by Avery Arujo | Aug 11, 2025 | Book Updates, Date Night With Death
OK. I couldn’t wait any longer. I spent all last week and this past weekend finalizing “Date Night With Death”. It’s done. I can’t edit it down any further. I feel like the voices are strong, the story is tight, and the stakes have been raised. It’s time to wrap this one up so I can get back to writing book three.
This book was originally slated for release on October 7, but since I’m my own publisher and it’s essentially ready, I’ve moved the publication date up two weeks to September 23. It’s available now for Kindle pre-order, and paperback pre-orders will be up as soon as I’ve confirmed that the printed proof looks great.
I’m still planning to have ARCs available (electronic only) at the end of this month. Keep an eye on the blog and be sure to sign up for the newsletter so you can be the first to know when they are available.
As I’ve mentioned before, this book is darker than Blue Moon. There are still moments of levity, but there is also death in the mix, which is inevitable when the Grim Reaper is part of the story. Just a heads up that it contains references to:
- Cancer (specifically a brain tumor)
- Attempted suicide
- Death and grief
- Mentions of domestic abuse
- Mentions of abortion
- Mentions of infidelity
The cancer storyline is deeply personal. My aunt lived with the same diagnosis featured in this book, and many aspects of the character’s journey were inspired by what she experienced. Writing those scenes was emotional for me. Reading them might be emotional for you, too.
That said, I can’t wait for you to meet Dex and dive into his and Mina’s story. And without further ado, here’s the final cover art.
by Avery Arujo | Jul 31, 2025 | Book Updates, Once Upon a Blue Moon
Yes, I know “Once Upon a Blue Moon” just released. It’s basically still a newborn. So why would I decide to change the cover already? Let me tell you a little story…
Actually, there’s no big story. The truth is, my friend created digital versions of my characters for me with the original plan of using them on the covers. But when it came time to actually design those covers, I started wanting tweaks. A lot of tweaks. And they weren’t quick fixes either. (Read: I was a pain in the butt.) Who knew that it would be so time consuming?
The sweet part? He never told me no. Instead, he came up with a completely different design that was easier on his time and energy and allows him to combine licensed art with his own. He showed me a concept and I loved it (with very few tweaks). So we scrapped the character-based covers and went with something simpler, cuter, and more in line with what’s trending in the genre right now.
I especially fell in love with the cover for Date Night With Death. I can’t wait for you to see it in a couple of weeks! And don’t worry, I’ll still be using the individual characters on the website.
But first things first.
Here’s the brand-new cover for Once Upon a Blue Moon! The Kindle version is already updated. I’m just waiting on the physical proof of the paperback to make sure everything looks right when printed. As soon as it gets the thumbs up, that will be updated too.
Hope you love it as much as I do!
by Avery Arujo | Jul 25, 2025 | Book Updates, The World of Moonridge
Today, I want to focus on where the idea for the town and the characters featured in the Welcome to Moonridge series came from.
I grew up in a small town that, to me, always felt a little magical. Sure, it had its flaws (what small town doesn’t?), but there was something about it that I loved. I felt like I was in my own little world where anything could happen. I wanted to recreate that and incorporate all the “what ifs” that I could.
As a kid, I was very “unconventional.” Ok, I’ll admit it. I was a weirdo. I was the one dreaming of casting spells, pretending I had secret powers, and desperately hoping to wake up one morning and discover I was a real witch. Spoiler alert: it didn’t happen the way I wanted it to. It was a sad day when I finally realized there was no way I could shoot magic beams out of my hands, or turn someone into a toad. Yes, I was bullied for being different, but what helped me get through this was a small but mighty group of eclectic, diverse, unapologetically weird and loyal friends who embraced each other’s quirks. We were the outcasts, and we stuck together. This continued into college where I really met my people. Many of us are still incredibly close today, and some of them even gave me permission to turn them into characters in this series.
When I started building Moonridge, I knew exactly the kind of town I wanted it to be. Small and cozy, sure, but also open-minded and tight-knit. An inclusive place where my diverse group of friends and I could exist peacefully. A place where your differences aren’t simply tolerated, they’re celebrated and everyone is welcome. I wanted it to be a place where people don’t always get along, but at the end of the day, they take care of each other. I needed that. I think we all do these days. The world feels really heavy and gross and almost too much to deal with at times. Between all the division, the transphobia, homophobia, racism, misogyny, the wars—including what’s happening in Palestine—it’s a lot. So I made Moonridge my escape. A town with a big heart, where people (and supernatural beings) rally together to fight the darkness. A place I wish existed in real life.
Now, let’s talk characters, because this is where things get really personal.
Hazel, our stubborn, spell-slinging witch? She’s me. Or at least, a version of me that I wish I could show all the time. I’m painfully shy, but once I feel safe, I open up. Hazel doesn’t have that shy filter. She’s brave in ways I wish I could be. She says the things I only think. She stands up, speaks out, and doesn’t apologize for her power. Writing her has been healing in ways I didn’t expect. Maybe one day I’ll be more like her.
And Blake? Big, broody, soft-on-the-inside Blake? That’s my partner, through and through. He’s a very tall, very bearded, gruff teddy bear of a man. The body swap idea came straight out of a late-night COVID conversation. I asked him what it would be like if we were to swap bodies for a day. What would feel weird? What would he do as me? What would I do as him? The answers were, shall we say, enlightening. And hilarious. And that’s where the first spark of Once Upon a Blue Moon was lit.
La’Tasha, Hazel’s no-nonsense bestie? 100% inspired by one of my real-life best friends. She’s the strongest, most beautiful person I know. She’s a soul mate, a therapist, a walking search engine, and one of my fiercest cheerleaders. I love her deeply, and Hazel deserved to have someone like her by her side. That unconditional, ride-or-die type of friendship is a kind of magic all its own. It was just as easy for me to develop La’Tasha as it was Hazel and Blake. There was no way there could be a Hazel without her.
Calvin is based on another close friend. What’s been especially fun is that both of these dear friends have been deeply involved in developing their fictional counterparts. We brainstorm together and map out character arcs. It’s collaborative storytelling at its absolute best. I can’t wait for you to see what we’ve come up with for their books. (Oh yes, La’Tasha and Calvin will both find love amidst the dangers of Moonridge in coming installments.)
And then there’s Coco, who’s loosely inspired by a goddaughter, and Leo, the lovable disaster of the group, is very much based on my bestie’s brother. Every time Leo stumbles his way into a magical mess, just know … yeah, there’s some truth to it.
So when I say Moonridge is personal, I mean it. These stories are magical and fictional, but also stitched together from real relationships, conversations and daydreams. This town and these characters are my heart on a page.
Thanks for letting me share them with you.
by Avery Arujo | Jul 20, 2025 | Book Updates, Date Night With Death
I know, I know—I’m behind on blog posts. This one was meant to go up Friday, and here we are on Sunday. But I promise, I’ve got a good excuse: I just finished line edits for Date Night With Death! The manuscript is officially off to my amazing proofreaders for the final round.
If you’ve been following along, you know I wrote the first two Welcome to Moonridge books back to back. After polishing up Blue Moon and getting it out into the world, I returned to Date Night for another read-through to reorient myself, and that’s when something unexpected happened. I had a breakthrough!
While working through a chapter that felt like it was missing something, the missing piece of a future plot thread clicked into place. I’ve already outlined books three, four, and part of five, but there was a lingering issue I hadn’t quite figured out. It had been gnawing at me in the background, but a little voice kept saying, “Leave it. It’ll make sense later.” And it finally did. The writing gods and goddesses are so weird!
Once I saw how to fix it, I got excited. Like, really excited. I ended up expanding a minor side character’s role. She’s now a major player, not just in Date Night, but in the books to come. That shift meant cutting three chapters and writing four new ones, but I can honestly say the book (and the series) is going to be stronger for it.
Here’s what’s next:
- I expect to get proof edits back by mid-August.
- After that, I will dive into typesetting the paperback.
- The cover is pretty much good to go, but I’m going to sit on it for a while. I’m planning to reveal it on Friday, August 15th.
- In the coming weeks, I’ll also be sharing new character bios, including the fabulous Real Vampire Wives of Obsidian Hills.
- We’re still working on the contact form for the site. Hopefully, it won’t be much longer.
If you’re a reviewer, ebook advance copies will be available on StoryOrigin and NetGalley around the beginning of September.
There’s still a lot to do, and even more to share. Stay tuned!
by Avery Arujo | Jul 1, 2025 | Book Updates, Once Upon a Blue Moon
I can’t believe I’m actually typing this.
Once Upon a Blue Moon is officially out in the world today.
It’s fine. I’m fine.
Truthfully, this is a day I wasn’t sure would ever come. Anxiety and I are old frenemies. My go-to response to anything exciting is: “Everyone will hate it and also me.” (Shoutout to intrusive thoughts for always being early to the party.) But I’m doing my best to shut that noise down and focus on something more important: this book is finished. It’s here. It’s real. And I am so proud of it. I hope you are, too.
Hazel and Blake (my two leads in this book) came to me during the first year of the pandemic. At the time, they were part of a cozy little paranormal rom-com idea. Nothing too serious. Just magic, moonlight, and maybe a kiss or two. But as I kept writing, something shifted. Bianca started to take up more space. Then Ravena appeared, fully formed, with a mysterious past and plans of her own. Suddenly, this wasn’t just a love story. It was the beginning of a battle for Moonridge. Sure there is romance, but there’s also mystery, and the stakes really grew. Suddenly it wasn’t so much about Blake trying to figure out how to handle boobs, and Hazel worrying about using the restroom as a guy. The stakes were much, much bigger.
And then it grew even bigger because a bigger bad showed up. (Because of course it did.) But I’m getting ahead of myself. They don’t come into full view until book two.
To say that the story exploded in my hands in the best possible way would be an understatement. By fall of 2024, I had committed to making this a series. As soon as I sent Blue Moon to my beta readers, I dove straight into book 2. I wanted to make sure my idea would work and I would have enough content. And boy, do I ever. As of today, I’m switching between editing book two and plotting out books three and four. Yes, each book will have new leads falling in love amidst paranormal chaos. Spoiler alert: You’ve already met two of the leads for books three and four if you’ve read Blue Moon. Their love interests will be introduced in book two.
I’m getting ahead of myself. More to come on that. For now, all I can say is I hope you fall in love with this town and these characters, because there’s so much more coming and it would really suck if no one read it. 🙂 I can’t wait to share it all with you.
One last request, if you read Once Upon a Blue Moon, please take a few minutes to leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads (or wherever you share bookish thoughts). It makes a huge difference, especially for a debut indie author. And if you want even more Moonridge in your life, sign up for my newsletter to be the first to know about sneak peeks, exclusive extras, and early reader opportunities.
Speaking of early reader opportunities, I’m hoping to have Book 2 ready for early readers around the beginning of September. If all goes as planned, It’ll be available on NetGalley, BookSprout, and StoryOrigin.
One last note, we are working on building an automated contact page so you can send in questions, theories, or character crushes, and I’ll be answering some of them on the blog. He’s hoping to be able to build it so it will weed out spam and hate mail to keep my anxiety at bay. Fingers crossed.
This journey has been weird and wild and wonderful, and it’s only just getting started.
Thanks for being here.
Welcome to Moonridge. 💙
Love,
Avery
by Avery Arujo | Jun 24, 2025 | Book Updates, Once Upon a Blue Moon
I can’t believe we’re just one week away from the release of my debut novel, Once Upon a Blue Moon! This story (the first in my Welcome to Moonridge series) has been living rent-free in my head (and heart) since the early days of the pandemic.
It all started during COVID lockdowns, when I, like many of you, was searching for a little magic and escape. That’s when Hazel and Blake first appeared. A sarcastic witch. A grumpy werewolf. And then … they swapped bodies. I couldn’t stop thinking about them. What started as a fun novella idea quickly spiraled into something much bigger (and way more chaotic) in unexpected ways.
Enter Bianca. Or as you’ll come to know her, Ravena, the town’s perfectly polished, suspiciously serene wellness guru. Once she stepped onto the page, I knew Once Upon a Blue Moon wasn’t just a one-off story. It was the beginning of something bigger.
By the time I finished the first draft, I was fully in love—with Moonridge, with the characters, with the idea of building a series where love, magic, and mystery collide in one charmingly weird town. I dove straight into writing book two (Date Night With Death), not only to keep my momentum, but to make sure I could truly commit to the long game. Spoiler alert: I could. I did. I’m all in.
So what’s next?
Each book in the Welcome to Moonridge series will center around a new couple finding love while facing off against something supernatural and sinister. You’ll revisit familiar faces (and meet a few new ones), and a much bigger, darker threat will begin to unfold in book two (something even more dangerous than Ravena).
Book two stars Mina, the human B&B owner with a love of baked goods and giving unasked-for advice, and her unlikely love interest: the actual Grim Reaper. (Yes, you read that right.)
I have plans for at least 4–5 books following this arc, and honestly, I already have more ideas than I know what to do with. Moonridge is alive in my head, and I can’t wait to invite you in.
Thank you for being part of this journey. I’ll be back soon with more updates, but in the meantime … mark your calendars, pre-order if you haven’t yet, and get ready to fall under Moonridge’s spell.
