Hell On Wheels Excerpt

Hell On Wheels, the second title in the Devil Made Me series, is already up on Amazon for pre-order! And I'm guessing some of you might like a taste of what you'll find. Without fail, I have an excerpt below.

I would like to mention my plans for this title quickly, if you'll bear with me (or you can just skip my blather and read the excerpt). As I said above, it's on Amazon right now. If you pre-order, you can nab it for only $0.99. Release day is September 26, 2017, at which time the price will go up to $2.99. It will be available only on Amazon, including in Kindle Unlimited, for three months! On January 2, 2018, Hell On Wheels will be available from the other major online retailers, after a short pre-order period.

The first title in the series, Hell Hath No Fury, will also drop down to $0.99 for a short time starting some time next week! This special price will be available at all the major online retailers. You can find the links on my Devil Made Me series page. If you haven't read it yet, the beginning of October will be the best time to get it at the lower price.

Also keep in mind, you shouldn't be lost in Hell On Wheels if you haven't read the first title. Though I'm sure if you read the second, you'll want to go back and read the first. Moira is a hoot!

OK, OK, here it is, the excerpt from Hell On Wheels...

❦

A man in an impeccable gray suit perched on the edge of my desk, legs crossed and a car-salesman smile plastered to his face.

This was my office, damn it. No one allowed unless I said so. "Who the hell are you?"

He chuckled, a controlled and forced sound. "Nice one. I'm Richard, but you can call me Dick." When he extended his hand, it looked too perfect, too practiced.

Dick, huh? This would be fun. I crossed my arms instead of shaking. "We just met -- you should keep the juicy information about your disposition for later."

He dropped his hand. "I assure you, my name is telling, but not in the way you're thinking." The corner of his mouth twitched.

Crap. Someone ready to sling shit back at me. "Well, Dick, I think you took a wrong turn. This is my office."

"No wrong turn, Moira. I'm exactly where I intend to be."

He knew my name, but I'd never seen him before. True, there were many residents even on the second floor, but someone who exuded this much charisma and sleaziness wouldn't have stayed hidden. "When did you arrive here?"

"Oh, I'm not from this floor." The extended word "this" slid over me like an oil slick.

It reminded me of Douglas -- a resident who'd been mistakenly sent to the second floor and had almost killed me... again. Well, maybe his intent hadn't been to kill me, but he sure hadn't wanted to snuggle. Pandora had sent Douglas to his proper floor before Jared or I could rip his creepy throat out. A man I intended to keep in my rear-view for the rest of my unlife.

"You're not from the seventh floor, are you?" I now knew that was where people like murderers and rapists went. That had been my topic of study yesterday. Well, I think it was yesterday...

Dick laughed again, so close to someone saying "ha ha ha." "No, no, of course not. Would you believe the fourth?"

Greed. Seemed to fit. "You weren't by chance a car salesman before you died, were you?"

That fake smile fell off his face for a moment, and then he rallied, grinning bigger than he had before. "Smart."

Smartass -- he'd learn that if he stuck around.

Wait. How'd he get here, anyway? There was supposed to be no floor-to-floor travel. Unless Pandora had deposited him here. Or there was a way that she had yet to tell me.

Sneaky bitch. Jared was right -- Pandora hid things. But I wasn't about to admit it to him, at least not until I uncovered the secrets and confronted the lying wench. If I told him, he'd try to be all chivalrous again, like with Douglas.

I could take care of myself.

First step, don't react to Dick's floor-hopping. He couldn't know Pandora had remained mum on the topic with me. "What brings you from the fourth to the second?"

If possible, his smile grew bigger. How'd he talk like that? "You have something I want."

"Yeah, what's that?"

"Your job."

I giggled, holding back the gut-buster I yearned to unleash. "You want to be a Welcomer? Be my guest." I tossed the sequined horns at him, and he caught them cleanly without looking down.

"Not that job." He quickly tilted his head then righted it.

Nervous tick or display of superiority? I reconsidered the whole fourth-floor declaration. Like Douglas's original assignment to this floor, it didn't seem right. Sure, people were greedy for power. But the desire to become the devil was on a whole 'nother level.

