Welcome to the January 28th stop on the blog tour for The Grimm Cases series by Lyla Oweds, organized by Lola’s Blog Tours. Be sure to follow the rest of the tour for more great features including reviews, other guest posts, and a giveaway! (More on that at the end of this post.)
This is a guest post stop, so I’ll let Lyla take it away with her portion first and then I’ll be back at the end with more information on the books, the author, and that giveaway.
Guest Post
Being an author is not my primary profession. I actually work with computers design and programming, and my undergraduate is in Anthropology and I am starting graduate school for Information Technology.
Outside of technology, I have an education and a working background in massage therapy and shiatsu—and Asian medicine plays a large role in the fantasy elements of my series. My story is centered on make-believe powers related to the Chinese Five Elements—the wuxing (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water), and my five main characters are each one of those elements personified. Their physical characteristics, personality traits, and even their weaknesses, are based off of Traditional Chinese Elements, interactions, and imbalances. For example, Bianca—the main female lead—suffers from crippling anxiety due to events of her past. This manifests in her personality as pessimism, irritability, nervousness, and her tendency to repress her emotions.
What inspired me to write a fantasy series?
I’ve always been an avid reader of the paranormal genre and had low-key been planning this series since middle school. I love creating and exploring new worlds in my head—it’s one way I’ve coped with my anxiety and depression—and I grew up watching Sailor Moon, Inuyasha, Ranma ½, etc. I was, and still am, a huge Lord of the Rings fan, and have found new loves in the Witcher series and any sort of ghost hunting programming.
I began writing as a way to cope with my own anxiety and PTSD. At first, I focused on short fanfiction pieces, and satire, because laughter has always been something that helped me mentally. Gradually, however, I transitioned into more serious topics. However, even though The Grimm Cases covers serious topics such as childhood sexual trauma, mental disorders, and psychological abuse, and the development of a character who has suffered all of it, I still try to add a splash of lightheartedness to my stories.
So, as a mom, how do I find the time to write? It’s not easy. It did take some time to get into a routine.
My daughter is six now, but she was almost three when I started. Most days she was in daycare part time, because I wanted her to have the social interaction while I worked my day job. And, for a long time, it was only the two of us when she was home. She learned to play independently (under my supervision) while I programmed, wrote, or was on conference calls. I also spent a lot of time working at night, after she was asleep.
Writing with a child is all about balance and making sure to use your time wisely. However, it’s not always easy, especially now that there are two children running around, and I’m not always the best at it. However, I’m trying. The hardest part is getting your ideas on paper, so I find that sprinting works really well for me. I actually discard a lot of my first drafts but having a starting point smooths the process along. I also have multiple notebooks with character notes and plot points, as my stories are extremely interwoven and intricate. I find that it helps with organization when sprinting. In the end, all of my books are the cumulation of multiple drafts (at least three), intense editing, and many years of planning.
About the Series
Origins
The Grimm Cases Book One
by Lyla Oweds
Published 10 October 2018
Genre: YA/NA Paranormal Mystery
Page Count: 219
Add it to your Goodreads TBR!
The things I see aren’t for the faint of heart.
And I am no longer willing to ignore them. Not even when my family, and my best friend, tell me to keep quiet about what’s happening. They say people will think I’m crazy.
Maybe I am.
But the spirit haunting my professor’s house is definitely trying to tell me something, and I’m the only one who can see it.
The one person who can help me is my best friend’s brother. But I don’t know if I can trust him or his friends. Or if I can step outside the protective bubble I’ve built around myself.
At this point it’s a toss up: the ghosts will kill me or my panic attacks will.
Either way, I figure I’m going to die.
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Excerpt
The farther I walked, the fewer homes I saw. The woods thickened. Eventually, the sidewalk ended and street lamps vanished. At this point, I could only see the occasional mailbox at the end of a dirt driveway for homes that were far back off the road.
My map application was telling me that I was in the right place, but could there really be a meeting out here in this remote location? It didn’t seem likely.
Unless, Dr. Stephens had faked his background check somehow. It was entirely possible he had lured me out here to murder me.
I was about to turn back when the sound of an approaching motorcycle startled me from my thoughts. Suddenly, it became vital for me to remain unseen. But of course, I wasn’t so lucky. My heart raced as the motorcycle pulled to a halt behind me.
“Hey you,” a man called. His tone was commanding, though not unkind. But I’d already almost reached my stress limit for the day and the threat of confrontation froze me with terror.
I peeked over my shoulder, unsure of what to do. My already racing heart accelerated as my vision took in the newcomer. The beginning of every horror movie I’d ever watched flashed through my mind.
It was hard not to notice his imposing stature. But as he removed his helmet and shook his head, it was even more impossible to not be entranced by his long, silky locks as they fell gently around his chiseled face.
His movements mesmerized me, and I couldn’t seem to pull my gaze away as he used a glove-covered hand to slowly flip his hair back over his shoulder. He was wearing a torn, plaid shirt, extremely faded jeans, and a few days’ worth of stubble, and the look worked for him.
I was an idiot, admiring the person who was probably going to kill me. Then again, it was impossible not to watch him. He was so gorgeous that I could almost hear a choir of angels harmonizing in the background. His physique was molded from God himself. His face was perfect seduction. I wanted nothing more than to explore every inch of his smooth, olive skin.
I wasn’t stupid. No one that beautiful had good intentions. This was clearly a trap. Much as it normally was in the way of natural selection. This must be how he distracted his victims: dazzling them with his looks. I was certain, because despite all the above, something about this guy screamed danger.
There was something off about him. This was as certain as coffee was the greatest beverage known to mankind.
“Do you need any help? This isn’t the greatest place for a beautiful young woman like yourself to be wandering around alone.” His large green eyes twinkled as he grinned at me, showing off his perfect teeth and adorable dimples. Despite his friendly words, my breath caught. A familiar warning rang in the back of my mind.
Yes, unless I did something drastic, I probably would end up dead. I couldn’t let a lumberjack kill me. That would just be ridiculous.
“I’m all right, but thank you,” I somehow managed to say. I was barely able to look at him anymore. I’d had just about enough of strangers for the day, and I hadn’t even made it to my destination. There was no choice but to move forward; I couldn’t turn back, now that he was there.
Maybe if I ignored him, he’d go away.
“Why are you out here?” His deep, melodious voice drifted after me like a caress. I took the risk to glance back again and almost fell to the gravel.
He had gotten off of his bike and was strolling after me as he pushed it beside him.
…Was this for real?
I could probably outrun him, if I had to. I was fast. Despite his attractiveness, he didn’t look well off. I doubted that he’d be stupid enough to leave the expensive-looking bike behind just to chase me.
There was also the possibility that I was wrong. Perhaps he was a good Samaritan—albeit a persistent one. If he was going to kidnap me, wouldn’t he have done so already?
I slowed down, giving him a wary look. He couldn’t be planning on following me the whole way, could he?
He grinned, realizing that he had regained my attention. “I’m just curious. We don’t get strangers in this part of town. There’s nothing out this way except private residences and trees.”
My anxiety rose as I fought to maintain composure. There wasn’t a reason for him to smile during this discussion. He was totally preying on me. And his words, wasn’t that the same as him saying that no one would ever find my mutilated body?
I had to do something. I discreetly searched my purse until I held the tiny can of pepper spray. I was ready. If this guy tried anything—if he even tried to touch me—he would never know what hit him.
“You didn’t answer, angel. Where are you headed?” He continued to trail after me, managing to become more persistent with every passing moment. “I can walk you there, just to make sure you’re safe.”
I stopped walking entirely—I certainly couldn’t show up at Damen’s with this interloper in tow. “I’m seriously fine.” I tried to reassure him in my nicest voice. To show no fear. “You don’t need to bother with me. Besides, I don’t even know who you are.”
“It’s not a bother at all.” He flashed another blinding smile. “And I guess I should introduce myself. It’s a good thing to be wary of strangers. My name is Titus Ducharme. You might have heard of me; I own Jinshu Security.”
Never heard of it. I pursed my lips, listening to him continue on. If anything, I was even more suspicious now. I highly doubted that this man was the owner of anything resembling a respectable corporation. He was far too young and too wild.
Titus—if that was his real name—didn’t seem to notice. “I’m perfectly legit. You can ask my assistant. But I can’t tell you how happy it makes me when I see a young woman asking questions. You have a good head on your shoulders, it would be remiss of me to not see you to your destination.”
I raised a brow skeptically, unable to come up with a response. He thought I was smart because I asked a question? It almost sounded as though he was making fun of me.
“Let me take a guess and say that you are headed…” He glanced up and pointed in the direction that I had been walking when he pulled up. “…that way. What a coincidence! I’m going that way as well, so this works perfectly. I’ll escort you.”
I wasn’t sure how to respond. He was being so stubborn. It was time to take some action.
He had at least a foot-and-a-half on me and over a hundred pounds of muscle. I had no chance in hand-to-hand combat. There was only one thing for a woman like me to do in this situation.
