Books published by Black Rose Writing

When Alyx Eris convinced him to become a keeper of the watch, Chase Walker knew he gained the ability to traverse the twelve dimensions.He knew there were others-the hunters-who would do anything to put an end to the watches' existence.He knew his status as a keeper was completely binding until his nineteenth birthday.Most importantly, he knew he'd be spending the year by Alyx's side.What he didn't know was that in this dimension resides a ruling mage that poses more of a threat than the hunters ever could.He didn't know that magic-born hybrid beasts lurk in every corner of the surrounding forests.And he didn't know that nothing-and no one-is what it seems in the mystical world of Dimension 8.

Bonnie is a young woman, engaged and passionate about her new job, her feminist ideals, and her friends. Bonnie is also single and looking for a soulmate. Her last boyfriend dumped her after she supported him through law school. Her new boyfriend is nice, but a little boring and they're not attuned politically. Then Bonnie meets Jane. She's a little older, experienced, and compelling. They share a commitment to feminism and social justice. Unfortunately, Jane is married. Still, Bonnie finds her attraction growing. She denies it because Jane is off limits, but Bonnie is compelled and sure the attraction is mutual.Set in 2016, the election is a backdrop to Bonnie's turbulent year of searching for love. This is a story of growth and maturation told in a voice that grows from timid to hopeful to confident and explores the complexity of relationships as well as themes relevent to the current times.

It was the night HE tried to go home...but got caught in THEIR drama...It's Halloween. Nick Roesch, a towering figure of evil and stupidity, escapes from the upstate New York mental hospital he's been committed to for the past five years. Planning to return to his childhood home, where he brutally murdered his babysitter's boyfriend, his plans are halted when he crosses paths with an even more terrifying beast-two high school friends with some serious beef. Caught in a battle of loyalty that has been brewing for ten years of their friendship, the two girls, Kathleen Strife and Betsy Coleman, force the feud into a savage showdown, pitting the escaped monster against each other. Who will survive this epic deathmatch, and is it totally wrong to fall in love with the murderous lunatic who just tried to kill your ex-best friend with a machete?

El Buscador has long been legendary for revealing, to select visitors, New York's secrets. Now he confronts his greatest challenge: the real estate mogul Timothy Terrance Tolland has been erecting skyscrapers at an alarming rate. Tolland's mysterious construction at Canal Street threatens to tear the city's fabric. Aided by a group of investigative reporters, El Buscador looks to bring Tolland down before his building forever transforms the skyline.But the battle also goes on below the street as Tolland has initiated a campaign of dyeing the city's rats blue so that the vermin become as much of his brand as his buildings. Follow along on El Buscador's adventures as he takes the reader to little-known places - from underground streams to forgotten tombs to rat pits - and unearths secrets long buried in the city. Ultimately, his battle with Tolland spectacularly exposes nefarious plans that will surprise even jaded New Yorkers.

"…delivers a fast-paced, energetic tale resonating with today's most troubling and important issues." -KIRKUS REVIEWSAzza Amari, a headstrong, hijab-wearing international student flees her dangerous life in the Paris ghetto to enroll at staid Northwestern Ohio State College. As the twentysomething refugee navigates her way among the commuter school's working-class environs in tiny Fremont, Ohio, Azza comes into the orbit of 17-year-old Kip Beckelhymer, a precocious, history-obsessed senior trying to win back the love of Birdie Hudgins, his mercurial high-school sweetheart.Together, Kip and Azza discover an extraordinary kinship. All the while, the conservative hamlet-and especially Birdie-struggles to come to grips with what seems like the whole of the Islamic world has intruded into their workaday lives. Things come to a head when Kip and Azza find themselves on an unusual treasure hunt. Their whimsical search takes on deadly serious overtones as the strange duo inadvertently finds themselves peeling back the corrosive layers of cowardice and hate that linger just below the surface of their society in the Heartland.

"A grim, competent tale that memorably depicts a world of crime." -Kirkus ReviewsNate, a naive, eighteen-year-old misfit, sets off on a hitchhiking trip to escape bad parenting and the Vietnam draft. He yearns for the acceptance and safety of a tribe and finds them both in Cleveland's branch of the Hell's Angels. But they come at a price.The Angels introduce him to the wonders of drug use and free sex. Nate instantly takes to speed and cocaine, which mask his fears and inhibitions. Ever craving acceptance, he jumps into ripping off drugs and confronts rival biker gangs. When he accidentally shoots and kills a drug dealer, Nate descends into a spiral of fear and paranoia so strong only heroin brings him relief. Spider, his Hell's Angel mentor, rescues Nate from an overdose and helps him get clean, but the damage is done.His lover shuts him out. The Angels run him off. Spider and Nate kidnap a man who had stolen some drugs from them. When they crush his knuckle with pliers as retribution, gang war threatens to erupt and Nate is caught in the crossfire. Life, as he knows it, is over.The Long Ride: Learning About Life From An Outlaw Biker takes you on a thrilling ride of emotional and physical violence, love and hate, survival and the unbreakable bonds of friendship. In this gritty and sensual tale, Francis Hicks offers a hard look into the darker side of self-discovery.

"The storytelling is incredibly human and honest, descriptors are unique and thoughtful." -IndieReader (5 stars)"A powerful story about three generations of women who share the same bloodline and their inability to deal with their past." -The New England Book Critic"A troubled woman makes peace with her family in this well-written and introspective novel." -Kirkus ReviewsThirtysomething Leigh Fortune never thought she'd make it this far. Emerging from the ashes of a traumatic childhood, she's managed to plant her flag on Terra Normal. But under the surface she's unsure-of herself, of her fiancée, of everything. A letter informing her of her estranged mother's death tips her from uncertainty into emotional upheaval and sends her on a journey that will take her from the dunes of Cape Cod to Las Vegas and back.Will she-with the help of her elderly grandmother, an HIV-positive social worker, and a few ghosts-finally be able to leave childhood hurt behind? Or will she upend the life she's created and fall back into familiar patterns of self-destructiveness? To free herself from her past, Leigh will need to learn to accept her own faults as well as forgive those of others.

PenCraft Award 2019 Winner - Historical Romance"If it weren't for bad luck, she'd have no luck at all," lament the family of Fancy Selk, who has been the victim of horrific abuse. Fancy decides it is high time she learns to make lemonade from lemons instead of always making lemons from lemonade. As she learns to survive her past abuse, young Dr. Richard "Rick" Winslow manages to go back in time to find the beautiful young woman. Rick learns Fancy is married to another man. When her husband is killed at Yorktown, she finally admits her attraction for the handsome physician, as they fall in love, only to be ripped apart not once, but twice.

"A memoir of growing up in a small-town Texas community that covers the coming of age tale from childhood to adult that carries a powerful personal message!" -Sublime Book ReviewThe memoir begins on Nineteenth Street in Paris, Texas. The characters in this Northeast Texas hamlet are introduced via their homes, occupations and histories. Reflections on childhood emulations to troublemakers evolve. Those who shaped the author by proximity encompass early memories before a family move brings a perceptional shift in the changing world of 1968. People remain at the center of these tales, aiding her transition from observation to purpose.A career in medicine is finally realized, but interrupted by a season of depression, reconnecting the author to her past. Teachable moments experienced with the "patients themselves" are best revealed through their individual stories in the pediatric oncology wards, AIDS isolation rooms, and the "Butterfly Room."The book ends by examining our connectedness, fulfilling its premise "to pay homage to those who have come in and out of my life for however brief or long a time."

Why did the LaMontaies run?Young Silas' world is transformed when his father is implicated in the arson of the sugar mill in their south Louisiana town. If he didn't do it, why run? What is it they are hiding from when they leave their Cajun home, first upstate, then, when the past catches up to them, to the river bottoms of Kentucky. Wherever they go, they take their heritage and values with them, as well as their secrets. Silas LaMontaie learns his life lessons well as he pursues his muse, the beautiful and enigmatic Jessie May, and later learns to be a musician. Silas LaMontaie is a literary novel of intrigue, wit, and family wisdom full of the colors, sights, and sounds of the south. Ultimately, it is a story of determining one's values and remaining true to those.

Approved by the CIA Publication Review Board."An explosive assassination thriller that is timely, believable and hugely entertaining. A must-read." -Best ThrillersLaw enforcement agencies have chosen to ignore rather than investigate dozens of political figures and defectors who have died under mysterious circumstances. When a Democratic National Committee staff member is murdered before the presidential election, Washington, D.C. police is also uninterested in investigating the crime.The President is well behind in the polls. Some powerful people want assurances that the President will never take the oath of office if he unexpectedly wins.On Election Day, the Central Intelligence Agency Director uncovers treachery at the highest levels of his organization. A rogue group of senior intelligence officers may have exposed themselves for who they really are before disappearing with a secret experimental weapon. Mounting evidence suggests the President may be in peril but the Secret Service isn't interested in conspiracy theories or implausible weapons with impossible capabilities.Will CIA pilot Duncan Hunter save the President from a group of assassins?

The war of words at Wyndover College begins with a single shot: a taboo placed on the word "moist," to placate a first-year student who finds the word repulsive. But then things escalate, when an anonymous voice of opposition takes on the college's strongly pro-student president and his latest innovative program to keep students happy. As the initially well received "Word-Free" program gains traction, it divides the college. The enthusiastic mid-level official charged with implementing this concept finds that it's increasingly difficult to manage-and his efforts are continuously undercut by the imaginative opposition of The Contrarian, a figure who posts creative, snarky messages in a wide range of settings...

"Flynn blends Celtic and Greek mythology, sophisticated mystery, capable characters, and humor into a unique, high-spirited romp." -Publishers WeeklySomeone has started unleashing mythological creatures to wreak havoc and spirit away children amidst unnatural weather patterns. Experts claim the events are unrelated but a supernatural bounty hunter, Haydeez Blackhawk, knows better.Following the trail left by an enraged Loup garou, Haydeez travels to the British Isles in search of the keys to release the one being that can stop him, the Celtic god Cernunnos. Her only problem: the Loup garou wants the god too, and hopes to destroy him.

"Cosmic Fever is inventive, a barrage of creativity - and draws on science in its fictional crafting. A great example of the genre." -Dr. J ReadsImagine waking up one morning and learning that scientists have discovered the Theory of Everything - one simple, elegant equation that unifies all matter, time, and purpose in the universe. How would humanity change? How would you change?And what if soon after, the trumpeted theory was proven false and scientists were forced to issue an embarrassing retraction.Welcome to the zany, satirical world of Cosmic Fever, where in the span of a few short weeks humanity yo-yos from its usual petty squabbling to global harmony - and back again.Was anything learned from the rare interlude of cosmic bliss? The answer is yes, sort of. And the world finds out just how much in a surprising climax that makes perfect sense to anyone who believes everything is connected in some strange and wonderful loop, as mysterious and kooky as life itself.

"This is a book not just for women faced with divorce, but for anyone searching for meaning in their lives." -Sublime Book ReviewPart memoir, part prescriptive nonfiction, A Journey to Becoming the Best-Self combines personal narrative and practical advice to show how it is possible to find a place of acceptance and joy after losing a marriage. The word "divorce" itself has a negative connotation, and rightly so. It can be one of the most painful life-changing events in anyone's life. An emotionally crippling event for many women, initially it was nothing less than devastating for me. However, it has been the most significant growth experience in my life. A Journey to Becoming the Best Self is the story of how a woman comes out on the other side of pain much stronger and more beautiful.

2020 Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist - Young AuthorAfter Gabriel Draven smuggles home the Stone of the Seven Realms, his fear of facing consequences launches him and his oddball family on a rollicking run for their lives across the world they only thought they knew. As his journey takes him out of his realm and into another, Gabriel discovers that the deepest mystery lies at the heart of his own family, and he must do whatever it takes to find his way back home.Strong and unapologetic, full of vivid, well-timed simile and lilting rhythm, bright with humor, at times bursting into a depth of pure simplistic beauty, The Book Of Secrets looks beyond the typical medieval swords-and-sorcery and, instead, introduces mystical creatures, absurd new worlds, and, at its heart, a hymn of praise to the complicated bond of siblinghood.

"...a funny, well-written shaggy dog of a crime novel meets resort hi-jinx." -Michael Hartnett, author of The Blue RatFive years into the Federal Witness Security Program, former trucking executive, Bob Deighton, lives a quiet life as Bob Day, senior maintenance man at the Belle Rive Lodge and Club, North Florida's four diamond oceanfront resort hotel, until the day he saves three lives, becomes a local hero and his low profile disappears.Bob's past is about to catch up with him.

Desperation has become a way of life for people on an overpopulated Earth. In a world that places a high value on wealth and a cheap price on human life, you take what is left; even if it is a shanty underground, crawling with bugs and covered in rot.In this dystopian space opera, Xan aches to break away from the chains that destiny has shackled upon him, not just for himself, but also to redeem his family from poverty and give them the life they deserve. As various advertisements fight for his attention, only one stands out to him: a new life on Mars. The golden land of promise and opportunity - but can he journey so far away, against his parents's wishes, to find love, financial success, and a new beginning?The Last Martian Sunset explores the systemic inequalities of the world through class, religion and nepotism. In this emotionally charged epic, Vassa creates a dynamic that touches on what it means to be human and where we could be heading. Take destiny into your own hands and discover the secrets within yourself and upon the red planet.

PenCraft Award 2019 Winner - Historical Fiction"...flawlessly well-written mystery with a captivating plot that offers a dark perspective on family unity." -IndieReaderJapanese business magnate Kenji Watanabe, 80, has protected the secrets surrounding his father's murder for many years. When a detective calls in 2002 hoping to solve the case with new information, Kenji takes immediate action to keep the truth from becoming public.In 1967, Kenji's father, a former general in the Imperial Japanese Army, had more than his fair share of enemies. When a burglar stole his war sword and left a threatening note, it became clear that someone held a nasty grudge. And when the general was found murdered with Kenji holding the same sword over his dead body, Kenji became the prime suspect.Kenji learned who killed his father and knew why, but no one was ever arrested. In 2002, the statute of limitations has already run out. No charges can be brought regardless of the new evidence. Yet, Kenji would rather die than reveal the secret.

The world as we know it died nearly a thousand years ago. From the ashes of civilization rose the city of Darkota. Those who live within Darkota's safe walls greatly value physical perfection. With affordable cosmetic surgery and genetic enhancement, only the Stricken, the poorest Darkotians, cannot afford to look flawless. Vyka Calcair's father was assassinated when she was very young. He was a politician that fought for human rights, especially the Stricken. This is her story.

"...a fun, fast-moving pulpy story featuring plenty of kills, thrills, and chills." -IndieReaderThe second installment of the Tomas O'Malley Mystery series.Detective Tomas O'Malley is called to the site of a murdered teenager. As the case unfolds, O'Malley learns that this teenager was the school bully, dealing in everything from taunting sports players to date-rape and assault. However, to protect its star football player, the school buries the facts causing the murderer to expand his target list to school officials. As the suspect list grows to unforeseen levels, Tomas must wade through the minutia to determine who had the motive and ability to commit the crimes. The mystery of the vigilante killer becomes clouded with forensic countermeasures, and this classic whodunit comes to light, as the killer may Never Be Traced.

Sunny Fischer did not know her. The shy professional woman with a kind disposition was just another customer in her small bookstore. When police find the woman's dead body on the beach at Sunny's lakefront house the next morning, they do not know who she is either. Sunny uses her advanced intellect and keen deductive skills to investigate, and unwittingly enters into a game initiated by her former mentor, the criminal genius Loren Wincott. Now, Sunny must solve a mystery of revenge, corporate corruption, and ancient treasure that threatens to expose her dark past and destroy the lives of those she loves most.

"A compelling true tale of crime and punishment told from the point of view of the victim's child." -Sublime Book ReviewWhen I was two years old, my mother, Donna Litchfield was brutally murdered by Stephen Moore. My mother had broken up with Stephen-her boyfriend, at the time-only a day prior to being killed. A jury found Stephen guilty of the stabbing murder and the judge sentenced him to life in prison. Moore was sent to the maximum-security Trenton State Prison.Stephen Moore escaped from Trenton State Prison and was on the run for five years. After he turned himself in, he was shipped off to a mental institution, which closed a few years ago. He was then sent to a private mental institution. Moore's sentence was overturned: not guilty by reason of insanity.