Yep, it's that rock emoji again in the subject line. And I'm going to keep using it because it made me so happy to find an emoji that matches Zehra's element! 🪨

(Until Gift of Stone, the main characters in my Teutonic Fantasy Realm have claimed elements that don't quite match available emojis. Like ice [snowflake?]. Blue fire. Red fire. Mist. Hmmmm . . . seems to be a trend.)

I've got some fun news to share with you today, along with another snippet from Gift of Stone. Then I've got a slightly humorous photo, the usual giveaways and books by my fellow indies, and finally a reminder that YOU could seize the opportunity to read and offer insight on my works-in-progress. Yes, you! 👀

Swag Boxes Ready To Mail!

If you were hanging out on my newsletter in the weeks around my most recent release—Gabi & Lukas' sizzling romance in Gift of Fire—you might recall that I ran a paperback & swag giveaway to spread the word about my latest series. Then, you might recall that I haven't mumbled a word about the giveaway since.

Yep. It's 100% because I hadn't ordered Gift of Fire's paperbacks yet. 🤦‍♀️ That was because I embroiled myself in a snafu I won't be doing a second time. (If you're an indie author & want the "insider info" about this snafu, shoot me a reply & I'll share it. It involved KDP Print & IngramSpark. Lessons learned.)

I finally got a nice little box of Gift of Fires in the mail on Monday, so I'm ready to pack & ship swag boxes to the 3 giveaway winners! Not sure if you 3 are on my newsletter or not, but you'll be getting a message from me requesting your addresses within the week. So excited to share Gabi & Lukas' story with you!

Gift of Stone Snippet

If you're one of those readers who has been entrenched in my Teutonic Fantasy Realm since Swanie's saga—which you can find at my Books2Read page—and therefore felt a twinge of disappointment that Gift of Fire leaned more toward romance than fantasy . . . well . . . prepare yourself.

Gift of Stone isn't quite like the first book in Elemental Bloodlines.

Zehra has a past. A harrowing past that was entirely NOT her fault. But she still carries the scars, and she fears her Keyholder's reaction to the truth.

Like her desperate urge to save her family from sex traffickers. 😱

This time, when I sat upon the stone lip of the pool, I sensed a readiness running along my nerves, as if my stone magic wanted me to seize its glories at last. But I settled into a cross-legged pose first and practiced holding my breath, visions of my fiery priest blocking the terror from my mind. And when I reached deep within and called my element to the fore, I shut my eyes as stone hardened my limbs from my fingers and toes upward. It felt right this time, my heartbeat steady.

Before I realized what was happening, my spirit broke free from my body. My eyes opened of their own accord, the fresh spring breeze filtering through the locks of my hair, which swirled around my face. I had braided my hair today. But now . . . now the breeze itself whispered to my consciousness, inviting me into its domain. Surprise shivered through me as I looked down at my hands.

They were translucent, my beige skin casting a silvery light. I wore a robe of gray that matched the stone where my body sat, my bare toes peeking out at me from down below. Even my clothing appeared translucent. Nature’s life seemed to embrace me, the power of the earth welcoming its child home.

I did it, I thought, exhilaration brightening my outlook. My spirit hovered a few centimeters above the ground, not far from where my mortal body sat beside the pool, encased in dark gray stone. With a victorious smile, I tilted my head back, curious about how the city would look from high above.

Determination swelled inside me, reinforcing my intent, and I rocketed into the atmosphere, the trees dotting the Liebig property shrinking beneath me. Thrill bubbled in my chest, and I began to giggle. Coming to a halt about forty meters up, I spread my arms and spun around, my hair and robe whirling in the breeze. This was what it meant to be a Teuton. Utter freedom, perfect unity with the forces of nature, the wonders of magic and light purifying my soul.

Taking a moment to observe the layout of Erlangen, I realized that I could sense each Teuton spirit occupying my city. From this distance, I could not pick them out individually, but I caught wisps of elemental magic rising into the sky where I floated. Red fire, metal, wintry wind, water, molten rock, lightning.

I love all of you. Keep reaching for your dreams. I sent the mental blessing out along with a breathy kiss, then shifted my attention to the Autobahn that ran north to south. I needed to follow that eight kilometers north to the compound where my father ran his business—a seedy motel halfway between Erlangen and Bamberg. He and his cronies maintained the motel as an actual motel, while using the buildings further back from the street for dark purposes.

While I could have drifted in the right direction as a spirit, I was not entirely sure whether I could find the motel from high above. No point in wasting time; it was nearing three p.m. So instead, I dove toward the interchange below me, my eyes scanning the vehicles in the left lane. Those drivers would probably stay on A73 long enough, and I knew what exit I needed.

This might be a little crazy, Zehra, I told myself as I zeroed in on a bright red Mercedes zooming through Erlangen without a care. Keep your thoughts to yourself. You don’t need to cause a wreck.

My anticipation had built so high, I thought my grin might stretch too wide for my face. Narrowing my eyes, I leaped atop the Mercedes’ roof, sinking my feet into the metal just enough to hold my spirit in place. Wind whipped at me like knife blades, the air’s power somehow enhancing my magic. WOOOO! I yelled in my mind, raising my fists into the air.

If being a Teuton spirit was always this exciting, I might fall into a new and otherworldly addiction—leaving my body behind to grasp true freedom. Can’t have sex as a spirit, though, I reminded myself, humor quivering my ethereal form. I’ll have to make sure I can do this whenever I want, memories or not.

The Mercedes’ driver changed lanes shortly after I saw the sign indicating the exit I needed. A jarring experience, but now it was time to leave the car behind. I yanked my feet out of the roof—a scratchy sensation—darting into the sky again and reaching out to grab at the wind’s currents, letting them pillow me. Once my spirit had slowed into a casual drift, I headed right, seeking the single-story motel with its aging sign advertising rooms with cable TV.

I found it several minutes later. A semi-disguised camera sat upon the motel’s sign, facing the street. Again, I felt a touch of annoyance about my earthen element. If I claimed some type of energy, I could take out every camera on this property and set my mother free this very day. As it stood, I would have to find her first. And plan.

My stone detected no Teuton spirits on the property, thank goodness. But I sensed several ordinary humans inside the motel’s front-facing building, others in the compound behind. That second building looked abandoned, tan paint peeling away beneath its blocked windows. The compound’s walls were made of brick and stone, two familiar materials. Maybe I should try that trick Lenz mentioned. Stuff my spirit into the outer wall and study what lay inside.

Today, my primary purpose was to connect with my mother. Fate appeared to be on my side. While I hovered above the compound, pondering the best way to identify her among the ordinary humans—outsiders—in the buildings below, I noticed a woman exiting a back door of the main motel. She spoke a couple words I did not catch to someone inside, then walked toward the compound, her bearing indicating exhaustion.

The acute vision standard to all Teuton spirits told me instantly that I looked at my mother. Clad in an airy dress of dull orange with matching head covering, her lips pursed in what might be resignation, her deep brown eyes the same ones I saw in the mirror. Pain gouged my heart as I watched her. She often wore dresses, but the head covering was new. Had my father courted more radical forms of religion in recent years? Or did he consider his wife a mere servant?

I drifted down to ground level, following several steps behind her. Glancing around the parking lot between the two buildings, I saw four cameras recording all activities in the lot. Though I knew that no technology could record a Teuton spirit, shivers ran along my limbs at the prospect of being noticed. There were no Teutons in this place right now, and outsiders could not see spirits. I reminded myself of that as my mother unlocked a door at the right corner of the compound.

My mother paused to glance behind her before shutting the door, her gaze passing through me as if I did not exist. I would have to speak directly to her mind, once I could catch her alone. I suspected she performed housekeeping duties for the motel, and now she would have to cook dinner for her family. And make sure my siblings did their homework, if my father actually sent them to school.

Steeling myself, I eased my spirit forward until my palms touched the brick wall beside the door. Could I really drift through the wall, like Lenz had said? It was time to find out. Taking a deep breath, I pushed myself forward, my element tingling within me as the bricks enveloped my spirit. Blinking, my eyes widened at the innate energy weaving throughout the wall. I slid my fingers through the bricks at my sides, testing the mortar that held them together. Certainty arose in my soul, telling me I could rend this entire wall asunder if I wished to do so.

No. I don’t want to destroy you, I whispered silently to the bricks around me, fearing they might have caught the direction of my thoughts. Can you lead me to my mother’s room?

A silver cord appeared within the wall to my right, the bricks’ essence sliding against me in what felt like reassurance. I smiled and followed the cord, realizing I had a new ally in my quest to bring my father to justice. Maybe the stones of this compound did not agree with my father’s dark deeds.

The silver cord guided me into a sparsely-furnished bedroom before I could explore that idea further. I knew Teutonic elements were sentient to some degree, but the tomes I had read declared they never communicated in words. But now, I hovered a centimeter above the floor with the wall at my back, gazing down at my mother, who knelt upon her prayer rug with her head bowed.

She did not voice her prayers aloud. She never had, my entire life. I ran my gaze over the contents of the room—a queen-sized bed, a desk with computer and chair, two bureaus, a trash can, and a full-length mirror on the back of the closed door. There was also a mirror on the ceiling over the bed. That implied my mother had to offer erotic services to my father’s clients, or his business partners.

I clenched my ghostly hands into fists, anger roiling through me. Looking at my mother’s submissive posture, I decided to interrupt her prayers. I no longer worshiped her deity, anyway. Anne, can you hear me? I directed my thoughts to her alone, my brain taking a second to switch from thinking in German to Turkish. Anne, can you hear me? It’s your daughter, Zehra.

A tremor raced over her body, but she did not raise her head. “Are you . . . an angel?” she murmured so quietly I could hardly discern the words.

Sorrow gripped me as I recognized that she believed me dead. Not an angel. Just Zehra. Your oldest child. A girl who escaped her handler years ago.

My mother’s body quaked again, and she wrapped her arms around her bowed head. Shielding her face from my sight. Or were there cameras in this room, too? I cut my eyes toward where the walls met the ceiling, searching for them, and my mother whispered, “Oh, Zehra. My precious child. You shouldn’t be here.”

There it was. A lens hidden within the brass border of the mirror above. That meant my mother never enjoyed real privacy. She must not want her captors to read her lips as she talked with me. Fury darkened the gray robe that cloaked my spirit. My mother should not have to live like this.

✨ Pre-order Today! ✨

Fun Photo

Since Zehra spent a few short minutes on an Autobahn—A73—in the snippet above, it's time for the English speakers among us to have a snicker. The "Exit" signs on the Autobahnen are labeled like the photo below. The first time I ever saw a sign like this, I had a good laugh. (This was after discovering that the Dutch word for "Exit" is "Uit," which also looks odd since I don't speak Dutch!)

Yes, I studied German in college, so the word "Ausfahrt" does indeed make sense. "Fahren" means "to go" or "to drive," and "aus" in this circumstance means "out."

So.

Ausfahrt.

I'll see myself out . . . . 😎

🌟 Urban Fantasy Freebies! 🌟

About time I found you another freebie book fair, right? I know, sometimes it gets frustrating scrolling through a giant batch of books on the retailers, looking for the affordable ones. And looking for the ones that aren't on Kindle only—my husband's always giving me grief about those books, since he reads on his iPad. 😜 Lots of fantasy adventures to be had in this week's book fair!

✨ Fantasy Freebies ✨

Recommended Reads

Got 2 eBooks by my indie colleagues to share with you today, one of which is FREE on several retailers. 🤩 (Not all retailers, though, so I apologize if you're left out this time around.) The other eBook is a 99¢ pre-order that looks deliciously intriguing. Have you reserved your copy yet? Better get to it!

All I wanted was a break.

No more killing. No more vengeance.

I thought peace was within my grasp…

I’m Delilah Hawthorne, vengeance demon, tired of killing, and in dire need of a vacation.

I thought I’d found peace in the tiny town of Juniper Lake, but apparently fate has other plans.

Between three conniving witches hellbent on murder, and a hot but nosy sheriff who needs to mind his own business, it looks like the old saying is true – there really is no rest for the wicked.

✨ Get It For Free! ✨

At the stroke of midnight, creatures of the realm come out to prowl.

Beyond the witching hour, darkness and light collide in this limited edition paranormal and fantasy romance collection. These sweet to spicy stories will sweep you off your feet and sate your fantasy cravings. Gods, shifters, fated mates, enemies-to-lovers, alpha heroes, angels, demons, and so much more.

Gargoyles watch silently over the realm where alpha shifters hunt, mighty dragons soar, dark fae wreak havoc, and powerful witches own the night. Enjoy over 30 full-length novels filled with paranormal creatures and fantasy romance. Heart-stopping heroes and alluring anti-heroes rule the land of midnight.

✨ Only 99¢ ✨

Become My Teutonic Friend

In case Zehra's story is stoking the flames of your curiosity a bit too high, don't forget that you can tackle her journey right beside her if you join my membership group on Buy Me A Coffee! Right now, Chapters 1-15 are posted for my Teutonic Friends to read and critique. Already I've gotten a few suggestions to consider as I continue ahead.

For a tiny donation, YOU can read Zehra's story before anyone else (except my husband—he always gets first dibs 😉). I share 3 chapters every week, and the entire book will be available for my Teutonic Friends to read before it releases to the public on February 10th!

Of course you can cancel your membership anytime. That means if you're just chomping at the bit to learn all the deets in Zehra's story, but you're not super enthused about whatever I happen to write afterward, you can join my Teutonic Friends for 1 month and then skedaddle! No judgment, seriously.

Here's the link if you'd like to check it out:

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/clcarhart/membership

Now I'd better get going, because I left Zehra in a really bad spot when I finished Gift of Stone's most recent chapter. Yes, authors tend to torture their characters. And no, we don't always enjoy it. 😭😭😭

Will catch you again next week, and stay weirdly wonderful in the meantime!

Talk to you soon,

C.L. Carhart

Pre-order Gift of Stone: https://bf.clcarhart.com/keag4pmhtb

Read the first 3 chapters:

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/clcarhart/gift-stone-chapters-1-3

Read the prequel in Lunar Rising: https://books2read.com/lunarrisingset

Urban Fantasy Freebies:

https://bf.clcarhart.com/urbanfantasyfreebies-jan/ivdrl84bk6