Inkwell Guest: Devon Ellington on Hex Breaker

June 19, 2012 by

Today, I’m very pleased to host author and good friend, Devon Ellington, here at the blog. She took time out to do an interview and talk about the re-release of her novel, Hex Breaker.

Thank you for coming by the Inkwell, Devon! This month is the re-release of your novel, HEX BREAKER. Where did you get the idea for that?

Two scenes came to me before the rest of the book. One was the scene in the car, where Jain, Billy, and Nick are driving back from the location, and they get into a car chase (with surprising results). Driving back from a location myself late one night, I had a car crawling up my tailpipe for no good reason, and the scene came to me. The other early scene is the one, early in the book, where the zombie attacks the actors during a meal break. On a different set, working ridiculous hours, we were joking about feeling like zombies, and one of the actors clapped me on the shoulder and said, “Oh, I’m not worried. You’ll protect me.” I’d been playing with the character of Jain for awhile, not sure what to do with her, and this seemed like a good fit. The book when from there.

What do you like most about your heroine, Jain Lazarus? How will readers relate to her?

She’s skilled, smart, competent, tough, doesn’t take crap, and yet retains her compassion. She’s also built up a wall to protect herself from emotional pain, shut herself off from being hurt, and some fissures are starting to appear.

What do you like most about your hero, Wyatt East?

Again, he’s skilled and smart. He likes and respects women as people. He tries to do the right thing. He likes hard evidence (he’s a cop, after all), but he’s not going to pretend something doesn’t exist simply because it’s outside his realm of experience. He, too, has built up walls. How he and Jain tear down each other’s walls is a fulcrum in the series.

Since this is the Adventures of Jain Lazarus, what else do you have in store for us with this character?

The main drive is that, throughout these adventures, both Jain and Wyatt have to face the losses in their pasts and build from them. Not get over them, but integrate those losses in what they feel for each other. The paranormal is “normal” to Jain, but emotional risks aren’t anymore. The paranormal is new to Wyatt, but he’s also cut off a lot of his vulnerability after the deaths of his family. In the meantime, there’s a bigger series arc driving through the books that’s connected to Jain’s past that needs to be dealt with.

The second book, OLD-FASHIONED DETECTIVE WORK, is from Wyatt’s POV, and deals with his search for Jain when she disappears after a romantic weekend and he’s the main suspect. It’s tied to her past. Solstice already contracted that one. The third book, CRAVE THE HUNT, alternates between Jain’s POV and Billy’s POV, mostly in Scotland, and deals with even more of Jain’s past. Solstice gets that at the end of the summer. The fourth, LOVE AND FURY, is when all the emotions Jain and Wyatt have kept walled up over the years, completely explode. That should be done late winter/early spring.

In addition, I’ll be releasing some short stories in the coming months, as free limited downloads, some dealing with Jain’s life pre-Wyatt, some that cover events in between the books. At some point next year, they’ll be collected, along with a new novella about how Jain started on this path.

The entire seven book series is in outline, which helps shape each book, and then the stories can explore things that aren’t pivotal to each book, but also are pieces of the Jain and Wyatt puzzles.

What made you want to write paranormal?

The world is a magical, fascinating place. Paranormal makes possibilities tangible.

How did you bring their world to life?

I worked in theatre, film, and television production for years. I know that world. I know actors. Zombies have never really been my thing, but they were the right choice for this book, so I researched the legends. Ghosts, tarot, paranormal – those aren’t out of my wheelhouse; I’ve been dealing with all that stuff for years. I research police procedure specific to whatever area I’m writing about. I think the best way to bring something to life is through a focused POV and layering in sensory detail.

If you weren’t a writer, what would you be?

I’d probably still be working in production, on Broadway and in film and television. Of course, now that I live on Cape Cod and have a garden, I’m thinking, hmmm, might be fun to work part-time in a garden center and part-time in a bookstore! Really, at this point, the only thing I’m qualified to be is a writer.

What’s your favorite genre to read?

I read across all genres. I’m a paid book reviewer for a weekly publication, and I review literary fiction for them. I love mystery, fantasy, urban fantasy, science fiction, cross-genre. I’m getting into steampunk lately, as a reader and a writer. I read a lot of non-fiction – mostly biography, diaries, letters, etc., for research.

The only thing I loathe reading is a novel done in the present tense, regardless of genre. Nothing is more frustrating or distracting. Nothing pulls me out of the story as an artifice saying, “See? You’re not really here? Ha, ha, ha!” than a novel written in the present tense. It feels like the author is spitting in my face, instead of pulling me into an enchanted world. Some short stories need it and can sustain it; I have yet to read a novel that worked for me in it. I’m sure someday a novelist will write something brilliant that will change my mind, but it’s yet to happen.

Where can we find you online?

The Jain Lazarus website is: http://hexbreaker.devonellingtonwork.com

Main website, with other pseudonyms, information about workshops, etc.: www.devonellingtonwork.com

The blog on the writing life (5x/week): Ink in My Coffee, http://devonellington.wordpress.com

Billy Root’s blog (1x/week, since he’s got such a huge fan base): http://billyrootblogs.wordpress.com

Twitter: @DevonEllington

What’s in your TBR pile?

I’m eagerly awaiting Juliet Blackwell’s next Lily Ivory mystery, and Yasmine Galenorn has a new book coming out this summer, so those will go to the top of any pile. And I think Deborah Harkness’s next release, after A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES will be out. Loved that book, so I’ll be putting everything aside to read the next one! Right now, I’ve got books by Sharon Shinn, Tanith Lee, Henry James, Carol McCleary, and a pile of whaling journals by women who travelled with their sea captain husbands, in preparation for an upcoming project. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Inkwell Guests, Writing Tagged With: , , ,

Inkwell Guest: Annabel Aidan

June 6, 2011 by

Today, I’m happy to have my good friend, Annabel Aidan (You may also know her as Devon Ellington. :) ), talking about challenging yourself as a writer and how she came about writing her romantic suspense, Assumption of Right. It releases today from Champagne Books, so you’ll want to hurry over and snag your copy. Here’s a blurb for her new book:

Witchcraft, politics, and theatre collide and combine as Morag D’Anneville and Secret Service agent Simon Keane fight to protect the Vice President of the United States — or is it Morag who needs Simon’s protection more than the VP?

Witch and theatre professional Morag D’Anneville is annoyed when she’s assigned to dress the conservative Vice President as he makes a surprise appearance in his favorite Broadway show. Even more irritating, she has to teach Agent Simon Keane, part of the security detail, the backstage ropes in preparation. A strong attraction flares between them which they both recognize is doomed, and Simon must also fight his superior’s prejudice that Morag’s beliefs make her a threat to the Vice President. When Morag is attacked, Simon’s loyalties are torn between protecting the man he’s sworn to protect, and protecting the woman he loves.

Doesn’t it sound fabulous? A brief excerpt follows at the end of this post, too. Enjoy!

Keep Challenging Yourself as a Writer
By Annabel Aidan

I never expected to write romantic suspense. it didn’t seem in the realm of my possibilities. A decade ago, I tried my hand at straight-up romance and was rejected because “your heroine is too independent. She doesn’t need a man enough.”

I wasn’t interested in needy heroines as a reader, so why would I want to write one? I wanted to write a strong, intelligent, independent woman who MADE THE CHOICE to have a positive relationship with the love of her life, even though it wasn’t easy. I wanted two smart, lively, fun people to fall in love WITH EACH OTHER and choose togetherness rather than apartness, in spite of obstacles. I didn’t want her noodling around with a competing love interest that the reader and everyone else in her life knew was totally wrong until she had a Big Realization. I have no time or patience for those women in real life, so why would I want to spend all those hours it takes to write a book with one?

I’d played around for awhile with setting a piece backstage and depicting the ups and downs and frustrations realistically. I’m sick of seeing cliches of backstage life written by someone who wandered around backstage once at a community theatre and tries to write soap opera. And I had a treasure trove of theatre ghost stories that I wanted to play with. I also had a lot of problems with the way alternate religions were handled in fiction — the “evil witch” stereotypes and Hollywood cliches from people who couldn’t be bothered to learn anything about the spiritual aspects of the craft and were only interested in promoting a culture of intolerance. The character of Morag started talking to me, and I looked around for a likely foil for her. I considered Hartley Crain at first — the guy Morag’s friend Diana keeps trying to match her up with — and knew that, although he’s a great guy, he wasn’t the right guy from her, and he would pull focus rather than make an interesting triangle. (As a side note, poor Hart can’t catch a break in the first several books set in this fictional New York and environs, although I will probably give him his own book further down the road. He’s got some growing to do, but he really is a good guy. He’s just not the “right guy” for Morag. Or Bonnie. Or Amanda. Or . . .well, you get the idea).

A friend of mine dared me to write a romantic suspense, because I never had. I was worried about doing a “damsel-in-distress-who-tries-everyone’s-patience”, and my friend said, “So don’t. Write the character you want within an unfamiliar genre. Just for shits and giggles.”

I thought, why not? Nano’s coming up. I need an idea for that. What better time to write in an unfamiliar genre than during a time when I’ve got to get words on paper and get out of my own way.

I pulled out some of my old diaries and came across entries from times when the Secret Service hung out backstage when VIPs were in the audience. Agent Simon Keane emerged from those re-readings. Originally, Simon was going to be a peripheral character and the main love interest would be someone else on the show. But Simon quickly came forward and said, “Uh, no, I’M the male lead in this story” and Morag said, “Yeah, he is, and if you try to push me with someone else, this will not end well.”

Since I’m a big believer in trusting my characters, I agreed.

The entire book was supposed to be from Morag’s point of view, but I quickly learned that Simon had a lot to say, and had a lot going on away from his time with Morag. So, although the entire book is in third person, chapters alternate through Morag’s eyes or Simon’s eyes.

The first draft of ASSUMPTION OF RIGHT came out quickly. I was very unhappy with the book and put it away. I went back here and there, but wasn’t really sure what to do with it or how to fix what didn’t work. In the interim, I wrote and published other books and short stories. I read more romantic suspense and learned the needs of the genre, and started to see how I could work within the genre without getting trapped into cliches I didn’t like. I did research on Secret Service procedure, and made decisions about where I could stretch reality of their jobs without suspending disbelief too much. Although I realize a singing, dancing, conservative Vice President may seem like a stretch! ;) Again, I wanted him to be a legitimately interesting, multi-dimensional human being, not a cipher for a particular position.

I started pulling apart the book and rebuilding it. Off and on for five years, until very little remained of the original manuscript. I challenged myself to write the best book I could. I finally had a draft I liked, although I still felt there was room for improvement, and a book that my Trusted Readers liked. I stared querying it. I had publishers who wanted the spiritual/ethical aspect of Wicca removed because “it’s not really a religion. It’s all hocus-pocus fiction.” Um, no, earth-based religions are just as legitimate as The Big Three, and it’s a integral part of who Morag is as an individual. I got rejections again, because Morag was “too independent.” I got rejections because “no one wants to read about the guy’s point of view.” Um, actually, some of the best books I’ve read in the genre included sections from the guy’s point of view.

I kept trying until I found a publisher who believed in the book’s unique qualities. I was then paired with an editor who loved the book and the characters, understood what I was trying to do, and made the book better and stronger, by challenging me to re-think certain portions, approach them from different angles, and cut. I knew there needed to be cuts, but I wasn’t sure where, and when she suggested cuts, they felt completely right.

In the meantime, one of the peripheral characters turned out to have a lot to say, so I started Bonnie’s book, and the title came pretty quickly, of THE SPIRIT REPOSITORY, and made notes on the book that will be Amanda and Regan’s book (two other supporting characters in ASSUMPTION). Hopefully, I’m taking what I’ve learned in ASSUMPTION and applied it to SPIRIT REPOSITORY. I’m challenged to do even better within the genre, and research the period when New York was New Amsterdam, integrating the backstory into the present day suspense. I’m challenged to write a better book, and, hopefully, will again be paired with an editor who challenges me further. And I hope the book after that will present new challenges.

There’s nothing more exciting than getting up to face a new page with fresh challenges every morning, pushing yourself beyond where you thought you could go.

Annabel Aidan writes romantic suspense with a hint of magic. She publishes under a half a dozen names in both fiction and non­fiction. She spent over twenty years working behind the scenes on Broadway, in film and television, mostly working wardrobe. Her plays are produced in New York, London, Edinburgh, and Australia. If you run towards her undoing buttons, she will tear off your clothes and flip you into something else — and then read your tarot cards. Visit her at: http://www.devonellingtonwork.com/annabelaidan.html.

Excerpt from Assumption of Right:

“Pardon my bluntness, but Beers is an idiot. Either the show can run the way it is supposed to and the Vice President can enjoy being a Broadway star like he’s always wanted, or we’re in lockdown. Then the VP might as well go out at intermission with a cane and a top hat to tap dance.”

“You know that’s not how he wants to do it.”

“Then your team is going to have to meet us halfway.”

“I am not the problem!” Simon felt his temper rise. He resented the schoolmarm act.

“I know that. And believe me, I am unbelievably grateful that I’m dealing with you and not someone incapable of comprehending the complexity of all this and finding a way to make it work. But I want you to understand everything that’s going on.”

