Interview – Casi McLean Author of the Lake Lanier Mysteries
Give a warm welcome to Casi McLean, author of Lake Lanier Mysteries, the second in the series Beyond the Mist releases in a few days on September 15, 2017!
Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about Casi and the Lake Lanier Mysteries.
Thanks for stopping by Casi. Let’s start with what inspired this series.
A town time forgot––the eerie lore attached to a rural area sleeping beneath Atlanta’s famous man-made lake, Sidney Lanier, fascinates me. Homes, churches, businesses and untold stories still linger hidden within it’s 38,000 acres of water, and fed by the Chestatee and Chattahooche Rivers. What Inspired Beneath The Lake? The strange phenomenon and vanishings sprarked my muse.
And Looper Speedway, a half-mile dirt track where bootleggers competed with their souped-up cars, bared its cement stands in a recent draught. The moonshiners of the 1940’s added built-in suspense, not to mention the birth of NASCAR.
A portion of the grandstands, once submerged beneath Lake Lanier, bared its remains near the shoreline Monday, Dec. 17, 2007. As a record drought took it’s toll on the 38,000-acre man-made reservoir that supplies more than three million residents with water in metro Atlanta and north Georgia. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
There’s a lady of the lake who haunts the ghost town too.
Swimmers get trapped among the deadfall of sheared-off trees and town remains until they join her in her watery grave. Even expert divers get tangled beneath the murky surface, hence the lake’s unnerving label: Lanier never gives up its dead. These stories are the basis for what inspired Beneath The Lake. The inspiration haunted me, begging for a story to be told.
What a perfect setting for my romantic time-slip suspense series. Why time-slip? Ever since my childhood imagination discovered Madeleine L’Engles, A Wrinkle In Time, the idea of time travel intrigued me. And Lake Lanier, a man-made lake with mesmerizing history presented a plausible theory: what if the explosions required to excavate the lake induced a seismic shift and, given enough energy, could open a portal to a different dimension or a rip in time. I loved the possibilities.
WOW, interesting. I have friends that live on Lake Lanier and we’ve visited there, even boated and swam in the lake. I guess I’m lucky to still be here. I’ll never look at that lake the same again, that’s for sure! LOL
The first book in the Lake Lanier Mysteries is Beneath the Lake. Tell us a little about it.
A ghost town submerged beneath Atlanta’s famous man-made Lake Lanier reportedly lures victims to a watery grave. But when Lacey Montgomery’s car spins out of control and hurtles into the depths of the icy water, she awakens in the arms of a stranger, in a town she’s never heard of––34 years before she was born.
Check out the book trailer. Beneath The Lake Trailer ~ A Time-Slip Romantic Suspense
Available from internet retailers including Amazon and The Wild Rose Press.
And your up coming release – Beyond the Mist?
Piper Taylor concedes she’ll never fall in love, until a treacherous storm spirals her into the arms of the handsome Nick Cramer. Unrelenting remorse over a past relationship haunts Nick, but he can’t deny the mysterious connection and hot desire Piper evokes.
The allure of a secret portal hidden beneath Atlanta’s Lake Lanier tempts him into seizing the opportunity to change his mistakes. But his time slip triggers consequences beyond his wildest dreams.
Can Piper avoid the international espionage and terrorism of 2001 New York, find Nick, and bring him home before he alters the fabric of time, or will the lovers drift forever Beyond The Mist?
Book Trailer for for Beyond the Mist. Beyond The Mist ~ star-crossed lovers survive a cyclone of 9/11 terrorism
Available from online retailers Sept 15th including The WIld Rose Press and preorder at Amazon
Are you working on the next book in the series? Yes. Between The Shadows, Book #3 in my Lake Lanier Mysteries. I’m on chapter 9, so depending on my available writing time, maybe this time next year. I submitted Beyond The Mist last February and the publication date is September 15, so the process takes time. That said, the story is flowing so well now, I can’t wait to seclude myself and write away.
About the Author:
Award winning author, Casi McLean, pens novels to stir the soul with romance, suspense, and a sprinkle of magic. Her writing crosses genres from ethereal, captivating shorts with eerie twist endings to believable time slips, mystical plots, and sensual romantic suspense, like Beneath The Lake, WINNER: 2016 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence for BEST Romantic Suspense.
Casi’s powerful memoir, Wingless Butterfly: Healing The Broken Child Within, shares an inspirational message of courage, tenacity, and hope, and displays her unique ability to excel in nonfiction and self-help as well as fiction. Known for enchanting stories with magical description, McLean entices readers in nonfiction as well with fascinating hooks to hold them captive in storylines they can’t put down.
Her romance entwines strong, believable heroines with delicious hot heroes to tempt the deepest desires then fans the flames, sweeping readers into their innermost romantic fantasies. Ms. McLean weaves exceptional romantic mystery with suspenseful settings and lovable characters you’ll devour. You’ll see, hear, and feel the magical eeriness of one fateful night. You’ll swear her time travel could happen, be mystified by her other worldly images, and feel heat of romantic suspense, but most of all you’ll want more.
Learn more about Casi McLean at the links below:
Website Twitter Facebook Goodreads Amazon Author Page Blog Pinterest Instagram
Destiny Trailer ~ Shorts With A Sprinkle Of Magic
Wingless Butterfly Trailer ~ An Inspiring Memoir
It was wonderful having you with us today. You’ve promised to come back again on September 13th and bring Nick with you From Beyond the Mist to answer questions and provide a fun excerpt. I’ll post my review of the Beyond the Mist at that time also. See you then. Good Luck with Beyond the Myst!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Casi McLean, fantasy, Lake Lanier, Mystery, Romance, Time travel by Tena Stetler with 16 comments.
Pink Lock Picks & Sequined Witch Hats by Carla Rehse
Give a warm welcome to Carla Rehse, author of Pink Lock Picks & Sequined Witch Hats ! With a title like that I simple had to read it.
Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, or Pink Lemonade in the crystal pitcher on the counter. It’s next to the plate of Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookies, and let’s find out a little about Carla Rehse and Pink Lock Picks & Sequined Witch Hats. I love that title!
My take on Pink Lock Picks & Sequined Witch Hats.
A magical tale with loveable characters.
Seventeen-year-old Gracie Mason has everything going for her, homecoming queen, co-captain of the cheerleading squad, and a member of the student council. Due to family problems and an unrequited crush she turns to burglary as a way to win Ben’s affections.
Her first attempted break-in goes badly. She steps into a male witch’s “circle of power” and finds herself in quite a mess. On top of that she’s bonded to him for life unless she can break the bond. Gracie quickly learns that dissolving the bond with Asher, admittedly a hunk, is more complicated than she imagined. Right when it seems things can’t get any worse, witches start turning up dead. Her quest to sever the bond magically turns into a murder investigation.
This was a fun read, filled with magic, adventure, with a bit of humor mixed in. Pink Lock Picks and Sequined Witch Hats is an urban fantasy set in central Texas. Author Carla Rehse’s characters are entertaining in a magical world where the unexpected takes place.
If you like YA and urban fantasy, you’ll enjoy Pink Lock Picks and Sequined Witch Hats. Four stars in my book.
You can find Pink Lock Pick and Sequined Witch Hats at Amazon
Daddy told me years ago that to succeed in life I need a strong plan, the right tools, and the gumption to follow through. His words of wisdom helped me get elected homecoming queen, become co-captain of the cheerleading squad, and voted on the student council. Now I plan to use them to help me pull off my first burglary.
My plan is solid. I’ve also never backed down from a challenge, not even last year when Brittany Thomas became overly friendly with the entire football team in a sad attempt to deprive me of my crown. People say I started the rumor about the rash of STD cases spreading through the boys’ locker room faster than a brush fire. I didn’t, of course. Why start gossip when the squad of doctors from the local Health Department did it for me?
I take a deep breath as I enter the Trinity Building. At almost four o’clock on a Friday before a three-day weekend, the place is deader than a PTA meeting. It helps that today is the hottest July first on record for Central Texas and the air conditioning in this building is dismally subpar. The Trinity Corporation may claim to have the most upscale rental space in town, but one look at the gold leopard granite floor paired with peach-painted walls shows that’s a downright fib.
