book-reviews

Earth Landed Yesterday. Wisteria Lands Next Week

/ Wendy Cheairs / Leave a comment
Hello Readers!
Yesterday, Trial by Earth walked out into the world.
Next week, Wisteria Creed does the same.
I am thrilled. I am exhausted. I am already writing the next thing. This is fine. Everything is fine. The writing cave is absolutely on fire — metaphorically, thankfully, given that I write paranormal romance and an actual fire would be on brand in a way I’d prefer to avoid.
Let’s talk about all of it.
 Trial by Earth — OUT NOW
It’s here. Book three of the Richmond Academy series is officially in the world, and I could not be more excited for you to read it.
Shayla’s earth powers. Georgios’s Minotaur heritage stepping fully into the light. Darker twists. Higher stakes. The pivot point of a five-book arc that has been one of the wildest, most rewarding things I’ve ever written.If you’ve been waiting — wait no longer.
 Grab Trial by Earth now
And if you’re joining us — here’s the full series so far:
 Trial by Fire — Book one. Available now and on Kindle Unlimited.
 Trial by Sea — Book two. Out now and on Kindle Unlimited.
 Trial by Earth — Book three. Out now and on Kindle Unlimited.
 Trial by Air — Book four. Pre-order open. End of October 2026.
 Trial by Spirit — Book five. The finale. December 2026.
Five books. One year. Three down, two to go.

 Next Week — Not Your Maniac Pixie Dream Girl
One week. Seven days. I am not calm.
Wisteria Creed — half-Pixie, half-Sidhe Fae, graveyard-shift radio host, firm policy against being anyone’s idea of harmless — is almost ready to meet you properly. Book one of the Not As Written series lands next week, and I have been looking forward to this one for a long time.
Slow-burn romance. Found family. A protagonist who refuses at every turn to be what the story expected her to be. A Wendigo situation that turns out to be considerably more complicated than advertised.
If you haven’t pre-ordered yet — now is the time.
 Pre-order Not Your Maniac Pixie Dream Girl
And already in progress — Not Your Book Boyfriend, book two of the Not As Written series, coming November 2026. Wisteria finally has the life she fought for. New Avalon is about to send someone perfect to watch over her. Perfect is not what it looks like. More on that soon.

Let Me Tell You What Two Simultaneous Series Actually Looks Like
People sometimes ask how I manage it. Two series. Multiple release dates. Editing one book while drafting another while a third is literally releasing this week.
Here is an honest answer: it looks like a lot of open tabs, a very strong coffee habit, and a writing cave that has started to feel less like a room and more like a permanent state of being.
Trial by Air is deep in editing right now — book four, out at the end of October — while I am simultaneously in the trenches of Trial by Spirit, the final book of the Richmond Academy series, targeting December. Meanwhile, Wisteria releases next week, and Not Your Book Boyfriend is due in November.It is a lot. It is genuinely, objectively a lot.
And I love every chaotic, deadline-stacked, manuscript-juggling minute of it. Something about having this many stories alive at once makes the writing cave feel electric. Every project feeds the others in ways I didn’t expect. Writing Wisteria’s found family in San Diego makes me think differently about Shayla’s found family at Richmond Academy. Drafting Trial by Spirit’s ending makes me more intentional about how I’m building the Not As Written arc.
Busy is good. This busy — the creative, deadline-driven, living inside-multiple-worlds kind — is the best kind there is.

Still Promoting — Anthologies Worth Your Time
 Once Upon A Fairytale — Pre-order now for $0.99. Dark fantasy fairytales, original stories, and my contribution Half-Coin Promise — two best friends, a split coin, and a promise that holds the whole story together.
 Seasons of Magic: Summer — Out now. My story The Flames of Lammas is inside — emotional, transformative, and the kind of magic that lingers.
 Pre-order Once Upon A Fairytale for $0.99
 Grab Seasons of Magic: Summer
From the Writing Cave — Home Improvement Edition
The shoulder is working well enough now that I have rediscovered an entirely new category of things that need doing around the house.
This week: a toilet. Next up: a bookshelf that needs a backing, probably this weekend. Normal household things. Mostly normal. The kind of things that pile up quietly while your arm is out of commission for several months and you’ve been pretending not to notice them.
The desert is still warm but there is a distinct feeling in the air that fall is negotiating its arrival. I am welcoming it. I have left the porch light on. Fall, whenever you are ready, the door is open.
Thank you for being here through the busiest summer of my writing life. It has been quite a ride. The best kind.Happy Reading,
Wendy
P.S. Trial by Spirit — the final book of the Richmond Academy series — is being written right now. I am in the trenches of Shayla’s ending. Five books, one year, one story that has meant more to me than I knew it would when I started. December is coming. I’m not ready and I’m writing it anyway.
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A Small Town Romance
I hope you enjoy this small-town sweet romance. When you’re finished, please leave a review. Reviews help other readers find the book.Nate Wilder comes home to Cedar Hollow ahead of schedule — his tour officially over, his war anything but.
Widowed and quietly unraveling, he carries a truth no one in town can see: that grief and guilt made him question his own readiness, and he walked away before hesitation could put someone else in the ground. No one knows. And he’d like to keep it that way.
When his sister — my best friend, Rachel — pulls me into the swirl of casseroles, pointed questions, and small-town speculation, I do what I’ve always done: I make lists. I manage chaos. I keep storms from taking people under.
But the storm that is Nate Wilder is harder to organize than I expected.
His late wife’s family is circling. The gossip is sharpening. And when the whispers about his loyalty, his stability, and what moving on is supposed to look like threaten to swallow him whole, Nate makes a proposition I never saw coming: a fake engagement — clean, practical, temporary — to quiet the rumors and prove he’s planting roots.
What starts as a contract quickly becomes the safest place either of us has had in years. As we plan a fundraiser that could rescue my struggling business and honor the past without being buried by it, the lines we drew begin to blur.
And somewhere between the lie we’re telling Cedar Hollow and the truth we’re afraid to say out loud, I stop being able to tell where the arrangement ends —and where real love begins.GET YOUR BOOK HEREImage descriptionGet your FREE copy of Darkness of My Soul Preview
Win the War.
Save your Soul.
Or Lose Everything Trying.

The world ending was the easy part, dealing with a demon cosplaying a human who thinks I’m going to be his queen, not so much.

Lynn The moment my mother died, he was haunting my dreams like some weird stalker. He claims there’s a tie between us, but all I know is that I need to take him out if I’m ever going to be free.

Kalerian She has no idea what she’s capable of. The power she has over this world and how I plan to use it. She’s been mine since the first life I saw her in. She just doesn’t know it yet. She thinks she can win, but I never lose.

Can I really save the world and fight my past or will I be consumed by it?
Spice Rating – 0GET FOR FREE HEREImage descriptionImage descriptionImage descriptionImage descriptionImage descriptionImage descriptionImage descriptionImage descriptionImage descriptionImage descriptionImage descriptionImage descriptionImage descriptionImage description

The Cover Is Here — Plus a Launch Week and Big Series News

/ Wendy Cheairs / Leave a comment
Hello Readers!
One week.
Trial by Earth is one week away and I have been vibrating at a frequency that is probably not healthy but is absolutely happening anyway. After all the writing and editing and sitting on secrets — it is almost time.
Let’s celebrate. There is also a cover reveal in this email. Scroll down. You’ll know it when you get there.
 TRIAL BY EARTH — ONE WEEK OUT
August 25th is almost here and I need you to be as excited as I am.
Book three of the Richmond Academy series is the pivot point — the middle of a five-book arc where everything gets heavier, darker, and more complicated before it gets better. Shayla’s earth powers. Georgios’s Minotaur heritage stepping forward in ways we haven’t seen yet. Darker twists. Bigger consequences. A secret or two I have been sitting on since book one.
This is the one where the tides really shift.
 Pre-order Trial by Earth — August 25th
And if you’re just joining us — welcome, and here’s where to start:
 Trial by Fire — Book one. Available now and on Kindle Unlimited.
 Trial by Sea — Book two. Out now and on Kindle Unlimited.
 Trial by Air — Book four. In editing, out in October, available for pre-order now.
 Trial by Spirit — Book five. In second draft. December 2026. The finale.
Five books. One year. One week until book three lands in your hands.
 Start with Trial by Fire
 Continue with Trial by Sea
 Pre-order Trial by Air
 THE COVER IS HERE — Not Your Maniac Pixie Dream GirlImage description
I have been waiting to share this and the wait is finally, gloriously over.Not Your Maniac Pixie Dream Girl — book one of the Not As Written series — releases in two weeks, and here she is.
 Meet Wisteria. See the cover. Pre-order now.
Meet Wisteria Creed: half-Pixie, half-Sidhe Fae, graveyard-shift radio host, and a woman with a very firm policy against being anyone’s idea of harmless. When a Wendigo tears through her San Diego neighborhood, she calls it in — and gets Detective Trevor Gibson, the one cop in the city willing to take her seriously.
What follows is a reluctant partnership, a slow-burn romance, and a case that keeps getting worse in exactly the ways she should have seen coming. Because the Wendigo wasn’t random. Someone has been capturing them. Studying them. And now that someone has decided Wisteria herself is the most interesting thing he’s ever found.
She has spent her whole life being told she is not quite enough. Decorative. Harmless. Not quite Sidhe enough to matter. San Diego was supposed to be the place where nobody knew enough about her to have an opinion either way.It turns out she is considerably more than anyone — including herself — gave her credit for. She is just about to find out exactly how much.
Paranormal romance with urban fantasy bones. Slow-burn romance. Found family. A protagonist who refuses, at every turn, to be what the story expected her to be.
Two weeks. I cannot wait.
 Pre-order Not Your Maniac Pixie Dream Girl
And Already Working on Book Two — Not Your Book Boyfriend
November 2026. That is how fast this series is moving and I am not sorry about it.
Book two picks up where Wisteria finally has the life she fought for — a real relationship, a hybrid form she is learning to trust, something like peace. Then New Avalon sends someone to watch over her: beautiful, attentive, flawless in every way a romance novel trains you to want.
There is just one problem. He is the most unsettling person she has ever met. Because nothing about him is real.
As his polished performance starts to crack — and pulls someone else’s carefully hidden life apart with it — Wisteria has to figure out whether “perfect” was ever actually the goal. Meanwhile the conspiracy that made her an anomaly turns out to be a lot older, and a lot less finished with her, than anyone let her believe.Not Your Book Boyfriend. Coming November 2026. The Not As Written series is just getting started.
Still Available — Anthologies Worth Your Time
 Once Upon A Fairytale — Available for pre-order now at $0.99. Dark fantasy fairytales, original stories, and my contribution Half-Coin Promise — two best friends, a split coin, and a promise that holds the whole story together.
 Seasons of Magic: Summer — Out now. My story The Flames of Lammas is inside — emotional, transformative, and the kind of magic that stays with you long after the last page.
 Pre-order Once Upon A Fairytale for $0.99
 Grab Seasons of Magic: Summer
From the Writing Cave
I am taking a day off today for some medical stuff — a rare and slightly disorienting experience when you live inside a manuscript — but I will be back tomorrow, coffee in hand, doing what I do.
Which is writing approximately all the books.
Trial by Air edits are nearly wrapped. Trial by Spirit is in active second draft. Two series running simultaneously, more projects on the horizon, and the desert outside still firmly committed to being the desert. Triple digits. Personal.Rude.
But September is on the calendar. I can see it from here. Fall is a real thing that exists and is coming and I am choosing to believe in it with my whole heart. Any day now the temperature will remember that autumn is a season and I will go outside again like a normal person.
Until then — the writing cave, the A/C, and approximately one million words to write.
Thank you for being here for all of it — the launches, the cover reveals, the quiet weeks, and the big ones. This one feels big. I hope you feel it too.

Happy Reading,
Wendy

P.S. Not Your Book Boyfriend lands in November — and I’ll just say this: Wisteria finally has everything she fought for in book one. New Avalon is about to send someone perfect to watch over her. Perfect is not what it looks like. November can’t come soon enough.
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I Got Best Friends, True Love, and Castles — Here’s What I Did With Them

/ Wendy Cheairs / Leave a comment
Hello Readers!

PT is done. I am free. The shoulder lives again.
I celebrated the only way that makes sense — by immediately going back to writing. Obviously.
It has been a big week, and there is a lot to share, so let’s get into it.
Brand New — Once Upon A Fairytale Anthology
Something new is available for pre-order, and I am so excited to tell you about it.
Once Upon A Fairytale is a dark fantasy fairytale anthology — original stories, not retellings — and it is exactly as delicious as that sounds. A prince imprisoned in a tower. A stolen child. A jealous enchantress. A mysterious hunter in the forest. These are not the fairytales you grew up with.Available to pre-order right now for only $0.99.
My contribution is called Half-Coin Promise, written under my W.M. Dawson pen name — and here’s how it came to be.
When I joined this anthology, the organizer rolled out story concepts for each author to work with. I got three: Best Friends, True Love, and Castles.I looked at those three things and knew immediately what the heart of the story had to be. Not the castles. Not even the love. The friendship.
Two girls split a coin and make a promise — find your own castle, and meet me at the gates when you’re done. That coin became the thread that runs through the whole story, keeping Elara and Lyric connected even as the world tears them apart. Labyrinths that feed on memory. Iron citadels wrapped in fog. A cursed valley that steals a musician’s voice. Separate roads, separate trials, one unbroken promise between them.
I wanted the friendship to shine all the way through — even the happily ever after. Because the best love stories, romantic or otherwise, are really about the people who walk alongside you while you figure yourself out.Half-Coin Promise is a fairy tale about the kind of love that doesn’t rescue you — it walks alongside you while you rescue yourself.
👉 Pre-order Once Upon A Fairytale for $0.99
Coming September 1 — Not Your Maniac Pixie Dream Girl
Three weeks. That is how long until Wisteria Creed officially arrives, and I am barely keeping it together.
If you haven’t met her yet — Wisteria is half-Pixie, half-Sidhe Fae, runs a graveyard-shift radio show, and has a very firm policy against being anyone’s idea of harmless. When a Wendigo tears through her San Diego neighborhood, she calls it in and gets Detective Trevor Gibson — the one cop in the city willing to take her seriously.
What follows is a reluctant partnership, a slow-burn romance, and a case that keeps getting worse in exactly the ways she should have seen coming. Someone has been capturing Wendigos. Studying them. And now that someone has decided Wisteria herself is the most interesting thing he’s ever found.
She has spent her whole life being told she is not quite enough. She is about to find out exactly how wrong that was.
This is the first book in a brand new series — paranormal romance with urban fantasy bones — and I cannot wait for you to meet her properly.
👉 Pre-order Not Your Maniac Pixie Dream Girl
Still Available — Seasons of Magic: Summer
Seasons of Magic: Summer is out now, and my story The Flames of Lammas is in there — emotional, transformative, and the kind of magic that stays with you.
If you haven’t grabbed it yet, it’s available now and will be around for a few more months. Don’t sleep on it.
👉 Grab Seasons of Magic: Summer
The Richmond Academy Series — The Final Stretch
Five books. One year. All happening right now — and the finish line is in sight.
🔥 Trial by Fire — Book one. Available now and on Kindle Unlimited.
🌊 Trial by Sea — Book two. Out now and on Kindle Unlimited.
🌍 Trial by Earth — Book three. August 25, 2026. Pre-order open — almost here.
💨 Trial by Wind — Book four. In editing. October 2026.
✨ Trial by Spirit — Book five. In second draft. December 2026. The finale.Yes. December. Shayla’s story ends this year. I have a lot of feelings about this, and I am processing them one chapter at a time.
👉 Start with Trial by Fire
👉 Continue with Trial by Sea
👉 Pre-order Trial by Earth — August 25
From the Writing Cave — A Free Woman
I am officially discharged from physical therapy, and I cannot tell you how good that feels.
Months of slow, stubborn, infuriating progress — and now I can move my shoulder almost entirely normally. A little soreness remains,s but I can work that out on my own, on my own schedule, without anyone making me do the thing with the resistance band. I am thrilled. I am grateful. I am free.The heat is still absolutely committed to being the heat — triple digits, relentless, personal — but I can see fall on the calendar from here. It exists. It is coming. I am choosing to believe in it the way you believe in something you desperately need to be true.
The writing cave, meanwhile, has never been busier or more alive—so many stories, so many deadlines, so much happening this year and into next. I wouldn’t trade a single sweaty, manuscript-covered moment of it.
Thank you for being here. For reading. For coming back week after week even when the desert is trying to end me. You are the best part of doing this.
Happy Reading,
Wendy
P.S. Trial by Spirit — book five, the final chapter of Shayla’s story — is in second draft right now. I am writing the ending of a series I have loved with my whole heart this year. December can’t come soon enough. And also I’m not ready. Both things are true simultaneously.
Image descriptionShe studies the stars while her love life crashes and burns.
Get your FREE copy of Midnight Skies
Amateur astronomer and recent Ph.D. graduate Eden Daniels has always been fascinated with the cosmos. Her father had told her how the stars watch over the earth though they are millions of miles away. Until an accident at work brings a pair of magical red high heels into her possession courtesy of a snarky fairy godmother, Eden never guessed how closely those stars watch.Her fairy godmother assures Eden that the red shoes will bring her every sexual fantasy to life. Eden scoffs at that idea…until the Orion constellation manifests as a very real, very naked man in her bed who claims to know her desires. The mythological hunter’s smile promises delivery and satisfaction.But her fairy godmother omitted a very important warning: that even mind-numbing pleasure comes with a price tag attached. And danger lurks behind every wish.GET FOR FREEImage descriptionLove is a shift of heart.
Get your FREE copy of Shaman
Don’t let the series number trip you up. Shaman is a standalone book. Its kick-ass FMC and swoon-worthy MMC will steal your heart. A druid straddles the line between light and darkness . . . Renleigh Rogan keeps to herself in her remote Montana cabin, tending her plants and honing her protection spells. Only occasionally does she indulge her shape-shifting abilities… Called to Scotland in the middle of the night to help heal a rogue warrior, her first instinct is to ignore the summons, but danger lies in disobeying a powerful goddess. A rogue is caught in a celestial tug-o-war . . . Jamie Lennox gave up the warrior community long ago, voluntarily fighting in the Morrigan’s rogue army. Cocky, and one of the most accomplished swordsmen in the community, he’s the perfect weapon for taking the warriors the Morrigan covets most. Yet when he loses a pivotal battle, she turns on him, leaving him injured and lost in a no-man’s land between good and evil, a place no warrior or rogue can exist for long. Luckily for him, a beautiful druid has come to his rescue, even if she’s saving him against her will. Two people are brought together by a force they never saw coming . . . The fact Jaime Lennox looks like a fallen angel has nothing to do with Renleigh’s decision to come to his aid. His sexy come-ons do not intrigue her either—not even a little bit. Nor does the mysterious past he hides. While the two of them spar inside an enchanted cottage in the Highlands, overhead, a celestial storm is brewing, one that will require each of them to decide what truly matters—their beliefs about themselves and each other or the truth that will set their love free.GET FOR FREE
Image descriptionSurvival in the Cracks of Empire
Get your FREE copy of Our Fallen Woman
What would you sacrifice to survive hunger?

A striking work of Irish historical fiction, Our Fallen Woman draws readers into a world shaped by hunger, faith, and impossible choices.

Set against the harsh aftermath of Ireland’s Great Hunger and the pull of emigration, this novel follows young Erin, a child born into poverty and heartbreak, whose life is altered by forces far beyond her control.

From the windswept shores of Galway to the unforgiving streets of Dublin, London, New York and beyond, her story unfolds alongside others caught in the machinery of empire, survival, and ambition. Lives intersect across class and continent, revealing a society marked by injustice, resilience, and quiet acts of sacrifice.

With elements of historical drama, romance, and crime woven through its pages, this is a deeply human tale of endurance and transformation. It explores what is lost when survival demands everything and what remains when faith, identity, and hope are tested to their limits.

Rich in atmosphere and emotional depth, Our Fallen Woman will appeal to readers of female-driven historical fiction who seek a story both intimate and sweeping, grounded in history yet alive with urgency.

Experience the power of survival and sacrificeGET FOR FREEImage descriptionImage descriptionImage descriptionImage descriptionImage descriptionImage descriptionImage descriptionImage descriptionImage descriptionImage descriptionImage descriptionImage descriptionImage descriptionImage description

Two Weeks Until Trial by Sea! 

/ Wendy Cheairs / Leave a comment

Hello Readers!

We’re officially down to two weeks until the release of Trial by Sea on June 23rd, and I couldn’t be more excited!

It feels like just yesterday I was sharing Trial by Fire with all of you, and now Shayla’s journey is continuing. Book 2 takes everything I loved about the first story and turns up the stakes. Shayla and Georgios are really put through the wringer this time, and just when they think they understand what’s happening around them, the tides shift beneath their feet.

Meanwhile, I’ve been hard at work on Trial by Earth, which releases this August. The manuscript is coming together beautifully, and I’ve already started preparing for Book 4 in the Richmond Academy series. Watching this series grow beyond my original plans has been such an amazing experience. I’ve also had the chance to see all three covers together, and they look absolutely stunning as a set. I cannot wait to share them with everyone.

And yes, if you think Shayla and Georgios have it rough in Trial by Sea… let’s just say I may have pushed them even harder in Trial by Earth.

For those who haven’t pre-ordered yet, here’s a reminder of what’s waiting for you:

Trial by Sea


The Phoenix has risen… but the tide is coming in.

Shayla thought the worst was behind her. After surviving her first year at Richmond Academy, she’s no longer the girl who can’t control her spark. She’s a Phoenix Guardian in training, stronger and more steady than ever.

But as her relationship with Georgios deepens, so do the complications.

Georgios has secrets of his own—secrets tied to a mermaid heritage that demands a price Shayla isn’t sure they can pay. When they are drawn into a series of deadly underwater trials, their trust is pushed to the breaking point.

With a charismatic new rival determined to come between them and the Academy’s dark secrets rising to the surface, Shayla must master her powers before they are extinguished forever.

Meanwhile, if you’re looking for something magical to read right now, Seasons of Magic: Spring is still available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited.

My story, Magical Matchmaking, follows a clumsy witch whose search for true love leads her directly into magical chaos—and into the path of a very handsome mundane man who doesn’t believe magic exists at all. Unsurprisingly, things don’t go according to plan.

And coming soon is Seasons of Magic: Summer!

This anthology features a whole new collection of magical stories, including my newest contribution. While it’s very different from the lighter romantic fun of Magical Matchmaking, I’m excited to share it. This story follows a woman learning how to embrace change and accept an entirely new life she never expected. It’s a little more emotional, a little more transformative, and a story that really captured my imagination while writing it.

Outside the writing cave, summer has officially arrived here in New Mexico. Thankfully, we’ve actually seen some rain lately, which has cooled things down and made the heat far more manageable. I’m grateful for every cloudy day and every drop of rain. It’s still warm, but not quite the scorching temperatures we’re used to, and I’m definitely not complaining.

As always, books remain one of life’s brightest spots. I’ve gathered another collection of exciting new releases, recommendations, and book deals from other authors for you to explore below.

Thank you for reading, supporting indie authors, and sharing stories with friends and fellow book lovers. Every reader makes a difference, and I appreciate each and every one of you.

Happy Reading,

Wendy

Welcome to June! 

/ Wendy Cheairs / Leave a comment

 New Books, New Adventures, and What’s Coming Next

Hello everyone,
Welcome to June, everyone!
I can’t believe we’re already halfway through the year. It feels like just yesterday I was sharing the release of Trial by Fire, and now we’re only a few weeks away from the next adventure.
Trial by Sea releases on June 23, 2026, and I am so excited to share Book 2 of the Richmond Academy series with you. I’ve been hard at work finishing up Trial by Earth, which will be released in August 2026, and it will be heading off to my editor soon. Even more exciting, the cover is nearly ready to share!I absolutely love how this series is coming together. Watching Shayla and Georgios grow from Trial by Fire through Trial by Sea, and now into Trial by Earth, has been such a rewarding journey. What started as a smaller project has continued to grow, and I’m thrilled to be spending so much time in the world of Richmond Academy.
If you haven’t pre-ordered yet, here’s a reminder of what’s coming in Trial by Sea:
The Phoenix has risen… but the tide is coming in.Shayla thought the worst was behind her. After surviving her first year at Richmond Academy, she’s no longer the girl who can’t control her spark. She’s a Phoenix Guardian in training, stronger and steadier than ever.But as her relationship with Georgios deepens, so do the complications.
Georgios has secrets of his own—secrets tied to a mermaid heritage that demands a price Shayla isn’t sure they can pay. When they are drawn into a series of deadly underwater trials, their trust is pushed to the breaking point.With a charismatic new rival determined to come between them and the Academy’s dark secrets rising to the surface, Shayla must master her powers before they are extinguished forever.
Perfect for readers who love supernatural academies, elemental magic, fated mates, and slow-burn romance.
Pre-order link- AMAZON
Meanwhile, Seasons of Magic: Spring is still available for only 99¢ on Amazon and through Kindle Unlimited.
My story, Magical Matchmaking, is part of the anthology. It’s a lighthearted romantic fantasy about a clumsy witch whose attempt to cast a spell for true love goes completely sideways—only to land her with a very handsome mundane who absolutely refuses to believe magic exists. As you can imagine, things get complicated quickly.
And there’s more magic on the horizon!
Seasons of Magic: Summer is now available for pre-order, and I’ll have another short story included in that collection. I’m looking forward to sharing more details as we get closer to release.
Behind the scenes, I’ve also been editing several other stories that will be releasing later this year. Between Richmond Academy, the Seasons of Magic anthologies, and a few other projects quietly taking shape, my writing schedule has been wonderfully full.
As for real life… summer has definitely arrived here in the desert. The temperatures keep climbing, the sun seems determined to bake all of us, and I’ve become very good friends with air conditioning and staying indoors whenever possible.
The frozen shoulder saga also continues. PT is helping and hurting at the same time—which I suppose means it’s working? Every exercise feels like it’s simultaneously helping me regain movement while reminding me exactly how much movement I don’t have yet. One day I shall once again possess a fully functioning shoulder. I can almost see that glorious future on the horizon.Until then, I’ll keep doing the exercises, keep writing stories, and keep looking forward to the next release.
In the meantime, books remain one of life’s greatest bright spots, and I’ve gathered a collection of exciting new releases, recommendations, and book deals from other authors for you to enjoy below.
As always, thank you so much for reading, supporting indie authors, and sharing books you love.
Happy Reading,Wendy

Happy end of the month, readers! 

/ Wendy Cheairs / Leave a comment
May has flown by over here, and between writing, editing, and everyday life, it’s been a wonderfully busy season.
First, a huge thank you to everyone who has been reading and sharing Trial by Fire! Seeing Shayla’s story find readers has been such a thrill. If you haven’t jumped into Richmond Academy yet, Book One is available now on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited.
And I’m excited to share that Trial by Sea is coming June 23, 2026—and the countdown is officially on!
Trial by Sea – Richmond Academy Book 2
The Phoenix has risen… but the tide is coming in.Shayla thought the worst was behind her. After surviving her first year at Richmond Academy, she’s no longer the girl who can’t control her spark. She’s a Phoenix Guardian in training, stronger and steadier than ever.But as her relationship with Georgios deepens, so do the complications.Georgios has secrets of his own—secrets tied to a mermaid heritage that demands a price Shayla isn’t sure they can pay. When they’re drawn into a series of deadly underwater trials, their trust is pushed to the breaking point.
With a charismatic new rival determined to come between them and the Academy’s dark secrets rising to the surface, Shayla must master her powers before they’re extinguished forever.
Perfect for readers who love fated mates, elemental magic, supernatural academies, and slow-burn romance.
And because apparently I enjoy keeping myself busy—in the best way—I’ve officially started writing Trial by Earth, which will be releasing this August 2026! It’s been so much fun diving into the next stage of Shayla’s journey, and outlining the later Richmond Academy books as the series continues to grow. What originally started as a shorter plan is shaping into a full five-book series, and I’m so excited to keep building this world through the rest of the year.
Outside of Richmond Academy, I’ve also been editing several new stories coming later this year—including another installment in the Seasons of Magic anthologies.
Seasons of Magic: Spring is still available for only .99¢ on Amazon and also in Kindle Unlimited!
My story “Magical Matchmaking” is part of the anthology—a fun little romantic fantasy about a clumsy witch whose attempt to cast a spell to find true love definitely goes sideways… and somehow lands her face-to-face with exactly the wrong person: a very handsome mundane who absolutely does not believe in magic.
And later this year, Seasons of Magic: Summer will be arriving—and I’ll have another short story in that anthology to share with you soon.On the non-writing side of life… I’m still dealing with the dreaded frozen shoulder and all the glamorous fun that comes with PT. It still sounds completely made up every time I say it, but apparently it’s very real and very stubborn. The good news is it does seem to be improving—very slowly, very steadily—with lots of physical therapy and patience. Right now PT is on the calendar through August, and I’ll also have another shoulder shot in July, so I’m crossing my fingers and hoping for continued progress and a lot more movement soon.
In the meantime, books are still the bright spot, and I have a bunch of exciting reads and deals from other authors to share with you this week.
As always—thank you so much for reading, supporting indie authors, and sharing books you love.
Happy Reading,Wendy
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A unicorn walks into a bar….


That is not a joke. Look, I’m a bartender, I have nothing to do with the xenos. I don’t care if it’s an elf or a vampire—as long as they don’t bother me, I steer clear. I have my reasons—you can see them in the scars on my neck. I never wanted to get involved. But my life changed for the second time when I saved the life of a unicorn. I made an enemy of something old—old and evil, and whatever it was, it’ll be back for another try. I also made a friend when I decided to help March. He’s only been a human man for a day. I’m responsible for him now. He’s my friend…and maybe something more. Maybe a lot more. It doesn’t matter to me that he isn’t magical anymore. I don’t care if he’s not PURE.
But he does.
From best-selling author Kim Alexander, a modern fairy tale of magic, love, and redemption.
GET HERE




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A scandalous earl. A not-so-wicked stepmother. One kiss could ruin everything—or change it all.


Once labeled the wicked stepmother by a certain glass-slipper-wearing royal, Lady Margot Ashbourne has no interest in fairy tales—or second chances. Twice widowed and socially exiled, she’s focused on repairing her crumbling estate and staying far away from courtly nonsense.
But when the scandal-plagued and sharp-witted Earl of Raventhorn arrives offering help with her renovations—and perhaps more—Margot’s carefully ordered life is thrown into delightful disarray.
What begins as reluctant collaboration turns into verbal sparring, ballroom mischief, and one disastrous kiss that sets the ton ablaze with gossip. Suddenly, Margot is back in the spotlight she never wanted, and this time, love might just be the most dangerous risk of all.
This Regency-era romantic comedy blends wit, warmth, and a refreshingly mature heroine with a biting sense of humor. Perfect for fans of:
Midlife romance with sharp banter
Fairy tale retellings with a twist
Slow-burn chemistry and ballroom scandal
Redemption arcs for misunderstood women
Bridgerton meets Persuasion with sass
GET IT FREE




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He’s my best friend’s older brother. I’m not the same girl I was last summer.


Age-Gap Insta-love Romance between A college girl and her best friend’s older brother. 
Ryker St. Thomas is my forbidden love. He always has been. My best friend’s brother, who just got back from a year long trek through Europe, shows up in our small town for summer vacation. Last time I saw him, I was just a dorky eighteen year old – now I’m a woman.
This time I’m not losing my chance to confess my love and I only have a week to do it.
I just can’t let my bestie find out.
–
Almost Off-Limits is a steamy age-gap forbidden love romance novella that’s light on plot and heavy on heat. Get ready for over the top insta-love, filthy forbidden trysts, and a super-sweet happily ever after.

The Briarwood Falls series feature stand-alone erotic romance novellas that can be enjoyed in any order.
READ FOR FREE KU
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Can she collect enough fragments of her past before the nightmarish figure from her dreams catches up with her?


If you enjoy escaping into enchanting worlds full of adventure, mystery, magic, and with a hint of romance, then pick up this story today and find yourself lost in the magical land of Phildeterre. (This is a clean novel appropriate for all ages).
As she wakes up in a bedroom she doesn’t recognize, Ellayne becomes increasingly aware of one thing: she has no memories—no identity—no name. Dark figures not only haunt her nightmares, but also stalk her in reality. Ellayne finds herself on the run, chased by a hooded archer with deadly aim.

When the source of her memory loss is uncovered, Ellayne and the companions she’s made along the way must find a way to reverse the damage done to her by magic before she loses her memories again.
GET FOR FREE

New week, new reads, and what’s coming next ✨🔥

/ Wendy Cheairs / Leave a comment

Another week, another stack of stories—and this one has been full in the best way.

Spring Fling is officially out and ready to read! This spicy why-choose romance anthology is live on Amazon, and I’m so excited it’s finally in your hands. If you’re in the mood for heat, drama, and stories that don’t make you choose, you’ll definitely want to grab this one (link below!).

And we’re getting very close to the next release…

Trial by Fire arrives on April 21, 2026.

This YA Academy story follows Shayla, a phoenix shifter who can’t shift, as she’s sent to Richmond Academy in Virginia to learn what should come naturally. Along the way, she’s figuring out friendships, facing challenges, and finding her place—plus a few adventures that don’t exactly go as planned. I can’t wait for you to meet her.

Right around the corner after that…

Wheel of the Year: Spring releases on May 1, 2026, featuring my Beltane story. This one leans into a bit of chaos and charm—a clumsy witch who casts her spell looking for love, actually finds it, and then has to figure out how to keep it. It’s messy, magical, and full of that spring energy.

On the life side of things, it’s been a mix of busy and meaningful. I’m still working through physical therapy for my shoulder—definitely challenging, but I know it’ll be worth it when things finally loosen up.

I also got to spend time with family this past weekend celebrating my mom’s birthday, and even had family come in from Oklahoma. It was one of those weekends that reminds you to slow down just enough to enjoy the moments in between all the writing and deadlines.

Speaking of writing—I’m still deep in several projects that will be coming out later this year, and I’m excited about what’s ahead.

And of course, I’ve gathered up more new releases and book shares from other authors for you below—because there’s always room for one more story on the list.

Happy Reading,
Wendy

1966. Death was always the family business. But family doesn’t always stay.

Get your FREE copy of Caging Death

Welcome to Halfling House

Meet Ellie. Once, she was a Greek Goddess. Now, she’s a near-mortal who saves magickal Halflings and gives them the home they never had.

GET IT HERE

Trial by Fire: A Mystical Society Academy Book

Get it HERE- Amazon

Get it HERE- EVERYWHERE ELSE

Shayla is a phoenix shifter who can’t use fire—and in her family, that makes her a failure.

With her eighteenth birthday fast approaching, Shayla is sent to Richmond Academy of Magic, a last-chance school for shifters with blocked or unstable powers. If she can’t unlock her abilities soon, her family will force her to transform. And phoenix transformation isn’t just magic—it’s death, rebirth, and the risk of losing every memory she’s ever had.

SEASONS OF MAGIC : OSTARA – BELTANE

GET IT HERE- AMAZON

Seasons of Magic welcomes the Spring…

Ostara represents new beginnings, the earth reawakening and hope.
Beltane represents love, growth and the thinning of the veil.

Magic is in the air…but what happens when spells go wrong? What happens when intentions turn sour and magic goes awry?

For these six witches, it means battling strange creatures, being lost in far off worlds and even going up against the natural world to save lives.
Magic is not for the faint hearted and it always has a price.

Seasons of Magic: Ostara – Beltane is the first collection in the Seasons of Magic series.

Version 1.0.0

Spring Fling Antholgy: Why Choose

GET IT HERE- AMAZON

Hot! Spicy! Who can choose? This RH is so worth the look. Authors who love angsty behavior have come together to tell their best why choose stories. You will not want to miss this fantastic anthology.

Hello April

/ Wendy Cheairs / Leave a comment
Hello April—and hello to a whole new month of stories.
This week feels like one of those milestone moments—the kind where everything you’ve been working toward finally starts arriving.Because… Spring Fling is officially out!
This spicy why-choose romance anthology is now live, and I’m so excited to share it with you. If you’re in the mood for heat, tension, and stories that don’t make you choose, this one is ready and waiting.And we’re just getting started.
Coming up next is Trial by Fire, releasing on April 21, 2026.This YA Academy story follows a phoenix shifter who can’t shift—and is sent to Richmond Academy in Virginia to learn how. Between new friendships, unexpected challenges, and a few dangerous twists, this story is full of growth, discovery, and just enough fire to keep things interesting. I can’t wait for you to step into this world.
Right behind that…
Wheel of the Year: Spring releases on May 1, 2026, featuring my Beltane story. This one is a little different—a witch story about a clumsy caster who sets her magic (and her heart) into motion while searching for love… and then has to figure out how to hold onto it once she finds it. It’s messy, magical, and very spring.
Behind the scenes, I’m still writing and building more stories for later this year—because apparently my brain doesn’t believe in slowing down.I also started physical therapy for my shoulder this week. It’s been a bit of a challenge (turns out “locked shoulder” is no joke), but I’m working through it and focusing on getting back to full strength. Slow progress is still progress—and I’ll take it.
And of course, I’ve gathered up more new releases and book shares from other authors for you to check out below—because there’s always room for one more story on the list.
So if you’re looking for something new to dive into… I’ve got you covered.
Happy Reading,
WendyImage description

Hot! Spicy! Who can choose?

This RH is so worth the look.Authors who love angsty behavior have come together to tell their best why choose stories. You will not want to miss this fantastic anthology.Available this April!BUY IT HERE
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Trial by Fire: A Mystical Society Academy Book

Shayla is a phoenix shifter who can’t use fire—and in her family, that makes her a failure.With her eighteenth birthday fast approaching, Shayla is sent to Richmond Academy of Magic, a last-chance school for shifters with blocked or unstable powers. If she can’t unlock her abilities soon, her family will force her to transform. And phoenix transformation isn’t just magic—it’s death, rebirth, and the risk of losing every memory she’s ever had.At Richmond, Shayla finds herself surrounded by students with dangerous hidden powers, elite training, and secrets of their own. For the first time, she feels like she might belong. Especially when she meets Georgios, a quiet, fiercely loyal boy who understands her fear—and sees strength in her no one else does. Their slow-burn connection gives Shayla something she’s never had before: someone worth fighting for.But phoenixes are born in flame, and Shayla’s power is waking whether she’s ready or not.If she rises, she could lose her memories. Her identity. Even Georgios.If she refuses, her family will make the choice for her.At a magical academy where power defines your future, Shayla must decide if she’s brave enough to burn… and strong enough to rise.Perfect for fans of magical academies, hidden powers, slow-burn romance, and found family, this addictive YA fantasy is ideal for readers who love powerful heroines, emotional journeys, and unforgettable bonds.
Pre-Order Now- Available April 21, 2026!

June 2025

/ Wendy Cheairs / Leave a comment
Free! On Amazon
Free from June June 6 to June 10, 2025 on Amazon only.
This is a short Horror story about the Alice murders. It is one of my older stories but it will be free for everyone. 

Blurb:
The Alice Murders remain, to this day, one of the strangest and unsolvable serial killings in Japan. From 1999-2005, a series of five killings took place. The five killings might have been completely different if not for the ‘calling card’ that the killer left at each crime scene. He would leave a playing card, varied from killing to killing, at each stage, in a prominent location with ‘Alice’ written on it in the victim’s blood. Few clues were found at each crime scene, and eventually, the case went cold.

This is a fictional retelling of each of these murders, a supernatural horror novella about these murders.
Amazon Link

Find Your Power- Pre-Order

Preorder your copy today for only 99c! Out June 25th 2025.

The powerless will rise…In the world of the supernatural, those with the most power rule over all. But what if you had no power?What if the power you were born with was taken from you? Or it never appeared at all?You must find a way to save the day without relying on magic. When the odds are stacked against you, you either flee or fight back.It’s time to find your own power.A collection of paranormal fantasy tales.

This story of mine is the prologue to Brax. 

Amazon Link

Brax- Available for Pre-Order

Pre-Order Available Now!

Brax, by nature, is a loner, a badger shifter who keeps to himself and his nose out of everyone’s business. That is, until Elle showed up in the fight club he worked out in, starting fights and searching for help to get back her son. His life took a sharp turn. He ended up with everything turned upside down.
Elle, born into one of the most dangerous werewolf packs in Canada, couldn’t shift and had been used for breeding before being tossed out on her ear. She had learned the hard way to survive, and now she was returning for her son, no matter the cost. She gained help from an unlikely badger before everything went completely wrong.
The pack she had come from was playing a much more dangerous game, and they discovered it went further than just trying to get her son back. Join Brax and Elle on a supernatural ride to save her son and the heart of a neutral shifter city and their lives.

Available on Amazon- https://amzn.to/4kpEktA

Everywhere Else- https://books2read.com/u/4ArP1d