Book Spotlight: Cutie Pie By J.C. Halverson

Title: Cutie Pie

Author: J.C. Halverson

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: 10/13/2026

Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 30800

Genre: Contemporary, Alpha males, enemies/rivals to lovers, ex-military/Marine, interracial/intercultural, office rivalry, power imbalance, obsession

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Description

Jacob Cohen has built his life on control. As the executive producer of a top-rated cable news program, he commands a newsroom, navigates demanding talent, and keeps chaos at bay. A Marine veteran with an Ivy League polish, he’s the man nothing can break.

Then Stefan Morris walks into his world.

Charming. Magnetic. Impossible to ignore. Stefan is everything Jacob didn’t know he was missing—and everything he should have known to avoid. Their connection is electric, immediate, and utterly consuming.

But Stefan runs on a different clock. He disappears without explanation. His stories don’t add up. And the closer Jacob gets, the more the carefully constructed life he’s built begins to unravel.

When Jacob discovers he’s not the only one caught in Stefan’s orbit, he faces an impossible choice: walk away with his dignity intact, or play a game where the rules are made to be broken—and winning might cost him everything.

Set against the high-stakes world of network news, Cutie Pie is about desire, deception, and the dangerous territory between love and obsession—where the only thing more destructive than the truth is the lies we tell ourselves.

Excerpt

Cutie Pie
JC Halverson © 2026
All Rights Reserved

My ass was still raw from the verbal beating I’d just taken from Jon Jon Holiday.

And not in the good way.

The newsroom had that postshow quiet—keyboards clicking, phones chirping, producers pretending they hadn’t heard every word through the glass. Jon Jon’s corner office was supposed to be soundproof. It wasn’t. Not when he wanted to make a point.

I could see him through the glass, pacing like a caged animal. He spotted me crossing the newsroom floor and waved frantically, that theatrical gesture he used when the cameras weren’t rolling but he still needed an audience.

I took my time. Finished the conversation with the graphics coordinator. Checked my phone. Let him stew. Managing talent was like training horses; you couldn’t let them think they were in charge.

By the time I reached his office, he’d worked himself into a proper state. Perfect.

The walk to his office was fifty feet of exposed territory. Every desk I passed, every monitor I caught in my peripheral—they all knew. Jacob’s getting his ass handed to him. Again. The new kids watched with barely concealed fascination. The veterans kept their heads down, grateful it wasn’t them.

Jon Jon stood behind his desk, still in full makeup from the show. At fifty-three, he had that ageless quality that made network executives wet. Not young, not old—just television. His suit probably cost more than most people’s rent. His watch definitely did.

“Close the door,” he said as I entered.

I did. The glass frosted instantly—his favorite privacy move.

“We need to talk about tonight.” He moved behind his desk, creating distance. Power positioning. Old habit from when he thought furniture arrangement meant authority.

“What about it?” I sat without being invited. Another small reminder of the hierarchy.

“You want to tell me what that was?” He didn’t specify. He didn’t need to.

“Technical difficulties with the prompter. Lighting preset got switched. And Marcus Chen bailed.”

“Chen.” He said it like profanity. “That prick promised us an exclusive.”

“His publicist swore—”

“His publicist lied. They all lie. That’s why we verify.” He loosened his tie with sharp, angry movements. “Twenty years in this business, and I looked like an amateur out there. Reading from paper like some local market rookie.”

He wasn’t wrong. The show had been rough. When the prompter died in segment three, Jon Jon fumbled the transition. His hands shook as he held the backup scripts. For a man who could interview warlords without blinking, paper defeated him.

“The lighting made me look like I have hepatitis.” He moved to the window, Atlanta’s skyline glittering behind him. “You know what they’re saying online?”

I knew. Twitter had been brutal. Something about him looking like a corpse that got reanimated midbroadcast.

“It won’t happen again,” I said.

“You’re right. It won’t.” He turned back to me. “Because if it does, we’re both gone. You understand that? The network isn’t patient anymore. They’re looking for reasons.”

I understood. Ratings were good—we owned the 9 p.m. slot—but good wasn’t bulletproof. Not in cable news. Not with streaming eating our lunch and podcasts stealing our thunder.

“We’ll fix it,” I said.

“We.” He laughed, but there was no humor in it. “There is no we, Jacob. There’s me on camera and you behind it. I take the bullets. You’re supposed to make sure they miss.”

