Today, I have a guest here on the blog, the lovely and talented (and one of my morning writing buddies) Ofelia Gränd, who has a new book out today. Please help me wish her the happiest of release days! 🎉🍾🥂🎂
Hi! My name is Ofelia Gränd, and I’ve written a story called Soul Eater. It’s a paranormal gay romance book filled with growly werewolves, evil wizards and the occasional ghost. I stopped by here today to tell you about it, but I changed my mind.
Instead of you listening to me rant about my book, I thought I’d ask Thaddeus a few questions. Thaddeus is a wizard who is one of the main characters in Soul Eater.
Welcome, Thad. What is your full name and do you have a nickname?
Thaddeus Ezax. At work, they call me Thad.
What do you do and who do you work with?
I’m a detective. I work in Rockshade’s Paranormal Investigations Department together with Elora Long, Leo Norden, Ric Hunter, and Captain Kol Jaecar.
That must be an interesting job.
I guess.
Where were you born?
In Rockshade.
Do you have a spouse or significant other?
You know I do.
I do. Would you like to tell us about him?
His name is Sandy. He’s a werewolf who turns translucent at the most inconvenient times. He worries too much, but he’s pretty awesome despite being a wolf.
How close are you to your family?
I thought you were gonna ask me questions about the soul eater case. I fail to see what my relationship with my family has to do with it. Before Sandy, I hadn’t talked to my family in three years. It’s best that way. Mom doesn’t want me around, and it’s best for everyone if we don’t see each other.
But were you close as a child? You’re an Ezax, one of the most powerful wizard families in the world. Surely your mother must have taught you your skills and abilities.
*snort* I’m a useless mage. I can’t do any of the things a mage is supposed to do. I was an embarrassment to my mother, and no one was happier than her when I started working with the shifters. None of her wizard friends hangs around shifters, so they wouldn’t hear about my failures.
Okay, moving on from your mother. What do you consider your greatest achievement so far, and why?
*narrowed-eyed stare* Achievement? Has this to do with our solve rate? Elora and I do the best we can. It’s not our fault things are a bit tense at work.
Ah, yeah, no, that was not what I was referring to at all, but if you want to talk about a work achievement, go ahead.
Not really. We caught him, it’s what counts, right?
I guess. Any heroic achievements on your part?
We normally don’t let the public know about individual accomplishments during the investigation, but we never would’ve stopped him without Sandy.
Since Sandy wouldn’t exist without you, I think you can take some credit.
The department solved the case. Together.
Right, okay. Do you have a criminal record?
Of course not, I’m a detective.
Does that mean you’ve never done anything illegal?
As a teen, I used to hang around the black market. And as an adult, I might have… stolen a werewolf skull from the black market. But I don’t have a record.
Do you believe in the existence of soul mates?
Hard not to, after all this.
In your opinion, what is the most evil thing someone could do?
Harvest someone’s spirit and keep it trapped in a skull for nine years. Or maybe it’s worse to devour someone’s soul. I don’t know.
Do you tend to argue with people, or avoid conflict?
I avoid conflict… Most of the time… It’s not my fault Ric’s an ass or the bad guys are arrogant bastards.
No, of course not. What’s in your bedside drawer?
I don’t see how that’s anyone’s business. I’ve been thinking about placing Sandy’s skull on top of the bedside table, though. I think it would be fitting for Halloween.
I see. I’m gonna let you go now, Thad. I get the feeling you don’t really want to do this interview. Perhaps it’s time for your pain meds?
I’m gonna wear this cast for six weeks. I’d like to know how cheery you would be if it was you who had to—
Thank you so much for coming, Thaddeus. It’s been delightful. I think we’ll finish this post off with an excerpt from the book instead of continuing with the questions I had planned. Say hi to Sandy for me.
I can see why Jaecar worries about the press. It’s a nuisance.
What was that?
Nothing. Thank you for having me on.
Anytime.
We must have caught him on a bad day, he’s normally a cheerful guy… or more cheerful, at least. Thank you for letting us drop by, Nell!
Detective Thaddeus Ezax is in over his head. He’s the only wizard in Rockshade’s Paranormal Investigations Department, and it was his name that got him the job. The Ezaxs are known as some of the most powerful wizards in the world, but Thaddeus isn’t your average Ezaxs. Is it any wonder his family shuns him?
When a kidnapping case is dropped into his lap, Thaddeus must act fast. While most five-year-olds can cast a location spell, Thaddeus can’t and is forced to get creative. When he finds himself in possession of a black market werewolf skull with a ghost trapped inside, accidentally releases the spirit, and somehow forms a connection with it, things get even crazier.
Sandulf Hunter doesn’t remember dying, but he remembers the last thing he saw before everything went black—a wizard. All wizards must die! The only problem is, the wizard standing next to him smells too damned good, so good Sandy thinks he might have to keep him.
And since wherever Thaddeus goes, Sandulf finds himself yanked along, he might not have a choice in the matter anyway.
- Tags: Paranormal M/M romance, mystery, ghosts, werewolf, wizard, fated mates
- Length: 51.5k
- Publisher: JMS Books LLC
- Release Date: Oct 31st, 2020
Buy Links
Excerpt:
As he rounded a corner, he came into the main cavern. Table after table were filled with anything a magic user could need. Herbs, potions, knives, stones, and a lot of things he didn’t want to acknowledge.
The howl of a cat in a cage had blue sparks rain from his fingertips, but he tried to suppress it as he hurried past the traders.
Pickering had the last table in the row—of course he had. By now, Thad should have learned nothing ever went quick and easy. He held his breath as he stopped by the table.
“Thaddeus.” Pickering had short, red hair, and his face was filled with freckles.
“Einar.” Thad nodded at him.
“What can I do you for? Looking for a familiar?” He grabbed a cage with the largest toad Thad had ever seen.
“Ah… Eh… no. I was wondering—”
“A love potion?” He held up a tiny, red flask with a skull painted on it, and Thad almost laughed.
“No, thank you. Have you heard about—”
“Shrunken head?” He bent down behind the table.
“No!” Thad hoped he didn’t have a shrunken head back there. Could he ignore a shrunken head or did he have to report it at work? If a raid came out of his visit here, he’d be hunted for the rest of his life, and he did not want the wizards running the largest black market for miles and miles on his tail.
“This then?” Pickering tossed something at him, and Thad caught it. A buzz spread into his fingertips as he held up the…skull. Swallowing hard, he studied the sharp canines. The dog must’ve been massive when it had been alive.
“W-What is it?”
Pickering looked nervous as he leaned in closer and lowered his voice into a whisper. “Werewolf skull, very powerful. But I guess it’s wasted on you, mage.”
Werewolf? Was someone killing werewolves now or was it an old skull? Thad swallowed hard.
“Yes.” Why did it buzz? Thad was a mage, everyone in his family was a mage. Spirits meant nothing to him.
“A hundred and fifty.” Pickering raised one red, way-too-bushy eyebrow at Thad.
“A hundred and fifty dollars?” He could almost pay that to be able to bring it to work and have it analyzed. If someone was targeting werewolves, they had to be stopped.
“Thousand. A hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Do you think they’re easy to come by?” Pickering’s blue eyes were wide as they searched the shadows around them.
Thad’s hands shook as he placed the skull on the table. “No, I guess—”
“I can get you another animal if you want? Lion shifter? I know where there’s a pride. I need your order by the end of the night, though. There isn’t much time left to get it set up. Samhain is the only day a harvesting ritual works, and special orders increase the price, so you know…” Pickering shrugged.
Thad nodded. Coming here had been a huge mistake.
Pickering narrowed his eyes. “So what do you want?”
“I wanted to ask you a—”
“This more your price range perhaps?” He held up four black candles. “Blood candles. They’ll help you call forth the spirits. A hundred dollars.”
Thad nodded. He’d heard of blood candles, never owned any. Warlocks made them—a blood sacrifice to increase the power of the candles. When they were lit in a circle, they’d enhance the power…or something. Thad didn’t do circles. He was a mage, he had the power at his fingertips and not contained in a circle. Not that sorcerers and warlocks couldn’t bring their powers outside their circles—they could—but all their big, powerful magic work required a circle. But if it would get Pickering talking…
“Okay.” He grabbed his wallet and handed Pickering the money he’d budgeted for groceries.
“Excellent.” He turned to a side table to wrap the candles in paper. Thad must’ve lost his mind, but the skull vibrated.
“Have you heard of any…” Thad cleared his voice before hissing, “…soul eaters in the area?”
Pickering froze. “Jesus, Thaddeus. If that’s what they have you working on, you need to quit. Right away.”
“There is someone?”
Pickering shook his head, almost dropping the candles. Thad’s core filled with ice. There was a soul eater? He’d hoped he was imagining the signs.
The skull moved.
It couldn’t have, and yet Thad saw it turn. Perhaps he’d touched the table without noticing.
“Einar?”
Pickering wiped his palms on his thighs, not looking at Thad.
“Einar. Someone is carving up young women. My stupid werewolf colleagues think it’s a shifter. It’s not. Someone is stealing their energy.”
Pickering didn’t move. He stared at the half-wrapped candles.
“I’m right, am I not?”
Pickering shoved the candles at him. “You need to leave. Leave now, Thaddeus, and don’t ask any more questions.”
“But—”
“You think he’s only making angels?” Pickering’s voice was so low, Thad had to strain to hear him. “You think a powerful warlock would leave anything behind for the police to find? It’s a game to him. It amuses him to have the dogs running around in circles. Don’t get involved in this case, Thaddeus.” He turned around so fast Thad jumped.
As Pickering pretended to unpack a box on the ground, Thad picked up the skull. He opened his mouth to get Pickering’s attention so he could hand it back but halted. Looking around, he couldn’t see anyone watching him although that didn’t mean no one was watching him. As carelessly as he could, he placed the skull on top of the candles and cradled the bundle to his chest.
Trying not to run, he took aim at the exit, a furious voice screaming in his head.
ABOUT OFELIA GRÄND
Ofelia Gränd is Swedish, which often shines through in her stories. She likes to write about everyday people ending up in not-so-everyday situations, and hopefully also getting out of them. She writes romance, contemporary, paranormal, Sci-Fi and whatever else catches her fancy.
Her books are written for readers who want to take a break from their everyday life for an hour or two.
When Ofelia manages to tear herself from the screen and sneak away from her husband and children, she likes to take walks in the woods…if she’s lucky she finds her way back home again.
Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Facebook group | Pinterest | Instagram
Nell Iris 