New Release! Into the Dark #romancefantasy #dark #pnr #newrelease

Trapped in a realm where the dead roam the forest, Allison Reed searches for the truth behind a mystery haunting her small town. Relying on a stranger may be her only chance at survival. Despite the danger, Allison refuses to give up hope of returning home, especially when she finds herself falling for the brooding man who saved her.

Brian Morrissey has long given up hope of escaping this cursed dimension. Living in constant darkness, he knows his time is running out. But when he meets Allison, she brings a glimmer of light into his life. He will do whatever it takes to keep her alive, even if it means sacrificing himself in the process.

As their fight for survival intensifies, Allison and Brian cling to each other and their dwindling hope against all odds. With sinister forces lurking in the shadows, will they sacrifice their love for a chance to escape? Or will they remain forever trapped in a nightmarish world where the dead hunt the living?

 Now Available!

Have a Haunted Halloween! #pnr #paranormalromance #HalloweenReads

Looking for some spooky fun!

This book fair bundle has everything you want to read for Halloween!

Demons, witches, vampires, ghosts, monsters & more!

GO TO BOOKFAIR

Magic of Fall Romance #Paranormal & #Fantasy Reads #Witches #Shifters #Vampires #FallReading

 

Witches, Shifters, Vampires & More!

It's the spooky season!

The perfect reason to read more paranormal and fantasy romances!

(As if we need a reason!!)

TAKE ME TO THE BOOKS!

Read an #Excerpt from Into the Dark #ParanormalRomance #PortalFantasy #Witches #Zombies #KindleVella

  

Have You Fallen Into the Dark?

Read the first 3 chapters for FREE!

People in a small town are disappearing. Investigative journalist, Allison Reed, makes it her mission to find them. A mysterious tip sends her searching a wealthy family's secluded mansion where she discovers more than she ever thought possible.

Witches are real.

And as punishment for her intrusion, they cast her into a world where magic feeds from the living.

Oh, and zombies are real, too.

With the help of a handsome stranger, Allison fights for a way home. While she learns what it takes to survive in this nightmarish world, she finds herself drawn to the mysterious man who saves her time and again from the monsters who roam the forest.

Can they find a way home together?

Or will they remain trapped in a world where the dead walk among the living?

 

Excerpt:

The footsteps echoed closer.

She scanned the area, searching for an object she might use as a weapon. There was nothing except some debris in the far corner, what looked like leaves and old rags. Nothing she could use to defend herself. 

Allison’s heart thumped so loudly it became difficult to listen to the footsteps as they drew closer. All she heard was the drumming of blood pounding in her ears. She couldn’t see anything beyond the archway leading to this room. The source of the dim light originated from somewhere to the left of the opening, but beyond that, she didn’t know what might be out there.

Fear made her feet scurry until her back hit the stone wall beside the wooden ladder. She didn’t know what to do. Whatever was down here had been put here for a purpose. 

Some animal? A bear, wolf or lion? Starved until the sisters fed him. Was she supposed to be sacrificed as dinner? 

Was that why they said they hadn’t killed any of their victims? They’d thrown them into a hole in the ground and let an animal finish their dirty work. Semantics, but maybe that’s how they viewed it.

Allison wasn’t ready to die, but she didn’t know how to defend herself against an animal without a weapon either. 

So, she did the only thing she could think of in a situation such as this. 

She hid.

Allison crawled beneath the wooden ladder, curling her knees against her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs. She wanted to tuck her face into her knees to hide, but she couldn’t take her gaze off the archway. She needed to see what animal approached.

If she kept still, perhaps whatever walked in this direction would pass the opening, not noticing her presence.

She waited, heart thundering as she clutched her arms around her knees. The footsteps got closer. They weren’t hurried. The steps sounded slow. Sluggish. Cautious.

Stalking? Hunting?

Allison wished to close her eyes.

I’m invisible. I’m invisible. 

If she kept repeating the words in her mind, they might come true. 

It will walk by. It won’t see me. I’m invisible.

A tall shadow appeared in the opening. As it stepped into the chamber, she recognized a human shape, not an animal as she’d expected. 

A man.

He stepped cautiously, his feet shuffling forward. He was tall. Well over 6 feet.

As he approached, he turned enough to allow the low light to illuminate his face. He had shaggy brown hair and a long, thin, narrow face covered with an unkempt beard. His blank expression sent a shiver of apprehension racing through her.

Something about his stance, the way he approached the chamber made her uneasy. He walked slowly into the room, aimlessly stepping from left to right and left again with no obvious direction. 

Perhaps, if she remained hidden in the poor light, he’d turn and leave. 

Although, how could he not see her? The ladder was not solid wood. There were open slats. She curled beneath, searching for protection, but the low light from the doorway must be enough to illuminate the area. She was sure there wasn’t much shadow beneath the ladder to keep her hidden. 

Yet, he didn’t see her. And why didn’t he move his gaze to search the room? He stared straight ahead, neither looking left nor right, up nor down. Simply straight in front of him.

He held a long, sturdy stick in his hand. As he shuffled near, she realized the point of it was sharpened. Like a makeshift spear. 

A weapon. 

He was armed.

Had this man killed those victims? Would she be next?

Allison wanted to duck her head and cry, but she was too frightened. Instead, she kept her gaze locked on the man as he walked across the room. The space wasn’t large, perhaps 15 feet at its widest. And he was only a few steps away. It wouldn’t take much for him to turn in her direction and use the spear to attack her. 

As he walked past her hidden spot, she noticed his clothing. Faded blue t-shirt and tan trousers, badly torn and filthy. Not only dirt stained his clothes, but something else, too.

Was it mud? 

Or was it… blood?

Read the first 3 chapters for FREE!

New Chapters for Into the Dark! #Excerpt #PNR #suspense #witches #zombies #strangerstolovers #KindleVella #Vella #VellaRomance

 

Into the Dark has new chapters to read! Episodes #48 and #49 are now available and #50 will be published later this week. We're nearing the end of this story, so I hope you've been enjoying the ride!

Here's a quick, sneak peek at the newest installment:

Excerpt:

“I’m going with you.” Her hair muffled Brian’s voice as he spoke into the crook of her neck.

She licked her lips, baffled by his statement.

“What?”

Brian rolled onto his side, leaving a chill of empty air above her. She grasped at the only blanket they had, but since they both lay atop it, she could only use the edge to cover herself. Not that it mattered, she reminded herself and felt foolish for feeling so exposed. Brian couldn’t see her nakedness. Not without his hands.

She had the sudden urge to take his hands and place them on her body again.

“When you leave,” Brian clarified with a relaxed sigh. “I’m going with you.”

Allison blinked, then moved, lifting herself onto her elbow so she could face him.

“You can’t.”

He grunted an unamused laugh. “Who says?”

“I say. They need you here.”

“They need more than I can give them, Ally.”

“You’re all they have.”

Brian sighed, and the sadness he carried within started to chip away at his relaxed and sated state.

“They don’t need me. Ally, they need medicines we don’t have. They need hospitals and doctors who can heal them. People who can see them.” He scowled and the serene expression from a moment ago faded completely. “And I don’t want to leave you alone with Donovan.”

She huffed. “You don’t trust me?”

“I don’t trust Donovan,” he amended. “And I can’t stand the thought of not hearing your voice. Even for a day.”

Emotion swelled within her, striking her silent. Her throat clenched tight. She couldn’t speak for fear of having him hear her tears in her voice.

A loud knock sounded at the door.

“Break’s over,” Brian sighed, turning his face from her. Dismay and heartache settled once again into his expression as he got out of bed, searched the floor for his clothes with his hands and began dressing. 

Allison’s lips parted, wanting still to say the words, but the moment was gone. She shut her mouth, frowning.

Later.

Maybe tomorrow.

Then she'd tell him.

First 3 chapters are FREE to read!

Read an #Excerpt for Into the Dark #paranormalromance #survivalromance #strangerstolovers

 

New Chapters are available for Into the Dark!

Read the first 3 chapters for FREE!

Investigative journalist, Allison Reed, has been sent an anonymous tip regarding the strange disappearances of several seemingly random local people. When she's caught snooping around a wealthy recluse's house, she discovers the man's daughters are witches who are abducting people and casting them into another world where magic feeds from the living and zombies are real.

Now, Allison must learn to survive with the help of a mysterious stranger. Together, they work to find a way home. As they search for a way to escape this nightmarish world, Allison finds herself growing closer to Brian, the man who saved her. But living in this world presents its challenges and horrors, as Allison learns more about the witches who abducted her as well as the other victims.

Will Allison and Brian find a way home?

Or will they remain trapped in a world where the dead walk among the living?

Excerpt:

The footsteps echoed closer.

She scanned the area, searching for an object she might use as a weapon. There was nothing except some debris in the far corner, what looked like leaves and old rags. Nothing she could use to defend herself. 

Allison’s heart thumped so loudly it became difficult to listen to the footsteps as they drew closer. All she heard was the drumming of blood pounding in her ears. She couldn’t see anything beyond the archway leading to this room. The source of the dim light originated from somewhere to the left of the opening, but beyond that, she didn’t know what might be out there.

Fear made her feet scurry until her back hit the stone wall beside the wooden ladder. She didn’t know what to do. Whatever was down here had been put here for a purpose. 

Some animal? A bear, wolf or lion? Starved until the sisters fed him. Was she supposed to be sacrificed as dinner? 

Was that why they said they hadn’t killed any of their victims? They’d thrown them into a hole in the ground and let an animal finish their dirty work. Semantics, but maybe that’s how they viewed it.

Allison wasn’t ready to die, but she didn’t know how to defend herself against an animal without a weapon either. 

So, she did the only thing she could think of in a situation such as this. 

She hid.

Allison crawled beneath the wooden ladder, curling her knees against her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs. She wanted to tuck her face into her knees to hide, but she couldn’t take her gaze off the archway. She needed to see what animal approached.

If she kept still, perhaps whatever walked in this direction would pass the opening, not noticing her presence.

She waited, heart thundering as she clutched her arms around her knees. The footsteps got closer. They weren’t hurried. The steps sounded slow. Sluggish. Cautious.

Stalking? Hunting?

Allison wished to close her eyes.

I’m invisible. I’m invisible. 

If she kept repeating the words in her mind, they might come true. 

It will walk by. It won’t see me. I’m invisible.

A tall shadow appeared in the opening. As it stepped into the chamber, she recognized a human shape, not an animal as she’d expected. 

A man.

He stepped cautiously, his feet shuffling forward. He was tall. Well over 6 feet.

As he approached, he turned enough to allow the low light to illuminate his face. He had shaggy brown hair and a long, thin, narrow face covered with an unkempt beard. His blank expression sent a shiver of apprehension racing through her.

Something about his stance, the way he approached the chamber made her uneasy. He walked slowly into the room, aimlessly stepping from left to right and left again with no obvious direction. 

Perhaps, if she remained hidden in the poor light, he’d turn and leave. 

Although, how could he not see her? The ladder was not solid wood. There were open slats. She curled beneath, searching for protection, but the low light from the doorway must be enough to illuminate the area. She was sure there wasn’t much shadow beneath the ladder to keep her hidden. 

Yet, he didn’t see her. And why didn’t he move his gaze to search the room? He stared straight ahead, neither looking left nor right, up nor down. Simply straight in front of him.

He held a long, sturdy stick in his hand. As he shuffled near, she realized the point of it was sharpened. Like a makeshift spear. 

A weapon. 

He was armed.

Had this man killed those victims? Would she be next?

Allison wanted to duck her head and cry, but she was too frightened. Instead, she kept her gaze locked on the man as he walked across the room. The space wasn’t large, perhaps 15 feet at its widest. And he was only a few steps away. It wouldn’t take much for him to turn in her direction and use the spear to attack her. 

As he walked past her hidden spot, she noticed his clothing. Faded blue t-shirt and tan trousers, badly torn and filthy. Not only dirt stained his clothes, but something else, too.

Was it mud? 

Or was it… blood?

New chapters are available to read for Into the Dark!

If you haven't started, now is a great time to get caught up.

Only on Kindle Vella!

Out of This World Romance #pnr #scifiromance #paranormalromance #aliens #sfr #shifters #witches #vampires

 

This Summer Discover 

Out of This World 

Sci Fi Romance and Paranormal Romance!

From aliens and finding love in other galaxies

to shifters, vampires, and witches.

Blast off with these steamy, sexy and sweet romances!

GO TO BOOKFAIR

Into the Dark #Excerpt #SummerReading #ReadonVella #KindleVella #serializedfiction #paranormal

Investigative journalist, Allison Reed, has been sent an anonymous tip regarding the strange disappearances of several seemingly random local people. When she's caught snooping around a wealthy recluse's house, she discovers the man's daughters are witches who are abducting people and casting them into another world where magic feeds from the living and zombies are real.

Now, Allison has to learn to survive with the help of a mysterious stranger. Together, they work to find a way home. As they search for a way to escape this nightmarish world, Allison finds herself growing closer to Brian, the man who saved her. But living in this dimension presents its challenges and horrors, as Allison learns more about the witches who abducted her as well as the other victims.

Will they find a way home?

Or will they remain trapped in a world where the dead walk among the living?

Excerpt:

The footsteps echoed closer.

She scanned the area, searching for an object she might use as a weapon. There was nothing except some debris in the far corner, what looked like leaves and old rags. Nothing she could use to defend herself. 

Allison’s heart thumped so loudly it became difficult to listen to the footsteps as they drew closer. All she heard was the drumming of blood pounding in her ears. She couldn’t see anything beyond the archway leading to this room. The source of the dim light originated from somewhere to the left of the opening, but beyond that, she didn’t know what might be out there.

Fear made her feet scurry until her back hit the stone wall beside the wooden ladder. She didn’t know what to do. Whatever was down here had been put here for a purpose. 

Some animal? A bear, wolf or lion? Starved until the sisters fed him. Was she supposed to be sacrificed as dinner? 

Was that why they said they hadn’t killed any of their victims? They’d thrown them into a hole in the ground and let an animal finish their dirty work. Semantics, but maybe that’s how they viewed it.

Allison wasn’t ready to die, but she didn’t know how to defend herself against an animal without a weapon either. 

So, she did the only thing she could think of in a situation such as this. 

She hid.

Allison crawled beneath the wooden ladder, curling her knees against her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs. She wanted to tuck her face into her knees to hide, but she couldn’t take her gaze off the archway. She needed to see what animal approached.

If she kept still, perhaps whatever walked in this direction would pass the opening, not noticing her presence.

She waited, heart thundering as she clutched her arms around her knees. The footsteps got closer. They weren’t hurried. The steps sounded slow. Sluggish. Cautious.

Stalking? Hunting?

Allison wished to close her eyes.

I’m invisible. I’m invisible. 

If she kept repeating the words in her mind, they might come true. 

It will walk by. It won’t see me. I’m invisible.

A tall shadow appeared in the opening. As it stepped into the chamber, she recognized a human shape, not an animal as she’d expected. 

A man.

He stepped cautiously, his feet shuffling forward. He was tall. Well over 6 feet.

As he approached, he turned enough to allow the low light to illuminate his face. He had shaggy brown hair and a long, thin, narrow face covered with an unkempt beard. His blank expression sent a shiver of apprehension racing through her.

Something about his stance, the way he approached the chamber made her uneasy. He walked slowly into the room, aimlessly stepping from left to right and left again with no obvious direction. 

Perhaps, if she remained hidden in the poor light, he’d turn and leave. 

Although, how could he not see her? The ladder was not solid wood. There were open slats. She curled beneath, searching for protection, but the low light from the doorway must be enough to illuminate the area. She was sure there wasn’t much shadow beneath the ladder to keep her hidden. 

Yet, he didn’t he see her. And why didn’t he move his gaze to search the room? He stared straight ahead, neither looking left nor right, up nor down. Simply straight in front of him.

He held a long, sturdy stick in his hand. As he shuffled near, she realized the point of it was sharpened. Like a makeshift spear. 

A weapon. 

He was armed.

Had this man killed those victims? Would she be next?

Allison wanted to duck her head and cry, but she was too frightened. Instead, she kept her gaze locked on the man as he walked across the room. The space wasn’t large, perhaps 15 feet at its widest. And he was only a few steps away. It wouldn’t take much for him to turn in her direction and use the spear to attack her. 

As he walked past her hidden spot, she noticed his clothing. Faded blue t-shirt and tan trousers, badly torn and filthy. Not only dirt stained his clothes, but something else, too.

Was it mud? 

Or was it… blood?

New chapters are available to read for Into the Dark!

If you haven't started, now is a great time to get caught up.

Only on Kindle Vella!

Behind-the-scenes of Into the Dark #KindleVella #pnr #mustread #dystopianromance #writinglife #WhatToRead

 

This story is just moving along! It's got to be one of my favorite books that I've written. I'm so excited I get to share it with you chapter by chapter. This format has really helped piece this story together.

I'll give you a little behind-the-scenes info that I haven't shared anywhere else. I wrote this book roughly 5 or 6 years ago. Finished the rough draft of 50k in about a week. I was obsessed with this story! Wrote like a madwoman! So much that my (then) husband complained that I was neglecting cooking my typical high-standard family suppers for him and the kids (which I retorted that he was fully capable of making supper himself. After which, I ordered pizza because clearly, that wasn't going to happen.)

The scene where Allison is pushed through the portal which is an opening in the ground that leads to a cave is what started this story. I dreamt of this scene. It was terrifying! With her cowering in the dark, listening to the approach of the stranger, feeling disoriented and not knowing if he meant her harm. And then when he grabbed her - not to hurt her, but to protect her, to protect them both from the monsters crawling out of the dark.

This entire novel was created from that one scene.

Everything fell into place as I wrote. I had no idea where the story was going, or what was going to happen to these characters. There was no outline. I was thrilled to enjoy the ride of what happens next??

A week later, I had the first draft finished. But it was so different from my typical writing that I didn't know what to do with it. Over the next few years, I fixed it up, polished it to a brilliant shine, then sent it off to publishers. I had a few nibbles, requests for more, but nothing ever came of it.

It's different.

It's not exactly horror. Not fantasy or sci-fi. Not completely romance, although this is clearly represented. It's not post-apocalyptic. More like an odd combination of all.

I see it now as Alice in Wonderland meets The Walking Dead. That really is the best way for me to describe this story.

Eventually, I decided to publish it myself. I bought an amazing cover that fits this story perfectly. As I began my 20th time reading through it (seriously, I lost count reading this one!), I heard about Amazon's new venture, Kindle Vella. After exploring that and learning more about serialized fiction, I realized that was what I had with Into the Dark. Each chapter, each scene, was written with a cliffhanger, a suspenseful ending to get the reader to turn the page. It's basically how I kept writing it. With endings to scenes like those, I was constantly left with the question What Happens Next? Well, I have to keep going to find out!!

I realized quite quickly that Into the Dark would be a perfect fit for Vella.

And really, what was there to lose? The poor novel had been languishing on my desktop for years. I wanted to share this story with readers. I wanted to hear what others thought of Allison and her adventure. I wanted readers to fall in love with Brian. And what about Donovan? Is he friend or foe? And also, what happens to Noah!? These are complex characters set in a strange, frightening environment.

So, I took the jump, plunging myself and my novel into the world of Kindle Vella and it has been exciting! I've met some amazing people. Read some fantastic stories. And I'm learning more about my writing as I pick apart the chapters and scenes to make them fit Vella's short episode format.

I promise you, this story is complete. I'm dusting off each chapter and editing it as I schedule them to post. I know some readers tend to be wary of serialized fiction because of writers who stop writing. But, the manuscript is finished! I've been posting around 2 to 3 chapters a week to stay active and have accumulated more than half the story online already.

With over 30 episodes, it's ready for you to binge-read! One short episode at a time!

It's been a fun ride! I hope you'll join me! 

The first three chapters (episodes) are free to read! Give them a try! But I'll give you a little hint, the scene that started this story with my dream is actually episode 4! I'd love for you to read it and let me know what you think!

New chapters available to read for Into the Dark!

If you haven't started, now is a great time to get caught up.

Investigative journalist, Allison Reed, has been sent an anonymous tip regarding the strange disappearances of several seemingly random local people. When she's caught snooping around a wealthy recluse's house, she discovers the man's daughters are witches who are abducting people and casting them into another world where magic feeds from the living and zombies are real.

Now, Allison has to learn to survive with the help of a mysterious stranger. Together, they work to find a way home. As they search for a way to escape this nightmarish world, Allison finds herself growing closer to Brian, the man who saved her. But living in this dimension presents its challenges and horrors, as Allison learns more about the witches who abducted her as well as the other victims.

Will they find a way home?

Or will they remain trapped in a world where the dead walk among the living?

Find Out Now!
Only on Kindle Vella!

Into the Dark #ReadOnVella #serializedfiction #ReadMe #PNR #paranormalromance

 There are new chapters available to read for Into the Dark!

If you haven't started, now is a great time to get caught up.

Investigative journalist, Allison Reed, has been sent an anonymous tip regarding the strange disappearances of several seemingly random local people. When she's caught snooping around a wealthy recluse's house, she discovers the man's daughters are witches who are abducting people and casting them into another world where magic feeds from the living and zombies are real.

Now, Allison has to learn to survive with the help of a stranger. Together, they work to find a way home. As they search for a way to escape this nightmarish world, Allison finds herself growing closer to Brian, the man who saved her. Living in this dimension presents its challenges, and Allison learns more about the witches who abducted her as well as the other victims.

Will they find a way home? Or will they remain trapped in a world where the dead walk among the living?

Read Now!
Only available on Kindle Vella!

A Certain Enchantment #Bookfair #Witches #WitchRomance #magic #pnr #paranormalromance

 

An All-Genre Book Fair for Stories with Witches or Magic

Go to Bookfair

Into the Dark Episode 3 #Excerpt #KindleVella #pnr #zombies #witches

 

I've got new episodes this week!

Trapped in a dimension where magic feeds from the living, Allison must trust a stranger to help her survive in this terrifying reality.

Brian has lost all hope of escape. Finding Allison has given him new purpose to keep going, but for how long?

As they search for a way out of this nightmarish world, will they sacrifice their newfound feelings for each other for a chance to return home? Or will they remain trapped in a world where the dead walk among the living?

Read the first three episodes for FREE!

If you enjoy what you read, please "like" the episode and "follow" the story!

Into the Dark Excerpt

Episode #3

"Please." He whispered so softly that even with his mouth pressed against her ear, she barely heard him.

The desperation in his voice stunned her. Silenced her. Allison stopped struggling.

And she realized his attention wasn't on her. He stared in the direction of the opening, where the moaning grew louder. Whatever made that horrible noise moved closer.

A shadow filled the doorway. It shuffled, rocking side to side as it crept forward. And then it stepped into the light, making it visible to where she sat huddled with the stranger beneath the ladder.

At one time, the creature must have been human. It had the features of a being who could have passed for human.

Arms, legs, a torso, a head.

Beyond that, the thing was barely recognizable.

Read More!

Taken to the Forest ~ Into the Dark Episode 2 #Excerpt #pnr #witches #KindleVella #readonvella

 

I've got new episodes this week!

For a short time, Amazon is giving away FREE tokens to new Vella readers!

Hurry over and grab your tokens now! 

Trapped in a dimension where magic feeds from the living, Allison must trust a stranger to help her survive in this terrifying reality.

Brian has lost all hope of escape. Finding Allison has given him new purpose to keep going, but for how long?

As they search for a way out of this nightmarish world, will they sacrifice their newfound feelings for each other for a chance to return home? Or will they remain trapped in a world where the dead walk among the living?

Read the first three episodes for FREE!

If you enjoy what you read, please "like" the episode and "follow" the story!

New to Kindle Vella?

Vella stories are serialized novels written in short segments. These episodes are published as installments at regular intervals from weekly to monthly.

There is nothing new about serialized fiction.

Some famous novels written as serialized fiction were A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, and The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells.

More recently, Stephen King's The Green Mile was published in 6 installments.

Into the Dark Excerpt

Episode #2

Three large stones about four feet in height stood around the platform and each of the women moved to take their place by a separate stone. Allison remained standing in the center of the triangle-like arrangement while Shannon continued aiming the pistol at her.

At the platform by Allison's feet lay a large, flat, rectangular slab of stone protruding slightly above the rock. Although it wasn't high, it appeared coffin-shaped, which did not bode well for her regardless of the sister's assurances she was not meant to die.

"What is this?"

"Our altar, sweetie," Melanie said. "You're our sacrifice."

Despite the warm air, a chill swept across Allison's skin. "I thought you weren't going to kill me."

"You won't die. Not yet. We're sending you through a portal into another dimension where we'll feed on your energy while you're alive. We're witches, sweetie. Immortal witches, as long as we feed on souls to sustain us."

"Funny," Allison grunted. "Do you regale all of your victims with fairy tales?"

Again, Shannon laughed. "It's just too much fun to see the look on your faces!"

"Enough," Morena reprimanded in a sharp tone. "Either we send her or let her go. Let's be done with it."

"Oh, we can't let her go." Shannon giggled, tucking a few strands of black hair behind her ear. "Although, it's been a joy to watch her panic."

"She's not simpering or wailing like some of them, though," Melanie added, glancing at her sister. "Maybe we should shoot her, anyway."

Their bantering sounded too bizarre for Allison to decipher between truth and fiction. They simply concocted nonsense to scare her witless.

Witches? Immortal? A portal into another dimension?

Maybe she was dreaming?

Read More!

The Mansion Holds Secrets ~ Into the Dark Episode 1 #Excerpt #KindleVella #PNR #DystopianRomance

 

I'm thrilled to share an excerpt of the first episode of my paranormal dystopian romance, Into the Dark. I've been working on the idea of this story for a long time. It's one that is close to my heart.

Each week, I'll post a short excerpt and some details about the story, characters or writing that you might find interesting. I hope travel with me on this journey!

If you like suspenseful romances filled with the supernatural,

then I think you'll love Into the Dark!

You can read the first 3 episodes for FREE!

If you enjoy what you read, please "like" the episode and "follow" the story!

Trapped in a dimension where magic feeds from the living, Allison must trust a stranger to help her survive in this terrifying reality. Brian has lost all hope of escape. Finding Allison has given him new purpose to keep going, but for how long? As they search for a way out of this nightmarish world, will they sacrifice their newfound feelings for each other for a chance to return home? Or will they remain trapped in a world where the dead walk among the living?

Excerpt Episode #1

"I have information," Allison Reed whispered into the cell phone as she pushed aside the heavy drapes covering the tall, arched gothic-style windows. Beyond the rain splattered beveled glass, Allison had a clear view of the empty driveway and a portion of the road lit by a streetlight beyond the iron gate surrounding the property.

"What are you doing, Ally?" Noah growled. Of course, he wouldn't be pleased if she informed him of her whereabouts, so Allison kept silent about that part.

"Meet me at the Hidden River Diner in twenty minutes." She also wouldn't explain that she broke into the old Victorian mansion after the Adler family left their home nearly an hour ago. Nor would she mention over the phone what she discovered after searching the house.

That she needed to show him face to face.

"I told you to leave Mr. Adler alone. He's part of a wealthy and respectable family. They are not kidnappers."

Allison grimaced. Leave it to her detective brother to suspect what she was up to. There was a reason he excelled at his job. But as an investigative journalist, she was pretty darn good at her job, too. And she didn't have a pesky moral code with the law to keep her from digging into places without proper authority.

"I wouldn't be too sure."

Allison's fingers tightened on the pocket watch in her palm. It was an ornate silver case with a thin chain attached. She found it in one of the bedrooms upstairs.

"Ally..."

"Just meet me at the diner, Noah. I gotta go."

She tapped the red button with her thumb and turned her phone off to keep it silent as a car turned onto the street. The headlights shone through the drizzling rain as it slowly drove by the house.

Allison released a breath. She thought she'd heard a noise indicating the sisters had returned home, but it must have been the wind.

The Adler Mansion was built in 1862 and furnished with a mixture of antiques and modern-day conveniences. The place abounded with dark corners and eerie old-house noises. Since picking the lock to gain entrance, Allison had constantly looked over her shoulder. The hair still stood on the back of her neck with the feeling of being watched.

Read this episode and two more for FREE!

#NewRelease! Into the Dark #KindleVella #pnr #dystopian #Romance

 

If you haven't heard of it yet, Kindle Vella is Amazon's new serialized reading platform which opened in July 2021. Basically, it's reading a story one short episode at a time.

I'm dipping my toes into this and having a blast with my paranormal dystopian romance, Into the Dark! I already have several episodes available with more to come. The first 3 episodes are FREE, so there's no harm checking it out! I'll be dropping 2 to 3 episodes a week going forward, so keep checking for updates!

And if you read and enjoy it, please, please, please like the episode with the thumbs up and hit that follow button! That helps me know if you want to read more of the story! And it helps other readers take notice, too!

Trapped in a dimension where magic feeds from the living, Allison must trust a stranger to help her survive in this terrifying reality. Brian has lost all hope of escape.

Finding Allison has given him new purpose to keep going, but for how long?

As they search for a way out of this nightmarish world, will they sacrifice their newfound feelings for each other for a chance to return home? Or will they remain trapped in a world where the dead walk among the living?

Read the First 3 Episodes for FREE!

The Witch and the Vampire #Excerpt #pnr #vampireromance #witchromance

Melora Merriweather is searching for a fellow witch to protect her from a scheming uncle with plans of marriage. When her carriage overturns on her journey, she is rescued by a mysterious man whom she learns is the very person she seeks. But, he's not the witch she thought he was...

Sebastian Collins should have left for London days ago. Now a snowstorm has trapped him with a woman who has come seeking protection, a woman who intrigues him like no other. And with each passing hour, his hunger for her grows...hunger for her kiss, her caress, and her blood.

Excerpt:

"You may have his books, any of them, but only if you grant your protection."

Protection? Sebastian clung to the mantel, the effort to keep himself from going to her, from embracing her, ravaging her... he licked his lips... from tasting her blood, was becoming increasingly difficult. He couldn't remember a full moon when he'd felt quite so weak. There had been challenging moments surely, but never a time when he feared his own loss of control. Not since the beginning, anyway.

"Protection from what?" He felt compelled to ask, even though he certainly knew her answer. But how could he protect her from himself? Even if she barred the door to her bedchamber, he knew of ways to get inside... to touch her. Taste her... He flinched.

Oh, God, control.

He must have control.

"There may be..." She hesitated, and he held his breath waiting for her to continue. "There may be men following me. I want you to assure me you will protect me. That you will not allow them to take me."

Fear.

He smelled it swirling in the air. It circled her like a flock of eager vultures about to descend on a roadside feast. His mouth watered. He placed the back of his hand against his mouth, feeling the sharpened length of his eyeteeth beginning to descend.

His breathing quickened, but it only brought more of her scent to his nostrils.

"And protection for my sister. They search for her, too. I need to know you will keep us safe."

She was vulnerable. Full of fear and uncertainty. Lack of food had weakened her, but her blood still surged strongly through her young, healthy veins.

How easy it would be to reach out to her, hold her and comfort her, stroke her hair and inhale her lavender scent, to nuzzle her neck, taste her skin...

His gut spasmed, nearly buckling his knees.

"Please, go," Sebastian said, panting, nearly bent over from the urge to attack her. He needed blood. What he wanted was her blood, but he was not so far gone as to give in to the beast within. Not yet. He would not kill another innocent. "Go, now."

"But..."

He could not let her see what he was about to do. He couldn't allow anyone to witness such degradation.

"Go back to your room. Lock the door... Please... leave me!" He shouted savagely.

He heard her confused scrambling feet, dashing to the doorway. He heard her heart thumping wildly, and he wondered if it was his appearance that frightened her or the desperation he heard in his own voice. At the sound of the door clicking shut, Sebastian stepped away from the fireplace and dropped to his knees. He unbuttoned his shirtsleeves, pushing the fabric up to reveal the naked flesh of his arm. He took great gulping breaths, attempting one last time to regain some manner of control over himself.

He could do this. He could fight this.

He glanced at his bare arm. The vein in his wrist throbbed violently. 

Thirst burned his tongue.

It took only a moment for his fangs to descend fully to pierce his own flesh.

https://books2read.com/TheWitchandtheVampire

The Merriweather Witches series:

The Witch and the Wolf (Book 1)

The Witch and the Vampire (Book 2)

The Witch's Thief (Book 3)

The Witch's Kiss (Book 4)

Curse of Christmas #PNR #HolidayRomance #FREE

 

Welcome to the most magical season of all, when hearts are happy...and sometimes devoured. Join these New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling authors for winter holiday stories of vampires, shapeshifters, witches, and more!

Featuring stories by:

Thea Atkinson

Christine Pope

Margo Bond Collins

Stephany Wallace

Harper A. Brooks

Kat Parrish

J.A. Cummings

Edeline Wrigh

Stacey Jaine McIntosh

Zoey Xolton

S. K. Gregory

M. T. Finnberg

Lily Luchesi

Elvira Bathory

J. A. Belfield

Samantha Bell

Tricia Schneider

D. C. Gambel

Alyssa Daring

DJ Shaw

FREE

All Hallows Academy by Majanka Verstraete ~ A Cursed All Hallows' Eve Author Spotlight Interview @iheartreads #CursedHallowsEve

 

Blurb:

All Hallows Academy is one of the most prestigious universities in the world for witches and wizards and being accepted into All Hallows is an honor Lavinia Bloodbane and her best friend Jensen have been dreaming of for years. 

The academic year at All Hallows starts with its most renowned tradition: Thirteen Days of Halloween. Each day of the thirteen days leading up to All Hallow’s Eve, a famous witch or wizard from the past is called upon and asked to reach through the veil separating the living from the death. 

Lavinia wants nothing more than to fit in at All Hallows, but when something from beyond the veil reaches out to her on the First Day of Halloween, fitting in at the academy will be the least of her concerns…  

Excerpt:

“This is going to be amazing!” 

Jensen, my best friend, grabbed my hand and squeezed it. His smile spread from ear to ear and seeing it, I couldn’t help but smile myself. 

Today was our first day at All Hallows Academy, one of the most renowned institutions for witchcraft and wizardry in the world. 

Before enrolling at All Hallows, Jensen and I had attended high school together, and our number one dream for the past three years had been to get into All Hallows. We both worked hard to get here, and standing here today, it still didn’t feel real.  

“I think you already grabbed some people’s attention,” I remarked, grinning as a group of girls walked past us, some of them throwing flirty glances in Jensen’s direction. 

I knew my best friend was attractive, although I had never seen him that way—to me, he was the boy I had grown up with, who had gone to Miss Hecate’s Kindergarten for Magical Toddlers for the first time on the same day I did. I had accidentally made a doll come to life, courtesy of my lack of control over my powers, and Jensen had saved me by knocking the doll unconscious. 

Miss Hecate was anything but pleased that one of her students had caused such havoc, but the incident had formed the foundation of my friendship with Jensen, and we had been best friends ever since. 

Now we were here, roughly fifteen years later, and there was no one I would rather be here with, at All Hallows Academy. 

“Yeah, right.” Jensen snorted sarcastically, referring back to my earlier comment that he had caught the eye of quite a few witches already. 

Jensen had always been oblivious to his own good looks—a stark contrast with his brother, Flynn, and the one person I did not look forward to bumping into in the hallways. 

Okay, that was a lie. Part of me was looking forward to it. The stupid part. The teenage-crush part. 

During the summer holidays two years ago, while I spent most of my time hanging out with Jensen, I developed this enormous crush on his older brother Flynn and ended up making a fool of myself as I tried everything to get his attention. Flynn, on the other hand, practically ignored me and dated girl after girl until none of us could keep track anymore. 

Chill, Liv. Don’t let him get into your head again. Flynn is old news.

At least that was what I told myself while I kept trying to catch a peek of him in the crowd, but so far, no luck. 

Where can readers find All Hallows Academy?

Available exclusively in A Cursed All Hallows' Eve: Limited Edition Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, and Reverse Harem Halloween Themed Collection

Grab Your Copy Today!

Available to read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

books2read.com/cursedallhallowseve

The veil is thin. Darkness calls. Will you answer?

Halloween curses plague the daring heroes and spunky heroines in this spirited collection of tales. A Cursed All Hallows' Eve brings you 20+ stories stuffed with everything from dark gods to brooding shifters, delivering hours of decadent, pleasure-filled reading from bestselling and award winning urban fantasy and paranormal romance authors.

If you can't get enough of those supernatural creatures—vampires, ghosts, witches, demons, and fae—this limited edition collection will alternately thrill you with the spicy and tempt you with the sweet. Delve into these worlds where the living haunt the dead and the undead tempt the breathing.

Answer the call, because this Halloween, not all the costumes are disguises.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Hello and welcome, readers! We have Majanka Verstraete here with us today. Majanka Verstraete, thanks for visiting us.

How long have you been a writer and how did you come to writing?

I have been writing books ever since I learned how to write, but my first official publication dates back to about ten years ago. It was called “Mirror, Mirror”, later renamed to “Fractured”, a young adult dark fantasy novel. In the meantime, the sequel to that, “Reflected”, has also been released. 

Tell us about your title featured in: A Cursed All Hallows’ Eve

My story “All Hallows Academy” is an academy / reverse harem story told in different seasons. Season one focuses on the “Thirteen Days of Halloween”, a yearly event held at All Hallows Academy, in which a different witch or wizard from the past is honored each day during the thirteen days leading up to Halloween. The first episode of this season is featured in the box set. 

How did you come up with the storyline?

I have been wanting to write in this format for a while, with different “seasons” and “episodes,” like you see on TV. I like the idea of a book episode following the format of a TV episode, with a nicely completed story while at the same time also having an overarching story arc. Since the box set is Halloween themed, and I’ve wanted to write another academy / reverse harem for a while, the rest of the inspiration came easily. 

What inspires you to write?

Everything. It’s really hard to answer this one. Not a day goes by that I don’t have inspiration for one thing or another, and I really enjoy writing. It’s my favorite spare time activity and hardly ever feels like a chore. 

Tell us about your other books:

I have written over forty books and counting, so there’s a lot to tell. Let me focus primarily on books in similar genres. 

My “Academy for the Wicked” series will probably be of interest for readers who enjoyed “All Hallows Academy”. It’s a reverse harem academy series with all types of diabolical creatures: demons, vampires, warlocks, necromancers… It’s called “wicked” for a reason. 

Then, in terms of young adult books, I have a whole lot of different series, so I’ll just sum up some of my books here. All of them can also be found on my website. I have indicated the ones that are not published yet, but that are available for pre-order. 

The Soul Thief (Angel of Death Series #1) / YA Paranormal

Demonic Pact (Angel of Death Series #2) / YA Paranormal (available for pre-order)

See All Evil (Academy for the Wicked #1) / NA Reverse Harem Academy

Ghost Slayer / NA Paranormal Romance

Symphony of the Departed (Allegro Academy #1) / YA Paranormal Academy (available for pre-order) 

A Study in Shifters (The Adventures of Marisol Holmes #1) / YA Paranormal Mystery / Romance

The Sign of the Serpent (The Adventures of Marisol Holmes #2) / YA Paranormal Mystery / Romance 

The Wolf of the Baskervilles (The Adventures of Marisol Holmes #3) / YA Paranormal Mystery / Romance

The Conclave of Fear (The Adventures of Marisol Holmes #4) / YA Paranormal Mystery / Romance (available for pre-order) 

Murder in Mind / YA Dystopian 

Wicked Blood (Blood Witch #1) / YA Paranormal Romance

Fractured (Mirrorland #1) / YA Paranormal Mystery

Reflected (Mirrorland #2) / YA Paranormal Mystery 

Queen’s Fall (An Alice in Wonderland Retelling) / YA Fantasy

Where can readers find you? 

Readers can find me on my website, http://majankaverstraete.com

I’m also on Twitter (@iheartreads) and on Facebook. 

About the Author: 

Majanka Verstraete studied law and criminology, and now works as Legal Counsel. Writing is her passion ever since she learned how to read. 

She writes about all things supernatural, her books ranging from children’s picture books to young adult novels, all the way to new adult academy and reverse harem books. 

Check out her website for more information about her current series and her upcoming projects: http://majankaverstraete.com 

Get more Halloween themed stories like this in 

A Cursed All Hallows' Eve Read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited

books2read.com/cursedallhallowseve