Book Blitz & Giveaway for The Ordinary Bruja by Johanny Ortega

The Ordinary Bruja: Marisol’s Story

Johanny Ortega

(Las Cerradoras, #1)

Publication date: November 1st, 2025

Genres: Adult, Horror, Magical Realism, Psychological

The Ordinary Bruja is a haunting and heartfelt coming-of-age novel wrapped in Dominican magical realism and psychological horror.

Marisol Espinal doesn’t believe she’s special. Not when she’s back in her small Ohio hometown, working as a barista, haunted by grief and the girls who once made her life hell. But when mirrors flicker with strange words, cigar smoke curls where no one is smoking, and voices whisper from Hallowthorn Hill, she realizes something darker has always been watching.

The Espinal family magic was buried generations ago-forced into silence by Salvador, the ancestor who bound their power for himself. Now his ghost feeds on fear and doubt, and Marisol is his next target. To survive, she must reclaim her heritage, unearth the truth hidden in her mother’s journal, and face the hill that has been waiting for her all along.

Atmospheric and emotionally charged, The Ordinary Bruja blends generational trauma, identity reclamation, and queer love with a creeping sense of dread. Perfect for fans of The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina and Mexican Gothic, this novel asks: What does it cost to embrace every part of yourself-even the parts the world taught you to bury?

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“Ten months since she had dropped out and came home, to the place she promised herself she’d never return to. She was bad at keeping promises. That was for sure.”

PRAISE for The Ordinary Bruja

“There is spirituality, magic, ghosts, there is plenty of love, there is loss; and above all there is familia, both genetic and of choice.”

“…An impactful horror story that blew me away.”

“This book . . . pushed me to confront my own assumptions about history.”

“You can absolutely feel the anguish Marisol feels at the loss of her mother.”

“I absolutely enjoyed “The Ordinary Bruja”. It was a perfect mix between horror (with a slight humor – thank you early Marisol and her “nope” moments + Kia) and a story that shows you that you need to find your own way, even if everything is pushing you down.”

Author Bio:

Johanny Ortega is a Dominican American author who writes across genres—blending psychological horror, literary fiction, magical realism, and thrillers that punch you right in the gut. Whether writing about haunted hills, generational trauma, or the quiet unraveling of everyday life, her stories center marginalized voices, morally complex women, and the messy truth about survival.

She is the founder of Have a Cup of Johanny, a creative platform where she blogs, podcasts, and advocates for inclusive storytelling. Her award-winning middle-grade and adult fiction has resonated with readers who crave depth, grit, and emotional honesty.

When she’s not writing, she’s raising kids in a blended military family, reading books that wreck her soul in the best way, and saying what others are afraid to.

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Book Blitz & Giveaway for The Magic of Painted Creek by Robyn Kilgore

The Magic of Painted Creek

Robyn Kilgore

Publication date: June 24th, 2025

Genres: Adult, Magical Realism

She only came back to settle a will, but her roots ran deeper than she bargained for…

Mabel Morrison considers herself fortunate to have a thriving art business at only twenty-five years old. After the sudden passing of her grandmother, Mabel leaves her mother, her only living relative, in Columbus, Ohio and finds herself back in Painted Creek, North Carolina to settle her grandmother’s affairs.

The longer she is stuck in town, the more she learns about her grandmother’s legacy and the family that came before her. As she starts to piece together a found family of her own, Mabel begins to embrace her other natural gifts within her paintings that she’s been denying for years. Suddenly, she imagines what life could be like in Painted Creek surrounded by friends, magic, and love. The future seems brighter than ever as she slowly begins to stray further from the path that was laid out for her when she was young.

But her newfound confidence is shaken when her new friendships are tested, setting off a chain of events that could change the course of Mabel’s life forever. Has Mabel inherited more than she bargained for? Or will she find the inner strength to embrace all of her gifts and hold on to everything she has never let herself want?

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EXCERPT:

The alarm clock crashed to the floor as I smacked at it for the last time. “I’m leaving that damn thing here,” I grumbled to myself. I felt crazy for having such strong feelings about an inanimate object, but I hated that alarm clock. Sitting upright and running my hands down my face, I felt more like a zombie than a human girl. Woman.

Whatever.

Unfortunately, I’d missed the off button for the alarm and the clock’s fall from the table hadn’t broken it or ripped the plug from the wall, so it was still happily wailing away from under the bed. And it didn’t sound muted. Oh no, now it somehow seemed to reverberate through the entire room as if the under bed acoustics were the perfect amplifier for my morning agony. Flipping myself over the edge of the bed and hanging upside down, I yanked the cord from the wall and huffed in relief at the sudden silence. Calling on core strength I absolutely did not have, I wriggled upright and collapsed back into the pillows.

In the sudden stillness, I took a moment to really look around my bedroom in the apartment I’d had for the last five years, the first place I could call my own when I moved out of my mother’s house. Looking at it now though, I wondered if I really could call it mine. I paid the rent and other bills, sure, and maintained my responsibilities, and theoretically made all the decisions. But I felt no sense of “me” in this space. The walls were a dull builder grade beige, as was the carpet. Hell, even my comforter was a slightly darker shade of beige. The only pop of personality in the room was my dark purple sheets, and even they were hidden away when the bed was made.

My mother had helped me choose the apartment, and all the things in it, when she finally conceded to my desire to move out at twenty years old. I had been financially self sufficient for a couple years, I was lucky in that way. My painting business had really taken off right after high school, and in a mere year I had acquired a nice little nest egg that continued to grow while I still lived at home.

I shook my head, not wanting to mentally relive the fights we’d had when I told her I wanted a place of my own. But I couldn’t help but wonder as I looked around my bedroom if this is what I would have chosen for myself. Even the artwork, now carefully wrapped up and ready to move, was bland and muted in color. Neutral. Safe.

I glanced back over at the offending alarm clock. My mother had even gifted me that alarm clock, saying that productive people got their day started early. “You started this.” I narrowed my eyes, pointed at it, and huffed. I realized the clock probably sounded louder because the room was now almost completely empty, and therefore echoey, not because the electronic device was actually yelling at me.

After one more second of reflection, and one more glare at the clock, I squared my shoulders and got out of bed. “No time like a new beginning to change your interior design choices. And I’m more productive at night anyway.” With that, I headed to the shower, vowing to leave the alarm clock and all things beige behind in the move.

Author Bio:

Robyn Kilgore lives in Tennessee with her husband, kids, dog and business manager (the cat). When she’s not working on a writing project or reading, you can find her chauffeuring her kids to activities… usually by way of a coffee shop drive through. Her love of vintage treasures, whimsical findings, and seeking magic in every day life led her easily to write magical realism novels. Robyn also has a small handmade jewelry and craft business, her first (and forever) passion turned business venture. She gives a nod to the experience of making jewelry in her first novel, The Magic of Painted Creek.

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Blitz & Giveaway for Seven Hundred Beachfront by Ligia de Wit

Seven Hundred Beachfront

Ligia de Wit

Publication date: July 22nd, 2025

Genres: Adult, Magical Realism, Romance, Women’s Fiction

Some places hold memories. Others have opinions.

I didn’t mean to run again.

But when life gets tangled, I untangle it by leaving. And this time, my escape came with strings attached: a five-year-old brother I never signed up to care for, a seaside town I barely remember, and a tattered house on stilts that belongs in Renter’s Hell.

I told myself it was just for the summer. A break. A pause. A way to escape the people I care about but can’t seem to fit with anymore, and the choices I don’t know how to fix.

But the sea doesn’t let you stay distant for long.

Then there’s him. Quiet. Grumpy. Mysterious. The kind of man who doesn’t ask questions, but somehow sees more than he should. I don’t even like talking to him, and yet… here we are. Sharing long silences. Unexpected moments. Maybe even something more.

And as for the house? Let’s just say it has opinions—and it’s not afraid to share them.

Seven Hundred Beachfront is a heartfelt, magical story about learning to stay, letting people in, and discovering that healing doesn’t always come the way you expect it. But when it does, you’ll feel it down to your bones.

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EXCERPT:

Carole hadn’t sent a thing to keep him busy, damn woman, and I’d only used the TV for movies. Wait a sec—Jessie left a Star Wars movie at my place, the first one, so I should have it here.

“No Scooby, kiddo,” I said while looking in the boxes, “but you’re gonna like this one. It’s the real thing, not a single goofy character one mile near it.”

“ ’Kay.” He sat on the old, flowery couch and gazed at me, expectant.

“How do you want your fish?” I asked while putting the movie on, realizing I had no idea what Bobby liked.

“Dead.”

I gave a small smile. “But how do you like it prepared? Pan fried?”

“No. Like Mom does it.” He lifted his little arms and mimed putting something in a pan. “Like this.”

“You’re not much help, kiddo. I’ll cook it pan fried.”

“ ’Kay,” Bobby whispered, gaze down.

After leaving him with the movie, I got ready to cook. The stove burners were a little rusty but worked. I prepared pan-fried fish, along with steamed vegetables and wild rice. Maybe I didn’t have many accomplishments in my life, but, damn, I could cook. It had been either that or be resigned to eating frozen dinners.

When other kids watched cartoons, I watched cooking shows. At ten, I prepared chicken cordon-bleu. Even Aunt Marie was impressed. Carole just grimaced. It’s overcooked, she’d said.

The aroma of spices and well-cooked fish filled the space, and any knot in my body vanished.

My cell rang, and I picked it up, frowning at the caller ID. “Hey,” I answered flatly.

“Honey!” Carole’s voice came clear. “Darling, you have no idea what a marvelous flight we had.” She laughed, evidently delighted. “First class. The only way to fly. Don’t you ever dare fly coach again, Beverly.”

“Sure. Will do that next time I fly overseas in, I don’t know, my next life, I guess.”

“Oh, don’t be such a bore! Don’t you want me to spill the tea, girlfriend?”

She giggled. Giggled.

“Are you drunk, Mother?”

She sobered up. Nothing like reminding Carole of the maternity role she’d never wanted.

“Sweetheart, you are such a bore.”

I put her on speaker and placed one of my unopened boxes on the counter while Carole talked nonstop about her marvelous, fantastic flight and the wonderful five-star hotel in Madrid.

My Lladró figurine lay wrapped in newspaper. Carefully, I unwrapped it and placed it on the counter. Crap, one of the fruits had broken off.

“Bobby and I are okay,” I managed to say when she took a small pause. “The house’s too old, though. I don’t know if this is a good place for me.”

The wind moaned, and the noisy branch thumped above.

“You haven’t asked me a thing about Madrid,” Carole complained. “Make sure to check the pictures I posted because they are a-ma-zing. I already have more than one-hundred likes!”

“Thank heavens for the social media gods.”

“Don’t give me that snarky tone of yours. You need more good energy in your life, girlfriend. You need a man.”

“Ugh, please.”

“You do. And not that silly cowboy—”

“Gary’s a friend. One of my best friends, actually. Since you’re my girlfriend, then you certainly remember I’ve known him since the seventh grade.”

Author Bio:

Ligia de Wit writes fantasy romance adventures with heart, humor, and just the right dose of magic. A lifelong romantic with a soft spot for fairy tales and found family tropes, Ligia writes characters who are strong in more than just a physical sense. Her characters face fears, fight for themselves, and find love in the most unexpected places.

When she’s not writing (or rewriting) her imaginary worlds, she works for a global distribution company and dreams up stories during lunch breaks. You’ll often find her with her nose in a book, exploring a new city, hiking through forests, or acting like a total goof at theme parks. She’s a proud kid at heart—and owns it.

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Cover Reveal for Seven Hundred Beachfront by Ligia de Wit

Seven Hundred Beachfront

Ligia de Wit

Publication date: July 22nd, 2025

Genres: Adult, Magical Realism, Romance, Women’s Fiction

Some places hold memories. Others have opinions.

Meet Bev. Running is easier than fixing what’s broken—and Bev is good at running. Fiercely independent and determined to face her problems alone, the last thing she needs is to be saddled with her brother for the summer—courtesy of her controlling and narcissist mother.

She tells herself it’s just for the summer. But the sea has its own kind of pull, and some walls don’t hold as steady when the tide comes in.

Meet Jeff. A man weighed down by his failures on two fronts. Lost and unsure of who he’s become, he retreats to his hometown, shutting himself off from the world—until unexpected connections begin to pull him back to life.

Meet Erin. Or maybe don’t.

In a weathered seaside town, their lives intertwine in a story of forgiveness, friendship, and an unexpected spark of romance. All the while, whispers of a haunted house veil the real truth. Because the house isn’t haunted—it never was.

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Author Bio:

Ligia de Wit is a quirky bilingual writer, residing in Mexico City. An eternal romantic who’s loved fairy tales and swashbuckling stories all her life, she blends both with fun language and a hefty sprinkle of romance while she’s at it. Her stories are full of personality with endearing characters.

You can find her short stories with Palamades Publishing, Backchannel Magazine, and WordCrafter.

When not concocting stories, she works at a global leading distributor company. Chat with her at ligiadewit.com.

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Blitz & Giveaway for Sea Magic by Heidi McIntyre

Sea Magic

Heidi McIntyre

Publication date: February 13th 2023

Genres: Historical, Magical Realism, Women’s Fiction

When a reluctant psychic tracks a ghost through the mists of time, the treasure she discovers is worth more than gold.

She knows everyone in this seaside, New England town of Penbrook, and everyone knows her—Madeline Hunter, the shy, quiet antique shop owner who whose idea of a hot date is snuggling up with a good book and her cat, Poe.

But she keeps one thing under her vintage hat—her ability to touch an object and connect with its history. Her new-age aunt says she should embrace her “gift”, but she’d rather pretend it doesn’t exist.

After buying an old box at an estate sale filled with rare items, Madeline started having dreams—startlingly vivid dreams about Maria, a young headstrong Puritan whose “knowing” could get her branded as a witch, and whose forbidden love for a poor sailor caused a scandal.

Together with Evan, an attractive history professor who tempts her to believe in love, she uncovers Maria’s story, helpless to stop its trajectory toward tragedy. She may not be able to change the course of history, but with Evan’s support, maybe she can lay the ghosts of the past to rest—including her own.

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EXCERPT:

Prologue

Maria Hallett

Cape Cod, August 1717

There was a perilous storm last night, with gusts of wind that tore through Eastham like a scourge. The violence of the driving rain had matched my own rage, a pain so bone deep I wondered how I would survive it.

That’s what grief had become for me, a boiling pot of emotions that kept me teetering on the edge. My love was everything to me—my North Star, my

protector, and my deliverer. But now all that was left of him was this interminable rain that drove his coffin deeper into its watery grave.

I placed my shawl on the wet sand and sat down, glaring at the ocean as if I could resurrect him at will. My legs itched from the rough fabric of my homespun

skirt bunched up above my ankles. I picked up a fistful of the cool sand, let it sift through my fingers, and smelled the musty, brackish air. As I undid the pins

of my white cap, my hair billowed like a sail in the breeze.

The noonday sun had long been hidden behind dark, gray clouds—the last remnants of that dreadful weather. A much worse storm had already laid

its mark on this place just four months ago. The devil had a hand in that horrible night, I’m sure of it. At low tide, I could still see the planked shell of his ship like

the bones of a beached whale.

I was afraid my little cottage just above those cliff dunes would be torn apart, so I hid out in my uncle’s barn not but a quarter mile from here. The lashing

rain and howling wind woke me in the middle of the night, giving me a jittery feeling, and I knew something had gone terribly wrong. I pulled my blanket up to my neck and burrowed deep in the hay, but sleep did not come.

The townspeople said I was a witch, but I swear on the Lord’s Holy Bible that was a lie. I admit to having a knowing, just like I knew a storm was brewing

long before the wind picked up and the sky turned pitch-black.

I must humbly confess, for as long as I could remember, I had this feeling about certain things, like a seed that had been planted deep inside me. But I don’t cast spells or cavort with the devil. And I can’t see the future.

My knowing’s neither good nor evil…it just is.

Author Bio:

Always an avid reader, Heidi was inspired to write by her college professor who convinced her to switch majors to English. From then on, she harbored a secret wish to write a novel one day. Heidi spent most of her marketing career as a consultant specializing in fresh produce where she worked with a variety of growers, commodity boards, and associations. Her marketing campaigns received multiple awards.

Sea Magic is her debut novel and the first of the Hidden Gems series, which was also a finalist in the 2022 Page Turner Awards. Originally from New Jersey, Heidi lives in Oviedo, Florida with her husband, Tim, and their dog Pumpkin. She loves coffee, chocolate, yoga and visiting historical places.

Heidi pens a quarterly newsletter about her passion for writing, marketing, and the history of her characters. For more information, visit www.heidimcintyre.com.

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Release Tour for Heart of Glass by Brittany Holland

Title: Heart of Glass

Series: Legends and Lovers

Author: Brittany Holland

Genre: Magical Realism, Contemporary Fantasy Romance, Steamy, New Adult, Fairy Tale Retelling

Release Date: October 25, 2022

Cover Design: Steamy Designs

Hated for her beauty... hunted for her heart.

Adelaide Snow has lived her whole life thinking she's ordinary... but the startling truth has been locked away in her mind. Buried beneath an avalanche of lies.

The week before her twenty-first birthday, she wakes up in a mysterious castle that only exists in her dreams… or so she thought.

It's nothing like the fairytales she read as a child. No charming prince, coming to save the day.

Only a brooding huntsman with a shattered moral compass.

A stranger to the kingdom, and an enemy to the crown, Adelaide has two choices— wake herself from this illusion or disappear into the dark winter woods alone.

The Black Forest can't compare to the darkness lurking inside the palace walls.

Because the Queen has demanded her fragile heart… But the huntsman wants it for himself.

Heart of Glass is a New Adult contemporary fantasy retelling of Snow White. Legends and Lovers is a collection of dark legends, and star-crossed love stories, from 20 best-selling authors. Woven with mystery and magic, love and lore, romance and suspense, this multi-author collaboration promises to make your heart pound and keep you reading late into the night.

Once upon a time, Author Brittany Holland's passion for reading and an active imagination inspired her to pursue her dream of writing. A lover of fairy tales, folklore and mythology, the hopeless romantic pens a modern twist on happily ever after. Her books range from Contemporary Retelling to New Adult Romantic Fantasy. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and two children, perfecting her latte making skills at home and binge-reading her never ending TBR. For more information, visit www.authorbrittanyholland.com

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