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[image error]1 Who was your childhood hero?

JENETTA: You know?�� I’m not really sure I had a childhood hero.

MAY: That’s fair enough.

2 What is your favourite genre to write and why?

JENETTA: I’ve always loved sci-fi mixed with a bit of fantasy. Growing up, my dad loved Star Wars and Star Trek.�� I remember watching them both with him and loving them, too. This love has definitely crept into my writing and preferences.

MAY: The only reason I got into Sci-Fi genre was because of my fiancé when we were in the early dating stage. He loved those shows and movies, so I often ended up watching them, too. It’s why I got addicted to them.

3 What were the things you wish you’d known before you published your first novel?

JENETTA: Hum. I did A LOT of research before I published.�� I researched gaining readers, covers, blurbs, tropes�� Writing Configured was on a total whim. I had NO idea what I was doing, so after I wrote the first scene, I literally Googled “How to Write a Novel��. I’m not going to say I did everything right before I published because I did not, but I do feel like I did everything I could to make sure the launch was successful. And it was.

MAY: I think with the first book you release, you get more support from the people you know. It’s with the later ones that you have to rely on the fans and readers as well as a better marketing plan.

4 You are on a space station with an alien organism that’s ready to attack your entire crew. What fictional character would you like to have as your second-in-command to help you through the ordeal?

JENETTA: Ha.�� In college, I LOVED Captain Piccard. Not as in a “crush�� way. I just loved his character and the show. My husband even bought me a photo of him that is still hanging in the garage.�� I’m sure he would not want to be second in command, but he always knew what to do when some weird space anomaly or alien popped up, so I think I’d want him there.

MAY: I think I’d want Lt. Ripley on my side from the Alien franchise. She knows how to kick ass and how to survive in the toughest scenarios.

5 Lemons or limes?

JENETTA: What are we using them for?

MAY: Hopefully, lemonade. Apparently, Brazilian lemonade uses limes instead of lemons.

6 What was the toughest scene you have ever written?

JENETTA: I’ve only written three books, but I’d have to say one of the death scenes in Configured was difficult for me. I sobbed as I wrote it.

MAY: I’ve cried in some death scenes in Helena Hawthorn Series, too. So, I can completely relate to the loss of a character.

7 If you were given a chance to dive into one of your novels as a character, which one would you pick and why?

JENETTA: Ha. I love Avlyn because she is the first character I created. But in my newest co-written novel, NeverSea, my main character is Ayra, a genetically modified little mermaid.�� She is a really fun character that gets to kick butt and breathe underwater (plus she gets a dreamy romance).

8 Chocolate or caramel?

JENETTA: Both…together.

9 Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

JENETTA: Publish your dang book. Don’t sit on a story forever. If it’s not good enough yet, then you should save up and get a developmental editor.�� Then fix the thing and publish it.�� I think just getting over the hump of publishing your first book is the biggest hurdle.

10 Please tell us a bit about your upcoming or current projects.

JENETTA: Right now, I am working on Actualized, the third book in the Configured Trilogy. I’m excited to see the end of Avlyn’s story, as I’ve known the final scene since I wrote my first one.�� My co-writer, David R. Bernstein and I are also releasing NeverSea, a sci-fi retelling of The Little Mermaid and Peter Pan. That book was so fun to write, and I’m excited for fans to read it.

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Configured

There will come a day�� when love will mark you as a traitor.

In a society where emotions are nothing and function is everything, Avlyn Lark is just trying to blend in.

She’s lucky to be alive, unlike her twin brother Ben who died when they were four. And she’s lucky to have been taken from her biological parents and assigned to a Level Two family. But mastering her emotions? That’s a problem, especially when a rebel bomb blows up a building right in front of her.

Then on Configuration Day, Avlyn’s official transition to adulthood, she starts seeing strange visions. And instead of being placed with a low-level tech company where she could hide away, she’s hired by Genesis Technologies, the government firm that monitors every citizen.

Now, instead of blending in, Avlyn fears she’ll be exposed for what she really is. If Gen Tech finds out how deeply she feels, it will ruin her life. And if they find out about her secret meetings with a mysterious but handsome member of the rebel forces, her life will be more than ruined.



It will be over.

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NeverSea

Would you risk everything for your happily ever after?

Arya has the ability to thrive under the blue waters of the NeverSea while Peter soars above it, touching the cool clouds beyond anyone’s reach.

After a tortured past filled with pain and lies, they’re reunited. A chance encounter with Arya’s lost love, James, opens the door for Peter, the ousted leader of the Lost Boys, to regain Neverland—a floating settlement now controlled by the heartless��witch��who took them as kids.

All of Earth’s land is consumed by the ever-growing ocean. Children are taken from their families and experimented on, all in the false hope of saving humanity. The fate of the world could lie in the hands of a girl and boy torn apart by their traumatic childhood.

The Little Mermaid meets Peter Pan in this science fiction retelling of two beloved classics. Readers who enjoyed��The Lunar Chronicles��will love this epic, young adult series.

��

Follow Jenetta on Facebook –��

Her blog–��

��

Author of The Configured Trilogy��

and NeverSea��

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Today’s interview is with A.J. Norris. She is a Paranormal Romance/Fantasy author with Limitless Publishing LLC and prefers chocolate chips to raisins.

[image error]1 What makes you the writer that you are?

AJ: Um…life.

MAY: Haha. That is the briefest answer I’ve heard, but it makes sense

[image error]CHAPTER 1

Moscow. May, 1775.

Alexander paced the length of the kitchen. He glanced at his mother. Lines of concentration and stress were etched into her wrinkled face from long years of working as a servant of the Sokolov family. Her silver hair was braided on top of her head into a tight bun. Its shade was too close to her pasty complexion.

She put the finishing touches on the food and pushed the tray towards him. “Here. Bring this to Katharine.��

Alexander wiped his sweaty palms on his trousers, his fingers brushing a tiny hole forming in the tattered material. He picked up the silver tray and beamed at her. “I will.��

“Alexander, wait,�� she said, her voice strained and throaty.

He glanced over his shoulder as he reached the doorway. His mother’s pained expression made him set the tray back down before he rushed to her side.

“Sit. You do not look well these days.�� He guided her to the stool near the furnace, hoping the heat would bring a little colour back to her cheeks.

Taking the offered seat, she patted his shoulder. “You are a gentle boy, my dear son.��

He squatted in front of her. The excitement he felt before had dissolved, only to be replaced with worry. “Mama, take a break for the rest of the day. I will do the chores around the house for you.��

She shook her head. “You have your work and I have mine. Katharine wishes to take you into town today.��

Alexander’s heart jumped at the mention of his mistress’s name. It rolled off the tongue like a caress he wished to administer to her face every time he saw her. Only, at the present time, his mother came first. It hadn’t been a year since his papa had passed away. The lord of the house chose to replace him, no second thought spared. Without as much as a proper burial to a soul who spent his entire life in service to the Sokolovs.

Alexander took his mother’s hand in his and massaged her calloused fingers. “When I return, I will take over for you.��

She smiled. Her front tooth was slightly crooked, marring her perfectly pearly row of teeth. “Go bring Katharine her food before it gets cold. I will be fine in a few moments.��

He studied his mother for the last time, seeing a little rouge returning to her cheeks at last. He kissed her hand and rose to his feet. “As you wish.��

Alexander picked up the tray, the metal cooling his sweaty palms. He marched out of the room like a soldier on an important mission. This was his chance to see her again.

Every day Katharine’s beauty became greater. Her small plump lips were the colour of gentle pink roses blooming in their garden on a summer’s day. Those emerald eyes on her heart-shaped face kept him tossing and turning in the night, imagining that he was a son of a nobleman instead of a servant.

He came to a stop in front of her door and drew in a breath. His heart had already picked up speed. He balanced the tray in one hand, careful not to spill any tea out of the ceramic pot. He balled his other hand and knocked three times.

The door swung open and there she was, Katharine Sokolova, the daughter of the royal jeweller, who in Alexander’s eyes shone brighter than any polished diamond.

He drank the sight of her in. Her mahogany hair was loose, cascading down to her waist in soft waves. He imagined touching her locks, brushing them aside to kiss the long expanse of her slender neck.

“Alexander, come in. I cannot decide what to wear for our walk,�� she said and moved to one side.

He mentally berated himself for having such terribly inappropriate thoughts. He could never have her. That was part of being a servant in a noble’s home. She would marry someone worthy of her who could give her anything and everything she ever desired. He was not that man.

Alexander set foot in her room and placed the tray on the small round table next to her favourite armchair where she read her books. It was not a strange occurrence for him to find her sleeping while clutching a book to her chest in the evenings.

He lowered his eyes. “Good morning, Lady Katharine.��

She sighed. “You know you may call me Katya in private. I prefer it that way.��

Alexander’s lips twitched upwards. An honour she had not permitted any other man or woman during important gatherings.

He inclined his head. “I will try it next time.��

She giggled and glided closer to him. Her long, slim fingers reached for his hair, combing through it. “I love your hair. It’s so soft and beautiful.��

He leant into her touch. “It is not as beautiful as yours.��

Her hand slid downwards and cupped his cheek. The warm touch of her skin burned right to his heart where her name was already branded on his soul.

“Will you help me choose a dress?��

Alexander’s eyes grew wide. “I should summon a female servant to help you with that.��

She pressed her index finger to his lips, forcing any further argument to remain unspoken. “I won’t tell if you won’t.��

His Adam’s apple bobbed when he swallowed his nerves. Closing his eyes, he revelled in the sensation of her finger on his lips as well as fought the urge to kiss it. With a shaking hand, he pushed her hand away. “Then I shall help you choose a dress, but nothing more.��

Katharine pouted. She walked to the wardrobe and pulled its large doors wide open, revealing over a dozen tailored dresses her father had purchased for her. She reached in and picked out two dresses with ruffled sleeves that would reach her elbows. She tossed them on the bed and planted her hands on her hips.

“What do you think? Red or green?��

Both dresses had an equal amount of craftsmanship and hard work put into them. The crimson dress would accent her hair while the green would bring out her eyes. She was playing a game, one he was uncertain of.

“Do you wish for me to choose what I like more about you?��

Katharine traced the delicate embroidery on the red dress with her fingers. “Is it so wrong of me to wonder?��

He shook his head.

