I’ll be the first to admit, when a story’s got me in its grip, I lose it completely: all sense of time, personal hygiene, all the social niceties. I’ll write 24 hours straight, existing on coffee, ignoring the phone, even Firstborn’s muttering about assisted living centers and if they have wifi because that would be one requirement…

I’ve got storyboards stacked ten deep, I didn’t need yet another idea, but a fan of the M/M Crow Creek series asked why I didn’t write F/F. I shuddered. Lady parts, write about lady parts? Eeuuw, yuck, ptooie!

But then…

I’ve had this piece of work master manipulator/Dom/sadistic SOB lurking for months way back in my subconscious, looking for me to open the cell door and free him to work some mayhem. Richter, Nicolas Richter. A Bronx expat in the Eastern Block, working his way up the ladder of Vamp Central.

This character was seriously kicking my Muse’s butt. Sometimes I cruise the stock photo sites looking for inspiration (shirtless hunks, fitness models works a treat search-wise). What I found instead were two kick-ass ladies wielding hardware and ‘tude. Then I thought… hmmm.

Okay, I can totally see these two together. F/F, better living through chemistry, I always say.

But, where?

The Big Apple, to start: Gotham Central, home of the second most active Goth-Vamp-wannabe hot spot (NOLA wins the para-fecking-normal lottery fangs down). But I needed more. Oh oh oh… South Beach, what about Miami and hot bods in a wash of neon?

Burning some credits, I added the chicas and a pic of the Miami skyline at night, with a bridge, to the folder and yoo-hoo’ed one of my graphics buddies (Dreams2Media) for a treatment.

And presto, bingo … In the Land of Sand and Stone was birthed. I wrote a couple shortie chapters, getting the feel of the characters, deciding how to tell the story. Finna’s voice was clearest, strongest, most insistent. And that really surprised me, given Richter’s power over me these last months. And my penchant to write a male POV almost exclusively.

Sorry dude, get in line.

Then the sleepless nights arrived and I knew, just knew, it was right. Last night was the worse. It was like being submerged in a vat of boiling oil. The story’s running hot now, got me by the short & curlies.

Buckle up, boys and girls, this ain’t gonna be a pretty ride. It’s raw, violent, sensual, erotic. Finna and Richter and Annie and Dominic are gonna put the DARK in dark urban fantasy. And whup some serious ass along the way.

Rowan, my Muse, winks and asks, “And whose ass would that be, darling?”

In the Land of Sand and Stone is free, read it serial fashion. Posting a chapter or two or three a week.

Saddle up, Apone…