Dark Souls
Dark Souls Series
Volume I
Ketley Allison
Ketley Allison
Genre: New Adult
Urban Fantasy
Date of
Publication: July 19, 2013
ISBN:
978-0-615-85755-8
Number of pages:
280
Word Count: 103,000
Book Description:
19-year-old Emily
desperately wants a name for what she is. For what is consuming and torturing
her. For what is changing her.
But she’s not crazy
like her mother. She’s not.
Emily may not be as
crazy as she thinks, because her body is no longer her own. Something is
stirring inside her. It is soft, seductive, and tells her what to do to
survive. As Emily learns that her world has been infected by demons that
consume human souls and fit seamlessly into the bodies they empty, she must
also accept that she is one of them. Yet, she is different from the rest, because
her darkness didn’t inhabit her, it was awakened. And it doesn’t just want the
humans.
Short Excerpt:
I was never supposed to
live.
At least, that was what
my mother would scream at me during her rages, her face twisted into savage
fury as she lunged at me—either to kill me or mutilate me, I could never really
tell.
“You are wrong! You are an abomination!” she cried before charging at me, her right arm raised
high as if to slay me in one swift, ferocious plunge.
Yet, for reasons that still
escape me, she would never make that one final move. She would always stop
mid-leap, her face frozen and twisted for a few terrifying seconds before I
would see her body slacken, her tendons snapping and releasing like broken
cords as she fell heavily to the floor, just before reaching me. What I
remember most clearly was that moment of calm, chilling stillness, just before
her legs would collapse beneath her, where her eyes, wide and unblinking, would
focus solely on mine. Even when the rage turned into haggard despair and she
crumbled before me, she would never look away.
That memory, that
horrifying image of my mother that I could never entirely erase, was the first
thing that entered my mind when my world started falling apart.
The beginning of my destruction
started out suspiciously enough. White blurred into black in front of me, the
steam rising like smoke and clogging my breath as I stirred, clink, clink, clink. My face was heated,
too hot, and I swiped a quick hand over my damp brow before I mustered up a
smile.
“Here you are.”
“Oh, uh, no. I ordered a
white mocha. Not a mocha mocha.”
I lifted tired eyes to
his face, lowering my chin in apology. “Shoot, sorry. Just hang on a sec.”
“Yeah well, hurry up
would you? I have class in like, two minutes.”
Then maybe you shouldn’t be stopping three blocks away for some
chocolate coffee. My smile didn’t transmit my thoughts as I grabbed the
still steaming cup. I adjusted my apron as I walked back to the coffee station,
wincing as the hot cardboard began to scald my fingertips. I swore as I thunked
it down onto the counter and the coffee hit my hand.
Holding my hand against
my stomach, I used the other to grab a fresh cup and tried to ignore the sounds
of impatient patrons behind me.
What was wrong with me today?
I felt normal, but not
quite. My mind felt thick, my focus slightly wavering on the edges, enough to
make me slightly dizzy. I blinked, trying to bring clarity back to both my
vision and my thoughts as I fiddled with the espresso machine. Once started, I
leaned my forehead against the cool cabinet doors above, waiting for my heated,
slick skin to finally cool down.
“You okay? You look like
you’ve found a hidden portal in that espresso.”
Macy Forrester’s warm
brown eyes were trained on mine as I glanced behind me and at her.
“Is it a portal back in
time? ‘Cuz I could really use a do-over this morning.”
I squinted, trying hard
to focus on her. She went hazy for only a moment before my eyes readjusted.
“No, I’m fine, it’s just
been a busy morning,” I finally replied as I turned the dial on the milk
steamer. I couldn’t even muster up the energy to banter with my best friend
like I usually did.
Macy raised her perfectly
plucked brunette eyebrows. “You’re not seriously stressed, are you? You should
have seen my morning. I usually bomb Natural Science, but this morning was a
particularly epic explosion.” Her eyes followed me as I walked past her and
dropped the guy’s white mocha in
front of him. “Mixed up my molecules. Probably destroyed the atmosphere. It
wasn’t pretty.”
“You know me, always in
my own head.” I smiled at her, hoping I looked more normal than I felt. “Sorry
I missed your near-explosion, though.”
“More like my near-death.
” She leaned her elbows on the pick-up counter, making herself at home.
My shift-mate, a sullen
girl named Andrea, made sure to give Macy the stink-eye as she plopped a drink
on the counter beside mine. Macy smiled serenely in return.
The guy held out dollar
bills to pay, but I waved him away. “On the house. Sorry about the mistake.”
Pleased, he turned away
without so much as a thank you, making room for the next person.
“Large coffee. Extra
light.”
I nodded, twisting around
to pour coffee out of the decanter and narrowly avoiding crashing into Andrea.
The rush before the university’s four o’clock classes was starting, and with
only Andrea and I on the floor, it was becoming exhausting and cramped behind
the counter. I powered through, refusing to succumb to my dizziness, even if it
was making my surroundings tilt sideways. Rent was due soon. I couldn’t afford
to miss it.
“So I have gossip,” Macy
said, oblivious to the people navigating around her. The sound of their voices
and footsteps ricocheted against my body, clogging my ears, their movements
like clusters of nits clouding my eyes. It took severe effort for me to keep my
attention on Macy as I ran around, grabbing milk, pouring espresso, blending
frappes.
I clutched the espresso
lever a little tighter. “What about? You know I’m always the last to hear it.”
Macy sighed extravagantly
before saying, “Which I will never understand, since I’m always the first, and
you’re my best friend.” It didn’t seem to occur to Macy that I didn’t go to NYU
with her. Or any college for that matter. “I saw someone today. Well, a guy and
a girl, but you know who I care about.”
About the Author:
Ketley Allison is a
twenty-something (maybe almost thirty-something) author who believes that
supernatural love shouldn't stop at eighteen. She began her career by writing
books as birthday presents for her friends (with her friend as the main
character and opposite a super sexy lead, of course) before ending it in order
to walk down a path she thought she was supposed to follow.
The writing bug
never left her--and, in fact, would often bleed into the official papers she
was supposed to write--so now Ketley's putting down her suit and finally
following her dream. While her friends are no longer the stars of her books,
she still throws in bits and pieces of them into each and every one of her
characters.
As a result, her
books tend to focus a lot on friendships as well as love, because let's be
honest, friends are what really get you through--especially when your epic love
turns into epic heartbreak.
Web/Blog: www.ketleyssoul.com
Twitter:
@KetleyAllison
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18242935-dark-souls
Author Interview:
Please welcome author Ketley Allison who has stopped by to answer some questions and share some details about her book, Dark Souls.
Thank you, Ketley for stopping by. I wish you the best of luck with the Dark Souls series.
Diane
Author Interview:
Please welcome author Ketley Allison who has stopped by to answer some questions and share some details about her book, Dark Souls.
What is your favorite part of the story, Dark Souls?
First off, I want to say thank you for having me, Diane! As
for your question, this is a tough one. I have soft spots for quite a few
scenes, but the one that stands out most for me is probably the scene where
Emily first experiences what's happening to her, in Chapter Three. This is
where the action starts, the mystery...the darkness. It's where her world,
already so fragile, begins to shatter. It's a huge turning point, and I hope
I've done it justice.
If you were stranded on a desert island which Dark Souls
character do you want with you?
Shoot, now I'm stuck. Do I want someone who can kill scary
things trying to eat me with just a flick of his wrist, or do I want someone
who can keep me company? Maybe I can do both. Derek. I would definitely choose
Derek, even though his intentions aren't entirely clear. At least he can kill
things and be funny!
What is your typical day like?
My typical day starts with coffee. Always coffee! Then, if
I'm working, I usually head onto the subway and join the rest of the happy
commuters on their way into the city. I'm a lawyer by day, so I'm usually
pretty busy, but once I'm home, I go straight to writing. I write whenever I
can. You'll usually see me slipping off on the weekends and going into my
corner because a light bulb has just gone off in my head. I'm always thinking
about my characters, and usually an idea comes at a completely inopportune
time. Like in the shower. Or at dinner with my boyfriend's parents. I furtively
write in a notepad I keep with me, hoping I can read my writing later.
How do you overcome writer’s block?
Time. Honestly, I have no instant cure. Usually if I just
take a break and stop thinking of it, an idea will come (see the question
above!) I like to let my characters do what they want, so if it feels like I'm
forcing a scene, I'll back off. My goal is to be as realistic as possible (even
when set in supernatural circumstances). I don't want to force anything, ever!
Can you share a little of your current work with us?
I would if I could! I'm working on Book 2 of the Dark Souls
Series, and if I gave you anything, it would be a huge spoiler for the first
book. I've got a lot of twists and turns! But what I will say is that you're
going to see a lot more of Macy in the second book...
What do you prefer paperback, hardcover, or ebooks?
All of it! An ebook is great, because I can fit 1,000 of
them in my purse, but sometimes, you just need that paperback. I love the smell
of paper, it brings so many memories! I love fanning pages, too. There's just
something about it. As for hardcovers, I can't say I miss those actually.
They're heavy, man! So I guess I take my original answer back--I'm not a fan of
hardcovers. Although as an author, they sure are pretty, and it'd be awesome to
have one! Hmm. I think I've just confused myself on this question. Clearly, I'm
indecisive on this. And rambling. I'll stop now.
Thank you, Ketley for stopping by. I wish you the best of luck with the Dark Souls series.
Diane
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