DarkLight On...Keri Arthur and Refilling the Creative Well!

 

Whether we’re writing full-time, part-time, or in whatever random gaps we might get in-between work and family, the one thing no writer can do without is time to refill the well.

We are not machines. We cannot write novel after novel without a break and expect it to have no detrimental effect on our writing health. While a full well fuels and inspires new ideas and productivity, an empty one can mean the exact opposite—a lack of inspiration and motivation which can often lead to a lack of focus, words, and all-around frustration.

copyright: Keri Arthur

So, how do we go about refilling our wells?

The best way to do that is to find a side passion—something else that’s creatively or mentally stimulating you can do at least a couple of times a week. Many people recommend reading, but while that is a damn good option for some, it just doesn’t work for me. I’m at the computer screen all day staring at words; the last thing I need is to be staring at words on a tablet or even in a book.

copyright: Keri Arthur

What does work for me is combining two passions—walking and photography. I walk every day in a vague effort to keep fit, but, as those who follow my personal page know, I take an awful lot of photographs during those walks. Most of the time, they’re nothing special—just a random something that caught my eye, like a pretty rose, a sunrise, or a lovely old tree. The subject doesn’t matter; it’s more about getting my mind’s eye off words and looking for photo possibilities. And honestly? The best way I’ve found to unstick a scene is to go out for a walk or jump in the car and drive somewhere to grab some photographs. It’s amazing what the muse can come up with if you’re not putting any pressure on her—even if that means getting up at ungodly hours to get the perfect sunrise (still searching for that one).

copyright: Keri Arthur

Other creative ways to refill the well would be: drawing, sewing, visiting gardens or museums, wandering along a beach, or simply sitting in a café and people-watching. It doesn’t really matter, as long as you’re taking a few minutes of personal time at least once or twice a week to look after your creative and mental health.

copyright: Keri Arthur

Remember, creativity is not a machine, and neither are you.

So, what do you do to refill the well? Let’s chat!

Latest Release

Bia's Blade

Book 6, Relic Hunters

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer... 

Bethany Aodhán is not only a reluctant relic hunter for Deva’s Fae Council, but also a major “chess piece” in the latest round of godly games. When a fallen storm goddess tasks her with finding Bia’s Blade—a godly weapon capable of bringing anyone under the control of its wielder—she knows danger will once again stalk her.

As if that was not enough to deal with, the council hands her a second mission—find the person who, with the help of another godly relic, broke into one of the most secure banks in all of England to steal a handful of documents.

It soon becomes clear that the person behind the break-in is after the same thing Beth is—the location of Carla Wilson, the second-in-command of the Ninkilim.

But things become more complicated when she receives confirmation that someone close to her works for the enemy. What she doesn’t know is how far they will go to fulfill their contract.

And whether it really even matters.

Because Carla Wilson has finally had enough of Bethany’s interference, and is now determined to bring her under total control… with the help of Bia’s Blade.

Buy

Ebook - Author store

Audiobook - author store

Keri Arthur

Keri Arthur, author of the New York Times bestselling Riley Jenson Guardian series, has now written more than 25 books. She's received several nominations in the Best Contemporary Paranormal category of the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Awards and recently won RT's Career Achievement Award for Urban Fantasy. She lives with her daughter in Melbourne, Australia.

Visit Keri's website: keriarthur.com

Magic Thursday: Writing and brain fog with Eleni Konstantine!

 

Writing for me is most likely never going to be full time and that's okay. Because this is me. 

For those who don't know me, I suffer from CFS/ME - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome / Myalgic Encephalomyelitis - and Fibromyalgia. The bitch of it being 'brain fog'. This can cloud the mind, making it feel heavy, muffled, slow, and dull. When I push myself too far, the brain fog pushes back.  

It's the worst with writing. I can manage to design covers and write articles for Romance Writers of Australia's  Hearts Talk in manageable bursts. But thinking about writing can be like being stuck in mud with an invisible wall between me and actually drafting the story. 

Up until the last two years, I’d start a story, only to stop a few pages in. Being a pantser, I love exploring my story and characters this way, but the focus wasn’t there. So I tried planning but this didn't work either. I just kept on stalling. Again and again.   

But recently, writing is part of my life again. While my writing may be in fits and starts, it has returned. 

There are a number of reasons for this change, including changes in medication, changes in diet, breaking up my day, limiting time on screens, engaging in free writing to get things out of my mind, more reading time as a reader (though the author brain doesn't always switch off), improved sleep hygiene, having a basic routine, and getting more movement in.

The words have been mostly by hand in notebooks, with scribbling of ideas as well. I had a roll-on effect for a little and I finished a short story, then started on another. Then another.

Unfortunately there have been a few more fits and starts since then. The latest being recently with the end of year madness, and also another change in medication, so I am trying to find my new baseline. I know it's a matter of adapting my writing life to my needs using patience and perseverance. Also, it’s a matter of reviewing of what works and doesn’t work, and making the necessary changes. 

Nothing is set in stone. 

A few things I keep in mind:

Writing specific:

• The writing doesn't have to be perfect. I can fix it later. 
• Picking my time and working with my energy, not against it. 3pm is not the time for me. This is when my brain is getting sleeping and my afternoon nap calls. I've done quite a few middle of the night writing sessions. 
• Any writing is better than none.
• Not berate self for not writing every day.  
• Leaving breadcrumbs about the story, so I know where I'm going the next writing session.
• Setting realistic goals and deadlines. Not every day is a good day. 
• Stop writing before getting overtired.
• Be positive towards the writing even when the words aren't flowing. 

General:

• Getting in breaks as needed during the day, and having rest days. 
• Breaking up all tasks into manageable bits. 
• Multi-tasking is the enemy of focus.
• Treat myself kindly.
• To be patient  - there's always tomorrow.

 

So going back to my opening sentence. I know I don't have the energy levels or concentration to be able to write the amount needed to be a full time author, and to rely on my writing for the income. Not having that pressure on myself means I can be more realistic with my projects. 

Writing is first and foremost for me, as I love telling stories, but hopefully other people will enjoy reading my stories as well. 

That doesn't mean I will not stretch myself writing wise, but it does mean less stress on myself to accomplish something not in my reach, which in turn can only help my stories and characters. This also doesn't mean things will not change depending on the brain fog. I may be able to write more and lessen other tasks.  It's a matter of being flexible. 

My goal this year is to indie publish a dragon short story collection (yes, that had been my goal last year but it was a year of health investigations in what ended up being more manifestations of the fibromyalgia). 

I've got a number of stories in first draft form, and am writing a few more. I'm keeping myself accountable with sharing on the Paraloop (the private loop of the DarkSiders). And I'll be adjusting each month to be able to balance life and writing. 

Sharing here will also keep me accountable. 

Wish me luck!

~ Eleni 

Images from Deposit Photos

Enchanted Dreams

a short story collection

Be transported to fantastical worlds in this collection of nineteen speculative fiction shorts of previously published works and new stories.  From wizards to magic mirrors, dragons to ghosts, minions to goddesses, space ships to diamond slippers, there's an enchanting tale right for you.

Get a free copy now!

Limited time only

Eleni Konstantine

Eleni Konstantine writes speculative fiction (with and without romance) and finds enchantment in escaping the known world and entering another one. Magic and other mythical beings have always fascinated her. What’s to not like? Anything can happen! Sprinkle in a romance and a happy ending and she’s on cloud nine.

Find Eleni at: elenikonstantine.com

 

DarkLight On ... L.A. Monteiro!

 

Welcome L.A.!

You write paranormal romance, most notably monster romance. What attracted you to this genre?

I was celebrating my completion of an emerging writers' program and went to a dinner with people who'd completed the program within the past 3 years. NONE of them were still writing. That was shocking to me because the program itself took 2 years to complete. I realised the best way to make sure that didn't happen to me was to make my ADHD brain happy with dopamine and write what I felt like, which was short works and monster romance, both of which have a really playful, fun vibe. It worked, I'm still writing!

Are you a plotter? Panster? Or somewhere in-between?

I'm an extensive planner which includes plotting. I use spreadsheets for my novels now that mark up my favourite beat sheets (save the cat, romancing the beat) with their approximate chapter in the book, and when I'm writing a new genre or length I look to my favourite comparable books and chart them in the spreadsheet before I plot my own book. It will change in the writing, but the beats help me keep pacing in frame and I use comps to help guide elements like length of chapters, point of view balance, 75% conflict etc. 

In another tab I keep a character grid with their archetypes (from Heroes and Heroines 16 master archetypes), goals, flaws etc (from 'take off your pants') and tags and traits (from Jim Butcher's blog). 

It might seem a bit overdone, but my 3 top Clifton Strengths are Learner, Arranger and Focus. I'm into learning new stuff then using it to arrange "pieces and resources" for maximum productivity to obtain a long-term end goal. 

 

What is your favourite part of the writing process?

Planning is my favourite part now. It really draws on everything I've learned about book marketing (which is mostly about positioning your book in the market) and I know it saves me time on rewrites. I rewrote my first book 14 times and I never want to do that again.

I not only have 'this is a good idea for a book' lightbulbs now, I also start thinking about the 25%, 50% and 75% conflicts, the character archetypes, and what's in the market that looks like my idea. I also think about my voice and whether I can write it well. And then I get to read books for research, which is pretty fun lol. By the end of the process, I know I'm not going to waste my time or get stalled if I write the book.

What is next for you?

I released 12 short indie titles last year. It was like a hands-on Masters degree in publishing, both fun and stressful. After I finished writing the final book in my orc romance series in January, I reassessed why I'm writing and what I want to write. I realised I'd never written something I was really passionate about and I'm more interested in improving as a novel writer right now than making money.

I made a list of things I hate in the world and things I love to help guide me. I drew from my 'id list' which is things I love in books like characters, tropes, settings etc. Marketing was also a consideration, but I wanted to write a book I could write better than anyone else (I think I read that in an Elana Johnson book and it stuck with me). When I got closer to an idea then I went into planning mode, which I wrote about above - considering and mapping out comps. 

I spent 3 months researching and planning (while doing a million other things like the ADHD squirrel I am), 6 months drafting, and 2 months polishing and pitching (to Penguin, Harper Collins, Hachette and Simon & Schuster) an 80k novel. As part of my process I picked a title, designed a cover and created a playlist to help land the tone. (More planning!) It's a 'Buffy meets Bladerunner' vampire romance and it's a significant shift from my previous work. I have not got a contract as yet, but have had great feedback on pages after only a couple of weeks. The speed of the feedback is a great sign because it means my book is well-placed in the market so I nailed my positioning and pitch. If this book doesn't get picked up I am likely to do the same process next year. 

Latest Release

Claimed by the Orc

Book 6, Seasonal Spice

He can't trust her. But could she be the queen he needs?

The villainous orc Evan has betrayed everyone who once cared for him. Seeking redemption, he takes back his orcish name Gevrank, and returns to his home world to kill the Southern King who enslaved his people. But Tessa, a witch with her own dark past, follows him to seek her own revenge. When she fails, their fates entwine as Tessa's true mystic nature comes to light.

This enemies to lovers monster romance is the sizzling conclusion to the Seasonal Spice series, featuring orcs, mating, heats and shape-shifting. It can be read as a standalone but refers to events in previous books.

Buy

L. A. Monteiro

L. A. Monteiro is a fantasy romance author based in Australia.

She’s an Eurasian second-generation Australian and an expert at living between worlds. Her stories tend to feature a diverse cast of characters that reflect her lived experience.

For ten years she used her communications degree to write for other people. Then (to prove she could) she started writing fiction. Now she works part-time to allow time for the stories in her head.

In 2020 she won the KSP Writers’ Centre ‘Spooky stories’ competition and was a finalist in Writing WA’s ‘Flashing the cover’ competition. She was selected for the Peter Cowan Writing Centre’s emerging writers program in 2021 and came first in the Romance Writers Australia Spicy Bites short story competition in 2023. 

She writes contemporary romance, urban fantasy, paranormal and monster romance.

​Visit L.A.'s  website: ​authorlamonteiro.com

DarkLight On... Helen Walton!

Welcome Helen!

You write fantasy romance and paranormal romance. What attracted you to both of these genres?

I’ve been a huge fan of vampires since I can remember. Buffy is the best show ever and I just completed a rewatch for the zillionth time. As for fantasy, who doesn’t want to disappear to another world where castles and magic are the norm?




You also have written contemporary romance. Was it difficult separating this from your speculative fiction work?

I enjoy reading both contemporary romance and speculative fiction so separating them while writing wasn’t hard. Sometimes it’s easier to write what we know, but sometimes it’s easier to write something magical and out of this world. I’ve been enjoying the fantasy worlds lately so I might stay writing in these for a while.




Are you a plotter? Panster? Or somewhere in-between?

I’m a total pantser. Sometimes I start with an idea for a book, or a scene, or even a character, but I never know what is going to happen until I sit down and write.




Do you have advice for aspiring writers?

Honestly, I listened to so much advice when I first started that it was too much. So my advice is to listen to yourself. You know what you want to write, so do it.




How did you find the recent book signing Wild Out West (in Perth) where you were a signing author? What was your take-away from it?

Wild Out West was an amazing time! Louisa West and Julie Weaver put on a fabulous event for the authors and readers. Saturday night we had an exclusive author mingling hour before the VIP readers joined us. Drinks, food, lots of laughs and entertainment from the Drag Queen host Sassie Cassie, who I was lucky enough to have read out a part of my book. Sunday was book signing day and the many readers were so lovely. I even had my first reader bring a book from home for me to sign.

How do you fill the creative well?

Well, at the moment, my creative well is stone dry. My day job sucked up every last drop of precious imagination, but I have a new job now, so I’m hoping the well will start trickling again. As for filling it, I think that comes from everything around me, books, television, nature, animals, family, and a bit of free time to let my imagination run wild.




Can you tell us about your latest release?

Elise in Werewolf Land is a twisted Alice in Wonderland retelling and book 2 in the Vampire Tales series. Elise is one of a kind, a witch turned into a vampire, and in hiding from her evil family. Asher is a bad boy werewolf with a tortured past trapped in a curse made by her family. To free them both, Elise and Asher have to work together to escape Werewolf Land. A whole lot of crazy adventures ensues that brings them closer together, and the cocky werewolf and sassy witch find the sort of unconditional forever love neither of them thought they deserved.




What was your inspiration behind it?

Book 1 in the Vampire Tales, Isabel and the Werewolf Beast, is a twisted Beauty and the Beast retelling, so when the side character Asher said I have a story too, I sat down to think about what other fairytale retelling I could do. A few came to mind, but the one that stuck was Alice in Wonderland. I just love the craziness of the original story and knew that twisting it up would fit with book 1.

Elise in Werewolf Land

Book 2, Vampire Tales

Two broken souls, one impossible love. Will it save them or destroy them?


Elise

For so long, I’ve remained hidden. My very existence should be impossible. Yet here I am, one of a kind, a vampire witch.

All the magical power of my witch heritage at my fingertips, combined with the strength and immortality of a vampire means I’m almost indestructible, but my sire is too protective. Too determined to keep me safe from my evil family.

An instant spark of awareness hits me the moment my sire delivers a comatose werewolf to my secret chamber. Then he reveals my brother’s dangerous magic has cursed Asher and they need my help. If I break the curse, I’ll end the last of my bloodline and I’ll finally be free.

The moment I use my magic, I know I’ve miscalculated the curse. Something pulls me into the darkness and now I’m stuck in werewolf land with no clue how to get out. Worse, I’m trapped with a werewolf who doesn’t know what I really am. I’m also a vampire, sworn enemy of werewolves, and related to the man who’d hurt him. If he finds out, the results could be disastrous.

Then there’s this incredible pull towards him…


Asher

I’d thought becoming a werewolf would make me strong and powerful, but it wasn’t enough to save me from the warlock’s attack. I’m not sure if I’m dead or alive… or trapped in something worse. Then a beautiful woman appears, a witch who says she’s come to help me.

The longer we stay in this strange place, the more it tries to harm us. If her magic wand can’t get us out, do we even stand a chance? But the longer I’m with her, the less I want to leave.

She’s beautiful, clever, and strong. Everything in me aches to kiss her and claim her as mine. I can’t help feeling if we escape this place, everything I feel about her will disappear, too.

Is this what it feels like when a werewolf finds their mate?

Alice in Wonderland meets the witches, vampires and werewolves of Vampire Diaries in this forced proximity, fated love, spicy paranormal romance.


It features a standalone romance with a happy ending for the main couple and completes the series.

Read the complete series

Isabel and the Werewolf Beast

Elise in Werewolf Land

Helen Walton

Helen Walton is a tea drinking, chocoholic, romance writer. Stories are her obsession. She adores creating sweet and sensual romances containing a sprinkling of humor and the all-important happy ending. She lives in South Australia with her family, and menagerie of quirky animals where they all take her away from her book world and demand to be fed. Lucky for them, she enjoys cooking but prefers baking.

​Connect with Helen on her website helenwaltonauthor.com

DarkLight On... K.E. Turner!

Welcome K.E.!

Are you a plotter? Panster? Or somewhere in-between?

I'm most definitely a pantser. When I first started writing I was as extreme a pantser as you could imagine. Which is bizarre, because I'm otherwise a very organised person. I would start with a simple idea and just run with it. It might be scene I visualized in my head, or an idea for a character, male or female. For Wolf's Keep it was the idea that there was a medieval knight (or chevalier as I ended up going with 10th C France) who was keeping this woman in his keep. He's supposed to be the bad guy, but it turns out he's really the good guy. Then, as I started writing, he became a werewolf and she became a 21st century archaeologist stuck in the past.

Now that I'm a few books into my first series, I do have a bit of series bible because I have so much world building, so many characters and plot threads I have to keep track of. But in typical pantser style, I have a traitor in my series that even I didn't know the identity of until I was about halfway through book four (to be released in September). 

There are times when I do wish I was more of a plotter. Some books have taken me on a lot of wild goose chases. Some I've needed to do a lot of work in the editing phase, removing or rewriting complete chapters, or adding new ones. I've also had revelations happen in Chapter 32, that mean Chapter 2, 5 and 17 have to be rewritten because said revelation has changed something.

It also makes it hard to do a series synopsis for my publisher. I'll often know who my main characters will be for each book at the beginning of the series, but as I'm discovering their characters as I go, I don't have much else to give them like as plot, tropes etc. Or, the plot changes by the time I get to that book. Book 5 of The Wolves of Langeais, which I'm writing the first draft of now, is a perfect example. It was meant to be MF romance. Now it's MFM (a menage). Thankfully, my publisher was okay with the change.

I have attempted to plot, but it's always ended up an unmitigated disaster. So now I stick to what I know works for me, and allow more time for editing.

What has been the story you’ve most enjoyed working on?

It's really hard to choose a favourite story. They all have things I like about them—favourite characters, plotlines, particular scenes—but I think the one I had the most fun writing was Wolf's Redemption- The Wolves of Langeais Book 3. I'd been looking forward to writing Ulrik's story. He was the naughty boy of my wolf pack and he had a past I was eager to get into, but it was the heroine, Bek, that made writing that book so much fun. She's a little bit crass, she says what she thinks, and she's not really afraid of anything. She's tattooed and pierced, with her own morally-grey back story. She calls Ulrik on his BS often. I guess I got to live vicariously through her and say things I, personally, would never be brave enough to say. And she led him on a bit of a chase, too, literally. She steals his clothes while he's swimming in the pond, then takes off on foot, hiding his clothes and boots in several different places in the forest. I still get a laugh out of that scene.

Do you have advice for aspiring writers?

There's lots of advice out there for aspiring writers—a lot of it really good—but not every piece of advice works for every writer. 

What I have found to be of a huge benefit to me, is joining a writer's group. I joined the RWA Aspirer's group and it was the best thing I have ever done. Writing can be such an isolating process. Not everyone understands the drive to write, and even if they are supportive, they don't understand the industry, grammar, writer's block or our desire to share the good and the bad writing days with people who understand. 

I learnt so much about the industry, about writing, and about writing tools from other writers in the Aspirer's group. I'd never heard of Bookfunnel or Mailerlite. I'd never used Canva or Bookbrush, before I joined. Even more important, I found my beta readers in the Aspirers group. There are numerous posts in writer's Facebook groups looking for beta readers. Horror stories of writers hiring someone from Fiverr only to have their work run through Chatgpt, or pay and get very little in return. I have two AMAZING beta readers with who I have a reciprocal arrangement—they read mine, I read theirs—and they are worth their weight in gold. They pull me up when my writing becomes repetitive. They find plot holes I've missed, and they're also there to support me and cheer me on. I don't know what I would do without them.

What I wish I'd known, or done right from the beginning, was develop my brand. I don't come from a marketing background. Graphic design is NOT my forte. When I first started posting on social media, I really had no idea what I was doing. I was told you need to have a presence on social media. I've recently seen that used to great effect by a writer who now has an agent and a book deal. For me, I started randomly posting...stuff. Even when my first book, Wolf's Keep, was published, my promotional posts were a dog's breakfast. There was no rhyme or reason to them. The images were random. There was no colour scheme. It took me a long time, and following a lot of clever writers with marketing backgrounds, or who were very good at marketing, to really get my head around what my brand was, what it should look like, and how it could work for me. I'm still learning, but I hope it looks a lot more polished now than it did back then.

I also wished I'd thought to get everything in place—website, newsletter, Bookfunnel, domain, email, branding—before I got a contract. These things can be time consuming, and stressful. Don't get me started on the difficulties I had authenticating Mailerlite (it involved a lot of swearing and an IT guy from Fiverr to sort it out). Once you have a contract—or in the case of Indie authors, your book on preorder—you have time constraints and responsibilities.

Publishing your first book is exhilarating...and overwhelming. There's so much to do, even for Trad authors. There's going through rounds of edits- with my publisher it's usually two rounds- then working with them on the cover. I don't have a huge amount of say in my covers, but I have to provide mood boards, and all sorts of main character information for the cover designer and the publisher to go through. There's so many places you have to update about your new release, there's marketing, cover reveals, ARCs- yes, as a Trad author I am responsible for all of my own ARCs. There's giveaways, promotions, newsletters to go out. You really don't need to add to that by trying to set everything up. Especially not for your first book release. 

Yes, I was given this piece of advice numerous times, but I figured there was no point having a website if I didn't have a book to put on it. Right? Most things, website included, can be set up ready to go but not be made live until you are ready. In hindsight, had I done all of that before I got a contract, I think it would have taken some of the pressure off.

What can we expect from you in the future?

My new series, The Descendants, is next for me. It came about because I wondered what my Langeais wolves would look like in the 21st century. And once that idea arose, I couldn't let it go. It's spicier, and it does have a lot of links with my Wolves of Langeais Series. Some side characters in The Descendants, will also be in the Wolves of Langeais series. But it will be able to be read as a standalone series.

The Descendants-The Wolves of Langeais- are from an ancient pack, born out of myth and legend, and while they have come a long way over the centuries, two things haven’t changed. They are still the only true werewolves with a bite that can turn humans. And their enemies, with their roots in the pack’s medieval past, are as determined as ever to wipe them from the earth. 

 The Langeais Wolves will go anywhere and do anything to protect their pack, but with their true mates out there somewhere in the world, they’ll need to put more than their lives on the line for their pack to survive.

Book 1, The Wolf and His Witch, releases on July 22nd. It's a second chance Christmas romance (for Christmas in July) following head of pack security, Gabriel Montagne and his fated mate, San Franciscan witch Annabelle Jackson.

Three years ago, in Paris, Gabriel left Annabelle standing alone on the Champs Elysees. On Christmas Eve. His pack had needed him. Gabriel hadn't told Annabelle he was a werewolf, or that she was his fated mate. She hadn't told him she was a witch, or her real name.

When the fates of the San Francisco Bay coven and the Langeais wolves collide, Annabelle and Gabriel are thrown together again. Trusting Gabriel isn’t on Annabelle’s agenda, but with the coven divided, and Annabelle’s suitability to rule it questioned, she’s forced to work with him. There’s more than broken trust and power struggles at stake. The fate of witchcraft and the Langeais wolves hangs in the balance. And this time, Gabriel is not walking away.

Tell us about your latest release.

My latest release is Wolf's Redemption- The Wolves of Langeais Book 3

It follows the story of Ulrik Voclain- resident bad boy of the Langeais wolf pack. He drinks too much, he flirts too much, he's alienated most of his pack, but he's got his demons. In book 1, he sacrificed himself to save his alpha and his alpha's mate, and ends up in the underground dungeon of the Comte de Anjou, bound in silver. He's prepared to die there, until along comes Rebekah Clarke. A 21st century down-on-her-luck barmaid, Rebekah's trying to get her life back on track. She has no time for bad boys. Been there, done that, has the parole papers to prove it. She's most definitely not going to fall in love, or lust, with the one chained to a wall. Even if he is every one of her darkest fantasies come to life. But if she wants to escape and find her way home, she's going to have to trust him. 

This is a redemption arc story times two. Both Bek and Ulrik are looking for their redemption. It's a fish out of water, forced proximity, fated mates story with a dash of he would die for her.

Blurb

He’s no saint. She’s no angel. Together, they might find redemption.

​​Rebekah’s penchant for bad boys has gotten her nothing but trouble—a brush with the law, a tyrant landlady, a job in the worst pub in London and a sleezy boss who’s best mates with her hardass parole officer. She’s desperately trying to start over and make a better life for herself.​​

Not returning the little gold amulet wasn’t her best idea. Translating the weird inscription on the back… She may live to regret that stupidity. Now she’s in more trouble than ever, stuck in the past, in the dungeon of a 10th century keep, with a guy who’s every one of her darkest fantasies.

​​Ulrik Voclain, 10th century chevalier and werewolf, has made his fair share of bad decisions. They’ve cost him his family, his friends and the respect of his pack. Sacrificing himself for his alpha and getting thrown into the Count of Anjou’s dungeon wasn’t his greatest idea, but it’s one he doesn’t regret. He’s not averse to escaping, though, when a chance presents itself. Especially when that opportunity is a woman with curves in all the right places.

​Ulrik needs the strangely attired beauty’s help to break free of the dungeon. Rebekah’s only chance of survival is with the raspy voiced man chained to the wall. He understands the danger they’re in. She’s not prepared to trust another outlaw.

​​On the run, his enemies closing in, Ulrik is determined to change her mind. Rebekah is hell bent on resisting him. When the chemistry between them explodes, there’ll be no turning back.

Buy

K.E. Turner

K.E. Turner can't remember a time when she wasn't writing stories or reading books—as a teenager in class instead of doing math, in her lunch break at work, or at home when there's housework to be done. With a love of history, suspense, paranormal, and romance, she enjoys combining more than one element in her stories. She writes spicy paranormal romances with strong but good-hearted heroes, smart, sassy heroines, and an unexpected villain or two, to shake things up.

She lives with her husband in Western Australia.

Visit K.E.'s website: keturnerbooks.com

DarkLight On.... Amy Hutton!

Welcome, Amy!

You write romantic comedy but are now delving into the paranormal. What attracted you to both of these genres?

My two favourite genres have always been horror and romance. I’m a big fan of both across all media – books, movies and TV. I had written some light horror short stories just for fun, and when I first decided to try to write something longer, I thought that’s what I would do. What I didn’t realise was, until I was in the thick of it, that I was actually writing a love story with big R romance at its core.

My light horror became a paranormal romance as it unfolded in front of me, and when it was finished, I knew that was what I wanted to write. Romance with a bit of spook. I’d discovered I love writing love. But I’d also discovered I have a naturally funny voice. I can’t help but have fun with banter and situations, even in darkness – letting a little comedy and romance lighten the story.

So, I launched into this idea that I would write romance through a paranormal gaze, but when I was working on my second manuscript - a follow up to my first, now paranormal romance - the opening scene of Sit, Stay, Love downloaded into my brain and would not leave me alone. So eventually, I gave in, pushed the other story aside and wrote a sweet and sexy Aussie romcom with humans and the pets that save them. Then I had a small-town romance idea. So… I wrote that — which very nicely came second in the Emerald. Then I got a book contract for Sit, Stay, Love, quickly followed by another two-book deal one of which would be the second book in the Sit, Stay, Love Universe called Love from Scratch. After that was delivered, I wrote another story in the SSL Universe. But when my publisher and I were discussing this and it being my third book, my original paranormal romance came up in the conversation. I had worked on that story – the first one I ever wrote – over and over in between everything else. Having it beta’d and professionally edited, improving and changing it as I grew as a writer. I had entered it in several competitions, and it won and placed in quite a few. I had pitched it and had a few material requests but no further interest because paranormal, at the time, was not in favour– at least not in the trad publishing world. At one point I was going to indie publish it and even worked up a cover idea and had it formatted. But when Sit, Stay, Love got picked up – I put my paranormal romance on hold to focus on the trad publishing deal. Now, all of a sudden, my publisher wanted to read it, the story that started my journey, my heart story to be honest, and much to my surprise, she decided that should be my next book. So, I’ve circled back to paranormal romance! Except, I also have a few other ideas outside of the paranormal world, so now I think of myself as a romance author – and wherever the love takes me, that’s where I’ll go.

Are you a plotter? Pantser? Or somewhere in-between?

I think you can see from the first question, that initially; I was definitely a pantser! Now I would say I’m somewhere in between. When writing to a contract, I had to submit my concept to my publisher, so she at least had a little bit of an idea of what I was writing! That’s how I approach all my ideas now. I don’t break them out, I don’t work out all the things that are going to happen or break them into chapters. I don’t really plan anything – I’m incapable of that level of organisation. But I do write an elevator pitch and a blurb, even if just very rough, that gives me some idea of what the story is and where it might go, though not the nuts and bolts of it. Then with the idea sort of locked, I start to write and find the characters and the voices, letting the story flow in the direction it flows. I also edit as I go. Not intensely, but I like the first draft to be pretty clean. I like to know that if I handed it off to someone, they would be able to read it, even if it was still a bit messy here and there. I absolutely cannot do a vomit draft. It stresses me out too much, and I find it too overwhelming when it comes to draft two.



How did your former work as a TV Producer help you in your writing?

For a long time, I worked exclusively on promoting movies. Making promos and trailers for them, and sometimes little mini docos. I have seen a lot of movies! When promoting movies and TV shows, you listen out for dialogue grabs that help to tell the story. You get quite tuned into that – and of course the story itself. To me, I think, through this, my TV work has helped me in two specific ways. Structure. That’s something I’ve never had a problem with and in the three books that have gone through edits with my publisher, the structure hasn’t changed. I’ve never had to move stuff around or change anything substantial, and I think picking through movies and TV for the elements that can nail the story for the audience, and building something that can tell that story, engaging the audience in thirty seconds, has helped my structuring skills. Dialogue. I have listened to sooo much dialogue over the years, and I have also written scripts to be read by voiceover artists — words to be spoken. I think these two things have given me a bit of a dialogue knack. It’s something that I often receive feedback on; that my dialogue feels natural. I will also say the other way my other career has assisted me is in producing marketing material. I worked in promotions and marketing, I did full on graphic courses, went to Facebook headquarters for courses on FB and Insta campaigns, produced for all the social streams as well as TV, can edit video, so those skills have been an unexpected gift!



Do you have advice for aspiring writers?

There are a few things I think are important. Write and keep writing. If you really want to do this thing, you’ve got to keep writing. That’s the only way it works sadly! You’ve got to get the words onto the page. Do it how it suits you. People will tell you write every day, write to a schedule, do this, do that, but do it your way. It’s a creative process and we’re all different. But you have to write. Find your people. You’re going to have loads of questions and wobbly moments, so having people who get it and have your back and can be your support when you need it is super important. We all lift each other up. Keep learning and reading. These two things go hand-in-hand, because reading is learning. So do craft courses, read craft books, but also read — in your chosen genre, and outside of it too. Reading is essential to becoming a good writer. Start connecting with your readers now. The sad fact is, we are not just authors, we are marketers and promoters, event organisers, publishers and publicists, designers and retailers. We wear a lot of hats! Start developing ways to reach your readers early. Set up your social media now. Start talking books and reading and anything else that connects with your work. Be authentic. Choose a space you feel comfortable and focus on that. Don’t wait until the book is about to come out. Get it going now and start building your community.

Mostly, don’t give up. If you love writing you probably won’t anyway but keep going even when it’s tough. Write what is in your heart and don’t judge yourself on other’s success. Our journeys are all different. Focus on your own path and work on getting there.

I also want to say, when talking about trad publishing, as much as the ability to tell a fresh story is essential, so is luck. You need to get your story in front of the right eyeballs at exactly the right moment. With Sit, Stay, Love – I pitched that in 2022 when rom-coms were just popping. So I was lucky I had a fun, hopeful, rom-com when that was what readers, and consequently publishers, were looking for. With my paranormal – it languished for a few years because that genre was not ‘in’, at least not in Aussie publishing. Then all of a sudden, paranormal was coming back around. Ali Hazelwood, a mainstream rom-com writer, put out a paranormal that went off, and trad publishing was suddenly interested again. I just happened to have a paranormal romance with a rom-com vibe finished and ready to go just as the genre was coming back into the zeitgeist. That was very lucky and like I said earlier, very unexpected. Obviously, my stories had to connect with my publisher, and she had to see something in them to support them – but don’t underestimate timing and luck. Getting a book deal is equal parts talent. timing and luck.

What else can we expect from you in the future?

I have a couple of festivals coming up. I’m appearing at Storyfest in Ulladulla and a new Sydney festival that hasn’t been announced yet. I’m also running workshops through the Northern Beaches and Mosman College and Writing NSW.

My paranormal romance is out later this year. So, I’m in the process of preparing for that. It had a title and a release date which was locked and out there, but I had a change of publisher (my changed houses,) and when she looked at it, she pitched a title change and new release date. Both of which I thought were great. So that new title, release date and the very gorgeous cover will be released on May 26! Keep an eye on my socials! I’m also working on a follow up to that story, along with a sports rom-com and a paranormal rom-com series. So there’s a bit going on!



What are you currently reading/watching?

Reading: I’ve just finished Fan Service by Rosie Danan. Big rec for this – especially if you love Supernatural, Teen Wolf, The Vampire Diaries and extra especially if you’ve ever identified as fannish. I’m now reading Ali Hazelwood’s latest, Deep End. I’ve also just finished the ARC for Emma Mugglestone’s run club romance out through Penguin in a couple of months called In the Long Run.

TV: Well, I’m watching The Last of Us, The Studio, trying not to binge through You on Netflix. But mostly right now I’m watching ER! I had to get Max to watch The Last of Us, and as I’d just finished The Pitt (amazing if you haven’t watched it) I saw ER there and thought I’d check it out and now I’m on season 9! It’s been a fascinating time capsule. It starts in 1994 and it’s now 2005 – so they now have mobile phones. Flip ones with pull-up aerials!

Movies: I just saw Thunderbolts*, which was super fun, and Sinners, which is a must see. SO GOOD! I’m hanging out for Final Destination Bloodlines, and The Conjuring: Last Rites, (though I was underwhelmed by the trailer.) But mostly I’m busting to see the new Lilo and Stitch live action! I will be there on opening day!



What other ways do you fill the creative well?

I love producing graphics in Canva and spend a fair amount of time doing that. I read all the time – there’s always a book or two on the go. I’ve been lucky enough to have been asked to read quite a few ARCs this year, so that’s been fun. I also love going to author events, launches and chats, to hear about other writers' processes etc. I always find that inspiring. I randomly do crafty things too. But they are very random.



Tell us about your latest release.

My last release was Love from Scratch – a sexy rom-com about an actor, the out-of-work chef who minds his anxious dog, and the cranky cat that brings them together. It’s set on the Sunshine Coast. Is sweet, funny, deals with long held traumas, and has some spicy spice…some of which is in the kitchen (and I don’t mean the kind that goes into the food!) It was an Editor’s Pick in the 2024 Spotify Wrap.

Next up is my paranormal romance - out later this year. Which I can’t tell you the title of until after May 26! The story is set in the US leading up to Halloween, in a small, picturesque town. It’s about a psychic ghost hunter and a paranormal investigator who come together to look into a famous haunting at a historic home and are dragged into a mystery that spans generations. It’s spooky/swoony and a little spicy. Ghosts, and witches and kisses, oh my!

Socials:

Instagram, TikTok, Threads, X, BlueSky - @amyhuttonauthor

Facebook – Amy Hutton Writes

Website – amyhuttonauthor.com

Love from Scratch

Book 2, Sit, Stay, Love

In the follow-up to Sit, Stay, Love – Opposites attract in this laugh-out-loud rom-com about a heart-throb actor, the grumpy woman who minds his dog, and the cat that steals his heart. 

Ethan James has a problem: he’s about to start shooting a movie and he needs someone to mind his anxious dog, Harry. This film could make or break Ethan’s career, and he knows he has to give it all his attention, but Harry’s new minder turns out to be more of a hindrance than a help. She’s gorgeous and funny, and throws so much shade in his direction that Ethan can’t think straight. 

Hazel Conor has a problem: she’s just lost her job as a sous chef at the fancy beachside restaurant she uphauled her life for. And if she doesn’t get another job soon, she won’t be able to afford food – or worse, cat food, and then her grouchy cat Kevin will finally murder her in her sleep. So when she sees an ad for an easy dog minder job, she goes for it. 

Hazel finds everything about Ethan annoying; he’s flashy, flirty, and a total charmer. She probably wouldn’t look at him twice if it wasn’t for her cat. Because Kevin, the cat who hates everyone, is totally smitten with Ethan James. And with each purr, cheek rub and head bump that Kevin bestows on Ethan, Hazel begins to wonder if there’s something her cat can see that she can’t. 

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Amy Hutton

Amy is a former award-winning TV producer who now spends her days writing swoony love stories. When not busy toying with her character’s emotions, she’s probably hanging with her rescue dog Buffy, or lost in the pages of her latest favourite romance read. Amy is in a long-term relationship with Disneyland. She loves to travel, adores anything Star Wars, and has an unwavering commitment to Hallmark Christmas movies.

A Romance Writers of America, Romance Writers of Australia and Romance Writers of New Zealand award winner, Amy’s debut romance Sit, Stay, Love was published in August 2023, with the follow up Love from Scratch published June 2024, both through Simon & Schuster Australia. Her next book, a spirited new romance will be out through Simon & Schuster Australia around Halloween 2025.  If you love love, check out Amy’s books.

DarkLight On... Claire Boston / Leggett!

 

Welcome Claire!

You write both fantasy romance and contemporary romance. How did you come to write each? What attracted you to each genre?

I have loved magical and mystical stories since I read Enid Blyton as a child. Ideas were easy to come by and when I first started writing, I wrote a fantasy series which was kind of a quest type story similar to David Eddings with a clear good versus evil. Though I’ve written the first two books in the series, I’ve never actually published them. I wasn’t planning to have any romance in them, but it slid in without me planning it. I love exploring relationships between people and I love love, so it makes sense to me to add romance to my stories. I started reading romance when I was about 11 and had run out of books to read. Mum handed me one of her romances and I was hooked.

Do you have a favourite trope?

No, not really. I like to explore different dynamics and I don’t often actually think in tropes unless I’m stuck with my characters, and then I might sit down and think about whether any tropes would work.

Are you a plotter? Panster? Or somewhere in-between?

I’m in between and becoming more of a plotter as I go. I like having a rough idea of where the story is going, so I’ll spend some time working out the backstory of my main characters, and then I’ll brainstorm the key turning points of the story before diving into the writing. Inevitably it will change as I go, but that’s part of the fun. Also, because I write series, I’m always thinking about the next book, and how I can plant seeds for things that will pay-off in future books.

What has been the book you’ve most enjoyed working on?

Oh, that’s a hard question! My first romantic suspense, Nothing to Fear, was fun because I had to figure out how to make the suspense work. Also because it had a 12 Days of Christmas theme, it was challenging to figure out how to work it in. I also really enjoyed The Healer’s Curse because I was coming back to characters I loved, and also spending more time with dragons – who wouldn’t enjoy that?

 

Do you have advice for aspiring writers?

Write. That’s all it comes down to really. You need to schedule in some time to write each day/week otherwise your book will never get finished. It might take you time to find your routine, but it’s important. I’ve tried so many different things; getting up an hour early to write, writing when I get home, dictating when I took my dog for a walk, writing on the bus on the way to work. Every word helps. I also found courses about the writing craft helped when I was learning, and to this day I sometimes go back and re-read notes if I’m finding my description is bland, or my characters are lacking.

What are you currently reading/watching?

I’m currently listening to Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros and I’ve just finished watching the new season of Dare Devil.

How else do you fill the creative well?

I love craft activities. Right now I’m getting ready for the Wild Out West book signing in Perth which gives me the perfect opportunity to make things. I’ve created some cute bookish earrings, some pretty magnetic bookmarks and some shrink plastic charms. I like to listen to music while I do it, and often lines in songs will inspire an idea for a story or character.

What can we expect from you in the future?

Currently I’m working on two romantic suspense series: Squadron 6 is an Australian special forces series and book 1, Rescuing Mila has just come out. My other series, tentatively called Restoring Lilydale is an Australian-set small town romantic suspense series, also featuring military heroes and the two series are connected.

I’m also debating a new fantasy series.

Tell us about the inspiration for your latest release?

I was thinking about that recently when I launched Rescuing Mila, and to be honest, I can’t remember what inspired me. I have been watching the Australia celebrity SAS series on TV so it might have been that which inspired me to write about Australian special forces.

 

Thanks so much for having me!

Rescuing Mila

Book 1, Squadron 6

In the heat of a high-stakes mission, they must survive not only the enemy but the fury of nature itself…

Damien "Dobby" Dobson, a seasoned special operations soldier, has faced countless life-threatening situations. But nothing could have prepared him for the mission on a remote Indonesian island, where a routine hostage rescue spirals into chaos. A devastating tsunami strikes, turning the operation into a battle for survival.

Amid the wreckage, Damien discovers Mila Watkins, a resilient and resourceful woman with links to the hostage. Not only is she vital to the success of the mission, but she’s also the next target of the ruthless kidnappers. With the team scattered and one member critically injured, Damien makes a split-second decision to stay behind, vowing to protect Mila at all costs.

As they navigate the island’s treacherous terrain, hunted by enemies and cut off from all support, the growing bond between Damien and Mila becomes as undeniable as the dangers closing in on them. But with the enemy approaching and nowhere left to hide, can they escape the island alive— or will their fight for survival be a losing battle?

Rescuing Mila is a heart-pounding tale of courage, love, and the fight to survive against all odds.

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Claire Boston 

I fell in love with romance and romantic suspense at eleven when I discovered my mum's stash of Nora Roberts novels. It didn’t take me long to start writing my own stories. I write series set around families or groups of friends with a guaranteed happy ending.

I love travelling and learning about new cultures and interesting vocations which I then weave into my writing.

When I'm not creating my stories, I can be found doing whatever my latest craft hobby is—so far the list includes book-binding, crocheting and jewellery making.

I was born in Western Australia, but am currently travelling around Australia with my husband.

You can can connect with me through Facebook or TikTok or better yet, join my reader group.

Claire Leggett

Claire Leggett has loved dragons, magic and everything fantastical since she read The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton. As a child she used to sneak to the bottom of the garden in the hope of finding fairies. Alas she never found any, so she brought them alive in her own imagination. Her stories are full of magic, adventure and escape.

When Claire’s not writing she can be found creating her own handmade journals, swinging on a sidecar, or in the garden attempting to grow something other than weeds.

Claire lives in Western Australia with her husband, who loves even her most annoying quirks, and is currently learning how to crochet.

You can find my romance at claireboston.com and my fantasy at claireleggett.com