Release Blitz & Giveaway: Three Shades Called Horace

 

Three ghosts.

One psychic.

Zero patience for corporate greed.

A hilarious, fast-paced romp through the supernatural underbelly of the Isle of Man!

Three Shades Called Horace

Witchery, Trickery, Love & Serendipity

by Jinx James

Genre: Humorous Paranormal Thriller

 

"delightfully twisted...offbeat supernatural romp" Amazon Review ★★★★★

"A unique and hilarious story with a lot of twists and awesome revenge. I loved the ending!" Amazon Review ★★★★★

They have the magic, the visions, and the afterlife on their side. But will it be enough to stop an ROI Reaper of the airwaves from hostilely taking over their dream?

Their "Super Moon Show" is the viral hit of the year. Too bad the stars are all dead.

Pansy Peonie is a psychic with a problem. Actually, three problems, and they’re all called Horace. As the host of the world’s craziest paranormal livestream, she spends her nights herding her team of opinionated ghosts and her days trying to keep her witch mother from accidentally summoning something worse.

But when you’re the top-rated supernatural show on the internet, you don't just attract spirits—you attract sharks.

Enter Rollo Mansell: a ruthless media mogul who doesn't care about the afterlife unless he can monetise it. He wants the show. He wants the ghosts. And he’s not above using a little corporate necromancy to get what he wants.

Now, Pansy is caught in a high-stakes tug-of-war between the living and the dead. To save her show—and her skin—she’ll have to outmanoeuvre a billionaire, survive a voodoo conspiracy, and figure out if Rollo’s assistant, Max, is actually on her side.

Featuring a new cover and a tighter, more suspenseful edit, this revised edition of Three Shades Called Horace will keep you on the edge of your seat, while laughing uncontrollably.

If you love fast-paced paranormal suspense with sharp wit, mysterious secrets, and un

forgettable characters, dive into the newly polished edition of Three Shades Called Horace ]

 

**Celebrate the relaunch and get it FREE until Oct 3rd!!**

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Guest Post with Jinx James:

THE SETTING FOR MY BOOK:

 

One of my favourite authors, Lawrence Durrell, wrote a series of novels set in the Greek Islands.  In one, he talks about an odd condition called Islomania. Some people find being on islands irresistible. As he put it, it “fills them with an indescribable intoxication.”

Confession time. I’ve always been one of those people.

Yes, I’ve spent a lot of time on quite a lot of islands too; from Corfu to Lord Howe Island to Anguilla, San Andrés and Puerto Rico plus a good few in between. And to round it off, now I even live on an Australian island called Tasmania! You’ve probably already spotted the hidden “mania” bit - and that brings us quite neatly to my Jinx James book entitled, THREE SHADES CALLED HORACE: Witchery, Trickery, Love & Serendipity.

 

It’s a paranormal, nutty-comedy crime thriller that mostly takes place on the Isle of Man, where (sorry) I also spent a bit of time in my misguided youth. It’s the kind of place where every time you cross the Fairy Bridge you have to say hello to the fairies. You wouldn’t dare not to acknowledge them! I met a psychic there too. The IOM is and always has been one of those fascinating super-witchy places. It’s set in the middle of the Irish Sea, where lots of weird things still always seem to keep on happening.

 

In my story, there’s a white witch, Fenella, and her daughter, Pansy, a medium (our heroine).

But first you’ll meet our Hero, Max, our villain, Rollo, and a nutty cast, including the stars of our show, the THREE SHADES CALLED HORACE.

Here’s just a taste of the opening scene, set in London:

 

“Max is in the chauffeur-driven vintage Bentley car of his autocratic boss, media mogul Rollo.

          ‘Shades did you say?’ says Rollo. ‘What the hell are they?’

Max switches neatly over to his ice-cool “can-do” mode. His boss always likes that.

‘Won’t be a sec sir, I’ll just verify the exact definition of ‘Shades’ for you.’ he says, fiddling with his phone.

‘Right. Here we are, Mr Mansell:

‘Shades - Dead people who inhabit the afterlife.’

Max reads this out, followed by the explanatory text, in a flat, colourless GPS-style voice.

‘These undead beings can sometimes be contacted and communicated with by Seers/Psychics/Mediums. Legend has it that under certain circumstances, Shades can even be brought back to life again - but only for very limited time periods.’

Rollo weighs all this up with an air of bored disbelief.

‘Dead people coming back to life again… and wandering around?’ he says, sounding and looking bewildered. ‘Has it seriously come to this, Max? You’re telling me that people genuinely want to watch this rubbish on TV?’

‘Yes, sir ... and according to Julian, sir, tens… perhaps even hundreds of millions of them!’”

 

Three Shades Called Horace has one of my favourite themes, characters taking on corporate crime and greed, and I do it the way I see life – dark humour is my weapon of choice.

Revised and re-paced for maximum suspense and a whammer of a finish! This New Edition includes an exclusive link to claim the story's "vanished chapters" as a free bonus download.

 

I really hope you’ll like it.

 

All the best,

Jinx 

    Over on the ever-lovely Isle of Man, it’s turned out to be the most sensational evening. The Three Shades, Horace Flaccus, Horace Walpole and Horace Silver are already there, hovering in the twilight, when PP and Fenella finally arrive on Pansy’s motorbike. They’re late as usual, but The Three Shades don’t seem to mind. After all, they do have all the time in the world, don’t they?

The team is getting together at dusk, at an ancient place where they like to meet when the weather’s nice. It’s in the middle of the most beautiful circle of prehistoric standing stones on the island’s southwest. This mystical place is situated on a remote hillside, one side of which looks across to the mountains and the other down towards the sea.

Hearing the vroom of a hot, racing motorbike heading up the hill towards them, the three ghosts turn their heads expectantly. Pansy, aka PP, parks behind the largest of the enormous stones.

She appears first, walking briskly towards the Three Shades, unbuckling, lifting her helmet off and shaking out her hair. Behind her, Fenella, her older, White witch partner, picks her way over the rough ground.

‘We just have to tell all you Horaces straight away!’ says Pansy, getting excited now. ‘Barrett says the ratings for the last show were amazing!’ she gushes, adding, ‘he even told us they were “Earth-shattering!” she grins.

‘Er, would it be possible for you to explain to us what exactly that means, Ma’am?’ asks the ever-polite Walpole.

 ‘What it means, gentlemen,’ says PP, grinning, ‘is that not only are we already getting a huge worldwide audience, but it’s growing bigger and bigger with every show!’

‘And after the last one,’ Fenella butts in excitedly, ‘we’ve had so many people trying to sign up that Barrett has been overwhelmed. His computers and the social media department can’t cope. He’s having to put on more people every day to handle it!’

‘Yes, but, um, what precisely does all of this mean, Ms Pansy?’ asks Flaccus.

‘Look, I’m sure we explained it to you before, Horace. Don’t you remember? The viewers of our Supermoon show all over the world are also a part of the show, right? They’re active participants with their “Cozmics”, says Pansy.

‘Well, yes, my dear, you certainly did,’ said Flaccus, with that lovely smile of his. ‘But I’m afraid that was the part I could never quite understand,’ confesses the Roman Horace. ‘I’m so sorry,’ he adds, looking seriously embarrassed now.

‘Not to worry at all, Horace,’ says Pansy gently. Flaccus has always been her favourite, even though she always enjoys teasing him.

‘Did you know that on the next show,’ she says, ‘the Supermoon is going to be the closest it’s been to the Earth for sixty-nine years! Yes! And that means that if we can add the viewers’ Cozmics together with all of that extra Moon energy,’ she tells them excitedly, making a fingers-crossed sign.

At that point, Pansy pauses, grins, and says, ‘Well, just try to imagine the power involved!’

‘The technical guys even think we might have enough energy,’ says Fenella, ‘to maybe bring you back in full colour… and all of you at the same time!’

‘All of us in colour…  and at the same time?’ says Horace Walpole, getting really excited himself now.

‘Are you sure?’ says Horace Silver, ‘In full colour?’

