I’ve got BOOKS!
That’s right! SO STILL THE NIGHT releases on Tuesday, May 5th, but it’s customary for authors to get some copies for themselves. My box arrived today.
So anyone who posts a comment to my blog by Tuesday, midnight, will have a chance to win a free and autographed copy. I’ll give away two here, and if you miss your chance, head over to Silk & Shadows, because I’ll give away two copies there next Friday to anyone who posts there through the course of the week.
All I ask is that if you enjoy the book — tell someone. Post an Amazon review, or tell your best pal, or post a note on your favorite reader blog. I don’t usually talk business, but we all have authors that we’ve enjoyed reading, that suddenly don’t put out anymore books. The reality is that they (usually) don’t disappear because they’ve decided to stop writing books. Publishing is a business. If an author’s books don’t sell enough copies, then the author doesn’t get another contract. And I think that may be even more true in today’s challenging economy. End of sermon! That’s all I’ll say about that.
So what’s SO STILL THE NIGHT about? If you have read NIGHT FALLS DARKLY, you know my Shadow Guard series focuses on a shadowy order of immortals known as the SHADOW GUARDS. Shadow Guards are tasked with tracking down and Reclaiming the most evil and depraved of mortal souls … souls that have become so wicked that they have taken on the powerful, supernatural state of Transcension, and have the dangerous ability to defy Death’s claim.
NIGHT deals with the hunt for Jack the Ripper. I’m not sure what you know about Jack the Ripper. Researching Jack, I just got angry. Not only was he pure, inhuman evil, but he was arrogant and conceited to boot. What upset me the most was that he likely got away with his crimes. I really, really wanted to see him get his, if you know what I mean. So in that way — not to overdramatize my role as a writer — I wrote NIGHT as a way to avenge Jack’s victims. To make sure he paid for what he did.
Lots of people have heard of Jack the Ripper. But not many know of the Thames Torso Murders. These crimes took place during Jack’s crime spree, and immediately afterward. I’ll give more details in coming days, here on the blog.
In brief, some theorize that Jack also committed the Thames Torso Murders, but reading through the accounts and research, it seemed very clear to me (a highly unqualfied investigator, with only common sense to make this determination!) that the crimes were the work of two different killers. And so, SO STILL THE NIGHT continues my alternate interpretation and fictionalization of the true crimes that took place in London in 1888 and 1889. There is another killer to bring to justice.
Oh, and yes … in case you’re wondering, there is more. More terrible death, more murder in Victorian London’s history. I’m working on a third book in this series, titled DARKER THAN NIGHT. It is Selene’s story. Selene is the Shadow Guard’s only female member. She’s inspired love, and she’s inspired hate in readers. I think whatever side you fall on, you’ll enjoy getting to know her better. And if you don’t mind my saying so, I think you’ll really love her “hero”.
I hope you’ll enjoy both NIGHT FALLS DARKLY and SO STILL THE NIGHT, and cheer on our brave Shadow Guards as they bring history’s worst murderers to justice, and of course, fall in love.