Hard at Work

Thought I'd offer up some proof I've been hard at work, lol.

These are some heavily edited pages from my manuscript. You can see my scribbled handwriting marking out the detailed changes.










This scene involves the hero Matilda being visited by the Archangel Barachiel, who offers her the Blessing of God.

The Blessing of God ensures that no matter what "evil" a person does in life, they are guaranteed entry into heaven when they die.

Matilda refuses the Blessing of God, saying that if she commits acts evil enough to ensure she is sent to Hell, then she will go to Hell.



Facing the consequences of your actions is a huge theme in this novella. This is the last battle of her life, and she faces once more the first evil she ever fought. It killed her father and her husband.

I really wanted a cyclical aspect to Matilda's life.

She is going to die facing the first evil she ever faced once more. This is the thing that set her down the road to being a hero. This is what it's all about.

A while ago I wrote a query and submitted it to someone who reads queries and tells you if they are any good. This person commented on the fact that it sounded like Matilda was going to die.

She does die.

Unlike most other novels that are about the hero/heroine taking out the evil and finding a way to survive, this book is about Matilda staying alive long enough to get to the Big Bad.

She nearly dies several times before getting to the last fight.

But sometimes it's not about surviving; it's the winning that counts.

I had a lot of fun with this scene because I was using existing Christian mythologies.

In old Christian beliefs Barachiel is an angel who offers the Blessing of God. He often appears holding a white rose.

I went in a very stereotypical way with my angels; white swan-feather wings, handsome bare-chested men, flaming swords. Of course, my demons look very similar, with the exception of Sephyr (she's a demonic mermaid). My demons (being fallen angels) can appear as demonic or angelic as they wish.

This is perhaps my favourite scene in the entire thing. Matilda has given up on God, and when the angel visits her, she argues with it. Its not that she doesn't believe in God, she doesn't have to believe, she knows he exists.

If God has a Plan, if he is all-knowing and infallible, then he must have known about the Fall before the angels rebelled and became demons. If he did know, then God allows evil in the world. If God didn't know, then he isn't all-knowing.

I really like this scene. Once published, I hope some of you like it, too.