Alex McKenna and the Geranium Deaths (Alex McKenna Series, Book One) by Vicki-Ann Bush ~ @vickiannbush ~ YA Paranormal

Alex McKenna and the Geranium Deaths

Alex McKenna Series 

Book One

Vicki-Ann Bush

Genre: YA Paranormal

Publisher: Creative James Media

Date of Publication: October 17, 2023

ISBN: 978-1-956183-42-9

Number of pages: 316

Word Count: 87837

Cover Artist: Dark Angel Graphic Design

Tagline: The Dead Need Him

About the Book: 

The dead need him.

Seventeen-year-old Alex McKenna is a transgender boy who comes from a rich history of Strega witches. Possessing the ability to communicate with the dead, he uses his talents and understanding of what it means to be different to bridge the gap between the living and the beyond. With his girlfriend Margaret and his spirited great-grandmother by his side, Alex helps lost souls resolve their earthly connections and move on.

When a series of murders plagues his neighborhood, Alex discovers the gruesome truth behind a sixty-year span of deaths and the sinister being responsible.

Will Alex save the next victim and stop the murderer for good? Or will this be his final case?

Purchase Links:

Books2Read     Amazon

Read an Excerpt:

     The shadow slowly turned its attention to Alex. He stood tall, not showing the fear that was ravaging his body.
     “Alex, be careful,” warned his mom.
     “It’s okay.” Alex stood firm.
     The dark figure let out an ear-piercing screech, and Alex buried his head in his jacket. Again, it changed its focus and twisted toward the back seat of the car—Wilby. It held the statue down toward the earth, and the car started to rock back and forth.
     “Wilby!” his mom screamed as she struggled to break free.
     Alex’s heart pounded; the death freeze of the dark spirit was coming, and it was very close.
     “Ma, that thing is summoning the beast!” Alex’s voice dripped with fear.
     “Alex, I don’t know what to do. I can’t move. Is Wilby still sleeping?”
     “Yes.”
     “Good.” She wiped her upper lip with her sleeve. “What if he wakes up?”
     The vibration in his front pocket distracted him. Alex slipped out his phone; his gram’s picture lit up like a beacon.
     “Gram, we’re in trouble,” Alex whispered.
     “I know. Listen carefully, Bonzetta. Tell your mother we are going to use the prayer of light. I will do what I need from here.”
     “What do I do?” Alex’s palms dripped with sweat from anxiety, and he nearly dropped the phone.
     “Just repeat what we say, okay?”
     “Okay.”
     He didn’t want to shout their plan, so he texted it to his mom. “Ma, look at your phone.”
     She slipped it out of her purse and read the message. Then,nodding in agreement, she waited.

About the Author: 

Originally from New York, Vicki-Ann currently resides in Nevada. Writing Young Adult paranormal, she finds inspiration from events that have been in her life for as long as she can remember. Inheriting the sensitivity to the supernatural from her family, they continue to be an endless source of vision. 

When not writing, she enjoys watching movies with her husband, their loveable great Dane, Cuba and their baby girl, Curie, a little Chua Chua/Yorkie mix. Other past time faves include, dinner with family and friends, going out to breakfast, and sipping wine on the patio of a lovely Italian restaurant.

In 2022 Vicki-Ann signed a two book publishing deal with CJM Publishing. Coming in 2024, the YA paranormal romance, The Darkest Light, and a New Adult sci-fi, Liminal Space.

https://www.vickiannbush.com 

https://twitter.com/vickiannbush 

https://www.facebook.com/VickiAnn.Bush.Author

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2947321.Vicki_Ann_Bush

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Amazon links are affiliate links.

Book Spotlight & #Giveaway ~ Alex McKenna and Death Is Not The Beginning (Alex McKenna Series, Book Four) by Vicki-Ann Bush @VickiAnnBush ~ YA Paranormal, LGBTQ

Alex McKenna and Death Is Not The Beginning

Alex McKenna Series 

Book Four

Vicki-Ann Bush

Genre: YA Paranormal, LGBTQ

Publisher: The Parliament House

Date of Publication: September 20, 2022

ASIN: B09M53WXWN

Cover Artist: Shayne Leighton

Tagline: Death Doesn’t Mean Forgiveness

About the Book: 

In the fourth and final installment for the series, Alex faces his most difficult case yet—the school bully.

For two years Kyle tried to make Alex’s life even more complicated than it already is. Choosing to single him out for his psychic abilities and other life events, the angry teen took every chance he could to challenge Alex’s well-being.

Despite the constant insults, when the bully is murdered and comes to him for help, Alex sets aside the past to help a soul in need. Searching for the killer, Alex uncovers a truth that answers the question why he was the victim of Kyle negative attention, and the answers that will set them both free.

Watch the Book Trailer:

 https://youtu.be/x8WDjIEQkaM

Purchase from:

Amazon     BN     Parliament House Press

Read an Excerpt:

Slipping off his jeans and boxer briefs, he unraveled the straps and stepped into the harness, centering it to his body. Then, pulling the front cradle away from his skin, he placed the packer in the sling and positioned it to the left. He had no idea why he did that, but he did. Pulling his boxers back up, he turned sideways to soak in the full view. Swiveling to face forward, he pulled his t-shirt over his head and tossed it on the toilet lid. Inching closer to his reflection, he examined the scars lining his chest a few inches below his nipples. Tracing the seam with his fingertips, he peered into the mirror. A lot changed over this past year.

Glancing to the side, he cocked his head. Rapid breath competed with the drumming of his pulse pumping through his chest, deafening all other sounds. He turned toward the small window that faced the backyard. He was drawn to it, being pulled as if tethered to a rope wrapped around his waist. Padding towards the glass, he rested his shoulder on the frame and peered out. Abruptly he pulled back…what the hell was Kyle doing in his yard? Quickly, he pulled on his t-shirt and jeans and flung open the door.

“Tesoro, I gotta go downstairs.”

“Why? What’s going on?” Margaret rushed into the hallway.

“Fucking Kyle is in the backyard.”

“What? I’m coming with you.”

The teens swiftly took the stairs focusing on their mission to confront the bully who’d verbally abused Alex for the past three years.

Wilby lay on the throw rug in front of the television when they jumped down to the solid wood floor, skipping the last few steps.

“Hey!”

“Wilby, stay in the house.”

“What? Why?”

“Just listen, okay?”

“No.”

Alex narrowed his eyes, but Wilby followed them anyway. Sliding the glass door open, Alex stepped onto the small porch that crowned the yard. Kyle stood in the center of the property on the pathway that split the yard into two equal sides. Behind him stood an unattached garage. There wasn’t a solid fence, only a row of hedges separating their property from the sidewalk and any unwanted guests, like the guy who stood poised and ready for whatever he was ready for.

“Alex, don’t. He’s not what you think.” A young boy stood at his side.

“Jacob, this isn’t the time for games.” Alex narrowed his eyes.

Margaret tapped his shoulder. “What did he say?”

“Not important.”

“Well, looks like Kyle left in a hurry,” Margaret remarked.

“What? What are you talking—”  Alex glanced down at Jacob. The little boy shook his head up and down. “You’re kidding me?”

“I tried to tell you,” Jacob murmured.

“Alex? You can see me, right?” Kyle asked in a shaky voice.

The boy glared at the intruder. “Kyle’s like me.”

Jacob had died in a car accident with his mother, and somehow, they were separated. Afraid to face the unknown alone, the six-year-old would haunt the halls at his elementary school until the day he followed Wilby home. He’d heard from others in the ghost world that Alex had special gifts and helped the dead. Alex tried several times to convince the little boy he’d be okay to crossover, but fear had rooted deep, and even the coaxing of a living teenager who talks to the dead wasn’t enough for the boy to go. He’d been a permanent resident of 55 Geranium Avenue ever since.

            “Now who are you talking to?” Margaret huffed.

“Kyle.”

“Kyle from school? What the heck? He’s not here—uh oh.”

“Yeaaah. Uh oh.”

“Is he, I mean, is he messed up?”

Alex understood why his girlfriend had asked the question. It wasn’t just because she was curious; it was one of the ways she connected with him. She knew some of the gruesome spirits he’d encountered over the years. They’d had several explicit conversations. Margaret was his everything, and that meant shouldering the burden of seeing things that were hard to look at. Even if it was only through his descriptions.

“No. He looks like he always does.” Alex turned back to Wilby. “Bro, get in the house now, or I’m telling Ma, and you know what’ll happen. You won’t be playing any of your games for a really long time.”

“Okay, okay. Jeez. Just because I didn’t get the know doesn’t mean I have to be sent away all the time.”

“Hey. No one said you’re not getting it. Just wait.”

“Whatever. I’ll be in my room.”

Alex’s heart ached for his brother. He’d been waiting since he was about five to get the gift that most of his family from his ma’s side possessed. There was always the possibility that Wilby could be like his dad, but he tried not to think about it. Alex had seen spirits since he was old enough to talk, but it was different for everyone. There was still time. Alex let his gaze travel from Wilby to Kyle, the terror that had been the starring role in most of his nightmares since the ninth grade now had an aura of a mouse more than a lion. Slouching shoulders, gaunt cheeks, and eyes wide with fear consumed any remnants of the hulk he was.

Alex took a cautious step toward the billowing ghost. A new spirit hasn’t mastered the skills of holding onto a solid appearance, and in the beginning, it can look like ripples in a pond.

“Kyle, what happened to you?”

“I…I don’t know. I can’t remember. Why can’t I remember?”

“It’s okay. You’re gonna be okay. It happens sometimes. It’ll come back to you.”

Alex glanced over at Margaret. She was biting her cheek. She knew he was lying. It didn’t always become clear what happened to the person, and those were the spirits that went insane. Not fully comprehending their death, how they got there, where they’re going. They refuse the light and wander endlessly in an abyss of the dead, the living, and the creatures that are damned and sinister. Telling Kyle that now would serve no purpose other than a cheap jab at revenge for all the crap he’d done to him. Alex couldn’t do it.

“Kyle, listen to me. We’ll figure it out, but for now, I want you to follow me to my room. Can you do that?”

“Yes.”

“Are you sure you want to do this? The guy’s a beast. A creep.” Margaret huffed.

“I know, but he’s a dead creep, and he needs my help.”

Meet the Author:

Originally from New York, Vicki-Ann currently reside in Nevada. Writing Young Adult paranormal, she finds inspiration from events that have been in her life for as long as she can remember. Inheriting the sensitivity to the supernatural from her family, they continue to be an endless source of vision.

Released in September 2019 from The Parliament House, Alex McKenna and The Geranium Deaths. The first book in a YA, Paranormal, LGBTQ series, that features a seventeen year old, transgender boy with paranormal abilities.

Book Two, Alex McKenna & The Academy of Souls, debuted October 2020.

Vicki-Ann has several titles that have received Reader's Favorite Five Star seal, as well as the 2017 and 2018 winner of, 50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading. Most recently, Alex McKenna and The Geranium Deaths, received the Gold medal in the Readers Favorite Book Awards for Young Adult, Paranormal.

Newsletter: https://bit.ly/3KmZbNG

Website: https://www.vickiannbush.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/VickiAnnBush

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vickiannbush/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorvickiannbush

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VickiAnn.Bush.Author

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Vicki-Ann-Bush/e/B004I4ZQWG

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz & #Giveaway ~ Alex McKenna & Death Is Not The Beginning by Vicki-Ann Bush (Alex McKenna, #4) @VickiAnnBush ~ LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Suspense, Young Adult #YA

Alex McKenna & Death Is Not The Beginning
Vicki-Ann Bush
(Alex McKenna, #4)
Published by: Parliament House
Publication date: September 20th 2022
Genres: LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Suspense, Young Adult

About the Book:

In the fourth and final installment for the series, Alex faces his most difficult case yet—the school bully.