“Then tell me, red or green?��

“I like them both equally, but if I were to choose something that would attract less male attention to you on the streets, it would be the green one.��

Katharine circled the bed to stand before him. “Does that mean you do not wish for other men to see me in red?��

He drew his hands behind his back, clamping his fingers around his wrist to keep himself from touching her. “I cannot answer that. If I do and your father finds out, I will be severely punished.��

She leant in and whispered in his ear, “Would the punishment be worth it if I let you kiss me?��

His blood rushed to his cheeks and his pulse beat against his eardrums as if trying to escape his body. He wet his suddenly dry lips. “I’m sorry.�� He cleared his throat. “I’d better check on my mother. She is not feeling well this morning. Please summon me when you are ready to leave.��

He hurried out of the room. His heart and body may have demanded that he take her offered kiss, but he would not let his mother suffer because of his desires.

Alexander held Katherine’s newly bought shoes and other accessories in both hands. From beside her, he watched her nibbling on her thumb.

She picked a velvet glove from a colourful selection, closing her eyes as she traced the material with her fingers. Setting it down, she picked up another; this one was made of pure white silk.

Katharine turned to Alexander. “I cannot make up my mind.��

Alexander shifted the boxes to one side, so he could have a better look at the sets of gloves. The old merchant behind the counter was eyeing Katharine’s chest without the slightest attempt to conceal his lecherous actions.

The gall. Alexander glared at the man. “Which glove would you prefer to slap an unwanted suitor with?��

Katharine hid her smile behind her hand and giggled. “That’s good. I will remember your advice.�� She pointed to the silk set of gloves.

The merchant nodded and took both sets away. His eyes lingered on Katharine before he retreated into the back room.

Alexander’s jaw clenched. He fought the urge to call the man back to apologise to his lady for the illicit thoughts he knew were going through the merchant’s mind.

“Alexander, are you unwell?�� she asked, her large green eyes focused solely on him.

“I’m fine. I suggest we return home. Your father was insistent that we do not dawdle.��

She waved his words away. “My father would have me locked in my room until he finds me a fiancé with enough wealth to satisfy him.��

Perhaps that is not such a bad idea.

The merchant emerged from the back room with her gloves neatly packed into a small parcel. He mentioned a price, and she handed over enough money to equal Alexander’s salary for an entire month.

“Let us go,�� she said, taking the parcel.

Alexander struggled to balance the other items in his arms. “I can carry that for you.��

She held the door open for him. “Don’t be silly. You are carrying everything else. Don’t tell anyone, but I feel somewhat helpful carrying an item for myself.��

Alexander hung his head in shame as they left the store. He could not be like his father—an ideal servant who could make his job appear effortless to others.

“I am sorry, Lady Katharine, I should be the one holding doors open for you.��

She winked at him, saying nothing.

Alexander frowned. He couldn’t figure out whether she was agreeing with him or not.

Her eyes widened, and she pointed to the small park across the road. “Oh, we must take a break before returning.��

“Your father—��

“He can wait. It is my papa who wishes to attend some social gathering, not I.�� She lifted her skirts just above her ankles and ran across the empty cobbled road.

With a light chuckle, Alexander hurried after her with the items sliding around in his hold. He followed her to a well-walked dirt trail and then to a free wooden bench. A group of birds near a pond eagerly glanced up at them, perhaps expecting to be fed.

When she plopped down on the bench, Alexander scanned the area around them, making sure no one saw her unladylike behaviour.

“Relax, Alexander. No one cares,�� she said.

“If someone saw you, your father would…��

Her smile faltered. “You only speak of him. He is not here, and we will return home shortly.��

Alexander sat down next to her, setting her newly acquired belongings on his lap.

She spread her skirt over the small space between them and pulled his hand underneath, entwining their fingers.

He tensed. As much as he wanted to continue holding on to her soft hand, he started drawing away. “This is wrong.��

Katharine clutched his hand tighter when a couple strolled by. An elderly woman tugged on her husband’s arm and eyed the two of them, interest budding behind her heavy-lidded eyes. She whispered something to her husband, who grunted in response and led his curious partner further down the trail.

“See?�� Katharine said to him with a mischievous grin. “Here, I can finally give you your birthday present.��

Alexander stared at her in disbelief. She had remembered his birthday when even he could not remember the date. He stroked his thumb over her smooth knuckles and lifted her hand to his lips. “This is more than a big enough gift, my lady.��

Katharine’s cheeks reddened, summoning pride in him.

“We grew up together, remember?�� Her voice was a little higher than a whisper that could be carried away by the wind if they were not so close to one another. “And my hand was not the present.�� She closed the last few inches of space between them and kissed him.

At first, Alexander thought he was dreaming. He had to be as he had fantasised about this moment more than once. When he heard a gasp from across the park, and Katharine quickly drew away, he realised how real their kiss was.

Her warmth lingered on his lips for a fleeting moment after their mouths parted. She covered hers with her hands. Her face was painted a shade lighter than her loose mahogany locks.

Alexander immediately looked at the ground. This could mean everything and nothing. He steeled himself for the latter. “If this was a mistake, a blague, my lady, I will understand.��

Katharine shot up. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “You think I give away my precious first kiss to any man or servant so readily?��

His heart squeezed painfully. He had made a grave mistake, one that he could not hope to fix with an apology alone. He moved her shopping aside and knelt before her, facing the tips of her leather boots that peeked out from under the hem of her dress. “Forgive me. I alone am at fault for my words. I never expected you to do that.��

Her fingers combed his platinum hair. “Then take responsibility for the kiss bestowed upon you, Alexander.�� She moved her hand away and glided past him.

For what seemed like an eternity, he sat there, staring at the spot where her feet stood mere moments ago. Her words kept echoing in his head, urging him to do the things he had banished from his mind long ago.

***END OF SAMPLE***

Pre-order .

1 Why did you decide to become a writer?

ALYSSA: Hmm. That’s a tough question. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had stories in my head. I took the leap about eight years ago to actually try and write a novel though. I’m not sure there’s a solid why, other than my head might blow up if I don’t put the metaphorical pen to paper.

MAY: I think that if we don’t become writers, we may become crazy people who talk to themselves on the street and hide in the shadows of a building because we are allergic to sunlight.

[image error]2 When you were growing up, who was your childhood hero?

ALYSSA: Wonder Woman, for sure. I remember being eight-years-old and dressing up in my Wonder Woman Underoos and jumping from the couch to the loveseat and pretending that I was flying in my invisible plane. Most superheroes were men, so it was definitely empowering to see a woman exhibit that much fortitude. To this day, I still love Wonder Woman.

MAY: I loved the Wonder Woman movie that came out this year.

For my childhood hero, I’d definitely have to go with my mum. She basically supported our entire family alone while working ungodly hours at the ER.

3 Roses or violets?

ALYSSA: I’m not a fan of either, but if I had to choose one, I’d choose violets.

MAY: I think I’m roses all the way.

4 Imagine yourself in your favourite city, drinking coffee alone and enjoying the view of a busy street. A person sits down opposite you, and you realise that they are there to prevent an explosion from happening. You’re the closest person who can help them. What fictional character do you want to be the one who helps you disarm the bomb?

ALYSSA: Ooh. I would have to pick vampire Sean Black from my Bad Blood Empire series. With his vampire senses, he’d be the perfect partner.

MAY: Nice choice. I would pick James Bond (007) just because he has probably done this before and I have no idea how bombs work.

5 If you could pick a single animal to take with you on a journey around the world, what animal would you take and why?

ALYSSA: I’d take my Great Dane, Sophie. She’s deaf and partially blind, and I kind of feel like I’m her seeing eye person. I can’t imagine taking a long trip without her.

MAY: Aw, that’s so cute! I can’t imagine taking an animal with me anywhere. The only pets I own are cacti. Thankfully, they’re pretty much self-sufficient. It’s hard enough to remember to feed myself.

6 This question is here because you got me to watch the movie Hush. Envision a scenario where you are the writer who is trapped in that forest cabin. There is a person outside the cabin, eager to come in, and you’re terrified of them. Out of your everyday life, who would that person be?

ALYSSA: I don’t think I’m that afraid of anyone in my everyday life.

MAY: I would say the TV license guy

CHERISHED PREVIEW:

1 �� ALONE

HANS

A position on the Vampire Council brought with it a lot of pain and suffering to those who were entrusted with a seat of power. Hans was no different. Everything he used to enjoy doing had been limited to giving orders that would benefit the vampire kind and maintain some form of balance in Europe. Regardless of his desperate wish to fill his sire’s shoes, he could never become Vincent. His sire was two thousand years old when he perished in the fight against the demons at the Demon Gate. To this day, the Council’s hounds were searching the streets for the stray demons that escaped through the portal. Their presence was, indeed, visible by the number of dead humans piling up in the quiet communities across England.

Hans buried his hands in his short brown hair and sighed. He was sitting behind his desk at the new Council building. After the revival of the original vampire—Arthemis—more humans had been killed for no reason other than feeding someone’s ego. Hans was glad that the Royals had used the homeless for such a deed, and the mortals did not have enough time to take note of the existence of vampires. Hiding in the shadows had been the only way of life they knew. Being thrust into an open view of humanity who had great weapons of destruction, his kind would perish too quickly. As a Councilman, he cared for his people and had to stick to the original rules that the First Council had transcribed on the ancient scrolls.

A knock on the door forced him to leave his brooding state of mind and drew his attention to the person on the other side. He twisted the ring that was on his wedding finger, knowing that it was Perri by the pitter-patter of her heart. She waited for him to permit her entry.

He rushed to the door and opened it for her. “Is something wrong? I thought you were in the middle of unpacking your belongings.��

She smiled at him, drawing his eyes to the bright smile she wore that could light up any room. In the time that they had been away from Scotland to deal with Master Vincent’s funeral and the Council’s restructure, her blonde hair had grown long enough to reach past her shoulders.

“I don’t have many belongings, Master Hans,�� she replied.

Hans frowned at the title she used. He instructed her to use it in the event where they were not alone. Being called that in private had somehow given him a terrible aftertaste in his mouth. They were eternally spirit-bound by a restless ghost who roamed their castle near Aberdeen. Since then, he came to realise how important she was to him. Her existence was like that of a moon in the night’s sky—needed to light his path. She brought life to the saddest moments. Even when Master Vincent had passed away, she was the one who held him together with her cheer and warmth.

Her expression became serious. She reached up to touch his face, and he stepped back.

“There is no one here,�� she whispered, her voice coming out hurt. Her face told him that his dismissal of her touch caused her great pain.

Contrary to the relationship Lucious and Helena had, where both of them were part of the same soul, he and Perri were different beings. She was the pure, bright, loving human woman he had come to believe he did not deserve, and he was the darkness that fed on the blood of mortals and spent his days negotiating with unshakeable��tyrants—the European delegates—about the territorial division and vampire law enforcement by the hounds. Two days ago, Lucious and Helena left to investigate the recent vampire deaths in Italy, and Hans was left to man the entire Council by himself. It was a task too great, even for someone who had observed Master Vincent as a Councilman for over four hundred years.

Perri knotted her fingers in front of her. “Don’t you want me to be here? Would you prefer it if I returned home?��

Hans took hold of her hands and lifted them to his lips, kissing the back of them. “I apologise for my behaviour earlier. I worry about you being here and yet I cannot bear to be apart from you for long. It is selfish of me to keep you trapped in this Council building while Lucious and I attempt to restore the Council’s power and reach.��

She shook her head. “It’s not selfish at all. I want to be with you. You are my…husband.��

He let go of her hands and retreated to his desk where he slid into his leather office chair. “I still believe it would be best to seek a way to break the spirit-bond. We do not know the dangers it may bring with it. And if either of us dies, the other will forever be unable to love another.��

“I am prepared for that!�� she countered, striding to him. She placed her hands on his shoulders and leant in, her brown eyes burning with sincerity. “I don’t think I would ever be able to love another man. You are the only one I need. Unless it’s you who wants to be free of me…��

Hans pulled her down and seated her on his lap. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and listened to her excited heartbeat that thudded in her chest. “Do not ever for a moment think that I would want to abandon you. My duties take precedence, that’s all.��

She combed his hair with her fingers and kissed him on the forehead. “I know. That’s why I haven’t complained and do as you tell me.��

He wound his arms around her waist and kissed her soft lips, allowing her to take control with uncertainty. For now, such a small form of affection would have to satisfy him. He feared to dirty her. She was at a young age of twenty-two. She could decide to leave him or change her mind at any second. If she so wished, and chose a different path to becoming the woman of a Councilman, he would need to give up and support her decision. The life she was trying to live would bring her much sorrow. As the years pass for them both, she would eventually wish to have children or want to be turned into a vampire. He did not know if he could be the one to extinguish her life or if he knew anyone trustworthy enough who would not use their sire-childe bond for malevolent purposes later.

Perri pressed her forehead to his. “We can meet for dinner tonight.�� She lowered her head and her voice. “Would you consider spending the night in my room?��

Hans pressed his lips together. Her blushing cheeks and meek voice had stirred his desire, but he had to control it. With her, he could not allow any room for mistakes.

“I am sorry, Perri. I have a hunt to lead for the possessed vampires tonight. You will have to eat alone.��

She smiled with faux cheer like she always did when he denied her something. “Another time maybe.��

He nodded, and she slid off his lap. With a goodbye wave, Perri left his office. For the next twenty minutes, he brooded over going after her and taking her in her room. She was innocent to the point where he knew not of what to do. His sire would turn in his grave if Hans hurt or upset her. She was like a daughter to Vincent, and Hans watched her grow up from a young age. For many years, he thought of her as a younger sister. And now that they were bound to each other, spirit to spirit, his hidden urges were much harder to conceal.

Letting out another heavy sigh, he returned to his paperwork that was quickly piling up on his desk in Lucious�� absence. There were too many emails and letters arriving from the remaining delegates who did not attend the first summoning and new Council coronation ceremony. They demanded an explanation about what had happened to those who died a month ago and the strange orders that came from the Royals who up and left the second Arthemis was gone. The only one who had stayed behind was Laclia, and she was in the middle of travelling across Europe, meeting with the delegates they had already responded to. She was due to return before the end of the year if things went well. With luck, they would gather another two Council members and restore the Council’s power in Europe that had become as fragile as glass.

He used a letter opener to remove the wax seal of the Cornelli family of vampires in Italy and began to read of their complaints.

PERRI

It was impossible to get Hans interested in her. She tried pretty dresses Helena had suggested, grew her hair out, and wore makeup to bring out her maturity. Nothing worked on the man of her obsession. Hans was an unmovable rock, and it was making her wonder if he wanted to be with her or if he didn’t want to be mean to her because she was Vincent’s favourite servant in Scotland. She had missed Master Vincent and had made weekly visits to the mausoleum where his remains were stored. She knew it was strange but doing so made her feel like he was still there with her, listening to her woes.

She walked down a long corridor that led to the living quarters of the Council members and their partners. Hans had assigned a room to her in that wing. She had often overheard the hounds whispering about her and Helena’s presence there. They were scared of Lucious and what he might do if Helena was mentioned, so conversations about her friend were scarce, but Perri seemed to be on the tip of their tongue at all times. She was a human with no super powers or abilities unless she counted cooking and cleaning. Vampires could not ingest solid foods, and they didn’t particularly care if someone cleaned the huge castle-like building they were in.��With four separate gardens, they definitely would need a gardener or two soon enough.

Should I learn gardening, too?

Her restlessness prompted her to grab the nearest hound—a vampire servant of the Council—and ask him for a dust cloth and cleaning materials. The blonde man seemed confused by her inquiry, so she repeated her request.

“Master Hans had not mentioned that you would be on the cleaning team,�� he said in a bored tone.

“I want to do something to keep busy,�� Perri countered.

He raised his hands in defence. “I don’t want to anger a Councilman by doing something that he did not order. Please find someone else.��

Perri blew out a breath. She couldn’t even take her mind off of things by cleaning. How was she supposed to get used to this massive castle and its grounds? Hans had forbidden her to explore without him by her side or her assigned hound, Lotte, who acted as her bodyguard. Lotte was a vampire woman who must have been turned in her late teens. She was friendly and nice on the surface, but Perri heard from Vincent that hounds did not choose to do their job because of their kind hearts. They were either being punished by the Council for some crime and had to serve a sentence by obeying orders or their sire sent them to improve relations with the Council members and gain more influence. Perri hadn’t been able to pinpoint which of the two boxes Lotte belonged in. The only things she knew about that woman was that she was created thirty-five years ago and came from some small town in Netherlands. She knew that Hans would not select someone who would hurt her to be by her side. On the other hand, could she trust a person she knew nothing about?

Her shoulders sagged, and she made her way to her bedroom. If she couldn’t clean, cook, or do anything without supervision, she would go mad. Then, an idea struck her. She rushed the rest of the way to her bedroom and looked for her phone. She spied it on the bed and dialled Rupert—the butler in the main house in Scotland. Three months ago, he told her about the journals he discovered in the storage room that belonged to Master Vincent. Hans had some of the older volumes sent off to translators in other countries. Maybe if she read through the translations, she could find something helpful that could aid Hans in his work or locate Master Vincent’s favourite place where they could scatter his ashes. After all, Vincent had lived for a very long time. She was sure that he had a lot of stories to tell and advice to give.

When someone picked up, she launched into the conversation, “Rupert, is that you?��

His laughter came through the speaker of the phone. “It has been a while, Perri. How did the service for Master Vincent go? Did the people he worked with give him a proper goodbye?��

Perri licked her lips and held the phone closer to her ear. She couldn’t tell Rupert that Vincent had received barely any attention from the vampires he had worked with for a thousand years. It was as if they didn’t care about his passing in the slightest.

“It was a good send off,�� she lied. “I would like to look through the journal translations you’ve received. I may be able to find Master Vincent’s favourite place there. I’m sure he would appreciate us scattering his ashes there.��

“That’s a brilliant idea! You have thought of a good plan. Though, I am certain I don’t have to tell you that you should run this by Master Hans. He is the new head of the family, and we must respect his orders.��

Would Hans agree to take the remains from the Council’s mausoleum and bring them to Vincent’s favourite place? Not like she found its location yet. First thing’s first, she had to get her hands on those translations.

“Will you please send the documents to our new address?�� she asked.

Rupert went quiet for a minute. “There are a lot of them. I don’t think it would be a good idea to send them all at once. So, I will post them out to you in separate parcels.��

“That’s a good idea.�� Perri smiled. She was eager to get her hands on the old journals that belonged to the man who was like a father to her. “Thank you, Rupert.��

“It’s not a problem. Take good care of Master Hans while you are visiting him. He must be working hard to fill Master Vincent’s shoes.��

“I will, and I’ll call again to check in another time.�� She ended the call. The rest of the servants at the main house didn’t know about her relationship with Hans.

Then again, she scratched her head, what is our relationship? They hadn’t gone beyond kissing each other. Every time she tried to initiate anything more, he shot her down, claiming he had work or was too busy to keep her company. At first, she accepted his words without complaint until doubts began to form at the back of her head.

Does he not find me attractive?��

There was no other reason she could think of. And what about the odd question he asked her earlier about breaking the only connection that held them together. Without the spirit-bond, she feared that he would revert to treating her like a younger sister rather than a lover. Not like she was his lover yet. Helena and Lucious were doing fine after they reunited. They slept in the same room every night like a real couple.

What am I doing wrong?

She fell backwards onto her king size bed and buried her face in her hands. The constant insecurities that were eating away at her sanity were hard to keep hidden. At the same time, she couldn’t allow others to see her being unhappy. It would worry them. Too many things were happening in Europe with the vampires and lack of stability of the Council for others to fret over her silly thoughts. To remain by Hans�� side, she had to act mature and happy. She forced another smile that felt unnatural. Pretending was getting a little easier.

You��can get your copy of CHERISHED here.

About the author

Holly Hook grew up with a strange fascination with natural disasters, especially tornadoes. She would spend her adolescent years watching storms, writing about them, and searching for young adult books that combined weather with fantasy. Frustrated that these books did not exist, she decided to write them years later. The result is the 5-book Destroyers Series, the first of which is about human hurricanes. She is also working on the Deathwind Trilogy, a spin-off of the Destroyers Series, and the Timeless Trilogy.

She lives with her two cats and her twenty-four tarantulas.

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Blurb

Follow the adventures of Alyssa, a reluctant teen vampire, as she finds herself Bound to Xavier, a hot, rejected Mage.�� Living in a society who hates “Abnormals�� like her, Alyssa has always had to hide her true nature.�� When her father is kidnapped by the demonic mayor of her city, she must embrace her true nature and join the supernatural world if she’s to rescue him.�� As she is forced to grow closer to Xavier, she also discovers that the mayor has greater plans for her, and she may be far more Abnormal than she thought��

Sample
Prologue

“Honey, I’m sure the highway is only a couple more miles up this road.�� Alyssa’s father took a sip of Mountain Dew. The lights from the dashboard shimmered green through the bottle.

“We’ve been driving for who knows how long,�� her mother said. “Face it, Craig—we’re lost. You put more spin on your directional ability than the news.��

Alyssa had gone to Grandma and Grandpa’s new house that day but now it was late. The clock ahead of her said it was past midnight, way past her bedtime. She yawned in the awkward car seat.

Tall, dark shapes that might be trees rolled past. If she tilted her head, the stars came through. There was no moon.

“We’re in the wilderness, Craig,�� her mother said. Was she scared? “At night. You shouldn’t have taken that detour. It would have been better to stay in that traffic jam.��

“The chances of any of them finding us is slim.��

“I still don’t like to take chances. They’ve been reporting more vampire attacks lately and even some werewolf ones. One woman was drained so much she died before they got her to the hospital. That Russell Fox guy bites as many people as he can.��

Alyssa yawned and her mother faced her.

“You’re awake,�� she said. “Alyssa, honey, go back to sleep. We’ll be home in an hour.��

She yawned again and started to close her eyes.

“Good,�� her mother said. “Now, back to the topic. Are you sure there’s no one out here?��

“There aren’t even any other cars.�� Then he muttered, under his breath: “This has been a long dr–��

“C��������!��

Her dad slammed the brakes.

Alyssa lurched forward but the belts of her car seat held her in place.

Standing in front of the car was a tall man.

He was a short, pale man in a white T-shirt. He stood still in the headlights, staring in at them.

And streaks of red filled his eyes, where the normal color was supposed to be. He stood just on the other side of the hood and he was smiling.

“Back up,�� her mother ordered. She locked her door. “Now! That’s him!��

Her father grabbed onto the gearshift just as the door came open.

A hand—this one belonging to a woman—seized her father’s arm and pulled him out of the car so hard his seat belt snapped. He didn’t fight back. Her mother screamed as her door came open, too. There were people around the car. They’d come out of the darkness.

She froze. Another person stood outside her door. Alyssa could only see a bearded chin and a the leather vest of a man. Her mother sat there, watching the figure. Why wasn’t she moving? Why wasn’t she going out and yelling at these people?

Were these the bad guys from TV?

Alyssa drew closer to her window. Maybe these people weren’t bad guys after all. Didn’t bad guys have guns they pointed at you? Didn’t they wear black masks and laugh evilly?

But the man opened the door and yanked her mother from the car. He dragged her, screaming and flailing, to the edge of the trees.

And then he bit her on top of her shoulder.

Alyssa’s heart stopped. Her mother screamed again. A tiny stream of blood ran down towards her chest.

Alyssa snapped her belt off and climbed out of her car seat. She climbed through the front of the car and outside. “Stop!��

The bearded man released her mother, who fell against a tree and grabbed her neck. Alyssa beat on the man’s legs. She knew that she should run, but she was too angry. Who were these people and why would they want to hurt her parents?

The man seized the back of her shirt.

Lifted her up.

Alyssa could barely breathe. Her shirt cut into her throat. She rose to the man’s eye level. He had a pointed beard and the same pale skin as the man in front of the car. Even though it was dark here—almost too dark to see—she could make out the red, jagged lines in his eyes.

“N�ǴǴǴǴ�!��

The man shook his head and said something low. “This is the one?��

“We need to go, Russell,�� a woman said.

Alyssa screamed and closed her eyes.

He bit.

The pain was horrendous, exploding where her neck met her shoulder. Alyssa screamed. The man was taking her blood, swallowing it down. The woman shouted something again and the man dropped her. Alyssa landed, crying and grabbing at her wound, at the blood that was seeping out.

“We’ve done enough,�� the scary woman said. “Let’s go.��

Darkness swallowed her. Alyssa remembered nothing until she opened her eyes sometime later. Her neck still hurt and she was lying in a bed under a light that was too bright. Her mother sat next to her along with her father. They both had bandages on their necks and her father hung his head. A man in a white coat stood behind them. Alyssa’s mother was holding her hand.

“But it’s so rare,�� her mother said. “My daughter can’t be turning.��

“It’s my fault,�� her father said. “I gave her the gene.��

“One in five hundred cases turn when bitten,�� the doctor said in a flat voice. “I do believe it’s genetic and rare. I’m sorry, but your husband and daughter are both in that one in five hundred.��

“What are my parents going to think?�� her mother asked, clutching her hand harder.

Alyssa felt too weak to lift her head or try to understand what the adults were saying. She felt sick. Her arms and legs tingled and the light above was too bright.

“Please don’t tell the authorities,�� her father begged the doctor. “Please. If you do call them, just tell them about me.��

“I won’t call them,�� the doctor said and left the room.

Alyssa tried to speak. Why did she feel so hungry and strange?

But then her father left, checked the door to the hospital room, and returned. He scooped Alyssa up and pulled out an IV she didn’t know was there. “Come on, Cindy. We’re leaving and we’re never coming back.��

Chapter One

My day was going really great. First, I had probably bombed my Algebra test and there would be hell to pay when Dad found out about it. Second, the sun was out in full force and all I could do was fake a migraine and stand in the doorway of Cumberland High School while my friends, Maisha and Janine, got to go out and do soccer practice with all the other Normal girls. And third, there was a creepy guy standing at the gate to the football field, staring at me.

I didn’t notice the weirdo at first because I was busy stewing about my plummeting grade in math (again) and about the fact that I couldn’t stand being out in the sun for more than five to ten seconds without getting really sick. Thank you, other creepy people, who bit me and my family years ago. And thank you, rare gene that let their disease take hold.

Janine kicked a killer goal and Coach Lancey blew her whistle and shouted something. She glanced at me, to my shadow sanctuary. I drew back, hiding from her glare. That was when I saw the guy, a kid who had to be around my age. He stood there, silent, leaning against the fence like he was totally comfortable in his leather trench coat, brimmed hat, and sunglasses. He was only about fifty feet away, not close enough to make me uncomfortable but close enough for me to know he was studying me hard. My vision was better than Normal eyesight but those sunglasses were so dark that I felt like I was staring into a couple of black pits.

Coach Lancey blew her whistle again. Over on the soccer field, she waved at a couple of girls who were over on the perimeter, chatting away. I adjusted my own sunglasses to block out the unbearable light and checked the guy again.

In the second I’d glanced away, he had moved closer.

Much closer.

As in, he now stood leaning against a traffic pillar only ten feet away. His arms were folded across his chest. He stood a full head taller than me. His face was smooth and young, unshaven. His hair, long and scraggly. I hadn’t heard him take a step.

No. I was not dealing with this right now.

I hadn’t met another Abnormal other than Dad since I was two and the fateful bite happened on that country road. We, no they were out there, staying out of sight of both the authorities and human society. Everyone knew that shifters, human magic users, and even demons existed among them, blending in the best they could or staying out of sight. Schools taught kids to stay away from them just like they warned against strangers and above all, to tell a grownup if they spotted an Abnormal. The human ones who had magic were okay some of the time, but it was the ones like me, the ones capable of preying on Normals or worse, infecting them–we were guilty without a trial. Losing your job, getting disowned by your family and turning into human society’s punching bag was only the beginning.

It was the reason I filed my canines down every morning.

The guy continued to stare at me for what felt like an eternity. I couldn’t tell what his motives were. I caught no whiff of metallic adrenaline pumping through his veins, which was always a strong scent. He was calm but he also wasn’t going away. If I got into the shadows enough, I could try to fight the guy, but out in the sun, I was too useless to even slap someone. I was stronger than the Normal girls, a fact I had to hide during practice, but I wasn’t sure what I was doing here. I could fence but my equipment was at Thorne’s Fencing School and that foil wouldn’t do much damage anyway. I thought about running down the hall and hiding in a classroom but that would brand me as easy prey, so I stood there and stared back at the guy. I never let my secret out to anybody so I wasn’t sure why he’d chosen me out of all the girls to eyeball.

I was alone. Maybe that was it.

“Do you have a problem?�� I asked, licking my teeth to check that I really had filed them earlier. They were sharpening again like they always did later in the day but it wasn’t that bad yet. “Or are you some kind of pervert? You’re even dressed for the part.��

The guy smiled at me and patted his trench coat. “Oh. You mean this. I know. Crappy impression but it’s best if we hide, you know?��

We hide.

We.

I looked around to make sure no one else was standing there. All clear. Coach Lancey had sent the two girls to sit on the bench and the others were running around the field again, kicking the ball. They were so far away, across a forbidden field of light. I was trapped until I could bum a ride from Janine and hide under the official Fake Migraine Blanket until she drove me home.

“Are you trying to do some cosplay thing?�� I asked. “What character are you?�� I scrambled for anything and to not sound all freaked out. “I had a friend at my old school who loved cosplay.�� I had to steer this conversation in another direction and fast.

The guy stepped forward, keeping his sunglasses trained on me. The wind blew and the air got warm, almost crackling as he approached. The teachers always taught us that magic felt like that, to watch out for that sensation. He might be one of those humans who had it. Mages. There were supposed to be different kinds. “Alyssa,�� he said.

The world dropped out from under me.

I hadn’t heard my real name spoken anywhere but home since I was two, since Dad had brought me here to Washington after our bites and bought us new identities on the black market. Even he had started calling me Roslyn when I was five and the last time I heard my name spoken was when Mom called us to check in a couple of years ago.

(Lucky Mom. She’d been bitten like Dad and I, but she didn’t have the rare gene that made someone turn.)

