Bay of Darkness
The Kelly Society Book One S.K. Andrews Genre: Paranormal Publisher: Wild Rose Press Date of Publication: October 2, 2019 ISBN: 1509227792 ASIN: B07WDL6HT6 Number of pages: 418 Word Count: 95,000 Cover Artist: Debbie Taylor Tagline: To save the modern world, psychic Vivien Kelly channels an ancient Celtic life of treachery and murder—at the peril of her own soul. Book Description: After witnessing her fiancé’s murder and almost dying herself, Vivien Kelly’s mission is to destroy Dagda—a Celtic God turned demon. When Vivien discovers she worshiped Dagda in an ancient life as Boudicca, the Celtic warrior queen, she’s compelled to the quaint Northern California town of Half Moon Bay. There Vivien finds Dagda’s creatures tormenting the locals—from a Fear Dorcha, to the Headless Horseman. The Kelly Society is then born—her own paranormal cleansing team and the race is on when people around her begin to die. While banishing a Banshee, Vivien meets Neal Harrington—a soul partner who can promise true happiness. But when Dagda’s black vapor creates a New World of darkness, her time is up. Can Vivien abandon everyone she loves and succumb to Boudicca’s barbaric force to defeat the demon? Her actions not only determine her future—but the future of the modern world. Book Trailer https://youtu.be/UMA9IuWSrog Amazon BN Kobo Scribd Indiebound Excerpt: Announcing her presence, Vivien slapped open palms against the bedroom door. Shrieking stopped, as the Banshee tried to stab into her intuitive power—not even making a dent. Julie I’m here to help. Don’t be afraid. After sending her telepathic message, she felt a definite shift. The young girl now had hope. Sensing another female entity in the bedroom, Vivien tuned in sharper. A spirit connected to the house stood in front of Julie, also protecting her. “That horrible noise stopped.” Neal eyed the door urgently. “Is that good or bad? I mean, is Julie safe?” “Yes, she’s safe. I put a protective light around her.” Heaving a sigh of exhaustion, he rubbed his temple. “Oh, right—the light thing. This is all so weird.” Neal’s head popped up. “No offense.” “None taken.” She grinned like a debutant about to dance with the coolest boy in school. “What now?” Vivien desperately prayed for someone to slap her in the face. Where was Donna when she needed her? Clasping her hands tightly, she pressed on. “I go in and—” Her mouth stopped moving. A dustbowl of black energy swirled through the house coming from Neal, as well as Julie’s friends. “Please bring the other girls to me. Tell them we need to help Julie.” “What?” His horrified face reflected his confusion. “Do you trust me?” Relaxed eyes connected with his. Neal’s voice came out in a whisper. “I do trust you. I don’t even know why.” The universe ceased movement while they gazed at each other again. Finally, Vivien cleared her throat and Neal turned on his heel. “I’ll get the girls.” After he rounded the corner, Vivien’s head dropped into her hands. He distracted her to the point of possible error, and that she couldn’t afford. Why did she have to meet him on a case? A damn weird one at that. Bringing her head up, Vivien found three nervous girls peeking out from behind Neal’s legs. Neal looked down upon them with an encouraging smile. “It’s okay. Vivien is here to help.” They gawked at her like fawns caught in the headlights of a tanker truck. A red-haired, freckled girl held Neal’s hand, a brown-eyed girl grasped his thigh like a rope tow on a ski slope, and a sandy-haired, blue-eyed girl sporting a pink kitty shirt clung to his second hand. All three held guilty faces. Then it hit Vivien like a shot to the chest— they believed they’d abandoned Julie to a horrible fate. Neal got them out, but before Julie could escape, the creature sealed the door with an oozing black substance. “I want to tell you all something—and you too.” Neal looked at her with surprise. “Yes?” “I feel and can see the terror you’re all in right now. Everything in this world has energy, and you’re sending out powerful fear. That’s what the creature wants. So, when you’re scared, you’re actually feeding the banshee and making her more powerful.” Her helpful speech made the girls burst into tears. Stretching out her arms, she kneeled in front of them. “Wait! I know how we can fix this.” “We didn’t mean to! We really didn’t!” The girls proclaimed between sobs. “Now, listen to me.” Beautiful young eyes gazed back at her expectantly. “Go back to Neal’s bedroom and sit in a circle. Hold hands and think of the best, most fun memory you have with Julie. I see you all at the beach making sand- castles. Use that one, or another, but focus on the joy of that day. It’s like a daydream. Keep that vision going until I’m done.” Neal came forward. “I’ll do it with