Not to mention, unless Pandora had told him of my impending promotion, he shouldn't have known. The other residents of this floor had poked around my office and asked questions, but I'd brushed them off with that whole wish thing. Told them it made me feel more normal to putter around an office.

"Get the hell out."

Dick stood and smoothed his suit, even though there weren't any wrinkles in it. He straightened his tie, which shifted from a classic black-striped number to tiny flames on a dark gray backdrop, and placed the horns on my desk. "I look forward to the challenge, Moira." Then he strode out as if he already had the position in the bag.

❦

Boyfriend hate your job? Well, he can go to Hell.

Yup, Moira's still dead. And her ex from life, not so much an ex anymore, isn't happy that Moira agreed to take the devil's place once she retires. Makes it kind of hard to while away their unlives on the second floor of Hell.

But Moira's not willing to back out of the deal, stubborn as, well, hell. Even when a sleazy three-piece, supposedly from the fourth floor, demands the job for himself, she refuses to withdraw.

Once Moira uncovers some of Hell's secrets, though, she starts to question her commitment.

Publication Year In Review 2016 & Mind Behind the Mind Countdown Deal

Wow, it's been a crazy year! Both my body and mind are feeling it, and I am overdue for a short break to recharge my creative batteries (not that I don't have a list of ideas, stories, and novels that need to be worked on, but my brain needs to reorganize itself after this year's long journey).

So, while the 2016 publication list below is long, I will be pulling back in 2017 on how many stories/novels/books I publish. I wanted to get my backlog of stories polished and out to the world in 2016, and I've pretty much done that. In 2017 I'll plow ahead with new material or continue tales I've started and am long overdue to get back to. But all of that is for a future post (in about two weeks). ;)

What titles by Alexa Grave made it out into the world in 2016?

❦ Love Fades (Fortunes of Fate, 2) - urban fantasy short story (E-book at all major online retailers)

❦ Hell Hath No Fury (Devil Made Me, 1) - humorous romantic fantasy novelette (E-book at all major online retailers)

❦ Bound - urban fantasy short story (E-book at all major online retailers)

❦ Blood & Booze: Two Urban Fantasy Stories - urban fantasy short stories (E-book at all major online retailers)

❦ Reversed (Fortunes of Fate, 3) - epic fantasy short story (E-book at all major online retailers)

❦ S.O.L. Air (Fractured Fairies, 2) - humorous fantasy short stories (E-book at all major online retailers)

❦ Sunset Street - YA urban fantasy short story (E-book at all major online retailers)

❦ Void of Intuition (Fortunes of Fate, 4) - urban fantasy short story (E-book at all major online retailers)

❦ Beguiling Moon (Fortunes of Fate, 5) - epic fantasy short story (E-book on Amazon, but will be available at all major online retailers by the end of this month)

❦ "Monster in the Room" (Fractured Fairies) in the anthology Monster Maelstrom: A Flash Fiction Halloween Anthology - humorous fantasy flash story (E-book at all major online retailers)

❦ Mind Behind the Mind (Trinity Torn, 1) - epic romantic fantasy novel (E-book on Amazon, but will be available by the end of January 2017 at all major online retailers; Trade Paperback on Amazon, Createspace, Barnes & Noble, and hopefully other online retailers soon)

❦ A Very Grinka Christmas (Fractured Fairies, 3) - humorous fantasy novelette (E-book at all major online retailers)

❦ Dancing in the Wind, Fractured Fairies: Immortal Woes & Ode to Buses and Libraries (Fractured Fairies, 1), Dreams in Shadow (Fortunes of Fate, 1), and Tales of Chyraine: Two Short Stories were originally published as E-books on Amazon before 2016, but in 2016 they were released to all major online retailers.

A lot of titles, no? Just typing up the list exhausted me!

I still have a lot to think about as far as plans for 2017 go. I thought I'd originally hammered the plan down, but lately I've been rethinking things. Certain tales are tugging at me to be finished (like a novel that's halfway through it's first major revision!). Hopefully I'll have it mostly figured out for my next post.

Until then, I also wanted to mention a Kindle Countdown deal for Mind Behind the Mind (Trinity Torn, 1). Starting tomorrow, December 16, 2016, my novel will be $1.99 for 3 days and then $2.99 for 3 days after that! You can find this deal in the US store only. But for the entire 6 days, 16-21, those of you in the UK with be able to get it for £1.99.

If you've been waiting to grab a copy, now is the time to do it! The links to the US and UK stores are below. Enjoy!

Mind Behind the Mind (Trinity Torn, 1) - US

Mind Behind the Mind (Trinity Torn, 1) - UK

Mind Behind the Mind, Trinity Torn Book I - Excerpt

Release day for Mind Behind the Mind is tomorrow! Am I nervous? Of course I am. But I'll survive.

I thought today would be a good time to post an excerpt. Promise, I won't prattle on this time. If you like the excerpt, though, please considering purchasing a copy from Amazon. It will be available in paperback in November and other ebook retailers in January!

And now part of the beginning of Tessa's and Bastian's story...

❦

Bastian stepped from the shadows and removed his cloak, draping it over her shoulders. The moonlight touched his face, his expression stoic and firm – so unlike the playful grin earlier.

Tessa inhaled his scent, sweat and spice. He must have used clove oil in his wash water. She felt his longing rise with the close proximity of their bodies, and her own hunger heightened, a warmth tickling her insides.

“What brings a witch hunter to a small town in Shandipur Province?” She lifted her hand and traced her finger along his shirt. His muscles tensed under her touch.

He watched the path of her finger. “Just traveling; no particular job. Funny thing, that’s usually how I find them.”

A twinge, an inharmonic chord, passed through Tessa. Something in his statement felt like a lie. “You must have incredible luck.” She lifted his chin to gaze in his green eyes. “You thought you might find a witch in Sierka?”

He opened his mouth and inhaled sharply.

Bastian attempted to encircle her waist and pull her closer, but Tessa stepped back. She shouldn’t have done that, shouldn’t have gotten so close. So she turned to the starry sky, hoping she could regain her will. The wave rolling off Bastian jumped, still a surge of desire, but confused hiccups marred the consistency.

“Did you think you’d find a witch here? You didn’t answer me.”

Bastian’s emotions drew in. “They can be anywhere.”

Tessa recalled a story her mother had told her as a child – a good distraction. “Well, I think you’re right. There’s one here.”

He moved next to her, hand gripping the hilt of his sword. “What?” All his desire vanished, replaced by eagerness and alarm. And something else underneath, darker and more feral.

“There, the constellation.” Tessa pointed. “The story of the witch in the sky. She follows you, even in a town like Sierka.”

Bastian removed his hand from his sword, the beast inside him quieting. “Yes, I know, but that one’s already dead. The sun is her head, rolling through the sky by day, soaked in blood.”

“So gruesome. My mother told me she’d find her head one day and have her revenge.” Tessa laughed. “Fairy tales.” A tale Tessa wished would come true. If it weren’t for that first witch hunter, she wouldn’t be anguishing over the one standing next to her.

He loosened his hold on seriousness, laughing with her. “She’d never do it. The witch hunter who got her, she’s on the other side of the sky.”

❦

A witch who believes one of her own kind could never kill...

In a world where people believe the crimson sun is a dead witch’s head and the witch hunter who killed her stalks the night sky, a witch who ventures outside of Haven risks losing her life. Tessa is one such witch. Like many of her kind, she hopes to help the people of Leera, not harm them, and she’s on her first mission to heal an ailing man named Jeremiah. But when she crosses paths with a witch hunter, instead of avoiding him like she knows she should, she succumbs to her desires and ends up in his bed.

The local Enforcers believe a witch is behind Jeremiah’s sickness, so they call Bastian to town. He’s a young witch hunter who normally has a knack for sniffing out witches. But when he runs into the striking Tessa, she scrambles his senses. He’s inexplicably drawn to her and abandons his usually cautious nature.

As Tessa and Bastian uncover clues about Jeremiah’s illness, Tessa has to face the possibility that another witch may have had a hand in the incident. And if Bastian learns she’s a witch, he may point his finger at her. Then her head will surely roll.

Mind Behind the Mind Cover Reveal and Pre-order

A year ago today, I put up my pre-order for Fractured Fairies, starting my Baker's Dozen Experiment. All of the short stories have been published in that experiment, but now it's time for my long awaited novel to be released!