It was then, as I stood there in stunned silence, that I caught the full scent of Mr. Trenchcoat’s blood. Adrenaline and stress were the strongest smells but most people gave off whatever they had eaten for lunch—I had to endure the afternoons in a cloud of greasy pizza, Mountain Dew and Cheetos—but this guy gave off the scent of wood smoke and something I couldn’t identify. He was definitely human but I had never encountered anything like it.

“Alyssa,�� he repeated like he was trying to make it sink in.

“Are you from the government?�� I asked. I’d heard too many stories about Abnormals getting sent off to special therapy to become more “normal�� and never coming back. “How do you know my real name? And by the way, it’s still rude to stare.��

“I…�� the guy said. He stepped closer. “You can’t hide much longer, Alyssa.��

I tried to come up with something to say to blow this whole creepy thing out of the water, but there was nothing this time. I felt naked��like this guy could see every flaw that was me. My disease. My secret that I hadn’t dared utter to even myself for years.

So I did the last thing I should have done. I backed away, searching around for a weapon. There was a dust bunny on the floor and someone’s cell phone case by the lockers, smashed into pieces. If he attacked I’d have to use my fists.

“Look,�� I said. “I don’t know how you know my real name but please. Someone could see you dressed all weird like this. You’re standing out. And I’m not hiding.��

“You are. Every day.�� The guy looked up and down my body, checking out my legs and the shorts I had thrown on because I’d been too dumb to check the forecast this morning. “You know,�� he said, flashing me a grin. “For such a hot girl, you’re really missing a good tan. And not to mention, you should be skin and bones since you never eat anything at lunch. Or all muscle since you fence all the time. You’re not on a liquid diet by any chance?��

I had to act. This was dangerous and I needed answers. I lunged at the guy and grabbed the front of his trench coat. Now that I was more out of the sun I was stronger, strong enough to pull him towards me. I held him there with my left hand, pulling him closer and closer until I could feel his breath on my face. The wood smoke smell got overpowering now, so much that my stomach rumbled.

I could hold my hunger back. I always managed it until I got to the freezer at home.

“You’ve been watching me,�� I said. “I suppose you peek in my windows and watch me undress, too?�� That was impossible—or maybe not if he was some kind of Mage who could teleport. I always kept my blinds shut to keep out the sun and to hide…other things. But this guy had magic. I still hadn’t worked out what he was capable of. Maybe he teleported into my closet every night and watched the show from there.

The guy grinned. “I’ve thought about it, but—no, you don’t have to hit me. I was just joking.��

I lowered the hand I had raised. “Sorry. This is just a really tense situation for me. How much do you know?��

“Well, I know now that you file your teeth. I was wondering how you blended in. You must really hate sunny days, though.��

He knew everything.

Crap.

A stranger knew the secret Dad and I had been working years to keep covered. Even if he was a fellow Abnormal, he might be one of the more acceptable ones–he was human–so this made the whole thing not cool. I’d heard stories about some Mages selling out worse Abnormals to the treatment centers to save their own skin.

Or maybe he just wanted to talk. I needed answers and punching him wouldn’t get me there.

So I did something I wasn’t sure I wouldn’t regret. I let go of him.

“Thanks,�� he said, brushing off his coat. “Maybe we can get down to business now. Is there a room around here that’s a little more private than this?�� He gestured to the hallway, which remained empty except for the janitor lady rolling a trash can out of one of the foreign language classes.

The whistle blew from outside again and Coach Lancey yelled something else. Practice was still in session but not for much longer. “Okay,�� I said. “Tell me how you know what I am. I have to meet my friend after practice and she needs to drive me home. Then I need to finish my Lit homework.��

The guy looked at me like I was some kind of freak.

“Your Lit homework? Most Abnormals don’t have that problem.�� And he snickered.

I felt naked. If Janine found him with me or worse, caught him teleporting, suspicion would go on me next. She’d wonder why the heck I’d been talking to an Abnormal. Already I hatched excuses in my mind.

“In the conference room,�� I said, pulling open a door nearby.

The light was off in here which was a welcome relief. I guided Mr. Trench Coat inside and closed the door, leaving us in almost pitch darkness. I expected him to freak out��since he was in my element now, but he stayed calm. My eyes adjusted quickly and I could make out the conference table within two seconds, and then the phone on the table, and then the shelf with all the stuffy old books on the walls. Everything was gray in my night vision. I couldn’t remember a time I’d been scared of the dark.

Well, that fateful night. That was it.

Mr. Trench Coat banged right into one of the chairs that I could clearly see. “Can we turn on the lights?�� he asked.

“No,�� I said. “Someone might notice. Really. Not trying to be a jerk, but my friend Janine goes crazy when she thinks someone’s making out somewhere.��

“I’m Xavier,�� he said. “I’m a War Mage from Abnormals Underground.�� He spoke like I should know what that was.

“From where?�� I asked. War Mages were some of the stronger ones and more in the class of Mages to be avoided. They were the kind known to shoot fireballs and roast their opponents and the media made them look like monsters waiting to happen. Maybe Xavier wasn’t planning to sell me out to the government after all. A Nature Mage would have scared me more. The government was more likely to work with them.

“You know,�� he said, rubbing his elbow. “Abnormals Underground.��

“I’ve never heard of your group,�� I said.

“That’s because we’re underground,�� Xavier said. “Your dad never told you about us?��

“My dad mostly just talks about work. He’s an insurance agent.��

Xavier burst out laughing, leaning over the table. “Sorry. I can’t help it,�� he said. “A vampire insurance agent. That’s the most Normal career ever.��

“That’s the point,�� I said. “We want to be Normal. That’s all we want.�� I felt the familiar pain rising in my chest, constricting my heart like a snake. Mom wouldn’t have left. I wouldn’t have screwed up so badly when I was eight��

“But you’re not Normal,�� Xavier said, catching a breath and facing me. “Neither one of you are and you never will be. Question. Are you happy right now?��

“Where is this going?�� I asked. “Of course I’m happy. If you’re looking to have us join your club, we’re not interested. Sorry.�� Practice was getting close to ending. It must be. It was only supposed to go until four and the clock on the wall told me it was three fifty and sometimes Coach Lancey wrapped up early if she needed to pick up her daughter from daycare.

Xavier took a step closer. His eyes were adjusting. I could tell because he was actually facing me and not bumping into the chairs. “Your father registered with us years ago. Most Abnormals are registered with us. We helped you both get your new identities and move place to place. I’m here to represent us. We offer you protection.��

“We’ve been doing fine,�� I said. This was a revelation. “I’ll keep you in mind, though.�� I moved back towards the door and put my hand on the handle, but remembered that he probably couldn’t see the cue.

“Alyssa,�� he said. “I came here for more than that. We’re going to need fighters soon. Strong fighters. Some people in the city government have started cracking down on us. Cumberland’s not a good place to be right now. We need people like you. You’re strong and I have a good feeling about you.��

I started opening the door��but stopped when what he said sunk in.

“Fighters?�� I thought about him watching me at my fencing classes—maybe even my tournaments. “I don’t, you know, kill people when I fence. I don’t kill anybody. We all wear padding and it’s safe. It helps me get my anger out. Sure, I have a sword collection at home but I have no plans to use those on anybody. And by the way, I don’t hurt people, period. My dad has a friend who gets us rejected blood bags from the Red Cross–��

I had never told anyone that before. In fact, I’d never even said it out loud.

“But what about your kendo classes?��

Oh. Those.

“And the Iaido club?��

And that.

We used wooden sticks and real swords for those along with actual armor. Thorne also instructed those classes but I was the only one under eighteen in those classes. The rest were college kids. Thorne and my father had worked out some deal I still didn’t know the details of to get me into the university club on weekends and supply me the equipment. Fencing was about focus but Kendo and Iaido–actually learning to “kill�� with a sword–was actually about learning to hurt people. Or pretending to hurt them. It vented my aggression better than fencing did.

“I still don’t hurt people there,�� I said. “We all wear armor. I can’t do things like boxing, you know? I’d get found out.��

“You know,�� Xavier said, leaning against the table and looking all cool. “You’re going to have to deal with this sooner or later. We both know you’ll stop aging in just a few years and people are going to notice. You can’t carry on like this forever.��

“Then we’ll move,�� I said. “We always do. I’m used to it. Dad already moves because of that. Throne can find me more classes in another state. He’s got connections with all the instructors. Now I need to get back to practice.��

“But you’ll get sick out there.��

“I need to talk to my dad, too,�� I said. Why hadn’t Dad told me about this? Xavier could be lying. He had some other plan, even though I couldn’t think of what that could be. “I only fence to vent my stress.��

“And sword fight,�� Xavier said. “You’re a natural fighter. I’ve seen you and heard about you. You can get better–much better. It won’t take that much.��

“I can’t. I have too much to do already.��

“You must hate Abnormals,�� Xavier said. “I know one did this to you, but trust me, we’re not all like that.��

“Everyone thinks we are,�� I said, trying to ignore the fact that he also knew my history. Maybe Dad was the one I should be angry at. He’d betrayed my trust. Dad had always told me we would keep this whole thing a secret from the outside world, that the Normals would never figure out what we were.

But Xavier wasn’t a Normal.

“Don’t listen to the crap you hear,�� Xavier said. “None of us chose to be what we are. I didn’t choose magic. They want us to feel bad so we’ll turn ourselves in.��

“People say those like me chose to turn when they were bitten.��

“That’s crap.��

I often wondered if I really had chosen to turn when I was two and just didn’t remember it. Some scientists said different but a lot of people didn’t believe that. I wasn’t sure if I did because the gene hadn’t been proven yet. It was a theory.

Xavier waited for my response. Outside, the whistle blew again but he didn’t seem to notice. His wood smoke smell got stronger and my stomach rumbled. I was shaking and getting hungry. I had to get home soon and have a snack.

“I’m sorry,�� I said. “Please. I have homework tonight and a test to study for.��

Xavier kept his cool. I couldn’t tell what kind of expression he had behind those sunglasses. He reached into one of his trench coat pockets. “Take my card, at least. You’ll never know when you’ll need it.�� He produced a cardboard rectangle and handed it to me.

I took it mostly to humor him. It was a plain white card, with his shining name sunk into the paper in shimmering letters. XAVIER LOVELLI. His name was beautiful and perfect in the gothic font. Underneath it, more shimmering letters read APPRENTICE MAGE for ABNORMALS UNDERGROUND. There was a picture of two flaming, crossed swords in the corner and as I stared, the fire seemed to dance. It was the coolest business card I had ever seen, but I kept my face stony, trying not to show my amazement. Things like this got people in trouble.

And the card was warm, like some life force was running through it.

“You don’t know what you’re missing,�� Xavier said. “That ink, by the way, is made from a dragon scale and incubus blood mixture.�� He paused there like I was supposed to know what he meant. “It’s awesome binding magic in there.��

“That’s…cool, I guess.��

“Take it out if you’re in trouble,�� Xavier said. “Rub your thumb over the swords.��

“Okay,�� I said. “Thanks.�� I’d take this card home and keep it but using it wasn’t something I’d have to do any time soon.

I heard footsteps approaching the school, scraping grass and then concrete. Someone was coming. Practice had let out. I had to get back to Janine, get under the Migraine Blanket in her car and have her take me home. Then I had to figure out how to get to fencing practice tonight. Dad wasn’t supposed to be home until nine or so and he usually drove me but he worked late shifts to avoid going out too soon on sunny days.

I went to leave the room, but Xavier brushed past me and the wood smoke smell got even stronger. He opened the door, oblivious to the fact that someone was coming, and made a left down the hall.

Before I could stop him, the double doors to outside squeaked open.

AMAZON LINKS

Amazon US,��Amazon UK,��Amazon CA,��Amazon AU,��also available in Kindle Unlimited.

You can find out more about Holly and her work on her WEBSITE or subscribe to her MAILING LIST and get some free books.

��

��

I have to say, this series takes a lot out of me. Almost as much as Helena Hawthorn books. While I was writing Case: 1, I kept surprising myself with how alive the characters felt and behaved. I may be on the NSA’s list of suspicious people due to my strange Google searches. All in all, I believe there were a lot of times when I found myself sitting back and watching the events unfold as Annalise and Devlin were solving their possession case that turned out to be so much more.

Now then, enough about that. Why don’t I provide you with a small sample instead?

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1 �� Rumours

“Chief, is this some kind of a joke?�� Annalise demanded, turning red with anger. “He can’t become my partner. He works for Falcon!��

Chief Sunderland reclined in his seat and released a heavy sigh. “Mr Madoc has a great track record in solving cases. You can take this offer or leave it. Remember, Storm, you can’t work without a partner.��

Devlin—the man she thought was killed during their escape from the Falcon facility in the Silver District—stood next to her with a beautiful smile on his face. He remained the same, strikingly handsome with majestic blue eyes that could keep any man or woman tethered on a spot for hours. She scanned his pristine charcoal suit, taking in his strong, broad shoulders and slim waistline. If she did follow her father’s wishes, she would be engaged to him and planning their wedding. She pushed the thought aside. He is part of the reason why Mavel is on the run.

“After what happened, I’ve been demoted,�� Devlin explained. “I chose this department because there was an opening.��

She scowled at him. “Do you expect me to believe that?��

“Believe what you will, Annalise. Falcon has no use for people who help prisoners escape,�� Devlin added.

That left her speechless. He did help them get out with their lives. After that, Rios and Jamen were given the location of the facility by Mavel. They raided the place, but everything was gone. There wasn’t a smidgen of DNA that indicated anyone had occupied the damn building. With that hiccup, she was made to look like a fool, and the physical damage she took pushed more suspicion onto Mavel over the past three weeks. She had heard the rumours whispered behind her back. People started believing that Mavel hurt her, and she was trying to cover it up by shifting the blame.

Lowering her head, she looked at the ground. Mavel was no longer her beast. The moment he wrote that letter, he had severed ties with her. Even though it was only yesterday that she had read it, it felt like a thousand years had passed.

“So, what’s your decision? Are you going to accept him as your partner?�� Chief asked, pushing a digital tablet across the table towards her. “I need an answer, Storm, because I have a case ready if you do.��

Sparing one last glance at Devlin, she grabbed the tablet. “What is it?��

Chief smirked. “We received a report this morning. A possessed basilisk was trying to attack one of the security officers at the Montgomery Institute for young girls. I chose you for this case as it’s a school listed in your file. It should be easier for you to investigate.��

Annalise cringed at the memory of the school she had spent most of her childhood and teenage years attending. The relentless ass-kissing she received from her teachers drove her mad. Each one wanted her to put in a good word with her father. She was planning to do that until the day she overheard her Physics and Mathematics teachers talking about her in the courtyard. She was nothing more than a pawn to them in the progression of their careers. Ever since, she avoided making any friends at school and spent most of her time with Mavel.

“Storm? For God’s sake, say something,�� Chief huffed, smacking his palm on his desk to draw her attention.

Her head snapped up, and she forced a smile. “I’ll take the case, sir.��

“And him?�� Chief nodded to Devlin who raised a brow when she glanced his way.

“I’ll take him as my partner as well, temporarily. In the meantime, I’m going to search for a new servant.��

Devlin offered her his hand. “It will be a pleasure to work with you.��

She shook his hand, feeling a light electrical current brushing her skin when they touched. Jerking her hand away, she marched out of the Chief’s office. Maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea. While they worked together, she could press him to talk about the Falcon Group and find out more about them and how they operated. This could be an opportunity, and she had to take it. After all, he was only one man—a man who occasionally made her heart race.

Once she parroted the destination into the onboard computer of her car, she waited for Devlin to climb in. His long legs seemed cramped in the passenger seat, and she stifled a laugh.

“Are you comfortable?�� she asked, amused.

Devlin studied her with an intensity that made the car seem a lot warmer than it should have been. Under his unwavering gaze, her cheeks heated up. She changed the car into manual to take her mind off him. Why is his presence bothering me so much?

Halfway to the institute, Devlin finally said, “I’m glad you accepted me as your partner. For a moment there, I thought you would decline.��

“At first, I didn’t want to accept.��

“Why do so in the end?��

“Because you know about Falcon.�� Her fingers gripped the steering wheel tighter. “And I need answers.��

Devlin intertwined his hands in his lap and looked out the window. “What do you want to know?��

She spared him a glance, checking to see if he was serious about their sharing session. He didn’t seem like he was joking. “What happened after we escaped?��

“I was shot in the shoulder and treated at a secret Falcon facility in Bronze. They purged the location in Silver, eliminating all evidence of their presence, and I was given a choice.��

She licked her lips as her nervousness started to surface. “What kind of choice?��

“To work my way up from the bottom of the totem pole again or leave Falcon. I chose to leave.��

She snorted. “Just like that?��

“Just like that,�� he replied, looking her dead in the eye. “Falcon is a strict organisation. They don’t kill without a reason. And, helping a top politician’s daughter escape the custody of some mad scientist wasn’t considered to be a deadly offence.��

Her shoulders relaxed, and she blew out a breath. “That does make sense. I wouldn’t want to work for people who shot me, either.��

His wrist comms beeped, and he lifted his right hand to check his messages. “It seems Mr Hopps will be there when we arrive.��

“How do you know that?��

“I may be disconnected from Falcon, but I am extremely resourceful. Feel free to utilise me as you please,�� he said with a wink.

Annalise returned her full attention to the road while her face turned the shade of a beetroot. She knew she loved Mavel. No. She was certain of it. Yet, this man somehow managed to find his way past her barriers and summon a reaction out of her.

They arrived at the Montgomery Institute a little past noon. Devlin climbed out of the car and opened her door for her—a gentlemanly gesture she didn’t expect. Such chivalry died centuries ago. What an odd man��

Taking a quick look at her old school, which she wished she would never see again, she mumbled a curse. Nothing here had changed. The two-storey, red-brick monstrosity in the shape of the letter C had a large courtyard at the centre of it, full of rare plants imported from across the globe. The building was divided into two sections. Students who belonged to privileged families from the Golden District studied in the more modern, left section of the institute. The others studied in the right section she had never been to. She often envisioned it to be run down with caving ceilings and ghosts appearing in the hallways. It was nothing more than her imagination according to her only friend, Monique, who also studied here.

“Annalise, shall we go in?�� Devlin inquired, eyeing her face with interest.

“Might as well.��

Annalise watched his steady gait from behind, appreciating his long, muscular legs. She mentally slapped herself on the forehead. Was he dispersing some kind of pheromone into the air to make her drawn to him? Picking up speed, she hurried past him.

They arrived at the school’s reception. She flashed her badge at the elderly woman sitting behind the mahogany desk, saying, “We are from the HPD. Could you direct us to the crime scene?��

The woman lifted her eyes from her terminal and forced a smile as she used her hands to support her words. “Yes, Detective. Take the corridor to your right and keep going until you reach a separation door. At the door, one of the officers will help you out.��

With that, the receptionist dismissed her, making Annalise slightly annoyed. She followed the directions with Devlin at her side. At the large glass door, which she came to understand was the said ‘separation door��, her partner smiled at the officer standing in their way.

Devlin spoke in a calm and professional tone as he showed his badge. “We are here to see the body.��

The young officer inclined his head and moved aside. “The holo-barrier is a little further down the hall, near the Science labs.��

“Thank you.�� Devlin patted the man on the shoulder. He placed his hand on the small of Annalise’s back and guided her through the doorway.

The second they were out of the officer’s earshot, she slapped his hand away. “Did you forget? We’re not engaged.��

Devlin gave the hallway they were in a quick assessment—no one was in sight. He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to a space under the concrete stairs. “It would be best if you act like we are.��

She gaped at him. “Why on earth would I do something like that?��

“Because there is talk about you and your beast,�� he hissed, his grip on her arm turning painful. “There are rumours your father is trying to dispel, but he can only do so much.��

She lowered her voice. Her heart rate started climbing along with her panic. “What kind of rumours?��

“That you two were involved.�� He grimaced as if he had eaten something rotten. “Do you want me to continue?��

Annalise’s face paled upon hearing the news. Who could be spreading rumours like that? Sure, she was a little more upset about losing her servant, maybe more than an average pureblood would be, but she did her best to avoid any suspicion. “Why would someone do this?��

“It’s because you are a Storm. Your father is the head of the Anti-Modded Party. If his daughter ends up sleeping with the enemy, what will that say about him?��

She tried to slap him across the face when he caught her wrist and pushed her further into the darkness. Her back hit the wall, and she swallowed. She could scream to bring someone over. After all, the officer at the door was less than ten feet away. Yet, the determination in Devlin’s gaze evaporated any protest from her.

“As your partner, I urge you to act appropriately if you wish to continue working for the DPD,�� he whispered and lifted her face with the gentlest touch. “I don’t want to see you get hurt.��

She pushed his hand away. “To alleviate everyone’s suspicion, I have to go on a date with a pureblood or two, right? It doesn’t have to be you.��

A smirk spread across his face. “It would be a pity if you don’t give me a chance.�� He lowered his head and breathed his words into her ear. “I would certainly make you burn for me.��

Annalise was glad she was hidden in the shadows as she was struggling to keep her composure. The certainty and arrogance his words were laced with made her want to attempt to slap him a second time. The only problem was that he already held one of her hands, and his thumb was massaging her palm, which was becoming rather distracting.

She managed to jerk her hand away from him. Getting past him, she sucked in dry hallway air to steady her nerves. When she lifted her hand to fix the stray locks of her raven hair behind her ears, she noticed she was shaking.

He nestled his hand on the small of her back and smiled like a charming politician. “Shall we continue to the crime scene?��

***END OF SAMPLE***

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Now that I have finished reading this book from cover to cover, I have to give it 5 stars. Great story, intriguing plot, and a good mystery to hold it all together! Sally Mason is truly an author you should keep your eye out for.

Blurb

“You have to fight them, Kelsey, or they’ll ruin the rest of your life. Don’t give them the satisfaction of completely breaking you.��

When Kelsey Miller was sixteen, she was kidnapped, beaten, and raped by two men—neither of whom was ever brought to justice. Three years later, the past still haunts her and fear, pain, and anger have taken over her world. Trapped in a cycle of self-harm and depression, she becomes her own worst enemy. One night, her kidnappers return and ask her to make the ultimate sacrifice. This time, the stakes are even higher since her tormentors are not only determined to crush her spirit but her life.

Trapped��is the first book of the Hide & Seek thriller series that features electrifying action, gripping plot twists, and characters you’ll grow to love. If you like raw emotions and darker themes, this book is right for you. Pick up a copy of��Trapped��today to discover this exciting new series.

Warning: This story includes relevant social topics such as anxiety, self-harm (cutting), and depression, as well as references to rape/abuse. Do not read if you find any of these topics disturbing. They are not meant to upset anyone but to raise awareness.

Review

I have to say, I am currently very content with the ending of this book. It made me warm on the inside, and I feel that the characters deserved their HEA after everything they had undergone, which was a lot of mental and physical torment.

This story is a tough read if you are squeamish about rape, abduction, torture, but it is also an amazing tale about a survivor of rape, Kelsey, who managed to cast her demons aside and come out on top. The mystery in this story kept me going to the very end. The hints were very well placed and the plot was well thought out. I have come to like the characters (with the exception of the bad guys) and will most likely miss them now that the tale is over. I would love to know what happens with Finn and Kelsey later on.

*I received an ARC for an honest review*

You can find this book on Amazon and other digital retailers.

NOTE: original post Oct 1, 2016.

Today, I would like to welcome one of Wattpad’s most loved Romance writers: Gabriela Cabezut. She is a published author, a Wattpad Star, and a Wattpad Ambassador. There are probably some titles I’m missing here. Now that we’ve identified my next interview victim, let’s get on with the interview.

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1. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and your hobbies outside of writing?

Gaby: First of all, hi May, thank you for having me here! What I mostly do when I’m not writing, is anything related to the kitchen. I love to cook and bake, but mostly bake. Also, I read a lot (obviously) and I love listening to music, and sometimes, binging on Netflix series.

May: I wish I could cook something other than omelette or cake. I make the weirdest cakes. At one point, I used a blue food dye in the dough and coated the actual cake in chocolate, so no one could see the inside while on the outside it looked super pretty. And, when we cut the cake, people freaked out, thinking it was mouldy! At least, it tasted like vanilla and cherries.

2. There are so many genres out there, what influenced you to write Romance?

Gaby: I believe that love is the most beautiful feeling in the world, and I enjoy the part before you fall in love, the one you have embarrassment moments, and how people click and realize that they’ve fallen in love. The rest of the story, when they are together, it’s not so much fun!

May: That’s an interesting way to think about. I like to study how people cope with each other after they get together. That’s probably why my characters have a lot of issues�� There is always so much more drama that can spice up their relationship, and you get to know the characters better.

3. Consider a scenario where you’re lost in an unknown to you city. Who would be the first fictional character you’d like to meet on your journey to finding your way home?

Gaby: I’d love to meet cocky, arrogant Matthew Jensen from Writer’s Luck. He’s really fun to hang out, and knowing me, I’d be stressed out of my mind not knowing where I am. He would definitely take thing more lightly than me.

May: Humm, I think I’d pick Churchill dog because I really want to ask him a question to which he’ll answer “Ah, yes.�� Sorry, that ad is stuck with me for life, I think.

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4. Can you walk us through your journey with Wattpad and publishing?

Gaby: I found Wattpad about 5 years ago. I was a silent reader at first, after a while, I began to wonder what would happen if I wrote my first story, and since nobody knew me on Wattpad, I went for it. I wrote Radio Love and even though it has too many mistakes, people started to read it, and right before I finished it, I started Prince with Benefits, and that’s when things went out of control. I wrote that story for like three years, in my free time, not caring if it ranked or not, I just enjoyed writing it and reading all the comments. One day, I started a FB page and interacted more with my readers when one girl from the Philippines contacted me. She wanted to know if I’d be interested in publish it. It sounded too good to be true, but I talked to her and Wattpad HQ contacted me right at the same time. We spoke over the phone a few times and they actually knew the publisher that had contacted me. I got a few other offers from other publishers in the Philippines, but I trust Wattpad, so I went with the guys they knew. Pop Fiction Books have been great to me. They’re super nice and the readers from the Philippines are the most respectful and caring readers I’ve ever met.

After publishing Prince with Benefits, Wattpad offered me to be part of their Wattpad Star program, and I didn’t think it twice. I love Wattpad and everyone involved with it.

For my Hopelessly Imperfect, I queried it to Limitless Publishing and it they took me in, asking me to write a whole series for that book! (Perfectly Imperfect comes out in January!)

May: That sounds like a fairy tale. Truly amazing, Gaby! I’m so happy you’ve found your audience and people discovered your talent.

5. What advice would you give to aspiring Romance writers out there?

Gaby: I always tell them to write for themselves. You have to be passionate about your story, to love and enjoy what you do. I believe that it shows, and that’s how people discover you.

May: that’s exactly why all of my friends from university are unable to hold a conversation with me. I start going on about books while they talk about the new program they’ve designed/developed.

6. I have to ask this, and I don’t know why. What is your favourite male accent?

Gaby: British accent! I wrote Prince with Benefits with the sole purpose of having an English Prince telling me sweet things. Hahahaha.

May: Oh. My. God. YES. I am with you on that one 100%.

7. Prince or King?

Gaby: Prince, they don’t have so many responsibilities as a King.

May: Definitely Prince for me, too.

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8. Let’s get back to the fun questions. If you got to go to space, what would be the words you’d print on your space suite’s back?

Gaby: Dream on! Because dreams are goals to achieve!

May: That’s beautiful! Mine would be something less exciting like, “I will miss you, cake. Dream of me.��

9. Do you use any editing software to help you with your writing? If so, could you tell us about it and how it has helped you?

Gaby: I’m starting to use Grammarly, and I love it. I make many basic mistakes, and Grammarly helps me find them!

May: I use it as well. It’s a really handy piece of software. I will leave a link for anyone interested here.

10. Please feel free to talk about your current and ongoing projects.

Gaby: Well, I just started Bad-Boy Prince on Wattpad. It’s Prince with Benefits sequel but in Mark’s voice. It’s really different, and I’m a bit worried about the reader’s response, but again, I love the story.

And, I’m currently editing Perfectly Imperfect before sending it to my editor. It comes out in January!

Prince with Benefits is published under POP FICTION BOOKS in the Philippines!!

Amazon Link:

*Hopelessly Imperfect is published by Limitless Publishing.

Amazon Link:

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Website:

FB GROUP: Gaby Cabezut’s Squad

ŷ������: /gabrielacabezut

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Twitter: @gabycabezut

Snapchat: gabbycabezut

Instagram: gabycabezut

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I want to leave you all with a small blurb from Gaby’s book.

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Hopelessly Imperfect

Cancer is a beast.

It’s ugly, savage, and has no mercy.

Cassie learned this all too well while watching her mother slowly deteriorate, one agonizing day at a time��

With the desire to make her mother’s last year the best it can be, she works to be the perfect daughter. Every character trait, witty joke, like and dislike—Cassie molds herself to be what her mother would love most.

But in the end, it still isn’t enough��

After years of pretending, Cassie has no idea who she really is. When her mother slips away, Cassie falls into a deep depression, and thoughts of suicide become her most pressing threat. After a failed attempt, she seeks help, and is eventually able to return to life at home.

Going through senior year as the girl whose mom died sucks��

With her father picking up the pieces of his own heart, and Cassie back in school, she’s able to make a few new friends—one of them being Nathan Rivers. A little quiet, strong, and with inner demons of his own, Cassie can’t help but be intrigued. And as she grows closer to Nathan, the reasons for their mutual attraction slowly unveil.

Pain sometimes feels impossible to cope with. It’s consuming, saturating, and all-encompassing.

As Cassie and Nathan struggle to heal, can they learn to forgive and accept the past, and possibly find happiness in being Hopelessly Imperfect��?

I would like to introduce you to a soon-to-be-published author, Lynn Santiago. Keep an eye out for her book “A Court for Fairies�� which will be released in December! Lynn is a Fantasy and Horror writer with a bottomless imagination, and I get to question her today.

1. What drove you to start writing?

Lynn: The short answer is Wattpad, the long answer goes something like this:

I used to write original stuff for the drama club in Junior High and High School. Back then I had a writing partner, Eric Javier, and we made a promise to write a novel together one day. We graduated, parted ways and some twenty odd years later we reconnected through Facebook.

In one of our catch up convos, he touched the subject of the novel once more and I kindly reminded him we were not in High School anymore and real life had sort of dragged me as far from literature as one could get. (Even though I studied American Literature, I was working as a collector for a credit card company at the time and nothing kills creativity as a call center.)