Fair enough. That was the job.

Jon Jon dropped into his chair. The anger was fading, replaced by something heavier. “You know what’s exhausting? Pretending I don’t see them waiting for me to implode again.”

Two years ago, his ex-wife went nuclear. The View, Good Morning America, every platform that would have her. She brought receipts: text messages, Grindr screenshots, a Greatest Hits of Jon Jon’s secret life. The bathhouses. The apps. The carefully maintained heterosexual facade that cost three million a year in alimony to maintain.

He’d vanished for a year. Most thought he was done. Then he resurfaced here, primetime slot, openly gay, twice as sharp. The comeback story everyone loved to hate.

“They’re not waiting for you to implode,” I said. “They’re waiting for you to get boring. Different thing.”

He studied me. Jon Jon had a way of looking at you like he was deciding whether to trust you or destroy you. Sometimes both.

“You know what I hate most about you, Jacob?”

“My youth? My title? My ability to stay calm?”

“That you’re right. Usually.” He loosened another button. “I hate that I need you to fix these things. I hate that you’re good at it. I hate that the network trusts you more than me.”

“They don’t trust me more. They just trust me differently.”

“Bullshit. When contract time came, who did they call first?”

I didn’t answer. We both knew.

Purchase

NineStar Press | Books2Read

Meet the Author

J.C. Halverson is a Marine Corps Iraq War veteran and longtime journalist now living in Hawaiʻi. A cancer survivor, J.C. brings a grounded realism to his LGBTQ fiction. Drawing on experiences from war, newsrooms, and survival, he explores desire, control, and vulnerability. J.C. lives with his husband in Honolulu.

 

Book Tour Stop: The Building by Kevin G. Chapman & a Giveaway.

 

Mystery / Thriller

Date Published: 10-10-2026

Publisher: First Legacy Publishing

 

The community comes first – no matter what.

 

For ten years, the Utopia Tower experiment has been a resounding success. Conceived by a tech billionaire, the state-of-the-art apartment complex offers a life-changing opportunity: rent-free living for residents who adhere to the "Five Pillars of Harmony" and maintain the building's pristine reputation. It is a tight-knit community where neighbors look out for one another, ensuring that nothing endangers their sanctuary and their right to continue living there.

Antonio, a young lawyer, moves into the tower to care for his grandmother, eager to join this idyllic social experiment. But the veneer of perfection cracks when two young men—both considered bad apples and threats to the community's serenity—die in unusual circumstances within a single month. Despite warnings to leave well enough alone, Antonio suspects a connection and digs deeper. He discovers that, in a building designed for total harmony, asking the wrong questions can make you the next problem to be handled. Is there a killer hiding among the residents? Is the billionaire founder protecting his investment? Or is the truth far more terrifying?

In an environment where preservation of the collective is the prime directive, how far will the community go to protect itself?

 

Perfect for fans of Black Mirror, Blake Crouch, and high-concept tech mysteries.

Teaser Excerpt:

Chapter 1— The Project 

 

J

AMESON Z. CONRAD STOOD on a steel catwalk raised twenty feet above the production floor of his new $2 billion chip factory, wearing a white full-body bio-suit. He eschewed a face mask, although every busy worker below wore one. The polished floor reflected high-intensity overhead lights, which glinted off glass and chrome tools, creating visible spectra on the edges of the gleaming work tables. Low-slung robotic vehicles hummed above invisible sensors, carrying supplies to the production lines and whisking away finished chips to cold storage. Open barely two weeks, the state-of-the-art facility was humming. Jameson smiled like a priest gazing from the choir balcony at a newly constructed cathedral.

Standing a few millimeters above six feet, with broad shoulders that could not be fully hidden by his bulky garment, Jameson was in better shape at forty-six than he had been at twenty-five. A personal chef and two trainers made sure. A man who wanted to live forever needed to start the project early. With feet spread and arms akimbo, nobody in the expansive room could miss his presence. The workers tried to ignore him, not wanting the big boss to see them gawking, but suspecting he wanted the attention.

Jameson co-founded Botor Corporation when he and his two partners were juniors at MIT, working out of a Cambridge garage. The joke was that Botor was “robot” spelled backward by a dyslexic scientist. At the time it didn’t matter, as long as it was unique. Now, the colorful corporate logo adorned office parks and sports arenas. Botor Corp had a market capitalization of more than $2 trillion. The two other original founders took buy-outs a decade earlier and retired in their thirties, leaving Jameson to preside over his personal universe, working sixteen-hour days. That was fine with him.

“You have the update on EPBOT?” Jameson asked without turning his head from the ant-like activity on the production floor.

“Yes, Sir,” came the soft, submissive reply. Bobby Chaing, Jameson’s senior project manager, had arrived two minutes earlier and waited for his boss to notice. A skilled programmer and an expert in artificial intelligence systems, Bobby was a combination Chief of Staff and Chief Operating Officer in Jameson’s ever-expanding global empire. Officially, Bobby’s title was Senior Vice President, Special Projects. Everyone on the corporate org chart knew “special projects” meant the next cutting-edge development and the next huge product launch. In other words, the coolest of the cool stuff.

Despite being Jameson’s right hand and main scientific sounding board, Bobby knew he was expected to observe the hierarchical protocol by not using Jameson’s first name in public spaces. He was fully prepared with the report on the Experimental Prototype Building Of Tomorrow – their private nickname for Jameson’s long-time pet project. The unofficial moniker was stolen from Disney World. Jameson’s visit to EPCOT in Orlando was the spark of imagination that launched his tech career. He never forgot.

“I’m guessing it’s not good.” Jameson finally turned toward Bobby. In their clean suits, they resembled astronauts meeting on the surface of an alien world.

“It’s not bad,” Bobby quickly replied. He had driven from Botor’s Manhattan offices to the plant across the Hudson River to deliver this report in person. Jameson insisted that discussions about the project be oral, leaving no digital or paper record. The monthly update was not time-sensitive, but Jameson always wanted it immediately. Waiting for the next business day was never an option. “The data collection volume is still on the positive side of the curve.”

“But we’re reaching the saturation point, aren’t we?”

Bobby rocked his head left and right before answering. “Eventually, of course we will. But we’re not there yet.”

“What about the health of the cohort?”

“It’s good. The core is strong and cohesive.” Bobby paused, allowing Jameson an opportunity to jump in.

“But there is fraying around the edges, isn’t there?”

“The overall health of the community is down six percent from this time last year,” Bobby admitted. “But it’s still at eighty-four percent. Way above the projected minimum standard.”

“Sure.” Jameson turned back toward the shining, sterile production environment which churned out tiny bits of silicon, cobalt, platinum, and gold he would sell for fifty times their cost. With growing global tariffs squeezing out foreign chip-makers, he mentally patted himself on the back for building his plant in New Jersey. Without looking at Bobby, he gripped the steel railing supporting the catwalk and hung his head slightly. “We’re still above the curve, but it’s going to slip further. If they don’t turn it around quickly, and unless the unique data collection rate improves, we’re going to have to consider a full reboot at the end of the year.”

“It’s not that dire yet, Sir.” Bobby knew his tone was wrong. He sounded like he was pleading the cause rather than providing impartial analytics. “There’s no need to rush into drastic change. A full cohort swap might endanger the project.”

“Or it might be just what we need,” Jameson said flatly, still not making eye contact with Bobby. “The first few years were hard. You remember. But then the curve swung upward big time. We knew it would plateau eventually and we’d need to start over. I’m willing to risk another few years of a shallow curve in order to get a bigger boost later. We’ve got new products in the pipeline. If we’re not getting adequate data, then a change is required.”

“But it’s your achievement,” Bobby said, stroking the boss’s ego.

“Yes. It is. But I can’t get too attached. It’s not going to win me a Nobel Prize. I want you to start the preliminary process of recruiting a new cohort. Keep it quiet.”

“I agree,” Bobby said, “but before you make a final decision, we need to weigh the negative consequences.”

“I will. But fresh data is always a net positive. Even if there is collateral damage. Mom always said you have to break some eggs to make an omelet.”

Bobby didn’t respond. He knew the discussion was over. “I’ll get on it, Sir.” Bobby turned and walked toward the elevator that would take him down to the changing room. He hated wearing the clean suit.

Purchase Links

https://mybook.to/TheBuilding

Amazon

Enter the Giveaway:

https://kingsumo.com/g/1vjwgv1/win-a-signed-copy-the-building

About the Author

 

 Kevin G. Chapman is an attorney specializing in labor and employment law and an independent author. His seven -book (so far) Mike Stoneman Thriller series, includes Lethal Voyage, Winner of the 2012 Kindle Book Award, and Fatal Infraction, the #1 Police Procedural of the year (CLUE Blue Ribbon Award). Kevin's stand-alone mystery/suspense/romance, Dead Winner was the winner of the CLUE Blue Ribbon for best suspense/thriller, and Kevin's most recent stand-alone mystery, The Other Murder, was the Grand Prize Winner of the 2024 CLUE Award (best over-all mystery/suspense/thriller). Kevin has also written a serious political drama, A Legacy of One (2016). Kevin is a resident of Central New Jersey and is a graduate of Columbia College and Boston University School of Law. Readers can contact Kevin via his website at www.KevinGChapman.com.

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Twitter: @KGChapman

Goodreads

Instagram: @KGChapman

Check out Carrie Ann Ryan's Pretend It's Forever today!

 

Pretend It's Forever by Carrie Ann Ryan

Cage Family Series, Book 5

All Buy Links HERE

Contemporary Romance

Sophia Cage doesn’t need a protector—she needs a night to pretend her world didn’t splinter. After her world burned, she found herself a single mom, a struggling dance studio owner, and unable to do the one thing that had brought her out of the darkness.

Dance.

When Carson walks into her life, all she can see is the broken person she’d been when they’d first met. She’s stronger than the ghosts of her past, at least that’s what she tells herself. Yet with each accidental encounter with the mysterious and dangerous man who’s inserted himself into the Cage family orbit, she’s finding it harder to walk away.

Carson Woods doesn’t trust people. He’s spent his life protecting his sister from their family and the world all while making sure his businesses are the best in their fields.

Then he meets her.

One wrong move with the shattered yet pieced together Sophia could not only fracture his working relationship with the only friends he has but harm the woman he tells himself he cannot crave.

Pretend it’s Forever is a single mom, who hurt you, opposites attract, contemporary suspense featuring Carson and Sophia in the Cage Family series. Each book can be read as a complete standalone. An HEA is guaranteed!

Excerpt

One year later.

Tiny dancers swirled along the floor, the glossy wood shining underneath the soft steps of the little slippered feet. Giggles filled the room and I smiled, watching my past blend with my present, knowing there couldn’t be a future.

With a frown, I pushed those thoughts from my mind. Today was about joy. Today was about teaching.

Today wasn’t about what could have been. Those thoughts had no place here within the soft laughter and eager learning.

To pretend otherwise would be to forever lie within misery, wondering when one could find peace. And I wasn’t about to find that kind of peace.

“Ms. Cage! Ms. Cage! Do you like my dress?” Meredith asked as she twirled towards me, nearly tripping over her own ballerina shoes.

I moved forward quickly and held her shoulder, keeping her upright. She had more energy than a few children put together, and I adored her.

I knelt down to be at eye level, ignoring the twinge in my knee and sharp pain in my hip. The reminders of that evening would forever be within my body, scarred on my soul, but I wouldn’t let these children know. “I love your dress. You look beautiful.”

“Thank you.” She preened. “You’re always beautiful. Will you dance for us later?” the eight-year-old asked, and I heard a few of the parents whisper beneath their breath, and I ignored them.

Instead, I looked over at my eager students and nodded. “If we have time, I will at the end, something small. Only because you have all done such a good job today. If we can’t today, I will make sure it’s scheduled for next time. Now, let’s work on our turns, because our recital is coming up.”

“I’m nervous,” another student said as she came forward, and a few others nodded, their eyes wide.

This would be their first ballet recital as a class, as we had started a new year, and I was nervous right along with them. However, nerves were how I succeeded in my life. Or at least, how I had once succeeded in my job.

As long as I lived, breathed, and knew my soul could withstand the truth, I would always be a dancer. No matter how long it took for me to stretch these days, or the idea that I couldn’t put all my weight on the same leg as I once had, or the fact that I was no longer a principal dancer at the Denver Ballet, I would continue to be a dancer at heart. Just like many of these little girls were.

My other classes had a mixture of boys and girls within the class, but this particular one just happened to be filled with only little girls. I hoped that soon, more boys would sign up and attend and had great hopes that they would.

