The Angel at the Devil's Gate
Author: Mocha Pennington
Genre: Psychological suspense
Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing
Language: English
Format: Digital and paperback
Book Description:
Troubled teen Eli Nunn is moved back to Kansas City following the aftermath of a violent drug deal. Returning to a school where his ruthless reputation still thrives, Eli encounters and instantly connects with Angel, a beautiful and mysterious black-clad orphan. Their flourishing romance begins to grow darker when Eli learns details of Angel’s chilling past. Conflicted with alarm and intrigue, Eli accepts a proposal from Angel that puts both their relationship and lives in danger.
Excerpt
Prologue
A month before his sudden move to Kansas City, Eli began to have a recurring dream of an angel. In his dream, the angel would stand silhouetted in his bedroom against a luminous background. As its hair would frolic in a warm, enveloping breeze, the angel held out its slender hand, summoning Eli to it. Wariness would descend upon Eli as he rose from his bed at the angel’s unspoken command. He was fearful of the angel, yet he was intrigued just the same. When he would draw near the angel, he was able to better gauge the magnitude of its beauty. Its features so lovely, they appeared as though they were made from marble by intimate hands. Staring into its death-colored eyes, however, Eli would begin to realize that before him was not an angel at all but a demon garnished in the guise of a holy creature. Even with that alarming knowledge, Eli would journey closer to the angel, for he could not deny himself the pulchritude of the creature. He was intoxicated by the angel’s beauty, an intoxication that flowed through him with the strength of a rabid river’s current, drowning his better judgment, drowning his fear. Once standing before the beautiful angel, its sable-colored wings would flare up as if preparing for flight. The encompassing lurid light reflected from the angel’s wings, streaking them with an iridescent sheen. The angel’s wings stretched high into the small bedroom, doubling the creature’s petite frame in width and height with the immensity of those dark wings casting an ominous shadow over Eli. He would watch blood drip from those thick feathers onto the floor. He would listen to the rhythm of the dull splats, harmonizing with the frantic beat of his heart. He knew no good would come of the beast, but he reached for its hand anyway, wholly surrendering himself to it. At contact, Eli knew he had begun a romance with death, and death would soon become him. With the awareness of death’s seduction dawning on him like the harsh rays of the sun, he accepted his death, and he accepted the flames of eternal damnation, for one moment spent with the angelic demon of exquisite beauty was worth the consequence of the betrayal of Christ and his own salvation.
Author Interview
Tell a little about yourself. What you do when you’re not writing? What are your aspirations for the future?
When I’m not writing, I’m usually reading. Reading is a huge part of my life and it’s one thing that I cannot live without doing. Two weeks ago a tornado touched down in my area, and I was not aware of it because I was reading. It’s a good thing my house wasn’t blown away or else I wouldn’t be here discussing this.
A future aspiration of mine is to be a full-time writer. I want to be able to write for eight or nine hours every day. I would also like to be nominated for a Bram Stoker Award. I have been following the awards since I was a teen, and to be nominated would be a dream come true.
When and why did you start writing?
I started writing when I was a child. I’m unsure as to why I started writing other than I had an active imagination and needed to get the images onto paper. I was dreadfully shy as a child, however, and I never entered my work into any writing competitions. Looking back, I do wish I did.
Have any particular novels or writers influenced your writing?
Anne Rice has an immense influence on my writing. She has an incredible way with her words, and she paints such a beautiful picture with them. Reading her works, you can tell she has such a love for all her characters. She also gives the reader interesting facts about the time period her novels are placed in. After reading Feast of All Saints and Interview with the Vampire, I want to live in 18th century New Orleans.
Give us some backstory behind The Angel at the Devil’s Gate. Where and when did you write it?
I began The Angel at the Devil’s Gate four years after watching a marathon of true crime investigations on the ID channel. Three or four episodes into the marathon, I knew I wanted to write a novel about murder, but I didn’t want it to be from a detective’s point of view. I wanted the novel’s protagonists to be the murders.
When I was about halfway through the marathon, I knew I wanted Angel to be one of the main characters. Angel was a character from a novel that I long ago attempted and abandoned due to lack of inspiration. Angel was always hanging our in the back of my mind even years after the novel was discarded. The character was unlike any other character in literature or movies. I knew Angel would fit well in the novel.
What was your favourite part of writing The Angel at the Devil’s Gate?
The surprises were by far my favorite part about writing my novel. When I sat down to start it, I had an idea of the ending, yet Eli and Angel wanted things to go their way. I used to roll my eyes when authors would say “the character wrote themselves,” but I now completely understand what they mean. Eli and Angel came to life and manipulated the story to suit them. Each morning when I went to write, all the ideas I had were trashed, because it wasn’t what they wanted. I ended up just following them around in my head and writing what they did. I finished the first draft in four or five months.
Carla’s character was also a huge surprise for me. She wasn’t part of the first, second, or third draft. I happened to mention her when revising the fourth draft and she just stuck in the story. I’m glad she did, although a minor character, she added a lot to the novel.
What does your writing schedule look like?
I reserve the weekends for my writing. It takes a blow to my social life, but I’m doing something I love to do. I always tell my friends if a guy can make me close my word processor to hang out with him, then he’s a keeper…it hasn’t happened yet.
Which fictional character would you like to take to dinner and why?
Without a second thought, it’ll be Lee Child’s Jack Reacher. I am in love with Reacher. Ever since meeting him in Worth Dying For, I have been enthralled with him. He’s smart, witty, royal, tough, masculine, and in my mind, handsome. I was one of those annoying Jack Reacher fans who refused to see the film adaption of One Shot because Tom Cruse couldn’t do Jack enough justice.
Besides your lead, do you have a favourite character in the story?
Roman was one of my favorite characters, although he didn’t sit too well with my beta readers. I wanted to write more about him, but couldn’t do so without having the pages leaden down with unneeded backstory.
What is one of the most surprising things you've learned as a writer?
I learned that you can plan a novel all you want, but more times than not, the novel is going to take a delightful turn and is going to keep you guessing what’s going to happen next.
Any advice for aspiring authors?
Never give up. You can hear “no” a thousand times, but don’t let that discourage you. If writing is your dream, your passion, then don’t ever give up. Learn how to take criticism; you can’t grow if you don’t learn from your mistakes. Also read, read a lot and read outside of your comfort zone; read works that challenge you.
About the Author
Mocha was born and raised in Kansas City, MO and still resides there. Studying journalism with a minor in creative writing at the University of Central Missouri, Mocha always wanted to be a writer and began The Angel at the Devil's Gate four years ago. Mocha is currently in the editing process of a new horror novel.
Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing
Language: English
Format: Digital and paperback
Book Description:
Troubled teen Eli Nunn is moved back to Kansas City following the aftermath of a violent drug deal. Returning to a school where his ruthless reputation still thrives, Eli encounters and instantly connects with Angel, a beautiful and mysterious black-clad orphan. Their flourishing romance begins to grow darker when Eli learns details of Angel’s chilling past. Conflicted with alarm and intrigue, Eli accepts a proposal from Angel that puts both their relationship and lives in danger.
Excerpt
Prologue
A month before his sudden move to Kansas City, Eli began to have a recurring dream of an angel. In his dream, the angel would stand silhouetted in his bedroom against a luminous background. As its hair would frolic in a warm, enveloping breeze, the angel held out its slender hand, summoning Eli to it. Wariness would descend upon Eli as he rose from his bed at the angel’s unspoken command. He was fearful of the angel, yet he was intrigued just the same. When he would draw near the angel, he was able to better gauge the magnitude of its beauty. Its features so lovely, they appeared as though they were made from marble by intimate hands. Staring into its death-colored eyes, however, Eli would begin to realize that before him was not an angel at all but a demon garnished in the guise of a holy creature. Even with that alarming knowledge, Eli would journey closer to the angel, for he could not deny himself the pulchritude of the creature. He was intoxicated by the angel’s beauty, an intoxication that flowed through him with the strength of a rabid river’s current, drowning his better judgment, drowning his fear. Once standing before the beautiful angel, its sable-colored wings would flare up as if preparing for flight. The encompassing lurid light reflected from the angel’s wings, streaking them with an iridescent sheen. The angel’s wings stretched high into the small bedroom, doubling the creature’s petite frame in width and height with the immensity of those dark wings casting an ominous shadow over Eli. He would watch blood drip from those thick feathers onto the floor. He would listen to the rhythm of the dull splats, harmonizing with the frantic beat of his heart. He knew no good would come of the beast, but he reached for its hand anyway, wholly surrendering himself to it. At contact, Eli knew he had begun a romance with death, and death would soon become him. With the awareness of death’s seduction dawning on him like the harsh rays of the sun, he accepted his death, and he accepted the flames of eternal damnation, for one moment spent with the angelic demon of exquisite beauty was worth the consequence of the betrayal of Christ and his own salvation.
Author Interview
Tell a little about yourself. What you do when you’re not writing? What are your aspirations for the future?
When I’m not writing, I’m usually reading. Reading is a huge part of my life and it’s one thing that I cannot live without doing. Two weeks ago a tornado touched down in my area, and I was not aware of it because I was reading. It’s a good thing my house wasn’t blown away or else I wouldn’t be here discussing this.
A future aspiration of mine is to be a full-time writer. I want to be able to write for eight or nine hours every day. I would also like to be nominated for a Bram Stoker Award. I have been following the awards since I was a teen, and to be nominated would be a dream come true.
When and why did you start writing?
I started writing when I was a child. I’m unsure as to why I started writing other than I had an active imagination and needed to get the images onto paper. I was dreadfully shy as a child, however, and I never entered my work into any writing competitions. Looking back, I do wish I did.
Have any particular novels or writers influenced your writing?
Anne Rice has an immense influence on my writing. She has an incredible way with her words, and she paints such a beautiful picture with them. Reading her works, you can tell she has such a love for all her characters. She also gives the reader interesting facts about the time period her novels are placed in. After reading Feast of All Saints and Interview with the Vampire, I want to live in 18th century New Orleans.
Give us some backstory behind The Angel at the Devil’s Gate. Where and when did you write it?
I began The Angel at the Devil’s Gate four years after watching a marathon of true crime investigations on the ID channel. Three or four episodes into the marathon, I knew I wanted to write a novel about murder, but I didn’t want it to be from a detective’s point of view. I wanted the novel’s protagonists to be the murders.
When I was about halfway through the marathon, I knew I wanted Angel to be one of the main characters. Angel was a character from a novel that I long ago attempted and abandoned due to lack of inspiration. Angel was always hanging our in the back of my mind even years after the novel was discarded. The character was unlike any other character in literature or movies. I knew Angel would fit well in the novel.
What was your favourite part of writing The Angel at the Devil’s Gate?
The surprises were by far my favorite part about writing my novel. When I sat down to start it, I had an idea of the ending, yet Eli and Angel wanted things to go their way. I used to roll my eyes when authors would say “the character wrote themselves,” but I now completely understand what they mean. Eli and Angel came to life and manipulated the story to suit them. Each morning when I went to write, all the ideas I had were trashed, because it wasn’t what they wanted. I ended up just following them around in my head and writing what they did. I finished the first draft in four or five months.
Carla’s character was also a huge surprise for me. She wasn’t part of the first, second, or third draft. I happened to mention her when revising the fourth draft and she just stuck in the story. I’m glad she did, although a minor character, she added a lot to the novel.
What does your writing schedule look like?
I reserve the weekends for my writing. It takes a blow to my social life, but I’m doing something I love to do. I always tell my friends if a guy can make me close my word processor to hang out with him, then he’s a keeper…it hasn’t happened yet.
Which fictional character would you like to take to dinner and why?
Without a second thought, it’ll be Lee Child’s Jack Reacher. I am in love with Reacher. Ever since meeting him in Worth Dying For, I have been enthralled with him. He’s smart, witty, royal, tough, masculine, and in my mind, handsome. I was one of those annoying Jack Reacher fans who refused to see the film adaption of One Shot because Tom Cruse couldn’t do Jack enough justice.
Besides your lead, do you have a favourite character in the story?
Roman was one of my favorite characters, although he didn’t sit too well with my beta readers. I wanted to write more about him, but couldn’t do so without having the pages leaden down with unneeded backstory.
What is one of the most surprising things you've learned as a writer?
I learned that you can plan a novel all you want, but more times than not, the novel is going to take a delightful turn and is going to keep you guessing what’s going to happen next.
Any advice for aspiring authors?
Never give up. You can hear “no” a thousand times, but don’t let that discourage you. If writing is your dream, your passion, then don’t ever give up. Learn how to take criticism; you can’t grow if you don’t learn from your mistakes. Also read, read a lot and read outside of your comfort zone; read works that challenge you.
Mocha was born and raised in Kansas City, MO and still resides there. Studying journalism with a minor in creative writing at the University of Central Missouri, Mocha always wanted to be a writer and began The Angel at the Devil's Gate four years ago. Mocha is currently in the editing process of a new horror novel.
Author Links:
No comments:
Post a Comment