Hell Of An Unlife - Excerpt

The end. A scene, a story, or in this case, a series. Hell of an Unlife releases today, the fourth and final title in the Devil Made Me series!

Moira's as spicy as ever, even while she's dealing with a glitch in processing, ensuring Jared remains by her side, or facing her old enemy Douglas. Do you think she's ready to take over Hell?

You can purchase an ebook copy on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo, or Google Play.

And a peek at the conclusion of Moira's story can be found below. Happy fiery reading!

❦

A buzz rattled my brain, indicating the beginning of my Welcomer shift. Time to escort unfortunate souls to the second floor of Hell. Joy.

I shimmied into my uniform – a skimpy, sexy devil number. Not my choice.

“Already?” Jared stretched out on my bed in all his naked glory. “We’re not done discussing our plan of attack, Moira.”

“You mean arguing about it.” I pointed my plastic pitchfork at him.

We disagreed on how to start our war with Pandora, the current devil. That wretched, amorphous cloud had tapped me to succeed her. And I was resolved to upend the status quo in Hell.

Each floor had its own aggravating and nonsensical rules. Like the innocents on the first, in limbo – trapped in an inky prison of darkness, alone, a sense of desolation filtered in to inspire terror and anguish. All because Pandora refused to babysit them. Oh, and because they had a greater potential to gain true emotions, like me.

Another matter that stuck in my craw was the whispering books in the libraries. Souls. People vanished into the pages when their existence became unbearable. A second death.

The rules, the nudging toward oblivion – it all stank. So I intended to transform this miserable unlife, and Jared insisted on riding shotgun.

I preferred to start the battle with a bang. Direct confrontation. Presenting my qualms to the devil, and declaring my intentions to subvert the damned policies. Screw calm and collected. I’d already drafted a script of accusations, peppered with plenty of curse words. Pandora pissed me off.

On the other hand, Jared thought we should act covertly. Slowly circumvent the rules, reshaping Hell floor by floor, right under the bitch’s nose. Then gauge her reaction.

My powers remained limited as a simple lackey, but I’d rescued a kid from limbo, delivering him to his psychic grandmother on the eighth. This had infuriated the typically amused devil, but she left Elliot with his Mami anyhow. Though she’d implied my actions would result in unforeseen consequences.

Yeah, yeah. A naive preschooler living among a bunch of scammers and swindlers made for an unpredictable situation. Elliot’s grandmother had a lot of pull on her floor, though.

But Pandora’s decision to leave the child alone had revealed her growing weakness. She likely declined to transport him back to the first because her abilities were waning. Her tenure was winding down, nearing its end.

Perfect timing for a direct attack. Of course Jared contended otherwise.

Thankfully our arguments lacked heat nowadays, unlike when we’d been alive. Death, gazing into mirrors that reflected our failings, and the constantly shifting lewd mural on the ceiling of the second-floor library had facilitated changes in both of us. A lengthy process, but his hands and lips no longer wandered, and I’d told my trust issues to take a hike.

The inexplicable surge of comfort I experienced often when near him helped. A lot. And he felt that same serenity, his first emotion when he’d awakened to his true senses.

See, most people in Hell had to wish to feel a specific way, albeit with a dulled edge, and they turned their emotions on and off like a light switch. Not us, though. We were unique. Just me initially.

And Pandora had no clue about his awakening. Well, as far as I knew.

Jared also got me going like no other. Our disagreements typically led to us tumbling into bed. Or when feeling spicy and daring, experimenting on the Harley in my office. And so we kept running in circles over the best way to approach the devil dilemma.

“Hey, I’d love to continue this conversation.” More like the pleasurable ending. “But I’m stuck with the stupid Welcomer shift.”

He slipped off the bed and dressed. “Your shift is only an excuse, and you know it.”

Well, shit, he’d just gotten serious. But he was right. I blamed the distraction of sex and my duties as a Welcomer. In truth, though, my stubbornness streak would have propelled me toward that head-on confrontation with Pandora, his discouragement be damned.

Yet I hesitated, unsure of my strategy. Working on a script, instead of simply voicing my indignation.

Maybe the devil would retire soon. And once promoted, I’d snap my fingers, creating a paradise.

If only it were that simple. No omniscience, omnipotence, or endless power. I also needed to learn the full scope of my future limitations from her before she disappeared.

“At least I’ve been visiting the floors and learning the different whacko rules.” Necessary, but another form of procrastination nonetheless.

Mastering teleporting from floor to floor had been a trial, but required since the elevator only traveled to and from the lobby. As far as I knew, I was the only person who’d mastered that trick, aside from Dick. I’d met with the Welcomers on all but the seventh.

That last I’d avoid as long as Pandora allowed. Another confrontation with Douglas, the psycho who’d accidentally been assigned to the second when I first arrived, was best left until never.

Jared stared at me, his eyebrows creeping toward his hairline. Better that than him rolling his eyes – I hated that habit of his.

Cornered. Time to stop sitting on my hands. I sighed. “Fine. We’ll try your way. After my shift, we can decide on what floor to target first.”

“Really?” His eyes widened, mouth parting. I rarely conceded, to anyone, even him. “Now you have me worried.”

“Enough.” I playfully whacked him in the arm with my pitchfork.

And then a yellow sticky note appeared on my nose. Huh.

“What the hell?” Jared had acquired my amusement for the fiery puns. We both snickered.

I plucked the note off my face and read it out loud. “Backup in processing. Escorting souls on hold until situation resolved. Remain on call for entire shift.”

“Weird.” He plopped on the edge of the bed. “Though you mentioned how slow it’s been lately.”

“Slow, yes. A complete stop, no.” I’d never met anyone in processing. What kind of people had the devil tasked to undertake that monumental assignment?

❦

Ready to inherit the devil’s throne? Hell, no.

In Hell, the flow of new souls from the lobby to their designated floors screeches to a grinding halt. And Pandora, the incorporeal cloud of a devil, tasks Moira to fix the glitch in processing.

Foraying into the bowels of blinking lights with her boyfriend Jared, the issue materializes into Adam, the lone person in charge of minding the servers. His sanity sliding into oblivion, he eyes Jared as his replacement. Turns out, Pandora has the same plan.

Now Moira faces a new problem -- freeing Jared from the confines of processing. Before she even attempts to break him out, though, the devil boots her to the seventh floor. The realm of psychopaths, including her creepy adversary Douglas, who eagerly awaits her arrival.

Hell's Bells - Excerpt

At long last, the third title in the Devil Made Me series is here. Hell's Bells continues Moira's story with a bit of holiday flare. And yeah, she's still balancing relationship issues as well as her imminent rise to the position of devil.

Peek into her unlife madness with the excerpt below. If you want to grab a copy, you can find the ebook for purchase at all major online retailers. Books2Read will show all retailer options, but here are a handful of direct links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, and Google.

Oh, and next spring, be on the look out for the final installment of the Devil Made Me series, Hell Of An Unlife.

❦

I gripped the door handles, willing a different floor to manifest on the other side. Any but the second. Or the seventh. Best to avoid Douglas. Forever.

The millionth time was the charm?

Throwing the doors wide, a flurry of activity greeted me, more than typical for the floor of lust. Unfortunately, that didn’t change the fact that this was indeed the second. “Crap.”

The huge common area was designed similar to a dorm. Large screen TV along one wall, the only allowed on our floor according to the inexplicable rules, and a kitchen on the opposite. Though the dead had no need to eat, many indulged in their favorite foods from life.

Anything to drive away the sense of emptiness, the lack of true emotions. A person only enjoyed items and activities they resolved to, and they turned it on and off like a light switch.

Except me. Ever since I’d arrived, I was an anomaly, longing stirring in my gut when my ex-boyfriend Jared was nearby. And occasionally contending with a comfort washing over me – a sensation I’d never experienced until my death.

Unique. That summed me up. Also the reason why Pandora had tapped me as her successor.

Actually, no longer a total aberration.

After I’d banished Dick, Jared and I admitted our love for each other. Emotions had overtaken him. A spark of life igniting in a realm where people sought to lose themselves when they could no longer bear to gaze at their reflections.

Now Jared was like me. No clue how or why, though. Not that I’d discussed it much with him.

And I refused to ask Pandora. Best she not know about it, anyhow. And if she already did, my lips were zipped unless she broached the subject. She kept too many secrets from me, so I’d keep a few of my own.

Screw her. And screw these crazy people on my floor.

An evergreen tree now towered in the corner near the bathroom – my hiding place of choice during my Welcomer shifts, since it was rarely used. Multicolored lights twinkled on the pine boughs, with half a dozen people adorning the branches with ornaments.

The sports freaks had been kicked off the TV, a shock in and of itself, and a holiday movie played on the screen. One of those romantic comedies, so trite that it proved nearly impossible to discern the difference between one or the other.

Sarah approached, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “We decided to celebrate the holidays. Liven the mood a little.” She beamed, her excitement contagious. Almost.

I had a love-hate relationship with Christmas. Pretty much a noncommittal pagan, I never attended church, sticking to the secular side of the holiday.

No issues with a sparkling Yule tree, but I preferred spiked eggnog and mistletoe. Made life interesting.

On the other hand, I hated that nog because once I sobered up, I wallowed in the horrible decisions I’d made while under its influence. Including hooking up with Jared after we’d split – a mistake resulting in a ton of yelling and broken furniture the following day.

You see, on Christmas Eve the previous year, I’d caught him in bed with a friend. They’d both blamed the booze.

Jared and I had a horrible track record during the holidays. And we were now together again in this insane afterlife.

Hard to fault Sarah’s desire for a distraction, though. She’d died young, still a teenager. “Well, happy holidays.” I forced a smile, but it felt as fake as it was.

“Hey, Moira.” Naveah, our newest Welcomer, emerged from one of the doors leading to the endless hallways and rooms. And no, the irony of her name was not lost on me. “The buzz vibrated my brain, so I’m it. Has it been busy?”

“Nah. Even slower.” And with her appearance, my shift ended. “Have fun.”

Now to find my boyfriend. More teleporting attempts tomorrow. At the moment, getting laid sounded far more appealing.

No sign of Jared among the crowd of decorators, which had multiplied, spreading to bedecking the ceiling and counters. Man, it would look like Christmas threw up in here once they finished.

I slipped through one of the many doors, intent on changing. Then I’d check his room, which was connected to mine unless we were arguing.

Giggles led me around a corner.

And there stood Jared, his back to me, and a woman in a bright blue bustier leaning toward him, mistletoe in her outstretched hand. He laughed, and turned his head enough for me to spot a lustful grin on his face.

“Hell, no.” The pun failed to amuse me as usual, anger grabbing hold.

I wished my plastic pitchfork was metal, but it remained in its current tacky form. One of those stupid rules on our floor. Pity, because I yearned to skewer Jared to the wall.

❦

Happy holidays... In Hell? Not with a cheating boyfriend.

The inhabitants of Hell’s second floor deck the common area for the holidays. Moira thinks them all crazy, though she enjoys a good cup of eggnog. Unfortunately, instead of drinking to her heart’s content, she discovers her boyfriend Jared in a compromising position with another woman and a sprig of mistletoe.

Moira’s anger whisks her off to the eighth, where she learns what Kara wants in return for helping her and Jared escape an angry mob of shysters a while back. To retrieve the woman’s grandson from limbo. Limbo, the first floor of Hell, where all the innocent souls land. Also the tamest floor, according to Pandora, the sexy-voiced cloud of a devil. But Kara insists it’s the opposite.

As the devil-in-training, Moira’s bound to the deal she made, and promises to rescue the child if the dismal rumor proves true. So she scopes out limbo, her definitely cheating boyfriend tagging along. Will she uncover a paradise in Hell, or finally stumble upon the brimstone?

One thing’s for sure. Between Moira’s relationship drama and sneaking around under Pandora’s nonexistent nose, she’s sure to have a terribly unhappy holiday.

Intricate Agony - Excerpt

It's release day for my next Fortunes of Fate title! Intricate Agony is the 8th story in the series. And this one takes place on Earth, though you'll see a handful of familiar faces from previous titles.

You can purchase a copy of the ebook on all major online retailers. Books2Read will direct you to your retailer of choice, but if you want direct links to the bigger stores, here you go: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Google, and Apple. So, how does this story fit into the tapestry of Fate? An excerpt is below, but read the whole tale to find out!

❦

The shadow in the corner quivered, and familiar prickles of pain cascaded across Lucas’s skin. A yelp snagged in his throat. Don’t react, or I’ll never escape.

Dr. Kimberly glanced over her left shoulder, the end of her pen pressed against her bottom lip. “Do you see a creature in the corner?”

This psychiatrist had good intentions, hoping to ease his affliction. But like many others before her, she was failing.

His sole means of relief hid in a desk on the third floor of his house, not here in the Fortune Psychiatric Center. “No. Just the light filtering through the blinds.” Steady and calm voice, disguising the agony building inside him.

Mocking his lie, the shadow detached from the corner and oozed across the floor. It wound its way toward Dr. Kimberly’s chair, threatening to consume her in a single gulp.

Or at least that was how it appeared to Lucas. An empty threat, though. The monsters preferred to remain hallucinations, which was what his visions had been diagnosed as. They aimed to keep themselves secret to all but him.

A throbbing pulsed behind his eyes, then dripped down the back of his neck, heightening his misery. The professionals labeled this psychogenic pain. Various medications they’d prescribed him did nothing to dull it, though. Nor had physical therapy, changing his diet, or intense psychotherapy.

