Archives for March 2025

Bewitched Blooms, our fundraiser anthology for Zoe, is out on 21 March. I caught up with a handful of the awesome authors who are contributing stories and novellas to the book.

Leena Kazak

Tell me a little bit about yourself!

I’m Leena, and I’m a fantasy romance author! I am fairly new to this—my debut novel, The Moon’s Daughter, released in December 2024. I only joined Bookstagram a few months before that. Besides that, I love reading (romantasy, of course), eating chocolate, and spending time with my husband and two small children.

How did you get involved in the anthology?

One of my street team members tagged me in Briar Boleyn’s call-to-action post looking for authors to be part of the fundraiser anthology. I was incredibly touched by this amazingly kind gesture Briar was doing for her friend, and I knew right away that I wanted to be involved. I submitted the application to express my interest, and here I am!

What is your story or novella about?

My contribution, The Spare Heir, is about second-born princess Soraya and a foreign diplomat from a rivaling kingdom. I don’t want to reveal too much, but Soraya goes against the typical norms expected of princesses and spends most of her time caring for her plants. She shares a close relationship with her older sister, crown princess Layna. Layna struggles with depression throughout most of the short story, and we see how Soraya helps her through it while also navigating her own adventures in love.

Does it tie in to an existing story?

Yes! It ties in directly to my debut, The Moon’s Daughter, where Layna is the FMC. The Spare Heir can be read as a standalone, but I think it will leave new readers wanting to learn more about what happens next for these characters!

Rosalyn Stirling

How did you get involved in the anthology?

I saw Briar post about an anthology to support her friend who’d been diagnosed with cancer. Many of my loved have had cancer, and I immediately knew this was something I’d like to contribute to (if Briar needed more stories in the anthology, of course!). 

What is your story or novella about?

Here’s the blurb!

He’s stalked her ship through the waves for years. Now that she’s in his waters, nothing will keep him from claiming her. 

A merchant captain is searching the seas for her lost tribe when mutiny strikes and her crew tosses her overboard. 

Rather than plunging into a watery grave or facing the monsters of the deep, she awakens in an underwater cave—dangling by a rope and with eyes bluer than the ocean feasting upon her. 

A merman has been trailing her ship. And he will stop at nothing until she’s his bride. 

What else are you currently working on?

I’m currently finishing up Devoured by Shadows, which is the second book in The Wild Shadows series. (Auctioned to the Vampire is the prequel.) It comes out in April 2025!

Enna Hawthorn

Tell me a little bit about yourself!
My name is Enna Hawthorn and I’m born and raised in the beautiful PNW. I’ve been writing for decades but only became serious about it in the last five years or so alongside my current day job as a teacher when I published my debut and the start to my current series, The Golden Rose Of Valenul. In my spare time I train jiu jitsu (I’m a blue belt!) with my husband and two daughters which is highly incorporated into my writing.

How did you get involved in the anthology?
I heard about the anthology through a friend who sent me the post searching for authors. Zoe’s story hit close to home for me and I wanted to do anything I could to help her and her family, so I signed up! I was so excited to be accepted and can’t wait to share my little story with everyone.

What is your story or novella about?
My novella, The Cobalt Chains Of Armington, is about a high society of vampires in a Regency-inspired setting. The main character, Alek Nightingale, is recently transitioned into the fully matured version of this vampire race and discovered, much to his horror, that he is not who he believed himself to be. It follows Alek as he struggles to hold back a new side of himself that is very much not vampire like he thought all while exploring a relationship with a long-time family friend, Viana Threshir.

Does it tie into an existing story?

The Cobalt Chains Of Armington is a prequel novella, set about one hundred years prior to the events that occur at the start of my series, the Dhemon Wars. It’s only part one of this love story and will be completed at a later date well after the release of the anthology.

What else are you currently working on?
At this time, I’m working on a couple of different pieces. The third book of my series, The Garnet Tomb Of Anwenja, is in edits currently and I’m also drafting the fourth and final book of the series, TOBOK (full title to be released later). This is a world that is very close to my heart and is what inspired me to begin writing. When this series is completed, however, I have many projects I’ll be revisiting in a variety of different settings.

Shawn Romeo

Tell me a little bit about yourself!

Sure thing. I am the firstborn, so I have two younger sisters who I adore; at this point, they are my world. I am a Canadian author and published my first book, Touch of Gold, last year. I am a dog dad; her name is Cleo and she is my best friend in this entire world. I speak fluent French and hope to one day write an entire book in French, most likely for children. I am a Marvel fan, Billy Maximoff being my favorite character of all time for many reasons, like, have you seen the Agatha All Along show?

How did you get involved in the anthology?

I have been a fan of Briar Boelyn’s work for a while so when I saw she was putting together an anthology for a great cause, I knew I needed to join.

What is your story or novella about?

My story is about the time my main character, Aurea, from my current series, Blood and Gold, met Morpheus, who would later become her husband and how the course of her destiny changed after meeting an unlikely stranger.

Does it tie into an existing story?

Yes, it ties directly into my debut book, Touch of Gold, a Rumpelstiltskin meets King Midas retelling and can be read before or after the events of the book.

What else are you currently working on?

At the moment, I am currently working on the second edition of Touch of Gold, which will be available later this year.

Caty Rogan

Tell me a little bit about yourself!

I’m a journalist by training and got my start in the (professional) writing world working on investigative news and international stories. I’ve lived all over the globe, including England, Indonesia, and Equatorial Guinea and am an award-winning journalist. Now, I write the spicy romance novels I used to devour on all those ridiculously long plane rides (the spicier, the better). I live for a badass heroine, and I swoon for a he falls first kind of hero. I survive on coffee, cheesy popcorn, and chocolate. When I’m not in a fantasy world of my own creation, I’m wrangling my two spunky, boss-girl daughters with my husband (my very own he falls first hero) in the deserts of Arizona. 

How did you get involved in the anthology?

I saw the post calling for submissions on Instagram, and I really wanted to participate because my mother died of cancer when she was just 47. It was a really hard time for my family, and seeing Zoe’s story brought back those memories. I am so honored that my work is going to help a family, even in this small way, as they fight their own battle with cancer.

What is your story or novella about?

My novella is set in a world ruled by gods and on the brink of rebellion. A serf-turned-rebel must face the man she once loved—and the betrayal that broke them. It is for fans of forbidden romance, second chances, and high-stakes rebellion. Unwritten by the Gods, a prequel novella in the Eternal Wars Series, is a heart-wrenching tale of love, survival, and redemption.

What else are you currently working on?

I’m finishing revisions for Kissed by the Gods, Book One in the Eternal Wars Series, and I have started working on Book Two. 

Tempest Reign

Tell me a little bit about yourself!

Hi, I’m Tempest Reign, I live and write on Kamilaroi Country, in north eastern New South Wales, Australia. I’m a mid-30s bi woman who’s happily married to a man, a stay at home mother to two young children, and an INFJA neurospicy book dragon. 

I love nothing more than reading and writing about morally grey heroes, feisty heroines with all the feminine rage, and epic romance set in fantasy worlds!

How did you get involved in the anthology?

As soon as I saw Briar Boleyn’s first post about Zoë, and that she was thinking of doing an anthology, I messaged asking what she was looking for in a contribution — this was more so that I could ask other authors if they wanted to help, but Briar immediately invited me to write something, and I couldn’t say no!

Cancer is a truly terrible thing. It’s something that affects everyone, and personally, I’ve lost family to it, and have had friends battle it, so being able to do something for this family means so much to me.

What is your story or novella about?

A Curse Forged in Fate is the story of how Brielle, a human trapped at the edge of the kingdom, is gifted with a potion, or cursed, but who’s counting?! There’s also enemy fae, fierce female friendship, devastating loss, unrequited love, and a mysterious stranger who helps quell her panic attack. This is ultimately the story of how Brielle finds her feminine rage, and becomes just slightly obsessed with revenge.

Does it tie into an existing story?

It’s the prequel novella to A Beast Caged in Briars, which I’m expecting to release early 2026.

What else are you currently working on?

I’m currently writing A Beast Caged in Briars, and outlining the next two books in the trilogy.

These books occur ten years after A Curse Forged in Fate, and are an ode to feminine rage, obsession, revenge, trauma healing, and true love in the form of a delicious enemies to lovers romance.