5 Dark Fantasy Tropes in The Bone Key

My book The Bone Key offers so many magical threads for readers to explore. In this book, I delve deep into dark fantasy tropes I love, where my mixed-ethnicity heroine grapples with more than just magic.

My Mixed Ethnicity MC

My main character Valeria Salcedo is of mixed ethnicity. Her father, Alejandro, was Mexican American, and her mother Evelyne, is French Canadian.

Much of her journey in The Bone Key is in exploring her heritage and what it means, both to her and in her witchcraft.

A Reluctant Heroine

Would it be as much fun if Valeria was eager and willing to be the hero her coven needs? Maybe..and maybe not!

I wanted to have that trepidation within herself, that initial hesitancy to step up to the trials and opposition that are before her. I think it makes for a more compelling (and sometimes frustrating!) journey, both for herself and for readers.

High Stakes Plot

It would be one thing if Valeria was fighting against forces that want to stop only her. But when those forces threaten her coven and their magic? Nothing could be more dire. And in The Bone Key, Valeria and her fellow witches realize that Los Cazadores, the hunters intent on rooting them out, are a threat to the very future of the Aquelarre Buho (owl coven).

Traumatic Past

One of the reasons Valeria is so reluctant? The harm Los Cazadores inflicted on her when she was just a child. With a bloodlust that started centuries ago, the hunters show they will stop at nothing to get what they want – even if that means killing Valeria’s father, a traumatic event she witnesses as a child, one that shapes who she is today.

Karmic Retribution

All of these facets make up the witch that Valeria Salcedo is. They haunt her, fuel her, and give her the drive to seek justice for every witch Los Cazadores has harmed. It makes for a compelling journey, one that changes Valeria and allows her to uncover truths about herself she never even dreamed of.

Discover The Bone Key

From karmic retribution to complex identity struggles, the dark fantasy tropes within The Bone Key will take you on a thrilling journey rich in culture, mythology, and threaded with magic and mystery.

It’s available now in hardcover, paperback and ebook.

I also encourage you to find your local indie bookstore to buy a copy! If they don’t have it in-store, most shops are happy to special order a copy.

In Canada, try Indie Bookstores to find your local shop.

In the USA, search for The Bone Key at Bookshop.org