Bad Juju by Dina Rae Blog Tour!

Lucien Nazaire flees his Haitian homeland and meanders around the United States for decades. He settles in a Wisconsin trailer park filled with elderly tenants. He meets Jake and hires him for odd household jobs. As their relationship progresses, Lucien invites the boy into the world of Voodoo.

Jake LaRue lives in foster care with his abusive uncle. The Voodoo lessons give him a sense of power within an otherwise helpless situation. Despite his loner status, he instantly connects with Henry, his only friend in high school.

Henry Novak has Asperger’s Syndrome. He fixates on historical events, most recently the 2010 Haitian earthquake. Like Jake, he becomes passionate about the dark side of Voodoo. They learn how to cast spells on those they hate and lust, leading up to dire consequences.
Months after the Haitian earthquake, Henry convinces his family to volunteer for the island's reconstruction. Their mission turns into a nightmare when he mysteriously walks off of the campsite.

Bad Juju is a balance of horror, romance, and literary fiction intended for adults and mature teens. The plot uses research involving the Voodoo religion

Excerpt: 

By 6 a.m. Leah woke him up in his bed with a tray of cereal and juice.  Remnants of the hellish night instantly came back as the pain in his back throbbed.

“You okay?  It’s all my fault.  I’m what triggered everything,” Leah cried.  “Take this.  It’ll help out a lot with the pain.”

Jake could barely sit up.  He downed the pill without even asking what it was.  He looked at her once pretty face.  It was purple and swollen.  An upper tooth was missing.

“Your shirt is saturated with blood.  Let me see your back.”

He agonized as he lifted his shirt.  The pain pulsated even harder as the cool air hit all of the sores.

“Holy shit!  I need to clean you up.  With all of the dried blood it’s hard to see how bad this is.”  She went into his bathroom and came back with a damp towel.  Once she was finished wiping off his back, the white towel was a filthy reddish-brown color.  “This isn’t so bad.  You need to take a bath.  Nothing some Bactine won’t heal up.  And you’re still stuck in the Zoo, right?”

“Yeah.  So don’t worry.  No gym class.  No one will see my back if that’s what you’re thinking,” Jake said with indignation.

“Shhh.  He’s asleep.”

“Don’t you worry about Rhianna?  Look at yourself.  Look what he’s done to you.  Your brother…He was going to rape you until T.J. stepped in.  Wished T.J. would have stepped in for me.  Pete took all of my money I worked so hard for.  It was my ‘get the fuck outta here’ money.  When I’m eighteen…I hate him, Leah.  I really hate him.”

“He takes my money every night.  I know how you feel.  You just gotta hide it better.  Somewhere that’s not here.  Your uncle does pay the bills, and keeps things running.  Please, no more fights.  He’s not all bad.  Just when he drinks is all.”

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Author Bio: 

Dina Rae is a new author that is here to stay. As a former teacher, she brings an academic element to her work. Her research on the Yezidi religion and love of art inspired her story telling for Halo of the Damned. 

Her second novel, The Last Degree, is a fictionalized account of the Freemason’s role in the New World Order. Dina's grandfather was the Most Worshipful of his lodge. The subject has always held a personal interest.

Her latest novel, Bad Juju, is about an old Haitian bokor who mentors two teens in the dark arts. A unique blend of horror, romance, and literary fiction meant for adults and mature teens.

Dina lives with her husband, two daughters, and two dogs outside of Chicago. She is an avid reader, tennis player, movie buff, and self-proclaimed expert on conspiracy theories. She has appeared in several literary blogs, newspapers, e-zines, and radio shows as a guest.

Where to find Dina:

Website | Blog | Twitter

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