Hell hounds, witches and a misbehaving goddess

Coven of the Raven series

I'm a plotter, but quite often my brain will throw in some random one liners which at the time don't mean much but end up becoming very important. One of those throw away lines in Cursed (book 1) was that Petyon had been bitten by a hell hound. 

I knew the heroine of Embodied was going to be hijacked by a goddess, but it wasn't until I was plotting the story in more detail that I realised what a problem the hell hound bite was going to be. It causes him to have a crisis of faith in his goddess and he has to decide if he even wants to be a witch. I may have written a witchy inspirational...

In Embodied I also got to have the fun of turning Peyton, a very respectable lawyer, into a hell hound following his baser instincts and then follow it up with waking up naked in an unexpected place :)

If you like witches and interfering goddesses, suspense and danger you might like the Coven of the Raven series. 

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A love potion gone wrong leads to a goddess hijacking Alexis’s body. Now Alexis will do anything to catch her boss's eye. It’s unfortunate that he starts to notice her for all the wrong reasons. Such as the army of cats following her around.

Peyton Kilpatrick has always kept his relationship with Alexis professional despite the simmering interest. But something has changed, she crackles with magic and she wants more from him than he’s able to give. As a witch and a lawyer his life is complicated enough, throw in a hell hound bite that causes all kinds of side effects around the full moon and he really isn’t boyfriend material.

When Alexis finally gets Peyton in bed, things get hairy. Peyton reveals what he is and convinces her to give up her new-found power. If she doesn’t get rid of the goddess inhabiting her body, she’ll die.

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always learning...

I love researching random things. I have several books on my shelf that I'm really looking forward to reading. One of which is The Butchering Art by Lindsay Fitzharris about Victorian surgery.

While I do research out of need it is more fun to follow a whim and learn something new for the sake of it. last year I learned how to leadlight. I've done courses on archaeology and forensic accounting through Coursera.org and at the moment I'm doing a course in Natural History Illustration with EdX. The best part about the online courses is that they are free, but if you want something official you can pay for the certificate.

By continually researching I'm always feeding my brain, which means there is always something new to spin a story idea off.

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CURSED
Oskar Quigley knows exactly when and how he’ll die.
Living with a death curse isn’t easy, but after generations of research handed down to him he thinks he knows how to defeat the Thomas, his great uncle and a witch gone bad who caused the problem. There’s just one thing he never accounted for: another victim.

Mylla has been Thomas’s servant for as long as she can remember, but her memories can’t be trusted. The marks on her wall add up to decades, and her diary is a muddled collection of rambling. When Oskar arrives to tend the gardens she needs to warn him that bad things happen, difficult when she can only talk on Thomas’ command. But she doesn’t need to talk to steal a few moments for herself in Oskar’s bed as she tries to convince him that magic is real.

With time running out and Thomas’s suspicions growing, Oskar is forced to act. But if living with a death curse is hard, learning to live is even harder.

New paranormal series

It’s been a while since I've had a new release, but I’m back with a new paranormal romance series about a coven of male witches in the service of the Morrigu. I have four books planned and the first three are written (the last one is plotted). I also had all the covers done as added motivation.

Each of the guys has some kind of special talent and there is a difference villain in each book so they can stand alone.

Cursed has quite a gothic feel, takes place in a creepy old house filled with death magic and there are some seriously weird statues in the garden. The hero has a death curse which has afflicted his family for a few generations and so is counting down his last few months. The heroine, well, she’s been alive for far too long even if she can’t remember all of it.

Hunted is very much an on the run story, while Embodied has a hero whose trying to balance being a witch a lawyer and a shifter (he's not doing it well). The hero in Stolen is a thief with an ex who needs his help. You can check out all the blurbs here.

While I had these books in my head for a while the stars never aligned for them until this year. I hope you enjoy the Coven of Raven.

Cursed will be out on September 13

Oskar Quigley knows exactly when and how he’ll die.

Living with a death curse isn’t easy, but after generations of research handed down to him he thinks he knows how to defeat the Thomas, his great uncle and a witch gone bad who caused the problem. There’s just one thing he never accounted for: another victim.

Mylla has been Thomas’s servant for as long as she can remember, but her memories can’t be trusted. The marks on her wall add up to decades, and her diary is a muddled collection of rambling. When Oskar arrives to tend the gardens she needs to warn him that bad things happen, difficult when she can only talk on Thomas’ command. But she doesn’t need to talk to steal a few moments for herself in Oskar’s bed as she tries to convince him that magic is real.

With time running out and Thomas’s suspicions growing, Oskar is forced to act. But if living with a death curse is hard, learning to live is even harder.

A Change is as Good as a Vacation. Or is it?

Some people thrive on change. I’m not one of them. Basically, I’m a hobbit. The more boring and dull my life is the better I like it. Of course, change is a part of life. It happens whether we want it to or not, but seeking out change is something I’ve avoided. Until now.

My husband has been eager to leave the city for a while. Sydney is an awesome place to live, but any big city comes with its downsides like traffic problems and overcrowding. With each day that passes a beachside lifestyle away from all the city pressure is becoming increasingly attractive.

About one hour north of Sydney is the Central Coast, an area of beautiful beaches and sleepy, peaceful suburbs. It's also not too far from our family in Sydney. In short, it ticks a lot of boxes for us. I want to move. I want to embrace the change, but honestly, I’m scared. Swapping big city life for a much quieter place will be a challenge. Maybe I’ll love it, maybe I’ll hate it. The unknown is always scary.

Anyway, I’ve put on my big girl pants and started looking for a new house. Wish me luck. I’ll need it.

How do you cope with change? Do you love it? Or hate it with a passion?

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Janni Nell writes paranormal mysteries. She is hard at work on the second book in the Little Shop of Spells cozy mystery series.

Book 1, Secrets, Spells & Murder is now available.

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Janni Nell Interviews Her New Heroine

Since I’ve just released the first book in a new cozy mystery series, I thought it would be fun to interview the heroine, small town witch, Madison Juniper Goodcharm.

Janni Nell: Welcome, Maddie. What was your life like growing up?

Maddie Goodcharm: I lived out of town on a few acres with my extended family. There were two houses. Mom, Dad and I lived in one of them. Grammy and Grandad, Mom’s parents, lived in the other. I wasn’t bothered that I was an only child. There were cousins who visited often and I spent a lot of time helping Grammy care for her animals.

JN: You run a shop of spells in the small town of Silver Moon Falls. Describe your shop.

MG: It’s on Main Street, between the Silver Moon Bakery and Kylie-Ann’s hairdressing salon. We sell all kinds of spells, which I make in the workroom at my house.

JN: Tell me about some of the spells.

MG: Green Thumb spells are better than the best fertilizer. A Happy Household spell will create a lovely soothing atmosphere for your home. And my Bubble Bath spell is like having the best massage of your entire life.  

JN: Do you have a motto or code you live by?

MG: I like to help people. If I can make someone feel better with one of my spells it’s a good day. I guess my motto would be: Do good, not harm.

JN: What is your major skill or talent?

MG: Since I’m a witch by trade, it would be creating new spells.

JN: What is your favorite food?

MG: Cinnamon buns from the Silver Moon Bakery, which is conveniently located right next door to my own shop.

JN: Who do you love?

MG: My family. Well, except for my cousin, Denzel, who dabbles on the darker side of witchcraft.

JN: What’s the best thing you’ve ever done?

MG: Hiring my assistant, Autumn. She arrived in town with nothing but a backpack and the desire to change her life. I gave her a job and a place to live. We had a few problems in the beginning, but now it’s working out fine.

JN: What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?

MG: I accidentally harmed someone with a spell. It was carelessness on my part, and the person may never be the same again.

JN: Who inspires you?

MG: My family.

JN: Other than your family, who inspires you?

MG: Aberdeen Zabala, who is one of the greatest living witches. I almost won a mentorship with her a few years ago, but it didn’t quite work out.

JN: You run Maddie’s Little Shop of Spells. If you had to pick another career, what would it be?

MG: That’s a tough question. I love my job. But, I guess, if I had to change, maybe I’d become an investigator. I’ve had some success solving murder mysteries. Although, honestly, we’ve had enough murders in Silver Moon Falls to last a lifetime.

JN: Your uncle, Leo Bluestone, is the local sheriff. How does he feel about you solving murders?

MG: He doesn’t like it when I put myself in danger. Basically, he thinks I should stick to making spells for my shop. On the other hand, he fights crime, so locking up a murderer, even with my help, is a win for him.

JN: What are your future plans?

MG: All I can tell you right now is that they involve Jason.

JN: Thanks for letting us take a peek into your life.

MG: My pleasure. And if you’re ever in Silver Moon Falls drop by. We’re a friendly town. The hiking trails and falls are awesome.

Secrets, Spells & Murder is now available at:
Amazon          

Kobo          

Google Play     

Janni Nell is the author of fun paranormal mysteries. Before she became a writer, she worked as a personal assistant, receptionist and sales clerk. Now she is happy to spend every day creating stories. When she isn’t writing, you can find her at dance class, Pilates or walking the dog. She is hard at work on her next book.

Here Be News

New Releases:

Secrets, Spells, & Murder
(Little Shop of Spells, Book 1)
paranormal cozy mystery
by Janni Nell
$2.99 e

Small-town witch, Maddie Goodcharm, is in trouble. Someone is hexing the inhabitants of Silver Moon Falls and Maddie is the main—make that only—suspect. When one of the townspeople dies in suspicious circumstances, Maddie is accused of murder.

With the help of her friend, Autumn, Maddie struggles to clear her name. But facing a murder charge isn’t her only problem. Sometimes spells go wrong and Maddie has accidentally bespelled a hiker. Jason’s not in a good place, literally, and Maddie has to come up with a reversal spell ASAP. Which she can’t do if she’s in prison. The only way out of her dilemma is to find the real murderer.

Now Maddie is on the trail of a killer and magic may be the only thing that will save her.

Available now

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SKY TITANS
Deities, Book 1
Contemporary Fantasy/Apocalyptic Romance
by Linda Mooney
Word Count: 34.8K
$2.99 e

           
 It's time for the earth to be cleansed.

Released after eons of being imprisoned and tortured, Aeron and his three brothers are ordered by the remaining old gods to bring the Apocalypse upon the world. Humanity has failed them too many times, and the Reckoning is overdue.

As the deity of the air and sky, it's Aeron's duty to bring about massive storms to wipe out civilization. Tornadoes, hurricanes, lightning - all are at his bidding, and Aeron is more than willing to do whatever he is requested to do. He will mete out the worst he can conjure, as long as it means he'll no longer be bound within the hot, dark confines deep within the bowels of the Earth.

Ceris Shahan is terrified of flying. But when the president of the company demands she be at the summit conference clear across the continent the next day, she has no choice but to take the next plane out. If her phobia wasn't debilitating enough, they run into turbulence that doesn't end. Tossed about, bruised and injured amid the ugly black clouds that continue to engulf them, she and the other passengers soon realize they will not survive.

When Ceris spots a figure outside the window, a man who appears to be standing amid the thunderheads and is surrounded by an aura of light, she starts to doubt her own sanity. Yet, when the man turns to find her staring at him, the look of stunned disbelief on his face is undeniable.

She shouldn't be able to see him, but she can. Realizing what this could mean, Aeron decides to risk everything, even his freedom, to rescue and protect the woman from the annihilation of all mankind.

Warning! Contains scenes of mass destruction, two apples, the plane ride from hell, stainless steel, extreme arrogance, an odd utility tool, and two people hoping for a future, any kind of future, as long as they can share it together.

Excerpt and buy links.

SILVER BOUND
by Jody Wallace

A heroine burned by magic…a hero who burns only for her.

Nadia Silver’s escape from indenture in the world of Tarakona leads her through a portal to Magic, New Mexico. A rare silver dragon shifter, she hopes to find a place where she will be safe from the wizards who would exploit her gifts.

Barnabas Courtier, a wizard without a dragon of his own, joined the Dragon Liberation Front when he heard of the seizure of a magnificent silver dragon – a dragon who has the power to turn the tide for the DLF. He has made freeing her his personal mission. Barnabas is shocked when he discovers not only has the silver dragon freed herself, but she has disappeared from the Tarakonan dimension. Determined to ensure her safety, his quest leads him to the world of Earth and the town of Magic.

Once in Magic, nothing goes according to Barnabas’s careful plans. Nadia isn’t the beautiful innocent of his dreams. She’s strong, passionate, and determined to resist everything he offers her – even love. How can a wizard convince a silver dragon to return to a world where she’s hunted when she’s found a place where she fits right in? And can he protect her from those who would enslave her once again?

Buy it at Amazon and then check out the next in the series, SILVER UNLEASHED, in which Nadia's brother Aiden meets a woman who doesn't believe in magic...but he *is* magic!

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Other News:

Veronica Scott and the other authors in Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2 are giving away one unique signed copy of the paperback! SE Smith, MK Eidem and more! Here's the link to enter: http://www.petsinspaceantho.com/giveaways/signed-one-kind-embrace-romance-paperback/

The book releases October 10th!

Bring It Back(list) Feature:
Grandma Must Die by Maureen Bonatch

Cover Reveal--new series

I've always enjoyed cozy mysteries, so it was a no-brainer that one day I'd venture in that direction. Although my work had hedged around the cozy genre for years, I'd never jumped in boots and all. That changed with my latest book Secrets, Spells & Murder. Once I'd started it, the darn thing just poured out as though it couldn't wait to be written. I'm currently editing like crazy to get this ready for a September release.

In the meantime, I'm thrilled to share my cover, which was designed by the totally awesome Viola at Estrella Cover Art.

Janni Nell writes mysteries, sometimes paranormal, sometimes not. Join her on Facebook or Twitter.

A Slight Change in Genre--Writing a Cozy Mystery

I promised myself some years ago that one day I’d write a cozy mystery. That day came earlier this year when I began the first book in a new series. I knew right from the start it would be a paranormal cozy, so one of the first choices I had to make was what kind of paranormal? Should I use ghosts? Vampires? Werewolves? Witches? I love the idea of using magic and creating spells, so it was a no-brainer to make my amateur sleuth a witch. I added an extended family of witches—some good, some not—gave her a potential boyfriend and a best friend with a mysterious past. Then I had to create a place for her to live.

Small towns and cozy mysteries go together like Holmes and Watson. It was so much fun creating a community that is warm and welcoming, where everyone cares about their neighbors. It’s just the kind of place I’d like to live. Well, except for the murders. But then, it wouldn’t be a cozy mystery without a couple of bodies, would it?

The terrain around the town was particularly important for this story. I wanted the murders to occur in isolated places so I created a hilly district of woods and walking trails, which attracts tourists and provides some extra suspects who weren’t townspeople.

Creating the townspeople was the next step. The cast of characters included elderly retired people, owners of local businesses—baker, chef, innkeeper—the mayor and, of course, the sheriff. Not that he solves the murder mystery, that’s the job of the amateur sleuth.

Looks like I have everything in place for my new book...except for a title. I’m considering several possibilities, but I've yet to make a decision. Not to worry, everything will be fine...just so long as I come up with something before the release date in fall 2017.

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Janni Nell writes paranormal mysteries. Her latest book Dead Lady Vanishing is available now.

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Here Be News

New Release

Brightwater Blood has been re-released with a hot new cover, and it's 99c (USD) at the moment.

Brightwater Blood
He’ll do anything to save his life...including saving hers.

What was supposed to be a simple intelligence gathering mission for the Shamanic Council becomes the worst, and possibly the last, day of were-lion Lachlan Garvey’s life. After finding one of the Brightwater Shaman dead, in a circle of charred grass, he is shot by the other sister. When he wakes he’s naked, human and trapped in a circle of his own blood.

Dayna Brightwater doesn’t know what to do with the naked were-lion. She doesn’t have the magic, or the stomach, for revenge and killing him won’t bring her sister back. But if she releases him he’ll kill her too.

Lachlan has to convince Dayna he didn’t kill her sister before he bleeds out and before the magical fire Dayna’s sister created with her failed spell reaches them and kills them both. Dayna has to choose—trust Lachlan and use magic to save them both or try to flee and live with the knowledge she caused his death, proving she is truly a Brightwater and incapable of love.

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THE CAPTIVE SHIFTER by Veronica Scott

Concealing her own considerable magical powers, Caitlyn enters the service of the northern Witch Queen masquerading as a simple healer. Under order from her goddess, she’s searching for a magical gem stolen long ago from her own people, believed to be hidden in the massive castle. The task is daunting but Caitlyn is sure she can locate the gem and escape, bringing the prize back to the temple where it belongs. Until she meets the captive shifter and her loyalties become dangerously divided.

In payment for her past services to his people, Kyler the leopard shifter has entered into a life of servitude far from his forest home, allowing the Witch Queen to tap his magic to power her ever darker spells. Factions at Court are threatening to turn the Queen to the Shadow. Her increasing demands for magic will cut short his nearly immortal lifespan. Kyler’s resigned to his fate until the day he crosses paths with the new arrival, whose secrets and magic entice and attract both man and leopard. Has he met his mate at last?

The Queen will never willingly release him from captivity. Caitlyn’s goddess refuses to grant her any delay in accomplishing her own task. Can they locate the magical gem, fight the Shadow and win free of the Witch Queen to earn the right to be together?

iBooks  Amazon and Barnes & Noble      KOBO 

Resolutions & New Beginnings—Looking for a Do-Over?

 By Maureen L. Bonatch

It’s January 29^th. Wow, how did that happen? Remember the New Year’s Resolutions we all started with excitement at the beginning of the month? Or have those resolutions faded faster than the glow of the holiday season?

o   Diets are put off until the next Monday rolls around. (Ack—poor Monday! That’s probably how Monday got the bad reputation. “Let’s start the diet on Friday—” …said no one ever.)

o   Resolutions are failed or forgotten

o   Writing and word count goals are pushed to the backburner as life interferes.

Embrace the Day

No worries, there’s no reason why each day can’t be an opportunity for change and positive improvement. But it doesn’t take a special month, or a special day of the week to start a new beginning, or resolve to make a change.

It’s your mindset. Or, like our stories, it might takes an inciting incident/black moment/point of no return to force you to change your ways.

Do-Over Tip: 21/90: It takes 21 days to create a habit & 90 days to create a lifestyle

A New Beginning

Speaking of new beginnings, I’m thrilled to be the new witch—err, blogger on the block at Here Be Magic.

 A little about me.

•          I like to have control over my own life. Unfortunately, I, like most, have very little of it. It almost makes me think sorcery is going on, although that’s just how my mind works.
•         Despite my meticulous plans, my day-job career isn’t what I envisioned as a child, and when the hubs and I decided to have children we hadn’t considered that we might get a two for one deal until the five-month sonogram revealed twins. (Plot Twist!)

So much of life is out of the hands of our control, and often that’s a good thing. It just might be the direction you were meant to go. We can work on what we can control. Things such as a positive attitude, mindset, or habits.

•         Another thing about me is that I love to laugh. The sound of other’s laughter is music to my ears.
•        Therefore, it comes as no surprise that my stories are filled with magic, laughter and love (okay, and maybe a little sarcasm sprinkled in—not that there’s anything wrong with that.) 

Forget the Do-Over—Turn the Page 

Sometimes, there are no do-over’s, but we become a better person because of the change, or the path we hadn’t initially chosen. Almost every story begins with a change or a new beginning. Just like each day offers a chance to turn the page or start a new chapter.

So Tell Me, How's Your New Year Shaping Up? 

About Maureen:

Maureen Bonatch dreamt of becoming a Solid Gold Dancer. When the show ended, she followed other paths. Surviving motherhood to twins (so far) gave her the confidence to learn belly dancing, declare herself a tequila connoisseur and biker babe with her alpha hubby. 

Maureen grew up in small town Pennsylvania and her love of the four seasons—biking, sweat pants, hockey and hibernation—kept her there. While immersed in paranormal romance and fantasy, she survives on caffeine, wine, music and laughter. A feisty Shih Tzu keeps her in line.

Find Me:

Writing on my Website

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