 What are they? Sorceresses and people with magical abilities can perform magic. They are very similar to witches although they might have some more impressive powers. Where can I find them? They are found in all cultures and folklore across the world. What powers do they have? The ability to conjure fireballs, the ability to control the world around them, glamouring, invisibility - the list goes on and on. Where can I read more about them? You can read more about sorceresses and people with magical abilities in Curse of a Jinn by Lichelle Slater, Rune by K. A. Parkinson, The Crown's Calling by Silver Nord, Stolen Magic by Char Webster and Among Shadows by Nina Walker.       Chapter One “Oh my God, this is so unbelievably lame,” I muttered. How much longer was I going to have to endure this torture? “Just one more picture,” Mom insisted. “How about actually going over to the stones, since we came all this way?” I rolled my eyes and trudged across the muddy grass to Stonehenge. The place was crawling with tourists ahead of the summer solstice. I guess I was a tourist too, although not a willing one. Mom organized a last-minute trip to jolly old England, to stay with some distant relative, a man she insisted I call Uncle Phillip. I’d certainly never heard his name growing up. Then she insisted on this ridiculous day out together. Mom didn’t do days out. When she wasn’t working at the lab, she was locked away in her office at home. I got used to doing things by myself, this was completely out of character. Maybe after almost eighteen years, she’s finally remembered that she has a kid. I could be back home hanging out with Roxy, going to parties, instead of visiting some ancient rock formation. I mean who cared about them anyway? “At least try to smile, Nova,” Mom said, giving me her patented disapproving stare. I forced a smile then dropped it as soon as the flash went off. Leaving Mom to fuss over the camera, I strolled over to the nearest rock. There was a kind of weird energy in the air. Probably static electricity, I thought. It had been raining for most of the day. It wouldn’t surprise me if there was a thunderstorm soon. I reached out my hand and placed it on the stone. The second my hand connected, the world started to spin, my vision clouded over and everything around me disappeared. It was dark, so dark, and cold. I couldn’t move my body, couldn’t speak. Then in the darkness I saw something. A face. Skeletal, terrifying. It opened its eyes and I screamed. Suddenly I was back at the rock. I jerked my hand away from it, hissing in pain as I scraped my hand. I clutched it to me and looked around at the other tourists. Clearly, I didn’t scream for real as no one was even looking in my direction. I still felt strange, I could feel a headache forming at my temples. What the hell was that? “Nova? Is everything okay?” Mom asked. I showed her my hand. “Oh! Let me see,” she said. As she took my hand, she accidentally jabbed the cut with her thumbnail. “Ow! Mom!” I tried to pull my hand away, but she grabbed hold of it and squeezed, causing blood to drip onto the grass. “Hold still, Nova. Let me see it.” After a few seconds of inspecting it, she pulled a tissue from her pocket and pressed it to the cut. “Go clean it in the restroom.” Holding the tissue in place, I headed for the restroom. So much for her bedside manner. But Mom wasn’t that kind of doctor, she was a biologist. Everything was cold and clinical with her. I remember cutting my knee as a child when I fell off my bike. It was a quick inspection, a band aid and a warning to be more careful. I checked the cut, it wasn’t too deep, but I ran it under the cold faucet anyway. The last thing I needed was to catch some British disease. I brushed my auburn bangs out of my eyes and fixed my eyeliner using the cracked mirror above the sink. I tried to put my…vision? Out of my mind. Maybe all this fresh air was making me hallucinate. Or I should stop watching horror movies before going to sleep. Mom was waiting when I left the restroom. “Can we go now?” I moaned. “Yes, fine.” Mom sighed. She brushed her light brown hair off her face and gave me a tight smile. We looked nothing alike. I was a redhead with green eyes, a trait Mom often told me was rare. I was a good four inches taller than her too. I guess I took after my father, whoever he was. Mom never spoke about him. I didn’t even know his name. My guess was that it was a one-night stand, but she would never admit to that. Mom had to be in control of everything and there was no way she would have lumbered herself with a kid if she didn’t want one. Pity all her behavior said otherwise. I often worried if I was just some science experiment to her. There to be observed but not loved. Stop it, she does love you. Perhaps she did, but she was definitely not maternal. We headed back to the car. “A fascinating structure, isn’t it?” Mom said. I shrugged. “I suppose.” “Come on, Nova. This is supposed to be a fun day out.” I checked to see if my hand was still bleeding. It was. “Well I’m sorry, but I don’t think a bunch of rocks are fun.” “I thought you would like to get out of Phillip’s house for a while. To see a bit of the world.” “Yeah, well now I’ve seen it. Can we go home now?” Mom sighed as she started the car. “Why don’t we stop somewhere for some ice cream? Chocolate chip? Your favorite.” I bit my tongue to stop myself from saying, “Yeah, when I was five.” Instead I shrugged again. “Whatever.” She took us to a little café that served ice cream. “What’s the password for the wi-fi?” I asked the girl behind the counter. She pointed to a chalkboard on the wall with the password on it – Sprinkles. Taking a seat at one of the tables, I logged in to check my messages. There was one from Roxy. Yo, girl, how’s jolly old England? Snore. You better get back here soon. Todd was asking about you ;) Todd? Todd Parish was asking about me? He was the hottest guy in school. I flirted a bit with him before Spring Break, but I never thought he would do anything about it. I messaged her back for the details. Mom appeared and handed me an ice cream cone. “Thanks,” I said, taking a lick of it. It wasn’t bad. Mom bought a cup of coffee for herself. She looked lost in thought. “There’s something I have to tell you,” she blurted. “Oh God, are you dying?” “What? No! Of course not,” she said. “Good. You just looked so serious,” I said. “Well, it is serious. I have to go away on a trip.” “So? You always go away. I’ll be fine by myself.” “I can’t leave you by yourself. You’ll be staying with your Uncle Phillip.” “He’s going to come to our house?” “No, you’ll be staying here.” “For how long?” “I don’t have a time frame yet. At least a couple of weeks.” “Weeks? But Roxy and I have plans…” “For now, you’re staying here,” she said firmly. “I don’t even know the guy. I’m nearly eighteen, I can go back home, I’ll be fine by myself.” “I’ve made my decision. I’m sure Phillip can find chores for you to do around the house to keep you busy. The time will fly by.” “Can we go home when you get back?” Mom sipped her coffee. “Of course.” For some strange reason, I didn’t believe her. * * * Asteria was asleep and dreaming of the war when the first drop of blood touched the Earth. Her eyes opened for the first time in a millennium, as she felt the vibrations through the soil. Oberon’s blood. It has been shed. Her kin started to awaken too. They lay below her, her subjects, the ones who followed her in her bid to become Queen. Even Oberon’s loyal followers were entombed with her. He showed them no loyalty to them, choosing instead to seal them all away until only he remained. Selfish of you, brother, Asteria thought. She remembered that day on the battlefield, when she lay waste to all around her, smiting and cursing the humans because he preferred them to his own kind. She was majestic, riding forth on her winged horse, her red hair, the color of blood, flowing behind her as she rode. She was well named. She held the power of the sun within her and was determined to scorch the Earth, rid the world of the human vermin and make it fit for the Fae once more. She should have succeeded, but Oberon fought dirty. He knew he could never defeat her head on, so he used blood magic to open a sinkhole in the Earth. One by one, her brethren were sucked inside. As she stared her brother in the eyes, she asked him – why? She didn’t expect to see pain in them, but it was there all the same. She fought hard but the magic was too strong. She was sucked down into the ground, her body trapped by the layers of dirt. But Fae cannot be killed by being buried alive, no, they remained conscious, forever subdued, while the world above them carried on. But Asteria could still dream and she dreamed of the day she would escape and finish what she started. While she did not share her brother’s ability to see the future, she was able to see glimpses of the world above her. The humans grew in number at an alarming rate. They laid waste to the Earth, murdering each other over petty squabbles. At times she wondered if they would do her job for her, but no, they continued to flourish and breed. Oberon decided to mark the spot where they fell, placing huge stones above them, as grave markers. The stupid humans would flock to the site to marvel at the structure. If only they knew what lay beneath their feet. She wanted to reach out and grab them, to strip their flesh from their bones and swallow it whole. Today was one of the days they congregated here – the Solstice. Surprising that the fickle creatures remembered such sacred days. The Solstice was a rare time when she could feel the sun’s energy replenishing her. She longed to bask in its glow. It was so cold down here, so dark. That was when she felt it. Some primal part of her reaching out to something familiar in the world above. What was that? For a moment, a brief moment, she was connected to it. Oberon? He has returned. The connection broke as quickly as it came. Oberon never came here. Even with her ability to reach out into the world, she never once felt him. Saw him. Perhaps he changed his mind? Could he have decided that she was right all along? Then the blood dropped. Fresh, warm, it struck the dirt like the first drop of rain after a long drought. He is here. He is releasing us. No doubt he has seen what this world has become and decided to join her against the humans. All around her, the others were reacting to the blood too, eager to be free. Patience, my pets, she thought. It would take time for the blood to reach them, but when that first drop touched her, this Earth would face a reckoning. There would be no more mistakes, no more truces with the humans. They would be wiped out quickly, without warning. Most would be consumed and the rest? Well, she’d had plenty of time to think of suitable ways to torture them. This world would be hers. If Oberon wanted to join her, so be it. She could work with her brother despite all that he’d done. They could slay the humans together, help restore the Earth to the way it once was, so it could heal, and the magic could flow freely once more. And when it’s over, I’ll cut off his head and place him in a tomb of his own. Somewhere dark, cold, where he will be completely alone. When a Fae dies naturally, they enter the Summerlands, but she would ensure he never reached it. He didn’t deserve peace. She would trap his essence in a body that could not be used, for all eternity. The blood began to work its way down towards her. Come. Yes, free us, brother. It will be the last thing you do. * * *
The Fae will rise, can Nova stop them? Find out in Bloodlines: The Dark Fae Chronicles, available in the Cursed Lands boxed set for only 99c! www.books2read.com/cursedlands  What are they? A Seer is someone who can see the future. They can predict future events and often act as counsel to other people. Where can I find them? Seers are found in most countries and religions around the world. The ability to prophecize was a handy skill to have particularly when it came to knowing the outcome to something such as a war. What powers do they have? Seers receive visions in the their mind's eye or by using some kind of device like a crystal ball. Others may see the future in their dreams. Visions are rarely clear cut and may need some interpretation. This may be due to the fact that the future is not set, people's actions can change the outcome. Where can I read more about them? You can read more about Seers in Sacred Mark of Four by Belladona Cunning.   What are they? Genetically Engineered people are individuals who have been experimented on to make them to make them more than human. Where can they be found? If you were a fan of the early 00's TV show Dark Angel, starring Jessica Alba, then you will be familiar with them. In the show, they were experimented on and given animal DNA which made them stronger, faster and some of them had strange abilities. What powers do they have? They can have a wide range of abilities. Enhanced strength, speed, athletic abilities, heightened senses and more. Where can I read more about them? You can read more about them in Jenna Lee's' Lone Survivor.   If you have ever submitted a book to a publisher, you will know what a synopsis is, but to those who don't or have not reached that stage yet, a synopsis is a full outline of your book from beginning to end, including all of the twists and turns.
Why is it needed? The synopsis is for the potential publisher, so they can get get an overview of the story without having to read the whole book. It saves time and they can see any issues with the story straight away. Publishers receive hundreds of submissions every week, they cannot possibly read them all, so a synopsis helps them weed out the books that are unsuitable, have major issues or just aren't a right fit for their agency. Always, always read the guidelines before submitting to a publisher. If you do not meet them, there is a good chance your file will be deleted or manuscript sent to the slush pile. Synopses are useful to writers even if they are not considering using traditional publishing routes. It gives you an overview of your story and could help you find potential plot holes or character issues. So why do so many writers hate synopses? It's simple - they can be hard to write, especially for your own book. How do you condense your 90k book into one page? What do you include, what do you leave out? It can be overwhelming and as a result, a lot of authors end up producing a synopsis that is too long or is missing chunks of information as they try to fit it onto one page. I see a lot of people trying to write synopses before they finish their book too! Never try this. While you may have the idea in your head, your story could change along the way, so wait until you have your final draft ready to go. What can you do about it? Go back to the beginning. Before you wrote your book, you came up with an original idea. This might have been something simple like - a young woman goes looking for her long lost father, only to discover he is a demon! It is a simple premise and it gives you a starting point for your synopsis. It tells you who, what, where and why. Who is your main character, what is the problem they face, where is where the story takes place and where your character goes in search of answers and why, well that is slightly harder. Why answers questions about your character - Why go looking for him? Why is she only looking now? Why did he leave? Take your character from point A to B to C to D. Keep it simple, write in the present tense and list the main plot points. Side characters are unimportant unless they play a key role in the outcome of the story. Write your synopsis out first and then trim it down after. What can be left out while still telling a complete story. It takes practice, but a great synopsis can be key to getting a publisher to read your book. If you are still having issues or have no idea where to start, I offer synopsis writing through Fiverr. Click the button below to find out more.  What are they? A Warlock in most moderns usages means male witch, but in the past, the term meant oath breaker. They were considered traitors. In fiction however, the term mostly describes a male witch, with the same powers and abilities. Where can they be found? They appear across the world, but most prominently in European folklore. What powers do they have? Warlocks can have powers such as elemental powers, glamouring abilities, and the power to tap into the natural world. The list is endless. Where can I read more about them? If you would like to read more about them, check out Sacred Mark of Four by Belladona Cunning.   What are they? Witches are people who can tap into magic and use it to exact their will. A witch can be good or bad depending on what they use their magic for and they can be female or male. Where can the be found? Witches are found throughout history in lots of different cultures around the world. They are even featured in the Bible. More recently witches are featured in TV shows and movies including Charmed, The Craft and Witches of East End. What powers do they have? Witches can have a variety of powers and abilities, it all depends on the type of witch they are. Some can control the elements, some have abilities such as telekinesis, some control minds or change their appearance. The list is endless. One key point though is that magic usually comes with a price. It should be used wisely. Where can I read more about them? You can read more about witches in War of the Rose Covens by Lee French and Shadows and Light by Krista Street.    Game of Thrones has returned! Season 8 is the final season and we will finally get to see who sits on the iron throne.
If you are a fan, then you know that Game of Thrones has a lot to offer. Dragons, White Walkers, sword fights, betrayal, murder, and so much more. But at the heart of it all, there is one theme that stands the test of time. A theme that almost everyone can get behind and that is family. Family is something we can all understand as we all have families, whether they are the ones we are born into or the ones we make for ourselves. A lot of the long running shows have family at their core. Supernatural will end it's impressive run at 15 seasons and it has always been about two brothers first and the supernatural second. Other popular shows are Charmed, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Vampire Diaries and it's spin-off shows. Games of Thrones has many families, but the key players are the Starks, the Targaryens, the Lannisters and the Baratheons. They have had many disagreements over the span of the series and some have splintered completely, but some, like the Starks, are still loyal to each other. It is fascinating to watch how far the families will go to protect or even kill each other. No one inspires loyalty like family and no one can hurt you as badly as family. If you are planning your next book, why not consider having family members as your leads? Siblings are usually a popular choice, however many people will have two sisters or two brothers, why not a brother and sister pairing? Or cousins? Or something else entirely. Siblings don't even have to be related by blood, they can be foster siblings or adopted. The important thing is to show their dysfunction as a family, because happy families are boring. Siblings fight, they tear strips off each other, but will defend each other to the death if necessary. As they do in real life! Have fun writing!  What are they? The Greek Titans came before the Greek Gods and were said to have come into being at the dawn of time. There were 12 original Titans including Cronus, Thea, Oceanus and the Pleiades Sisters. The Titans birthed the Greek Gods, who later overthrew them. Where can they be found? In Greek myth and Greek origin stories. What powers do they have? They were immortal, powerful beings with power over the Earth and vast knowledge. Despite their powers, Zeus and his brethren were able to trick and defeat them. Where can I read more about them? If you want to read more about them, be sure to check out Orion's Kiss by Claire Luana.  
Mystery
Date Published: April 1, 2019
Publisher: Literary Wanderlust
Only by looking into the past can Audrey save her future.
Audrey Eames is happy living the wanderer’s life. After a near-death experience in her teens, Audrey can see people’s past lives whenever her skin touches theirs, and afraid of being labeled delusional, she’s never stayed in one place too long or made any deep connections.
So when Audrey’s estranged aunt dies and leaves her the historic Soberly Inn and Public House on the scenic Oregon coast, Audrey wants nothing to do with it. She’s determined to sell the inn and leave town before someone discovers the power she’s been hiding from the world, but clauses in her aunt’s will seem to block her at every turn.
Yet once ensconced in Soberly’s small town life, the people—particularly the inn's bartender, Kellen Greene—start to grow on her, and she begins to feel that maybe she’s finally found a place of her own. As accepting as the townspeople seem, Audrey fears their reactions—and Kellen’s rejection—and decides to keep her visions a secret. But all is not well in Soberly. Soon after Audrey arrives, people in town start dying in the same manner as in their past lives—but in this lifetime it’s murder. When suspicion starts to fall on Audrey and Kellen, Audrey vows to use her gift to find the murderer and protect the people she loves—before it’s too late.
About the Author
Nicole Bross is an author from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where she lives with her husband, two children and one very large orange cat. When she’s not writing or working as the editor of a magazine, she can be found curled up with a book, messing around with her ever-expanding collection of manual typewriters or in the departures lounge of the airport at the beginning of another adventure. Past Presence is her debut novel.
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Twitter: @brossypants
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Review:
Audrey inherits her aunts inn, but she doesn't want to be tied down to it. She has a unique gift in that when a person touches her, she can see their past life. I thought this was very interesting and I liked how their past lives affected their present ones. It was an entertaining story and I would recommend it. 
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About the Author:S. K. Gregory is an author, editor and blogger. She currently resides in Northern Ireland. “Description begins in the writer’s imagination, but should finish in the reader’s.” 
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