Dark Night of the Moon by Keta Diablo

Literary Nymphs Interview

Title: Dark Night of the Moon

Publisher: Keta Diablo
Genre: Paranormal/Western/Shapeshifter
Release Date: January 15, 2012

Tell us about your latest release

Thank you so much for asking. I'm really excited about the sequel to Holding On To Heaven, DARK NIGHT OF THE MOON, a paranormal shifter. For those who loved my Native American raven-shapeshifter, Where The Rain Is Made, I think they'll also love Dark Night of the Moon, a wolf-shapeshifter. Available here on Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/ketadiablo/e/B002BODURI

Here's the blurb:

Dark Night of the Moon is the second book in the series and the sequel to Holding on to Heaven.

Creed Gatlin flees to Arizona intent on eradicating the haunting memories of his brother’s wife. His brother Brand, presumed dead, resurfaces after a long absence and with his re-emergence, the destinies of those he loves is altered forever.

In a land rife with war and danger, Sage must travel to the village of her husband’s People. There, she is reunited with Crooked Back, the ancient healer. One the long trek back to Full Circle, devious plots are underfoot and peril lurks around every corner for Sage, Lauren and Peter Pa.

Dark Night of the Moon will take you on an unforgettable journey of war, violence, overwhelming grief, and finally, compassion and love.

What inspired the story?

Well, the first story, of course, Holding On To Heaven (more abut this book here on Kindle: http://amzn.to/v03tFa). I left HOTH open at the end, a cliffhanger. I always intended to write a sequel one day. Some reviewers have referred to the story of the McCains and the Gatlins as epic. It would be pretty hard to include all the plots into one book. Number two, I write in several genres, but always seem to gravitate back to Historical and Romance. These books are a hard-sell in the market, not the most popular like paranormal or urban fantasy, but I want to write what I like (selfish, I know). Most of what I read is Historical when I have time, although there's little of that commodity around. LOL.

Here's the blurb for Holding On To Heaven which gives you a little insight to the major plot.

Brothers in love with the same woman -- one the father to her child, the other her husband. An epic historical spanning two generations.

The Civil War has crumbled a Nation, and the Dakota Sioux are on the warpath. While the blazing fires of revolt ravage the countryside, twins, Lauren and Sage McCain are trapped amid the flames of destiny.
Holding on to Heaven is a story of family betrayal, heart-stopping danger, and passionate love, a love that crosses all boundaries and forges all cultures.

* * *

I think I should insert a caveat here so readers know what they're buying. I don't write cookie-cutter characters; they're out of the box, and I most definitely don't write formulaic romance--boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love, and boy and girl live Happily Ever After. That is just not me and I can't write like that. "Real life" comes with problems, people come with flaws, and although this is fiction, everyone keeps saying the story has to be believable. Here's my question: How can a story be believable if your characters are all the same and your plot is a spin-off from the same old-same old? One reviewer who has read almost all my books put it this way and I think she sums it up perfectly. "Diablo writes out of the box. If you're looking for a standard boy meets girl romance here, you won't find it between the pages of her books. Naughty, naughty author. I highly recommend Diablo as a writer."

EXCERPT:

Set-up: Sage, one of the heroines, takes an arrow meant for the wolf.

Late in the afternoon, Sage emerged from the tipi. She didn't have to search for Looks Back. He lurked outside the lodge like a Roman soldier guarding a sacred tomb. She pointed to the woods -- a sign she needed to relieve her bladder.
A bow and a quiver of arrows hung from his left shoulder and tucked into the waistband of his leggings, the shiny handle of his long knife glistened beneath the hot sun.
With Looks Back dogging the heels of her moccasins, Sage selected a clearing surrounded by tall pines and dense underbrush. Respecting her privacy, the brave turned his back, but kept his sharp eyes peeled on the outskirts of the clearing.
The branches on a nearby scrub rustled. No doubt a critter searching for his next meal. The eerie feeling someone was watching her claimed her again, a sensation she couldn't ignore. She turned her head toward the noise and uttered a quiet gasp when her eyes met the yellow eyes of the wolf. "Walking Spirit," she whispered, her heart pounding.
Time hung suspended on the boundary of sanity and absurd. Reason told her men didn't turn into wolves, and yet she knew in her heart her man had.
Looks Back spun around, his keen sense alerted to danger. He pulled an arrow from his quiver as Sage scrambled to her feet and adjusted her clothing. His eyes narrowed; he notched and arrow drew back on the sinew.
"No!" she screamed and lunged toward the shrub. A white-hot pain shot through her chest. She looked down and watched the blood soak her doeskin dress. My blood? Sage fell to her knees and then crumbled to the ground, the canopy of pine branches spinning overhead. "Run, Walking Spirit, run," she gasped between pain-filled breaths.
Looks Back loomed over her, his face masked in terror. He drew her into his arms and sprinted back to camp, stumbling over his own feet as he entered Mad Bear's lodge. Laying her on her berth of soft branches he knelt beside her and stared at the arrow embedded in her torso.
Pain choked her when she turned to look at him. "You must pull the arrow
out."
Tremors claimed his lean body when the howl of the wolf split the still air. He rose and paced the tipi, his eyes locked on the opening.
"You must pull it out! If you don't, I'll die, and so will you when Mad Bear returns."
He came to an abrupt halt, his face white with fear. "I can not do this thing."
"You can and you will." She didn't believe for a minute he cared about her welfare, but she had to convince him if he didn't remove the arrow Mad Bear would kill him when he returned. That was her only chance.
He knelt beside her again, sweat from his forehead trickling into his dark eyebrows. He jumped when the haunting lament from the wolf echoed around them.
"Soon I will lose consciousness from the loss of blood. You must hurry --break it off close to the skin."
His voice trembled. "Then what must I do?"
"Dig the arrow out with your knife."
"No, no. Do not ask this of Looks Back."
Struggling for breath, she rose to an elbow and stared into his dark eyes. "You listen to me. I'll be dead by nightfall if you don't. My medicine pouch, there." She pointed to a shelf over her berth. Find the bone needle and pull a strong hair from your horse's tail to sew up the wound when you're done."
The brave rose, pulled the pouch from the shelf and handed it to her. She dumped the contents on the floor and held a twisted stem before him. "Cat's claw. Once the arrow is removed, place the leaves over the wound and
cover it with a wet rag."
He shook his head.
"No more talk." She softened her voice. "If you plan to grow old, you must remove it. Now, find a leather thong I can put between my teeth, and be quick."

* * *

Dark Night of the Moon is available here on Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/ketadiablo/e/B002BODURI

Where can we find your website? Keta's Keep: http://ketaskeep.blogspot.com

Where can we find you on Twitter? @ketadiablo

~ Website ~ Blog ~ The Stuff of Myth and Men ~

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Where the Rain is Made ~*~