Interview with the villain in Pictures of Dorianna
by Catherine Stine
What’s your name?
Wilson Warren
How old are you?
Laughs.
Hundreds of
years old. I’m the Prince of Darkness.
Interviewer, under his breath: “Heh. Sure you are.”
You sure are tall!
Yup. I’m 6’ 8”. The better to
intimidate!
Fave outfit?
My black cape, combat boots and
my spooky doll necklace.
What’s your occupation?
I was a senior in high school.
But since I moved out of the folks’ place and into my uncle’s apartment in
Coney Island while he’s…um… overseas, I have to work. I sell my photos to Getty
Images; you know squeaky-clean athletic types playing beach volleyball in
skimpy outfits. Chuckles. I’m also a
videographer. I do supernatural compilations. I did one of Dorianna.
Who is Dorianna?
She wandered onto the Coney beach
and right into my net. She was plain and shy. She longed to be made beautiful,
popular and freed from mean girls at her school who were torturing her. I said
I could do all of that and more—make her a viral social media star… for a
price.
What price?
For her soul. Plus, there’s
always a price. Dark magic is unpredictable. Each time it’s a little different.
Tell me about the
first one, and the price she paid:
The first, in 1437, was a raven-haired minstrel girl
near Canterbury. Her vow helped her overthrow her abusive master and take
control of the show. A female minstrel was unheard of back then. She
flourished, causing quite a stir and enhancing her musical performances with
perfect pitch and mesmerizing jigs. So much so, that she lined the floorboards
of her carriage with gold noble coins. Wilson
pauses, then resumes in a low voice. She became so famous that her jealous
old master snuck up on her and performed his own lethal magic with a rusty
dagger.
That’s
severe! Have you ever fallen in love with one of your… clients?
. Both times it
presented problems. I was involved with a circus conjurer, who set king cobras
on me when I snuck into her caravan for kisses. And there was a blond painter
from Rasputin’s court. With her miraculous strength, she heaved me into the
frozen Moscow River after I criticized her portrait of another lover.
Are you
in love with Dorianna?
Wilson glares at the
interviewer. That’s none of your business.
Pictures
of Dorianna
Catherine
Stine
Genre: Urban Fantasy, YA
paranormal romance
Publisher: Konjur Road Press
Date of Publication: October 23,
2019
ISBN: 978-1-7333901-0-1
eBook: 978-1-7333901-1-8
ASIN: B07WGB5HQ6
Number of pages: 327
Word Count: 90k
Cover Artist: Najla Qamber
Tagline: Internet followers,
beauty, power. It all sounded good. Until it transformed into a terrifying
reality Dorianna couldn’t stop. New twist on Dorian Gray with the first-ever
female lead!
Book Description:
Internet followers, beauty,
power. It all sounded good.
Until it transformed into a
terrifying reality she couldn’t stop.
When her father is jailed, her
mother ships lonely, plain Dorianna to her aunt’s in Brooklyn, NY. There,
Dorianna yearns to build a new identity, but the popular Lacey bullies
her—mostly for getting attention from her ex, Ander.
Ander takes Dorianna to Coney
Island where Wilson, a videographer, creates a stunning compilation of her. She
dreams of being an online sensation, as she’s never even had a birthday party,
and vows she’d give anything to go viral. Wilson claims he’s the Prince of
Darkness and offers her the beauty and fame, even love she’s dreamed of—warning
her that a pledge has its downsides. Dorianna has no idea of how dire those
consequences might be.
She’s thrust into the spotlight,
and an incomprehensible nightmare. Not only is she prettier, she’s gaining
harmful powers of manipulation. When her dark forces grow beyond anything she
can control, she’s desperate but clueless as to how to stop them.
Excerpt:
Wilson taps impatiently on the
keypad. “You want beauty and youth forever, Dorianna? I can give you that.
Power over those mean girls; over a lot of people? It’s yours for a price. Just
say it.” His eyes are golden and black and red all at once, like unearthly
spears, piercing through me. I’m dizzy. I need fresh air now. But I want this
promise more than anything. Ever.
“What’s
the price?” I rasp.
Wilson’s
stare burns into me. “Can’t say exactly. But there always is.” His words are
ice and fire. Flutters of snowflakes pattering silently under my skin that melt
into scorching sparks.
I
follow an irrepressible urge to stand up, and look down on Wilson with his
narrow, feral face and piercings. I need Ander to look at me with that passion.
I need those hater girls put in their place. I need a friend, and for people to
want to be with me all of the time, to never be bored. Only to love me.
It’s
worth any price.
A
powerful force in me breaks loose, as if a flu bug is racing rampant down my
spine.
“Would
you… give your soul?” Wilson’s whisper invades my gut, my brain.
Ander’s
aching gaze from our time at the beach shimmers in front of me. Enticing. I can
almost feel his kiss. Like water. Drink it in. I’ve never wanted anything as
much as I want this. “I’d give anything for power, easy youth and beauty.” My
voice comes from all around me, spreading, gluey on my skin. “Yes, I’d even give
my… soul.”
The
air spirals into a funnel, draining all oxygen from the room with a hiss.
So,
so, soul.
In
an instant, new air swoops in, suffused with rich, delicious minerals. I gulp
it in, openmouthed, so very thirsty. “To be seen and accepted,” I murmur.
Wilson
goes head to head with me. “Forget about just being accepted. How about having
a following of millions, going viral?”
“Really?”
I’m whirling. “Going viral.” Wilson’s promises are golden brands, anointing me,
conferring an otherworldly legitimacy I’ve never, ever felt. How does he manage
to do this?
Ander
returns with the brownies. I luxuriate in the sexy new glint he’s giving me.
“Something feels different in here,” he notes. “It’s colder.” He puts the
brownies down. Who needs sweets when he’s looking at me like this? Is this vow
a real thing? Is it already working?
An
unfamiliar power in me swells with precarious danger and weight as I study
Ander and Wilson. Abruptly, I’m flung out of my body, inexplicably looking down
on them as pitiful peons who will someday worship at my feet.
As
two of the very, very many.
Then,
I’m back inside myself stunned by how I was seeing them. The room seems to rush
with the force of souls washing through, and I flinch when I hear them moaning.
I tell myself it’s only the whir, whir of the hard drives.
About
the Author:
Catherine Stine is a USA Today
bestselling author of historical fantasy, sci-fi thrillers, paranormal romance
and young adult fiction. Her novels have earned Indie Notable awards and New
York Public Library Best Books for Teens. She lives in Manhattan and loves
spending time with her beagle, writing about witches and other fabulous
creatures, gardening on her deck, and meeting readers at book fests.
Website: http://catherinestine.com/wp/
Subscribe to her newsletter: http://bit.ly/2nUWU6u
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kitsy84557
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kitsy84557/
Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Catherine-Stine/e/B001H9TXJC
Twitter: https://twitter.com/crossoverwriter
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5 comments:
This book sounds wonderful! Can't wait to read it!
Hope you like it! There's a twist at the end that NO ONE has ever seen coming. LOL.
I LOVE THIS AUTHOR,GREAT JOB !
sounds like an interesting read
So cool! Would love to read this!
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