Interview with writer Leslie Croxford

Writer Leslie Croxford joins me today to share a bit about Deep Sahara. The book is both a psychological novel, partly poetic in places, and an investigative story. Leslie considers this mixture a strength. The book needs suspense, as in increasingly finding the insects are deformed because of nuclear testing, and emotional resonance as in the quest for the protagonist’s father. Either without the other would impoverish the novel.

During his virtual book tour, Leslie will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit his other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

Leslie Croxford is a British author and Senior Vice-President of the British University in Egypt. Born in Alexandria, he obtained a doctorate in History from Cambridge University. He has written one novel, Soloman's Folly (Chatto & Windus), and is completing his third. He and his wife live in Cairo.

Welcome, Leslie. Please share a little bit about your current release.

In Deep Sahara, a man, recovering from a nervous breakdown provoked by the death of his wife, takes advice from a family friend and retreats to a monastery in the deep Sahara to sketch desert insects for a book.

Upon arrival, however, he comes upon an appalling crime: the murder of all the monks. Numb and exhausted, he declines a police chief’s urgent suggestion that he leave. Despite his shock, the desert seems to promise solace, a vast nullity against which he can take stock of himself and do his work.

Yet, over the following weeks and months, his solitude is broken by a succession of encounters, all strange but somehow connected to him. Each appears to conceal some kind of secret. Even the insects he has come to study are mysteriously deformed, embodying an awful, hidden reality…

The man is forced to confront the echoes of one of the darkest moments in modern history, and to come to terms with the deepest mysteries of his own past.

Deep Sahara is a suspenseful exploration of one man’s emotional resurgence, rendered sparingly with great physical and psychological precision.

What inspired you to write this book?

I’d long had in mind some kind of a story about a monastery, because I knew some monks personally and used, as a student, to stay in monasteries as if they were YMCAs offering cheap holidays. Then in the 1990s I heard about the murder of monks in Algeria. And from that point on I had atmosphere, setting and the starting point for my plot.

Excerpt from Deep Sahara:
The main character lives in Rome and the novel starts as follows:

The front door has just closed. I’m finally alone in the apartment, using this morning’s stillness to begin the account I’ve been wanting to write for days. It’s a letter to myself after the battering I’ve received from the media – not to mention the anonymous death threats – for attacking the so-called “pillars of society”.

I need to sift through all that happened at the end of the world, coming back to me now like some dream. For the Sahara’s a place of mirages you can actually photograph: palm trees, oases, expanses of cool water, silent cities – there, but unreal. Conjuring up the past, I want to reassure myself that all I have claimed to have found among those shifting sands, on returning here to Rome, far from being the figment of my imagination critics allege, is actually the case: that the experience of unearthing – of understanding – what I have revealed has made me into a new person.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I have almost finished another novel about an English historian revisiting a Spanish pueblo where Albert Speer’s driver had convalesced after decades in Russia as a POW. He has an affair with the driver’s ex-lover, drawing him into an unexpected review of Speer, himself and of the nature of history.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When I saw the film of TREASURE ISLAND at the age of 5 I wondered how movies were made. I was told they were based on books. As a result, I thought of myself in terms of film, as an actor but also as a writer of stories.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I am a university administrator, currently Senior Vice-President of the British University in Egypt. So, I have had to use every spare minute for my writing. This has made the development of novels longer than they’d be if I were a full-time writer, but it does make me ponder themes and characters more deeply than I might otherwise do.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I like to write as soon as I get up, in pyjamas, over breakfast. My wife doesn’t appreciate this since she enjoys breakfast and would like us to have it together. Apart from that, I read over my paragraphs repeatedly to make sure that they flow. And I follow the advice that no reader should have to read a sentence twice.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

As I say above I was first fascinated by film, but this was a mixture of wanting to be an actor and inventor of stories.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I feel I am influenced by film. If I can’t see a scene in my mind’s eye, I don’t consider it successful.

Links:

Buy link | Amazon UK

Thank you for being a guest on my blog!

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Interview with cozy mystery author Marilyn Leach

Today I'm happy to host mystery author Marilyn Leach as she tours her novel Up From the Grave: A Berdie Elliott Lenten Mystery. This novel is a cozy mystery available now from Harbourlight Books/Pelican Book Group.

As a special treat, Marilyn will be awarding an e-book copy of her first book, Candle For A Corpse to a randomly drawn commenter at each stop, plus a grand prize of a $20 gift card to the Pelican Book Group website to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. To be entered to win either or both prizes, make sure to leave an e-mail address with your comment below. And if you'd like to increase your chances of winning, visit other stops and leave comments there.

Bio:

At the age of nine, Marilyn wrote her first work with a childhood friend. It was a mystery. And she has been writing ever since. A graduate of Colorado State University, she taught art to underserved children and co-authored several plays and screenplays. Marilyn is a dyed-in-the-wool British enthusiast after "discovering her roots" in England. She lives in a lakeside cottage on the Denver outskirts.

Welcome, Marilyn. Please tell us about your current release.

Up From the Grave offers all the elements of good British suspense: village setting, British English vocabulary, a local constabulary, glowing romance, an amazing sleuth and shadowy figures. But there’s more. One reviewer said of the writing, “it’s a Jan Karon meets Agatha Christie style with energy.” Berdie Elliott intrepidly combines both church service and crime solving in the small village of Aidan Kirkwood where a whisper on one end of the village becomes a roar on the other. When a sod-turning ceremony in the church back garden exposes bones, the whole village sets to on uncovering the mystery. But Berdie Elliott, vicar’s wife and sleuth, digs deeply and comes up with the truth. Who is the visiting contessa that appears at the sod-turning, along with her aide? How do Swithy Hall and the beautiful nuptials of a Presswood niece come into play? And in what way do plants and herbs spell out a divine message? All becomes clear when Berdie unearths the answers. Up From the Grave is a modern times soft suspense laced with romance and a dash of humor along with inspirational uplift. As Berdie might say, “Up From the Grave is a jolly good read.”

What inspired you to write this book?

My writing partner and I finished a successful screenwriting project and he decided to write a novel. I said, “And what will I do?” He suggested that I write an English mystery since I was such a big Miss Marple fan. I thought and prayed about it and decided to give it a go. In the process, I really enjoyed creating the Berdie Elliott character, a sleuthing vicar’s wife. Then it followed, after the first book which took place during Advent, I’d write more mysteries aligned with the liturgical calendar of the church. Up from the Grave is a Lenten mystery. The more I work on the stories, the more I feel I’m right where I’m supposed to be, doing what was designed for me to do.

Excerpt:

Berdie read aloud. “Doktor Herman Schultz, twenty-five Morgan Strasse, Heidelberg.” Curiosity getting the better of her, Berdie lifted the thin airmail envelope up to the morning sunlight that flooded through the glass doors. She tried to scrutinize its contents.

Cherry spotted the backside of the envelope and emitted a quick gasp.

“What?”

“It’s slightly open.” Cherry looked at Berdie, chin down and eyebrows raised.

Berdie tried to adjust her ‘vicar’s wife hat. “This is a personal correspondence,” she advised. And then the vicar’s wife hat went askew. “Is there a chance he may have intended the letter for you?”

Cherry grasped the envelope from Berdie’s hand and gingerly moved her finger along, lifting the flap of it ever so carefully. Then, with great concentration, she pulled out a single tri-fold sheet of office paper and unfurled it.

Berdie made every effort to stay glued to her seat. She tried desperately not to be overly eager.

“Oh, it’s a bill,” Cherry informed with a bit of disappointment. Then her eyes enlarged. Berdie held back the impulse to grab the paper and read it herself.

“A bill for thirty thousand pounds,” Cherry all but shouted.

“Thirty thousand pounds?” Berdie lifted her well-kept brows.

“Hang about.” Cherry ran her finger over the paper. “This is a confirmation of payment. It’s a receipt. He’s paid thirty thousand pounds.” Cherry was agog.

Berdie calmly nodded while grasping the arm of the sofa.

What exciting story are you working on next?

In the Berdie Elliott series, I’m working on an Ascension Sunday mystery, Into the Clouds. At a village Ascension Sunday fete, someone goes missing. Berdie and the whole village get involved in trying to find the missing person and, like an onion, peel back layers to discover who committed the crime. It takes lots of twists and turns as Berdie uses her divine gift of sorting truth from fiction to find the perpetrator.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I co-wrote my first play when I was nine years old, and it was a mystery. I’ve written most my life as an avocation, and now as a vocation. It wasn’t until I sat in the back of a performance venue and watched the audience react to the words written in a play I was a part of writing that I realized how this could be a skill I should pursue. It actually touched people’s lives and was incredibly rewarding. I thank God for the opportunity.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I now write full time, although I substitute teach occasional days as well. I taught art to underserved populations for several years before writing full time. After my meditative quiet time, exercise, and breakfast, I write for at least one hour before I do anything else. Then I sprinkle marketing, more writing, household chores, and idea boosting in integrated plots of time. Since it’s only a couple of years that I’ve been writing full time, I’m still working out my writing rhythm in the day to day.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Probably one of my quirky habits is to watch Miss Marple and Poirot DVD’s every Sunday afternoon. I actually take notes about things that strike me such as plot twists, hidden clues, character development, and think about my current writing project as I view them. Just recently, I’ve begun watching them in the order they were created by Agatha Christie. Murder at the Vicarage was her first Miss Marple mystery; her second was The Body in the Library. Though screenwriters add their own bit, I like to track the development of story from project to project. Watching the DVD is a quick study.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

As a child, I hardly gave a fleeting thought to becoming a grown up. I lived very much in the minute. My major in college was psychology, until I changed it to art, until I changed it to education, then I settled on art education. I minored in French until I switched it to English, and eventually got certified as a language development specialist. Do we see a pattern here? But enjoying writing has been consistent all the way through.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

If you enjoy a good brain-tickle that includes humor, romance, village life and genuine uplift, I think you’ll enjoy reading any of the books in the Berdie Elliott series. Up from the Grave is an especially great spring read.

Thanks, Marilyn.

Readers, don't forget: Marilyn will be awarding an e-book copy of her first book, Candle For A Corpse to a randomly drawn commenter at each stop, plus a grand prize of a $20 gift card to the Pelican Book Group website to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. To be entered to win either or both prizes, make sure to leave an e-mail address with your comment below. And if you'd like to increase your chances of winning, visit other stops and leave comments there.

Interview with historical romance author Darcy Burke

Today's guest, Darcy Burke, is doing a tour for her historical romance series, Secrets and Scandals. There are blurbs and excerpts for all 3 novels below. The interview highlights the newest novel, To Seduce a Scoundrel.

Darcy will be giving away a $25 Amazon gift card, a copy of the anthology Born to Bite, an ebook of The Runaway Countess by Leigh LaValle, and a Sara Ramsey ebook. If you want to be entered to win, make sure to leave your email address with a comment below or at any of her other tour stops. (If you don't want to enter, you can still comment!)

She is also running a contest on her website: sign up for her newsletter during the tour and you might win a $10 Amazon gift card.

Bio: 

Darcy Burke wrote her first book at age 11, a happily ever after about a swan addicted to magic and the female swan who loved him, with exceedingly poor illustrations. An RWA Golden Heart^® Finalist, Darcy loves all things British (except tomatoes for breakfast, or any other time of day, actually) and happy ever afters.

A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her devoted husband, their two great kids, and three cats. In her “spare” time Darcy is a serial volunteer enrolled in a 12-step program where one learns to say “no,” but she keeps having to start over. She’s also a fair-weather runner, and her happy places are Disneyland and Labor Day weekend at the Gorge. 

Visit Darcy online at http://www.darcy-burke.com, follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/darcyburke, or like her Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/darcyburkefans. 

Welcome, Darcy. Please tell us about your current release.

To Seduce a Scoundrel is the third book in the Secrets and Scandals series. Set half in London and half in Cornwall, it’s the second “fight club” book in the series, following His Wicked Heart, which introduced readers to Philippa and Ambrose. I like to describe the opening of this book as Regency Date Night—that movie with Steve Carrell and Tina Fey. Ambrose and Philippa encounter a series of misadventures that literally change the course of their lives. It’s quite a roller coaster! I call this a “fight club” book because Ambrose, Lord Sevrin, runs a fight club made up entirely of working class men who spend their evenings engaging in pugilistic bouts. They have to audition for Sevrin to gain membership to the club, which is what Jasper does in His Wicked Heart (the first fight club book). The club is a huge part of who Ambrose is at the start of the story. Fighting plays a major role throughout the book, which is funny because I don’t watch boxing, nor do I particularly care for the sport! I did a lot of research and hope the pugilism aspect of the story is as interesting for readers as it was for me to write.

Blurb for To Seduce a Scoundrel:

A LADY ON THE BRINK OF DISASTER

Quintessential debutante Lady Philippa Latham is determined to avoid scandal at all costs so that she may marry well. When her mother’s outrageous behavior threatens their family’s reputation, Philippa unwittingly follows her to a party no unmarried Society girl would risk attending. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Philippa is “rescued” from disaster by England’s most notorious scoundrel, which sets them both on a path to public and personal ruin.

A SCOUNDREL IN NEED OF SEDUCTION

Lord Ambrose Sevrin is infamous for ruining his brother’s fiancée and refusing to marry her. Content to remain among the fringe of the upper ten thousand, he is an intriguing enigma to London’s elite. Philippa thinks she’s met the true Ambrose—a gentleman who would fight to defend her and help her secure a husband before it’s too late. But he can’t be that husband, even for her. He won’t tolerate redemption—or love—for his crimes are far worse than anyone can imagine.

Excerpt from To Seduce a Scoundrel:

“Is that what you’ve been doing with your dance partners tonight? Husband hunting?” The notion filled Ambrose with a disturbing sense of nausea.

“Yes.”

They danced apart again and Ambrose took the opportunity to mentally review the men he’d watched her with. When they came together, he said, “That foreign boy…you danced with him out of obligation, not because you’re considering his suit?”

Philippa smiled up at him, her ale-colored eyes sparkling beneath the glow of hundreds of candles. “Oh, stop. I’m not considering his suit, but he’s perfectly charming.”

“Charm is your chief requirement in a husband?”

Her body moved with precision and grace. “Along with honor and kindness.”

“You might do better with a dog.”

She laughed as they danced apart again. Such a warm, lovely sound. He would miss it.

When they came together, she gave him a contemplative look. “Is there a breed you recommend?”

“Something loyal who’s ready to defend you.”

“Like you?” She gazed at him alluringly and he had to work to focus on the dance steps.

“That is not how I’d describe myself.” Unfaithful, selfish, arrogant…these were far more accurate adjectives.

“But your ability to defend me and my honor is well-established. And here you are with me again tonight.” She shook her head, her lips set firmly together. “I’m dubbing you loyal.”

He leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice to just above a whisper. “Please, stop. You’re going to reverse my black reputation. I can’t have that.”

What inspired you to write this book?

I’d wanted to write a story about a man whose passions got the best of him, and so he starts a fight club to better cope with them. That was going to be His Wicked Heart, featuring Jasper, the Earl of Saxton. However, in that story, Jasper ended up joining an already existing fight club—Sevrin’s—and so I found that I needed to write a story about the guy who started the fight club!

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’m working on the next book in the Secrets and Scandals series, which is a novella due out at the end of September. To Love a Thief features a character readers met very briefly in Her Wicked Ways, Lord Kersey. A former constable, he’s inherited a viscountcy from a distant relative, which is both a blessing and a curse. A curse because he doesn’t know the first thing about how to be a viscount and a blessing because the title gives him the ability to advocate police reform at the highest levels of Society and in the House of Lords. The only thing he needs is a viscountess to help him navigate his new life, and he thinks he might have found her until he catches her stealing from his mentor. When Jocelyn sees her family’s stolen heirlooms in the possession of a wealthy earl, she demands their return. However, the earl insists they’ve been in his family for generations and Jocelyn realizes it’s her word against his. She sets out to recover the treasures the only way she can think—by stealing them. I can’t wait to share this story with readers! Watch my website—and subscribe to my newsletter—for the latest information on this story, including the cover reveal coming soon!

After To Love a Thief, the final two books of the series will follow. Never Love a Scoundrel about the mysterious Lord Lockwood and the gossipy Lady Lydia Prewitt will be out in December, and Scoundrel Ever After about dangerous bad boy Jagger and wallflower Audrey Cheswick is due in March 2013.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I’ve considered myself a writer most of my adult life. I’ve done technical writing for banks and software companies, written marketing creative, and written and edited for a variety of non-profit publications. I started writing romance with a goal of publication about six years ago.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

Yes, I write full time. My work day is a bit haphazard as it’s largely dependent on my kids, ages 11 and 7. During the school year, my schedule is much more regular as I can plan my day around school. Since I work at home, I pretty much work all the time, which can be good and bad. My kids are a priority, but they also understand I have to work and that my job is at home. They don’t mind sharing me with work because they prefer that to me having to go to a job somewhere else (and I do too!).

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I’m not sure I have a quirk, but I spend far too much time herding cats off my desk and/or chair. One of our three cats in particular is a bit of a pest. Love her, but she invariably sits right on top of what I’m trying to look at!

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A teacher or a movie star. J I took a class in college that was a prerequisite to pursuing a teaching certificate. The class included practical experience in a classroom, and I wrote a bunch of papers where the more I used the teacher’s favorite buzzwords, the better my grade. I aced that class, but after attending a local school board meeting and witnessing the politics involved in education, I decided teaching wasn’t for me. While I’m not a teacher, I’ve been quite involved in my kids’ schools, serving in the parent support organization (like my bio says: serial volunteer!) and working in the classroom, which I really enjoy. So maybe I could’ve been a teacher!

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I just want to thank everyone who’s downloaded or bought one of my books. I know there are a lot of choices out there, so I’m thrilled when someone decides to curl up with one of my stories. I sincerely hope to provide a satisfying reading experience. Thanks for having me today!

It's been my pleasure to host you as part of your virtual book tour.

Readers, remember Darcy will be giving away a $25 Amazon gift card, a copy of the anthology Born to Bite, an ebook of The Runaway Countess by Leigh LaValle, and a Sara Ramsey ebook. If you want to be entered to win, make sure to leave your email address with a comment below. (If you don't want to enter, you can still comment!)

She is also running a contest on her website: sign up for her newsletter during the tour and you might win a $10 Amazon gift card.

Here are the blurbs and excerpts for the first 2 books in the series:

Blurb for book 1: Her Wicked Ways

SHE WAS HIS SAVIOR

Banished from London for her reckless behavior, Lady Miranda Sinclair is robbed by a dashing highwayman en route to the country. By offering him a kiss in lieu of the jewels she had to leave behind, she commits the very type of act that caused her exile. When her dour guardians extend her punishment to performing charitable work at the local orphanage, she’s further tempted by the home’s owner, a provincial gentleman who stirs her passion in a most wicked way.

HE WAS HER DOWNFALL

Desperate to save his orphanage from financial catastrophe, Montgomery "Fox" Foxcroft leads a double life as a highwayman. The arrival of wealthy, well-connected Miranda, whose kiss he can’t forget, presents a lawful opportunity to increase his coffers. His problems seem solved—until she rejects his suit. Out of options and falling for the heiress, Fox must risk what principles he has left and take advantage of her wicked ways—even if it ruins them both. 

Excerpt from Her Wicked Ways:

She sighed, a sound of deep regret. “I told you, I have no money.”

“You’re lying. You reek of wealth.” Fox sniffed loudly to punctuate his statement and got a nose full of her alluring scent for his trouble.

“I know.” Her lips curved into a small, almost seductive smile. It stole his breath. Literally. When he finally remembered to take air, he did so quite audibly. Her mouth widened then, and her face shone like the sun on the brightest summer day.

What the hell kind of highwayman fixated on some chit like a cheap Byron impostor?

Fox reined in his wayward lust. “You must have something of value. A piece of jewelry? A quizzing glass?”

She arched a brow. “What do you take me for? A doddering dowager?”

Good God, no. Never that. If they’d been anywhere else, he would’ve laughed.

Instead, he called out to Rob, as much to distract himself from her as to determine his steward’s progress. “How are you doing over there?” He was careful to lower his voice lest Carmody determine his identity. Highway robbery shouldn’t be this bloody complicated.

“Coming along. Gent’s being quite accommodating.”

He returned his attention to the girl, disappointed she hadn’t sprouted a wart in the last few seconds. “I don’t have time to discuss the finer points of your doddering or lack thereof. Return to the carriage and retrieve whatever it is you have of value. I’d hate to have to use my pistol.”

Her gaze flicked downward. “Your pistol?”

Hell’s teeth, had she just looked at his crotch?

“You’re not even pointing it at me.”

She was quite maddeningly correct.

Blurb for book 2: His Wicked Heart

IT’S HARD TO BE RESPECTABLE

Jasper Sinclair, Earl of Saxton, made a bargain with his devil of a father to marry in one month’s time. But instead of shackling himself to an acceptable debutante, he indulges his baser needs. He joins a fighting club and pursues a delectable woman who may not be what she seems. Soon he finds himself battling addictions that threaten his already wicked heart.

WHEN YOU’D RATHER BE WICKED

Orphaned seamstress Olivia West wants the chance to lead an honest, respectable life, but the arrogant Earl of Saxton launches a daunting campaign to make her his mistress. Destitute and desperate, she agrees to one night with the dangerous lord, hatching a scheme to take his money and keep her virtue. However, Jasper uncovers her deception and vows to claim what he's owed—not his money, her.

Excerpt from His Wicked Heart:

Olivia stood taller and thrust her chin at him. “I came from Devon several months ago and took a position at the theatre as a seamstress. I only filled in onstage for an actress who left temporarily to care for a sick relative. It was then I had the misfortune of encountering—and being bedeviled—by you.”

Bedeviled? He’d show her bedeviled. Jasper closed the gap between them until they nearly touched. “And when is it exactly that you came from Devon?”

She tipped her head back, but didn’t shrink from him. An auburn curl loosened and grazed her ivory cheek. “March.”

He took in the graceful sweep of her neck, partially covered from his hungry gaze by the starched collar of her shirt beneath the deep sage green of her riding habit. His lust threatened to destroy any semblance of propriety, which, alone as they were in the gallery, was nonexistent. “So you really are from Devon.”

“Yes.” Her voice deepened, stirring his desire further.

He tucked the stray lock of hair behind her ear. “And your parents died last year. Were they ill?”

Her breathing hitched as his fingers skimmed the outer shell, and he felt a surge of triumph. “A coaching accident.”

“You said you didn’t own any horses.”

The flash of disquiet in her eyes confirmed the lie. She drew back, and his body regretted that his mind had pursued this course instead of kissing her senseless. “They’d borrowed someone else’s carriage.” A plausible excuse, but he still didn’t believe her.

So disappointing—both her dishonesty and his unquenched lust. “Ah, and therein lies the tragedy.”

She turned, quickly, before she showed him any emotion.

Liar.

MK McClintock offers free book today and it's a blog hop

MK McClintock is celebrating today, Friday the 13th, by offering Alaina Claiborne for free! Are you feeling lucky?  Get your copy today!

How far would you go to avenge your family and save the one you love?

In 19th century England, Alaina Claiborne had a loving family, a cherished friend, and devoted servants. She spent her days riding across the grassy hills of the English countryside, joyful and at peace. Then tragedy strikes in the worst possible way and her world is forever changed, childhood gone and a new course set. Searching for a killer is her only focus, that is until she meets Tristan.

Tristan Sheffield is a man of many talents, among them searching out those who don't want to be found. His past is filled with secrets and deeds he would rather leave deeply buried. However, when his life is unexpectedly entwined with Alaina's, he soon discovers they share more than a mutual desire to catch a murderer.

On their hunt for a man driven by greed, Tristan and Alaina find that love is the greatest weapon against evil and they'll stop at nothing to survive.

Excerpt:

Tristan ignored the pain in his shoulder from busting down the back door as he made his way frantically through the old house. It was dark, dank, and an unpleasant odor wafted from the skeleton of every room. It looked as though someone had been there on and off for a while. The floors were covered in an inch of dirt except through the kitchen and the back hallways, both of which appeared to be well trodden paths through the house. Tristan swore that he could hear rats scuffling along the upper floors and there was the distinct smell of death lingering in the air. Whoever had made their temporary home in that debilitated old structure was probably shoved away in a closet somewhere.

He continued his search, finding nothing. The screams had stopped the moment he broke through the back door and he was now looking everywhere for a basement door. The sounds had been too muffled to have come from upstairs. Charles met him halfway through the search, revealing that he too had found nothing; until they happened upon a door in the kitchen floor.

Charles placed a hand on Tristan, holding him off, wanting to go first, but Tristan shook him off and pulled up on the heavy door. The corridor leading down was darker than the rest of the house and smelled much worse.  Feeling their way along the wall, both men carefully felt their way down the steps. Up ahead a dim light cast shadows and the glowed a little brighter with each step. Picking up his pace, Tristan moved towards the light and came to another door. This one was bolted shut and on the other side came the moans-barely audible, but they were there.

“Alaina?” Tristan yelled through the bars in the door.

No answer; a small moan. Charles studied the lock for a moment.

“We won’t be getting through this one easily,” he offered.

“Like hell we won’t,” Tristan replied and pushed Charles back.