them. Let’s go.” Amazed at his instant acceptance of her task, she stood. Suddenly the girls sprang to life, all smiles and nods. They pulled Neal down the hallway, chattering about which memory they would choose. Neal walked with them, but gave her a last, concerned glance before turning the corner. He wanted to protect her but didn’t know how. Glowing from the inside out, Vivien realized it had been a long time since a man worried about her well-being. About the Author: When Starra Andrews wasn't swimming the Pacific Ocean in her hometown of Laguna Beach, California, she busied herself by writing fantasy stories and acting on stage. Having grown up watching Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone and Night Gallery shows on TV, Starra quickly fell in love with paranormal tales with a message of wisdom and love. Also, being a fan of romance novels and non-fiction ghost stories, she decided to marry the two and write paranormal novels of suspense, adventure, and intrigue with a strong romantic foundation. The sense of adventure inside her came from summers of camping with her family in Mexico (Baja California) and walking along beaches with no other footprints but hers, as her family members unpacked the camper and got ready to collect clams right off the shoreline for dinner. Starra attained a B.A. degree in Theatre from University of California, Irvine, and a Professional Acting Certificate from LACC Acting Academy. Starra is also a member of the International Thriller Writers, which hosts the Thrillerfest writers conference every year in NYC. The beautiful Hudson Valley in upstate New York is where Starra now calls home. She loves being a quick train ride from New York City, but also enjoys country life. Her two tabby cats Audrey Hepburn and Vivien Leigh are her constant writing companions, and love to curl up on the table next to her laptop. Her heroine, psychic/paranormal cleanser Vivien Kelly and her team are in a race to rid the modern world of deadly Celtic creatures in her book trilogy, The Kelly Society. Bay of Darkness is the first book of the series. https://www.skandrews.com/ https://www.skandrews.com/blog https://twitter.com/magicstarra https://www.facebook.com/pg/authorskandrews/ https://www.instagram.com/starraandrews/ https://www.pinterest.com/starraandrews/ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50086707-bay-of-darkness https://www.bookbub.com/books/bay-of-darkness-by-s-k-andrews Tour Giveaway 5 eBook copies
Review
Vivien witnesses the murder of her fiance, but soon discovers that there are more evils in the world, evil that only she can stop. She must use her newfound abilities to take down a demon before he kills her. This is an interesting read and a little bit different to the usual books out there. Based on Celtic myths, there is plenty to entertain you. I would recommend it.  Thank you for joining us this month. If you enjoyed the event, please consider sharing a few posts or commenting as we would love to hear your feedback.
I will be running another event later this year. Stay tuned to find out the theme.  1) What fairytale(s) have you chosen to retell and why? I choose Beauty and the Beast retelling (with Dracula and Pride and Prejudice) because it's one of my favorites and I love the element of 'who is the REAL beast?' that works so well with the overall structure. I can't think of another that has so many elements I can twist into something that works with my Vampires. 2) What makes your story unique? I think the origin of vampires is one thing that makes the world I created unique. They are demon cursed creatures rather than undead. 3) What was your favorite fairytale growing up and why? Beauty and the Beast, and I think like many authors my reasoning would be similar to "Who doesn't want that library?" But also, as a child I loved that she had a horse and knew how to ride. (I was obsessed with anything and everything that resembled a horse.) 4) Who was your favorite villain? Oh that's tough. I suppose I don't have a specific favorite villain in mind as I do a type of villain. I love when they think what they are doing is right, or they have a back story that shows how their past pain has led them to do the horrible things they've done. 5) Is this a standalone or do you have more books planned? I have 6 books of this series planned, and the majority of which will be published in 2020. Books two and three are up for preorder. (The dates for books two and three will be moved up soon)  Ali Winters is the USA Today bestselling and award winning author of The Hunted series, as well as an amazon and international bestselling author. She was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest where she developed her love of nature, animals, and all things green.
For as long as she can remember, she’s been mesmerized by the extraordinary world of books and fantasy. There has never been a time when stories were not begging to be told, either by drawing, photography, or writing.With encouragement from one of her favorite authors, she jumped in, head first, to pursue the career that had been calling to her since the day she opened her first book.She has a deep love for coffee, tea, warm blankets, dogs, creating art in any medium she can get her hands on, and family.  1) What fairytale(s) have you chosen to retell and why? The classic tale of Peter Pan! I've always adored this story and felt it was incomplete and a had an unsatisfying ending. But I still loved it! 2) What makes your story unique? It's more of a "sequel" than a retelling- what REALLY happens to Wendy after Neverland? 3) What was your favorite fairytale growing up and why? I had so many, it's truly hard to choose. I liked Beauty and the Beast and the Goose Girl most, I think. 4) Who was your favorite villain? Maybe the sea witch Ursula in little mermaid. 5) Is this a standalone or do you have more books planned? This one is standalone. I don't intend to make it a series, but it was sure satisfying to write!  Author Bio:
Bree Moore lives in Utah with her amazing husband and five children. When she's not busy homeschooling or folding laundry, she sneaks off to write more urban fantasy. Bree has a passion for pregnancy and childbirth, which influences her female-led stories. She loves shopping for groceries like other women like shopping for shoes (no, seriously), movies that make her cry, and Celtic music. She likes both her chocolate and her novels dark. Bree is also a resident writer at www.WritingThroughBrambles.com, a blog for fellow authors and readers.  Hans Christian Andersen is as famous as the Brothers Grimm. Born in Denmark in 1805, he was a poet, author and playwrite. His fairytales are his most famous works and they include The Little Mermaid, The Snow Queen and The Ugly Duckling.
Like the Grimm brothers, few of his stories ended well. The Little Mermaid did not end up with the handsome prince, instead he married another and she threw herself into the sea in despair. Other stories like The Little Match Girl have an equally sad end. He is revered in his home town and the statue above is dedicated to him. Hans Christian Andersen had a troubled love life and he passed away in 1875 from liver cancer. He will always be remembered for his fairy tales.  1) What fairytale(s) have you chosen to retell and why?
Snow White And the seven dwarfs. I always liked that one. 2) What makes your story unique? It has become a funny revers-harem story where Snow is a bad-ass sexually prolific princess, the wolves are vegan, the stepmother is a doll and the prince is gay. There were so many options I really had to reign myself in to make sure that I didn’t include every single fairy tale character into the one story. I had a blast writing it. 3) What was your favorite fairytale growing up and why? Cinderella, because she wins in the end, despite all the issues she has to go through, and I like the idea of a fairy godmother. 4) Who was your favorite villain? The Beast in Beauty and the Beast. I like the big surly types. 5) Is this a standalone or do you have more books planned? This is a standalone in the fairy tale retellings. I generally write dark Urban Fantasy. Though I really did have a lot of fun writing this story, so you never know. I just might have the fairy-tale bug now. I liked combining the fairy tale with shapeshifters; my usual genre. It was also a lot of fun to do a humorous story instead of my usual dark fantasy.  1) What fairytale(s) have you chosen to retell and why?
Angela Kulig (my co-author) decided on Aladdin, but not the Disney retelling. A dark and twisted retelling of our own. We joined a shared world called, Never After Tales, and the cover, Angela K. chose (because it is gorgeous!) and then asked me to co-write with her. As for me, it was simple: one of my little sister’s favorite movies was Aladdin, and the opportunity to retell it in a way with shifters and mystery and intrigue, where a princess doesn’t need saving? Well, that was our idea of a fairytale worth retelling with its own spin: a princess as the hero. 2) What makes your story unique? It’s unlike any Aladdin retelling ever told. As I mentioned in the previous question, Princess Cyra doesn’t need saving, she can save herself. But, there are things that come about she doesn’t foresee… and, she has a power passed down to her from her mother. A sacred power through an amulet. 3) What was your favorite fairytale growing up and why? Cinderella. I watched it over and over with my mamaw (grandmother), and she just loved the little mice. She collected ceramic figurines of mice, and to this day, they’re still on her wooden shelves in her kitchen, although she passed in 2011. Most of my greatest childhood memories are with her, and watching Cinderella when I was little, singing along at her by my side while we folded laundry, or she just hugged me close. I miss her. 4) Who was your favorite villain? Now, as an adult, I have to say Maleficent, although she’s truly not a villain. She made up for her evil ways in the end. But it would have to be her. 5) Is this a standalone or do you have more books planned? It’s standalone, but it can be read with all of the other books in the Never After Tales collection, and in any order.  1) What fairytale have you chosen to retell and why? My first fairytale retelling is my version of Little Red Riding Hood as a response to Angela Carter’s own retelling called The Company of Wolves. In The Girl with the Red Hood, I give my vision of feminine power when faced with male predators. I love Angela Carter’s rewritings and retellings of fairy tales, but this one caused such a reaction in me, because it angered me that the girl would give herself away so easily. Turns out, her version was hitting too close to home… but it prompted this story that I love. 2) What makes your story unique? I would say the style. It’s quite dark and gruesome, as fairy tales used to be, but with a bit more details in the horror department. Also, my treatment of wolves is quite unique, as I give them their real purpose back. 3) What was your favorite fairytale growing up and why? It has always been Little Red Riding Hood, and somehow, I’ve always known that wolves could never be so big and bad – only humans can. But the foundation of the tale and its morality have always rung true in my heart: beware of men who can’t control their urges, because they’ll do you wrong and say it was your fault for dressing up like a woman of little virtue… Well, I’ve twisted the morality to fit it to the reality anyway! 4) Who was your favorite villain? In old fairytales, I used to love the old hag that tries to eat Hansel and Gretel. But my favorite villain ever in a fairytale retelling has to be Ursula in Disney’s The Little Mermaid. She’s so grand and sassy, big and bold! 5) Is this a standalone or do you have more books planned? This one is a standalone short story, but I have other retellings in the work, about Sleeping Beauty. I’m preparing a collection of short stories where I will rewrite and retell the tale from every angle, much like Angela Carter has done before. I want to find out if this tale can survive the age of #MeToo, from the kiss stolen without consent to the lesser known version of the tale in which the princess is actually raped while she sleeps…  The Girl with the Red Hood Excerpt
Some say that wolves are cruel and cunning creatures; that they will not feel remorse or even compassion when they rip open the throat of their innocent victims; that they actually take pleasure in killing and mutilating. They say that wolves’ eyes glow red in the light in anticipation of the blood they yearn to spill; that they lurk in the dark, just out of sight, along lonely streets or forest paths, waiting for lovely young women or candid children to pass by, lusting for their silky flesh. Wolves are deemed to be subordinates of the Devil, spawns of Evil, companions of nightmares and mates of shadows, murderous beasts. Their howl can pierce the bravest most righteous man straight through the heart and make him doubt of his own sanity and virtue. It can freeze the fiercest army in its charge and make a slaughterer waver in his chopping. It resounds with the memories of long forgotten times fraught with darkness and folly, when humanity was not yet a concept and the animal was within us all. *** Bio: International author born in Switzerland of a Dutch mother and a Romanian father, Jude Cocaigne finds her calling after binge reading all of Terry Pratchett's work. Fantasy is her realm, with dashes of romance and a bit of horror at times. Her first published piece (in the CEA Greatest Anthology Written, aimed at a Guinness World of Records), the short story The Girl with the Red Hood, is a retelling of a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood by Angela Carter. Drawing on Carter's original idea, but adding gruesome details and an even deeper twist, Jude Cocaigne unleashed her talents and her voice. Her next published piece, a novella called The Elf Girl and the Prince (in the limited edition boxed set Once Upon Another World), is a dab at romance and fairy tales of another kind, and introduces Ze World, a planet in which many more adventures will take place in the near future, as a Fantasy series is already in the making.  1) What fairytale(s) have you chosen to retell and why?
The Dragon Princess is Sleeping Beauty (with a subtle dash of Frozen) The Siren Princess is Little Mermaid (with a blend of Peter Pan) The Beast Princess is Beauty and the Beast Book 4 is Snow White (coming summer 2020) Book 5 isn’t really a retelling in the typical sense, but follows the villain throughout the series (coming fall 2020) 2) What makes your story unique? My fairytales aren’t typical retellings the way others see a retelling, which is why I say “reimagined” on my covers. For example, with Sleeping Beauty, the princess (Elisa) is the dragon, the prince has narcolepsy, and her and her sisters are based on the three fairies. In Siren Princess, Odette is the Ariel character, but she’s a pirate with a love/hate relationship with James Hook. Scuttle is her BFF, and so on. 3) What was your favorite fairytale growing up and why? Does “The Hobbit” count? Haha My favorite is Beauty and the Beast because it’s the first story I had hear where the prince and princess actually fell in love. Bell was the first strong Disney princess I had seen (and she wasn’t even a princess until she married him!). 4) Who was your favorite villain? If we’re sticking with Disney villains, I adore Hades. If you want to be technical with Marvel now being Disney, Loki. But from fairytales I like the witch from Snow White. 5) Is this a standalone or do you have more books planned? As you saw above, The Forgotten Kingdom Series has 5 total books (book 4 will hopefully release in June, book 5 hopefully August).  1) What fairytale(s) have you chosen to retell and why?
I chose to retell the Grimm fairytale "All Kinds of Fur." It goes by many other names but the gist of it is that a runaway princess always wears a fur coat to hide her identity. Under the employment of a prince, she dresses in three beautiful gowns during his balls and he vows to learn who she is. My version takes the coat and dresses and turns them into different forms someone takes in order to exact revenge. I've always been interested in Irish mythology and wanted a new way to tell this awesome fairytale using that. So my version is about a hellhound who is chosen to kill a human king for revenge and is given different forms to let herself get close to him, including that of a young woman. 2) What makes your story unique? While I see many stories that reference the fae out there, I don't see many that try to adhere to the true mythology of the old stories. I try to weave the original flavor of ancient Irish beliefs into something relatable today. It's a challenge but totally worth it! 3) What was your favorite fairytale growing up and why? "All Kinds of Fur" was always a favorite of mine, but I also loved reading the story of King Thrushbeard, the king who pretended to be a poor man in order to humble his proud princess bride. The way they fall for one another and become so compatible is great, and I love the transformation of the princess from a horrible person into someone humble and hard-working. In fairytales, it's usually the men who have to change, but this was a fun turn on that. 4) Who was your favorite villain? As a kid, the archetype of the Wicked Stepmother always scared and intrigued me. Here was a woman who was supposed to love and protect you and she ended up being the most dangerous thing in your life. I always found that dichotomy so fascinating. Of all the Wicked Stepmother, I have to go classic and say Cinderella's stepmother is so delightfully horrible! 5) Is this a standalone or do you have more books planned? This book is technically a standalone, but it is in the same universe as other Irish stories I plan to publish after this. They all fall under a series/universe that I call The Golden Court and feature stories throughout Irish history and mythology. These characters in "She of the Many Skins" do come back in other stories so stay tuned! |
 
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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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