It is June 1st. My, how the time flies! Summer is almost here, and the same can be said for the Yo-Yo Files #2, Snake’s Alive. This new urban fantasy novelette will be released later this month. It’s got demons, angels, snakes (well, duh!), mystery, a yo-yo (of course), and a wee dash of humor. Here’s the blurb, in case you’ve missed it before:
Things have been quiet. No demonic possessions, no otherworldly intrusions, nothing. And then Lucifer shows up in Johnny’s living room, claiming that two archangels are missing, and something is definitely not right in the heavenly- and other- realms. Saying he has nothing to do with it- this time- he asks Johnny and Cerise to help him find out what’s happening, and who is behind the disappearances. While they are trying to do just that, Lucifer is devilnapped by a larger-than-life serpent. He manages to get a clue to Johnny before he disappears. Johnny and Cerise are left to puzzle out the disappearances and try to find the missing angels. Oh, and stop what could mean the ultimate destruction of pretty much everything.
I think it’s a pretty good story, even if I am saying that myself! It blends a little bit of magic of sorts, some mythology borrowed from several sources, and a spoonful or two of snarky attitudes. I think it follows from the first one nicely, and should be an enjoyable read for anyone.
Speaking of that first one, it’s called Five and Daemon, and it is free until the new on releases. It is also novelette length, and will give you a taste of what this series will be like. Yes, I do have an idea for at least one more story in this universe. You can find out about the Yo-Yo Files #1, including where to download it free, here.
Here’s a short bit from the second chapter of Snake’s Alive, the Yo-Yo Files #2, coming to e-book stores near your computer later this month:
___________________________________________________________
A short time later, they were sitting in Johnny’s beat-up yellow car. He turned the key and the engine sputtered, shaking the entire vehicle. Cerise gritted her teeth and held on to her seat. The shaking stopped, and so did the engine. Johnny turned the key again, the engine whined and sputtered, then caught with a cough of black smoke from the exhaust pipe.
“You really should put this thing out of our misery, you know,” Cerise said.
“She’s got character,” Johnny replied, slipping on a pair of blue-lensed sunglasses.
“She’s got…” Cerise trailed off.
“Oh, come on, Cerise. She’s not all that bad.” Johnny looked down as Cerise’s fingers dug into his arm. “What?”
“What she’s got is snakes!”
Johnny followed where Cerise was staring at the top of the door panel on her side of the car. It took a second, because the snake was almost the same color as the plastic, but there was a thin snake rippling across the door above the window.
“There’s more!” Cerise pointed to the dash. Two more triangular heads slid out of the side vents, tongues flicking. “And one on your door, too.”
Johnny watched the snakes slither along the top of the dashboard and down the side of the doors.
“Sit still, Cerise. Don’t move. Try not to breathe much. Those are asps.”
Cerise glanced up at him. “Asps? As in Cleopatra? Poison? Dead? Those asps?”
Johnny nodded. He slid one hand very slowly into his pocket and pulled out his yo-yo. Cerise was leaning as far back into the seat cushion as she could. One of the asps rose up on the dashboard in front of her, like a snake charmer’s pet, swaying back and forth, the dark beads of its eyes catching glints of sun through the windshield.
“John.” Cerise whispered, staring at the snake.
“I know. Just sit still and give me a chance.” He dropped the yo-yo a few inches on its string, but this time, he didn’t use any fancy tricks. He simply let the silver toy swing on the string, rocking it back and forth. It glinted in the sun like a hypnotist’s medallion. The two snakes on Johnny’s side of the car stopped slithering and started watching the swaying silver toy. Within moments, all four of the snakes were mesmerized by the flashing disc.
“Okay, Cerise. Get out. Slowly. And find me something to put these things in. Preferably something with a lid. A secure one.”
“What about you?”
“Just do it. And try not to make any sudden moves until you are out of the car.”
______________________________________________________________
If you know of anyone who might be interested in these stories, please feel free to pass this info along, or send them to my blog, where you can find information about all my books. Thanks!!
Available now:
After five years away, Kaili is coming home for the ceremony to install her sister as head of the family business. When an old rivalry threatens the family, Kaili and her partner need to use all their skills to save the sisters’ lives. Learn more here.
A collection of six short fantasy stories set in varied worlds of magic and mayhem. Learn more here.
A short novelette set in a dystopian Earth after the final environmental collapse. Sam is a genetically engineered chameleon who may hold the key to mankind’s survival. Learn more here.
In a world reeling under the effects of severe climate change, food shortages are common, and arable farmland is scarce. Unscupulous distributors like Beni Oligowma take advantage of the shortages for their own gain. When a promising new technology for growing food even under the harsh conditions is unveiled, grocery store owner Frank is determined to see that everyone is able to benefit from the results, not just the Benis of the world.
Feed My People is a short story, set in a dystopian science fiction world, and is free. Learn more here
Demon hunters Johnny and Cerise travel to the small town of Carroll Fork where they find a demon-possessed thrift store, a sweet old lady who is more than she seems, and an army of underworld inhabitants. Can Johnny and his trusty yo-yo save the town from a devil of a problem?
Five and Daemon is a short novelette in an urban fantasy setting, with elements of the supernatural and humor. It is free to download.
Learn more here
And So On... 