Lia Davis's Blog

I’m so thrilled to finally have the third book in the Randi Sanderson series out in the wild. Things are heating up been Randi and Cash and Kalon.

The below excerpt is a spoiler for those who have not read books 1 and 2. If you haven’t, then hop over to the series page here and download them in KU or buy them. Rise of the Shade is FREE until Sunday, April 16th.

 

Now, here is the excerpt! Enjoy.

 

I turned to peer through the front window. In the driveway, leaning against my car, stood Kalon, his fists stuffed into his jean pockets, his expression severe. His expression is always severe. I ruminated on that fact, and that it had been the very same expression that first lured me in, as I walked out to meet him. “I thought it was too dangerous to leave your hideout.”

He looked past me to the house. “How’s he doing?”

I crossed my arms. “I’ve had him less than a day, and you’re checking in? You know I raised him on my own for eleven years, right?”

“Looks like you had a little help.”

I glanced over my shoulder to find Mom hovering near the window, doing a bad job of pretending she wasn’t watching us.

“I’m glad they’re around for him, too,” said Kalon. “You’ve done a really good job with him. Thank you.”

I saw a flicker of sorrow in his eyes. “Kalon…” I wanted to ask him where he’d been all this time, how he managed to return from the dead, why his first impulse wasn’t to return to his family, but for some reason all these questions seemed more intimate than our present footing could allow. To ask them meant crossing a divide I didn’t feel comfortable yet traversing. From where I stood, it looked riddled with mines, and Kalon seemed disinterested in clearing the path.

He pushed away from the car and stared out across the neighborhood. “Tell me about work. Any more trouble from Stone and his cohort?”

I took up his place against the car, wondering if I shouldn’t just leave him out of the loop. After all, if he was going to keep me in the dark, why shouldn’t I return the favor? But I thought the better of it. If Kalon believed he was in danger serious enough it required holing up in an undisclosed forest retreat, I figured he ought to be kept abreast of developments. “They’re targeting the Vampire Council.”

He looked back at me.

“They’ve already killed Rico Vincent,” I told him, “and now Erna Keller is missing.”

“Any clues as to who may be the assassin?”

“Aside from the Shade?” I shrugged.

Kalon scratched at the stubble on his jawline. It looked like he hadn’t shaved in a while, which was new. Despite the likely explanation involving anxiety and a preoccupation with present stressors, I found it kind of hot. You know, rugged. Kalon always had a powerfully masculine aura, and the five o’clock shadow complimented it. “Guessing they wiped the scene?”

I nodded, holding back the question of how he knew. “But unlike the last few murders, there was…a message.”

He signaled his curiosity with a raised eyebrow.

“Written in blood above Rico, ‘The world will be swallowed under shade.’ All caps. Pretty emphatic.”

This detail piqued his interest. “Anything else?”

I shook my head. “Oh, apparently, there was a gator at both scenes? Someone saw a tail slipping into the bushes at Rico’s murder scene, then Cash found gator prints in Erna’s kitchen. I don’t know what to make of that, really, possibly a very bizarre coincidence. It is Florida, after all.”

More than the message, the alligator deepened the furrow in his brow, his eyes drifting off in thought. “Huh,” was all he said.

“Does that mean something to you? Know any murderous reptiles on the prowl?”

He snapped out of his reverie and turned a cold stare on me. “You said Cash found the paw prints, hm? How’s he at his job?”

“He’s—”

“How’s he with you?”

My vision constricted around Kalon as I glared back at him. “I don’t think that’s any of your business.”

“Protection,” he said, pronouncing the word like he was jabbing me with it. “Is he adequate?”

I scoffed. “What, to protect me? I can look out for myself, Kalon.”

He looked dubious. “Ace gave his life to save you. He was one of the strongest men I knew.”

I stepped forward, into his personal space. “He also said some cryptic things before he passed. He implied, more or less, that there are somehow good Shade out there.” I took another half step closer, bringing me up under his nose. He glared down it as I continued, “What could he have possibly meant by that, Kalon?”

At this distance, I could see the finer details of his icy-blue eyes, the way they lightened nearer the pupil, darkened to a ring of cobalt at the edge of his iris. As they’d always been, I found them impenetrable, a quality he recently bestowed upon our son. For a man so quiet, his absence from our lives was felt profoundly, a terrible black hole once filled by his enormous stature. Stoic, brooding, moody, irascible, and yet loving, affectionate, even sweet. His silence in the driveway performed a strange trick, returning me to all those quiet moments spent together in the years before he died. Or nearly died. Or died temporarily. More mystery.

“Nothing to say for Ace?”

His eyes cut briefly at my lips, an effect of my proximity eroding his resolve. I smirked, knowing how I might pluck an admission from him. I raised up on my toes to bring my lips to his. He kissed me like he used to, hungrily, only now with a touch of despair, for all he had lost. A gateway into his mind was left briefly unattended, and I slipped quickly into his thoughts. It was a sea of undulating tar, black waves rolling over into one another. Rather than construct a defensive wall, he masked the contents of his mind by filling it with a dark sea. A manipulation of his very specific set of skills; namely, control over abyss. One was as likely to decipher his intentions as they were finding one specific fish in the whole of the Pacific Ocean.

Unless they’d sailed his sea before.

Plunging into the mire, I allowed the currents to drag me in the direction of his consciousness. After discussing the Shade, it seemed his thoughts focused on the subject. The shifting material globbed onto the topic and I forced my way to the center of it, until the kernel transmitted itself to me.

It was a brief glimpse of honesty, stolen from his will that thrust me out as soon as it found me. But it was long enough to make a confounding discovery. My lips pulled away from Kalon’s and uttered two words, “Shade king.”

My eyes inquired from his the meaning of this revelation, but he only castigated himself for falling victim to my clever maneuver. “You always knew how to get my guard down.”

“Kalon—”

“Randi?” Cash stormed across the street, and suddenly I became aware of Kalon’s hands at my lower back, holding me close to him.

When Kalon saw Cash approaching, his grip tightened at my sides. “Isn’t this after hours?”

Cash glared at me. “What are you doing?”

“Cash—”

But he already redirected his ire to Kalon. “What are you doing?”

“Kissing my wife. What were you doing? Peeping?”

I could see the red filling Cash’s vision. “This house happens to be where I stay. So, you’d be the one who doesn’t belong.”

Kalon released me and faced Cash. At his side, he summoned a small, holy blade. “That so? I suppose you consider yourself my wife’s protector. But I haven’t had the opportunity to test your abilities as a guard dog.” He swiped at Cash, who only just managed to partially summon a small shield in time. He cast his forearm between them and Kalon’s blow glanced off the flickering holy metal, raining sparks onto the driveway. Cash’s retort came in the form of a glowing fist, infused with empyrean strength, hurled from below. Kalon pivoted in time to avoid it, then lashed out with his knife in one fluid motion. His fingers still pulsating with heavenly magic, Cash seized Kalon’s wrist with the blade’s point mere inches from his right eye.

“Good lord!” I called out, forcing myself between them. “Either of you give a moment’s thought to where you are right now?” I glanced around the neighborhood and felt a small dose of relief when I saw no onlookers.

Huffing, they both stepped away from each other, a touch shamefaced. Kalon backed down the driveway, glaring at Cash who obliged him by glaring back. I swear, men make more drama than women. It’s not fair we get the bad rap.

“We’ll talk soon,” said Kalon, before teleporting.

I threw up my hands. “What did I just say?”

“The guy’s a loose cannon.”

I raised my finger to Cash. “You don’t score points off this.”

“Fair.” He moseyed then back toward his car.

“Where are you going?”

“We,” he corrected. “Hop in.”

 

 

 

Happy release day! LA and I are so thrilled to bring you guys new series in the After Forty universe – Hunting After Forty. You meet a new character, Blair Braden, who teams up with Lily Walker (Drew’s sister) for ghostly mysteries and lots of laughs.

 

Midlife Hotspots

Hunting After Forty, book 1

Lia Davis & L.A. Boruff

 

Antique store owner and ostracized paranormal hunter, Blair Braden lives a quiet small-town life, running her antique shop and minding her business.

The hunter guild gave her the boot thirty years ago when they discovered she was pregnant with a half-shifter baby. Since then, the wolf pack her daughter belongs to has become her extended family, complete with fur, fangs, and claws.

Life is good and drama free.

Until Lachlan James, her baby-daddy, Alpha of the local wolf pack, and a very good friend comes to her for help. One of his wolves is being haunted, and Blair is just the non-hunter for the job. She’s got an affinity for hauntings, despite not technically being a hunter anymore.

Of course, she has to help. It’s not like she has a ton of things to do herself, like selling her antiques, keeping an eye out for cursed objects, and trying to figure out if her shop is being haunted. There are strange things happening, that’s for sure.

She’ll drop everything and help the haunted wolf because that’s the right thing to do.

And Blair always does the right thing.

 

Get it from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BJC8CQ3N

Also available in Kindle Unlimited!

Excerpt:

This was my life. A life of small mysteries and large trinkets. Of ghosts and shifters and all things paranormal.

It was a wild ride, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Back at My Junk, Your Trunk, I parked my car in its usual spot near the back door, sent Lach a text to send one of the pack members to pick up the writing desk, and sent him the address.

He replied after a moment or two. Sure thing, Mama.

I smiled at the endearment and got out of the car.

The second I stepped in the back door, I knew I wasn’t alone. I froze for a moment, stretching out my hunter senses. Someone was definitely there. In the dark. Watching me. Waiting for something.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my cell phone. I dialed 911, then let my finger hover over the send button. “Hello?” I called. Probably not my smartest move, but it was more than likely either Meggan or Lachlan.

I stopped carrying a weapon on my person years ago when I was forced to retire. Right then I wish I had my knife on me.

It could’ve been a ghost, but I didn’t feel hot, so that wasn’t likely. “Who is there?” I called in my most demanding voice. There were weapons all hidden over the place, strategically placed. Just because I was retired didn’t mean I wasn’t still a hunter. It was in my blood. Every move was instinctual. Our sixth sense was magically enhanced to warn us of danger and tell us to take out rogue paranormal beings.

With my left hand ready to dial the emergency line, I reached over the doorway leading into the main part of the store and grabbed a sword that hung there for just such an occasion.

“I’m armed,” I warned. “If you’re here to rob me, you picked the wrong shop.”

“Calm down,” a soft, sassy voice replied. “If I was going to rob you, I’d be long gone.”

I stepped into the main room to see none other than Lily Walker sitting in an antique chair I loved. It looked like a throne. Oh, how fitting since the Walker family was like royalty among the hunters. Seriously, they were like a founding family or something.

“Lily.” I lowered the sword but didn’t put it back. Maybe it was because I spent the last thirty years as an unofficial member of a wolf pack and the fact that I didn’t trust other hunters anymore. It wasn’t a good thing to see hunters in your small town.

God, I hoped they weren’t having a convention.

Lily was the youngest of three. She was beautiful, fit, and kicked paranormal butt as a hobby. Her long black hair was pulled back into a ponytail, but her blue eyes seemed to see through to my soul.

“I’m retired,” I said flatly, holding her stare. No way she was pulling me back into the life. Not after the way they’d unceremoniously dumped me. It was never a good day to come home and find a Walker waiting.

Lily burst out laughing. “Yeah, about like my brother Drew. He calls himself retired, then goes and marries a necromancer and their best friends are a fae and a vampire. In fact, he and his new wife are doing a job for Grandmother. So we never really retire.”

I bet Lily would fall in her grandmother’s footsteps and hunt monsters until she died. Pearl Walker breathed, ate, and slept hunting. She was a force.

I’d heard about Drew and his new family. It was wonderful that the matriarch of all of the eastern United States hunters, who also happened to be Drew’s grandmother, had gone to support him and his marriage. “Well, I am definitely retired. So, I hope this is a social call.”

“I’ve been reassigned.” She stood and walked toward me. “This is a nice place. Tiny. Usually, places like this are super dusty.”

Huh? I looked around and noticed she was right. There wasn’t a speck of dust anywhere. What in the world? It usually was very dusty.

Lily’s voice drew my attention back to her. “Northeastern Florida is having far too much ghostly activity. They wanted someone nearby. Since you live here, I thought I’d stop by as a courtesy.”

Yeah, I noticed that too, but I figured it was me. I’d always seem to attract ghosts for some reason. I waved my hand at her. “I’m still retired.”

“Okay.” She nodded. “I just need a place to stay. I’m in a hotel now. If you know of any rentals, please let me know?”

That was fair enough. I did have an apartment over my store that I used to live in. I moved out to the small house closer to pack land not long after Meggan was born. I wasn’t sure I wanted Lily that close. So I wasn’t going to tell her about it. “Sure.” I nodded. “That I can do.”

Stepping forward, I put my hand out, clearly indicating she could make her way out the back door, presumably the way she’d come in. “Thank you for coming by. I’ll be sure to call you if I find anything out.”

She chuckled and let me usher her out. “You don’t have my number.”

“You know, if it’s meant to be, I’ll guess it.” I beamed at her as I tried to crowd her out the door, but she stopped short.

“Here.” She tapped on her phone screen, then handed it to me. “Text me something.”

While suppressing a sigh, I typed in, this is Blair and hit send. “Okay, bye-bye now.”

Shutting the door behind her gave me an immense sense of relief, as did whispering, “I. Am. Retired.“

 

Get it from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BJC8CQ3N

Also available in Kindle Unlimited!

Featuring Shifting Fate by Carrie PulkinenFollow Carrie:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2YPXm4I
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/carrie-pulkinen 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/carriepulkinen 

Website: https://www.carriepulkinen.com/

 

Welcome, Carrie! Please start off by telling us a little about yourself.

I’ve always been fascinated with things that go bump in the night. I grew up literally next door to a cemetery, so the dead–and the undead–were hard to ignore! Now, I live in Houston, Texas, with my sexy Dutch husband, two beautiful daughters, and two little dogs who are always up to no good.

What genres do you write?

Paranormal romance and paranormal romantic comedy

How many books have you published?

20ish?

What can a reader expect when picking up one of your books for the first time?

Humor, heart, and a man who will do anything for the woman he loves.

What were your inspirations for Shifting Fate?

Shifting Fate is set in my Crescent City Wolf Pack world, and it features Noah, a telekinetic werewolf and Amber, the alpha’s sister. The inspiration for this story (and all the books in the series) comes from urban legends and folklore in the New Orleans area.

Please share your setting for Shifting Fate. Have you ever lived or visited there? If so, what did you like most?  

Shifting Fate takes place in my absolute favorite city in the world…New Orleans! I have visited there many times, and I adore the food, the music, and the culture. There’s never a dull moment in the Big Easy!

How did you research or prepare?

By visiting New Orleans, reading books about the folklore, and talking to locals.

Boxers, brief or commando?

Briefs or boxer-briefs. A like a little extra layer to unwrap before reaching the prize

Favorite eye color?

Hazel

Do you have a set writing schedule or do you just go with the flow of life and write when you can?

I get up an hour before everyone else in my family so I can write before my day is colored by anyone else’s mood.

Describe your perfect alpha hero.

Strong and protective, but he always treats his lady with respect. I can’t stand alphaholes.

 

Thanks, Carrie! Get more paranormal themed stories like Shifting Fate in Hearts Unleashed, a Limited Edition Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Collection of 20+ NEW heart-pounding supernatural fiction featuring sensual heroes and sassy heroines.

 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/355Dcal

Universal: https://books2read.com/hearts

Featured Moon Claimed by Cecilia LaneFollow Cecilia: 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ttIbfD
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cecilia-lane 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorCLane 

Website: https://cecilialane.com/ 

 

Welcome, Cecilia! Please start off by telling us a little about yourself.

I’m Cecilia! I love coffee, cookies, memes, and dirty jokes. I love to travel and explore new places. Most weekends see me and Mr. Lane chilling and watching whatever soccer games we can get on TV or taking an early morning stroll through some pretty parks. Writing has always been my dream job and I’m incredibly grateful to bring all the stories in my head to life on paper.

What genres do you write?

Paranormal romance! Shifters, vampires, fae, I love all the strange and unusual =D

How many books have you published?

30+, with 20 of those in my Shifting Destinies world.

What can a reader expect when picking up one of your books for the first time?

Action! I love, love, love a big battle moment where everything seems lost, but WAIT! Here comes that happy ending riding in with the rest of the cavalry. My characters might go through hell, face down their biggest fears and insecurities, hiss and spit and cuss at everyone under the sun, but they always get where they need to be in the end and WITH the people they need.

Please share your setting for Moon Claimed? Have you ever lived or visited there? If so, what did you like most?

Abel meets Dakota in Yellowstone National Park, but their story takes them on the road to his pack lands in California. I spent a lot of time cruising through Google Maps and checking out photos. I’ve yet to be there in real life, but it’s on my bucket list.

How do you research or prepare?

As with any book, I read. You know that MCU meme where Tony Stark is asked when he became an expert on thermonuclear astrophysics and he gets cocky and answers, ‘last night’? Yeah, that’s my obsessive need to get job details correct even if they never get used.

 

For Dakota, I read a lot about park rangers. Living quarters, uniforms, slang, schooling needed. Some of the details will make it into the book with concrete lines, others will be unspoken foundation and guidance for character actions. And others will take up space once used for important information like those annoying security questions, oops!

When did the writing bug first bite?

Elementary school. I have vague recollections of writing little stories about unicorns. Fanfiction in middle school grew into working on horrible first attempts at original stuff in high school. It’s just something I’ve always loved.

Who are your favorite authors/books/series?

Anne Rice, Anne McCaffrey, and Robert Jordan will always hold special places in my heart.

What is your most favorite childhood memory?

It’s more a collection of memories of exploring with my grandparents. I spent most summers with them, and the adventures would start with driving halfway across the country to their home. We’d take a week and stop by roadside attractions or make a detour to a waterpark.

 

One summer we visited the ruins at Chaco Canyon. Another, we stopped by Roswell and did a tour of Carlsbad Caverns and stuck around to see the bats emerge for the night. They placed a great deal of importance on knowing there’s an endless amount of things to see and do in this world, and I try to live up to that as much as possible.

Do you have any hobbies or special things you like to do in your spare time?

I do what a lot of other writers do: read! When not reading or binging a show, I tend to get lost in builder video games, be it a city builder or some sort of dynasty builder. I’ve been switching back and forth between Cities Skylines and Crusader Kings 3 for the last few months.

Boxers, briefs, or commando?

Commando ;P

Favorite eye color?

I’m a sucker for green eyes of all shades.

Do you have a set writing schedule or do you just go with the flow of life and write when you can?

I treat my writing like a job. I need a consistent schedule, or I’ll never get anything done. Monday through Friday, I’m in my office with a word doc open. I might not get as much done as I’d like, but I make sure to show up.

Describe your perfect alpha hero.

Tall, dark, and mouthy!

 

Thanks, Cecilia! Get more paranormal themed stories like Moon Claimed in Hearts Unleashed, a Limited Edition Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Collection of 20+ NEW heart-pounding supernatural fiction featuring sensual heroes and sassy heroines.

 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/355Dcal

Universal: https://books2read.com/hearts

Featuring Her Dragon Mate by Elle BoonFollow Elle:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/3bsmXb1
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/elle-boon 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/elleboon1 

Website: http://www.elleboon.com/ 

 

Welcome, Elle! Please start off by telling us a little about yourself.

I’m a wife, a mother, and a Mimi to one little nugget who has changed our world. I love to write all things, but paranormal is probably my favorite because I love creating new worlds where anything is possible. 

What genres do you write?

I write a little bit of everything, from Paranormal with shifters of all kinds, wolves, dragons, and bears, to MC Romance, Navy SEALs, and contemporary with some Menage paranormal thrown in that is awesome IMO

How many books have you published?

I think I’m at 48 now LOL

What can a reader expect when picking up one of your books for the first time?

Readers can expect lots of action, suspense, and sexy AF alpha males with heroines who are not weak or too stupid to live. You’ll always get a happily ever after with each of my stories ’cause I am not a cliffhanger writer or lover LOL While there is sex (really steamy scenes) the stories are very plot driven and I hope well written.

What were your inspirations for Her Dragon Mate?

For the story in this anthology, my heroine has been in several other stories, but you never knew why she was so reclusive. Her daughter and her are both pink dragons and are keepers of the Fey Realm when the Queen is off doing her thing. So this story explains or tells you exactly why she is who and why and where she came from. 

Please share your setting for Her Dragon Mate. Have you ever lived or visited there? If so, what did you like most?  

The book Her Dragon Mate is set in multiple places. Earth modern day plus The Dragon Realm, and Fey Realm. I love being able to create the worlds that you’ll see in the story and hope y’all will be able to envision them both as well as Earth. 

How did you research or prepare?

For research I use the internet A LOT for my stories that are based off of real-life things and for my paranormal stories I look at images of things that I want to emulate and then twist and turn them to my liking. Although it’s paranormal, I like to be able to envision things so that I can explain them well so that readers too can see them.

When did the writing bug first bite?

I was first a beta/crit partner for other writers who then encouraged me a little over 7 years ago and I’ve not looked back.

Who are your favorite authors, book/series?

OYY, I have soo many, but my first romance author I read was Diana Palmer and I still love her today. She’s totally different than what I write, but I will go back and read her books when I need what I call a “brain cleanse” lol

What is your most favorite childhood memory?

Hmm, well, that’s hard because I had a stroke when I was thirty-two so things are a bit wonky in my head. That’s one of the reasons I started writing. I have a degree in accounting, which is what I was doing prior to writing, but as life does, it tossed me a curve. So, I swerved and here is where I am.

Do you have any hobbies or special things you like to do in your spare time?

I am a cleaner. I love to clean and organize and read or watch my granddaughter RomyGirl who is the light of my life.

Boxers, brief or commando?

For me, I’m a panty girl LOL for my guy I like boxerbriefs <3

Favorite eye color?

Well, my hubby has amber eyes which I love but both my kiddos and my granddaughter have gorgeous blue sooo there you go “wink”

What’s the strangest thing you’ve heard or seen? 

Oh, do you have all day? I’ve heard and seen lots of weird stuff in my life. I mean, crazy is as crazy does they say, so I tend to not judge…too hard. However, I will say, that when you put your life out there you can’t help but get some raised brows from time to time. For instance, I saw a couple who were upset that people were judging them. Well, when you’re sitting around talking to each others…feet, that’s a little odd, but hey, you do you, Boo <3

Do you have a set writing schedule or do you just go with the flow of life and write when you can?

I usually start first thing and go with the flow. 

Describe your perfect alpha hero.

The perfect alpha hero is strong, dominant, and puts his mate and family first. He’s of course sexy AF and will do anything to make his mate happy. 

 

Thanks, Elle! Get more paranormal themed stories like Her Dragon Mate in Hearts Unleashed, a Limited Edition Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Collection of 20+ NEW heart-pounding supernatural fiction featuring sensual heroes and sassy heroines.

 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/355Dcal

Universal: https://books2read.com/hearts

Happy Release Day to Ava and her extended family.

 

LA and I are celebrating with an awesome giveaway: A Witching After Forty Swag Box packed with books and goodies. KEEP READING FOR DETAIL ON HOW TO ENTER! 

 

First we want to give you a Haunting sneak peek.

 

Chapter One

Done!

Finally.

After months of hard work, starting and stopping, a paragraph here and a chapter there.

Now it was done. After struggling for the last several weeks with the ending of the novel, I typed ‘The End’ with glee and a feeling of accomplishment. The next step was to let that book baby sit on my computer and marinate until I returned from Philly. A few weeks of perspective would help me see errors more easily before shipping it off to my editor.

I leaned back in my comfy office chair and stretched. My muscles nearly creaked as they loosened. Ah, how I missed my younger days of writing for hours on end only to jump up and bounce from one activity to the next without a crick in my neck or stabbing pain in my back.

Picking up my coffee cup, I frowned to find it empty. Again. Ugh. It seemed like I’d make a cup and it would set until it got cold, or I’d turn around, and somehow it was empty.

I set the mug back on my desk and ran my hand through my hair. It got stuck halfway down to my shoulder. What the hell did I have in my hair? Something sticky. Ew. Must have been that late-night… or was it an early morning snack? Leftover donuts from this morning. Or yesterday morning. Olivia had dropped them by at some point.

Wait, what day was it? I’d been holed up in my office for too long.

I needed sleep.

But hey, it was all worth it. Another manuscript in the books. Heh. Pun intended.

Standing, I picked up my cup and my trashcan full of snack wrappers and takeout boxes. Damn, how long had I been in the office? Aka the writing cave. By the look of the overflowing trash can, I’d guessed a week. That couldn’t have been right. Surely it wasn’t that long. I tended to lose track of things when I got in the zone. Clay had always taken good care of me when this happened.

Owen, Alfred, and Larry had been trying to keep my head above water, so to speak, but every time they tried it made me think of Clay doing it. And then I’d get sad again, making it harder to focus on the words.

I opened my office door and stepped out into the downstairs hallway. I had closed the door around midnight—I think—to keep Snooze and his new girlfriend out of the room so I could focus. Lucy, the pretty white cat I brought back to life over the weekend, could talk. Like full sentences. And holy crow. That little kitty was chattier than a teenage boy. Well, boy of any age. Man, could they talk. Lucy would fit right in. Most people thought it was the girls that always had diarrhea of the mouth. I’d never raised a teenage girl, but I had raised a teenage boy, and Wallie hadn’t shut up for like four years.

Emerging from the hallway, I caught the scent of bacon and coffee. I gravitated to the yummy scents like they were calling me. When I reached the dining room, just off the kitchen, though it was technically the same room because of the open space, I froze.

Alfred, the house ghoul, stood near the stove, flipping bacon with his Kiss the Cook apron on. Sammie was a few feet behind him, holding out a plate. I soon realized why when Alfie reached over to another skillet and launched a pancake at him.

With a surprising show of skill for a kid his age, Sammie caught the pancake with his plate. “Hey!” I cheered. “Go, Sammie!”

Seven heads turned toward me, staring like I had grown an extra set of arms. Owen, my friend, roommate, and mentor raised his black eyebrows and pushed his dark hair out of his face. Sam and Olivia, my childhood best friend and his wife, who was my current best friend and had taken the central role as my Person with a capital P, grinned as Olivia eyed my hair. Just to be sure, I checked. Nope, no extra arms. But my hair was a mess—half up in a sloppy bun and half down around my face. The latter had the sticky donut yuck in it.

Zoey, my sort-of adopted daughter, snorted and turned back to her pancakes while Wallie, my biological son, barely spared me a glance as he ate. He was long used to my crazy appearance after emerging from my cave.

“Is Sammie out of school?” I asked as I tugged down my oversized tee and pulled up my leggings. Comfy clothes were staples for a writing binge. Again, I wondered how long I’d been in the writing cave.

Olivia burst out laughing while Sam asked, “Did you sleep last night?”

Last night… “Oh! It’s morning already.”

“Yeah,” Olivia said with a giggle. “It’s teacher’s planning day. No school today.”

Oh. I had lost a few days.

Alfred came over and took my cup and the trash can from me. He glared at me and grunted. Then he pointed to the stairs. I didn’t need a translator to know what he meant. I needed a shower. Probably pretty badly.

Owen frowned at me. “You need to hurry, or you’ll be late for your flight.”

“What? What time is it?” I glanced at the clock on the stove and cursed low enough I hoped little Sammie didn’t hear me. That kid was like a parrot. He repeated everything he heard.

“Seven o’clock,” Olivia said with a snicker. She loved being right, and I hated that she often was.

I ignored her amusement. No doubt I’d hear about this moment later on. But reality was starting to come back to me. I had two hours to shower, dress, and pack. It was a good thing I’d created Zoey’s fake ID the night before. Luci—the devil, not the cat—helped me with a little magic that made her legit in the human databases.

Zoey had been an orphaned shifter who I’d taken in when my friends and I had saved her and a bunch of other kids from a shifter fighting ring. Sort of like dog fighting, but with poor shifter kids. Many of them had been very, very young and we’d found a lot of dead kids. Too many.

“Ava,” Olivia exclaimed. “Go!”

I jumped and scurried toward the stairs. “Right, yes. Go.”

Zoey, Wallie, and I were flying to Philly. The plan was to rent a truck there after we packed up the house and drive it back to Shipton. It wasn’t going to be an easy week, getting all of the stuff from my life with Clay packed up or donated. But it was time. It was past time. I had to move on.

After I showered and dressed, I stared down at my half-packed suitcase and tried to remember that I had a house full of my own belongings. I had a bigger wardrobe there than here. I didn’t need to take much. A knock sounded on my bedroom door. “Come in.”

Owen opened the door but didn’t enter. He was a little old-fashioned like that. Polite. “Are you taking Larry with you?”

“I asked and he said he wanted to stay here to help you.” I placed my toiletries into the small carry-on. I wasn’t checking any luggage, and I’d told the kids to do the same. Zoey would fit into some of my older, skinny clothes I’d hung onto in the hopes of losing weight. As if. If she didn’t like them, I’d donate them.

Out with the old. It was time to move on from more than just grieving my Clay. I picked up the mini suitcase and turned toward Owen. “Listen, if the house starts his crap, have Alfred grunt at him.” I wasn’t sure that would work, but it was worth a try. “Winston usually listens to him.” Since my old house had taken on a personality, we’d had to name him. Winston was as good a name as any. He seemed to like it, anyway.

Owen laughed. “Winston doesn’t bother with me because I’m a necromancer. I think he gave Olivia crap because she’s human. No magic.”

Hmm. I hadn’t thought about that. “Sam is human.”

Owen hummed. “True, but Sam also grew up with you and has spent a lot of time in this house.”

That made sense. He’d been in and out so much he’d learned long ago about my family and me being witches. “Are you going to be okay here for a week? You’ll have to go get groceries or at least be here for delivery. Alfred knows not to answer the door.”

“Ava, I’ve been a necromancer longer than you and know how to take care of a ghoul, a magical house, and an animated, fleshed-out skeleton who has been dead for thirty-some-odd years.” Larry had been a big surprise. When my fat, old, immortal Maine Coon cat, Mr. Snoozerton, led me to a little white dead kitty and asked me to animate her. I figured out I had the power to do more than animate. I could heal the dead. Something as yet unheard of, or only heard in rumor. I’d given it a shot on Larry, a skeleton I’d accidentally animated over the winter.

And he’d grown his flesh back. All of it. To the point that now he looked perfectly human. Alive. And according to Zoey, ‘freaking hot.’ “And don’t forget two immortal cats. One of which can talk quite well.” I frowned. “Maybe I’ll call Wade and just have him pack up the house.” Leaving this chaotic menagerie to Owen suddenly seemed insane.

Owen broke his unspoken rule of not entering my room and crossed over to me. “Ava. Stop.” He took my hands, forcing me to look at him. “You are going. Everything here will be fine. Not to mention, Sam will be here if I need anything, and the coven said they’ll help if anything weird happens.”

I snorted. The coven—my coven because I was the High Witch in charge—loved all the weird stuff that happened in my life. They’d probably be all over it with glee. Not that I blamed them. The insanity that was my life was, most of the time, pretty damn cool.

Owen let go of my hands and moved to the door. “You’ve put this off long enough. It’s time to let go.” His words reflected my earlier thoughts almost exactly. That had to mean something. And he was right. I could do this, but boy did I need a nap. And I didn’t think I’d be getting one any time soon.

 

 

Grab your copy of A Haunting Midlife to find out was happens next. 

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LA and I are giving away one Witching After Forty swag box and five $5 Amazon gift cards.

The swag box includes:

A Shadow and Bone Book Beau book/table sleeve

Witching After Forty coasters and stickers

Signed paperback copies of A Ghoulish Midlife and A Cursed Midlife

and more.

 

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Featuring Hunter Moon by Erzabet Bishop & Gina Kincade

Follow Erzabet:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2N7NocN
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/erzabet-bishop 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ErzabetBishop 

Website: https://erzabetwrites.wixsite.com/erzabetbishop 

Follow Gina:

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/ginakincade 

Website: https://themistressjournals.blogspot.com/ 

 

Welcome, Erzabet! Please start off by telling us a little about yourself.

Hey there. I’m Erzabet Bishop and by day I am a bookstore manager of over twenty years but by night, I am the USA Today bestselling author of over forty steamy contemporary and paranormal romances.

What genre(s) do you write?

I love to write paranormal romances with witches and shifters but on the odd occasion I do write contemporary romance.

How many books have you published?

Over forty.

What can a reader expect when picking up one of your books for the first time?

Spice. Lots and lots of spice.

What were your inspirations for the story?

This story was actually pieced together by several ideas. I have a love for haunted houses and growing up, one of my favorite movies was The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. I still love it. *sigh* The idea of falling in love with a ghost was completely compelling and I wanted my main character to share the joy.

Please share your setting for Hunter Moon. Have you ever lived or visited there? If so, what did you like most?

The setting is an old house that’s been renovated for a murder mystery weekend. No. I have not been there, but if I went, I might never check out.

How do you research or prepare?

Lot’s of ghost hunter stories. Lol.

When did the writing bug first bite?

I remember playing with words as a child and writing a very terrible first draft for a vampire story on my parents’ old typewriter in grade school.

Who are your favorite authors/books/series?

Oh wow. There are too many to count. But April Henry, Sarah Maas, Lucy Foley, Wendy Webb, Melissa Marr are at the top of the list. (I work in a bookstore and my TBR piles literally line the walls of my house. One day they will crush me in my sleep.)

What is your most favorite childhood memory?

Watching Brigadoon on repeat and trying to dance in the living room. Oh, and the monster decorations I left up all year round in my bedroom.

Do you have any hobbies or special things you like to do in your spare time?

I love to crochet, knit, draw, bake, write YA and kids books under other pen names.

Boxers, briefs, or commando?

Briefs. Most of the time. *wink*

Favorite eye color?

Blue

What’s the strangest thing you’ve heard or seen?

There have been a lot of them over the years. Working as a manager in a bookstore, you can’t be faint of heart. Lol.

What were your inspirations for writing Hunter Moon?

I wanted to create a story someone would love and enjoy reading.

Do you have a set writing schedule or do you just go with the flow of life and write when you can?

I go with the flow and fit my writing in when I can.

Describe your perfect alpha hero.

Someone who has a sense of humor, who cares about the female MC and will do anything to protect her. Even if it pisses her off. Oh, and he must come bearing chocolate. Or iced tea.

 

Thanks, Erzabet! Get more paranormal themed stories like Hunter Moon in Hearts Unleashed, a Limited Edition Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Collection of 20+ NEW heart-pounding supernatural fiction featuring sensual heroes and sassy heroines.

 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/355Dcal

Universal: https://books2read.com/hearts

Featuring Blood Fortune by Julie MorganFollow Julie:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Julie-Morgan/e/B00GZQ5MZ6
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/julie-morgan 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/juliemorganbook 

Website: https://www.juliemorganbooks.com/ 

 

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Welcome, Julie! Please start off by telling us a little about yourself.

USA TODAY and Award-winning Bestselling Author, Julie Morgan, holds a degree in Computer Science and loves science fiction shows and movies. Encouraged by her family, she began writing. Originally from Texas, Julie now resides in Central Florida with her husband and daughter where she is an advocate for Special Needs children and can be found playing games with her daughter when she isn’t lost in another world. For more information please visit her at www.juliemorganbooks.com 

What genres do you write?

Paranormal romance

How many books have you published?

Close to 30, but now it’s down to 15 after pulling my contemporary stories down.

What can a reader expect when picking up one of your books for the first time?

To fall into a new world full of magic, characters to love to hate, and shenanigans!

What were your inspirations for Blood Fortune?

For Blood Fortune, it was a trip to Venice. I visited some of the buildings that were historical and the inspiration struck there, between the beautiful masks and the history of Italy.

Please share your setting for Blood Fortune. Have you ever lived or visited there? If so, what did you like most?  

Venice, Italy 1850 – Yes, I was there. Not 1850 obviously but we took a trip there for vacation. I loved the people, the history, everything about it.

How did you research or prepare?

I bought a non-fiction book on victorian women, dresses, and how women acted during this time period to get a sense and feel for how to write the story.

When did the writing bug first bite?

When I was probably five.

Who are your favorite authors, book/series?

Probably Suzanne Collins – The Hunger Games series

What is your most favorite childhood memory?

I think the first time I ever read Bram Stoker’s Dracula. I was 10.

Do you have any hobbies or special things you like to do in your spare time?

Reading and playing roblox with my daughter.

Boxers, brief or commando?

Boxer briefs

Favorite eye color?

Blue or green

What’s the strangest thing you’ve heard or seen? 

Where do I begin? There’s been so much, but probably the worst of the worst pick up lines. “Hey, did you fall from heaven?” Umm are you calling me a demon?

Do you have a set writing schedule or do you just go with the flow of life and write when you can?

Go with the flow. 

Describe your perfect alpha hero.

Someone who listens, and I mean hears what you’re saying, isn’t afraid to say no to any situation, and supports his woman as if his life depended on it.

 

Thanks, Julie! Get more paranormal themed stories like Blood Fortune in Hearts Unleashed, a Limited Edition Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Collection of 20+ NEW heart-pounding supernatural fiction featuring sensual heroes and sassy heroines.

 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/355Dcal

Universal: https://books2read.com/hearts

Featuring Hidden Shifter by N GrayFollow N Gray

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2NyPYrZ
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/n-gray 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NGrayBooks 

Website: https://www.ngraybooks.com/

 

Welcome, N Gray! Please start off by telling us a little about yourself.

I live in Cape Town, South Africa with my hubby, daughter, and two fur babies. During the day I’m an analyst and provider profiler for a medical insurance company. And at night, I create fictional characters some may love, and others you want to kill yourself.

What genre(s) do you write?

Thriller, urban fantasy, and horror, with a series available in each. I recently dipped my toes into pnr and will have four books out this year.

How many books have you published?

14 so far

What can a reader expect when picking up one of your books for the first time?

All my stories are fast-paced and have elements of suspense, horror and romance.

Please share your setting for Hidden Shifter. Have you ever lived or visited there? If so, what did you like most?

It’s in the same universe as my Blaire Thorne series (UF), and a fictional town I created, but it’s somewhere in the US.

 

How do you research or prepare?

I’m a pantster, I do however plot the main outline, then I sit down and write until the story is down.

When did the writing bug first bite?

I wrote my first short story when I was about ten, and loved it ever since.

Who are your favorite authors/books/series?

I have too many to mention. I read in the genres I write, so it’s quite a few.

Favorite eye color?

Blue

Do you have a set writing schedule or do you just go with the flow of life and write when you can?

I write in the morning before work, and in the evenings. I have to write every day and now it’s my routine.

 

Thanks, N Gray! Get more paranormal themed stories like Hidden Shifter in Hearts Unleashed, a Limited Edition Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Collection of 20+ NEW heart-pounding supernatural fiction featuring sensual heroes and sassy heroines.

 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/355Dcal

Universal: https://books2read.com/hearts

Lia Davis has a new release in the action-packed, paranormal romance shared world, Nightshade Guild – Shadow Mage!

And she is celebrating by giving away a 6-month subscription for Kindle Unlimited!

 

Because I like to tease my readers, here is a first look at chapter one of Shadow Mage.

 

Chapter 1

 

Come on, Jemma, you can do this.

Failure was not an option.

No fear.

Jemma Blackwood studied her opponent, indigo eyes sizing up the blonde curls and green eyes of the girl on the other side of the block wall. One wrong move and the situation would turn critical. Dangerous. Carefully, Jemma pushed a block into place, holding her breath. Prim, her familiar, hovered nearby, the pixie ready to draw the girl’s attention if she made a mistake.

The block settled into place, and the tower remained standing. Only then did Jemma relax.

Ameria squealed with delight and threw her tiny, chubby hands into the blocks, knocking the whole tower down. Then laughed as if it was the best thing ever.

All that just to knock it down. Jemma couldn’t help but laugh with the thirteen-month-old. She meant that literally because Ameria was able to push out her feelings to others. When she was happy, she wanted everyone else to be happy. It also worked the same way when she was sad or angry.

It’d been two days since Jemma had taken custody of the Elven princess, and she was quickly running out of ideas to keep her occupied. She had no idea Ameria would be so active and curious. She was crawling and wanted to explore everywhere and everything. That kid was fast on her hands and knees. Then again, Jemma had never been around kids of any age. She’d definitely never had to take care of a small child before, having been the youngest of three herself. It was interesting, to say the least, but she was woefully underprepared.

Which was why her mom was on her way. Her mom was the only person Jemma trusted to keep Ameria’s identity secret. One reason was her mom was a mage and a former member of the Nightshade Guild. The latter gave Jemma a small amount of peace of mind. Cordelia Blackwood knew how to defend herself in case things got dicey with the princess. Not that Ameria would hurt any of them, but anyone coming after her wouldn’t think twice about harming or even killing anyone in possession of the baby.

“See? I told you she’d be fine.” Prim zipped around Jemma’s head, then sat on top. “I can’t believe you’re so worried about upsetting a baby. Stop acting so scared.”

Jemma shook her head, dislodging her familiar. Pixie dust sprinkled around them. Jemma waved a hand, creating a small gust of wind to blow it away from the princess. “America is not just a baby, Prim. She’s an Elven royal, and her powers are strong and unpredictable.” She glanced at the pixie, who now hovered over the spilled blocks, butterfly wings pulsing with purple light. “I’m not afraid. I’m cautious.”

“Call it what you want,” Prim snorted, crossing her arms. Her little mouth twisted wickedly. Her short blond hair framing her small round face. “Why else would you call for reinforcements?”

Ameria crawled toward the coffee table and pulled herself up. At thirteen months, she was able to walk, but she was still unsteady on her feet. Jemma scooped her up, afraid she might hurt herself on the corners of the table and settled the growing toddler on her hip like she’d seen other women do. It oddly felt natural.

Ameria’s face crumpled, big green eyes filling with tears, and her bottom lip started to quiver.

“Oh, what did I do now?” Jemma hissed under her breath as she started crying herself—affected by the Elven princess’s emotions. Prim snickered, and Jemma pointed at Ameria. “This. This is why I called for reinforcements. I thought I could handle this, but I don’t know anything about kids. Especially not magical ones who can control the elements and other’s emotions.”

Her mom only lived an hour away and had been more than willing to come when she called. Jemma was grateful; she didn’t want to be the reason the princess’ safety was compromised, and part of her job included keeping the kid’s power under wraps. That was impossible when she didn’t know what Ameria wanted half the time. The last mage told her that she would occasionally put images in their head to get her point across, but luckily Jemma hadn’t experienced that yet.

Ameria’s cries grew louder, tears streaking her reddening cheeks. Mind scrambling for ideas, she ran to the closet and yanked out the vacuum cleaner. Prim helpfully scooped up the cord and plugged it in, then circled them.

“Is this really an appropriate time to start cleaning?” she asked.

Jemma sighed loudly, adjusting her grip on the fussy toddler. “I read somewhere once that vacuum cleaners can calm babies. Something about the white noise, I don’t know.”

Prim blinked at her, then laughed, her wings flashing pink. “I don’t think it’ll work but go for it.”

Huffing, Jemma flipped the machine on, and Ameria shrieked, throwing her head against Jemma’s shoulder hard enough to send pain down into her fingertips. Then the ground began to shake, rattling her windows. Jemma shut off the vacuum quickly and held Ameria closer, walking in circles and trying to shush her. As she paced past the kitchen, she spotted the toddler’s sippy cup on the counter.

“Maybe you’re thirsty,” she said.

She grabbed the green cup, still half full of the fruit juice she’d filled it with that morning and pressed it into Ameria’s tiny hands. She looked at it for a second, then threw it across the room with a surprising amount of strength. It hit the wall and the lid flew off, spilling juice everywhere. Her cheeks darkened to a deep red, making the house shake even more.

“Prim, help!”

“What am I supposed to do?” the pixie yelled over the noise.

Jemma held Ameria tighter, rubbing her back. “Can you at least settle the earth before she brings the whole house down?”

Before Prim got the chance, the front door opened, and relief washed over Jemma’s nerves. Her mom half-jogged across the room to them, a tote bag slung over her shoulder and handed Ameria a white rose she’d picked from the garden. Ameria quieted immediately, her angry red face transforming back to the happy pale one she’d had only minutes ago. She giggled and shook the flower as it grew in her hand.

Jemma sat Ameria back on her blanket on the floor.

“Mom, is that safe?” Jemma followed her mom as she set the bag down and started rifling through the kitchen cabinets. “What if the flower takes over the whole house?”

Her mom gave her an amused glance over her shoulder, then got a box of macaroni and cheese out of the cabinet. “It won’t take over the house. At least not the entire house.”

Jemma glanced back at Ameria, who had a vine of white roses surrounding her. “I’m not too sure about that. Besides, roses have thorns. She can hurt herself.”

Cordelia studied the baby for a moment, then met Jemma’s gaze. “Look again. She’s smarter than you know.”

Narrowing her eyes, Jemma looked at the vine, noticing it had no thorns. Well, then. “Okay, she knows that thorns hurt. Or maybe her magic didn’t create them because she doesn’t know roses have them.”

Jemma doubted the latter was correct but analyzing the whys of Elven magic—which Jemma didn’t know jack about—was not helping the situation.

“You’ll need to move soon,” her mom said. Jemma stared at her, wondering what she was talking about. “Ameria’s powers are too strong to hide, even in your wards.”

Oh, yeah, Jemma knew that. She sat on a chair at the kitchen table where she could keep an eye on Ameria happily playing with her vine of roses. Then a jarring thought came to mind. “Did you have a vision?”

“It wasn’t entirely clear, but the message was.” Her dark blue eyes, so similar to Jemma’s but without the purplish hue, were awash with pity. “You can’t stay here.”

“Yeah.” Jemma nodded slowly, though she wasn’t overly fond of the idea. “I’d planned on leaving in a few days anyway. I just wanted to get her settled, even if it was only for a week or so. It can’t be easy for her to move from place to place. Not to mention she’s handed off to a new stranger every month.”

Her mom placed a hand on her shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. “I know, dear, but it is what needs to be done to protect her.”

Ameria had been doing nothing but traveling for the past three months, moving from person to person while the Elven Court investigated the murder of their king and queen. She’d been hoping to give the poor princess time to adjust to her, but time wasn’t in their favor. Jemma lifted a curious eyebrow at the tote she’d left on the counter, needing something else to think about.

“What’s in the bag?”

“Something I thought you might need to get through the next few weeks.” Her mom spun from the cooking pasta, pulled a set of colorful, plastic keys out, and rattled them. “Distractions.”

Thanks for reading.

You can get your copy of Shadow Mage at Amazon: https://amzn.to/34PEqYj.

Also available for FREE with Kindle Unlimited.

As a gift to you for entering and sharing the giveaway, every entrant will receive a FREE copy of Shifting Magic Trilogy Set

(The download links for these titles will be emailed to all entrants up to 14 days after the close of the giveaway)

Enter the giveaway here: https://authorliadavis.com/giveaways/shadow-mage-release-giveaway/