Urban Fantasy Series Spotlight
The Federal Bureau of Magic series was built around the character of Eden Fury, a federal agent desperate to tip the scales of justice in favor of ‘good’ to atone for the ‘wickedness’ of her family—bearing in mind that this is a very light and funny series that straddles the line between urban fantasy and paranormal cozy. Her mother, grandmother, and great-aunt are wicked witches. Her father and brother are vengeance demons. Her parents are divorced but live next-door to each other. Then there’s the new chief of police, Sawyer Fox, who’s all human.
Here’s the first chapter of Great Balls of Fury:
I am the villain of my story.
I didn’t mean to be. In fact, I’ve been trying my whole life to stay on the straight and narrow, which is why I moved far away from my hometown and became a federal agent in the first place. I thought the FBI was the perfect career for me. No magic or supernaturals. Just good, old-fashioned federal law enforcement, where I was on the right side of the law. Where I was undeniably good.
Then Thursday happened.
I was tailing a suspect through the streets of San Francisco—a drug trafficking case that I’d been working on for weeks along with my partner, Fergus. The suspect turned and fled down a dark alley, so I followed, ignoring the stench of rotting food that filled my nostrils. I was so thrilled to finally be on the verge of a break in the case that I failed to sense the suspect’s true nature until it was too late.
Big mistake. Huge.
The suspect tackled me in the alley and, somehow—maybe it was my natural defense mechanism kicking in—he triggered my siphoning power. For the next few minutes, I was a bloodthirsty vampire, which would have been fine except for the fact that Fergus had followed me into the alley. The real vampire staggered off in one direction and Fergus took one look at the fangs protruding from my mouth and took off in another.
Unfortunately, my partner didn’t run as fast as me. Fergus carried a little extra weight around the middle that slowed him down. I spent a lot of time biting my tongue when he reached for the extra donut because, gods above, I didn’t want to turn into my nagging mother. Anyway, Fergus’s fearful escape set off my temporary hunting instinct. Poor guy didn’t stand a chance. He was one hundred percent human. He had no clue about Otherworld or the supernaturals that lived right here, hidden in plain sight.
Supernaturals like me.
I’m a rare supernatural known as a fury. Furies have been in my father’s bloodline going back centuries, but the last few generations yielded only demons and magic users like witches until I came along. I got to inherit a little of everything. My siphoning power is the one that turned me fangtastic. See, I can siphon another supernatural’s power—only briefly—and it leaves us both in a weakened state afterward. I can thank my mother’s witchy side for that particular talent. I hate the way it makes me feel, and most of the powers possessed by other supernaturals are ones I don’t want anyway. I just want to be normal, but that’s not what the gods intended for me.
Thankfully, I didn’t kill Fergus. The vampire traits wore off before I could do any permanent damage, but Fergus ended up in the hospital in need of a blood transfusion and the suspect got away. It was not my best day, and, unsurprisingly, it was also my last day in the field. When I arrived home that night, emotionally exhausted and racked with guilt, it got worse. I sprouted wings—huge black wings. I stood in front of the mirror for what seemed like hours, staring at the monstrous symbol of my failure with tears in my eyes. Eventually, I couldn’t handle the sight of them anymore and willed them to disappear. Thankfully, they did, but they were mine now. I’d earned them by using my abilities. That was how being a fury worked. The more power you used, the more the gods gave you. Except I didn’t want any of it.
I knew the job situation was bad when the Bureau ran a few tests on me and then scheduled an appointment with Dr. Suzanne Zagat, the Bureau psychiatrist. I wondered whether they were deciding to have me arrested or declared insane or both. How could I explain my abilities to a human doctor? It had been easy enough to hide my true nature through the training program. No regular human tests could detect that I was a fury. I looked and acted completely human and I’d had years of practice hiding my supernatural identity.
I sat in the waiting area of Dr. Zagat’s office, pretending to read the gossip magazines on the coffee table. In truth, I couldn’t focus. I was too worried about what would happen to me. I’d wanted to be an agent for as long as I could remember, my penance for the sins of my family. I’d worked so hard to be a good person and, in the snap of a fang, I’d ruined it.
The office door clicked open and Dr. Zagat’s head appeared. “Come in, Agent Fury.”
My stomach was harboring a hurricane. Any more movement in there and I’d hurl. Something I definitely didn’t want to do under the circumstances. I stood and smoothed my shirt, trying to appear calm and completely normal.
I tripped over the threshold on the way into the office and bumped against the psychiatrist. Understandably, she jumped as though I’d attacked her.
“Sorry,” I said.
“It’s okay,” she said, more warmly than I expected. “Try to relax. We’re just going to have a nice chat.”
“How’s Fergus?” I had so many questions whirling inside me, but that one shot straight to the surface.
“He’s absolutely fine. He’s been discharged from the hospital.”
Thank the gods.
She took a seat and opened the file on her desk. “Why don’t you tell me exactly what happened on Thursday?”
“What does the file say?” I asked.
“I’d rather hear the story from you.”
To catch me in a lie, no doubt. “The alley was dark. The suspect attacked me before running off. I was dizzy when I got up and I accidentally fell and knocked into Fergus.”
Dr. Zagat cocked her head. “Fell right into his neck and accidentally lodged your absurdly pointy teeth there?”
“My mouth was open because I was yelling as I fell.” An anemic excuse if I ever heard one, but it was the best I could do.
She slotted her fingers together and regarded me. “Well, you’re not a vampire. So what made you choose Fergus as your next meal?”
I blinked. She just used the word ‘vampire,’ yet didn’t seem to be freaking out, which was odd. I decided to play it cool. “I don’t think this is a joking matter, Dr. Zagat.”
“Apologies, you’re right. Vampires aren’t allowed to feed on humans, not since the Vampire Act of 1852.”
I reeled back. “You really know about vampires?”
“Know about them?” she asked. “I have one for a sister-in-law.” She shook her head. “Holy hell, is Madge a pain at Sunday brunch. Always insisting her Bloody Mary must be authentic or she’s going home to make her own.” The psychiatrist shook her head. “Yet my brother loves her. Poor sap.”
I sank against the chair, instantly relaxed. “My stepmom is a vampire.” Sally. She and my father had met on one of his business trips to Otherworld.
Dr. Zagat threw back her head and laughed. “Even worse for you then.”
“Not really. I don’t see them often,” I said. “They live back in Chipping Cheddar, Maryland, my hometown.”
“Yes, Chipping Cheddar,” Dr. Zagat said, her gaze dropping to the file on her desk. “And what are you then, if not a vampire?”
“I’m a fury.”
Her brow lifted. “Really? The test results only say you’re an MHV.”
“What’s an MHV?”
“It means you’re of a Magical Hybrid Variety.”
“The Bureau can test for that?” I asked.
“Of course. It’s not part of our routine testing, but in a case like this…” She trailed off. “So, forgive me, but my knowledge of furies is a little rusty. You drive wrongdoers insane? That’s your deal, right?”
“I have a lot of deals,” I said.
“According to the report, your mother is a witch.”
“On many levels.” I paused. “Wait. You have a file on my mother?” Somehow, this news didn’t surprise me.
“No, this is from the test we ran on you. Sort of like a supernatural DNA test. We also learned that your father is…” She reviewed another line. “Ah, yes, a vengeance demon. So how are you a fury?”
I shrugged. “It happens. Our last name is Fury, so they knew we had the bloodline. Then I was born and they thought they’d won the lottery, having a fury in the family. They were sure I’d be the most evil one of all.” My laugh was bitter. “Boy, were they disappointed.”
“Their loss is our gain.” She tapped her nails on the file. “So what exactly can you do as a fury?”
“My powers aren’t fully developed because I rarely use them,” I said. I neglected to mention my shiny new set of wings.
“You stunted your own growth?”
“Basically.” Much to my family’s dismay. “One of my abilities is that I can siphon another’s power or ability for a brief period.”
“Ah, hence, your bloodlust over Fergus.” She closed the file. “Now I understand. You absorbed the vampire’s energy.”
“Long enough to want to bite Fergus,” I admitted. “Does he…remember what happened?”
“Not anymore,” Dr. Zagat said. “He thinks the suspect attacked him with a knife.”
“You can do that?”
She smiled. “We can do a lot of things, Agent Fury. We just keep them well hidden, just like you.”
“I don’t suppose the Bureau is very happy with me right now.”
“You’re a good agent, Eden,” Dr. Zagat said. “The Bureau doesn’t want to lose you. On the other hand, you’ve proven yourself dangerous and we can’t take the risk that something like this will happen again.”
“But I’ve been doing this job for three years and it’s the first time…”
She held up a hand. “And you nearly killed your partner.”
My gut twisted. I didn’t want to lose this job. I’d worked too hard to get here. “I can control it. I swear.”
“Or you can use it.”
I opened my mouth to argue but then stopped. “You want me to use it?”
“Not here, of course. The FBI can’t allow it. Too risky.”
The hurricane in my stomach picked up speed. It was now a Category Five. “You’re transferring me?”
She seemed pleased to finally be cutting to the chase. “That’s right. The Federal Bureau of Magic can use someone with your particular talents. San Francisco doesn’t have an Otherworld portal, so there’s no field office here. As it happens, though, there’s an opening somewhere very familiar to you. Call it kismet.” She leaned forward. “Eden, how would you like to go home?”
No, no. Not the Federal Bureau of Magic. FBM agents investigate crimes of a magical or supernatural nature in the human world. I’ve spent my whole life trying to distance myself from those roots. The last thing I want to do is take up the mantle in Chipping Cheddar.
My heart pounded. “No, I can’t go there.” Anywhere but there. “How about the portal in Antarctica? I’ll go there.”
“No openings there, I’m afraid. What’s wrong with home?”
“I told you—my family lives there.”
Dr. Zagat offered a sympathetic smile. “They can’t be that bad.”
Good Goddess. She had no idea. “Why is there an opening?” I asked. “What about Paul Pidcock?” The supernaturals in town tend to know each other—we were like freemasons with actual power.
Dr. Zagat pressed her lips together. “He died recently.”
“Of what—boredom?” Paul was the sole agent in Chipping Cheddar for a reason. With the Otherworld portal in my hometown dormant for centuries, the FBM rarely had cases to handle in the area. Usually, it was to do with a new supernatural resident drawn to the town for its mystical energy. Someone who hadn’t learned how to settle quietly among humans.
“According to the report, it was due to an unfortunate encounter with a beehive,” the psychiatrist replied. “Turns out he was allergic.”
Poor Paul. “I’m sorry to hear it. He was a nice guy.”
“The Bureau feels that you’ll be able to adequately fill his shoes, so congratulations. The position is yours.”
Just like that? “And if I don’t want it?”
Dr. Zagat’s expression hardened. “Fergus’s injuries could end up on your permanent record. That would be quite the blemish, wouldn’t it? It would probably make it difficult to find work anywhere, really.”
I bristled. “Why me? Why can’t someone else take it?”
“Quite frankly, Agent Fury, nobody wants it. As you already know, it’s boring and it’s thankless. Why else would Paul Pidcock die as a result of bee stings rather than in the glory of battle?”
“The glory of battle might be overstating it slightly.”
She huffed. “Work with me here, Eden. The Bureau is giving you an out. Take it.”
“I guess I don’t have a choice.”
Dr. Zagat perked up. “I thought you’d come around. As far as people in Chipping Cheddar are concerned, you work in a field office for the cyber crimes division of the FBI, so you might want to brush up on technology terms like ransomware.”
I shifted uncomfortably. “I’m not that great with computers.” I barely knew how to use the filters on Snapchat.
“Who cares? It’s a cover story. At least your family will still think you work for the FBI.”
My family wouldn’t think that. They knew all about the FBM. And they knew just enough to dance out of their reach. The long arm of the law never touched my family, not in all the years they’d lived there.
And now the long arm of the law would belong to me.
Continue the story in Great Balls of Fury, available in ebook, print, and audiobook formats, and also available to read for free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription. mybook.to/GreatBallsofFury
BookCon 2026 Signing
NEW YORK, NY — Urban fantasy and paranormal cozy mystery author Annabel Chase will meet readers, sign books, and offer special editions at BookCon 2026, taking place April 18–19 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. Chase will be at Table G23 across both days of the sold-out event.
