~ YOU KNOW YOU WANT THE KISS OF THE SUCCUBUS ~

I'd like to welcome Andrew P. Weston to the spotlight today! He's going to tell us a little bit about his newest release, the paranormal fantasy KISS OF THE SUCCUBUS! So take it away, Andrew!

A Peek Inside My Creative Process for The Cambion Journals – Part 2.

To celebrate the release of the second book in the Cambion Journals series – Kiss of the Succubus – I wanted to share more about the creative process behind this stories development, and what went into Augustus Thorne’s character.

Earlier in the week, as part of my “Buy the Book Tour” journey, I revealed a few details as to how I came up with the hero himself. A bit cheeky, I know, as I was literally asleep on the job. (His character actually came to me in a dream). Thankfully, however, after I remembered details about the repetitive scenes that spawned the idea, I managed to stay awake long enough to develop a great character.

Augustus Thorne is someone you wouldn’t want to cross. He’s a demon/human hybrid. A bad guy. But he’s a bad guy with a difference...Because he has a conscience.

So, how could I make his story stand out from all the others?

Well, the first step was to make his message something YOU could really relate to. 

His mother, Rosemary, was a young woman of impeccable character with the world at her feet. She was young, beautiful, and was engaged to marry the son of a local squire in 18th century rural England. Unfortunately, she was also the target of a demon. An Incubus cursed with an unsavoury appetite.

Incubi and Succubae feed on emotions. The stronger the emotion, the more succulent the feeding process will be. Unfortunately, the most powerful feelings are those released during moments of terror or sexual arousal. Needless to say, demons gorge themselves on such passions, and take great delight in perverting humans to their will, regardless of the cost. Usually, such attentions result in the death of the human involved. Rarely, the victims survive. If they do, they are not the lucky ones...

Over a period of many months, the Incubi targeting Rosemary wrought his skills artfully, and seduced her into a spiral of self loathing and destruction. Pregnancy, not death, was the result, ruining her life and her reputation. Cast out, she was left alone to fend for herself in an unforgiving and judgemental world. When Augustus was born, it was obvious he was not a human child. Instead of abandoning him – as usually happened to the offspring resulting from such liaisons – Rosemary cherished the child, and did her best to instill her own values within him.

And just as well, because Augustus was a force of nature!

As a Cambion – a human/demon hybrid – Augustus was blessed with all of Demondims attributes. Supernatural abilities, preternatural longevity, hypnotically compulsive and stunning good looks. But, more worryingly, he also inherited their terrible hunger. The cruel, aching yearning that draws him to the life-force of others.

And yet, Augustus refused to wholly submit to his true nature. Why? Because the sustained efforts of his loving mother paid off! Over the years, she instilled in Augustus a strong sense of right and wrong. Of self discipline and justice. Added to this was the fact that Augustus was an eye witness of the suffering his father’s attentions inflicted on Rosemary. He experienced first-hand the shipwreck of a life she had to endure, and because of that, the seeds of hatred were born.

A hatred of the suffering his mother has had to endure.

A hatred of those who would inflict their desires on humankind.

A hatred of the hunger he himself is cursed with.

And especially a hatred of the one who caused his existence in the first place. His very own spawn-father, Fanon.

All these things combined to focus his fury into a knot of self loathing. Because of them, Augustus can never be normal. He can never have what other men have. Someone to love. A family. Children. A simple, normal life.

And realizing he can never be whole, Augustus focuses that hatred into a pit of burning desire. The desire for revenge. And the Cambion Journals describe his journey as he seeks to vent that rage in a most focused and prejudiced fashion.

Do you see how people could relate to this?

Well, so could I. But I wasn’t satisfied. I wanted to make sure that readers would really be able to relate to Augustus and share his experiences with him.

So, how could I take all this passion, all this involvement, make it personal and move it up to the next level?

Ah – by taking the second step - a risk.

When you look at the world of publishing today, there appear to be very strict guidelines governing the use of POV. 99.9% of the stories you will ever read are presented in either 1st or 3rd person.

However, as a prolific reader, I’ve enjoyed stories by authors from all around the world. Yes, I’m an avid sci-fi/fantasy/paranormal fan, but I’ve also enjoyed books in genres across the board. In recent years, I enjoyed a number of crime thrillers from a couple of very well known international bestselling authors, (male and female), who mixed POV.
YES – they mixed them.

Eg, the main character – who most of the story related to – was written in 1st person. It allowed you to involve yourself with that character, and experience what he/she felt, how he/she thought, and how they might react under certain circumstances. However, because of the complexity of the stories, other events/developments were taking place elsewhere that you needed to know and understand. As such, those parts were written in 3rd person.

Now, I noted the POV’s were never mixed during a single scene. And thank goodness, because that would be crazy, and confusing, and something I’d never consider. However, by skilful application – eg, keeping POV within its own specific chapter or major scene – those advanced and well established writers created and presented a story that was both captivating and engaging. It allowed me to involve myself with the main character, whilst the story highlighted important plot developments elsewhere that the main character wouldn’t be unaware of, (and yet, which were critical to the story).

This gave me an idea. I’m a new writer and can only aspire to the success these ‘expert’ and experienced authors display. They have taken a complex and dangerous practice, said ‘Stuff you, I don’t care!’ and made it work. But I’m new. Would I dare risk such a thing? Well, as my own training instructor in the military used to say, “No pain, no gain.”

So, although I’m a relative newcomer, I thought, Hell yes!

It was incredibly difficult, taxing and stressful, but, over the course of many months I developed a style specific to Augustus Thorne’s story. (And with the help and support of my editor and the team at Pagan Writers Press, we produced a tale that will - quite simply - blow you away).

The Cambion Journals will engage you as you are personally invited into Augustus Thorne’s life. You won’t have to put up with the distance of what he felt, what he saw, what he experienced. No! You’ll be there with him...

My heart began to beat faster the moment I laid my eyes upon him...

I could taste the bile rising in my throat. Every atom of my soul cried out for vengeance. At last! Take him, Augustus. Rip his heart out!

Nails of ice wormed their way down my spine as I realized my mother was in danger...

And, as the story requires it, you’ll be able to delve into secrets that Augustus knows absolutely nothing about. In different chapters and scenes, circumstances and events will be occurring, elsewhere, that are not only essential to the unravelling plot, but which will complicate the events Augustus has to deal with, and which increase the chances of him failing.

I know...

The twists and turns and backstabbing will make you spit! They'll make you seethe with rage. They'll frustrate you as they make you want more...

But, you’ll have to read the story to discover exactly what I mean.

So, do you want to immerse yourself in the Cambion Journals?
I do hope so.

Feel free to come and join Augustus and me as we continue our journey into the unknown.

Take good care now...

Andrew

Blurb ~

Having survived the double-cross planned by Samael, the demon king, and Fanon, his own spawn-father, Augustus Thorne is trying to come to terms with his lot in life. Both Fanon and Agamemnon, the king’s assassin, lay dead. And good riddance! But the only woman Augustus has ever loved in his long and lonely life is gone–driven away by the very real dangers his lifestyle brings. However, Augustus doesn’t have the luxury of dwelling on what might have been. An insidious new threat has emerged, one that exposes humanity to a danger, the likes of which they have never faced before. Surprisingly, Augustus discovers he doesn’t have to face this threat alone. Quite by chance, he stumbles upon a mysterious woman. Someone who appears to be the only other Cambion he has ever met. Has he found a true soul mate at last? Or is she too good to be true? Are other players involved who would still like to see Augustus Thorne dead? If so, what’s the connection? Find out for yourselves as the story continues in: The Cambion Journals – Kiss of the Succubus.

Excerpt ~

A background thum-thum, thum-thum, thum-thum,

pervaded the tranquil serenity of her thoughts. A muffled throb that somehow coaxed her along the current of sublime melodic reverie that was her entire world.

Everything was as it should be. She was safely cocooned within a web-like tracery of scarlet and rose warmth, and her senses were soothed by the rhythm to the point of rapture.

She had changed. Of that there was no doubt. The disconcerting other within her heart was making its presence felt. And yet, the metamorphosis it had generated caused no discomfort. No anxiety intruded upon her perfect existence.

Thum-thum, thum-thum, thum-thum.

Something encroached at the very limit of discernment—static noise, a sharpening of mental focus. Awareness impinged, and her head swarmed to the echo of a thousand whispers on the edge of perception as she blinked her eyes open.

At first, her sight refused to cooperate, and it took a moment before the liquid silver of her vision cleared. Lucidity, the likes of which she had never before witnessed in thousands of years of existence, struck her with a hammer blow.

A darkened chamber illuminated only by a handful of Bale-Lights greeted her. Plain walls welcomed her return to coherent thought, their clinical frigidity a stark contrast to the bank of high-tech medical equipment surrounding the single bed upon which she lay.

