The Story Of The Dark Lady Series

The very first novel I had published was The Dark Lady. As usual with me, something minor triggered its creation. I was passing through our living room and noticed the image of a scowling actress on the TV and thought, "She would be a good one to play an evil queen." Of course, that set me wondering how those certain queens of history and fantasy got their bad reputations, and I sat down to create a possible story. I'm a pantser, so I had no idea where I was going or how to get there. As it turns out, I veered from the original idea, began thinking about young Queen Elizabeth the First and the dangerous life she led as a child, and started a fantasy tale about a ten-year-old princess who wakes up one morning to discover her parents murdered, she is the sole heir, and her three uncles plotting on what to do to take over the kingdom. Their main schemes seem to revolve around: marrying her themselves, murdering her, or marrying her off to the ruler of a hostile neighbouring kingdom.

I finally found a publisher who took the manuscript in 2011 and who eventually said: "Keep going." This resulted in two more books that were published in 2014 to complete the trilogy, adding "Dark Days" and "Dark Knights" and aging the main protagonist to fourteen and sixteen respectively. A story not for the faint-hearted at times, I describe the tales as suitable for most readers from the ages of 13/14 years to adult.

The publisher is currently in the midst of a bit of reorganization, and these books which are still available in print or ebook formats, will be coming out with new covers.

Brief definition of a "Pantser." Someone who writes by the seat of their pants. I usually start out with a single idea, often have no idea where I am going, and frequently change direction from where I originally thought the plot was headed. Sometimes the characters take over and change my mind for me. I tell people I write to discover how the story will end.