Lisa Olsen's Blog, page 18

Pretty Witches All in a Row is out in Print!

In addition to being available as an ebook, Pretty Witches All in a Row is now available in print through Amazon.com! As usual, here is another sample from the book between Detective Nick Gibson and his teenage daughter Veronica.

It was later than he would have liked when Nick pulled into the driveway of his home. The modest, three bedroom house was all ablaze with light, and he could hear the music all the way out in the car before he even opened the garage door. "Sounds like V's home," he murmured, leaving the car. The music swelled as he opened the door into the hallway, the music dark and throbbing.

Nick ventured deeper into the house, finding his teenaged daughter at the kitchen table, head bobbing to the music, bent over a textbook. How she could study with all that racket was beyond him, but he had to smile at the way her little spiky ponytails bounced, oblivious to his presence.

Not for the first time, he fretted over her appearance, thinking she looked more like a college co-ed than a high school girl in that get up. Her naturally wavy, medium brown hair was dyed a vibrant red color that didn't occur in nature; straightened within an inch of its life so that the ends of her ponytails stuck out at odd angles making him think of a burst of fireworks. A black velvet choker wrapped around her pale throat, and her ears boasted three sets of piercings apiece. Nick flat out put his foot down on piercing any other part of her body until she was eighteen, and he had two years left to hope she grew out of that phase. As per usual, she wore a short skirt, not indecently so, but shorter than he would have liked on principle.

Her outfit du jour consisted of a black denim miniskirt, frayed at the bottom and no fewer than three visible shirts of varying lengths in shades of alternating black and red. Brown eyes that mirrored his own were heavily lined with dark gunk, and lips stained a vibrant shade of red. Veronica looked as if she was dressed to go to a club instead of sitting at home doing her homework. Though Nick had to consider; better to have her dressed for clubbing and home doing her homework than dressed like a librarian and out all hours of the night doing God knows what.

"Hi Daddy," she called out without turning around.

Surprised, he set his briefcase down on the table opposite her. "I didn't think you knew I was there," he yelled over the music.

"Please, I could feel you standing there watching me."

"What if it hadn't been me? What if I was a robber or worse? Then it wouldn't make much sense to leave me standing there with your back turned," he taunted her, but in a way he was serious. A girl at home alone, he hoped he'd raised her to have a little more self preservation than that.

"Then turning around and freaking out wouldn't have changed a whole lot by the time he's right behind me, would it?" she pointed out, her head tilting to one side. "Besides, I saw your reflection in the window when you came in, I knew it was you the whole time."

"Why didn't you say that in the first place?"

"I didn't want to miss out on lecture number twelve, it's been overdue," she grinned cheekily.

A shake of the head was given, but a smile was on Nick's face as he shrugged out of his suit coat. The music seemed to swell even louder, drawing his attention to the lyrics that sang about dying, killing and stealing for you. "What is this?" His finger came up, pointing to the air around them.

"Garbage," Veronica replied, head bobbing again.

"I know, but who sings it?"

A drawn out roll of the eyes was given, and she fixed him with the look before answering. "That's the name of the group. Garbage." She grabbed the remote and lowered the volume. "You know, they did that theme song to the James Bond movie you liked?"

"Hey, who am I to argue," he shrugged, an amused smile on his lips.

"Ha, ha." Rising from the table, she brought her empty glass to the kitchen sink. "You missed dinner again."

"I know, I'm sorry, sweetie. First day of the case, you know how it is. What did you make?"

"Coq au vin…" she replied with a flourish, opening the fridge. "Only the leftovers look more like ham sandwiches," Veronica grinned, pulling a ready plate out and depositing it on the table before him.

"Ah, my little budding gourmet. This looks fantastic, thanks honey," he smiled up at her.

"So, what kind of case is it this time? Jilted lover? Disgruntled business partner?" Veronica asked, setting down a tall glass of iced tea.

"Not really sure yet. The victim was stabbed and then the place was set on fire to try and mask the crime."

"Wow," her eyes widened. "That's one you don't hear every day." Nick nodded, his mouth occupied with chewing. "So who would want to kill him? Or is it a her?"

"Her," Nick clicked open the briefcase and drew out the smiling picture of Skye.

"Aw…" Veronica's forehead creased sympathetically. "She doesn't look like she could hurt a fly."

"And according to friends and family, everybody loved her."

"Jealous boyfriend," she stated with a definitive nod, setting the picture down.

"You think?"

"Sure, why not? I mean look at her, she had to have a boyfriend, and with that smile I'm thinking she got hit on a lot. Maybe the boyfriend couldn't take it? You know, if I can't have you, no one else will?" Her eyes lit up as she warmed to the theory.

"It sounds like you've got it all sewn up. I guess I can close up shop and forget the rest of the investigation," he smirked, laughing when she gave him a playful punch to the shoulder.

"What's your theory then?" she challenged.

"I'm not sure yet, but it turns out there was another fire a few weeks ago, another girl was killed."

"Did they know each other?"

"Yep, part of the same coven."

"Coven… as in vampires?" Her brown eyes widened to the size of saucers and he couldn't resist laughing.

"No, but not too far off. Coven as in witches."

"Get outta town, really? That's it then, that's the connection. Maybe we've got a witch hunter in town looking to save the world from the dark arts?"

"Or maybe they were killed as part of a dark, secret ritual," Nick lowered his voice dramatically.

"Oh come on, Daddy, it's not like it is on TV, it's a religion for most modern witches, same as being Hindu or Buddhist."

"What do you know about any of that?"

"Social studies." She gave a careless shrug, sliding back into her chair again.

"They teach you about witches in school?"

"Sure, it's a part of Americana; witches have been persecuted throughout time you know. Anytime a baby got sick or a guy got caught with his fly open, someone cried witch. We learned all about their persecution, back in the burning times."

"Huh, yeah I suppose that is part of our history. I guess I should have come to you with all my questions, then I wouldn't have had to go down to Argent Flame," he chuckled.

"Oh, that shop down on Hawthorne?"

"You've been there?" His head came up in surprise, not quite sure how he felt about that.

"Yeah, lots of times… or actually, no… nope, never heard of it," she amended after catching the look on his face. "What?"

"Why were you in a store that sells witch stuff?"

"Um… cause it's awesome? They have cool jewelry and stuff, totally cheaper than you can find downtown. Besides, that's not all they sell, they have interesting books there, and they never kick you out for just hanging out whether you buy something or not."

"Oh." That didn't sound so bad. "So you're not… planning on delving into the black arts anytime soon? Do I need to be checking your dresser drawers for bags of some other kind of little green herbs now?"

"Knock yourself out, like I'd really keep anything in my dresser drawers," she snorted.

"Good thing I know all the places to look," he winked at her and Veronica looked appalled.

"Do you really search my room?"

"Cop. It's a habit," he shrugged, finishing off the last of his sandwich.

"I don't even want to get into how unethical that is…" she muttered disgustedly, turning her attention back to her book.

Dreamcasting – Pretty Witches All in a Row

Somehow or other, casting this one in my mind turned into "how can I fit the cast of Firefly into one book?". Once I got started, it was easy to fit most of them in. So here you go, how I would cast this book as a movie or tv show:

[image error]

Sgt. Nick Gibson – Nathan Fillion, because he can handle that glib, charming, borderline obnoxious sense of humor that Nick has so well, and you can still believe that he's very capable of catching a killer at the same time.

Anneliese Cross – In my mind she's actually been a blend between Evangeline Lily and Kate Beckinsale, if that makes any sense. Because I see her as down to earth and vulnerable sometimes, but with an inner strength when things get tough.

[image error]

Seraphine Ryan – Morena Baccharin – with hair, thank you! While I see a lot of her attitude and mode of dress like Anna from V, she's got the innate sensuality of Inara wrapped up in one package.

Rose Spencer – Melanie Lynskey. I've been a fan of hers since Ever After, and I think she's capable of playing someone who you dismiss as one thing to begin with, but then reveals hidden depths.

Skye Mackenzie – an early Drew Barrymore because she's so full of light and laughter, you can't imagine why anyone would possibly want to kill her.

Noah Cahill – Sean Maher. A good looking man, but he could pull off that smug, self-righteous quality that makes you want to punch him in the face.

Veronica Gibson – Scarlett Johanssen from "The Perfect Score". She's a good girl in a bad girl's body. I love the style she embodies in that movie, I think it suits Veronica to a T.

Detective Kip Brady – Seamus Dever. Love him in Castle, and he makes a great cop.

Detective Michelle Park – Grace Park. I think it's funny that she's actually on a cop show now, because when I wrote this, I only knew her from Battlestar Galactica.

Sgt. Michael Troyer – Adam Baldwin, because he has that gruff authority and I can see him being a little difficult to work with.

[image error]

Libby Fielding, M. E. – Jewel Staite. Though more like she was on Stargate Atlantis than on Firefly.

Don't forget, you can still enter to win a free Kindle copy of Pretty Witches All in a Row by entering here. I'll be picking the winners next Saturday.

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Pretty Witches All in a Row Giveaway

Pretty Witches All in a Row has come out swinging, and I'm thrilled with the response so far! Because I'm so excited about this project, and because I'm already in the giving frame of mind (I have just started my X-mas shopping!), I'm offering a chance to win a free e-book through Amazon.com. You don't have to have a Kindle to download the book, there is a free app that will let you read it on your pc, tablet or phone or even read it online if you have trouble downloading it. All you have to do is provide me with your name and email address below and you'll be entered to win.

I solemnly promise not to do anything evil with your email address and no one else will view it, it's simply the way that Amazon.com will deliver the book, via an email notification. All I ask in return for the winner(s) is that you actually read the book and leave a review on amazon.com if you enjoy it. Because I am paying for the book, it will list you as an Amazon Verified Purchase when you review it. And if you register with kindlegraph.com I can even send you an electronic autograph if you like! (I haven't tried this though, so I'm not quite sure how it works) Please comment below if you have any questions or concerns, I'll keep the giveaway open for about a week before I pick the winner(s). I haven't decided how many copies I'll give away, it depends on the response I get, I suppose.

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Between the Scenes with Iris – Sam

Five minutes with Samael from Angel of Mercy

Iris: Iris here, and I'm talking to Samael, the former angel of death, now one of the Fallen, who gave part of his Grace to Mercy at the beginning of our story, accidentally imbuing her with angelic powers. Wow, that's a mouthful! Thanks for joining me today, Sam, I know you're not always comfortable talking to people.

[I notice right off the bat, he sits with perfect posture, eyes a little wide with uncertainty maybe]

Sam: I do tend to avoid people, it's true. I am pleased to be here though, but I'm not entirely sure what it is you want from me.

Iris: It's okay, Sam, I won't bite, I promise. I've never interviewed a fallen angel before, how long have you been living among the regular folk?

Sam: It has been close to two millenia since I was… since I began to dwell here on Earth.

Iris: That's a long time. What do you do all day long every day? I understand you don't sleep either, what do you do to keep busy?

Sam: I tend to my books, and there is much need for judgment among your kind. Though I no longer serve in an official capacity, I do mete out justice when I have the opportunity to.

Iris: How do you do that?

Sam: I can see the quality of their souls.

Iris: Really… what does my soul look like?

Sam: [His head tilts to one side as he studies me and the hairs on the back of my neck start to stand up] You're a vibrant turquoise with flecks of purple, quite lovely in fact. It marks you as a highly energetic person, deeply spiritual and caring.

Iris: Um, thank you. Is that what you were doing in that alley with the guy who attacked you and Mercy? What was his name… Weatie? Meting out justice?

Sam: Indeed. His soul was riddled with darkness and evil, he deserved to be struck down. [He nods earnestly, completely convinced of his authority to do so]

Iris: Only instead he knifed you and then Mercy. How did that happen?

Sam: [His head hangs in shame, like a sad little boy] I was distracted when she entered the alley. If I had only kept my head, she might not have been injured at all.

Iris: You can't blame yourself for something like that, chance accidents happen all the time. [He doesn't appear to be very soothed by my words] Are there many fallen angels walking around on the city streets?

Sam: I'm not at liberty to say.

Iris: Fair enough, but there's at least you and Adam. The two of you go way back, don't you? It seems like an odd friendship, you're both so different.

Sam: There was a time when we were not so different, but our paths diverged when we became among the fallen. [His face is so open and honest, I can't help but ask him about it]

Iris: what ah, what did you do that got you cast out of heaven?

Sam: [No such luck, his face instantly shutters and he begins to rise from the chair] I'd rather not discuss it, perhaps I should go…

Iris: No, no, no wait! It's cool, you don't have to answer anything you don't want to. Just tell me to shove it and we'll move on, okay?

Sam: Tell you to shove what? [His head tilts again in confusion]

Iris: Um, nevermind, moving on… Let's talk about Mercy. [He visibly brightens with that change in topic] Are you her guardian angel?

Sam: No, nothing so formal as that. I'd never seen her before that night she was attacked in the alley trying to help me.

Iris: That was quite a gift to a total stranger. Why did you do it? Give her part of your Grace if you didn't know her at all?

Sam: [There is a long pause as he muddles his way through it] I… hardly know. I only know that I couldn't allow her to die, not when her only error in judgment was to come to my aid – a stranger as well. She would have surely died had I not intervened. I had to use my Grace to heal her before it was too late.

Iris: Did you know that some of your Grace would end up rubbing off on her when you did it?

Sam: No, I had no idea. [He seems very insistent on this point]

Iris: Would you do it again?

Sam: Most certainly. [This time there is no hesitation at all]

Iris: Even though now you're in hot water with God and the heavenly host?

Sam: I have long been out of their good graces, the rewards far outstripped any negative consequences.

Iris: Namely now that Mercy is "something new" you like to say. Is that just a fancy way of saying she's part angel now?

Sam: There has never been any like her before, but I draw comfort in the knowledge that she has borne it remarkably well.

Iris: You like her a lot, don't you?

Sam: I do, she is numbered among the few I call friend in this world.

Iris: What about as something more?

Sam: I don't understand. [Again, he blinks, utterly baffled]

Iris: Well, you give a girl part of yourself, that's gotta create quite a bond between you. Are you sure your feelings don't run a little deeper than friendship?

Sam: [His head turns to one side as if considering it, but doesn't offer any kind of response]

Iris: Moving on… What can you tell us about where Adam's been hiding out?

Sam: I have no idea, I'm not the boss of him.

Iris: I beg your pardon?

Sam: Is that not the right phrase? He does not share such things with me, he comes and goes as he pleases.

Iris: But he is still around, right? You have been in touch with him?

Sam: [He goes very still, a nervous look on his face] Maybe…

Iris: What did he tell you about what's coming after Mercy? It sure seemed to freak her out.

Sam: I merely told her about the prophecy.

Iris: Prophecy?

Sam: [nothing but silence]

Iris: Okay, that's about all the time we have for today. Thanks for talking to me, Sam, hopefully we can do it again sometime.

Sam: Why?

Iris: Because people are interested in what you have to say.

Sam: [a dubious expression settles over his features] If you say so…

Thanks for reading, guys. Stay tuned for the next Between the Scenes interview with Adam, the fallen angel from Angel of Mercy.

*If there are other characters you'd like Iris to interview, or burning questions you wish she'd asked, please drop her a line in the comments section here, she adores fan mail.

** The picture above is not an actual depiction of Sam, merely an interpretation of the author's vision of the character.

A Taste of Pretty Witches All in a Row

A little sample of my latest book, Pretty Witches All in a Row to start your day with.

This is set close to the beginning of the book, after the first murder when Sgt. Rick Gibson pays a visit to Annaliese, who owns a local witchy shop. It's early in the day and the shop isn't open yet, but finding the door unlocked, Rick lets himself in anyway…

The store wasn't as freaky as he'd thought it would be; no cobwebs or demonic symbols. It reminded him of the sort of place an old explorer would have, furnished with knick knacks from his world travels. The big rooms with high ceilings and lots of rich mahogany moldings gave it an airy feel, with plenty of comfy chairs tucked into little nooks and crannies. Clearly the owner didn't have a problem with people loitering, and he took that as a good sign, venturing deeper.

Inside a large glass cabinet to his right were dozens of little glass vials, in neat rows. By twisting his head to one side he could read the labels, each sporting the same Argent Flame logo along with descriptions like 'come to me', 'prosperity', 'good luck', and 'purification'. On the open shelf below sat a small brass container about the size of an apple, similar to the one he'd seen at the victim's house. Curious, he lifted the lid.

The music cut out suddenly, a feminine voice calling out to him from the rear of the shop. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Sweet Jesus…" he gasped, rattling the lid to the incense burner, having trouble replacing it properly with the sudden rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins. The owner of the voice didn't look very witchy, or wicca-y; whatever the term was supposed to be. Nick guessed her to be in her late twenties, dressed in soft pajama pants in a lavender flannel, with a matching tank top; a long gray sweater coat completed her ensemble. Her eyes were a soft mossy green and a light spray of freckles kissed the bridge of her nose. Long, mahogany hair hung loose over her shoulders, falling down her back in softly tousled waves, and bare toes peeped out from the bottoms of her pants. Either her boss had the laziest dress code ever, or she lived there. Pretty in an understated, natural way, he could imagine seeing her at the grocery store or the dry cleaners and never once have guessed she ran a metaphysical gift shop. She was staring at him with one brow raised, not looking particularly amused at the prospect of finding him in her store.

"Nope, just me. It's a little early for breaking and entering, isn't it?" Her head canted to one side as she studied him.

"Technically it's just entering, the door was unlocked," Nick flashed a sheepish grin.

"But the closed sign was still up," she set down the remote, keeping the counter between them.

"I heard the music, I figured someone was around."

"And this morning you were struck by a powerful need for incense? So powerful, you decided to chuck convention and let yourself in?"

Cute. "Not exactly." He reached into his inside coat pocket and withdrew his ID, the little gold badge gleaming against the leather. "Sergeant Gibson, I'm here in a strictly professional capacity."

He'd clearly managed to catch her off guard with that one, as her brows rose with a measure of surprise. "I'm Annaliese… Cross," she added belatedly, studying his identification with interest. "What can I do for you, Sergeant?"

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Cross." At least he thought she was a Miss, a quick check revealed her ring finger to be bare. "I was hoping you could answer a few questions for me."

"If I can," she nodded. "Would you like a cup of coffee? I think I can use one myself."

"Yes, thank you; that would be nice." Gibson watched her nervous motions as she went through the process of making the coffee on the fancy espresso machine on the back counter. It wasn't lost on him that she'd chosen to occupy her hands with something instead of just talking to him, but he was used to that reaction once people found out what he did. "Is this your place?" His voice rose over the noise of the machine.

"Yes, it's all mine," she nodded, voice rising to match.

"You actually make a living with this stuff?" The note of skepticism in his voice was regretted almost instantly and he tried to soften it with a smile.

"There are more of us than you would think, especially in this area," she smiled back, amused. "Actually, I sell more over the internet than I do here in the store, but I enjoy having the interaction with people. Most of my customers don't buy more than a cup of tea and a muffin when they stop by."

"That sounds like an expensive way to network," he observed, watching her graceful movements and she gave a faint shrug.

"I don't have all that much in the way of overhead; this house is mine, free and clear. It's been in my family for a couple of generations."

"What about employees?"

"I have a couple of part timers on the staff, and a few help out for barter sometimes." She slid over the latte, in the direction of the sugar.

"Thanks," Nick smiled his appreciation; the coffee smelled a helluva lot better than any he could have gotten down at the precinct. "Did you ever employ a woman by the name of Skye Mackenzie?" he asked, watching her face carefully as he mentioned her name.

Annaliese gave a long, drawn out sigh. "This is about Skye?"

Not quite the reaction he'd been expecting; he was uncertain how to interpret her tone. "Yes, how well are you acquainted with Miss Mackenzie?"

"Fairly well, we've known each other for a few years, since right after she came to town. Look… whatever it is she's done, she's a good kid. If she needs me to vouch for her, I'll do it."

"A good kid, huh? She's not all that much younger than you are, is she?" Perhaps a little dangerously close to soliciting her age, but the question begged asking.

"No, she's a few years younger, but if you knew her you'd know what I mean. I've seen old souls at eighteen who've been on their own already for a couple of years, and I've seen forty year olds just as irresponsible and prone to childish behavior as a teenager; age doesn't have anything to do with it."

"Gotcha," Nick nodded sagely. He was willing to bet she fit into the more responsible end of that spectrum. She seemed pretty calm, cool and collected for finding a strange man in her shop while still in her pj's. "What makes you think she's done something?"

Annaliese gave him a long look, "Because as sweet as she is, sometimes the girl doesn't think before she acts. Her heart's in the right place, but sometimes her brain has to play catch up."

"When was the last time you saw Miss Mackenzie?"

"What's today? Tuesday, she came in last Tuesday."

"How did she seem to you? Troubled? Unhappy? Any problems with boyfriends, anything like that?"

"No, she was fine, same as always… Detective, what is this all about?"

Nick shifted his weight, taking a sip of the coffee, knowing even as he did it that he was delaying the next part for as long as possible. "Miss Cross, I'm not here to investigate something she's done, I'm afraid she died last night." He watched the play of emotions over her pretty features, the shock, followed by a stab of something that might have been pain, and then disbelief.

"What? She can't be dead, I just saw her this week…" Annaliese sank onto a wooden stool tucked behind the shop counter.

"Yes, Ma'am," he replied succinctly, allowing her a few seconds to get ahold of her emotions before plunging ahead with the obligatory question. "Where were you last night between the hours of eleven PM and two AM?"

Annaliese stared back at him blankly. "I… was here. We close up shop around ten PM, and then I finished up some paperwork and went to bed."

"Can anyone corroborate that?"

"No, not really. After I shooed out the last customer I was on my own." She took a long drink of her coffee, cradling its warmth in her hands. "How did she die?" Anna asked finally, still sounding a little shell shocked.

"I'm not at liberty to say at the moment, we've just begun our investigation. We found a stack of your business cards on her desk." He drew one out of his coat pocket and laid it on the counter between them.

Nodding slowly, she picked it up. "We trade off, I have some of her business cards here for massage, and she hands out some of mine for like minded people." Anna gestured to a series of little plastic business card holders with other local businesses. Sure enough, Skye's was featured in the group.

"If you'll excuse me for saying so, it seems like she was a little more than a networking contact to you," he probed gently.

"Like I said, we've been friends since she came to Portland. Everybody liked her; she had that way about her. We were in the same circle."

Clearly that wasn't the case, somebody hadn't liked her, or she wouldn't have wound up dead, but he felt it best not to point that out just then. "Is that like a cell phone calling plan?"