Everybody was welcome to dance here, and between myself and the two instructors I had hired, the studio went from toddler age all the way to high school. I had a few college-age students as well, ones that were more one-on-one to prepare them for auditions, and other things, but for the moment I didn’t have anything beyond that. I once had. I once had been sought after even at my age.

But those dreams had been crushed along with so many other parts of my body.

I swallowed hard, rolled my shoulders back, and reminded myself that I was Sophia Cage. And I could do anything. I might not have been born a Cage precisely, but I had taken the name of my family when the worst had happened.

“Okay, girls, plie.”

I began the next section of the dance. And corrected when needed, praised when warranted—and since I wasn’t the cool teacher that I’d once had, or even the far more strict ones, there were always ways to find praise.

By the end of class, I was grateful that we had run over, but I ignored the guilt from that. “Next time. Next time I promise I will show you a little bit of your performance on my own. I promise,” I reiterated. The girls clapped, while some of the parents gave each other knowing looks. I ignored that.

After the incident, I had lost a few of my favorite students. They had needed an instructor who could perform right alongside them, and someone who hadn’t lost the strength that I had in my dominant leg.

It had taken me a year to get to this point in my life, where I could put on tights and do small parts around the studio, but I would never be again.

Not after I had trusted the wrong person.

About the Author:

NYT and USA Today Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan is the author of over 150 contemporary and paranormal romances where the characters yearn, break your hearts, and make you swoon. If there’s a family of six brothers who need HEAs, she’s your author.

Website

Discover Fireline by Peter Berk and a Giveaway

 

A scientific experiment gone horribly wrong sends an apocalyptic firestorm raging throughout the Eastern seaboard. If it reaches the Atlantic, it might just be game over for the world. 

Fireline

by Peter Berk

Genre: Action, Eco Thriller, Suspense

An unhinged scientist introduces a nano-based chemical compound into the Potomac that's designed to purify the world's waterways but that instead sets the river on fire and rapidly spreads directly toward Manhattan, with only the young chemist who first warned against the experiment the worlds best hope of stopping it. 

Fireline takes us from the heart of Washinton, D.C. to the Statue of Liberty - all of which are direclty impacted by an out-of-control firestorm snaking its way to the Atlantic where it could go on to threaten every corner of the world. 

A science gone astray disaster novel, Fireline also touches on such timeless themes as personal redemption, heroism in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, friendship and even father-son dynamics - all handled with touches of humor and romance. 

 

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

Peter Berk has written six novels, three TV pilots and a dozen screenplays, including several with his father which became the basis for the TimeLock series of novels. The original TimeLock novel is a Finalist in the 2023 Chanticleer International Book Awards for Science Fiction, Mystery, and Global Thrillers. TimeLock was also named as a Distinguished Favorite in the TechnoThriller category of the 2024 Independent Press Award. TimeLock 2: The Kyoto Conspiracy was published in 2023 and the third book in the series will be published by IngramElliott. Peter and his family live in Southern California.

 

Website * Facebook * Facebook * Instagram * Instagram 

TikTok * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Enter the Fireline Giveaway Here

Tour Stop: To Murder a Marquis by Arabella Sheraton

 

Title: To Murder a Marquis

Author: Arabella Sheraton

Genre: Regency Romance

Sub-genre: Time Travel

Publisher: Bublish

Publication Date: February 23, 2025

Escape into the drama and romance of the Regency era with To Murder a Marquis, an immersive time travel adventure full of mystery and passion!

When modern-day Jane Carstairs awakens in 19th century England, she’s thrust into a captivating world of lords and ladies, grand estates, and old-fashioned courtship. But Jane soon realizes there’s a sinister murder plot afoot. As Jane works to discover the truth, she finds herself entangled in a web of intrigue. Will she solve the mystery in time or fall victim to the assassin? And can Jane resist the magnetic pull of attraction in this unfamiliar era?

Transport yourself back to the richly detailed Regency world and join Jane on her unforgettable quest for justice and love. With vivid descriptions, gripping suspense, and passionate romantic encounters, To Murder a Marquis is a time travel adventure you won’t want to miss. Embark on the journey today and discover why readers are raving about this unique, spellbinding tale of courage, connection, and timeless romance.

Read Sample Here.

To Murder a Marquis is available at Amazon.

