The Writers Coffee Shop Presents: Guest Post: Reckoning by Lorenz Font

Release Date: June 4 , 2015

Published by The Writers Coffee Shop

Genre:  FICTION / Romance / Paranormal  ISBN e-book:    978-1-61213-383-6

Available from: Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, and TWCS PH

~~SUMMARY~~

The vampires of New York City are breathing easier after the demise of the tyrannical former head of the Vampire Council, Goran. Under Rohnert, the revered and newly ascended leader, their future looks promising. However, an unknown enemy is manipulating events, killing humans and vampires alike, and exposing their secrets to the human world.

This is bad news for new vampire Cyrus and his band of fighters at Tack Enterprises. Events derail his plans to find Zane, the sadistic vampire who tortured Cyrus and forced immortality on him. Armed with hatred deep in his bones, all Cyrus cares about is getting even, and Zane has it coming. Cyrus soon finds himself torn between the crippling desire for revenge and his responsibility to his friends. When he begins to spend time in the company of the beautiful and pureblooded vampire, Isidora, her presence in his life makes him rethink his priorities.

Isidora is able to read minds. The thoughts she hears from the respected and irresistible vampire, Cyrus, are filled with both anger towards Zane and a deep admiration for her. Being closeted all her life, Issy has no idea what to do in the face of the outside world’s war, death, and challenges. One thing is clear. She craves Cyrus, but his need for vengeance is clouding his mind. After discovering a previously hidden family member and being called to serve the Council, Issy is at a crossroads in her life and struggles to find the right path.

Both vampires face tough choices. Should Issy pursue her feelings for Cyrus or wait until he can return her affection? Will Cyrus deny his attraction to Isidora so he can kill the man who made his life a living hell on earth? Every decision leads to a reckoning.

~~Guest Blog Post~~

You said on many occasions that your vampires are different from how they are traditionally portrayed. How are they different and why was this so important to you?

I’ve always been fascinated by vampire lore. This prompted me to devour a few novels and check out some movies about them. I have to admit, there aren’t many new things we can write about vampires. It’s a monumental task to reinvent the wheel, so to speak. Their long and storied existence in our imaginations has given rise to many different and interesting concepts. A few things remain unchanged. Vampires drink blood, either humans or animals. They sport fangs and lurk in the dark. They are foreboding and impulsive.

The Gates Legacy series is all about vampires and humans who believe in their cause. The first installment, Hunted, starts with Harrow, a human turned vampire. After his transition, he unknowingly spread a disease that ravaged the vampire community. This is a good starting point in creating a story about them.

Considering the fact that vampires have been rewritten in many ways, and risking a few similarities with what is already out there, I had to make sure that the plot is unlike any other. I added a martial arts concept that is relatively unknown to non-practitioners and introduced the art of Kali-Eskrima—fighting with sticks.

However, since my vampires are sturdy, a stake to the heart or a massive amount of garlic won’t do the trick. I created a weapon based on Arnis. I called it Kalimetal, a unique and interesting metal weapon, one that is guaranteed to incapacitate, if not kill them.

Since most of the characters were once human, it’s important to draw out their long-forgotten humanity. It makes them real and adds more layers to their conflicted nature. With this foundation in place, I began developing my own spin about them. It was a no-brainer to set the series in one of the most interesting cities in the world, New York City. The fun part in writing the series is creating a believable scenario and stimulating fight scenes that will (hopefully) engage the readers and keep them coming back for more.

What set the series apart in my humble opinion—the plot, the story behind the character’s struggles, their hopes and their effort to coexist with humans. And I created a weapon unique to the story. If you would like to get a glimpse of the Kalimetal, check out the series book covers.  

The Gates Legacy is written in third person. It gives me flexibility in the way I’m able to tell the story. Bouncing from one viewpoint to another, I try to engage the readers by sharing the emotions and struggles of key characters. This gives readers a chance to experience each character’s feelings and inner conflicts, thus creating a rapport right away. Multiple storylines are featured throughout the series as an introduction to the different characters who will be the focus of the next book.

~~EXCERPT~~

With Isidora in his arms, Cyrus found comfort from the torture of his nightmares and his past. The warmth of her touch and the sweetness of her kisses made him think of nothing but the present and the desire he had long denied.

Cyrus had no idea how to take things between them. He had given her rough sex because he had been a jealous ass. If he’d been thinking clearly, he wouldn’t have done it. Yet he had given in to the intense need to possess her. Maybe, if he took things slow and started from the beginning, he could make do with the little kisses and touching. However, the tenting inside his pants was a cause for concern. It didn’t take long for her to notice.

Issy broke their kiss and smiled up at him. She had that gleam in her eyes, the kind that told him she knew what he was thinking. He rotated his hips, trying to create room between their bodies, but she refused to let him go.

“This is a good time to see if we can work things out.”

“Damn it,” Cyrus muttered. Was he ready? The answer was out of his hands. With the massive wood he was sporting, even a long dip in an icebox wouldn’t chill him out. His body needed Issy, and there was no doubt she wanted him, too.

“Cy, you can take charge of everything. We’ll go at your pace and on your terms. I’m here to enjoy the ride.”

This made him smile. “Even if the ride is bumpy?”

“As long as I’m with you.” She tightened her arms around his waist. “I don’t care how rough, how easy—just take me with you.”

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~~BOOK TRAILER~~

~~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~~

Lorenz Font discovered her love of writing after reading a celebrated novel that inspired one idea after another. She is currently enjoying the buzz from her vampire novels Hunted, Tormented and Ascension, Books 1-3 of The Gates Legacy Series, Feather Light, an erotic romance, Indivisble Line, a romance thriller and Pieces of Broken Time, a military romance.

Lorenz’s perfect day consists of writing and lounging on her garage couch, aka the office, with a glass of her favorite cabernet while listening to her ever-growing music collection. She enjoys dabbling in different genres, with an intense focus on angst and the redemption of flawed characters. Her fascination with romantic twists is a mainstay in all her stories.

Lorenz lives in California with her husband, children, and two demanding dogs. She divides her time between her full-time job and her busy writing schedule.

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