Coming to the end of the experiment doesn't mean I'll stop publishing - of course not! I have many planned titles, but I just won't be doing a monthly release schedule. Let's face it, keeping up that kind of schedule is hard without kids, and I still have a toddler at home that makes it hard to write.

Oh, you want me to stop rambling? Sorry about that. Force of habit.

Today, the pre-order for Mind Behind the Mind, the first novel in my Trinity Torn series, is up on Amazon! Release date is October 13, 2016. It will be available in paperback and at other retailers in the future; dates to still be determined.

What's the great thing about the pre-order? Well, I have it at a discounted rate. Mind Behind the Mind is currently available for $2.99, but when it goes live on October 13, the price will go up! So, if you want the lower price, snag a copy now.

I suppose you'd like some kind of sneak peek. For now I have the blurb below - you'll have to wait for release day for an excerpt (my newsletter subscribers got to read a snippet, so if you want an earlier peek for future releases, please Sign Up).

And below the blurb is the cover for Mind Behind the Mind. I think it's beautiful, but I'm biased. The cover art (excluding the text) was done by AM Design Studios.

Now, for what you've been waiting for:

A witch who believes one of her own kind could never kill...

In a world where people believe the crimson sun is a dead witch’s head and the witch hunter who killed her stalks the night sky, a witch who ventures outside of Haven risks losing her life. Tessa is one such witch. Like many of her kind, she hopes to help the people of Leera, not harm them, and she’s on her first mission to heal an ailing man named Jeremiah. But when she crosses paths with a witch hunter, instead of avoiding him like she knows she should, she succumbs to her desires and ends up in his bed.

The local Enforcers believe a witch is behind Jeremiah’s sickness, so they call Bastian to town. He’s a young witch hunter who normally has a knack for sniffing out witches. But when he runs into the striking Tessa, she scrambles his senses. He’s inexplicably drawn to her and abandons his usually cautious nature.

As Tessa and Bastian uncover clues about Jeremiah’s illness, Tessa has to face the possibility that another witch may have had a hand in the incident. And if Bastian learns she’s a witch, he may point his finger at her. Then her head will surely roll.

Beguiling Moon - Excerpt

Happy release day! This time Beguiling Moon, the fifth Fortunes of Fate story, is available for purchase on Amazon.

A little bit of passion mixed in with fighting against true nature! Although we get a cameo from Darney in this story, you do not need to have read any of the previous stories to dive right into this one.

And with this release, the short stories in my Baker's Dozen Experiment have come to a close. Yes, I've published 12 short stories in the last 12 months!

But we need a 13 to make it a Baker's Dozen, right? My novel, Mind Behind the Mind will be the end cap to my experiment. If you want an early look at the cover, sign up for for newsletter (that form there off to the left) -- I'll be sending a cover reveal out tomorrow! Next week Friday, though, I'll post here with the cover and a blurb (and maybe even a pre-order link).

Guess I should get on with what you came here for. Without further adieu, an excerpt from Beguiling Moon.

❦

The power surged through Ero. Her legs trembled and her emotional distance shattered. Guilt and shame rushed in. Oh, Aelwyn. She gasped for air.

It drew Keeper Hris's attention. She made haste toward Ero, or as much haste as she could with that damnable cane of hers pounding on the wood floor with every step she took. The jarring couldn't even unsettle the severe bun on the top of her head, her blonde hair, streaked with gray, remaining fixed and immovable.

Once she reached Ero, she leaned in close and sniffed her. A grin spread across her face, like a cat who'd just caught an enormous mouse. "Ah. It's about time, Erolisi. I knew you couldn't resist for much longer."

Wicked woman. What did she know of what a Beguiler went through? She had no magic of her own. Her skin looked washed out, a pale peach that had grown yellower as she aged. It almost looked the color her hair once was.

Ero wouldn't satisfy her with assent.

"You seem to be having some troubles containing the power. I'll arrange a transfer for you immediately."

"No." She wouldn't be forced. There had to be a way to contain it.

"No?" Hris banged her cane on the floor three times. "I've never met such a stubborn Beguiler in all my years."

"Whip me. I don't care." She'd been punished plenty for holding out once she'd hit maturity. The pain of the lash was nothing compared to what the Keeper expected of her.

Hris cackled. "I don't need to punish you. The power inside you will eat you alive if you don't release it. Let's see how far you get before you break down. Again. This time, though, you risk your life by clinging to your stubborn ways." And with that, she dismissed Ero as quickly as she had been drawn to her, heading down the line to inspect and scold the others.

❦

The hunger inside must be fed.

Erolisi's fought against her power her entire life. King Mayven of Cedar is desperate for an upper hand on the battlefield, and he's enslaved the Beguilers so he can use their magic. Erolisi refuses to be used. But in a moment of weakness, she gives in, feeding her need by drawing life force from her best friend, Aelwyn, and shattering their relationship in the process.

Now the energy Erolisi took must be released, fed to a warrior of Cedar to bolster his strength. This time she's determined to resist her power's call and no longer be a pawn. If she succeeds, though, her own magic will end her life.

Sunset Street Excerpt

Yesterday was another release day! Time to take a different turn compared to those wacko fairies from last month. Sunset Street is a YA urban fantasy, and it definitely has a more somber tone.

Per usual, you can now get Sunset Street from Amazon!

I have also slowly been pulling some of my titles out of Select and going wide with them. I'll have a post in a week or two with more information and links.

Until then, here's an excerpt from Sunset Street.

❦

Rain showered down on the scene, an occasional flash of lightning and rolling thunder in the background. Kind of desolate. I wasn't sure if such a game would help me forget the ache in my chest or if it would only exacerbate it.

I squinted, catching a flash of green behind the rain. A street sign, labeled Sunset. Of course.

The bleakness made me reconsider my afternoon plans. To clear my head, I went to the window. It squeaked, as reluctant to open as I was to put forth any effort, but finally gave. The sweet smell of rain drifted toward me, causing my mind to wander and dream of less lonely times -- those few boyfriends who had ended our relationship before I felt it had even gotten started. My need to be with someone was a show of weakness, and once they realized that, it was all over.

I returned to my computer, determined to do something to distract myself. If the game still seemed too dismal after a few minutes, I'd stop.

But I studied the little scene a bit longer. Maybe the houses hid amazing adventures, the bleakness a facade. What would it be like to stand in the middle of that street? To think I was the only person left in the world?

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, so I could get the full effect of the scent of the rain drifting through the room. The smell grew stronger and stronger. Ah, sweet rain. I imagined my upturned face feeling the drops shower down on me.

When I opened my eyes to play the game, I was no longer sitting in front of my computer. The scent of rain was overpowering -- I had given my imagination too much credit because the rain actually fell on my face.

I stood in the middle of the deserted street.

❦

Be careful what you wish for.

Stuck in her dorm room alone on a Friday night, Leah can’t imagine her loneliness getting any deeper until she pops a new game into her computer... and gets sucked into it. Trapped in a world of darkness and rain, she fears she’ll never see another living soul again. Until she meets Zach. He may be the balm for her heart she’s been searching for, but fulfilling her wish comes with a price. Is she willing to pay it?

Fortunes of Fate Series Cover Update

Hello, loyal readers! (Do I have any of those? If I do -- thank you for reading!) The first two Fortunes of Fate covers were bugging me. I felt like I needed to go simpler than I did, since the texture and the gold outlining was a bit distracting. So, I have redone the covers for Dreams in Shadow and Love Fades!

That's not all that's in this post, though. After you admire the new covers, you'll have a chance to vote on the cover for the next Fortunes of Fate title: Reversed! Make sure to scroll past the first two covers to take a look at the two options for Reversed. And do it soon because there's not much time to vote.

First we have the Dreams in Shadow cover. Please understand, I just pushed the changes on Amazon, so if you take a look at it there, it may be 2-3 days before the new cover shows up. Heck, it will give you the chance to compare covers at least!

And then of course there's the Love Fades cover. I still love this story. Got to have a little bit of romance with the fantasy once in a while. As a matter of fact, I'm hoping to do a free promo for Love Fades some time in May! So, watch my Facebook and Twitter feeds if you're interested in snagging a copy. Again, the cover changes were just pushed to Amazon, so it may take a bit for them to show up on the page.

Now for the cover sneak peek you probably quickly scrolled down to see. Reversed is the third story in the Fortunes of Fate series. It will be available from Amazon on May 13, 2016, but the pre-order will be up this weekend. And I'd like to have the cover figured out before the pre-order goes live! That's where you come in. What do you think? Should The Magus card be upright (as you see to the left) or should it be reversed (below and to the right)? The latter would reflect the title, but the former might be better pleasing to the eye.

Take a look at the covers and let me know what you think. You may post here, on my Facebook page, or on Twitter. If you want to keep your vote super secret, feel free to use my Contact page to e-mail me your vote. I will be taking votes up to Noon CDT on Friday, April 22.

EDIT: The REVERSED version of the cover won the votes! And the pre-order for Reversed is now up on Amazon!

Bound Snippet

Yup, it's time for another release! Bound releases on Sunday, so it's about time I post a snippet, right? It's also available for pre-order from Amazon if you want to nab it before you forget, and it'll be automatically delivered to you when it releases. Per usual during the Baker's Dozen Experiment, it will also be available via Kindle Unlimited and the Kindle Owners' Lending Library.

This story has a bit of horror, a dash of romance, and a bookish librarian for a lead. Who needs a boyfriend when you have a book? The snippet is below!

❦

In the last cubbie, a student stares transfixed at a page of the book open before her. I pause before I approach. A chill shoves out the warmth I felt earlier. Her eyes aren't moving; her hand, clasping the page to turn it, is frozen.

I step closer. "Excuse me. The library is closing in five minutes."

She doesn't respond and remains still, as if she's a statue perched on the chair, her hands melding with the book. A detailed piece of artwork, like the metal monstrosity in the library foyer -- unwavering, cold.

Goose bumps spring up along my arms, and I shiver, the feeling I got when first crossing paths with Stephen King's Pennywise.

I inch forward, the shushing of my shoes on the carpet no longer a comfort, and place my hand on her shoulder. A small zap of static electricity sparks the tips of my fingers, and I jump back.

❦

Every book has a heartbeat. And some are louder than others.

Leda loves her job as a college librarian – books are her friends, ones that take her to far off lands and who don't cheat on her like her last boyfriend did. But a strange incident with a student has her wondering if there's something more sinister about the books in this library.

Even Sean, the man who's trying to woo her away from her books, claims the library made him uncomfortable when he attended the college.

Of course, Leda can't confide in anyone about her suspicions, though there have been several questionable deaths on campus over the last few years. Sean would likely think she's crazy.

Is she crazy? Or does danger lurk in between the pages?

Hell Hath No Fury Snippet

Hell Hath No Fury releases in two days! It's currently available for pre-order from Amazon, if you happen to like what you read below and need to make sure it's there for you to read ASAP on Saturday! ;) It will be available through Kindle Unlimited and the Kindle Owners' Lending Library as well.

This one is a novelette, so a little longer than most of the short stories I've been publishing. It has humor, snark, and romance. What are you waiting for? Just read the snippet already and see what you think!

❦

Now Jared stared at me.

"What?" I asked. "Do I have a third eye on my forehead or a zit the size of a tomato on my nose?"

He shook his head.

Then the knowing feeling settled in my chest. He had prodded me in here. Jared might be dead, but there had been only one thing he wanted whenever he tried to get me alone.

"Don't even think about it," I said.

He stepped up to me. "You think that's what I want? Please. If dying the way I did wasn't enough, being dead does nothing for one's libido. I just wanted to get you out of there. It's good to see you, Moira." He touched my cheek.

A thrill shot through me at the feel of his skin on mine -- so warm. It felt alive. A knot tightened in my belly.

I didn't want this. I hadn't even felt this kind of passion well up for him when we were dating. Yes, the sex had been great, but this was a yearning that was hard to ignore.

I swallowed. "What do you mean?"

"That it's good to see a familiar face."

"No, no. About death and--"

He laughed, pulling back. The desire dropped without him so close.

"Oh, that. We're dead, Moira. We don't have needs like we did when we were alive. Are you hungry?"

I had to concentrate before I answered. No biting in my stomach, although I had been starving before the collision. "No."

"Thirsty?"

"No."

"Do you have to pee?"

That I'd think would be a yes. I mean, I was in a bathroom. It was stupid to have a bathroom if no one needed it, but I didn't feel any urge along that line. I shook my head.