“That’s why I’m here,” Simon said through gritted teeth.

“I know. I’m emphasizing the point.”

Simon glared at her. For a moment, he thought he was going to reach out and shake her. Then, he realized what he wanted to do was kiss her. Pull her into his arms, touch his lips to hers, and feel her body against his.

They stared at each other for a moment. He saw an instant of shock in her eyes, followed by comprehension, followed by thoughtfulness. His own thoughts and emotions were in such a muddled state that he stepped back, putting a few feet of physical distance between them.

He’d nearly crossed a line, and he wanted to. He wanted to touch her and kiss her. Not in an abstract way, as when he observed an attractive woman in passing and spent a moment or two wondering what she was like naked or what she enjoyed in bed. He specifically wanted Morag.

It was entirely inappropriate.

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Devon Ellington: Can You Cut It As a Freelance Writer? Part 2

April 2, 2009 by

Today we continue with part two of Devon Ellington’s article on freelancing.

Thanks, Devon, for sharing all your insight with us!

Can You Cut It As a Freelance Writer? Part 2

de-avatar-2Management
Set up your systems first. Keep track of your pitches, your submissions, the status of every project with every client. Excel is useful for this, Quickbooks is useful. Play around, see what works. Keep a large calendar to track deadlines, payments, and follow-ups. Set up regular contact with clients and potential clients to let them know you’re still out there. Spend time each week marketing yourself, looking for prospects, and adding to your portfolio. Use the blocks of time outside your current job to prepare for the transition to your new job.

If you’ve already lost your job, build in all of the above to your daily routine of sending out resumes and looking for work.

Decide on your fees. Stay on top of your invoices. Decide on your policy for late fees, rush fees, etc. Do NOT miss a deadline. As a freelancer, there will be plenty of times you don’t get to knock off at 5 PM on Friday or any other day. When you’re on deadline or on multiple deadlines, you work until it’s done. It doesn’t matter if you’re tired, it doesn’t matter if you have dirty dishes in the sink or laundry piled up, and there will be times it doesn’t matter if your kid wants you to stop and play. If you’re going to keep a roof over your heads, you get the work done and you don’t miss a deadline. And, even when you’re busy, put aside a few hours per week to keep marketing. If you wait until you’re not busy to market, you will have large pockets of time without income.

Once you’re established, you keep up the work ethic, but you have more freedom to say no. You have the freedom to clear deadlines off your desk early and fly to the Bahamas for the weekend, or take your kid to the aquarium for an impromptu afternoon. Once you’ve established yourself, you’ve got the freedom you crave. But you have to earn it.

If you’re someone who needs another person cracking the whip at you in order to get anything done, this is not the life for you. If you lose your job, sign up with a temp agency to get through until you can get another job in a structured environment. If structure makes you feel safe, then go for structure. Freelancing will add too much stress to your life, and some people just aren’t cut out for it. But if you are willing to put in the initial work and lay the foundation to earn your way into setting your own schedule, then approach it in a professional manner, and earn your way to freedom.

Resources
THE WELL-FED WRITER by Peter Bowerman, and his website: http://www.wellfedwriter.com. The best book and website for freelancers, in my opinion.

About Freelance Writing – http://www.aboutfreelancewriting.com - Anne Wayman’s site. She has some of the better job listings, and always lots of practical advice.

Words on the Page – http://loriwidmer.blogspot.com - Lori Widmer is one of the smartest freelance writers out there. Her site is filled with tips, treats, and ideas to grow your business while avoiding scams.

Media Bistro – www.mediabistro.com - They have both free and paid memberships. Their job listings are usually filled with full-time jobs, but they have media listings from all over the country, they’re legitimate, and the pay rates are good. Their networking parties are fun, too!

 

Devon Ellington publishes under a half a dozen names in both fiction and non-fiction. She writes the Jain Lazarus Adventures, and her plays are produced in New York, London, Edinburgh, and Australia. A freelancer her entire career (over twenty-five years), her work appears in publications as diverse as FEMMEFAN, NEW MYTHS, ESPRESSO FICTION, THE SCRUFFY DOG REVIEW, THE CRAFTY TRAVELER, THE SAVVY GAL, BLESSED GARDENS, TOASTED-CHEESE, HAMPTON FAMILY LIFE, THE ARMCHAIR DETECTIVE, and ELLE. Visit her blog on the ups and downs of the writing life, Ink in My Coffee, http://devonellington.wordpress.com.

Filed Under: Dusty Tome, Inkwell Guests Tagged With: , ,

Devon Ellington: Can You Cut It As a Freelance Writer? Part 1

April 1, 2009 by

Today, my good friend, Devon, is here with her insightful article on freelance writing. Come back tomorrow for Part 2!

Can You Cut It As A Freelance Writer? Part 1

by Devon Ellington

de-avatar-2Myth Vs. Reality
In this stumbling economy, plenty of people look at us and think freelancers have it easy – we work in our pajamas, we hang out in coffee shops or wine bars, and the cash keeps rolling in. Of course, these people are delusional. It would be lovely if that represented our actual life.

The reality is that we work in our pajamas when we’re battling with the flu and still have a deadline looming. Yeah, it’s really great not to have to get dressed, go out in the cold, drive to someone else’s office and spend most of our day praying to the porcelain god in a public restroom. But we’d still rather be in bed, getting well, than working through an illness in order to make sure the electricity stays on.

The reality is that we sometimes work in coffee shops because our own four walls are closing in on us, and switching where we work keeps us going. And we head for that wine bar when the client keeps changing his mind about what he wants, brings in a dozen other eyes because he’s so insecure about what he wants, and hasn’t paid us in six months.

The reality is that we often spend months chasing down deadbeat clients in order to get paid, in spite of strong contracts, because we’re not on a payroll other than our own and far too many clients think that means they can pay us if and when they get around to it.

Freelancing is a wonderful way of life, because you get to work on many projects you love, and, once you’re earning enough money so you don’t have to say yes to everything, you can turn down the ones that don’t interest you or don’t pay enough. But it takes commitment, motivation, and self-discipline.

The bluntest truths I can give you are these: If you are the type of person who writes in a spurt for a few days and then doesn’t write for weeks because you’re tired or you’re busy or you just don’t feel like it, you won’t make it as a freelancer. If you can’t get anything done without a deadline only hours away (even though you’ve known about it for weeks), you won’t make it as a freelancer. If you can’t come up with inventive ways to introduce your services to clients, you won’t make it as a freelancer. If you think you can support yourself only from the job boards, you won’t make it as a freelancer.

Preparation
A transition is always less stressful than a jump (although I prefer jumping). If you have the option to transition, start cutting back on expenses now, even beyond what you have to cut back on in this economy. You want to sock away six months to one year of living expenses aside, preferably with a little extra in case of an illness or some other emergency. I have never lived this way, I have never had that much money put aside, but that is the ideal.

If you’re still working, set up a block of time two to three times per week outside of work where you start setting up your freelance life. What does that mean?

Do you have any materials for a portfolio? Work you’ve done for your current or past jobs can count, provided it’s not confidential and you weren’t under a confidentiality agreement at the time. Gather up copies of that work. Scan it and put it in a portfolio file that you can either send or, if you decide to create an online portfolio, which you can upload. Go through your clip file. (If you don’t have one, set one up). Decide what pieces you want or need in your portfolio for the type of freelancing you want to do. Start your resume, mixing your experience with your full-time job along with your other work.

What if you don’t have anything for your portfolio? You can use several approaches. You can create pieces in the tone, style, and area in which you want to freelance, to be used as samples. You can research markets in the area and try to break in.

Most important: Stay away from sites that charge for listings, or pay something like $2/article for 20 articles in a week. They won’t build your portfolio or help you get higher paying jobs. You’re better off doing pro bono work for a non-profit, charitable organization about which you are passionate, which has a solid reputation.

Design a website, stationery, a business card, and an invoice. Set up an email account specific to your freelance work (preferably attached to your website), and check it daily. Spend time every day on blogs, websites, and forums of other freelances in your field and network. If you can afford it, join your local Chamber of Commerce and, most importantly, ATTEND MEETINGS. If you pay your money and never show up, people don’t get to know you. You want to get to know them so that, when they’ve got an assignment for you, they think of you.

Should you set up a blog? Only when you’re at the point where you’ve got something relevant to say and add to the freelance community. There are thousands of freelance blogs out there – if you have something unique to add, jump in. Otherwise, learn from other blogs and THEN add your own when you’re got something to say.

This will continue tomorrow with Part 2: Management and Resources.

Filed Under: Dusty Tome, Inkwell Guests Tagged With: ,

Radio Silence

March 31, 2009 by

I guess I don’t have much to report today other than I’ve been working on revising my WIP. I’m about 70 pages into the revision and I really like where it’s going.

And the contest. Oh, it never ends with the contest, does it? LOL We’re this close to getting all the scores tallied. Thank goodness.

So, how about you? What’s going on in your world? Please share. Because I’m lonely over here.

(OH! And for those of you who are a fan of Devon Ellington, she’ll be guesting here tomorrow and Thurdsay with a fantastic article. Don’t forget to come by and say hi!)

Filed Under: Dusty Tome Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Today’s Guest: Devon Ellington

March 4, 2009 by

hex-breaker-cover-thumbnailBack in August, my good friend, Devon, joined me here for an interview (click the link to read the entire interview). She had just released her adventure, Hex Breaker. Now, she’s working on the follow-up adventures with her characters Jain and Wyatt. Below is an excerpt of her first interview as well as some more information about the coming release in the series. AND! Because the book is so awesome, I’m giving away a copy of Hex Breaker. Just leave a comment and your name will be tossed in the hat for the giveaway. All comments must be posted by midnight CST and winners will be emailed and announced on tomorrow’s blog.

 

Tell us a little about the book [Hex Breaker].
Hex Breaker Jain Lazarus joins the crew of a cursed film, hoping to put to rest what was stirred up before more people die and the film is lost. Tough, practical Detective Wyatt East becomes her unlikely ally and lover on an adventure fighting zombies, ceremonial magicians, the town wife-beater, the messenger of the gods, and their own pasts. Hey, it’s always more fun when they have dark pasts, isn’t it?

Will there be more adventures with these characters?
Yes. I should have a short story available for free download soon. The second story in the series, tentatively titled OLD-FASHIONED DETECTIVE WORK, is told through Wyatt’s eyes, and is almost finished. The third will be told through Billy Root’s point of view and is set in Scotland. Gee, now there’s a surprise, right? Something of mine set in Scotland – again!

ofdw_thumbTell us a little bit about the books following Hex Breaker. What adventures can readers expect to see with these characters?

Ooh, you want me to give things away? ;)

OLD-FASHIONED DETECTIVE WORK, the book set to release this spring, is told from Wyatt’s point of view, which should please Wyatt’s legions of fans! Jain disappears after a romantic weekend with Wyatt, and he’s the main suspect in her disappearance, complicated by the fact that the manager of the inn insists Wyatt and Jain left in the morning, but only Wyatt returned. The paranormal organization with whom Jain works hires Wyatt to track Jain, and he winds up in the middle of a shapeshifter controversy, saddled with a young, rebellious paranormal-couple-in-training, mermaids, and dragons as he uses his very pragmatic skills to track Jain down.

There’s an excerpt of the new book here and excerpts from HEX BREAKER and the two tie-in short stories.

The third book, which I’m currently writing, is mostly told through Billy Root’s eyes. He was a secondary character in HEX BREAKER, but so popular that he warrants his own book. Most chapters are told from his point of view; a few are from Jain’s. The book takes place in Scotland (with a few chapters in Iceland), and the whole second half of the book takes place at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, in which I’ve had two plays produced over the years. So we go back to some of the behind-the-scenes theatre stuff, the way there’s a lot of behind-the-scenes film stuff in HEX BREAKER. I think Billy’s journey will surprise a lot of people, but also really please the ones who fell in love with him in HEX BREAKER. He keeps surprising me in the best possible way.

The fourth book will focus on an escaped killer who’s out for revenge on Wyatt, who put him away; the fifth book is behind-the-scenes on a singer’s concert tour, and the sixth (and right now final) book of the series has to do with a journey to the Underworld, bringing back a couple of characters with whom readers first became acquainted during HEX BREAKER.

While each book stands alone, there’s also an overall character arc for Jain and Wyatt, revealing their pasts and how that shapes their futures. They both have some pretty dark areas in their pasts, and more layers of that are revealed in each book. I’m also committed to breaking the false assumption that once two characters have formed a solid, passionate relationship, they’re boring. Their passion for each other is one of their deepest strengths, and they don’t need to sabotage each other. While they don’t always agree, they’re also not deliberately trying to undermine each other in the name of “love”. They can hash things out and move forward more strongly than before.

HEX BREAKER
Available from Firedrakes Weyr Publishing, www.firedrakesweyr.com
$4/digital novella, $6/CD

Visit the Hex Breaker site to keep up with the latest Jain Lazarus adventures and read excerpts at: http://hexbreaker.devonellingtonwork.com.

Keep up with Devon Ellington’s writing and latest releases on Ink in My Coffee: http://devonellington.wordpress.com

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