BOOK EXCERPT

Furious barking woke me from a very nice dream in which my ex-fiancé Allan Hunter was on his knees, begging me to stay, and I had just flung his ring back in his face in a most satisfying manner. The fact he’d dumped me for a full-breasted bistro waitress called Tawnee—that’s right, with a double “e”—who clearly said all the right adoring things, had the intelligence of a single-celled organism, and was a tigress in the bedroom was something I chose to ignore.

The dog wouldn’t stop barking. I opened my eyes, and there he was, a beautiful russet-coloured retriever, barking like mad, but with his tail wagging. Still slightly dazed, I shook my head. What the hell was I doing lying under a tree? I was supposed to be in the library at Chelston Hall, helping Dad, who was in hospital in London with bronchitis, collate the archives of the Hadley family. I could almost hear him say, “Jane Carstairs, what on earth are you doing there when you should be working?”

The dog was still barking. I’m not afraid of dogs so I raised myself on one elbow. “Here, boy. What’s the matter?”

I held out one hand for him to come over and have a sniff as an introduction. The dog took a few steps forward, then ran back to his original spot, and barked once. Clearly, a clever canine. He was telling me something. But what? I struggled to sit up. For some reason, my clothes were constricting; something like a straitjacket encircled my chest. Instead of my casual T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers, I wore an ankle-length flowing dress, and short lace-up boots, along with a tight, short, long-sleeved jacket. I was in period costume straight out of Pride and Prejudice. Not funny! Someone had obviously pranked me but managing to undress and get me into this suffocating costume was beyond a joke. Plus, how did I get from sitting in a chair in the library to lying under a tree?

Back to the dog again, which now seemed very agitated. He ran back and forth a bit and whined. By pulling my dress and copious amounts of petticoat up to my knees, tearing something at the jacket shoulder in the process, I managed to stand. The dog ran off through the trees as if on a mission. Maybe someone was hurt, and the mutt was looking for help? Dogs can be so clever that way. Running in the narrow skirt was impossible so I hitched the skirt as high as I could and chased after the dog. Ten minutes later I arrived, panting, at the scene of a bloody accident. Bloody is no exaggeration. A man, also dressed in period costume—riding gear—lay on his back, his arms flung out. He was either asleep, or unconscious, or ... I didn’t even want to consider the last option. The dog stood next to him, its tail wagging. It looked at me, whining as if to say, “Help him.” I knelt and took a closer look. Robert William Edward Hadley, the Marquis of Coleston, lay before me. An arrow protruded from the top of his left shoulder, a massive amount of blood soaked the front of his fawn-coloured coat, and he looked very dead.

– Excerpted from To Murder a Marquis by Arabella Sheraton, Bublish, Inc., 2024. Reprinted with permission.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

From Jane Austen to Georgette Heyer, Arabella Sheraton has found both enjoyment and inspiration in sparkling, witty Regency novels. She also loves history and generally finds the past more fascinating than the future. Arabella wrote her first Regency romance to entertain her aged mom who loved the genre. Arabella is honoured to share the adventures of her heroes and heroines with readers.

Arabella’s book, To Murder a Marquis, is available at Amazon.

Visit her website at https://www.arabellasheratonbooks.com.

Connect with her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/regencyromances/ and X at https://x.com/ArabellSheraton.

Tour Stop/Giveaway: The Chimera Snare by S&E Black

 

Witness the vile acts of a monstrous heart.

Feel the vicious clash of duality in conflict.

Know the light of protection through valiant courage. 

Guest Post:

What are common traps for aspiring writers?

Shannon: I think deadlines are one thing. Many writers feel pressured to crank out content because of demand. The fact to keep in mind is that creativity shouldn’t be rushed, it should be nurtured and allowed to grow. If you rush your writing, you run the risk of sabotaging your work with ideas that weren’t fully fleshed out, or writing yourself into a corner.

Edward: Agreed. It’s never a good idea to put obstacles in front of yourself, so tread carefully.

 

Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

Shannon: I always write for myself and for the story at hand. I understand the appeal of fan-service, or writing for a particular hot genre, but that’s not the story we’re telling. That’s not the reason I write.

Edward: I’m in the same boat. Writing for trends or keeping certain tropes in mind was never something that occurred to me. I write what I feel I want to express that is within my own unique voice.

 

What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?

Shannon: I don’t have difficulty with swapping between genders, because I dislike gender roles. I focus on what makes a character who they are through their personalities. I do, however, think that one of the harder things is to maintain the same tone for a character when you’re writing for several of them.

