Key Holders: My First Fallen Angels
Back in 2012 I wasn't thinking about writing books for publication very seriously. I liked writing, and had always dabbled in poetry, short stories and such, but hadn't really given much thought to writing something more substantial for publication. I was gently pursuing the idea and decided that I was going to start a little drabble on my Facebook page, just to gauge reader interest.
(Drabble is a 100-word short story.)
I was thinking about what topic I'd like to write about, and with no real end-point in mind I began to wonder what might happen to the world after the angels fell. The story began, "Twelve years ago the angels fell in heaps of blood and broken bone." It seemed a fitting place to start a story about the world after such a happening. People are forced to admit the existence of heavenly beings, and forced to understand that they are now dead. Gone, before we ever began to understand or investigate them. What would this do to society? How would this change us fundamentally as the human race? I decided that... it wouldn't. Not really. Folks would be interested and the phenomenon would get a lot of attention for a while, and then slowly but surely like everything else it would fade away. The world became a darker, colder place but humanity didn't really seem to notice.
When the drabble was posted readers seemed to to enjoy the premise. I was happy that the idea was well-received and went about my business writing a (still-unpublished) science fiction romance trilogy (that was terrible, by the way LOL). Time passed, but my mother still continued to ask me what happened in the angel story.
One day, I asked her why she was so interested in the angel story. It was just 100 words, but something about it captured her imagination. She explained that most people were always looking for faith, but the idea that humanity stopped looking was intriguing to her. So, I set about completing the story she continued to ask me for.
Between was born. The story centers on a woman named Cassie Larke, who was twelve when the angels fell. She was like so many others who let that memory slide to the periphery of her life as she continued to pursue an education and grieve the death of her mother. Drawn to the sea, Cassie finds a mysterious man adrift on some wreckage. When she returns him to shore, she's shocked to learn that no one else but her can see him. He has no memory of who, or what he is, and he begs for her help. Intrigued despite a sense of imminent danger, Cassie agrees to help the man discover the strange circumstances of his existence. Is he a ghost? Why is she the only one who can see him? As time passes, it becomes clear that the man she decides to call Noah is not a ghost at all, but a fallen angel.
This part of the story becomes quite complicated. Other angels are watching, hiding among humans and keeping to themselves as they search for other survivors. Something terrible is coming and they all know that they must return to Heaven before their Heavenly powers are gone for good.
The stories of the Key Holders books focus on the three brothers who fell together. Noah-the youngest, and Key Holder. Gabriel, the eldest, and Uriel, their middle brother. Together with Cassie and a few remaining angels they seek to uncover the growing mystery that threatens all of existence. Heaven, Hell and Earth are all in danger.
These books aren't designed to be overtly religious. There are, of course, overtones of standard Christian lore, but there is more spirituality than religion in them. The stories are about strength of character, the weight of lies, and the dangers of misconception.
Between is currently released, and Uriel's own story, Wayward, is also available. Uriel's mate fell and she's quickly running out of time as her Heavenly essence is nearly depleted. If he can't find her and help her remember their love, he may lose her for eternity.
I hope readers really enjoy Between. My Alpha Reader (most trusted pre-publishing reader) still says this series is her favorite. There are plans to complete the series with Gabriel's story, and even a novella for Michael along the way. This was my first real foray into publication, and one of my lesser known works, but it's still one I love.
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