Halloween Night by Raven Williams ~ Haunted by Darkness by Raven M. Williams and Jena Baxter ~ Dark Fantasy, Paranormal Fantasy, Fairytales #Excerpt #Giveaway

Halloween Night

By Raven Williams

Darkness grows all around,

As the woods echo with haunting sounds.

On the pumpkins the frost does lay,

And in the cemetery mist covers the graves.

The wolves howl at the bright full moon,

Filling the air with their spooky tune.

Witches, their cauldrons they do stir,

While stroking their familiars’ soft black fur.

Costumed children roam the streets,

Looking for candy and other sweet treats.

The Vampires, Ghouls, and Goblins give fright,

As all gather to celebrate Halloween Night.

©RavenM.Williams2018

Haunted by Darkness

Raven M. Williams and Jena Baxter

Genre: Dark Fantasy, Paranormal Fantasy, Fairytales

Publisher: Raven Williams

Date of Publication: 12/5/16

ISBN: 978-1540861559

ASIN: B01MSVY7Z8

Number of pages: 494

Word Count: 110818

Cover Artist: Raven Williams

Book Description:

These are not your childhood tales!

Haunted by Darkness is a collection of eight Dark Fantasy Tales and Legends from the minds of Jena Baxter and Raven Williams. Experience the Darkness as you step further away from the Light.

Raven's Tales

Fall into Darkness, A Realm Jumper Chronicles Origins Story:

The darkness within brings a great downfall.

Rise of the Dark Witch, A Realm Jumper Chronicles Origins Story: Sometimes a person is beyond redemption.

Witch Hunter's Rise, A Witch Hunter's Society Origins Story: When darkness falls, death awaits.

Witch Hunter Ordained, A Witch Hunter's Society Origins Story: Will his dark deeds end when vengeance is had?

Jena's Tales

Belshazzar: The Gods rest in eternal sleep while their appointed Guardian for men and supernatural creatures is going mad.

Eyes of the Gods: A lonely phoenix returns to his home in Misty Haven to die, until he hears a song that cuts to the heart of his being.

Children of the Moon: Tormented by dreams and exhausted, Raven is sent to live with her aunt where she is lulled into a dreamless sleep by a haunting melody.

Hunted: Cursed by the Queen of Fairies and hunted by men, Darla must find true love or remain a deer forever.

Amazon      Kobo      iTunes      BN      Mystic Realms

Watch the Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/pMHuG2qMQwU

Chapter 1

Victorian London

Lucien closed his eyes and tucked his violin under his chin, placed the bow to strings and began to play. Long notes with a bittersweet edge embodied the atmosphere, like a ship floating, lost, its crew and sails forever lost at sea.

A door slammed in the background, and something heavy pounded the floor. Lucien's eyebrows knitted in frustration, as a discordant note sliced through the illusion he created. He placed the instrument on an end table, and stormed out of the library, into the parlor.

His brother, Edward, stood near the entry, loosening his cravat. He nodded. "Lucien."

"What are you doing slamming into the house like a herd of elephants?"

The material slid off Edward's neck, and his lips curled into a pout. "Annabelle has decided to marry Merrill Brighton," he said, with a huff. "That leaves me starting over, or marrying Winnifred Camden."

Lucien didn't think Winnifred was so bad. She had a few love handles, but that just added to her personality somehow. His brother on the other hand, wanted someone with riches and popularity. Lucien frowned and shifted. "What does that have to do with your conduct? Please settle the affairs of your love life without tearing down the house? Even Winnifred won't want a man with a poor disposition."

"Easy for you to say. Ladies hang on your every word." He smiled, "Or should I say note?" He sat at the piano, and ran his hands over the keys. Soft sounds poured into the room like a whisper.

Lucien sighed, and pulled his coat from the rack. While he loved his brother's piano, he wanted to play violin and he couldn't do it with the other music in the background. "I'm going for a walk."

"Shouldn't be out alone tonight," Edward said. "The moon is full, and it's children will roam seeking their next meal, as the night wears on."

Lucien scoffed. "Fairytales written to frighten children. Don't be absurd."

Edward laughed, and the door slammed shut behind Lucien. Not that he was angry, he understood Edward's frustration. A gentleman needed to find a woman of wealth to settle with in order to live in comfort, unless he had a fortune of his own. Lucien didn't worry about such things. He would rather spend his time making music. Everyone fell into the hands of destiny anyway, the cards would fall where they wanted, changing the course of a man's life, and shaping his future in ways he never dreamed. A pleasant chill climbed up his back. Where would his music take him? Would he be able to perform in great halls, or be forced to settle with a woman, warming a bed and creating babies for her comfort?

The moon hovered bright over the city, and sparkles of light danced on the surface of the Themes. Lucien stopped to watch, breathing in the cool night air. His favorite kind of evening after a warm, summer day. Frustration rolled off his shoulders in waves. He began to relax and continued on his way.

footsteps shuffled behind him. He stopped and glanced back. Nothing but the moon and it's shadows disturbed the darkness of night. A bird screeched overhead, and he jumped, as he resumed his walk. The footsteps resumed when he continued walking. When he stopped again, they did too. Could there be something to the moon children myth? Goosebumps covered his skin as he turned and squinted to see better, but there was still only darkness. He took a deep breath and shrugged the tension out of his shoulders. He was being foolish.

The shuffling stopped when he turned toward the city, and soon he wondered if it had been the work of an over-active imagination. His anger giving rise to the absurd. His shoulders dropped, and he relaxed, as new threads of music filled his mind. He hummed them as he walked, until the shadow of a man came into view up the lane. Lucien tensed, was someone waiting for him? He turned left at the corner, but moments later, the silhouette stood waiting once more. He turned again.

It had to be someone else. No one could move that fast. How many people were out this evening? Maybe it had something to do with the moon. His brother's words echoed in his mind. He turned again, and shuddered when he saw the silhouette of the man waiting.

Lucien's heart raced. He spun and jogged back the way he came. In seconds, the silhouette blocked him, but this time it was closer. His chest tightened as the man moved toward him, his stride like a feral cat. For a moment, all Lucien could do was stare.

Lucien broke the spell, spun around and ran. The chest he crashed into was solid as cement. Muscled arms encompassed him. He kicked his feet and twisted, but the man's grip tightened.

"Don' worry," a smooth voice crooned.

Lucien shuddered.

"We'll be done in just a few minutes."

About the Author Raven Williams

A prolific writer, Raven began her career in 2010 with a blog and non-fiction, then moving to fiction in 2014, when she began Elven-Jumper, the first book in the Realm.

Jumper Chronicles. She now has 30 books to her name, spanning the Realm Jumper Chronicles, Raven’s Twisted Classics, and the Demon Stones Saga, as well as her non-fiction, with more planned.

When Raven is not writing, she is creating art in the form of abstract paintings, fractal designs, and jewelry pieces that tie into her stories. She is also a caregiver for a disabled family member and two cats. She physically resides in the Northwest Florida Panhandle, but spends most of her time mentally in her Mystic Realms.

Will you join her?

Sign-up for Raven’s Newsletter here: https://mysticrealmscurioshop.com/newsletter-sign-up

Website: https://mysticrealmscurioshop.com

Raven’s Mystic Realms FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/mysticrealmscurioshop/

Facebook Reader’s Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ravensmysticrealms/

Blog: https://ravens-mystic-realms.mn.co/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RaveMWilliams

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

Tumblr: http://mysticrealmscurioshop.tumblr.com/

About the Author Jena Baxter

A prolific writer, Jena Baxter creates characters with depth and stories filled with action, emotion, and a little bit of romance. She loves building fantastical worlds and cultures.

Living in Northern California with her husband, Jena enjoys soapmaking, her pets, and writer's conferences. She also reads for a screenwriting contest on an annual basis.

Website: www.jenabaxter.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenabaxterbooks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenaBaxterBooks

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jenabaxterbooks/

Newsletter: http://jenabaxterbooks.blogspot.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8103907.Jena_Baxter

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Jena-Baxter/e/B00M4YF352

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Promo Blitz ~ Rachel's Search (A Satilla County Novel) by Oscar Patton ~ Historical Fiction ~ @RABTBookTours

Rachel's Search
A Satilla County Novel
Oscar Patton

Historical Fiction

Date Published: July 2018

Publisher: Outskirts Press

About the Book:

What does the second coming of the Klan portend for Satilla County? Is it one more sign evil is winning? Setting out to find answers, a northern-born young journalist experiences life in the deep South, the struggle to survive for whites and blacks. Her search turns personal and horrific when her best friend disappears.

Boston born journalist Rachel Mellon sees the second coming of the Klan in 1915 as more fuel on a fire already burning out of control, not only in Satilla County but around the world. To her, the new South appears to be as bad as the old, or worse.  Challenged by her editor, she goes out to experience life for herself out there in the pine woods. She finds poor whites and even poorer blacks struggling to survive against great odds.  She finds suffering and hatred but also hope and love.  When best friend Eve disappears, Rachel's search turns personal and horrific.

About the Author:

Oscar Patton is the author of the Satilla County series of novels. He says, "I use history, memory, and imagination to create regional stories with universal, timeless themes.  As William Faulkner put it, I write about the 'human heart in conflict with itself.'"

Contact Links:

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Promo Blitz ~ Thelema: Mystic Will by Marushia Dark ~ YA Fantasy @thelemicarts @RABTBookTours

Thelema: Mystic Will
Marushia Dark
YA Fantasy

Date Published:  March 2018

Publisher: Thelemic Arts

About the Book:

What if you were born into a world where the gods once walked among men and women? Where you wake up every morning to find a mystical pendant around your neck and know, as everyone knows, that the gods had granted you this awesome gift, to house your will, allowing you to perform incredible feats. But what if that blessing was also a curse in that it tethered your soul to the world; and if you removed it, you would forfeit the will to live? What if your pendant was merely the missing half to someone else's pendant? Someone whom you've never met, and may never meet, for the gods were selfish and cruel in keeping you apart? Everytime you gaze down at your pendant, you feel the promise of great joy and despair simultaneously as every fiber of your being is drawn to your other half - your twin flame.

If only you could summon the will of a god yourself, perhaps you'd be united.

What if this same world was inhabited by legions of monsters known as juristic persons - living, breathing corporations with wills and minds of their own? What if such creatures had rights and powers that far exceeded those of humans?

Into such a world were born Dean Maynard and Jane Stewart - Justices of the Peace who use the Thelemic arts, along with their martial prowess and knowledge of the Law, to bring about order and justice in the land of Severa. When a routine trial by jury gets turned into a trial by combat, however, the balance of power between mankind and its creations shifts, leading some to question whether the course of history will be forever changed, and humanity’s future suddenly becomes uncertain.

As everyone tries to find peace and purpose in their lives, dark and sinister forces begin to emerge from the shadows thrusting the Department of Justice into a battle for the soul of Severa and the lives of its citizenry.

Journey now into that world in this fantastical tale of love, action, intrigue, and will.

Read an Excerpt:

Where could he be? Justice Jane Stewart adjusted her dorky black glasses

on her gentle face and brushed her bangs from her eyes as she reviewed

the file in her hand for a third time.

The seventeenth day of the month of the Lamb, near Samuel Forest, just

outside Fiber City, Belier. Sixth step of Rael. She looked around to see the sordid

remains of the heavily deforested region that had once been Samuel Forest. The

location was right. The presence of the adverse parties, as well as the jury,

confirmed it.

She looked at her watch. It was already half a step passed midday.

He’s late. Could he have gotten lost?

In high-profile cases such as this, a Justice of the Peace would sometimes

request the trial be held at the scene of the crime in order to help the jury

understand certain key factors about the case. Jane specifically chose this

location in order that they might see the devastation the defense’s actions had

wrought to the trees, the animals, and the land itself. She hoped they’d be moved

to side with her against the adverse party.

However, none of her careful tactics would work unless the judge arrived

soon to administer the proceedings.

And I can’t do it without you, Dean.

The advocates for the defense began whispering amongst themselves.

“Is everything set?” asked the one.

“Yes,” said the other, “It’s been arranged, just as we planned. All we have

to do is wait for the trial to finish before we make our move.”

“That may not be necessary,” said the first, in a sinister insinuation, “At

this rate, there might not even be a trial. The other judge isn’t even here yet.”

“It’s not like they need two Justices to try a case, right?”

“No, but that was the agreement and it’s at our discretion whether we

exercise our rights or not. We both know our clients are guilty as hell, so we’d

be fools not to press any advantage we can.”

“In that case, let’s hope he never shows. Then we won’t even have to get

our hands dirty. We can just stand on our right to a speedy trial, motion for

dismissal, and since he’s not here, we would enter into default judgment and

estoppel. If that happens, the Department of Justice won’t be able to try this case

again because of the provision against double jeopardy.”

“That would certainly be an embarrassment for one of Severa’s top

prosecutors.”

“Just think how disappointed she’ll be to see all her hard work wasted

because her partner couldn’t be bothered to show up on time.”

The two shady lawyers cackled and snickered amongst themselves.

“We’ll give him a few more minutes before we move to dismiss,” said the

one, “Just so we can say we were gracious and thereby avoid drawing any

suspicion to ourselves.”

Jane’s slender calloused hands began to shake with anxiety.

Come on, Dean. Where are you?

She gripped the curved hilt of the two-handed hunting saber at her side in

an effort to calm her nerves. Her heart pounded. She closed her doe brown eyes

and took a deep breath. Judge or no judge, she could not stand idly by any longer.

It was still possible to stall for time by going over preliminaries.

“I guess we’ll get started,” Jane declared, the tinge of an Ionian accent still

lingered in her voice from her days in finishing school as a child abroad.

She turned to her clerk and said, “Hanji, summon Adaiah.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Hanji replied.

The young black-haired clerk grabbed the pendant around his neck with

his left hand and drew his quillon dagger from its sheath with his right. He held

the blade out in front of him with the tip pointed down, like an ice pick. This

position would allow him to draw energy out from the weapon and, in this case,

summon Adaiah.

“Arcesso!” he shouted.

Sparks of electricity and light surrounded his short, frail body as a surge

of unseen energy traveled from the dagger, up his right arm, through his stomach,

down his left arm, into his Thelema, through his heart, along his spine, and out

the top of his head, before finally discharging into the sky.

The energy body’s meridian path, through which one’s chi flowed.

A creature the size of the blade emerged from the disc at the hilt and floated

in midair just above it. She looked like a short, slender black bear with white

tufts of fur on her elbows, knees, paws, and ears. She had a long, thin prehensile

tail that ended in a white ball of fluff, as well as a pair of velvet-covered wings.

Her name was Adaiah and she was a Notary. Every Justice had one by operation

of law, though it usually fell to the Justice’s clerk to manage them.

The Notary’s sole job was to take in everything that transpired around

them and retain it with perfect memory for later use. The testimony of a Notary

was held as self-evident, legally treated as indisputable fact; and for this reason,

they made excellent record keepers.

“Adaiah,” Jane commanded, “Begin recording.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Adaiah replied in a high-pitched, squeaky voice. Her eyes

flashed white and a pale blue glow enveloped her. From that point onward, she

would remember everything that happened to Jane and Hanji until she exited the

trance.

Hanji returned his knife to its sheath. Beyond being the indenture that

bound Adaiah’s soul to the world, it could still serve as a weapon like any other.

“Clerk, call the roll,” Jane ordered.

“Yes, ma’am,” said Hanji. He cleared his throat and turned to the restless

crowd that had gathered in the clear-cut forest to watch the trial. “Are the

advocates for Bunyan Logging and Blue Ox Shipping here?”

“Here.” They said.

“Kindly step forward and present your indentures.”

They did as they were instructed. A man in a dark suit emerged from the

crowd and held up a small statue carved to look like a beaver wielding an axe

and wearing a flannel shirt with overalls and large boots. A lawyerly woman

also emerged from the crowd and held up a similar totem that looked like a

Minotaur with a ring piercing its nose and a yoke around its neck. These were

the indentures of the juristic persons of their respective companies.

Hanji squatted down in front of them. This time, he gripped his Thelema

with his right hand and placed his left hand on the ground in front of them.

“Infero!” he shouted.

The same light as before surrounded him. A surge of energy traveled from

the ground, up his legs, along his spine, through his heart, into his Thelema, along

his right arm, through his stomach, down his left arm, out his hand, and back into

the ground before discharging. A pair of glowing red seals, about the size of

Hanji’s hand, appeared. Each seal consisted of two squares offset by forty-five

degrees so as to form an eight-pointed star and inscribed in a circle, with a smaller

circle inscribed inside both of them. Centered within each of the triangles formed

by the overlapping squares was an elegant sigil depicting one of the eight

heavenly bodies.

Having completed the seals, Hanji withdrew his hand and stood up.

“Please place your indentures into the summoning circles,” he said.

The two advocates set their totems on the ground within the seals and then

stepped back. Hanji stretched out his arm towards them.

“Ligo!” he shouted.

The seals began to glow more intensely as a wall of light rose up to

surround the statues, binding them in place.

“All set,” said Hanji.

“Good,” Jane declared.

Such formal protocols as these aren’t strictly necessary, but they at least

help me buy time.

Jane grabbed her Thelema pendant with her right hand and held out her

left hand towards the two indentures. For anyone who was right-handed, this

position would have allowed them to emit energy from their left hand; but

because Jane was left-handed, the flow of chi through her meridians was

reversed, and so it would yield the opposite effect. Thus, she used it to draw

energy out of them the way Hanji had summoned Adaiah.

“All rise!” she commanded.

Her petite warrior body lit up in a bright aura much like Hanji’s did, only

more intensely. The seals around the statuettes erupted in a flash of electricity

and light. Two towering creatures slowly emerged from the indentures. Each

measured about eight to nine meters tall. Their appearance conformed to the

likenesses of their totems – an axe-wielding beaver and a burly, blue Minotaur.

These were the juristic persons of Bunyan Logging and Blue Ox Shipping in their

living, breathing forms.

They were also the principle defendants in this case.

Jane released her pendant, letting it fall against her chest.

Now we just need to wait for Dean to show up.

As if on cue, the rumbling of an engine crescendoed like rolling thunder

as Justice Dean Maynard came riding over the hill on his motorcycle. He parked

the vehicle under a tree away from the action and walked towards the group

without any sense of urgency at all. He marched with the confident poise of a

medieval knight having just dismounted from his trusted steed. His hooded black

cloak and the bastard sword hanging from his side only served to reinforce the

image. He wore his weapon with pride, like a badge of honor, for indeed a

Justice’s sword was a badge of their authority.

A modern rendition of the classic priestly robes, the uniform of a Justice

of the Peace consisted of a simple, yet elegant frock jacket and matching pants,

both black with elaborate gold trim around the edges. The jacket was designed

so that it could be worn over a judge’s regular shirt or blouse and provided a thin

layer of padded protection. A Justice’s duties to give chase and to engage in

combat were also taken into consideration, with most choosing to wear leather

boots of some kind as opposed to dress shoes.

Slight variations in the overall attire existed between male and female, and

also between members of the same sex, depending on season, climate, and the

need for mobility, with some parts being cut longer or shorter than others, but all

falling under the same general style. The idea, in the minds of the outfit’s

designers, was that anyone could look upon a Justice of the Peace and recognize

them instantly as such. This was not merely decorative, but practical as well in

that a Justice served as a symbol of authority among the people out in the real

world.

The uniform also came with a cloak, which had a variety of subtle features,such as earbuds, 

a visor, and an inflatable pillow all sewn into the hood for long-distance trips.

A Justice’s cloak was usually black with gold trim as well, though in more

recent times, some latitude was given to tailor its interior to the judge’s personal

preference and to help distinguish them from one another. The interior of Dean’s

cloak was a cobalt blue that matched his deep-set eyes, while Justice Stewart’s

was a deep red-violet that paired well with her long, chestnut brown hair.

Jane felt relieved to see Justice Maynard finally arrive. Her opponents

were less than thrilled.

“Sorry I’m late,” said Dean nonchalantly, “I’m afraid my clerk was

nowhere to be found this morning. We’ll just have to start without him.”

“We’ve already started, Your Honor,” Jane said curtly.

Dean sulked in disappointed. “Aw, man, really? Well, in that case ...”

He grabbed his Thelema with his right hand and knelt down on the ground,

touching the earth with his left hand.

“Saepio!” he shouted.

His body lit up even more intensely than Jane’s had. A thin wall of blue

light stretched out from behind him and carved a path in an enormous arc around

him. It continued outward, encircling Jane, Hanji, the jury, the juristic persons,

their agents, and the other officers and onlookers who were present for the trial,

before eventually closing in on itself. All told, it formed a giant hemispherical dome, 

some fifty meters in diameter around them, isolating the group from the outside world. 

This was Dean’s Chambers. Its purpose was to prevent interference with the trial and all 

Justices were given discretion on when they could invoke such a power. Once erected, however, 

no one and nothing could enter or leave the area without the consent of its creator.

Dean slowly stood back up and released.

About the Author:

Marushia Dark is a mysterious figure whose real identity is unknown.  Only to a select trusted few are privileged enough to be invited to know their secret.  Marushia can often be found on social media, writing from the shadows of a blog called "The Darkness Files."  Marushia self-identifies as your favorite dark transhumanist and has created a number of campaigns to help bring human beings together in an otherwise divided world.  As for why they choose to remain anonymous, you can learn more at: http://www.darknessfiles.com/

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