BookCon 2026 marks the event's return after a six-year hiatus, with all six major publishers — Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Sourcebooks — confirmed on the show floor. Produced by ReedPop, the team behind New York Comic Con, this year's event features author panels, interactive experiences, and Indie Alley, the curated showcase for independent authors selected through an application process. Featured authors at the event include Cassandra Clare, Holly Black, Leigh Bardugo, and Victoria Aveyard.
Chase writes across the urban fantasy and paranormal cozy mystery genres, with series including Crossroads Queen, Blind Fury, Midnight Empire, and Wings and Blades Academy. A former lawyer who practiced on two continents, she draws on mythology and history to craft fantastical worlds with humor and character-driven storytelling across more than a dozen series with an international readership.
"I'm bringing special editions, signed copies, and more than a dozen series worth of fantastical worlds to a room full of readers who love this genre," said Chase. "That's what BookCon is for — connecting stories with the people who want them."
Readers can explore Annabel Chase's full catalog, join her VIP list, and find details on upcoming releases at annabelchase.com.
Bound By Fate Is A BestSeller
Thank you so much to all my readers for showing up for my new urban fantasy book Bound By Fate and making it an Amazon bestseller! I appreciate you all. For those still waiting for the audiobook, it’s coming soon and will be narrated once again by the fabulous Vivienne Leheny (who narrated my Crossroads Queen series). As for writing, I’m currently working on book 2, Bargain with Fate, which will release on May 21, 2026. I realized after I chose the publication date that I’ll be in Spain for a wedding that week, so hopefully there are no glitches to deal with!
Meanwhile, if you’re an audiobook listener and you haven’t had a chance to start my Spellbound series yet (narrated by another fantastic performer, Emily Lawrence), Tantor is offering one of the bundles for 50% off for a limited time. You can learn more here.
New Urban Fantasy Series
If you’re in the mood for a feel-good story that will make you laugh out loud and believe in a hidden magical world, Bound By Fate, book 1 in my new Blind Fury series, releases on Thursday and will be available in Kindle Unlimited! Audio is currently underway. If you haven’t preordered yet, there’s still time: mybook.to/BoundByFate
I’m currently writing book 2, Bargain with Fate. The current plan is to release 3 books in the series this year, and then the final 3 books in 2027. Between those books, I’ll be working on a different fantasy series, as well as a related short story for an upcoming anthology. I’ll share more on the fantasy series once I’m finished with my current WIP. In the meantime, I’m excited for you to start Bound By Fate! The feedback has been great so far:)
Urban Fantasy World-Building
I love building new worlds. It’s one of the reasons I don’t write many interconnected series. If the stories are all set in the same world, it limits my behind-the-scenes fun. In my new Blind Fury series, the story is (mainly) set on a fictional island off the coast of Savannah, Georgia, where supernaturals live in a secret ‘retirement’ community because they were in danger of being outed by modern technology. Their assistant director of security and the protagonist is Maya August, a woman with hidden talents and secrets of her own. In this series, I get to explore and develop multiple settings—the historic city of Savannah, an isolated retirement community, an island, and then incorporate a variety of mythologies, including that of the fae. I’ve had fae characters in other series, but I haven’t done as much with their lore until now. As always, I try to create a version that isn’t overdone and put my own spin on it. I’ve also been fortunate to be able to spend time in Savannah, which has only enhanced the stories in this series. Walking through Colonial Park Cemetery gave me the idea for a fight scene, as well as a secret entrance to the fae realm. Every walk outside triggers a new idea to incorporate into the next book. Nothing inspires my creativity more than nonfiction reading and travel. Bound By Fate is the first book in the new series. It’s due out on February 12, 2026, and you can preorder now.
Fast-Paced and Funny Urban Fantasy
If you’re in the market for 5 fast-paced and funny urban fantasy series starters from bestselling urban fantasy authors that feature smart heroines, found family feels, and supernatural shenanigans, I’ve got you covered!
I never wanted to save the world… or these damned werewolves.
Life was pretty sweet until my hellhound bit one of them. Then I accidentally killed him—the werewolf, not my hellhound. Now I need to help the local alpha track down and destroy a rogue angel or I’ll lose everything that’s important to me, like my Corvette, and my awesome house with a pool.
I might wind up dead. I might wind up back in Hel. Or I might just pull something impish and manage to wiggle my way out of the whole mess.
WARNING: This series has laugh-out loud antics, an OCD werewolf, and a sexy angel. Get ready to binge read this bestselling antihero urban fantasy series!
Read this series after: Jenn Stark’s Immortal Vegas Series.
Grab A Demon Bound here: https://books2read.com/u/mY6xnw
The mission: kill demons. The distraction: one hot-as-hell slayer. Welcome to urban fantasy’s funniest, spiciest, demon-hunting trial by fire.
Nava Katz is an expert at lowering expectations. She’s cynical, aimless, and perfectly content to let her twin brother, Ari, be the family’s golden boy. He’s the one who trained his whole life to join the Brotherhood.
He’s also the one the magical induction ring was supposed to choose. But when Nava crashes the ceremony, the ring doesn’t fit Ari. It snaps onto her finger.It’s her worst nightmare: a purpose.
Stuck with powers she doesn’t want or know how to use, and a Brotherhood that’s just waiting for her to fail, Nava needs a crash course in survival. Unfortunately, her teacher is Rohan Mitra—an ex-rock god turned slayer whose inner demons earn nods of respect from actual ones. He’s dangerous, tempting, and the best bad decision ever.
Now she must master her magic and survive the demons hunting her long enough to stay alive.
The Brotherhood wants her gone. The demons want her dead. She’s already nailing it.
Read this complete series after: Darynda Jones’ Charley Davidson for more laugh-out-loud humor.
Grab The Unlikeable Demon Hunter here: https://deborahwildebooks.com/collections/nava-katz/products/unlikeable-demon-hunter-ebook
It’s Buffy meets The Big Bang Theory… binge this hot, hilarious new series now!
Okay, look, being a seventeen-year-old child genius working my way through Harvard was supposed to be the hardest part of my life.
I’m Marie—smart mouth, zero impulse control, laser-focused on one goal: getting custody of my baby brother to keep him out of foster care. Oh, and building an Iron Man suit and eventually taking over the world. One thing at a time, though.
But when a gorgeous older man at a museum tempts me with a combination of mansplaining and faulty math, I find myself tied up in the basement of an abandoned dentist school. Standard serial killer, right?
Not quite. Turns out, he was a vampire. And he’s turned me into a bloodsucker on the way out.
Bye-bye, Harvard. Hello, tiny, creepy night college in Eternity, Louisiana. I’ve got a place in a dorm room at Noctiluna House because, get this, the previous occupant was brutally murdered in what is now my room.
Common sense would dictate I should try and find her killer, just in case they come for me and try to carve my heart out like they did to her. So, I’m on the case, and it should be easy. After all, I’m something of an expert on serial killers.
But I’m about to discover that interviewing suspects can be tricky when all you can think about is chewing on their neck.
Grab A Little Bite here: https://mybook.to/alittlebite
Burn through this complete, multi-award-winning series!
I can tell when you’re lying. Every. Single. Time.
I’m Jinx. As a private investigator, being a walking, talking lie detector is a useful skill – but let’s face it, it’s not normal. You’d think it would make my job way too easy, but even with my weird skills, I still haven’t been able to track down my parent’s killers.
When I’m hired to find a missing university student, I hope to find her propped up at a bar – yet my gut tells me there’s more to this case than a party girl gone wild. Firstly, she’s a bookish soul who’s as likely to go off the rails as Mother Theresa. Secondly, I’m not the only one on her trail; she’s also being tracked by the implacable and oh-so-sexy Inspector Stone.
Stone and I team up, and he shoves me into a realm where magic is real – a place where there are vampyrs and werewolves, dragons and trolls. And where my skills are more than just detecting lies…
Oh, and my dog? He’s a freaking hellhound who can manipulate the magical realms themselves.
I need to find the girl.
I need to discover who killed my parents.
And I need to find out more about the attractive but mysterious Zachary Stone…
Read this series after: Ilona Andrews’ Kate Daniels.
Grab Glimmer of the Other here: https://readerlinks.com/l/1928018
Kit McCafferty’s life is quiet, unremarkable and filled with cat hair. In the magical city of Coldstream, located on the border between Scotland and England, Kit is viewed as little more than mildly eccentric and mostly harmless. She passes her days caring for her family of five cats, feeding the local feral moggies, and maintaining relatively good relations with her neighbours.
All that changes, however, when a teenage werewolf shows up at her door in the desperate hope of renting out a nearby vacant flat. Kit knows that the smart move is to tell him to leave. The last thing she needs is to become embroiled in complicated shapeshifter politics. But something about the secretive young werewolf tugs at her heartstrings.
It’s not long before Kit ends up caught in a maelstrom of mysterious crime and magical wrong-doing. Fortunately, there’s far more to Kit McCafferty than meets the eye and she has a few dark secrets of her own.Of course, anyone with an ounce of intelligence knows that you underestimate a cat lady at your own peril.
Read this series after: Rivers of London by Ben Aaronvitch.
Grab Waifs & Strays here: mybook.to/waifs
For your bonus book, I offer you Great Balls of Fury, the first book in the Federal Bureau of Magic series, for plenty of laughs and supernatural shenanigans.
Welcome to Chipping Cheddar, where supernaturals are hidden in plain sight…
Annoying but loving family? Check.
Picturesque small town with a hot police chief? Check.
A rescue hellhound, a black cat with attitude, and a pet python that thinks he’s a puppy? Triple check.
My story has all the hallmarks of a sweet and cozy supernatural tale, but there’s a twist— I am evil.
Well, I’m supposed to be evil thanks to both nature and nurture, but I fight it with every fiber of my being. I just want to live a normal life. I even joined the FBI instead of the Federal Bureau of Magic, until my powers reared their ugly head and the agency sent me packing back to my hometown to fight magical crimes instead. Now I’m back in Chipping Cheddar, living with my evil family, with a new job and all my old baggage.
Oh, and there’s a dead body, which was definitely not an accident. So there you have it.
Welcome to my world.
Grab Great Balls of Fury here: http://mybook.to/GreatBallsofFury
Sci Fi and Fantasy Book Signing
On Thursday, I’m giving away free tickets to Pascify, a new sci-fi and fantasy book convention that takes place in April in Harrogate UK, where I’ll be signing books in person. If you’re interested in attending, please follow me on Instagram and check there on Thursday for the relevant post. instagram.com/annabelchaseauthor
If you’re in the US and suffering through this massive cold front, I see you and I feel you. I’m in Savannah doing research for my new series and it’s 25 degrees this morning. In the South! Glad I packed my winter coat. Despite the weather, I’ve spent time outdoors exploring locations for the books and filming content for social media. Below is a photo of the inspiration for Vale’s house. You’ll meet Vale (and his home) in Bound By Fate, the first book in the new Blind Fury series, releasing on February 12, 2026. You can preorder here: mybookto./BoundByFate
Historic house in Savannah
New Urban Fantasy Series
The preorder for Bound By Fate is up! Here are the cover and description:
woman and black cat on table
Most people move to a magical retirement island for peace and quiet—and pickleball.
Maya August moved there to disappear.
As the assistant director of security for Evermore Island—a secret community where elderly paranormals fade into obscurity—Maya has built the perfect hiding place. Her days consist of magical mishaps, avoiding the clothing-optional tennis courts, and definitely not getting attached to the island’s strays (feline or otherwise).
Then her boss vanishes. A resident turns up dead. And Maya’s carefully constructed refuge begins to crumble.
She could handle a murder investigation. She’s handled much, much worse. What she can’t handle is the HOA president forcing her back to the mainland after five years in self-imposed exile to meet Vale, the mysterious and powerful figure who’s claimed jurisdiction over her case.
But Maya isn’t interested in playing by his rules or anyone else’s.
Because if she can’t solve this case and keep her past buried, there are fates far worse than letting a killer walk free.
Perfect for fans of wise-cracking heroines, slow-burn tension, and retirement home chaos meets magical noir, Bound By Fate is the first book in the new Blind Fury urban fantasy series.
You can preorder here.
Prime Reading On Amazon
Good news for Prime people in the U.S. and Canada! Outcast, the first book in my Spellslingers Academy of Magic urban fantasy series, is now enrolled in Prime Reading on Amazon until February 28, 2026. You can download it here in the US and here in Canada.
I’m working away from home the next couple months and trying to adjust to a new environment. My dog seems unhappy with this arrangement at the moment, but I’m hopeful she’ll settle in. It’s a very dog-friendly area, so she has that going for her. There are two flights of stairs to manage that I didn’t anticipate, so she gets carried up and down like the aging princess she is. I’ll have to make sure I alternate arms to avoid my left bicep dwarfing my right.
I’m juuuust about finished the first book in my new urban fantasy series. It goes off to the editor this weekend. Then I’ll be playing catchup on everything I’ve ignored. Overall, a positive start to the new year!
New Year, New Books
I’m very close to finishing book 1 in a new urban fantasy series that I’ll be launching in February. The audiobooks will be voiced once again by the amazing Vivienne Leheny. I like the timing of a new series and a new year. I’ll be revealing more soon, so if you’re not on my VIP List, I recommend signing up now by hitting that red button on this page. I made a tentative schedule for 2026 and 2027 that I won’t share now because odds are it will change during the course of the year. If it holds, I’ll be releasing 2 new series in those two years: the UF series I mentioned above and a mammoth fantasy trilogy. I already have most of the covers and some character art and they’re stunning. I can’t wait to share more with you in 2026. For now, I wish you all a joyful, healthy, and fruitful new year!
FREE YA Fantasy This Week
Happy Holidays to you—Spire of Shadows is FREE on Amazon this week! The first book in the Wings and Blades Academy trilogy is filled with secrets and lies, political intrigue, found family, star-crossed romance, and—of course—humor. I love offering freebies because it gives you a chance to test the story waters with no cost to you. If you’re a mood reader like me, you can always download it now and read it later when you’re ready to invest in the characters (like Elder Sam!). Read the blurb on Amazon here. This trilogy is also offered as one of my special editions, so if you love the series, come back to my special editions page and purchase one for your trophy shelf.
I’m also close to announcing a new series, so make sure to check my blog each week or sign up for my VIP List by hitting the red button in the top corner to get the most up-to-date information on sales and new releases.
Wishing you all a merry and bright holiday season. Eat chocolate. Hug your loved ones. Enjoy the sleigh ride!
Free Light-Hearted Urban Fantasy
In the spirit of the season, this week Great Balls of Fury, the first book in my feel-good, funny Federal Bureau of Magic series, is FREE. You have until Dec 19th to grab this absolute bargain and delve into the paranormal world of Agent Eden Fury, Chief Fox, and the charming, cheese-loving town of Chipping Cheddar. Click here to download now.
More freebies are coming this month so be sure to check back or join my VIP List if you haven’t already. (Hit that bright red button in the top right corner of your screen.)
In other good news, my kids are both home from college, the cookies are baked, and I’m on the verge of finishing the first book in a new urban fantasy series. Hallelujah! It’s a Christmas miracle! I’ll share more on that new series in the coming weeks. I will tell you that I’ve managed to book the fantastic Vivienne Leheny to narrate the audiobooks. If you’re a fan of my Crossroads Queen audiobooks, then I know you’re rejoicing too!
Cozy Witches Big Box Set Sale
Winter has definitely arrived on my doorstep. My sweet dog, however, doesn’t seem to notice my grimace when it’s time to go outside, bless her. Unsurprisingly, I’ve been craving cozy everything—blankets, cocoa, and, of course, books.
If you’re also in the mood for cozy, feel-good magical stories that will have you snorting with laughter, my Starry Hollow Witches big box set is available for only 0.99 on Amazon (as well as free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers). This set includes the first 10 ebooks in the 19-book series. If you start reading today, you might finish the entire series by the end of the year! mybook.to/StarryHollowBigBoxSet
Free Holiday Short Story
‘Tis the season to spread joy. With that in mind, I’m here to share Miami Twist, the free prequel short story in my Magic Bullet series. This story is typically only available to readers who sign up for my VIP List, but in the spirit of giving, I’m offering it to you right now for free, no strings attached, but only for a limited time. If Alyse and friends are new to you, consider this your introduction to a fun urban fantasy world. You can download the story here.
Fantasy Character Artwork
I’ve been publishing for fourteen and a half years and I finally commissioned my first pieces of illustrated character art (with the exception of an animatic of a scene from Wild Knight I commissioned last year, which you can see on my Instagram account). Yes, yes, many of my covers feature the FMC, but this is a bit different and I’m excited to see how they turn out. If you’ll be attending FanGrrrls in Orlando in September 2026, you may be a lucky recipient of one or both postcards of the character artwork in your swag bag. No promises!
Special Editions for the Holidays
In last week’s blog entry, I discussed some behind-the-scenes research that went into my Midnight Empire: The Tower series (London’s arc, books 1-4). In the run up to the holidays, now seems like a good time to mention that, not only is this royal-vampire-meets-strong-willed-female-knight-with-a-secret urban fantasy series available in ebook, paperback, and audio, but also as a gorgeous special edition. If you or someone you know has a trophy shelf for all their pretties, be sure to take a look. This collector’s edition is 4 books packed into 1 stunning foiled hardcover with sprayed edges and interior designs. You can learn more here.
A video featuring the Midnight Empire: The Tower special edition hardback with foil that catches the light.
How I turned London into an urban fantasy vampire-ruled city
This week’s spotlight is on Midnight Empire, my 10-book series that kicks off in London (now called New Brittania) after a catastrophic event that blocks the sun and gives vampires their time to shine (only metaphorically, of course). The first 4 books follow London Hayes, a female knight with a deadly secret. I lived in London for a year and have been a frequent visitor ever since. I had a grand old time moving royal vampires into Buckingham Palace, for example, and creating statutes of various important figures in my fictional timeline. St. Paul’s Cathedral, Somerset House, and other landmarks also make an appearance, as well as the iconic double-decker bus, which a banner of knights commandeer to stop a lethal threat. It’s a fun, fast-paced series with strong female characters, a royal vampire love interest with a dangerous reputation, found family, animal sidekicks, magic, and plenty of action.
The first book in the series is called Wild Knight. The books are available on Amazon and enrolled in Kindle Unlimited. The series is also available in audio and has been translated into German and French with more languages to come. You can learn more about it here.
Nov 4, 2025: bargain books/special editions
I’m in Las Vegas this week to attend an author conference, where I’ll be speaking on two panels, followed by a book signing on Friday. If you’re in the area and would like to see me, please stop by Reader Nation in the Paris hotel. https://www.readernation.live I have limited stock with me, including a handful of stunning special editions, so get there early if you’d like to purchase a book for me to sign.
For my bargain shoppers, the Hex Support Mysteries 3-book bundle is available for only 0.99 for a limited time starting today. (Also available in Kindle Unlimited.) If you’re a fan of the TV series Charmed, this series about 3 sister witches solving crimes is for you.
As we enter the gift giving season, if you’re interested in a signed special edition for yourself or someone else, please purchase early enough to account for the inevitable slowdown in shipping. You can see those beauties on my special editions page.
Oct 28, 2025: Build-A-Character
I’m in Savannah this week, enjoying the process of scouting locations for my new series despite the gloomy weather. I found my MMC’s house and took lots of reference photos. I love a good Gothic-y mansion! I’ve started writing a smidge of the story, but I can’t wade too deep into story waters until I have a better handle on the characters, since they tend to drive the action for me. As with all my books, I anticipate a fully fleshed out ensemble. Side characters are every bit as fun and interesting to write as the mains, sometimes even more so because I can give them a longer leash. Once I have a clear picture of the key characters in my mind, hopefully the words will start flowing!
October 22, 2025: a new series
I’m in the world-building stage of a new series. Research is one of my favorite parts of the process. I love reading history and mythology books, and then distilling that information and pouring it into the creation of plot and characters. I’m taking my time, so I can’t announce a release date yet. I do, however, have a cover (!). Again, not ready to share, but I do love admiring shiny new covers in the privacy of my own home. Keep your eyes open for details in the near future!