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Back in June, I decided to interview some of the characters from my Final Formula series. Fans voted, both here and on my , and selected Ian, closely followed by Rowan. With the voting so close, I decided to interview both characters. I did one interview last month and today I’ll do the other. ÌýIf you missed it, you can read Ian’s interview .

Today I’ll be interviewing Rowan, Fire Element and leader of the New Magic community—though some say, he leads the whole magical community. But there are a few necromancers who would disagree with that.

The Final Formula Collection is an ebook bundle containing the first three titles in the series: The Final Formula, The Element of Death, and The Blood Alchemist. ÌýAs an added bonus, this bundle also includes two brand new short stories.

The Lich’s Lab takes place between the last chapter of The Final Formula and the epilogue. The story is told from Addie’s point of view andÌýshows how she and Ian came to their working agreement.

A Christmas Formula is set a week or so after The Blood Alchemist. ÌýIn this one, Era and Cora tell the story of their first Christmas with Addie.

I’ve put this collection together as a way to attract new readers with a bundled deal, plus it gives me another title to advertise. ÌýWith a series, it doesn’t make sense to advertise any book except the first one, and I can only throw that book out there so many times before folks get tired of seeing it. ÌýThat said, I don’t like to ask fans to re-buy books they already own just to get the new short stories. ÌýSo, I’ll be sending out a special offer to my newsletter subscribers where they’ll be able to snag the bundle for free! ÌýIf you haven’t signed up for my newsletter, now’s the time. ÌýAs an added bonus, you’ll get an alternative POV scene from The Final Formula. Ìý(More details in my blog post .)

Now for a little teaser�

Ìý

Chapter 1

I stood on the threshold and peered into the mausoleum, wishing I had a flashlight. The multiple holes in the ancient roof let in surprisingly little sunlight. I had hoped that coming here in the middle of the day would be different, but the small room was just as creepy as it had been after dark. The rare bright beam of sunlight only made the shadows deeper by contrast. I remained where I was, letting my eyes adjust until I was certain that all the dark corners were empty.

I returned the rusted bolt to the hasp beside the door and stepped inside. My gaze traveled around the room, reassuring myself that the vaults were closed. I had watched them slide open once, and prayed I wouldn’t witness it again. The dead creeped me out. Terrified me, if I was completely honest. But I didn’t have the luxury of running away. I had to face my fears if I was going to make things right—and making things right was now the only thing that mattered.

I took a deep breath, the scent of decaying leaves and damp stone filling my nose. Memories stirred, reminding me of my first visit to this place, but I pushed them away and forced myself to walk deeper into the mausoleum. I stopped before the open sarcophagus in the center of the room and crossed my arms. The flat black stone seemed to absorb what little light made it through the roof, but I didn’t need the light to know what lay inside. The stone box didn’t hold a body; it held a stairway to the crypt below.

The silence was unsettling. Neither the birds in the large cemetery outside these stone walls, nor the sounds of the city beyond the cemetery’s iron gates broke the quiet. I didn’t think it would bother me so much if the tomb was empty, but I knew it wasn’t. He was watching me. I could feel it.

Heart thumping in my ears, I leaned forward, peering inside the sarcophagus. No light shown in the room below. Without a flashlight, there was no way I was going to venture down there. Not into total darkness.

“Ian?� I had meant to call out, but my voice was little more than a whisper. Even so, I hugged myself tighter and listened.

A faint clink sounded from below. Was I hearing things?

“Ian, it’s Addie.� My voice was louder, echoing a little in the unadorned space. It seemed too loud to my quiet-adapted ears. Then I remembered that he didn’t know me by that name. “I mean, Amelia.�

Silence.

“I want to make you an offer.� I cringed as I said the words. It was the last thing I wanted to do, but I was desperate. At this point, I would make a deal with the devil to fix what I had broken. I just hoped that wasn’t what I was doing.

Leaves rustled in the corner, and I turned toward the sound. I didn’t see anything. Perhaps it had been an animal or the wind.

“Ian, can you hear me?� I pressed on. “I’ll brew you the Final Formula in exchange for your lab.�

The Final Formula? The voice seemed to come from directly behind me.

I whirled with a gasp, only to realize that the voice had been in my mind. My eyes had adapted to the darkness, and I could see that the room was still empty. How did he do that?

I turned to face the open sarcophagus once more. “The Elixir of Life.�

Something rasped and light flickered in the crypt below. A candle had been lit.

Come. We’ll talk.

“We can talk here,� I said.

Consider it a test.

Or a trap.

I braced my hands on the edge of the sarcophagus. Light illuminated the room below. I could make out the red area rug that covered the stone floor. What happened if I joined him in his crypt and he extinguished the light? Trapped in total darkness with a dead man. A lich. A walking corpse with his consciousness still intact. But Ian Mallory wasn’t just a lich, he was also a necromancer—and an alchemist.

“Why do I need to be tested?�

Because it amuses me.

“At least you’re honest,� I muttered. I eyed the stone steps a moment longer, then hopped up to sit on the edge before swinging my legs over. What did I have to lose?

I started down, keeping one hand on the wall to maintain my balance. My legs were shaking so badly that I feared I might fall. This had to be the single stupidest thing I had ever done. When I reached the bottom, I stopped and surveyed the area around me.

The room resembled a library with its floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, loaded with hard-backed books. A pair of wing-backed chairs flanked a small empty table. A candle and an open book had occupied the table the last time I was here, but both were gone now. The light came from a pair wall sconces I hadn’t noticed before. Otherwise, the room was empty.

“I’m here.� I spoke softly, but the sound was still loud to my ears.

Indeed you are. Warm air brushed the back of my neck at the same time the words entered my mind.

I turned and just managed to bite back a scream when I found a tall form in tattered robes standing directly behind me. I backpedaled until my butt thumped into the empty table.

So which is it? he asked, ignoring my reaction. Addie or Amelia?

I took a deep breath in an effort to regain my calm. “Addie. I don’t really know Amelia.�

He appeared to cock his head, though it was hard to tell beneath the hood he wore. I was grateful for the hood. I didn’t want to see his face.

“I have amnesia,� I explained. “I don’t remember the person I was.� And in all honesty, I preferred to keep it that way. “Are you interested in my offer?�

One skeletal hand emerged from his sleeve and tugged at the opposite sleeve as if straightening it. Not that the effort made any difference to the decaying robe he wore. I suspected he was trying to creep me out.

It was working.

Why do you want my lab?

“I don’t have one of my own.�

He made a raspy snort-like sound that echoed around the room. Goosebumps rose on my arms as I realized that he had made the sound with the rotting remains of his body and not whatever magic he used to speak.

Don’t you work for the Elements?

“Is that what Neil told you?� Neil was my former colleague. He had befriended me, then betrayed me to everyone I cared about.

Has he played his hand?

“Yes.� Neil had also been working with Ian. Or rather, using Ian. “He has the Final Formula. Hasn’t he been back to tell you?�

No.

“That was almost two weeks ago. Perhaps he doesn’t intend to share it with you.� I assumed that was how Neil had gotten Ian to help him.

Ian regarded me in silence, and I feared I had said too much. Perhaps taunting him with Neil’s betrayal wasn’t a good idea.

“But I’m willing to give you the Formula.�

The Elixir of Life in exchange for my lab. He took a step closer. Do you think me so gullible that I would give up the only source of sanity I have left because you offer me life? He leaned toward me. I am an alchemist and a necromancer. Life cannot be brewed.

I stood my ground—mainly because I was backed against the table with nowhere to go. “I’m aware of our limitations. I’m not offering you life, I’m offering you youth.�

What?

“Eternal life and youth. You’ve achieved immortality—�

I’ve done nothing. His cold tone stopped me.

“Oh.� I understood. “You didn’t do this to yourself.�

Clearly, you know nothing about necromancy.

“Why would I?�

I thought you were an alchemist.

I gritted my teeth. “Are you interested in getting your body back or not?�

A pause. Tell me more.

“The Final Formula has powerful regenerative properties. I’ve taken it. I’m forty-two years old.�

He dropped into silence again, watching me. I wished I could see his expression—or rather, I wished he had an actual face so I could read his expression. I also hoped I was right about this. I had never used the Final Formula on the dead. In truth, I had only used the Final Formula on me.

What about parts that are…missing?

My breath caught. “M-missing?�

You really don’t know anything about necromancy.

“You could enlighten me.�

Let’s just say that something was taken from me and used to imprison me here.

“A body part.� I remembered the jarred hearts on the shelf back in his lab, and suspected I knew which one. “No offense, but necromancers are twisted.�

You don’t know the half of it.

His easy agreement wasn’t reassuring.

So, how about it? Can your potion free me?

“It will regenerate your body. All of it. That’s all I know. You’re on your own with the necromancy.�

Fair enough. He offered me his hand: yellowed bone held in place by shriveled tendons and dried muscle. A few remaining scraps of flesh were visible near the wrist. You have a deal.

“I’ll take your word for it.�

Shake, Addie.

I steeled myself, then reached out and took his hand. Icy bone caged my fingers, and I made the unpleasant discovery that there was still a square of flesh on his palm. It was rough and dry like an old ball glove left in an attic for a few decades.

I pulled back with a gasp, swallowing hard to keep from vomiting.

Ian made a strange huh-huh-huh sound, and I realized he was laughing. Squeamish, aren’t you?

“I don’t like dead things.�

You’ll get over that.

I doubted it, but I didn’t contradict him.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I will be interviewing a character from my Final Formula series here on my website. I found it difficult to select a character (I love them all), so I asked fans to make the selection for me. After a Ìýtense round of voting (here and on my ), a winner was named, and questions solicited. ÌýThanks to everyone who participated! ÌýI hope you enjoy the following interview.

Now, without further ado, I give you Ian Mallory, undead necromancer, alchemist, and smartass�

(silence)

Perhaps he didn’t care for the introduction�

Ìý

Becca: (raises voice) Whenever you’re ready, Ian. (waits) Ian?

(footsteps echo in the hall, and a moment later he steps into the room)

Ian: I’m here. (his cheeks dimple with a smile)

Becca: You found the mirror in the foyer, didn’t you?

Ian: (straightens his sleeve) Why do you ask?

Becca: No reason. Please have a seat and we’ll get started.

Ian: (smoothes his coat before settling into a chair) So, it’s true? Your fans selected me for your first interview?

Becca: This isn’t going to go to your head, is it?

Ian: Of course not. I’m humbled to be chosen.

Becca: You? Humble?

Ian: When it suits me.

Becca: (tries not to laugh because it only encourages him) I commend you for your honesty—which is what your fans expect today.

Ian: I won’t betray their trust.

Becca: (studies him a moment) Okay. Let’s jump to our first question� Kendra would like to know a little more about your tailor.

Ian: Naturally. Though, in this modern age, he is more a purveyor of garments rather than a creator. But the man is skilled with a needle when he can’t find what I’m looking for. I would judge him to be as talented as his ancestor.

Becca: You knew his ancestor?

Ian: Ironically—or not—he is the descendant of the tailor I used to frequent when I was alive.

Becca: How is that not ironic?

Ian: Addie suggested that there is a magical connection.

Becca: You don’t think so?

Ian: Addie sees magic in everything. Myself, I believe that it is simply a matter of the family business being passed down through the generations. Although, the current owner has a knack for locating exactly what I’m looking for.

Becca: (eyes his waistcoat and old fashioned cravat) Magical talent indeed. Speaking of your transition to the modern world� Kantami would like to know if you listen to modern music.

Ian: Do you mean that dreadful noise Elysia and James are so fond of? No.

Becca: What kind of music do you like?

Ian: I was not what you would call an enthusiast, but Isabelle was. I did enjoy listening to her play the pianoforte.

Becca: Isabelle, your wife?

Ian: Yes.

Becca: You speak of her so infrequently that I hesitate to ask, but would you mind telling us a little more about her? Kelly would like to know where you and Isabelle met.

Ian: Baltimore, Maryland. At the home of her great uncle. I had been apprenticed to him, and she was his ward.

Becca: Apprenticed? In a trade or�

Ian: Officially, it was in necromancy. He shared my blood gift so it was a logical arrangement, though he taught me far more about alchemy.

Becca: You’ve spoken of your alchemy tutor a few times, but I don’t think you’ve ever mentioned that it was Isabelle’s great uncle. How old were you?

Ian: Seventeen.

Becca: What did you think of Isabelle when you first met? Love at first sight?

Ian: For me. She took a little more convincing.

Becca: I sense a story here.

Ian: And I sense that these questions are no longer the fans�.

Becca: Fine. You can tell me about it later. (makes note) Next question. Jessica would like to know what potion is your favorite to brew and why.

Ian: The Final Formula, of course. After all, it is the formula that has been sought by alchemists throughout time. If only I had known it back when� (a long pause before he clears his throat) Addie has given me a whole new outlook on alchemy.

Becca: Which brings me to Maria H’s question. What are your thoughts and feelings on Addie?

Ian: She is a brilliant alchemist.

Becca: (waits)

Ian: What?

Becca: That’s it? Certainly you can elaborate a bit more. The two of you are so close. Carmen asks: What is the nature of your feeling for Addie?

Ian: I have nothing but the highest respect for her. She…inspires me to be more. To be better. Not unlike Isabelle used to.

Becca: Are you saying that Addie reminds you of Isabelle?

Ian: In a way. I think because, like Isabelle, Addie took the trouble to look beyond my reputation and my appearance to see the man beneath.

Becca: No other resemblances between them?

Ian: They both have dark hair and strong personalities. (tugs at his sleeve) Any other questions?

Becca: (smiles) A few more. Maria M. asks: If Addie’s power depended on your faith in her instead of her own, would she always come out on top?

Ian: (chuckles) In other words, do I believe in her more than she believes in herself?

Becca: I think you could interpret it that way.

Ian: Addie has a confidence in her ability like I’ve never seen. She truly believes she can do the impossible. Even so, I still want to answer in the affirmative. I absolutely believe that given enough time and resources, Addie’s alchemical ability knows no limit.

Becca: Nice. Okay, last question. Since we met you, you’ve made it clear that you have one goal, and that’s to find your daughter, Matilda. Jessica wants to know what you will do if you fail.

Ian: Addie’s helping me. I can’t fail.

Becca: Yes, but what if?

Ian: Lex is back in the world. I’m sure I can persuade him to tell me.

Becca: Your twin brother, Alexander? What will you do when you find him?

Ian: End him.

Becca: Just like that? There’s nothing you have to say to him?

Ian: I think everything has been said.

Becca: Do you think his…death will bring you some closure?

Ian: Perhaps, but contrary to what you must think, it will bring me no joy.

Becca: What about all the evil he’s done to you?

Ian: Lex is insane. I should have done something long before things got so out of hand, but�

Becca: He is your brother.

Ian: I’ve never been closer to anyone than I was to him. Once. (rubs his face before looking up) It must be done. I won’t hesitate this time.

Becca: This time?

Ian: There are a lot of things I would do differently if I got another chance. (frowns) And you are asking your own questions again.

Becca: (sighs) You’re a hard man to make talk when you don’t want to. (glances over question list) Well, I think we’re done here. Thanks for agreeing to this interview.

Ian: (smiles) Anything for my fans. Have you told Rowan that I won?

Becca: Um, no.

Ian: Why not? He’s a gracious man. I’m sure he would congratulate me.

Becca: You should be grateful he’s such a gracious man. If he ashes you, even I can’t bring you back.

Ian: It could all be a bad dream or�

Becca: Ian. Need I bring up the red brocade smoking jacket?

Ian: (frowns) You don’t play fair.

Becca: And you do?

Ian: (offers another cheek dimpling grin) Point taken.

Ìý

As you can see from the photo, FF4 is underway. ÌýI’ve got my notebooks labeled (my daughter designs the cute artwork for my notebook cover) and the first couple of chapters written. ÌýBut since I’m not the speediest of writers, I was searching for something fun to do in the meantime. ÌýIÌýhit upon the idea of doing a character interview. ÌýSome of my writing buddies have done those and they look like fun.

Soâ€� The first question is, who do you want me to interview? Addie, Rowan, James, Ian…any character in the series is available. Most votes wins and I’ll post the interview here. ÌýYou can vote in the comments below, or over on my .

If this turns out to be fun, I’ll do more, so don’t be disappointed if your guy or gal doesn’t make the cut this time. Ìý

Ìý

Update: The wait is over! ÌýFF 3.5, now The Heir of Death, has been uploaded everywhere. Ìý(I’ve added the retailer links below.) ÌýIf it’s not available at your favorite retailer, check back later. ÌýSome sites are slower than others to update.

Here’s the cover (that’s Doug, by the way) and blurb. ÌýClick the link below to read an excerptâ€�

Elysia Mallory has never embraced her magic, not when doing so comes at the price of her sanity. Her family is cursed with bizarre necromantic gifts that have driven each recipient mad, and she doesn’t want to be another dead branch on the family tree.

But when Elysia learns that an ancestor is still in the mortal world and using his rare gift to possess the Deacon, the leader of the necromancer community, she decides it’s time to take control of the power she was given. Will her gift give her the ability to right a wrong centuries in the making? Or will she become another puppet for him to control?

Read the first chapter here:

Pick up a copy here:ÌýÌý|ÌýÌý| |ÌýÌý| Apple

In today’s post, I thought I’d chat a bit about what goes into the selection of a character’s name. Or at least, how I select one.

Naming characters is one of the fun aspects of writing fiction, but it can be a challenge. Much like coming up with a name for a new baby, I want a name that sounds good to my ear, but one that also means something to me. Sometimes, I find the perfect name right off. ÌýOther times I search through baby name books and websites trying to find the name that fits the character I have in mind.

I like to nail down my main characters� names earlier on. It’s difficult to change a name once I’ve gotten to know him or her. With magical characters, I often chose something that correlates with their talent. It can be the meaning of the name, the sound of the name, or both. Era is derived from an Albanian word meaning wind, but it also sounds like the English word air. Rowan’s name is from a Germanic source and means red. It is also the name given to the red-berried rowan tree. In European folklore, the rowan tree was believed to be magical, and used to ward off evil. A nice match for a red-haired Fire Element who is one of the good guys.

Sometimes my characters name each other. James’s charming brothers called his new friend the Addled Alchemist, and since she’s not the sort of person to let those jerks get the upper hand, she took the name Addie.

My characters don’t always have a name when they first appear in my stories, so I’ll frequently use a placeholder. Typically, I’ll just grab a common everyday name. And the since the Final Formula is a contemporary fantasy series, I tend to leave the name as it is. I thought it logical to use names I hear in my day-to-day life, but I’ve discovered that a common name may not beÌýthe best choice.

I have had a few comments that my names aren’t unique enough, and can sometimes run together in the reader’s mind. It’s too late to fix that now, but I will add “use unique names� to the list of naming rules I’ve come up with through my writing and reading experience.

My first rule is to keep names short and easy to pronounce–even in made up worlds with made up names. I find that it throws me out of a story if I have to stop and figure out how to pronounce a seventeen letter name with weird vowel combinations. If it’s a story I’m writing, I avoid long names like the plague. I hate typing giant names over and over. (Ian’s brother is sooo getting a nickname in FF4.)

Another naming rule I try to follow is to avoid starting character names with the same first letter. If a story has a Steve, a Sam, and a Stacy, they all run together after a while. If I’m writing the story, I have a tendency to accidentally type the wrong name during the excitement of a first draft. Though I must confess that I sometimes violate this rule. Era already existed when I found Elysia, but both names were perfect for those characters, so I left them.

Finally, I try to pay attention to how a name is pronounced to avoid silly sounding alliterations or rhyming names. For example, I almost had an Owen until someone pointed out that it rhymed with Rowan. *facepalm*

Writing is an on-going learning experience, so I’m sure I’ll be adding to this list as I go along. Do you have any pet peeves about character names?

This one is for the writers in the audience, or anyone wondering how I go about crafting my stories. (Note the word crafting—it makes it sound like I know what I’m doing. Ah, the power of language.) To be honest, this post is more of an update on my ongoing quest to streamline my process.

Back in September, I wrote a about my attempt to refine the way I write. I’ve been a seat-of-my-pants (aka organic) writer all my life. As I mentioned before, I credit this to my early approach when I wrote just for fun and just for me. I wrote until I reached the end, slapped the handwritten pages into a ring binder, and moved on to the next book. No planning, no plotting, and no editing. Pure entertainment. (Yes, I’m wild and crazy like that. Who needs a night out on the town? Give me a pen and paper, and I’ll make my own fun.)

Well, things are different now. Readers expect me to turn new books out in a timely fashion. Not only new books, but books that make sense. (Readers are so demanding!) So, when I started The Alchemist’s Flame, I decided to give outlining a try. I spent a couple of weeks filling out index cards and mapping the book scene by scene. I managed to get eighteen of my anticipated twenty-four chapters down. Good enough. I grabbed my keyboard and started in. By chapter two, it was clear I would need to tweak my outline. By chapter six, I’d blown it away.

I went back and redid the outline—more than once—but I gradually came to realize that the story didn’t open up for me until I started to write the actual scenes. The characters had to talk to one another, and react to things before I could see where the story was truly going. Several of the key scenes in the finished book didn’t even exist in the outline.

My conclusion: perhaps I’m not the kind of writer who can map out every scene before typing the first word.

Bummer.

It sounded so cool to work out all the kinks before I started the actual writing. Of course, this might be one of those the-grass-is-always-greener scenarios. But I will say that my experiment in outlining wasn’t a bust. I did benefit from the planning aspect and puzzling out the big turning points in the plot. I also liked having a short-hand version of the story on a single sheet of paper. It was handy to be able to look over the book as a whole.

Now I’ve started the next book (FF3.5), and this time, I’m combining my two approaches. I did some minimal planning to identify the major plot points and my characters� goals, then I jumped right in. Five chapters into it, I stopped and started to construct my outline, expanding it a few chapters beyond the point where I stopped. I also continue to utilize the prewriting I mentioned in my previous post. Basically, I take a few minutes before each writing session to map out where I need the scene to go.

In conclusion, I’ve come to accept the fact that I’ll always be an organic writer. But I also recognize the value of planning and organization. A novel is an unwieldy beast and it’s tough to see the forest when you’re focused on the wood grain. I’ll keep experimenting to find the method that works best for me. Meanwhile, I’d better get back to FF3.5�

First, let me say�

The Alchemist’s Flame has had a great release week! It jumped up as high as #5 on Amazon’s dark fantasy list, and into the 40s on the much more competitive paranormal & urban list. And this is all because of my awesome fans! I haven’t done any advertising, yet. (I’m adding excerpts to the other books and wanted to wait until that was done.)

To further illustrate the awesomeness of my fans, I even had a couple of folks tell me that they would wait until the book went off sale to buy it. What a sweet thought, but as I told them, I’m doing this for you. However, this did get me thinking about ways a person could help their favorite authors—if they’re so inclined.

As an independent author, one of the biggest obstacles I face is visibility. I don’t have a big publishing house backing me. I’m on my own—which for the most part is pretty darn cool, but I could use some help getting the word out. Here are a few ideas�

Tell a friend. Word of mouth is huge. Which has more credibility: a random email from a retailer or a friend’s praise of a new book she just read? Yeah, I thought so. And in today’s world of social media, we’re not limited to face-to-face conversations.

Leave a review. Social proof is a big deal. Think about the way people shop online. I always scope out the reviews when I’m thinking about purchasing an item I haven’t bought before. That’s especially true for a new author. An intriguing blurb and a good overall rating go a long way in reassuring me that I’m not about to waste my time or money. And a review doesn’t have to include plot summaries and in-depth analysis, a couple sentences about why the reader enjoyed the book is what interests me when reading reviews about new books. Actually, I prefer not to have the plot spoiled.

Interact. I’m back to social media on this one. By interact, I mean like or follow your favorite authors� pages and/or profiles. Share, comment on, or just like relevant posts. An example of how this helps (beyond the obvious fact that your friends see it) can been seen in the way Facebook pages work. Did you know that each time I post on my , only a small percentage of my followers see it in their feeds? That percentage goes up as more people interact with the post—or if I pay FB to promote my post. That’s right. By sharing my latest cover reveal or new release link, you’re sticking it to the man.

So, there are a few examples of how you can help me get the word out. I hope you didn’t find this post too self-serving, but I thought I’d put the information out there for those who were interested. Meanwhile, go ahead and take advantage of any sales I might run. I want to show how much I appreciate you!

Release Day! Ìý(Okay, it’s more like Release Night for me.) ÌýThe Alchemist’s Flame, book 3 in my Final Formula Series, has been uploaded in all the usual places. ÌýIt’s already live on and , but look for it to show up everywhere in the next few days. (I hope.)

Also, I have a special release week sale. ÌýFor the rest of the week, The Alchemist’s Flame will be only $2.99! ÌýDon’t miss out. ÌýAfter this weekend, it goes up to its regular price of $4.99.

If you would like to read the first three chapters, you can find it here:

Thanks for giving my books a try. ÌýI hope you enjoy this new installment!

Update � The new book is now available on ,, and .

It’s time for another cover reveal! Here is the blurb and cover for the third full-length novel in the Final Formula Series�

Now that the local hospital is using her burn salve, master alchemist Addie Daulton has become a celebrity. The positive press will go a long way in helping her redeem alchemy’s reputation, but Addie wishes the media would stop calling her the Flame Lord’s alchemist. She doesn’t need his sanction to validate her skills. Besides, having the name of the city’s premier Element tied to hers makes it hard to carry out her clandestine activities—like spying on the leader of the necromancer community. If she’s not careful, she could kick off a war between Old Magic and New.

The risk proves worth it when she discovers that her former colleague and current nemesis, Neil Dunstan, is working with the Deacon himself. If that wasn’t bad enough, she learns that Neil has resurrected a grim and made it his own. A grim that once destroyed a family of Elements. And this month, every Element in the world is gathering right here in Cincinnati.

With the date of the gathering fast approaching, Addie must figure out what Neil plans to do and stop him, or Old Magic will win the war before it even begins.

Read the first three chapters here: .