Jax Charles ~Paranormal Investigator~

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All Things Paranormal

I’ve been hard at work on a new series. This is the first urban fantasy I’ve ever written, so I’m heading into new territory, and so far I’m having a blast. It takes place in a truly a unique city located at the edge of the hill country. People who live there have a saying. “Keep Austin weird.” Quirky and unique, this culturally diverse area of Texas is steeped in supernatural tales about ghosts, haunted highways, and bizarre historical legends. That made it the perfect setting for me to write about Jax Charles, a paranormal detective just getting his boots wet in the supernatural world.

I’m going to let him tell you a little about himself.

My name is John Nick Charles, but everyone calls me Jax. My parents argued for months before I was born about what they were going to name me. Dad wanted me to call me John after him, but Mom was partial to Nick. They ended up compromising, but the first time my Uncle Darwin saw me, he said, “Hello, Jax,” and it stuck.

I’m a private detective, but not your ordinary run-of-the-mill kind. Paranormal investigating is my thing. I deal with witches, ghosts, shapeshifters, alchemy, and the occult. My name usually doesn’t come up over cocktails at dinner parties. Most people in Austin don’t even know I exist. Unless they find themselves in a situation that requires my particular expertise. And even then, they hesitate to talk about it.

 

Jax Charles, PI

It came as a surprise when famous explorer Sir Dwight Winston showed up at my office looking to hire me. I was just getting started, so I couldn’t believe my luck. A wealthy man like him could afford a top-notch team of investigators. Why would he pick an inexperienced PI like me? Turned out he wanted to keep things off the record. So, of course, I jumped at the chance. I needed the money. And it seemed easy enough. My mistake. The next thing I knew, I had been transported to Geiranger Fjord, a place in ancient Norway, in 425 A.D., with orders to retrieve Odin’s Spear.

 

 

The Hunter’s Moon

After an unexpected visit from my Uncle Darwin the night before, my secretary, Marlene, informed me I had an appointment with a potential client. I was exhausted from lack of sleep and not looking forward to the meeting. I had qualms, worrying it was one of those cases where I’d be tailing a spouse, trying to get proof they’d been cheating. Imagine my surprise when I found out it had to do with a pretty girl. And a shapeshifter. One that might be going rogue.

 

 

 

(Coming soon)

The Twilight Carnival

Talk about a blast from the past! When Uncle Darwin stopped by my apartment with passes to the carnival he’d taken me to as a young child, I almost declined. But he was so excited to see his old friend Ty, I couldn’t turn him down. And it’s a good thing. There was trouble brewing at the Twilight Carnival. Strange things had been happening. A mysterious stranger had been seen lurking around, making mischief and spooking the superstitious Carnies. Of course, Darwin volunteered my services, so I ended up with a mystery to solve.

 

 

About The Author

Susan A. Royal takes her readers on adventures to other worlds where anything can happen and frequently does. She raised three children in a 100-year-old house with a ghost who harmonized with her son while he played guitar and pulled up blankets to warm her feet on cold winter nights. Susan writes Sci-Fi/Fantasy with action, adventure, and liberal doses of romance and is currently working on the third in her time travel series: It’s About Time. Want to know more? Check out her other books on Amazon and go to susanaroyal.com for a peek inside this writer’s mind. You never know what you’ll find.

All eBooks and books are available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited.

The Thirteenth Warrior

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The Thirteenth Warrior

I was channel surfing the other night, trying to find something to watch. This time of year, it’s virtually impossible. I was about to give up looking when I came across The 13th Warrior. I hadn’t watched it in years, so I’d forgotten what a good movie it was, even though it was considered an expensive box office flop.

It is a 1999 American historical adventure based on a Michal Crichton’s novel Eaters of the Dead. It was directed by John McTiernan, with uncredited reshoots done by Crichton.

The story is told from the viewpoint of Ahmad (Antonio Banderas), who is recruited to be the 13th Warrior, accompanying a group of Norsemen traveling to aid Hrothgar, whose lands in the far north are under attack by an evil so frightening that no one speaks its name. It shows how he learns to adapt and become friends with the Norsemen, and to recognize that they are intelligent, brave, and honorable.

