• Sour Cream Belgian Waffles

    Sour Cream Belgian Waffles

    There is nothing better than waffles in the morning. Add some whipped cream, fresh fruits, and maple syrup to end up with a family favourite.

    (more…)

  • Quinn W. Buckland’s Review of the Van Helsing Resurgence

    Oh wow! Fellow indie author Quinn W. Buckland did his fiftieth review on The Van Helsing Resurgence! I think he summed it up best on his associated Goodreads review:

    …There’s a sinister plot with some shady creatures, vampires going through their motions and a whole lot of naked ladies all the way through. This book hits all the right notes and I cannot wait for the third book in the series.

    What’s not to like about that?

    Please take the time to watch his review and subscribe. He has a lot of reviews that are worth looking over!


  • Collision Course – Part V

    There was a dull rumble that permeated the atmosphere. The sound was so pervasive that it blocked out everything else. When Victoria awoke, the noise faded into the background, leaving her to wonder what was going on.

    The Van Helsing Resurgence by Evelyn Chartres

    It took a great deal of effort, but Victoria managed to pry her eyes open. She found herself sitting on a wooden bench in a train station, surrounded by a world devoid of colour. This was oddly familiar, reminding her of a scene featured in a movie produced well before her time.

    Victoria forced herself from the bench using her weary arms for leverage and explored. The tracks were well maintained from what she could see, since the dim glow from the gaslight was quickly swallowed up by the night. Above, she saw the stars shimmer, dancing in that wave of distortion.

    She was momentarily mesmerised by the dancing flame, reminding her of the fire she kept going back home. In a way, it was her kindest critic, the one who cheerfully burned away the worst of her work, never judging or critical.

    Victoria snapped back into reality when the sky illuminated with lightning. Two separate discharges of energy made the ground tremble, generating a rumble so loud that Victoria hoped her ear drums would not burst.

    Victoria collapsed onto the bench and held her hands against her ears. That seemed to help, minimally, but a small part of her questioned why each instance of thunder produced a distinctive musical note.

    The sky lit up again, creating another spectacular light show, one that displayed a wide range of colours. This time, every flash of light corresponded to a sound, and Victoria needed time to realise that these sounds formed vowels, which, in turn, became recognisable words.

    “Next,” the sky rumbled.

    While the words echoed between the buildings, Victoria’s mind struggled to process all of this stimuli. The situation was more like a memory than a dream. In addition to the sights and sounds, she could smell and feel the rough surface of the bench. Never had a dream been this vivid, and she thanked God that this was the exception rather than the rule.

    “Next?” Victoria asked. “What possible meaning could that word have?”

    There was an infinite number of combinations that could include that word. Her mind struggled to find common phrases or sentences but came up empty. Exhaustion was her constant companion now, one she would rather do without. She wanted nothing more than to put her head down for a while. Would that do her any good in this environment?

    Victoria sensed that the wind was beginning to pick up. Clouds began to form into a funnel cloud, one large enough to encompass the entire sky. Victoria searched for cover but realised there was nothing suitable to weather a storm of this magnitude.

    This time, when the sky lit up, the lights were so powerful that Victoria was blinded. She shut her eyes as hard as she could but still saw red filtering through her eyelids.

    “Is this the end?” Victoria wondered.

    Disclaimer: This chapter is currently in development. There are likely typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. Please do not treat this as a polished and completed work!


  • Evelyn Gets a Copy of Matriarch

    You know a book is that good when you rush out to buy the paperback! Just got Matriarch by indie author Adam Wing in the mail today. This story was truly unlike anything I have ever read! So what are you waiting for?

    Get it now!


  • Evelyn Reads Matriarch

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    I picked up the most amazing book this week! Matriarch, by Adam Wing, is a Indie fantasy with a mythological element that I really could not put down. Coming in at just over one-hundred pages, I devoured this novella in two sittings.

    Matriarch by Adam Wing

    What I thought would be a sweet love story told by the family matriarch on her deathbed, actually became a twisted series of tall tales aimed to entertain her descendants…or was it?

    The reader is treated to a story of love and dedication with increasingly unlikely developments. While fantasy and reality are expertly interwoven, the ending still comes as a delicious shock!

    This story was truly unlike anything I have ever read! I highly recommend it.


  • Collision Course – Part IV

    Clara had been expecting trouble, so when someone yelled from above, her reaction was imperceptible although immediate. She sensed time slow down. The yelling morphed until the voice was deep and slow, more fitting of an opera hall than a dingy alleyway.

    The Van Helsing Resurgence by Evelyn Chartres

    She turned around at what would appear to be a normal speed. Her eyes darted over every aspect of the alleyway, searching for ingress points and any object that could aid or hinder her.

    Clara could have sworn that it was Edith who uttered those words, yet she had never known Edith to unload that kind of vitriol towards anyone. This woman was always cool as ice, not a swirling maelstrom of hate.

    After the poisoned words faded, Clara was almost fully in line with the alley. From out of her peripheral vision, she spotted a window shatter which sent glass shards flying in every direction, just like a grenade going off. However, that was the least of her worries, since there was an angel of fury descending on her.

    Edith’s trajectory was in line to impact both Clara and Elizabeth. While Clara could weather such a blow, her friend, no matter how imposing, was ill equipped to do so. That meant Clara would need to deflect the attack, and so far, her accelerated reaction times would help to stack the odds in her favour. Clara pivoted towards the street using her wings to back off a couple of feet before adopting a runners starting position. She kept her eyes fixed on Edith who was just beginning to realise what was going on.

    “Too late,” Clara said while using her wings to jump start into a run.

    The two women made contact half-way through the alley. Clara managed to deflect Edith enough to send her into a dumpster. The metal deformed on impact and drove the refuse bin into the wall.

    On the other hand, Clara was not so lucky. She aimed a bit low, so the force of the deflection sent her straight into the sidewalk. The impact scraped her bare arms and left a golden streak on the sidewalk. Later on, the full force of that pain would make itself known, but for now, there were other priorities.

    After several bounces on the sidewalk, Clara regained her footing and said, “Di mi! Have you been kicking the gong around?”

    The altercation caught the attention of a passer-by who noticed the wings in addition to the carnage. Sensing his fifteen minutes of fame, he pulled out his phone and began to stream the altercation online.

    Edith pulled herself away from her crater. She ignored Elizabeth, focusing all of that pent up anger on Clara who was standing twenty yards down the line.

    “I don’t talk to traitors,” Edith said while her wings brushed off the dust from her dress.

    “Traitor, now?” Clara queried with a smirk.

    Clara had used up her abilities for now. Edith, however, had yet to use that skill. Clara saw the other angel shift unnaturally, and just reacted.

    Before she knew it, two throwing knives whizzed by her chest. It turned out there were advantages to having breasts that were not as bountiful as Elizabeth’s. Anything bigger would have left a visible mark and slowed her down, in more ways than one. While pain could be ignored, it reduced her effectiveness bit by bit.

    Clara reached toward her back, grabbed the shotgun, and brought it forward. While she had no desire to pull the trigger, still, it paid to make a show of force. A gal had to look out for herself after all.

    Edith remained accelerated and kicked the shotgun barrel up in the air. That shot managed to draw in a larger crowd of spectators. Clara had kept a solid grasp of the weapon until this happened, but at that speed, it was difficult to compensate. The price of holding on meant spraining her dominant wrist.

    “Horsefeathers!” Clara yelled as she backed away.

    Somehow, her opponent could remain accelerated for longer periods than Clara. To compensate, Clara slowed down time just a smidge, but even that was pushing her limits. Still, it made anticipating her opponent’s movements easier.

    Now, when Edith attacked, Clara’s boot made solid contact with the former’s chest. The reaction was immediate and forced Edith to return to normal speed. The hit struck her in the sternum and left her winded, although temporarily.

    Clara had a mild advantage, but that would not last. On instinct, Clara sent the spent shells through the air and used the opportunity to insert fresh ammunition. Once more, she trained the weapon on Edith and remained calm even as the barrel drifted, a side effect of steadying the weapon with a weakened wrist.

    “Not going to answer my question?” Clara asked.

    Edith looked up, her eyes burning with hate. There was nothing left of the woman Clara knew reflected in those eyes. No matter what was said, those words would never reach a reasoned mind.

    “Or would it be better for me to ask why?” Clara asked. “I am starting to understand why men hate getting that line,” she added before adopting a wide grin.

    Edith was a formidable sparring partner at the best of times. Her cold and calculating nature meant that every strike and parry were part of a grand plan. Most were able to think a move or two ahead, but Edith was more like a grandmaster when it came to hand to hand combat.

    Clara did not stand a chance in a fair fight, but her impulsive behaviour often served to add some spice to the chaos. That tactic might end up being her ticket out of this.

    “Elizabeth,” Clara said. “It’s time for you to leave.”

    Elizabeth’s head popped out from one of the dumpsters. When she saw what looked to be a standoff, she figured it was best to follow directions. Clara opened up her wings to their full size in an effort to conceal the escape. While ineffective, it did serve as a distraction.

    When Edith twitched, Clara rested her fingers on both triggers. The sound of the trigger mechanism being engaged, even lightly, was enough to change her opponents mind. Alas, Clara knew this détente would not hold for long.

    “Thank you,” Elizabeth said as she slipped away.

    Clara did not respond and instead kept her eyes focused on the other, the one who had been called down from Heaven in some alternate decision path, a reality where Clara had not been there at a critical junction for Edith.

    “How did you get your wings?” Clara asked, showing genuine curiosity.

    Edith flinched for a moment, conflicted on her course of action. Still, she chose to play along and replied, “I killed Drusilla.”

    Clara quirked a brow before replying, “You too, eh?”

    “Liar!” Edith yelled.

    “How do you think I got these?” Clara said, wiggling her wings.

    “By fucking that vampire,” Edith said.

    “One of them with wings?” Clara asked while cocking her head to the side. “Really?”

    Reason and logic were known to have some sway with the rational version of Edith. The latter took one look at those wings and chose to make a play for the weapon.

    Clara kept her grip on the weapon, but the sprain made her wince. She should have fired a shot, but could not bring herself to pull the trigger. Instead, Edith gripped the weapon from both sides and, through brute force, sheared off the barrel assembly.

    Clara backed away and made sure to block the alley entrance. She wanted to make sure that no one else got in the way of Edith’s wrath.

    “I loved you,” Edith said faintly.

    Clara’s eyes widened. In truth, she had known for years but never expected to hear those words. The effect of that revelation might have been weakened by this tempest of dark emotions, but it did much to lift Clara’s spirits.

    “I know,” Clara said in a cocky tone.

    That quip hit a raw nerve. Edith literally snarled and in a burst of speed, sent Clara flying into one of the dumpsters. The impact was hard, but it was the steel lid that slammed onto her left wing that really hurt.

    Clara realised that she had fractures to deal with. Her wing drooped unnaturally at the midway point, and every time she shifted, pain travelled down all the way to her toes.

    “What?” Clara asked. “How are you even surprised?”

    “You never said anything,” Edith replied.

    “Do you think I was blind to how you looked at me when we were together?” Clara asked. “I fell in love with you the day Sister Beatrice did that strip tease in class!”

    “Then why?” Edith trailed off, her eyes softened.

    “Because they would have kept us apart, and they would have assigned me another partner,” Clara said while forcing her wing closed and wincing at the excruciating pain.

    “You left me,” Edith said.

    Clara knew that was not the whole truth. It was the Reverend Mother who assigned Clara a new mission and left Edith behind as a reprimand for nearly getting them killed. How could she broach that subject without unearthing any uncomfortable truths?

    “The Reverend Mother made that call,” Clara said while massaging her wing back into shape.

    “You never came back,” Edith said.

    “True,” Clara said. “Did you bother to tell me that you left the order?”

    “How do you know about that?” Edith asked while wiping tears from her face.

    “I met you right before heading off to the Grand,” Clara said. “You’d just lost your… lover… and were devastated.”

    “You were never there!” Edith yelled out of disbelief.

    “And yet here we are, sent to Earth on a mission by Gab—,” Clara said.

    “Gabriel,” Edith finished.

    Clara nodded and smiled, hoping that Edith was letting down the wall she had built up over the decades. Despite that, Clara kept her pistol at the ready, knowing that she could not afford to hesitate. A broken wing could heal, but a well-placed strike would end her.

    “Did you land in all of your glory?” Clara asked. “Or did you come to Earth looking as though you just rolled off the red carpet?”

    Edith snickered and a weak smile appeared on her lips. Perhaps things were about to settle? So why was Clara still uneasy about the situation?

    Clara thought back to the last time she saw laid eyes on that smile. Her friend had been an emotional mess back then too. She must have spent hours consoling a distraught Edith that day and another week in Mexico to make sure she pulled through.

    In Edith’s reality, they never crossed paths after being separated at the Tower. Did that mean there was a vampiric doppelgänger on the loose? The thought led Clara to wonder how that reunion would end up.

    “I’m sorry,” Clara said. “I really should have made an attempt to stay in touch.”

    Edith looked at her friend while streams of tears ran over her red cheeks. In the background, they heard a collective disappointment. Now that the worst appeared over, people were expressing their displeasure at reaching a peaceful resolution.

    “So, you didn’t betray me?” Edith asked.

    Clara smiled and opened up her arms, “Of course not. Why would I do that to you?”

    Edith seemed to hesitate while her mind struggled to come to terms with these revelations. Hunters were trained to deal with the unknown, but this was pushing it.

    Eventually Edith moved in closer, opened her arms, and embraced the other in a hug. Even through the leather, Clara was warm, welcoming and enticing.

    Play with your berry patch,” Clara had said.

    Edith’s grip tightened. She reached out and grabbed the wounded wing to grind bone against bone. As waves of pain washed over Clara, she broke free and recoiled in agony. That move left her exposed, so Edith exploited the opportunity by plunging her blade into Clara’s chest.

    “Your days of manipulating me are over,” Edith spat.

    Clara crumpled to the ground. A lung had collapsed and the cavity began to fill with blood. To hold on, she kept her breathing shallow, but it would not take long for her condition to worsen. When she tried to speak, all that came out was golden blood.

    Edith towered over the wounded Clara, all the while wearing a sick smile. In her mind, Clara had been her mission all along, and severing all ties with this traitor would get her back home. Right now, all she could think of was how much she needed that to happen.

    Edith grabbed another knife; her knuckles went white around the handle. For a moment, doubt crept into her mind, but that voice was quickly drowned out. She raised her hand, ready to strike, believing this blade would be her coup de grâce.

    “No!” Elizabeth exclaimed.

    Edith ignored the woman. In a way, this was an act of charity. Clara would be denied the chance to use that tramp as a sex toy.

    “How dare you try to shift the blame!” Edith shouted.

    Just as Edith was about to strike, a shot rang out, but the round flew low and ricocheted off the pavement. Elizabeth stood at the mouth of the alley, her hands shaking, eyes wide. Clearly, this woman was shocked that the shot had gone off.

    Edith didn’t particularly care. Given the range and the shooter’s experience, there was little to no chance of getting a hit. She ignored a second shot that rang out, sure of her invincibility.

    Again, she went in for a strike, just as another series of shots rang out. This time, one of the projectiles flew true. The bullet, however, did not hit home since a wing shifted on instinct to deflect the shot.

    Edith turned to glare down the alley entrance. Her narrow eyes, tense jaw, and white lips were clear signs that she was fuming. She watched the crowd melt away until all that was left was the original passer-by and his phone.

    When this man came to the realisation that he was the only one left to contend with her wrath, he smiled uncomfortably and disappeared around the corner. In the meantime, Elizabeth sped off into the unknown, a passenger of some nondescript cab.

    Clara was nearly unresponsive by then. The golden blood that pooled around the blade was turning a dull red over time. By that point, she was not in any shape to put up much of a fight.

    Edith turned back to face her former friend, the fire in her eyes rekindled, looking more like windows into the seventh layer of hell. Clara struggled to keep her eyes open. She wanted to face her death, show a bit of dignity, but not all wishes were meant to be.

    “Teach you to play with her nethers,” Edith said, and this time, there was no earthly force that would distract her.

    Disclaimer: This chapter is currently in development. There are likely typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. Please do not treat this as a polished and completed work!


  • Patrick Webb Reviews The Clara Grey Adventures

    Patrick Webb, is a fellow author from the Twitter Writing Community. He recently did a review on The Clara Grey Adventures, a series that features Clara Grey as the leading lady. Currently, The Van Helsing Paradox, and The Van Helsing Resurgence are available to read, but a sequel is due out in the Fall!

    Review of the Van Helsing Paradox by Patrick Webb

    Patrick provides an in-depth review of my two books, and makes a few guesses on what is to come. For those leery of spoilers, the author did a great job of warning you before reaching content that could spoil the read.

    Review of the Van Helsing Resurgence by Patrick Webb

    One of my favourite quotes from the review appears early on:

    What I really love about Ms. Chartres’ writing is how she balances character moments, action and gore, with some intimate scenes thrown in for good measure.

    I’d like to take the time to thank Patrick Webb for this lovely review. It is truly a blessing to have the opportunity to see how much a reader enjoyed one of my works. Thank you!


  • Rachel Bross’ Review of The Grand

    A lovely review from Rachel Bross, author of Graham Whitiker: They Call Him Traitor on The Grand. Featured on her YouTube Channel, this episode of Make a Writer’s Day talks about household gumball machines, ant colonies, book covers, and of course book reviews. Please note, that if you want to skip to the reviews, forward to 19:00 minutes in.

    I encourage you the time to watch her review and subscribe to her channel. She covers a wide variety of topics related to writing, and will review whatever she has a chance to read!


  • Collision Course – Part III

    “Light,” Edith murmured, and opened her eyes.

    The world was marred by a haze as it often is when waking up from a deep sleep. When she looked up, the crater caused by her impact came into focus. The visible internal structure of the wall, followed by cracked brick, made her shudder.

    The Van Helsing Resurgence by Evelyn Chartres

    The room was bathed in a dull light which provided more detail but did nothing to convince her there was something important here. Nothing that required her—

    A loud moan caused Edith’s ears to perk up. She sat up straight without trouble and flexed her wings to confirm that everything was healed. Certain that she was back to full fighting force, Edith stood up. Her eyes lingered on the sight of the hallway and adjoining living room, just to make sure that this spectre was not going to interfere.

    When satisfied, she navigated around the ejecta and bed. Before walking up to the window, Edith noticed that a pane was broken. However, the hole was much smaller than expected, and the lack of debris implied it had been cleaned up well before she showed up.

    From the corner of her eye, Edith spotted some movement. Her eyes immediately focused on a tall woman of mixed ethnicity. Even from this distance, the traits that made her a knockout were easily discerned. The fact that this woman had an imposing height, only made her all the more attractive, since that was a trait Edith found alluring.

    As her eyes lingered on the details of those lips, Edith noticed someone moving below. Even though the other gal was on her knees, the silhouette was unmistakable. Edith had spent far too many hours running over the details of that toned figure, petite stature, and elfin-ears, to mistake Clara for anyone else. Although, she did have to admit the black wings were new.

    “You bitch!” Edith exclaimed. “How could you betray me like that?”

    Disclaimer: This chapter is currently in development. There are likely typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. Please do not treat this as a polished and completed work!


  • Collision Course – Part II

    Play with your berry patch,” Clara said from out of the shadows.

    Edith unsuccessfully sought out the source of those words. The world before her was pale and grey, an existence devoid of detail. She associated this place with a poorly drawn out sketch and wondered if this was all part of a dream.

    The Van Helsing Resurgence by Evelyn Chartres

    That would not have been the first time she woke up in a dream state. Most of the hunters she knew were able to manipulate their dreamworlds as they saw fit, so Edith was deeply disappointed that this was the best she could come up with.

    To test her hypothesis, Edith focused her thoughts and observed the world transition from a pale imitation, to a place filled with vivid colour and detail, confirming that she was the master of this domain. Not bad for a gal who had not slept in almost a century.

    “So why am I dreaming?” Edith asked herself.

    The world morphed in response to her query. She was faced with a scene devoid of light, a dark room that lacked any details. The scene was distinctly familiar, but her conscious mind was not fully in control.

    Up ahead, there was another version of herself, the well-dressed flapper who looked like she had just come out of the hen coop. Edith walked around her avatar, taking in the scene, and noted that her copy was observing something down the hallway. Seeing that spectre made her flinch, just in time to witness the powerful transfer of energy that launched her copy into the wall.

    The sight of that impact brought back a dull memory of the pain, none of which was reflected in her current state of being. Edith had never thought about this incarnation’s ability to heal, let alone if it happened at an accelerated rate.

    Disclaimer: This chapter is currently in development. There are likely typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. Please do not treat this as a polished and completed work!


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