Now scheduling a Cover Reveal for Selecting The Wrong Love by E. Masson and Julie G. Henry

Now scheduling a Cover Reveal for Selecting The Wrong Love by E. Masson and Julie G. Henry

This reveal will be on November 12

To participate in this tour please send:

Your blog name and url

Selecting The Wrong Love 

The LoveWade Tale Series 

Book One

E. Masson and Julie G. Henry

Genre: Romance 

Publisher: Author E. Masson , LLC

Pre-Order: 02-20-2026

ASIN: B0FWX8GBLP

Cover Artist: Marina

Tagline: Three men. One future. A choice that will change everything.

Book Description:

Love can turn your life upside down. 

Sometimes more than once…

Just ask Amber…..

Amber thought she knew exactly what she wanted. 

She was wrong.

Medical school. Career. Success. Everything mapped out perfectly until three men walked into her life and turned her world upside down.

James crashed into her on campus and never really left. Sweet, steady, completely devoted. He became the friend she couldn't live without, even though his eyes promised so much more. But Amber had bigger plans than falling for a business major student.

Then Levi appeared like a gift from the universe. Gorgeous, brilliant, medical school's golden boy. When he chose her out of everyone else, Amber felt invincible. This was it. This was her perfect match.

One positive pregnancy test later, and Amber's carefully constructed future crumbled. Medical school could wait. Dreams could be rebuilt later. She married her prince and prepared for happily ever after.

What she got instead was a nightmare in designer clothes.

Years of trying to save a marriage that was doomed from the start left Amber broken and questioning everything. While she was busy playing the perfect wife, the perfect man had been waiting in the wings. Still single. Still hopeful. Still completely in love with the woman who'd shattered his heart.

But some chances expire. And Amber's running out of time to claim the love she was too blind to see.

Will she wake up before it's too late? 

Get your copy at Amazon and start reading to find out.  

Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItiXY96E-dI

About the Author:

Hello lovely readers! Welcome to my corner of the literary world, where fiction comes alive in all its glory! I am E. Masson, a captivating romance author with my pen dipped in dreams and a heart full of romance, I set my readers on the path of unforgettable journeys through the depths of the human heart. From whirlwind romances to slow-burning love stories, each page of my books are infused with warmth and emotion, leaving readers yearning for more.

I have a talent for creating characters you'll adore while feeling like old friends and settings that transport you to new worlds. I am here to sweep you off your feet with every word. So, get ready to rediscover the joy of falling in love with my enchanting romance novels. Welcome to the adventure!

https://x.com/AuthorEMasson

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorEMasson

https://www.instagram.com/authoremasson7

https://www.authoremasson.com

New Release: Guarded Time by Stephanie Hansen #NewRelease #Historical #Romantasy

New Release

Outlander Meets What the Wind Knows with a Dash of The Tudors

 

Guarded Time

Stephanie Hansen

 

Genre: Historical Romantasy

 

Claudia, Alex, and Marie embark on a perilous journey back through the swirling mists of time, their hopes pinned on averting a looming tragedy. As they navigate the tangled web of history, vivid memories of Alex and Claudia’s enduring love flicker across the timelines, a testament to their unyielding bond. Their destination is the tumultuous Ireland of 1649, a land poised precariously on the brink of siege. It is a treacherous era to traverse, where danger lurks at every corner.

 

In their quest, they immerse themselves within the ancient covens, becoming an integral part of the tightly knit community of Drogheda. The air is thick with tension, the kind that crackles and hums, as they wrestle with the monumental task before them. Caught in the crossfire of history, they face the daunting challenge of halting the impending slaughter of the town while grappling with the complex emotions tied to saving the beloved of their sworn nemesis.

 

As the stakes grow ever higher, the question looms large: will the timeless love between Alex and Claudia endure the trials they face, or are there formidable forces at work beyond their control, threatening to unravel the very fabric of their shared destiny?

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FLQP9MSP/

 

#ReincarnatedSouls #TimeTravel #GirlSquad #Sorcery #ItsAlwaysBeenYou #SoulMate #Romantasy #HistoricalFiction

 

 

 

Spooktastic Haunted Book Fair Brings Dark Delights to Flint This October

Book lovers with a taste for the eerie and otherworldly are invited to step into the shadows at the Spooktastic Haunted Book Fair, happening Saturday, October 18, from 12–3 p.m. at Creative Cafe, 3318 Corunna Rd, Flint, MI 48503.

