a dangerous desire that could tear apart tradition, all in a beautiful New England backdrop. It is not a standalone.

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09QZ4K2NK

Tuesday Teaser

Did y'all know Riding the Tide was actually based off a commercial I saw (it's been several years ago now). 

It’s about a guy sitting at a pool with a couple of friends. He’s saying he’s never going to get married. The next shot of him is him buying an engagement ring. Then this guy and his wife say they’re never having kids. The next shot is of him holding his wife’s hand while she’s in labor. And it goes on and on. 

For everything he says he’s not going to do, he ends up doing. The commercial ends him with him saying he’s never going to let go. So basically, this is the premise behind Riding the Tide! For everything Marcus says he isn’t going to do, he does. 

buy link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071198XMN

Teaser:

“There’s nothing out there. Maybe it was a trick of the moonlight.” Blair nodded, as if that settled the whole matter. “Moonlight. Nothing but the moonlight. Certainly no person.”

The band picked then to start playing. Blair flinched then glanced back over his shoulder. The boat lurched, he stumbled, and then dropped his drink into the water.

“Oh, come on.” Didn’t that just figure? He wished he never stepped foot on this boat. Now that his breathing calmed somewhat, he began to question his foolish reaction.

Of course there was nothing out there. He’d freaked himself out for nothing. Jeez. Maybe the first thing he needed to do when he got home was visit the eye doctor, because obviously he was seeing things.

As he turned away from the railing, he saw something out of the corner of his eye. His heart rate spiked as he spun back. One of the dolphins whistled. Out there in the distance something answered, a sharp trilling sound. Only the answering trill didn’t sound like the dolphin.

And then even the dolphins disappeared.

As he glared out over the moonlit ocean, he swore he saw a huge tail slap the surface of the water… right where he thought he saw somebody. Exactly where he thought he saw that person. Unnerved, he turned away from the railing. 

Pucker Up Monday

Welcome to Pucker Up Monday. It’s not what you think, lol. Since Mondays do tend to suck, I thought I’d try to start the week off right for y’all.

Thursday Book Recommendation

These are books I’ve read and really enjoyed. Most of what I talk about will probably be paranormal/scifi but not always. Although it’s rare, I do read some contemporary. 

This week is: Demons Do It Better: A Hidden Species Novel by Louisa Masters

Blurb: 

I work for Lucifer. Only, it’s not as cool and satanic as it sounds.

The truth is, I’m an admin assistant who applied for a job that sounded kind of interesting and ended up working for the Community of Species Government. I’m the only human in the office, and basically I ride herd on a team of rambunctious shifters and demons.

I also spend a lot of time avoiding Gideon Bailey, the demon I had a one-night stand with right before I took this job. He hates me, and I really want to avoid being murdered. But I’ve been offered a promotion that will mean working with him, so we’re both going to have to get over it.

Plus, people are going missing. Pregnant people. And the word is that someone is dabbling in genetic experimentation. Putting a stop to that is more important than the sexual tension Gideon and I have been ignoring… isn’t it?

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08BRFZWNW