For fans of Mexican Gothic and The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina, The Ordinary Bruja is a psychological horror and magical realism novel about grief, ancestral secrets, Dominican brujería, and one woman’s fight to reclaim the magic her family tried to bury.
When strange messages appear in mirrors, and the scent of cigar smoke follows her through her small Ohio hometown, Marisol Espinal must confront the ghosts of her past, the truth about her mother’s death, and the family curse waiting for her on Hallowthorn Hill.
Her ancestor buried the magic. Now it wants out.
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Sometimes the best thing you take home from a book festival isn’t the money you made, but the people you met and the experiences you didn’t know you needed. On October 17, 2026, I packed up my books, my booth supplies, and my excitement and headed to Stockton, California, for Grim Festival. And let me…
Sometimes, you don’t realize how much of yourself you’ve been hiding until you find a place where you can finally take off the mask. One author reading, a comment from my husband, and an unexpected realization about the people who have become my family.
There is something almost comical about planning a trip to Salem, Massachusetts, only for the journey there to immediately descend into chaos. Almost. I was traveling with both of my cats, which probably tells you everything you need to know about the level of difficulty I voluntarily added to this trip. Normally, traveling with them…
Born in the Dominican Republic, Johanny Ortega’s childhood was enriched by the magic of books, igniting her imagination with each page turned. Her move to the U.S. only fueled this passion, as she mastered English to dive deeper into diverse literary worlds. However, a striking realization hit her: the absence of characters echoing her own experiences. This gap propelled Johanny from an eager reader to a dynamic storyteller, crafting narratives that echo her Dominican heritage across genres and age groups. At “Have a Cup of Johanny LLC,” she’s not just an author but a champion for BIPOC voices, ensuring underrepresented narratives get their spotlight. Writing under two aliases, J.E. Ortega for adult fiction and Johanny Ortega for younger readers, she weaves tales that transcend boundaries, each character a vibrant testament to Dominican strength and spirit. 📚🇩🇴✨