Edward: I don’t have difficulty either. That’s essentially the fundamental thing about nurturing an imagination - you can place yourself within another personality and step into a character’s shoes. I think that perhaps being empathetic, attentive, and willing to listen and understand others, regardless of gender, can enable one to do just that.

Do you believe in writer’s block?

Shannon: 100%. It’s something I struggle with from time to time, and I really feel that it’s important to listen to when it happens, and give yourself some time to reset. I will switch gears and clear my headspace. I usually know when I can return to the project and make more progress instead of just staring blankly at my computer screen for half the day.

 

Edward: Oh yes, It’s definitely a thing. If I find myself in a block, then I’ll do one of two things: try writing something else, like a different part of a book I’m working on to try and step into a more inviting subject or mood, or I’ll step away and do something else entirely. Sometimes a good decompress can “clear the cache,” so to speak. With that, some different perspectives with new and better ideas can then find me.

 

The Chimera Snare: Reflections

The Chimera Snare Book 2

by S & E Black

Genre: Dark Epic Fantasy

-Winner: 2026 Literary Titan Gold Book Awards: Fiction
-2nd Place: 2026 BookFest Awards - Fiction- Dark Fantasy
-Book Nerdection "Must Read"
-Readers' Favorite: 5 Stars

 

Von is cast into the pages of Ananael, the Order's tome of secret knowledge. However, his venture into the past takes an unexpected turn as he awakens within a cosmic void in the presence of the eternal being, who grants him perspective through others woven through his existence. Yet before he may commence his time-altering quest, a trial of discovery, revelation, and horror surrounding his origin awaits him.

Benson's monstrous heart sews the seeds of a vile past brimming with betrayal and hate. Through unimaginable deceptions and buried secrets, familial bonds once forged from love, honor, and acceptance are upended and broken forever. The souls of integral births, sprouting from pillaged and neglected foundations, unfurl a path towards disarray.

Distorted memory fragments challenge Von's grip on reality, and the reveal of a horrid truth ignites a vicious fury of vengeance. Though his quest for answers falters along the way, he finds help from an unexpected ally. Meanwhile, a mysterious power awakens within Navaryn, putting her at odds with both her friends and herself. And as the motivations of Celestine's leader become questionable, her suspicions involving her role within the Halryn continue to grow.

As the disparate worlds of Celestine and Daeva teeter on the brink of war, Von and Navaryn are drawn together by unseen forces. Two destinies, once parallel, now collide. But where bloodshed beckons, a valiant act of courage challenges the course of their fates.

 

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At last, an uneasy silence fell upon the sopping wet grounds, though the shambled arena creaked eerily. Von quickly Paralleled to the ground and proceeded to walk toward Navaryn’s limp body lying in a muddy crater several meters away. As he gradually brought his power down, his claws began to retract, and his horns receded into his skull. Clutching his side as he trotted along, he heard clamoring voices in the distance and a distinctive pair of boots running through the mud towards him.

“Von!” shouted a sober Claymar. “Wow, you’re alright.” He ran to his side and acted as a crutch to hold him upright. “That was, uh, really something back there. Care to explain what all that was?”

“Later,” said Von exhaustedly. “Where’s your uncle?”

“On his way, most likely. He nabbed Illiya and had her scout for other Celestines while you were off playing with the shimmery blue one. Why do you ask?”

“I need to know how much time I have,” Von replied.

“Time? For what?” he asked, peering ahead at Navaryn. His eyes widened as she slowly began to stir.

“Hold it, Clay,” ordered Von, pressing his hand against his chest to break his stride.

“What are you worried about? You got her!”

“It’s not that.”

Claymar scrunched his face and asked suspiciously, “Then what is it?”

“She’s strong,” said Von. “Immensely strong. She very well could have killed me.”

“Uh, but you’re the one still standing, are you not? Can’t be that strong,” he teased.

“Something happened, though. She lost control. Her power spiked with mine, but didn’t stay with her.”

“Ha! You almost sound like you feel sorry for her.”

Von ignored Claymar’s remarks and walked towards Navaryn, who was slowly rising to her knees with her back to him. Claymar followed behind, but Von turned to him with a furious eye.

Claymar folded his arms and asked, “W-what are you doing?”

The rain calmed, and the moon peeked through the parting clouds, casting a peaceful light onto the glistening, moist ground. Von drew closer, catching silver scintillations atop the bloodied and scorched wounds on her back.

Navaryn winced in pain as she struggled to rise to her feet, chattering her teeth as the cold, wet mud chilled her bruised skin. As squelching footsteps neared, she spun around. “W-who’s there?” she uttered, shielding the moonlight from her eyes with her forearm.

Navaryn’s inquisition made Von stop in his tracks. As her eyes adjusted to the razor-sharp rays of light over his silhouette, she quickly recognized the warm glow of his crimson eyes.

“Stop! Don’t hurt him!” Navaryn cried out.

Her strange and sudden outburst jolted Von. He looked around to find who she was pleading to, but saw no one.

“Wh-what happened to me?” Navaryn asked herself as she gazed down at her hands.

The confusion in her voice affirmed Von’s earlier assessment. “You’re fine now,” he assured. “You’re back.”

Navaryn’s eyes widened as she looked back up at Von. With the simplest of words, uttered with a palpable coldness, he gave her comfort and validation. In him, she found the first person able to convey an understanding of what she was going through when all others couldn’t begin to. An essence dwelt within her. One that seized control of her body once triggered into play, and left her only with the ability to spectate. A similar plight rang true for Von regarding his notorious beastly transformation. Yet, as his second encounter with Navaryn unfolded, his energy had learned to work in tandem with the essence that would otherwise overcome him. Von and Navaryn became locked in a stare just as before, only this time without the presence of aggression. They saw themselves in each other, in a reflection no longer distorted.

“Hey, Von!” Claymar called out. “Um, not sure what you’re doing over there, but you should know the cavalry is incoming.”

Sidwell approached with his entourage of soldiers and a vexed group of eastern Daeva in tow. As the last of his squadron funneled out of the arena, many of the ceremony attendees emerged from hiding within the surrounding brush and trees. Mixed in among the crowd were the rest of Daeva’s leaders, Killian, Morgan, Adair, and Godric, with Merisek alongside them. Weaving through the approaching crowd was Joro, whose surreptitious footsteps evaded the spotlight. Although the chattering among the crowd was indistinct, even for Von’s hearing, he could feel the tension steadily rising.

Sidwell stroked his gray, scraggly goatee, suspicious of the pair’s peculiar exchange. Marching with mighty strides, flaunting his prowess, Illiya approached him from the side.

“Have you done what I asked?”

“Yes, sir,” Illiya replied. “I’ve scouted thoroughly, and there’s no sign of any Celestine formations in the surrounding area. She seems to be the only one.”

“A spy. Just as I suspected. And a dumb one at that. She tipped a bartender with Celestine coin,” he replied with a chuckle as he dismissed his lieutenant.

Sidwell and his entourage moved in to surround Navaryn.

“Well, it took you long enough. But you managed to take down the Celestine without incident to life. That’s as much of a ‘thank you’ that you’ll get out of me,” Sidwell uttered to Von before addressing the chattering crowd. “People of Daeva! You’ve now witnessed our realm’s very threat with your own eyes…”

The Chimera Snare: Fragments

The Chimera Snare Book 1

Husband & Wife author duo Shannon Vierra & Edward Ayllon write under the pen name S & E Black. Together, they craft the award-winning series, The Chimera Snare. They share a deep appreciation for music and credit a great number of bands and artists for inspiring their writing journey. Currently, they live in the greater Chicago area amidst a rich and diverse culture with their clowder of rescue cats.

Shannon is an urban gardener and an avid seed collector. In the makeup community, she goes by the moniker zoomzoommacaron and hosts an international, zombie-themed makeup collab called the #zombabescollab. She also enjoys anime, horror movies, craft beer & kombucha, cooking (and eating), sunbathing, photography, and singing badly. Music fuels Shannon's many passions, especially writing and creating art. She credits music with saving her life on multiple occasions in her teenage and young adult years.

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Edward first discovered the joys of creative writing through his early high school studies, and has spent many years exploring and developing a deep appreciation for the arts. Since first collaborating with his wife, Shannon, he has sprouted a passion and true affinity for storytelling and crafting literature. In addition to refining his skill in creating written works, his other interests include playing bass guitar, listening to music, and dabbling in photography.

 

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