Today I am so pleased to welcome Kris T. Bethke to Joyfully Jay. Kris has come to talk to us about her latest release, Crystal Clear. She has also brought along a great giveaway. Please join me in giving her a big welcome!

Hi everyone! Extra thanks to Jay for letting me hijack the blog to tell you about my newest release Crystal Clear and bring a giveaway as well.

I knew when I finished writing The 12^th Witch that Justin and Cole weren’t done yet. That book ends with an HFN, which is all well and good. But Justin almost immediately told me that he had more to say. The 12^th Witch is written from Cole’s sole POV. Justin wanted his turn. He was quite adamant that he had more healing to do and that he wanted to tell the next part of the story.

And that Samhain was the time to tell it.

This isn’t a spooky kind of story. For the witches in Justin’s coven, Samhain is a time of celebration. To honor the end of the harvest season and give thanks for the bounties the earth has given. It’s also a time when the veil is the thinnest, and it’s the perfect opportunity to honor the dead. The coven performs their magic rituals to do both those things while uplifting and empowering their members.

It’s a far cry from what Justin is used to.

When writing The 12^th Witch, I had a great time getting into Cole’s head. Cole is a caretaker by nature and he thrives when he’s giving people what they need. Justin ticks all of his boxes. It was more of a challenge to get into Justin’s head for Crystal Clear. He’s got trauma, but he’s stronger now. I wanted very much to give him the closure he needed so that he could continue healing.

This story has magic. And crystals. And power and healing. And so much love. Justin isn’t perfect, and he’s still working on it. But the way Cole and Justin love each other makes my heart happy.

These books really do need to be read in order, so if you haven’t yet had a chance, start with The 12^th Witch to see how Cole and Justin start. And then continue on with Crystal Clear to see them get their happily ever after.

Available now in all the usual places. Happy reading!

Excerpt

I’d never seen Cole this upset or panicked, and I almost regretted telling him. Or at least not downplaying the situation. But he’d heard my half of the conversation, and we didn’t keep secrets from each other. So of course I’d told him. And he went from pissed the hell off to panicked all within about ninety seconds.

“Cole, I’m sure that—”

“Do not.” He pointed a finger at me, his brow furrowed. Then he took a breath and attempted to relax. It didn’t exactly work. “Sorry. But we don’t mess around with safety. I know you think your old coven won’t be able to do anything, and maybe that’s true. The MBI has them under surveillance. But we aren’t going to take a chance. Especially since your cousin thought it was prudent to warn you.”

I relented with a nod. “Okay. You’re right.”

Cole’s shoulders did relax with that. “Thank you. Now the question is, do you want to stay here or do you want me to stay at your place?”

I blinked. “What?”

That fast, Cole’s scowl was back. “You think I’m going to let you stay on your own?”

“Let me?” I couldn’t quite keep the indignance out of my tone.

“Yes. Let you. It’s safer for you to be with someone else. You know what? You’re staying here. It’s easier to ward my house with our power circle out back. We can draw on that and make the barrier ward as strong as possible. And you’ll be harder to find. We’ll have to go to your place and pack a bag, but yeah. It’s better here.” The last was said mostly to himself as he was already heading down the hall to his workroom. No doubt to find some of his rocks for something or other. But it was all moving too fast for me.

“Cole. Wait. Just pause for a second and talk to me.”

To his credit, he immediately stopped and turned to face me. It took him a few seconds, but then he jogged back so he could sit beside me, taking my hand in his. I clung on, needing that grounding. For a moment, we both just breathed.

“I’m sorry. I’m worried, and I want you safe. I would very much appreciate it if you’d stay here with me, where we can put up a good barrier. At least then, you’ll be protected. And the thought of you walking away right now makes my stomach hurt. I lo—care about you so much and it would destroy me if anything happened to you.”

I didn’t miss the slip. And it wasn’t like I didn’t already know he felt that way. He showed me in everything he did, every touch, every smile. He made me feel loved and cared for all the time. And maybe it was the rain last night that had washed me clean and started me on a path to healing, but I wasn’t scared of what that meant anymore. I wasn’t afraid to feel it myself.

Blurb

Sequel to The 12th Witch

Justin Trews lucked out when he found Cole Demauro and the coven he’s joined. He’s still working through his trauma, but he now knows what it’s like to be supported and cared for. His magic is thriving, and so is he. And of course, dating Cole has proven to be the best part. The past three months have been the happiest of his life.

When the veil is the thinnest, Justin experiences Samhain as it is meant to be. It’s a far cry from how he celebrated in the past. With the coven gathered, he participates in the ritual to honor the dead and the end of the harvest season. His magic is full and so is his heart.

But when Justin’s past rears it’s ugly head, he’s faced with dealing with his family. Old hurts run deep and insecurities resurface. Its hard not to feel like a burden and an imposition. With his coven behind him, and Cole’s love buoying him up, Justin finds the strength not only to confront his family but to rely on his coven for help. And when the dust settles, Justin has taken great strides toward healing. Now Justin needs to show Cole just how much he loves him.

Buy Link: Amazon

Bio

Kris is a bisexual hardcore fan of romance, and has been from a very young age. She believes that love is love, no matter the gender of people involved, and that all love deserves to be celebrated. With that in mind, she writes romance across several subgenres but with the ultimate goal of a satisfying happily ever after at the end. That is, after all, the important part.

Kris lives in a converted attic with a pack of rodents who amuse her daily, and long naps on the weekend are her greatest pleasure. A creative soul and an avid daydreamer, her pursuits range past just the written word into fiber arts, candle and soap making, and expressing herself with makeup. Kris finds inspiration in all of life’s twist and turns. From the mundane to the fantastical, just about anything will make it into her books. She loves to hear from readers, so feel free to get in touch through email, Facebook, or Twitter.

Giveaway

Kris has brought a choice of backlist book to give away to one lucky reader. Just leave a comment at the end of the post to enter. The contest ends on Saturday, October 22nd at 11:59 pm ET.

• By entering the giveaway, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
• Winners will be selected by random number. No purchase necessary to win. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
• If you win, you must respond to my email within 48 hours or another winner may be chosen. Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from Joyfully Jay.
• Winners may be announced on the blog following the contest. By entering the contest you are agreeing to allow your name to be posted and promoted as the contest winner by Joyfully Jay.
• Prizes will be distributed following the giveaway either by Joyfully Jay or the person/organization donating the prize.
• All book prizes are in electronic format unless otherwise specified.
• By entering you are agreeing to hold Joyfully Jay harmless if the prize or giveaway in some way negatively impacts the winner.
• Readers may only enter once for each contest.  Duplicate entries for the same giveaway will be ignored. In the event of technical problems with the blog during the contest, every effort will be made to extend the contest deadline to allow for additional entries.
• Void where prohibited by law.