About
I like serendipity, synchronicity, and things that are strange. I love good ghost stories, especially the ones I write. I've been known to stay in haunted hotels I've heard about on TV. I like to read mysteries, paranormal novels, and books about spiritual law. I'm not big on reading Young Adult fiction. I watch Oddities, Pawn Stars, Mad Men, So You Think You Can Dance, and White Collar. Oh, and Ghost Hunters, The Dead Files, and Ghost Adventures.
Why did I write the Mickey McCoy mystery series?
Because I've always enjoyed all things paranormal, ironic or macabre. So when I finally got serious and dedicated myself to writing, this interest showed up big time. I'm a lifelong southern Californian who grew up with TV shows like The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents. I am a graduate of the University of Redlands (the inspiration for Chapel Playhouse). In between Corvette outings with my husband and too much TV, I write paranormal mysteries with a splash of romance.
The Seekers: The Children of Darkness (Dystopian Sci-Fi - Book 1)
Description
<p>New from the author of the multiple award-winning fantasy saga, <em>The Daughter of the Sea and the Sky</em>, winner of the <strong>Pinnacle Book Achievement Award, Fall 2014 - Best Book in the Category of FANTASY</strong>....</p><h1><strong><em>The Children of Darkness</em> by David Litwack</strong></h1><p>Evolved Publishing presents the first book in the new dystopian series <em>The Seekers</em>. [DRM-Free]</p><h2><strong>[Dystopian, Science Fiction, Post-Apocalyptic, Religion]</strong></h2><p><em>“But what are we without dreams?”</em></p><p>A thousand years ago the Darkness came—a terrible time of violence, fear, and social collapse when technology ran rampant. But the vicars of the Temple of Light brought peace, ushering in an era of blessed simplicity. For ten centuries they have kept the madness at bay with “temple magic,” and by eliminating forever the rush of progress that nearly caused the destruction of everything.</p><p>Childhood friends, Orah and Nathaniel, have always lived in the tiny village of Little Pond, longing for more from life but unwilling to challenge the rigid status quo. When their friend Thomas returns from the Temple after his “teaching”—the secret coming-of-age ritual that binds young men and women eternally to the Light—they barely recognize the broken and brooding young man the boy has become. Then when Orah is summoned as well, Nathaniel follows in a foolhardy attempt to save her.</p><p>In the prisons of Temple City, they discover a terrible secret that launches the three on a journey to find the forbidden keep, placing their lives in jeopardy, for a truth from the past awaits that threatens the foundation of the Temple. If they reveal that truth, they might once again release the potential of their people.</p><p>Yet they would also incur the Temple’s wrath as it is written: “If there comes among you a prophet saying, ‘Let us return to the darkness,’ you shall stone him, because he has sought to thrust you away from the Light.”</p><p><strong>Be sure to read the second book in this series, <em>The Stuff of Stars</em>, due to release November 30, 2015. And don't miss David's award-winning speculative saga, <em>The Daughter of the Sea and the Sky</em></strong></p>
Story Behind The Book
Mickey needed a new adventure and I was always intrigued by Artemisia Gentileschi. I think what happened to her resulted in some violently graphic paintings. Now my Lavinia isn't Artemisia, and so what happened to her resulted in something far more sinister.
Reviews
Roberta Smith offers a wonderful paranormal thriller filled with realistic characters -- most of them likable, and a few you'll love to hate. Mickey McCoy is a savvy, sixty-something psychic who's on the trail of an evil portrait that has the power to kill. Along the way, he encounters the host of a ghost-hunting reality TV show with a sweet wife who, by her own admission, doesn't have "a psychic bone in my body." At least one of the portrait's victims may actually deserve what he gets ... but it's Mickey's beloved wife who may be in the most danger. Smith's light, deft prose makes this a real page-turner, with terrific atmosphere, snappy dialog and just the right amount of humor. A pleasure to read! - Sierra Donovan<br /><br />The Accordo is intricately plotted and carefully researched. Roberta actually based the character of Lavinia on a real-life Renaissance artist named Artemisia Gentileschi, and these authentic details add another layer to an already packed story. The characters and their relationships with each other are particularly engaging. I loved the relationship between Mickey and Marjorie. They clearly love each other and are willing to go to any lengths to keep the other safe and happy. But it is the ghostly characters that I found the most intriguing. Although Lavinia is a truly evil and vile creature, the author manages to give her a horrific back-story that may evoke compassion from the reader. One of my favorite characters was another slightly unpleasant ghost named Avery, the dead daughter of the woman who owned the two paintings, and who has a complicated story all her own.<br /><br />And I've barely scratched the surface on the cast of characters and subplots that figure in the final showdown between Mickey and Lavinia. Smith does a wonderful job keeping all of them straight and navigating her intricate plot, while infusing her story with terrifying and ghostly events alongside some remarkable emotionally charged moments. Although I won't reveal the ending, I can tell you it was brilliant. Smith has a true gift for story-telling, and I'll be anxious to read her next book. - T. Sparks