‘Absolutely!’ says the by-now almost gushing Fenella! ‘Bye-bye to all that fuzzy black and white stuff, eh?’

They can all feel the excitement rippling the air between them. The psychic, the witch, and the three Horaces gathered in the magic circle of prehistoric standing stones.

‘It’s called “collective mental focus”,’ says PP. ‘And that means that if it all works out, you three guys will materialise as psychic energy through me!’

‘And that’d be sooo cool, baby! Right?’ smiles jazzman Horace Silver.

Fenella grins again and nods; ‘But, how about this? If we can get enough Cozmics from the global audience, all three of you Shades may even seem to fully come back to life for a while!’

This time, all three of them just stand there, totally gobsmacked!

‘Now, nobody is certain exactly what will happen,’ says Fel, ‘but whaddya reckon, gentlemen? Let’s give it a go, eh?’ she gushes.

By now, they’re all totally in love with the idea… and it shows.

‘I’m afraid I still don’t quite understand it,’ Flaccus says to her, almost flapping his toga with excitement, ‘but wouldn’t it be wonderful if it did actually happen? Especially for me after two thousand years in the shade!’

‘Hey, you could even really “Seize the day!” says Pansy!

 

* * *

“It is charming to totter into vogue.”

Horace Walpole

1717-1797

 ⚛︎ ⚛︎ ⚛

**FREEBIE ALERT!!**

To celebrate the relaunch of Three Shades Called Horace, the author is having an exclusive giveaway of the supernatural short story The House on Via Magliocco!

The House on Via Magliocco

by Jinx James

Genre: Supernatural Dark Fantasy

 

To be beautiful forever. Would you turn down that offer?

 

A mesmerizing one-hour dark fantasy short read.

Silvia is a top fashion model who lives for the spotlight, but the camera's love is fleeting. When she’s offered a mysterious assignment at the secluded House on Via Magliocco, it feels like the ultimate canvas for her creativity and passion for dance.

But inspiration quickly twists into a feverish obsession.

As the mansion's haunting music bleeds from her dreams into her waking life, Silvia realizes she hasn't just accepted a job—she has stepped into a beautiful trap. The house demands a performance, the wealthy owner demands perfection, and the price of eternal beauty might just be her soul.

Get this exclusive supernatural short story delivered directly to your inbox.

 

Get it FREE Here!

Bestselling dark humor fiction author Jinx James was born in the UK and lives in Australia. He has worked in music and advertising, and has always been fascinated by charisma, satire, and what makes people laugh He used to write comedy sketches for a well-known Australian TV and film star, but that was after he was in the music game, as a performer. Later came writing and producing music for advertising, and for big events like the Sydney Olympics. All that time he was trying his hand at writing fiction, mostly humorous. Eventually it became his new way of living while having fun. He writes under two author names. As Jinx James his dark humor draws on his life in show business. As dog lover Kit James, his Mutt to Megastar series features Elliott, a rescue dog who becomes a TV star.

 

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Enter the Three Shades Called Horace Giveaway Here

Release Blitz: Truth in the Treme by Heidi McLaughlin & Amy Briggs

Title: Truth in the Treme 

Authors: Heidi McLaughlin & Amy Briggs

Genre: Paranormal Romance 

Release Date: September 29, 2026 

Cover Designer: z 

Hosted by: Buoni Amici Press, LLC.

Some fires leave more than ashes.

Bastien Durand has spent a century telling hauntings from bad wiring. So when fires start breaking out across New Orleans and witnesses swear the flames move wrong, he walks the scene and rules it out. No curse. No spirit. Just a very human arsonist.

Then Delphine breathes the smoke and collapses.

When she wakes, she remembers burning — a hundred years ago, in his arms.

Every fire after that opens another door. A home they built. A proposal he never got to make. And beneath it all, the truth Bastien has hidden since the day they met: he was never cast out of Heaven.

He fell on purpose. For her.

Now he has to choose — let her remember everything, or protect her from the one memory that could break her.

Some promises survive even death.

PURCHASE TRUTH IN THE TREME

About Heidi McLaughlin:

Heidi McLaughlin is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of The Beaumont Series, The Boys of Summer, and The Archers.

Originally, from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband, two daughters, and their three dogs.

In 2012, Heidi turned her passion for reading into a full-fledged literary career, writing over twenty novels, including the acclaimed Forever My Girl.

Heidi's first novel, Forever My Girl, has been adapted into a motion picture with LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions, starring Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe, and opened in theaters on January 19, 2018, and is now available on DVD & Digital.

To stay connected with Heidi visit www.facebook.com/authorheidimclaughlin or heidimclaughlin.com

About Amy Briggs:

Formerly a firefighter and EMT in New Jersey, Amy Briggs grew up next to a military base, which inspires many of her stories. Her love of fairy tales contrasted with suspense carries through each of her novels and she hopes to inspire readers to fall in love with love.

Amy lives in Texas with her family and more cats than she can handle where she both edits and writes full-time. In addition to her book life, she is also a brown belt in jiu-jitsu, and runs two MMA gyms with her brother, where she also teaches women’s self-defense seminars, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, yoga, and Sambo.

Amy loves to hear from readers and can be found on social media here: Facebook - @amybriggsauthor, Instagram @authoramybriggs. For all other information, including editing inquiries, please visit Amy's website.

PURCHASE THE SERIES

 

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Discover Craving Silence by Freya Barker in this Excerpt Reveal

Title: Craving Silence (Silence, #5)

  Author: Freya Barker 

Genre: Romantic Suspense 

Release Date: October 16, 2026 

Hosted by: Buoni Amici Press, LLC.

Nurse practitioner, Dana Kerrigan, finds her steady and comfortably predictable life suddenly turned upside down as the result of a family emergency. With no choice but to take a leave from work, she has to hustle to keep Silence’s favorite pub running and her parents looked after. When heartbreak brings with it an unexpected opportunity to realize a long-held dream, it presents a new set of problems. One that involves murder, and the man sent to investigate.

As a recent transplant to Silence, sheriff’s detective, Rick Althof, was aiming for less stress and more solitude. Instead, he finds himself frequently drawn to The Kerrigan, a popular pub in town, to enjoy a meal, a beer, and—if lucky—a friendly chat with the owner’s pretty daughter. Still bearing the invisible scars of past mistakes, he’s determined to keep things friendly, despite a growing attraction. However, his resolve is put to the test when she lands in the middle of an elaborate development scheme involving bribery, blackmail, and even murder.

AMAZON | APPLE BOOKS | NOOK | KOBO

“What’s the deep sigh for?” he asks from his perch on the ladder, as I fold the last of the towels. “It’s a satisfied sigh,” I explain, picking up the stack of laundry to carry upstairs. “The kind that comes with being able to check a box off my list.” A faint smile appears on his lips. “You’ll have another to check off soon,” he offers. “I’m almost done here.” I’ve been so busy studying the man, I failed to notice how quickly he’s made his way around to the last remaining wall in the kitchen. “I see that. It looks amazing.” I glance around the space, mentally noting some patchwork that will need to be done, but at least the horrific wallpaper is gone and the walls will be ready for some paint soon. Maybe I can do some of that after work this week. “Let me run these upstairs real quick, and I’ll help with the clean up.” My linen closet sports organized stacks of linens and towels, everything sorted by type and size. I guess I’m a little anal, but I love when everything has a place. It makes life so much easier. Maybe that need for predictability is why my life had become such a rut before Mom’s health took a nosedive and forced me to pivot and adapt. But that process also showed me there is so much more to life if you can be open to change. That kind of flexibility takes time though, and like a muscle that has been dormant for a long time, it needs to be used and exercised. I’m working on it. Half an hour later I haul the last garbage bag stuffed with discarded wallpaper to the back porch. Leaning over the railing, I twist my head to look up at the sky which is studded with stars. I missed the sun going down, and the temperature must’ve dropped about fifteen degrees. It’s cold out, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we drop below freezing tonight. Inside, I find Rick in the kitchen with a serious expression on his face. He may have been watching me. “You have to go…” I guess. He shakes his head in response and slowly approaches. His hands slide around the sides of my neck as he tilts my chin up with his thumbs. His eyes are deep blue pools I find myself drowning in. His voice is low and his words send a delicious shiver down my spine. “I wasn’t planning on going anywhere.” Closing my hands around his wrists, I lift up on my toes until my lips almost touch his. “Yippie,” I whisper, before taking the initiative.

USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.

With forty-plus books already published, she continues to create characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy.

Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We've Read All Year Award for "Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, and Finalist for the 2020 Kindle Book Award with “When Hope Ends”, Freya spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!

GRAB YOUR COPY AND START TODAY!

 

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Book Spotlight: The Glass Moth by D. Lieber

Dystopian Fantasy

Date Published: 09-15-2026

Publisher: Ink & Magick

Her magic comes naturally. His is synthetic. Their different approaches could get one of them killed.

 

Wisconsin, 2050. Kallista Marquis doesn’t expect much anymore. When poor air quality and undrinkable water are everyday problems, the pessimistic gardener is just glad to have a roof over her head. But when a handsome glassblower informs her she’s a natural witch, she eagerly learns the illicit craft as she discovers her ability to finally impact the world.

Fort Meade. Evan Wells should be thrilled with his special assignment. Desperate to keep taking the wish-granting drug that makes him feel invincible, the Army specialist focuses on hunting down naturals and avoiding the snarky yet attractive private who hardly gives him a moment’s peace. But when his lack of progress again threatens a court-martial, his spiraling anxiety endangers more than he's willing to risk.

Trapped by the economic, governmental, and environmental pressures of their time, these opposing sides believe magic is the only glimmer of hope either of them has. But is that power worth it? Is it worth dying for? Is it worth killing for?

 

Uncertainty, love, secrets, and sorcery tangle the threads of fate in this slice-of-life dystopian fantasy.

 

 

About the Author

 

 D. Lieber writes character-driven stories for every mood. Her characters breathe as if they have souls, and her effortlessly immersive worlds hold inner harmonies that cleverly tie everything together.

Beyond her skeptic and slightly pessimistic mind, Lieber wants to believe. She is a romantic idealist at heart, always fighting to keep her feet on the ground and her head in the clouds. When she isn’t planning her next physical adventure, she’s recklessly jumping from one fictional world to another. Her love of reading led her to earn a Bachelor’s in English from Wright State University. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband (John) and cats (Yin and Nox). 

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Books2Read

Book Teaser Tour Stop: Taken by the Angel of Death by Megan Slayer

 

(Taken 14)

Fantasy Romance

Date Published: October 2, 2026

Publisher: ChangelingPress

One touch sends her victims to hell. But he’s already been there. Would not recommend. 0 stars.

Loren knows her job. She’s an angel of death. When she allows herself to be seen, there are no survivors. She drives too fast, has no filter, and bows to no man. Then she sees a vampire crumpled on the ground. It’s not his time. She can’t leave him to die, but she won’t get involved with him. Too bad he’s cute.

Michel never wanted to be turned. Never wanted to offer his services. Terminal illness? You’re going to perish anyway? Want to do it on your terms? Then he can help. It’s part of his death wish. But he can’t die. When he finds himself in the presence of the most beautiful, moodiest woman he’s ever seen, he can’t forget her. But she won’t touch him. He makes it his mission to get to know and melt her defenses so they can both have their heart’s delight.

If nothing else, he’ll die trying.

She kills. He can’t die. They shouldn’t work, but what if they did and the results are fire?

Excerpt

Copyright ©2026 Megan Slayer

You are to report to Beelzebub immediately, a voice said in her head. Loren scrubbed both hands over her face. She hated when he called her. He never wanted anything good. Someone had to die. Always.

She rolled her shoulders, then waggled her head to stretch her neck before she ambled into the fiery man’s office.

“You called, Bubsy Baby?” she asked. She never referred to him by his preferred name. It just didn’t suit him. Or maybe it was to annoy him that she wouldn’t use the name he preferred.

“You know my name,” he snapped.

“Look up the number?” She folded her arms and sighed. “You’re not exactly menacing or scary behind that desk. You’re like a red-tinged middle management clown.”

His eyes blazed and he snarled. Flames licked his horns. He drummed his fingers on the desk. “Someone has to be in charge.”

“And you do it so well.” She sighed again. “What do you want? You only call when you want something.”

“You have a job to do.” He pointed to the screen behind him. “You have three, actually.”

“We’re still using screens? Isn’t that so last century?” She read the information and filed it away in her mind. She could be counted on to complete her mission without fail or issue.

“Why are you such a pain in my ass?” he asked. His glare deepened and he gritted his teeth. “You can’t just go along.”

“No, I can’t.” She shifted her weight from her left foot to her right. “I have to be your torture because you were a shit when you still had your wings. I’m your punishment.” She didn’t care that she gave him such grief.

“Just bring me the souls I deserve.”

“You don’t deserve anything,” she replied. “But it’s my job.”

“If I could find someone else and give you a different one, I’d do it.”

“You love me,” she snapped, knowing full well he didn’t care for her at all. “I’ve got the orders.” She turned on her heel and strode back out of his office. If he were removed from his post tomorrow, she’d be just fine. Hell, she’d be happier.

“Don’t you dare leave this office until I give you permission,” Beelzebub shouted. “Wait, I haven’t told you where your targets are. You don’t even know where you’re going.”

“I don’t?” she said over her shoulder. “Eerie, it would appear.” She didn’t turn around but kept going. She wasn’t stopping until she got out of his disgusting palace. No one should have to look at so much death and suffering.

The display of bodies and souls in distress always churned her stomach. Sure, the humans could be dicks to each other.

She flicked her hand and opened the portal to the roughest bar in Eerie. Few beings were strong enough to withstand a night at Just One More. If there wasn’t a fight in progress, there was one about to start. Bottles were routinely thrown at anyone for just about any reason. There weren’t any waitstaff. Just three vampires who tended the bar. They barely spoke but expected high tips. She nodded to Stacy, the head vampire, then closed the portal and headed out to the cooler air of the night.

The smattering of lights on the building flickered. The parking lot hadn’t been paved in years and the potholes could prove dangerous for anyone under the influence. Sweat practically poured from the interior and the sound of laughter could be heard for a good mile from the place.

A hulking figure shielded her from the glare of the colored lights. “Hi, Jack. Get out of my way.” She’d been involved with him for a whole month and he thought he owned her. The fool. She barely let anyone get close to her. Jack had been a decent roll in the sheets, but he wasn’t relationship material.

“You’re here.” Jack Robideaux stood in her path. “Who are you here to collect?”

“Not you.”

“Anyone here?” Jack asked.

“Nope.” She sidestepped him. She didn’t feel like having this conversation. She kept going until she reached the parking lot where she’d left her car, hoping no one had keyed it while she’d been gone. The vehicle wasn’t anything to look at -- a worn ‘80 Mustang with chipped paint, a woefully underpowered engine and nearly bald tires, but the old girl got her where she needed to go. She unlocked the car and slid behind the wheel.

A bottle flew over the hood and broke on the fence, sending shards of glass through the air.

She growled, then flicked her fingers, directing the glass back to the guy who’d tossed the object in the first place.

“Sorry, Loren,” he called. “Fuck, that hurt.”

“You had it coming,” she said, then drove out of the lot. Fucker needed to watch where in the Hell he was throwing things. She sent rocks flying as she pulled onto the main road.

According to her list, she was headed to the Trollville area of Eerie. The trolls never bothered her, but if it was this one’s time to go, then she couldn’t stop fate. Atropos wasn’t terribly flexible when the end of the ribbon came. The being was expected to accept her determination.

But these were chosen by Bubsy. She snorted to herself. He had to know how much it delighted her to see him squirm when she called him by that name. Call it a perverse power play. She didn’t care. It gave her a minute to best him and worked every time.

She stopped by the crossing and waited. According to the screen, this troll was meant to pass while in the middle of the street. She hated this part. Why did beings have to be so violent to each other? She fiddled with the black diamond ring she always wore.

She noticed the male and female walking toward the road. The headlights of a car shone in the distance. That had to be how he died. Loren remained in her silent vehicle and waited. The man staggered and wobbled into the woman. She laughed and sagged into him.

Loren rolled her eyes. They were going to cause an accident because they were drunk. Cute. She could shout at them and get the pair out of the road, but that’d only piss off Bubsy and string her job out. Atropos would be pissed with her, too.

Not today.

The pair lazed out to the middle of the road. The woman dropped her purse. When she bent to pick it up, the car seemed to come out of nowhere. The sound of screeching tires, the scent of burnt rubber and the shriek of breaking glass filled the air. The woman’s scream could probably be heard outside of Eerie.

“Showtime,” Loren muttered. She left the car and made her way to the pair. The woman, her face covered in blood and her hair matted against the top of her head, reached for Loren.

“Help us,” the woman begged. “Call someone.”

“They’ve been called.” Loren shrugged, extending her black wings. Her leather jacket crinkled and creaked, and her boots thudded on the asphalt. “I should say I’m sorry.” But she wasn’t. She touched the man, who’d stopped breathing not more than thirty seconds after the car hit him.

“Go home,” Loren whispered. “Time for your ultimate reward.” She left her index print on his head, sending his soul to the depths of Hell. He dissipated into dust and his body was gone.

The woman screamed. “You killed him.” She swatted at Loren but missed. “You destroyed him.”

“It was his time,” Loren said and stood. She flexed her wings before tucking them away. “Now you’ll have to live with the guilt and anger for what happened. You’ll have to accept that you’ve done this. He’ll never come back.”

“Bring him back,” she said and lunged forward, grasping the front of Loren’s jacket. “He wasn’t supposed to die. I was. I’m the one who cheated. He was just along for the ride.”

Fuck. She hadn’t thought the drunken woman would’ve been so strong or fast. She swatted her away, then stepped back. “Talk to the devil. Your boyfriend is in his hands now.”

“Boyfriend?” She flopped backward onto her ass and her matted hair fell in her eyes. “He was my john.”

“Now he’s your gone.” Loren straightened her jacket and left the scene, almost as if nothing had happened.

One down, two to go…

Loren cleaned the blood from her hands once she settled behind the wheel of her car. She didn’t bother to watch the woman or call for help. That wasn’t her job. Besides, what would she say? The Angel of Death is calling and would like an ambulance to be sent to the corner of Oak and Elm? Yeah, that wouldn’t do much good. No one would believe her.

She drove away, leaving the scene. In the regular world, she’d be in trouble for fleeing the site of an accident. But no one saw her, save for the drunken woman and no one would believe her, either. They’d think Loren was a figment of her sloshy mind.

Loren flexed her fingers on the steering wheel. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a conversation with someone who wasn’t at Just One More. Certainly not with someone who wanted to speak to her.

Not that she wanted to have deep discussions with anyone. Most people annoyed her. She stopped at the traffic light and a thought occurred to her. If I’m not careful and don’t rein in my sarcastic attitude, I’ll turn into Bubsy.

She gagged.

No one is as insufferable as Bubsy.

She drove for two hours before reaching her next destination near Pittsburgh. She spied a man crossing the dark street. He had his hands stuffed in his pockets and his head down. His gait was quick, like he was hurrying away from someone. She kept watching. This guy wasn’t on her list. Was he perishing tonight? This wasn’t exactly a great area and people did die here.

Another being rushed up to the man. Something glinted. A knife? She wasn’t going to be a witness to this. Loren parked and surged from her vehicle. She lunged between the men, pushing the first one out of the way.

About the Author

Megan Slayer, aka Wendi Zwaduk, is a multi-published, award-winning author of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and paranormal to LGBTQ and white hot themes. No matter what the length, her works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been nominated at the LRC for Best Author, Best Contemporary, Best Ménage, Best BDSM and Best Anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on various e-tailer sites.

When she’s not writing, Megan spends time with her husband and son as well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but football is her sport of choice. She’s an active member of the Friends of the Keystone-LaGrange Public library.

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Book Tour Stop/Giveaway: The Au Pair's Deception

 

She was looking for a fresh start,

but some families hide dark truths behind closed doors.

The Au Pair’s Deception

by C.J. Covino

Genre: Psychological Domestic Suspense, Crime Thriller

Claire Sinclair knows what it means to survive.

After a childhood shaped by trauma, she’s built a life rooted in stability—a thriving career, a home filled with love, and a devoted husband everyone envies.

But when Bella arrives as an au pair, the carefully constructed world Claire depends on begins to unravel.

At first, it’s subtle. A shift in tone. A look held too long. A moment that feels wrong—but not wrong enough.

Until it is.

As Grant’s behavior escalates, Claire begins to question herself—her instincts, her memories, the quiet unease she can’t quite explain. For the sake of her daughter, she holds on…even as something inside her starts to fracture.

But Bella sees what Claire can’t. She recognizes the signs. The patterns. The danger.

Because she’s lived it before.

As the tension inside the house builds toward something neither woman can ignore, the line between endurance and survival begins to blur—and the choice Claire makes next could cost her everything.

A layered psychological thriller told through dual perspectives, The Au Pair’s Deception explores what happens when two women—both shaped by their pasts—are forced to confront the same danger from different sides. Combining escalating suspense with emotional depth, it’s a character-driven story of survival, resilience, and the cost of breaking free.

Trigger Warning: This book contains depictions of domestic abuse and violence which may be triggering to some readers. Please read with caution.

 

**NEW RELEASE!**

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The warmth of her home should've been comforting, but Claire couldn’t stop trembling. Every breath scraped her throat. Outside, the storm raged through the upscale suburban neighborhood of Wellesley, muffling the world in white. The eerie silence was broken only by the wind's howl.  

She tried to sit up, but a wave of nausea forced her back into the blood-soaked sheets. The air held the metallic tang of iron. Somewhere in the house—or was it the wind?—something creaked. Her breathing grew labored, and something wet and sticky clung to the back of her long blonde hair.   

A fresh surge of nausea swept over her as she attempted to sit up again. Squeezing her eyes shut and reopening them didn't wake her from what felt like a nightmare. Each failed attempt spiked her panic.  

Rolling onto her side made her wince in pain. How long had she been lying here? Her mind was foggy. Who else was home? Why wasn’t anyone coming? Someone must’ve broken in during the storm. She remembered a rattle at the downstairs door earlier that night.   

A figure took shape in the shadows—tall, or maybe it seemed that way in the flickering light. His face was hidden, and his slow, deliberate breathing filled the room. A scream formed in her throat, but what escaped was a broken whisper, swallowed by the darkness.  

A dull, persistent ache throbbed at the back of her skull. Dizziness and nausea pinned her in place. Each pulse landed like a hammer. 

She fluttered her eyelids. The figure was gone. Where had it gone?  

This has to be another nightmare, she thought. 

She wished he were here. He always made her feel safe. Imagining his strong arms wrapped around her and his deep, comforting voice brought a fleeting calm. Her dry lips parted, but no name came out—just a hoarse whisper lost to the wind pressing against the window.  

Claire propped herself up on one elbow and tried to gather her thoughts. She focused, her vision adjusting to the darkness.   

The figure emerged again, and a familiar voice whispered, “It's me. I've been looking for you.”    

 

By day, C.J. Covino is an online fitness coach helping people live healthier lives. By night, she channels her devious side into writing psychological suspense, starting with her debut novel, The Au Pair's Deception: When Love Turns to Lies. She resides in sunny Albuquerque with her husband of 40 years, three grown kids who safely flew the coop, and a literal zoo consisting of three dogs, a parrot, and a cat. She is powered almost entirely by coffee, a passion for travel, and the thrill of a good plot twist. Learn more at cjcovino.com and follow her writing journey on TikTok @cjcovinoauthor.

 

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