The Monster Ball Year 2
Page 65
The warmest of hugs go to my Monster Ball Family for their generous donation to the American Heart Association in memory of Karl. Thank you Bam, Randi, Heather H., Wendy, Lux, Dmytry, Alyssa, Jennifer, Stacey, Meg, Gem, Marice, Heather L., Hannah, and Tabitha. It’s been an honor to collaborate with such kind-hearted authors.
Thank you to Amber Shepherd for continuing The Monster Ball, and giving us all a rad place to mingle and have fun (both on the page and online). To Heather Hildenbrand for putting it all together in a readable format, and so many extras—it would take pages to list! Monster hugs to the women who helped polish up my story: Hollie Westring, Dawn Yacovetta, and Jackie Bentley.
To all you readers—I love you so much!
My MBA year 2 novella brought me full circle to where I started my indie author adventure with magic and mischief. I love sassy witches and the trouble they get into. I had not intended to continue with Sabine, but this purple-haired witch wasn’t ready to let go. I’ve started notes for more Sabine Lasalle adventures and undercover missions. Think of it as a cross between Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter and Spellbound. Keep your panties on. Good times ahead.
We hope you had a blast at this year’s ball. Keep smiling!
-Nikki Jefford
To Bam for creating this amazing world and sending us an invite to the party! To Lind for kicking my ass and making me write. And to our kids for being patient with all the deadlines.
-Lux KK
The past few years have been medically trying for me, even going as far as radically and frustratingly slowing down my writing output. Happily, Amber Shepherd invited me to The Monster Ball, providing me an excellent reason to give my illnesses the middle finger. Hugs to you, Bam!
Every story is a labor of love—and while writing is typically a solitary pursuit, it also takes a village to publish. Gratitude goes out to Daisy Prescott and Katana Collins for their wise input on early drafts. I also want to thank the Monster team of editors for combing over this tale. I’m sending hugs to the rest of the authors of TMBY2: your creativity continually inspires me. Thanks for letting me borrowing your characters. And to the Pride—as always, you guys are the best.
Last, but not least, thanks are sent out to you. Yes, you! Authors are nothing without their readers.
-Heather Lyons
Thank you to Sarah Mae Platt for being the inspiration behind our ice princess. We love you! Thank you to Linz and Mat at Draughtsmen Palm Springs for making killer cocktails for the Ball. And, of course, thank you to Heather Hildenbrand and Bam Shepherd for inviting us to be part of the Monster Ball Anthology Year Two!
-Sophie Davis
Huge thanks to Amber for being the mastermind behind the Monster Ball and for sending me my very own moonlight invitation. When I first heard about the premise behind this collection of stories, my breath caught and I was captivated immediately. A secret ball for the supernatural community? Count me in! Then after already being head over heels in love, I got the email. It was like receiving my invite to Hogwarts. I was stunned, honored, and there may have been squealing involved. Okay, there was definitely squealing involved. And jumping. And tears. All of which is to say, thank you. Thank you for creating this world, thank you for letting me be a part of it, thank you for the 8 million things you do behind the scenes to get this put together. There are so many people involved in getting this together, but none of it would be possible without you.
And to the other year 2 alumni, cheers ladies! It was so much fun working with you. Here’s to handsy vampires, underwear flinging, and creating a night to remember.
Until next year!
-Meg
A special thanks to Heather, Bam, and the entire Monster Ball family for allowing me to me a part of these amazing project!
-Stacey
The Monster Ball is such a fun anthology and author family to be part of; my sincerest gratitude to Bamella and Heather for allowing me to attend the ball. And for all the hard work you put in to make this anthology happen. Special thanks to my husband and daughter, for always sharing their time with the characters and stories I write. Liz Ferry, as always, thank you for making this story pretty. Last, but not least, to the readers, thank you for reading my stories. I’m honored to be part of your literary world.
-Randi
About the Authors
Randi Cooley Wilson is an award-winning, bestselling author of The Revelation Series, The Royal Protector Academy Novels, The Dark Soul Trilogy, IF, and the upcoming Knightress Series. Randi’s books have been featured on Good Morning America, British Glamour Magazine, USA Today, and in the Emmy’s Gifting Suite.
Her books range in genre, and include contemporary romance, urban/high fantasy, and paranormal romance, for both young adult and adult readers. She resides in Massachusetts with her daughter and husband. Visit randicooleywilson.com for more information about Randi or her books and projects.
Jennifer Snyder lives in North Carolina where she spends most of her time writing New Adult and Young Adult Fiction, reading, and struggling to stay on top of housework. She is a tea lover with an obsession for Post-it notes and smooth writing pens. Jennifer lives with her husband and two children, who endure listening to songs that spur inspiration on repeat and tolerate her love for all paranormal, teenage-targeted TV shows.
To get an email whenever Jennifer releases a new title, sign up for her newsletter at www.jennifersnyderbooks.com/want-the-latest/. It’s full of fun and freebies sent right to your inbox!
Heather Hildenbrand was born and raised in a small town in northern Virginia where she was homeschooled through high school. (She’s only slightly socially awkward as a result.) She writes romance with plenty of abs and angst and is a self-proclaimed semi-professional lip sync battler. Her most frequent hobbies are riding motorcycles and avoiding killer slugs. Find out more about her books at www.heatherhildenbrand.com.
Meg Anne has always had stories running on a loop in her head. They started off as daydreams about how the evil queen (aka Mom) had her slaving away doing chores; and more recently shifted into creating backgrounds about the people stuck beside her during rush hour. The stories have always been there; they were just waiting for her to tell them.
Like any true SoCal native, Meg enjoys staying inside curled up with a good book and her cat Henry... or maybe that's just her. You can convince Meg to buy just about anything if it's covered in glitter or rhinestones, or make her laugh by sharing your favorite bad joke. She also accepts bribes in the form of baked goods and Mexican food.
Meg loves to write about sassy heroines and the men that love them. She is best known for her adult fantasy romance series The Chosen, which can be found on Amazon. Visit her website at www.megannewrites.com.
Heather Lyons is known for writing epic, heartfelt love stories often with a fantastical twist. From Young Adult to New Adult to Adult novels—one commonality in all her books is the touching, and sometimes heart-wrenching, romance. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. She and her husband and children live on California’s Central Coast and are currently working their way through every cupcakery she can find. You can find out more about her at her website www.heatherlyons.net.
Karpov Kinrade is the pen name for the husband and wife entertainment duo, Lux and Dmytry Karpov-Kinrade. Together, they write award-winning, internationally and USAT bestselling books, make music, create art, write screenplays and direct—all the things. Look for more from Karpov Kinrade in The Night Firm, the Vampire Girl series, Nightfall Academy, Paranormal Spy Academy, Wanted, and more. They live in wine country California with their three teens who have crazy creative genius oozing out of them and too many cats who all think they rule the world (spoiler alert: they do). Find out more at www.ReadKK.com.
G. Bailey is a USA Today bestselling author of books that are filled with everything from dragons to pirates. Plus, fantasy worlds and breath-taking adventures. Oh, and some swoon-worthy men that no girl could forget. G. Bailey is fro
m the very rainy U.K. where she lives with her husband, two children and three cheeky dogs. And, of course, the characters in her head that never really leave her, even as she writes them down for the world to read! Find out more at www.gbaileyauthor.com.
Nikki Jefford is a third-generation Alaskan now living in the Pacific Northwest with her French husband and their Westie, Cosmo. When she’s not reading or writing, she enjoys nature, comedy, wine, and motorcycling. The dark side of humanity fascinates her, so long as it’s balanced by humor and romance.
She is the author of the Spellbound Trilogy, Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, Wolf Hollow Shifters, and the Royal Conquest Saga. Find out more by visiting her at www.NikkiJefford.com.
USA Today Bestselling Author "Sophie Davis" is a pseudonym for two best friends and writing partners. The pair met in law school and instantly bonded over their love of great books and bad horror movies. When one longed for the ability to read minds so she wouldn't have to study for the bar exam, a Saga was born. When the Talented Saga went on to be an internationally bestselling series, the girls decided to follow their shared life-long dream of being writers. With twenty titles currently available, the pair has created several worlds within the genres of Fantasy and Science Fiction.
They currently live in Southern California with a poodle and a rescued mutt. The pups are their faithful companions—with frequent social media appearances—as the girls navigate the world of publishing. For more information about the books and exciting news, visit www.SophieDavisBooks.com.
Wendy Higgins is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling hybrid author of YA and adult fantasy/paranormal romance. She's a former high school English teacher who now writes full time and lives on the Eastern Shore of Virginia with her two kids and tiny doggies. Find out more at www.wendyhiggins.co.
Alyssa Rose Ivy is the bestselling author of more than forty novels with over one million books sold worldwide. She loves to weave stories with romance and humor, and she is best known for writing about college boys with wings. After surviving law school and earning her masters in library science, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. She lives in Alabama with her two children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand. Find out more at www.alyssaroseivy.com.
Stacey Rourke is the award winning author of works that span genres, but possess the same flare for action and snarky humor. She lives in Florida with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and two giant dogs. Stacey loves to travel, has an unhealthy shoe addiction, and considers herself blessed to make a career out of talking to the imaginary people that live in her head. Visit her website at www.staceyrourke.com.
Everly Frost is the USA Today Bestselling author of YA and New Adult urban fantasy and science-fiction romance novels. She spent her childhood dreaming of other worlds and scribbling stories on the leftover blank pages at the back of school notebooks. She lives in Brisbane, Australia with her husband and two children. Visit her Website at www.everlyfrost.com.