The Grave Robber
(A Charley Davidson Novella)
by Darynda Jones
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Darynda Jones comes a new story in her Charley Davidson series…
Eric Vause is done.
Done with ghosts. Done with hellhounds. And definitely done with asshole demons, mostly because he’d been possessed by one. Even now, five years later, the rage he absorbed from the creature has yet to wane, so he decides a road trip is in order. Surely some cool air, great scenery, and a case of Dos Equis will shake things loose. Unfortunately, supernatural events happen everywhere. When he meets up with a friend whose partner’s daughter needs help with a pest problem—aka, a ghost—Eric takes that as his cue to leave.
Until he sees her.
He can tell Halle’s house isn’t the only thing that is haunted. The hopelessness behind her eyes tugs at something deep inside him. Something all too familiar. The fact that she’s the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen has nothing to do with his change of heart. And he vows to leave her in his rearview the minute he takes care of the poltergeist. Then again, vows were never his strong suit.
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An Exclusive Interview with Darynda Jones
~with Jillian Stein, co-owner of 1,001 Dark Nights / The Blue Box Press
Can you tell us why or how you chose to write about this couple for your novella?
I’ve been dying to tell Eric’s story for years! Eric joined the Charley Davidson family fairly early on in the series. He is the youngest member of a motorcycle club whose leader had taken him under his wings and he immediately became a fan-favorite.
The moment Eric’s story popped into my head, as stories are wont to do, Halle materialized in sparkling Technicolor in my mind’s eye. She may seem fragile at first glance, but her courage and strength shine through as the story progresses and I hope readers will fall as much in love with these two as I am.
Do you do anything to treat yourself when you finish writing a book?
I take a day to get caught up on all the BTS videos I’ve put on hold to finish the book. And I might start a new K-drama. Or two.
If someone were to narrate your life, who would you want the narrator to be and why?
Since I already live my life as though Lorelei King were narrating it, complete with all the snark and sass she can muster, I would definitely want her to continue. She is a goddess.
What one piece of advice would you give an aspiring writer?
Finish something. Anything. Then do it again and again until you get used to having to follow through with your original, enthralling ideas. All ideas, no matter how shiny at first, rust during the process. Push through and write that shimmering, glorious ending. You will never be sorry.
Can you give us a few lines from your work in progress?
This is from the first book in a new trilogy I’m working on called Rumor and Innuendo.
I grabbed my bag, my aviators, and my last shred of dignity and headed out the door with my head held high. Ish. I’d tried to drown my sorrows the night before and was now paying the price. The sky-high one with added taxes and a twelve percent surcharge. Ignoring the orchestra playing “Flight of the Bumblebee” in my head, I turned to take one last look at my Nob Hill apartment. My former Nob Hill apartment. The one I’d fallen in love with at first sight. The one I’d remodeled from the ground up. The one I’d wanted to die in despite the financial hit the property value would take.
If you could dream cast (actors, models, singers… anyone really!) the hero and heroine, who would you choose?
When I first came up with Eric many years ago, I described him as looking like a Greek prince and I had an actor in mind: Eric Balfour. As for Halle, she is absolutely Gigi Hadid.
What mythical creature do you wish actually existed?
Dragons! My favorite animated movie of all time is How to Train Your Dragon. I even have a dragon series in the works. I will get back to it someday.
If you could watch one scene from this book be played out like a movie, which one would it be and why?
Ahem, well, I’m pretty fond of the love scene near the end of the book.
Biography:
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones has won numerous awards for her work, including a prestigious RITA, a Golden Heart, and a Daphne du Maurier, and her books have been translated into 18 languages. As a born storyteller, Darynda grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, and she is ever so grateful for the opportunity to carry on that legacy. She currently has two series with St. Martin’s Press: The Charley Davidson Series and the Darklight Trilogy. She lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys.
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