The cinematography, by Peter Menzies, is excellent. The surreal fog, the dazzling sunsets, and the soaring mountains all add to the mystique. Jerry Goldsmith’s soundtrack was excellent. If you like Michael Crichton films, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

~Into the Unknown~

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In loving memory of Daylon Jones Royal

February 15, 1945 – October 20, 2015

While channel surfing a while back, I happened to catch the end of Close Encounters. I never see that movie that I don’t think of my husband. Especially now that he’s gone. It was one of his all-time favorites. I never really thought about it until today, but now I understand why.

In the movie, Richard Dreyfuss plays Roy Neary, an average middle-class guy who loves his family and works hard to provide for them. Only there’s another side to his character. He still believes in magic. When Roy experiences a close encounter, he doubts his sanity. But he can’t let it go because deep down inside, he wants it to be true. So he makes up his mind to prove it.

My husband was the same kind of man. He worked hard, took care of his family, and lived a quiet life. But, like Roy, there was more to him than met the eye. The casual observer never saw his keen sense of adventure. He had a fascination for the mysterious, the unexplained. The idea of travelers from another world was intriguing to him.

He would have loved the chance to do what Roy did. So it isn’t hard to visualize him standing on the runway at the end of the movie like Roy, all smiles. Reluctant to leave his life on earth, yet filled with nervous anticipation at the thought of going on an adventure beyond the stars.

I like to think that’s exactly what he’s doing right now. I’m certain he’s enjoying every minute.

And someday, I’ll join him.

LOOKS LIKE I’M A LITTLE BEHIND…

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I can’t believe it’s February already. Where does the time go?

Like everyone, I began last year with good intentions. I told myself I was going to post on my website regularly, finish another WIP and another novella, get them published, along with a laundry list of other things.

But 2025 had other plans. It was my year for technical problems. I had to learn to use a new phone and a new computer. I got locked out of WordPress for a while, lost the ability to move photos from my phone to my desktop, and struggled with one IT problem after another. My cover artist stopped doing covers. I lost my formatter. I could go on, but you get the drift.

The good news is that this year, my health is better, and I have a great support group to help me with things I can no longer do. AndI’ve been busy. You can’t imagine what it does for my ego whenever I can mark something off my to-do list.

I hope your year is going well. See you again soon. I promise!

DON’T MISS OUT!

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Reasons to Attend the NETWO Writing Conference:

If you’re an aspiring author and you’ve never attended a writers’ conference, why not?

In the past, I’ve had the opportunity to go to the annual conference held by the Northeast Texas Writers’ Organization. NETWO’s annual Spring Conference will be held this year on April 5, 2025, at Northeast Texas Community College.

Attending has allowed me to see and visit with old friends and network with writers from all over Texas. I’ve met some pretty neat people. Overall, it’s proven to be a fantastic experience that just seems to improve yearly.

I signed up for a one-on-one interview with an editor at my first conference. Did I have any idea what to expect? Absolutely not. You might compare my experience to jumping off a cliff with my eyes closed. Literally, I didn’t know the first thing about how to make a pitch and was so nervous I couldn’t breathe. But guess what? I survived.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re interested in the possibility of writing or have begun the process. Whether you’re looking for an agent/publisher or have already been published, I guarantee you will come away from the NETWO writing conference with something you can put to good use. You may get good advice on building your marketing plan or information on preparing your elevator pitch, query, or synopsis. You might be inspired by a speaker sharing his/her road to publication. You might talk to someone who has gone the small press or self-publish route and get their take on the subject.

I like to ‘collect’ characters. It’s always possible that I might see someone whose mannerisms or personality would be a perfect fit for my WIP or overhear some great dialog. Like any good writer, I’m always looking for ideas to file away for later use. I’ve been known to make observations while attending the conference. You just never know. My daughter Carrie is fond of telling people, “You’d better be careful what you say around my mother, or you’ll find yourself in one of her novels. And it might not be pretty.”

So, the next time you come across something about an upcoming writing conference and think it might be interesting, don’t just think about it. Register and attend. You’ll be glad you did.

Away Beyond The Blue

/ Susan A. Royal / 2 Comments

This is something I posted several years ago. Since then I’ve reposted it every years on Daylon’s birthday.

While channel surfing this weekend, I happened to catch the end of Close Encounters. Never see that movie that I don’t think of my husband. Especially now that he’s gone. It was one of his all-time favorites. I never really thought about it until today, but now I understand why.

In the movie, Richard Dreyfuss plays Roy Neary, an average middle-class guy who loves his family and works hard to provide for them. Only there’s another side to his character. He still believes in magic. In the movie, when Roy experiences a close encounter, he doubts his sanity. But he can’t let it go because deep down inside, he wants it to be true. So he makes up his mind to prove it.

My husband was that same kind of man. He worked hard, took care of his family, and lived a quiet life. But, like Roy, there was more to him than met the eye. The casual observer never saw his keen sense of adventure. He had a fascination for the mysterious, the unexplained. The idea of travelers from another world was intriguing to him.

He would have loved the chance to do what Roy did at the end of the movie. So it isn’t hard to visualize him on the runway at the end of the movie, all smiles. Reluctant to leave his life on earth, yet filled with nervous anticipation at the thought of going on an adventure beyond the stars.

I like to think that’s exactly what he’s doing right now. And I’m certain he’s enjoying every minute.

Someday, I’ll join him.

Be Calm and Winter On

/ Susan A. Royal / 1 Comment

Despite the fact that the weather predictions called for a mild winter this year, it’s been cold. And snowy. There hasn’t been any in my neck of the woods yet, but there are places even further south that have.

I used to love it when it snowed. These days, though, I’m content to sit under a blanket with a cup of tea or coffee. Or at the window in a warm house, watching the Cardinals make a mad dash for the bird feeders.

But I have lots of memories.

I remember the year we moved to East Texas. It snowed so much that schools were closed for a week. The kids had never seen snow before. They had a ball making snow angels, snowmen, and snow ice cream. They played outside until their noses, cheeks, and fingers were rosy red and then came in for cocoa, soup, and grilled cheese sandwiches. I made a lot of stew and chili.

I walked two blocks to school in the snow to pick up the kids because I couldn’t get the car out of the driveway.

My husband would go to the grocery store and bring home grocery bags full of snacks. Pig Skins or a big bag of peanuts to roast in the oven. Marshmallows to make cocoa. Sometimes, I made a big pan of caramel popcorn.

One year, we spent all afternoon sliding down the hill at my sister’s house on old pieces of paneling. It was great fun until the kids ran into my sister and knocked her off her feet. Then we all went inside, removed our coats and shoes, and propped our feet on the hearth to warm up (and recuperate) Lots of memories. Right now, I think I need a nice hot cup of coffee.

Welcome to 2025

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Here’s to new beginnings and endless possibilities

Better late than never! I’ve said that a lot lately, but I vow to do better. Of course, it didn’t help that this year Christmas and New Year came in the middle of the week.

It’s cold in Texas and expected to get colder by the end of the week. I’m sitting at my computer with a blanket on my lap and my hands wrapped around a cup of hot tea, monitoring the thermostat.

Have a good day everyone. Stay warm. Stay well.

A Starry, Starry Night

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I logged onto Facebook yesterday and found something I had shared on November 16, 2013. Stories about my grandchildren are always special.

Today, I’m making up for lost time. I intended to spend my entire Friday evening with my nose to the grindstone, writing and editing. Instead, my daughter invited us to sit around the fire pit with them, drink coffee, and visit. I danced under the stars with my seven-year-old grandson, Caleb. “Follow my lead!” he said when he grabbed my hand. What could be better? I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

How time flies. Today, that grandson is all grown up. He turned eighteen in June and will graduate from high school in a few months. But I’ll never forget those special times we spent hanging out together.