New Release by Author Cynthia A. Morgan

Author Cynthia A. Morgan joins me this week to discuss her newest release, Misericode.

SJJ: What genre(s) does this book fall under?

CAM: While Dark Fey was very much a Young Adult Fantasy, The Mercy Series is more of a Dark Dystopian Fantasy with elements of both Romance and Horror. It has taken a slightly

darker turn than Dark Fey, landing somewhere between a PG-13 and an R-rating. I veered away from the poetic writing style I used in Dark Fey, making this series more conversational in its tone with darker, moderately graphic content. It tells the story of a harsh new reality that exists on Earth with characters that are equally harsh.

SJJ: Who is your target audience?

CAM: Definitely an Adult audience.

SJJ: When was your newest book released?

CAM: Book One, Misericorde, is available now. Here is the official MyBook link: http://mybook.to/misericorde

Book Two, Clandestin, will actually follow very closely, as it is already completed, releasing by early June 2020!

SJJ: Please tell us a little about your new book.

CAM: It is the year 2446. The first three Horsemen of Revelation’s Apocalypse have ridden. The first Horsemen, Pestilence, War and Famine, have shifted world-wide cultures and governments from technologically advanced civilizations to dictatorships that are ruled with an iron-fist. Social structures have returned to what they were during the Middle Ages and commoners have very few rights. Liberty is a distant memory.

Before the final Horseman, Death, is released to ride, the Archangel of Mercy makes a bold plea. Tzadkiel cannot believe that mankind has forgotten what it means to be merciful. He asks to be allowed to search for even just one human who remembers. 100 years are granted, but at the end of that time the Archangel will be required to release the final Horseman. Releasing Death will conflict with everything the Archangel represents and be the hardest thing he has ever done, but he must agree. The Horseman must ride.

Tzadkiel takes human form and comes to earth. He finds that humanity is ruled by greed, hatred and fear. Compassion and kindness are considered a detriment, but he does not give up hope. After 96 years his long search leads him to New France where he encounters Levesque, a cynical military captain who hates the world he lives in. He blames God and any who serve Him for the calamities the world has suffered. When Levesque learns who Tzadkiel is, he takes revenge by imprisoning him and subjecting him to torture that would kill a human.

Tzadkiel, however, is not fully human. His life-force comes from the energy of the sun and can regenerate his body in hours. It is not entirely a blessing. After suffering Levesque’s torture for nearly a year, a young servant named Lourdes finds him. Through an act of selfless mercy, she reveals her true nature and Tzadkiel knows she is the one he seeks, but somehow, they must escape Levesque and the ruthless dictatorship he serves.

Time is running out. He has waited nearly 100 years, but the Horseman Death is growing impatient. He wants to ride. Tzadkiel has located the priceless treasure he sacrificed so much to find, but now he must find some way of protecting her from the calamity the Final Horseman has unleashed.

SJJ: What inspired you to write this story?

CAM: I began this tale with the intent of writing a multi-dimensional story. I hoped to share the story through the perspectives of several characters, rather than just one, and to provide the backstory not so much through expository prefaces or chapters, but as the plot progressed. I sought to challenge myself to create something dark that could still be tender and emotive, with which readers could connect on many levels.

SJJ: Was any part of this book particularly difficult to write?

CAM: The scenes that contain violence were particularly difficult. I strove to make The Mercy Series a rating equivalent to TV-MA. I wrote the scenes containing violence to be as disturbing as possible without actually going into graphic detail, but never having written those types of scenes before, it was difficult. Perhaps, if I found them disturbing, the readers will as well.

SJJ: Did you enjoy writing any particular scene? Please tell us a little about it if you can.

CAM: I truly enjoyed writing the scene where Tzadkiel first discovers that his feelings for Lourdes are romantic in nature. Being an Archangel, he has no experience with the physical responses of his body or the emotions she generates in him, and it was particularly stirring to write the scene when he first realizes why he’s feeling the way he is. In the scene, Lourdes asks him to sleep next to her. She’s afraid and longs for the safety of his presence. He agrees, but immediately discovers it is a far more complex matter than he expected. It’s a beautiful, sweetly romantic scene.

SJJ: Does your book have any message or is it purely entertainment?

CAM: The story speaks about the courage to be kind in the face of cruelty. To be compassionate without motive. To show thankfulness through kindness and appreciate blessings through generosity.

SJJ: Just for fun! If this book became a movie, who would you like to see play the main character and if there’s a villain, who would play that role?

CAM: Tzadkiel and Lourdes are truly creations of my imagination. I would have a hard time selecting any actor to portray them, however, when I created Levesque (the cynical military captain who imprisons Tzadkiel) I immediately thought of Geoffrey Rush.

BIO

Cynthia A. Morgan is an award-winning author; free-lance columnist, and a member of the Poetry Society of America and Artists for Peace. Creator of the mythical realm of Jyndari and author of the epic fantasy Dark Fey Trilogy, Morgan’s powerful story relates how the power of hope, acceptance and forgiveness can change the world, when positive action is taken to create change. The only way to achieve peace is to become peace.

Morgan is also the author of the popular blog Booknvolume where over 18K followers can explore Morgan’s own brand of poetry, English Sonnets, musings about life, personal recipes, photography, book reviews and more.

Upcoming projects include a fictional drama in Regency Period England, a non-fiction exploration of the supernatural/paranormal and beliefs around the world, and a return to the realms of Dark Fey in a prequel/sequel.

Some of her other interests includes a deep love for animals and the environment. She is passionate about music and theatre, is frequently heard laughing and finds the mysteries of ancient times, spirituality, and the possibilities of life elsewhere in the cosmos intriguing. Morgan believes in the power of love, hope and forgiveness, all of which is reflected in her lyrically elegant writing style.

You can find Morgan through social media in the following places: