Charm Me Again – Sunday Snippets
Welcome to Sunday Snippets. Each week I’ll spot light one of my books, tell you what’s special about it, and highlight an excerpt. Join me each week for this fun adventure. This week its the award winning Charm Me Again sequel to Charm Me a fun and flirty Valentine tale. Charm Me again is a bit darker. Two families long divided brought together through an adventure of a lifetime. Breaking the curse is only the first step to forever.
I love all my books, but Charm Me Again is one of my favorites. 
Can he break the age old curse to save her and their future, or will she be lost to him forever? AND it available in audiobook! Yep this book as it all. So lets take a peek into Charm Me Again!
For several months a Scottish Highland Ghost has haunted Daylan, in his personal life, his professional life and at his forge. Yet, being a talented warlock, he is no closer to discovering what the ghost wants or why he chose Daylan. A trip to his estranged sister’s home in Colorado may have unforeseen consequences especially when family history leads him to a shocking discovery.
As his attraction blooms for Josie, a yoga instructor in his sister’s studio, he realizes there may be more to Josie than he can imagine. When an ancient rogue Fae Warrior set on revenge kidnaps her in an attempt to claim her as his own, a devastating curse comes to light.
Daylan’s world spirals out of control as he searches for Josie. Can he break the age old curse to save her and their future, or will she be lost to him forever?
A peek between the pages of Charm Me Again.
She padded over to the window and opened it a crack. The fresh air on her skin was cool. It relieved the smothering feeling that came over her the minute Daylan left the room. Taking a cleansing breath, she braced her hands against the window frame and took another deep calming breath.
Moonlight flooded inside with a light breeze. There it was again, that pull. Something was drawing her outside. Warning bells went off inside her head. Don’t do it. Don’t do it. Despite her fear, the desire to go outside was overwhelming.
The security alarm started counting down and she quickly closed the window. Shit. No way out. Unless…There is was again, she had to get outside.
The powerful urge had her pickup her backpack, slip out the window, skitter cross the roof to the corner of the building and shimmy down. It was like she had no control over her own movements. Her brain screamed for control—to no avail then she was sprinting to her vehicle in the parking lot. Carefully she opened the door, climbed in, started the engine and slowly pulled out of the parking lot onto the street and floored it.
Suddenly a cold clammy hand closed around her throat. Nails dug into her neck. “Take a right here. Pull into the driveway and stop. Don’t turn around.”
Finally, self-preservation took over. Releasing the steering wheel, she clawed at the hand closing off her oxygen, and opened her mouth to scream. Nothing came out. Then everything when black.
Next week, stop in and find out what magical adventure I have in store for you.
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Charm Me Again, fantasy, ghosts, magic, Mystery, Paranormal Romance/Mystery, Tena Stetler, Time travel, Urban Fantasy by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.
Spooktacular Haunting The Stanley Hotel & Black Monarch
One of the highest haunting in Colorado is the Stanley Hotel at an altitude of over 7, 500 feet. Bawawawa! You know the one that claims to be the inspiration for Stephen’s King’s The Shining (REDRUM – MURDER) . The Hotel was built in 1909 by Freelan and Flora Stanley of Stanley Steamer fortune. Originally, they came to Colorado in an attempt to alleviate the symptoms of Freelan’s tuberculosis. They fell in love with Colorado and purchased property and built a home. The Stanley was built as a summer resort for guests Freelan and Flora entertained during their extended vacations in Colorado.
It’s believed Flora haunts the hotel to this day, enjoying one of her favorite pastimes of playing the piano late at night when no one is around. Tales abound of visitors claiming sounds of revelry occurring in the empty ballroom. Room 217 is purported to be haunted by the ghost of a long-term housekeeper. If you gain her favor, she’ll help you unpack. If not…. Well…. It is the room allegedly occupied by Stephen King at one time. Inspiring The Shinning?
I don’t know about that, but the hair on the back of my neck stood up as I took photos of The Stanley Hotel outside in broad daylight.
Yesterday, thanks to the The Gazette and photographer, Parker Seibold, I learned of the newest haunted building in the Rocky Mountains, The Black Monarch
Hotel, 301 Victor Ave, Victor, CO., at an altitude of 9,708 feet. In the late 1800’s the Victorian building now known as The Black Monarch, was the Monarch – “the finest gentlemen’s club west of the Mississippi ” according to the new owner Adam Zimmerli. Now thanks to Adam, it pays tribute to it’s former life and legend of haunting with bone-chilling decor and seven spooky-themed rooms. Check it out at The Black Monarch Hotel website.
Want to know more about haunting places in Colorado? Click on the link.
Speaking of haunting!
Did you know, most present day Halloween traditions are traceable to the ancient Celtic day of the dead? Halloween consists of mysterious customs, but each has a history, or at least a story behind it.
Take wearing costumes, and roaming from door to door demanding treats. This behavior can be traced to the Celtic period and the first few centuries of the Christian era, when it was thought that the souls of the dead were out and about, along with fairies, witches, and demons. Offerings of food and drink were left out to placate them. As the centuries wore on, people began dressing like these creatures, performing antics in exchange for food and drink. This is where the practice of trick-or-treating began. To this day, vampires, witches, ghosts, and skeletons are among the favorite costumes.
Our Halloween also retains activities from the original harvest holiday of Samhain, such as bobbing for apples and carving vegetables, (pumpkins) as well as the fruits, nuts, and spices for cider associated with the day. Although at my house, hot chocolate is pretty popular, since Halloween almost guarantees the first snow of the year.
Looking for a fun haunting Halloween Read? A Witch’s Journey is full of meddling ghosts, shapeshifters, sexy witches, ruggedly-handsome Navy Seals. An exciting story of redemption, wildlife rescue and Halloween festivals. http://amzn.com/B01F0LRJ7U
What’s A Witch’s Journey about, you ask:
Pepper McKay comes from a long line of powerful witches. Unfortunately, magic brings her nothing but trouble. She learned the love of wildlife rescue and rehab from her Aunt Ashling. After graduating from college, Pepper works for Salem Wildlife Sanctuary and lives from paycheck to paycheck until she inherits the McKay property in Lobster Cove. With the family land and resources, she dares to dream of starting her own wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center.
Lathen Quartz, a former Navy SEAL turned handyman maintains the enchanted McKay property for the McKay estate. But someone is trying to steal the McKay magic. Lathen offers to help Pepper achieve her life-long dream of building a wildlife center. During the long hours spent together on the project, their mutual attraction can’t be denied. But each harbors a deep, dark secret. Will they overcome their demons and give love a chance?
A peek between the haunting pages of A Witch’s Journey:
The waves on the pond slapped noisily against the rocky shore as the mist crawling along the ground and settling over the pond took shape. Out of the fog rose a woman dressed in a simple long indigo skirt and peasant blouse under a firm white bodice. Holding her arm was a man who wore knee-length black breeches with a long dark vest over his peasant shirt. They glided across the pond and stepped onto the shore. An audible gasp came from the ghosts, and they moved closer.
Lathen, Pepper, and her parents sat silent, eyes wide in disbelief.
“Good evening, McKay clan.” The man offered a pleasant smile and said in a deep voice reminiscent of Duncan’s, “Allow me to introduce my wife, Dusty McKay.” He wrapped an arm around her waist and brought her forward. “I am Aidan Duncan McKay. We have taken advantage of this night to set the record straight. ’Tis true, as a young girl Dusty ran away in early 1693, after being found not guilty of witchcraft. Because in fact she was a witch, like her mother, who wasn’t so lucky and died at the hands of the Puritans. I had arrived in America from Ireland, with no family or friends. I met her shortly thereafter, we fell in love, and I asked her to be my wife. We were wed a fortnight later and drifted from place to place in what was then Massachusetts and settled in what is now Maine on this land. It looked different in my time.”
Well, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to don my vampire costume, custom fitted fangs and pull up a stool in the shadows. With a candy bowl beside me, I sneakily turn on the fog machine. Out of the mist, I’ll greet the little trick or treaters or scare the bejeebers out of the older ones with bats hanging over head and screeching on my command. Won’t you join me? Happy Halloween!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged A Witch's Journey, Paranormal Romance/Mystery, Shapeshifters, Tena Stetler, Urban Fantasy, wildlife rescue, Witches by Tena Stetler with 2 comments.
A Halloween Spirit Search
Only nineteen days until Halloween! Can you believe it? Toil and Trouble continue their search for the Halloween Spirit. This week, The Skeleton Crew lead by Toil and Trouble found another carved pumpkin, skeleton head, ghosts, yet no one admitted to seeing the the Halloween Spirit. But Toil and Trouble’s quest for the Halloween Spirit continues.
Well, October is finally here with cooler days and chilly nights. Yippee! As we continue the annual Halloween countdown, the aspens are beginning to turn gold and the Colorado high county received its first dusting of snow. Cooling down in the lower elevations. Toil, Trouble, Bubble bat, Moby Fish, Aragon Spider, and Octavia descended on the living room only to find uncooperative spooks. Toil and Trouble were totally disgusted at their lack of progress and called Broomhilda told her about finding a ghost and carved pumpkin but no spirit. So the search continues.
Their friend, Broomhilda (skeleton), from Texas (thank you Jessica) was otherwise preoccupated enjoying the finally cooler weather with Dave looking over and promised to be more productive next week! Yeah, right, we’ve heard that before!
Join us next Thursday, October 20, 2022 for another update on The Skeleton Crew’s progress, I think I heard them say they were escaping to the outdoors in their search. Each week there will be new pictures of where the Skeleton Crew are searching and how Broomhilda is helping. In the month of October beside their search for the Halloween Spirit, the Skeleton Crew will help me list the most haunted cities in America. Have you ever seen a ghost? A visit to haunted places in Colorado, my own stomping ground, Spooktacular tips to keep your pet safe this Halloween season. Do you suffer from Samhainopobia? I’ll tell you later. These are just to name a few. Check back in the coming weeks to see what other discoveries the Skeleton Crew scare up!
Only nineteen days days until Halloween! Bwwwaaaaaaaaaa!!!!
Plus a Halloween themed book from my collection will be featured each week: You do know I write paranormal romance/mystery. Right? This week, we are talking about Demons and witches! What’s Halloween without witches, spells, demons, curses and things that go bump in the night? A Magic Redemption is up. So hurry grab your copy and join the #fantasy #adventure! You won’t believe the battle between good and evil.
A little about A Magic Redemption – Synn has extraordinary magic and power. Could she really be descended from the elite Guardians Guild made up of magical creatures formed over a millennium ago?
Synn, a demon, carries extraordinary magic and power, but there is more within her than she dreams. Kidnapped as a child, her captors murdered her family and forced her into training as a warrior assassin. When an assignment goes horribly wrong, she finds herself at the mercy of the friends and family of her intended target. Offering valuable information in exchange for protection, she gains her freedom, but it is not without its challenges.
Gavin Shaughnessy is the publican at his family’s Irish pub. He is certain Synn is meant to be his and isn’t bothered by her past. He must find a way to convince her, their future together is stronger than the dark memories that haunt her dreams.
When her past comes calling for revenge, will their love survive the raging inferno she brings down upon them? Or will the searing path of destruction destroy all they hold dear?
A sneak peek between the pages of A Magic Redemption!
Time seemed to go on forever as she slowed and walked backward for a while, her foot steps in the sand filling with water as she traveled along the shoreline, as if nature erased her intrusion. She turned around and continued her trek. Unaware of how long or how far she’d walked, the sudden outline of a figure, cloaked in the fog, jogging toward her caused panic to set in. Her heart pounded rapidly in her chest, she swallowed hard, adrenalin pumping through her veins as flight or fight response kicked in. Digging her good foot into the sand she prepared to attempt a sprint…to where. Where the hell am I? A quick glance around, she spied a light from a familiar building far off on the bluffs as the figure burst from the fog. A tall, wide-shouldered male with long muscular legs came closer. She froze.
See you back here next Thursday! You won’t believe where Toil and Trouble and the Skeleton Crew wound up. Broomhilda with her friends are always searching, will they come up with leads? Until then enjoy the warm weather, fall is coming bringing with it Halloween Spirit! I hope!! Now all we have to do is get Toil and Trouble and the Skeleton Crew to find it! While you’re here, check out my other paranormal romance mysteries.
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged A Magic Redemption, Demons, Ireland, Paranormal Romance/Mystery, Shapeshifters, Tena Stetler, Urban Fantasy, Witches by Tena Stetler with 7 comments.
A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance – Sunday Snippet
Welcome to your Sunday Snippet – A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance
How it all began. During a camping trip we stayed right smack dab in the middle of Glacier National Park. At night around the campfire under a full moon you could hear the wolves howl and the coyotes call. I imagined a vampire running through the bush over the trails, but it couldn’t be an ordinary vampire. And who would he meet on the trails?
Stefan, a Native American vampire, was a character from my first book in A Demon’s Witch Series, A Demon’s Witch. It became a best seller five months after its release. For A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance, I wanted to write a different vampire tale, so rather than leave him as the Vampire Council’s assassin, I released him from service and he moved to Montana, took a job as the midnight DJ for a small radio station on the outskirts of Glacier National Park. Different huh? Research for this book was a trip to Glacier National Park and I drew upon my time as a DJ at a local classic rock station KKFM in Colorado Springs. Not to mention several virtual trips to the enchanting land down under, Australia.
Won’t you join Stefan and Brandy on an exciting romantic fantasy where vampires and gryphons, warlocks and demons, witches and faeries walk among us. Some creatures are willing to put aside their differences to work together for the good of man and magic kind, other’s will stand in the way. Makes a GREAT Halloween Treat!
A little about A VAMPIRE’S UNLIKELY ALLIANCE:
Stefan is a Native American vampire, former assassin for the Vampire Council. In a twist of fate, he now DJ’s the midnight shift for a small radio station in Whitefish, Montana, on the edge of Glacier National Park where his secret is safe until…
Born in Ireland, Brandy now works as a park ranger and trail guide in the park. During a full moon, Stefan and Brandy’s paths cross in a near physical collision on a trail. Their attraction is immediate and undeniable, almost as if fate demanded it.
Their union was foretold long ago in Irish folk tales where vampires and gryphons, warlocks and demons, witches and faeries must work together for the good of man and magic kind. Is a trip to Ireland the key to unravelling secrets and returning the magic? And even more importantly, will their love survive the trip?
A peek between the pages of A VAMPIRE’S UNLIKELY ALLIANCE:
“Whoa.” She stepped lightly to the side to avoid the flying debris. “You really should watch where you’re going, especially at that speed.” Her voice scolded, but the smile on her lips teased. “Someone could get hurt.”
Pretending to pant, he shrugged, holding his palms up in surrender. “Just trying to get my run in before work. Stefan Talltree, at your service.” He stepped closer, leaned over in an exaggerated bow, and caught her hand, brushing his lips over the palm and wrist, inhaling her sweet scent. AB negative with a pulse of adrenaline. Perfect. Her pulse beat a tattoo against his lips. He backed away.
Her heart thundered as she drew her hand from his grasp. “The name’s Brandy. Pleased to meet you, Stefan.” Her smile reached up into her bright eyes as they swept over him with an appreciative glance, an experience he enjoyed.
Her voice had a hint of Irish lilt to it. He liked that too.
“Where do you work that requires you to report in at—” She glanced at her watch. “—midnight?”
Nostrils flaring, he paused. Blood? Not hers. The sound of Brandy’s voice brought his attention back to her and the situation at hand. “Oh, shit, I’ve gotta go!” He sprinted off, leaving her standing alone.
As he started down the trail, the tree branches swayed in the silvery moonlight, casting eerie shadows across the trail’s edge. The breeze brought with it the coppery scent of fresh blood mixed with sulfur. He turned for one last look at her as she wrinkled her nose before silently creeping into the wind, tracking the source of the stench.
Available at Amazon Amazon UK , Amazon AU, itunes, and Barnes & Noble.
About the Author:
Tena Stetler is an internationally best-selling author of award winning paranormal tales. Some call her crazy others creative. She deals with the voices in her head by writing them down and creating a fantasy world and characters you won’t soon forget. Her books tell tales of magical kick-ass women and mystical alpha males that dare to love them. Travel, adventure, magic, and a bit of mystery flourish in her books along with a few companion animals to round out the tales.
Colorado is home; shared with her husband of many moons, a brilliant Chow Chow, a spoiled parrot and a fifty-year-old box turtle. When she’s not writing, her time is spent kayaking, camping, hiking, biking or just relaxing in the great Colorado outdoors.
See you next week for another Sunday Snippet!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged A Vampire's Unlikely Alliance, Paranormal Romance/Mystery, Tena Stetler, Urban Fantasy, Vampire, Witches by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.