Well, Dr. Kimberly assumed that last one had worked. “Still no pain over these last couple weeks?”

The meditation techniques she’d taught him granted him the ability to conceal his torment. “None.” And his lying skills had improved while trapped in this facility – a tortuously long three months.

Yet he yearned to twist and turn, voicing his misery. As well as take a needle to his skin, adding to the intricate design on his chest. Appear cured, and they’ll release me.

When his father Lester Kline V had been alive, he hired the best therapists to help his son, but never admitted him into an institution.

A year ago, though, his dad had suffered a fatal heart attack while working late at the law firm. His assistant had found him in the morning, dead.

The shadow jumped and jittered, as if laughing at Lucas’s reflections. Heart attack in a healthy, fit forty-year-old? Yeah, right.

Lucas suspected the true, more sinister cause of death swirled around Dr. Kimberly’s feet. It taunted him, lighting up his nerves.

He’d never told a soul about his hunch. It would have simply turned into another item added to the list that proved his madness.

His stepmother Nadia had admitted him. She perceived him as a nuisance and burden – a fourteen-year-old in the way of her inheriting his father’s wealth.

If he showed improvement, she’d be required to bring him home. Gone were the days of sending children off to an insane asylum for the rest of their lives without question.

So he masked his torment, bottling up his anxiety over the roiling darkness. A normal teenager. Nothing wrong with me.

Dr. Kimberly beamed. “You’ve made excellent progress. I think it’s time for outpatient treatment.”

The exact words he wanted to hear. Freedom.

“If the pain or hallucinations return, though, we’ll admit you again immediately. The pressures of the outside world might cause a relapse, but I have high hopes you’ll do well. Please contact me if you experience a recurrence, or if you develop new symptoms.”

Lucas deflated. Once released, he’d still need to hide his anguish, or Nadia would call the psychiatrist the second she noticed him slip. “Of course, Doctor.” Fooling his stepmother would prove difficult, since she obsessively scrutinized him. Any excuse to get him out of her way.

“Excellent. Pack your things. I’ll contact your mother and schedule your release for tomorrow.” She scribbled on her notepad.

Not my mother.

Mara Kline had died from medical complications the day after he was born. His dad had shared happy stories about his mom, along with albums full of pictures. She’d chosen his name, breaking the long running tradition in the Kline family of the firstborn son inheriting the name of his father.

For ten years, it had been him and his dad. And then Nadia wandered into their lives.

Wretched, gold-digging woman. Unfortunately, she’d fooled Lester Kline, whose heart still ached over the loss of his first wife. He’d yearned to love again, Lucas’s warnings of Nadia’s nefarious intentions falling on deaf ears.

The shadow looped around the legs of Dr. Kimberly’s chair, each twist delivering fresh pangs, like a rusty nail stabbing him repeatedly.

He clenched his teeth, refusing to succumb to the stinging sensation.

Finally, the monster yielded and slithered to its corner, soaking into the wall and disappearing.

His pain faded to an annoying vibration. A level he tolerated easily, as he’d contended with it his whole life. The shadows had initially emerged when he was eleven, so he’d only dealt with them for the past three years.

Lucas relaxed into the couch and smiled. Soon, he’d add to his tattoo and bask in the momentary relief it offered.

❦

No way to evade the shadows’ torment...

A constant undercurrent of pain has weighed down Lucas his entire life. When he turns eleven, shadows only he can see emerge from the darkness, heightening his affliction. Then two years later, his supportive father dies of a heart attack, leaving him with his greedy stepmother.

Nadia desires the fortune her husband left behind, and she’ll do anything to wrest it from Lucas’s hands. Including establishing that her stepson is completely crazy. She aims to declare him mentally unsound, and in turn take full control of his finances.

Fourteen, Lucas has four more years before he escapes from under his stepmother’s thumb. Can he survive that long without proving Nadia right, or will he lose everything his family built, along with his own mind?

Worldhop into the stories of Fate. Each fantastical tale takes place on Earth or Fate, where you’ll find magic, tarot cards, and the three cat sisters woven throughout. Though each adventure stands alone, webs connect these fantasies like an elaborate design. What card illuminates your destiny?

Do Not Go Gentle - Excerpt

It's release day for Do Not Go Gentle! A dark fantasy with spirits and necromancy, perfect for this time of year.

This short story is a prequel to my upcoming novel, Dead As Dreams, which is slated to release in 2023. Lazarus, our main character in this story, is one of the two main characters in the novel. And the series title at present is Saga of Souls & Dreams.

Currently, you can buy a copy of Do Not Go Gentle from Amazon only. It's available with a Kindle Unlimited subscription, though, too!

I hope you enjoy the excerpt below, and may it tickle your curiosity for my forthcoming novel, Dead As Dreams. Happy reading!

❦

Lazarus hated the cold creeping in, taking over his body, his life. He hated the endless graveyards, each tombstone etched with the symbol of the god Lokahn, bull’s horns attached to a human skull and a flame underneath. And he hated the curse he’d been born with — the power of a spirit seeker.

But most of all, he hated watching his mentor, Borko, send off the lingering spirits, choking their wills before flinging them into an unknown plane. So painful and cruel.

All of it reminded him of his appalling mishap. Over a year ago, he’d accidentally resurrected his dead sister, Sara.

Lazarus’s mother had cast him out after what he’d done to his sister, and he’d been traveling with Borko ever since. Her rejection still ached beyond words, but he understood, especially after observing Borko’s magic at work on a near nightly basis.

Spirit seekers were monsters, hunting down the souls of the dead who still clung to Bodhira, then banishing them to... Well, no one knew where exactly. According to Borko, it didn’t matter where they ended up, as long as they lost the ability to torment the living.

And even though Lazarus hadn’t sent off any spirits on his own yet, he was the worst of the monsters. Poor, Sara. Borko had never committed such an atrocity as raising the dead.

Lazarus had questioned his mentor about the incident once, and the man had growled and poked him in the chest. “Never. Never try that again.”

Not that anyone needed to admonish him. Sara’s shambling form still haunted his dreams, and he feared it always would.

“Come. Join the bones you left behind. Come.” Borko’s intonation beckoned to the spirits as he knelt in the middle of the burying ground, the brilliant purple orb around his neck brushing the earth. The chief of this town, the silent onlookers, and Lazarus all waited outside the gate.

His mentor’s words conjured the memory of his worst nightmare, one that had preyed upon him on his thirteenth birthday. Their thirteenth birthday, as he and Sara had been twins.

In his dream, his sister had clawed her way out of the grave, true to reality, but instead of heading toward their house as she had a year ago, she turned on him. Curses spewed from her unhinged jaw, and she staggered toward him, head tilted at a sharp angle due to her broken neck.

Lazarus had stood rooted, heart thudding in his breast as she approached. A sliver of fear wormed its way to the surface, but guilt quickly gobbled it up. He’d done this to her, and he deserved all the harsh words she flung at him. Along with whatever punishment she deemed fit.

The nightmare had ended with Sara descending on him, pulling him to the ground, then dragging him back into her grave where she slowly devoured him, stretching out the pain and agony. Her prolonged torture mangled his soul.

❦

To send souls off requires a spirit seeker to choke the ambition out of them...

Lazarus curses the power he was born with. The power of a spirit seeker. And he curses the memories that haunt him – his sister rising from her grave due to his magic.

Now, his mentor tasks him with sending off souls on his own for the first time. But his memories cause him to question why the spirits linger... And why his mentor deals with them so violently.

There has to be a better way, and Lazarus intends to find it.

Writing Update - June 2022

Is it writing update time already? How are we almost halfway through the year? Wow, time certainly does fly. Especially as an adult. How I miss those long summers as a kid...

OK, I'm getting off track. Seems like the theme of the year for me. Lots of distractions abound. Mostly life-related ones. Still trying to even out things with my health (physical and mental) and Youngest's mental health. Plus my dad passed earlier this year.

Now summer is throwing me for a loop with the million kid-related events scheduled (I try to not over-schedule stuff - I've never been a do everything parent, but Eldest seems to think she should do everything - she needs better time management skills, but I'm so not the one who's capable of teaching them to her - sigh). Plus the house is in a state of disarray due to an attempt at organization (decreasing the DOOM boxes) and projects (that need the organization done before they can be completed).

Through all the life distractions, though, I've been able to at least get some writing done! I'm not exactly where I wanted to be for progress at this point in the year, but I'm not at a standstill. So, let's take a look at what I've accomplished so far, and what I plan to juggle and change for this year's goals. If you'd like to see the original 2022 writing goals, visit 2022 - Keep the Momentum Going.

2022 Publications

❦ Nymphs Need Love Too (Fractured Fairies, 5) - It lives! I published this back in April, so go snag a copy if you haven't yet.

❦ Dead As Dreams (novel) - Unfortunately, I have to delay the release of this until 2023. More details about it under 2022 Progress.

❦ Do Not Go Gentle (prequel short story to Dead As Dreams) - Yes, I've added this. Since I'm pushing off the novel, and I've had the idea for this short story for some time that's related to said novel, I'm hoping to publish this in Fall 2022.

2022 Writing Progress

❦ Revise, Edit, and Format Nymphs Need Love Too - DONE!

❦ Revise Dead As Dreams - Though I'm no longer publishing this in 2022, I'm still working on it. The revisions are just going slower than expected. I've clearly changed as a writer since I last touched this, and it needs more work than I thought! I've revised 32,406 words so far. About a third of the way through, and the back half needs a lot more work than the front half. This is still my main project. I will not put this novel off again!

❦ Draft, Revise, Edit, Format Do Not Go Gentle - This is the new story. And since it's related to Dead As Dreams, weaving this into my schedule at least keeps me anchored in the same world as the novel. I'm aiming for a minimum word count of 5,000, but not sure where it will land once done. I've drafted 520 words on it so far.

❦ Draft at least 8 Magic Morsel episodes - I actually drafted 10 episodes (8,979 words)! I'm up to 39 episodes of Magic Morsel published. I'd love to get back to this at some point this year, but it all depends on revision progress with Dead As Dreams.

❦ I've sent out 2 Newsletters already, and I'll be sending out 1 more this week (maybe even today). And I've stuck to 1 blog post per month here on Born to Write - maybe I'll increase these again one day, but right now... life.

Yes, progress. Some shifting around of goals, though. It's OK. As long as I'm still moving forward instead of treading water. We'll see where I'm at again come the end of 2022. Until then, happy reading, all!

Nymphs Need Love Too (Fractured Fairies, 5) - Excerpt

My first new release of 2022 - yay! And it happens to be the fifth installment in my Fractured Fairies series.

Nymphs Need Love Too incorporates Grinka's love life woes, her drama llama teen nymph sister, and a smart speaker that might be too smart for its own good. As always, the fairy brats are mixed up in all of it!

After you enjoy the excerpt below, please consider purchasing yourself an ebook copy at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo Books, Apple Books, Google Play, or Smashwords. Or if you want to look at all the retailer options with one easy click, please go to Books2Read!

And please remember, reviews are much appreciated at any of the retailers and on Goodreads.

Happy reading!

❦

I stomp out of the bedroom to find the fairy siblings flitting over a pyramid-shaped speaker, which is sitting on one of the living room end tables. "What is that?"

Tamor turns around and rolls his eyes. "Hey, Boo. Why is Grinka such a bitch?"

A red light flashes at the top of the pyramid. Then a female voice with sultry tones emanates from the speaker. "I’m sorry, I don’t understand."

"Yeah, me neither." The fairy smirks and scratches his balls.

"Seriously?" I plant my hands on my hips. "You know I hate it when you call me that, and all I did was ask a simple question, so it’s completely unwarranted." Yes, I can always count on these two to piss me off enough to encourage the fireworks.

"Why don’t you ask Boo what she is?" Tamara gestures at the speaker.

Her suggestion puts the breaks on my desire to splatter Tamor into tiny fairy bits... For the moment. Talk to an electronic pyramid? Okay, why not. "Um, hey, Boo. What are you?"

This time the light flashes green. "I am Yam-Boom’s newest, top-of-the-line smart speaker. Over time, I adapt to the household’s specific needs, even adjusting my personality to those I speak with. Please, ask me anything. Just don’t expect me to know everything."

Man, Boo has attitude. Kind of creepy, though.

Tamara claps her tiny hands together. "Isn’t she cool?"

I’m not a huge fan of Yam-Boom. They employ fairies, who prevented me from publishing my novel. Speaking of fairies... "How exactly did you two buy something like this?" Neither have a job, and I no longer keep any spare cash lying around. Last time I did, the fairies stole my hidden stash and bought a tablet, which is now mine. My money, my tablet.

"Uh..." Tamor is never at a loss for words. What gives, now?

Tamara titters and flits up to me. "Remember, Herby? Our cousin who loves wine porn and works for Yam-Boom. Well, he hooked us up. Right, Tamor?"

Her brother’s head bobs, almost as rapidly as his wings.

Eh, I’m not so sure about that explanation. They’re acting shifty. Maybe I can explode the truth out of them.

Before I gear myself up to do just that, Syndago bursts through the front door. "Grinka! I got a job!"

❦

What do you prescribe a depressed sea nymph? A handsome tree nymph, of course.

Grinka can’t stop dreaming of Bello, the hunky tree nymph she met a couple years ago. Unfortunately, sharing her bed with her drama llama teen nymph sister has put a damper on her love life.

Who’s she kidding? Her love life was nonexistent even before she took in her runaway sister. Well, aside from the incident with her goblin ex-boyfriend and his dwarven girlfriend – an event that continues to haunt her in the form of the stalker dwarf.

