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Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/hpJsOfvRKxI
Excerpt
Eirianwen ripped out the earpiece and slammed it onto the desk. Panic swirled at the edges of her mind, but she forced it down. Now wasn’t the time. She grabbed a larger bag from under the desk, slung it over her shoulder, and stormed out. In the closet, she set the bag aside, pressing a hidden panel on the side of her bed. A drawer slid open, revealing her arsenal. Her hands shook as she armed herself, snapping a knife into its sheath and loading a handgun with quick, practiced movements. Now, to find them. Moving swiftly, she ran through the house, slipping out the back door and straight into the storm-charged air. Sullivan’s workshop. If she was going to do this right, she’d need a shovel. She yanked open the heavy wooden door, eyes darting over the mess inside.Where the fuck is it? Why is this place always such a goddamn disaster?
A glint of metal under the workbench caught her eye. She crouched, snatched up a spade, and bolted back outside. The rain had started in earnest, cold drops slicing through the thick humidity. She sprinted to where the trackers last pinged, her boots sinking slightly into the softening earth, almost tripping thanks to a low spot. Looking back at the spot, it was all wrong. She knew something was buried there.
Gripping the shovel tightly, she drove it into the ground. The soil gave easily...far too easily. The clay should have been a nightmare to dig through. Someone had already done the work for her. Within moments, her blade hit something solid, and dread curled in her stomach. She dropped to her knees, clawing at the loose earth with bare hands until the objects were free. Her breath hitched. Six trackers. All of them. Cold, useless, and buried like a mockery of her own paranoia. Eirianwen sat back on her heels, mud caking her fingers as she stared at the pile in her hands. Someone knew.
Her cheeks burned hot, but the rest of her body felt frozen. Tears welled, spilling silently down her face as the questions flooded in. Why? Why would Sullivan do this? Had he done this? He wouldn’t put the kids in danger—would he? Where were they? How long had he planned this? Her stomach twisted. Then, her phone buzzed—a single notification. Hands trembling, she wiped her palms on her pants and yanked it from her pocket. Wi-Fi restored—a new alert. Someone had just crossed the perimeter.
“It better be Sullivan and the kids.”
Eirianwen exhaled sharply, swiping at the sweat and tears streaking her face. Standing, she brushed the dirt from her clothes as best she could, shoving the useless trackers deep into her pocket. She locked her phone and steadied herself. If the kids were with Sullivan, she needed to stay calm. Normal. They couldn’t see the weapons strapped under her clothing. At least the incoming storm gave her an excuse to rush them inside. She’d get them safe first—then she’d deal with Sullivan. She turned toward the tree line, heart pounding in her throat. The property was massive, and she had built the house at its farthest edge. Finally, headlights cut through the gloom. A vehicle emerged. Not Sullivan’s truck. A cold, electric jolt shot down her spine. Every instinct screamed at her.
No one came out here. No one. She had made sure of it. For years, she had meticulously crafted the illusion of a perfectly ordinary life. She knew everyone in town—just enough to avoid suspicion, but never enough to invite curiosity. A delicate balance of friendly but distant. She never gave anyone a reason to visit. She didn't even use their real address! She picked up all of their mail and deliveries in town. So who the hell thought they had the right to pull up to her house? The SUV slowed to a stop, tires crunching against the gravel. The doors swung open in near unison, and two men stepped out. Sheriff Ford. Deputy Pines. Ford adjusted his jacket, his gaze steady, unreadable. Pines lingered a step behind, eyes sharp, scanning. Ford closed the gap between them, and gave Eirianwen a curt nod.
Reign
Reeves Pearson is a writer, storyteller, and chaos enthusiast based in Houston,
where she lives with her husband, four kids, and three cats who may or may not
be plotting world domination. She thrives on Kopiko, rainy days, and an endless
love for Final Fantasy VII and Dungeons & Dragons.
She’s
been writing for as long as she can remember. But in 2019, a health scare
forced her to take a hard look at her life, and the answer was clear: writing
wasn’t just something she did. It was what she was meant to do.
Her
debut novel and series, Poseidon’s Daughters: Reckoning, is her first and only
planned adventure into sci-fi. Going forward, expect Southern Gothic chills,
cosmic nightmares, and nostalgic ‘90s horror—all infused with her signature mix
of heart, humor, and a touch of the macabre.
When
she’s not writing, she’s probably dreaming up elaborate D&D campaigns,
getting emotionally wrecked by Final Fantasy VII (again), or staring
dramatically out a window while it rains.
The Book Junkie Reads . . . Interview with . . . Reign Reeves Pearson . . .
Do you feel that writing is an ingrained process or just something that flows naturally for you?
I’m lucky that writing is something that I don’t have a choice in doing. I often feel that I’m simply dictating the world in my head so others can take a peek! I had to start dictating my books about two years ago due to hand issues, which allowed me to get even more into that creative space. Writing is simply part of my life that I wouldn’t know what to do without. I have a Bluetooth lav mic that I connect to my phone, and I’m able to “write” at any time of day. For me, it is such an ingrained part of the mundane that I think I would go crazy if I couldn’t. However, I think if I imposed rules on it, I would struggle to accomplish anything at all.
Do you take your character prep to heart? Do you nurture the growth of each character all the way through to the page?
I feel like such a “bad” writer when I say this, but for initial character prep and development, I wait and let the characters introduce themselves to me. I let them take the lead. Once I know what a character wants and how their development is going to work, I ensure that they get what they deserve throughout the story.
Do you people watch to help with character(s) development? Or do you build upon your characters during story creation?
I think I may be cheating here, but I’m also a voice actor and dungeon master. So, character development is intuitive for me. I have a large “library” to draw from, and I pull from that frequently. If a character has gaps in their development, I can utilize other things to help get their story where it needs to be. For the most part, though, I rely on the character to let me know what that should look like.
Do you have a character that you have been working on for a long time that still isn't quite ready, but fills you with excitement to work on the story?
Have you found yourself bonding with any particular character(s)? If so, which one(s)? I have quite an affinity for Eirianwen and Ford from Poseidon’s Daughters. This series has been my most “supernaturally inspired” so far, and I feel a particular fondness and understanding for them.
Can you share your next creative project(s)? If yes, can you give a few details?
I’m currently deep in editing and formatting the next few projects I have lined up for release. My next book, coming out in July, is titled “The Crows Will Speak for Her.” It’s a Southern Gothic horror novel tackling the issues of love, grief, and collective trauma.
What are some of your writing/publishing goals for this year?
Since this is my first year publishing, my goal is to keep learning and moving forward. As a self-published author, there’s been a steep learning curve and I’m still learning and reevaluating every day. I’ve been writing for years, but never felt confident enough to publish my books. Now that I’ve started, I feel an obligation to keep improving my writing and my process for publishing.
If you could go ANYWhere, money is not a concern, and spend one full year. Where would you go and what would you do with this time?
Scotland, hands down. I would love to go and hide away for a year, enjoying the weather, the beautiful scenery, the amazing people, and writing for at least 4 hours a day! Ah, what a year that would be!
Thank you Reign Reeves Pearson for joining and giving a little insight to you and your process. Your work is appreciated.
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Thank you so much for sharing my book! The interview questions were amazing and really made me stop and think about my process.
ReplyDeleteSounds good. Enjoyed reading today's post
ReplyDeleteGreat interview.
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