It's the big day! Ascending from Hell is now available everywhere! I'm very excited to get the second installment of Carina and Devon's lives out there. It was a fun story to write, and I will admit I shed some tears at times.
Showing posts with label new book. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new book. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 22, 2023
Monday, August 21, 2023
1 Day Left!
Good morning, everyone! I just wanted to pop in and remind you that there's only 1 more day until the release of Ascending from Hell (Devil Family, Book 2). Tomorrow's the big day, and that means today's the last day to get the preorder for only $0.99! The price will increase once the book releases, so get it for less than $1 while you still can. :)
Carina’s life is yet again thrown into chaos when she finds herself torn between her newfound love and the desperate need to protect her new family from her father’s deadly threats.
Just as she and Devon discover their love for one another, Carina is forced to sacrifice that love in order to keep her new family safe, as well as keep their hold over Hell out of her father’s clutches.
Malvis pushes her day after day to train with Maurice to lure her dormant powers to the surface. He wants her by his side as he takes over Earth. Without her, he’ll never succeed, so he holds the safety of the Devils over her head until she complies with his requests.
Carina doubts her very identity when she finds out her powers come with a physical manifestation of her demonic heritage. Does this mean she’s evil? Can angels have horns, or has everything she believed been a lie? And when her missing mother shows up, wanting Carina’s help with the impending battle, she discovers her angelic side isn’t much better than her demon side.
Meanwhile, Devon finds himself engulfed in self-pity and confusion. How could his new bride leave him? Why does his family stand idly by, failing to rescue her from the clutches of the sinister Malvis? Desperate to bring her home, Devon’s pain and urgency are met with disregard by his father.
But just as hope seems lost, Lucian reveals he’s had a plan all along, one that hinges on Devon taking action on his own. Devon’s frustration with his father’s constant tests push him to leave his parents behind as he hatches a plan of his own. He will bring Carina home, one way or another!
As Carina grapples with her identity and newfound powers, and as Devon confronts his own emotional turmoil, they must find a way to navigate a treacherous path, where love, loyalty, and the fight against darkness intertwine in a race against time with Heaven, Hell, and Earth hanging in the balance.
Tuesday, September 27, 2022
It's Release Day! Bound to a Devil is LIVE.
We've finally made it to the big day. A release day takes far more time than just the day. There are months (sometimes years) of work leading up to the big day. And it's always worth it when the book is finally handing out to the public. I love these moments!
Bound to a Devil is the first book in the Devil Family Series. I had a lot of fun writing this story and can't wait to jump into the next book. In the meantime, if you preordered your own copy, it should already be waiting for you in your eReader. If you haven't, go pick up your copy at whichever is your favorite retailer. :)
*** Blurb ***
πΎπππ ππππππ πππππ πππ πππ, π π«ππππ ππππ ππππ ππ πππ ππππππ.
Carina is a half-breed angel being educated in all manners of becoming a proper angel, is plagued by nightmares of her own murder every time she closes her eyes. She does anything she can think of to cloud the dreams and get some rest, including going to Earth and partaking in all the human drugs and alcohol to dull her senses.
When her leader discovers the treachery, he sends Carina with the yearly Angel Delegation to Hell, though she isn’t actually assigned to be one of the delegates. Instead, he’s condemned her to become the official concubine to Devon Devil, the middle son of THE DEVIL.
Devon Devil is a bachelor, enjoying the limitless rewards his last name carries. A different creature (or two) in his bed every night, and always gone the next morning. Drinking, drugs, carousing with his demons. What more could a single Devil ask for? He certainly doesn’t want a concubine mucking up his playtime and slowing him down. And now his father is shoving the family business down his throat too! He has two older brothers in line for the throne before him. Why should he worry about it now? And how can he get rid of that meek angel they’re trying to thrust upon him?
A war is coming, and it’s sooner than anyone thinks. A demon lord hasn’t bothered hiding his desires to hold the Devil’s throne. He’ll do everything in his power to take control, and that includes snatching Carina from Devon’s grasp. Only he knows she’s the daughter of the most powerful angel soldier in history. Unbeknownst to her, she holds more strength than she ever knew. Malvis wants to control that power, and he intends to use it to ensure victory over the Devil family.
Saturday, August 27, 2022
Bound to a Devil is only 1 month away!
*** Blurb: ***
πΎπππ ππππππ πππππ πππ πππ, π π«ππππ ππππ ππππ ππ πππ ππππππ.
Carina, a half-breed angel being educated in all manners of being a proper angel, yet nightmares of her own murder plague her dreams every time she closes her eyes. She does anything she can think of to cloud the dreams and get some rest, including going to Earth and partaking in all the human drugs and alcohol to dull her senses. This is forbidden!
When her leader discovers the treachery, he sends Carina with the yearly Angel Delegation to Hell, though she isn’t actually assigned to be one of the delegates. Instead, he’s condemned her to become the official concubine to Devon Devil, the middle son of THE DEVIL.
Devon Devil is a bachelor, enjoying the limitless rewards his last name carries. A different creature (or two) in his bed every night, and always gone the next morning. Drinking, drugs, carousing with his demons. What more could a single Devil ask for? He certainly doesn’t want a concubine mucking up his playtime and slowing him down. And now his father is shoving the family business down his throat too! He has two older brothers in line for the throne before him. Why should he worry about it now? And how can he get rid of that meek angel they’re trying to thrust upon him?
A war is coming, and it’s sooner than anyone thinks. A demon lord hasn’t bothered hiding his desires to hold the Devil’s throne. He’ll do everything in his power to take control, and that includes snatching Carina from Devon’s grasp. Only he knows she’s the daughter of the most powerful angel soldier in history. Unbeknownst to her, she holds more strength than she ever knew. Malvis wants to control that power, and he intends to use it to ensure victory over the Devil family.
Carina, a half-breed angel being educated in all manners of being a proper angel, yet nightmares of her own murder plague her dreams every time she closes her eyes. She does anything she can think of to cloud the dreams and get some rest, including going to Earth and partaking in all the human drugs and alcohol to dull her senses. This is forbidden!
When her leader discovers the treachery, he sends Carina with the yearly Angel Delegation to Hell, though she isn’t actually assigned to be one of the delegates. Instead, he’s condemned her to become the official concubine to Devon Devil, the middle son of THE DEVIL.
Devon Devil is a bachelor, enjoying the limitless rewards his last name carries. A different creature (or two) in his bed every night, and always gone the next morning. Drinking, drugs, carousing with his demons. What more could a single Devil ask for? He certainly doesn’t want a concubine mucking up his playtime and slowing him down. And now his father is shoving the family business down his throat too! He has two older brothers in line for the throne before him. Why should he worry about it now? And how can he get rid of that meek angel they’re trying to thrust upon him?
A war is coming, and it’s sooner than anyone thinks. A demon lord hasn’t bothered hiding his desires to hold the Devil’s throne. He’ll do everything in his power to take control, and that includes snatching Carina from Devon’s grasp. Only he knows she’s the daughter of the most powerful angel soldier in history. Unbeknownst to her, she holds more strength than she ever knew. Malvis wants to control that power, and he intends to use it to ensure victory over the Devil family.
Tuesday, March 1, 2022
The 10th Liz Baker book. Coming soon!
I had an issue over the weekend though. We went to Tractor Supply to get some chicken feed for my hens and *BOOM* the baby chicks are out! Squee!! And not only are they baby chicks, but they're Easter Eggers. I've wanted some for soooo long. These are the hens that lay blue and green eggs. So let me tell you it took a lot of willpower to walk out of that store with just the feed for my hens. That's not to say I won't go back, but right now I didn't buy more chickens. Both Tim and our 17yo say I have enough chickens, but oh well. Momma probably gonna get more chickens. LOL!
In the meantime, I have lots of good stuff I'm working on for 2022. The first being the release of my 10th Liz Baker book. This story will release on April 5th and you can preorder for only $0.99 until the big day.
Eternally Deadly is the last book in the Liz Baker series. I had fun writing it and I hope it brings an acceptable close to the series for all the readers who enjoy Liz's crazy life.
Recently, I finished a short story that will come out later in the year (a vampiric take on Jack & Jill), and I'm working on another short story now (vampire meets tired single mom in a grocery store). I'm also working on two novels for releases this year (Penny, Bk 2 & a new devil story). It's going to be a busy year, and I've already used up two months of the year. Eek! I'd like to crank out a third novel, but it would be a 2023 release and depend on the demands of this year's releases. So, we'll see how that goes.
Right now, I'd like to send my thoughts to the people of Ukraine. The world is already filled with so much darkness and despair that it's a shame people feel the need to inflict this pain on others. It's a sad time for the world at large. My heart goes out to everyone suffering.
Wednesday, December 1, 2021
New Release in 6 days!
Welcome to December! Can you believe how fast this year has gone by? It was 2019, and then I blinked. Boom! Two years later. At least that's what it feels like.
In only 6 days, the newest installment in my Liz Baker series will release. I can't believe this is book 9! This series has been running for 11 years now, and quickly became my favorite. Liz is always getting into trouble with all those vampires, werewolves, demons, and everything else that shows up on her doorstep.
Ruled by Death will be available for download on December 7th. Currently, the preorders are up for only $0.99, but that will increase after release.
I'm in the midst of writing the 10th, and final, book in the series. It will come out in the spring of 2022.
In the meantime, we survived Thanksgiving, and I'm now looking forward to Christmas. The tree is up and the grandson is amazed by all the lights and breakables. LOL! Right now he's hearing the word no a lot.
If you're subscribed to my newsletter, it went out today. I even shared Chapter 1 in there. Don't forget to check it out for your chance to win the author proofs of the Liz Baker series (books 1-8) that are collecting dust in my office. If you aren't subscribed, it's not too late. You can join here, and then pop over to my website for one entry into the contest.
I hope you have a fabulous week!
Happy Holidays!
Tuesday, October 5, 2021
Do you have a minute to help me?
Good afternoon! Autumn is on the way here in north Georgia. After a lovely two weeks of dry, cool weather, this week will be a rainy mess around here. I like this time of year, but it always reminds me that the dreaded winter is right around the corner. I'm NOT a winter person.
In the meantime, I've been hard at work on book 9 of the Liz Baker series. It's moving right along (even though Liz is giving me a lot of attitude), but I still haven't figured out a title for it. I have it narrowed down to four options and decided to put up a poll for my readers to decide.
If you have a minute (literally, the poll says it takes 1 minute), click over and choose the title you like the best. Right now it's at a tie, so do me a favor and break that tie so I can tell the cover designer what to put on the front of the book. LOL!
Thanks for your help!
Thursday, April 15, 2021
Author Feature: Maggie Tideswell's Interview with a Seducer
Interview With A Seducer
A Bewildering Love Story
Trip Murgatroyd is a hotter than hot sex worker. He is happy with his life, with what he does for a living - he is comfortable in his own skin.
Then he receives an unusual request – to be Rachel’s 30th birthday gift.
An uber-hot escort is an unlikely candidate for a rather prim, over-protected widow
to befriend. And who had ever heard of a jealous ghost?
