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Code of Shadows #0.5
Conjuring Max
**A 25k-word story - originally part of the Fire & Frost anthology**
The witches of the world ridiculed and rejected nerdy Veronica for trying to use these new things called computers to enhance old world spellcasting. Well, it’s 1984 now, and Veronica has perfected her spellcasting computer program. And as usual, she’s all alone, with nobody to share her victory with. Probably for the best—the code is far too powerful and dangerous to let out. And hey, who needs friends when you can conjure virtually anything…or anybody?
When Veronica uses her new powers to solve a crime, she makes powerful Chicago mafia enemies. No problem: she conjures Max, a pit bull of a cop so dangerous to organized crime that they had him killed some months back. Who better to deal with the hit men who keep coming around than a cop like Max?
But tough-guy Max might be more than Veronica and her magic can handle—and he is in no mood to play lapdog to a gorgeous witch.
**This story stands alone, and also serves as a prequel to Mr. Real**
The witches of the world ridiculed and rejected nerdy Veronica for trying to use these new things called computers to enhance old world spellcasting. Well, it’s 1984 now, and Veronica has perfected her spellcasting computer program. And as usual, she’s all alone, with nobody to share her victory with. Probably for the best—the code is far too powerful and dangerous to let out. And hey, who needs friends when you can conjure virtually anything…or anybody?
When Veronica uses her new powers to solve a crime, she makes powerful Chicago mafia enemies. No problem: she conjures Max, a pit bull of a cop so dangerous to organized crime that they had him killed some months back. Who better to deal with the hit men who keep coming around than a cop like Max?
But tough-guy Max might be more than Veronica and her magic can handle—and he is in no mood to play lapdog to a gorgeous witch.
**This story stands alone, and also serves as a prequel to Mr. Real**
86 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 31, 2014
72 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Crane
25 books1,162 followersAfter spending her youth thoroughly obsessed with Nancy Drew and Harriet the Spy and convinced that her suburban neighborhood was awash in dangerous secrets, Carolyn Crane grew up to become a RITA-nominated author of romantic suspense, urban fantasy, and other tales of adventure and love; she also writes erotic romance about bank robbers as Annika Martin.
Her books have been published by Random House and Samhain; these days, this perfectionistic control-freak of an author likes to indie publish. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two cats and works a straight job as a freelance marketing writer. During rare moments when she’s not at her computer, she can be found reading in bed, running, or helping animals.
Her books have been published by Random House and Samhain; these days, this perfectionistic control-freak of an author likes to indie publish. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two cats and works a straight job as a freelance marketing writer. During rare moments when she’s not at her computer, she can be found reading in bed, running, or helping animals.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 1, 2019
My second shorty Carolyn Crane read and just as unique in world building as
Kitten-tiger and the Monk
, both shorties found in anthologies. I love that win of new author finds in anthologies, it makes my reading ♡ happy.
This one I read in Fire & Frost .
To be honest, it took a few chapters to get into any connection with Veronica or Max. They felt flat and cold to me, which is sometimes typical of short stories. The promise of a computerized magical world kept me reading. Midway is when all the real reading magic begins and I was IN!
Good job, dear author. Full-fleshed out, no pun intended, Veronica and Max left me all warm and satisfied.
If I ever can find a copy of book one, Veronica's niece Alix's story, that isn't listed for over $100 (no April fools, Amazon secondary mmkt!) I'll def read it LOL
This one I read in Fire & Frost .
To be honest, it took a few chapters to get into any connection with Veronica or Max. They felt flat and cold to me, which is sometimes typical of short stories. The promise of a computerized magical world kept me reading. Midway is when all the real reading magic begins and I was IN!
Good job, dear author. Full-fleshed out, no pun intended, Veronica and Max left me all warm and satisfied.
If I ever can find a copy of book one, Veronica's niece Alix's story, that isn't listed for over $100 (no April fools, Amazon secondary mmkt!) I'll def read it LOL
May 23, 2017
Veronica and Max
She's a witch that figured out with the help of several super computers how to conjure anything from a photograph. So when she needed protection she found the best, Max, a cop that died in the line of duty.
She's a witch that figured out with the help of several super computers how to conjure anything from a photograph. So when she needed protection she found the best, Max, a cop that died in the line of duty.
aa-to-read-kindle
October 31, 2019Included in Fire & Frost
November 13, 2015
I read the first book in this series, "Mr. Real", and thought it was great so I just had to read more about Veronica and Max. Their story is just as entertaining. Even in the shorter format, Crane does an amazing job of creating two complex and very engaging characters. Max has a hard outer shell that hides a real sweetie inside. There's lots of action, twists and turns, suspense, and a sweet romance between the main characters. So much good stuff in less than one hundred pages. This is very much a standalone story, and having read both, I'm not sure whether it matters in which order the two stories are read. Both are very good. Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews