I was fortunate enough to meet stunning new author Adriana Noir through my association with the Pen of the Damned, a collective of talented writers with a flair for the ghastly. Adriana is now a bonafide published author, thanks to her debut novel, Requiem : Book of the Fallen. It’s a dystopian tale of fallen angels, demons and the struggle for the fate of humanity; heavy stuff crafted with passion and finesse rarely seen with first novels.

As part of my plan to promote Adriana with every drop of my blood, I’ll start with an interview so you can get to know her and also read an excerpt from her book. Read on…

Ooo! Chains! How exciting! You certainly do know how to roll out the welcome mat here.

Who am I? Hmm. That is a good question. According to my brethren over on Pen of the Damned, I am the Goddess of the Dark and the Seductress of Sin. I am not sure if that’s accurate or not, but you must admit, it does have a catchy ring, no? I am mystery, dear Hunter, and as to who I am, well that answer is probably as elusive as the shadows.

I got sucked into the madness because madness is appealing in its own way. I fell in love with reading as a child and I’ve always been accused of having an overactive imagination. There were so many times I would read a book or watch a movie and wonder ‘what if?’ From there it just all sort of evolved into me walking around immersed in my own little world and characters. Most frustrating to those around me, I am sure…but I truly can’t help it. I like it here. There’s cookies and all sorts of devious stuff.

Yes, yes it did.  You’ll have to give me a minute here. I’m really excited that you’ll be reading my book!

I did a small piece over on Pen of the Damned a few months ago called I am Seir It’s an introduction of sorts to the main character and the circumstances surrounding Requiem. The story starts out in a world that’s caved beneath full social and economic collapse. Nothing’s left: no government, no electricity, no food. The world’s this barren sort of wasteland. People are pretty bad off, and that’s were Seir and his kind come in.

Requiem’s told from his point of view. It’s got it’s own unique flavor and spin. He can be a bit of a sarcastic ass at times, but the character is a lot of fun to write, and hopefully for people to read. Being a Fallen, he’s not too keen on humans. Then again he’s not really too fond of his own kind either. Seir is a bit of a loner, but he makes some interesting connections throughout the book…a lot of which bring conflict and upset he could do without.

Here’s a fun little excerpt:

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Alistair screamed his rage and fought to break free of his dying host. I lunged, knocking my stunned opponent to the ground. Huge slates of plaster plummeted around us. The steel bathroom doors twisted like they were made of foil, tearing from the hinges to whistle through the air. The building’s structural beams groaned; the walls threatened to give.

Metal shelving units popped free from the walls, and cement screws volleyed through the air. Searing pain ripped through my shoulder as one of them hit their mark, then another. Beneath me, Alistair’s true form threatened to break free of its host. Maniacal laughter erupted as he fed off my wounds.

Enraged, I seized his throat, squeezing the slender column until it threatened to pop. Time was running short. Another minute and the ruined building would implode from the force of our destruction. Coiling over him, I sank my teeth deep into the base of his neck, tearing flesh free from bone with a vicious shake. Warm fountains of blood spurted on my face. Geysers of life pumped from the mangled jugular. The fluid was bitter and sticky against my tongue. Grimacing, I spat the foul taste from my mouth, my eyes burning with hatred. Alistair made a strange gurgling sound, his hand reaching out in a last ditch effort, but his strength faded with each weakening beat of the human’s heart.

Lips curled into a sneer, I knocked his arm away and, seconds later, his eyes went black. I remained hunched, shoulders heaving while I caught my breath and shook the last threads of anger. Throwing my head back I bellowed, releasing the last shreds of violence and ire.

The ground stilled, and an eerie silence settled over the store. Only the sound of my own labored breathing reached my ears. Wiping the blood on the sleeve of my coat, I stood. Concerned, I sought Ava among the piles of rubble and found her clinging to Remiel. She was still wide-eyed and trembling. Her fists twisted in his torn cloak as if attempting to hold on to his very life. I ached to offer her a reassuring smile, but instead I found my gaze riveting upon the speechless angel at her side. He stared back in silence, tense, but calm despite the chaos.

“You,” I growled through clenched teeth, “are worthless.”

“Seir . . .”

My eyes snapped to Ava in question, though I still struggled, aching with the urge to rip her friend from the floor. Several agonizing seconds ticked by, measured only by my beating heart as she struggled to form coherent thought.

“W-what are you doing here?”

“I was in the neighborhood.” It was a dry quip, but I was still seething with annoyance. I turned to confront Remiel, pinning him a scathing glare. “It’s probably a damn good thing, too, seeing as you were nowhere to be found.”

His chin lifted a notch in defense. “I was shielding her. I kept her safe.”

A humorless smile lifted one corner of my mouth; my shoulders lifted in a snort. “Keep on telling yourself that if it makes you feel better.”

“I suppose you want to eliminate me now as well?” Wariness crept into his voice and he pressed his lips together as if bracing for the answer. I found myself wondering how he’d ever worked his way up the angelic ranks, all the way up to Arch. I’d seen arthritic field hands with more backbone and gumption over the years.

Behind him, Ava had staggered to her feet. Her steps were wobbly and slow, laden with fear. I rolled my eyes, dismissing Remiel with a terse wave. “You aren’t even worth the effort. Unlike you, some of us didn’t revive our energy with an afternoon nap.”

Ava’s shrill scream broke the spell of resentment brewing between us. Alarmed, I rushed to her side, worried that I had somehow mistaken my assessment of Alistair’s condition. Her eyes were flared to comical proportions, almost bulging from their sockets in a state of horror and disbelief. I moved to comfort her, trying to wrap an arm around her trembling shoulders, but she whirled away, her feet scrabbling in an attempt to put distance between us.

“This is not happening! What is going on here?” Tears streamed down her face and she shivered as the onset of shock kicked in.

“Ava . . .” I took a step forward.

Her hand shot up. “Don’t touch me. Tell me what is going on! What just happened here and what the hell is that?”

She pointed to the inanimate corpse on the floor. Slate black eyes stared unseeing at the ceiling. They reflected the fathomless abyss of darkness and despair that had once inhabited the soul. Alistair’s presence had infected the body, and with his demise the flesh began to wither and shrink. The once human face was contorted, the bones displaced beneath the surface. In death, they had shifted to resemble something closer to the demon’s true form as he lie trapped within. The gaping hole in his neck appeared even larger, standing out in vivid contrast against the gaunt, mummy-like remains.

“Him?” I asked, shrugging. “He’s dead.”

Just to be sure, I nudged the putrid miscreation with the toe of my boot. “Quite, in fact.”

“You are not funny, Seir!”

I’ve read your poetry and shorts and am always blown away by the dark beauty of your prose. I know how hard it is to struggle for that first book deal. What was your road to publishing success like and how long did it take? How did you find Wynwidyn Press, or did they find you?

You know, this may sound strange, but I don’t quite consider it a success. Not yet. I’m still not where I want to be. There’s still a long and arduous road stretched ahead of me, but I fully intend on getting there. 😉

As for Wynwidyn, I was lucky. I’d run into their CEO, Robin Moyer, a few times on a writing site we both belong to. She’d had the opportunity to read a lot of my work, and when a mutual friend of ours mentioned I was ready to publish my book, she said she’d be interested in reading the manuscript. A phone call was arranged shortly thereafter, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Legions? That’s almost as good as having minions! I’ll take it!

Sadly, no I have not. I have always wanted to though, so it is definitely in the plans for the future. I really enjoy getting together with other writers and talking. Everyone’s journey is so different, and there’s something so fascinating about picking someone’s brain and finding out what makes them tick. That alone would be worth going for. So many awesome people attend those events, and let’s face it, horror has the some of the best readers and fans out there.

Gladiator:  I’ve watched that movie so many times I have most of it memorized. I love the history of ancient Rome. It’s always fascinated me and that movie has such a great, sweeping story line. The feeling is so panoramic–the soundtrack is epic. Okay, I’m gushing…

The original Bonnie and Clyde: Here goes my reputation: I don’t know what it is with that story, but it makes me bawl like a baby every time. I sob at the end. I think I have an extremely warped sense of empathy. *grimace*

Weeellll, I have two. I’m currently working on Requiem’s sequel, Blood of the Damned. It picks up where the first book left off and explores the aftermath of everything that’s happened. (The first chapter is included on the Kindle version of Requiem) Things are getting bad for Seir in a hurry. There’s some really fun stuff in store there.

My second work in progress is full-blown horror. No demons or angels here, just one very large and hulking monster named Red. He’s got a bloodstained mask, an ax, and some major Daddy issues. His brother is pretty sick as well. I really can’t wait to unleash him on the rest of the world.

AdrianaNoir.com  or my Amazon Author Page you are also more than welcome to look me up on Twitter or Facebook