I am working on the second novel in the Darkhour Vampires series. I am also playing around with a couple ideas for a vampire romance series. While the Darkhour Vampires are rather mundane, I want these vampires to be a bit more magical.
"Daughter-in-law," another Naj story will appear in Twilight Times eZine in April. That got me thinking about collect my Naj stories into a short story collection and maybe writing a few more stories. There is definitely a story in how Dar and Waulo saved the Dyamu's life.
Also, e-Vampires.net has taken on a life of its own. It started out as a place where I could create a book list since I didn't really have room in my Suite101.com column Vampire eBook Authors. Now it has its own domain. Not only an eBook list, but a zine list. Lots and lots of vampire links. Shortly, I will be starting a newsletter full of reviews and information.
BOOK REVIEW
Eyes of Truth
ISBN: 1-931201-36-6
http://www.twilighttimesbooks.com
http://www.midnightblood.com/eyes.htm
In Dak-moon, in distant Funara Province, the body of a gardener is found hanging over a cook pot drained of all blood. Through a series of circumstances, the matter comes to the attention of the Dyamu, ruler of the Kingdom of Naj, and he decides to send his brother, Insu-ha Dar, as his Hand to investigate.
Dar has the power of that all Insu-ha possess, the ability to tell if a man is lying. With this power, you would think it would be simple to discover a murderer, but Dar learns it isn't so easy when he and Joran, Guard Master of Dak-moon, set out to save the three innocent men accused of the crime by discovering the murderer and learn why Dak-moon's magistrate, Insu-ha Shoki, condemned them to death.
Meeting Shoki does nothing to answer Dar's questions, for Shoki is behaving very strangely, shirking his duty as Magistrate, refusing to see anyone during daylight, and eating bloody raw meat. Dar wonders if the rumors of Shoki's blood fetish and sexual appetite might have something to do with the gardener's murder.
The people of Dak-moon are dying from a mysterious plague. Some believe it is caused by a wo-nur, an undead creature summoned by magic to attack the living, and their fear and paranoia threatens to explode into violence.
Through Shoki's beautiful winter wife Arra, Dar finally learns Shoki's dark secret. She tells him of the hidden village of the Dolzi, where the villagers live incredibly long lives, shun the sunlight, and exist by drinking blood, and how Shoki, seeking to extend his own life, became one. While the Insu-has are blessed with the Eyes, they are also cursed with short lives. She tells Dar of Shoki's plan to become Dyamu by offering the other Insu-has the gift of the Dolzi. Dar realizes that Shoki's plan to use the secret of the Dolzi to gain power could lead to the destruction of all of Naj.
