Carmen DaVinleam
Carmen is an prolific fantasy writer. She writes every day. Often writing in multiple manuscripts at a time. To find out more about Carmen and her stories click on any of the links below.
Quick links to specific genres.
NA - Thriller
Carmen has a titillating 83K New Adult Thriller
The Secrets That They Keep is a New Adult ‘Steamy’ Thriller, it’s Gone Girl x The Secret History x Luckiest Girl Alive, with a sprinkle of Haunting Adeline. Like these novels my book offers psychological tension, exploration of privilege, and the complex characters who get caught up in bad situations. It’s gritty and dark with morally complex characters.
Pitch:
High-end escort Alyx Beck is entangled in a sinister game of betrayal, murder, and manipulation, she’ll have to confront her past to survive in a world where nothing is as it seems.
Alyx Beck has to fake it several times a day. Fake the desire, the lust, and the orgasms. What she doesn’t have to fake is her love for her neurodivergent twin brother or her allegiance to her employer. She’ll do whatever her handler requires of her. They’ve taken care of her since her parents died tragically, and they’ve never steered her wrong. They pay her well so she can take care of her brother’s needs, too. However, when Alyx’s driver/bodyguard—and only friend— Sasha, goes missing with Alyx’s daily take, her devotion can no longer shield her from the handler’s wrath. As events spiral Alyx realizes—a little too late—that she’s been backing the wrong people. She’s caught in a sticky web and there’s only one way out, she’ll have to become the spider.This is a stand alone novel with series potential.
Adult Fantasy
Glimmer Monster
117K Paranormal Urban Fantasy is an #diversevoices #ownvoices manuscript—offering disability representation.
My dark paranormal fantasy novel Glimmer Monster is 117K words. It has ghostly vengeance like that from Rin Chupeco’s THE GIRL FROM THE WELL, chronic pain like that in ALL’S WELL, an afterlife world like The Good Place, a few serial killers, and an anti-hero like Dexter mixed with a reaper like Signa from BELLADONNA who takes care of them.
In the vastness of Afterlife, where rulers insist on compliance, Ryker’s pain goes against everything Afterlife stands for, especially perfection. Struggling to uncover the truth about her own death—so she can find out why she’s the only Afterlifer who feels pain—Ryker must train to do the job she’s assigned… to reap serial killers. When she drinks the reaping potions however, her body morphs into monsters and she feels every shattering bone as she changes. With Afterlife watching her every move, each mistake costs her time, and keeps her from knowing the truth. The more time that’s added to her suspension the longer it will be until she knows how she died and who she left behind. As she hunts these killers, she must push her pain aside and decide who lives and who dies, but when someone from her living life is caught in the grasp of a killer, she’ll have to choose… follow the rules and discover the truth… or save them from a killer and never know.
Glimmer Monster has disabled representation, mystery, monsters, slow burn romance, kidnapping, forever friendships, diversity, strong bonds, the love of family, and pain—both physical and emotional.
This is a stand alone novel with series potential.
YA
Carmen has several YA Fantasy stories, two of which can be found below.
Don't Get It Twisted
75K Paranormal Young Adult Fantasy
This story has a diverse cast and a disabled witch leading the show.
Avice Sinclair had no idea that her crush Esmond would die right after he kissed her, but he isn’t quite gone, his ghost now follows her and plays music for her at every turn. As she hides her witch heritage from everyone else, including her pansexual best friend Herbie, she decides to try and use her powers to keep Esmond around a while longer. Through their musical voyage, they navigate Death's relentless pursuit, triggering revelations of Avice's latent powers. Her daunting mission: to rescue her beloved from Death's clutches, is blocked by her mother who doesn’t want to awaken a curse that Death placed on their family long ago. As the story evolves, Avice's identity takes a dramatic turn when she uncovers lies her mother told her, and Avice discovers her true lineage.
The novel's Spotify Playlist
Kransen Crown
Lavender & Salt
#YA #F #Romantasy #diversevoices #ownvoices - offering simple prose to help keep those with ADHD & Autism engaged.
Complete at 81K
Comps: A Fate Inked in Blood / LightlarkKransen Crown is a story of love, vengeance, acceptance, and fate told in dual perspectives. It has a fierce shield maiden and power-hungry kings/jarls like those in A Fate Inked in Blood, with nonstop action like that in the Lightlark series.Freydis is a fierce shield maiden, trained from the time she was six to be a warrior. Though when her first mission to seek vengeance against the Rydker clan is a failure she must prove herself worthy once again to her father, Torstein the Viking King. To find guidance she seeks the witch in the woods of Torhilda, but will she find the answers she wants or something more treacherous?To protect his family and discover who is behind the recent attack on his village, Prince Herlu will have to journey far away. With his sister’s life hanging on by a thread Herlu travels to Torhilda to find the witch who can heal her. Payment for the witch’s service will require Herlu to help an enemy. He doesn’t expect it to be the shield maiden that hurt his sister. Abandoned by the witch until payment is received, Herlu will have to decide; help the enemy or let his sister die.A promo video can be found below
MG Fantasy
Carmen also writes Middle Grade Fantasy stories, two of which can be found below.
Jan, Crask, and the Faded Rose
39K Middle Grade Mystery / Fantasy
Allow me to introduce you to Jan, Crask, and the Faded Rose. Positioned within the Middle Grade genre, this 39K novel seamlessly blends elements of mystery and fantasy. When one of their friends mysteriously vanishes, a group of quirky middle-schoolers must unite, navigate treacherous caves, and unearth long-buried secrets, blending the camaraderie of The Goonies with the humor and heart of Diary of a Wimpy Kid in a quest to find their missing comrade before it's too late. The story is, The Strangers meets Finally, Something Mysterious, and it has a diverse cast, disabilities, and most of all love.
Cero and theNinja of Fire
#MG #AC # AD #P #SF #FTossed out of his ninja faction, the disgraced ninja of fire must find the sphere of life before it can fall into enemy hands.This is how the world will be saved. A ninja. A boy. And the little girl they’d die to protect.Far away, on the planet CERO, everyone has unique gifts—abilities that allow them to be remarkable. That is until the apocalypse awakens the talents of the young, previously ungifted boy Gideon. As Gideon searches for abilities to steal, the dishonored ninja Kroat searches for the great Sphere of Life. When their paths cross, a war like no other begins.
Current Project
The Slate King:
In drafting stage. 13K current word count
YA Sapphic Fantasy novel with dark kings, magic, dragons, haunted forests, potions/herbs, a magical school for girls, and so much more!
House of Misfits:
In drafting stage. 17K current word count.
YA Fantasy novel with a magical house. Story of a young man who is dealing with the fallout from his parents' drug addictions.
In Development
Below you will find novels titles/genres of books that I have plotted out, or in some level of finished/working on.Tad Dean - #A #Thriller - story of a man who is in the witness protection program because he's going to testify against the mob. However, must escape to save his sister.43 Days - #A #horror - Story of a young woman who comes home to the same day over and over and ends up killed each time. She must overcome her fears and her past to survive.Aeron Tatum Collins - #MG #mystery - Story of a young girl and her family who have just moved cross country only to discover their new neighbors husband (who is nearly a twin to her single dad) mysteriously vanished ten years ago.The Favor
#YA #SF
THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END meets HUNGER GAMESWhen the world is dying there’s only one way to save it, half of humanity must die before the planet does.The world summit that aired live as 17-year-old Jasmine was at school seemed to be a normal part of school symposium. It quickly took a dark turn when the summit leader committed suicide live to show that this summit was no laughing matter. To prevent the world from dying each and every family is required to offer a favor- and depending on your family’s size, perhaps more than one. Each favor will die, so that those remaining can live. Jasmine must race to find her mother and brother. She wants to save them both by offering herself as The Favor.DID I Do That - #A #Horror - Story of a serial killer with DIDThese are only a sampling of the projects that I have waiting.
About the Author:
Carmen DaVinleam is a graduate with honors from National College of Business and Technology. She is a passionate reptile enthusiast living in Kentucky with her kids and many animals. Writing is her greatest love. She published poetry as a teenager, and has written many novels. Her creative outlets include painting, sculpting, and crocheting. You can find her winning short horror story "3:02" in The 2023 Writer's Block Anthology.
A brief introduction from Carmen herself.
Just a Note from Carmen: I signed with literary agent Jennifer Williams in October of 2022, however in early 2023 they left the agency and then the agency ghosted all their clients (there was a big to-do on Twitter). If you'd like more information please do not hesitate to message me.
Contact
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For more information about Carmen DaVinleam please visit her website.