And a Child Shall Lead Them -- Now in AUDIOBOOK!

Book Two in the "Halos & Horns" series.

Audiobook

And a Child Shall Lead Them Picking up where Paved with Good Intentions left off, the second installment in the the Halos & Horns fantasy series finds the angel Gabe Horn and demon Lou Cypher facing the Dark Gods in their bid for domination of the multiverse; Lilith, the mother of all succubi; and Armageddon! Ditzy vampire Pandora is dating a werewolf! Resident witch Samantha gives birth to Alaric, but is his father Lou or the warlock Mordred? All your favorite characters are back, along with some intriguing new arrivals. And meet the kids: Emma the Cockney witchling; Siofra, the Irish changeling; Asabi, the African emere; Kaya, the Japanese hypnalis; and Artemus, the boy vampire. But how long can even these supernatural children survive now that the ancient child-devouring succubus Lilith walks the Earth once more?

American Fascist

Donald J. Trump has accomplished something truly remarkable: he’s become the first major party frontrunner in an American presidential campaign to be compared to Adolf Hitler by the mainstream media. An Internet meme had previously noted Trump’s similarities to Hitler: both used racism to rise to power, blamed minority scapegoats (Hitler: Jews, Trump: immigrants) for their nation’s problems, proposed an unpopular religious minority (Hitler: Jews, Trump: Muslims) should wear special identification,  proposed mass deportations, and promised to make the country great again. I might add they both have bad hair.

Other similarities abound: both charismatic speakers who know how to play to their audience; both experts at simultaneously manipulating and attacking the media; and both proposed limits on free speech. But while Trump suggested a Black Lives Matter protester at one of his rallies might have deserved having been roughed up by his supporters, it’s not as if he travels with an entourage of Brownshirts. Oh, wait… He did tell Univision anchorman Jorge Ramos “Go back to Univision,” as he motioned to his bodyguards to have Ramos physically removed from the press room.  

But I’m not going to call Trump a fascist. I’ll leave that to the Philadelphia Daily News, which on its December 8th front page showed Trump raising his hand in a Nazi-style gesture with the caption “The New Furor”. But what does The Donald himself think of the comparison to the Reich’s Fuhrer? Former Clinton political advisor turned journalist George Stephanopoulos asked Trump: “You're increasingly being compared to Hitler. Does that give you any pause at all?” To which Trump answered “No.” He then went on to talk about “solutions” presidents might use to deal with undesirable ethnic groups. He even raised the specter of internment camps within the U.S., although he added, “I don't like doing it at all. It's a temporary measure.” It’s somewhat reassuring to know his solutions are only temporary and not final.

I don’t know if Donald Trump is a fascist. He certainly has been spouting a lot of fascism lately but that may merely be part of his act. I’m not convinced he’s truly running for president. Trump is an egomaniac and loves the limelight. As you can tell from his three-hour speeches, the man is in love with the sound of his own voice. He may be the star of his own one-man reality show, in which he is willing to do or say anything to get ratings. How else can you explain a so-called political candidate who is so obsessed with touting his own poll numbers in every speech?

Donald Trump, whether egomaniac or fascist, doesn’t worry me. What I do find scary – make that downright terrifying – is the huge number of mindless Trump supporters to whom he panders, who lap up the hatred and visceral he dishes out like flies on a turd. It’s not the man who scares me; it’s his followers.

As one of my characters in my Halos and Horns series put it:

“By serving others, I am fulfilling a greater purpose,” Remick replied. “For even the greatest leaders would be naught without followers. Do you know what they call a leader lacking followers? A fool. And what do they call a leader with many followers? A great man. Thus it is followers such as myself that separate a fool from a great man.”

There are lots of fools in the world. They only become dangerous when they obtain followers. I wrote a short story entitled “The Devil is in the Details”. I wanted to give it the politically incorrect title of “In Defense of Hitler” but I was afraid it would be misjudged before anyone bothered to read it. Its premise was it was unfair to blame the deaths of fifty million people on Adolf Hitler because he didn’t do it alone; he had help… lots of help, in fact. Sure, he may have been the poster child for evil, but it was his followers who did the actual legwork. In my story, the devil gives us a guided tour of Hell, where we find Hitler housed in a section reserved for the insane, while a lower level of Hell is reserved for the truly evil souls: his followers.

“Adolf is in the Asylum because he is a madman. Listen to the others shriek their cries of insanity. Adolf and the mad soul in the next cell spout the same indistinguishable madness. The only difference is, the people listened to Adolf and acted on his demagoguery. Fear and despair combined with demagoguery and Crowd Behavior Theory allowed the evil within their hearts to bubble to the surface. The ordinary citizens were the ones who committed the heinous acts of the Holocaust. They brought the dreams of a madman to life. Adolf was only the catalyst; a mere spark. They were the individual flames that composed the conflagration. It is only fitting they be damned to the pit of the Inferno.”

There will always be fools, fascists, and madmen preaching political demagoguery. As Americans, we have a choice to either ignore them or succumb to their impassioned appeals to our prejudices and fears. That choice will determine whether we see the real American fascist the next time we look into the mirror.

Just Published! The Halos & Horns Omnibus – In Color!

Halos and Horns: The Omnibus Edition has just been published in a deluxe paperback edition and I cannot recommend any book more highly than this one. Readers of this blog already know my passion for the Halos and Horns fantasy saga, which I have spent four years crafting. I've often compared this work of episodic fiction to television, likening each chapter to a TV episode, and each book to an entire TV season. Continuing that analogy, Halos and Horns: The Omnibus Edition is the boxed DVD set.

An omnibus is a volume containing several novels previously published separately. That means you can expect it to be a big book. A very big book. Obviously, an omnibus will be a lot heavier than a single book and carry a larger price tag (though cheaper than buying the individual books). Its sheer size can be intimidating. Imagine the complete works of Shakespeare, or Dickens, or whomever your favorite author might be, sandwiched between the covers of a single book. It’s like buying a DVD set of your favorite TV series or movie trilogy. While potentially overwhelming, there’s something magical about that sense of completeness you get by knowing you hold an entire creative work within your hands.

All four books in the saga are included in the omnibus, along with never before published essays on the series, an interview with the author, and a massive Guide to the Halos and Horns Multiverse. The omnibus also includes the novelette, The Pandora Chronicles, a sneak peak at the forthcoming Fangs and Fur fantasy series, a spin-off devoted to the vampires and werewolves of the Halos & Horns multiverse. But what really makes this 904-page book stand out are the 61 stunning illustration that accompany the stories, in breathtaking color.

For the first time, you can read the entire story, from beginning to end, in one book. All the pieces come together as the saga unfolds, the color illustrations vividly bring the characters and settings to life, and the essays and guide take you backstage, behind the scenes, providing essential background for the saga. What’s it about? I’m glad you asked. I proudly present, Halos and Horns: The Omnibus Edition:

There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." - Hamlet (Act 1, Scene 5). A naïve angel and amoral demon discover the truth of Shakespeare's words, when a wager between God and the Devil lands them on Earth. In the guise of Las Vegas private eyes "Gabe Horn" and "Lou Cypher", the archangel Gabriel and trickster demon Lucifer embark on personal quests of their own in search of their humanity. Their personal journey is also a physical one, spanning both time and dimensions, through the centuries to Camelot and 17th century Salem, exploring the seven Heavens, the nine levels of Hell, the Dark Dimension of the ancient Dark Gods, Thenesia – an ancient land of swords and sorcery, the somnolent realm of the Dreamscape, the Otherworld – home of the Fae, and the eerie emptiness of Limbo.

Beneath the prosaic veneer of urban life, mortal humans live in blissful ignorance alongside preternatural and supernatural creatures: warlocks and witches, vampires, werewolves, the Fae, kitsune, and creatures whispered of in myths of African, Irish, and Japanese cultures. Seers gaze at the Sands of Time as the golden grains tumble through the mystical hourglass, seeking to divine what the Fates have woven. Through these memorable characters and exotic settings, the author explores the nature of good and evil, free will versus predetermination, man's inhumanity to man, universal versus moral relativism, nature versus nurture, loss of innocence, coming of age, death, love and friendship, the quest for power, individualism, sacrifice, and faith versus doubt, among other literary themes. This Omnibus Edition collects all four volumes in the Halos & Horns fantasy saga, replete with 61 new color illustrations; the "Guide to the Halos & Horns Multiverse" detailing each character, place, and object; previously unpublished essays by the author; and the novelette The Pandora Chronicles, a preview of the forthcoming spin-off trilogy, Fangs & Fur.

                       

Available online from Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Four Years In The Making.... Concludes Today!

The waiting is over!

The Witches' Cauldron, the fourth and final book in the Halos and Horns fantasy series has just been published. As you read this, valiant postmen are lifting heavy cartons of the paperback edition of The Witches' Cauldron and delivering them to a bookstore near you. Amazon and Barnes & Noble's Web sites will have at least one copy available soon, as well. For those who can't wait for the postmen to complete their Herculean task, you can download a copy HERE. Go ahead, I'll wait.

Got your copy loaded onto your Kindle? Good, now here's what you need to know. Pay attention... there'll be a quiz later. The Witches' Cauldron is Book 4 in the Halos & Horns story arc. That means, if you haven't read the first three books, it will be like coming in on the end of a really good movie. So make sure you order or download Paved With Good Intentions (Book 1), And A Child Shall Lead Them (Book 2), and To Hell In A Handbasket (Book 3) before reading The Witches' Cauldron. Honest, you'll thank me. While I think The Witches' Cauldron may be the best fiction I've ever written, it'll make absolutely no sense to you if you don't already know the characters and storylines. (This would be a good spot to slip in Amber Book Company is having a four-book set sale HERE, but that would be a shameless plug, so I won't mention it. You didn't hear it from me.)

I'll post the links when Amazon and Barnes & Noble have the paperback edition in stock, but meantime all four books are available for your Kindle (see links elsewhere on this page). Now, here's the rest of what you need to know:

The conclusion of the Halos & Horns story arc is only the beginning! The next story arc will be called Fangs & Fur and it will spotlight the vampires and werewolves of the Halos & Horns universe. A Halos & Horns audiobook version is planned. For you gamers out there, a Halos & Horns game is in development. Between the two arcs, we will release a novelette, The Pandora Chronicles, which takes place after the events in The Witches' Cauldron. The story is done and the cover art looks fantastic. There are also plans to develop comic books set in the Halos & Horns universe. Speaking of artwork, a limited edition omnibus edition is planned, which will collect the entire saga, with illustrations and annotations.

So what are you waiting for? An invitation? This is it! You are cordially invited to hours of thrilling, dramatic, funny, and poignant, action and adventure with the strangest cast of characters in the most unusual storylines you've ever read.

The Italian Interview: Characters in Novels

I've been sidelined by the need for unexpected surgery, so I've chosen to delay the official launch of "The Witches' Cauldron", the fourth book in the Halos & Horns fantasy saga, until next month when I can more actively promote it. Meanwhile (as we say in fiction), you can pre-order the entire four-volume set at a $10 discount by clicking this link. All proceeds will go to my surgeon, whose scalpel slices deeper than any critic's pen, lol.

Since I am somewhat indisposed, I'm going to cheat this week and return to the Italian interview with a bit of cut and paste magic. Enjoy the exchange, below. I'll be back in May hawking "The Witches' Cauldron", so save up your shekels!

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Q: Do you purposely write strong female characters?

A: Wow, that’s a good question. I mean, the way you phrased it. Do I set out to write strong female characters? No, I wouldn't say I have a feminist agenda. Many of my characters, like Angelique Ward and Nyx, are deities or supernaturally powered, so they are innately strong, regardless of their gender. And when I say strong, I don’t mean only physically, although I think physical strength enables one to be more assertive in nonphysical encounters.

A lot of their strength comes from who the character is. Sharon is a cop’s daughter, so she doesn't hesitate to draw a gun and shoot when Pandora stalks her. Chiyoko’s strength comes not only from being a vampire, but from her leadership position, as a Nosferatu, Inc. director, and we get a sense of her almost royal lineage. Valentina is a strong-willed, no-nonsense ex-KGB agent. I think the exchange that exemplified the strong female dynamic was the scene where Lilith, the succubus demoness vied against Angelique for the right to kidnap the infant Alaric. Lilith, who was also Adam’s wife before Eve, says “I have stood up to the first man, to angels, to God, and to a plethora of demons. You will not bar my way, Ancient One.” To which, Angelique replies, “I was ancient when you were created as a mate for Adam. I was ancient long before this planet we stand on was formed. You shall not defy me, Lilith.” This isn't a catfight; it’s two lionesses about to tangle. So no, my women characters aren't in the kitchen baking cookies.

Q: Which of your characters would you like to spend time with?

A: They’re all unique, so I think it would be entertaining to spend time with any of them. Watching the angel, Gabriel, and the demon, Lucifer, bicker would be a treat. Ditto for the changeling, Síofra and the emere, Asabi. The vampire Pandora would be fun, in a space cadet sort of way. If I were a kid, I’d hang with Artemus, the boy vampire, and Emma, the teen witch. A wizard like Merlin or Balthazar would be cool. I’d have a ton of questions for Metatron, the aspect of God, but I doubt he’d give me any clear answers I could understand.

Q: Which characters frighten you?

A: All the demons, of course, are scary. Of the vampires, I’d say Warren was the most vicious. Nathaniel Thornhill, the witch-hunter, is probably one of the most evil, sadistic characters in the series, other than Torquemada. Gen. Asad Hashim was human, but absolutely ruthless and murderous. But I think the characteristics that would frighten me the most are unpredictability combined with an unbalanced psyche, so Morgana le Fay and The Morrigan would fall into that category. They’re scary because they are in large part ruled by their emotions and act impulsively, so they might befriend you one minute and behead you the next.

Drusilla Twitch was one of my favorite scary characters to write. Who else could caress Remick’s face with her long, sharp fingernail and make him stiffen and turn pale? And she has these great one-liners. When Remick says he had nothing to do with the Empusae attack, she replies, “I realize that, Mr. Remick. That is why you are still breathing.” Succinct, if not subtle. When the bogarts tell her they’ve heard tales of her sibling’s animosity toward her, she asks if they’ve also heard tales of her kindness and mercy. When they admit they haven’t, she replies “That’s because there are no such tales” before destroying them. Even Morgana found Drusilla’s gnarled fingers crushing her larynx, her long sharp nails biting into her neck, and droplets of Morgana’s blood trickling down her neck within minutes of meeting her, as Drusilla asked, “Tell me who you are and why I might not wish to kill you.” Succinct, but not subtle.

Q: Would you consider yourself a plot-driven writer or a character-driven writer?

A: One of my writing friends and I have this debate all the time. The correct answer is you need both a strong plot and well-defined characters. My position is characterization that reveals the human condition trumps plot. I like to create unique characters with their own characteristics, foibles, and motivations and then place them together in a setting, sit back and take notes as they interact. Usually, the story writes itself from that point on, and I’m more the stenographer than author. That’s not to say they wander mapless throughout the pages without a plot. I draft a skeletal outline of the novel and each chapter, so I know where we’re headed and how we’ll get there.

Dialogue is extremely important. The characters’ words have to reflect who they are. If either of two characters could have made the statement, then the author hasn’t clearly defined his characters. Síofra is a cynical, ancient changeling, while Kaya is a sheltered, naïve, wide-eyed 10-year-old girl. When they converse, Kaya can’t make a cynical comment or appear too worldly. When they meet someone, Kaya is immediately trusting while Síofra is wary. This is who they are, and who they are determines how they will react in a given scenario. If you meet them in the woods, a bubbly Kaya will invite you home for dinner as Síofra casts an untrusting, wary eye on you.

Q: Have you ever regretted killing off a character?

A: I felt a twinge killing off Maudie, because she was such a likable character and I felt she had potential. But I realized some of that potential could be explored in other ways, such as flashbacks.

When it came to killing off a major character toward the end of the Halos and Horns arc, I did ask myself, Do you really want to kill off a major character? The character could have worked indefinitely as a staple to bring the characters into different plots, but in terms of advancing the story, I thought that character’s potential had been nearly depleted. The death created a new dynamic among some existing characters, and as the saga continues into the next arcs, I think it will lead to a healthier, evolving storyline.

Q: Which locale in Halos and Horns would you like to visit?

A: I’d love to prowl around Absalonis’ curio shop in Copenhagen and see the range of mystic artifacts he has. Actually, I’d love to return to Copenhagen and prowl around the city. (Laughs). I had some memorable times there in my younger days. The Dreamscape – walking through people’s dreams. That could be fun, or terrifying, especially if I landed in my accountant’s dreams – have you seen Donald Duck in Mathamagic Land? Heaven and Hell, of course. And Camelot. As a child, I wanted to be Mark Twain’s Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.

The Italian Interview, Part Two

(Continuing the conversation from last time)

Q: Who was you favorite character to write?

A: That’s hard to say; I enjoyed them all. I think which ever one I was writing at the time became my favorite. Of course, it’s always more fun to write the naughtier characters. I found myself more drawn to Lucifer than Gabriel, especially in the beginning. An angel is often presumed, incorrectly if one studies the mythology, to be the personification of perfection. Characterization is best demonstrated by one’s flaws, and perhaps, a story that shows how those flaws are overcome or dealt with. In Gabriel’s case, I had to instill a flaw – doubt. That’s possibly the greatest flaw an angel could have; it threatens the whole fabric of a reality structured on belief.

Lucifer, on the other hand, is the guy born on the wrong side of the tracks. I've always contemplated how fortunate I was to be born in America, a land of wealth and opportunity, and not in Rwanda or Haiti. Where you’re born is the luck of the draw; it’s something you have no control over. Lucifer, was a demon born in Hell but he aspires for a better existence. To obtain that, he has to earn it, raising the nature versus nurture question. Are we who we are because of genetics or our environment? If we change our environment, can we change, through exercise of free will, or is our fate predestined? That’s a theme throughout the series, and not just for Lucifer.

Morgana struck me as a very flawed character. She starts out as a healer and savior and ends as a villainess. Her father was a brute. Her mother died while she was relatively young and she blamed her half-brother Arthur for her death, once she found out his birth was the cause. She becomes consumed with hatred and desirous of revenge against Arthur, Uther, and Merlin. She sleeps with her half-brother, which would send most people into therapy for years, and is overly obsessed with her son, Mordred. She is rejected by Lancelot and her mentor, Nimue and only finds acceptance among the Fae – and even then, probably more from fear than admiration. She’s haunted by nightmarish patchwork visions she doesn't always understand that warp her sense of reality. Is it any wonder she gradually descends from innocence into darkness?

The comic relief characters were a blast to write. Pandora is especially fun because you never know what’s going to come out of her mouth. Both Pandora and Síofra are insouciant characters, but Pandora is lighthearted, a bit of a space cadet. While Pandora approaches life in a carefree, cheerful manner, Síofra is blithely unconcern with anyone other than herself.

Q: Your characters often formed disparate pairings.

