C.J. Edmunds
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The second installment of the Tales from the Dark District series is here.
Trina Lee has always known what she wanted.
Mostly, she has the perfect job of sowing the seeds of empathy & understanding by being a guidance counselor at the Forrester Arts College in the magically cloaked community known in Manila called the Dark District. She is beloved by students and has a killer body to die for and to covet.
She had everything figured out until she met Robert Samaniego, the new English professor joining them this term.
With a new semester, a new batch of students to mentor, a new distraction on campus, on top of maintaining a lifelong secret that can unravel at any moment if she doesn’t watch herself, can Trina hold it all together?
Or perhaps the Universe heard her prayers and sent someone to give direction and focus to the life that she thought she was living perfectly.
Someone to hold and protect her. Someone to share and accept her secret and her past. Someone to be there for her and Take Her Hand.
on TAKE ME NOW
If you ever want to just bitch-slap a character from their diva state, and reminisce about going to the historical districts of Manila, this erotic urban fantasy tale is for yous
Renato Tranquilino, Author of Fate of Distant Future
Didn’t expect this. But I was pleasantly surprised. And whoever gets to read this will certainly feel the same way. Imagine a world where your dreams manifest. Are you ready to face it? Explosive! A tale of relationships, self-discovery, and everything else in between.
Jane Vergara, Author of Breaking the Scroll trilogy
I could sum up this book as sort of a lovechild of Anne Rice and Simon R. Green. This book belongs somewhere in between.
Emmanuel Dato, Anne Rice Philippines
5 of 5 Stars....All the ingredients were there to win me over and the writing is pretty sound.
H. Bentham, Author of Beyond Light and Darkness and Start Here
I swear this one has got the feels and made me all hot and revved up at the same time. How I wish that
there was a real place such as the Dark District. If you know how to go there, just point me towards the right
direction and I'll be on my merry way! Snap!
Greg Idleman, Author of the Books and Bears series
MY BOOKS
The Books
Writing is a journey for both the reader and the writer. Let us take this journey together...
Sojourn
ASIN- B07CGWZSRV
ISBN - 978-621-06-0650-8
A Prequel to the Tales from the Dark District series
Sometimes being a fish out of water can be a good thing. Only two things can happen. Either one adapts to the environment or simply peters out from intractability. Enter David Lansing, a half-Filipino call center trainer whose normal life took an unexpected turn when he suddenly woke up and is presented with visions and a spirit guide to boot!
Why was he seeing things?
Who is the Guide and what did he want from him?
Peppered with appearances like the Tikbalang, Aswang, and even the White Lady of Balete Drive, all part of Philippine folklore and urban legend, the story traces David's existential journey of becoming; from his skepticism to a new sense of self and of the world that he lives in.
All operating with the promise that the prize he seeks is waiting just around the corner; a visit to a place where people like him are common and living the most normal of lives; a place that is known only to a few and yet is the most sought after; the magical community of the Dark District.
In Print:
(For Philippine Readers)
In E-Book:
In Print:
(For Philippine Readers)
Take Me Now
ASIN -B01E1W1D9O
ISBN 13 - 978-621-06-0479-5
The First installment in the Dark District series.
Imagine a place where you can hide and no one will ever find you.
Imagine a place where rules can be broken to serve your needs.
Imagine your needs and darkest desires met and fantasies fulfilled.
Fuse these conditions with a little magic and you have entered the Dark District.
Alvin has been looking for love in all the wrong places and when he is finally brought to the District, he finds himself getting more than what he bargained for. But such things of and from the District are never what they seem. From nocturnal visits to sensual surprises during the day, Alvin may have just found the right condition in his search for love and sex, to take him...now.
In E-Book:
Akean Tales
Vol. 1
New Stories. New Voices. One Fantasy World.
Ever been curious about the lives of the Citizens of Akea?
In a world where everybody has a special ability, wouldn't it be fair to say that there are just so many more stories that have not been told?
There’s a heat wielder living an ordinary life - or so she thought.
There’s a curious friendship between an Elder and a Rat.
And have you ever wondered who Lucia is?
Or what happened to Goes Pasap?