I bet him though, that if he could guarantee finding a place where we could get feedback on the go, I’d happily join the venture. I went to sleep convinced that I’d never touch a keyboard. A couple of days later, he sent me a link to this wild, orange place and you know how these things work…he created a monster.

By the way, we wrote the book, it’s a fantasy/historical fiction fusion titled “Sombra Roja��. It’s the best bet I’ve lost.

May: That makes me think a bit of fate. It’s as if no matter what you do to fight against it, if you were meant to be a writer, you’ll wind up doing it whether you like it or not. Wattpad brought a lot of us together. It’s a good place to get to know some authors and find confidence in your work.

2. When it comes to vampire stories, which books would you recommend?

Lynn: I love the classics. I’m a bit of a vampire purist. That doesn’t mean that I’ll join the pitchfork brigade and scream my head off at anything new. One of the reasons vampires had managed to stay with us is their versatility. However, there’s something about the primal, shadow of self vampire that catches my attention.

There are several books that I call essentials (or gateway drugs, depending on who I’m talking to). Dracula has to be there. Bram Stoker created a character that is forever etched in the back of the mind of every writer that deals with the subject. We either want to emulate it, or walk away from it, but it’s always there. The first three books of The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice (Interview, Lestat, and Queen of the Damned) redefined the vampire novel as we know it in such an elegant way that now it is almost impossible to conceive a vampire who is not at odds with the remnants of its humanity.

Finally, (and this just because I won’t keep typing ‘til the sun come up) I’ve never read a vampire book that screws up perspective like Richard Matheson’s I am Legend. (Dear readers, if someone mentions the unmentionable movie, you’ll soon find out that I’m a witch willing to curse you with creative nightmare scenarios.) As I was saying, there is something powerful and terrifying about the twisted ending of this story that will make us question our definition of monsters.

I have my Wattpad favorites as well. They are my fearless vampire writers. Understand, if these were an armada, theirs are the ships that always sail and never fail for me. Eyes closed, I’ll recommend anything bloody and fanged written by @rosaimee @tamoja @sellersjr @amberkbryant @BelitAm @RKClose @Nyhterides�� @MayFreighter and @Leila_Adams

May: That’s an amazing combination of writers! And, yay, I made the cut. I’ll also provide links to all of those writers for the readers. If you’re interested, just click on the names.

3. Can you walk us through your writing process and how you plot your stories?

Lynn: Welcome to the wreck that is my process: I start with the ending. I get a general idea and if I don’t see a clear resolution, I find no point in writing the story. I sketch backwards, think in Spanish, then type in English. The only thing that is constant and normal about my process is that I dedicate an hour a day to it. I have a lot of fun writing, but I never, ever forget that it is a discipline.

I’m not disciplined about what I shove in my mouth when I’m writing though. I’ll gain a couple of pounds per novel. Sweets fuel my madness. That’s another story, though.

May: Ah, I know exactly what you mean. I constantly forget to exercise if I’m excited about the story, and chocolate is the necessary evil during such periods of time. I’d spend weeks writing it and forget that humans outside my four walls exist.

Unlike you, I think I work best in bursts. I used to aim for 5k words a week, but sometimes it can be 15k words, depending on how close to the ending I am. When I’m editing, thought, I’m at 0 words a week. The midpoints in stories make me stall. I stop and think: “Is this still entertaining? Do my beta readers enjoy the plot?�� If yes to both, then I plow to the Holy Grail that’s the end.

4. Imagine you were kidnapped by vampires and wound up in a room with your favourite fictional heroine. Whom would you like to be there with you to help you break out?

Lynn: I’ll trust Leila von Dorcha with my life. She’s @rosaimee deliciously evil vampire queen from “Ardith��. Ruthlessness is key in this situation and she has not a single soft spot. Darn it, she doesn’t even have a soul.

May: She sounds dangerous. I think I’d pick Anita Blake, the Vampire Hunter (a series by Laurell K. Hamilton). At least, she knows how to use guns and has enough luck for the both of us.

5. How do you spend your time away from writing?

Lynn: I’d love to say I lead the most interesting of lives, but in order to do so, I’d need to empty upon the page details of one of the many shows I binge watch on Netflix, attribute them to myself and pray to God that you guys don’t happen to watch it as well.

I love to spend time with my family, and I travel whenever I can. I’m a sucker for a good movie, and I have this terrible urge to buy sneakers that drives me to the mall once a month or so. You know, normal stuff.

May: You’re more adventurous than me. My time off, which is rather rare in recent months, consists of trips to sushi places, scenery I can photograph, (I really miss theme parks) and seeing a friend or two to assure them I’m still breathing. I can’t stand shopping (unless it’s for a new notebook).

6. Vampires or werewolves?

Lynn: What kind of question is this? Vampires are so awesome that when werewolves die, they come back as blood suckers. I swear I didn’t make this up, Easter European folklore has been keeping this little office gossip alive forever. So repent, werewolf lovers, return to the fold.

May: What? I have never heard of this! This little tidbit will need to be researched on my part. Thanks for sharing!

7. What inspires you?

Lynn: I’m a visual person. The places I’ve been to, pictures, illustrations, accounts and old legends I can get my hands on. I like dusting off old myths and giving them a modern twist. That’s what I love the most about writing urban fantasy. One can just dig up forgotten details and insert them in the page, making them part of our daily and trivial.

May: I’m the same as you. If I find something visually intriguing, then I want to write about it. It gets my wheels turning and the hamster in my head runs wild.

8. If you had a chance to jump into one of your stories as a character. Which story would you pick and why?

Lynn: Glass and Iron, definitely. The novel takes place in Louisiana, which is a place very close to my heart. The characters were fun to write, it was a whole wacky adventure. I actually love hanging in cemeteries when I visit New Orleans, so it will be like another day at the office. Surprisingly, I don’t think I’d choose to be a vampire on this one. Thinking back, I’d be a member of the Unseelie Court. Solitary fairies got a bad rap on my novel…I’m working on fixing that.

May: Since I would never want to be a character in my own books, I’ll tell you who I don’t want to be, Helena Hawthorn. She goes through way too much.

Lynn: Can I impose with a little something here? I’m counting on this interview reaching a number of people and chances only come by once in a while. I don’t know when the interview will be published, but there’s a chance that when it does, Louisiana and Baton Rouge specifically, might still be feeling the impact of the recent flooding. It is as bad as it looks. Lots of folks were left without a place to call home. If you find it within you to help, do so. Here’s a link that you might want to click:

9. Do you have any advice for writers who are considering writing their first vampire/horror novel?

Lynn: Go for it! My favorite phrase of encouragement is “Keep the blood flowing.�� I’m not in the position to tell you which formula to follow. Go primal, tormented, sparkly or make something altogether new. Whatever rocks your boat.

Don’t ever forget research is your friend. There are great sources out there for creatures you have never heard of�� Creature Feature by @wattvampires comes to mind. The Crypt Keepers are always bringing something new and exciting to inspire you.

We live in a virtual community, don’t be afraid to ask. Most of us vampire writers are big geeks who love to talk about our little darklings. Exchanging ideas fuels creativity.

Read like your life depends on it. The more you know, the easier it will be for you to build your own world.

Horror is this one category that lends itself to introspective writing. The best horror out there is the kind that reveals something about human nature. Try it. Don’t be afraid to step into the dark.

May: This reminds me of the Halloween Anthology that will be available to Wattpad readers on the @tebebrissomnia account. Don’t forget to come along for some awesome horror shorts from Wattpad’s finest Vampire/Horror/Thriller writers.

10. Please feel free to tell us about your ongoing and future projects.

Lynn: Yay! I’m still dancing over the fact that Court for Fairies was picked up by Limitless Publishing for a December release. That’s my main project right now.

I have just finished Glass and Iron, which I’ll start polishing, twisting and turning in the hopes that lightning might strike twice. This one is also running for The Wattys, so if any of you, kind souls would like to show your support, it is appreciated.

Sometime next year, I’ll close the fairy circle with one final installment. I’m working on Gates of Aval (so far I only have that clear ending and a first chapter that will feature in the Wattpad Block Party) I’m quite excited to see what will happen when we leave our realm behind and visit fairyland.

In the meantime, you can always find me around Wattpad. I’m either indulging the little librarian that lives inside me by working as a Content Ambassador, hanging upside down as one of the Crypt Keepers in @wattvampires or just at my ‘ole profile where you can chat me up any time!

Oh! If you like terrible pictures, you can find me at Instagram as lynnsantiago13 or if a 140 characters is your thing, I’m @figlidiluna on Twitter.

May: Thank you for taking the time to do this interview, Lynn. I hope you’ve enjoyed the questions and had some fun.

Lynn: Thanks for considering me and for coming up with the most amazing questions. I had a lot of fun!

Now, lastly, I would like to introduce you all to Lynn’s book that’s published by Limitless Publishing.

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A Court for Fairies

Marissa has always lived in her mother’s shadow—and that needs to change��

Paralegal Marissa Salgado is a quiet woman, an only child who has grown up in Adriana’s long shadow. When she meets and falls in love with Esteban, a fellow employee at the law firm, Marissa finally starts to break free from her shell. While Marissa’s mother is overjoyed to see her daughter happy and fulfilled, both Adriana and Marissa have a blood legacy that ties them to creatures of old—and love is indeed transformative when it comes to their kind.

Esteban never knew his father, nor was he aware of his half-human, half-fae heritage��

Esteban O’Reilly had no idea he was descended from the feared Alexander clan, a vicious faction of the Unseelie Court that demanded their payment in blood and sacrifice. When Esteban dies in a car accident, the women in his life are shattered, and his mother and grandmother are frantic to bring him back—no matter what it takes.

Magic has a price, and one life has to be exchanged for another��

Answering a request from Esteban’s mother, Marissa agrees to spend a weekend at Innisfree, the family’s country home. During her stay, she learns the fairies who haunted the O’Reillys for generations have now set their eyes on her. When the extent of Esteban’s sacrifice becomes clear, Marissa must make a choice—the truth, or the man she loves.

With her life in danger, will Marissa finally acknowledge those who once swore to protect her? Will her own secrets step out of the shadows, or will she be destroyed by the Court for Fairies?