The event promises an afternoon filled with dark and paranormal romance, spine-tingling horror, haunting histories, and fantastical tales—the perfect mix for readers who like their stories on the spooky side. In addition to a wide selection of books, attendees will also find bookmarks, stickers, and other macabre merchandise to complete their haunted haul.

“Do you enjoy dark romances, haunted houses, and stories that send shivers down your spine?” asks event organizer Roxanne Rhoads. “The Spooktastic Haunted Book Fair is designed for readers who love to wander into the shadows of imagination.”

Whether you’re seeking your next paranormal love story, a chilling ghost tale, or simply a spooky souvenir, the fair will offer something for every fan of the macabre.

Event Details:

 Spooktastic Haunted Book Fair
 Saturday, October 18, 12–3 p.m.
 Creative Cafe, 3318 Corunna Rd, Flint, MI 48503
 Event Page on Facebook

Now On Tour The Chosen One’s Assistant by Kimber

September 29 The Book Junkie Reads

https://thebookjunkiereadspromos.blogspot.com/

September 30 Books1987

https://books0623.blogspot.com/    

October 1 The Pimpettes FB

https://www.facebook.com/bookpimpettes/

October 2 Supernatural Central

http://supernaturalcentral.blogspot.com

October 3 Roxanne Rhoads FB

https://www.facebook.com/RoxanneRhoadsAuthor/

October 6 Fang-tastic Books 

http://fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com

October 7 Paranormalists

https://paranormalists.blogspot.com/

October 8 Roxanne’s Realm 

http://www.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com 

October 9 Bewitching Book Tours FB

https://www.facebook.com/BewitchingBookTours/

October 10 Roxanne Rhoads Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/roxannerhoads/

October 13 The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom

http://creativelygreen.blogspot.com/

October 14 Sapphyria's Books

https://saphsbooks.blogspot.com/

October 15 Fang-tastic Books FB

https://www.facebook.com/FangtasticBooks/

October 16 Bewitching Book Tours

https://bewitchingbooktours.tumblr.com/

October 17 Liliyana Shadowlyn

https://lshadowlynauthor.com  

October 20 Serena Synn 

https://serenasynn.blogspot.com/

October 21 The Bookworm

www.azdesertbookworm.com

October 22 I Smell Sheep

http://www.ismellsheep.com/

October 23 Deal Sharing Aunt

www.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com

October 24 A Bewitching Guide to Halloween 

https://www.abewitchingguidetohalloween.com/

October 27 Lisa’s World of Books

http://www.lisasworldofbooks.net/

The Chosen One’s Assistant 

Kimber Grey 

Genre: Epic/High Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery

Publisher: GrayWhisper Graphics Productions (

Date of Publication: 7/12/2023

ISBN: 979-8851108464

ASIN: B0C9SNG88J

Number of pages: 359

Word Count: Aprox. 98,000

Cover Artist: Kimber Grey

Tagline: Hilarious, Dark, and Epic! Everything you’d expect in a book with vampire weasels.

Book Description:

Never meet your heroes.

Outcast by every guild, starving, and left beaten and shamed in an alley, he was beyond desperate when the timeliest opportunity presented itself: The Greatest Hero of Men was in need of an assistant.

He was so eager to leave his old life behind, he didn't hesitate to accept the role of Tiberius, personal assistant to The Chosen One. The magically binding contract was signed, and the previous servant was out the door before the blood on the quill was dry. Tiberius quickly learned he was responsible for all of the hero's needs from mundane to absurdly ridiculous, and the hero himself was the most ridiculous of all. Woefully inexperienced as a quester, thrown into the hero's world of danger and debauchery, he could never have guessed how harrowing and frustrating this new position would be. Then he learned the God of Pestilence was holding a well-justified, 100-year-old grudge. Death, disease, and evil beyond any Tiberius could imagine awaited them on the path ahead, and The Chosen One had been called to stand against it.

How could Tiberius hope to survive his first campaign with the gods' champion against Trion, God of Darkness?

Amazon      Hardcover      Books2Read

Exclusive Excerpt:

 The crew began unloading scheduled deliveries and taking on expected freight, and The Chosen One disappeared into the cabin once more. He still had not spared a moment to discuss the day's events with me, and after several minutes of frustrated mulling, I followed. "What about the man in the woods?" I demanded behind the closed door. "We need to talk about what it could mean. Was he actually T—"

"Don't say his name if you can help it," the hero snapped as if he were speaking to an ignorant child. Then to my surprise, he flashed me a broad grin. "He and I go way back! A bit of a rivalry, I suppose. Not to worry."