For two years Kyle tried to make Alex’s life even more complicated than it already is. Choosing to single him out for his psychic abilities and other life events, the angry teen took every chance he could to challenge Alex’s well-being.

Despite the constant insults, when the bully is murdered and comes to him for help, Alex sets aside the past to help a soul in need. Searching for the killer, Alex uncovers a truth that answers the question why he was the victim of Kyle negative attention, and the answers that will set them both free.

Add to Goodreads 

Purchase from Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

—

Read an Excerpt:

Alex glanced up to the hovering apparition and raised his chin slightly left toward the door. He hoped the spirit would follow, but instead, it quickly vanished, so he took the cue and let it go. Clasping Margaret’s hand, he ushered them from the store.

Outside, the fragrance of freshly cut grass and blossoming tulips tickled his nostrils. A perfect Spring day. The young couple had strolled the fifteen-minute walk into the small village at the center of Floral Park, taking advantage of the warmer climate.

“It’s super nice out.” Alex smiled.

“It is. I love Spring. Hey, what happened in there?” Margaret asked.

“What do you mean?”

“I thought you spotted something.”

“I did. But they didn’t want my help.”

“Huh. Did you get a good look at what it was?”

“I didn’t know them, but it was definitely an older man. I’d say somewhere around my gram’s age.” Alex glanced over his shoulder back at the store.

“That’s sad.”

“How come?” Alex raised a brow.

“He’s in a drug store for eternity? Why? What keeps him there? Why doesn’t he cross over?”

“You sound like me.” Alex chuckled.

“Well, it was bound to rub off some time.” She lay her head on his shoulder.

“I’m just glad that’s over with.”

“I know.” Margaret gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

Rounding the corner at the end of the block stood a structure Alex struggled with for most of his seventeen years. Coming from a lineage of witches whose roots were planted in Italy, the paradoxical blend of spells and Catholicism baffled him. He chose to believe in spirituality, embracing his ancestors and calling on them in times of need.

Alex let Margaret’s hand slip through his fingers. Across the street, directly in front of the church, was a small park with a handful of benches. His gaze focused on the ornate stained glass adorning the round window above the sturdy oak doors. What the hell? Without care, he stepped into the road and in front of an oncoming car. Luckily, Margaret’s scream freed him from his trance in time for him to jump out of the way. A loud screech from the tires of the irate driver didn’t completely mask the language he yelled from the window.

Margaret rushed to his side and pulled Alex to a bench facing the building that had captivated his attention a few moments ago.

“What the hell?” Margaret slapped his arm.

“Sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” Alex glared at the church. “That’s not true.”

“Okay, spill.” Margaret scooted back and crossed her legs.

“Wait, where’s my bag?” Alex nervously looked around.

“Crap. It’s over there.” Margaret pointed to the asphalt.

“I’ll get it.” Alex motioned to stand.

“Oh, no you don’t. One near-death today is enough. I’ll get it. Stay here.”

Normally he’d argue the issue, but he didn’t trust himself either. The range of emotions creeping along his veins and occupying dread in his gut burned a volcano of doubt in his psyche.

Margaret halted at the sidewalk’s edge and turned her head from side to side before venturing into the middle of the road. She snatched up the bag and scurried back to the bench.

She stretched out her arm to hand the bag to Alex, “Thanks.”

“I’m just that kind of girlfriend. Risking life and limb for the guy I love.”

Alex rolled his eyes.

“Now, where were we? Oh, I remember, you were gonna tell me why you froze in the middle of the goddamn street.” Margaret knitted her brows.

“Once again—sorry. When I saw the church, I had a vision. The building was destroyed like a bomb or something had incinerated it. The darkness crept along the walls. It was like…a living thing.” Alex shuddered.

“Yup, just another day in the world of you.”

Meet the Author:

Originally from New York, Vicki-Ann currently resides in Nevada. Writing Young Adult paranormal, she finds inspiration from events that have been in her life for as long as she can remember. Inheriting her sensitivity to the supernatural from her family, they continue to be an endless source of vision.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hosted by:

Book Spotlight & #Giveaway ~ Alex McKenna and A Winter’s Night: Alex McKenna Series, Book Three by Vicki-Ann Bush @VickiAnnBush ~ YA, Paranormal, LGBTQ

Alex McKenna and A Winter’s Night

Alex McKenna Series

Book Three

Vicki-Ann Bush

Genre: YA, Paranormal, LGBTQ

Publisher: The Parliament House

Date of Publication: December 14, 2021

ISBN: 9781736981900

ASIN: B091BG72FG

Number of pages: 296

Word Count: 78,682

Cover Artist: Shayne Leighton Machova

About the Book: 

For a minute everything in Alex McKenna’s life was perfect. He only had one year left of high school, his girlfriend Margaret, was the love of his life, and he couldn’t ask for a more supportive family.

His psychic powers were growing and he was learning more and more about his family’s ability as Strega witches. Yup…things were good.

Until the night it all fell to pieces. 

As Margaret lay in the hospital after a serious car accident, her disembodied spirit searches for a way back to the living. Alex is desperate to save her and the victims of his next case. An ominous being haunting the hospital and stealing the souls of infants and the elderly, sending them straight to hell.

Watch the Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/hmx90EHXEho

Purchase Links:

Amazon     BN      Parliament House Press

Read an Excerpt:

“I love you.” Margaret leaned in and kissed his cheek. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Our usual spot?” Alex said coyly.

“Of course.”

Alex lingered as he watched the little green Hyundai pull away. A cold tickle ran along his left arm. He pushed the sleeve of his hoodie up to the elbow. A scant number of bumps cascaded from his bicep—goosebumps. He quickly surveyed the area. No sign of any afterlife activity. Maybe you’re just cold, McKenna. He chuckled to himself. Dismissing the incident, he scurried into the comfort of forced heat and a billowy comforter.

Nestled tightly under a pile of covers that adorned his bed, he slid his arm out and quickly checked it again. The goosebumps were higher and now mapped their way over most of his
arm to his shoulder. Something was going on, and it wasn’t just from the chill of a winter’s night in Floral Park, New York. Ever since he could remember being aware of his connection to the
dead, his goosebumps served as a sort of warning. Whenever he encountered a spirit or something was about to happen, they’d stand at attention and alert him. The size and severity were the key. The worse they were, the bigger the issue. Tonight’s warning system started to worry him. They’d grown considerably in the past hour, indicating danger.

“Jacob, can you let me see you?”

The precocious six-year-old materialized. He was sitting in the chair at Alex’s desk.

“I knew you were here.”

“How? Goosebumps?”

“No. Well, yes, but no.”

“You’re silly, Alex.” Jacob giggled.

“I knew you were here because I smelled peanut butter. You playing with Wilby again?”

“Uh…”

“I’ll take that as a yes. And I do have goosebumps, but they’re not from you. Something else is going on, but it hasn’t revealed itself to me yet. You hear anything or see anything different lately?”

“Nope.”

“Okay, buddy, thanks. And stop hiding the peanut butter from Wilby. You’re making him crazy. Besides, when he gets the Know and can see you, he’s gonna want to get you back.”

“But it’s fun. And I think he knows it’s me.”

“I’m sure he does. But he can’t see you yet, and that’s not nice. Get it?’

“Yeah.” The little boy twirled in the chair.

“Goodnight, Jacob.”

“Goodnight, Alex.”

Alex rolled over to his side and faced the wall. The looming feeling of dread had left him restless and unable to fall asleep. He decided to try a technique his great gram had taught him. Closing his eyes, he imagined a large, two-story house with a wraparound porch in the country. He was sitting on the steps facing the backyard. An old-fashioned clothesline ran the length of the yard from the detached two-car garage to one of the posts supporting the porch roof. Stark white cotton sheets were clothes pinned to the line and gently waving in a light breeze. The sun was bright but not hot, and Alex held a cool glass of lemonade—homemade, not that powder, store bought imitation. He took a sip. The chilled sourness coated his throat, quenching the thirst he wasn’t aware of. It felt good. Looking up to a canvas of baby blue and white puffs, he smiled. Life was perfect.

His eyes grew heavy and fluttered gently. He took a deep breath and sighed. The weight of sleep pressed softly on his limbs, spreading peacefully over the rest of his body. He tilted
his head to let a brush of warmth paint across his cheek. This was a good place. A safe place. As his breath slowed, he turned on his back and wriggled slightly into the curves of the mattress.

The night was taking him.

“Babe?”

Startled, Alex abruptly sat up.

“Margaret?”

“Yeah. I feel weird.”

Alex rubbed the impending sleep from his eyes and turned toward the bedroom door.

“Where are you? The room is too dark. I can’t see you.”

“I’m right here in front of you.”

“Hang on.” Alex reached for the chain on a small lamp sitting on the end table by his bed. Yanking on the brass string, the 25 watts emanated a soft halo of dim light. “Okay, stop messing with me. Where the hell are you? Are you in the closet?”

“No. Alex, I’m right here. I’m scared. I don’t feel right at all.

What the fuck is going on?”

The runaway train racing along his veins acted like a puppeteer pulling the strings. Alex leapt out of bed. The slick, newly waxed oak floors would normally make him wince in the
dead of winter. The extreme temperature piercing the pads of his feet and travelling along the muscles in his calf was the reason he normally slipped on a pair of thick socks, but not tonight. He barely felt the sub-zero temperature razor his flesh as he pivoted around, searching for his love.

“Alex, look at your arms.” The little boy pointed.

“Jacob, what are you doing?”

“Please, Alex. Your arms.”

Alex unzipped his hoodie, swiftly pulled it from his body, and threw it on the bed. Extending his arms in front of him, he stepped closer to the light. The bumps had gathered in a tight pattern completely covering every space of smooth flesh. He lifted the front of his tank; the same formation had taken over his belly and chest.

“Margaret! Where the fuck are you?”

“Alex, she’s standing right beside you.”

“You can see her, Jacob?”

“Yes.” The boy squeaked.

“Wait. Jacob?” Margaret asked.

“Margaret, can you see Jacob?” Alex’s voice cracked.

“Yes.”

“No, no, no.” Alex paced the room. “Babe, what’s the last thing you remember?”

About the Author:

Originally from New York, Vicki-Ann currently resides in Nevada. Writing Young Adult paranormal, she finds inspiration from events that have been in her life for as long as she can remember. Inheriting the sensitivity to the supernatural from her family, they continue to be an endless source of vision.

Released in September 2019 from The Parliament House, Alex McKenna and The Geranium Deaths. The first book in a YA, Paranormal, LGBTQ series, that features a seventeen-year-old, transgender boy with paranormal abilities.

Book Two, Alex McKenna and The Academy of Souls debuted October 2020.

Vicki-Ann has several titles that have received Reader's Favorite Five Star seal, as well as the 2017 and 2018 winner of, 50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading. Most recently, Alex McKenna and The Geranium Deaths, received the Gold medal in the Readers Favorite Book Awards for Young Adult, Paranormal.

Amazon Author Page https://amzn.to/3klBUQo

Author Website http://www.vickiannbush.com

Twitter   https://twitter.com/VickiAnnBush

Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/vickiannbush

Tik Tok  https://www.tiktok.com/authorvickiannbush

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/VickiAnn.Bush.Author

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2947321.Vicki_Ann_Bush

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Spotlight & #Giveaway ~ Alex Mckenna and The Academy of Souls by Vicki-Ann Bush @VickiAnnBush ~ Alex Mckenna Series Book Two ~ YA, Paranormal, LGBTQ

Alex Mckenna and The Academy of Souls

Alex Mckenna Series 

Book Two

Vicki-Ann Bush

Genre: YA, Paranormal, LGBTQ

Publisher: The Parliament House Press

Date of Publication: October 20, 2020

ISBN: 979-8697729533

ASIN: B08HCFGHXJ

Number of pages: 314

Word Count: 61,823

Cover Artist: Shayne Leighton Machova

Tagline: The Dead Need Him

About the Book: 

After surviving a harrowing case, Alex McKenna just wanted to rest. Unfortunately, his plans are interrupted by the ghost of Seven-year-old Haven, who is lost in an in-between realm.

 

Despite his great-grandmother's warning, Alex crosses the bridge between the living and the dead, sending him and his girlfriend into the world of the Academy of Souls, a high school for dead teens who are unable to complete their journey.

 

There, Alex meets Ophelia, Haven's teenage sister, who's been searching for her for more than a century. Together, with a few friends he meets along the way, Alex must cross the treacherous terrain of the Underworld in-between, to save Haven from the clutches of the Soul Gatherer and reunite the sisters.

Purchase Links:

Amazon    BN     Kobo

Read an Excerpt:

The streetlamps illuminated the black empty sea of asphalt. A quiet calm laced the row of sleepy houses. Alex reveled in the tranquility. So much noise constantly filling his head, any semblance of stillness wrapped around his mind like a child's favorite blanket.

            In the center of the glass, a small sphere of light caught his attention. At first, he thought it was in the yard. Leaning forward and squinting, he realized it was a reflection coming from directly behind him.

            Jumping up, he spun around. Growing in diameter, it was beginning to spin.

            "Hey, whatcha doin?" Margaret said groggily.

            "Stop. Babe, slowly move to your left and come over here by me."

            "Why? What's going on?"

            Margaret gingerly slid to the left as Alex instructed, and then quickly scurried by his side. "What do you see?"

            "It's the vortex opening, the gateway to that girl, Ophelia.”

            "Alex, please be careful. Remember what your Gram said. Don't get too close," Margaret pleaded.

            "She's there, it looks like a bedroom."

            "What's she doing?"

            "Sitting on the bed, she's covering her ears."

            The wind whipped around the vortex howling like a wolf speaking to the full moon.

            "I don't hear anything?" Margaret turned to Alex.

            "It's like a high-pitched howl. It's deafening. Wait. It's quieting down. She sees me."

            "What's she doing now?"

            "She's coming closer."

            Alex leaned closer to the anomaly.

            "Alex, back up." Margaret tugged at his t-shirt.

            "Babe. I gotta do this. Please. Let go of my shirt."

            Margaret reluctantly let the fabric fall from her fingertips.

            Alex inched closer.

            "You are Alex McKenna, right?" Ophelia asked.

            The anxious teen widened her eyes in anticipation.

            "Yes. I've seen Haven. Who is she?"

            "She is my sister."

            "I think she's in trouble," said Alex.

            Ophelia floated off the bed and stood directly in front of the entrance to the living.

            "I've been searching for her for years. She was taken by a man, a Soul Gatherer. I think she is counting on you to help."

            "I think she is, too."

            "Can you?" Ophelia's eyes widened.

            "I can try. Where are you? Is it The Academy of Souls?"

            Ophelia’s chin dropped.

            "Yes. You know about my school?"

            "I do."

            "Oh no."

            "What is it?'

            "The gateway. It's closing!" Ophelia shouted.

            Alex heard the desperation in her voice as he helplessly watched the circle shrink. The wind cried out once again, as it violently thrashed around the outer edges of the bridge between the dimensions.

            "I have to go." Alex tasted Margaret's lips. "I'll be back soon."

            "What the hell? No. Alex. You can't," Margaret shrieked.

            "I love you," his voice trailed.

            Alex stepped into the center of the storm. The vision of Ophelia rippled, traveling to the rim of the circle, and splashing into the void. "This shield is my power to protect against evil, this shield keeps out harm. No dark entities shall pass through this shield. As I will it, so shall it be."

            Sawing to fill his lungs with air, he pushed forward and landed on the floor of the dorm room. Gazing up, Ophelia stood in front of him, her mouth wide open.

            "Ugh. My head hurts. Where are we?" a voice echoed.

            Alex winced. His heart punching the walls of his chest. Whipping his head around in a frenzy, Margaret was lying on the floor beside him.

            "No, no, no, no. What the fuck, il mio amore." Alex scrambled to her side.

            Ophelia moved closer. With her pointer finger, she quickly poked his shoulder and retracted.

            Alex didn't respond. His focus was Margaret.

            "How could you do this? Why did you do this?" his voice strained.

            "I couldn't let you go without me."

            Alex kissed away the saltiness from her cheeks. With the back of his sleeve, he gently patted dry her eyes.

            "Alex?" Ophelia murmured.

            The couple turned to the bewildered Ophelia Wetherton.

 

About the Author:

Originally from New York, Vicki-Ann currently resides in Nevada. Writing Young Adult paranormal, she finds inspiration from events that have been in her life for as long as she can remember. Inheriting the sensitivity to the supernatural from her family, they continue to be an endless source of vision and access to behind the veil.

Amazon  https://amzn.to/3myUySY 

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/VickiAnn.Bush.Author

Author Website http://www.vickiannbush.com

Twitter -  https://twitter.com/VickiAnnBush

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vickiannbush

Tik Tok –  https://www.tiktok.com/authorvickiannbush

Newsletter - http://eepurl.com/c-cRc1 

Blog - https://www.vickiannbush.com/blog 

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2947321.Vicki_Ann_Bush 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Alex McKenna & The Academy of Souls: The Alex McKenna Series, Book 2 by Vicki-Ann Bush @VickiAnnBush ~ YA Paranormal, LGBTQ

Alex McKenna & The Academy of Souls

The Alex McKenna Series Book 2

by Vicki-Ann Bush

Genre: YA Paranormal, LGBTQ 

After surviving a harrowing case, Alex McKenna just wanted to rest. Unfortunately, his plans are interrupted by the ghost of Seven-year-old Haven, who is lost in an in-between realm.

Despite his great-grandmother's warning, Alex crosses the bridge between the living and the dead, sending him and his girlfriend into the world of the Academy of Souls, a high school for dead teens who are unable to complete their journey.

There, Alex meets Ophelia, Haven's teenage sister, who's been searching for her for more than a century. Together, with a few friends he meets along the way, Alex must cross the treacherous terrain of the Underworld in-between, to save Haven from clutches of the Soul Gatherer and reunite the sisters.

Add to Goodreads

Purchase Links:

Amazon * Parliament House Press

Alex McKenna & The Geranium Deaths

The Alex McKenna Series Book 1 

For Alex McKenna, high school is just a distraction from the love of his life, Margaret, with whom he can't wait to spend more time once they get to college.

In many respects, Alex is just an average seventeen-year-old boy...except for the fact he's a transgender medium born from a long line of Strega witches, possessing the ability to communicate with ghosts.

With the help of Margaret and his talented Strega great-grandmother, Alex will learn how to strengthen his abilities. The dead need Alex to help them reconcile issues they left behind—and he finds that he needs them, too. As his abilities multiply, assisting the dead becomes an outlet to channel his new energy, giving him the strength to come to terms with who he is as a transgender male, and how far he will choose to go.

Add to Goodreads

Purchase Links:

Amazon * Parliament House Press

Originally from New York, I've been living my author adventure in Nevada for the past thirty-six years. Ominous landscapes have served up sweet delectables for my craving mind. 

When I'm not writing you can find me cuddled up with my husband, our Chihuahua-Yorkie mix, Curie, she's the sweetest girl, and completing our little family, our boy Cuba, a proud, and sometimes mushy great Dane. 

My likes include, movie and TV binging, going out to eat for breakfast, and dining alfresco. Oh, and Disneyland...and coffee...and wine.

Dislikes are simple, cruelty of any kind.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$15 Amazon giftcard, 

A small swag bag with mystical goodies 

– 1 winner each! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway