A Taste of Your Own Magic
Agents of A.S.S.E.T.
Book Two
Book Two
Katie Salidas
Genre: Urban Fantasy – humorous
Publisher: Rising Sign Books
Date of Publication: 7/17/18
ISBN: 9781732101449
ASIN: B07CVWGJ8Q
Number of pages: 306
Word Count: 78k
Cover Artist: Molly Phipps
We Got You Covered.
Tagline: Everything You Know about Magic is Wrong!
Book Description:
Just when newly minted ASSET agent Sage Cynwrig thought she was getting the hang of this whole magic thing, a smooth-talking Djinn moves in next door. And he's got more on his mind than making her wishes come true.
He'll have to take a number. Between her sharp-tongued, machete wielding partner Grey, and Zack the flirtatious vampire-for-hire, Sage has enough magical men making her life hell.
And then there's the new job. It's all hands on deck at ASSET. Magical creatures are disappearing from the Las Vegas Strip. Rumor has it, the missing creatures are ingredients in a forbidden magical recipe. Someone's attempting to recreate the lost Amulet of Emmuri, and gain power to rival the gods.
Because of course Sage's first official assignment as an agent would require her to, you know, save the world!
To accomplish that, however, she'll have to cross enemy lines and break the very magical laws she just swore to uphold.
Author Reading Sample: https://youtu.be/CAMoLpt-i8g
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/YUKH5vbJT8A
A Taste of Your Own Magic
Sample Chapter 2
Sage fell into a
fighting stance. “I’m a superhero now, remember?” Even when she didn’t have
training scheduled, there was always a chance Devon would try to teach her a
lesson. “I can handle anything!”
fighting stance. “I’m a superhero now, remember?” Even when she didn’t have
training scheduled, there was always a chance Devon would try to teach her a
lesson. “I can handle anything!”
“Oh, that’s
right. How silly of me.” Devon's eyes narrowed, and Sage knew she was in for
it. “Faster than a failed autocorrect text.” He ducked down to sweep her legs.
right. How silly of me.” Devon's eyes narrowed, and Sage knew she was in for
it. “Faster than a failed autocorrect text.” He ducked down to sweep her legs.
She had been
ready for his attack and moved just in time, but kept her eyes on target,
knowing there would be more. It took all she had not to laugh at his playful
taunts. Devon could be pretty witty off the cuff when he wanted.
ready for his attack and moved just in time, but kept her eyes on target,
knowing there would be more. It took all she had not to laugh at his playful
taunts. Devon could be pretty witty off the cuff when he wanted.
“More powerful
than an internet meme!” His fist went flying again.
than an internet meme!” His fist went flying again.
Sage blocked,
but the impact sent her stumbling backwards. It took her a moment to regain her
balance, and as she did, he launched into another round of attacks. He punched
high; she blocked. He kicked round; she dodged. They danced the dance of war
for a few moments until Sage executed a beautiful take down that sent her
confidence soaring.
but the impact sent her stumbling backwards. It took her a moment to regain her
balance, and as she did, he launched into another round of attacks. He punched
high; she blocked. He kicked round; she dodged. They danced the dance of war
for a few moments until Sage executed a beautiful take down that sent her
confidence soaring.
“Able to kick
massive booty after a single shot of espresso.” She laughed, and reached a hand
out to help Devon up.
massive booty after a single shot of espresso.” She laughed, and reached a hand
out to help Devon up.
“Nicely done,
Captain Trainwreck. But don’t get cocky, kid. Your skills are improving.” He
chuckled. “But before you get out there and face the big baddies on the
streets, you have to do it right. Swear in and sign on the dotted line. Have
the backing of the Agency with you.”
Captain Trainwreck. But don’t get cocky, kid. Your skills are improving.” He
chuckled. “But before you get out there and face the big baddies on the
streets, you have to do it right. Swear in and sign on the dotted line. Have
the backing of the Agency with you.”
“Why does that
sound like a trap?”
sound like a trap?”
Devon glared at
her, all but calling her a drama queen with his eyes. “No one is twisting your
arm.”
her, all but calling her a drama queen with his eyes. “No one is twisting your
arm.”
“But you’re
happy to break it, I see,” she replied.
happy to break it, I see,” she replied.
He shrugged.
“You’ll heal.”
“You’ll heal.”
“This place
better have good health insurance. Sounds like I’ll need it.”
better have good health insurance. Sounds like I’ll need it.”
“You’re a
Terra.” Devon crossed his arms as if that were all that needed to be said.
Terra.” Devon crossed his arms as if that were all that needed to be said.
The tender skin
at her neck said otherwise, but there was no use arguing that point. “So what’s
my new training schedule looking like?”
at her neck said otherwise, but there was no use arguing that point. “So what’s
my new training schedule looking like?”
“I’m going to
put you on a daily regimen. When you’re not training with me, I want you in the
weight room, working those muscle groups. You need to get some strength into
those string beans you call arms.”
put you on a daily regimen. When you’re not training with me, I want you in the
weight room, working those muscle groups. You need to get some strength into
those string beans you call arms.”
“Whatever. As
long as I get to wear the cape!” Sage took the edges of it in her hand and
flapped like a bird before wrapping herself up like a bat.
long as I get to wear the cape!” Sage took the edges of it in her hand and
flapped like a bird before wrapping herself up like a bat.
Grey cleared his
throat.
throat.
She’d been so
caught up with Devon she hadn’t even heard his footsteps in the hallway. How
long had he been standing there listening to their conversation?
caught up with Devon she hadn’t even heard his footsteps in the hallway. How
long had he been standing there listening to their conversation?
“What the hell
is this idiocy?” Grey sounded like he was on the verge of laughter, but his
face retained the stony mask of indifference.
is this idiocy?” Grey sounded like he was on the verge of laughter, but his
face retained the stony mask of indifference.
Sage twirled,
fanning out the edges of the cape as she rounded to face him. “A superhero has
to accessorize!”
fanning out the edges of the cape as she rounded to face him. “A superhero has
to accessorize!”
Caught somewhere
between a scowl and a laugh, Grey’s face hadn’t committed to either look,
leaving him with an expression that ruined any serious words he might have
spoken next. Before he could summon his voice, Sage lifted her head and strolled
proudly across the room to meet him.
between a scowl and a laugh, Grey’s face hadn’t committed to either look,
leaving him with an expression that ruined any serious words he might have
spoken next. Before he could summon his voice, Sage lifted her head and strolled
proudly across the room to meet him.
“If I’m going to
pledge my allegiance to the order, they need to know who they’re getting as an
agent.” She sauntered into the hallway.
pledge my allegiance to the order, they need to know who they’re getting as an
agent.” She sauntered into the hallway.
“And so begins
the glorious career of Captain Trainwreck.” Devon’s laughter echoed behind her.
the glorious career of Captain Trainwreck.” Devon’s laughter echoed behind her.
“Great songs
will be sung of my adventures. Mark my words.” Tears burned in her eyes as she
fought to keep a straight face. With her head held high, she marched onward to
victory.
will be sung of my adventures. Mark my words.” Tears burned in her eyes as she
fought to keep a straight face. With her head held high, she marched onward to
victory.
“Sage…” Grey
called out behind her.
called out behind her.
Mr. Wet Blanket
had to have the last word. Sage turned on her heel and shot him a look that
could rival even Ava’s icy glare. “Don’t spoil this for me. I’m having a
moment!”
had to have the last word. Sage turned on her heel and shot him a look that
could rival even Ava’s icy glare. “Don’t spoil this for me. I’m having a
moment!”
“Okay.” He all
but doubled over, hyperventilating as he gasped for air between snorts of
laughter. “But can you have your moment over there?” Grey pointed as he fought
to catch his breath. “Ava’s office is the other way.”
but doubled over, hyperventilating as he gasped for air between snorts of
laughter. “But can you have your moment over there?” Grey pointed as he fought
to catch his breath. “Ava’s office is the other way.”
Dammit!
He was right, of
course, but no way in hell was she giving up the high ground. She wheeled
around and cat-walked down the opposite side of the hallway like a diva in a
fashion show. She gave a little flap of her cape as she passed Grey.
Overconfidence was better than letting him feel he’d taken the wind from her
sails.
course, but no way in hell was she giving up the high ground. She wheeled
around and cat-walked down the opposite side of the hallway like a diva in a
fashion show. She gave a little flap of her cape as she passed Grey.
Overconfidence was better than letting him feel he’d taken the wind from her
sails.
Grey clapped
slowly. Sage could almost hear the sarcasm in each slap of his palms. “Are you
planning to take any of this seriously?”
slowly. Sage could almost hear the sarcasm in each slap of his palms. “Are you
planning to take any of this seriously?”
She wasn’t about
to answer that baited question. Joking aside, this was the hardest thing she’d
ever thought to do – signing over her partially immortal life in service to
ASSET.
to answer that baited question. Joking aside, this was the hardest thing she’d
ever thought to do – signing over her partially immortal life in service to
ASSET.
Ready
to Read More?
to Read More?
~FREE
Sample Chapter 3 - It's Hero Time! ~
Sample Chapter 3 - It's Hero Time! ~
***
~FREE
Sample Chapter 4 - Don't Blink! Don't Even Breathe! ~
Sample Chapter 4 - Don't Blink! Don't Even Breathe! ~
About the Author:
Katie Salidas is a best-selling author known for her unique genre-blending style.
Host of the Indie YouTube Talk show, Spilling Ink, nerd, Doctor Who fangirl, Las Vegas Native, and SuperMom to three awesome kids, Katie gives new meaning to the term sleep-deprived.
Since 2010 she’s penned four bestselling book series: the Immortalis, Olde Town Pack, Little Werewolf, and the RONE award-winning Chronicles of the Uprising. And as her not-so-secret alter ego, Rozlyn Sparks, she is a USA Today bestselling author of romance with a naughty side.
Newsletter: http://www.katiesalidas.com/p/newsletter.html
Twitter http://twitter.com/QuixoticKatie
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/KatieSalidas
Interview with Katie Salidas
Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?
I’m a pantser. I write without a defined plot. That’s not to say I have no clue where a story will take me, but it does mean I let my characters lead.
I start off with a general idea of what I want to have happen. I give my main character a to-do list of sorts. This way I know what she should be doing and we can check the items off as we accomplish them.
Sage is a sassy one. She’s headstrong and has to learn through her mistakes rather than simply accepting the wisdom of those who’ve been there done that.
Needless to say that makes her journey a fun one. Especially when I’m typing out the story, thinking to myself, “Don’t go in there, you idiot,” followed by a very snippy, “Told you so!”
That’s the beauty of being a pantser. I experience the story very similarly to the way a reader does. As I am writing it, I may know the goal points but I am just as surprised by the path my characters take to get there.
When it all works smoothly it’s fun and fast paced, but being a pantser also means sometimes the characters work themselves into a corner and I have to take over, backpedal, and re-write.
We always get there in the end, accomplish our goals, and look back at the amazing adventure it took.
Convince us why you feel your book is a must read.
Have you ever wished that the games you played were real? Or that magic was real? What if you found out it was?
Sage was a D&D gamer guru, playing at casting spells and healing her team as they fought their way toward dragons and black mages. Then, one terrible day that fantasy merged into a frightening new reality.
Sage’s mother was murdered protecting a Weapon of Magical Destruction. The moment her spirit departed, Sage inherited a legacy that lifted the veil between the magical and mundane realms.
Sage must now become the very thing she’s always pretended to be. In the real world, those who protect magic work for ASSET. The Anonymous Supernatural Security and Elimination Taskforce.
It’s a sharp learning curve, but Sage is determined to make her mother proud, or die trying.
Welcome to the Agents of A.S.S.E.T.
Book 1 – A Weapon of Magical Destruction
Book 2 – A Taste of Your Own Magic
Have you written any other books that are not published?
Just started working on book three in the Agents of A.S.S.E.T. series: Magic in Disguise.
Each title is not only a clue to the plot, it is also an idiom (replacing one word with Magic.) I am typically terrible at titles and they are usually no more than one word, maybe two, but for this series I decided to get a little creative and highlight the humor that keeps the story from going too dark.
Book three addresses the fallout of Sage’s battle and the consequences of using magic that was not hers to wield.
I have four other book series in my backlist. The Immortalis series (4 books), The Little Werewolf (3 books), The Olde Town Pack (3 books). Think of those three series like the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They all belong in the same world, with each series focusing on specific characters. And while you’re reading them, you have a chance to peek into the lives of characters from other books.
My fourth book series is a set of 6 books collectively called The Chronicles of the Uprising.
Pen or type writer or computer?
Computer. Always computer. I cannot write, neatly, as fast as I can type. And when it comes to word spewing (which is what I call writing the first draft) it’s all about dumping the story from my head to the page as fast as I can before I lose it.
Seriously, that first draft is a mess. But that’s where the work comes in. Edits and revisions are the bane of my existence. A necessary evil that takes sometimes up to 9 rounds before I’m happy.
Anything you would like to say to your readers and fans?
Thank you so much for having me here today, and letting me ramble on for about a thousand words. I hope some of them were good words. And maybe, just maybe that teaser above will catch a new reader’s eye. Tempt them to take a peek. And then they can go on the ultimate quest with Sage!
Also, I run a private reader group called the Paranormal Posse on Facebook. Readers are the reason I keep writing. If my readers want something, I will do my best to incorporate their requests. You can connect with me personally there if you want to be part of my sounding board and review squad. https://www.facebook.com/groups/ParanormalPosse/
Hugs and Happy Reading!!
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