Werecats Resurgent (Forest Exiles Saga, Book 3) by Mark J. Engels

 

Release date: November 15, 2023

Subgenre: Urban Fantasy

 

About Werecats Resurgent:

 

Cornered, captured, and determined to make their stand…

After springing her lover from the brig, Pawly and her family make ready to swipe a container from an ocean freighter transiting Lake Michigan—one containing the genetic material needed to save her mother from the debilitating effects of her unsated bloodlust. All according to Mawro's plan, him having laid a trap for them on behalf of his rogue state employer. But Mawro's superiors spring a trap of their own, exploiting Pawly's feral rage by revealing to her a horrific secret from her past. Chaos ensues, leaving members of her family kidnapped, their remote island hideaway in flames, and her mother at death's door. Now Pawly and the family—together with some unlikely new allies—must journey halfway around the world on a veritable suicide mission, a final showdown to rescue their loved ones and to quell her kind's lethal bloodlust once and for all.

Werecats Resurgent is the third and final installment of the Forest Exiles Saga featuring the modern-day remnant of an ancient clan of werecats, torn apart as militaries on three continents vie to exploit their deadly talents. 

 

Excerpt:

 

The sensation of someone caressing her cheek startled Pawly awake. “Rise and shine, gorgeous,” Lenny said as he sat down on the edge of her bed, dressed in a T-shirt and a pair of basketball shorts.

Pawly rubbed the sand from her eyes and sat up. “Hah. You’re funny,” she said, running her hands through her hair. “Just as well I look like shit. Too many people around for morning nooky anyway.”

“Guess we’ll have to settle for morning coffee, then.” Lenny pecked at Pawly’s cheek before handing her a steaming mug.

“Oh, that’s good,” she said after taking a cautious sip from her cup. “Not as good as morning nooky, perhaps. But I do so love your ‘kawfee regulah.’”

“I’ve had a lifetime of practice,” he said, drawing his face close to hers. “Besides, my Bond Girl has saved my ass more than once. I’m eager to repay her any way I can…”

A banging from downstairs caused them both to start. “Outrage! An outrage, I say!” came Bortnik’s booming voice from the kitchen downstairs.

“I was merely trying to be helpful, offering for my crew and I to stay on until our relief gets here,” Pawly managed to pick out from Belarusian as one of Bortnik’s goons spoke. “You need not bite my head off.”

“You and yours shall not weasel your way into an extra shift’s pay that easily, Alexi,” Bortnik replied in kind. “Your relief would have been here by now but for someone slashing their van’s tires when they stopped to get coffee.”

“Sasha and I need to go to town and fetch groceries, Ivan,” their hostess chirped, as best as Pawly could make out. “But your van is in our way.”

Bortnik snorted. “Alexi, take your crew and go so my sister and my brother-in-law can get their car out of their garage. I can handle things here until your relief arrives.”

“What’s going on?” Lenny whispered into Pawly’s ear.

She leaned over behind him and set her mug down atop the nightstand. Then Pawly bolted out of bed and dashed over to the window, cracking it open before breathing deep through her nose. “She’s gone,” Pawly muttered before turning to face Lenny.

“Who’s gone? Milda?”

“Yes, now go tell Grandpa D,” she replied, shooing him toward the door with both hands. “Tell him you and he need to get yourselves cleaned up and packed just as fast as you can. We need to be ready to move. And soon.”

 

Amazon

 

About Mark J. Engels:

Boyhood interests in trains and electronics fostered Mark's career as an electrical engineer, designing and commissioning signal and communications systems for railroads and rail transit agencies across the United States. Along the way Mark indulged his writing desire by authoring articles for rail and transit industry trade magazines. Coupled with Mark's long-time membership in anime, manga and anthropomorphic fandoms, he took up writing genre fiction. Growing up in Michigan, never far from his beloved Great Lakes, Mark and his wife today make their home in Wisconsin with their son and a dog who naps beside him as he writes.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Discord | LinkedIn

Interview with Mark Engels, author of Werecats Convergent (Forest Exiles Saga, Book 2)

 

Today it gives the Speculative Fiction Showcase great pleasure to interview Mark Engels, author of Werecats Convergent (Forest Exiles Saga, Book 2)

We’re here to talk about your Forest Exiles Saga and the books released so far, Werecats Emergent and Werecats Convergent. Who or what are the werecats of the title?

My main characters are a young woman named Pawly and her twin brother Tommy, both of whom as teenagers come to learn they are werecats. Their mother and uncle are too, as were their ancestors going back generations.

Your website features some striking fanart inspired by the books. What can you tell us about it?

Some of the pieces there are fanart, but most of them are commissioned pieces. Being a longtime anime and manga fan, I had first envisioned telling my stories as webcomics or even a series of graphic novels. I had commissioned several pieces as an aid to share my vision with other artists, which I would need for such an undertaking. But I quickly learned artists I could afford were wholly consumed with their own original work. So I set about the business of writing and selling novels, grateful I had these works to use as promotional materials. From the responses you've shared with me, seems they indeed enkindle interest in my books--just what I want from them.

You started out as an electrical engineer designing signalling and communications systems for the railroads in the US. What inspired you to write and how did you begin?

I still do that work which I'm glad to do, having been a train buff and an electronics geek since boyhood. Through it I afford me and my family a decent living. Having lived out of a suitcase for months on end multiple times over the course of my career, writing and all the activity associated with it allowed me to channel my restless energies into exploits far less likely to leave me broke or passed out or in jail (unlike some of my coworkers, but those are stories for another time.)

The protagonist of Werecats Emergent and Werecats Convergent is Pawly, a teenaged girl who discovers her heritage after she transforms at Halloween. How does she deal with the shock of discovering who she is?

Her transformation comes as a shock to the rest of her family too, for reasons explained in the books. Fortunately, she has her mother and the rest of their blended human-werecat family to help her and her twin brother understand and come to grips with who--and what--they are. Which, as they both discover, has its upsides as well...

Why do Pawly’s family ask a Chicago drug cartel for help as they seek an outlet for her and her twin brother’s bloodlust?

The family knows it needs money, a cover, and an outlet for the twins' feral bloodlust. The Noh family is eager to provide all three, just as it did for the twins' mother and uncle a generation before. Until, that is, the twins' grandfather, a renowned scientist and respected university professor, drew the cartel's ire by refusing to help them commercialize their drug production operations. An all-too-convenient leak to the press detailing the grandfather's clandestine research to benefit the twins' mother and uncle resulted in his deportation.

What is Pawly’s family background and how important is her Polish heritage to the story?

One of Pawly's grandfathers, the renowned scientist hailing from Poland, was a key member of a Cold War-era Soviet "super soldier" development program. Her other grandfather was the CIA operative sent to infiltrate the Soviets' organization and smuggle him back to the States. Pawly's ancestral werecat clan was caught in the crossfire as the two humans made their escape, leaving her mother and her uncle as its only surviving members. The four of them, together with the scientist's young wife, fled to the CIA agent's native Chicago. There, in an ethnic Polish neighborhood, they all began to rebuild their lives. Before long the scientist and his wife adopted Pawly's mother and uncle. In the years following, her mother came to fall in love and be married--to the CIA agent's son. To whom she bore twins: Pawly and Tommy. At the time of the story Pawly's grandfather has been deported back to Poland, accompanied by her uncle who himself grew up to be a scientist. There they resume the grandfather's research, desperate to find a way the twins might sate their kinds' lethal bloodlust lest they go feral.

When her uncle Ritzi seeks an alternative solution to the twins’ situation, where does it lead, and what is the result?

He journeys to Poland to help the twins' grandfather resume his "super soldier" development work. But while there Ritzi inadvertently draws notice from an elder werecat representing a rogue state, desiring to exploit the twins' deadly talents for his employer's own ends.

How do Pawly and her brother end up preparing to enlist in the military of a rogue state, and how does their father react?

When a Noh cartel enforcer is found savagely mauled following the twins' first job, Ritzi insists Pawly and her brother enlist in the rogue state's service to ensure their safety. Because he knows firsthand that the Noh family cartel is bad news. The twins' father on the other hand, having just been grievously wounded in a covert operation against said rogue state, knows that it is bad news as well. Each one-upping the other throughout the last half of the first book seeking to resolve their impasse results in...well, let's just say there's a lot of collateral damage.

You mention your “long-time membership in anime, manga and anthropomorphic fandoms”. What influence did this have on your choice of theme and on the aesthetic of the series and fanart?

These books are my way of giving back to the anime, manga, and anthropomorphic fandoms which I have given me such joy through the years, fandoms which enabled me to meet kindred spirits including several of my closest friends. Pawly and her antagonist Hana are each an amalgamation of several of my favorite anime and manga heroines. My books include an ensemble cast and a numerous flashbacks in part because so many of my favorite anime and manga creators employed such devices to tell their stories. Since I first had a webcomic or a graphic novel series in mind when I first sat down to write my stories, I think the narrative would still well suit one of those formats. Any artists who believe they would want to work with me to make that happen, please look me up!

Avoiding spoilers, where is Pawly at the start of book two?

Smack dab in the middle of a firefight along with the rest of her Navy unit, pierside near the Gulf of Oman. Fighting tooth and claw against an enemy werecat--Hana, in fact.

You mention that you are a member of the Allied Authors of Wisconsin, one of the state's oldest writing collectives, and the Furry Writer’s Guild. What can you tell us about these writers’ groups?

Allied Authors traces its roots back nearly a hundred years to the Milwaukee Fictioneers. Among the groups more recent members was a fellow named Gene DeWeese. His works included an 80s era young adult novel called  The Adventures of a Two-Minute Werewolf; I read my Weekly Reader Book Club hardcover edition over and over again until the spine finally split. (If the premise sounds familiar, it might be because the book was made into an ABC Weekend Special miniseries--not all that long before the original Teen Wolf movie came out.) To say DeWeese's book left an impression on me is an understatement. I write what I write now because I read what he wrote then. Sadly, Mr. DeWeese passed away a couple of years before I joined.

The Furry Writers’ Guild is a group of writers whose works, running the gamut of formats, all feature anthropomorphic animals. A writer's characters, however, need not be furry all the time for a writer to qualify for membership. For that I'm grateful, as several of the friends I've made there number among my werecat books' staunchest supporters (and my trusted confidants.)

The Forest Exiles Saga interweaves tropes of magic and shape-shifters with modern geopolitical combat. How do you blend real-life themes with urban fantasy?

I puzzled over this question for some while, yet have little to show for it by way of explanation. How does a squirrel know how to climb a tree? He doesn't, you know, he just goes and does it. So blending real-life themes together with urban fantasy wasn't really a conscious choice near as I can recall. What was, however, was the realization that these were the books I had in my heart to write, the books I wanted to read and couldn't find. I am over the moon that other people enjoy my books' genre fusion aesthetic, too.

How important is the landscape and nature of Wisconsin and the Great Lakes to your writing and imagination?

I write both out of the abundance of my heart and out of the deep, aching longings within it. Parts of my books are inspired by the life I've lived, others by the life I wish I had. And many of both types were themselves inspired by numerous locales around the Great Lakes region, especially Wisconsin where my family and I now live. Readers can take heart that whatever mental picture they formulate of one setting or another, I've likely beheld that very same scene with my own two eyes.

Book 3 of the Saga, Werecats Resurgent, is due out in December. When that is published, what are your plans?

I've made no commitments beyond marketing the complete series. Need a writer panelist or a writer guest-of-honor for an upcoming con? Have books, will travel. My muse hasn't told me yet just whether there are more stories to tell, though rest assured she will make it abundantly clear if there are. She has claws and fangs and knows how to use them! Readers can join my mailing list via the "Subscribe" link on my web site to stay abreast of my writerly goings-on. (And they'll receive excerpts from my first two books to read and enjoy.)

What has your experience been as an Indie writer negotiating the landscape of Amazon and marketing?

There is a ridicustupid amount of information out there about writing and publishing and marketing. Something I learned the hard way is that what might have worked for them/there/then may or may not work for me/here/now, though it might be worth considering. I recommend one read a lot and listen to a lot then chart their own course, being prepared to re-chart their course as needed in light of new information and insights. The Kindlepreneur site has become a trusted and valued resource to help me do just that, one I can heartily recommend to any and all fellow writers regardless of genre or target audience or the manner in which they seek to publish.

Amazon

About Mark Engels:

Boyhood interests in trains and electronics fostered Mark's career as an electrical engineer, designing and commissioning signal and communications systems for railroads and rail transit agencies across the United States. Along the way Mark indulged his writing desire by authoring articles for rail and transit industry trade magazines. Coupled with Mark's long-time membership in anime, manga and anthropomorphic fandoms, he took up writing genre fiction. Growing up in Michigan, never far from his beloved Great Lakes, Mark and his wife today make their home in Wisconsin with their son and a dog who naps beside him as he writes.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Discord | LinkedIn

Luck and Magic 2022 - A Round-Up of Indie St. Patrick's Day Speculative Fiction

 

Our monthly round-ups of new speculative fiction and new crime fiction releases by indie authors are a perennially popular feature. Therefore, we now offer you a round-up of our favourite St. Patrick's Day speculative fiction by indie and small press authors.

These St. Patrick's Day stories cover the broad spectrum of speculative fiction. We have urban fantasy, paranormal romance, paranormal mystery, children's fantasy, portal fantasy, witches, werewolves, fairies, leprechauns, lion shifters, reindeer shifters, undead demon hunters, superheroes, magic coins, mail order brides, Lady Luck and much more. But one thing unites all of those very different books. They're all set on or around St. Patrick's Day.

As always, I know the authors at least vaguely, but I haven’t read all of the books, so Caveat emptor.

And now on to the books without further ado:

Feeling Lucky by Kathy Bryson:

"Most most people who spend time at a job develop ideas of how they can improve a product or business. They just don’t always get a chance to share. And that’s not counting the thousands of unpublished artists, writers, and musicians out there..."

What would you do if you suddenly got 5 million dollars to spend on your dreams? What it if was a leprechaun's money?

Megan O'Malley was mortified when she got drunk and pinched the bandleader's ass at a cousin's wedding. But she was astonished when he turned out to be a leprechaun! Seems they're not the little, green men of fairytales after all. They just say that because they like a good joke and what better way to hide the gold? Oh, that bit's true - as is the part about not sharing!

An award-winning fantasy of money and magic and making the most of your dreams!

Leprechaun Luck by Addison Creek:

It’s St. Patrick’s Day and Lemmi, Charlie, and Liam are determined to have some fun before going to watch the guys play baseball.

What happens next is unexpected, to say the least, but Lemmi and Charlie are determined not to miss the baseball game. Now if only the leprechaun would tell them where Liam is . . .

This is a short story coming in at about 12,000 words.

Luck of the MacKays by Kate Danley:

Will the luck of the Irish be with Maggie and Killian as a leprechaun runs loose in Los Angeles? And do his riddles speak of a greater power threatening to ruin St. Patrick's Day? No use crying over spilled green beer. Maggie and Killian are here to save the day!

Maggie MacKay Holiday Specials are fun, urban fantasy novellas that stand alone and can be read no matter where you are in the Maggie MacKay Magical Tracker series.

Into the Rainbow by Jessica L. Elliott:

Twins Dierdre and Treasa have gone to Kansas City on their first spring break without parents along with their tagalong sister Darcie. Other than constant rain, everything is going smoothly until a birthday prank gone wrong sends them into the Emerald Glade where leprechauns reign and magic is real. In order to get home, the girls must find out why they were summoned so they can return through the rainbow.

Away with the Fairies by S.K. Gregory:

Seven years ago, Declan disappeared while out in the woods. A year later, he returned home, with no memory of where he was or what happened to him.

Now Declan works as a barista, trying to get on with his life and forget what happened, but that isn't easy when he keeps seeing things that aren't there. Shadows from the corner of his eye, strange lights around people. It gets worse when a new girl starts working at the coffee shop. There is something about her, something different.

With her help, Declan starts to uncover the truth of what happened to him, how the Fae took notice and pulled them into their realm. Now they want him back.

A Luck O' The Irish Tale. Can be read as a standalone.

End of the Rainbow by Michelle Ann Hollstein:

It’s St. Patrick’s Day and Aggie, Betty and Roger are celebrating at an Irish pub in Palm Springs when Betty’s leprechaun-love-interest drops dead. Could it be murder? Join Aggie and friends as they embark on a celebration they won’t soon forget.

The Man from U.N.D.E.A.D.'s St. Patrick's Day Parade by Darren Humphries:

The United Nations Department for the Enforcement and Apprehension of Demons is the first, last and only line of defence against the supernatural threats trying to break into a world where magic and technology are uneasy bedfellows.

A death brings Agent Ward, the Man From U.N.D.E.A.D., to Ireland and to a secret location where there are dangers without and secrets within.

Can Ward work out the latter before a veritable parade of demonic beings launch a full-scale attack?

The Man From U.N.D.E.A.D.'s St Patrick's Day Parade is a short story featuring Agent Ward from the Man From U.N.D.E.A.D. series of novels.

Lucky Lion by Lola Kidd:

Lion shifter Aaron wants to settle down and find his mate. After one of his friends finds his mate online, Aaron decides to give LK Brides a try. He’s surprised to get matched the very day he signs up.

Curvy beauty Emma has been waiting to get matched by LK Brides for months. When it finally happens, she can’t believe the how strong her feelings are for her match after only one meeting.

As their relationships moves forward quickly, Emma begins to doubt how much she can trust Aaron. Will the lion shifter luck out and find love this St. Patrick’s Day? Find out in the second Holiday Mail-Order Mates story.

Four-Leaf Clover by Amanda M. Lee:

Clove Winchester is feeling lucky at life, and that’s before a mysterious stranger drops into her magic store and gifts her with a special coin. Suddenly things can’t go wrong for Clove, and she’s the center of attention in the Winchesters’ world – especially because Aunt Tillie wants that coin.

When a near-death experience rocks Clove and her boyfriend Sam, Clove takes a closer look at the coin and realizes there’s a lot she can do with her new luck streak. Unfortunately for Aunt Tillie, Clove is determined to keep the benefits to herself.

When a brazen armed robber hits Hemlock Cove and goes after Bay, all of the Winchester witches band together to solve the crime and save the day. Of course, they may need a little luck to do it.

The Reindeer's St. Patrick's Surprise by Elizabeth Ann Price:

Harlan Connors is a reindeer shifter who isn’t ready to settle down. After a disastrous attempted mating, all he wants is to have fun. Mating and marriage are the furthest things from his mind.

Temp is a woman who knows what she wants – a baby. Convinced that Mr. Right is never going to show up, she decides to start a family on her own.

However, a chance meeting and a wild St. Patrick’s Day later, the two of them find themselves married and both unable and unwilling to stay away from one another. But can they weather their own insecurities and Harlan’s ex-fiancée to find their happy ever after?

Shamrocked by Dakota Rebel:

I didn’t even want to come back here. I was perfectly happy living a perfectly non-magical life out in the real world. And yet, here I am. Back in Fayshore, surrounded by every painful memory I’ve spent the last six years trying to escape.

To add insult to injury, I think I might have just bumped into my soul mate.

I’d sworn that if and when I ever did settle down with someone, it would be a man who was normal. A man who wouldn’t make me feel inferior the way my family had all my life.

Except Lachlan doesn’t make me feel inferior. In fact, his completely chaotic nature actually makes me feel seen in a way that I’ve never experienced before. In a way that’s making me question absolutely everything about myself and my outlook on life.

Is he magically delicious enough for me to change my tune?

St. Patrick's Alternatives by Lesley L. Smith:

Physicist Chloe Phillipson uses her anti-gravity power to help save St. Patrick's Day.

To Catch a Leprechaun by Emily Martha Sorensen:

It's really tough to catch a leprechaun. Especially when sisters get in the way.

Lady Luck by A.C. Wilds:

The Greek Goddess of Luck can be found hiding in the most unlikely of places. In an effort to hide from her father, Luck, or so she likes to be called, spends her time tending bar at Lady luck, her own establishment in mid-town Manhattan.St. Patrick’s Day is the busiest day of the year – the annual drinking contest brings hundreds of people to fight the reigning champion, Sosha, for the title.On her way to work, Luck meets two cops at a police checkpoint. She quickly finds herself wondering what it would be like to not be so alone anymore.After their shift, Sullivan, Santina, and Mackenzie hear the call of Lady Luck, and find the sexy temptress behind the bar.Unable to resist her, the pack soon discovers their need to claim her as their own. Now tied to a pack of wolf shifters, the Goddess of Luck has no idea what plans they have unwittingly put into motion.

Magic and Easter Eggs 2021 - A Round-up of Indie Easter Speculative Fiction

Our monthly round-ups of new speculative fiction and new crime fiction releases by indie authors are a perennially popular feature. Therefore, we now offer you a round-up of our favourite Easter speculative fiction by indie and small press authors.

These Easter stories cover the broad spectrum of speculative fiction. We have paranormal romance, paranormal mystery, children's fantasy, science fiction, horror, dragons, werewolves, were-reindeer, Easter elves, magical geese, crime-busting mediums, fluffy killer bunnies from outer space and much more. But one thing unites all of those very different books. They're all set on or around Easter.

As always, I know the authors at least vaguely, but I haven’t read all of the books, so Caveat emptor.

And now on to the books without further ado:

Operation Rubber Ducky by Cora Buhlert:

Three short tales of anthropomorphic terror, featuring Trojan toys, axe-wielding ducks and fluffy killer rabbits from outer space.

When the world is besieged by Kaiju, the only weapon that can stop them turns out to be a rubber ducky with a deadly secret…

His name is whispered in terror: Mock Duck, the mad axe-man of Chinatown, deadly enforcer for the triads. No one has ever seen his face and lived to tell the tale. Which is probably for the better, because Mock Duck's nickname is more accurate than anybody could have guessed…

It's the latest psychiatric epidemic to sweep the nation: Angoraphobia, a pathological fear of fluffy angora sweaters. Those who suffer from the disorder claim that fluffy killer rabbits from outer space are trying to conquer the Earth and exterminate humanity. Are they merely deluded or could they perchance be right?

Three bizarro short stories of 7000 words or approximately 24 pages altogether.

Legend of the Easter Dragon by Kelsey Hodge:

Alwyn

Secrets and ancient prophecies are all make-believe, right?

I’m nobody special, just your average person looking forward to the one day a year I get to spend with my best friend. Suddenly, when fairytales and prophecies storm into my life, everything changes... quite literally.

Llewellyn

Some secrets are necessary when the truth is unbelievable.

Alwyn’s always been special to me, but there are things I keep hidden from him. Revelations that are too unbelievable for the human world. When my best friend is suddenly thrust into my world, the truth must be told, and our friendship and future change in ways I never expected—but always secretly hoped for.

Collected Easter Horror Shorts, edited by Kevin J. Kennedy:

From the darkest recesses of some of the horror world’s most chilling minds, Kevin J. Kennedy brings back together some of the authors that brought you Collected Christmas Horror Shorts, alongside several new authors, from upcoming indie stars to Amazon top sellers.

Whether you like Easter or not, you’ll certainly have a different view of it after you read the stories contained within these pages.

Grab an Easter egg, dim the lights, get cosy and get ready for some chilling tales by some of the horror world’s finest.

C.S.Anderson – He Has Risen
Christopher Motz - Magic Awaits
Veronica Smith? - It’s Not All About Bunnies and Chocolates
Peter Oliver Wonder? - Easter Gunny
Mark Cassell? - The Rebirth
Andrew Lennon? - Trying To Write A Horror Story
Mark Lukens? - Mia's Easter Basket
Lex Jones? - SonnesHill
JC Michael? - Lord of The Dance
Steven Stacy - Echoes of The Bunny-Man
Weston Kincade? & David Chrisley - An Easter Prayer
Christina Bergling? - Hatch
James Matthew Byers? - Killer Jelly Beans from Outer Space (poem)
Jeff Menapace? - Paying It Forward
Jeff Strand? - Rotten Eggs
Lisa Vasquez? - Bunny and Clyde
Mark Fleming? - Sulphur
Suzanne Fox - Last Supper
Briana Robertson? - Baby Blues
Latashia Figueroa - Easter Eggs
Amy Cross - Lamb to Slaughter
Kevin J. Kennedy - A Town Called Easter

Georgie's Eggcellent Adventure by Sam E. Kraemer:

Georgie Peppermint

What’s an elf gotta do to get respect?

When I’m called to Administration, I’m skeptical that the summons is related to any appreciation the Claus’ feel about how hard I work in the Porcelain Department as a detail painter. I believe it’s somehow in retaliation for my misunderstood relationship with Jingle Bell. Much to my surprise—and concern—I’m given a new assignment to become the Ambassador to the Mystical Convention… I’m being sent to the South Pacific to assist the Easter Bunny.

What awaits me isn’t clear, but I’m determined to shine at my task and show all the nay-sayers that Georgie Peppermint is destined for greatness.

***

Remy Beauchamp

Spring. A symbol of rebirth with blooming flowers, trees, and the arrival of babies in every species. It was always my favorite time of the year, but this year it’s bittersweet. I have a lovely life that’s idyllic to everyone who sees it, but all I see when I look around is loss.

For years, I’ve provided the eggs for Peter Cotton, a local import/exporter on Rapa Nui—Easter Island to outsiders—who holds a worldwide food drive every Spring to celebrate the rebirth on the planet. Sadly, I lost my partner last year, and unless I can find some help, I won’t be able to produce nearly enough eggs to help feed the masses.

Enter the oddly beautiful man wearing tourist clothes and a strange little straw hat. He’s nice and hard-working, a friend of Mr. Cotton’s, and has been sent to the island to assist me. I’m not sure how he can help, but with the sweetly cynical man around, I’m a lot less lonely.

People say there’s magic on Easter Island, thanks to the gods and goddesses who watch over its inhabitants, but never did I believe I’d come face-to-face with the manifestation of the mystical forces. And it all starts with the arrival of Georgie Pepper.

This work of fiction is approximately 32,000 words in length and doesn’t end in a cliffhanger. It is part of the Easter series, “Elves After Dawn.”

The Elf's Easter Wolf by Beau LeFebvre

What’s a wolf to do when he’s the spare and not the heir to the Alpha of the pack?

Markos was looking forward to Easter, and now it’s been ruined by his father’s announcement that he is to be mated to an omega from another pack.

Not gonna happen.

Leaving his pack behind, Markos becomes lost and, guided only by his wolf’s instincts, finds himself in a valley filled with the colors of spring, the smells of chocolate, and a meadow full of numerous fluffy puffballs... Bunnies?

What was Fate thinking?

Estienne never expected his mate to show up out of nowhere, or to be a wolf, for that matter. And right before Easter of all times.

Maybe ignoring the big bad wolf would be the best idea for now…

But the Easter Bunny has other ideas, and Estienne’s own bunny isn’t so averse to the idea of Markos as a mate. Throw in the arrival of an entire wolf pack, and Easter preparations are tossed completely off the rails.

Just great.

The Elf’s Easter Wolf is a Paranormal MM romance of around 30,000 words featuring a workaholic elf bunny shifter and his surprise Easter wolf shifter mate.

My Clearwater Elf by Morgan Mason:

After a split with his business associate, Matthew moves in with his dad, determined to help him restore his old farmhouse. His world is turned upside down when a small stranger with pointy ears trespasses on their land and steals off with an injured rabbit they’d rescued. Together with his dad, Matthew goes for a hike into the forest near their property in search of the mysterious but gorgeous bunny thief.

Calaet is a conscientious, hard-working elf, who’s committed to helping his colony make every Easter into a success. The newly appointed hare in charge threatens to topple all of his hard work when he fails to show up in time to oversee the preparations for Easter. Cal sets out in search of the missing delegate and stumbles upon the most stunning brute he’s ever laid eyes on. When the same man turns up ill outside their protected grove, Cal feels compelled to help him. Even if that means bringing humans into their colony for the first time … ever.

With their mutual attraction growing, what begins as an offer that can’t be refused turns into an unexpected bond. Can Matt and Cal make what they’ve discovered last, or will their unorthodox mating be too much to handle?

The Reindeer's Easter Family by Elizabeth Ann Price:

Tank, the largest and possibly most patient reindeer shifter in his herd, finds himself with a new task – guarding the charity center where a fellow reindeer’s mate works. Not a problem… that is, until two unspeakably adorable twins clamp themselves on his legs and their sister lets slip that she knows he happens to be a reindeer shifter.

Worried about their shifter secret leaking, Tank investigates and when he sees their mother in danger, well, what else is a reindeer to do but save the day?

But can Tank save Marion and her unbelievably cute offspring before a wolf shifter takes them away from him forever?

Elfing Up Easter by Sophie E. Russell

Arlo and Mr. Santa are enjoying their new life together, but when the actual Santa Claus asks them to help find the missing Easter Bunny, their relationship is put to the test. Arctic Elf twins, Finn and Torr, lead them on a wild duck(?) chase through the Appalachian Mountains while they try to get their new toy business off the ground and locate the missing rabbit(?) before the land dies, taking the magic of Easter with it.

The Goose That Laid Golden Easter Eggs by Emily Martha Sorensen

The family has a magical new goose. One that quacks and moos and lays magical eggs. So what happens when Junior feeds it his sister's watch?

A Medium's Easter Epiphany by Chariss K. Walker:

A boyfriend changes everything!

In book five of the Becky Tibbs cozy, ghost mystery series, Becky must learn how to juggle her personal and business life now that she has a real boyfriend! This is a first for Becky and her new schedule sometimes feels overwhelming.

At Becky's encouragement, Bobby and Barbara have finally decided to accept their special ability too. At least, they are open to using their gift if the opportunity presents itself.

Barbara actually manages to help someone new with their ghost problem and the meeting turns into something more. Unlike Marty, Barb's ex-boyfriend, this new person, Christopher, accepts Barbara and her capabilities exactly as she is. In fact, he is impressed.

Jealousy rears its ugly head!

Marty finally goes off the deep end and Becky must help Patty come to terms with his rage.

Becky's epiphany, or sudden realization, is a concept that would be beneficial to everyone.

Blueberry Bunny Boy by Leona Windwalker:

Mallow is a walking disaster when it comes to all things Easter, and for an elf in Bunnyville, that's the worst thing possible!

Mallow

I've tried every Easter production station possible. I sneezed the chickens bald, and there's no way they are letting me anywhere near the ducks or bunnies now. Basket weaving? The less said about my attempts there, the better. Preparing the real eggs? I set the water to boil them on literal fire, and when they moved me to egg painting, I broke out in hives. I swelled up so big, they had to bring me down from where I floated up to the ceiling. If we'd been outside, I'd have drifted off like some errant cloud! Candy testing is out as I hate sweets, so it all tastes disgusting to me.

I'm such a disaster as an Easter Elf that Peter Cottontail himself had a meeting with Kris Kringle to figure out where in Kringle Enterprises they could safely put me. That's how I found myself assigned to the human world, working for the Feed and Seed department. Arranging and collecting deliveries of fresh greens and stuff for the bunnies and chicks should be fine, right? I knew I'd struck gold when on my very first day, I found it- a place called Rabbit Food. And the human working there? Oh wow...I think he might just be my mate!

 

Luck and Magic 2021 - A Round-Up of Indie St. Patrick's Day Speculative Fiction

 

Our monthly round-ups of new speculative fiction and new crime fiction releases by indie authors are a perennially popular feature. Therefore, we now offer you a round-up of our favourite St. Patrick's Day speculative fiction by indie and small press authors.

These St. Patrick's Day stories cover the broad spectrum of speculative fiction. We have urban fantasy, paranormal romance, paranormal mystery, children's fantasy, portal fantasy, witches, werewolves, fairies, leprechauns, lion shifters, reindeer shifters, undead demon hunters, superheroes, magic coins, mail order brides, Lady Luck and much more. But one thing unites all of those very different books. They're all set on or around St. Patrick's Day.

As always, I know the authors at least vaguely, but I haven’t read all of the books, so Caveat emptor.

And now on to the books without further ado:

Feeling Lucky by Kathy Bryson:

"Most most people who spend time at a job develop ideas of how they can improve a product or business. They just don’t always get a chance to share. And that’s not counting the thousands of unpublished artists, writers, and musicians out there..."

What would you do if you suddenly got 5 million dollars to spend on your dreams? What it if was a leprechaun's money?

Megan O'Malley was mortified when she got drunk and pinched the bandleader's ass at a cousin's wedding. But she was astonished when he turned out to be a leprechaun! Seems they're not the little, green men of fairytales after all. They just say that because they like a good joke and what better way to hide the gold? Oh, that bit's true - as is the part about not sharing!

An award-winning fantasy of money and magic and making the most of your dreams!

Leprechaun Luck by Addison Creek:

It’s St. Patrick’s Day and Lemmi, Charlie, and Liam are determined to have some fun before going to watch the guys play baseball.

What happens next is unexpected, to say the least, but Lemmi and Charlie are determined not to miss the baseball game. Now if only the leprechaun would tell them where Liam is . . .

This is a short story coming in at about 12,000 words.

Luck of the MacKays by Kate Danley:

Will the luck of the Irish be with Maggie and Killian as a leprechaun runs loose in Los Angeles? And do his riddles speak of a greater power threatening to ruin St. Patrick's Day? No use crying over spilled green beer. Maggie and Killian are here to save the day!

Maggie MacKay Holiday Specials are fun, urban fantasy novellas that stand alone and can be read no matter where you are in the Maggie MacKay Magical Tracker series.

Into the Rainbow by Jessica L. Elliott:

Twins Dierdre and Treasa have gone to Kansas City on their first spring break without parents along with their tagalong sister Darcie. Other than constant rain, everything is going smoothly until a birthday prank gone wrong sends them into the Emerald Glade where leprechauns reign and magic is real. In order to get home, the girls must find out why they were summoned so they can return through the rainbow.

Away with the Fairies by S.K. Gregory:

Seven years ago, Declan disappeared while out in the woods. A year later, he returned home, with no memory of where he was or what happened to him.

Now Declan works as a barista, trying to get on with his life and forget what happened, but that isn't easy when he keeps seeing things that aren't there. Shadows from the corner of his eye, strange lights around people. It gets worse when a new girl starts working at the coffee shop. There is something about her, something different.

With her help, Declan starts to uncover the truth of what happened to him, how the Fae took notice and pulled them into their realm. Now they want him back.

A Luck O' The Irish Tale. Can be read as a standalone.

End of the Rainbow by Michelle Ann Hollstein:

It’s St. Patrick’s Day and Aggie, Betty and Roger are celebrating at an Irish pub in Palm Springs when Betty’s leprechaun-love-interest drops dead. Could it be murder? Join Aggie and friends as they embark on a celebration they won’t soon forget.

The Man from U.N.D.E.A.D.'s St. Patrick's Day Parade by Darren Humphries:

The United Nations Department for the Enforcement and Apprehension of Demons is the first, last and only line of defence against the supernatural threats trying to break into a world where magic and technology are uneasy bedfellows.

A death brings Agent Ward, the Man From U.N.D.E.A.D., to Ireland and to a secret location where there are dangers without and secrets within.

Can Ward work out the latter before a veritable parade of demonic beings launch a full-scale attack?

The Man From U.N.D.E.A.D.'s St Patrick's Day Parade is a short story featuring Agent Ward from the Man From U.N.D.E.A.D. series of novels.

Lucky Lion by Lola Kidd:

Lion shifter Aaron wants to settle down and find his mate. After one of his friends finds his mate online, Aaron decides to give LK Brides a try. He’s surprised to get matched the very day he signs up.

Curvy beauty Emma has been waiting to get matched by LK Brides for months. When it finally happens, she can’t believe the how strong her feelings are for her match after only one meeting.

As their relationships moves forward quickly, Emma begins to doubt how much she can trust Aaron. Will the lion shifter luck out and find love this St. Patrick’s Day? Find out in the second Holiday Mail-Order Mates story.

Four-Leaf Clover by Amanda M. Lee:

Clove Winchester is feeling lucky at life, and that’s before a mysterious stranger drops into her magic store and gifts her with a special coin. Suddenly things can’t go wrong for Clove, and she’s the center of attention in the Winchesters’ world – especially because Aunt Tillie wants that coin.

When a near-death experience rocks Clove and her boyfriend Sam, Clove takes a closer look at the coin and realizes there’s a lot she can do with her new luck streak. Unfortunately for Aunt Tillie, Clove is determined to keep the benefits to herself.

When a brazen armed robber hits Hemlock Cove and goes after Bay, all of the Winchester witches band together to solve the crime and save the day. Of course, they may need a little luck to do it.

The Reindeer's St. Patrick's Surprise by Elizabeth Ann Price:

Harlan Connors is a reindeer shifter who isn’t ready to settle down. After a disastrous attempted mating, all he wants is to have fun. Mating and marriage are the furthest things from his mind.

Temp is a woman who knows what she wants – a baby. Convinced that Mr. Right is never going to show up, she decides to start a family on her own.

However, a chance meeting and a wild St. Patrick’s Day later, the two of them find themselves married and both unable and unwilling to stay away from one another. But can they weather their own insecurities and Harlan’s ex-fiancée to find their happy ever after?

St. Patrick's Alternatives by Lesley L. Smith:

Physicist Chloe Phillipson uses her anti-gravity power to help save St. Patrick's Day.

To Catch a Leprechaun by Emily Martha Sorensen:

It's really tough to catch a leprechaun. Especially when sisters get in the way.

Lady Luck by A.C. Wilds:

The Greek Goddess of Luck can be found hiding in the most unlikely of places. In an effort to hide from her father, Luck, or so she likes to be called, spends her time tending bar at Lady luck, her own establishment in mid-town Manhattan.St. Patrick’s Day is the busiest day of the year – the annual drinking contest brings hundreds of people to fight the reigning champion, Sosha, for the title.On her way to work, Luck meets two cops at a police checkpoint. She quickly finds herself wondering what it would be like to not be so alone anymore.After their shift, Sullivan, Santina, and Mackenzie hear the call of Lady Luck, and find the sexy temptress behind the bar.Unable to resist her, the pack soon discovers their need to claim her as their own. Now tied to a pack of wolf shifters, the Goddess of Luck has no idea what plans they have unwittingly put into motion.

Luck and Magic 2020 - A Round-Up of Indie St. Patrick's Day Speculative Fiction

Our monthly round-ups of new speculative fiction and new crime fiction releases by indie authors are a perennially popular feature. Therefore, we now offer you a round-up of our favourite St. Patrick's Day speculative fiction by indie and small press authors.

These St. Patrick's Day stories cover the broad spectrum of speculative fiction. We have urban fantasy, paranormal romance, paranormal mystery, children's fantasy, portal fantasy, witches, werewolves, fairies, leprechauns, lion shifters, reindeer shifters, undead demon hunters, superheroes, magic coins, mail order brides, Lady Luck and much more. But one thing unites all of those very different books. They're all set on or around St. Patrick's Day.

As always, I know the authors at least vaguely, but I haven’t read all of the books, so Caveat emptor.

And now on to the books without further ado:

Feeling Lucky by Kathy Bryson:

"Most most people who spend time at a job develop ideas of how they can improve a product or business. They just don’t always get a chance to share. And that’s not counting the thousands of unpublished artists, writers, and musicians out there..."

What would you do if you suddenly got 5 million dollars to spend on your dreams? What it if was a leprechaun's money?

Megan O'Malley was mortified when she got drunk and pinched the bandleader's ass at a cousin's wedding. But she was astonished when he turned out to be a leprechaun! Seems they're not the little, green men of fairytales after all. They just say that because they like a good joke and what better way to hide the gold? Oh, that bit's true - as is the part about not sharing!

An award-winning fantasy of money and magic and making the most of your dreams!

Into the Rainbow by Jessica L. Elliott:

Twins Dierdre and Treasa have gone to Kansas City on their first spring break without parents along with their tagalong sister Darcie. Other than constant rain, everything is going smoothly until a birthday prank gone wrong sends them into the Emerald Glade where leprechauns reign and magic is real. In order to get home, the girls must find out why they were summoned so they can return through the rainbow.

Away with the Fairies by S.K. Gregory:

Seven years ago, Declan disappeared while out in the woods. A year later, he returned home, with no memory of where he was or what happened to him.

Now Declan works as a barista, trying to get on with his life and forget what happened, but that isn't easy when he keeps seeing things that aren't there. Shadows from the corner of his eye, strange lights around people. It gets worse when a new girl starts working at the coffee shop. There is something about her, something different.

With her help, Declan starts to uncover the truth of what happened to him, how the Fae took notice and pulled them into their realm. Now they want him back.

A Luck O' The Irish Tale. Can be read as a standalone.

End of the Rainbow by Michelle Ann Hollstein:

It’s St. Patrick’s Day and Aggie, Betty and Roger are celebrating at an Irish pub in Palm Springs when Betty’s leprechaun-love-interest drops dead. Could it be murder? Join Aggie and friends as they embark on a celebration they won’t soon forget.

The Man from U.N.D.E.A.D.'s St. Patrick's Day Parade by Darren Humphries:

The United Nations Department for the Enforcement and Apprehension of Demons is the first, last and only line of defence against the supernatural threats trying to break into a world where magic and technology are uneasy bedfellows.

A death brings Agent Ward, the Man From U.N.D.E.A.D., to Ireland and to a secret location where there are dangers without and secrets within.

Can Ward work out the latter before a veritable parade of demonic beings launch a full-scale attack?

The Man From U.N.D.E.A.D.'s St Patrick's Day Parade is a short story featuring Agent Ward from the Man From U.N.D.E.A.D. series of novels.

Lucky Lion by Lola Kidd:

Lion shifter Aaron wants to settle down and find his mate. After one of his friends finds his mate online, Aaron decides to give LK Brides a try. He’s surprised to get matched the very day he signs up.

Curvy beauty Emma has been waiting to get matched by LK Brides for months. When it finally happens, she can’t believe the how strong her feelings are for her match after only one meeting.

As their relationships moves forward quickly, Emma begins to doubt how much she can trust Aaron. Will the lion shifter luck out and find love this St. Patrick’s Day? Find out in the second Holiday Mail-Order Mates story.

Four-Leaf Clover by Amanda M. Lee:

Clove Winchester is feeling lucky at life, and that’s before a mysterious stranger drops into her magic store and gifts her with a special coin. Suddenly things can’t go wrong for Clove, and she’s the center of attention in the Winchesters’ world – especially because Aunt Tillie wants that coin.

When a near-death experience rocks Clove and her boyfriend Sam, Clove takes a closer look at the coin and realizes there’s a lot she can do with her new luck streak. Unfortunately for Aunt Tillie, Clove is determined to keep the benefits to herself.

When a brazen armed robber hits Hemlock Cove and goes after Bay, all of the Winchester witches band together to solve the crime and save the day. Of course, they may need a little luck to do it.

The Reindeer's St. Patrick's Surprise by Elizabeth Ann Price:

Harlan Connors is a reindeer shifter who isn’t ready to settle down. After a disastrous attempted mating, all he wants is to have fun. Mating and marriage are the furthest things from his mind.

Temp is a woman who knows what she wants – a baby. Convinced that Mr. Right is never going to show up, she decides to start a family on her own.

However, a chance meeting and a wild St. Patrick’s Day later, the two of them find themselves married and both unable and unwilling to stay away from one another. But can they weather their own insecurities and Harlan’s ex-fiancée to find their happy ever after?

St. Patrick's Alternatives by Lesley L. Smith:

Physicist Chloe Phillipson uses her anti-gravity power to help save St. Patrick's Day.

To Catch a Leprechaun by Emily Martha Sorensen:

It's really tough to catch a leprechaun. Especially when sisters get in the way.
 
Lady Luck by A.C. Wilds:

The Greek Goddess of Luck can be found hiding in the most unlikely of places. In an effort to hide from her father, Luck, or so she likes to be called, spends her time tending bar at Lady luck, her own establishment in mid-town Manhattan.St. Patrick’s Day is the busiest day of the year – the annual drinking contest brings hundreds of people to fight the reigning champion, Sosha, for the title.On her way to work, Luck meets two cops at a police checkpoint. She quickly finds herself wondering what it would be like to not be so alone anymore.After their shift, Sullivan, Santina, and Mackenzie hear the call of Lady Luck, and find the sexy temptress behind the bar.Unable to resist her, the pack soon discovers their need to claim her as their own. Now tied to a pack of wolf shifters, the Goddess of Luck has no idea what plans they have unwittingly put into motion.