There’s a Darkness in the Shadows, but no one has ever believed Chloe. Why would they? Now, labeled as a troublesome teenager with “Daddy Issues” and holding onto a haunting secret, Chloe thinks the only one she can trust is her shrink. But the world’s gone crazy. One, she thinks she’s lost her mind. Two, there’s a voice inside her telling her not to trust anyone. Three, her shrink isn’t who he seems. Four, and her best friend has just vanished into thin air. Sometimes dreams are reality… Tortured by dreams that haunt her nights, and hallucinations that fill her days with dread and longing, Chloe McKenna just can’t seem to escape. She needs a way out, a way out of her town, a way out of her life, and a way out of her own mind. The question is, what will she find when she runs away?
Spurred into action by her best friend’s disappearance and questions about her long missing father, Chloe sneaks away. Guardian of the Fae and half immortal, Colin MacAfee, the man who has dream-walked Chloe’s mind for years, finally breaks down her barriers and calls her to him. His chosen one. She’s all he’s ever wanted, but he must fight his insatiable need to hold her in his arms, in order to keep her safe, even if that means letting his brother-in-arms have her, because something dark is chasing her, and he’ll do anything to find it before it finds her…
Tall, dark and temptingly sexy, Aidan McInnis, Leader of the Guardians, has one mission: Protect and Serve the brotherhood. Even if that means going on a covert mission to fetch his brother’s chosen and bring her safely home. But when his valiant heart lands him the duty of being her protector, Aidan realizes he might not be able to keep his hands off her…
Super sexy guardians, mesmerizing Fae, a powerful Fae Princess, and a hidden past will bring Chloe to her knees as she comes face to face with an evil Shade, and makes the friends of a lifetime who will help her race against time, in a world full of dangerous magic, to save her soul and become the daughter of destiny the Fae believe her to be… Follow Chloe’s heart-stopping journey, full of magic, evil, danger, and love in Dark Fae Dreaming…
Bethany Strobel
Give us the one to two sentence tagline for your book.
A lost Fae Princess, a teen with a past, but only one soul to keep…
What is your favorite scene/moment in your book?
I guess it would have to be the big bang at the end after the battle. There’s victory, loss, and a couple of hidden secrets that will be links to future books set in the same realm. I love setting stuff up. *rubs hands together
How do you use magic in your book?
Most of my characters are either Fae or part Fae, so they all have some kind of magic. Each character wields the powers they have differently. For example someone might be able to influence the weather, open portals, or mend the tear in the veil (the thin layer of magic that separates the Fae realm and the human realm, called the InBetween) Also, there’s a whole other realm as well.
Would your hero enjoy pumpkin spice lattes, candy corn, or apple bobbing?
I’d say she’s more of a really strong espresso with cream kind of a girl, but heck yeah to the candy corn, and she’s probably more likely to dunk someone’s head in the water than bob for apples herself. She’s a little sassy that one.
What costume would your heroine (or hero if MM) wear to a halloween party?
She’d totally be a Southern Belle, complete with huge hoop dress and big floppy hat.
What scene did you adore writing in this book?
I love the scene where the MC and her love interest finally realize they’re meant for each other and have a beautiful kiss under the moonlight sky. It’s so sweet and tender.
Is this book a spooky/scary PNR, or a cozy/snuggling with a monster PNR?
While the main villain a Shade (a Fae without a soul) is deeply sinister, and the MC has her share of mental/internal setbacks, making the book darker than most I write, and a love triangle to straighten out, there is still that feel good romance that follows the action of the story.
What is your favorite monster to write?
I’m actually loving writing the villains behind the villain, the source of the dark magic, but they don’t get fully exposed until the next series. (I use the same realms for several series, so they’re all trying to battle this wickedly strong force of evil)
If you had to pick, would you rather have fangs, claws, or wings?
Although there is quite a draw to the fangs and immortality, I think I’d rather have my Fae’s powers instead. Who wouldn’t want to be able to sift through space and time to where ever you wanted. Plus, they’re immortal too.
Halloween’s coming. Do you do anything special to celebrate?
My youngsters love Halloween. Usually we dress up and I take them trick-or-treating, but this year I think I’ll just plan a silly house party. They won’t care as long as they can dress up and get candy.
Excerpt from Dark Fae Dreaming
The piercing scream tore through the night, shattering the silence of the darkness, and the little girl jolted upright in her bed. Sweat dripped down her temples; the hair framing her face and neck curled with perspiration, the heaviness of her breathing a notch below panic. Then she saw it, the soft-white glow of the hand reaching toward her. Her breathing slowed. The droplet of sweat freezing on the edge of her chin. Her scream was sucked from the air around her. A low humming the only sound in the room as time stood still. Frozen. Suspended around her. She saw the touch before she felt the coolness of the icy hand on top of her own. With sheer willpower, the little girl focused on turning her hand over, her movements suspended as if in slow motion, until, at last, she was able to grasp the hand of the beautiful glowing woman with her own.
The faded sound of the woman’s voice rippled through the stillness, as if through water. Slow. Muffled. Soothing. Was she still dreaming?
Bethany Strobel was born in Florida, where she currently resides. After finishing her schooling, at Reinhardt University, in Georgia, she worked as a Manager at a multi-million dollar business, for almost twenty years, before deciding writing was her passion. With her Fae Realms Courts and Pandora’s Descendants Series on the rise, along with her Country Roads Romance series, she hopes to continue writing for many years to come. When she’s not imagining new worlds or characters (Oh, we’re not kidding anyone. She’s always doing that) she can be found at her favorite beach with her two children. She has a passion for procrastination and coffee, and loves all things Fae.
Ellen Mint 