Skip to main content

The Story So Far ...

Seriously, look how good this cover is!     
In 2018, I self-published a book that I've talked about on here for a long time -- The Fifth.  You can buy it here. Since then (even before then, honestly), I've been working on a sequel, which is in final stages.  And since these are trying times, indeed, I thought a way to spur myself to really complete the sequel is to release it serially here at my old blog.  So that's what I'll be doing.

I plan to post excerpts of the sequel to The Fifth -- The Fourth Horseman -- two or three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, starting Monday, March 23rd.  Some of the posts will be the actual content of the book, but I'm also planning on doing some posts with character descriptions and inspirations, cut scenes, song posts, all the blah blah blah.  I hope it's as fun for those of you who choose to read as it's gonna be for me to do! 

To get us started, a recap of the events of The Fifth, for those of you who haven't yet ordered your copies (hint, hint).

Suzanne Parker used to be a party girl, but her parents caught her using recreational drugs and, concerned about the path she was on, moved her to the very safe, very boring suburb of Benowa, Wisconsin.  There, she is an outcast (which is how she likes it), until popular jock, Gabriel Beryl, shows an interest in her.  She thinks she knows what he wants, but Gabriel is actually an Elemental, a person born with magic, and according to him, Suzanne is one, too.  

If she chooses magic, Suzanne is stuck in Benowa with Gabriel forever; if she doesn’t, she’ll be free, but alone and vulnerable to other Elementals who want her power for themselves. And Gabriel is not the only one who has noticed her.  She's also been spotted by Morgan, a member of the Circle of the Four Horsemen, a group of Elementals, both dangerous and seductive.  Suzanne is tempted, but Morgan goes too far, and when he threatens her family, she turns to Gabriel and his brothers for help.  

The sequel, The Fourth Horseman, takes place about six months after the end of The Fifth.  Suzanne has become a full-fledged Elemental and a member of the Beryl Circle.  She's got a great boyfriend, she's getting along better with her parents, even her grades are better.  Everything is perfect.  Until . . .



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Fourth Horseman: Excerpt 6

This is all of chapter 4, in which Suzanne buys a dress and sits in a chair with Anastase.   The other excerpts can be found here: Excerpt 1 Excerpt 2 Excerpt 3 Excerpt 4 Excerpt 5 ***** Chapter Four “I was thinking,” my father said over dinner that night. “Since your mother is on the road to recovery, we could go into town for dinner next Saturday, maybe to that sushi place you like. Maybe bring Gabriel. Interested?” “Sorry, I can’t on Saturday,” I said. “It’s Homecoming.” My father dropped his fork to his plate. “You’re kidding.” “I have to go. Gabriel’s nominated.” “Do you believe this?” my father asked my mother. “Are you hearing this?” My mother shook her head, smiling. “You’ve met Gabriel, right, dear?” “Our daughter. Dating the Homecoming King!” I rolled my eyes. “He hasn’t won. He’s just nominated.” My dad fluttered his eyelashes at us. “I wished for this day, but I never thought it would come true. Will there be a limo? What a
Post a Comment
Read more

The Fourth Horseman: Excerpt 5

The latest excerpt, still from Chapter 3, in which Suzanne encounters a bully and talks about sex.  Previous excerpts are here: Excerpt 1 Excerpt 2 Excerpt 3 Excerpt 4   ***** The football team had a bye week in anticipation of Homecoming (and the fact that I even knew what a “bye week” was was a testament to how much I liked Gabriel), so Gabriel showed up at my locker after school to join me and Spencer on the walk home. “We’re so happy for you,” Spencer told him, ducking under his arm to hug him. “Are we?” I asked, sliding in under Gabriel’s other arm. “You are a terrible liar,” Gabriel told Spencer, hugging him close. “Fag,” someone muttered behind us. I snapped my head around and saw a couple of kids around Spencer’s age snickering into their hands. I took a step toward them. “What’d you say?” They scowled at me. “Nothing,” one of them answered. “No, really, what’d you say?” Gabriel asked, his voice mild and friendly, his arm still around Spencer’s shoul
Post a Comment
Read more

Character Post: Anastase Beryl

NOTE: This post contains spoilers for The Fifth.   Peter Murphy.  ::swoon:: Oh, Anastase, Problem Child Extraordinaire.  At the beginning of The Fifth, Anastase is terrible .  He's selfish, he's rude, he's heartless, and all of that makes him incredibly attractive to Suzanne, who has, sincerely, the worst taste in men. He's one of those guys who you know you should stay away from and yet don't want to. Originally, my conception of Anastase's physical appearance was based on the singer Peter Murphy from Bauhaus, that angular, mysterious, dangerous vibe, that people either love or hate.  A more modern approximation is actor/model Luke Eisner, although he's a little too . . . healthy looking for Anastase.  He needs to drop a little weight -- maybe pick up a teeny coke habit or something -- and then he would be perfect! :) If Luke Eisner loses 20 pounds, he is Ana.   Because he's the First of his Circle, Anastase thinks that means hi
Post a Comment
Read more