dark fantasy

Happy Cover Reveal to The Hunters of Kanta

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I’m so thrilled to share the cover for third book in The Wolves of Kanta series!

It’s amazing to me how quickly this series is getting out into the world! Book 3 is quite gory, especially compared to the first two books in the series, but that’s to be expected when you’re writing in a post-apocalyptic world with so many werewolves. I had a lot of fun with continuing Mercy’s journey as she works to spread her partial cure to lycanthropy to as many werewolves as possible. She has big plans ahead, but she’s nowhere near ready for the obstacles she will have to overcome.

Between gruesome werewolves and blood-thirsty werewolf hunters, Mercy may have bitten off more than she can handle.

The Hunters of Kanta

The Wolves of Kanta Book 3

Mercy is on a mission.

She plans to administer her partial cure to as many werewolves as she can find, giving them a new chance at life. That means leaving Kanta and convincing werewolves of her good intentions. But finding their campsites during the day isn’t easy.

Hot on the heels of a large camp somewhere near Crowsmirth, Mercy and Andrei get side-tracked by an unexpected rescue mission. They soon learn that there are far more werewolves in those woods than they expected. They’re outnumbered, completely unprepared for the sheer numbers against them, and worse yet, running out of daylight.

Desperate to get out of the forest before night falls and the slaughter begins, they run straight into a team of highly organized werewolf hunters.

Surrounded by vicious killers and countless werewolves, can Mercy and her friends survive the long night in Crowsmirth?

Releasing September 20, 2022

Grab Book 1: The She-Wolf of Kanta
Grab Book 2: The Blood of Kanta
Pre-Order Book 3: The Hunters of Kanta

Movie Review: You Won’t Be Alone

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The other day I got to attend a movie screening for a Macedonian film from independent film company Focus Films: You Won’t Be Alone.

If you’ve read my work, I have a love of shapeshifters and people who can take on the appearance of someone or something else. It’s something I’ve always enjoyed working into my novels, from the Stolen series to The Seeking to The Wolves of Kanta series. Imagine my surprise and delight to find this film which portrays a shapeshifter I had never heard of before.

The screening we saw had a multitude of issues, as many who screen foreign films have likely seen before. The poor employees tried multiple times to get subtitles to work, but after three or four stops and starts they gave up. Still the story was so visual and the interactions so visceral, we didn’t need dialogue to understand what was going on.

(We’ll get a screener sent to us soon so we can rewatch with subtitles, so I’ll be coming back to update this post once we do!)

The story follows the birth of a baby who is claimed by a shapeshifting witch despite her mother’s pleas. The mother keeps the girl in a cave I believe out of fear, coming occasionally to wash her face, bring her food, and clean her hair. Once the girl is a teenager, the mother and the witch fight, and soon the girl has a new caretaker—the witch in her mother’s body.

Throughout the film we see the girl abused by the witch, pushed repeatedly away from enjoying living things and instead pushed towards embracing death.

At one of my favorite scenes the witch watches the girl dance among the fireflies. The witch grabs one and pokes at it, trying to get it to move, then gets annoyed when she realizes she’s killed it.

When these two part ways, the girl explores a local village and we get to see the grotesque way that she and the witch shapeshift. This was gruesome but also strangely intimate at the same time, almost reminding me of birth.

This movie is the kind of dark fantasy I truly like and rarely see. It’s amazing to get to see it come to life on film. It doesn’t shy away from sex or gore, but these are simply portrayed as part of everyday life for these creatures. It was amazing to see the kind of story I usually only see written in book form be brought to life on screen. It was powerful, subversive, and strangely empowering.

I honestly can’t recommend this film enough. It was one of those movies I am instantly going to buy on Blu-ray and keep for my collection when it comes out. It’s a feminine, sexual take on a horrific folklore shapeshifter that grabs your attention and refuses to let go. The acting is incredible, the special effects were practical and surprisingly well done, and the set designs were gorgeous and immersive.

If you enjoy dark fantasy movies such as Pan’s Labyrinth or In the Company of Wolves, this is definitely worth checking out!

Happy Release Day to The She-Wolf of Kanta!

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I am so thrilled to share that The She-Wolf of Kanta is now out in the world!

If you read the previously published She-Wolf, this edition has been expanded out to prepare for the following four books that will be part of The Wolves of Kanta series. This book explores Mercy’s home life, her relationship with her father, and even mentions her mother. It also includes the following map created by my talented sister, Kelley M. Frank with Morbid Smile Art.

Watch the Release Day Youtube video where I reflect on where She-Wolf came from and the journey this book has taken from when it was first published by Aurelia Leo.

I’m so thrilled how this series has evolved, and I can’t wait to see where it goes next!

Buy a copy
Buy a signed paperback
Buy a signed hardback

The She-Wolf of Kanta

Book 1 of the Wolves of Kanta Series

The daughter of a werewolf hunter will become so much more.

Thirteen-year-old Mercy Pinkerton thought her days of cleaning house, fixing the barricade, and wiring electric prongs were over. She would finally get to train to be a werewolf hunter, what she has always wanted.

She doesn’t know that there are worse monsters in Kanta than the werewolves that plague Kanta each night. Danger lurks around every corner. She’ll have to avoid her father’s temper and follow his orders, even if it means risking her life.

It is supposed to be Mercy’s big day, but will take a drastic turn for the worse. She’ll have to keep her wits about her, remember her training, and prepare for the ultimate test of bravery if she hopes to survive.

The She-Wolf of Kanta is a re-release of the acclaimed novella, now expanded into Book 1 in The Wolves of Kanta series.

Merciless Stars

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Merciless Stars
By: Candace Robinson

A story about two sisters who have to work together to solve the corruption in their world? Yes, please!

I’m a sucker for these kinds of sisters against the world stories, and this one was amazing. Robinson once again blends steamy romance with a horrific fantasy world to create a blend that is uniquely hers. I raved about The Bone Valley when I read it last year which has a similar vibe, and while it’s still my favorite book of hers, this one comes very close.

Two sisters, Afton and Silver, who had to claw their way out from under the thumb of their abusive parents are left with the emotional damage and cruelty left behind. They can tap into the magic of their land, transforming themselves in the process. While Silver tends to be the more optimistic of the two, she regularly taps into dark magic, including the land of the dead, from which she pulls a soul to live within a wax body. Her older sister, Afton, took the brunt of the cruelty of their parents and ended up with a lot of anger because of it. She is more cruel, more terse, and more brutal than her sister. Only Silver can bring out the kindness of her sister.

The sisters have their bond to keep them above the horrors of their past, but as they investigate a nearby kingdom and learn of the curse that has befallen it, they soon realize things aren’t what they seem.

I fell in love with Silver almost instantly, and Keelan as well, her wax servant. Once again I find so many characters to root for. This world was so nuanced and so well-built that I could envision the walls of their castle and the grounds where they rode their horses. I was slowly drawn into this unique world, but once I hit the halfway point, it was hard to put down! I’ve learned to expect this from Robinson’s books now!

A wonderful, steamy read with unforgettable world-building, spooky monsters, and layered characters. I recommend it for fans of dark romance and fantastic worlds. Robinson is clearly finding her stride, and I’m very much here for it.

5/5 bloody hearts

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Happy Release Day to Undertow

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June has always been in motion. She’s never satisfied with a place for long, so she’s always moving and never content. Even her love life is a maelstrom, leaving behind a long list of lovers. After years of searching for a sense of belonging, she is drawn to the ocean waters near Leekston. She convinces Jeremy, a wealthy young playboy with a yacht, to take her out to the cold open waters.

She hopes to find answers, but Jeremy expects compensation for his trip and something watches in the deep waters. They are not alone.

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