2026 covers

2026 covers coming

Welcome to the Dark Side!

We are writers mainly from Australia and New Zealand who write speculative fiction with romantic elements. Be it fantasy, paranormal, dark urban fantasy, futuristic and everything in between.

Monday, 23 March 2026

DarkSider News: March 2026 - Pre-Orders & Covers!

  

         


“DECONSTRUCTION
 
    
Do you know where you are, Inmate Luna?
      
The way he said my name sent hot shivers down my spine.

The feeling haunted me for ages.

Before Warden Jet shut the door to my cell, he said we’d already started my rehabilitation. My instincts registered this as a threat, and the uneasy sense of being trapped and in danger kept me up all night—or whatever they called “night” in this artificial environment.”

The Manipulation of Satine (Book 2, Satine Luna) by JL Peridot

 




PRE-ORDERS



Cassie Laelyn
Date with the Demon

Expected Release: 
10 April


When Emery accepts the contract of a lifetime to organise a ball in an abandoned castle, the last thing she expects to find is a squatter. Nox. The drop-dead gorgeous guy who’s convinced he owns the place. Oh, and thinks he’s a demon.

Kicking him out proves futile, so Emery powers on with the insane deadline, while Nox’s sinful whispers and annoying smirks distract her at every turn.

But as the deadline closes and Emery fears failure, Nox sweeps in, revealing more than his hidden talent for table decorations.e.






Lana Pecherczyk
The Sinner and the Priest
Book 3, Sinner Sisterhood

Expected Release: 
28 April


A week ago, I was an exorcist with ironclad vows. Now...

I confess to Almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned in my thoughts… especially in thoughts involving my Roman collar, a certain red-headed Sinner’s wrists, and the desk in my church’s oratory.

I spent years in prison trying to starve the violence and hunger in my cursed blood. Instead, I found it purring when the sisterhood’s deadliest seductress entered my confessional and whispered her litany of filth.

I have lied to my superiors. I have sworn to dismantle this heretical organization, while secretly burning every bridge back to Rome to keep her safe.

I am the shepherd who was too busy counting freckles on her bare shoulder to hear the screaming of my flock.

Through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault... I told Mercy I was not her prophesied, fated Saint. But when her sister dared to threaten her life…

I forgot that I am Father Francisco Angelotti, the former mafia enforcer, whose vows are a muzzle to keep the world safe from his teeth. I forgot that I should have been hunting the Third Horseman, Famine, and his demons in my flock’s garden.

And I forgot that I was the wolf who taught them how to eat.

If you enjoy stories about irreverent bad girls corrupting the good boys, heartbreaking slow burn smut with all the feels, complex characters with tragic backstories, compelling plot, hilarious banter, suspense, and action, then this is for you.

For fans of Buffy, Supernatural, Constantine, and K-pop Demon Hunters, but for adults.

Tropes you'll love:

Forbidden priest romance
Monster unleashed for her
Touch her and you die
Morally grey hero with a violent past
Found family of orphans and misfits
Cute demon pets
Magical weapons that work only for her
Book 3 in the Sinner Sisterhood series. Each book follows a different couple. Best enjoyed in order.

Please note: This series contains dark themes, explicit content, religious imagery, and morally complex characters. HEA guaranteed.





Melody Beckett
Alien Warrior's Honor
Book 1, Taurean Mercenaries

Expected Release:
28 April


The first book in a new series by Melody Beckett!
Full description coming soon...


- releases 1 week earlier. 
Get free character art if order via author store.





Ava Silvers
The Vampire Heir
Book 1, Threads of Fate

Expected Release: 
1 April


My ambition will cost me my soul. Her defiance might cost me the throne.

I will stop at nothing to thwart the Unity prophecy and secure the Crimson Throne. It is my birthright, and I will burn the world down to claim it—even if it means kidnapping a fate-weaving witch with the power to reshape destiny.

Cressida.

She defies me at every turn. She refuses to weave the threads I demand, no matter the punishments I inflict. But where others would break, she burns brighter. Her unyielding resolve sparks an unsettling admiration I can’t afford, not when my kingdom teeters on the brink of ruin.

I am driven to darker, more desperate measures. But each time I compel her to wield her magic, a piece of her soul fractures. And as her reluctant obedience deepens, I find myself wanting to claim more than just her power.

I want to claim her.





Ava Silvers
The Shadowflame Crown
Book 2, Threads of Fate

Expected Release: 
30 April


To save her life, he might have to surrender his crown. To save his kingdom, she might have to surrender her soul.

Kael Damaris has finally seized the Crimson Throne. But his ruthless victory tastes like ash when the woman he desires is fading right before his eyes. Cressida’s mind and magic have been fractured by the very fate-weaving he forced her to perform. The Unity prophecy still looms over them, and the fragile peace of the vampire realm is already shattering.

A new and deadly threat rises from the darkness. The Shadowflame Crown is an ancient artifact of unimaginable power. It is the only thing that can heal Cressida's broken soul and secure Kael's unstable reign. But claiming the crown requires a sacrifice neither of them is prepared to make.
As enemies close in and dark magic threatens to consume them both, Kael must choose between the kingdom he bled for and the witch who stole his cold heart. Cressida must decide if she can truly trust the monster who broke her. Their twisted bond will either save their world or burn it to the ground.

Fans of Jen L. Grey and Lea Stone will fall under the thrall of this thrilling, addictive fantasy drama.
Scroll up and one click to continue this dark paranormal romance between a ruthless vampire king and a fate-weaving witch.





TJ Nichols
Queens and Other Quarrels
Book 4, Mytho Collapse

Expected Release: 
28 July


Pan and Noah's story continues...
The centaurs make a visit to town and Noah leans to be more careful with what he wishes for.

MM urban fantasy romance between an ancient god who has lost his magic and a human who is now selkie.




K.E. Turner
Wolves' Witch
Book 5, The Wolves of Langeais

Expected Release: 
31 March


Two wolves. One mate. A love that defines the future.

Witch Isobella Rodriguez is dying. With chemotherapy and invasive surgery, she has a thirty-five percent chance of, maybe, another five years. Zero percent chance of having a family of her own. There is one thing that can save her—being turned into a werewolf. Only one pack has that ability. The Langeais wolves.

They won’t sanction a turning. That’s a privilege reserved for human mates. But they do offer her a solution. Take on a dangerous mission to tenth century France and change the face of modern witchcraft and they guarantee she’ll not only survive but thrive.

Twins Edmond and Aubert Montagne are formidable warriors on their own. Together they are terrifying. With a bond so strong, they have no need of words to communicate and are rarely seen apart. When they rescue a woman from the clutches of the witch hunter, their relationship is tested. Both of them want her, to claim her as their mate.

With a witch hunter gathering forces, they’ll need to band together to survive. They can let her choose between them, or they can do something never done before in the history of the Langeais wolves. Share a mate.






Annie Seaton
The Drowning Hour
Book 2, Catherine Snowden Mysteries

Expected Release: 
31 March



Detective Catherine Snowden is supposed to be on medical leave. Instead, she's lying in a hospital bed when a dying man's spirit reaches out to her with a desperate message: I was murdered.

Oliver Ashford-Kent's car went into the Thames, his brakes sabotaged by the uncle who's been embezzling millions from the family pharmaceutical company. Now Oliver's trapped in a coma, caught between life and death, and Catherine is the only one who can hear him.

But proving murder means finding evidence the killer thought was safely buried. As Catherine digs deeper, she discovers Oliver isn't Marcus Ashford-Kent's only victim. Bodies have been disappearing into the Thames for years—young professionals who knew too much, who asked the wrong questions, who threatened to expose the truth.

The river remembers everything. And when the dead start calling for justice, Catherine must risk everything to answer—even as Marcus closes in, determined to silence her before she can prove what he's done.

Some secrets are worth killing for. And in the drowning hour, the Thames claims everyone.

Pre-Order





Annie Seaton
April Blossoms
Book 4, The Enchanted Village

Expected Release: 
15 April


Olivia Morrison came to protect her dead sister's memory. Three years isn't long enough for Hugh to move on. Especially not with Joanna.

But Primrose Cottage doesn't tolerate bitter hearts or unkind thoughts. And it has very pointed ways of teaching lessons about love, loss, and letting go.

Flowers wilt. Doors lock. Gardens refuse to bloom.

Liv's about to learn that grief and kindness can't coexist. And only one of them will help her survive an enchanted cottage with opinions.

Sometimes the gardens we tend most carefully are the ones inside our own hearts.

She came to protect her sister's memory. The village had other plans.

Pre-Order






Ruby St. George
Midnight Magic
Book 4, Touch of Magic

Expected Release:
30 June


My cranky wolf shifter Familiar has broken our bond, and my heart, in order to save my life. I’m getting him back, but first I need to survive my trip to Faery land.

After discovering the truth about her father and her heritage, Darcy must travel to Faery land to finally learn how to control her strange magic. She can’t go if she’s bonded to Jones, but without help, she’ll die.

Once she gets to Faery, she must prove her worth by passing the Trials, a Fae right of passage that puts the participant’s life at risk. Failure means death – weaklings aren’t allowed in Faery. Especially when her father is the Midnight Prince.

Fin, a gorgeous Fae warrior, is assigned to train her. But he has his own agenda and Darcy isn't sure she can trust him.

If she survives the Trials she’ll get the magical help she desperately needs. But there’s a catch – passing the Trials means she’s got Fae blood, and the Faery Queen won't allow her to leave Faery land. The only option is to bring Jones to Faery instead.

It’s an impossible choice, making Darcy rethink her priorities. Does she have the right to ask him to give up everything for her? Or will she sacrifice her one chance of happiness and let him go, forever?

Fans of KF Breene, Faith Hunter and Patricia Briggs will love this slow burn paranormal romance.


Non Spec-Fic


TJ Nichols
Nicks and Cuts
Foggy Basin season three


Expected Release: 
28 August



A reclusive knife maker and a paramedic in need of a new start create a spark...

Dante Cutler does just enough to make sure the locals know he's alive, but otherwise he keeps to himself and he has no desire to let anyone close. He has too many scars for that. The last thing he expects is for his Pride hook up to knock on his door. While he's used to handling hot metal, Shannon Oakes, the new paramedic, is a lot more dangerous for his heart.

Welcome to Foggy Basin. Nestled at the base of the foothills in northern California, this small town is full of characters just waiting to tell you their story. Whether you’re just passing through or you decide to stay a while longer, you’ll always find a warm welcome from the townsfolk. From farmers and animal rescues to artists and small business owners. Foggy Basin has it all.






Anna Hackett
Norcross Secruity box set
Books 1-10,  Norcross Security 

Expected Release: 
September

in the The Pretty Little Words Romance book boxes
Each book is an omnibus



FIVE (5) Digitally Signed Hardcover Omnibuses :

Norcross Heroes featuring The Investigator and The Troubleshooter by Anna Hackett
Norcross Bodyguards featuring The Specialist and The Bodyguard by Anna Hackett
Norcross Protectors featuring The Hacker and The Powerbroker by Anna Hackett
Norcross Defenders featuring The Detective and The Medic by Anna Hackett
Norcross Rescuers featuring The Protector and Norcross Novellas by Anna Hackett





Annie Seaton
Outback Secrets
Book 2, The Happy Outback Hotel

Expected Release: 
28 May

Small-town outback romance where love is worth the wait.

Jill and Ryan’s story continues in Outback Secrets as Irish photographer Finn O’Sullivan arrives in Garnet Creek running from a scandal—his reputation destroyed, his career in ruins.
Librarian Charlotte Hayes recognises Finn the moment he walks into her library. Her reaction is immediate, complicated—and she's not about to explain why.

When Finn is offered part-time bar work at The Happy Outback Hotel, Charlotte tells herself to stay away, but she can't ignore the growing connection between them—or the guilt of staying silent whilst Finn suffers.

When Charlotte's past catches up to her, threatening everything she's built, staying silent is no longer an option. Speaking the truth could save Finn—or destroy them both.

As Garnet Creek rallies around them both, Finn and Charlotte must decide: keep running from the past or stand and fight for the love and family they never expected to find.

Because sometimes the biggest secret is what you're afraid to reach for.

Pre-Order




Annie Seaton
Under Darling Skies
Book 5, Daughters of the Darling

Expected Release: 
30 April


Bridget O'Byrne thought she was building the future with her brilliant business partner and cutting-edge AI technology. Eighteen months later, she's trapped in Sydney, financially ruined, and under the controlling influence of Antony Saar. When his venture collapses amid fraud investigations, Bridget returns home to Ceann Mara with her confidence shattered.

Back on the family property she once dismissed as old-fashioned, Bridget struggles to rebuild her life. Her path to recovery takes an unexpected turn when she reconnects with Danny Walsh, a quietly competent stockman who was her closest friend in primary school. Danny's contentment with honest work and simple truths challenges everything Bridget thought she wanted.

Meanwhile, Tom and Cat's genealogical research uncovers the mystery of eleven-year-old Roisin O'Byrne, Catherine's sister, who vanished from Melbourne in 1880. Following Roisin's trail to the goldfields, Bridget begins to understand that sometimes survival requires losing yourself completely before you can find your way home.

A story about recognising manipulation, rebuilding trust, and discovering that the most profound strength often comes from the simplest truths.

Pre-Order



Annie Seaton
Dark Waters
Book 4, Bec Whitfield Mystery

Expected Release: 
31 July


Detective Bec Whitfield thought she'd found paradise in tropical Mission Beach—and maybe even love with charming local developer Jake Morrison. But when Cyclone Meredith threatens the coast, emergency preparations uncover a twenty-year-old secret buried in concrete.

The skeletal remains belong to Marcus “Moondog” Sullivan, a former Sydney property developer turned environmental activist who vanished in 2004 during heated battles over coastal development. Marcus had made powerful enemies on both sides of the conservation debate, and someone wanted him silenced permanently.

As Bec investigates, the case becomes uncomfortably personal. Jake's construction company was involved in the building where Marcus was found, and her new boyfriend grows increasingly evasive about his past. When Detective Todd Davenpot arrives from Brisbane with warnings about Jake's reputation, Bec finds herself caught between two men and a web of corruption that reaches far beyond Mission Beach.

With the cyclone bearing down and evacuation orders imminent, Bec must solve a murder that exposes decades of environmental crime and political corruption. But the closer she gets to the truth, the more she realises that Marcus Sullivan died because he threatened to expose secrets that powerful people will kill to protect.

In a race against time and the storm of the century, Bec will discover that some foundations are built on lies—and that choosing the wrong person to trust can be deadly.

Perfect for fans of Jane Harper and Candice Fox.

Pre-Order





Amanda Ashby
The Widows' Guide to Last Orders
Book 4, The Widows' Detective Club

Expected Release: 
15 April


Life in Little Shaw is as nice as pie for librarian Ginny Cole. She’s got a tentative truce with her grumpy neighbour Detective Inspector Wallace, and Sunday quiz nights at The Lost Goat with her friends (team name: The Merry Widows). Until the young quizmaster is found dead in the cellar. The police call it an accident; Ginny suspects murder. But with Wallace strangely impossible to locate and convince, she and the other widows must step – carefully, mind – into the breach.

The victim, it turns out, wasn’t just torturing locals with impossible trivia. He was hunting for his great-aunt who vanished from Little Shaw in 1963, along with what village gossips insist was a fortune in Cold War secrets. Now Ginny and her friends must decode a sixty-year-old mystery involving priest holes, spy scandals, and the competing egos of the local history society.

But when the killer strikes again, the widows need to solve this fast before someone calls last orders on them…

A brilliantly twisty cozy mystery perfect for fans of Fiona Leitch, Robert Thorogood and anyone who thinks retirement should come with a side of solving murders.







COVERS


Anna Hackett
Marc
Book 3, Hunter Squad


Expected Release:
31 March





K.A. Montefiore
Justice 
Book 1, Hot Fated Mates

has a slightly changed new cover


Judge.

Jury.

Executioner.

Justice White, a newly qualified criminal lawyer, has always fought for what is right, but a letter from her dead mother turns her world upside down. Discovering she is the human incarnate of Themis, the goddess of justice, she has been tasked with weighing the hearts of criminal supernaturals and shifters.





~~

Congratulations to our DarkSiders! 

Happy Reading everyone. Be safe & well. 


Next on the DarkSider News: Events!


Thursday, 19 March 2026

Magic Thursday: Juggling three pen names with Tracy Brenton. And Ruby St. George. And Tess Mackay!

 



This is my debut year for Ruby St. George, and after writing hard for two years (I’m a fast writer, but I always take loooong breaks between books!) I rapid released the first three books in my new paranormal romance series in late 2025. I started a mailing list for Ruby about a year ago with a reader magnet that I gave away on Book Funnel and it’s built to around 800 subscribers, which helped hugely with the launch.

Why would I do this? Why start a third pen name- three websites, three social media handles, three mailing lists, three brands? To be honest, it wasn’t a thought out decision, it’s just how it’s evolved.

I’ve been writing since 2013, when I realised I never did anything just for me. I had an accounting business, a husband, and a couple of kids and was involved in the Chamber of Commerce, the Business Women’s Network, Rotary, and the school P&C, with Board / Committee positions on all of them including both president and treasurer roles over the years. So I stepped back a little from all those positions and started trying different things that I had always wanted to do but never had time for. Writing was the one that stuck – I started with a course with the Australian Writers' Centre and joined an online writing group from there. 

I started writing my first book and got stuck halfway through, which led me to dive deeper into story structure. As an aside, I got to share some of those learnings with other writers last weekend at the Writers for Writers event run by the Port Macquarie Writers Group. I was so nervous! But it was good, we had some great conversations and people actually did the exercise I gave them! And read their work out afterwards! It was fabulous.

I finished writing that first book and pitched it at my first Romance Writers of Australia conference in 2017 (in Brisbane), got three yes’s and was very excited. But when I thought about it, I decided I didn’t want the kind of pressure that came with traditional publishing. I wanted to set my own deadlines. I didn’t want any more stress than I already had. And so began my indie publishing journey.

I published my first small town romantic suspense in 2018 under my real name (hi, I’m Tracy Brenton). It was an experiment – first person, one point of view. It was fun. And it was a little spicy. I think we called it steamy back then. Or maybe it was the days of ‘open door’. In any case, when I segued into sweet contemporary young adult books, after being inspired by a conversation with one of my kids, I decided I better use a pen name (Tess Mackay) in case one of those impressionable teenage readers accidentally picked up the other genre and got more than they bargained for. 

After my husband passed away in October 2019 I wasn’t sure if I wanted to keep writing. But I’d already started my third YA book, The Full Story, and eventually I decided to finish it.

Then I got an idea for a paranormal romance. But would my contemporary adult and YA readers follow me across genres? I decided to start another pen name, and Ruby St. George was born!

I wrote the novella Shadow Magic in a whirlwind, put it up in an anthology, then promptly went back to write my second small town romantic suspense book. Hearts Sing is also written in first person, but this one has both his and her points of view. Another experiment, and heaps of fun. There’s still more books in that series planned (and I’ve got a short story and a freebie novella already out too), but they’re on the back burner for the moment as I focus on Ruby’s books. 

For now, I’m loving writing paranormal. I’ve published four Ruby St. George books, including the prequel novella. The Touch of Magic series is a continuing series, and I did that thing I never wanted to do – I set myself a deadline. Book four is up for pre-order! It will be a six book series once complete, plus the novella, and I’m brimming with shiny new paranormal ideas for Ruby and can’t wait to bring them to life!

This year I will publish my tenth full length book. Three different pen names, three different genres (maybe four if you count the zombie-vampire short story) and so many writing friends! Writing has given me a reason to travel-to book signings, to conferences, to retreats-and awesome friends to travel with.  

I love being indie. I love all the moving parts, that I get to play with covers, and formatting, and Canva, and all the myriad of other things we do. I hire my own editors, do my own covers (or pay a cover designer in the Ruby’s case), and the next thing I want to do is audio books. And shiny pretty paperbacks. And the discreet cover hardback too 😊 There’s always something new to learn. But the most fun part is that I get to create worlds and characters, and bring the stories in my head to life. 

So how do I juggle three pen names?

For now, Ruby is for readers, as I’m focussing on writing paranormal. Tracy is for me, and it’s a hodge podge of writing stuff and life stuff. Tess is on the back burner. Those books exist, but I probably won’t be writing the fourth Wholesome Hearts book for a while. 

It’s not a secret that I write under different names, but I don’t really talk about the others on my Ruby pages, apart from my email welcome sequence. Meanwhile, Tracy is over there talking about everyone!

At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter how many pen names I use, it’s still just me. And I’m having so much fun!

**** 

If you want to read Shadow Magic for free you can find a link on my website


My latest Release is True Magic, book three in the Touch of Magic series, and book four, Midnight Magic, will be released on 30 June 2026!



Latest release


True Magic
Book 3, Touch of Magic


Bonding with a cranky wolf shifter might have been my biggest mistake, but leaving him could mean war.

After a disaster with her strange magic Darcy realizes she is never going to get the help she needs with the wolves, so when someone close to her is threatened by the clan leader she does the only thing she can– she returns to the clan compound to save them, hoping to also find out the truth about her magic.

But returning was a mistake and with the clan pushing its own agenda she might never get free. Her bond with her wolf shifter, Jones, is growing and he will do anything to bring her home, even if it means war.

Then her mother reveals the truth about her heritage and her world is turned upside down. Now she can no longer trust anything she thought was true.

Caught between the clan and her bonded wolf, there's one chance to save them all, even if it means sacrificing herself, and Darcy has to make the toughest choice she’s ever made.

Her family or her heart.

Fans of Ilona Andrews, Faith Hunter and Keri Arthur will love this slow burn paranormal romance.

Buy




Upcoming release


Midnight Magic
Book 4, Touch of Magic


My cranky wolf shifter Familiar has broken our bond, and my heart, in order to save my life. I’m getting him back, but first I need to survive my trip to Faery land.




Ruby St. George

Ruby St. George writes action packed urban fantasy and paranormal romance. She lives on the Mid North Coast of NSW with her feline companions, who rule her world. Ruby loves good coffee and lives by the motto ‘experiences, not things’. She’s always looking for her next fabulous book boyfriend. 

You can find Ruby at rubystgeorge.com.



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