The only guard on duty leans back in his chair and sucks down a Sonic Route 44 Coke like his life depends on it. I wave as I pass the security desk, wearing a megawatt smile and fully confident in the strength of my lavender-scented Lavanila deodorant—vegan, of course. Deputy Dawg gives me his usual perv stare before returning to the comic book balanced on his knee.
Centex Therapy, LPC occupies most of the first floor office space. A small bell tinkles when I open the frosted glass door. What decorum the overall building lacks, the waiting room has in spades. Brown leather chairs sit on a bamboo rug and pastel paintings from local artists brighten the walls. A tall grandfather clock in the corner softly chimes four times. This late on a Friday means the room is empty of other patients. Perfect.
Jane, the receptionist, fans herself with a copy of Country Living. “Cutting it awfully close, Gracie. Go on in.”
Dr. McDozzle gives me a pained smile as I enter the room.
“Good afternoon, Miss Mason. Have a seat.” For a head shrinker, he’s incredibly formal. And a non-Texan, who hates football and sweet tea. I haven’t learned much more about him in the last month, but that’s enough to get him tarred and feathered if word got out.
The leather recliner squeaks when I sit down. “Thanks for seeing me on a Friday, Doc.” I twirl a strand of newly highlighted platinum hair around my finger. It goes wonderful with my bubblegum pink manicure. “Mr. Anderson, Daddy’s new lawyer, is now insisting I have two sessions a month with you. Of course, Mama’s lawyer says once a month is just fine, seeing how I’m such a well-adjusted high school senior and all. Almost a senior, I guess, since school’s not started.”
Dr. McDozzle straightens his glasses. “Yes, well, your parents do seem to have quite the barrage of attorneys involved in their divorce. Have you worked on the homework I gave you during our last session?”
This is such a waste of time. My parents have spent the last five years embroiled in a divorce dirtier than a greased pig-wrestling contest. Both sides of the family have more money than sense, much to the delight of every lawyer in the tri-county area. Not that I want my parents to get back together. Anytime they’re within spitting distance of each other, the tension between them gives me a migraine. Besides, if they hadn’t split up, I never would’ve met Ben.
Ben’s the son of Daddy’s ex-girlfriend. Until four months ago, they all lived together in Daddy’s condo. Ben is a sophomore at the local college and is truly hot, in a geeky, stud muffin, save-the-world, kinda way. Crushing on my almost stepbrother might seem a bit sketchy, but it’s legal—I Googled it twice.
Which means it’s time to start step one in my Get Ben Plan.
I toss my hair over my shoulder before pulling out a pink glitter notebook from my Eiffel Tower-shaped mini-purse.
“You wanted me to write down my feelings about my parents’ shared custody thing. Honestly, I don’t understand why the lawyers are so panty-twisted about me spending a week with Mama and the next with Daddy. It means I get double the wardrobe. Hello? What girl would say no to that? It’s way better than Heather’s situation. I told you about her last time, I think. The girl with the hideous frizzed-out curls but drives a cute BMW Z4 roadster? Anyway, her parents are insane.” I continue a steady stream of babble until Dr. McDozzle’s eyes glaze over.
There’s no clocks in the room, but Dr. McDozzle keeps checking his watch. I’m sure the poor man created a nice therapy plan for me, but I’ve completely derailed it. Mama always says a girl has many tools to choose from in her arsenal—perfectly curled hair, well-placed boobs, and endless chatter are my faves. Besides, Daddy’s been paying therapists a fortune for years to show the divorce court how concerned he is about me. Dr. McDozzle’s earning his car payment today.
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Pink Lock Picks and Sequined Witch Hats
by Carla Rehse
Giveaway ends August 16, 2017.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
It was wonderful having you with us today. Please feel free to stop by anytime. Good Luck with Pink Lock Picks and Sequined Witch Hats!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog, Book Reviews and tagged Carla Rehse, dead bodies, fantasy, fashion, magic, Murder, Murder Mystery, Paranormal, Pink Lock Picks and Sequined Witch Hats, Romance, YA Urban Fantasy by Tena Stetler with 3 comments.
