Another New Normal

 

By Maureen Bonatch

I’ve recently went into a few places without wearing a mask. It was liberating…and discomforting. Masks have become the normal in our everyday life. Something that most of us would never have anticipated. Now our normal is shifting once again. Most of us hope that things will ‘go back to normal’, but our new normal may be slightly different than the one before 2020. 

Scruff wondering if he needs to wear a mask or not to go outside.

 I often think if we could’ve had a sneak peek into the year 2020 without the backstory and saw most of the world shut down and wearing masks that we would’ve believed it. It seemed way too much like a fiction story. And although I love a good fiction story, I really don’t care to live one. 

 Speaking of Fiction 

I love writing and reading fantasy and paranormal stories. If you’re here, I would assume that you enjoy them too. As a reader I want to become immersed in the world and believe that magic is possible. That somehow, something that is foreign to our world, makes complete sense in the story. That it wouldn’t be unusual to run into a variety of paranormal beings in the course of a normal day. 

 As a writer, I have to make that happen. It can be a challenge to create an imaginary world that is real to the reader. Luckily, it’s a challenge I enjoy. For me, I find that first and foremost, the heroine has to convince me of this new reality. I’ll come back to that world again and again if I’m wondering how that heroine is faring and then I get to learn more about her world. 

The Last Year has been a Mystery 

If you’re looking for a great escape from the worries of your reality, the first story in the Charmed Cocktail Series is available for preorder in the When the Cat’s Away boxset. You’ll get my story, Curses, Cats & Corpses, along with ten more cozy mysteries. 

https://mollymysteries.com/WTCA_Kindle 

https://mollymysteries.com/WTCA_Apple 

https://mollymysteries.com/WTCA_Nook 

https://mollymysteries.com/WTCA_Kobo 

 If you like my story, you can preorder the next books in the series by clicking right here. 

 Some Things Never Change 

 One thing that doesn’t change is that most authors really appreciate their readers, and like to show it with giveaways and sales. Here are a few—may the odds be ever in your favor. 

Win Amazon Gift Cards

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           Check Out these Great Deals by Clicking Right Here

 Get Out and Read Giveaway WIN 1 OF 4 KINDLE FIRES 

 Do you enjoy spending the long, lazy days of summer with a book in your hand? One of the best ways to find new-to-you authors is on BookBub, and LitRing has got you covered. Head over to the Get Out and Read Giveaway now to get 175+ chances to win a Kindle Fire >>  Click Right Here to Enter

Just a small-town girl, Maureen Bonatch leads a double life. She lives in a magical world as a novelist, and as a nurse leader in reality. Maureen’s first novella was a paranormal romance published when blogs were a new-fangled thing. She’s since changed her focus to writing paranormal cozy mysteries as 

M.L. Bonatch and urban fantasy as Maureen Bonatch. 

While she’s not busy writing or doing nurse-things, she’s a mom to her twin daughters, bicycling in the beautiful woods of PA with her hubby, doing the bidding of a feisty Shih Tzu, and dancing as much as possible. She believes music can be paired with every mood, laughter is contagious, and that caffeine and wine are essential for survival. 

Follow M.L. Bonatch all through cyberspace- she's new in town and can use some friends!

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Newsletter

HERE BE NEWS for Monday June 14, 2021

 

                            

Monday June 14, 2021 

Welcome to HERE BE NEWS, where each monday we bring you all the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic:

Wednesday June 9, 2021: PG Forte  unveils a new cover for WiP-It 

Free paranormal ebooks through BookFunnel--only available through June!

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NEVERWYLDE
The Rim of the World Series
Sensuous Sci-Fi Romance

by Linda Mooney

NOTE! This 6-book series is complete! The first 3 books are also available in audio book format, with the rest of the series soon to be finished.

Two species, bitter enemies, are determined to destroy each other, until they realize they need one another to survive a major catastrophe.

As they race through a nebulous space anomaly in the midst of battle, the Terrans and Seneecians are blown through a wormhole to crash land on an uncharted world. A half world. A world containing the remains of a long-dead civilization.

Lt. Kelen Chambliss knows she has no reason to trust the furred, humanoid creatures, but she and her crew members cannot survive without their help, and the Seneecians cannot survive without theirs. Neither can she ignore the fearsome-looking one called Kyber, with his wicked talons and piercing green eyes.

As they slowly come to realize there is no escape or forthcoming rescue from the barren planet, Kelen learns there is much about the enemy she never knew. Including the fact that Kyber's formidable appearance hides a strong, brave, and caring heart.

Warning! Contains glowing glyphs, blue pancakes, eye worms, endless tunnels, and two people of different species daring to take their last and only chance at love.

Excerpt and Buy Links

Bring It Back(list) - NEVERWYLDE, The Rim of the World Series

NEVERWYLDE
The Rim of the World Series
Sensuous Sci-Fi Romance

by Linda Mooney

NOTE! This 6-book series is complete! The first 3 books are also available in audio book format, with the rest of the series soon to be finished.

Two species, bitter enemies, are determined to destroy each other, until they realize they need one another to survive a major catastrophe.

As they race through a nebulous space anomaly in the midst of battle, the Terrans and Seneecians are blown through a wormhole to crash land on an uncharted world. A half world. A world containing the remains of a long-dead civilization.

Lt. Kelen Chambliss knows she has no reason to trust the furred, humanoid creatures, but she and her crew members cannot survive without their help, and the Seneecians cannot survive without theirs. Neither can she ignore the fearsome-looking one called Kyber, with his wicked talons and piercing green eyes.

As they slowly come to realize there is no escape or forthcoming rescue from the barren planet, Kelen learns there is much about the enemy she never knew. Including the fact that Kyber's formidable appearance hides a strong, brave, and caring heart.

Warning! Contains glowing glyphs, blue pancakes, eye worms, endless tunnels, and two people of different species daring to take their last and only chance at love.

Excerpt and Buy Links

WIP-It Wednesday for June 9, 2021

 PG Forte: I accepted an invitation this week to join a Halloween Short Story Anthology for THIS Halloween. Which will be the FIFTH story/novella I've committed to putting out in the next six months. Luckily, the theme of the Anthology--not just Halloween stories, but REVENGE stories set on or around Halloween, worked in my favor. I'm carving ONE short story out of my novel Visions Before Midnight (Oberon, Book 7), a book that's made up of three separate (but deeply intertwined) revenge stories and a (mostly) unrelated romance. 

I'm calling the short story Only the Lonely, and I think it will be delightfully creepy. I'm also soooo excited about the cover. 

HERE BE NEWS for Monday June 7, 2021

 

                            

Monday June 7, 2021 

Welcome to HERE BE NEWS, where each monday we bring you all the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic:

Thursday June 3, 2021:  Author Nicole Luiken dishes on some of the best books she's read so far this year! 

                            

New!

ROBBERY ON THE HIGH SEAS

Noir Fairy Tales, Book 4

(Based on "The Little Mermaid")

Paranormal, Fantasy Romance
by Linda Mooney

Word Count: 36.7K

$2.99 e / $9.99 p

Special Agent Rob Ariello has been assigned to go undercover on a cruise to Ireland for a month to protect the duke and duchess of Edelweiss. A thief has been targeting the richest of the rich, and this couple could make them more than wealthy. Rob’s job is to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Naia Meer is a civilian tagged to help with the mission because of her “special abilities”, but what are they? She’s posing as Rob’s wife, but even he doesn’t know. All he knows is she’s a static, and he finds himself being drawn to the redheaded beauty as time passes. He knows he shouldn’t mix business with pleasure, but he almost can’t help himself.

He soon learns that someone on the ship knows who they both are, and they want them dead. Who can Rob and Naia trust? The couple’s job is to stop the jewel thief, but can they protect each other in the meantime? When the truth about their real natures surface, can they look past their prejudices and follow their hearts?

Warning! Contains secret missions; corned beef on rye (with a big fat juicy pickle slice); damn mushrooms; sharks, sharks, and more sharks; and two people thrown together who discover they should be enemies, but can't deny the growing attraction between them.

Excerpt and Buy Links

              

These are all BookFunnel promos, but there are a whole lot of free ebooks to be had!

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Dream Under the Hill

Oberon series, Book 8

PG Forte

Dream Under the Hill is the next to last book in the nine book Oberon series (there are novellas, too, but the main series is nine big books). It's big and it's bleak, the action takes place over the course of seven months, and when I  re-release the series later this year, I'll probably have to include a couple of trigger warnings for this one in particular. 

But it does have a happy ending –– in fact, that's the excerpt I've posted below. And this happy ending leads directly into book nine which ends with EVERYONE happy. 

BLURB: The Spring Equinox falls in the month that nearly all Native Traditions recognize as being one of Big Winds--big changes. And big changes have certainly come to Oberon this spring, along with an ancient evil that must finally be laid to rest. ​

 Cara Matthews is a girl with a troubled past and a very troubling present. The teenage girlfriend of Oberon's newest guru has always looked for love in all the worst places. And it doesn't get much worse than the Church of Truth, Light and Harmony. 

 Former cop Liam McKnight could have told her that, but he's infiltrated the cult in hopes of discovering some clue to the whereabouts of his missing family members, and he can't jeopardize his mission--not even for love. In a month marked by birth, death and marriage, the inhabitants of Oberon must all come to terms with what's really important to each of them--important enough to die for. Only one thing is certain; when the winds of change finally stop blowing nothing, and no one, will be the same.

EXCERPT:

The high school auditorium was filled to capacity. There were no seats available, and even standing room was limited. But that was fine with Liam. He wasn’t looking to sit and he was happy right where he was––just inside the door, hidden in the shadows––where he could observe, without being observed. 

 Up on the stage, the school’s vice principal stood at the podium reading from a list of names while a steady stream of bright faced, blue robed girls climbed the stairs and crossed the stage to receive their diplomas and shake the principal’s hand. 

 Liam’s palms were already sweating and as the list went on, his tension mounted. “C’mon, c’mon,” he muttered beneath his breath. The D’s and the G’s seemed to take forever and the L’s were another eternity. But finally, the moment he’d been waiting for arrived. 

 “Cara Matthews,” the vice principal announced. 

 There was a pause in the stream. The newest graduate took a somewhat longer time to climb the stairs than those who had gone before her. Liam’s eyes filled with tears as she crossed the stage with an obvious limp. But though her stride was halting there was a determined tilt to her chin and Liam’s heart swelled with pride at the sight of her. 

 “Way to go, Caramel,” he murmured as she at last reached her goal. Spontaneous applause broke out from the audience and Liam had to gulp back a sob. He slipped out through the door before she turned to make her way back to her seat. He didn’t want to risk her seeing him. He didn’t want anything to disrupt her big day. 

 Sunlight stung his eyes as he exited the building. He’d sent flowers and balloons––but no notes. Maybe he was fooling himself thinking they could have a future, or even part of a future together. It could be that the sight of him would forever trigger nothing but painful memories of a time she’d rather forget. He didn’t know how she felt about him, but he was quite sure that––today especially––she could do very well without anything that might remind her of the hell Gregg had put her through. 

 Anyone would need time to recover from an ordeal like that and Liam had promised himself that he’d give her that time––time to recover, to graduate, to put the past behind her and decide on a direction for her future. If she chose to leave town, so be it. But, if she stayed... She had a birthday coming up soon, her eighteenth. In four weeks she’d be an adult and he would give himself one chance to win her over. When he reached his car he turned, and took one last look at the school. “Way to go Caramel,” he repeated again, softly. “See ya when you’re legal.” 

* * * 

 Several hours to the north, in the City of Berkeley, high school graduation had already taken place. Most of the new graduates were still partying. But not Deirdre Shelton-Cooper. 

 Deirdre was not in the mood to party. She was in the mood to hit the road––just as quickly as possible. 

 Her original plan had been to travel for the summer, take some time off, visit some friends. But, over the last couple of months all those plans fell apart. She knew a growing sense of urgency, and with each day that passed she felt more and more strongly that Oberon was where she needed to be. Now. Right now. 

 She couldn’t wait for August. She was leaving now. Tonight. She packed the last of her things in her trunk, secured her cat in the front seat and hugged her parents goodbye. 

 The afternoon sun was shining on the waters of San Francisco Bay as she steered her car onto the 880, heading South. 

 Deirdre sighed happily. She was finally on her way. Her future looked bright and full of promise. “Oberon, here I come.”

* * * 

Check out my website to learn more about the Oberon series. Or join my Facebook Group, The Crone's Nest, for news about when the series will be returning AND receive the FREE prequel novella, Such Fleeting Pleasures.

Lucy and Dan Cavanaugh have one of Oberon's hottest marriages. But it wasn't all strawberries and cream for the pair...or was it? 

In this Oberon series prequel, we travel back in time to see how their love story began. ​ While the rest of the series is due for a reboot, and (hopefully) will return later this year,  Such Fleeting Pleasures will ONLY be available as a free download to members of my readers group. 

 Get it NOW when you sign up:

  ​https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheCronesNest

Bring It Back(List) Dream Under the Hill by PG Forte

Dream Under the Hill is the next to last book in the nine book Oberon series (there are novellas, too, but the main series is nine big books). It's big and it's bleak, the action takes place over the course of seven months, and when I  re-release the series later this year, I'll probably have to include a couple of trigger warnings for this one in particular. 

But it does have a happy ending –– in fact, that's the excerpt I've posted below. And this happy ending leads directly into book nine which ends with EVERYONE happy. 

BLURB: The Spring Equinox falls in the month that nearly all Native Traditions recognize as being one of Big Winds--big changes. And big changes have certainly come to Oberon this spring, along with an ancient evil that must finally be laid to rest. ​

 Cara Matthews is a girl with a troubled past and a very troubling present. The teenage girlfriend of Oberon's newest guru has always looked for love in all the worst places. And it doesn't get much worse than the Church of Truth, Light and Harmony. 

 Former cop Liam McKnight could have told her that, but he's infiltrated the cult in hopes of discovering some clue to the whereabouts of his missing family members, and he can't jeopardize his mission--not even for love. In a month marked by birth, death and marriage, the inhabitants of Oberon must all come to terms with what's really important to each of them--important enough to die for. Only one thing is certain; when the winds of change finally stop blowing nothing, and no one, will be the same.

EXCERPT:

The high school auditorium was filled to capacity. There were no seats available, and even standing room was limited. But that was fine with Liam. He wasn’t looking to sit and he was happy right where he was––just inside the door, hidden in the shadows––where he could observe, without being observed. 

 Up on the stage, the school’s vice principal stood at the podium reading from a list of names while a steady stream of bright faced, blue robed girls climbed the stairs and crossed the stage to receive their diplomas and shake the principal’s hand. 

 Liam’s palms were already sweating and as the list went on, his tension mounted. “C’mon, c’mon,” he muttered beneath his breath. The D’s and the G’s seemed to take forever and the L’s were another eternity. But finally, the moment he’d been waiting for arrived. 

 “Cara Matthews,” the vice principal announced. 

 There was a pause in the stream. The newest graduate took a somewhat longer time to climb the stairs than those who had gone before her. Liam’s eyes filled with tears as she crossed the stage with an obvious limp. But though her stride was halting there was a determined tilt to her chin and Liam’s heart swelled with pride at the sight of her. 

 “Way to go, Caramel,” he murmured as she at last reached her goal. Spontaneous applause broke out from the audience and Liam had to gulp back a sob. He slipped out through the door before she turned to make her way back to her seat. He didn’t want to risk her seeing him. He didn’t want anything to disrupt her big day. 

 Sunlight stung his eyes as he exited the building. He’d sent flowers and balloons––but no notes. Maybe he was fooling himself thinking they could have a future, or even part of a future together. It could be that the sight of him would forever trigger nothing but painful memories of a time she’d rather forget. He didn’t know how she felt about him, but he was quite sure that––today especially––she could do very well without anything that might remind her of the hell Gregg had put her through. 

 Anyone would need time to recover from an ordeal like that and Liam had promised himself that he’d give her that time––time to recover, to graduate, to put the past behind her and decide on a direction for her future. If she chose to leave town, so be it. But, if she stayed... She had a birthday coming up soon, her eighteenth. In four weeks she’d be an adult and he would give himself one chance to win her over. When he reached his car he turned, and took one last look at the school. “Way to go Caramel,” he repeated again, softly. “See ya when you’re legal.” 

* * * 

 Several hours to the north, in the City of Berkeley, high school graduation had already taken place. Most of the new graduates were still partying. But not Deirdre Shelton-Cooper. 

 Deirdre was not in the mood to party. She was in the mood to hit the road––just as quickly as possible. 

 Her original plan had been to travel for the summer, take some time off, visit some friends. But, over the last couple of months all those plans fell apart. She knew a growing sense of urgency, and with each day that passed she felt more and more strongly that Oberon was where she needed to be. Now. Right now. 

 She couldn’t wait for August. She was leaving now. Tonight. She packed the last of her things in her trunk, secured her cat in the front seat and hugged her parents goodbye. 

 The afternoon sun was shining on the waters of San Francisco Bay as she steered her car onto the 880, heading South. 

 Deirdre sighed happily. She was finally on her way. Her future looked bright and full of promise. “Oberon, here I come.”

* * * 

Check out my website to learn more about the Oberon series. Or join my Facebook Group, The Crone's Nest, for news about when the series will be returning AND receive the FREE prequel novella, Such Fleeting Pleasures.

Lucy and Dan Cavanaugh have one of Oberon's hottest marriages. But it wasn't all strawberries and cream for the pair...or was it? 

In this Oberon series prequel, we travel back in time to see how their love story began. ​ While the rest of the series is due for a reboot, and (hopefully) will return later this year,  Such Fleeting Pleasures will ONLY be available as a free download to members of my readers group. 

 Get it NOW when you sign up:

  ​https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheCronesNest

Best Books I've Read This Year - So Far

 It's the beginning of June and I've just crossed the 100 books threshold, so this seemed like a good time to put out some recommendations! These are my favourites of what I've read so far this year.

Paranormal Romance

Alpha Night by Nalini Singh - I feel like everyone knows about Singh's Psy-Changeling series by now so I'll just say the excellence continues.

Fantasy Romance

Bitterburn by Ann Aguirre - a retelling of Beauty and the Beast which fixed all the little things in the folktale that bothered me

Paladin's Strength by T. Kingfisher - Kingfisher (AKA Ursula Vernon) had a wonderful, funny voice and builds unique worlds. She writes wonderful paladins.

The Hedgewitch Queen/ The Bandit King - Lilith Saintcrow - The first book in the duology is first person from the heroine and the second is first person from the hero which adds a lot of tension. Delicious.

Science Fiction

Unconquerable Sun by Kate Elliott - A gender-swapped Alexander the Great in Space? Sign me up.

Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells - The newest Murderbot novella. Enough said.

Steampunk

The Iron Wyrm Affair by Lilith Saintcrow - An impressive alternate-history steampunk world with a kickass sorcereress lead and her Mentath companion. Lots of action and magic.

Epic Fantasy

Shorefall by Robert Jackson Bennett - Second in the Foundryside Trilogy with both a wonderfully inventive magic system and fast-paced plot.

The Girl and the Stars by Mark Lawrence - Fast-paced with a very brave heroine

Urban Fantasy - my favourite subgenre, as you can tell from the large number of recs

The Difficult Loves of Maria Makiling by Wayne Santos - Humourous novella with a Filipino pantheon. A lot of fun.

Blood Heir by Ilona Andrews - New spinoff series featuring Julie from their popular Kate Daniels books. And yes, Derek, too.

Wild Sign by Patricia Briggs - The latest Charles and Anna book. I loved how the plot tied into Leah's past.

Calculated Risks by Seanan McGuire - The latest InCryptid book, and the previous one Imaginary Numbers ended on a cliffhanger so I was very eager to get my hands on this one. 

American Demon by Kim Harrison - Rachel Morgan is back!

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo - The premise magic set at Oxford didn't excite me but the book very quickly sucked me in and I am desperately hoping for a sequel.

 

Young Adult/New Adult Fantasy

 The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen - Very strong hook in the first chapter and strong tension throughout. (I almost put this under fantasy romance, but IMO it has more of a New Adult vibe.)

White Cat/Red Glove/Black Heart by Holly Black - Having just discovered Holly Black's books I'm ripping through her backlist including this trilogy. Small-time con artist at a prep school who keeps getting sucked into his brothers' more dangerous lives with the curse-working mafia. Lots of twists.