Brews & Books (2022)
Fireside: Modern Myths and Lore
It started with a cup of tea. Charlotte Hazelwood doesn't remember setting foot inside the quaint little coffee shop, nor can she shake the feeling there are dangers lurking behind the barista's sweet smile...
Brews & Books is a short story included in the Fireside: Modern Myths and Lore anthology by Moms Who Write.
"We are a people of oral traditions, telling our stories to seek connection, and the fire has always been our story-telling place. The spellbinding nature of fire elicits from us tales of magic, of darkness, of the macabre. Moons. Witches. Folklore. Ghosts. This collection of short stories and poems are the tales we tell at the fireside."
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Embers & Ashes (2020)
Tales from Earnia short story
Magic can be as destructive as it is beautiful...
In a brief moment, Luciana Moretti's whole life is changed. Her family, her home, and her town are all reduced to ashes. Two strangers offer her a chance at revenge. But will she be strong enough to fight against the mages who destroyed everything she loved? Or will she become just another casualty?
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Magic & Mayhem (2018)
Tales from Earnia short story
What could possibly go wrong when magic is involved?
When Ari Blackwood is sent to Mithralla, home to the most esteemed mages in all of Earnia, she soon learns she's been tasked with doing the impossible: breaking the known laws of magic. Will her unusual approach at the arcane be enough, or will her attempts prove disastrous?
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Lies of Light (2018)
Darker Shade of Light 1
Skin black as pitch, nails like talons…
A mysterious illness creeps through Acantha’s people—one that even the most powerful healers’ magic cannot touch. When the affliction proves to be something far more sinister and a family dies, Noora Duskbourne finds herself trapped. Blamed by the King for the incident, Noora’s only ally in her escape from the King’s fury is Vaeros, a man whose identity is shrouded in mystery. However, safety is not quite at hand as she is pursued by a Warder as skilled in the hunt as he is with the deadly arts of arcane combat. A path wrought with danger awaits Noora and Vaeros as they discover that something harrowing lingers in the light—an ancient darkness that refuses to remain forgotten.
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Older Works
The following books are Melissa's debut works. They contain an unfinished series, multiple characters, several points of views, and complex plots. As such, some readers may find these books confusing.
Opening of Lost Doors (2016)
Chronicles of Midgard 3
In the snow covered mountains, Odin's spear lies within a forgotten slumbering city...
Maeja and her crew must find the relics of the gods before the Empire does, but acquiring Odin's spear will be no simple task. First they must escape from the Empire's capital city, then gain entrance into the long forgotten palace of Ostegard deep in the icy mountains. There, Odin's spear remains securely hidden in a dangerous, trap-filled labyrinth beneath the fabled Shrine of Ages. Before the city will wake and yield its gates, Maeja must first prove her worth as a Valkyrie. Only then will she be able to lay her hands upon the spear. With an army of walking corpses ravaging parts of the Midlands and the great serpent Jormungand tormenting the seas, Maeja and crew are running out of time...
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Melody of the Dark (2012)
Chronicles of Midgard 2
The Door of the Valkyrie has been opened...
Mæja and her unlikely band of rebels and sky pirates have finally arrived in Brightstone. They need to get to the next treasure of the Gods, Thor's hammer, before the Empire does. If they can't get the hammer first, then the Empire is one step closer to awakening the dark god, Loki. Seeking to get their hands on Thor's hammer, brothers Connor and Linkyn agree to enter the Honor Battles and publicly reveal themselves, as well as Mæja, to the Empire which hunts them. However, the Empire proves to be only part of their troubles. There are murmurs that they have been followed to Brightstone by someone whose heart is far darker that the Empire...someone with eyes set on Mæja.
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Falls the Shadow (2011)
Chronicles of Midgard 1
Everything had been taken from her: her family, her home, and nearly her life.
Now, two years later, Mæja is still haunted by what the Empire did to her. But a new deception is afoot: the Empire is seeking five sacred treasures to reawaken the dark god, Loki, which could plunge all of Midgard into irreparable darkness. With betrayal fresh in mind, she seeks to reclaim the ancient treasures before they fall into enemy hands. She is joined by the pirate Ril and his accomplice Mjrn, and the roguish rebels Connor and Linkyn. Their unlikely alliance is now the only defense against an Empire that could destroy all of Midgard. Embark with Mæja on a treasure hunt of epic proportions....
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Eclipse (2015 revision)
Priestess Trilogy 3
Tensions escalate between two clans, threatening their fragile peace. On one side stand the Túath, on the other the Milidh. The prize: control of the land of Éire. Yet amidst this brewing conflict, another more dangerous threat looms. The village of Tara is ripped apart, not by war, but by the seed of betrayal as the priestess' own kinswoman, Gráinne, conspires to seize control. Enemies shall become allies and Shiovra is faced with a difficult choice, one that will ultimately engulf her world in an irreversible ECLIPSE.
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Betrayal (2015 revision)
Priestess Trilogy 2
Shiovra, High Priestess of the village Tara, is set to wed one considered the enemy for the sake of her clan. Torn between her heart and her people, between love and duty, Shiovra decides her fate and faces the truth about Odhrán. Still hunted by both the Milidh clan and her own kin, she learns that not all enemies are quite what they seem. Loyalty is brought into question and power lost within enemy ranks in what shall ultimately lead to one thing: BETRAYAL.
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Defiance (2015 revision)
Priestess Trilogy 1
Shiovra has been named High Priestess of the village Tara, but she quickly finds herself hunted by the Milidh, a clan born of war and vengeance. With the safety of Tara at stake, it is decided that she is to seek aid from her betrothed, one she considers the enemy. At her side is Odhrán, a Milidh warrior sworn to protect her and determined to gain her trust. But their journey is fraught with peril and Shiovra learns that darkness lurks in the hearts of her own kin. Steeped in ancient Irish myth, this tale is spun of love, war, and DEFIANCE.
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