2024 COVERS

Lawless In Leather
Winterfall Destiny
Mated to the sapphic orc
Fae's Fate
Broken: A Romantic Science Fiction Eco Adventure
Wolf's Prize
Knightqueen
Wicked Ways
Unbreak My Heart
Curiosity Killed the Vampire
From Across the Sea
Angel In Armani
Edge of Night
The Witch's Tangle
Three Vampires And A Baby
Banshee, Death and Disarray: Holly Harrow: A Point Muse Cozy Paranormal Mystery
Damaris: A Scifi Alien Romance
The Shattered Court
Moon Blessed
Falling for Mr. Fake It

2024 covers

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.

Tuesday 19 July 2022

DarkSider News - July 2022 - Part 2!

   



We hope you're keeping warm / cool depending on where you are.
While the weather can be unpredictable, our news can always make you smile. 







PEN NAMES




L.J. Swallow now has a couple of pen names. 


Kyla Quinn

Kyla is the pen name of a USA Today bestselling author who loves to read and write about sexy, possessive aliens and the strong women they're devoted too.

She'll also be doing The Ruthless Dark Series which is a monster paranormal romance under the Kyla name instead of LJ Swallow.

You can visit her website at: kylaquinn.com






Luci Hart


Luci writes captivating steamy romance, hot and brooding heroes, and strong, sassy heroines. Luci is also the contemporary romance pen name for USA Today bestselling author LJ Swallow.


You can find Luci on Facebook.







COMPETITION FINALIST


D.K. Hood


Be Mine Forever
is a finalist in the Nashville Silver Falchion Awards in the 2022 Best Investigator  section. 

You can see the other finalists here.















NEW RELEASES


Midnight Coven
LJ Swallow
Book 3, The Immortal Keepers
Released: 19 July


A secret society. Arcane magic. Forbidden love.

The Winterfalls. The aristocratic family who believe they're witch royalty.
The Blackwoods. The corrupt witches who want to take their crown.

I've finally broken the Winterfall family shackles and stepped into witch society. I missed out on a Nightworld Academy education, but I have a place at the prestigious Nightfall University. Here, gifted witches from the elite families study to take their magic to the next level and become our new leaders.

I expected to rub shoulders with the brightest and best; I didn't expect my new friends would draw me into a secret society.

The Midnight Coven. Dark, seductive, and dangerous.

I've met the intense and captivating witch Alexei once before. He hasn't forgotten my actions that night, and I haven't accepted who he is. A Winterfall would never touch a Blackwood, however tempting, and Alexei doesn't like rejection. Now I'm forced to live in a house on campus with the arrogant jerk.

Fortunately, my other housemates are friendlier. Nate and Xavi are powerful bonded witches who offer to teach me everything they know—and not just their magic. Tomas is also new to campus; he's easy-going and friendly, but there's something secretive about the elemental witch. The three smoking hot guys show me how to enjoy my new freedom and invite me to join their secret society. The one led by Alexei Blackwood.

What lives behind the mirrors never frightened me, but on the night I'm initiated into the coven, my magic attracts something that threatens all of us.

I'm shocked to discover the Midnight Coven is more than a circle of hedonistic witches. How long can I resist the dark Blackwood magic before I'm drawn into shadows and we unleash something deadly?

Midnight Coven is the first in a university-age paranormal academy duet filled with seductive magic, steamy scenes, multiple love interests and dark academia elements.



Awaken 
Cassie Laelyn
Book 3, Small Town Packs
Released: 16 July
currently 99c



Wolves of Timber Falls.

Bloodlust. Deceit. A cure worth killing for.

After hunters attack Timber Falls leaving a trail of destruction, Layla loses hope of ever restoring peace. Until Wyatt Hale – the mysterious and gravely injured hunter she finds hiding under her porch. Healing him is a no-brainer. Only, his swoony dimples and sinful whispers blur enemy lines. When Wyatt reveals a traitor in her pack, their forbidden desire becomes even more dangerous.

Now, Layla’s torn between her duty…and trusting a bloodthirsty killer who’s supposed to be her enemy.

But what if those closest to her are the biggest threat?




Shifter Bound
Leisl Leighton
Book 3, Pack Bound
Released: 19 July 


 
A spy, a lone wolf, a desperate choice...

Lone Wolf, Iain McShane, yearns to roam free, but how can he leave his Pack now with an enemy spy right in their midst? An enemy that might very well be his mate – an impossibility given Lone Wolves never mate. But whatever she is, Shifter-witch, Eloise O’Brien, is certainly a mystery he wants to solve. She might seem meek and lost, but he can sense power deep inside her, power that could tip the balance in their fight with the evil Darkness that’s threatening to tear his Pack apart.

Eloise has betrayed her Coven and almost killed her brother to save the Were Pack she once feared and hated. Now, learning the truth of who she really is – the prophesied Nexus, a witch of unspeakable power – she must make a choice between the light and the dark, between Iain, the Were she is coming to love, and her once beloved brother and Coven who are now working for the Darkness.

But how can she choose when either choice will lead to the destruction of someone she loves?



Buy 




A Perfectly Paranormal Valentine Anthology
A Perfectly Paranormal Halloween Anthology
A Perfectly Paranormal Easter Anthology
includes stories by
Leisl Leighton and Samantha Marshall
Perfectly Paranormal Anthologies
Released: 24 June - in paperback format





A Perfectly Paranormal Valentine's Anthology
Valentine’s Day - celebrating forever love with roses and chocolates, claws and fangs, and a magical spell or two ...

Whatever your paranormal pleasure, dive into these four original stories from award winning and new Australian authors in this magical anthology. Featuring sweet or spicy romance, action, revenge, secrets and curses, this paranormal anthology will fill all your Valentine’s Day desires. Witch, Vampire, Demi-God, Fae and Shifter: who will get their happy ever after this Valentine’s Day?

 


A Perfectly Paranormal Halloween Anthology
Who will get their happy ever after the night the veil to the Otherworld thins?

When Demi-Gods and Demons, Witches and Fae, Dracons and Shifters come out to play on All Hallow’s Eve, it’s a night for mischief, for revelry, for power plays. It’s not a night for love … or is it? Anything could happen this Halloween ... and probably will.

A Perfectly Paranormal Halloween is the second offering in the A Perfectly Paranormal Anthology series by new and award-winning Australian authors, and features continuing and standalone stories that will give you goosebumps of the romantic kind. With sweet or spicy romance, action, revenge, secrets and curses, delicious chills and emotional thrills, you are sure to fill all your Halloween desires with this exciting collection of paranormal novellas.





A Perfectly Paranormal Easter Anthology
A time to indulge in chocolate… and romance.

As the seasons change, bright laughter fills the air and chocolate abounds. Flowers bloom and new life flourishes as fairies, witches and even the gods take a moment to appreciate the miracle of love… Or do they?

Discover the hidden magic of Easter with this highly anticipated paranormal romance anthology, featuring four original stories from the award-winning Australian authors of the A Perfectly Paranormal Anthology series. Whether you like your treats sweet or spicy, there’s guaranteed to be something in this incredible collection to tickle your fancy. Just like chocolate, there’s no such thing as too much... bring it on.










Monsters Awakened
Kyla Quinn
 Book 1, The Ruthless Dark
Released: 23 February



I’ve woken the Dark, and they’re here to claim me.

Monsters killed my family, but nobody believed me. I’m told the trauma repressed my memories and that I imagined the creatures who tore apart my family. Six-year-old Trinity couldn’t cope with the reality she witnessed and created her own.

They’re wrong. I’m no longer a child, but I still see monsters.

Six years ago, three crept into the edges of my dreams, their violet eyes shining through the shadows. But these creatures with horns and claws didn’t want to hurt me. One whispered his wicked thoughts, another watched me but never spoke, and their leader tempered their wild desires. I wanted to surrender to their dark embrace, but my monsters left me untouched and alone with my fantasies.

I’m now at Briargrove House for treatment, where Dr. Radcliffe specializes in teasing out the truth hidden inside damaged people’s heads. He promises to unlock my memories and bring those who murdered my family to justice.

But how damaged and dangerous are the others who live with me at Briargrove?

Dr. Radcliffe hopes to banish the imaginary monsters, but my three return. They call themselves the Dark, are wilder than my dreams, and fulfil every pleasure they denied me. They belong to me, and I am theirs.

My dark lovers insist that the true monsters live inside Briargrove House, so I must return to their realm. If I don’t, other creatures will take me to a different place, where the dreams promise to become nightmares.






The King's Blade
Bernadette Rowley
Book 10, Second Chance at Love
Released: 2 July in paperback


A princess whose mission is to be queen. A secret shifter, at the right hand of the king. Will their love be enough to bind them?

As Alecia Zialni pulls her people together, she fears she doesn’t have the skills or the support to accomplish her ultimate goal.
Vard Anton is now the king’s most trusted advisor, but his secrets could topple him, and his sudden rise has delivered powerful enemies.

Yearning for Vard’s support in her political aspirations, Alecia is crushed when he offers her marriage instead.
As the enemy elven forces move on Thorius and its allies, will Alecia accept Vard’s proposal or forge ahead with her plans? And can Vard save the king and Thorius from the elven menace before his secrets are exposed?



Phoenix: The Rise
Efthalia
Book 3, Phi Anthanatoi
Released: 28 May in paperback


She wants justice. He wants to make things official. But for a demi-god and vampire there are bigger battles.

Demi-god Carissa Alkippes has fought her equal share of demons and Olympian gods, when one battle ends another begins. Only this one may destroy the thin veil between supernatural creatures, gods and humans. To make things worse Zeus offers her a 'get in and out of Olympus' card, which paints a dangerous target on her back. Now she must get a handle on her power.

With new enemies hunting her down, Carissa must use everything she knows to protect those she loves from being collateral damage.

Xen Lyson, has seen much in his immortal life and walking Carissa down the aisle is at the top of his vampire list, but when an ancient libation bowl turns up, so does Discord and Death.

Now they have fight not only to protect humanity, but themselves too. Will they defeat their enemies in time to tie-the-knot?

Buy
| Amazon | B&N |





Broken Bonds
Keri Arthur
Book 8, Lizzie Grace
Released: 5 July in audio format



The winds of change are finally whispering through the Faelan Werewolf Reservation…

Lizzie Grace is doing her utmost to ignore the portents of doom, wanting nothing more than enjoy her life and her time with Aiden O’Connor while she still can. But the song of the once unprotected and very powerful wellspring still washes across the distant shores of darkness, and it continues to draw evil to the reservation.

The one that arrives this time is different from the others. Not only is it skilled in magic, but its kills are very specific. Very targeted. As the brutal deaths mount up and she, Monty, and Aiden struggle to find answers and stop the killings, Lizzie begins to suspect there’s more to this particular evil than meets the eye.

Especially when it helps save the life of a child.

But the biggest threat to Lizzie comes not in the form of evil, but rather the changes whispered on the wind.

Because the werewolf Aiden once asked to be his wife has finally arrived back in the reservation.

And she’s determined to get her man.



Buy
(awaiting other retailer links)









Non spec-fic



Amulet of Death
Suzanne Gilchrist
Book 1, Bindarra Creek Mystery
(multiple author series)
Released: 14 July


Secrets can be deadly...

Widow Natalie Wasson is excited to discover forgotten WWI letters in Bindarra Creek's oldest home. She starts to write the family's history and sets off a dangerous chain reaction.

When the ex-soldier she loved and lost years ago suddenly appears in town, and the new man in her life is mysteriously attacked, her hopes for a second chance at love are dashed.

As the stakes become personal, Natalie must decipher an ancient secret that has been hidden for over a hundred years before someone she loves pays the ultimate price.

But who can she trust? And with time running out, what if the wrong choice proves fatal?


***
Welcome to the latest best-selling Bindarra Creek romances. You will love re-visiting this quaint country town and its quirky community of compelling characters as they search for love and happiness. Follow along as they unearth secrets and face threats from their past and their present.

Don't miss out on these seven mystery romances by best-selling Australian authors. Buy now and collect them all!

Bindarra Creek - small town sweet and heartwarming romances with a healthy dash of mystery and suspense.









Interlude
Luci Hart
Book 1, Blue Phoenix
Released: 20 April



She's a girl running from a broken heart. He's a rock star escaping the fame that's breaking him. In an English seaside town, their cars and worlds collide.

Interlude was previously published as Summer Sky by Lisa Swallow in 2014. This new edition has minor changes.

Sky Davis arrives home to find her long-term boyfriend with another girl and takes an unscheduled holiday to Cornwall to escape the heartbreak. Rock star Dylan Morgan can't cope with his celebrity life controlled by other people. He walks away from his role as lead singer of Blue Phoenix, leaving behind chaos and speculation.

One car crash and one accommodation mix-up later, Sky and Dylan are forced to spend time together in a cottage by the sea.

Sky decides Dylan is an arrogant guy with too many tattoos, and Dylan is amused by the smart-mouthed girl who doesn't recognise him. But they soon discover they've travelled to Broadbeach for the same reason—to escape from reality to a place with happy childhood memories.

Losing themselves in a world where they know nothing about each other, the unlikely match start an all-consuming, secret romance that heats up their rainy English summer. But can their summer fling survive when they're forced back into their differing realities?

Interlude is the first book in the Blue Phoenix rock star romance series. Perfect for fans of captivating steamy romance, hot and brooding British rock stars, and strong, sassy heroines.








Falling
Luci Hart
Book 2, Blue Phoenix
Released: 18 April


Sky’s world turned upside down when she met rock star Dylan Morgan and exploded when she discovered his hidden past.

Four months since Sky learned Dylan’s devastating secret and he left, she’s trying to piece her life back together. Without an explanation from Dylan, Sky has no choice but to move on and forget the rock star who captured her heart. But can she?

Dragged back into the life he ran from, Dylan continues to spiral downwards as he copes with his fame the only way he knows how. Shattered by the revelation that Sky knows his darker past and unable to let her go, he finally forces himself to return to England and explain. But is the truth any better than the lie she believes?

Sky and Dylan reconnect and attempt to build on the shaky foundations created by their secret summer romance. But when the past collides with the present, the events send more shockwaves through their lives.

Taking place in the epicentre of the Blue Phoenix world, Sky and Dylan’s story continues amongst the chaos surrounding the band at home and on tour.








Unplugged
Luci Hart
Book 3, Blue Phoenix
Released: 20 May


A rock star, the girl from his past, and a little princess. What happens when Liam unplugs from Blue Phoenix and returns to his home town for Christmas?

LIAM

My world crashes around me when I see the pictures of my fiancée with another man. Merry F*cking Christmas. I'm not staying in LA to face public humiliation. There’s one place I can go to escape the hurt and lick my wounds—my family home in Wales. But I never expected to find my sister's friend Cerys Matthews living in the house. The all-grown-up, sexy as hell Cerys who could be the distraction I need.

CERYS

I once had pictures of Liam Oliver covering my bedroom wall, but my best friend’s big brother never gave me the time of day when we were kids. When I was fifteen, he left town leaving me with my fantasies about the Blue Phoenix bass player. I moved on but now the rock star is home, and the fantasies are back.

In the world of Christmas past, we reconnect. The problem is, I have a daughter and a broken relationship too. Are we two hurt people looking for comfort in a time of heartbreak or does Liam have a place in my new future?








Rising
Luci Hart
Book 4, Blue Phoenix
Released: 20 June




Self-destructive Blue Phoenix guitarist Jem meets the fierce and volatile lead singer of Ruby Riot in an intense and emotionally charged story of love, redemption, and finding a second chance in life.

After three attempts at staying clean post-rehab, Blue Phoenix guitarist Jem Jones is determined this time he'll succeed. Haunted by his recent past, Jem throws himself into the one addiction he still has: music. With Blue Phoenix on a break, he looks elsewhere for a place to channel his creativity and discovers up-and-coming band Ruby Riot.

For lead singer Ruby, breaking into the music scene could break the cycle of abuse that's controlled her life since she was a child. Release through music and the growing success of the band set Ruby on the path to regaining her identity and self-esteem.

When Ruby Riot brings the damaged rock star and Ruby together, her tangled personal life pushes her closer to a reluctant Jem. And as the band live and tour together, Jem and Ruby discover they have more in common than their passion for music.

Can their connection break down the carefully constructed barriers they're trapped behind? Or is loving somebody too big a risk to take?







Rising
Luci Hart
Book 4, Blue Phoenix
Released: 11 July



Bryn’s reputation as the uncomplicated band member is over.

At a Blue Phoenix wedding, part-time waitress Avery spills soup on drummer Bryn Hughes and loses her job. She doesn't expect to see the rock star with the odd sense of humour again—unless he's carrying a law suit. Instead, Bryn gatecrashes an evening with her friends the following day. What he does next stuns her.

Bryn is nursing a broken heart following a relationship nobody knows about, while attempting to avoid the clutches of heiress Mia, when he meets Avery. He doesn't want a relationship but she's a breath of fresh air and an escape from his unhappiness. But Avery becomes a bigger part of his life than he expected and he's unsure he can be the man who Avery deserves.

When the girl responsible for his broken heart walks back into his life with shocking news, Bryn's world spins into chaos.






The Medic
Anna Hackett
Book 4, Norcross Security
Released: 5 July in audio format


She’s a tough former soldier trying to resist the charming medic who’s going all in to claim her.

Former Norwegian special forces soldier Siv Pedersen is making a new start in San Francisco. New country, new job at Norcross Security, and her new rule: no men. She’s left her annoying ex behind and her only goal is to prove herself in her new job, especially when she’s assigned to her own investigation.

What she didn’t count on was having to work with one handsome, charming, and far-too-tempting former combat medic.

After a career as an Air Force combat medic, Ryder Morgan is happy with his life. He likes working part time as a paramedic and donating the rest of his time at a free clinic in the toughest part of the city. He always thought finding “the one” wasn’t for him…until he sees gorgeous, tough Siv in a killer red dress.

Now he’ll do anything to break through her prickly shell and convince her that he’s the man for her.

As homeless people start dying, and Ryder loses a good friend, Siv and Ryder must work together to find a killer. Going undercover as husband and wife, they have to discover who’s preying on the city’s most vulnerable before more people die. As they uncover a vast web of lies, Ryder has his work cut out for him. Not only to find justice, but to prove to Siv that he’ll protect both her body and her heart.











PRE-ORDERS



Monsters Reclaimed
Kyla Quinn
 Book 2, The Ruthless Dark
Expected Release: 29 July


Trinity now knows what happened the night her parents died.
And now she no longer know who to trust at Briargrove.

Malagan moves closer to achieving his goal and Trinity's only way to escape his plans is to find a way out of Briargrove.

One of Trinity's monstrous lovers holds the key to her safety but can she believe he'll help her?






Monsters and Mistletoe anthology
contains story by 
Kyla Quinn
Expected Release: 1 December


Hot chocolate, snowflakes, jingling bells, and… monsters?

That’s what Christmas has in store for you this year!

Add a little spice to your holiday festivities by diving into this collection of monster-loving heroines who find love in the most unusual of places.








One Wolf Next Door
Efthalia  
Book 1, The Willow Witch Chronicles
Expected Release: 22 November


A Witch. A Wolf. And defective magic.

Samantha Willow is a defective witch. Her magical powers are useless, and her coven has turned its back on her. Her comfortable and serene lifestyle is short-lived when a new neighbor moves in next door. Romance was not on the agenda. To add to her problems, one of her customers ends up dead, and the police want answers.

Dex Lycophron, wolf, and immortal warrior has had enough of fighting for humanity. He wants to put his feet up and relax, but when he gets a whiff of his delectable witchy neighbor, he knows he's not going to rest until he claims her as his mate. But to do that he must return to the world and connections he left behind.

Will the Witch admit that they belong together?




Sword of Darkness
Keri Arthur
Book 2, Relic Hunters
Expected Release: 25 October


The race to claim Agrona’s Claws before the world is forever altered continues









Wraith's Revenge
Keri Arthur
Book 10, Lizzie Grace
Expected Release: 28 February 2023


You can’t run from the past forever…

Lizzie Grace has finally returned to Canberra, the city where she grew up and a place that holds so many bad memories. Not only does she have to testify at her father’s trial, but also deal with her ex’s will and relatives unhappy that she’s inherited a good chunk of his assets.

Yet Canberra holds more than just memories of an unwanted marriage. It’s where her sister was murdered, and the man responsible was never caught.

Witches are once again being ritualistically sacrificed, and it holds terrible echoes of those past deaths.

As the murders draw closer to home, Lizzie finds herself in a race to hunt down the wraith of a man after the ultimate revenge…the soul of the woman who once escaped him.













Non Spec-Fic



Encore
Luci Hart
Book 5, Blue Phoenix
Expected Release: 20 August




The final book in the Blue Phoenix rock star romance series returns to lead singer Dylan and Sky as the challenged of their new life together in the spotlight.

Sky and Dylan have found their forever, wrapped in a world away from rock star Dylan's fame. For Sky, a future with Dylan is a life with the man who closed the book on his past for a future with her.

The deeper into her new life Sky goes, the harder she finds dealing with the public scrutiny and holding onto who she is. When a third person enters her new life with Dylan, Sky also struggles to meet the expectations she has of herself.

Dylan believes in fairy tale endings and his unwavering love for Sky, and he will fight anything that threatens their life together. But the world can throw curveballs that even the strongest couple would struggle to dodge. Including a face from the past.







Christmas Wishes & New Year's Kiss
contains novella by
Susannah Kade
Expected Release: 14 November


Christmas Wishes and New Year's Kisses is a wonderfully festive collection of holiday-themed novellas and short stories from some of the world's most loved indie authors.









Her Bleeding Heart
D.K. Hood
Book 16, Detectives Kane and Alton
Expected Release: 12 September


Rain soaks her clothes as she runs from the large, isolated family home and hides behind the beaten-up pickup truck parked out front. Miles from safety, her heart thuds as footsteps draw closer. He’s found her…

The rain had been falling for weeks when Black Rock Falls Sheriff, Jenna Alton, receives a panicked phone call from a local forest ranger. The lifeless body of a woman has washed up on the banks of a swollen river.

Rushing to the scene, Jenna and her deputy, David Kane, find the young girl laying face up in the dirt, her long brown hair spilling out around her, her perfect pale skin showing no signs of struggle. Leaning in for a closer look, she finds a jack of hearts playing card tucked into the girl’s underwear. This was no accident—someone killed this innocent soul, and left a twisted calling card…

Days later, another young woman is found slumped in the back of car at a local truck stop on the outskirts of town, angry red marks around her neck. Jenna’s head spins when she finds a second playing card in her clothing. Is this killer escalating? And does he have a next victim already in his sights?

As a landslide shuts the town off from the outside world, Jenna and her team battle raging storms in their search for answers. Jenna is convinced the playing cards link these victims to a twisted serial killer the FBI have been hunting for over a decade. If she’s right, she’s chasing America’s most dangerous and elusive killer. Can she catch him before Black Rock Falls loses another innocent young life?


Pre-Order







COVERS


Alpha Male Anthology
contains Luna Hunted by
Helen Walton
Expected Release: TBA













ON SALE



Whisper in the Night
D.K. Hood
Book 6, Detectives Kane and Alton
Currently at a lower price on Amazon



She opens her eyes and struggles to make out the dark room around her. One thing she knows instantly – her wrists are bound and she’s tied to a chair, unable to move. As she screams for help, she hears footsteps outside. He’s coming…

Fifteen-year-old Lindy Rosen has been having nightmares for weeks, waking in a panic, screaming that there’s a man in her room watching her sleep. Her parents assumed it was her overactive imagination, but when one morning they find Lindy missing from her bedroom, they’re not so sure. Detective Jenna Alton is called in to investigate.

Within hours of the schoolgirl going missing, the kidnapper reaches out to Jenna with a video of Lindy bound and tied to a chair, crying to be set free. And a simple message – you’ve got 24 hours to find her or I kill her.

Jenna’s team work around the clock to try to find Lindy before the deadline, but time runs out, and Jenna receives a devastating message. The killer has made good on his promise. He’s playing a dangerous game. And no one knows what his next move will be.









OTHER






Khloe Wren

Saving Scout has been translated in German. You can pre-order now.








Khloe has also had her image used as a cover model!










D.K. Hood


D.K. has updated her website.



Don't Tell a Soul has been translated into French.





The Crying Season has been translated into German.








~~~


Congratulations to our DarkSiders.

Thanks for joining us. Until next time, be safe and well.





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