Raye Wagner's Blog
January 4, 2022
the Darkest Drae Series Book Three: Black Crown
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Verald“Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?”
Draeconian Realm
the Darkest Drae Series Book Two: Shadow Wings
“Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?”
Verald“Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?”
Draeconian Realm
the Darkest Drae Series Book One: Blood Oath
“Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?”
Verald“Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?”
Draeconian Realm
December 18, 2021
Shifter Island Book One: Midnight Kisses
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September 9, 2019
September is Suicide Prevention Month–It’s definitely worth a conversation.
September is Suicide Prevention Month.
When I got online to do some research for this post I was astonished when I looked at the statistics for suicide. It is #2 cause of deaths in those 10-19 years of age, second only to accidents.
My “day-job” is in healthcare. I’ve been a nurse practitioner for 18+ years, and I’ve treated everything from diabetes, hypertension, Crohn’s disease, hepatitis C, and HIV and a slew of other medical diseases, including depression.
Depression is not a weakness or a failing on the part of an individual, and yet I hear patients tell me ALL THE TIME that they are “fine” or “managing” when they are presenting to my office with gastrointestinal symptoms secondary to the biochemistry of depression.
I remember sitting in my pharmacology class in grad school and hearing a psychiatrist tell us that if we worked in gastroenterology that more than 70% of what we’d see would be secondary to depression and anxiety. I remember thinking WHAT? He was right.
But the conversation I want to have today is about how we TALK about depression.
If you, or someone you loved, had the flu, or hypothyroidism, or diabetes, or—heaven forbid—cancer, you would NEVER tell them “be stronger”, or “work through it”, or “fake it til you make it”.
Now, disclaimer, I’m not talking about dysphoria here which is a depressed mood or bad day (or two).
I’m talking depression which has gone on for weeks and is bad enough to affect activities of daily living. I’m talking depression that has altered your weight, changed your appetite, affected your sleep, robbed you of the pleasure of things you normally love (anhedonia), and makes you feel like you’re worthless. I’m talking about depression—that will change the chemicals in your brain such that harming yourself seems reasonable, desirable, or even a mercy to you and/or your loved ones. In medicine we call this suicidal ideation. When depression is evaluated the provider should always ask if there is suicidal ideation and if yes, if the patient has a plan, and if yes, if the patient has the intent to move forward on the plan. Suicidal ideation—with plan and intent—is a medical emergency, just like diabetic coma. I have called 911 for suicidal ideation more times than I care to count.
Depression is no more under an individual’s control than ANY other disease. Are there things you can do for it—absolutely. And not all treatments are drugs. But just like you would tell an individual with diabetes to take their insulin, or a person with hypothyroidism to take their synthroid (levothyroxine), an individual with depression is MISSING a VITAL chemical messenger in their body. And just like the previous mentioned diseases, the individual needs to be willing to adhere to treatment. But in the case of depression, there is a double whammy—because their cognitive ability is affected.
And depression can be a symptom as well as problem in its own right. We know chronic disease increases the risk for depression. Depression is a symptom of hypothyroidism. Chronic steroid use often induces depression, as does stress (probably because chronic stress forces our adrenal glands to pump out cortisol-a steroid).
It’s too late to make this a short post—but I don’t believe a short post could’ve said everything I wanted to anyway.
If you, or someone you love, is suffering with depression, please seek help.
I would say the same thing about ANY medical disease—and the healthcare profession has spent too many years talking about “mental” health as if it were separate, instead of embracing the fact that physical health encompasses mental health—it is all part of the “whole” health of an individual.
Take care of you. Take care of those you love—reach out, be honest, ask questions, and if you know someone needs help—please help.
But at the end of the day, I remind myself, I can only control me, and hence I am only responsible for the decisions I’ve made. You can’t force someone to adhere to their medication, their exercise, their diet, or anything else—so don’t beat up on yourself for the choices of others—and since you can’t change the past, don’t bother with beating up on yourself either. If you need better coping skills, see a counselor—that’s their job: to teach YOU or your loved ones better skills.
Disclaimer: this post is not meant to diagnose or treat any medical condition, but is merely my opinion.
If you or someone you love is suffering with depression, please seek professional help.
Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide: https://www.sptsusa.org/not-my-kid/
The Trevor Project: Crisis Counseling for LGBTQI+ youth: https://www.thetrevorproject.org
February 22, 2019
Welcome to the kingdom of Qralî
Dark fantasy. Slow-burn romance. Unexpected twists you won’t see coming.
My memory is lost. Gone. I can’t remember my name or magîk. I don’t know what happened to our ruler or why the jungle is changing. Who is the guard and why is he so angry? And why do I feel safe with a deadly panthera?
When I arrive in Pûleêr, I hope to find relief among the magî and, hopefully, answers. Instead, the laws of nature change before my eyes, and the dangers of the jungle are nothing compared to this twisted utopia.
Then the panthera leaves, and a new magî joins the outpost. I know he has answers. But what if all my questions are wrong? As the jungle vines converge and tighten, I begin to wonder . . . Was my memory truly lost—or was it stolen?
Welcome to the kingdom of Qralî where magic, romance, and mystery tangle amidst the lush fauna and deadly predators of the jungle. If you enjoy fantasy books with unique stories, plot twists that will keep you guessing, and dangerous risks—all in the name of love, be prepared to fall hard.
Better clear your schedule first.
**Release Date: Feb. 25th 2019**
Preorder link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N8KRC15
*Due to thematic elements, STOLEN is recommended for upper YA/adults.*
November 15, 2018
Life is a grand adventure!
It’s time for an update… In fact, it’s waaayy past time. And while the pictures will make it look like I’ve been dialed into shenanigans (which is true), I’ve also been getting some words in.
Curse of the Cytri
Book Three– Magic of Deceit and Beauty is back from the editor. Rita and I are also working on book 4, Magic of Ash and Bone. First the bad news . . . Anticipated release date for book 3 is tentatively early 2019 (Jan/Feb). While I would love to hurry it up and get it out into the world, neither Rita or I are willing to put out an unpolished story. The good news is book 4 should be released within 1-2 months of book 3. We’re also working on new covers—hopefully, for the last time. 
July 6, 2018
Black Crown- The EPIC finale to The Darkest Drae series
http://rayewagner.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/OFFICIALTRAILER-DARKESTDRAE-MOBILE.mp4
There are no words… I have loved almost every single second of this series, and I still get excited about the story. The idea that Kelly and I have finished Ryn and Tyrrik’s story leaves me a little . . . bewildered. Not that I don’t have more stories to tell… but well, sometimes there just aren’t words.
If you haven’t started the series, you can binge it all. If you like dark fantasy, dragons, and romance, The Darkest Drae might be your favorite read this year.
June 8, 2018
Spoilery Highlights From Blood Oath and (eep) Drae translations!
If you’ve already read Kelly’s post, then you know I’m way behind the eight-ball! Yikes.
I have to admit, I do love spying what quotes readers love best. So this challenge was super-fun! Here are the top ten most popular quotes from Blood Oath. And I’ve even included the Drae translations. 
