Citywide Bytes—Author kicks off new trilogy set in a magical San Fran

In “The Others” (September, SparkPress) author Evette Davis blends magic and realism, creating a “secret society of supernaturals who seek to slow the spread of facism.” Here’s a look at what’s in store:

Olivia Shepherd is a political consultant with a secret: She’s an empath, with the power to experience the emotions of those around her. Keen to keep her supernatural abilities hidden, Olivia's world is upended when Elsa, an ancient time-walker, appears in her kitchen, unveiling a destiny she never knew she had.

As Olivia delves deeper into the hidden world of the "Others" who lurk beneath San Francisco's foggy streets, she finds herself drawn into the clandestine organization of The Council–who seek to influence humanity from the shadows–and Gabriel Laurent, the enigmatic leader of a realm where vampires, witches, fairies and demons navigate a delicate balance of power.

In this episode, we go into Olivia’s character, her abilities, and how she finds herself amidst this conflict. Evette shares Olivia’s motivation and how she handles this new world that she finds herself a part of.

We talk about the fantasy aspect of the story and why she chose to place it in San Francisco, where she lives. We even go into what will be happening in her next two books, but no spoilers here!

Lisa Diane Kastner’s protagonist finds a new family in the sequel to “Cure”’

Let’s face it, family can be a challenge. But when that family is a group of supernatural shapeshifters? Well, that’s a horse—or a wolf—of a different color.

In our newest Citywide Bytes interview, I talk with author Lisa Diane Kastner for her recently-released book, “Family Pack,” the sequel to her 2022 release, “Cure.” The book continues the story of Luna Auber, whom after her brother dies suddenly learns that she is both a shapeshifting lycanthrope and the descendent of a legendary female Viking warrior.

In “Family Pack,” Luna’s epic journey continues amidst a conflict between The Lycanthrope Society, which believe that humans and lycanthropes should exist in harmony, and The Righteous Group, which believe that lycanthropes are intended to rule over all other species.

Lisa talks about the series got its start on a dare from fellow author and New York Times bestseller Jonathan Maberry, and full disclosure, I nerd out quite a bit here. When one of the greats of the writing world dares you to do something, you just gotta!

We also go into how Luna’s progressed on her journey in this new life and the conflict that she’s about to be a part of. Lisa talks about Luna’s powers and how she adapts to this new world as well as how the character and author parallel one another.

And if anyone out there wants to make my dream of Citywide Blackout cookies happen, I’m here for it!

Citywide Comic Spotlight: Ryder

Creator: Austen Marie

Publisher: Tapas Media


If you asked me to choose my favorite webcomic of 2021 (please don’t, there’s too many options), “Ryder” would have to be among my picks. The titular character is a songwriter living the artist life in Los Angeles. When a mysterious woman leads her to a world of the supernatural, Ryder finds herself in a place that, for the first time, makes her feel like she’s finally home.

It was the art that first drew me in, but this series is far more than just amazing illustrations. The story of Ryder and her dreams of musical stardom is easily relatable, and there is much more to come. In the aforementioned supernatural world, she meets some unforgettable characters, including Landon Moon, a musician from (she thought) the human world that she’s a diehard fan of, along with Blithe, who’d also an artist with a complicated past.

The story touches on some serious topics, including relationships, mental health, and what it means to be truly happy. I really liked this aspect of the writing, and imagine some real-life elements have been woven into the story—it just seems the writer has a lot to say on these topics.

At the same time, there’s laughs aplenty, whether it’s Landon learning of the fan-fiction Ryder wrote about him or her conversations with Blithe as they discuss the rules of the supernatural world and explore a growing relationship. There’s a lot of depth here and the length of each episode means we get plenty of time to explore without feeling rushed.

But back to the art, which is absolutely stellar. The use of color is extraordinary, and really brings the story to vivid life, from the clothes to the buildings to the lighting. The scenes for the shows are very detailed and reminded me a lot of my time living in Boston. These scenes are among my favorite. I especially liked the varied outfits the characters wore, with each matching their personality.

The series appears to be taking a break. Whenever it comes back, you can bet I’ll be ready!