I’d like to share my first ever character interview. I put this together for a blog hop in 2014. It’s fun and I hope y’all get a chuckle out of it.
 
Interviewer: I understand you had a pretty rough year. How are you handling all of the changes?
 
Mica: (Shrugs) Rough? Sure. You could say that. After my mom died, I thought things couldn’t get any worse, but then Scott came along...Well, that’s ancient history now. I’ll kick the crap out of him if he shows up again! (Laughs) Probably I should thank him though. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have met Sean and the guys. I wouldn’t change that for anything. They’re family.
 
Interviewer: Declan seems pretty sweet. What about Killian? Do you ever want to kill him? He’s pretty harsh, isn’t he?
 
Mica: (Laughs again) Killian? Yeeaah. He’s something else, isn’t he? I can’t think of too many days when I don’t want to strangle him. (Leans forward and lowers her voice) But you know...there’s something about him...he’s powerful in ways Sean and Dec aren’t. I’m still a little afraid of him, but don’t tell him that. His head would explode.
 
Interviewer: Speaking of powerful, what’s it like to have psychic powers all of the sudden? You seem to be handling them pretty well except for that time with Dani. Did your eye ever heal?
 
Mica: (Chews on her lip) Don’t remind me! I was such an idiot to try that with her. Dec erased her memory, thank God, but mine’s still here. I’ll never forget that night! My brain still hurts when I remember it, and yes, my eyeball is perfect again. Thanks to Raphael, I can heal myself now.  (Grins) The other powers are wicked though! Remote viewing is awesome and I’m getting better at using it. I can’t teleport though. That bites. I wish I could do that.
 
Interviewer: Soooo, Sean seems to have some interesting powers. Does he use them in bed?
 
Mica: (Blushes) Wow! That’s pretty personal! He’d kill me for saying anything, but let’s just say the heat of his saol feels pretty amazing--everywhere. Whew. Yeah, let’s stop with that. (Fans herself and looks at her watch)
 
Interviewer: Time to go? Okay, one last question. Raphael. Who is he and what has he told you about your destiny?
 
Mica: Raphael is an archangel. He’s the best of all of them, really. Kind, gentle, brilliant, of course. He’s got a way about him that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. I just love him to death. He’s great.  (Glances at her watch again) He also scares the hell out of me. There’s power in him that sits just under his skin. You can see it in his eyes. I’d never mess with him. You’d be toast. As far as my destiny goes, he’s pretty damn vague on it. I’m assuming it’s got something to do with Sean since I’ve got his powers now. Maybe we’re destined to save the world before bedtime? (Pauses and listens)
 
Interviewer: Is Killian calling you?
 
Mica: No, Sean’s on his way. I can feel him. Thanks for the interview! Gotta run.
 
Sean appears behind Mica and puts both hands on her shoulders. His eyes are burning from traveling, but he nods politely before they vanish.
 
Note: Primani is the first book in the Primani Series. If you haven’t read it yet, go out and grab a copy. It’s free everywhere as a series starter. Enjoy! 

In my new series, Demons After Dark, the entire night shift crew in the SuperMax level of Hell are branded as traitors and exiled to the human plane. They’re wrongfully accused of plotting to kill Lucifer to start a civil war. Being exiled is a violent, disorienting process where their souls of thrown into the unsuspecting bodies of random humans--the human souls run screaming in the other direction, leaving the body intact. The twelve exiled demons come to be known as Trinity demons. Benn and Vanek are two of the SuperMax crew.
 
1. “Hey guys, thanks for sitting down for an interview today. I know you’re busy trying to rescue the others, but my readers want to hear from you. This won’t take very long. Let’s start with how you ended up on the human plane. How does a demon get kicked out of Hell?”

Vanek throws me a crooked smile and scrubs at his jaw. “Nutshell version? There’s a creepy-ass secret society called the Da’vinRa’ who think they need to replace Lucifer and enslave the human race. They want to take over Hell so they can release all demons onto the human plane. Lucifer’s advisor decided someone needed to be blamed for it so they could operate without detection. So they decided that our crew would take the fall.”
“But can’t demons leave whenever they want to?” I ask. “Why don’t they just leave now?”
Benn leans closer, eyes glinting with annoyance. “Myth and fairytale. Contrary to your human beliefs, demons don’t just run amok. There are rules. Lucifer’s got strict exit requirements. You have to apply years in advance and get special permission to work topside. These assholes who run around possessing people and creating chaos are licensed, believe it or not. But most of us have no interest in seeing humanity. Hell has everything we need.”
“Do you want to add on to what Vanek said? Any details you want to share about the conspiracy?”
Benn grinned and flipped a casual hand. “Well, you know, the usual. Super-secret group of crazies. Old, old, magic. The leader’s turning the world over trying to find an ancient weapon that will neutralize Lucifer. It’d make it easier to overthrow him if he were dead.”

2.  “And, yet, here you are. How are you adjusting to living as humans? What’s the toughest part?” I ask them both.
Vanek winces and says with a frown, “You know how tough it was for me. I woke up in a friggin’ sanitarium shot full of Thorazine. No real memories. Nothing but nightmares and flashes from my transporter’s brain. Disorienting as fuck.” He shudders, and adds, “If it weren’t for my girl, Dylan, and Nash, I’d still be in that place.”
Nash is his half-brother and the shift commander who took control of the Trinity. He’s actively hunting the rest of the team and is gradually tracking them down.
“Benn? How are you adjusting?”
He grins again and says, “Once I got over the shock, I realized this place is awesome! Mountains and cliffs! Rivers to raft! Forests to bike in! And the cities!” He stood up to pace; enthusiasm written all over his face. “Don’t get me wrong. I miss home, but I’ve been doing more free climbing and parkour than I’ve ever done before. It’s so big up here!”
“Okay, yep. I know you’re an adrenaline junkie. Your adventures in Ta Rom were sweet, yeah?”
“Oh, yeah. Lainey and I are planning another research trip once we hear back from Raphael. I hope he sends us someplace cool.”
​
3.  “Is there anything you’d like to tell my readers?”
Benn answered first as I knew he would. He fed me the question yesterday. “I’ve noticed that humans have a negative view of demons. They think we’re all soul stealing monsters without heart or conscience. I don’t know where they got these ideas. I’m assuming it’s more angel propaganda, but it’s not true. Sure, there are soul brokers who make hinky deals with people and others who are just plain evil, but those are the minority. We’re not that different from humans. We’ve got families and jobs too. I was raised by intellectuals; went to medical school; became a shrink for SuperMax souls. There’s a whole world beneath the human plane.”
Vanek gave a snort of disgust and added, “And the movies? Please. Trust me--Lucifer isn’t trying to take over humanity--”
“At the moment,” Benn interjected.
“The point is, he’s got his hands full running Hell and dealing with the insurrection.”
“Point taken. Is there anything else you want to add before we wrap up? I have work to do with Koivu. He’s waiting for me.”
Benn shrugged and stretched his arms over his head before pushing to his feet. “I think we’re done here. I’ve got shit to do and Lainey’s got a surprise for me.” He dropped a quick kiss on my cheek, and ordered softly, “Get back to work.”
 

If you read romance, you can’t escape series. Love them? Hate them? Whether they’re wickedly kinky BDSM clubs, hot alpha wolf packs, or deliciously sexy Primani, you’ve seen them and probably read them. A lot of series start out with a handful of books, and before too long there are dozens that are all linked back to that very first novel! Regardless of how they’re linked, they have to have something in common. How does an author write so many books and still give each title a unique storyline with characters you want to know intimately? That’s the challenge, isn’t it?

My Primani Series is still in its infancy with only five books. The first three are tied together in The Lost Soul Trilogy. Mica’s story arc spreads across the three books so each is completely unique. No repetitive plot lines or cookie cutter characters! The next books, Broken Souls and Darkness Calling, are standalone titles featuring core characters from the trilogy. My characters drive their stories. Let me give you an example. After Stone Angels, I started to write Sean’s backstory. Apparently Declan objected since he started haunting my dreams and yapping in my ear every time I sat down to type out Sean’s life. After a couple of weeks, I gave up on Sean and wrote Broken Souls for Dec and Rori. He stopped nagging at me once I gave in.

When I was done with Broken Souls, I tried to write a Christmas novella because everyone does that, right? I got a few chapters into it when Aisling started to whine at me. Why wasn’t I writing her story? How could I let everyone hate her? She had reasons for being so horrid to Sean. It wasn’t fair to let the world think she was nothing but a cold-hearted bitch. So... her desperate plea turned into my favorite, darkest story yet. Doesn’t everyone have a demon ex who lingers in your mind, and on your lips, long after that last hot night together?

I have several more books planned. I believe the series will stay exciting because I let the characters have their way with me, and they have unique and powerful voices. Since my Primani world is built around psychics, angels, and demons, there is no shortage of really fascinating plot lines to draw out for readers who love an edgy, supernatural tale.

My secret for keeping things fresh? I write from my heart. I write what needs to be written without worrying about meeting genre expectations or fitting into some marketing niche. The characters demand. I obey. It’s as simple as that.

The lake sparkled as we cut through the water. We weren’t in a hurry and just cruised along. Domino was leaning into the breeze, her ears flapping gently. She was in Heaven. I scratched her between her shoulders and she licked my face. Sean was focused on the water ahead of us. He seemed to be taking us into the open water. Oh, no, no, no. That would not work. We need to park.

He jumped when I came up behind him. “Sean, see that little cove? It’s so cute. Can we go check it out? Please,” I added for good measure.

“I thought we’d cruise a little further down the lake before we stopped anywhere.” His jaw seemed tight.

I tried to pout. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. I’m sure.” He was looking straight ahead.

Fine. He could be that way. I was expecting this. I would have to play dirty to break him down. So I gave his hand a little squeeze and smiled.  “Okay, you win, for now.”

I went to the front of the boat. He couldn’t avoid looking at me if he wanted to keep steering it.  When I started peeling off my t-shirt, the boat lurched a bit. I laughed and steadied myself. Probably, it took me five full minutes to peel off the shirt and my shorts. I did a lot of stretching afterwards. My bikini could not have been smaller. Ricki and I spent
hours arguing over the perfect bikini for this plan. It was a simple suit. It was a deep purple with tiny little straps and push up cups. My breasts were doing their best to escape right now. There was no way he could miss them. I
stretched out on the blanket I’d brought and put in my earphones. I knew the sun would shimmer off of the coconut oil I was slowly rubbing over my arms. I was wearing very dark sunglasses so I could watch him. Oh, he was definitely
trying not to look. It was funny to see him struggling with the urge. What I didn’t get was why he was holding back. I could tell he liked me. He did everything he could to avoid getting close though. I was breaking him down with
relentless dedication. Today, I was bringing out the big guns.

After a little while, I noticed the boat turn towards a secluded cove. I perked up then. I pretended to wake up and sat up. I did my best to look sexy. I made sure he was looking and dragged my long hair across my shoulders. Our eyes met. His were bleak as he looked at me. I didn’t understand the expression. I smiled a wicked smile though. I could smell victory.

He anchored the boat and walked towards me. He hesitated for a minute, seemingly torn, and looked skyward. I held out my hands to him and he took the first steps that would change my life forever.

Resigned, he reached out to me and I tugged him to the deck. He didn’t resist me this time. Slowly, I relaxed against the blanket. Oddly hesitant, he hovered above me.  His eyes never left mine. They were that wicked shade of ocean that I wanted to drown in. He was trying to tell me something, but all I could see was infinity in those eyes. I wanted to follow him anywhere. He held my gaze, challenging me to look away. I couldn’t drop my eyes. I was suddenly very aware of a power in him I only vaguely sensed before. I was startled and a little afraid then. But it was far too late for second thoughts. 

His mouth came down on mine in a kiss that stopped my heart. A current passed through my lips to my toes. I vibrated with it and tried to arch against him, but I still couldn’t move. He relaxed against me and I melted into the deck. Every inch of me was pulsing against him. My skin felt too tight and too hot, raw and exposed.  My heart was skipping beats and I couldn’t quite catch my breath. It was starting to hurt and I moaned against his lips. He dragged his mouth from mine and laid his forehead against my shoulder, his breathing ragged. Raw power surged through his body and my instincts were screaming again. I was getting in way over my head here. 

Pulling back the sheer curtains, I gazed out at the city lights sparkling around us. The sun was nearly gone, leaving the sky shifting like the color of Primani eyes; beautiful but restless. A hint of music drifted on the air, calling me to come out to play. A tease of warm air fluttered the curtain in my hand. It was summer…and it was Paris, the most romantic city in the world.

“Maybe we should go out. We could get dinner and maybe listen to some music.”

He stood behind me, his solid warmth pressing against my back. With calloused fingers stroking my aching
forehead, he smiled and shook his head above me. He purred against my ear, “Let’s stay in.”

He lifted the heavy weight of my hair and kissed the back of my neck, lips lingering, tongue drifting over the sensitive skin. All thoughts of leaving evaporated. I reached around and hooked my fingers in the top of his jeans, letting them dip playfully low. He ran his lips across my neck again and murmured, “Slow down…I have plans for you.”

My dirty mind immediately filled in all sorts of scenarios and all of them involved Killian naked on that floating bed. I swallowed and he laughed against the back of my hair. 
 
“That’s not exactly what I had in mind, but if that’s how you want it…I was planning to feed you first.”

Thunder rumbled as a storm moved closer. I knew this place…I’d been here before. Voices drifted on the wind and Killian immediately turned towards them. It was nearly midnight. We rushed around the church to find Sean standing on top of a stone pedestal. He was rigid with fear, his eyes huge in his white face. Tearing away from Killian, I ran to him and threw myself between the witnesses that were crowded around the stone. “Wait! Sean!”

He stared down at me with horror in his eyes. Hands pulled at me trying to drag me away. I struggled and dug in my heels. Killian took my hand and gently moved me to the side. I craned my neck to see Sean but I couldn’t see him over the crowd that formed around us.  Tearing loose again, I screamed, “Michael! I want to see Michael!”
Complete silence.
Stunned silence.
The crowd backed away from me.
Sinking to my knees, I lowered my head and cried, “Michael! Please.”
I felt the change immediately. The air pressure shifted and I couldn’t draw a breath. Killian dropped to his knees. The light was blinding in the darkness of midnight.
A heavy hand lingered on my head, outlined in pure light. His power hit me like a lightning bolt. My back arched with the force. Still, I knelt and lowered my eyes before him. 
“Please, Michael, I just want to say goodbye while he’s still Sean. I’ll be dead in 100 years. I’ll never see him again. Please! He’s had so little love. Can’t I comfort him for one moment?”

“Rise to your feet, little warrior.”
Killian’s hand squeezed mine refusing to release it. His fear was palpable and I stumbled as I stood. Michael’s face was beautiful and terrifying, like a living statue; hard as marble, beautiful as a painting. His was the face of justice; there was no mercy in his eyes. I understood Killian’s fear. I shook from head to toe but I stood there and hoped for mercy.
He lifted his hand and I rose to his height and levitated at his eye level. He held me in front of him and peered into my eyes. 
He read my soul and set me down gently.
“You have five minutes.” He stepped away and vanished.

Killian nudged me. “Go now, hurry!”
I couldn’t seem to move so he grabbed my hand and dragged me to the stone pedestal where Sean knelt in prayer. I ran the last few steps and scrambled up to him, not caring who watched from below.
“Oh God, Sean! What have you done?” I clung to him and tried to still the raw panic racing through me. I wanted to grab him and run away. 
“You shouldn’t be here,” he groaned, but his arms crushed me against him. He trembled with fear and I felt Raphael’s words come true. My heart froze in my chest as Sean’s strength dissolved into panic.
Killian wrapped his arm around us and said, “We have one minute.” He laid his hand on the back of Sean’s head and touched his forehead to his. “I swear I’ll find Aisling. Be strong, brother.” 

