For sixteen years, Laurelin Moore has been keeping a secret. She is a whisperer, and she knows that to reveal her gift now is a dangerous risk. Past whisperers have been exploited for their power. But Ausland’s queen is dead and acknowledging her magic is her only chance at becoming a Rook in the Pentax—a competition that will decide the kingdom’s next ruler. Laurelin isn’t in it for the crown, though. She’s after the wish that will be granted to the victor. A wish that would save her dying brother, Pippin.
Once chosen, Laurelin finds that there are dangerous undercurrents to the Pentax, and she is at the center of it. When she begins to search for answers, she discovers a secret with implications far beyond her brother’s life–or her own, for that matter. Now, she has to choose between saving Pippin or saving the kingdom she loves.
For most people, I think writing about oneself is difficult, and that’s no exception for writers. I must have written a dozen different versions of this. But hey, if you’re here, you must be interested in knowing a little about my life. If you’re curious about something that’s not covered here, shoot me a message through email or social media and I’ll be happy to answer!
I live in Northern Utah with my wonderful husband and our rambunctious toddler. We’re a family that likes to be on the go, so you’ll probably find us at the zoo, on a hike, or out for a run together. And yes, the housework suffers while we play. There are usually crumbs on the counter, dishes in the sink, and toys on the floor.
I graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in health education and history teaching. I taught junior high school for two years before switching careers. I now work from home for a local credit union and write down the stories in my head when I have time.
If you’re interested in seeing more about me, find me on Facebook or Instagram. @janiliselloyd
A Magic Coin. A Hidden World. An Incredible Adventure!
When Henry Simmons unearths a coin with mysterious powers, it’s clear that his life is soon to change . . . but not how he expects. After using the charm to woo Tracey Maxwell, Henry finds himself launched to another dimension – a world in which the human race is mercilessly hunted down by creatures called Sadarkians. This hellish realm, Zargothia, could scarcely be less safe.
Transported together, Henry and Tracey meet two mysterious strangers and a garrulous cat. Pressing forward, they learn that they’ve been charged with saving the people of Zargothia, but freeing King Argoth along with his people means facing ruthless overlords and almost certain death.
Vastly outnumbered, can Henry and his fated friends surmount the odds? In such a realm of wicked magic, danger lurks at every turn . . . and nothing is what it seems.
Many thousands of feet above the Bermuda Triangle, the TBF Avenger disturbed the blue sky’s silence. Captain Edward Johnson, aged forty, and his friend, Sergeant Conor MacCall, thirty-seven, crewed the dark-blue Torpedo bomber. They flew without a bombardier because they did not expect any action. This was a routine patrol for the naval air station in Fort Lauderdale, near Miami.
“It’s a good morning for flying. The one thing I haven’t missed these last two years is the miserable weather back home,” said Conor in his strong Glaswegian accent.
“I agree with you on that one,” Edward replied in his Oxford drawl, his brown eyes surveying the area around him. He had dark-blond hair and a blond moustache.
Sitting in the rear of the plane, controlling the turret gun and radio, Conor pushed back his carroty hair and turned his green eyes towards Edward.
“Do you ever think about home?” Conor asked.
“All the time,” Edward said with a slight trace of loneliness.
“What do you miss the most?” Conor pressed further.
Edward thought for a moment before answering. “I miss my parents. Every Sunday, Sandra and I would take the kids and visit my folks, staying for a few hours. Sandra loved my mother’s baking. Mum always fussed over the children.”
“I suppose you miss her baking too, sir, eh?” Conor chuckled as he asked this.
“Well, I suppose I do. But there’re better opportunities over here, so we had no choice but to move.”
“Aye, I’ll second that. I miss meeting the lads on a Saturday for a wee game of footie and then the few pints after. I’ll tell you this much, one thing I don’t miss is shooting down Germans over London.”
“True, true,” Edward agreed.
He scanned the area once more, satisfied that there was no present danger.
“I suppose we’ll head back,” Edward said. “Radio the station to all-clear the area.”
“Aye, sir. I’ll get right on it.”
Twenty minutes from base, a brilliant white light exploded out of nowhere, engulfing the sky as far as they could see. Sound burst around them, ricocheting with memories of bombing raids, flak and fire, the uncertainty of survival, deafness isolating each man in his real and recalled fear, never knowing if they would make it back. The light intensified, burning their retinas.
Shielding their eyes didn’t help much.
As suddenly as it arrived, the light disappeared.
“What in blazes just happened?” Conor said, blinking.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” Edward replied.
Both Conor and Edward’s headphones suddenly burst with static as they received a transmission from base.
“Fort Lauderdale to FT-4, do you read me?”
“This is Fox Tare Four to Fort Lauderdale; we read you loud and clear. What’s the problem? Over,” Conor replied.
“You got two unidentified bogies closing in on your position. Three o’clock.”
Conor shook away the last of the retina burn and looked again. With a second glance, he saw them approaching.
“Roger that, Lauderdale. Bogies spotted. FT-4, out.” His headphones crackled as Lauderdale was cut off.
“Sir, I know this may sound strange,” he said, turning to Edward, “but they don’t seem to be planes coming towards us.”
“Of course they are. What else can they be?”
Conor shut his eyes and squinted, focusing harder. As he looked again, he became slack-jawed.
“I think they’re …” He swallowed the unreality of the thought. “They’re … black dragons. And there’s someone riding them.”
“This is no time for jokes,” Edward barked.
“I’m not joking. They’re gaining on us. Break left!”
“Don’t be daft. There’s no such—” Edward stopped as he, too, saw what Conor had seen.
“My God!” he exclaimed in awe. “Bloody hell, how’s this even possible?”
Edward snapped out of his momentary, shock-induced paralysis. “Hold on!”
The TBF Avenger swooped down. The dragon followed. Opening its large mouth, it belched fire and narrowly missed the TBF Avenger’s tail.
Aidan Lucid began writing in 2002 after having a spiritual experience. Since then, his works have appeared in national and international poetry anthologies, magazines and e-zines. Lucid first began working on The Zargothian Saga trilogy while recovering from a horrific accident in 2005.
Aidan released The Scavenger — a horror novella — in January 2021. The first book in the Hopps Town series, it received many positive reviews. He followed that up with Unlucky Charm in January 2022. Book three of the series, Dark Secrets, will be released in February 2023.
Mr Lucid is working on more sequels to The Zargpthian Saga.
In his spare time he likes to meditate/pray, listen to music and go to the movies with his wife, Claire.
Title: Fallen Crown Author: W. Million Genre: Contemporary Royal Romance
Maren Tucker is done with men who check in for the good times and check out for the bad. As a member of one of the oldest families in Bellerive, she doesn’t have to play nice with the Summerset Royals. Especially not the youngest who represents everything she detests.
Brice Summerset is the life of every party, and as the third in line to the throne, he’s never had to take anything in life particularly seriously. Show up. Charm a few people. Make a generous donation. Move on.
But Brice’s life is on the cusp of big changes. His father is sick. His two older brothers are settling down, and he’s starting to wonder what else life has to offer.
When Maren tries to block Brice from joining her charity adventure race team, Brice balks at the notion he’s not up to the challenge. As the two butt heads over everything from training philosophies to life goals, they begin to see something in themselves and each other that they never expected.
I press my lips together to avoid snapping back, which is what Brice wants. If I can’t keep my retorts focused on training, I’ll undermine my authority as the coach, and I’ve worked too damn hard and earned every scrap of my knowledge to look like a fool.
Wren hooks Brice up to the ropes, and he approaches the wall, examining the placement of the holds. When he goes to reach for the first one, Wren cringes but doesn’t say anything.
“You want to maximize your static reach.” I release a deep sigh and go to the wall to demonstrate how to straighten his posture and rise on his toes to get a good grip. “Otherwise, your arms will get tired quickly.”
He gazes at me wordlessly for a beat, and I can’t tell if he’s taking me seriously or not. Then he says, “Any more tips, Coach?”
“Don’t over grip the handholds. Keep your hands relaxed and light.” I demonstrate, and when Brice grasps the rock just above our heads, I slide my hand under his to check the tension in his wrist. His skin is warm and smooth against mine. “Yeah,” I say, “gentle like you’re cupping an egg or a light bulb and trying not to break it.”
“I tend to prefer my grip firm,” he says with a smirk.
“Not a surprise that your primary concern is your own satisfaction.” I give him a mild look and keep my voice pitched low.
“My own satisfaction is always a concern,” he says, leaning close enough that his breath stirs the tendrils of dark hair that have escaped my ponytail, “but it’s never my only one.”
I can feel my jaw tighten at his obvious innuendo, and my heart kicks at his proximity. An unexpected awareness electrifies the space between us, and when our gazes connect, his expression shifts from brimming with amusement to one laced with curiosity.
“You’re not as immune to me as you’d like to believe,” he whispers.
W. Million is a Watty Award winner whose contemporary romances about strong women and troubled men have captivated her loyal readers.
Writing as Wendy Million, she is the author of the romantic suspense series The Donaghey Brothers, the NA sports romance Saving Us, and the contemporary second chance romance, When Stars Fall.
When not writing, Wendy enjoys spending time in or around the water. She lives in Ontario, Canada with two beautiful daughters, two cute pooches, and one handsome husband (who is grateful she doesn’t need two of those).