A: I found I could achieve both good dialogue and interesting plotting by matching characters with opposite attributes. Teaming up an angel and a demon; pairing the selfish, corrupted changeling Síofra with the innocent, naïve Kaya; or the innocent, naïve white angel Cassiopeia with the more worldly, black emere, Asabi. The level-headed Sharon and the scatter-brained Pandora; the Twitch sisters: Calliope, representing youth and purity, Samantha, representing maternal maturity, and Drusilla, aged and ruthless.

Q: Or Remick and Callaghan. That struck me as an unlikely combination.

A: Literally the Odd Couple. The chauffeur and the tramp. But they worked surprisingly well together.

Q: And in the Middle East, of all places. I noticed you use a variety of locales in the series.

A: Las Vegas serves as the home base, but parts of the book take place in Heaven and Hell. I incorporated global mythologies into the series, including many Japanese legends, so there are scenes in Japan, too. Some of the time travel takes the reader to Camelot, so England is visited, as well.

Q: But not Italy?

A: You can tell your readers that oversight will be corrected in future story arcs. I’m not sure how I would incorporate Italy into the series, but I did have some Roman vampires in the first book and some of the enchantments use pigeon Latin.

Q: Pigeon Latin?

A: It’s been a long time since I studied Latin, so I’m sure my cases were probably flawed, but fortunately few readers will notice. I did have someone correct me on the Hebrew, though. That wasn't entirely my fault. Hebrew is read from right-to-left. I wrote it correctly, but the software program flipped the letters. Fortunately, the proofreader caught it. But it’s very hard to find a proficient Latin proofreader.

Q: (Laughter). That would not be a problem in Italy.

A: (Laughter). In that case, you’re hired.

The Italian Interview, Part One

Halos & Horns has become one of my passions and I never tire of talking about it, or the craft of writing in general. Which is fortunate, because I've given a lengthy interview to an Italian journalist. I've secured permission to print the salient portions dealing with Halos & Horns here, which I shall do over the next two installments of my blog. I don’t know when the full Italian version will appear or how much of what you read here might be edited out. Of course, even after it’s published, I won’t be able to read it, since it’ll be in Italian, lol.

This is not merely an attempt to fill blog space while I’m writing novels (although it will give me a bit of breathing space and you something entertaining to read). What I particularly enjoyed about this interview was, unlike many American interviewers who rattle off canned questions (“Who was your greatest influence?”), this interviewer had actually read my books and posed intelligent questions about specific themes, plotting, and characterization. So, I had a chance to talk about something I’m passionate about, and now I get the chance to share that passion with you over the next few installments.

Q: Halos & Horns draws concepts from diverse mythologies. What are the philosophical underpinnings of the themes in the series?

A: You've actually raised two questions there, so let me tackle them in order. I didn't want to write just another vampire and werewolf book, so I combed through the legends and myths of many cultures to bring my characters and creatures to life. Ancient philosophers postulated truth and reality are perceived differently from diverse points of view and no one viewpoint is the sole truth. In that vein, all these myths coexist within the universe I have created. Rather than contradicting each other, they complement one another. In the Halos & Horns universe -- or multiverse, as I like to think of it -- African and Native American legends blend seamlessly with Japanese, Greek, Roman, and Norse mythology, Eastern European supernatural legends, and Judeo-Christian mythos. At one point, I incorporated the Hindu god Chitragupta into the storyline. All of these myths were, or are still, held as religious dogma by substantial populations. The Greek, Roman, and Norse pantheons were the religions of their respective day and taken quite seriously by the populace. Zeus, Jupiter, and Odin were prayed to and worshiped as devoutly and with the same reverence as many do God and Jesus today. So in my saga, they are all given equal weight and veracity; there is no “correct” religion. Instead, all the belief constructs are part of a greater scheme.

Q: So today’s religions are tomorrow’s mythologies. Would you say moral relativism was one of your major themes?

A: That’s definitely a theme explored in the series. On the most basic level, at the outset I toy with the themes of good and evil by introducing an angel and a demon as my primary protagonists. “What is good, and what is evil?” is a theme I've addressed in several of my works, especially my flash fiction series, A Matter of Perspective. Here, I focused on the concepts of predetermination versus free will. Does one choose to be good or evil, or is that choice already made for him? It’s like the nature versus nurture argument. Can a demon change his stripes and choose a different path or is he destined from birth to remain an embodiment of evil? Can an angel, who has known only the most idyllic of environments and has never been exposed to temptation, be considered inherently “good” or is he merely a naïve and sheltered being? How will an angel change when removed from paradise and placed in an earthly world of human imperfection and sin, and his belief system – all he has been led to believe is true – is challenged, or indeed, refuted?

Societal norms dictate right and wrong as absolutes, whereas moral relativism holds morality is relative, not universal. What one culture deems appropriate another might consider abhorrent. The ancient Greeks cremated their dead, while some Indians ate their dead to absorb the deceased’s attributes. The Greeks would have been horrified by such cannibalism and branded the Indians as savages, while the Indians would have viewed the Greeks’ burning of the dead as sacrilege. It’s all relative. My vampires and other supernatural creatures live both in the modern world -- where murder is aberrant and sinful -- and within a preternatural society that sees nothing wrong with killing people to survive on their blood. By any definition, the vampire is a serial killer. Does that make every vampiric character evil? If you or I killed on a daily basis, we’d likely be considered evil, but what if we killed for food? Do we become evil by eating a hamburger? Or is it a matter of moral relativism?

Q: But how do you portray that dichotomy in a fantasy tale?

A: One way I illustrated that moral ambivalence was a scene in which a vampire character, faced with a mortal loved one bleeding to death, is simultaneously appalled by, and attracted to, the gushing blood.

Q: The character is horrified by the impending death of a loved one, yet viscerally stimulated by the blood?

A: Exactly. Those vampires who chose to interact with humans, retaining old bonds from their pre-vampire days or forming new ties with “breathers”, must reconcile emotional attachments to their food. Some vampires, like the ancient Artemus and the cold-hearted Valentina, have completely severed their ties to humanity and view humans as food. But it’s a lot tougher for newer vampires like Sharon, who still have living relatives and human friends, to rationalize what they must do to survive. In the chapter Secrets Unburied, Sharon reflects on the people whose blood she’s stolen and those she’s sucked the life out of, saying, “ I've done things I know Dad would look down on.” In The Pandora Chronicles, Pandora exclaims, “My family… my friends… no one is safe around me. You've turned me into a monster!” There is a huge chasm separating the societal norms of humans and those of vampires.

Q: What was the most difficult part of the series for you to write?

A: I think the hardest part was trying to write about evil without describing it. Readers come to the series with a sanitized version of evil gleaned from media and popular culture: the bad guys tie damsels to railroad tracks, rob banks, and shoot people. That’s not true evil. The problem is, real evil is offensive to most normal people. They don’t want to be exposed to it and, rather than deriving pleasure from reading about it, they are turned off and repelled by it. Nazis make great movie villains, but films never show Dr. Mengele’s horrific, torturous experiments on people or some of the more gruesome aspects of the torture chambers of the Spanish Inquisition. I recently saw a documentary on the horrors being perpetrated today in the Congo: in the first 10 minutes, I watched a fleeing child sliced in half by a machete and a father ordered to rape his daughter. When he refused, his captors poked out his eyes and demanded his sons rape their sister. Afterwards, they gang-raped the girl, sliced off her hands, and cut out her tongue. These remorseless villains were, incredibly, the least “evil” presented in the one-hour documentary. I found it difficult to watch the entire display of man’s inhumanity to man, but I forced myself to, so I might have a true understanding of the depths of evil. I persevered through the next hour by reminding myself all I had to do was watch it; these victims had to live it.

Q: What you describe is grisly and inhumane.

A: Yes, and therein lies the dilemma. No one wants to envision true horrors. If you force your readers to confront them, you risk alienating and losing your readership. I was approached by one reader who told me what a sick and perverted person I was for dreaming up the torture devices owned by the witch hunter Nathaniel Thornhill in the chapter, Heaven Can Be Hotter Than Hell. I had to explain I had not been creative enough to dream them up and that they had been real devices used during the Spanish Inquisition, sanctioned by the Catholic Church.

Q: There’s that moral relativism again.

A: I guess so. Torture isn't perverse and evil if Jack Bauer, George W. Bush, or the Catholic Church does it, but writing about it makes an author depraved and profane. When it came time to write one of the final chapters, where Gabriel confronts the ultimate embodiment of true evil, the demon Torquemada, I had to balance writing an antagonist as abhorrent as possible yet keeping the sensitivities of my readers in mind. That was a difficult writing exercise.

The 200th Post - Where's Keith?

Perceptive perusers of this periodical will have perceived a paucity of posts of late. OK, enough alliteration. I haven't been posting as much lately, so on the occasion of this, my 200th post, let me tell you what I've been up to instead.

I've finished The Witches' Cauldron, the fourth book in the Halos & Horns fantasy saga and am looking forward to the eBook coming out in late April and the paperback the following month. I've completed the first chapter of Fangs & Fur, the second arc in the series. This arc will focus on the vampires and werewolves introduced in Halos & Horns. The first chapter, The Pandora Chronicles, reveals Pandora's origin and the secret of the psychic bond she shares with Sharon Mordecai. We also learn how Pandora and Sharon became vampires and how old Pandora really is. It's a poignant and exciting flashback populated by gangsters and vampires.

I've also begun work on my long-promised Young Adult novel, The 25th Hour. Mackenzie Mortimer is a typical junior high geek. He’s shy, awkward, a bit clumsy, doesn’t finish his homework and is always late for class. There’s never enough time to do everything he needs to do; after all, there are only 24 hours in a day. But when Mac finds his grandfather’s pocket watch buried inside a trunk, he discovers his days have an extra hour. According to the eccentric inventor’s journal, the pocket watch can add up to 60 minutes to a single day by freezing time around whoever holds it and presses its stem. At first, Mac uses the watch for childish pranks on friends, revenge on the school bully, and to spy on his crush, Vanessa, daughter of the wealthiest man in town. But when deranged teens show up at school with rifles, Mac realizes every second is one tick of the clock away from his class halls becoming a kill zone. Mac saves the day, but discovers using the watch takes its toll on the holder: each extra hour is subtracted from the holder’s lifespan. He resolves to dispose of it so neither he nor anyone else will ever be at risk from it. Just as he finally builds up the nerve to ask Vanessa on a date, she is kidnapped in front of him. The kidnappers give Mac their ransom demand to relay to Vanessa’s father – one million dollars in cash, in 24 hours. Vanessa’s father refuses, saying paying the ransom will only encourage more kidnap attempts. As the only witness, Mac pieces together the clues to track down the kidnappers. Should he tell the police what he has deduced and hope they take a teenager’s detective work seriously; risk a police shootout that could leave Vanessa wounded or killed; or retrieve the pocket watch and lose another hour of his life? Time is running out… but fortunately, Mackenzie Mortimer has few more minutes than anyone else.

Additionally, I've been compiling material for Cub, my nonfiction book filled with celebrity interviews and photographs. I expect to be working on this project throughout 2014. Additionally, I'm researching new material for inclusion in the next edition of Issues In Internet Law: Society, Technology, and the Law. I've written a number of new short stories that I anticipate will be released in a paperback collection in late 2013 or 2014.

I'm about four chapters into my science fiction time travel novel, Justin Tyme. In a desperate bid to stop the government from shutting down the overbudgetted time travel program, the headstrong, young assistant scientist sends himself back in time to prove the project is viable. Unfortunately, the project crew hasn't solved the problem of bringing chrononauts back yet. Fearful Tyme might inadvertently change history, the Defense Secretary orders his own agent be sent after Tyme. Elizabeth Madison, a 26-year-old historian and martial arts expert, is under secret orders from the secretary: if Justin Tyme attempts to change history through some well-intentioned act fraught with inconceivable consequences, Madison must dissuade him if possible; interfere with his attempts to do so; or, as a last resort, terminate him. They're a time traveling team, where he's the brains, she's the brawn, and their survival may depend on each other... if she isn't forced to kill him first.

Finally, I'm working on a new urban fantasy novel featuring Esme Trout, an amoral succubus who feeds off the life essence of humans. It replenishes her strength and vitality, heals her injuries, and preserves her eternal youth. However, her meals sometimes leave loose ends to resolve.

In a somewhat ironic side note, during the time I've been posting less, my blog’s readership has increased, with older posts getting lots of new hits. Perhaps readers like the new "less is more approach". Or maybe they need their daily fix and are willing to scrounge among the archives for reruns. I'm not sure I'm comfortable with the idea of gaining more readers by writing less ;)

A Halloween Treat: What to Read at The Witching Hour

What better reading material for Halloween than witches, vampires, werewolves, and demons? Now is the perfect time to start reading my Halos and Horns saga, before the final volume in the four-book arc is published in 2013. The story takes place in a magic-filled, supernatural reality and is told in episodic fiction. Each chapter is a complete tale, like a TV episode, but read in context with the other chapters, a larger story unfolds, making each book like a TV show season. The first four books form a complete story arc, introducing readers to the "Halos & Horns" universe.

Book One, Paved With Good Intentions, introduces some of the main characters: Gabriel, an archangel; Lucifer, a trickster demon; Samantha Twitch, a secretary and witch; Mordred, a warlock and illegitimate son of Morgana le Fay and King Arthur; Detective Mordecai, a hardboiled Las Vegas cop; Kennedy, a hooker with a heart; Sharon, a Jewish vampire (crosses don't bother her) and her vampiric entourage: scatterbrained BFF Pandora; claustrophobic and clumsy Claude, who eschews coffins as too confining; eternally 10-year-old vampire Artemus; and cold-blooded ex-KGB operative Valentina. We wrap up with a "Who's your daddy?" cliffhanger.

Book Two, And A Child Shall Lead Them, unveils the secret existence of the Dark Gods and their ominous plans to return to our realm. Heaven and Hell must join forces in an attempt to prevent the Dark Gods' return. One result of the Dark Gods creating a breach between our dimension and theirs is the release of Lilith, a powerful, child-killing demoness. Along the way, we meet Kita, a kitsune (Japanese fox spirit), several hypnalises (women who turn into man-eating snakes); and visit a lot of unusual places: the Dreamscape (a realm of dreams); Thenesia (an ancient land of barbarians, wizards, and kings); the 1940s; England, Japan, the Middle East, and even Heaven. We wrap up with the most shocking cliffhanger ever written. Really.

Book Three, To Hell In A Handbasket, delves into the backgrounds of some of the major characters. We meet Samantha's sisters, two witches who share a secret connection with her; see Gabriel and Lucifer's unlikely career changes; discover a startling secret about the Mordecai family; follow the adventures of two strange little girls in Japan, one a despicable changeling and the other a hypnalis; attend a trial by a tribe of Gypsy werewolves; learn the untold origin of the sorceress Morgana le Fay; embark on the prelude to a war between the Light and Dark Fae; meet Paige Turner, author of the dreadful "Nightfall" vampire novels, who has been targeted by the savage Empusae, flame-haired vampiric demons and, apparently, pissed off literary critics who complain "Real Vampires Don't Twinkle"; follow Lucifer's political ascension and Gabriel's moral ascension through Hell; and watch Detective Mordecai confronted with an impossible choice. We wrap up with a murder, a kidnapping, a bloodthirsty rebellion, and a shocking ending (admittedly, nothing could match Book Two's cliffhanger, but this comes close).

Book Four, The Witches' Cauldron, begins with the death of a major character, and ties up subplots involving those strange little girls in Japan; the deadly Empusae; the Mordecai family and its secrets; the dysfunctional Twitch sisters and their secret; Morgana's journey from innocent little girl to Fae and sorceress, to Dark Fae, and finally to evil mistress of malevolence; teen witch Emma's arrival in 17th century Salem; Gabriel and Asmodeus' showdown with the demon usurper Baphomet’s legions; Lucifer's judgment by a tribunal of the Fates; a funeral and a wedding; and the fates of Morgana le Fay, Damien, Emma, Samantha, Drusilla, Calliope, Lucifer, and Gabriel. Hint: some of them aren't going to make it to the next arc.

In 2014, it's on to "Fangs & Fur", the second arc, which delves deeper into our world of vampires and werewolves. The first tale focuses on ditzy vamp Pandora, revealing her origins and the truth behind her "psychic bond" with Sharon (disclosed way back in Paved With Good Intentions). It's all connected; each arc is part of one big universe and each chapter of this episodic fiction is a jigsaw piece of the puzzle. The series is, at times, humorous, poignant, adventurous, dramatic, and action-filled. The first three books are available in softcover and on Kindle.

Halos & Horns Book 2 Has A New Look

And A Child Shall Lead Them, Book 2 in the Halos & Horns series has a new cover for its revised Kindle edition. The new edition also includes an added preface and a massive bonus interactive "Guide to the Halos & Horns Series". The new cover is part of redesign of all of the book covers in the series. Tomorrow, I'll post the cover of Book 3: To Hell In A Handbasket, which will be published this month!

It Worked For Wile E. Coyote

You may have noticed I haven't written lately on my blog. That doesn't mean I haven't been writing; the opposite is true. I believe authors should focus on writing books and blog in their spare time, rather than place their emphasis on blogging. After all, my books are far more interesting than my blog. I mean, just say the word ... "blawg" ... doesn't that sound, well... you know? So if you don't see me posting here, it means I'm slaving away over a new novel or more short stories.

I've just completed the third book in the Halos & Horns series, To Hell In A Handbasket. It's almost 80,000 words (which would fill quite a few blogs) and picks up moments after the startling conclusion of Book 2: And A Child Shall Lead Them. I don't want to spoil the ending of Book 2 for those who haven't read it (and if you haven't, why not?), but suffice it to say I received a lot of email asking how I was going to plot my way out of the corner I had painted myself into. It reminded me of the dilemma they faced on "Dallas" when the producers decided to bring the dead and buried Bobby Ewing back onto the show. At the time, I wondered how the writers would pull off that trick. Unfortunately, they punted and devised that horrible "the whole season of episodes  was all a dream" excuse. Hopefully, I've done a better job.

A much better example of "how do I write myself out of this mess" was the sequel to the movie "Beneath the Planet of the Apes." I remember watching that in the theater and seeing them blow up the Earth. That definitely ruled out more sequels, I thought. But the clever writers allowed Cornelius and Zira to escape back in time, giving us "Escape From the Planet of the Apes", two more sequels, and a TV series.

Of course, we all know from growing up with Road Runner cartoons that when you paint yourself into a corner, you simply paint a door on the wall and open it. It worked for Wile E. Coyote.

Update on Halos & Horns

There will be a third book in the Halos & Horns series, tentatively titled "To Hell in a Hand Basket", followed by a fourth novel, "The Witches' Cauldron".

I know there are some readers who will be upset by the controversial ending to the second book, "And A Child Shall Lead Them". I ask that you set down your torches and pitchforks long enough to see how it is resolved in "To Hell in a Hand Basket" before you pass final judgment. I admit, it is a shocking cliff-hanger, but remember, cliff-hangers are supposed to be shocking and aren't meant to be the end of the story. Also, it's only fiction - so chill out! 

"To Hell in a Hand Basket" includes a story arc featuring Siofra, the malevolent 13-year-old Irish changeling paired with naive 10-year-old Kaya, the sheltered Japanese girl with a secret curse. A second storyline follows hard-boiled Detective Mordecai, his hybrid-vampire daughter Sharon, and call girl Kennedy revealing the astonishing secret linking them all. Of course, the angel Gabriel Horn and demon Lou Cypher are back, but their lives are about to be inexorably altered by the events at the end of "And A Child Shall Lead Them".

The Best Book Reviews Are The Silent Ones

We've been talking a lot this week about book reviews. There should be an awards presentation for amateur reviewers. I've already got my candidates lined up. The funniest: the book vlogger who stumbled over title of Paved With Good Intentions (come on, it's only four words!), then held the book up to the camera, turned the spine facing her, and surreally flipped the pages for her viewers - presumably to show it was a real book with real pages... and that was it. The whole "review" - 28 seconds). Or the amateur reviewer who didn't read the book. How could I tell? She thought my demon (named Lucifer) and the Devil were the same character, even though Lucifer and the Devil engage in a conversation on... page one! That's right, it's on the very first page! Or, the amateur reviewer who couldn't grasp the literary concept of episodic fiction. You couldn't make this stuff up.

But my favorite review this month came from Germany. Amazon recently opened Kindle to the German market and a frequent query on the Kindle Boards is "Have you had any German sales yet?" Apparently, Kindle sales by independent authors in the nascent German market are scarcer than unicorn sightings. One author went so far as to translate his book into German using Google's translator (which may yield a rather humorous translation). But two weeks ago, I had my very first German Kindle sale - a copy of Paved With Good Intentions. Then, about five days later, my second German sale came through - a copy of And A Child Shall Lead Them. I think it's safe to assume the sole German purchaser of the sequel was the same buyer who had downloaded the first book in the Halos & Horns series. I think it's also a valid assumption that he or she must have enjoyed the first book to have purchased the second.

My German reader never said a word. No fan mail. No blog comment. No Amazon review. He merely gave his opinion with his wallet. And it spoke volumes. The best book reviews are the silent ones.

Danke schön.

Halos & Horns Book 2 ... Now on Kindle!

An Excerpt: Meet Sharon Mordecai

Sharon put her book down on the nightstand. She decided reading Poe was a mistake, since she was already jumping at shadows. The apartment was too quiet at night and the slightest rustling of the tree branch against her window startled her. She had resolved not to move back in with her parents but the idea of advertising for a roommate was becoming appealing. She heard the tapping again. Someone was stalking her; by now, Sharon was convinced. She glanced at the phone. How tempting it was to call her father. He would rush right over. Sharon knew he would keep her safe — if only she wouldn’t be stifled in the process. Besides, her father worried enough about her; why give him actual cause for concern? No, she had to do this on her own. She was a Mordecai — whatever lay ahead, she could handle it.

Sharon walked from the bedroom to the front door. She opened it and stepped onto the porch. “Hello? Who’s there?”

Silence greeted her. Perhaps it was just the wind. Then again…

Sharon closed the door, but refrained from latching it. It drifted back open as she returned to her bed. She turned out the light and switched on the small bedside lamp on the nightstand. And waited.

Sharon felt herself drifting off to sleep. She tried to stay awake, reminding herself that she would have to lock the front door before falling asleep. The stalker may not have fallen into her trap, but an open door was still an invitation for burglary. She was about to force her eyes open, when she heard her name.

“Sharon.”

She knew she was still awake and that the woman’s voice meant the intruder was in her bedroom watching her. She wondered if the intruder would leave if she kept her eyes closed and feigned sleeping.

“Sharon.”

No. The stalker was real, that much was now certain. She knew all about Sharon, and Sharon knew nothing about her. She had to learn her identity, if only to reclaim an iota of control. Sharon opened her eyes and saw the strawberry-blonde girl standing at the foot of her bed.

“Who are you? Why have you been stalking me?”

“You know who I am, Sharon. I’ve missed you so much. But I’ve watched over you nearly every night.”

“What do you want from me?”

“I want my BFF back. I want us to be like before.”

“What before?” Sharon asked.

“You, me, Artemus, Claude, Valentina… Remick driving us to clubs in the limo… the discos… Damn it, Sharon, when was your nightlife ever about curling up in bed with a book?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yes, you do. Look at me. Don’t you recognize me?”

Sharon stared at the girl in the lamplight. “I don’t know you; but there is something familiar about you. It’s like there’s a fog. It hurts to think.”

“What did they do to you?”

“No one did anything to me, Panda. Just leave me alone!” Sharon screamed.

“You called me Panda. You’re remembering.”

“No! Stay back.” Sharon reached under her pillow and pulled out Lou’s revolver. She aimed it at Pandora. “My father taught me to shoot. I won’t miss. Turn around and go now.”

“You’re leaving me with no choice. This isn’t how I wanted to do it.” Pandora approached, baring her fangs.

Sharon fired off three shots in rapid succession.


Halos & Horns: Book 2 - And A Child Shall Lead Them ... It's always better the second time around!




Softcover edition. 362 pages.

An Excerpt: Meet Samantha Twitch

A tiny bell tinkled, as Samantha Twitch opened the wooden door to the curio shop and stepped inside. The shop was cloistered off a side street in an area few visitors to Copenhagen ever saw. The old man behind the counter did not look up as she entered. Samantha could not tell if he was ignoring her or merely hard of hearing.

“Absalonis.” She spoke his name in a loud voice, announcing her presence.

The old man gazed up from an amulet he had been studying. “Oh, it’s you. You look different.”

“I was pregnant the last time I was here.”

He nodded. “And the babe?”

“Safe, in the care of a friend. Were you able to procure what I asked for?”

Absalonis walked the length of the counter and knelt. His gnarled fingers turned the dial on a floor safe and he withdrew an object wrapped in a velvet cloth. “This was quite difficult to track down. I had to barter several scarce artifacts for it.”

“The spell I gave you in exchange shall make you a wealthy man, Absalonis, so spare me the sob story.”

“It would, had I the last line of the spell.”

Samantha handed him an envelope. Absalonis grasped it, but she did not release it. She directed her gaze to the velvet prize. “May I?”

He passed the wrapped object to her and she relinquished the envelope.

Samantha unfurled the cloth and stared at the black marble rectangle.

“Don’t know why they call it a Druid Box. It doesn’t open. But my procurer swore to me that it was what you wanted.”

Samantha smiled. “It is.” She rewrapped it and placed it in her purse. “Enjoy your newfound wealth, Absalonis.” She pivoted and headed toward the door.

“Wait!” Absalonis cried.

Samantha turned. “What?”

“Tell me, just to satisfy my curiosity, what is it?”

Samantha gazed into the old man’s questioning eyes. “A map.” Then, she turned and left.


Halos & Horns: Book 2 - And A Child Shall Lead Them ... It's always better the second time around!




Softcover edition. 362 pages.

An Excerpt: "Don't Mind the Troll"

The troll grunted. As he turned to leave, Mordred stepped in through the open doorway.

“Oh, excuse me. I didn’t realize you had a guest.”

“I was just leaving.” Hakmar turned back to face the Wards. “Heed my warning. The Fae are a force to be reckoned with.”

“The Fae?” Mordred asked. “My mother, Morgana le Fey, was one of the most powerful of your kind.”

The troll studied the warlock. “Aye, then you would be her half-breed whelp. You bear the stench of mortals.”

“I am not mortal,” Mordred replied, in a stern voice.

“Nor be you Fae, half-breed. Now move out of my way, lest I waste any more time on a coprolite like you.”

Mordred stepped aside and the troll left. “Charming fellow,” Mordred remarked. “Friend of yours… or may I go after him and fricassee him into troll stew?”

“Don’t mind the troll,” Julian replied. “They are always fulminating against something.”



Halos & Horns: Book 2 - And A Child Shall Lead Them ... It's always better the second time around!




Softcover edition. 362 pages.

An Excerpt: The Devil gives the demon Lucifer a task

The Devil was seated on his ivory throne, grasping the human skulls of his armrests. He rose from the throne of bones and stood on his furred, faun-like feet. “Thank you, Asmodeus. You may go. I wish to speak to Lucifer alone.” The tri-headed demon bowed and retreated.

“Lucifer, your time amongst the mortals makes you an ideal candidate for this mission. I will provide you with a glamour to appear as the wizard Balthazar. I shall send you into the past, where you shall meet Caliban at the start of his reign and protect him until you can locate the real Balthazar and free him. If you succeed, I promise there will be a promotion in your future.”

“So all I have to do is pretend to be a wizard, befriend some barbarian king, protect this mortal from a Dark God and her followers, rescue a kidnapped sorcerer, and… did I leave anything out?”

“Did I mention the Serpent Cult?” the Devil asked, stroking his chin. “The Nagá worship a hypnalis as their high priestess. Along with the Shadow People, they serve the Dark Gods as well, in that era.”

“Right. Man-eating snake creature and two-dimensional dark souls denied entry to the afterlife. You know, Asmodeus really deserves a promotion a lot more than me.”

“You’re too modest, Lucifer.” The Devil grinned and tossed him his pitchfork. “Catch!”

Reflexively, Lucifer reached out and grasped the trident. As soon as he did, he vanished.



Halos & Horns: Book 2 - And A Child Shall Lead Them ... It's always better the second time around!




Softcover edition. 362 pages.

An Excerpt: Meet Kita, the kitsune

The sun had set. The fox awoke and approached the pagoda. She stopped at the entrance. The fox stood on her hind legs and grew, morphing into a young Japanese woman. The kitsune opened the glass door and, as the pulchritudinous young woman entered the building, she left behind a fox’s reflection on the glass.

The director of the Japanese division of Nosferatu, Inc. had her back to the kitsune, as she perused a handful of typed papers. The vampire appeared to be an attractive Japanese woman in her late 20s. The kitsune knew better than to trust appearances. The taller, elegant woman turned and addressed the kitsune. “It is done, then?”

The kitsune, hands clasped in her lap, bowed and nodded. “Yes, Chiyoko. I have tracked down the baku that was responsible for the disturbance and constrained it. It is locked away in a hutch in my lair in the Dreamscape, where no mortal or kyuketsuki shall ever find it. I have fulfilled my part of our bargain, Chiyoko. Now it is time for you to keep your promise. I want safe passage to America for myself and my beloved. ”

“You have my word of honor, kitsune. No harm shall befall you or your breather.” A slight smile crossed Chiyoko’s lips. “Tell me, does your mortal know your true nature?”

The kitsune looked away.

Chiyoko laughed. “Always the deceiver. But that’s your affair. Truly, I wish you a fortuitous life in your new den, little fox.”

The kitsune bowed and departed. Chiyoko poured a snifter of freshly warmed blood from a heated decanter on her credenza. She sipped the life-renewing elixir and gazed out the window of the pagoda, affording her an expansive view of a portion of the Kyoto Prefecture. For a moment, she pitied the ancient creature, so powerful, yet made so vulnerable by such a foolish emotion as love. “I doubt the Western world will be to your liking, little fox, once your lover has learned the truth and spurned you.”

Halos & Horns: Book 2 - And A Child Shall Lead Them ... It's always better the second time around!




Softcover edition. 362 pages.

An Excerpt: Meet Cody Fenris

Lupe saw Lamia advance on them, and she growled before leaping onto the creature. The demoness swatted the wolf with a single blow and Lupe was sent flying across the alley.

Cody turned at the growl, in time to see his sister smacked in mid-air and now sprawled motionless on the ground. “No!” he cried, as his blood vessels constricted in anger. His heart raced and his body responded, triggering the transformation not due for at least another hour. He doubled over in pain, and Pandora watched, as her boyfriend’s body grew larger, bursting out of his clothes. Cody’s face contorted, as his body jerked in frenetic spasms. His jaw elongated and fangs ripped through his gums as the dreaded foul taste returned, permeating his mouth. His skin bristled as the wolf fur forced its way to the surface. Then, Cody felt the adrenaline rush. He was filled with a surge of raw, bestial energy. His mind clouded over. He pushed Pandora aside, not knowing who she was, and caring less. The werewolf was filled with rage. He did not recall its genesis, but some vestigial instinct told him the creature he faced was his enemy. He did not care why; the werewolf was satisfied to have any outlet for its fury. He lunged at Lamia, ripping into her with his razor-sharp claws.

Halos & Horns: Book 2 - And A Child Shall Lead Them ... It's always better the second time around!




Softcover edition. 362 pages.