Blog Archives
Ancilla: Master, Teach Me
Sera Maddox Drake’s Ancilla: Master, Teach Me is an occult, sexually explicit BDSM romance that tracks a bisexual woman in late-80s to mid-90s Rust Belt Ohio as she unravels a strict sedevacantist Catholic upbringing and stumbles into a relationship with a charismatic magus who becomes her mentor, dom, and soulmate. The story is built around Western esotericism (Thelema and Golden Dawn style Kabbalah), and the chapters are explicitly organized around the Tree of Life sephiroth, with each section acting like a rung on a ladder of transformation rather than “just” a new plot beat. Along the way, the book leans into edge play and on-page sex, plus harder emotional material like food insecurity, chronic pain, vampiric starvation that mirrors depression, and moments where the protagonist gets close to the cliff of suicidal thinking.
What landed for me first was the author’s directness about what the book is and what it is not. The content warnings are frank in a way that feels almost like Drake is taking you aside before you enter the room, making eye contact, and saying, “This gets intense.” That honesty gave me trust, especially because the erotic material isn’t treated as a naughty bonus but as part of the protagonist’s learning curve. Sex here is not a fade-to-black reward. It’s language. It’s ritual. It’s also messy, risky, and sometimes emotionally heavy, which fits the “mentor/dom/soulmate” setup the author spells out early in the narrative.
I also kept thinking about the author’s choice to foreground the moral complications of the spiritual framework itself. Drake doesn’t pretend Western esotericism is clean or culturally neutral, and she names the colonial “cafeteria” dynamic head-on, including the way the characters “loot and pillage” ideas from oppressed cultures. That doesn’t magically resolve the tension, but it does change the feel. Instead of the book asking me to admire the system, it asks me to watch people reach for meaning through a flawed system, sometimes sincerely, sometimes blindly. The Tree-of-Life chapter structure reinforces that. It’s as if the author is saying: growth can be real even when the tools are imperfect.
By the end, I felt like Ancilla is best approached as dark, reflective erotic romance with occult and paranormal undertones, not as a tidy love story or a neutral “intro to magic.” If you like intimacy that’s explicit and psychologically charged, and you’re also curious about spirituality, power exchange, and the way belief can reshape a person for better and worse, you’ll more than appreciate this story.
Pages: 440 | ASIN : B0GLLRBK55
Balance Between Closeness and Cost
Framed in Love follows a man who, after a lightning strike, has the ability to step inside a fading painting where he falls in love with a woman trapped inside it. What was the first spark behind the idea of stepping into a painting?
The story started with an actual painting that I own. The date of the painting is 1858; it is of a Victorian woman who has a striking resemblance to my wife. So, I thought, if I wanted to know this woman, how could I get to know her? I would have to enter the painting to strike up a conversation. Hence, the lightning strike, because there is something mysterious about lightning.
How did David evolve as you wrote the book?
I introduced the twist that the painting fades each time David enters. I did that for a reason. David, with the help of Abby, sees himself differently. Instead of viewing love as something risky or temporary, he begins to see it as transformative and grounding. Earlier in the story, David often reacts to situations emotionally or defensively. As his bond with Abby deepens, he becomes more intentional by choosing honesty over avoidance and commitment over uncertainty.
The book explores love as both connection and sacrifice. What drew you to that tension?
What drew me to that tension is that love rarely feels pure or simple in real life. Love is almost always a balance between closeness and cost. In Framed in Love, the relationship between David and Abby works because it recognizes that loving someone deeply often means giving something up: control, certainty, or even parts of the version of yourself you’ve carefully built.
What do you hope readers carry with them after finishing the book?
The most compelling love stories (to me) live in that uncomfortable middle space. Too much connection without sacrifice feels shallow. Too much sacrifice without connection feels destructive. I wanted readers to feel that push-and-pull. The fear of losing yourself versus the desire to belong, because that’s what makes emotional stakes feel real.
Author Links: Barnes & Noble | Website
My Life Story
The book follows Tess, a young woman moving through a world that feels half dream, half reality. From her childhood prayers beneath the stars to her adult wanderings through galleries, cafés, and shadowy streets, she is haunted by questions of love, loss, and meaning. Along the way, she encounters figures like Jules, Samuel, and Sara, each carrying secrets and desires that pull her deeper into a web of longing and reflection. The novel drifts between memory and the present, mixing photography, magic, and fleeting encounters with moments of aching stillness. The story is a meditation on how people search for beauty and truth in a fractured world.
I felt a tug in two directions reading this book. On one hand, the writing is lush and cinematic, clearly born from its origins as a screenplay. Scenes play out like film reels: light shimmering on water, footsteps echoing in an empty church, faces caught in camera flashes. That worked beautifully for me, giving the book a dreamlike quality that made me want to live in its world. On the other hand, the density of description left me craving more dialogue and more movement. Still, the mood was so strong that I let myself get carried by it.
What I really liked was how the novel handles its ideas. It’s not just a story of Tess and Jules or Samuel and Sara, it’s about the ways we carry grief and desire through our lives. The characters often feel like symbols more than flesh-and-blood people, yet that abstraction made the book feel universal. I found myself frustrated at times because Tess keeps drifting, Jules hides behind charm, and Samuel slips away into the shadows. But that frustration mirrored the characters’ own struggles. It left me unsettled, and I liked that.
My Life Story feels like a novel for readers who enjoy atmosphere more than plot, who don’t mind stepping into a story that blurs the lines between memory, fantasy, and reality. I’d recommend it to anyone who loves lyrical writing, who wants a book that feels like cinema on the page, and who doesn’t mind sitting with unanswered questions. It isn’t a fast read, but it’s a rewarding one if you let yourself drift in its tide.
Pages: 128 | ASIN : B0FCCBB2BG
Blue Jeans and Lavender Gowns
Blue Jeans and Lavender Gowns, by A.W. Anthony, is a gentle and heartfelt coming-of-age romance set in the Midwest during the 1970s. Told through the perspective of Terry Deitz, a small-town high schooler, the novel follows his winding, often awkward journey toward love, manhood, and faith. At the center of this story is Debbie Douglas, the girl who catches Terry’s eye and, in time, his heart. Through football games, study hall antics, and tender moments of doubt and hope, the story paints a nostalgic picture of adolescence flavored with Christian values and clean romance.
Reading this book felt like riding in an old pickup on a country road—bumpy, charming, and unexpectedly meaningful. The writing is earnest and full of heart. It leans into its strengths: relatable characters, small-town dynamics, and the quiet courage of first love. I appreciated that the story was never rushed. The slow pace mirrors real life, especially in rural America, where relationships unfold over seasons, not chapters. Anthony’s choice to write from the boy’s point of view adds a fresh and grounded feel that sidesteps cliché. And while not every conversation crackles, many are brimming with sincerity and teenage honesty. I smiled a lot. Sometimes I winced. But I always believed them.
I do feel there are moments where the moral undertones get a bit heavy, and a few plot beats feel like they were written with a wink to Hallmark. But maybe that’s part of the charm. This book isn’t trying to be edgy or clever. It’s kind, and that’s rare these days. The moments that truly shine feel pulled straight from real life— tender, simple, and real—the kind of moment that doesn’t need big drama to feel big.
Blue Jeans and Lavender Gowns is more than a simple love story; it’s a tribute to decency, patience, and young hearts figuring it out. I’d recommend it to anyone who craves clean romance, Christian values, and a walk through simpler times. It’s especially great for teenagers and their parents, or anyone who wants to remember what it felt like to fall in love for the first time—with a girl, with life, or even just with the idea that something good might be waiting around the corner.
I was looking for ROMANCE
Musings of a Romance Addict follows a woman reentering the dating scene after the death of her long-term partner who shares her heartbreak, dating encounters, vulnerability to romance scams, and evolution as she reclaims her confidence in love. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
It was based on my personal experiences and inexperience when I began dating again. It was originally just a Diary of what was happening then I wanted to share it with other women (and men).
I enjoyed the depth of the main character, Stacey. What was your process to bring that character to life?
Stacey reflected my life and through her, I was able to tell the story as seen through her eyes.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I was looking for ROMANCE. I was looking for Christian Grey (50 Shades of Grey). While the BDSM that he was into was way beyond what I would do, I loved the fact that he was so in love with Anastasia and only wanted to be with her. I found in my dating experiences men were not romantic or monogamous. Christian Grey was an anomaly.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I haven’t figured out what to write in my next book. I clearly left a sequel possibility on the last page but I have not formulated the path it will take.
Visible and Invisible Wounds
In Shooting Stars Above, a best-selling author and a federal agent, both burdened by past trauma, find a love that pulls from their emotional isolation. Where did the idea for this novel come from?
There’s a saying that “hurt people hurt people,” but sometimes that isn’t true. Sometimes people in pain are able to love others in extraordinary ways. That’s the core inspiration for the book. I wanted to write a love story between two people who have experienced tragedy and violence in different ways. A love story between people in pain and who harbor visible and invisible wounds. Yet, they are deeply kind, generous, and good people. When they find each other, they decide to love with everything they have. No games or toxicity of any kind. They see what the other has endured and choose to just love and accept each other completely. Really, it’s about the healing power of love and learning to balance darkness and light in our lives.
I enjoyed the romantic relationship between Tess and Jack. How did their relationship develop while you were writing? Did you have an idea of where you wanted to take it, or was it organic?
Thank you. I loved writing about their romance. I felt it in my soul, and they had my heart completely. It was organic. I actually wrote the novel in reverse. I wrote the last scene first and the first scene last. So, I knew where I wanted them to end up as a couple and individuals. I knew the character growth, and then I wrote the arc in reverse to get the reader there.
There is so much to be said about love in this book. What do you hope your readers take away from your story?
Healing is possible. Kindness matters. Generosity matters. Love is a verb. It’s something we do, and we should do it well. That includes loving ourselves.
Can you give us a glimpse inside Book 2 of The Celestial Bodies Romance series? Where will it take readers?
There are six books written to date and I honestly love each more than the one before. We’ll be releasing one each spring. Shooting Stars Above includes the first chapter of the next book, Twinkle of Doubt.Each novel takes place a year after the last and follows the same characters, although some fun new characters are introduced across the series too. Each series title explores love and a different theme. The first book is about love and healing. Other topics include doubt, intimacy, trust, commitment, and faith. While there are different kinds of critical events that happen in each book, really, none of the books are about external threats. The series is about the audio playing in our own heads. Twinkle of Doubt was especially fun to write, and I think is a good balance of lightheartedness and deep topics. Overall, it explores the nature of doubt. Readers will be introduced to the female president of the United States, whom Tess befriends. There’s a big gala, a death threat, and someone is held up at gunpoint, but the real danger is the audio in their own head. The book ends with an excerpt from one of Tess’s novels. Of everything I have ever written, the last line of that book, her book, are the words I most often hear in my head, sort of like a mantra when things get tough.
Author Links: Website | Shooting Stars Above | Simon & Schuster | Facebook | Instagram | X | GoodReads
Tess Lee is a world-famous novelist. Her inspirational books explore people’s innermost struggles and the human need to believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel—but despite her extraordinary success, she’s been unable to find personal happiness. Jack Miller is a federal agent working in counterterrorism. After spending decades immersed in a violent world, a residue remains. He’s dedicated everything to his job, leaving nothing for himself.
The night Tess and Jack meet, their connection is palpable. She examines the scars on his body and says, “I’ve never seen anyone whose outsides match my insides.” The two embark on an epic love story, but old traumas soon rise to the surface as Jack struggles with the death of a loved one and Tess is forced to confront her childhood abuse. Can unconditional love help heal their invisible wounds? Together, will they be able to move from darkness to light?
