Over a hundred years have passed since a group of violent killers went on the rampage, murdering innocent victims for fun. But even back then, sorcerer Nate Garrett, aka Hellequin, knew there was more to it than simple savage pleasure—souls were being stolen.
Nate’s discovery of the souls’ use, and of those supporting the group’s plan, made him question everything he believed.
Now the group Nate thought long dead is back. Violent, angry, and hell-bent on revenge, they have Hellequin firmly in their sights. And if he won’t come willingly, they’ll take those closest to him first.
The battle begins again.
With thanks to Liz at Liz Loves Books for the introduction, I’m pleased to welcome Steve McHugh to Being Anne today. While not my usual reading, I know his Hellequin Chronicles are immensely popular, and the fifth book, Lies Ripped Open, was published on 25th August in paperback and for kindle. Over to you, Steve…
Like most new parents, I was very nervous about Keira’s impending birth and how I was going to handle being a father. But I also had another issue. I’d always wanted to be a writer, Ever since I was 12 or 13 years old. I wrote stories in English class, I wrote stories at home, and yes they were probably all terrible, but I loved doing it. But when I finished school and started college that need to create dissipated quite a lot, and I found myself thinking, “I’d get round to it.”
Well, with Keira’s birth, I decided, “I’d get round to it,” was no longer a viable option. I needed to try to do this, I didn’t want to be that person who got stuck in a job they hated for decades because they didn’t try to follow the thing they professed to love.
And so began the long days and nights of working on my first book. I joined an online writing group (run by Kelley Armstrong), and I practiced my craft. For about 2 years. It took me another 2 years (and the upcoming birth of my second child), before the book was finished. It wasn’t very good. In fact as far as the writing was concerned it was awful, but I had the bug. And I had the support of an online community of like-minded writers who wanted to succeed.
The next book I wrote was Crimes Against Magic. It took me about 3 years to finish and some time more before the book was actually published, but it was a glorious moment. I’d become a published author, and all it had taken was dozens and dozens of hours of untold work and toil. And I’d loved every single second of it.
I’m now about to have my 5th book released, Lies Ripped Open, and the Hellequin Chronicles has gone from strength to strength, but none of it would have been possible without the birth of my daughter. Without the kick that it gave me to stop saying, “I’ll get round to it,” and actually do it.
So, if you have a notion to be a writer, or anything else for that matter, don’t put it off. Doing it might well be the best thing you ever did.
Thank you Steve – I wish you every success with Lies Ripped Open…