• Hot off the Press – Dark Hearts

    Julia is a werewolf who turned against her pack and saved an innocent life. As a reward for her good deed, she ends up in prison, but thrives while others like her waste away.

    She may look like the Little Red Riding Hood, but she really is the wolf.

    On the eve of a full moon, an unknown benefactor arranges for Julia’s release. Faced with the prospect of returning to the city that nearly killed her, she opts to disappear into the surrounding woods.

    This is the opportunity she needs to find herself and reconnect with the wild. As her past resurfaces, the supernatural and dark elements within humanity take notice of her.

    Before reading on, be sure to consider: She may look like the Little Red Riding Hood, but she really is the wolf.

    Dark Hearts is available in Paperback, Hardcover, and Audiobook.

    Dark Hearts by Evelyn Chartres is available on Paperback and Hardcover

  • The Van Helsing Impetus – Excerpt No. 330

    There was a secondary click as the signal was sent to the charges. This was followed by something that sounded like artillery fire at close range. Next came blinding light as the contents of this room were vaporising around her. 

    Clara had once been enveloped by a moving wall of water, and remained unaffected in this form. This time there came a powerful push, followed by something reminiscent of uncontrolled freefall. Even with a brain wired for flight, her mind could not account for the rapid changes in pitch, roll, and yaw.

    The surge in velocity soon caused her to black out entirely. The last thing she registered was screaming, unaware that she was the source.

    Picture of a large blast, dark clouds of dust and bright clouds of fire. Image by DeSa81 from Pixabay.

    Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.


  • Country Roasted Chicken

    Picture featuring the Country Roasted Chicken dish

    Country roasted chicken uses simple ingredients and gives the dish a sweet-onion flavour. The dry ingredients are ground to ensure a consistent application of the mix. 

    Additionally, the chicken is spatchcocked, for a consistent cooking temp throughout while reducing the chances of burning. If desired, this chicken could be cooked on the barbecue instead. 

    Well worth a try!

    Ingredients

    • 3½ pound (1.5 kg) whole chicken (thawed)
    • 1 package (30 mg) of onion soup mix
    • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of garlic powder
    • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of savoury (divided)
    • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of honey
    • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil
    • ¼ cup (60) of water

    Instructions

    • Pre-heat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
    • Combine soup mix, garlic powder and half of savoury. Using a mortar and pestle grind the contents to a fine powder.
    • In a small bowl, add dry ingredients, olive oil, and honey. Mix until you have a consistent finish. Set aside.
    • Place chicken breast-side down. Using a pair of kitchen scissors, cut out the spinal column and spread the chicken apart. Sprinkle savoury over the cavity and place breast-up onto the grill of a broiling pan.
    • Spread onion-soup mix over the exposed chicken. Sprinkle on additional savoury if desired. Add water to the bottom of the broiling pan.
    • Place In oven until internal temperatures reach 165°F (75°C). Baste every 30 minutes to the skin from burning.

  • The Van Helsing Impetus – Excerpt No. 329

    “That’s where we found the tomb under that ziggurat,” Clara said.

    There was a site in Mexico that she was intimately familiar with. These tracks filled in holes in the timeline that she formed in her head.

    “That’s where they attacked the Terminus and sealed us off,” Clara said. 

    The destinations lined up perfectly, and that included the thread ending at The Grand. 

    “That’s where I died,” Clara said. “But that’s not where I was listed as missing.”

    Picture of the ziggurat in Iraq, after the front was restored. Image by Abdulmomn Kadhim from Pixabay.

  • The Van Helsing Impetus – Excerpt No. 328

    After moving into the centre of the room, she gazed upon the world map. Push pins were found throughout, some differed in colour but quickly figured out the meaning for some. The blue ones denoted known gate points, while those in yellow indicated sites with caches like this one.

    “I received cables from at least nine of those cities,” Clara said, referring to her query on which gates were active after the Terminus was attacked.

    There were more than push pins covering the map, that included pictures, newspaper clippings or cables. It was the combination of all this information that shed light on what happened to hunters after they were cut off from the Tower.

    “I knew her,” Clara said while looking over the picture of a hunter stationed in France. “She’s the one who relieved me at the surgical hospital after I ran into Drusilla.”

    Picture of a map covered in multi-coloured pins. Image by ASSY from Pixabay.

    Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.


  • The Van Helsing Impetus – Excerpt No. 327

    She stopped at the dead centre of the corner, did a right turn as a soldier did in drill, and took what should have been seven paces. While that was true for male hunters, Clara always needed an additional half-step to reach the same point.

    After making a left-turn, Clara faced the flawless brick exterior wall, but knew this was where she should be. She removed the key from her pocket, and a door appeared dead ahead. These doors were always concealed, courtesy of the Gerogians. I wonder what the Tower gave up for that tech?

    She inserted the key into the lock and turned it until the locking mechanism made an audible sound. The door resisted her push, but with some elbow grease it gave way with a snap. Out of caution, she checked the frame and hinges, and while corroded, there were no wires or obvious trigger mechanisms.

    Picture of a double exposed individual in a hallway, surrounded by three doors. There are mysterious streaks of light surrounding them. Image by Aidan Roof from Pexels.

    Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pexels.


  • The Van Helsing Impetus – Excerpt No. 326

    Clara focused until time slowed to a crawl. At this level, she could not speak. Even uttering a simple word like ‘hi‘ would take a minute of holding the note to make the first sound. I can’t stay in this state for long either.

    From the padre’s point of view, the woman approaching the altar simply vanished into thin air. To further distract him, there came a breeze, followed by the door to the confessional slamming shut. 

    The priest’s jaw went slack. After remembering to breathe, he did an all around search of the cathedral and came up empty. Instead of panic, he pulled out a black handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his glasses clean. It was easier to dismiss what he witnessed than ask uncomfortable questions.

    By the time his glasses were back on his nose, Clara had already gone through a false door near the back wall. She was fortunate that the mechanism to open the door was still marked with a double-helix. Wellthat was easy.

    Picture of someone in a blue buttoned shirt cleaning their glasses with a cloth. Image by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels.

    Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pexels.


  • The Van Helsing Impetus – Excerpt No. 325

    The nearer she got to the altar the more the padre grew curious. This man was ancient, replete with silver hair, black-rimmed glasses, and an impeccable garb. Those blue eyes shined with experience, and Clara guessed he knew how to read people.

    While she was an expert at hiding her true intentions, he knew she was not here as a tourist, interested in a confession, or here to pray. Fuck, I’d be in there confessing for hours. How many Hail Mary’s would I have to do for fucking a vampire? So, what now?

    Picture of an old catholic priest with thick glasses wearing a baseball cap, and smoking a cigar. Image by David Henry from Pexels.

    Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pexels.


  • The Van Helsing Impetus – Excerpt No. 324

    Of course the last time she was in this cathedral, the altar had been facing the other way. That was when ceremonies were conducted in Latin. Everyone was subservient to God

    Incense permeated the air, as did smoke from the candles. Only a few were in here praying, the rest were tourists, marvelling at the beauty within. This place is more of a tourist trap than a house of worship.

    As she approached, a priest came out from out of the confessionals. Clara averted his gaze, preferring to avoid him altogether. She had not showered nor changed since crawling out of those ghoul-infested tunnels. I didn’t even think of it… 

    Clara should have known better. As a hunter, she would never come to church dressed like this, unless it was a matter of life and death. While this loosely applied, a voice inside her head taunted her for this slight. I don’t have time for this.

    Pictures of church candles, some glowing brightly, others dying off. Image by Holger Schué from Pixabay.

    Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.


  • The Van Helsing Impetus – Excerpt No. 323

    “Ghouls however…” Clara said.

    Lesser monsters were open season even if their effect was difficult to quantify. Until recently, what harm had Ghouls wrought on humans? Carrion eaters prevented the spread of diseases. For all she knew, it was hunters who brought about the Black Death by thinning out the ghoul population.

    Clara dipped her fingers in the holy water and went through the motions. Upon opening her eyes, she walked past the mostly empty pews on her way to the altar. The entrance to a hunter cache is always near there.

    Picture of someone wearing a black hoody, in a dark environment, facing a fire, wearing a plague doctor mask. Image by Martin Bauschke from Pixabay.

    Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.


  • Orzo and Broccoli Casserole

    Picture featuring the Orzo and Broccoli dish

    A fresh take on a rice and broccoli casserole. This dish swaps rice for orzo, while adding sautéed mushrooms, red pepper, and smoked cheddar for flavour. While the ingredients appear daunting, this recipe is quick and easy to make, providing a ready-to-serve meal that will be sure to please.

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups (500 ml) of thawed broccoli
    • 2½ cups (600 ml) of chicken broth
    • 1¼ cup (275 ml) of orzo
    • 1/3 cup (30 ml) of butter
    • 1 can (285 ml) of sliced mushrooms
    • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of cumin
    • ½ cup (120 ml) of finely chopped onions
    • ¼ cup (120 ml) of chopped roasted red pepper
    • 1 can (285 ml) of condensed cream of mushroom soup
    • ½ cup (120 ml) of milk
    • ½ cup (120 ml) of shredded cheese (roughly 45 g)
    • ¼ cup (60 ml) of smoked cheese (roughly 20 g)
    • ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) of Italian Seasoning
    • 1 cup (250 ml) of shredded cheese (roughly 90 g)

    Instructions

    1. Pre-heat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
    2. Finely chop broccoli. Set aside.
    3. In a medium saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Add Orzo, reduce heat and simmer until broth is absorbed. Melt in 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of butter to give the orzo a creamy finish. Remove from heat.
    4. Melt butter, remaining butter in a medium pan. Sauté mushrooms and cumin. Once the mushrooms begin to brown add onions and red pepper. Continue to sauté until the onions are transparent. Remove from heat.
    5. Mix ingredients (except for the last cup of cheese) in a large bowl until you have a consistent finish.
    6. Transfer to a casserole dish and cover in shredded cheese.
    7. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and browned.

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