by Lisa Kessler
He gave up his soul for a second chance to love her…
Two and a half centuries ago, Calisto Terana lost everything when a zealous priest murdered the woman he loved. Now, desperate for another chance to love her, he wants redemption for the mistake that cost her life.
She’s haunted by dreams of her own death…
After catching her fiance with another woman, Kate Bradley returns to San Diego to clear her head. The last thing she needs is romance, but after meeting Calisto she’s drawn to him in ways she doesn’t understand.
They’ve waited in the shadows for centuries…
Calisto has no doubt Kate is the reincarnation of his lost love, but the Fraternidad Del Fuego Santo has a new watcher with dark ambitions of his own. As old enemies reemerge and a new threat arises, the betrayal that enslaved Calisto to the night might destroy the only woman he’s ever loved again.
Book Trailer – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OTD8VdDCOc&feature=youtu.be
Hi everyone –
I know some of you already, but in case we haven’t met, I’m just about an hour and a half down the 5 in the San Diego RWA. If you aren’t from Southern California, “the 5†is the main interstate connecting San Diego and Orange County. My first novel, Night Walker, was just released this month, and when Marianne Donley invited me to blog here, I jumped at the chance.
When I set out to write a vampire novel, I really wanted to set it in Southern California. Although most of the American historical sites are on the east coast, California has its own historical treasures in the Spanish Missions, and that’s where my research started.
While researching, I found an interesting unsolved mystery. The Kumeyaay tribes were native to the area we now call San Diego. They were known as a very peaceful people. There is only one act of violence on record.
On November 4th 1775 in the cover of night, over 600 men from nearby tribes united together, burned the Mission de Alcala to the ground, and bludgeoned the head priest to death, mutilating his body until he could only be identified by the rings on his hands.
There are a few theories behind the attack, but we will probably never know what really incited the peaceful Kumeyaay to band together that night. And although the Catholic Church named Father Jayme the first Catholic martyr in the New World, I had to wonder…
What did that man do to inspire a peaceful people to kill him so viciously?
That’s when Calisto’s story started to take shape. I realized at that point that the attack could have been led by a betrayed man. A man wishing to avenge the death of his one true love.
I used as many real historical facts as I could to make the paranormal become more believable and real. Until it seemed like a vampire really could live on the beach in La Jolla. LOL The end result is a dark paranormal romance with roots in Southern California. Who says the West Coast doesn’t have history?
So have you uncovered any other historical unsolved mysteries in California? I’d love to hear from you!
Thanks for letting me have a spot on the OCC RWA blog today!
Lisa
Author Bio
Author Bio
Marianne H. Donley writes short stories, funny romances, and quirky murder mysteries. She also owns and manages the multi-author blog, A Slice of Orange. Marianne makes her home in Pennsylvania with her husband, son, and a really sweet, bad dog. She is a member of Bethlehem Writers Group, Sisters in Crime, and Charmed Writers. You can follow Marianne’s various social media here: https://linktr.ee/mariannehdonley
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That’s right, not a fairy tale, a Tale Faery. A genuine hetero, cis Tale Faery. We’re rare.
It started with dragonflies on a magic summer day in Gainesville Florida. One of those 100+ degree, 100+% humidity (seriously, a clear blue sky supersaturated with humidity, a state of dew), my five-year-old daughter and I rode our bikes around a swamp, and I discovered what faeries are.
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by Lisa KesslerHe gave up his soul for a second chance to love her… Two and a half centuries ago, Calisto Terana lost everything when a zealous priest murdered the woman he loved. Now, desperate for another chance to love her, he wants redemption for the mistake that cost her life. She’s haunted by dreams […]
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by Lisa KesslerHe gave up his soul for a second chance to love her… Two and a half centuries ago, Calisto Terana lost everything when a zealous priest murdered the woman he loved. Now, desperate for another chance to love her, he wants redemption for the mistake that cost her life. She’s haunted by dreams […]
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by Lisa KesslerHe gave up his soul for a second chance to love her… Two and a half centuries ago, Calisto Terana lost everything when a zealous priest murdered the woman he loved. Now, desperate for another chance to love her, he wants redemption for the mistake that cost her life. She’s haunted by dreams […]
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by Lisa KesslerHe gave up his soul for a second chance to love her… Two and a half centuries ago, Calisto Terana lost everything when a zealous priest murdered the woman he loved. Now, desperate for another chance to love her, he wants redemption for the mistake that cost her life. She’s haunted by dreams […]
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Marianne H. Donley writes short stories, funny romances, and quirky murder mysteries. She also owns and manages the multi-author blog, A Slice of Orange. Marianne makes her home in Pennsylvania with her husband, son, and a really sweet, bad dog. She is a member of Bethlehem Writers Group, Sisters in Crime, and Charmed Writers. You can follow Marianne’s various social media here: https://linktr.ee/mariannehdonley
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Hi Louisa! *waving*
I didn't know you were just right up the street in the OCC chapter! 🙂 We should meet up sometime! 🙂
THanks for commenting! I'm glad Night Walker caught your interest…
Lisa 🙂
Lisa,
What a fantastic background about your book. You've got my interest now! (And welcome to the OCC blog!)
Hi Kitty –
SOmetimes i get the best idea just from researching random things… Unsolved mysteries are my favorite though! 🙂
THanks for commenting…
Lisa 🙂
Hi Lisa, welcome! I have to say, after reading your post, I started wondering about what could have happened and what you decided to do in your book, and then – what else can I dig up historically that would really springboard my imagination into a far better story! Woo-hoo!! LOL!! Maybe I'll try to do some "unnecessary" research just in case. LOL!
Happy Writing!
Kitty 🙂
http://kittybucholtz.com/
Hi Rayka –
I think seeing a ghost in my car would probably make me crash too! LOL
I like to write and read scary stuff but in real like I'm a big chicken! 🙂
THanks for commenting!
Lisa 🙂
Hi Darcy –
I loved the unsolved mysteries show!!! And did you ever used to watch In Search of? I used to love that show too! 🙂
Thanks for commenting! And I'm so glad Night Walker is on your list… Hope you enjoy it!
Lisa 🙂
Lisa
What a cool source of inspiration for your book.
Linda, I would drive off the free way into the lake if I ever saw a ghost in the car with me….but again, how cool for a story.
I love unsolved mysteries. I used to follow the series even when it was moved to the Lifetime channel.
Congrats again on your release earlier this month. I love the excerpts I've read on your book and I've added to my gotta have list! Thanks for sharing a bit about yourself & your writing…*S*
Thank you!
Darcy
pommawolf @hotmail.com
Hi Mia –
Thanks for adding Night Walker to you TBR pile! 🙂 My Kindle is full of all sorts of books…
It's such a treat to steal a little time away from the keyboard to read! 🙂
Lisa
Hi Linda W.! *waving*
Hee! I love that we're making our own coven of West Coast vampires… LOL
Thanks for commenting!
Lisa 🙂
Hi Kara –
Oh that is such a cool story behind your house!!!
Maybe someday you can weave it into a novel of its own… Never know, right? 🙂
Thanks for the warm welcome to the OCC blog! 🙂
Lisa
Ooo! Another book for the TBR pile. At this rate, I am never getting any of my own writing done. Congratulations on your release.
Vampires on the beach are a given, Lisa! Nick has his office in Santa Monica. :} And yours is so cool with his house and all.
I'm the same way with unsolved mysteries.
Hi, Lisa, welcome to the OCC blog! I love unsolved mysteries. I live in a mysterious old house that used to be a girls' school, where some scandal caused the school to be shut down. (I think it had to do with the principal and a corporal punishment incident.) I haven't tried as hard as I could to uncover the mystery. But I love the fact that our walls still have little-girl paint handprints on some of the walls.
Hi Linda –
Wow! That would be an amazing coincidence wouldn't it??? Yow! LOL
Let me know if you find out where your ghost is traveling… 🙂
Thanks for commenting!
Lisa 🙂
Hi Brooke –
Joining RWA was definitely a huge step in teh right direction for me!
it's a super organization and anytime you can get together with other writers, you always come away inspired… Or at least I do! LOL
Enjoy your new Chapter! 🙂
Lisa
HI Lisa. Unsolved mysteries = I have a ghost that sometimes rides around in my car. I can see her in peripheral vision sometimes, then she's gone. Not scary, though. What I should do is figure out WHERE I'm driving when she visits. Maybe her presence has to do with some site I'm passing.
And I do pass that mission you've written about quite frequently. Wouldn't that be a coincidence?
LOL
Happy Thursday!
Linda
www. lindathomas-sundstrom (dot)com
Hi Lisa! Loved seeing you on the RWA blog today. I just joined the RWA as well as my local chapter. So fun, and such a great organization.
–Brooke Moss