Quasi Redux (+ Giveaway)

Quasi Redux
by Christina Bauer
* (Angelbound Origins, #8)
* Published by: Monster House Books
* Publication date: September 29th, 2020
* Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult

“Myla is a magnificent heroine, fierce and outspoken, hilarious and mischievous … And did I mention that her demon tail is sentient? Best. Sidekick. Ever.” – The Nocturnal Library

Myla Lewis has her life back. Wife. Mother. Queen. Great Scala. Queen of the Thrax. Yay! Then one day, Myla runs across a supernatural waterfall that makes her igni screech like crazy. Our heroine speaks the fateful words, “Some days, I wish I weren’t the Great Scala.”

The waterfall grants her wish.

A moment later, Myla is back at Purgatory High. No husband. No child. No powers beyond her old quasi days. And without Myla around as the Great Scala, all quasis now live under Armageddon’s rule. That sucks. Hard. So Myla sneaks into Antrum—she simply must find Lincoln and figure this out. Once she arrives, two problems arise.

First, her husband doesn’t know her. At all.

Second, Lincoln is married to someone else.

Fuuuuuuu…

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Now here's an excerpt for your reading pleasure.

 QUASI REDUX Selection – Lincoln!!!

 

EXCERPT – QUASI REDUX (Angelbound Origins #8)

I’ve found Lincoln. At last.

This is my chance. Sure, some crazy magic erased his memory, but this is Lincoln. My Lincoln. I’ll explain things to him. Afterward, we’ll fix this together. That’s how it’s always worked before.

Across the cavern, Lincoln scales up a climbing wall. A small group of younger guys in tunics and leather pants watch him move. This is a training session for the thrax nobility, just as I suspected.

So far, so good.

Lincoln clutches onto the wall with his right hand. Muscles strain in his face and body. All the while, my guy’s voice stays low and growly as he explains climbing stuff. In my mind, it’s a lot of blah blah blah ripped arms blah blah blah tight butt.

Did I mention that Lincoln is buck naked except for a pair of cargo pants? He is.

Here’s the problem. I’ve two inner demons—lust and wrath. And watching my guy right now? It makes my lusty side wakes up with a big HELL to the Oh.

What a disaster.

At this moment, I should be plotting on how to approach Lincoln. Instead, I can’t help but notice that single bead of sweat running down my guy’s abs… only to disappear into the waistline of his pants. My inner lust demon heats my blood with desire.

If I keep ogling my guy’s very yummy body, I’ll end up tackling him in front of everyone.

Which is a thought at that…

--end of excerpt--

To find out more: https://tinyurl.com/redux-mania

Meet the Author

Christina Bauer knows how to tell stories about kick-ass women. In her best selling Angelbound series, the heroine is a part-demon girl who loves to fight in Purgatory’s Arena and falls in love with a part-angel prince. This young adult best seller has driven more than 500,000 ebook downloads and 9,000 reviews on Goodreads and retailers. The first three books in the series are now available as audiobooks on Audible and iTunes.
Bauer has also told the story of the Women’s March on Washington by leading PR efforts for the Massachusetts Chapter. Her pre-event press release—the only one sent out on a major wire service—resulted in more than 19,000 global impressions and redistribution by over 350 different media entities including the Associated Press.

Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.

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Thanks so much for stopping by today. Isn't it fascinating how authors create such vivid worlds and we get to visit without all the hassle of airports?

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Slippers and Thieves (+Giveaway)

* Slippers And Thieves
* by Christina Bauer
* (Fairy Tales of the Magicorum #4)
* Published by: Monster House Books
* Publication date: November 26th 2019
* Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Years ago, Elle—never call her Cinderella—escaped her evil step family in order to build a new life for herself in Manhattan. Today, Elle’s awful past is a distant memory. In fact, Elle even attends West Lake Prep, an exclusive high school where regular humans mix with members of the Magicorum, such as fairies, shifters and witches. Although she still must live in hiding from her evil stepfamily, Elle has always found ways to get whatever her heart desires.

That is, until Alec Le Charme.
Alec is the heir to the Le Charme dynasty of high-end jewelers. He’s also kind, charismatic, has a knee-melting smile. Elle has fallen for him, hard. Unfortunately, thanks to Elle’s evil step family, Alec is absolutely off limits.

In fact, if Elle and Alec so much as kiss, it will start a magical chain reaction that would end in powerful factions of witches and wizards going to war. As a result, Elle and Alec vow to stay friends, no matter what. Then West Lake Prep holds a masquerade ball. Identities get mixed up and forbidden kisses are finally shared.

Time for the Magicorum to go to war, and for Elle to confront her hidden past in ways she never thought possible.

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Author Bio:
Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too.

Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.

Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/CBupdates

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Now here's an excerpt for your reading pleasure.

Elle – Age Fifteen

First, homework.

Then, jewel heist.

Oh, yeah.

Rubbing my eyes, I refocus on my computer screen. A final study question appears.

SUN is to BRIGHTNESS as MAGIC is to…

a) casting

b) eternity

c) fading

I click on c) fading. A green check mark appears on screen.

Nailed it. Yay, me!

Not that the question was super-tough. Everyone knows magic’s disappearing from the world. Shifters, fairies and casters—folks called the Magicorum—are basically an endangered species. I should know. I’m one of them. In my case, my father’s a caster while my mother’s a fairy.  

A knock sounds on the door. “Elle, may I come in?” That’s my mother, Rae. 

“Sure.”

The door swings open; Mom steps inside. She’s willowy and petite with large blue eyes and long blonde hair. My heart sinks. Mom’s shoulder bones jut out against the straps of her yellow sundress. She’s getting more skeleton-like by the day. Meanwhile, I’m a younger and healthier version of her. I can’t help but feel a little guilty about that.

“How are you?” My voice wobbles as I ask the question.

“Better and better.” Mom waves me off. “Is your homework done?”

Once again, Mom veers the conversation away from her illness. In Mom’s mind, if you don’t talk about being sick, then it isn’t happening. And today, like most days, I don’t have the heart to bust up her system. If Mom says she’s better, then I won’t push it. After all, we’ve tried tons of healers. And we live in New York City, home of the best cancer treatment centers ever. Nothing has made a difference for Mom.

I plaster on a fake smile. “Almost finished here.”

Mom closes the door behind her. I frown. Closed door chats are never good.

“I wanted to talk alone,” says Mom. “You see, Marchesa’s daughters are the same age as you.” She twists her fingers together at her waistline. “Both Agatha and Ivy love their high school. They’re meeting all sorts of new people.”

In this case, Marchesa refers to my mother’s lifelong frenemy, Lady Marchesa Oakwood. Lately, Marchesa has been sharing supposedly helpful tidbits about her daughters. Sadly, the stories only make Mom feel like she’s failing me. A protective urge runs up my spine. Marchesa’s supposed to run our family store, not load Mom with worry.

“Agatha and Ivy aren’t me.” I tap my chest. “Here’s one girl who likes online stuff.”

“But this is your parents’ office.” Mom frowns. “It’s not a regular classroom.”

“Come on. This is a cool spot.” And I mean it. The office is small with red brick walls. There’s even a great view of Second Avenue.

Mom still looks concerned, so I go on. “Hey, I get the deal.”

There’s no need to explain more.

In this case, the deal is the fact that I’m the warden of all fae magic. It means I’m super-powered, which is certainly nice. But fae aren’t like other Magicorum. While shifters and casters worship their wardens, the fae kill theirs. That’s why I take online classes and generally avoid new people. My full time job is pretending to be the weakest fairy in the history of ever.

“I’m glad you understand the, uh, deal.” Mom’s face brightens. “And you’re absolutely fine with online classes?”

“Do you really think I’d keep my yap shut otherwise?”

Mom chuckles. “No, I don’t.”

“Then we’re both good, right?” In my heart, I want everything to be good, not just conversations about online classes. That’s not possible, though.

“We’re better than good,” replies Mom. “We’re great.” She heads back toward the door and then pauses. “Your father and I will be in the store this morning. Give us a yell if you need anything.”

“I will.”

Long after Mom’s left, I still watch the closed door. With every passing second, a weight of worry settles more deeply into my soul. All members of the Magicorum get pulled into a fairy tale life template. Mine’s Cinderella. So I can’t help but notice some facts.

Fact one. Marchesa has two nasty daughters who are my age.

Fact two. Marchesa also stares at Dad with googly eyes that make me want to puke.

Fact three. Mom has been sick for a really long time.

I’ve seen the Disney movie here. In short order, I’m heading into the not too pleasant phase of the Cinderella story. This is where my parents are gone and I’m stuck with a frenemy stepmother who names her kid Agatha. Other Cinderellas may sing at their window and hope for the best.

Me? I’ve got a plan.

Which brings me to the fave part of my day: planning my next jewel heist.

Thanks for stopping by today. Isn't it fun to explore genres such as this? Be sure to check out the awesome giveaway and enter for your chance to win.

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The Brutal Time (+ Giveaway)

* The Brutal Time
* by Christina Bauer
* (Angelbound Origins #6)
* Published by: Monster House Books
* Publication date: October 29th 2019
* Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult

“I love the Angelbound Origins world and just can’t seem to get enough of it!” – The Avid Reader

As the Great Scala, Myla Lewis is the only being who can move Purgatory’s souls to Heaven or Hell. It’s a big job. Too bad Myla goes through assistants faster than a hot knife through brownies. Not that it bothers her much; Myla’s always been a solo fighter.

Then comes the problem of the fading angels. Millions of Heavenly residents are dying. According to a prophecy, the only way Myla can save them is by traveling back in time, meeting King Arthur, and creating her own knights of the round table. The catch? Doing so might end the after-realms in a bloody demonpocalypse.
Yipes.

Myla and her main squeeze, Lincoln, aren’t afraid of taking a few chances (in between kisses). But with so much at risk, the stakes may be too high, even for them. And the biggest challenge of all? Finding those knights.

Because Myla Lewis doesn’t play well with others. At all. 

“These books don’t just capture your attention, they straight up demand it. Christina Bauer has created a fascinating and unique world that you do not want to miss out on.” – Bookhalolic Brittany

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Now an excerpt for your reading pleasure. 

Sample Chapter – Arena Dressing Room

Lacing my fingers with Lincoln’s, I guide my guy off the Arena floor. The moving spotlights make it easy to slip off unnoticed into a nearby archway. Then it’s a matter of navigating through the back corridors until we reach small stone room. There’s not much to speak of here, outside of some hooks on the walls and a few large wooden trunks. 

I step into the center of the space and twirl. “Here it is. Changing room central.”

Lincoln slips off his jacket and sets it onto a nearby trunk. “Did you come here after we met?”

There’s a certain predatory gleam in my guy’s eyes that I’m enjoying very much indeed. “Oh, sure,” I reply. “I had lots of matches after we first met.”

My gaze lands on a particular trunk. Memories appear. My face turns eleven shades of red.

Lincoln notices the trunk in question as well as my blush. He steps up to the trunk and damn, my fantasies were all correct. The lid comes to just the right height at his waistline.

Lincoln runs his fingers over the lid. “And what is there about this particular piece of furniture, may I ask?”

“No point telling you that I don’t know what you’re talking about, huh?”

“None.”

“Well, I might have thought about you, the trunk and, um, things.”

Lincoln steps closer. “Things?”

“I’d put on my dragonscale suit and wonder what would happen if you came into the dressing room or something.”

That predatory look returns to Lincoln’s mismatched eyes. It makes me feel all woozy inside. Not a bad thing.

“I love this story. So you’d be … what?”

I gesture toward the trunk. “Sitting here.”

Lincoln scoops me up and sets me right atop the trunk. “Like this?”

“Uh-huh.”

A knowing grin rounds his mouth. “So I could stand before you like this.” He rests his hands on my knees. His skin is all warm and rough at once. Little by little, Lincoln slowly guides my legs apart and presses my skirt up to my hips. Then he steps between my legs.

“Almost like that,” I say breathlessly.

At last, Lincoln presses himself against me. At this angle, his hardness hits all the right places. “Do you mean this?” he asks.

Fire sparks inside my core. “Exactly.”

“I can see the appeal.” Lincoln slowly trails his hands over my body. Wherever he touches me, there’s an electric zing of desire. Leaning in, he stops when his mouth hovers a breath above mine. “You know what I want.”

“I do.” I lick along the seam of his lips. “And I’m calling in my prize.”

Author Bio:
Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too.

Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.

Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/CBupdates

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / LinkedIn / Blog

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Isn't it fun to open a book and travel to a different world filled with adventure?

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Wolves and Roses {+ Giveaway}

Wolves & Roses
Christina Bauer
(Fairy Tales of the Magicorum #1)
Published by: Monster House Books
Publication date: October 31st 2017
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

“If Janet Evanovich teamed with a young adult, fairy-tale author like Marissa Meyer (the Lunar Chronicles) or Alex Flinn (Beastly), the result might be something like Christina Bauer’s Wolves and Roses.” –Blue Ink Review

Seventeen-year-old Bryar Rose has a problem. She’s descended from one of the three magical races—shifters, fairies, or witches. That makes her one of the Magicorum, and Magicorum always follow a fairy tale life template. In Bryar’s case, that template should be Sleeping Beauty.

“Should” being the key word.
Trouble is, Bryar is nowhere near the sleeping beauty life template. Not even close. She doesn’t like birds or woodland creatures. She can’t sing. And she certainly can’t stand Prince Philpot, the so-called “His Highness of Hedge Funds” that her aunties want her to marry. Even worse, Bryar’s having recurring dreams of a bad boy hottie and is obsessed with finding papyri from ancient Egypt. What’s up with that?

All Bryar wants is to attend a regular high school with normal humans and forget all about shifters, fairies, witches, and the curse that Colonel Mallory the Magnificent placed on her. And she might be able to do just that–if only she can just keep her head down until her eighteenth birthday when the spell that’s ruined her life goes buh-bye.

But that plan gets turned upside down when Bryar Rose meets Knox, the bad boy who’s literally from her dreams. Knox is a powerful werewolf, and his presence in her life changes everything, and not just because he makes her knees turn into Jell-O. If Bryar can’t figure out who—or what—she really is, it might cost both her and Knox their lives… as well as jeopardize the very nature of magic itself.

FAIRY TALES OF THE MAGICORUM
1. Wolves And Roses (Fall 2017)
1.5. Moonlight And Midtown (Spring 2018)
2. Shifters And Glyphs (Fall 2018)

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Christina has graciously answered some questions for me concerning her writing. Join me in welcoming her to Thoughts as she shares about her story. Welcome, Christina.

 

Why I Write Paranormal Books, Even Though It Sometimes Sucks To Do So

By Christina Bauer, Author

The lovely folks at the Thoughts in Progress blog asked me to write a post about what drew me to writing books for the paranormal genre, and some of the pros and cons of doing so. Happy to share!

Why I Write Paranormal

To begin with, I read a lot of contemporary romance and I love-love-LOVE that genre, but when I try to write it, I get really hung up on the whole “that guy would never do that” thing.  Here’s a classic example of what the voice in my head says during such times: “Whoa therem Bauer! Bad boys stay bad. Unless you have this guy complete twenty years of therapy or have an anyeurysm, the dude is not going to change.” So, when I start to write 100% contemporary, I end up sticking to real life. All of which brings me to my problem with writing that genre.

Real life is really freaking depressing.

Life is hard and writing is my escape. Long story short, I’ve found that I can make things fun if I stick to fantasy. Within this uber genre, I’ve tried epic-style ‘swords and sorcery’ stuff (my Beholder series) as well as urban fantasy (Angelbound novels). With my new book, WOLVES AND ROSES, I have come the closest ever to crafting contemporary romance. There are certainly some paranormal elements in the book, but it’s not like the book is set in Purgatory or Hell like the Angelbound series (Beholder takes place in a modified version of the middle ages.) So, paranormal has been an evolution for me.

The Pros of Paranormal

I love world building and paranormal allows my imagination to run wild. I have a whole ancient Egypt thing coming with the future books after WOLVES AND ROSES which I am SUPER PSYCHED to share with you. But I can’t because SPOILERS.

All in all, the great part about paranormal is that I’m not stuck with anyone’s rules, even if those rules are so-called reality.

The Cons of Paranormal

In my opinion, the big challenge of paranormal is the same as its greatest benefit: world building. Let me explain. When you’re writing in ‘reality,’ you can just say ‘a guy walks into a bar’ and everyone knows what you mean: the guy is a dude who is not too young or old. He’s also moving forward on two feet and wearing pants. And the bar is a sort of generic place with bottles of booze and lots of tables.

Now say you step into a fairy soiree (this actually happens in WOLVES AND ROSES). What do the fairies look like? Do any of them wear pants? Do they fly or walk? Where do they have celebrations anyway? In other words, I have to set a TON of stuff up without taking up two pages describing everything before I get to the actual story. Not gonna lie. This part is a pain in the ass. But if I do it right, people feel transported to another realty in the story, which is what I’m after.

PRO TIP: It’s easy to get caught up in your own world building. To paraphrase Virginia Wolff: I carve out great caves behind my characters and only allow the reader to see a small sliver. You have to build a ton and pitch it. The reader will only feel that it’s there and that’s OK.

Conclusion

Overall, what’s both the biggest pro and con is that I love sharing my stories with you readers, but there’s no way for me to call you up after you’ve finished and talk. What did you like? What would you change? Where should the story go? So please please please, drop me a note or write a review of WOLVES AND ROSES. I can’t wait to hear from you! 

Christina, thanks for sharing your pros and cons of writing paranormal. I find it fascinating that writers can create other worlds for us readers to visit. Thanks.

Christina Bauer knows how to tell stories about kick-ass women. In her best selling Angelbound series, the heroine is a part-demon girl who loves to fight in Purgatory’s Arena and falls in love with a part-angel prince. This young adult best seller has driven more than 500,000 ebook downloads and 9,000 reviews on Goodreads and retailers.

Bauer has also told the story of the Women’s March on Washington by leading PR efforts for the Massachusetts Chapter. Her pre-event press release—the only one sent out on a major wire service—resulted in more than 19,000 global impressions and redistribution by over 350 different media entities including the Associated Press. Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production.

She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.

Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / LinkedIn

Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)

• Win The Wolves and Roses Treasure Box
• Bry’s Earrings
• Rose Hair Clip
• Signed Copy Of Wolves and Roses

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