My mouth dropped open as he stripped down to his underpinnings and began riffling around in his clothes trunk, tossing garments this way and that as they were assessed and dismissed. "W—He..." I shook my head, trying to get my fear-addled brain to function. "Not to worry?" I shouted, finding my voice at last. The sudden shrill tone startled even me, and The Chosen One jerked. "You have a rivalry with a god, and I am 'not to worry'?"

He turned to level a stare at me. "Breathe before you faint," he grumbled. He made his way to the bed with an armload of silk and linen finery. "A long while back, I had to slay someone that belonged to him. I don't think he's quite gotten over it. Gods tend to hold grudges for a long time."

I don't think my jaw could have gapped farther without unhinging from my skull. "You... you—"

"She was a dragon," he explained absently. "She developed a taste for virgin flesh and lost her ability to change back into human form." He shrugged as if he were explaining simple math. "She was a monster." He met my gaze, clearly to determine if I was following. "Huh, you're a strange pallor," he noted. "You should sit."

"You killed one of his, and you yet live?"

He nodded. "She was a monster. It is what I do. I have and had four gods," he held up four fingers to illustrate, "backing me in this endeavor, one of whom is their king." He sighed, pulling fitted leather trousers over his muscular legs with more than one grunt of effort. "It cost me, though," he grumbled unhappily.

"What?" I asked. "What great loss did you suffer, backed by half the pantheon of—"

He leveled me with another dark stare. "It cost my hair," he answered blandly. "In fact, every hair on my person save my nose, eyebrows, and lashes." He stood and began fumbling with the buttons at his long cuffs. "Burned all my skin to ash," he recounted. "Nothing remained but sinew and the sword."

My teeth clapped shut, and I frowned down at the wood floor. "I've read this story."

"Yeah," he drawled. "One of my greatest deeds." He shook his head. "When they resurrected me, I was naked as a newborn. They said my hair would grow back." He scowled at his cuff. "It never did."

I looked up at him, then shook my head and stepped forward to help with the tiny abalone buttons. "As I recall, you saved a princess. I thought it was exaggerated."

He shook his head. "No. Not in the least. Under-exaggerated more like. Had to kill that beast with no skin. Hardest slay of my life."

My fingers faltered at that thought. I couldn't even begin to imagine how much that must have hurt. I'd earned blisters before, mixing potions. I shuddered. "After that, and you still could wield the sword?"

He shrugged. "It's how this sort of thing works. You have to be willing to pay the price. The greater the deed, the reward, the monster... the greater the cost."

About the Author:

Kimber was born in the arid and alien land known as southern California. She began consuming fiction from an early age, and has ever been eager to emulate the works that dramatically shaped her heart and mind as a child. She began creating short fiction and poetry in grade school, and wrote her first (laughably bad) novel in jr. high. With a grandmother who is a writer and an editor, English teachers who encouraged her budding potential, and a husband with an even greater appreciation of the written word, Kimber has never lacked support in the pursuit of her bliss.

She published her first fantasy novel Quietus in 2009, and her second Seeking Destiny in 2012. The first three books of Faiden Reborn, Kingdoms Lost, Fallen Heroes, and History Forgotten were published in 2017. She has published two anthologies and four novellas, and her work has appeared in anthologies such as Missing Pieces IV, V, and VI; The Hapless Cenloryan-The Troubadour's Inn Book I (2017 Ed.), and On Wings of Steam: Ears and Gears. The Chosen One's Assistant, published in 2023 is her most popular yet, with it's heavy fantasy tropes and sharp wit.

http://www.Patreon.com/KimberGrey 

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Kimber-Grey/author/B00BU84D7W 

Now On Tour Shades of Night by Floy Owens

September 29 The Book Junkie Reads (Interview)

https://thebookjunkiereadspromos.blogspot.com/

September 29 Sapphyria's Books

https://saphsbooks.blogspot.com/

September 30 Books1987

https://books0623.blogspot.com/     

September 30 Lisa’s World of Books

http://www.lisasworldofbooks.net/

October 1 A Bewitching Guide to Halloween (Guest Blog)

https://www.abewitchingguidetohalloween.com/

October 1 Supernatural Central (Interview)

http://supernaturalcentral.blogspot.com

October 2 Fang-tastic Books 

http://fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com

October 2 Serena Synn

https://serenasynn.blogspot.com/

October 3 Liliyana Shadowlyn

https://lshadowlynauthor.com  

October 3 Paranormalists (Guest Blog)

https://paranormalists.blogspot.com/

October 6 Roxanne’s Realm 

http://www.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com 

October 6 The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom (Guest Blog)

http://creativelygreen.blogspot.com/

Shades of Night

Floy Owens 

Genre: Thriller

Date of Publication: 8/24/25

ISBN: 979-8262133963 

ASIN: B0FNN9D558

Number of pages: 222 

Word Count: 48,726 words

Cover Artist: Bryan Lauer 

Tagline: A Dark Psychological Serial Killer Thriller with Shocking Twists, Dark Secrets, and a Fearless Female Lead 

Book Description: 

When a successful bookstore owner is abducted by a meticulous serial killer, she finds herself in a sterile cage designed for torture. 

But as the captor attempts to break his victim, the roles of predator and prey begin to blur. 

In a deadly psychological game where survival means becoming the greater monster, she must confront her own dark history to not only escape, but to take everything from the man who trapped her.

Amazon

About the Author:

Floy Owens writes stories about survival, obsession, and the ways people change when pushed past their limits. The debut novel, Shades of Night, is a dark psychological thriller that dives into the mind of both captor and captive. When not writing, Owens is usually plotting the next story, fueled by strong tea and a curiosity about what makes people tick.

https://subscribepage.io/floy_owens

https://www.facebook.com/floy.owens.author/ 

Free Read September 13- 17 Armored Hours by Stephanie Hansen #Romantasy #MagicalRealism

Get it Free September 13- 17

Cable Girls meets Peaky Blinders meets Titanic

Armored Hours

Stephanie Hansen

The girls had forged a bond together like iron that could not be broken. Claudia, Kiersten, Lina, and Florian were on the brink of making history with their powerful feminist movement, but then they suddenly disappeared without a trace. Alexander was a desperate bootlegger who was willing to risk it all to search for them. 

Not only were they in cahoots with him to help smuggle feminist con-traband and forbidden booze, but Claudia had also unknowingly captivated his heart. He vowed to find them at any cost, but little did he know that their disappearance was part of a much bigger and sinister plot from the upper echelons of society. 

Set in 1920s Paris of the Plains, Armored Hours is a thrilling tale of love and mystery interwoven with hints of magical realism.

✨Light Romantasy set in the Prohibition Era

✨Strong Female Friendships

✨Magic Realism 

✨Mystery 

✨Found Family 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FLZSLFNY/ 

#Romantasy #MagicalRealism #FoundFamily #HistoricalFiction 

#ArmoredHours #FreeBook #FreeRead #KindleFreebie

Now scheduling a one-month tour for The Chosen One’s Assistant by Kimber Grey #HighFantasy #EpicFantasy

Now scheduling a one-month tour for The Chosen One’s Assistant  by Kimber 

This tour will be September 29- October 27(weekdays only)

I am scheduling reviews, guest blogs, interviews, and spotlight stops

review copy available at Bookfunnel

To participate in this tour please send:

Your blog name and url

A suggested date you wish to post

Please let me know if you wish to review

The Chosen One’s Assistant 

Kimber Grey 

Genre: Epic/High Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery

Publisher: GrayWhisper Graphics Productions (

Date of Publication: 7/12/2023

ISBN: 979-8851108464

ASIN: B0C9SNG88J

Number of pages: 359

Word Count: Aprox. 98,000

Cover Artist: Kimber Grey

Tagline: Hilarious, Dark, and Epic! Everything you’d expect in a book with vampire weasels.

Book Description:

Never meet your heroes.

Outcast by every guild, starving, and left beaten and shamed in an alley, he was beyond desperate when the timeliest opportunity presented itself: The Greatest Hero of Men was in need of an assistant.

He was so eager to leave his old life behind, he didn't hesitate to accept the role of Tiberius, personal assistant to The Chosen One. The magically binding contract was signed, and the previous servant was out the door before the blood on the quill was dry. Tiberius quickly learned he was responsible for all of the hero's needs from mundane to absurdly ridiculous, and the hero himself was the most ridiculous of all. Woefully inexperienced as a quester, thrown into the hero's world of danger and debauchery, he could never have guessed how harrowing and frustrating this new position would be. Then he learned the God of Pestilence was holding a well-justified, 100-year-old grudge. Death, disease, and evil beyond any Tiberius could imagine awaited them on the path ahead, and The Chosen One had been called to stand against it.

How could Tiberius hope to survive his first campaign with the gods' champion against Trion, God of Darkness?

Amazon      Hardcover      Books2Read

About the Author:

Kimber was born in the arid and alien land known as southern California. She began consuming fiction from an early age, and has ever been eager to emulate the works that dramatically shaped her heart and mind as a child. She began creating short fiction and poetry in grade school, and wrote her first (laughably bad) novel in jr. high. With a grandmother who is a writer and an editor, English teachers who encouraged her budding potential, and a husband with an even greater appreciation of the written word, Kimber has never lacked support in the pursuit of her bliss.

She published her first fantasy novel Quietus in 2009, and her second Seeking Destiny in 2012. The first three books of Faiden Reborn, Kingdoms Lost, Fallen Heroes, and History Forgotten were published in 2017. She has published two anthologies and four novellas, and her work has appeared in anthologies such as Missing Pieces IV, V, and VI; The Hapless Cenloryan-The Troubadour's Inn Book I (2017 Ed.), and On Wings of Steam: Ears and Gears. The Chosen One's Assistant, published in 2023 is her most popular yet, with it's heavy fantasy tropes and sharp wit.

http://www.Patreon.com/KimberGrey 

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Kimber-Grey/author/B00BU84D7W 

Now scheduling a one-week tour for Shades of Night by Floy Owens #Thriller

Now scheduling a one-week tour for Shades of Night by Floy Owens 

This tour will be September 29- October 6 (weekdays only)

I am scheduling reviews, guest blogs, interviews, and spotlight stops

review copy available

To participate in this tour please send:

Your blog name and url

A suggested date during the tour

Please let me know if you wish to review

Shades of Night

Floy Owens 

Genre: Thriller

Date of Publication: 8/24/25

ISBN: 979-8262133963 

ASIN: B0FNN9D558

Number of pages: 222 

Word Count: 48,726 words

Cover Artist: Bryan Lauer 

Tagline: A Dark Psychological Serial Killer Thriller with Shocking Twists, Dark Secrets, and a Fearless Female Lead 

Book Description: 

When a successful bookstore owner is abducted by a meticulous serial killer, she finds herself in a sterile cage designed for torture. 

But as the captor attempts to break his victim, the roles of predator and prey begin to blur. 

In a deadly psychological game where survival means becoming the greater monster, she must confront her own dark history to not only escape, but to take everything from the man who trapped her.

Amazon

About the Author:

Floy Owens writes stories about survival, obsession, and the ways people change when pushed past their limits. The debut novel, Shades of Night, is a dark psychological thriller that dives into the mind of both captor and captive. When not writing, Owens is usually plotting the next story, fueled by strong tea and a curiosity about what makes people tick.

https://subscribepage.io/floy_owens

https://www.facebook.com/floy.owens.author/ 

Now On Tour Lakegrave School for Young Women by Lauren Carter + Exclusive Excerpt

September 2 Paranormalists (Guest Blog)

https://paranormalists.blogspot.com/

September 2 New Age Dream Chick

https://newagedreamchick.com/

September 3 Books1987

http://books0622.blogspot.com

September 3 Liliyana Shadowlyn

https://lshadowlynauthor.com  

September 4 Gail’s Gory Details

https://gailsgorydetails.blogspot.com/

September 5 The Book Junkie Reads (Interview)

https://thebookjunkiereadspromos.blogspot.com/

September 8 Deal Sharing Aunt (Interview)

www.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com

September 8 Lisa’s World of Books

http://www.lisasworldofbooks.net/

September 9 I Smell Sheep

http://www.ismellsheep.com/

September 10 Fang-tastic Books 

http://fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com

September 11 Roxanne’s Realm 

http://www.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com 

September 11 A Bewitching Guide to Halloween (Guest Blog)

https://www.abewitchingguidetohalloween.com/

September 12 Supernatural Central (Interview)

http://supernaturalcentral.blogspot.com

September 12 The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom (Guest Blog)

http://creativelygreen.blogspot.com/

September 15 Sapphyria's Books

https://saphsbooks.blogspot.com/

September 15 Serena Synn (Guest Blog)

https://serenasynn.blogspot.com/

September 16 Bewitching Book Tours

https://bewitchingbooktours.tumblr.com/

September 16 SKG Storyteller Blog

https://www.skgauthorservices.com/blog 

Lakegrave School for Young Women

Lauren Carter

Genre: Horror, Dark Academia, Historical Fiction

Date of Publication: 9th September 2025

ISBN: 9781739376444 

ASIN: B0F74BRMC3

Number of pages: 237

Word Count: 54k words

Cover Artist: Grim Poppy Designs

Tagline: Lakegrave is unlike any other school

Book Description: 

Here, we do not care where you are from or who you are. We care that you are women. And we care about your minds. 

Lakegrave is unlike any other school. Hidden in the mountains of Scotland, it only accepts one bright woman per specialist subject. With no teachers and no curriculum, the self-taught establishment offers its students the tools to expand their skillsets to then go onto being masters in their fields.

When Raven and her cousin Rowan are accepted, they are excited to refine their crafts and converse with fellow classmates.

That is until students go missing.

Some come back but they are not as they once were. Something is off about them. 

Something is misplaced.

So when fellow student Esme wants to investigate and invites Raven to join, they uncover that there’s much more to the school than they thought with chilling secrets kept tucked away in its history. But with ghosts stirring and the cohort decreasing, will any of them make it to graduation?

Amazon

 

Exclusive Excerpt:

‘I am Headmistress Harding,’ the woman says, by way of introduction, ‘and you’ll address me as such. I am not your teacher, as you very well know—I am here as guidance in the loosest sense. You are on your own.’ I can hear Fernanda gulp, and the headmistress can hear it too, as she looks at her for the next sentence. ‘You are all adults; you do not need babysitting.’

‘I do,’ Rowan mutters in my ear and I have to cover my mouth to stop the laughter emerging. I am often unable to breathe when Rowan makes me laugh, something I do not want to happen in front of everyone.

‘Here, we do not care where you are from or who are you,’ Headmistress Harding says. ‘We care that you are women. And we care about your minds. Everything else is irrelevant. No one is to be treated differently, not under my roof.’ She looks around before saying, ‘This place is a promise. A promise to a better future, the future you’ve only ever dreamed of. Some of you will even leave us early if you catch the right eye. Headhunters will be looking at this school throughout the year, so you never know.’

She pauses before looking back at us.

‘You are all aware, or you should be aware, that you are in charge of your own education here at Lakegrave,’ Headmistress Harding continues. ‘You are to use the tools available to you here in the school.’ She clicks her fingers at the artist who wasn’t paying attention. ‘I will now show you said tools, so look alive and eyes forward.’ There is a mutter of apologies. ‘Through the left door is the library and through the right door is the group classroom, if any of your interests end up aligning. The dormitories are on the second, third, and fourth floor. You should all have been to your rooms since they are listed in your letters.’ One student raises their hand. ‘Dormitory assignments are listed in the dining hall, if you have misplaced your letter, which you can look at after the tour.’ The student’s hand is quickly withdrawn. Headmistress Harding steps down and walks towards the back door, under the staircase. We all scramble behind her to keep up, having to file through in a single line.

I’m surprised to see it leads to an outdoor area: a small courtyard with columns around the edge where you can see into the hallways that run around the sides. In the courtyard are massive trees that stretch as high as the building itself and more greenery overwhelms the area, with some flowers dotted around, too. In the middle are four benches facing each other, likely for outdoor study.

Headmistress Harding does not stop in the courtyard but instead walks through it to another back door, ushering us all to hurry up as if we are an inconvenience to her.

We step into what looks like a ballroom turned dining hall, as it is a grand room filled with paintings like the entrance, but the floor is marble and on the left near the tall window sits a piano. There is no space for dancing, however, as the room is mostly filled with lines of dark wooden tables and chairs with lots of lamps sitting upon each one.

‘This is where you’ll consume your meals,’ Headmistress Harding explains once we are all in the room. ‘Where are Velika and Norabella? Please make yourselves known to everyone.’ Two students’ hands shoot up. ‘Velika will be your main chef, an expert already in the culinary field. Norabella will be her support as a pastry and dessert chef.’

It is one of the things I wondered about when I found the school to only have one staff member. I can cook for myself, but I doubt those who come from money know how to use a kitchen—they have people to do it for them.

It seems like the headmistress expects us to not only support ourselves with our studies, but to support each other with the running of the entire school, too. I will later learn about the students who do the gardening and be told of the other chores that are also handled by us.

About the Author: 

Lauren (she/they) is a library assistant by day and writer by night. She is the author of WHEN THE DEMONS TAKE HOLD and YOUR DARLING DEATH. She has published several short stories including: ALIVE, JUST with The Horror Tree, THE CHILDREN OF OWL WILDS with Haunted Words Press, and THE SACRIFICES WE MAKE with Rooster Republic Press.

https://x.com/writerlcarter

https://sleekbio.com/writerlcarter

https://www.instagram.com/writerlcarter/ 

https://bsky.app/profile/writerlcarter.bsky.social