On Writing Nature's Pentacle

Here I am, after months of hard work, release day! Nature’s Pentacle is a red hot paranormal erotic romance. When witches use sexual energy in a rite to mend the shattered environment, the forces set in motion carry them into a vortex of loss, a sizzling ménage, and finally, to the love they never imagined they’d find.

When beginning a manuscript, some authors develop their characters first. Others work out the plot, and character development follows. With Nature’s Pentacle, the entire book began as a vivid image of the sexual rite at the start of the story. I saw the pairs of witches coupling within the outline of the giant pentacle, felt the urgency of the rite, sensed their anxiety, saw the drought ravaged forest surrounding the clearing where the witches gathered.

From there, I went on to develop Lena and Matt’s characters. Next, I created Kenji, the third member of the ménage, and then I started crafting the plot. But all this began with a vivid image that popped into my head one night as I was trying to fall asleep. Here’s a summary of the story that image engendered:

When Lena and Matt join other witches in a forbidden rite to heal a shattered environment, Lena's roommate talks to the press, plunging their lives into chaos. Forced to flee vigilantes and a witch with a sinister agenda, they're drawn to each other despite Matt's ties to Kenji, the witch who rescued him from a troubled past.

Reluctant to accept Matt’s love, Lena fears her dark family secrets make her an unsuitable partner. When she's kidnapped following a rite to calm a hurricane, the ménage she's become entangled in is the least of her problems. Escaping danger is only the first step if Matt and Lena are going to pull themselves out of the freefall that follows losing everything they thought they wanted.

I sat down and wrote the first chapter, the rite of the pentacle, in under an hour. From there, the entire manuscript came tumbling out over the course of eight weeks, one scene after another. Some stories are so determined to tell themselves, my muse handcuffs me to the computer, stands behind me, whip in hand, and only lets me up for an occasional meal or a few hours of sleep. Nature’s Pentacle was one of those manuscripts.

I hope you enjoy reading the story, because I sure had fun writing it!

Eden Rivers
www.edenrivers.com