"No," Annaliese shook her head, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Circle, as in group. Like a pagan social club, only we practice rituals, not give each other pedicures when we get together."

"Oh, I get it," understanding dawned on him. "So you practice what you sell, is that right?"

"In a manner of speaking. I sell things that I don't personally use; I have products from many different paths."

"You don't look much like a Wicca."

"Wiccan," she corrected him. "What were you expecting? Pointy hat and a broom?"

"Something like that," he admitted. "Okay, maybe not, but you look so… normal."

"Thanks… I think," she frowned, taking a long drink of coffee. "And I'm not, not exactly."

"What do you mean you're not exactly?"

"I don't like labels; I'm more of a… generic Pagan."

"Generic Pagan?" His brows climbed. "Does that mean you offer discounts?"

"It means, that I don't like to limit myself with a specific pantheon. And no, I don't perform any rituals for pay, though there are some that do." Her nose wrinkled with distaste.

"Pantheon…" Nick hastily scribbled down the word. "I'm gonna have to look that one up later," he admitted without a trace of shame. The entire thing was way more interesting than the usual husband kills wife or bar fight gets out of hand type of case he usually dealt with. "So, about this circle…" he looked up, pen poised. "Can you give me the names of the rest of the club?"

A tiny pucker of concern appeared on her smooth brow. "Why do you need to know that?"

"We need to talk to as many friends and family members as we can as part of the investigation. Since it's my understanding that most of her family isn't around here, that leaves her friends."

"Is that routine whenever someone dies?"

"It is when they're killed," he admitted, sensing it was going to be harder than he'd thought to get those names.

"You're saying that her death wasn't accidental then? Why would anyone want to kill Skye?"

"That's what I aim to find out," Nick's chin came up with determination.

***

Pretty Witches All in a Row is available for sale online through Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com.

Mercy for the Wicked is Now Available in Print!

Again it only took about a month after it was released as an ebook but it's available to purchase through Amazon.com.

So, to celebrate, here's another excerpt from the book that takes place when Mercy hears the call of Gabriel's horn and sits in on an Angel Jamboree.

With a little wave to Daphne to let her know I'd arrived safely, I started into the trees, the call even stronger on that side of the water, even though I couldn't hear the actual horn anymore. The island itself wasn't huge, and I didn't see any structures on it or a dock for boats to tie up there. The trees were dense though, and I had to pick my way carefully through the underbrush as there were no trails to follow.

A rush of air was my only warning as Sam landed beside me. "What are you doing here?" I asked automatically, though I could guess he'd heard the same call as I did.

"I could ask you the same question," he replied, his voice hushed as he looked around carefully.

"I heard that sound, like a horn calling me, so I came to check it out. It's an angel thing, isn't it?"

"You heard that?" he blinked. "Nevermind. Go home, Mercy. You don't belong here." Sam strode away from me at a brisk pace.

Like I was gonna turn around and head for home. He should have known me much better than that. I chased after him, knowing instinctively that he was headed in the right direction. "What is it? A meeting of the Fallen Angels Club and I can't come?"

"Not fallen angels," he said shortly and I could understand why he was so tense. This was a meeting of the big boys, and I was strictly persona non grata with them.

"So what are you doing here then?" He didn't seem like the type to flaunt the rules.

"I am not joining them; I am merely trying to…"

"You're spying!" I hissed back at him, tickled beyond belief to find he wasn't above something petty like that, and a flush of color stole up the side of his face.

"I only want to know if their plans will affect those I care about."

Me. I could read that on his face plainly enough. He wanted to know if they were holding a pow wow about my situation. "Okay then, I'm coming too."

"They will see you."

"Not if I'm real sneaky like," I grinned, slowing instinctively as the trees started to thin out.

And then I spotted them. Angels. Gobs of 'em.

A dozen or so angels stood alone or in pairs, chatting amiably like it was a church social. Their auras gleamed against the gray, overcast day, casting the clearing in a halo of golden light almost as if it were a sunny day. "Wow, what are they all doing here?" I whispered, ducking behind a tree.

"They came in response to Gabriel's horn, as you and I did."

That begged the question, "which one is Gabriel?"

"The one with the horn, duh; standing over there by Nathanael."

Sometimes I liked him better before he picked up on modern qualities like sarcasm. "Oh," I whispered back shortly. The pair of them stood next to each other but didn't appear to be talking, Nathanael looking stern as ever; Gabriel serious, but not quite as intimidating as his brother. As we watched, Gabriel lifted the horn to his lips and blew out another impossibly long note without taking a breath and the pull towards the clearing grew impossible to ignore. "I'm gonna go check things out."

Sam immediately caught hold of my arm, stepping into my path. "Mercy, you can't go out there, it's forbidden."

"Then why are they calling me?" Maybe the horn didn't discriminate against the Fallen or weird hybrids like I was. All I knew was, I had to get into that meadow and find out what all the fuss was about. Side stepping around him, I tugged my arm free.

"They'll see you," Sam hissed after me but I was undeterred.

"I know but… don't you feel it? I have to go." For a moment I thought he might try to tackle me to the ground, but instead he retreated back into the shelter of the trees as I approached the clearing. As soon as I was spotted, all eyes were on me with varying degrees of shock and surprise. Most of them appeared curious, but more than a few were openly disapproving of my arrival and I started to rethink the wisdom of venturing into their midst unannounced. The gathering parted, giving me a wide berth as if I'd brought contagion with me.

Not that I got far, as Nathanael stepped up to block my path. "Leave this place," he ordered imperiously, but I wasn't about to let him intimidate me.

"Hey, you're the ones that called; I came to see what was going on."

"You were not summoned; the call was for the heavenly host only."

"Then what am I doing here? Obviously I was summoned or how would I even know you were having a jamboree in the first place?" I pointed out, and I could see the effect my words were having on the crowd.

"She speaks the truth," one of the angels nodded, but Nathanael wasn't having any of it.

"The call is sometimes heard by the Fallen, it does not mean they are among the chosen."

Another stepped forward. His long dark hair and close cropped beard reminded me a little of the big JC, but he had quite a bit more muscle on his frame. Dressed in a cashmere turtleneck and dress slacks all in earth tones, he was the epitome of refined grace and his voice was cultured and well spoken. "She is not of the Fallen, and she shares the Grace of God. Should she not be privy to his words?" I liked this guy on sight and I was glad to have him in my corner.

"This is not to be borne! Will we allow our ranks to be polluted by this abomination?" Nathanael demanded, and I was afraid he might physically toss me out of the clearing in another moment. But at Gabriel's light touch he quieted, his face dark and glowering. I had unconsciously taken a step backwards in the face of Nate's anger but forced myself to hold my ground as Gabriel approached.

"I haven't done anything wrong. But if you want me to leave… I will," I said respectfully, all of the sarcasm falling out of my tone. Unlike Nathanael, who rubbed me the wrong way from day one with his pompous attitude, Gabriel radiated authority but also a gentleness. It soothed my prickly temper, and I found I really craved his approval. All looked to Gabriel who studied me with those big blue eyes, a touch of melancholy to his expression. It made me wonder; was he bummed because I interrupted his party, or because of something else? He approached slowly, coming to stop a couple of feet away from me. I expected him to say something, but he just stood there looking at me. Could Gabriel read minds? Was he trying to judge the quality of my soul based on the Grace? Was he wondering if he was going to miss Monday Night Football by the time all of this was over? I couldn't tell what was going on in that head of his, but he seemed to come to a decision, his head bowing the slightest of nods before he turned and strode away.

Apparently I'd passed some kind of test, because the other angels clustered around me then, and I was reminded that I really was like a shiny new toy to them. Most kept a respectful distance as though they were afraid to commit to actually choosing a side, but a few came closer to introduce themselves, their voices full of varying degrees of reverence and amusement. I felt a little like the belle of the ball; if the ball was full of glowing sexy angels. I'd never seen so much perfection in one place. Ever. Of course I hadn't heard of any of them in particular, until one approached, the one with long dark hair who had stood up to Nathanael in my defense.

"Greetings," he nodded formally.

"Hi," I nodded back.

"You are well?"

"Yes, I'm… well. I guess." It seemed an odd question after my outburst but then I remembered that they weren't all that big on small talk. At least this one didn't look like he was afraid to talk to me. "Hey, I'm a little rusty on my angel mind reading, is it actually okay for me to be here? 'Cause I could leave if it's gonna cause a problem." I wasn't sure how much leeway I was given from that slight nod out of Gabriel.

"No, you were given leave to attend, though as I understand it, it pertains to this gathering only."

"Wow, I must have missed that part of the message. You got all that from a single nod?"

He chuckled at that, a deep rich sound that made my stomach flutter. "We are all familiar with Gabriel's ways; he is not one for words."

"Yeah, I'm getting that. I looked over to where Gabriel watched over the crowd with that same impassive expression on his face. Was there supposed to be a formal announcement or were they waiting for me to leave to get back to angelic business? Deciding not to worry about it, I turned my attention back to my tall, new friend. "Listen, thanks for your help back there with Nathanael, that guy's got it in for me big time, I appreciate the support."

"Of course, I could do nothing else, Merceline," he sketched a half bow.

"It's Mercy," I corrected him automatically. "Does everyone here know who I am?"

"Oh yes, word of your… evolution has been spoken of in the highest of places."

"And the lowest," I muttered, not at all happy with my lack of privacy those days.

"You speak of your capture by Raum. I was both pleased and impressed to learn of your escape."

There he went again, knowing all about my business. It was a little flattering, but mostly it was kinda creepy, the idea that there were a bunch of people out there knowing the ins and outs of my daily life. "Seriously, how do you know all of this?" Sam had spoken of the angels watching over me, was he one of them?

"I made it my business to know. You don't seem to understand the impact you've had on our world, my dear lady."

"Oh?"

"Oh yes, in all the years of our existence, there has never been one such as you. You are…"

"Yeah, I know, I'm new. I get that a lot," I sighed and he chuckled again.

"Do not take it to heart that many of my kind have not accepted you, as a whole we resist change."

"That's alright; I never set out to be Miss Popular. Actually I'm a little more worried about the ones that like me a little too much."

"Could anyone ever care too much, dear lady?"

Uh oh. I recognized the look of infatuation that was starting to gather on his face and I wanted to nip that in the bud. "Yeah well, I'm taken, I mean really taken," I added quickly, gratified when he got the message and stopped giving me those puppy dog eyes. "I don't appreciate being kidnapped by demons who are attracted to my Grace or fallen angels who want to use me to escape eternal damnation either. By the way, shouldn't it be your guys' job to make sure that doesn't happen? He's your prisoner, right?"

"You speak of Azazael."

"Yep, that's the one. What kind of a prison is it if he can escape into the Ether whenever he wants or jump into someone's body?" It seemed like a flawed system to me. Sure his body was chained to a rock, but it obviously wasn't doing any good if his mind could escape so easily.

"He has come to you in the Ether?"

Maybe it was petty of me, but I couldn't help but feel a little jolt of happiness for having caught an all knowing angel by surprise. "Oh, so you don't know every little thing about me after all, do you?" I gloated.

"My apologies, the Ether is difficult for us to monitor."

"That's okay." It was better for me if they didn't keep too close of an eye on the Ether anyway; it left me feeling less like I was being watched at every turn when I got to spend time with Adam.

"You should not have to bear the brunt of Azazael's avarice or schemes. Nathanael!" he called out, and I almost wished I'd kept my mouth shut. But if they could help me with my Azazael problem, that would simple my life up big time. "Were you aware that Azazael is stalking this child in the Ether?"

"I am not her keeper, I leave that to you," he replied with disdain.

My brows came up at that one. This guy was my keeper? Did I have another guardian angel? Not that I was complaining, but how exactly did I rate that? Did he get an assignment to watch over me, or was it his idea all on his own? With an advocate in my corner, I spoke up again. "Yeah, but you don't want him to escape right? Isn't there something you can do to keep him from coming after me?"

"Even if I deigned to concern myself with your plight, we are bound by God's instructions, unable to take action without direction. So there is little that can be done against Azazael unless and until he actually escapes his bonds."

The sonofabitch actually looked happy about that little loophole that allowed Azazael to keep tormenting me with no retribution. I had to wonder; was he always like this? Or was it just me who got his knickers in a knot? While I had pretty much expected a response like that from good ol' Nate, my new champion clearly was not.

"Still, you cannot believe it is His will for Azazael to escape," he pressed, but Nathanael wasn't interested.

"I have learned not to try and anticipate God's will and I would caution you to do the same," Nathanael replied stiffly. "If you feel that strongly about it, take up a petition, you know the proper channels."

"I shall."

"Fine, may we get back to business now?" The air fairly crackled with enmity as the two angels squared off, but my friend was the first one to back down.

"I humbly await your pronouncement," he gave a low bow before stalking off.

"That guy is a total asshat," I muttered under my breath and the angel standing next to me gave a nervous titter of laughter. He soon quieted under Nathanael's disapproving glare though and we all sobered, waiting for whatever angel business was on the docket.

Between the Scenes with Iris – Mercy

Five minutes with Mercy from Angel of Mercy

Iris: Iris here, and I'm talking to Merceline Renault, a bartender in Seattle and part time angel. You've had a crazy few months, thanks for taking the time to talk to me.

Mercy: Call me Mercy, please, nobody calls me Merceline but my mother. [Her nose wrinkles with distaste, and I remember she doesn't have the best relationship with her mother by all accounts] I wouldn't say I'm a part time angel, I'm still me. I'm just… well, not entirely human anymore.

Iris: That sounds interesting, how did you get that way?

Mercy: I got stabbed in the alley outside of the club I work at, Eden. I don't remember much about it, but when I woke up in the hospital, I was different. [Her expression grows distant for a fleeting moment with remembered pain or something else, it's hard to say] I found out later that Sam had healed me and some of his Grace rubbed off on me.

Iris: Sam is your guardian angel?

Mercy: No, not exactly. He didn't follow me around or anything you normally think of from a guardian angel. I'd never met him before that night in the alley. For whatever reason he decided I was worth saving and he healed me.

Iris: I dunno, sounds kind of like a guardian angel to me. What kinds of things can you do with the Grace?

Mercy: I can't fly or anything, but there are a few tricks I can do like make myself imperceptible to people and the Grace protects me from harm. I can see people's souls now, tell if they're good or bad, that sort of thing. Oh and my eyes turned blue, they used to be brown. [She leans close to show me]

Iris: They sure are, I was noticing them before. They're just like Sam's.

Mercy: Oh, Sam let you see him? That's impressive, usually he hides from most people.

Iris: Why would he do that?

Mercy: I don't think he's comfortable around people for the most part, he takes the exile part of being Fallen very seriously.

Iris: But not Adam, right? Does he take anything seriously?

Mercy: [A scowl crosses her face and she shifts in her chair] I don't want to talk about Adam.

Iris: Fair enough.

Mercy: Have you seen him? Is he okay? [Her expression softens, teeth worrying at her bottom lip]

Iris: Not yet, I've got an appointment to talk to him next week. Is there anything you want me to ask him?

Mercy: No. Yes, ask him… no nevermind, I don't care what he has to say. [She waves the question away]

Iris: Yeah, I can see that… Okay, if we're not going to talk about Adam, who should we talk about? Ben?

Mercy: Just because he's sexy as hell doesn't mean I'm sitting at home thinking about him…

Iris: Who, Ben is sexy as hell?

Mercy: What? [She blinks, as if she has just realized she was walking aloud] No… I mean, yeah, he's sexy in a different way, I guess. Ben is a great guy, things are going great bewteen us.

Iris: That's good, he seems like a really nice guy, for a cop. He was really there for you when you were attacked by that Weatie guy, wasn't he?

Mercy: Yeah, he was really great, he even let me stay with him for a little bit after Weatie broke into my apartment.

Iris: Yes, you said that already. So you guys smoothed out the rough patch you were going through when he thought you were hiding things from him?

Mercy: Well, to be fair, I was hiding things from him. I couldn't just come out and tell him I was seeing angels, fallen or otherwise, let alone tell him about my Grace.

Iris: Why not? If he's such a great guy?

Mercy: I don't really know. Something told me he might head for the hills, and I really wanted one thing in my life to be normal, you know?

Iris: I can understand that. So everything is back to normal then? You're still working at Eden as a bartender, and you haven't had much contact with Sam or Adam lately?

Mercy: Not a peep until the Halloween party. You could have knocked me over with a feather when Sam walked into the bar. He is not a bar kind of guy.

Iris: So, I'm dying to ask you, what did he say?

Mercy: [She hesitates for a moment, as though she's not sure she should talk about it, and then leans forward, her voice dropping conspiratorially] He said that there's some prophecy that talks about a demon or something trying to be reborn to the world through me. Well, someone who sounds an awful lot like me, my name wasn't in it or anything.

Iris: Yikes, that sounds scary, what are you going to do about that?

Mercy: Honestly? I have no idea. [Her voice takes on a forlorn note and I remember she's really still in the middle of dealing with some major stuff here] I really wish that Adam was here.

