Monster lovers, I present UNTETHERING DARK!
A dark, spicy monster romance that’s coming next winter from Carina Press, a digital-first imprint of Harlequin Books. A HUGE thank to you to all the indie authors and readers who put this spectacular subgenre on the map. This wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for you.
UNTETHERING DARK is a wicked Yuletide romp through the Black Forest with Grimms’ Fairy Tale vibes, spicy romance, and horror. But it’s also weirdly wholesome and charming in between the grisly murdering. The leading lady, Astrid, is a winter hag-in-training.
A few of her favorite things:
-Baking
-Bestie teatimes
-Knitting
-Scaring tourists
-Slaying poachers
-Seducing the local forest god
-Being a goat mom
***
I can’t tell you how happy I am to finally get to shout about this book.
UNTETHERING DARK has been a work-in-progress since November 2021, shortly after Given to the Ghoul released, and it all started with a scene hastily written in the notes app on my phone while sitting in an airport terminal:
A witch offers an ancient forest monster a plate of cookies to eat instead of her.
I was dying to promote and release another monster romance, but when my agent and I decided to take UNTETHERING DARK on submission, and see how it might do there, we also made the call to keep the details of the project under wraps. Who knew how long it might be on sub?
It received the strongest, most enthusiastic reaction out of anything else we’ve shopped around, making it to second reads at both Berkley and Orbit. That was quite validating, even though it ultimately ended in passes.
Ruby Dixon’s Bull Moon Rising is Berkley’s first monster romance. Untethering Dark will be Harlequin’s, which blows my mind. I hope we get many, many more monster romances in the traditional publishing space, but it was the indie authors and readers who made this dream come true.
ENSNARING THE SIREN CHARACTER ART (semi-NSWF)
And now to introduce Nireed and Reid from ENSNARING THE SIREN! This magical illustration was done by Kalisami, creator of the WebToon Made of Stardust.
Look at Nireed’s bioluminescence! And the fireflies.
ENSNARING THE SIREN is Book 3 in the Haven Cove series, but can be read as a standalone. While the story references events that happen in Books 1 and 2, this is a new couple, so you can expect new perspectives and recaps where needed.
Nireed is a mermaid of the vicious variety (she’s eaten people whoops), but she also has a ridiculously cute side, especially around Reid, the latter of which is reflected strongly in Kalisami’s piece. Just don’t want you to be shocked when she’s licking blood from her lips in Chapter 1.
This is also the spiciest of the Haven Cove books.
Coming August 6, 2024.
AWARDS & $0.99 EBOOK SALE
Follow Me to the Yew Tree is a nominee in TWO categories for the Indieverse Awards: “Book that Made Me Cry” and “Representation I Connected Most With” for its Ulcerative Colitis/IBD representation.
Voting doesn’t start until November, so you have plenty of time to read the other nominated books and make an informed decision (see link above).
In hopes that it will make Follow Me to the Yew Tree accessible to more readers, the ebook is on sale for $0.99 now through April 15.
That’s all for now!
xoxo
Desirée