 , I struggled to turn back around. He refused to go back. He
refused to let me turn around. When I wouldn’t stop struggling, he threw me over
his shoulder and took me 

Chapter 1: Off the Deep  End
  
TUMBLING THROUGH  INKY DARKNESS, I landed face first in the freezing ocean, legs and arms sprawled, grasping for anything solid. My breath whooshed out and the black water crashed over me, driving me under again and again until I was completely disoriented. Panicking, I flailed helplessly against the vicious surf. My head bounced against a jagged rock, starbursts of light exploded behind my eyes. 
Out of the darkness, Killian’s face swam in front of me like a mirage. The memory of his words echoed and disappeared like a dying breeze. 
I will give you a child, Princess.
He’d smiled into my eyes and kissed me with promise. 
Such beautiful promise. 
Part of me wanted that…his child, our child…a tiny magical creature to carry on his name. 
Part of me just wanted to practice. 
But now, I felt nothing, sensed nothing. There was no wind, no ocean, nothing but darkness and absolute silence.
Was I in Hell?
Wasn’t there supposed to be fire? Brimstone? 

I squinted into the void and saw nothing, not even my hand in front of my face. If this was Heaven, it was a huge disappointment. Spending eternity in a black cocoon wasn’t my idea of bliss. I was claustrophobic, didn’t anyone remember that? Hello? Anyone?
Killian? Where are you?
I sent my thoughts to him in the darkness. His face shimmered in my mind, his voice coming from far away.
What are you doing? Get back to Sean! He’s going to bolt!
Sean? He’s already gone.
 
A great weight landed on my back and someone pushed me into the wet sand until my spine nearly cracked. Over and over again, someone shoved me into the sand until I thought I’d drown in it.  My cozy world of darkness crumbled and both light and pain came pouring in even as the water poured out of my mouth.
“Good girl, do it again!”  Strong hands pushed against my back until I coughed up all of the water in my lungs. 
Gasping and coughing, I lay on the sand trying to stop the stars that circled my head like a cartoon.
“Come on, keep coughing.” He turned me over to my side and hovered next to me while I coughed weakly. 
Finally, I collapsed and closed my eyes trying to breathe normally. It hurt to inhale and I groaned and coughed some more. Being dead was far more comfortable…

Killian’s voice came to me again. That’s my girl! Anchor him. Don’t let him go!
I sensed, rather than physically felt, the man next to me begin to pull away. He tensed as if he was about to stand up and I realized it must be Sean. 
Anchor him? How? 
I was saved from spending too much time thinking about this because he abruptly stood and stepped away from me. Feeling his sudden tension, I knew he was about to bolt. Instinctively, I grabbed him around his ankle and dragged him down to the sand. Totally surprised, he fell on his butt with an indignant shout.

“What the hell are you doing? Let go of me!” 
Sitting up without letting go, I choked out, “Where do you think you’re going? You can’t just leave me here in...” I looked around the gloomy sandy beach without a clue about where we were. “You can’t leave me here!”
He shoved furiously at my hand, but my grip was strong and I was a desperate woman. No way was I letting go. He raised a hand to me as if he’d use his powers to move me. He could probably throw me all the way back home if he wanted to. I lifted my own in challenge. 
“You’d use your powers on me now? How low will you stoop?”
Lowering his hand, he flushed faintly. His voice held a sad note of desperation that tugged at my gut, just a little. "Damn it, Mica. What are you doing here?”
“Right now, I’m freezing to death. Can we please go somewhere with walls and a fire? You know where we are,
right?”
Looking like he’d rather be spit-roasted in Hell than spend another minute with me, he agreed with bad grace. Gritting his teeth, he helped me up and watched detachedly as I wobbled on my feet. Making no move to steady me, he stood with arms crossed and glanced around the beach. Yeah, he totally didn’t want me here. Well, at least he didn’t let me die. That had to be a good sign…of course, he was my protector, my own personal Primani and they were supposed to be angels…of  a sort.
A gust of wind roared in from the ocean nearly knocking me down again. Lunging forward, I shoved my hair out of my eyes and grabbed his hand. He shook me off but I linked my fingers in his and refused to let him go. Now that my brain was settling down from its near-death experience, I was able to put together coherent thoughts and wished I couldn’t.

Like a bad dream, tonight’s events came drifting back to me. We hadn’t ended up here on a whim. We were here for safe haven. Ireland was home. Devastated by Dec’s death, Sean had teleported out of the underground tunnels in Brooklyn. Knowing Sean was close to collapsing, Killian had thrown me against him just before he vanished. He wanted me to anchor Sean, keep him from going, but it hadn’t worked out that way. Startled, Sean grabbed me out of reflex and we’d tumbled end over end through the void of time and space until my disastrous reentry in the Atlantic Ocean. 
“Where are we going?” I swiveled around but didn’t see any lights from a town or even a tiny village anywhere. 
The overcast light revealed an empty wild land covered with stubby grass and clumps of grey heather. The coast was dotted with craggy black rock with tiny patches of sand peeking through. Looking at the rocks with respect, I gingerly touched the lump on my temple. It had swollen to the size of an ostrich egg and was dripping blood down my neck.
“Sean, I’m dripping like a faucet here. Can we stop for a minute? I need to do something with this cut.” My free hand was slippery with fresh blood but wasn’t doing a good job of stopping the flow. I needed a bandage, or better yet, time to heal myself properly.
Seeming to notice me for the first time, he blinked at me in surprise. Surprise turned to annoyance and then irritation. There’s the Sean I know and love…He grunted something intelligible and lifted my hair. Wincing at his roughness, I set my jaw and let him poke and prod. 
“We’re almost there,” he said, pulling off his own bloody t-shirt. After wadding it into a ball, he pushed it into my hands. “That’s my only shirt. I expect you to wash it and give it back if you don’t die.”

 “Nice.” I shoved the balled up cotton against the cut and pressed. Oh, sure, I’d wash it…jerk.
His eyes swiveled sharply to mine and I caught my breath. Brilliantly blue and intense on a good day, they were nearly black and emotionless now. Flat and cold…and lost. The dim light cast eerie shadows across his cheekbones, making him somehow harder, more dangerous, feral.
“Don’t push me, Mica. You won’t like where it takes me.” His eyes traveled over my face and lingered on my mouth.
Nervously, I licked my lips and looked away. What was he thinking? Once upon a time, I knew. Now, his face was blank, giving nothing away.

After another mile or so of stumbling across the grass, we stopped near the base of a small hill. It was more of a rise in elevation than a real hill. Sean stared at the top of it searching for something. I scanned the hillside for warm bodies…animals, people, demons…We trudged around the base until we came to a tiny indention in the grass that zigzagged up the side of the hill. Sean took off up the trail with me on his heels. Killian’s words still echoed in my head and I didn’t trust Sean not to leave me here and disappear without a trace. He’d been on edge before tonight--angry and frustrated with me and with himself. Killian was worried about him already, but then the fight in the tunnels...
Tonight had been a disaster.
It was all I could do to block the memories. I swallowed the lump in my throat and sniffed hard. There would be time to grieve later. Right now, I needed to keep Sean from losing himself completely. For once, I was protecting him. I guess it’s my turn. We reached the top and he mechanically took my hand and yanked me over a ragged lip of tumbled dirt. Not paying attention to his strength, he pulled so hard I practically flew over the other side. Landing on my knees, I glared at him, but his mind was a million miles away again and he’d acted automatically without seeing me.

“Oh! What is that?” I asked.
“Shelter. Come on. Let’s see if the roof is still there.”
The stone hut was more substantial than the collapsed rock walls of Killian’s temple on Eden, but it was probably as ancient. It had been dug into the hillside so had a natural roof of earth. It didn’t look too safe to me though…I hung back just outside and waved Sean ahead of me. It was like a passage tomb. Being buried alive was my deepest, darkest fear. I really, really didn’t want to go inside. He kept walking though. Sighing mentally, I focused my power to the palm of my hand until it lit up like a flashlight. Blinking spastically, it gave me a little comfort in the overwhelming blackness. Jumping at the sudden burst of light, Sean whirled and nearly blew me up.
“Whoa! It’s just me! Don’t shoot!” I wiggled my hand. “Look, it’s a new trick I learned from Killian.”
Frozen at the sound of my voice, a fine thread of energy hovered just on the edge of his fingertips. It collapsed onto itself into a tiny ball of light. His energy core, or saol, had its own intelligence and retreated from hurting me because it was intimately tied to my own; it wouldn’t hurt me. Not as long as he was Primani. A wink of blue caught my eye, but was soon hidden by the dark again.

Lowering his hand, he studied me for a minute and said, “Useful trick. Are you coming in or do you plan to stand there shaking like a chick? It’d be more helpful if I could see the back of the room.”
Against my better judgment, I left the dubious safety of the doorway and met him in the back of the room. Taking my hand, he raised it over my head to illuminate the ceiling. Mushrooms grew here and there giving it a weird warty appearance. Other than that, it seemed sturdy enough. It smelled damp and musty though and Sean sneezed. After the third sneeze, I stifled a small grin. Who knew Primani could have allergies? A small stone brazier sat in one corner with an ancient chunk of wood sitting in it. It looked petrified to me, but Sean didn’t notice. He moved the brazier away from the wall and used his hand to light the log. The log caught a spark and soon glowed with a cheery golden flame. The floor was dirt and there were no other supplies. Great. It was going to be a long, cold, dirty night.

I sat near the fire rubbing my hands. Soaking wet, I was shaking with cold and the cut on my head was aching. Now that we were sitting still, I noticed my fingers and toes were still numb and tingling. How long would that last? I had no idea. I wished Killian was here to ask; he’d know. I was pretty sure the tingling was left over from channeling lightning through my body when we fried the zombies. My hair smelled singed but it didn’t feel burnt so I thought it was probably fine. I peered over at Sean from under my lashes. He stood tensely, shoulders slumped, his eyes staring at nothing. Sensing my attention, he huffed under his breath and rolled his shoulders.
Coming over to me, he squatted and said flatly, “Do you have enough energy to heal yourself and keep warm?”
“I’m not sure. I’m feeling a little hollow. I might need some help. Can you…would you help me?” I hesitated to ask given the mercurial mood he was in.
“I don’t really have a choice, do I?”
“Ouch.”
Impervious to the damp cold, he sat with his bare back against the wall and pointed to the dirt between his legs. I scooted over and leaned my back against his chest. The warmth was immediate and heavenly. With his arms wrapped carelessly around me, he shared his heat while staring off into space. Gradually my shivering stopped and I took a deep breath and relaxed against him completely. His heat swirled through my skin like sunlight and I closed my eyes in relief and focused on healing myself. As my saol flowed under my skin, I let myself drift, let it take over. It thrummed through my veins bringing strength and heat to every part of me. Drawing it to the gash on my head, I slowly surrounded the torn skin and bruised muscle and felt them knit back together. It flowed smoothly through me as it healed the tiny wounds, warming me from the inside out. 

“You should take off your wet clothes,” he said in a practical tone.
“That’s so not going to happen.”
Uncaring, he shrugged, “It’s your life. Don’t blame me if you get pneumonia.” He pulled his arms away and crossed them against his chest. Closing his eyes, he added,“Don’t forget about my shirt.”
Emotionally and physically drained, I turned away from him and curled up in a ball in front of the weak fire. I was as close as possible without lying on top of it. I was still cold but there were worse things. I could be dead, for real this time.  Like Dec…the memory of Dec’s pure golden soul swirling into the air struck me hard and my throat tightened so I could barely breathe. 
 
Beautiful, sweet Declan…my healer, my brother, my friend. 
How is he gone? How is that even possible? It was like waking up to find the sky suddenly green and the grass blue. It seemed like a bad dream…
Crazy with rage, he’d launched himself at Jordan. And Jordan had killed him.
Abruptly. Effortlessly. Coldly.
When I closed my eyes, I could still hear the echoes of breaking bone. Jordan had stunned us with his smug little victory speech. No one had known how strong he was, how powerful. Although he wasn’t Primani, he had angelic powers. But no one knew he had familial powers. He’d kept his family’s magic a secret from everyone. Like  Killian, his powers were his by birthright. He’d grown stronger with the help of Sgaine Dutre. 
And then there was Satan.

Satan had granted him more power as part of a deal they made. Jordan had been an angel once. Now…he was fallen. Fallen and taken my friend with him. 

So today's the big day! I'm so excited to release Stone Angels to the world. This is the third book in my Primani series and is my personal favorite. It's not a story; it's a journey for the readers and the characters who live and breathe in the creme-colored pages. I'm sure everyone falls in love with their books--the heroes--the heroines--the pain, the obstacles, the sheer joy of new love, old love, and victory over the villains. I'm happy to say I've introduced some new badass Primani, a likable, geeky demon, and the most hateable demon yet. By the end of this book, I had two others planned and have started them both.

This is my third book, true, but it's the first one I wanted to release with some fanfare and I've pulled out all the stops to get it some attention! I've done everything humanly possible to promote it so now it's time to sit back, have a glass of champagne with one of my dear friends, and cross my fingers. I asked many friends, family members, professional connections, and other authors to help spread the word. Thank you to those of you who did as promised. Your support is priceless to me and I will always be grateful! I'll be here to return the favor--anytime!

Last but not least, I'd like to say thank you to two special ladies: First,  Angela Bauer for the gorgeous cover. Angela's working her butt off these days and I'm so glad she still has time to design my beautiful covers. Second, Jo Spring for the editing work she did on this book. Her help made it the polished book that it is! Thanks ladies!

As I begin a glorious new year, I do as I always do. I stare out the window and reflect back on the past. Where was I before? How far have I traveled? What mistakes have I made? Am I where I want to be? 2013 was a rollercoaster ride! My focus was my dive into Indie publishing--Carefully revealing my finished work. Oh sure, I lovingly crafted three gorgeous books and fell in love with Killian along the way. And yes, Mica’s extraordinary journey came from my heart and I hoped others would see the deeper meaning within her story. I devoted endless hours to tweaking dialogue, crafting the perfect transitions, and searching for the exact turn of phrase. Just like I assume every author does. I’m not unique in my passion--everyone writes to tell a tale that lingers. It’s my dream that I follow each and every time I park my butt in front of the keyboard.

Now that I’ve finished my annual reflection, I realize a few things. One, I’m still passionate about writing and giving up my day job to write full time is the best decision for me. It’ll be challenging, sure. I’ll have to cut back on lunches out and my addiction to fine chocolate. Sigh. Such is the nature of sacrifice!

Two, I need to clone myself. Promoting and marketing take up as much time as writing.  Assuming I want to sell books (necessary evil to support chocolate addiction), I need to work on getting my babies in front of people who want to read them! Promotion is a whole new world that I’m attempting to navigate. It’s my hope that some of the new people I meet might share their wisdom with me. Hey, I don’t know everything and I could use your help!

Three, every day is a new day. We’re given a clean slate every time we crawl out of bed. Some days are
productive; some days are not. But the potential is there every time we open our eyes. It’s up to me to make my days count. 

That’s it for 2013 reflection. It was a good year! Primani and Call the Lightning are doing well. Stone Angels is ready to be released on 7 Feb 14. Just in time for Valentine’s Day!  Soooo, what will you do with your clean slate?