As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
Witness the vile acts of a monstrous heart. 
Feel the vicious clash of duality in conflict. 
Know the light of protection through valiant courage.
The Chimera Snare: Reflections
The Chimera Snare Book 2
by S & E Black
Genre: Dark Epic Fantasy
-Winner: 2026 Literary Titan Gold Book Awards: Fiction
-2nd Place: 2026 BookFest Awards – Fiction- Dark Fantasy
-Book Nerdection “Must Read”
-Readers’ Favorite: 5 Stars
Von is cast into the pages of Ananael, the Order’s tome of secret knowledge. However, his venture into the past takes an unexpected turn as he awakens within a cosmic void in the presence of the eternal being, who grants him perspective through others woven through his existence. Yet before he may commence his time-altering quest, a trial of discovery, revelation, and horror surrounding his origin awaits him.
Benson’s monstrous heart sews the seeds of a vile past brimming with betrayal and hate. Through unimaginable deceptions and buried secrets, familial bonds once forged from love, honor, and acceptance are upended and broken forever. The souls of integral births, sprouting from pillaged and neglected foundations, unfurl a path towards disarray.
Distorted memory fragments challenge Von’s grip on reality, and the reveal of a horrid truth ignites a vicious fury of vengeance. Though his quest for answers falters along the way, he finds help from an unexpected ally. Meanwhile, a mysterious power awakens within Navaryn, putting her at odds with both her friends and herself. And as the motivations of Celestine’s leader become questionable, her suspicions involving her role within the Halryn continue to grow.
As the disparate worlds of Celestine and Daeva teeter on the brink of war, Von and Navaryn are drawn together by unseen forces. Two destinies, once parallel, now collide. But where bloodshed beckons, a valiant act of courage challenges the course of their fates.
Clay Urn Publishing * Amazon * Apple * B&N * Bookbub * Goodreads
The Chimera Snare Book 1
-Winner: 2025 International Impact Book Awards – Fantasy
-2nd Place: 2025 BookFest Awards – Fiction- Dark Fantasy
-Winner: 2024 Indies Today Awards – Best Urban Fantasy
-Winner: 2024 Literary Titan Gold Book Awards: Fiction
-Finalist: 2024 Literary Global Fiction/Debut & Dark Fantasy Sci-fi
-Book Nerdection “Excellent Read”
For Rayshell and her best friend Trish, senior year of high school is going to hell in a handbasket. The feud between Celestine and Daeva is bleeding into their world. When a mysterious visitor infiltrates her dreams, Rayshell is thrust into a realm of profound, otherworldly secrets. Together, Rayshell and Trish uncover the unbelievable—they are the living vessels for two banished Celestine guardians.
Amidst mystical recollections and a wondrous magic system that shatters the veneer of their everyday lives, the two friends embark on a journey against time to connect with the Celestine guardians’ allies in hopes of freeing them from their imprisonment. Simultaneously, the shadows cast by Daeva darken. The notorious outlaw, Merisek, has positioned himself to claim dominion over the Order of Existence—a trio of powerful artifacts capable of reshaping reality. Armed with two of these relics, Merisek races against the emergence of the Celestine guardians to claim the third. The stage is set for a showdown that will determine the fate of existence itself.
Rayshell and Trish are all that stand between Merisek and his unhinged desire to twist the fabric of reality into his making. As the threads of destiny unravel, the question looms: who will be the author of existence, and what profound truths will be unveiled in the final, decisive act?Clay Urn Publishing * Amazon * Apple * B&N * Bookbub * Goodreads
Husband & Wife author duo Shannon Vierra & Edward Ayllon write under the pen name S & E Black. Together, they craft the award-winning series, The Chimera Snare. They share a deep appreciation for music and credit a great number of bands and artists for inspiring their writing journey. Currently, they live in the greater Chicago area amidst a rich and diverse culture with their clowder of rescue cats.
Shannon is an urban gardener and an avid seed collector. In the makeup community, she goes by the moniker zoomzoommacaron and hosts an international, zombie-themed makeup collab called the #zombabescollab. She also enjoys anime, horror movies, craft beer & kombucha, cooking (and eating), sunbathing, photography, and singing badly. Music fuels Shannon’s many passions, especially writing and creating art. She credits music with saving her life on multiple occasions in her teenage and young adult years.
Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Edward first discovered the joys of creative writing through his early high school studies, and has spent many years exploring and developing a deep appreciation for the arts. Since first collaborating with his wife, Shannon, he has sprouted a passion and true affinity for storytelling and crafting literature. In addition to refining his skill in creating written works, his other interests include playing bass guitar, listening to music, and dabbling in photography.
Website * Facebook * Instagram * Bluesky * TikTok * Bookbub * Bookbub * Goodreads * Goodreads* Amazon
Limited-edition hardcover set copies of the books, $20 Amazon/Paypal – 1 winner each! Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHORS
What book do you think everyone should read?
Shannon: Be Water, My Friend, by Shannon Lee.
Edward: Animal Farm by George Orwell.
Do the characters all come to you at the same time or do some of them come to you as you write?
Shannon: They come to me as we storyboard and flesh out more of the universe. And each one takes time to develop, so it’s a bit of a process. Even if they’re more minor characters, we still do our best to dial in their vibe, attitude and appearance before we start to insert them into the story. I personally need to see them first, so each character has a complete (or nearly complete) profile.
Edward: It’s a little of both. We make it a point to iron out the framework of what we’re working on, but from time to time there comes a need that a new character can facilitate. That happened a few times while writing “Reflections.” It’s that organic element of writing that can truly bring a sense of spontaneity and liveliness to a story.
Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why?
Shannon: Music all the time. I can’t especially find my zone in silence. Music helps pull my focus and take me out of my head and into the scene I’m working on, making it easier for my mind to find freedom.
Edward: I need music 100% of the time. It helps bring me into the mood or atmosphere of what I’m trying to write. It’s been highly inspirational for the both of us. In fact, we include a page in our books with dedications to the various bands and artists whose music has influenced our writing.
Do you write one book at a time or do you have several going at a time?
Shannon: I will always work on the framework for the coming installments, but for sitting down and writing proper, I work on one at a time.
Edward: I’ve been entertaining the thought of writing multiple books at once. If I can discipline myself enough, I might be able to do it. We shall see.
If you could have been the author of any book ever written, which book would you choose?
Shannon: I’ve never considered this question until now. Perhaps I’d choose Harry Potter so the author wouldn’t be a transphobic twatwaffle who ruined their series for thousands of fans. Trans Rights are human rights. No one should dictate who someone else wants to identify as. Life has no place for this kind of hate. Let people be themselves.
Edward: I couldn’t agree more. There’s no sense in being hateful on account of people simply wanting to freely be who they want to be.
Pen or type writer or computer?
Shannon: Pen and paper for early notes and basic framework, especially on the road. Then I move to the computer to further refine things. I’ve never been great at a typewriter because it’s too rigid for my chaotic approach. I make too many mistakes while typing in general, and sometimes need to start my thoughts over.
Edward: This may be old-school, but I’ve become very fond of using a whiteboard. We got one not too long ago specifically to map out our next book. It’s on wheels, too, so we wheel it into the living room and spitball back and forth over drinks and snacks. I write pretty chaotically as well, so a computer is really the only way to go for me.
Tell us about one of your favorite characters.
Shannon: I tend to favor writing the villains. Joro is a character that we don’t know terribly much about in Fragments, but he is one of my favorites. Not only because he’s a shapeshifter and one of the powers I wish I could have. In Reflections you will get a glimpse into his past to help understand a little about what turned his heart so cold.
Edward: My favorite character to write has to be Merisek, who is Joro’s mentor. He’s presented in “Fragments” as a cold-hearted villain, but you come to find that there’s much more to him beyond the superficial by the end of the book. Then as you dive into “Reflections,” you come to learn more about his origin, his motivations, the life-changing revelation he faces, and how he tries so earnestly to honorably navigate the path that he was unwillingly set on. Put simply, he was a lot of fun to write.
Nina Soden 