Trip and Rachel would most likely never have met, had Rachel's friend not come up with this original birthday gift idea. Rachel was meant to close her eyes, and say 'thank you' afterward.
But, the concept of a stranger paid to spend the night with her did not sit well with her. She
couldn't be part of his harem. So, questioning the man about his 'work' in a very public place,
was as far as she was prepared to go.
However, the plan was doomed from the start - having never encountered a man like him
before, she never stood a chance against his charm - the seducer was good at what he did for
a living.
And her husband objected.
Since his death, Lawrence had been hanging around the house, reading the newspaper,
watching TV - until Rachel's meeting with Trip. Then he made his displeasure known -
Rachel had promised him forever, and he was holding her to it.
But Rachel was a young woman - she wanted to love again.
How was she to escape her jealous husband's ghost?
Interview With A Seducer is a steamy paranormal romance for adult readers.
Order your copy at the preorder price of 99c here :
Related links
Read a sample here: https://storyoriginapp.com/giveaways/798fcb6e-d56e-11ea-b7b6-
8bc78dae19e1
About Maggie Tideswell
Maggie Tideswell is an international bestselling author with a passion for romance. Ghosts just can't seem to leave her alone. She combines things that can't be explained, sweaty bodies, and rumpled beds in a way that will make your toes curl and your hair stand on end.
To Contact Maggie
Send her an email: authormaggietideswell@outlook.com
Follow her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MustLoveParanormalRomance
Tweet her here: https://twitter.com/LunaMags
Visit her Ghoulies & Ghosties blog: https://www.ghostly.co.za/paranormal-romance-author-
1075-2/ghoulies-ghosties-blog/
Thursday, March 25, 2021
The big day is right around the corner!
Monday, March 29, 2021, is the day Death Comes to Us All (Liz Baker, book 8) releases! I'm so excited about this release, yet again, I get excited for all my book releases. Those moments allow me a sigh of relief. Whew! Another project done and out into the world. π
I was just telling the hubby it took me a moment to realize this is my 17th book. Wow! There are many authors out there with far more books than me, but that doesn't take away from the sense of accomplishment I felt when I realized it.
With all that said, even after all these years and 17 projects, I still get hit with the nerves when it grows closer to a release day. Did I do the story justice? Will anyone like it? How many people will hate it? Did I give too much detail, not enough detail, show or tell? The list goes on and on until I overwhelm myself and have to take a deep breath. It's that moment I do the one thing I do every single time this happens.
I say, "F*ck it!" π
There will always be people who hate it. I say, "The story wasn't for them." I told the story the way I always tell my stories. The characters don't hate me, so that's a plus. The book already has pre-orders, and considering it's book 8, those people know what they're in for. LOL! No turning back now!
That makes me feel better. This isn't a brand new series (though I do the same talk-up for those, as well), so readers are already well-established and know the characters, making everything a little easier on me.
In the meantime, I wanted to share all the purchase links with you. The book is on pre-order for $0.99, and will stay at that price until April 3rd. After that, the price increases to $2.99. If you're interested in this book, you can save some $$ by pre-ordering it, or buying during release week.
The book will be picked up by more stores soon, and I'll post as soon as the paperbacks are available (those take a little longer). Honestly, I can't wait to get my hands on this beauty. The cover is stunning.
If you're new to the Liz Baker series, book 1 is always FREE by visiting my website http://www.christiesilvers.com and signing up for my newsletter. It's also free on a few retailers, like Apple Books. I'm still working on getting the other sites to cooperate and reduce the price to free.
In the meantime, I'm off to play with the grandbaby and just breathe before getting started on book 9.
π
Monday, February 1, 2021
Release Day for Book 8
This long-awaited book has taken me a while to complete, but I'm glad it's finally to that point. Release Day will be a celebration of completion for me. At this point I even know what book 9 will be about. Yay!
The big day will be March 29th, with the Pre-Order phase and Release Day (Week) deal of only $0.99 for that week. After those few days the price will increase to $2.99, so I hope you'll take advantage and get it for the lower price. I'll be posting notices and reminders as we get closer.
In the meantime, here's the blurb for the book. In a few weeks I'll post a snippet of the first chapter.
Death Comes to Us All
Liz Baker, Book 8
Amazon Pre-Order: Click Here
I hate this! How do I always get myself into these situations? Monsters coming after me left and right, but this time I've made promises I can't back out of. I'll do anything to protect my family, even if it breaks my heart and crushes my soul to keep them safe.
Heartbroken by the loss of her family, Liz Baker must settle into the agreement she made with The Master. As she wallows in sadness, self-doubt, and defeat, Liz needs to figure out how to exist without those she loves, while training to become her captor's One True Mistress in his scheme to destroy the world.
Suffering through a millennia of death, destruction, and the evolution of the human race, The Master has grown fierce about the rules set by his ancestors. He and his men are determined to end the insanity that is “modern day” and create the foretold heaven on Earth, but to do that he must find the One True Mistress. This woman will help bring an end to everything and rebuild the world in his image. After numerous failed women in his past, he knows that woman is Liz Baker. After all, she is the daughter of the only vampire with the ability to create offspring. She has to be special... right?
The end is coming.
But will it be the end of all we know, or the end of the monster who wants to destroy the world?
Tuesday, December 22, 2020
Author Feature: Maggie Tideswell
Finders Keepers
An Almost Gothic Love Affair
Sometimes it takes a wrong turn to get you to the right place.
A bride is sent off into the unknown to marry a stranger on All Hallows Eve, October 31, 1749. What she finds on her arrival is enough to make her skin crawl.
Limping footsteps, blood-curdling screams, smoking torches, and a house on a cliff... A man she only sees in the dark, his breathing labored behind a mask.
