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.
For Bookstores & Libraries
Bring The Ordinary Bruja to Your Shelves
Independent bookstores, libraries, educators, and book clubs can request access to the wholesale catalog
Blog
-
by
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…
-
by
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.…
-
by
Writing Process Advice for Authentic Creativity
Read more: Writing Process Advice for Authentic CreativityThe Goosebumps Method I once heard R.L. Stine (yep, the Goosebumps guy) say that he writes his books by pushing forward—fast—then fixing what’s behind him later. That visual stuck with me: he doesn’t stop to polish, doesn’t obsess over getting everything perfect on the first try. He just moves. And lately? That’s been me with…
-
by
The Power of a Pause for Emotional Clarity
Read more: The Power of a Pause for Emotional ClarityIntroduction There was a time—not too long ago—when frustration would crawl under my skin and detonate like a live wire. Someone would say the wrong thing, do something inconsiderate, or simply catch me in a moment when I hadn’t eaten, and boom—I’d explode. But recently, I’ve been learning something my younger self never knew was…
-
by
When the Writing Gets Spooky, and the Spooky Gets Real
Read more: When the Writing Gets Spooky, and the Spooky Gets RealWriters love signs. Some of us light candles, set intentions, shuffle tarot cards, or just wait for that perfect little wink from the universe that tells us we’re on the right track. But when you’re writing spooky shit, sometimes the confirmation is downright terrifying. Let me tell you what just happened. I was editing a…
-
by
My First Book Sprout Review for The Alvarez Girls—And It Was Worth the Rewrites!
Read more: My First Book Sprout Review for The Alvarez Girls—And It Was Worth the Rewrites!I just got my first-ever review for The Alvarez Girls on Book Sprout, and let me tell you, I am living for this comment: Mind-blowing. This did not end at all how I thought it would. I’m still kind of stumped at the whole story. LOL. LOL. YES. That’s exactly what I wanted! When I…
-
by
The Ordinary Bruja Is Coming—Get Your First Look! 🔮✨
Read more: The Ordinary Bruja Is Coming—Get Your First Look! 🔮✨Love stories that blend magic, mystery, and self-discovery? Then you don’t want to miss this. I stayed up late working on something special for you—a sneak peek into The Ordinary Bruja! If you love the haunting, atmospheric vibes of Isabel Cañas and Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and crave stories where magic feels like it belongs in the…
-
by
Embracing My Full Inheritance: A Hard Lesson Learned in Europe
Read more: Embracing My Full Inheritance: A Hard Lesson Learned in EuropeI always knew we Dominicans tend to be dense when it comes to seeing another point of view—especially when it comes to race and ancestry. I grew up in the we don’t talk about Bruno mentality, where family conversations about ancestry were conveniently glazed over with a simple, “We are Dominicans.” I get the sentiment…
Categories
- #TheForgottenBruja
- #TheOrdinaryBruja
- Blogs I Love
- Celebration Station
- Challenge Accepted: Joa's Blogging Journey
- Current Events
- Documentary
- Dominican Identity
- Elections 2024
- Five-Star Finds
- Friday Feature
- Funny but True
- Journey with Joa: Behind the Scenes
- Latine Heritage Month
- Learned Wisdom
- Literary Escapes
- Love Lessons Learned: The Dating Archives
- Mindful Musings: Quotes & Mantras
- Movies
- Mrs. Franchy's Evil Ring
- Paws & Reflect: Life with Fur Babies
- Podcast
- Reading Chronicles
- Romantic Rendezvous: Tales from the Heart
- Sappy Shit
- Short Story
- Shows & Series
- Stepmami Diaries
- Take It From Me
- The Alvarez Girls
- The Devil that Haunts Me
- The Kids Are Gone
- The Writing Craft
- Throwback Thursday
- Thursday Trouble
- Uncategorized
- Under The Flamboyant Tree
- Voices & Visions
- Voices for Change: Social Commentary
- Writing Updates
Recent post
Tags
author life Book Review character development creative process cultural identity Dominican Culture emotional healing empowerment FridayFeature Generational Trauma gothic fiction Have a Cup of Johanny HaveACupOfJohanny horror books indie author intuitive living J.E. Ortega Johanny Ortega Latina author Latina Authors Latina spirituality magical realism marisol espinal Mental Health mindfulness motivation Mrs. Franchy’s Evil Ring Own Voices Personal Growth Psychological Horror Relationships Resilience self-discovery Self Improvement Self Reflection Social Justice soft bruja challenge The Devil That Haunts Me The Forgotten Bruja The Ordinary Bruja ThrowbackThursday Under The Flamboyant Tree Writing Journey writing process Writing Tips