Not the only warlocks in town

Aug 05, 2022 4:46 pm

Cultivating Useful Enemies

Capitalism is a very useful enemy. In Parasitic Souls, the bad guys aren't shoving parasitic souls into unwilling host bodies out of malice or psycopathy; they just want to make some money. History is littered with the enormity of what people are willing to do to make a buck.

I'm still finding my way with KM11. I wrote some of Morgan's story and some of Jay's story, and some of Aaliyah's story, but I hadn't written much of Kit's story. Every good protagonist needs an antagonist. The problem is that antagonists have a way of meeting their just comeuppance when they oppose Kit. Accidents happen, you know.

I needed a bad guy but all the fun ones I made for Wyvern's Sigil ended up dead. Which is fine for Kit, but inconvenient for me. I actually considered leaving the enemy alive at the end of Sorrow's Apprentice just so I could use him later, but a beta reader talked me out of it.

But lucky for me (as a writer, not as a person) plenty of evil people in this world are willing to do nasty things to other people as long as there's something in it for them. Unlike in the real world, in Kit's world, I can actually do something about it.

Thanks to capitalism, I've been so busy with my day job that my novel progress is coming along slowly. Thanks for your patience. In the meantime, here are some cheap or free indie press books you may enjoy.

Jivaja

Mecca thnks she's a murderer when she accidentally kills the man who attacks her in the parking lot of her favorite coffee shop. When word gets out she can kill with just a touch, a supernatural race seeks to acquire Mecca as a weapon in the coming war. (Amazon)

Agent Down

Remember that way arrogant, way famous chef I rescued? Turns out, he’s my soulmate. Despite Bruce’s lack of a filter, he’s good at stalking the cryptids. So we’re blindsided when hit by a tragedy even Company resources can't combat. When I accidentally uncover an ultra-classified potential miracle, the research points me to betraying everything I stand for. But if this deal with the devil saves Bruce? I’m okay with the sacrifice. (Amazon)

Murder at the Convent

The community of Old Providence is held to higher standards by the beloved priest, yet "skeletons" still manage to creep out of the closets of his faithful parishioners every now and then. When Mother Superior turns up dead, it's up to Join Father Joe McCullen to uncover the mystery. (Amazon)

Too Ghoul for School

Vega Bloodmire has no problem with the label “villainous witch,” though she draws the line at being called a self-centered hag. Life isn’t easy being twenty-two, drop-dead gorgeous, and the most fashionable witch in all the land—especially while working as an intern teacher at a magical boarding school.

Just when Vega thinks she has student teaching figured out, she is framed for murder. Worse yet, she fears she might have revealed her darkest secret—one so awful she will be shunned by Witchkin society even if she can prove her innocence. (Free download)