The Magic in Fire Anthology + giveaway

When did you first consider yourself a writer? 

Adryanna - Probably in eighth grade when I began my habit of writing stories in class. I think I knew then that I wanted to do the thing—though it took me many more years to actually do the thing.

Amanda - As soon as I put that pen to paper. I had an idea swimming around in my head and it was doing loops. I thought, if I wrote it down then perhaps the loop would stop. That didn’t happen but instead, the story expanded and now I have a decade of writing done.

Brandon - I finished my first novel when I was fourteen or fifteen. By sixteen, I submitted it to a literary agency and won their 2010 Book-Length Award for $2500. Which they proceeded to deduct and put toward their editing fee. Neophyte that I was, I considered this the start of a writing career before checking the reviews on the people I was working with. I finished the following two editions of that story, grew up, scrapped all three books, and wound up waiting several years before the next inspiration hit me.

Brittany - When I held the first copy of my co-written novel. I was also pretty stoked when I received my first contract as a freelance ghostwriter.

Debi - I was eight years old when I showed my mom a “book” I had written and illustrated. I was nineteen when I submitted a piece to my college’s publication, and it was accepted and released in their yearly book “Fountains.” They held a book signing, and I got to sit in the common area and sign copies of the book I had helped create. THAT was the moment I truly felt like a writer.

Ilona - I wrote my first poem at age eight, and always thought I would do more. However, I never seemed to apply the words ‘writer’, ‘author’ or ‘poet’ to myself. I never been one for labels, maybe that’s why.

Jay - It was after I’d written The Full Life of a Robot but had decided to write more. I had heard of lots of people who never wrote a book, or wrote one and were done, so when I had gotten one out of my system and found my creative side no less quiet, I knew it was on.

Kieran - I wrote my first novel at fifteen, so that sealed the deal for me. Please don’t ask to read it though, it was terrible.

Laura - When I finished my first novel at fourteen. I felt like I had done something amazing and have been chasing that feeling as a writer ever since. Getting published last year only helped to seal the deal for me on never giving up on writing.

Serena - I think I've considered myself a writer as long as I can remember. A writer writes, right? But the first moment of validation for me as a writer was when a magazine publisher told me the quality of my writing was very good, better than most articles that were submitted.

Vicky - A lot of my passion and momentum that had built up through my university undergrad totally dissipated when I began my postgrad in teaching. I was working a lot, classes were understandably harder, life was just busy in general. I suppose I got swept up in the business and didn’t really have time to think about what I was doing. It’s only years later that I stopped to question why. My best grades and the classes I loved the most, were all literature-based. If I hadn’t been so busy plowing ahead, I would have realized I was on the wrong highway.

The Magic in Fire
December 1, 202

Genre: Fantasy Anthology
with stories by Victoria Young, Dragonness Wyverna, A. H. Serrano, L. R. Huseboe, Kieran McKiel, A. A. Warne, R. A. Darlinge, Aörali Eden, B. R. Storm, Ilona Krueger, Serena Dawson, Michelle Crow, J. T. Moriarty

*** 12 MAGICAL TALES IN ONE MASSIVE FANTASY COLLECTION *** 

Twelve stories - Thirteen authors.
One theme - The Magic in Fire.

FEATURING IN THIS ANTHOLOGY:
Victoria Young - The Doll Boutique
There’s nothing healthy about a tan – Melinda had heard the warnings and frankly, being stuck in a cramped white coffin was not her idea of fun. But when she wakes from the solarium bed in a dusty prison cell, Melinda realises she’s gotten herself into a tighter spot than she expected.

Dragonness Wyverna - Fire Under Water
Humans have come to the desert, and with them comes death. The oasis has been an indestructible black rock and shelter for the Desharihn fire sprites for generations. But when a band of humans arrive to mine the rock, it is up to Fia, the last Rahar sprite, to save the tribe from the humans’ immutable greed.

A. H. Serrano - Conviction by Fire
Blessed with the power of fire, Lhii Fuéra’s duty is to protect, but in the aftermath of a murder, she’s the one placed on trial. As the daughter of a great general, Lhii soon realizes that justice matters little among the powerful, and she’s faced with a choice: Become the victim or blame the victim.

L. R. Huseboe - Flames of Green
Jaer and his Knight Commander Kae, wander the thick forest in search of information about their missing spy. What they found was a battle against their century-long enemy, the Shaedyn. Will they prevail or face the same unknown fate?

Kieran McKiel - Hummingbird
Far from home and missing his love, Marco is fighting a war to end all wars. When hope seems lost, a strange entity appears with an offer to help him survive.

A. A. Warne - The Masters of Fire
The Masters of Fire were once a powerful brotherhood, but now only two of their brothers remain in the free world. Will they be strong enough to liberate their kin from the clutches of the Mad King? Or will an uncomfortable truth unravel their master plan?

B. R. Storm - The Harbinger
Since the beginning of Earth, Watcher has been tethered to immortality, waiting for the final soul to depart. The day finally comes and Watcher prepares for rest, but he’s confronted by the bringer of apocalyptic carnage.

Ilona Krueger - Song of my Soul
Always the realist, Felicity does not entertain anything that is unscientifically based. Her clinical assertions leave no room for magic and imagination. It is said, however, that Pride goes before a fall. And fall, she does. Is there salvation from the pit? Does she rise from the ashes? Is there hope for a new understanding?

Serena Dawson - A Spark of Courage
Prince Zabriel’s fire magic is weak, but Princess Maniela’s will to defy their cruel father is strong. Zabriel agrees to help his sister, and she leads them into a battle that will determine the fate and future of their kingdom.

Michelle Crow - The Flame
When Momma Courtney shows up on Prudence's doorstep and draws magical wards to protect the house from an impending attack; Prudence's reality is thrown into chaos as she discovers she's the last Flame Keeper. Now with the entire village's lives in her hands, can she save them from the body-snatching Ifrits with her untrained powers?

J. T. Moriarty - Petals of Autumn
As the legendary dragon, Flallemin, sets its sights on Goblin Birchwoods, Wedina has an impossible challenge: train the entire tribe. While there are plenty of shields, there’s only one sword and Wedina knows it’ll take more than might to deal with the hungry dragon.

Also featuring:
R. A. Darlinge & Aörali Eden - Fated Shadows

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Interview: PNR Author M.C. Solaris + giveaway

Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?

Hands down, the characters in my head definitely hold the reins. I often just feel like a scribe, writing down the stories I see in my head that play out like scenes in a movie. That is actually how I began writing the Orion’s Order series, starting with Calypso’s Heart. I woke up one day and began writing bios for my gifted imaginary friends that I met that day. I absolutely love sharing their stories and the magical species world!

Where do your story ideas come from?

Honestly, I can’t logically explain it. The words and scenes are in my mind and play out like a movie. I know it sounds weird but the stories just... come to me. Some come in vivid dreams. Some come right when I wake up (in that magical state of mind between sleep and awake). Some come when I’m at the grocery store or in the middle of a workout or in meditation. Of course, I take inspiration from everyday life but the stories and characters seem to have a mind of their own and are definitely in the driver’s seat, calling the shots. There’s no plot planning or storyline strategizing for me. Instead, the stories are just in my mind, playing out like a movie and I just write them. I often joke that I just feel like a scribe writing down whatever the stories and characters show me. ;)

Have you written any other books that are not published?

Does Book 3 of Orion’s Order count? ;) It is currently in editing and will be released as soon as editing and formatting is done! I also have several stories that are outlined or have the first few chapters written. They are marinating, not quite ready to be finished being written yet. And I am super excited for when the day comes to share these stories with you all!

Do you use Pen/paper or computer/phone to write your notes?

Shout out to the Notes app on the iPhone! Seriously, I have about a zillion notes in there that house alllll sorts of things to help keep this crazy mind of mine somewhat sane… somewhat being the key word there. ;) Random story ideas, scenes, characters, words and conversations, etc. come to me at all hours of the day. I immediately write them down in the Notes app. Then, at some later time, I transfer the notes to these word documents that I refer to as my author bibles. Oh, and I should also give an honorable mention to those ancient inventions called Sticky Notes and a pen for those times I am quickly jotting down a random as hell note about something one of the characters decided to show me when my phone or laptop are not nearby. ;)

Convince us why you feel your book is a must read.

Three words: Tattooed. Bad Boy. Still not convinced? ;) Well, Rhyker is a sexy as sin, black jaguar shifter with a side smirk that rivals Ian Somerhalder. He’s dangerous. Wears all black. Has black diamond stud earrings. Smokes indigo (a species plant). And his piercing, predatory, electric blue eyes are dangerously gorgeous. He’s got that tall, dark, and handsome thing down along with a good dose of muscled strength and wildness (in more ways than just his lethal feline within).

Still not convinced? Although, I struggle with understanding how that can possibly be. ;) Rhyker has his eye on Keena, a sweet and caring mind healer, who has been determined to keep him in the friend zone. Because, if she were to be with Rhyker and it didn’t work out? Then it would ruin her. The only problem is that she already knows what his kiss tastes like. What his big, rough hands feel like on her body. What that sexy smirk of his does to her. In fact, her mind won’t seem to stop reminding her of that one time they shared that hot as hell kiss in a darkened corner of a club.

Oh, there’s also an ancient evil who The Order, Rhyker’s pack of lethally skilled hunters, is tracking so they can avenge their alpha’s mate and make good on their pack’s sole mission: to rid the evil in their world.

How long does it take you to write a book?

Good question! As a brand new author, I feel like the answer to this question will morph slightly as I continue to write, learn, grow, and get into a natural rhythm that works for me. Also, I think it might be helpful to call out that the books I’ve written thus far are quite longer than the standard (clocking in around 700 pages each book).

With that in mind, I wrote Calypso’s Heart in 5 months (but boy the editing process was a long learning process!). I wrote Rhyker’s Key in 6 months (editing process was a little less). And I wrote Orion’s Order book 3 in 7 months (and I’m hoping the editing will be even better this time around too). Soooo, 5, 6, and 7 months.... Here’s to hoping this numerical trend does continue in that direction lol! ;)

What are some of your writing/publishing goals for 2021?

I’ve actually been thinking about this a lot. As a brand new author where Calypso’s Heart was my first novel, to say I’ve learned a lot about writing and publishing books is an understatement (and yet, there’s still so much to learn). One thing I’ve learned is that writing the book is really the just beginning and there’s a lot that happens behind the scenes before getting to the glorious step of pushing the publish button.

Another thing I’ve learned is that balance is important. And this is something I’m currently focusing on and will be one of my main goals for 2021. In fact, I may nominate the word “balance” to be my theme word for the year. So, here’s to finding some balance, a nice groove, and rhythm with writing and publishing books.

On a more specific level, I am going to play around with the goal of publishing 1 book per year in all formats (ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook) while leaving room to allow inspiration to take shape in the form of writing and/or publishing extra bonuses like short stories, novellas, or even more full blown novels.

Even more specifically, next year, I plan on publishing Book 3 in the Orion’s Order series and set a goal to finish writing Book 4 in the series.

What do you like to do when you are not writing/being an author?

Reading romance novels (duh!), eating yummy foods (double duh!), walking on the beach (while listening to audiobooks, of course), and swimming in the ocean (unfortunately, haven’t figured out to listen to audiobooks while in the water but I’ve certainly tried and ruined many earbuds lol!). Oh, and playing with my fur-babies (3 cats who love to run around with a random spurt of energy at 4am lol ;) ).

Do you see yourself in your characters?

In some ways and with certain characters, yes, I do see some relatable similarities. But there are also many qualities and characteristics that are wholeheartedly not me too. For example, in Calypso’s Heart, Caly and I both love music, morning drinks, and romance books (Oh, and we both love the hot alpha wolf, Blake! ;) ). And in Rhyker’s Key, we learn about just how much yoga, dance, and mindfulness play an integral part of Keena’s life—which I most certainly relate to. On the other hand, both Caly and Keena live alone, which I’ve never done nor do I foresee myself ever doing! And without giving away their stories, I think both Caly and Keena make some decisions that I don’t think I would ever do. ;)

Are any of the characters based on real people you know?

I would say that overall there are some characters and events that are definitely inspired by things in the real world, including similar characteristics, tendencies, experiences, etc. However, one of the characters in particular, Starr, does share quite a bit in common with my sister and best friend, Marchesa. They aren’t the same person in my mind and they don’t share everything in common but certainly the strong similarities between them exist. Not only is Starr’s physical characteristics based on my sister but they are also both fiery and independent alpha females that are unapologetically blazing their own way through the world. My sister is most definitely aware of this and we often joke about it all the time—to the point where I often call her Starr-chesa whenever she says or does something that I feel is just “so Starr.”

Anything you would like to say to your readers and fans?

A big, fat, teary-eyed THANK YOU!!! Seriously, thank you! And somehow those two powerful words full of love and gratitude don’t even feel like enough. Thank you for your support, encouragement, inspiration, interest, excitement, emojis, gifs, comments, reviews, smiles, laughs… all of it and more! Oh, and of course, thank you for all of the incredible conversations and messages all about the Orion’s Order crew of sexy as sin males and awesome females and of course the resident fur baby Felix, and the supernatural world of species So, in case I haven’t said this enough, THANK YOU! The crew and I love each of you very much! :) 

Rhyker’s Key (Orion’s Order, #2)
by M.C. Solaris
December 21st 2020
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Rhyker, tattooed bad boy and lethal jaguar shifter, falls for the sweet and caring healer, Keena. Except, she’s determined to keep him in the friend zone… good thing he’s a predator that enjoys the hunt.

Together, can they heal their past and forge a future bonded with true love?

SECOND BOOK IN THE ORION’S ORDER SERIES
Orion’s Order returns in another addictive installment about their secret world of magic and mystery. A world where the most powerful words in the Universe are discovered in the fight against an ancient evil force.

KEENA OLIVER
I am haunted by my past mistakes. Mistakes that I have no idea how I even made. I am an educated mind and spirit healer after all. So how in the holy healer hell did I end up in a relationship where the male who I thought I loved…
Yeah, it’s probably best not to rehash those nightmares. But if I don’t dare open up that box to my past, then how am I ever going to be able to move on? Especially because I so want to move on with a certain sexy male. A male whose lips devoured mine in a darkened corner that one time. A male whose predatory piercing blue eyes practically track my every move. A male who I shouldn’t be fantasizing about every second of every day. Why? Because it would ruin me.

RHYKER KINGSLEY
I’ve had my eye on a certain female for almost a year now. A female who is damn determined to keep me in the friend zone. A female who’s been hurt by her ex but refuses to open up to me about it. So, you could say I go through a lot of smokes… a f*cking lot.

Meanwhile, my pack of lethally trained and skilled hunters and I are gunning for an evil SOB who not only signed his death warrant the second he tried to come after my pack sister and mate to our alpha, but also the f*cker poses a threat to our world as we know it. Yet, said ancient powerful bastard has gone off the grid and is all but impossible to track.

Oh, and did I mention that the past seems to be mixing with the present? I mean, the f*ck is this? The revenge year of the shitty exes?

So, excuse me while I light up a smoke… or two.

Devour this addictive series at your own risk…
+ Happily Ever After
+ Sexy Paranormal Jaguar Shifter Romance
+ Multiple POV
+ Mature Content
+ This series is meant to be read in order for the best reading experience
———————————————-
RHYKER’S KEY is an adult paranormal jaguar shifter romance. If you like swoon-worthy males, heroines with feminine strength, an engaging plot, satisfying relationships, steamy love stories, happy ever afters, and getting sucked into a supernatural story, then you’ll want to immerse yourself in the world of species!

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Excerpt 1 
Words. She needed to find words so she could respond because that was how conversations went. But words eluded her at the moment because she was still trying to recover from the debilitating tease from a moment ago when his lips were... Wait, you need to respond. But what did he say again? 

“What do you use the second bedroom for?” he asked again in that curious feline way of his as he walked back toward her from the hall. 

What do you use the second bedroom for? She had to slowly repeat his question in her mind in order for her brain to get with the program and understand what he was even asking. My second bedroom? Oh god, do I tell him what’s in there? She bit her lip in slight hesitation and he noticed, of course. 

“What? Is that like your secret sex dungeon or something?” His lips turned up at the corners in a very feline way. 

“Sex dungeon?” She laughed. “Of course that’s immediately where your mind goes.” 

“Well, where else would it go when I’m with you.” He took a step closer to her. “In your home.” He closed the distance between them so they were separated by mere inches. “Alone.” 

Her pulse quickened to a hummingbird’s pace and suddenly, she was back to being in the scorcher of desire. 

Noticing her reaction, his mischievous grin transformed into his irresistibly sinful smirk. 

She knew he was just playing with her but before he could continue, she broke the erotic tension between them by taking a step back and saying, “Here’s my sex dungeon.” And she didn’t mean for it to come out as husky as it did. 

She opened the door to the second bedroom and he peered inside. His brows shot up in surprise before refocusing back on her in a silent question. 

She laughed. “No, this is not my sex dungeon. This is my therapy room.” 

“Therapy. Is that what they’re calling it these days?” he drawled, walking over to the pole. Without warning, he gripped the pole and lifted his body effortlessly so he was completely parallel to the ground. He gave her a wink and she laughed. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he climbed up the pole with just his arm strength. 

“Good thing I had that installed for the highest weight class or else you may have fallen flat on your face,” she quipped, trying not to notice the way his biceps flexed and tantalized her feminine essence. 

“Don’t insult me. I always land on my feet.” As if in emphasis of his point, he let go of his grip at the very top of the pole and landed softly on his feet with feline grace. 

“So not fair.” She shook her head, still smiling. “I’ve trained for years and yet here you go showing me up.” 

“I’ll gladly be the judge of that.” He stepped aside and held his arm out to the pole in invitation for her.

Calypso's Heart: An Orion’s Order Novel

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About the Author:

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M.C. Solaris’s life took an unexpected turn during the super blood moon eclipse on January 20, 2019. She woke up and began writing bios for her imaginary friends that she met that day. As soon as the pen hit the paper (or fingertips to the iPhone), she couldn’t stop. It was kind of like one of those fire hydrants, spewing copious amounts of water all over the place. The characters and their stories just flowed out of her. She is honored to be the scribe, getting to share her friends’ stories. You can read all about her gifted friends in the Orion’s Order series (Book 1 is Calypso’s Heart).

On a personal note, M.C. Solaris is actually the pseudonym of Marina Schroeder, women’s health enthusiast and lover of all things paranormal romance (PNR) and happily ever after (HEA). When she is not curled up on the sofa with her partner’s oversized hoodie, a PNR novel, peppermint tea, and one of her three cats, you will find her either at the ocean with her toes in the sand or in a forest hugging a tree. Well truthfully? There is one more place you might find her: trolling the aisles of Whole Foods for a satisfying combination of salty and sweet while hiding in her partner’s hoodie… like any proper PNR-writing introvert.

Want to get the latest scoop, sneak peeks, and short shares all about her imaginary friends? Go to www.mcsolaris.com and sign up for the newsletter.
Welcome to The Order!

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Cover Grabby-hands Syndrome: The Nicki Styx Series by Terri Garey

 Sometimes you run across a cover or series of covers that make you stop, bow down to the awesome, and maybe drool and develop grabby-hands.

Today, I give you The Nicki Styx Series by Terri Garey

I read The Nicki Styx paranormal mystery series waaaay back when and adored them and have been meaning to introduce them to readers who might have missed out. Then I found out Terri had all the covers updated, and they triggered my grabby-hands. I love the aesthetic.

I also added the new covers of Terri Garey's The Devil's Bargain series. Love me some Sammy!

It has earned my Grabby-hands stamp of approval.

Dead Girls Are Easy (A Nicki Styx Mystery Book 1)

by Terri Garey

January 30, 2018

305 pages

“MY NAME IS NICKI STYX, AND I THOUGHT I HAD THE WORLD ALL FIGURED OUT. THEN I REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS.”

A brush with death and an unexpected glimpse of the afterlife has left Nicki Styx with some unwanted psychic gifts. She can now see and hear the dead, and much to her dismay, some of them are pretty determined to be heard. With a new lease on life and a vintage clothing business to run, Nicki would prefer to remain quietly in the shadows, but when a friend is murdered after selling her soul to the Devil, Nicki’s gift—and her rapidly growing conscience—land her in some very deep Voodoo.

About the Author:

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A Southern girl with an overactive imagination, Terri Garey writes award-winning and critically-acclaimed urban fantasy. Her novels have been described as "smoldering" by Publishers Weekly, and "sultry and upbeat" by Library Journal. Even though she's a big scaredy-cat who can't watch horror movies or visit haunted houses, she loves moonlit graveyards, moss-covered headstones and the idea that life goes on even after it's over. You can visit her on the web, friend her on Facebook and occasionally find her on Twitter.

New covers and titles for the Sicarii series

These books are contemporary but they are a dark romantic suspense with a happy ending. It is an mm romance so if you don't care for that this isn't the series for you. 

But if you haven't tried an Adrienne Wilder book you are missing some amazing storytelling and writing.

 Check out House of Sicarii!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Yes all the way

Did I love this book? Yes I bloody well did.

Universal links

the books are free on KindleUnlimited

https://books2read.com/House-of-Sicariipart1openingmove

https://books2read.com/House-of-Sicariipart2revengetactics

https://books2read.com/House-of-Sicariipar3endgame

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Brilliant storytelling

Series review (books 1-3)

Wow. Definitely the most intriguing, most disturbing and disconcerting book I have read this year. If you are looking for something different and you do not mind feeling disturbed and uncomfortable, Sicarii is a great choice for you. This is a pure gem of unique storytelling. I couldn't put it down and now I am nursing a serious book hangover I haven't experienced for a long time.

Excerpt: Murder Mittens: (Magical Romantic Comedies, #13) by R.J. Blain + giveaway

Murder Mittens: A Magical Romantic Comedy (with a body count) (Magical Romantic Comedies, #13)

by R.J. Blain
December 25th 2020
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Urban Fantasy
Becoming a bounty hunter and taking on the call sign of Murder Mittens wasn’t Harri’s brightest move, but what’s a lynx to do with millions of debt while working a customer service gig? The scars deforming her face won’t remove themselves, and she’ll bag and tag every criminal in the United States to get rid of them if necessary.

Being assigned a handler could make or break her, but did the powers that be really have to toss Sebastian Sumners her way? The lion with a stubborn streak as wide as hers tests her patience on a good day, but nothing makes her purr more than goading him into roaring.

Add in a protective family, a serial killer on the loose, and more trouble than any one cat needs, and it’s going to take a miracle for Harri to get through the most important job of her life.

Warning: contains magic, humor, cranky shapeshifters, cats, murder, and mayhem. Proceed with caution.

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Chapter One 
Why was murdering irate, irrational, ignorant, and flat-out wrong customers illegal? The idiot on the phone rambled about how it wasn’t fair that dumping coffee on his router invalidated his warranty. 

I thought it wasn’t fair his stupidity might lose me IQ points, and I’d learned long ago that humans—or lycanthropes, such as myself—didn’t come with warranties or guarantees. I had bills to pay, and murdering one of the customers wouldn’t pay my bills. 

Then again, in prison, I wouldn’t have to pay any bills. Every day by the end of my shift, I considered incarceration as a viable option. 

Free board, free food, good medical care, and asshole inmates to beat on sounded a lot better than dealing with an idiot customer. 

“Sir,” I said in the hopes of circumventing his tirade. Mr. Edward Lavell ignored me. 

The idiots always ignored me. I bet my gender had something to do with it. On average, the men finished their calls five minutes faster, and every supervisor to review the situation came to the same general conclusion: customers took men in tech more seriously than women, and I, unfortunately, sounded too feminine. 

“Sir,” I repeated, only to be ignored again. 

Why couldn’t I just hang up on him? Oh, right. I valued my job. As I valued my job, I couldn’t hang up on him, I couldn’t curse, I couldn’t threaten to rip his throat out, and I couldn’t indulge in my desire to murder him. 

There was a time and a place for murder, and on the job at a call center for a cable internet company was not the time nor the place. 

For the fourth time since calling in, Mr. Lavell explained that it really wasn’t his fault he’d dumped coffee on his router. 

“Sir, liquid spills are right in the contract for the router. I’m sorry, but I can’t change the rules for you. Spilling coffee on your router invalidates its warranty.” 

“It’s not my fault the cup holder in my computer has a mind of its own,” he complained. 

Wait. What? 

His computer’s cup holder has a mind of its own? The realization I dealt with someone far worse than just an idiot sank in. Every call center had legends of Code Red customers, who were in an entirely different class from the standard 1-D10T and the unfortunately common PEBKAC. With Mr. Lavell, I had it all. A problem certainly did exist between the keyboard and chair, and he’d definitely deserved his flag as an 1-D10T. 

Until his call, I had remained safe from the evils of a Code Red customer. 

By the time I got off the phone with him, I’d need some alcohol and someone to kill. 

It’d be easier to find someone to kill than the alcohol; me and booze just didn’t mix, and I’d been banned out of every damned bar in town to keep the peace. 

Maybe I could whip on some makeup, grab a gray wig, and pass for a little old lady. With my face covered in burn scars, it wouldn’t take much to pull off some makeup artistry and transform myself into an older woman rather than a mutilated one. I could become a conventional beauty given an hour and the right products. An old lady wasn’t an impossibility. 

Alternatively, I could shift, pay my family a visit, and steal a bottle of liquor from one of the cabinets. With the number of lynxes running around the place, they might not even notice me before I made off with my alcoholic prize. 

As sighing was not acceptable when dealing with paying customers, I took a moment to steel my nerves before saying, “Sir, computers do not include cup holders.” 

That caught his attention. “What?” 

“Sir, computers do not include cup holders,” I repeated, already dreading the moment I would have to explain what a CD was, how they were used, and what the player’s actual purpose was. Few systems still had any disc drives at all, as most companies had moved to online downloads of their programs and games. 

The next few minutes of my life would not be fun, and I typed a message to my supervisor warning him I had a major 1-D10T on my hands, a possible Code Red situation, and to make sure he was aware I faced the demise of some IQ points, I notified him the customer had opted to use his disc drive as a coffee cup holder. 

“What the hell is this thing for, then?” 

“CDs, sir.” I closed my eyes and waited for the meltdown. 

“First, you claim I invalidated my warranty, and now you’re telling me my cup holder plays music?” 

“As this is an internet company, sir, I can’t help you with your CD player. However, it is not a cup holder, nor should it be used as one. As for your router, you owe $35.79 on the device. Once you finish paying for the damaged equipment, I can schedule a tech to come to your home and install your new router. Since you’ve been a customer for so long, I can waive the fifty dollar installation fee. Your monthly bill will not change if you opt to pay off the damaged equipment and start a new rental.” 

If he gave me a hard time, I’d take my time and give him all of his options. None of them would be as good as my initial offer. I cracked open an eye and checked my messages with my boss. 

He wished me the best of luck and promised to send flowers to my funeral. He also begged me not to tell my brothers about the menace wasting my time. If any one of my forty-seven brothers found out I dealt with customers screaming at me five days a week, they’d go on a rampage. 

That my boss knew my family drove me crazy on a good day. 

I figured my idiot family had gone on a hunt to meet my boss, and because we were all infected with lycanthropy, my boss wouldn’t have thought twice about their behavior. 

Lycanthropes had a reputation. 

Most days, it wasn’t a good one. 

Only an idiot would piss off a bunch of male lycanthropes out to protect their precious little sister. Unfortunately for me, I counted as an endangered species, as the odds of a lycanthrope having daughters in the first place fell somewhere in around ten thousand to one. 

I needed to notify my mother she needed to have more daughters. While she was at it, she needed to give me a new name, because nobody ever believed Harri was a woman’s name. I figured she’d meant to name me Harry because she’d expected yet another boy, swapping out the ‘y’ for an ‘i’ to make things easier on her. 

When on the job, I went by Christine because Christine seemed gloriously feminine and nobody on the team used their real names. Technically, I was supposed to change my name every day, but I went by Christine for all new callers, and I only rotated through when I knew I was dealing with someone who gave me issues. 

My method worked well enough, so my boss didn’t complain. 

While Mr. Lavell spluttered and began the tedious process of mulling over his options, I began making plans for after work—assuming I escaped from my job without succumbing to the temptation of informing the customer he was most definitely wrong, he needed to go back to school to join the modern world, and it wouldn’t hurt if he learned to be civil. 

I had to explain his options four times before he finally conceded he should stick with his old plan, pay for the damaged router, and move on with life. It took an extra ten minutes of listening to him whine before he finally hung up. 

Above all, I hated the rule that we were not supposed to hang up on clients. It wasted time. Had I been allowed to just hang up, I would have wished him a good day, disconnected the call, and began the tedious process of adding notes to his file so the next customer service representatives stuck with him knew they had trouble on their hands. 

My phone rang, but instead of a customer, my phone reported my boss wanted to speak with me. With slumped shoulders, I accepted his call and answered, “Sir?” 

“I listened in on your Code Red.” 

I hated when my boss actively monitored my calls; thanks to how the system worked, he could listen in on me at any time. But, a job was a job, and with my scarred face, finding a job became troublesome at best—and nobody in the call center knew or cared what I looked like. Oh, well. Before I jumped to conclusions, I’d ask. “What’s my grade, sir?” 

“You did fine. You stayed professional, you didn’t come across as too condescending, and frankly, there’s no sane tech on this planet stays totally cool a Code Red. It could have been much worse.” 

I checked the clock, breathing a sigh of relief that I’d hit the end of my shift and wouldn’t have to take any more calls. “What do you need?” 

“I had a question about your schedule. You’re off for the next week, correct?” 

“Yes, sir.” I had plans, and they involved the International Most Wanted List along with every legal bounty list I had managed to get my hands on in the past month. If my boss tried to put an end to my hard-earned vacation, I’d finally do what I should have done months ago, snap, and quit. 

I wanted him to cross my last line so badly. 

“Ted wants an extra shift. How would you feel about an unpaid day added to your vacation? I’ve already gotten approval if you’d like to claim the unpaid day.” 

Score. I’d bid for time off almost a year ago, but sick days were the bare minimum the state allowed, which accounted to five for the entire year. An extra day tacked onto my vacation might let me bag an extra bounty. 

Any day I bagged an extra bounty was a good day in my opinion. 

“I can take an unpaid day, sir. That’s fine. Can you send me an email confirming the unpaid day off?” 

“It’ll be in your inbox within the next ten minutes, and I’ll CC human resources notifying them you’re excused for that day.” 

“Okay. Will the rest of my schedule remain the same once I’m back from vacation?” 

“Yes. Ted just asked for extra hours, and the others with seniority declined the day off.” 

I bet; on our income, every hour mattered. Most who worked for the call center had seen better days. I lived like I’d seen better days and I looked like I’d seen better days, but appearances lied. I only worked at the call center to maintain appearances. Thanks to depression in my teens and therapy that hadn’t gone like my parents had wanted, my entire family demanded I check in at least three times a week to ensure I remained human. 

They believed if they took their eyes off me, I might shift into a lynx and never come back. 

Two years ago, they wouldn’t have been wrong, but I’d found a new purpose in life. Not a single one of my brothers would approve, my mother would have yet another litter of kittens, and my father would be so disappointed. 

Personally, I thought it was obvious. I worked in customer service. I was a prime candidate to become a murderous asshole. I did so legally, on behalf of the government and other legal entities, and I did so for a filthy amount of money. 

Smiling stretched my scars, but I did it anyway. “If anyone needs any extra hours, I can afford another day or two off,” I offered. “I can take up to a week unpaid. I’ve been saving up to take some time off if any opportunities allowed.” 

It would delay paying for the expensive procedure required to piece my face back together and remove the evidence of the fire that’d almost killed me as a child. It took a lot of magic to convince the lycanthropy virus I wasn’t supposed to be a scarred wreck. 

A lot of magic cost a lot of money, and I figured I might have the three million dollars within five years if I landed a bounty every weekend and took on some of the more dangerous jobs. While I waited for my boss to mull over my offer, I considered the various jobs on offer. 

I liked hunting other lycanthropes. Unmated males were easy catches, and the fugitives usually brought in a pretty penny. The last one I’d bagged as a live capture had added fifty thousand to my bank account. 

Then again, if I landed an entire extra week, I’d make up the lost hours with a single small bounty, and anything else would be extra cash in my savings account. 

My boss grunted, signaling he’d come to a decision. “I’ll keep that in mind and pitch the offer. I’ll email your personal and work addresses if there are any takers plus text your phone.” 

“Thanks, sir. Have a good evening.” 

“You, too.” 

He hung up, and before something could go wrong, I clocked out, filed my paperwork for my final call, and logged out of the system so I couldn’t be sucked back into doing even more work. 

If all went well, I’d be a hundred grand richer by the end of the week and that much closer to being able to look in the mirror without wincing.

About the Author:

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RJ Blain suffers from a Moleskine journal obsession, a pen fixation, and a terrible tendency to pun without warning.

In her spare time, she daydreams about being a spy. Her contingency plan involves tying her best of enemies to spinning wheels and quoting James Bond villains until satisfied.

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