Or if Dogan Ronda ever found true love?
In this anthology, read about the tales of Akeans as told by Filipino fantasy authors, in this first collaboration set in the world created by Fantasy author, Jane Vergara.
In Print: (For Philippine Readers Only)
New Release
Dark District Primer: Lore and Lure of the Dark District
Kindle: 978-621-96972-1-7
ASIN: B0FDGS86JT
Paperback: 978-621-96972-0-0
A SILVER Book Award Winner from LITERARY TITAN!
Dark District Primer
A Duology of Longing, Lore, and the Lure of the Dark District
By C.J. Edmunds
Welcome to the Dark District. A place where magic hides in plain sight, and desire leads you deeper into the unknown.
In this atmospheric duology by C.J. Edmunds, two queer protagonists are drawn into the same hidden world—but under very different circumstances.
🌀 In Sojourn, David Lansing, a half-Filipino call center trainer, suddenly begins seeing visions and a mysterious spirit guide. Haunted by creatures from Philippine folklore—Tikbalang, Aswang, and the White Lady of Balete Drive—he embarks on a magical and existential journey that becomes one of purpose, ancestry, and an invitation to a place where people like him finally belong.
✅ Recommended for ages 16+ due to complex parental and identity themes and supernatural tension.
🔥 In Take Me Now, Alvin is tired of the wrong men, wrong choices, and wrong timing. Until the Dark District opens its doors and gives him more than he bargained for. Steamy encounters, eerie magic, and dark truths collide in this sensual tale of love and self-worth.
⚠️ Recommended for ages 17+ for sensual scenes and mature emotional content.
Whether you crave introspection or intensity, Dark District Primer invites you to step through the veil—and explore what’s waiting on the other side.
This lush and haunting collection explores:
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Filipino urban legends reimagined
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Queer identity and transformation
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Steamy encounters and emotional awakenings
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A universe where fantasy, myth, and reality blur
Welcome to the Dark District. You might not want to leave.
Perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman, Philippine mythology, and magical realism with queer narratives.
📘 Includes the complete novellas “Sojourn” and “Take Me Now.”
In Print:(For Philippine Readers)
Digital/Print:
In Print:(For Philippine Readers)
Rhythm & Rhyme: Poetry and Lyrics
Kindle: 978-621-06-2483-0
ASIN: B0DYYCF45F
Paperback: 978-6210624847
A heartfelt collection of love, longing, and creative passion from award-nominated author and singer-songwriter C.J. Edmunds.
Dive into the soulful world of Rhythm and Rhyme, a curated selection of 12 evocative poems and 10 poignant song lyrics drawn from C.J. Edmunds’ debut album Love Has Found Me. Each piece explores the many facets of love—its joys, its angsts, and its healing power.
From the pressures of life and relationships to heartbreak and the call of creativity, these words invite you to feel deeply and reflect intimately. Whether it’s the struggle to balance demands or the bittersweet beauty of loss and recovery, Rhythm and Rhyme speaks to the complexities of the human heart.
This anthology also includes three exclusive bonus chapters tied to C.J. Edmunds’ acclaimed Dark District stories, weaving his poetic voice into his speculative fiction universe.
Perfect for poetry lovers, music fans, and anyone drawn to honest, lyrical storytelling.
Take My Hand
Kindle: 978-621-06-1772-6
Epub: 978-621-06-1771-9
Paperback: 978-621-06-1770-2
The Second installment in the Dark District series.
Trina Lee has always known what she wanted.
For the most part, she has the perfect job of sowing the seeds of empathy and understanding by being a guidance counselor at the Forrester Arts College in the magically cloaked community known in Manila called the Dark District. She is beloved by students and has a killer body to die for and to covet.
She had everything figured out until she met Robert Samaniego, the new English professor joining them this term.
With a new semester, a new batch of students to mentor, and a new distraction on campus, can Trina hold it all together?
Or perhaps her prayers were heard by the Universe, which sent someone to give direction and focus finally to the life that she thought she was living perfectly.
Someone to hold and protect her.
Someone to share and accept her darkest Secret.
Someone to be there for her and Take…Her…Hand.
Digital/Print: