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What if the key to saving the world lies in the one creature everyone learned to fear?
What if the key to saving the world lies in the one creature everyone learned to fear? Rhyden was supposed to stay hidden in Ochana, the floating realm of dragons—isolated ever since Prince Jago’s mysterious death. But with an unshakable sense of duty, he defies his people’s decree and enrolls at Aprella Academy, a legendary school where mermaids, elves, fairies, and kitsune shape the world’s magic.
Arriving as the first dragon on campus in a century, Rhyden becomes an instant sensation—and not everyone is thrilled about it. Whispers circulate that the wards protecting the academy are failing. A priceless artifact has been stolen, dark forces lurk in hidden corridors, and rumors blame the sudden “dragon presence” for the danger creeping past the gates. Teaming up with a ragtag circle of new friends—Kairo the mermaid warrior torn between land and sea, Fenrick the kitsune trickster hiding unexpected insecurities, Talyssa the elf struggling to atone for her people’s past, and Lirien the quiet fairy sensing a looming evil—Rhyden races to unmask the culprit. Yet ominous illusions and shocking betrayals await at every turn, threatening to shatter the fragile trust he’s begun to build.
When Rhyden’s draconic power finally awakens, it’s as explosive as the secrets that forced dragons into hiding long ago. Determined to reclaim the dragon legacy and protect a world that once shunned his kind, he soon learns that defeating hidden enemies may require forging alliances beyond imagination—and confronting a darkness older than the academy itself.
Dive into a ranobe-inspired tale of epic magic, unlikely friendships, and one dragon shifter trying to light the path forward in a realm built on shadows. Will Rhyden spark a new era for dragons—or remind the world why they vanished in the first place? Perfect for fans of magical academies, secret conspiracies, and unstoppable teamwork, Keeper of Dragons: Aprella Academy is your next addictive fantasy read.
J.A. Culican is a USA Today Bestselling author of the middle grade fantasy series Keeper of Dragons. Her first novel in the fictional series catapulted a trajectory of titles and awards, including top selling author on the USA Today bestsellers list and Amazon, and a rightfully earned spot as an international best seller. Additional accolades include Best Fantasy Book of 2016, Runner-up in Reality Bites Book Awards, and 1st place for Best Coming of Age Book from the Indie book Awards.
J.A. Culican holds a Master’s degree in Special Education from Niagara University, in which she has been teaching special education for over 13 years. She is also the president of the autism awareness non-profit Puzzle Peace United. J.A. Culican resides in Southern New Jersey with her husband and four young children.
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.
Douglas Smith is a five-time award-winning author described by Library Journal as “one of Canada’s most original writers of speculative fiction.”
His latest work is the multi-award-winning YA urban fantasy trilogy, The Dream Rider Saga. Other books include the urban fantasy novel, The Wolf at the End of the World; the collections, Chimerascope and Impossibilia; and the writer’s guide Playing the Short Game. His short fiction has appeared in the top markets in the field, including The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Amazing Stories, InterZone, Weird Tales, and many others.
He is a 4-time winner of Canada’s Aurora Award as well as the juried IAP Award. He’s been a finalist for the Astounding Award, CBC’s Bookies Award, Canada’s juried Sunburst Award, the juried Alberta Magazine Award for Fiction, and France’s juried Prix Masterton and Prix Bob Morane.
When Did You Start Writing? / When did you realize you wanted to be a writer? I did a lot of writing in high school, but got away from it for many years. I’d always planned to get serious about fiction “someday.” Then, in 1995, I finally decided to try. I started writing what would become my first professionally published story, “Spirit Dance,” but I really wasn’t making much progress. I’d spent, I think, all of July rewriting the same opening scene. Then, while on vacation, I came across a book called The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. It’s essentially a twelve-step program for recovering your creativity as an adult, the creativity we’re all born with and which is then beaten out of us by society as we’re told to grow up and get a real job. It’s a wonderful book and one I recommend to anyone who wants to be creative (or more creative), whether that be writing, art, music, acting, or whatever. But the real impetus for me to get serious about writing came when I returned from that vacation. and read that one of my all-time favourite writers, Roger Zelazny, had passed away from cancer at the far too young age of 56. That was it. Right then, I decided not to wait for “someday” or retirement or anything to start writing. There’s no guarantee any of us will live long enough to have a “someday.” I started producing stories regularly and sending them out to professional markets. I submitted my first story in January 1996—and got my first rejection that same month. But I kept submitting and received my first acceptance letter for “Spirit Dance” on Dec 31 that year, which was a great way to end a year and start a new one.
How did you discover the joys of speculative fiction? I had two “discovery” periods. When I was eight, a friend introduced me to Robert A. Heinlein’s young-adult SF novels — essentially rocket and ray-gun books. I devoured all of those, but then stopped reading the genre. Then in Grade 11, I had to do a paper in English comparing the works of multiple authors. Amazingly, the teacher included a group consisting of Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, and Ray Bradbury, which, of course, was the group I picked. That assignment got me back into reading SF and fantasy.
What writing has inspired you? / Major Influences? / Favourite Authors? I’d have to say my favourite author and influence on my own writing has been the late Roger Zelazny. His Lord of Light is one of the greatest speculative fiction novels ever written. His stories are often based on mythology, and I’ve always loved myths—Greek, Norse, Egyptian, Native American—so that was one attraction to his work. His prose style is lean but poetic, his stories poignant and mythic and filled with unique characters you want to spend time with. Plus, his work shows the most fantastic range of imagination of any writer I’ve ever encountered. I don’t think I write like him, but I’m sure he’s had an influence. Ray Bradbury’s short fiction was another early influence. He wrote about the fantastical hiding in our everyday lives, whether the hidden mystery is wondrous or frightening. I love his lyrical prose style, the simple humanity of his characters, and his insight into what it means to be human, no matter what our age. I reread “Something Wicked This Way Comes” recently. When I’d read it as a teenager, I remember loving the book and the kid characters, but not really “getting” the father. Reading it now, as an adult and father, I realize that Bradbury really understood both generations and the changes, choices, and regrets that come with age, and that is where the power of the book resides. I came to Hemingway late and after he was out of fashion, but his lean prose style amazed me, the way he could say so much by saying so little, and often communicating as much by what he left out, by what his characters didn’t discuss, as what he put on the page. Other favourite authors include Charles de Lint, Shirley Jackson, Emily St. John Mandel, Amor Towles, Thomas Perry, Thomas King, Ian Hamilton, Neil Gaiman, and Tim Powers. That’s a short list (but a good one). Some favourite books, including a lot on non-speculative fiction, include Station Eleven, The Queen’s Gambit, A Gentleman in Moscow, Memory & Dream, Ready Player One, Weaveworld, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, Ian Hamilton’s Ava Lee series, and of course, the spec fic classics like Dune, Stranger in a Strange Land, and LOTR. I’ve also written several short stories inspired in some way by the songs of Bruce Springsteen. He’s an astounding storyteller. In a few lines, he tells stories of everyday people struggling with whatever life has thrown at them, but with an attitude of defiance and hope despite the odds against them. And Buffy. Major Buffy fan. It remains one of the most creative shows ever to hit TV and is a writing workshop on character development and arcs and dialog.
Why start with short fiction? I started with short fiction because in spec fic, it’s been traditional to break in writing short stories. But I also think it makes sense to start with the short form before trying to tackle a novel, and I always urge young writers to do the same. Short stories let you learn the craft of fiction much faster than writing a novel. Twenty 5,000-word short stories let you experiment far more with different styles, points of view, genres, story structures, etc. than you could in a single 100,000-word novel. Plus, you’ll be able to find out earlier if your writing is at a publishable level by submitting those stories to short fiction markets. And short fiction will teach you skills you need whether you write short stories or novels—handling point of view, story structure, use of scenes, characterization, plot, pacing, dialog, setting, world building, information flow, voice—not to mention basic sentence structure, paragraphing, punctuation, grammar. I moved to novels once all my “short” stories started becoming very long stories.
What I read as a child I was reading by the time I was four, thanks to my parents reading to me every night at bedtime. It hooked me on books for a lifetime. Reading was a way to have wonderful adventures as a kid and make my world so much bigger than my house and neighborhood and school. My early favourites were animal stories, which probably led me to my love for writing shapeshifter tales. I loved A.E. Milne’s “Winnie the Pooh” books (apparently my favourite bedtime stories as a young child) and Walter Brook’s “Freddie the Pig” series (the first books I remember knowing how to find in a library). Later it was everything by Jack London. About grade 5 or 6, Robert A. Heinlein juveniles got me hooked on SF, which led to fantasy. John Creasey and Dorothy Sayers introduced me to mystery and crime fiction somewhere in there as well. I believe that parents can teach kids to love reading by reading them a bedtime story EVERY night, from the day you bring them home. Make it a fun time, something they look forward to and associate with a wonderful experience. And make books a natural thing to have around. Our kids knew we’d say “no” to games, toys, or candy when out shopping—but they could always buy a new book. And for any wannabe writers, you can’t be a writer if you’re not a voracious reader. Period.
Will Dreycott is a superhero. In his dreams…and in yours.
The Hollow Boys The Dream Rider Saga Book 1 by Douglas Smith Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
WINNER OF THE 2023 AURORA AWARD FOR BEST YA NOVEL WINNER OF THE 2023 JURIED IAP AWARD FOR BEST YA NOVEL
“Thrilling YA fantasy” —BookLife (Editor’s Pick) “A must-read story for YA fantasy fans.” —Blueink Review (Starred review) “Inventive, engaging, and boundless fun.” —The Ottawa Review of Books
Vanishing street kids. An ancient evil. The end of the world. Our only hope? A hero who can’t leave home.
At seventeen, Will Dreycott is a superhero…in his dreams. And in yours.
Eight years ago, Will’s parents, shady dealers in ancient artifacts, disappeared on a jungle expedition. Will, the sole survivor, returned home with no memory of what happened, bringing a gift…and a curse.
The gift? Will can walk in our dreams. At night in Dream, Will hunts for criminals—and his parents. During the day, his Dream Rider comic, about a superhero no one knows is real, has made Will rich.
The curse? Severe agoraphobia. Will can’t go outside. So he makes his home a skyscraper with everything he needs in life—everything but the freedom to walk the streets of his city.
Case, an orphan Will’s age, survives on those streets with her younger brother, Fader. Survives because she too has a gift. She hears voices warning her of danger. And Fader? Well, he fades.
When street kids start vanishing, the Dream Rider joins the hunt. Will’s search becomes personal when Case breaks into his tower to escape her own abduction. Fader isn’t so lucky.
As Will and Case search for Fader and the missing kids, an unlikely romance grows between the boy with everything and the girl with nothing except the freedom Will longs for.
But as they push deeper into the mystery, they confront an ancient power feeding on these forgotten kids to restore itself. And once restored, no one in the world will be safe.
To defeat this creature, Will must do the impossible.
Go outside.
Indiana Jones meets Teen Titans in The Dream Rider Saga, a fast-paced urban fantasy trilogy from “one of Canada’s most original writers of speculative fiction” (Library Journal).
Praise for The Hollow Boys: “This arresting series kickoff grips from the start as it introduces its inventive milieu, its flawed but fantastically powered hero, its playful worldbuilding, and a host of tantalizing mysteries. … [A] vigorously imaginative scenario. … Takeaway: Thrilling YA fantasy” —BookLife (Editor’s Pick)
“An assured, confident novel … A must-read story for YA fantasy fans.” —Blueink Review (Starred review)
“Inventive, engaging, and boundless fun.” —The Ottawa Review of Books “A fun supernatural tale with well-developed characters and a touch of romance.” —Kirkus Reviews Praise for Douglas Smith:
“The man is Sturgeon good. Zelazny good. I don’t give those up easy.” —Spider Robinson, Hugo and Nebula Awards winner
“A great storyteller with a gifted and individual voice.” —Charles de Lint, World Fantasy Award winner
“His stories are a treasure trove of riches that will touch your heart while making you think.” —Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo and Nebula Awards winner
Sequel to the AURORA AWARD WINNER and the Juried IAP AWARD WINNER, The Hollow Boys
“Give me the Crystal Key!”
Will Dreycott is the Dream Rider, the agoraphobic teenage superhero who can walk in our dreams but never in the streets of his city. Case is his girlfriend, a survivor of those streets who hears voices that warn her of danger. Fader is her brother, who is very good at disappearing. Together, they defeated a body swapper and a witch to save the world (The Hollow Boys).
Now, Case battles guilt over living sheltered in Will’s tower home while her street friends still struggle. Blaming his affliction for Case’s sadness, Will searches for a way to live a normal life with the girl he loves—a way to go outside.
But his efforts draw the attention of dark forces. Sinister figures hunt Will in Dream. Intruders scour the vast warehouse of antiquities “acquired” by Will’s missing parents. And a masked swordswoman attacks Will, demanding “the Crystal Key” before disappearing into thin air.
Are they all searching for the same thing? Something from Will’s parents’ shady past? For the swordswoman leaves behind a flowery scent, Will’s only memory from the lost expedition eight years ago that gave him powers in Dream but cost him his parents and his freedom.
A trail of dark secrets leads Will, Case, and Fader to a mysterious world. Trapped between warring cults willing to kill for the Crystal Key, the three friends must master strange new powers that grow stronger and wilder the closer they draw to the truth.
This time it’s not just the fate of the world at stake…but the multiverse.
~ ~ ~
Indiana Jones meets Teen Titans in The Dream Rider Saga, a fast-paced urban fantasy trilogy from “one of Canada’s most original writers of speculative fiction” (Library Journal).
Praise for The Crystal Key: “The richly inventive Dream Rider adventure continues in this second appealing entry…with an exciting plot… always enlivened by the Smith hallmarks of crack dialogue, fun sleuthing and puzzle-solving, a strong throughline of emotion, a swift pace…and a principled refusal to settle for the familiar. Takeaway: This thrilling superpowered urban fantasy series continues to grip.” (New readers should start with book one.) —BookLife (Editor’s Pick) “The engrossing second installment of Douglas Smith’s Dream Rider Saga trilogy. … Smith continues to demonstrate an ability to expertly weave multiple complex fantasy elements into a cohesive whole. … This fast-paced story delivers in a big way—and Smith has all his ducks lined up for an explosive conclusion [to the series] that readers won’t want to miss.” —Blueink Review (★ Starred review) Praise for Douglas Smith:
“The man is Sturgeon good. Zelazny good. I don’t give those up easy.” —Spider Robinson, Hugo and Nebula Awards winner
“A great storyteller with a gifted and individual voice.” —Charles de Lint, World Fantasy Award winner
“His stories are a treasure trove of riches that will touch your heart while making you think.” —Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo and Nebula Awards winner
“Stories you can’t forget, even years later.” —Julie Czerneda, multi-award-winning author and editor
The Thrilling Conclusion to the Multi-Award-Winning Trilogy
Will is the Dream Rider, the superhero who walks in our dreams but never in the streets of his own city. Case is his girlfriend, a survivor of those streets who hears voices warning her of danger. Fader, her brother, is very good at disappearing.
In The Hollow Boys, they defeated a body swapper and a witch to save the world. In The Crystal Key, they battled warring cults to protect an ancient artifact tied to Will’s affliction.
The Chakana. The Crystal Key. But the key to what? To finding answers, they hope, to the questions that rule their lives.
What caused their strange powers? And Will’s crippling agoraphobia? Can he be cured? Why did their parents travel to the jungles of Peru eight years ago? Are they still alive?
Behind every question is the Chakana. What is the mysterious relic? Why will people kill to possess it? What hold does it have on Will?
As creatures from Inca myths haunt the three friends, another attack on the Chakana threatens Will’s life. To save him and solve the mystery of the lost expedition, only one choice remains.
Return to Peru. With the Chakana.
There, they find friends and foes, both old and new. And behind it all, an unseen enemy moving them like pieces on a chessboard.
To win this deadly game, Will, Case, and Fader must master new powers to defeat the most dangerous adversary they’ve ever faced—a god.
At stake this time? Every life, every world, every universe. Everything.
Indiana Jones meets Teen Titans in The Dream Rider Saga, a fast-paced urban fantasy trilogy from “one of Canada’s most original writers of speculative fiction” (Library Journal).
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.
Shutterbug Allison Lee is trying to survive high school while suffering the popular girl’s abuse. Her life is often abysmal, but at least her green hair is savage. Her talent for photography is recognized by the school paper and the judges of a photo contest.
While visiting her friend Joe, a homeless vet, Allison’s life irrevocably changes after an attack leaves her blind. All her dreams as a photojournalist are dashed as she realizes she’ll never see again. Despair sets in until she is offered an experimental procedure to restore her vision. But there are side effects, or are they hallucinations? She now sees dragons accompanying some of the people she meets. Can she trust her eyes, or has the procedure affected her more than she can see?
“Debut author Rice offers an allegorical YA fantasy novel about the transformative power of self-love.
Savvy, coffee-loving teenager Allison Lee is strong beyond her years. The biracial girl faces open discrimination and also copes with her apparent abandonment by her mother, who disappeared several years ago. She’s developed a keen sense of social justice along with a skill for photography. When a mysterious stalker hits her over the head, leaving her blind, she turns to an experimental eye-surgery procedure that forever changes her view of the world. Once, Allison saw her camera as her window to the truth; now, with her naked eye, she’s able to see mythological creatures that aren’t visible to other humans and that fight to protect their way of life. Allison’s ability results in her embarking on a dangerous adventure as she discovers her own highly unusual dragon-hunting legacy. She faces mortal peril as she protects humans and other creatures from a violent, otherworldly onslaught. Along the way, she also gets in touch with her own physical and emotional resilience. Although dragons play a central role in Rice’s work, the heart of the narrative is found in simple humanity and in a celebration of differences. Throughout, characters demonstrate emotional growth as they confront their limiting beliefs about others and embrace a sense of family. The story addresses serious, socially relevant subject matter, such as discrimination, poverty, and bullying, but it’s never preachy; indeed, it has a lighthearted tone that will resonate with adolescent readers. It concludes on an affirming, heartfelt note that will leave readers thoroughly satisfied yet also curious about the future of Rice’s magical fictional world.
Dan has wanted to write novels since first reading Frank Herbert’s Dune at the age of eleven. A native of the Pacific Northwest, he often goes hiking with his family through mist-shrouded forests and along alpine trails with expansive views. Dragons Walk Among Us is his debut novel. He plans to keep writing fantasy and science-fiction for many years.
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.
Dragon Blood (Draco Sang Trilogy Book 1) by Mary Beesley ~ Genre: YA Fantasy
Cal, a hungry sixteen-year-old sick of mining the sand, wants to fit in and make his ma proud, but instead, his violent tendencies bring shame. And the truth. He’s the son of a Draco Sang. Carriers of the Dragon’s blood, the Draco Sang transform into half human half beast as they mature into adults. And if Cal can’t control the dark impulses of his dragon blood, he’ll grow into a man-beast—and he’ll be hunted.
Ferth, son of a Draco Sang chief and last of his class to grow claws, needs to prove his worth to his father, or he’ll be sent to the slave house. Hiding his human heart, he joins the army headed south to conquer the fertile human lands.
Neither brother feels they belong. Cal is human, fighting against becoming a beastly Draco Sang, while Ferth is struggling to push back his humanity and transform into a worthy Draco warrior.
Before ever meeting in open battle, Ferth is sent to kill Cal. But when he learns they are brothers, he must decide which loyalty is stronger, blood or country. And whether to finally give in to his humanity.
Mary Beesley believes humans are born to create, and promotes creativity in all its beautiful forms. She’s learning calligraphy and watercolor. She loves exploring our magnificent planet and finding all the best places to eat around the world. But nothing beats coming home and sharing a pot of slow-simmered minestrone and homemade sourdough with friends and family. If she’s not in her writing chair, you’ll probably find her hiking in the Utah mountains with her husband and four children.
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An interview with Author Mary Beesley:
What are your top 10 favorite books/authors?
Leigh Bardugo, Robin McKinley, Naomi Novik, Sarah Maas, JK Rowling, Madeline Miller, Ken Follett, VE Schwab, Brent Weeks, Jane Austen, Brandon Sanderson…. I must stop, but it is so hard. There are so many great authors out there!
What is your writing process?
Every book has been a little different, just like humans, I think each of my books comes with a personality and unique challenges.
Dragon Blood is a trilogy, and I did more outlining on that project than any other because I needed to be very organized to plan three books ahead. But with Betting on Love that’s coming out in 2021, I saw in my mind a scene from it and just went with it with very few notes. With the book, To Unite a Realm, I saw an idea I wanted to explore. I wondered what it would be like to marry someone you hated and what kind of pressure would a person need to be under to accept that kind of marriage.
I have another manuscript that I’m working on that is an adult fantasy, and it’s the hardest draft I’ve ever worked on. This story is big and important and it’s really testing my patience and commitment and creativity. I’ve left it and come back to it three or four times now and I’m still not done with the first draft, but I think in the end it will be that much better for the work and effort.
Usually I like to buzz through the entire first draft start to finish within about three months. I live and breathe and sleep the story, and it’s so much easier for me to stay deep in it than to come in and out and try to keep finding the voice and narrative. Now that I have deadlines and edits due, it’s harder for me to carve out exclusive time to one book, but I’m learning and adjusting.
I will say that with each manuscript, I’ve had to see where I was going before I felt comfortable starting. I don’t usually have a full-fledged outline, but I know several important plot points I’m aiming for and that helps the draft flow. I usually have a notebook full of ideas and have spent months just thinking about the characters and the scenes before I ever start on the first draft.
Do the characters all come to you at the same time or do some of them come to you as you write?
I have to spend a good bit of time with my main characters walking around my head before I start writing, but they are far from fully formed until after I start writing and truly seeing them act and come to life. Secondary characters get even less prewriting meditation time so it’s a lot of learning who my characters are as I write and they start to do this. It’s especially exciting when they start to do things on their own and unexpected and interesting things happen.
Do you see writing as a career?
YES!
Do you read yourself and if so what is your favorite genre?
I read as much as I can. I think it is one of the best ways to improve craft and creativity. I read all the genres—except horror and erotica. My favorites are fantasy and historical fiction, but I love so much that it was hard for me to even narrow it down to those two.
Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why?
Silence. Sometimes if I am really all over the place, I’ll put on some classical music to pull myself together, but I just like to really focus in silence. I very difficult for me to draft when my husband or kids are home making noise.
How long on average does it take you to write a book?
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.
Anzel Spectrus has been alone as long as he can remember. So long so that he has convinced himself he prefers it that way. At least until he discovers what it’s like to have others in his life.
Mongo the minotaur usually spends his time trying to bully Anzel, until one day he asks for Anzel’s help out of desperation. Mongo’s request leads to Anzel meeting Brucie, who tells him that his aura is the color of a powerful being that seemingly no longer exists outside of a children’s bedtime story that Anzel has never heard. The three set out together in search of answers in an attempt to either prove or debunk the details of that bedtime story, and to hopefully find an answer to who Anzel really is.
The question remains, who – or what – is Anzel Spectrus?
Rachel A Olson resides in rural Northwestern Nebraska, along with her husband, three children, two cats, and a yellow lab. She is a bit of a workaholic with a full-time day job, working as a freelance graphic designer and formatter in her spare time, as well as squeezing in her writing. Rachel is also passionate about her faith and stays involved in her church as much as she can. She enjoys the quiet outdoors, loves to travel, and often craves spicy foods. She considers herself to be a helper by nature and wants nothing more than to see other artists succeed in the areas they are most passionate about.
Mark Rosendorf ‘s writing is based on the personalities and experiences he has come across throughout his life, coupled with his own wild “if only I could do that” imagination. He is the author of the young adult series, The Witches of Vegas. He is also credited with The Rasner Effect series, a suspense/thriller trilogy published between 2009 and 2012.
Born November, 25th, 1974, and raised in Queens New York, Mark holds a Master’s Degree from Long Island University’s Human Development and Leadership program. He is a licensed Guidance Counselor for the New York City Department of Education’s special education district. He began his counseling career in September, 2001. Prior to that, he worked in the hotel industry.
Mark has also moonlighted as a professional magician. Today, he teaches magic and Illusion to his students in order to teach teamwork while developing their confidence. Having accomplished his goals of becoming an author, Mark decided on an early retirement from writing. Then, one night, at two a.m., a new and unique story shot into Mark’s brain like a lightning bolt, screaming for him to write it. Mark found himself spending several nights taking notes on the characters and their stories. That is how The Witches of Vegas was born.
The Witches of Vegas (The Witches of Vegas Book 1) by Mark Rosendorf ~ Genre: YA Fantasy
Where can Witches and their vampire mentor practice their powers without being discovered or persecuted?
By using their magic, the Witches of Vegas become the number one act performing on the Las Vegas Strip—a great achievement for them, but not so much for the magicians—who can’t possibly keep pace.
Isis Rivera is the adopted fifteen-year old daughter of The Witches of Vegas. Zack Galloway is the teenage nephew and assistant to the last magician left in the city. Although they should be rivals, when Valeria, a four-hundred-year-old witch with a long-seeded grudge against humanity arrives in Sin-City, both teens act to bring their families together to stop the evil hag in her tracks.
But can the combined witches’ powers and the ingenuity of the magicians be enough to stop Valeria from taking over the city and possibly the world?
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They say every author has some weird habit when they write. For the most part, this is a true statement as creativity comes with quirks. I’m no different. My weird habit: I do most of my writing in the shower. I’m not sure why, but that’s where most of my ideas flow just like the water that hits my body from the faucet. Unfortunately, my ideas are like lightning—one bright flash, then it’s gone. That’s why I have notepads and a pen tacked up on the wall next to my shower. When I have an idea, I stick my arm out of the shower and write it down. It’s part of my writing process.
The Witches of Vegas is a story about a family of witches, and their vampire mentor, who hide in plain sight as magicians on the Vegas strip. It is an award-winning young adult novel that has taken its audience by storm. It was also, mostly, written on notepads from the shower. The same can be said for the upcoming sequel, Journey To New Salem, which is scheduled for an early 2021 release. Both stories are clean, and so is the author.
Every writer has a weird writing habit. Now you know mine. What’s yours?
Driven, talented, and determined to live up to her family’s fame, Sasha Nikolayeva is ballet’s crown princess. But just when Sasha lands her most prestigious role yet, she falls prey to a host of disturbing neurological symptoms that threaten to end her career and her very life. As her mind and body deteriorate, Sasha spirals into a nightmare world where beauty and cruelty exist in the same breath and villains rule from the shadows.
In the glittering, sharp-edged City of Roses, Sasha is no princess. She’s a thrall, a slave. Thousands like her suffer in cursed silence while citizens enjoy the splendor of the City, blissfully unaware that their servants are anything more than living dolls enchanted to do their bidding. But the City’s slavers know the truth, and they are always watching. One misstep could cost Sasha her life—or her soul.
Even as she endures the violence and indignity of captivity, Sasha can’t help being drawn to the beauty of her nightmare world and the underground rebels who offer her friendship, shelter, even love. Before Sasha can break her chains for good, she’ll need choose between the life waiting for her at home and the countless lives she could save if she stays. To choose a nightmare over her real life, her future, would be madness…but maybe a little madness is just what it takes to change the fate of a city built on lies.
Dreams and reality perform a captivating pas de deux in this tale of legacy and longing. A lyrical and original fantasy that, like its heroine, has the soul of a dancer.
In retrospect, I probably should have realized a lot earlier that I was meant to be a writer. Even as early as kindergarten, I struggled to pay attention in class because the outside world was just not as interesting as what was going on in my head. By that time, I had already made my storytelling debut (“Squirm the Worm,” delivered at age three) and had spent countless hours playing make-believe with my 284 stuffed animals, every one of whom had a name and detailed backstory.
Though I quickly learned to pay attention (or at least look like I was paying attention) during school hours, I retained a tendency to daydream and a love of stories. When I left high school to attend the Sunderman Conservatory at Gettysburg College, I learned to translate both emotional and programatic content into music. Now, as an exam prep and college essay tutor, I have the time and flexibility to really dig into fiction again. My work has appeared online and in print in such venues as Timeless Tales Magazine and Quantum Fairy Tales.
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“The legends say that in the earliest days, we lived and died in darkness and despair.” Luca’s voice tickles my ear, and, though he drops his hand, he stays close. “Farmers toiled in the fields without respite, never tasting the fruits of their labor. Blacksmiths forged tools and weapons, never toys or lovers’ trinkets. Housewives gave birth to children who grew too quickly into adulthood, never knowing laughter. Soldiers killed and were killed without mercy—without knowing why, even. But for all their toiling and striving, they were pale, listless, fearful beings. There was no beauty or courage in the world, only survival. Only hardship.
“But one day, a young blacksmith dreamed of something better. He dreamed of the three Graces: Joy, Passion…and, shining like a beacon, her arms around the other two, Beauty. When the blacksmith awoke, he wept, for now he knew all that his life lacked. He wept a lifetime of tears that had never been shed, and, when his tears ran dry, he fell to his knees and prayed.
“When the blacksmith rose, he went to his forge and fashioned a chalice from gold—a soft, silly metal that served no useful purpose. So he had been told, and so he had believed until he dreamed of Beauty. When the chalice was completed, he went to the vineyards, where the vintner made vinegar to preserve food, clean wounds, quench thirst—useful, practical, necessary tasks, of course. But the blacksmith told the vintner of his dream and showed him the golden chalice, and the vintner in turn showed him what he had discovered: His casks of vinegar, if opened early, produced a liquid with a pleasant taste and even more pleasant warmth.
“The blacksmith and the vintner filled the chalice with wine and offered it to the villagers, who began to laugh and then to sing. When the chief’s suspicious soldiers came to investigate, they, too, drank the wine. One soldier after another faltered in the march, and they began to dance.
“And so the chalice performed its miracles, passing from hand to hand, intoxicating the people not only with drink but with joy and wonder. ‘There is beauty in the world,’ one villager would say. ‘Drink deep.’ ‘Life is sweet,’ the next might say. ‘Drink deep.’ The villagers drank deep from the chalice and began to expect more from life than mere survival. As they sought out beauty and amusement and love, they also found genius and passion for good works, for excellence, for innovation. They found their Gifts.
“The villagers transformed their huts into houses, then villas. The villages grew into towns, then cities, then a kingdom. To this day we gather in the Temple of Graces to seek out the beauty in the world and in ourselves, and every year we celebrate the blacksmith and his Chalice of Gifts.”
Luca falls silent. I blink, still entranced by his story and dazzled by the stars. Finally, I look at him and feel a smile spread across my face.
“I love it,” I tell him, and it feels like something more, something like… I love you.
Nina Soden 