Ghostland

Author Q&A

Dear Reader,

I’m so excited about the release of Ghostland, I can barely contain myself!

Imagine what life would be like after a war so far-reaching and devastating that human populations were left decimated and supernatural beings no longer feared making their presence known. Imagine a world where San Francisco is claimed by vampire families while across the bay, Oakland is ruled by powerful non-gifted humans. Imagine that beyond the bigger cities, there are smaller human settlements, carved out and defended in vast territories controlled by Were and Fey.

This is Aisling’s world. It’s a place where the night belongs to the predators and humans no longer rule with their technology and sheer numbers. It’s a place ripe for the return of the Djinn.

Once, the strongest of the Djinn was cursed into a hideous image and named demon. In the millennia since then, wars and false prophets and the thousands of nightmare creatures conjured up by mankind have allowed the Djinn to disappear from human memory. By the time they reveal themselves, it’ll be too late to change sides in a battle where the winner takes all, and the world will be reshaped yet again.

Aisling is able to enter the ghostlands and speak to those found there, human souls and long-forgotten gods, beings capable of protecting and punishing, but who always demand a payment. She has no idea of her heritage or the destiny intended for her. And when she’s taken against her will to Oakland, she has no choice but to summon the Djinn prince Zurael en Caym.

Her existence is one of harsh survival edged with fear. His is defined by privilege and power.

Aisling’s prison is forged by a promise to remain in Oakland. Zurael’s is a luxurious kingdom set deep in the ghostlands, where at the dawn of human creation the Djinn fled the angels sent to enslave them and make them unwilling familiars to mankind.

A prince to the House of the Serpent, Zurael would see the Earth cleansed of humans. He dreams of the day the Djinn will be able to reclaim their birthright — little knowing that when Aisling summons him against his will and commands him, he’s meant to become a slave to passion — and his joining with her, the harbinger of things to come.

I think you can tell just how much I love this post-Apocalyptic world. It’s a place of opposites and extremes, of horror alongside beauty, extravagant wealth juxtaposed to hard-scrabble poverty — and where a war brews between ancient, unseen enemies. I hope you’ll join me there, along with Aisling and Zurael in Ghostland, and later, in August, with Tir and Araña in Spider-Touched.

Regards,

Jory Strong