Thursday, December 18, 2025

INTERVIEW WITH SZ ESTAVILLO (The Serpent's Order- from The Serpent Series

 



Today we're welcoming SZ Estavillo to the page.

Supernatural Central Short and Quick Interview

  1. Tell me a little bit about your main character of this book.

The Serpent’s Order actually follows two main characters told through dual points of view: Detective Anaya Nazario and Von Schlange. They exist on opposite ends of the law, yet both are driven toward the same goal—just through very different means.

Detective Anaya Nazario is a recovering alcoholic, a workaholic, and someone who carries the weight of every case she touches. She’s relentless, deeply principled, and committed to catching the worst of the worst. Her strength comes from her vulnerability—she’s flawed, human, and fighting to stay on the right side of her own demons while she pursues justice.

Von Schlange, on the other hand, is a vigilante who once operated as a serial killer targeting men who escaped justice. Over time, she’s been folded into an elite off-the-books federal black ops unit and now works as an assassin. She’s not in a physical prison, but she’s imprisoned in a different way—bound by her agreement with the government and by her own inability to stop killing. Violence has become both her skillset and her sentence.

The tension between these two women—one sworn to uphold the law, the other built to break it—forms the backbone of the story. Despite their opposing methods, they’re more alike than either of them would ever admit, which makes their intersecting arcs both volatile and compelling.

2. Do you believe in the paranormal, and if so, do you have an experience you can share?

Yes, I do believe in the paranormal. In fact, when I first wrote The Serpent’s Bridge, one of the original POV characters was a psychic. I loved writing her—her voice felt believable, grounded, and added a layer of mystery that really resonated with me.

But ultimately, I realized that blending a detective thriller with a paranormal element could muddy the genre for readers. Thriller readers expect a certain level of realism, and adding psychic abilities—no matter how authentically they were portrayed—created a bit of a genre mismatch. So, I made the difficult decision to remove that element.

Even so, I truly enjoyed writing that character, and I absolutely believe there are things in this world we can’t explain. I like to think there are mysteries, energies, and experiences that sit just beyond our understanding, and exploring that—whether in fiction or in real life—is something that still fascinates me.

3. What titles are you working on now that you can tell us about?

The Serpent’s Order (book 4) book is part of an ongoing series. The next installment is titled The Serpent of Flesh and Fire. It continues Von Schlange’s arc as a lethal assassin working in the shadows — but this time, the story also explores her deepening connection with a fellow assassin who becomes her love interest. When the two are separated and he disappears under dangerous circumstances, Von is forced to track him down before it’s too late.

Like the previous books, this one is told through three POVs: Detective Anaya Nazario, Xander Holt, and Von Schlange. Their storylines intersect as they hunt a drug dealer responsible for a new, deadly strain of tranq dope hitting the streets. The book raises the stakes emotionally and operationally, pushing all three characters into darker, more vulnerable territory.



The Serpent’s Order
The Serpent Series
Book 4
SZ Estavillo

Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Oliver-Heber
Date of Publication: February 10, 2026
ASIN: B0FX5TFVLP
Number of pages: 314
Word Count: 90, 219
Cover Artist: Oliver-Heber

Tagline: An assassin bound by obedience. A detective marked for death. A cartel war with no survivors.

Book Description:

Von Schlange thought she’d escaped her past. Now Black Nova owns her—an elite, off-the-books task force where obedience is survival and failure means death. As their newest assassin, she’s unleashed on targets tied to Jaxon Ryker, a drug lord buried deep in the Alaskan wilds.

Her partner, Xander Holt, a former Navy SEAL with ice in his veins, lives by the same brutal code: no attachments, no lines crossed. But as missions turn bloody, the fragile boundary between partner and lover begins to blur—and desire becomes its own kind of danger.

Across the country, Detective Anaya Nazario faces a nightmare of her own. A synthetic “zombie drug,” deadlier than fentanyl and immune to Narcan, is ripping through Los Angeles. Her investigation exposes a network of dirty cops shielding Ryker’s empire—and puts a target squarely on her back.

Two women on opposite fronts. One war against corruption and cartel power. And a single truth—every betrayal leaves a body behind.

Explosive, unrelenting, and razor-sharp, The Serpent’s Order propels the Serpent Series into its most dangerous chapter yet—where justice is a myth, and survival comes at a price paid in blood.

Book Trailer:

https://www.tiktok.com/@szestavillo.author/video/7573464953785535774

 

 

Excerpt:

 

Darkness pressed against her eyes. The air carried no warmth, only a damp cold that burrowed into her marrow. The metallic taste on her tongue sharpened. Air scraped colder against her throat. Every nerve screamed awake as the chemical fog bled out of her veins. It was easy to fend off the hazy pull of delirium when it felt like she was sitting in an ice box. Frigid salty air wrapped her in an arctic grip, numbing her body. The sound of the seas never betrayed its location, offering no clues as to her whereabouts until the blackout hood was lifted.

Her surroundings winked awake, blurring slowly into focus. Faint traces of soot and aged timber amplified the cabin’s solitude. As her vision sharpened, the first thing she saw was the rugged glaciers looming beyond the drafty windows. Snow consumed the landscape, a frozen expanse as thick as packed sugar, burying the world beneath at least twenty inches of wintery silence. At a distance, she could hear how the ocean roiled, a wild, restless beast, while the bitter subzero terrain stretched in stark harmony with the gray horizon.

Groggy, her eyes roamed in search of Zeus, panic setting in, forcing her heart to quicken until she spotted him across the room in a dark corner. Her head felt like a thousand-pound weight pressed down on her skull, each pulse of pain a hammer striking her temples. She found herself passed out on a lounger that looked to be a decade old—at least her kidnappers, or rather, her new boss—had the courtesy to leave her somewhere relatively comfortable. At the sound of her steps, Zeus lifted his head, tail thumping against the rickety wooden floorboards, though not quite making it to his feet.

It looked like she wasn’t the only one trying to shake herself out of the cocktail she’d been injected with, as Zeus tried to drag himself up. She knelt beside him and massaged his legs, trying to coax circulation back into his limbs. After a few minutes, Zeus soldiered to his feet, the kneading doing the trick. Von exhaled, tension ebbing at the reassuring presence of her loyal companion. She ambled back to the kitchen, taking in her surroundings while Zeus kept time with her steps. A thin film of dust coated the kitchen counters and cupboards, telling her that time had been the lonely cabin’s sole friend for a long while.

She rooted around, discovering there were enough dishes for one person, and the fridge had been stocked with salads and fruit. At least her mysterious employer had the decency to respect her food preferences. They even left a bowl of dried dog food and water for Zeus. How thoughtful. She smirked at their attention to detail as she headed to the bedroom—and then she saw it.

Sitting dead center on the bed, the phone was waiting for her.

Sleek, black, and unbranded—just a smooth slab of technology with no markings or logos, nothing to indicate who made it. While it appeared to be just another typical high-end smartphone, Von knew better. This wasn’t an ordinary device. It was a leash. She picked it up. Lighter than she expected. No buttons, no ports, no removable SIM card. Completely sealed. The kind of hardware designed to be untouchable, tamper-proof. Not to be trusted. The screen stayed dark for a ten-count before flickering to life, awakened by a simple touch. The interface was equal parts minimalist and sterile.

Nothing personal. No apps. No browser. Just a lone notification, already there.

“Welcome to Black Nova.”

She flipped it in her hand, examining it. There wasn’t even a password prompt, fingerprint, or facial recognition scan. Von wasn’t logging in. She was already in—immediate access like it knew her. Then she remembered where she’d seen one before: Jefferson Pierce. Former Marine-turned-hacker, an asset for the FBI. Asset. The word twisted in her stomach, acidic and biting. She recalled the words—“federal asset”—before her world went black. Right before they took her.

“Silent Circle—” Jefferson had called it.

“A what?” She recalled how her brows had knitted together, confused over the unfamiliar phone. “Never heard of it.”

“Military-grade. Locked down tight. End-to-end encrypted calls and messages.”

“Sounds a bit paranoid,” Von had said.

“For what I do—I gotta be. Safest, most private phone out on the market.

She recognized it now. Its black matte finish and elegant, no-nonsense style. But it wasn’t hers—it was theirs. A direct line to the people who had dragged her into this. Her permission not needed. Her choices, her next movements, her next breath would be dictated, assigned. The second she thought this, the phone rang. She stared at it, letting it ring three times before quietly answering.

“You’re awake. Good. Commander Lucian Cain here, in case your memory needs a little reminder,” a calm, authoritative voice began. “Let’s see if we didn’t make a mistake bringing you into the fold.”

“Where the hell am I?”

“Kodiak Island.”

“Fucking Alaska?”

“Impressed you know your geography—most people don’t know where Kodiak Island is,” Cain said. “Before we officially begin, you must complete our test.”

“And if I fail?”

“Don’t think failure’s in your DNA,” he said, then switched to German, “Schlangenfrau.”

She hadn’t intended to assume the title of the Serpent Woman, not before the brutal attack that dragged her to the edge of death. Her guts shredded, body mutilated and left infertile, stripped of the capacity to bear life. A monstrous snake-like crimson keloid scar now etched its path along her abdomen, sewn back up like an object in a sterile lab—efficiently reconstructed like a modern Frankenstein experiment, an uncanny patchwork that left her hollow.

Von Schlange—Schlangenfrau—the Serpent Woman had become her signature.

 

About the Author:

As a BIPOC thriller author, she previously parted amicably with her agent and, three months later, secured an eight-book deal with Oliver-Heber Books—now boasting 24,000 downloads in its first year and a BookRaid bestseller ranking in the thriller category. The Serpent Woman (Book 2) reached #1 on Amazon and topped all three of its categories. Her background spans literary agencies and TV studios, where she contributed to greenlit screenplays that became Lifetime movies. She holds a Master’s in Television, Radio, and Film, has taught author branding workshops (L.A. Writer’s Conference, North Texas RWA), and maintains a 100K+ social media following.










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Wednesday, December 17, 2025

THE CHRISTMAS KNOCKOUT by Wren Valentino

 



The Christmas Knockout
Wren Valentino

Genre: M/M Romance
Publisher: Blue Dasher Press 
Date of Publication: 12/5/2025
ASIN: B0G5B8G3H1
Word Count: 5K

Cover Artist: James at GoOnWrite.com

Tagline: When a lonely reporter meets a legendary fighter, Christmas delivers its sweetest knockout.

Book Description: 

A steamy, romantic Christmas Eve encounter between a lonely reporter and a charming boxing champion. When journalist Grayson Lane meets newly out boxing star Sergio Cavallo, their interview quickly turns into an unexpected escape from a stuffy gala and a night filled with honesty, heat, and holiday vulnerability. In Grayson’s tiny apartment, sparks fly and two lonely men discover a connection neither saw coming.

Excerpt:

Dressed as formally as his casual wardrobe allowed, Grayson arrived sans tie at the staff entrance of a local banquet hall. It was only a few blocks away from the three-story building where the newspaper had occupied for nearly a hundred years, and a short walk from his one-bedroom apartment he shared with a fluffy cat named Duke. The streets were wet from a rumbling rainstorm that had decided to take a short break, much to Grayson’s luck. Sparkling Christmas lights shimmered in puddles, covering the cobblestoned alley with a palette of cozy holiday hues. The banquet hall was similar in neo-Gothic architecture as the old newspaper building. Locals swore the place was haunted just by the sight of it. Secretly, Grayson hoped it was.

He rang the entrance bell and waited, shifting his weight from foot to foot. When there was no response, he rang again. Finally, the old door creaked open, revealing a scruffy man in a tuxedo, sporting large, black-framed glasses. The man eyed Grayson for an explanation for this intrusion.

“I’m Grayson Lane,” he said. When that didn’t get him invited inside, he continued. “I’m here to interview Sergio Cavallo.”

“You’re a reporter?” the man rumbled in a gravelly voice. For a moment, Grayson half-expected to see the swirl of cigarette smoke in the air as if he’d somehow stumbled into a classic film noir.

Sir, are you related to Humphrey Bogart by any chance?

“Yes, I am,” Grayson explained, shivering.

The man glanced him over and said, “You look like a delivery boy.”

“Thanks,” he muttered. “May I see Sergio now?”

With what looked like reluctance, the man with salt and pepper wavy hair nodded and pushed the door open wider. It creaked again and Grayson couldn’t help but wonder if the spooky sound was a warning.

Once inside, Grayson was led down a series of dimly lit corridors, all with walls adorned with framed paintings of the Scottish founders of the city and, apparently, the ones responsible for the building they were moving through.

            Finally, they stopped. The man in the tuxedo knocked on a door before entering. He looked back and said to Grayson, “Come. Mr. Cavallo is waiting for you.”

            Pausing for a moment in the hallway, Grayson drew in a steadying breath, reflecting over the hours of research he’d conducted to prepare for this assignment. Exhaling, he opened the door and entered the room. Glancing around, Grayson determined he was standing in the center of a private lounge that was trying hard to be swanky but really looked like the set of an adult film, complete with dimmed lighting in not-so-subtle shades of hot pink, electric blue, and amber. The furniture was leather, and the carpet looked thick and soft.

Positioned as if he were sitting on a throne was Sergio Cavallo, looking rather distinguished in a fashionable blazer, slacks, and crisp white shirt with the top two buttons undone to reveal olive-tinged bare skin. The dark-haired Italian boxer looked like the undefeated boxing champ that he was, The King of The Ring as many commentators appropriately referred to him. No wonder many had fallen under his spell.

            What Grayson wasn’t expecting was how flushed he felt when Sergio looked into his eyes and with a delicious and very inviting smile said, “Well…hello. You’re not what I was expecting.”

            Trying to ignore the butterflies fluttering inside of him, Grayson held Sergio’s stare and responded confidently, “And neither are you. I’m Grayson Lane.”

            The boxer leaned forward. His dark brown eyes held an expression of tenderness, despite his savage reputation of being a beast of a boxer. His facial hair was a few shades lighter than the almost jet-black hair on his head and looked like a modern version of a Van Dyke. “I’m curious,” said Sergio. Grayson felt the man’s eyes wash over his body as if he were drinking water from his pores. “Grayson, am I somehow a disappointment?”

            Grayson spied an empty chair directly across from Sergio. Not waiting to be asked to sit, he took a seat, sinking into the soft leather. The comfort of the chair soothed his nerves, grounding him in the moment. “Not at all,” he said. “It’s not every day I get to interview a champion.”

            Seeming satisfied with Grayson’s answer, Sergio grinned. “I like you,” he noted.

            “Give it time,” Grayson countered with a playful tone to match the smile on his face.

            “I’m ready when you are,” Sergio said, his words dripping with hot innuendo. “For the interview, I mean.”

 

About the Author:

Wren Valentino is a multifaceted storyteller—an actor, author, entrepreneur, film producer, critic, and instructor—whose work spans stage, screen, and page. A bestselling novelist with twenty-one books across romance, thriller, young adult, and horror, he has built a reputation for crafting emotionally rich, genre-spanning narratives.

An accomplished playwright, Wren has written more than seventy stage plays produced in twelve countries and three languages. His success extends to the screen as well, with eight original screenplays and seven stage plays adapted into films. As a film producer, he has contributed to the creation of over one hundred independent movies, and as an actor, he has appeared in more than forty films.

Wren earned his Bachelor of Arts in Communications and English from Oglethorpe University, graduating with honors. He holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Queens University of Charlotte and completed the Professional Program in Screenwriting at UCLA.

A dedicated member of the writing community, Wren belongs to Contemporary Romance Writers, the International Screenwriters’ Association, Rainbow Romance Writers, and the Romance Writers of America, which recognized his service with a Volunteer Service Award.








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