Yet, despite my fear, I felt guilty. “Titus—”
He grinned warmly as I said his name, as if he loved hearing the sound. The action made me feel even worse for what I was about to do.
I’d give him one more chance.
“I’m seriously fine.” I leveled my most severe glare in his direction, in case he was just a persistent dude with no clue. “You can leave now, please.”
He sighed as he rubbed the back of his head, clearly uncomfortable. “I don’t think that you understand. These streets…I can’t just leave you here alone. I really should—”
Titus didn’t see it coming. The second he refused to leave, I pulled out the weapon and aimed the pepper spray right at his eyes.
Once I had downed the attractive stalker, I ignored his screaming and took off like a bat out of hell.
I had only this chance. According to the maps, I was close to my destination. Between my speed and Titus’s temporary incapacitation, hopefully he wouldn’t catch up to me before I reached safety.
Ghost
The Grimm Cases Book Two
by Lyla Oweds
Published 24 January 2019
Genre: YA/NA Paranormal Mystery
Page Count: 398
Add it to your Goodreads TBR!
My abilities are growing every day. But thanks to my new friends, I know that I’m not insane.
Even so, there’s a darkness inside me. It’s been getting stronger. A reality that I’ve been trying to avoid.
Being near the boys draw it out. Being close to them also make me unafraid for the first time in my life.
I’ve never felt like this before, but at the same time, my mind has latched onto the feelings they evoke. Julian encourages me, Miles comforts me, Titus protects me, and Damen…
Damen gives me something to believe in.
We have days to solve this haunting, but my personal issues threaten to overwhelm me. With each passing day, it becomes more difficult to pretend to be normal.
And if I falter, for even a moment, then I could lose everything forever.
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Blood
The Grimm Cases Book Three
by Lyla Oweds
Published 18 July 2019
Genre: YA/NA Paranormal Mystery
Page Count: 384
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A million things have been kept secret from me for as long as I can remember. And I’m sure there’s a million more.
However, for once in my life, some things are starting to make sense.
No matter what anyone else says, there’s a place for me. With Damen, Miles, Titus, and Julian, I finally belong. Finn might not be happy about it, but what I do is none of his business.
None of that might matter though. Not unless we finish this case. The more things come to light, the more tangled the web. In the end, I might be forced to make an impossible decision: justice or compassion.
Either choice will leave its mark on my soul.
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Hidden
The Grimm Cases Book Four
by Lyla Oweds
Published 24 January 2020
Genre: YA/NA Paranormal Mystery
Page Count: 474
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I finally found somewhere to belong, only to be ripped from the four men who complete me. They are the only ones who’ve ever helped me feel normal.
This was my greatest fear—being locked away, alone with those who would call me crazy. No matter how much everyone tries to convince me otherwise, I won’t admit that there’s something wrong with me. But when the voices keep gaining strength, everything I fought to hide comes to light.
Everyone says I’m broken, but this time, things are different. I‘m different. It doesn’t matter that I don’t fully understand it myself. I refuse to let them win.
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Balance
The Grimm Cases Book Five
by Lyla Oweds
Published 21 January 2021
Genre: YA/NA Paranormal Mystery
Page Count: 320
Add it to your Goodreads TBR!
Miles is kind, caring, and sensitive; at least, that’s what I thought. However, as the days pass by, I’ve come to realize I don’t know my witch very well at all.
Mysteries are unravelling and new alliances are being formed, but Miles’s absence leaves an ache in my chest that even Damen, Titus, and Julian can’t soothe, nor explain. All this does is highlight how little I understand about my newfound world.
Although everyone says not to worry, I can’t shake this feeling of foreboding. Something is wrong, and if we don’t find him soon and get to the bottom of why he left in the first place, he’ll be lost forever. I’m determined to save him, even from himself.
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About the Author
Lyla Oweds is a paranormal romance author who resides in the beautiful Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania. She grew up near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and is a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and has a deep appreciation for the paranormal, hauntings, and Edgar Allan Poe. As such, she loves all things fantasy, mystery, crime, and horror.
She is the author of the Paranormal Reverse Harem series, The Grimm Cases and related novellas. She has also published the first book of Gloria Protean’s story, The Red Trilogy. You can find out more about her current and upcoming works at her website, http://lylaoweds.com.
When not reading, writing, or working as a web programmer, Lyla can be found doing adult-y things such as being a mom, decorating the house, and baking. She also frequently enjoys makeup videos, massages, wine, and coffee.
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Giveaway
There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of The Grimm Cases. One winner win paperback copies of Origins, Ghost, Blood, and Home (US Only).
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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