Reaper Girl Chronicles
A Grim Reaper, her husband, and a hellcat take on the world......
Episode 1, Reaper Girl
Grim Reaper Leliel made a mistake – she tried to reap the soul of a man who wasn’t dead. Now she has to escort him through the Underworld in an effort to get it back before he turns incorporeal – a fate truly worse than death. But the real challenge is not falling for the young, handsome, funny guy who hates her for destroying his life. No pressure.
Originally appeared in Under Her Protection: Stories of Women to the Rescue.
Please note: The books in this series are sweet/clean paranormal romance (so no sex or explicit language).
Episode 2, Fireborn
Former Grim Reaper Leliel and her new husband Rick have settled into a routine of normalcy after their life-changing trip to the Underworld. They can finally relax and be married and deal with mundane problems, like money and learning to use all the modern-day technologies that are new to Leliel. But they’re up for the challenge.
Until Leliel starts having frightening visions of people on fire. The fires appear to be suicides—young adults—but something isn't right. She senses that they were forced to act against their will. This isn't their time to die. Even though she's no longer a Reaper, she needs to fix it. Somehow.
When she and Rick investigate, they encounter resistance from not only the police but also the families and friends of the dead. Complicating factors are the Tarot cards left at the scenes, the mysterious happenings at the college that all of the dead turn out to have attended, and the disturbing new abilities that Rick is developing.
And then Leliel's own Tarot deck turns up the Death card--twice--and she realizes that she's gotten the attention of something evil...something she must face without Rick by her side.
Meanwhile, the deaths are mounting...
Please note: The books in this series are sweet/clean paranormal romance (so no sex or explicit language).
First Soul
A Reaper Girl Chronicles Short Story
Ariana, daughter of Leliel and Rick Ashton, does not want to be a Grim Reaper or be a part of the family business investigating paranormal mysteries. She wants to be a normal teenager - pursuing art, hanging out with friends, and exploring her blossoming relationship with her moody, quiet classmate who has a secret of his own. But when she gets The Call to be dedicated as a Reaper...she must make a choice. Give up a normal life as a teenager and embrace the call of souls in need, or turn her back on her family?
Coming soon
In Memoriam: Hailey, the inspiration for Love, the Fierce Hellcat
Hailey was my husband's cat. He went to a computer trade show and ended up getting her instead. She was the very last one there, trapped in a cage. He was lonely and she needed a home. It was fate.
When we began dating, she used to bite my hands frequently, but over time, she warmed up to me. Hailey wasn't much of a lover or lapcat, but she gave you love if you were sick, upset, or were recovering from surgery. Oftentimes I'd wake up from a nap to her pressed up against me on the bed, so close she'd practically be plastered to me.
As she got older, she became more loving toward us. She was also diagnosed with kidney disease. We decided that we'd try to keep her going as long as she was stable and not suffering. And she did really well for a long time. But then she needed medications, sometimes four a day, three trips for fluids a week, emergency ER visits....but...she was our child, and we promised we'd take care of her...to the very end. That we'd give her the best life we could possibly give her. That we wouldn't give up on her. She'd stabilize each time, and we'd breathe a sigh of relief...that we wouldn't have to make "that horrendous choice" yet.
Hailey was truly a joy, though. She used to meow for chicken while I made dinner. She used to try to walk on my keyboard while I worked (she loved the pretty colors). She sat on our laps toward the end. It was amazing, really. She loved lying on our bed and sleeping with us at night. I used to love listening to her purr. And nuzzle her soft ears. She was the sweetest child. Even when she used to bite me, lol.
When the end finally did come, the choice was made for us. Her kidneys shut down, and we barely got her to the vet on time (they squeezed us in - that's the perk of your sweet kitty being a patient for so long) before things got Real. But we were able to let her go with grace, dignity, no pain. And it broke my heart to say goodbye.
I dream about her still. Sometimes I still hear her around. And...she's still with us. And she's in the Reaper Girl books. That was a given. How could I have a Grim Reaper, an empath, the Underworld, Tarot cards, Halloween, and not have a hellcat?
Hailey was perfect for the role.
She's also a bit psychic in the books. (I have a thing for psychic animals, I guess).
So, that's the story. Of a sweet kitty that needed a home and ended up with a family, almost twenty years of a happy ending, but really....gave us the happy ending, and ended up immortalized in books. What a life, huh?
Love you, dear child. See you at the Bridge.
I wrote a poem the day she passed. You can read it here.