That unfamiliar sound intruded again. Thum-thum, thum-thum, thum-thum.

What the . . . ?

“Are you all right?” a disembodied voice asked.

“I . . . I think so. . . .” Her thoughts turned inward, scrutinizing the presence within her.

“Are you in pain?”

“No, not at all. It was just . . . different than what I expected . . . than what I’m used to.” Turning, she recognized the source of the questioner. “Lamia?”

“Welcome back, Mahlat-essa. How have the last three and a half months been?”

Mahlat-essa felt her breast and the newfangled steady rhythm that beat incessantly within her. “I feel . . . different.”

“That’s the effect of the Bloodstone. Is it freaking you out?” Lamia placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

“No, it’s just . . . not what I’m used to.” She sensed that inward scrutiny again, and wondered what to call it. “What’s happened to me?”

“Your memories haven’t returned yet?” Lamia appeared concerned, her brow furrowing.

“Well, I recognized you, didn’t I?”

“I suppose we have to expect this. The Bloodstone is bound to mix things up for a little while yet.”

“So what’s it done?”

“It’s changed you at the molecular level, Mal. Altered what you are—”

“What I am?”

“We talked about this. Don’t you remember?”

A soupy mishmash of jumbled thoughts tumbled through Mahlat-essa’s mind. Slowly, they began to coalesce into a structured, recognizable form. Comprehension dawned.

“So the bloodline was puissant enough then?”

Lamia’s relief was obvious. “Yes, it certainly was. Only two lines still exist today, as you know. We were able to extract sufficient vitality from our subject to imbue the stone with enough potency to trigger the transmutation.”

“And there’ll be no lasting side effects?” She touched her chest again, with its disconcertingly loud beat.

“Not so far as we can determine. The stone contains sufficient potency to hold the change in stasis for about six months. It’s gradually leaking that essence into your heart at a steady rate. Once it’s depleted, you’ll either revert back to normal or have to undergo a fresh infusion.”

“Lamia, do we have a mirror here?” Mahlat-essa sat up, the speed of her sudden movement causing both shock and delight to course through her veins like an electric charge.

Smiling, Lamia fished one out of her handbag and handed it to her friend.

Mahlat-essa was slow to raise the vanity mirror to her face, and was stunned by the reflection staring back.

Gone was her devilishly beautiful and angular looks which had taken the breath away from the most resolute demons. She had been replaced by a vision of even greater exquisiteness. How?

“I look . . . I look . . .” She gasped.

“Perfect, eh? Just right for your goal.”

“My goal?” Mahlat-essa mumbled, momentarily confounded.

“Remember.” Lamia hugged her close, gushing, “You can’t recall much about your past, my dear. Your poor mother died when you were born, and you were left all alone in the world, wondering who and what you are. You grew up with the awful burden of knowing you were rejected by others for being different. For having a hunger you could barely control. The only relief you’ve ever felt is when these supernatural things are present. These demons! Venting your fury on them provides the only opportunity you have of appeasing the hunger inside. And you’re very, very good at dealing with demons. It’s something that comes naturally to a freak like you, yes?”

Memories began to unravel within Mahlat-essa’s mind.

“Yes, I’m starting to remember now! I’m different than other girls. Stronger than other humans, faster in some ways, nastier. Although I want to protect them, they shun me. I’m all alone without anyone to share my sad and solitary existence with.”

“Which is a shame of course, because our one woman execution squad just so happens to be incredibly highly sexed and armed with killer looks too. The perfect bait, eh?”

Raising the mirror again, Mahlat-essa grinned. That smile failed to reach the cold depths of her eyes.

Yes. The perfect bait. He won’t know what hit him!

Author Bio ~

Andrew P Weston is a military and police veteran from the UK who now lives on the beautiful Greek island of Kos with his wife, Annette, and their growing family of rescue cats.

A criminal law and astronomy graduate, he is a contracted writer of both fiction and poetry for several publishing houses and a growing number of well established magazines. In his spare time, Andrew assists NASA with one of their research projects, and amazingly, still finds the time to submit regular educational articles for Amazing Stories and Astronaut.com.

When not writing, Andrew enjoys holding his breath, being told what to do by his wife, and drinking Earl Grey Tea whilst dressed as Captain Jean Luc Picard.

Make it so…

You can find Andrew at:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

You can buy KISS OF THE SUCCUBUS at:

Buy Links: Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

Giveaway! ~ 

Be sure to enter Andrew's giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway