Johanny Ortega | Have A Cup Of Johanny LLC
The Ordinary Bruja
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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Blog
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Mrs. Franchy’s Evil Ring: A Fresh Spin on Christmas Tales
Read more: Mrs. Franchy’s Evil Ring: A Fresh Spin on Christmas Tales“Mrs. Franchy’s Evil Ring” is a refreshing take on Christmas tales, filled with suspense, adventure, and valuable life lessons. Set during a frosty Massachusetts winter, it follows the journey of a brave nine-year-old, Isla, who faces her biggest fear – her stepmom. Along the way, Isla and her family learn to let go of long-held…
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Echoes of Despair: A Glimpse into Gaza’s Crisis Through an Outsider’s Eyes
Read more: Echoes of Despair: A Glimpse into Gaza’s Crisis Through an Outsider’s EyesThus Far: An Overview On October 7, 2023, an act of violence broke through our subconscious and enlightened most to see something that has been going on for 75 years. Hamas, a rebellious group from Palestine that has been categorized as a terrorist group by various countries, attacked and killed Israeli civilians attending a concert.…
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My Bookish Birthday Celebration: Indie Bookstores, Octavia Butler, Art, and a Whole Lot of Books
Read more: My Bookish Birthday Celebration: Indie Bookstores, Octavia Butler, Art, and a Whole Lot of BooksI celebrated my birthday month by doing something extremely on brand: dragging my husband on a bookish pilgrimage through the San Gabriel Valley. From roses and Kehinde Wiley at The Huntington to an Octavia Butler wall, witchy bookstores, banned books, an actual bookstore dog, way too many new books, and Dominican food to end the…
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What Our Mothers Leave Behind | S2 E5 Diarra from Detroit
Read more: What Our Mothers Leave Behind | S2 E5 Diarra from DetroitEpisode Five of *Diarra from Detroit* explores motherhood and the many forms legacy can take. For me, its deeply human storytelling reached beyond Detroit and carried me back to the Dominican Republic, where my grandmothers left me prayers, rituals, memories, and the strength to confront whatever still haunts me.
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What Is Gothic Fiction? The Evolution of Gothic Horror From Haunted Castles to Modern Gothic
Read more: What Is Gothic Fiction? The Evolution of Gothic Horror From Haunted Castles to Modern GothicGothic fiction has never been just haunted castles and ghosts. From Horace Walpole to modern postcolonial Gothic, the genre has evolved alongside the fears societies try hardest to bury. Here’s how Gothic horror changed and where The Forgotten Bruja fits within that tradition. #gothichorror #gothicfiction
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Danger Was Never Just a Background Character
Read more: Danger Was Never Just a Background CharacterRecently posted on Threads and now in the blog: Danger began as someone I barely noticed in *Diarra from Detroit*, but Jon Chaffin’s layered performance transformed him into a character I cannot stop thinking about. Beneath Danger’s hardened exterior is a man attempting to choose vulnerability, healing, and softness after a lifetime spent surviving. #Diarrafromdetroit…
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Diarra Will Risk Her Life Before Sitting with Her Feelings
Read more: Diarra Will Risk Her Life Before Sitting with Her FeelingsIn Diarra from Detroit, Diarra will investigate an explosion, confront dangerous people, and risk her life before sitting still with her emotions. Beneath the show’s outrageous comedy is a painfully relatable story about trauma, avoidance, and rebuilding an identity after divorce. #Diarrafromdetroit
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I Sold Out at the Gothic Market and Selling Books Wasn’t the Biggest Lesson
Read more: I Sold Out at the Gothic Market and Selling Books Wasn’t the Biggest LessonI went into the Gothic Market telling myself I only needed to sell ONE more book than I did at my last market. Instead, I sold out of The Ordinary Bruja But the biggest lesson I brought home had surprisingly little to do with sales. I finally understood that my job at these markets isn’t…
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