But Grinka’s not-so-giant giant best friend brings her the gift of Bello’s phone number. Can she summon the courage to call him for a date? And if so, what will her sister and the fairy brats do to ruin it for her this time?

2022 - Keep The Momentum Going

OK, I can break that nasty streak of even years going to hell, right? Right. *cracks knuckles* Let's do this!

I am going to up my goals compared to 2021, and I'm hoping I'm not sabotaging myself by doing so. Must stay positive. I'm going to rock 2022!

All that optimism is rather saccharin for me - lol. Time to bring things back down to reality. If I get my two planned publications out this year, I'm going to call 2022 a win. Especially since one has been waiting its turn forever - time for it to claw itself out into the world.

Onward with the 2022 writing goals!

2022 Mantras

❦ Just Write.

❦ Trust My Instincts.

❦ Focus.

❦ Sit And Get To It.

The first three are holdovers from the last couple of years, but the last one is new. Most times getting started is the hardest part, so no matter how I feel, if I have writing scheduled for the day, I'm going to sit down and attempt to get words out. If I sit there with nothing for a half hour, then I'll throw in the towel for the day - heh.

2022 Upcoming Publications

❦ Nymphs Need Love Too (Fractured Fairies, 5) - Spring 2022

❦ Dead As Dreams (stand alone novel) - Fall 2022

2022 Writing Goals

❦ Revise, Edit, and Format Nymphs Need Love Too - this should be pretty easy. Not tons to tweak, and I always have fun with Grinka, Syndago, and the fairy brats.

❦ Revise, Edit, and Format Dead As Dreams - and here we come to the novel that has waited too long. This poor story has been fiddled with off and on since 2005! And I love it, so I just need to finish revisions already. Right now it's a stand alone, but I can't say I haven't had ideas for a sequel...

❦ Draft at least 8 Magic Morsel episodes - I'd love to add episodes to this on Kindle Vella each week for the rest of the year, but since I need to get other things done, it's just not feasible. This is my focus, though, the first couple weeks of January, so hopefully I'll have another two months of episodes before I take a break from it.

❦ Draft 20k words of Gemini's Echo (Zodiac Aegis, 1) - Or I'll just add more episodes to Magic Morsel, depending on how I feel once Dead As Dreams is complete.

❦ Newsletter - I have scheduled 5 of these for the year; 2 for my releases, and the other 3 will each include two chapters of Chains of Nect: Obsidian's Obsession. Yes, this means I'll be sending out the final chapter of that this year!

❦ Born to Write - At least 1 blog post per month (I know, I'm slacking on Marvel/MCU commentary, but writing comes before blogging, always).

❦ Social Media - Yeah, I'm not even sure what I want to do with this right now. I've had some ideas to fiddle with TikTok, but I so don't have the time to jump on that bandwagon at the moment. What do you think? What social media platforms would you prefer to see me interact more on?

❦ Marketing and Promo - I need to delve deeper into this when I get the chance to this year. Got to get my books in front of more eyeballs!

There you have it. Too ambitious? Just right? I mean, I also have a list of extra goals because I want to do all-the-things now. Damn it, time, why must you be finite?

What are your goals for 2022, writing or otherwise? Feel free to share. Either way, good luck, and may this year be less rocky than the last two!

P.S. Some Writing Bullet Journal pics below. At least the first full week of the year has started out well so far!

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Header Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Bytes Bite, And So Do Fairies (Fractured Fairies, 4) - Excerpt

Yes, another release! I've been looking forward to this one. It's almost too fun sometimes to play around with Grinka's life.

Bytes Bite, And So Do Fairies is the fourth published title in my Fractured Fairies series, though you can of course jump in with any story.

Please enjoy the excerpt below. And if you'd like to grab a copy, Bytes Bite is only $0.99 at all major online retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Google Play, Smashwords, and Books2Read (the last will give you retailer options to choose from).

And if you read the entire story, please consider leaving a review at one of the retailers or on Goodreads. Reviews are awesome and helpful and it's one of the best ways to support an author you like. OK, I'll shut up now. Promise.

Happy reading!

❦

Now, I know how hard it is to succeed as a writer. Most indie authors need to crank out titles on a regular basis to earn any kind of money. So I tucked away a good portion of my tips for advertising over the last few months. I want this to work – no, I need this to work.

The thing is, when I started writing this first novel, it also turned into an outlet for some of my anger. And oh man, do I have a lot of anger. Just ask Syndago. My not-so-giant giant friend is rather sick of replacing light bulbs. Hey, I can’t control my destructive powers well, and the fairies piss me off at least every other second.

Speaking of the fairies... it’s far too quiet in the apartment.

And no, they don’t know what I’ve been up to on the computer. At least I hope not.

Unfortunately, they’ve gotten rather tech savvy lately, somehow getting their grubby hands on a tablet. I’m amazed they haven’t broken it yet. Perpetually drunk, naked fairies are rather clumsy.

I check under my desk, then under my bed, and look out the window for good measure again. Nothing. Maybe Syndago took them to the park. They love to harass the real birds in their pigeon illusions.

The circle continues to spin and spin. What’s a sea nymph got to do to get her noir urban fantasy published? I smash the Enter button a few times, to no avail. Actually, the circle appears to spin slower.

Damned computer. It’s been so twitchy lately. I even checked it several times to make sure the fairies hadn’t poured wine in the vents, though they’d be reluctant to waste their precious booze for such a prank.

Maybe I didn’t kill enough fairies in my novel. Yes, I killed a lot of fairies. So cathartic, especially since I can’t kill them in real life. Trust me, I’ve tried a million times by exploding them into honey-colored bits. They’re as immortal as Syndago and me, sadly.

In my novel, though... burn fairies, burn.

I snicker, and the circle freezes. Then the screen turns black for a second, followed by flashing rainbow colors. “What the–?”

Fairy giggles flitter from my closet.

❦

I wonder if this is what a gnome tripping on unicorn hairs feels like.

As usual, Grinka the sea nymph can’t catch a break. She simply wants to publish her novel. Unfortunately, Tamor and Tamara, the two fairy thorns in her side, mess with her computer. Too bad they’re immortal and can’t meet the same demise as the innumerable fairies in her book.

If that isn’t enough of a plague, Grinka’s sister Raina pops in from the Immortal World, bringing the first immortal virus with her. And now, Grinka is quarantined in her room with the two fairy nitwits.

Will she survive to hit publish, or will the rainbows and fairies win?

2021 - This Year Has To Be Better

I won't do it. I won't talk about The-Year-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named. That was the last post. This post is looking toward the future, and I'm mustering as much optimism as I can (this can be a difficult task at the best of times, for me at least) for 2021.

To go with that optimism, I've turned down my usual goals to about half. This is mainly because I have kids in and out of face-to-face, blended, and virtual learning, and I have to be adaptable. I will be adaptable if I want to keep going with writing instead of coming to a screaching halt again. And I've already proven to myself I can be adaptable this past Monday and Tuesday while Eldest was in Zoom classes. Headphones are a wonderful thing...

Anyway, Happy 2021! On with the goals!

2021 Mantras

❦ Just Write.

❦ Trust My Instincts.

❦ Focus.

❦ Embrace My Process.

Not much different from last year, aside from that second one. I think these are all great mantras to have that may persist for many years.

2021 Upcoming Publications

❦ Well of Solitude (Fortunes of Fate, 7) - Spring 2021

❦ Bytes Bite, And So Do Fairies (Fractured Fairies, 4) - Summer 2021

❦ Fortunes of Fate Collection #1 (Fate 1-6) - Fall 2021

2021 Writing Goals

❦ Revise and Edit Well of Solitude (Fortunes of Fate, 7) - I'm feeling more confident with what I need to do in the re-write of this story now, which is good. I've already gotten through another 501 words, and my brain is itching to continue it tomorrow. Slow but steady on this one, though.

❦ Revise and Edit Bytes Bite, And So Do Fairies (Fractured Fairies, 4) - This likely won't need too much work, but it will sure be fun to poke at Grinka and the fairies.

❦ Draft Nymphs Need Love Too (Fractured Fairies, 5) - Now, my brain has been going a million miles an hour on ideas for this since drafting Bytes Bite in June. The only foreseeable problem is that due to all of the elements I want to weave in, it's going to turn out rather long. Novella?

❦ Draft at least 42k of Gemini's Echo (Zodiac Aegis, 1) - Yes, I know this looks like I'm abandoning Dead As Dreams and Downward Spiral, but when your brain loosely maps out an entire arc for a 13-book series... Not looking a gift horse in the mouth. We'll see how it goes, though. I could always abandon ship and go back to the others. You can always realign my focus - just post a comment or send an email. What novel series do you want me to work on?

❦ Author Newsletter - 1 every other month, plus extras for releases. Trying to keep it simple for now. Chains of Nect: Obsidian's Obsession chapters for the most part.

❦ Born To Write - At least 1 blog post per month.

❦ Social Media - Have fun trying to post a cat picture every day on Instagram (which will also be posted to Twitter/Facebook). Year of Cats!

I'm feeling a little bit of deja vu with this post, but we won't talk about why... because I promised.

That's what it all boils down to for me this year, though. Not as much as I'd like to get done, but hey, it's better than nothing. Progress counts.

What are your goals or resolutions for 2021? Are you happy to have a fresh start in the new year? Feel free to share with me! Happy writing and reading. =)

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2021 Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Writing Update - May 2017

I figured I was due for an update, especially since I've shifted things around. I swear, my life is pretty much a constantly changing mass. Which drives me bonkers when I try to make a plan or a schedule, and then... BOOM! It makes my eyelid twitch.

Of course, a three-year-old who interrupts me every five seconds doesn't help. And I'm mostly not exaggerating. This blog post is proving a test of patience and it may take me all day to finish it.

Anyway, I suppose I should get on with it before I drive my few readers away, huh? =D

I have made lots of progress, which is a good thing! Just not as much progress as I'd hoped by this time of the year. Since I love lists, I'll break this down into mini-lists.

Completed 2017 Publications and Goals

❦ Mind Behind the Mind (Trinity Torn, 1) is now wide! I even have it available on Google Play, along with the rest of my titles. The Trinity Torn Series page has all the major places you can purchase it.

❦ Patreon! Yup, it's live, and I'll be posting another flash story this month and a poem next month. I'd appreciate your support so I can justify the time it takes to prepare the stories and poems to post!

❦ Edge of Sorrow (Fortunes of Fate, 6) was released in March. It's wide, so take a look at the Fortunes of Fate Series page if you might be interested in grabbing a copy.

❦ Dreams in Shadow (Fortunes of Fate, 1) is now available in paperback! It's just a small, slim one and only $3.95 on Amazon. The ebook is still free on Amazon and other ebook retailers!

❦ Haunted Unicorn Publishing is up and running, and I'm offering simple, but clean ebook formatting. (Developmental editing may be offered once fall rolls around.)

2017 Project Progress

❦ I am almost at the 60,000 word mark for the first draft of Thorns Entwine the Blade (Trinity Torn, 1)! I am hoping the momentum and excitement of nearing the end will propel me to complete the first draft this month. Then I'll need to do some quick tweaks that I already know need fixing, and then it's off to beta readers. Plus, I have the cover art! I just need to add the text. And my newsletter subscribers will get to see an early cover reveal (so sign up to your left if you want to see it - I won't be doing a public cover reveal until later this year).

❦ I've been thinking a lot about Hell On Wheels (Devil Made Me, 2). The thinking stage is just as important as the writing stage. ;) But I'll be making the cover this month, and I'll start the first draft after I finish wrapping up the Thorns first draft. If you haven't read Hell Hath No Fury (Devil Made Me, 1) yet, you may want to check it out before Hell On Wheels is released! Just take a look at the Devil Made Me Series pages for links.

2017 Publication Changes

❦ Dead As Dreams is on hold again. That poor novel keeps getting the short end of the stick. Instead of working on revisions of Dead As Dreams the second half of the year, I'll be plowing into revisions of Thorns Entwine the Blade! Yup, I'm swapping these two out. I'm aiming for an early 2018 release of Thorns, hopefully March at the latest.

❦ Hell On Wheels will probably be out more like September or October now, since I'm a bit behind schedule for the Thorns draft.

❦ GSD vs. Everything is paused for now. I haven't made any progress on it this year. It's my side project, so I'm a bit disappointed, but not crushed. Time and energy is at a premium nowadays, and this is one of the things that keeps getting pushed aside.

I think that's it! Man, I never feel like I've done that much or enough until I start listing things. Hopefully there won't be any other huge changes to my plans this year. Well, finding more time and squeezing in more writing so I can publish more books would be welcome. Guess I'll just have to keep dreaming.

Edge of Sorrow Excerpt

It's time for the next Fortunes of Fate story! Edge of Sorrow is the 6th title in the series, and the release date is March 14. Not just at Amazon, either. I'm immediately releasing this one to all the major online retailers. And when I say all, I also mean Google Play! As a matter of fact, in the next couple of days all of the Fortunes of Fate stories will be available on Google Play (in the next week for my other titles).

For now, you can preorder Edge of Sorrow on Amazon, Kobo, and iBooks. The 14th isn't that far away, right? The Google Play preorder should be up soon, and I'll add the link to the post when it is. No preorder at Barnes & Noble, but Edge of Sorrow will be available there some time on the 14th.

I actually have some other exciting news. The first story in the Fortunes of Fate series, Dreams in Shadow is FREE at all retailers right now (and on Instafreebie - it will be part of a group promo, but more on that next week). So, if you haven't grabbed a copy yet, your budget won't stop you from snagging your free copy at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iBooks, Google Play, and Smashwords. Grab it while you can. Not sure how long I'll keep it free.

Free stuff is good, but I'm hoping you're looking forward to the Edge of Sorrow excerpt. I have to say, this short story is my favorite of all the ones I've written so far to date. Happy reading!

❦

Jasp draped his arms over the gargoyle and rested his chin on his interlaced fingers. The stone bench was as chilly on his backside as the gargoyle was on his wrinkled hands, but he’d suffer through any temperature for his daily vigil, which had lasted going on two decades.

A plum tree rattled in the breeze as if it spoke to him. No other tree or bush in the garden stirred.

If only Yetta could still speak. Her voice had been that of a songbird. Sweet as honey. And all those other wretched clichés.

No one’s fault but his own, though. He’d been lucky he’d had enough magic to turn her spirit into a plum tree before she’d completely faded from Fate.

Although Jasp didn’t think she was too happy with her current status. Twenty years was a long time. “Sorry, Yetta. Can’t let you go.”

Can't let go? The external thought burrowed into his brain, clear as the sky if he hadn’t intentionally kept it cloudy and gray.

Jasp slapped the gargoyle on the head, and it woke up. It flapped away and offered a vexed look over its shoulder.

“Yetta?” Stupid question. The voice wasn’t hers -- he’d know it anywhere. A soprano. This one was an alto, saturated with accusation.

A calico cat with shimmering red eyes slunk out from behind the plum tree. No Yetta here. Name's Amber.

“Cat.” Jasp stood and stalked toward the creature, but it held its ground. He waggled a finger. “You’re the one who ruined my fun then with that Darney boy?”

Oh, no. I love some tormenting fun, Mage Jasp. Maybe more than you. That was probably my meddling sister Joslyn. And feel free to kick that Darney fellow for me next time you see him, if you’d like.

“Humph. Makes no difference to me. Punishing one cat is as good as the other.”

The cat sauntered closer and rubbed up against his old, ratty purple robe. Little minx. You don't want to punish me. A purr vibrated through his mind.

“No?” He squatted down and stared into her mischievous red eyes. “Why’s that?”

You need me to show you.

He wanted to kick her and her bothersome riddling. She’d destroyed his peace, gazing upon his dear Yetta in tree form. The only time his aging body quieted. “What do you want from me, you mangy critter?”

Mangy? Amber yowled. I'll forgive the insult, for now. I need you to... meddle.

"But you just..." Vexing, contradictory creature.

Meddling has its advantages. Just don't tell Joslyn I said so.

❦

The woman’s skin blends into the gray of the bark, her body melded with the tree. And she weeps.

The mage Jasp spent the last two decades shuttered away in his crumbling mansion, mourning the loss of his wife, Yetta – his guilt and a couple of stone-brained gargoyles his only companions. He intends to continue his self-inflicted solitude, until the calico cat Amber appears. A malicious mage is imprisoning women and draining their life force. Amber insists the great and powerful Jasp must save them.

Jasp’s memory of Yetta spurs him to act. Making no promises, he follows Amber to the weeping women in the woods. But it’s not as simple as freeing them. It never is.

Setting My Sights On 2017

Well, 2016 was a busy year, as you saw from my last post.

Time to charge headfirst into 2017! (Kind of like my toddler does to the door when we put her in a time out... but maybe with a little more focus and intent - lol.)

As I mentioned in my previous post, I won't be publishing as much in 2017. This is mainly because a lot of the stuff that came out in 2016 only needed a bit of polish before it was released to the world. ;)

But that doesn't mean I won't be writing! I'm scared my to do list might be too ambitious with a THREEnager in the house, but we'll see how it goes. I reserve the right to change my trajectory at a moment's notice. That's the great thing about indie publishing -- if real life slaps you silly, you can shift deadlines around. I'll of course keep everyone posted if plans change. The best way to keep track of my upcoming publications, as always, is my newsletter (there's a form to sign up to the left).

Anyway, first I'll list my intended publications, and then I'll list my writing goals for the year! Here we go!

2017 Publications

❦ January 2017 - Mind Behind the Mind (Trinity Torn, 1) - I'll be releasing it to several retailers other than Amazon.

❦ January 2017 - Patreon page! I intend to offer flash stories and poems. If you become a supporter you can even feed me story prompts!

❦ March/April 2017 - Edge of Sorrow (Fortunes of Fate, 6) - Remember Jasp from Reversed? Yeah, that rotten mage Darney asked for help. Well, it's time to get into Jasp's head! This will immediately be available at several retailers, and not just Amazon.

❦ August/September 2017 - Hell On Wheels (Devil Made Me, 2) - So, last time we dealt with Moira's first experiences in Hell. I wonder how things with her and Jared are going... Can't be good, right? Not with her stubborn streak. You'll find out in this sequel to Hell Hath No Fury!

❦ November/December 2017 - GSD (Getting Stuff Done) vs. Everything - This is humorous non-fiction, but if you like any of my humorous fantasy, you may like these essays. I'm hoping to have this published by the end of the year, but it's a side project, and it will be the first thing removed from my to do list if I get behind on my fiction. I'll remain optimistic for now, though, that it'll get completed.

2017 Writing Goals

❦ Complete the first draft of Thorns Entwine the Blade (Trinity Torn, 2).

❦ Find beta readers for Thorns Entwine the Blade.

❦ First draft and revisions of Edge of Sorrow (Fortunes of Fate, 6). And publish it!

❦ First draft and revisions of Hell On Wheels (Devil Made Me, 2). And publish it!

❦ Revisions of Dead As Dreams (Shepherd of Dreams, 1). And get it ready for publication for January/February 2018! This is what I decided to work on instead of attempting revisions of Thorns Entwine the Blade this year. My heart is telling me it needs to be released to the world. Though, if I get enough people demanding the next Trinity Torn novel, I'll be willing to switch my focus back to Thorns.

❦ Start the Patreon page!

❦ Start offering clean and simple ebook formatting services via Haunted Unicorn Publishing. Also consider offering developmental edits, depending on the toddler.

❦ Finish first draft and revisions of GSD vs. Everything. And publish it!

❦ Continue writing 3 blog posts per month and sending out a newsletter every month at most and every other month at the least.

❦ Read more. Always need to read more. I just restarted the Dresden Files series. So many books, so little time.

Well, those are all the main things at least! Personal goals this year mostly focus on my mind and body health. Writing is not a very active career - lol.

What are your plans for 2017? Resolutions or goals? Are they quantifiable or more general? Good luck with whatever you decide to aim for! And if you have any writing goals, remember you can always join us at Writing Quest to share them and be cheered on.

OK, 2017 -- here I come!

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

Void of Intuition Excerpt

The fourth Fortunes of Fate title released this past weekend! Yay! Interested in seeing Tilly again from Dreams in Shadow? Well, you're in luck because she makes an appearance in Void of Intuition. Right now, you can find Void of Intuition on Amazon, and near the end of November, it will be available at other retailers as well.

Oh, but you'd like to see a snippet of the story, wouldn't you? An excerpt and the story blurb is below. Happy reading, and may the cards reveal a bright future.

❦

She opened the door.

A movie screen blocked the entrance. The white screen wavered, then showed crackly gray, like an old projector filmstrip. Was there a tinge of purple to the gray?

Numbers counted down, 10, 9, 8... delaying the inevitable. The dream had a wretched sense of humor. It knew she wanted this over as soon as possible but it dragged things out, taking every second it could from Cece’s life.

“Come on, already.” Her voice echoed through the house, tinny to her ears.

The filmstrip stopped on 5.

“Sorry,” Cece whispered, so as not to hear the weird echo again.

The countdown continued and finished.

The image of a little girl in overalls appeared on the screen. She skipped down a dirt road, laughing and chasing a cat. The gray cat from the stoop. At least Cece thought it was -- hard to tell in a black and white film.

She studied the foliage on the side of the road. Nothing odd about it really, but she had the sense she’d never seen plants like these before and that she couldn’t find them even if she scoured all of Earth. There was that hint of purple again. Surely her eyes weren’t playing tricks on her if she’d seen it so often.

Who knew with these dreams.

The girl seemed happy, carefree. Cece wished she could be like the child. It had been a long time since she’d experienced that kind of joy.

But as in most dreams, the first picture she saw wasn’t the true one, not if she only looked at it on the surface. And there it was, trailing behind the little girl -- a long shadow, longer and darker than a shadow had the right to be.

And as Cece watched, the shadow grew larger, stretching across the screen, eating away at the scene. It morphed into something misshapen, unrecognizable -- a puddle of ooze seeping along the edges. Until it swallowed the cat whole.

❦

A woman whose dreams come true.

Cece’s tried to ignore her prophetic dreams all her life – they’ve caused nothing but heartache, starting with the death of her grandmother. But now she’s dreamt of a lost child. And the dizziness that only plagued her in her dreams starts seeping into the real world. When she begins hallucinating, she fears she’s losing her mind. There’s only one person she can turn to – an ex-boyfriend who told her he never wanted to see her again. Will he be willing to help her now?

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?

S.O.L. Air Excerpt

Why yes, it is another release day! It's hard to believe this is the 9th story I've released for my Baker's Dozen Experiment. What a ride.

Well, I started out the experiment with releasing Fractured Fairies, and today we get to read more about Grinka, Syndago, and the fairy brats! The humorous antics continue in S.O.L. Air, which you can now nab from Amazon. As always, this was fun to write. I hope you enjoy it as well! You can find an excerpt below.

And the next Fractured Fairies tale will be coming at the end of November - A Very Grinka Christmas! It'll be longer than the previous stories, but there's plenty of humor to keep things lively. What, you thought I'd stop publishing after the experiment was over? Never! I'll be writing until my body no longer allows it. You're stuck with my stories and characters for a good long time.

Anyway, onto the good stuff!

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I take a deep breath as the plane engines rev louder and the flight attendant buckles herself in. Maybe I can jump out of a window. Nope, no way to open this sucker, and someone was smart enough to not seat me in the emergency row. I peer out the window and gulp. Maybe I should have given Syndago the window seat.

I see a flicker of movement to the right, outside the plane, and crane my neck to look closer. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

There on the wing sit the two fairy twits. They wave when they realize I notice them. Guess they’re willing to risk being ground into a sticky pulp so they can make my life more miserable.

“There are pigeons on the wing.” At least my voice is now dry instead of panicky.

“I told you you couldn’t leave them behind.” Syndago frowns. “They deserve a vacation, too.”

“Every day of their lives is a vacation! They drink and drink and drink, and play pranks, and make rude comments, and drive me up a wall, and--” If it weren’t for Syndago insisting we can’t abandon them, the little snots would be living on the street, like proper pigeons, and not with us. The bulb above my head bursts. “And I need a vacation from them.”

“Calm down, Grinka.”

I open my mouth, ready to tick off several reasons why I don’t need to calm down, but the plane lurches forward and fear shoves the anger down my throat.

We’re taking off. No, we can’t. Stop the plane. I need to get off.

“Your mouth is hanging open.” Syndago’s brow wrinkles with worry.

I squeak.

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What’s a sea nymph got to do to get a vacation around here?

That whole “life is a journey, not a destination” nonsense doesn’t hold water with Grinka. Especially when she books a flight to Vegas to get away from those two fairy nitwits. She doesn’t quite consider the aquatic ramifications of a sea nymph in the air. Nor does she plan on a chance encounter with her goblin ex-boyfriend, Hrelm. Seriously, what’s it going to take for Grinka to get to Vegas and gamble away her meager savings?

Reversed Excerpt

Another release day! The Fortunes of Fate series is one of those series that's close to my heart, and with each story, I learn something new about the world of Fate and the tales unfolding between there and Earth.

So, I'm happy to announce that the third story, Reversed, is now available for purchase from Amazon! It's also on Kindle Unlimited. Remember the Tarot reader from Dreams in Shadow? Well, this story is from his point of view. Will you join him on his journey?

A small excerpt and the blurb for Reversed is below. Enjoy the sneak peek!

Also, Dreams in Shadow should be available from other retailers within the next month (it's no longer available through Kindle Unlimited, but it's still on Amazon). And don't forget Love Fades will be available for FREE from May 18th through the 22nd.

Have fun getting lost in the stories of Fate!

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Darney pressed his hands to his ears. The screaming continued in his mind, though. The cards howled. And the heat from them in his pocket throbbed against his hip -- seventy-eight tiny hearts, skipping beats from their wounds.

That rotten child had done this.

Many people didn’t like what the cards told them, but the little girl had been the first to react so violently. The poor Fool card whimpered, creases refusing to even out after she crumpled it. At least half of the other cards were singed. Fire. Of all things, she had to use fire.

Delilah, his mother, had warned him, told him to protect the cards with enchantments. Such magic would have kept them safe for the most part. The fire wouldn’t have touched them. But he didn’t know how, couldn’t find the magic she claimed he had.

The magic he yearned to find.

He traveled from town to town in hopes that the next reading would be the trigger, the one that would spark the glow inside of him. And then he could truly bond with his cards -- they’d be an extension of him, not just a deck of friends he kept close.

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The cards won't stop screaming.

Darney's Tarot cards were scorched by a wretched child who set fire to his card table. Their sobs and screams torment his conscience, but he can't heal them because he has no magic.

In desperation, Darney seeks the help of Jasp, a well-known, but cruel, mage. Jasp is his last hope. Or his undoing and the cards' doom.

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!

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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.

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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?

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!

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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.

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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.