He slipped up to me again, this time wrapping his arm around my waist. "Horny?"

His body pressed against mine flooded my lower regions with heat. From the questions he had already asked, I assumed the answer to the latest was supposed to be no also. My body spoke to the contrary, tingling at the feel of his fingers digging into my hip.

❦

Stuck in Hell with an ex-boyfriend. What's a girl to do?

Moira died. Of course, she never expected to appear in Hell once she did. But Hell isn't the fire and brimstone place so many people fear. More like a cross between an office building and a dormitory. And the devil, a sexy, disembodied voice in an endless expanse of darkness, sticks Moira with the job of Welcomer for the second floor of Hell. A job which comes with a skimpy little demon costume.

If that isn't enough to drive a strong-willed woman into fits, Moira finds out she's on the same floor with Jared, an ex she'd rather forget exists, only now she feels a strange attraction whenever he's around. Fun times.

To make matters worse, one of the new arrivals, Douglas, is a creepy old guy who stalks her and clearly doesn't belong. After a stomach churning confrontation with him, she decides she doesn't want to find out if she can die a second time. So Moira's got to find a way to shake Douglas, all while trying to come to terms with her conflicting feelings for Jared.

Who knew death would be as complicated as life?

Love Fades Snippet

It's another release day! Today Love Fades, the second story in the Fortunes of Fate series is available on Amazon. For those of you who like romance in your fantasy, this is definitely the story for you. Again, you can get it via Kindle Unlimited or the Kindle Owners' Lending Library as well.

I'm sure you'd love to get a taste of the story, though. Right? Well, here it is. Happy reading!

❦

Caradeci stared at her hand – it was happening again. The flesh and bone faded, her fingers paling to dim outlines. She raised her hand, now translucent; the water of the pond she knelt next to shimmered through it in the sunlight.

Relief flooded Cara when her hand returned to normal, but her hope was brief since it flickered back to transparency. This cycle Cara was trapped in sent shudders to her soul.

The breeze tousled her hair, but she felt nothing on her faded hand – no wind, no warmth – like a black hole sucking at her being. It left her stranded and alone. If this was what death felt like, she wanted none of it.

Cara's hand flashed in and out, the rhythm akin to a stoplight in the wee hours of the morning. Fear snagged in her throat. Only one reason why this could be happening – she didn't belong here, shouldn't be here. Ten years ago she had tripped over a stump, landed in a pond, and somehow slipped from her world of purple hues into this Earth of green. Instead of hitting bottom, she'd emerged here – an accident, some dimensional goof, but one that meant she could no longer find her way home to Fate.

Caradeci didn't want to go home.

❦

Loves Fades

A woman who's fading away.

Years ago, a portal in the world of Fate sucked Caradeci up and deposited her on Earth. She struggled to fit in and adjust to the differences. And then she met Alex. She fell in love, confessing her true origins, and he believed her.

Now her body flickers in and out of existence, threatening to pull her away from the life she's made. She fears Fate beckons to her, that she must return home to save herself, leaving her love behind.

Alex, refusing to lose her, drags her to a fortune teller. Their only hope is that this strange woman can tell them what to do before Caradeci vanishes from existence.

Fortunes of Fate Series

For every card, there's a story.

The three cat sisters, Joslyn, Mia, and Amber, are world-hoppers. They're in search of a world to call home, and they finally find it in Fate.

However, they've grown fond of Earth as well, and they stick their noses into the lives of people from both worlds. From Fools to Magicians, the three cats are witnesses to the stories that unravel.

This Is Where I Stand Snippet

Tales of Chyraine released yesterday! It includes two stories, "This Is Where I Stand" and "Cold, Oh So Cold." Right now, it's available via Amazon, and like the last two releases, you can read it for free using Kindle Unlimited or the Kindle Owners' Lending Library.

If you're interested in a snippet from "Cold, Oh So Cold," I'll be sending one out in my Newsletter tomorrow - so Sign Up Now if you haven't yet! But I won't leave you completely hanging. Here's a bit from "This Is Where I Stand."

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This is where I stand: in the kingdom of Ambrosia, within the palace, in my spacious yet suffocating room, before an open window which faces northwest. A broadsword rests on the stone windowsill, my sword, once my father's sword. My hands are upon the steel blade. I can just see over the palace walls, beyond to the rolling hills dotted with wildflowers and groves of trees.

This is where I wish to stand: further northwest, over the wall, beyond the moat, across the hills, and through the trees, where lies an invisible line with the forests Destiny to the east and Feargate to the west. My spirit brushes the trees that tower over the passage and shadows that line, into the kingdom of Trugor.

But that desire is irrelevant, for I am the Queen in Waiting, the one of all the young female warriors of Ambrosia to emerge victorious in competition. Sometimes I ponder what the waiting means. Waiting to become Queen, waiting to be recognized, waiting to have all the weight of a kingdom's people on my shoulders, hanging on my every word and trusting me implicitly... waiting for the old Queen to die. And in turn, one day another Queen in Waiting will be waiting for me to die, when I'm old and wrinkled, and the people cry out for fresh blood.

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This Is Where I Stand

A warrior torn between obligation and desire.

Zenya fought for and won the right to be Ambrosia's next queen. Now, she waits for the current queen to die and she finds the honor her aunt forced her into is instead a burden. She longs for her childhood home, Trugor, where magic drifts on the winds and infuses every blade of grass.

Those in Ambrosia think magic an abomination. If the reigning queen discovers Zenya's heritage and thoughts, a quick death might follow. Possibly that would be the kinder fate, since her desire to return home and breathe in the magic consumes her. How can Zenya rule a people she despises?

Cold, Oh So Cold

Hearts of men as frozen as the kingdoms they live in.

Hear the static of a radio? Feel the chill sink into your bones and refuse to leave? Then you must be in the three Ice Kingdoms of Chyraine. No matter where you turn, the icicles can be seen forming in the hearts and minds of all the inhabitants. Or being driven into their backs and throats by their enemies.

Lavender Legacy - Chapter 5: At First Sight

The Lavender Legacy series follows the Lavender family from the Sims 3: Supernatural game. Lila Lavender is the progenitor. Who knows what crazy things will happen in the lives of the Lavenders!

You can find previous chapters and the current chapter on Wattpad.

At First Sight

Lila's nerves start to get the best of her since she's forced to unclog her toilet before visiting her new neighbor. Not only is she sweating from the manual labor, but also from the thought of putting herself out there for more possible rejection. Not to mention, he could be a world class jerk. Silly fairy, getting her hopes up when she hasn't even met the vamp!

Eventually, she builds up the courage to knock on Drake's door. The rumors were true--he's drop dead gorgeous, and her heart jumps into her throat and out onto the floor when she meets his gaze for the first time.

He invites her in with a smile, and they talk about their interests as they watch some TV together. He's not a jerk! What a relief. But Lila can't resist flirting with him. She knows they just met. It's silly to think he might feel the same attraction. Insane, really.

Her flirting is returned, though. Too good to be true? He could be a vampire just looking for a good time, not one in search of a lasting relationship. Then she realizes it doesn't matter. To hell with it. She'll take what she can get and enjoy it while it lasts.

Lila spends most of the day with him, and their friendship and attraction grows. Drake is so much nicer than that curmudgeon firefighter! The day has to come to an end, though. And it ends perfectly--with their first kiss that makes her toes curl.

When she arrives home, she can't sleep, thoughts of Drake tugging at her mind. So she paints the night away.

In the morning, she regrets not getting more sleep and wishes she could spend the day with Drake again, but work beckons. One of these days she's going to be able to garden and paint to her heart's content without worrying about clocking in at a job just to make enough money to survive.

She bemoans her messy house before she heads out the door. Perhaps it's time to call a maid. One fairy can only do so much!

Even through her exhaustion, she makes an important discovery at work, one that earns her a promotion. It's nice to be noticed, first by her handsome new neighbor and now by her boss.

Perhaps things are finally looking up for Lila. Will her good luck hold, or is this just the calm before the storm?

Are there some things you'd be interested in seeing Lila do? Any particular tortures you'd like to see inflicted on her? Feel free to make some suggestions, and if they're interesting enough, I may just use them!

NEXT UP: Magic Is Reality, Reality Is Magic - Yellow