“A betrothal is as good as the wedding vows. You cannot leave.”
“Am I your prisoner?”
"You shall stay here until you bear me a child. Then you
can stay or go, the choice shall be mine!"
The how and why behind Finders Keepers
Finders Keepers was my contribution to the Soul's Day Boxset, which released on October 20th, 2020. The Boxset achieved No 1 bestseller status on Amazon. After running its course, it has now been disbanded, and the rights reverted to the authors. I thought 22 December 2020 a good date for a relaunch, after another round of edits, and sporting a new cover. The old one is on the left.
Then the Boxset came up. I sat down with all my notes for Darkest Midnight. It didn't take much to change the theme from Christmas to Halloween, and so Finders Keepers came about.
About me
The trick is to combine things that can't be explained, sweaty bodies and
rumpled beds in a way that will make the reader's toes curl and hair stand on end.
The Other Me
I love cooking - being married to a chef, the passion for food must have rubbed off. The result is that I am nearly as passionate about creating new dishes as I am about creating alpha heroes for every woman to fall in love with, just like I do, every time.
My Cats
And I love cats. At one time, I had eleven! Now my husband, Gareth, and I have only two as we're living in an apartment. The black and white cat, Thom, was a Tuxedo cat, but he was killed by a car. His sister, pure black - unfortunately I don't have a picture of her handy - is called Nightshade. Get it? The tabby is my baby, 14 years old, called Felix.
How I became a Bestseller
I have several books published, but my WIP pile is growing instead of getting smaller. Sometimes I worry that I won't have enough time to publish them all.
All my books feature ghosts, and they have varying levels of heat. There is the Bridesmaids, Weddings and Honeymoons series, 3 out of 5 published so far. Then there is the Moragh Saga trilogy. The first 2 books are out, and the last and final one coming mid-2021. Roxanne's Ghost duology is a complex ghost story of identical twin sisters' love for the same man. Have a look here:
Get in Touch
- Website: https://www.ghostly.com
- Ghoulies & Ghosties Blog
- Email: maggietideswell@outlook.com
Finders Keepers
Wednesday, December 9, 2020
Liz Baker Book 8 Coming Soon!
This year has been a crazy one for the entire world. Thankfully, 2020 is coming to an end and we can only hope for better times to come in the new year.
Right now we're planning for Christmas in the Silvers household. I've finished all my gift shopping and still picking up things here and there for the big dinner. I still have some wrapping to do, but I'm pretty ready for it.
In between all the shopping, baking, babysitting, and everything that comes along with day-to-day life, I've managed to FINALLY finish the 1st draft of the 8th Liz Baker book. Woohoo! I'm thrilled to finally reach this milestone! It has been a long time coming. Now it's time for all the edits and rewrites, but that usually goes pretty quickly once my editors complete their portions.
In the meantime, I've been working with my usual cover designer for this series and she has done it again. This cover is my very favorite one from the entire series. I can't wait to share it with you, but right now here's just a little sneak peak.
Once the entire cover is revealed it will go out to my newsletter subscribers first, and then out to the rest of the world. Are you a subscriber? If not, pop over to my website and jump on the bandwagon. These most precious people are the ones who hear about my releases, deals, giveaway, and all the other exciting stuff first.
I also recently started a Readers' Group for anyone interested in receiving ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies) in the future. You can join here if you're willing to read and review books during release days.
Happy holidays, everyone! I hope you stay safe, healthy, and feel the love from your family... even if it's from a distance.
Happy holidays, everyone! I hope you stay safe, healthy, and feel the love from your family... even if it's from a distance.
Friday, February 1, 2019
I finally found a title!
I had a running list of random words that *might* go together in some form or fashion to create an understandable title. Multiple Post-It notes with words, and lines through them, and frowning faces, and scribbles because I got distracted and hated everything I wrote stuck to my desk, laptop, and marker board. I even went so far as to have my 14 year old daughter on one computer while I was on another so she could look up synonyms for words as I searched on Amazon to make sure that title idea didn't already exist. All of that after I sat here and explained to her what the entire story is about.
It was bad! Trust me.
This went on for days and days, with NOTHING appealing to me. I even asked poor Mr. Silvers and his only question was, "Well, what's the story about?" I shook my head and replied, "No, I'm not going through that again!" I thrust a piece of paper toward him and demanded, "Tell me which one goes with the series!" And then he started asking me more questions, so I took the paper back and shooed him out of my office.
Wanna know what happened for me to finally come up with a title after many days of torment (because I can't get a cover created without a title!)? Are you ready for this? Here you go...................................................................................
I WENT TO BED!
Yep, you read that correctly. I went to bed. As I tried to fall asleep, and struggling due to all the nonsense in my head, the title slapped me in the face and just came to me. I had to immediately grab my phone and type it into the notepad app for fear of falling asleep and forgetting it forever. I've had that happen before. Whew!
Sooooo, staying with the theme of my Liz Baker series, book seven's title is:
DEATH'S SEDUCTION
I also have a release date and just contacted my Liz Baker cover designer to start the ball rolling on all of that. But those are posts for another day. :D Right now I'm just excited to give this project a name and be one step closer to releasing it to the public.
See you next time!
Saturday, January 5, 2019
It's nice to see you, 2019!
Not only did I have my daughter home for Christmas, but also her 22nd birthday, and New Year's! She had to leave on the 2nd. It was nice having her home, even if just for that short amount of time. She hadn't been home since May! The next time I expect to see her is next Christmas. :(
My other girls enjoyed seeing their big sister while she was here. There was a lot of giggling, squealing, wrestling, picking, and cuddles. They had a good time.
Now that the holidays are over, it's time to get back to business. This year I have several projects in the works, most important is the long awaited release of book 7 in the Liz Baker series. Yay! I have a long to-do list for 2019 that includes short stories, BOGO deals, a possible box set deal, and possibly some videos from lil ole me. With all this upcoming goodness, if you aren't subscribed to my newsletter no is definitely the time. You won't want to miss out on all the fun stuff coming your way. Subscribe Today.
Happy New Year, everyone! I hope 2019 brings you all the health, happiness, and prosperity you can stand. :D
Monday, September 17, 2018
School Starts & Writing Begins, Again!
I only have the youngest at home now. She's in grumpy teenager middle school mode, but I am able to get a few grins out of her from time to time. This picture was from the first day of school and I had told her I'd keep taking pictures until she actually smiled. This is only pic #2. LOL! She knows I'm persistent.
Nonetheless, writing is moving forward on the new Liz Baker book and I'm hoping to have a release date for you guys by the end of the year. The words are flowing and the gang is getting into more trouble (like always), with a new bad guy leading the charge.
If you aren't all caught up with the Liz Baker series now is certainly the time to do that. The new book will be Book 7, and there are two free short stories in there, as well. The newest short story actually introduces Liz Baker to Penny Montague from my other series. Check out Sorrow Meets Death and see how an immortal and a dhampiress interact.
In the meantime, I hope everyone is having a great week and check back often to see what's happening around here.
Friday, June 30, 2017
Liz Baker Series Book 7 Under Way
I'm not much of a planner when it comes to my stories. I start with a general idea of what I want to say and where I want the characters to end up at, and then I fill in the blanks one page at a time. Sometimes the characters do what I plan for them to do, and then other times they scoff at my ideas and go wherever the hell they want to go whether I want them to or not. I tried planning out an entire book once, chapter by chapter, scene by scene, with the ending ready and waiting for me to get the words on paper. And then my characters had other plans...
Nothing I planned happened! The characters laughed at me, pointed and called me names as they moved about the story line at their own pace and did whatever they wanted to do. That's when I knew I wasn't a planner when it comes to my books. The characters won't allow it.
As for Liz Baker, I've had the opening to book 7 in my head since the end of book 6. I knew how I wanted it to begin, and all I had to do was get back to this series and start writing. It's the rest of the story I don't know yet. LOL! Thankfully though, Liz is a strong-willed character and she will eventually show me the way of her world once more.
It's been a while since book 6 came out at the end of 2014. Eek! I didn't even realize it has been that long until I just typed that. Wow! I've had a crazy few years. Nonetheless, I've already released a new book and a short story this year, and Liz's new story is next up. I'm hoping (fingers crossed & powerful magic dust everywhere) this story will release in late August/early September. If it all works out, that will leave me just enough time to get to the second book in my Penny Montague series before 2017 is over.
Wish me luck & keep reading!
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Chapter 1 of Devastating Sorrow
My newest book series is all about an immortal named Penelope (Penny) Ann Montague. She's a 150 year old woman who is entirely sick and tired of life. She's tired of living the long, endless days. At night she works as a phone sex operator just to feel some sort of connection to the human race. She certainly doesn't do it for the money. And during her off hours she experiments with her immortality in an attempt to end her long, lonely existence after the death of her only child.
Penny has an annoying younger brother who is also an immortal. Byron Montague is nothing but an annoyance these days. He's a womanizing beast who enjoys the finer things in life: watches, cars, clothes, and other men's wives. If it's pretty and sparkly he wants it.
In their world, Penny and Byron are the results of a birth defect. Born in a time when women lost more children than not, Penny and Byron grew and aged, watching siblings come along, and enjoying their simple life, until one day it wasn't so simple anymore.
Once their immortality was discovered, the two were whisked away to the immortal world. They were raised by an immortal witch who recognizes Penny's affinity for the magic all around us. Penny learned and grew in strength, but Byron--who didn't have a lick of magical talent--was sent away to school.
After years of training, Penny joins the North American Immortal Faction and Byron goes off to college, quickly becoming the party animal he is today. This is where the two are in their stories when Byron shows up on Penny's doorstep, in trouble yet again.
Check out Chapter 1 of Devastating Sorrow to see where that middle of the night knock on the door leads.
DEVASTATING SORROW
CHAPTER 1
I've never understood the desire to talk to someone on the phone during intimate activities with yourself. Why is it necessary for some men to spend hundreds of dollars in order to hear another voice on the other end of the line while using his own hand to elicit satisfaction? I highly doubt these men are ignorant enough to mistaken the sound of a crude performance for real lust and affection, and yet there are the regulars who call back night after night asking specifically for “Miss Veronica”.
Of course Miss Veronica is merely my phone sex operator name. I would never give these men my real name. Who knows how dangerous, and possibly embarrassing that would be out in the real world? But then again, after living for one hundred and fifty years there isn't much left that does embarrass me.
If it wasn't for the freedom and security in the phone sex industry I wouldn't be able to afford the lifestyle I lived. Well, that's not true. I can afford anything I want, what with all the money I had squared away in numerous accounts around the world, but I get bored. Yet, I enjoy the quiet solitude and the ability to stay out of the public eye this job affords me.
The world has changed so much since I was born that now I don't even have to leave my house for weeks at a time if I so desire. With the internet, cell phones, grocery deliveries, and the ability to pay bills online automatically, I can hide away and wallow in my self-doubt and depression without drawing unwanted attention to myself.
“Are you still there, Miss Veronica?” the raspy, panting voice on the line asked. He'd finished with a grunt and a moan seconds before, after asking me to say something derogatory about his mother.
“Oh yes,” I cooed seductively while flipping to the next page in the newest Cosmopolitan edition. Yet another article about how to please your man in bed. With an eye roll, I tossed the magazine to the other side of my brown suede sofa.
The battery on my phone chirped annoyingly to remind me that it was time to end this call with Charlie Brown. And yes, that's what he said his name was. I had no idea if it were true or not, and I didn't care in the slightest.
“Oh, Charlie. You're so hot,” I drawled. “You make me so horny. I hope you'll give Miss Veronica a call again real soon.”
“But, wait. No,” he stammered with a gasp. “Are you sure we can't just talk for a little while longer? I don't mind paying.”
Sure, I wouldn't mind the extra money, but I was done for the day. Listening to these men grunt and groan and pretend to be my lovers was mentally exhausting to the point of making me want to throw myself off the top of this five story apartment building. Again.
“Thank you for the offer, honey pie, but after this time with you, Miss Veronica is exhausted. You tire me out, handsome.” I threw in a yawn to get my point across. If he couldn't tell the difference between real sex sounds and fake it was doubtful he could tell a fake yawn when it slapped him in the face.
“Um. Okay then,” Charlie sighed. “Is it okay if I call you again, tomorrow? At the same time?”
Covering the phone with my hand and holding it away. I growled loudly toward the ceiling before returning it to my ear. “Sure thing, honey pie. You go ahead and call Miss Veronica whenever you want between the hours of nine and three, Tuesday through Saturday.”
He said something else, but I didn't make it out before I clicked the phone off and placed it in the charging base on the table beside me.
I pulled my laptop from the coffee table, crossed my legs and placed it on top of them. After each call session, the company I worked for—Hot Young Women, Inc.—required all of its operators to access a private operators’ log board to share information about our callers, what they liked, what they requested, and how long the calls last. This helps others who may get calls from the same clients stick to what those clients enjoy. It's also a good way to pinpoint the troublemakers who are looking for more than just a few minutes of noise to jerk off to.
I logged my information about Charlie Brown, noting that this time he had talked a lot more about his mother than usual. I online chatted with a few of the other operators who were calling it a night before logging off and plugging my laptop up to charge next to the phone.
It was a quarter after three in the morning, but with the hours I keep this was the middle of the day for me. I made a sandwich and grabbed a grape soda from the fridge. I had just placed the can on the table next to my plate when there was a loud, aggressive knock at the door. I jumped at the banging and glanced around the apartment, fully expecting cloaked invaders to crash through the floor-to-ceiling windows on the east facing wall.
Abandoning the idea of assassins attacking me, I made my way to the door and peered through the tiny peephole. “Shit.” Him again? He was always causing me trouble, no matter how we left things the last time we parted.
He banged again, harder this time, bouncing the door on its hinges. I pulled away before I was dealing with an eye injury as well as the annoying visitor.
“Come on, Penny. I know you're in there.” When I didn't respond he added, “I can see your eye.”
“Shit.” I shook my head and reached for the deadbolts. “Okay. Okay. Give me a minute.” Three deadbolts, one slide bolt, a chain, and a door knob later I stared out at my little brother.
Without asking, Byron Montague barged through the door, pushed past me, and proceeded to sit his ass at my table and help himself to my sandwich and soda.
“Hey! I was going to eat that.” I grabbed the plate from his hands and threw the bitten sandwich into the kitchen sink.
With a full mouth, he popped the top of the soda can and gulped greedily. He swiped his mouth with the back of his hand before plopping the can back down on the table and leaning back in the chair. “I was eating that. Ever heard of family generosity? Do you have any beer?” His long, lithe legs stretched out in front of him as he reached his hands toward the ceiling. I heard his back pop and he groaned.
“Out of shape, little brother?” I scoffed. “You know better than that.” He propped his feet up in the next table chair and I smacked him on the back of the head. “Feet down.” I sat in the chair to his right and turned it to face him with a sigh. “Why are you here?”
“What?” He tried to look all innocent, but I knew better.
Byron looked a lot like me. He had the same wavy dark hair, the same complexion, and even a similar jawline, though his was a bit more pronounced than mine. Everyone had thought us twins when we were children, but I'm actually older.
Up until puberty we aged just like any other person around us, but after that our bodies slowed down drastically. We might age five to ten years in about one hundred years of living. My brother and I looked to be in our twenties, when in actuality we're seven times that.
The immortal community had men and women who looked to be in their eighties or nineties. No one really knows how old they are though. Most of the time they don't know themselves.
Byron's flawless skin, blue eyes, and messy black hair might get him whatever he wanted from unsuspecting twenty-somethings, but I knew my brother was a pro at manipulating people. I just wasn't one of those people.
“Don't give me your bull shit, Byron.” I crossed my arms and narrowed my gaze. “What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into this time? Oh, and did you happen to notice that it's three in the morning? Who bangs on someone’s door like that at three in the morning?”
“Aww, I knew you'd be awake, Sis.” He glanced at a Rolex wristwatch. I wondered what rich woman he'd slept with to get that little pretty. He leaned in close, placing both hands on my arms. Giving a little squeeze he looked deep in my eyes. “I know all about your little phone job. I knew you'd be up. Besides, we missed getting together for Thanksgiving, and Christmas was a couple weeks ago.”
I gasped. How did he know? I hadn't seen him in months and I never told him anything about my private life anyway. Byron was trouble with a capital T, and I'd learned over the years not to tell him anything I didn't want the entire immortal population, and half of the human race, to know.
He released my arms with a chuckle, retreating to the kitchen sink and retrieving the sandwich. “Don't worry, big sis, I haven't told anyone about you masquerading as Miss Veronica.” Returning to the table, he took another big bite from the sandwich and sat again.
I frowned deeply, watching my brother pig out on my sandwich at three in the morning. The city outside was quiet, but the noises coming from Byron's mouth reminded me of our childhood. Slopping the hogs wasn't much different than my brother's eating habits.
I took a deep, calming breath, laced my fingers in my lap, and narrowed my gaze at the messy man in front of me. “I'll ask this one more time, little brother, and this time I better get a straight answer.” He looked up from the nearly gone sandwich. Seeing that I was completely serious, he placed what was left back on the plate and sat up a little straighter. “Why are you here?”
“I'm worried about you, Penny.” Tiny lines formed around his eyes and across his forehead as he frowned.
“Bull shit.” I knew better than to think my self-centered little brother felt anything closely resembling worry after all these years where I was involved. More likely he was concerned his safe haven would disappear.
“Not bull shit!” His fist came down hard on my table. “I've heard things. Things about you.”
Who would be talking about me? I kept to myself and didn't interact with any of the other immortals. The few interactions I had were always with humans who could be easily manipulated and convinced that anything out of the ordinary was, in fact, perfectly normal. All it took was telling them I was a foreigner and had a phobia to crowds. That worked in almost all situations where my youthful appearance and my desire to refrain from socializing came into question. And when that stopped working I moved to a different part of the country.
“And who has been talking to you about me? One of your little sluts, maybe? Or could it be one of their husbands?” I shook my head and walked away. I settled on the sofa and grabbed the remote control. At this time of the night there wouldn't be anything more than infomercials on, but even that was better than listening to Byron.
“Not even close,” he said, stomping toward me. “Not only do I know about the job, but I also know about your new obsession with ending your life.” He grabbed at the remote, but I held it up and away. “I know you've been researching and trying out all kinds of different techniques.”
If he knew even a fraction of what he thought he knew about my suicide attempts he wouldn't be as calm as he was. I thought I'd come close the last time I tried, but I woke up three days later alive and fully healed from the freezer burn. Disappointment wasn't even the right word to describe how I felt that day.
He grabbed at the remote again, but I shoved it down behind me into the cushions, accidentally pushing buttons along the way. The television switched channels a few times, ending up on CNN. “Don't be a child, Penny! Give me the remote!”
Byron shoved me over to the next cushion and retrieved the remote from the depths of the sofa. A sticky gum wrapper came along with it, but he pulled it off before stabbing at the Off button. The apartment went silent, again.
He sat down next to me. He was breathing heavy, which was very unusual. “You really are out of shape, aren't you?” In all the years we've been immortal, Byron and I made sure we were always in tip top shape. In the early years we never knew when someone would notice we didn't age and we'd have to fight or run for our lives. This was out of character.
“Wanna explain the suicide experiment?”
“Wanna tell me where you've been in the last few months? Someone keeping you hidden away in their secret love dungeon, or something?”
He sighed deeply, shaking his head, and sitting back into the cushions. “Not even close to funny, sister.” It was at that moment I really took a good look at my brother.
The wrinkles around his eyes were new; we didn't have wrinkles, and probably wouldn't for several more centuries. His usual smooth, shiny hair was ragged and dull, longer than he normally kept it. The ends were split and frizzy like he hadn't had a trim in months. He wore a faded Atlanta Braves T-shirt, a little on the big side, and a pair of faded jeans with both knees torn out. They didn't fit quite right either. The most shocking was what he wore on his feet. Flip-flops. Byron didn't wear flip-flops!
The only Byron-like thing on his body was the Rolex watch on his wrist. He liked the finer things in life: food, wine, clothes, cars, and women. Something was askew here.
I pinched a bundle of denim on the leg of his jeans. “Where did you get these clothes, Byron?”
Throwing his head back, he scrubbed at his face with both hands. “Ugh! I was hoping I wouldn't have to tell you, but maybe if I do you'll tell me what's up with you,” he mumbled from behind his hands.
“Tell me what? Where have you been the last nine months?” I leaned in close, my nose only inches from his face. “Tell me.”
He pulled his hands away and slowly returned my gaze. “I've been in the dungeons of Midnight Manor.”
“Are you joking? 'Cause that's not funny in the least, Byron.”
He dropped his eyes and didn't even bother to respond to my question. A few seconds later and it finally clicked for me.
Jumping from my seat, I screamed, “Midnight Manor?” Tears pooled in his eyes, but he'd never let them fall. He blinked to clear his vision and stretched out a hand. “Come sit back down and I'll tell you everything.”
“I doubt that,” I shouted back. “You never tell me everything!” I picked up a near-by book and aimed for his head. He ducked to one side and the book zoomed past his ear. “Midnight-fucking-Manor!”
I paced in the area between the dining room table and the living room coffee table. How could he do this? Something like Midnight Manor wasn't just about him. If anyone, and I mean anyone, there knew Byron had a sister they would find me. Trouble with Midnight Manor was a family affair.
“How could you do this to me, Byron?” Ringing my hands, I paced back and forth, back and forth. “What did I ever do to you to constitute Midnight Manor?” I wasn't a bad sister. Was I?
I had raised him the best I could once we had to leave our parents and younger sisters behind. Hadn't I? What could I have done differently? Nothing, that's what! We had lived through some really tough times full of disease and poverty. I'd done the best I could until he finally decided it was time to be an adult and go out on his own. His decision had broken my heart, but it was the right thing to do for both of us. He'd gone to college and I joined the guard.
Byron rose and strode over to me. He grabbed my hands and stopped my pacing. “You did nothing, Penny. You were the best sister and mother you knew how to be. None of this is your fault, and I'm sorry I brought this down on our heads.”
“Then why did you do it?” I hadn't realized it until a tear rolled down my cheek, but I was sobbing at this point. “Why did you have to do something that bad? Couldn't you have stuck to your normal scams?” Sobbing harder, I slid to the floor and fell into a broken pile of myself. “Why Midnight Manor?”
He sat on the floor in front of me, rubbing my back and stroking my hair. Over and over he said he was sorry, but all I could think of was how grateful I was our parents and sisters were long gone. I couldn't have stood the thoughts and despair if they had been trapped inside Midnight Manor. Or worse.
After the heaving sobbing subsided, I lifted my head and swatted his hands away from me. “Tell me, now, what you did. How did this happen, Byron?” I backed up and propped against the nearest wall. I hugged my knees and glared at my brother until he spoke.
“It all started when I met this woman—”
I held up my hand. “I'm going to stop you right there. Give me the abridged version.”
He sighed and shook his head. “Fine. Here it is. I screwed the wrong man's wife and he had power enough to throw me under the manor with enough charges to make immortality a never-ending torment of skinning, burning, drowning, and all sorts of other creative punishments.”
I flinched at the thought. I'd heard the rumors of the kinds of tortures they were happy to dole out at Midnight Manor, and none of them were even close to as pretty as burning and skinning. And, of course Byron's trouble would be brought on by a woman. He never could keep his dick in his pants, even when his life depends on it.
I rested my forehead on my knees. How could we get through this? There had to be a way to take care of this without him going back to the manor.
“Wait a minute.” A thought hit me. “Why are you here?”
“What do you mean?” His forehead wrinkled. “I'm here for you.”
I shook my head. “No, you know what I mean.” I pointed at him. “If you were in the dungeons, why are you here now? They wouldn't just let you go.”
The only way Midnight Manor released a prisoner was if that prisoner could offer them more alive than dead, or incarcerated.
There was that guilty look. Even as young children I could tell when Byron was lying or felt guilty about something. He had a hard time hiding those feelings from me. And after nearly two centuries he wasn't any better at it.
“What did you promise them?” I demanded. He stood and stomped to the fridge. He pulled another soda out and popped the top. I watched in disbelief as he took a long pull off the can. “Byron!”
Slamming the fridge door closed he yelled, “You! Okay? I promised them you!”
I slowly rose from the floor. “Me? What do you mean you promised them me?”
He leaned over the sink like he was going to be sick. His voice echoed in the stainless steel as he replied, “I promised you would help retrieve a runner.”
“Why would you do that? You know I left the business!”
The anger rose swiftly. I couldn't believe he would do such a thing. And all for a woman, at that!
When he didn't answer me, the anger boiled over. I charged him, screaming like an Amazonian warrior. He turned just in time for my fist to make direct contact with his jaw. Bones crunched beneath my knuckles and his face moved in slow motion from one side to the other with the force of my strike. I'd caught him so off-guard he didn't have time to strengthen his stance against the blow so his entire body flew to the left. He bounced off the in-wall oven and landed in a pile at my feet.
A short whimper came from him, but I didn't care. “Get up, you back stabber! Take what you have coming to you!”
“Penny, stop. Please,” he moaned, holding up his hands in surrender. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth and dripped onto my clean linoleum floor.
“Get up,” I growled. “You're getting blood on my floor.” I walked away from him toward my bedroom. I cursed loudly as I pulled blankets and a pillow from the top of my closet. Handbags fell to the floor, but I just kicked them to the side and continued stomping back to the living room. “Don't get blood on my couch, you dick!”
I dropped the bedding on the couch and stomped back to my room, slamming the door and muttering to myself about how irresponsible and untrustworthy my brother had turned out to be on the way to the en suite. “How could I have screwed him up so badly? He was a decent kid at one point,” I questioned the empty bathroom while stripping clothes off and tossing them into the plastic hamper against the wall.
I showered while thoughts of how I intended to handle this situation ran through my head. One scenario after another played through my mind. None seeming the right fix. Of course I'd have to do whatever Midnight Manor wanted in order to save Byron from an eternity of torture, but I didn't have to be happy, or very cooperative about it.
Runners were very complicated creatures. The elders of the immortals consider runners to be any immortal who doesn't abide by their rules and desires, and then tries to take off instead of facing judgment. Thus, runners. Runners could vary from one extreme to another depending on the elder immortal who is doling out the judgment at the time. Some are a little more fickle than others.
The mildest example of insult resulting in time spent at Midnight Manor was back in 1805 when a French immortal decided he didn't want to speak with the Immortal King after a dinner party. The offending Frenchman felt ill after eating tainted shellfish and instead of saying good night to the king he merely left. The next morning he found himself shackled to a dungeon wall at Midnight Manor. As far as I know, he's still there.
The most severe incident was an immortal woman who severed the head of her neighbor, who just so happened to be sleeping with her husband. It didn't kill the neighbor, but it would take centuries for the woman's head to reattach to her body. And that's if the doctors could keep the body's tissue viable enough for all those years.
The offending woman was punished by having her own head removed. Her live and talking head was currently in a collection room at Midnight Manor. Or though that's how the story goes. I've never seen it for myself. I stay as far away from Midnight Manor as possible.
Dressed in my favorite pair of yoga pants and tank top, I crawled into bed. “I'll think of something,” I whispered to the bedside lamp as I flicked the switch.
I fell asleep with thoughts of our parents. What would they tell me to do? Honestly, they wouldn't know what to say. They were simple people in a simple time. They never expected to have immortal children, much less two of them. It was merely a genetic defect. Unlike other birth defects, their children didn't die as infants. They live forever. Sometimes I wished I'd died all those years ago. At least then I wouldn't be trying to find a way out now.
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