“Before and After: The Hunter and The Bringer Fan Book and Short Story Collection”
New Adult (17+)
Collaboration of Paper Crane Books and “What If…” Publishing.
Both the front and the back covers of this book are created by my beautiful inside and out, blinding with talent and compassion friend Suzy Zhang AKA Cherriuki like the rest in this new adult series. I adore how the medals turned out!
Release Date: September 30th, 2022
*******************************
You can Purchase this Book at:
Official Blurb:
“In order to have harmony, you need to know about your past, embrace your present, and look toward the future.”
Hunter Valda Hemmingway and Bringer Jeremey Darington have shared their backgrounds in their series, but there’s more to unpeel in this world where monstrums lurk in the shadows and use mortals as prey. In this fanbook and short story collection, readers and fans not only go on more adventures with these sassy and capable protectors, but learn more about their teammates, families, and friends. In case you wanted to work for the organizations, get your monstrum encyclopedia, weapon lists, and basic training right here. But, wait; there’s more! Fan art, series playlist, fan-picked quotes, and exclusive sneak peeks are also here in the palm of your hand. Defend the innocent. Bring justice to darkness. Get prepared to swoon, be engrossed in action, and chuckle in this book made for you.
*************************
Praises for “Before and After:”
*****/***** Stars- Such a fantastic Birds Eye view to the snarky pairs love story.
I appreciated the back history of how their stories intertwined, it gave the fate of it all a rom com feel that just makes ya smile. Their constant flirtatious bickering is also fun and I found myself laugh out loud a couple times, always a plus! I love that even when they physically care for another their playful selves come out in the hardest of times and the fact that they find love after such heartaches is inspiring. Not to mention how supportive they are of one another in their continuous healing journeys. ❤️❤️❤️❤️ lots of fun extras for the fans too! Definitely a must read after books one and two!
*************************
Back Cover Art (also by Suzy:)
Cool Posts:
Exclusive Sneak-Peek and Front Cover Art of the Fan Book on this website:
Sample:
| Chief Beryl Edric Full Name: Beryl Deyani Edric Name Meanings: Named after the light green gemstone. Deyani means “successful and determined” in Cherokee. Edric is old English for “rich and powerful.” Nicknames: All Hunters call her “Chief.” Sometimes called Madame. Very few call her by her first name. Birthday: September 6th Home State: Oklahoma Age: 49 at the start of series/50 later Height: 5 ft, 1 inch Eye Color: Dark Brown Hair: Black, always in a high ponytail Education: Criminal Justice degree from Oklahoma. Part of the special police and FBI after this, quickly rising in ranks. Organization: Hunters/Sicarius Venator Joining Age: 28 | Recruitment Method: Recruited Positions Status: Started as a Field Agent and was promoted to Top Agent within a few years. After serving this title for eight years, became the Missouri Artillery Expert for two years (age 36). Then, promoted to Chief of the Missouri Hunter’s Branch (age 38). Five years later, became the Head of the United States branch, too (age 43). Vehicles: Black Porsche 911 to show off in and an Armored LEXUS LX 570 for more dangerous assignments. Expertise: All weapons but shooting guns is her favorite and best skill. She also is excellent at all forms of martial arts and self-defense methods, capturing tools, tracking monstrums, organizing her team, leadership, driving assault vehicles, memorizing lore, natural healing techniques, and analysis. Hobbies: Going to the shooting range, collecting gemstones, researching about monstrum and her tribe, organizing The Hunters’ Base, winning competitions, and seeing things are in order. Personality Traits: Serious, independent, orderly, tough, hard-working, no tolerance for silliness, female empowerment, organized, clever, simple living, go-getter, health conscience, and business savvy. Relatives: Only child of Wise Woman Adsila Onelasa Edric and Flint Edric, CEO of an international gemstone company. Proud member of the Cherokee tribe/Raven Clan. |
******************************
Get the audiobook version of the short story in this collection, “Midnight Madness,” HERE, Narrated by Lexi Evans and Logan Anare!
******************************
Sample of Before Short Story: “Into the Dragon Fire:”
With that one word, a battle cry rang out. Barricades of arrowed down poured from the heavens, the arrowheads glossed in the sand around the volcanic lake where the Draco had been napping for a thousand years, hoping it would make more of an impact combined with the wood from England. Her fellow agents were very precise (although a 50-foot target shouldn’t be too hard to whack.) Valda ran to the other side of the bridge to get out of their shots, the dragon’s cries of fury shaking the earth under her feet.
However, the rage whipped the wind was more of an annoyance than pain, as Valda soon found out when an orb of flames twice the width of her flew over her head, luckily not hitting any structure. The dragon gifted two more in her direction, the final one screeching just in front of her and skipping like a lava rock on an asphalt river.
Exasperated, Valda had her mouth wide and gave the beast of burden an incredulous look, her arms spread out dumbfoundedly, “Fireball? Really? You’re just using fireball?! How D & D basic can you be? You going to tell me your class is a wizard on top of this generic race choice? God!”
The response she received was a snort full of smog that clogged her and the bridge’s lungs.
“Yeah. Real mature. I’m not the one who destroyed half a town because I’m cranky. Why don’t you go back and horde some shiny rocks?”
Valda figured he didn’t like that crack for the monstrum swiveled his gargantuan body around and stomped towards her at a speed unparalleled to what she imagined. She unsheathed her katana, bracing to go for a counterattack when before the dragon bent within biting distance, a large, insanely bright spotlight illuminated the creature, starling both Draco and Huntress. Valda looked up, squinting to make up any shape of what the culprit was, but it did her no good. However, another sense gave her a clue.
“Agent Hemmingway? What’s going on over there?” The irked tone of Chief on her radio sounded, pulling Valda away from the light.
Nibbling her lip to get her head back in the game, she replied, “Umm, it sounds like a helicopter, Chief. But, I’m almost under the spotlight too, so I sadly can’t see to confirm.”
“I did not call in the helicopter squad yet.” Her boss announced firmly.
Sighing, Valda buzzed in again, “I figured that Chief.”
“Then who in Hell⸺”
“Causing trouble again, little Robin?”
A new voice emerged into the scene, one that shot heat into Valda’s blood and made her want to vomit in her mouth. She was almost afraid to turn around but needed to see if a new character was added to this boss fight. Sure enough, standing on top of the second tower, hands on his hips like a blonde Superman without the charm, was the last living thing she wanted to see tonight, or any night.
Through clenched teeth, she spat the name like a curse: “Jeremey Darington.”
Somehow, he heard me, tipping his imaginary hat over his stylish blonde and brown hair that made him look like Captain America. “In the flesh, sweetheart. Always a delight in my day
to see your shining face.” He pointed at the helicopter and winked.
This made Valda stomp her foot, the tension function reacting making it stick to the pavement, almost causing her to trip. Darington chuckled, her adorable antics making his heart tingle. Grunting with ash-filled wind flipping her hair, she stared daggers up at him, shouting, “And you’re always a pain in my ass! What the hell are you doing here?”
Jeremey simply spread his arms wide and tipped his head back calmly, the motion making Valda queasy that he was going to fall from such a scary height. Yet, she got over it. Following his stupid-to-her pose, she saw behind her, on the opposite side of The Golden Gate Bridge where The Hunters set up base were their rivals, The Bringers. This organization knew about the dangers of monsters as well, but instead of killing them outright for their evil nature, they tried to capture them for research, study, and to see if they eventually could convince them to be not so murderous. It was like supernatural PETA and it made Valda sick and mad to think of their blind stupidity.
Gawking at the glistening white vans and agents with bronze emblems on their attires, Jeremey’s sudden voice made her jump in her spot before glaring in his direction. “San Francisco called us too, sweetheart. Don’t take it personally. I, I mean, we, have other special skills to offer.” Blowing her a kiss that she raspberried at, the pretty boy clicked a controller in his hand and spoke in a suave voice, “Go ahead, fellas.”
With that, the sides of the deck pushed up from the concrete at an angle, all about the size of Valda’s foot. In unison, a hundred or so mini torpedoes launched upward and ensnared the bottom half of the dragon, a brown net emerging when all the ropes shot together. After the Draco began to be pulled down, the helicopter shot out a second net on the top of the monster, the two nets weaving and tightening together automatically like it caught a Herculean, fire-breathing fish.
The blinding spotlight slimmed to where it was only focused on the dragon’s head, giving Valda’s eyes time to refresh. After the dancing spots mostly subsided, she saw that the helicopter indeed was white and had The Bringers emblem on it. Jeremey stood tall, hands on his hips in triumph as he swelled with accomplishment. He lifted his controller once more, “Good job, team. Let’s go ahead and get the cables to wrangle this puppy up, as the cowboys say.” The cheeky grin after his banter lit the fuse for Valda.
“WHOA!” She screamed up towards him, making Jeremey stop his mid-turn to gaze down at her. With her nostrils flaring, ears steaming, and hair swimming in the sky every which way, she and the dragon could have been twins. Yet, Darington found her much more alluring, his mouth threatening to water from the sight of her displeasure. How he wanted to pleasure her himself, but he masked his expression in mock innocence.
“Don’t want me to leave, my precious? Well, let’s set up a dinner date.” He cooed to her, plastering on his most gorgeous grin.