Interview – Nancy Northcott, Author of Warrior!
Give a warm welcome to Nancy Northcott, author of Warrior (The Light Mage Wars Book 2)!
Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about Nancy and Warrior.
Why do you write what you write? Ie. Contemporary, paranormal, suspense, etc.
I write what I like to read. I’m a very eclectic reader, so I tend to be an eclectic writer. I loved comic books and fairy tales when I was growing up, so writing mages is a natural for me. Though the magic functions one way in my paranormal romances and another in my historical fantasies, the characters in both genres have magical abilities that function kind of like superpowers.
The mysteries I loved growing up—I was a serious fan of Nancy Drew—and the thrillers I gravitated to as an adult funneled me toward romantic suspense.
(Tena here) Ohh… I loved Nancy Drew. I still have that whole collection. Back to Warrior, what inspired this particular story?
I’ve always been interested in archaeology, and it seemed a natural fit for my geek hero, Will. He has a couple of black belts, an encyclopedic brain, and a serious love of all things related to science fiction, fantasy, or comics.
His heroine, Audra, is part Cherokee. I come from North Carolina, where the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation resides, so Audra seemed a natural way to expand the cultural range of my characters.
Do you see yourself in your characters?
Not exactly, though there’s a little of me in all of them. I’m into science fiction, fantasy, and comics, as Will is, and I took martial arts. I would never be an archaeologist, though, because, hey, bones. I don’t even like handling bones in meat, so actual people bones are something I’d rather avoid. And let’s don’t even think about mummies!
Audra is quiet, as I tend to be, in new surroundings, but she’s a geek girl at heart. As a result, she and Will are surprised to discover some common interests.
The hero and heroine of the next Light Mage Wars book, Nemesis, which I’m writing now, are not geeks but builders. They met in the Seabees, the US Navy’s construction arm. My parents met while they were both in the Navy, though not in the Seabees. But my dad liked to build things, and I enjoyed helping him.
What do you want your readers to take away from your books?
I want them to have a good time, to feel immersed and relate to the characters because that’s how I like to feel when I read. When they get to the end, I want them to feel satisfied.
Tell us about Warrior.
A Woman Tormented by Darkness
Archaeologist Audra Grayson is finding out-of-place relics that could torpedo her already shaky career. Now brilliant, sexy consultant Will Davis is sent to take over. Worse, working on the site strengthens the evil shadow that nearly ruined her before, and she fears he not only suspects her of fraud but thinks she’s crazy–unfit for the job.
A Mage Who Must Oppose it At All Costs
Will magically senses the darkness in Audra when they meet, and he vows to ignore their growing attraction. When deadly ghouls target her project, Will realizes they want the odd relics to open a portal for demons from the Void between worlds, making everything on Earth an endangered species.
The Fate of the World at Stake
With ghoul attacks escalating and mage traitors in league with the enemy, time is running out for Will to stop the portal from opening. The chemistry between him and Audra threatens to combust, but the darkness within her may give the enemy its chance. If she’s its victim, he must free her. If she’s its ally, he must destroy the love of his life.
A peek between the pages of Warrior:
Audra’s slow, answering smile hit him like a kick in the chest. Her eyes brightened, and the corners of her full, lush mouth curved upward.
Will wrenched his gaze away, to the thickets of loblolly bay and saw palmetto around them. “When we get back to the dock and have cell service, I’ll call from there and make the arrangements.”
“Thank you.” Walking slightly ahead of him, she rounded the burial mound. And froze.
“Will,” she said in a strangled voice.
On reflex, he stepped in front of her. The trenches should’ve been covered, but they were open, bare to the elements, and gouges revealed hasty digging along the sides. The tools they’d left in the tent were strewn over the site, as were broken bits of pottery and stone fragments.
The grid was destroyed, sandy soil jumbled into heaps in the trench. Rage bubbled into Will’s chest. He opened his senses wide, sending his magic outward to seek the intruder.
No one but the team seemed to be there. Good.
The students swore. Audra simply gaped, her face ashen. Stricken. She looked as though this were one blow too many.
Will jammed his fists in his pockets to keep from putting an arm around her.
The chaotic digging, the scattering of tools, was typical of ghouls. His extended senses caught a faint, barely discernible trace of magic.
Ghoul magic.
The trace was so faint that they must’ve left here hours ago, so at least there wasn’t that menace to worry about. Nor did he pick up any remnant of mage power that would imply the traitor’s presence here. Though that might’ve faded altogether.
Tears welled in Libby’s eyes, and Joe and Kevin wore matching scowls.
“Amateurs,” Will said coolly. “Can’t trust ‘em for shit.”
Everyone stared at him.
“Whoever did this,” he told them, “was either untrained or in too much of a hurry to take care. Or maybe just a stupid vandal. Whichever, we have to deal with it. Kevin, you got the camera?”
When the young man nodded, Will said, “Take photos of everything from every angle but don’t move anything until that’s done.”
“Why would anyone do this?” Libby asked. She looked dazed.
Despite Audra’s distress, she reached out to squeeze the young woman’s shoulder.
“People are always ready to sell artifacts,” Audra noted quietly. “Whether they have the right to them or not.”
“Yeah, well, some people are scumbags,” Joe said.
Will responded, “Can’t argue with that. But let’s get busy. Joe, take Libby and check the tent. Call out if you find anything. I’ll be right behind you.”
As the students started on their tasks, Will pulled Audra aside. “Any ideas what’s going on?” he asked quietly.
She shook her head. “This is a site like so many others around the country, except this one happens to be here. I don’t get this, Will. I have no clue.”
He wasn’t as good as some at reading Mundane moods, but her distress seemed sincere. Yet he could sense the darkness amping up around her. In contrast to her shock and dismay, the vibe he picked up was almost gleeful.
Emotions played over her face–shock giving way to grief, then anger, and finally settling into what looked like grim, hopeless determination, and he crossed his arms to keep from touching her. This urge to comfort a woman he barely knew, a woman with dark magic around her, was beyond stupid.
Audra crouched to pick up a broken potsherd.
Cursing silently, he noticed her strong, graceful hands as she gently brushed dirt aside. He’d seen enough yesterday to know her hands were capable in the field. Were they as capable in bed?
Shit. He was never going to know that. Shouldn’t wonder about it. Hooking up with her was not part of his plan, and she was not his wounded sparrow to tend. He couldn’t afford that kind of attachment–to her or to any woman.
If she was a pawn of the darkness around her, he needed a clear head to cut her free of it. If she proved to be in league with it, though, if she posed any threat to her students, he would have to destroy her.
You can find Warrior on Amazon, Nook, Kobo, and ibooks.
About the author:
Nancy Northcott’s childhood ambition was to grow up and become Wonder Woman. Around fourth grade, she realized it was too late to acquire Amazon genes, but she still loved comic books, science fiction, fantasy, history, and romance. A sucker for fast action and wrenching emotion, Nancy combines the magic, romance and high stakes she loves in the books she writes.
Reviewers have described her books as melding fantasy, romance, and suspense. Library Journal gave her debut novel, Renegade, a starred review, calling it “genre fiction at its best.”
Nancy’s Social Media links;
Twitter: @NancyNorthcott
Facebook: https://facebook.com/nancynorthcottauthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3468806.Nancy_Northcott
Thanks for having me today, Tena!
My pleasure Nancy! Please feel free to stop by anytime. Good Luck with Warrior!
Views: 26
Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Demon, fantasy, magic, Nancy Northcott, Warrior, Witches by Tena Stetler with 2 comments.
Karilyn Bentley’s Interview – Demon Cursed??
Give a warm welcome to Karilyn Bentley, author of Demon Cursed, third in the Demon Huntress series!
Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about Karilyn and Demon Cursed.
Tell us what inspired this particular story?
Demon Cursed is the third book in my Demon Huntress series, so it was more along the lines of continuing the overarching plot and tying up plot threads. The original book came about because the main character, Gin, kept talking in my head and wouldn’t shut up. She wanted her life’s story told RIGHT THEN. So I wrote it. I wanted a story that was a mix of mystery, paranormal, and humor.
And you found it.
Who is your favorite character of all of the books you’ve written and Why? I like Gin, the character in my Demon Huntress series. She’s snarky, quirky, and does things I wouldn’t dream of doing.
Why do you write what you write? Contemporary, paranormal, suspense, etc. I write paranormal and urban fantasy because magic interests me. I like the idea of magical creatures out there hidden from us. To be able to wield magic with a flick of my wrist would be fun. I could sit and read a book while having magic-charged brooms and feather dusters clean my house. Ah, imagine the possibilities!
Yes, know hat you mean. I love paranormal and urban fantasy. Love to be swept away from the everyday into a world of fantasy, if only for a little while. LOL
You’ve got a time machine, a cloak of invisibility, and one hour. Where would you go, and what eavesdropping would you do? Oh boy. I can come up with a bunch of things, some of which are not appropriate to put on here. Ha! Let’s see. At the moment I’m feeling nostalgic, so I would use this time machine to go back to when I was a child and see all my relatives who are now deceased. Just sit, listen to them talk, and refresh my memories.
Tell us a little about Demon Cursed.
Gin Crawford, the world’s newest demon huntress, just wants to enjoy a football game, but finds herself hunting a serial killer minion instead. When his victims turn out to be the local football star’s female fans, she must determine if the player has joined forces with the minion, but her efforts lead her deeper into danger. When her mentor, Aidan Smythe, is attacked, Gin resolves to go to any lengths to save him, even if it exposes her most tightly held secret. Minions and demons, however, aren’t the only terrors she faces. Will she realize the greatest danger lies within—before it’s too late?
How about a peek between the pages of Demon Cursed?
I shake my head at him before straightening my shoulders. And slapping a hand over my mouth and nose. Yuck. Hours-old death in humid Texas weather makes for a smelly situation. At least I’m not the only one with their hand, or handkerchief, over their mouths.
“What happened?” Smythe meets the gaze of each guard and the hyperventilating janitorial women who clearly found the body.
One of the women points to where the body lies in front of the Dumpster, flat on her back, hands resting in classic death pose on her bloody stabbed chest, a red rose clasped in her fingers. Her open eyes stare into the night, her mouth curled into a grimace of pain and death. Her clothes look like she came from a club: tight, short, and low-cut, with spiky heels. At one time, I would’ve been jealous of her hot-to-trot figure. Now all I notice is the pain and terror stamped on her face and the unfurling anger deep in my core.
Fucking murderers. I might be a fancy-assed demon huntress, but I destroy minions, not human killers. Lucky for me, I can tell which type of kill this scene belongs to with little effort.
Closing my eyes, I start to take a deep calming breath, think better of it, and focus on activating my minion sensors. Tapping into the power of the entity lying along my nerves, I open my eyes to a tactical grid display of reds and oranges, a clear indication of a minion’s presence at the scene.
Looks like I’ll get my wish to annihilate the bastard who killed this poor woman.
Available at: Amazon, Barnes&Nobel, The Wild Rose Press, and iBooks
More About Karily Bentley:
Karilyn Bentley’s love of reading stories and preference of sitting in front of a computer at home instead of in a cube, drove her to pen her own works, blending fantasy and romance mixed with a touch of funny.
Her paranormal romance novella, Werewolves in London, placed in the Got Wolf contest and started her writing career as an author of sexy heroes and lush fantasy worlds.
Karilyn lives in Colorado with her own hunky hero, a crazy dog nicknamed The Kraken, a silly puppy, and a handful of colorful saltwater fish.
Where to find Karilyn
Website: www.karilynbentley.com
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/ba_0Rf
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarilynBentleyAuthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/karilynbentley1
Blog: http://plottingprincesses.blogspot.com
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4051943.Karilyn_Bentley
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/karilynbentley
Amazon Author Page: amazon.com/author/karilynbentley
It was wonderful having you with us today. Please feel free to stop by anytime. Good Luck with Demon Cursed!
Views: 99
Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Demon Cursed, fantasy, Karilyn Bentley, Mystery, Paranormal by Tena Stetler with 19 comments.