Iris: I thought you didn't care where Adam was?

Mercy: [Just like that she sits up straighter, the vulnerability gone] I don't. Not specifically… I just need all the help that I can get.

Iris: I think you're not being honest with yourself.

Mercy: I think you talk too much. [uh oh, I might have worn out my welcome here...]

Iris: I'm sorry, occupational hazard; I'm just calling it like I see it. And from where I'm sitting, it looks like your feelings for Adam are unresolved.

Mercy: I'm with Ben. [Those blue eyes stare me down until I change the subject]

Iris: So did you tell Ben about what's going on? About fallen angels and demons and the prophecy?

Mercy: I'm going to. In fact, I should get going right now. No sense in putting it off any longer. [She doesn't sound too thrilled by the prospect]

Iris: Good luck. [It doesn't seem like enough, but she accepts it with a tight smile]

Mercy: Thanks. Something tells me I'm going to need it.

Thanks for reading, guys. Stay tuned for the next Between the Scenes interview with Samael, the fallen angel from Angel of Mercy.

*If there are other characters you'd like Iris to interview, or burning questions you wish she'd asked, please drop her a line in the comments section here, she adores fan mail.

Pretty Witches All in a Row is now available online!

We Have A Winner!

Congratulations to Amanda McLain-Young who won a free copy of Angel of Mercy! Thanks to everyone who voted on the cover art for Pretty Witches All in a Row. It looks like the blue cover won by a landslide, and I have to admit, it's my favorite as well. I was worried it would look a little busy shrunk down small, so it's nice to know you guys thought it looks good too. Pretty Witches was the second book I wrote, and I'm so excited about finally getting it polished and published! I have a soft spot in my heart for Nick and the witches.

And now Pretty Witches All in a Row is now available for sale as an eBook on Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com! It's out as an e-book for $3.99 but you don't have to have a Kindle or Nook to read it, they have free downloadable apps so you can read it on your PC, or even your phone. It'll be available in print as well in a couple of weeks through Amazon.

So I'm taking the month of October off of writing (apart from fanfic, I can't go cold turkey!) to gear up for NaNoWriMo, recharge my batteries and focus a little on marketing. But… I'm in research mode for my new vampire series which I hope to have out in December or early January. It's a big project because it involves a lot of research and world building, but I've been looking forward to getting some of it down on paper for a while now. After that it'll be Mercy for the Damned and then… anything could happen, I have sequel ideas for all of the books or I might focus on getting Moonsong cleaned up to be published.

Dreamcasting – Mercy for the Wicked

Because I love visualizing who would be cast in a movie version of my books and I think it's fun to share, here is my dream casting of who would play everybody in Mercy for the Wicked.

The main players stay the same (but I have pictures this time!):

Mercy – Amelia Warner – a pretty obscure British actress who I think is beautiful and spirited.

Sam – a younger Jude Law, pre-Talented Mr. Ripley. I came across a couple of pictures of him taken by the paparazzi and he was a little ruffled and baffled looking, it really caught that part of Sam's clueless personality.

Adam – Ian Somerhalder because let's face it, he could play this character in his sleep and he's just a sexy beast.

Ben – Mark Rufalo – he has that every guy quality that's easy to overlook sometimes, but he can be so charming!

Parker – Bradley Cooper – because he can play an ass and still be pretty to look at.

Matty – Justin Long – I think he could pull off the slacker brother so well.

Daphne – Amanda Seyfried – with that long blonde hair and blue eyes, she has that wide eyed innocence that I associate with Daphne

Nathanael – Matthew McFadyen (go see him in Pride and Prejudice as Mr. Darcy) – He has the intensity to look really pious and thunderous..

This time around we have some new characters:

Azazael – Orlando Bloom a la Pirates of the Carribean. He's a good looking guy, but I dunno, something about him makes me want to smack him.

Raziel – Oded Fehr like from The Mummy days, but no facial tattoos. Or possibly from Deuce Bigalow male gigolo.

Raum – Christopher Eccleston, like he was in Dr. Who. Just kinda jazzed about life, even when things are going to shit.

Gabriel – Eric Bana, because he can communicate a lot with just his eyes.

Ubel – Kevin Durand Wouldn't he make an outstanding demon with big, sharp, nasty, pointy teeth?

Bert – Mackenzie Crook from Pirates of the Carribean.

Hubie – Lee Arenberg also from Pirates of the Carribean, okay so I have no idea why I have so many people from Pirates of the Carribean in this one, it just worked out that way!

And of course…

Mimsy – one of my own cats! Because she's so cute and curious and her squeaky sounds are like nothing I've heard from a cat before.

Vote for Cover Art – Pretty Witches All in a Row

It's that time again to give me your thoughts and feedback on the cover art for my new book coming out in October, Pretty Witches All in a Row. Anyone who comments on the covers on the website will be automatically entered for a chance to win a copy of one of my books (your choice of books). We'd also love to hear constructive criticism and ideas for how to improve them if you have any suggestions. Please keep in mind that they have to be not only eye-catching, but easy to identify when much smaller in ads and for sale on websites.

Here is a little blurb of what the book is about:

Someone is picking off a coven of witches one by one. Can Sgt. Nick Gibson and his team of detectives catch the killer before he loses the pretty witch who's got him under her spell? Nick must cast aside his disbelief and delve into the world of the supernatural to solve the case. On hand to help is Annaliese, a member of the coven who claims to have had a prophetic dream at the exact time of each victim's death, offering clues to the identity of the killer. Can he accept the 'proof' offered by unconventional means or is she deliberately leading him astray to hide her own secrets? To cloud the issue, a local evangelist is telling anyone who asks that the victims had it coming. Is religious mania the motive for murder, or is it something more personal?