GtPGKogPYT4p61R1biicqBXsUzo" /> Google+ WIP it Real Good: YA Urban Fantasy Author Lyla Oweds + giveaway | I Smell Sheep

Sunday, March 12, 2023

WIP it Real Good: YA Urban Fantasy Author Lyla Oweds + giveaway

Outside of my fae series (The Garden of Eternal Flowers), I also write mermaids! Both the mountain and sea call to me, and I hope to showcase that in my writings. Here’s a snippet from one of my WIP’s, 
Sea Dreamer from the Ciel et Mer series:

“Come here kitty.” I held my hand out in front of me, if it smelled me, and could sense that I meant it no harm, maybe it would come. “Here, kitty, kitty.”

“Why are you trying to befriend it?” Raphael complained. “It’s probably feral.”

But who cared what he thought, he was being a grump anyway and maybe this would be good for him too. I’d personally seen how the kindness of animals could transform a rough man into someone loving and gentle.

It worked for my brother.

But nothing happened, although the trash shifted closer, and Raphael continued to taint the moment with his whining, “It’s not going to come. There are a million strays around here. It’s just after the food. Leave it and—”

He stopped talking, and I could feel his sudden tenseness even from here, as a small white cat, no bigger than my forearm, poked its head out of from behind a bag.

“Hi there.” I smiled, making sure to keep very still so it wouldn’t be afraid. “Don’t be scared.” It looked at me, golden eyes connecting with mine, and my heart almost burst from pride.

I was doing it; I was taming a wild beast all on my own! At home, this would never be possible.

The creature looked at me, then at my wrist, and it slowly closed the distance between us, lightly touching its small pink nose against my skin.

Then, the strangest thing happened. It opened its tiny little mouth and a small, rough tongue brushed against my hand. The hair on the back of my arm stood up and a shiver shot down my spine.

I’d done it! “Look,” I breathed out slowly, not tearing my eyes from the cat. “It likes me.”

“Because you smell like fish,” Raphael drawled.

Its kisses tickled as the kitten’s shyness evaporated, it had latched itself to my hand, tiny claws pricking at my skin as it began to lick me more urgently. “I think I love it.”

“It’s trying to eat you.” Raphael was ever the pessimist. “Because you’re a fish.”

I finally looked over my shoulder, glaring at him. “You said that already.” But his dark mood couldn’t ruin the moment, and the cat chose that moment to climb in my lap, pressing its little paws against my chest as it began to lick my chin.

My heart melted. “Can I keep it?”

“No!” Raphael threw his arms down at his side, exasperation heavy on his face. “You’re a mermaid. It’s probably going to kill you in your sleep!”

I moved to my feet, snuggling the small animal against my chest as it continued to shower me with kitty kisses, and stared at him. I couldn’t get rid of it now. After a lifetime of being chased away from the trapping games, and not being allowed near the creature training centers, this was the first wild animal I’d ever tamed all on my own. “But I love it.” My eyes watered. I couldn’t imagine being parted from it now. “Midnight belongs with me, we’ve bonded.”

“Midnight!” Raphael scoffed, glancing at the cat with a look of disdain. “That doesn’t even make any sense, it’s fur is completely white.” He glanced back at me, eyes studying my face before he groaned, and his stoic expression fell. “Fine.”

My heart leaped and I squeezed the fuzzy bundle against my chest. “I can keep it?”

He rolled his eyes, “I said yes.”

Shadows of Nightshade 
(The Garden of Eternal Flowers, #1)
by Lyla Oweds
March 8th 2023
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult
I dream of a time where I was warm, safe, and loved.

But my waking reality is starkly different.

Anxiety plagues me and spirits haunt the shadows. No matter how fast I run, I can’t seem to escape my past.

The only solace and steady force in my life is my best friend, Finn.

And now… there’s a ghost haunting me. And I’m not certain if it wants help or if it wants to kill me. There’s only one person who can understand: Finn’s brother, Damen.

However, in reaching out, I’m betraying Finn and setting things into motion that cannot be undone.

But nobody ever said that doing the right thing was easy.



The Garden of Eternal Flowers is a re-envisioning of my Grimm Cases series. Eternal Flowers has taken my original vision of Bianca’s story and transformed it into something new and beautiful. Some chapters are similar, and some dialogue is the same, as The Grimm Cases, Origins, but overall, about 75% of the book has been entirely revisioned with new plot points, mystery, and interpersonal relationships. Also, unlike Origins (originally a Wattpad release), there is now a clear beginning, climax, and conclusion in each individual novel, which allows them to be read alone or as part of the ongoing series.

I hope that you will enjoy Shadows of Nightshade as much as I enjoyed writing it. Truly, it is an honor to write about Bianca and her boys, and all of these characters are near and dear to my heart.

Trigger Warning: This series deals with the aftermath of severe childhood trauma.


About the Author:
Lyla Oweds is a paranormal/urban fantasy author who resides in the beautiful Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania with her husband, children, and animals. While she enjoys all genres of fiction, she has a deep appreciation for fantasy, romance, mystery, crime, and horror. Lyla has a bachelor’s in anthropology and will be completing her master’s in information technology in 2023.

Writing is her moonlighting passion, and she loves having the opportunity to share her perspective as a disabled (profoundly hard-of-hearing) woman. During the daylight hours, Lyla works as a principal/lead design and development specialist focusing on user experience and accessibility. When not working, Lyla is usually indulging in one of her many hobbies such as amusing her children, gardening, crocheting, interior decorating, baking, cooking, or playing video games.


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