Writing Spice
THE MAGUS CLUB represents a sea change for me in terms of subject matter and how I treat it. In a nutshell: it packs some heat.
Technically, most of the spicy scenes in the Magus Club are ‘fade to black’ or ‘talk around’ sex scenes. Still, this is so different from my previous works that I actually included a note to readers.
This is the kind of change that an author fears. It’s like that dream where you walk into class naked. There’s a vulnerability to writing physical intimacy that, quite frankly, I don’t think I was ready for until this particular novel. And yes, I will blush as people read it.
Writing spice is a challenge, too, because sex scenes are not easy to do well; they aren’t the least bit sexy unless they are underpinned by deep emotional currents, stark honest, hotbeds of desire and intense stakes. And the mechanics behind scenes that work are actually painstakingly constructed over the course of many chapters.
There are a ton of authors out there who haven’t yet learned this lesson, and it shows. You know the books that just don’t get it right. You know them, and you probably put them on your DNF pile. That’s why sex scenes are a bit of a gamble and a huge leap of faith.
But why The Magus Club? Why now?
Because Esme Wallace’s story demanded it. Esme is a character who has been beaten down by the circumstances of her life, and as a result, she does not let anyone in. Ever. She refuses true intimacy with anyone and everyone, including herself.
That all changes when she meets Julian Holt, as she’s drawn into the Magus Club. Julian’s magnetism, his innate frankness as he approaches the world and Esme, isn’t something Esme can deny. It starts to open her up.
Then there’s Michael Cairns, who I can’t wait for you to meet. He is the character that demands emotional honesty from Esme. This is a deep, soul-rich bond that changes the course of Esme’s life completely.
Love is a form of magic, of course, and the novels in the Arcana Collection are, at their core, magical. But let’s hide this one from my folks, shall we?
P.S. The Magus Club ebook version is available for pre-order at your favourite vendors, and releases Sept. 26, 2026.
P.P. S. Paperback version is coming soon!