A Witch’s Quandary – Sunday Snippet
Welcome to my Sunday Snippet. This week we take a look at A WITCH’S QUANDARY, the sixth book in A Demon’s Witch Series. – A Broken Engagement leads to the discovery of stolen magic and malice with a little blackmail mixed in. Can they weather the storm and find a future together?
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
Let’s check out what A WITCH’S QUANDARY is all about:
Gale’s engagement is off because she refuses to leave her thriving business in Ireland to follow Dillon to Scotland. Her family and friends are on the emerald isle. Yet, when Dillon returns with the whole story and asks for her help, she must follow her heart.
Becoming a Solicitor, then partner in the family law firm was never Dillon’s dream. Now it’s his nightmare. Called to Scotland, his father demands he take his rightful place in the firm or be disowned and disinherited. Something is terribly amiss in the firm and family.
During Gale and Dillon’s investigation, they discover the enforcer for the Demon Overlord is also delving into rumors the firm is acting illegally. Magic has been stolen, someone is being blackmailed, and a member of the Witch’s council is corrupt. If Gale and Dillon want a life together in Ireland, they have to unearth secrets threatening to destroy the firm and family in Scotland.
How about a peek between the pages of A WITCH’S QUANDARY:
“This is an outrage. It’s my firm.” Bram bellowed slamming his fist down on the table. Sparks flew in all directions creating a red-hot spider web of power crackling across the tabletop. Everyone at the table scrambled back or stood. Dillon caught the malevolent spark in his father’s eye a split-second after Gale. She had already brought her hands together, the room sizzled as she conjured a ball of fire and with a few words sent the witch fire and spell at him.
“What have you done?” Bram screeched as the fire and spell hit him center mass. “Witchfire too? Bitch.” He slid to the floor.
Iris ran to his side, tears spilling her cheeks, she wiped his sweat-soaked brow with a napkin. “You just couldn’t stop, could you? What did you do? Make a deal with the devil? We should have put a stop to it. To you. But…” She helped him into a chair. “I’m afraid you’ve messed with the wrong witch, this time. Brought this on yourself. You did. But I won’t let you take this family—the firm—down with you.” Giving his shoulders a little shake, she gazed into his shocked eyes. “What have you done?”
Bram slowly shook his head and murmured, “It’s my firm.” He raised his gaze and glared at Gale pointing a bony finger at her. “You’ll pay for this.” Then turned his attention to Dillon. “I told you nothing good would come from aligning yourself with this witch. Her blood is not pure. Diluted by the Fae power of her…” He broke off.
Dillon stood at Gale’s back his hands steady and supportive on her shoulders as she said nothing for several beats. Eventually, she turned her emerald green eyes to him and held his gaze. “I couldn’t let him divide the family with that dark magic. I tempered my deadly witch fire with the spell.” She tore her gaze from Dillon’s, touching her fingertips to the scorched marks radiating across the table stopping an inch from the edge all around. “If he’d succeeded, there’d been no turning back. If the tendrils of that spell had left the table and reached one of you…” She shook her head.
Appearing to gather his wits about him faster than the rest of his family, Sturgen surveyed the scene, wiped his brow with a monogrammed handkerchief, and sucked in a breath. “The firm is no longer yours.” He squeezed Olivia to him, starting for the door. “We’ve had enough for one night. Let’s adjourn until a full audit of the cases and firm can be conducted.”
****
Gale leaned against Dillon, his strength and calm flowed into her. “I felt your father’s intentions. The intentions he was able to disguise from his family. He planned to destroy all of you.”
“I know. I felt him…hmm…something evil. Only my reaction was a second too late. I’m glad yours wasn’t. How long will he be spellbound? That is what you did. Right?”
“Aye. Among other things. Indefinitely… I hope. He’s got a lot of power that isn’t his. I’ve no way to bind what I don’t know.”
Thank you for stopping by to check out my Sunday Snippet A Witch’s Quandary. Please join us next week when I’ll have another Sunday snippet for you.
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged A Witch's Quandary, magic, Mystery, Paranormal Romance/Mystery, Sunday Snippet, Tena Stetler, Witches by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.
Friday the 13 & a #99cent sale
Friday, January 13th makes a few people shiver in their boots. I’m not one of those, I long ago embraced Friday the thirteenth, and all things thirteen probably because it wasn’t done in my household. My mom was the queen of superstitious. She avoided walking under ladders, tossed salt over her shoulder when she spilled some, never broke a mirror to my recollection, and would walk or drive blocks out of her way to avoid allowing a black cat to cross her path. Until that fateful day I brought home the cutest solid black kitten with the bluest eyes. Named him Panther after my high school mascot. He blessed us with his presence for twenty-two years. I miss that cat!
FYI – For those of you with inquiring minds, The irrational fear of the number thirteen has been given a scientific name: “triskaidekaphobia”; and on analogy to this the fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskevidekatriaphobia, from the Greek words Paraskeví (Παρασκευή, meaning “Friday”), and dekatreís (δεκατρείς, meaning “thirteen”). Yeah I more than you wanted to know. LOL
To celebrate, Friday the 13th An Angel’s Wylder Assignment is on sale for 99 cents. You can’t beat that with a witch’s hat or an angel’s halo. Talk about good luck! LOL
After you chase a black cat that cut in front of you under the ladder and avoid the shards of glass from a shattered mirror you dropped, leave your ordinary world behind. Change your luck and be swept away into a magical, romantic fantasy adventure with an angle and a shapeshifter you’ll never want to leave. You don’t even have to leave your house, download your copy today.
A little about An Angel’s Wylder Assignment:
Warrior Angel Killian Dugan’s annual trip to the family castle in Scotland is shattered by the arrival of Legion Commander North. Killian’s skills are needed for an urgent time travel assignment. A rogue demon has escaped back in time. He must discover the why and where and stop the demon before it can damage the past and change the future.
Killian’s girlfriend Chinoah Grace, a Native American shapeshifter is included in the mission which takes them to the wild west town of Wylder, Wyoming in the year 1878. She will have her hands full fitting in and making friends.
Nothing is as it seems. They encounter visions, spirit quests, and a mysterious shaman. On top of it all, blending in as a blacksmith is more physically difficult than he imagined. But not as challenging as keeping his hands off his undercover wife. Will they complete their assignment or run out of time?
Sneak peek between the pages of An Angels Wylder Assignement:
Inside the family castle in Scotland, Killian put aside his warrior angel duties and relaxed in front of a roaring fire with Chinoah, a Native American wolf shifter.
He idly swirled wine in a cut crystal glass, watching the flames glint off the burgundy liquid. It was his duty to take care of the property while his cousin, Tavish, and his family were on holiday before the highland’s harsh winter weather set in.
This year he’d be staying through the holidays, though Chinoah didn’t know it yet.
Who says a battle-ready warrior angel couldn’t handle both duty and family. Bollocks to that. His best friend, Caden, did it. Well, kinda. Legion Commander Nathanial North balanced both just fine.
He slipped an arm around Chinoah. She cuddled into him as he pulled the patchwork quilt Jalen, Tavish’s wife, had made and given them to celebrate their hard-won relationship status of dating. One step at a time, Chinoah had requested.
The brass door knocker echoed through the castle announcing visitors.
With a raised brow, he peered at Chinoah. “Expecting guests, are we?”
“Not as far as I know.” She got to her feet and padded across the stone floor.
“Wait.” Grumbling, he pushed up from the cozy warm couch, slipped his socked feet back into his boots, and clomped toward her. “Best let me answer the door since we don’t know who’s waiting on the other side.”
She slowed her pace to allow him to catch up with her. “This castle is huge. By the time we get to the door, the visitors may be gone.” She giggled.
“Way to keep in shape.” Chuckling, he kissed her. “Apparently, my cousin made the original great hall into their family living space.”
“God help us if we’re in the bed-chamber when someone comes calling.” She snickered. “We’d have to sprint down the balcony hallway, across the split staircase, and through the great hall. By then, the visitors would have decided no one was home.”
“Which could have been Tavish’s plan.” He smiled at the thought. “Besides, I didn’t hear you complain last evening when you thundered through the castle for a couple of hours on four paws.”
“That was different. My wolf needed the exercise, and you didn’t want me to go outside.” Her lips formed a pout that he found irresistible.
“Didn’t want to spring you from a trap.” He turned his attention out the window where the snow swirled in the howling wind. “Besides, who in bloody hell would be calling at this time of night and in this weather?”
She raised an eyebrow and shrugged. “Only one group of individuals I know.”
“Oh, no. I’m on leave. They didn’t know where I was going. Besides, they wouldn’t expect me to be here.” The ancient wooden door groaned then made a squeeing sound when Killian yanked it open. “What in tarnation are you doing here?”
Enjoy your Friday the Thirteenth under the waning worm moon! May the luck of the Irish be with you!!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged An Angel's Wylder Assignment, Friday the 13, Historical, Mystery, Paranormal Romance/Mystery, Tena Stetler, Urban Fantasy, Western, Witches by Tena Stetler with 4 comments.
Charm Me Again – Sunday Snippets
Welcome to Sunday Snippets. Each week I’ll spot light one of my books, tell you what’s special about it, and highlight an excerpt. Join me each week for this fun adventure. This week its the award winning Charm Me Again sequel to Charm Me a fun and flirty Valentine tale. Charm Me again is a bit darker. Two families long divided brought together through an adventure of a lifetime. Breaking the curse is only the first step to forever.
I love all my books, but Charm Me Again is one of my favorites. 
Can he break the age old curse to save her and their future, or will she be lost to him forever? AND it available in audiobook! Yep this book as it all. So lets take a peek into Charm Me Again!
For several months a Scottish Highland Ghost has haunted Daylan, in his personal life, his professional life and at his forge. Yet, being a talented warlock, he is no closer to discovering what the ghost wants or why he chose Daylan. A trip to his estranged sister’s home in Colorado may have unforeseen consequences especially when family history leads him to a shocking discovery.
As his attraction blooms for Josie, a yoga instructor in his sister’s studio, he realizes there may be more to Josie than he can imagine. When an ancient rogue Fae Warrior set on revenge kidnaps her in an attempt to claim her as his own, a devastating curse comes to light.
Daylan’s world spirals out of control as he searches for Josie. Can he break the age old curse to save her and their future, or will she be lost to him forever?
A peek between the pages of Charm Me Again.
She padded over to the window and opened it a crack. The fresh air on her skin was cool. It relieved the smothering feeling that came over her the minute Daylan left the room. Taking a cleansing breath, she braced her hands against the window frame and took another deep calming breath.
Moonlight flooded inside with a light breeze. There it was again, that pull. Something was drawing her outside. Warning bells went off inside her head. Don’t do it. Don’t do it. Despite her fear, the desire to go outside was overwhelming.
The security alarm started counting down and she quickly closed the window. Shit. No way out. Unless…There is was again, she had to get outside.
The powerful urge had her pickup her backpack, slip out the window, skitter cross the roof to the corner of the building and shimmy down. It was like she had no control over her own movements. Her brain screamed for control—to no avail then she was sprinting to her vehicle in the parking lot. Carefully she opened the door, climbed in, started the engine and slowly pulled out of the parking lot onto the street and floored it.
Suddenly a cold clammy hand closed around her throat. Nails dug into her neck. “Take a right here. Pull into the driveway and stop. Don’t turn around.”
Finally, self-preservation took over. Releasing the steering wheel, she clawed at the hand closing off her oxygen, and opened her mouth to scream. Nothing came out. Then everything when black.
Next week, stop in and find out what magical adventure I have in store for you.
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Charm Me Again, fantasy, ghosts, magic, Mystery, Paranormal Romance/Mystery, Tena Stetler, Time travel, Urban Fantasy by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.
Halloween Spirit Search – Success!
It’s Halloween! Can you believe it? Toil and Trouble and the Skeleton Squad set up their 24/7 surveillance and caught the Halloween Spirit on video. Success!
Well, October’s cooler days and chilly nights have arrived with a skiff of snow. Yippee!
This week, Toil, Trouble, Bubble bat, Moby Fish, Aragon Spider, Octavia and the newest member of the Skeleton Squad, Chloe Cobra set up twenty-four-hour surveillance with each skeleton taking a shift. Toil and Trouble were sure they’d catch the spirit of Halloween before the strike of midnight on Halloween. Octavia spied the Spirit first, then the Skeleton Squad led by Toil and Trouble surrounded it and demanded surrender. The Halloween Spirit was happy to sing and dance for the Squad! They called Broomhilda to report their success.
Broomhilda’s (skeleton), from Texas (thank you Jessica) search relayed she was glad the Halloween Spirit had been located and that she and her cohorts would be preparing for their own Halloween Celebration!!
The final post of October beside the search for the Halloween Spirit, the Skeleton Squad accompanied me to The Stanley Hotel to help me with the haunted tales of Cripple Creek, Colorado on my Say What Blog. Have you ever seen a ghost? A visit to haunted places in Colorado, my own stomping ground,
Halloween has arrived!! Bwwwaaaaaaaaaa!!!! I hope you enjoyed the Skeleton’s Squad search for the Halloween Spirit. Not to mention the haunted places – last haunted post today, The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO and newest haunted mountain hotel, The Black Monarch Hotel in Victor, CO on My Say What Blog. Next year we’ll do it all again!
My last featured Halloween themed book from my collection is Hidden Gypsy Magic. You do know I write paranormal romance/mystery. Right? This week, we are talking about demons and witches! What’s Halloween without witches, spells, demons, curses and things that go bump in the night? You won’t believe what happened at their Halloween Celebration. So hurry grab your copy and join the #fantasy #adventure! You won’t believe the battle between good and evil.
A little about Hidden Gypsy Magic
The Salem Wildlife Sanctuary is Gwen Taylor’s life work. Her Irish Gypsy heritage provides a hidden talent she uses to help the creatures under her care. But even her magical skills can’t help new rescues in dire need of veterinary care.
The opportunity of signing on as the vet for Gwen’s sanctuary dropped into Brock Scutter’s lap after he expanded his practice to include wildlife. The personal attraction he and Gwen experience is undeniable the more their professional and personal lives collide.
Touring the only “non-haunted” house in Salem they both feel a spark of magic. A trip to his family’s cabin uncovers a heritage he didn’t know existed. If they want a future together, it means facing the consequences of awakening hidden Gypsy magic and a race against the clock to correct past wrongs.
A sneak peek between the pages of Hidden Gypsy Magic!
He glanced at his watch. Eleven thirty. A half-hour before midnight and Halloween would be over. Someone clapped him on the shoulder and he whirled around, fist clenched, and arm drawn back.
“Whoa, there Brock.” His friend Butch grinned. “A little jumpy on this Halloween night?”
“No, no not at all.” He lied. “Just deep in thought.”
Members of the Historical Society and The Witch’s Museum gathered around the front door. He hurried over. “Ready to leave so soon?”
“Yes, we’ve had a wonderful time, but it’s late…”A member of The Witch’s Museum said on a yawn.
“Past our bedtime” Another person added jokingly. “Great house you have here.”
“Thank you and thanks for coming.” He escorted his guests to their cars while Gwen took a defiant Misfit upstairs to their room. A thin cloud floated across the full moon in the star-strewn night sky. A twinge of anxiety niggled at his gut as he breathed in the crisp autumn air. Maybe Gwen’s right. He hurried inside. The door slammed behind him and locked.
Gwen raced down the stairs.
His gaze was drawn to the wall where the painting hung. Earlier in the evening, he’d noticed that no one was in the painting…now the chairs contained members of Beth’s family and she stood next to the fireplace inside the painting. Didn’t they all cross over? Could spirits come back after crossing over? Shit! Gwen was right, something is brewing.
Pepper and Lathen stood grim-faced next to Gwen. His mother and father crossed the room to join the little group. Butch helped Martha on with her coat then paused as the back door slammed and locked. The shutters banged against the house. Butch reached for the door handle, an eyebrow raised as the deadbolt slid into place.
“Son, I think your house is trying to tell you something.” His mother peered at the stairway where Dylan, Riva, and Molly stood.
Jeremiah and Morgan stepped out from behind the staircase. “What’s going on?” Jeremiah wanted to know, wrapping a protective arm around Morgan pulling her close.
**
“It feels like all the air is being sucked out of this room.” His brother’s face turned ashen white as Beth’s ghostly form took shape in the center of the room.
Brock moved to the little group gathered and glanced at the grandfather clock standing in the hallway. Fifteen minutes until midnight. The witching hour on All Hallows Eve. A nervous chuckle rose up in his throat. How cliche. His brother would be a believer after this night.
He cleared his throat and wrapped an arm around Gwen’s waist. “Can we help you, Beth?” Misfit’s howling could be heard clearly from the upstairs bedroom.
“No, but I hope we can help you.” Ghost Beth glanced back at the painting and sadly shook her head. “The ghost of Judge John Hathorne stands outside ready to curse or worse all those involved in sullying his reputation. The house stands between all of you…protecting—” The ghost’s hand and arm made a sweeping motion toward their group, “— against his magic ability.”
A soft almost hysterical giggle burst from Gwen. “Doesn’t he know that by his actions this night, he has not only outed himself but proved the rumors and article are true?”
“I don’t believe he’s considered that point.” Beth’s ghostly grim face twitched into a half-smile. “He’s bent on revenge, but apparently had trouble passing through the veil this evening.” She pointed to the clock and then laid a finger on her lips.
Happy Halloween! The Skeleton Crew captured Halloween Spirit and called Broomhilda with their find and agreed they’d reconvene next year. While you’re here, check out my other paranormal romance mysteries.
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Hidden Gypsy Magic, magic, Mystery, Paranormal Romance/Mystery, Salem, Search for Halloween Spirit, Skeleton Squad, Tena Stetler, Time travel, Witches by Tena Stetler with 2 comments.
