Shiela Stewart's Demons

Ten years ago, I woke to a horrifying dream of demons attacking humans and one woman who was on the run.  She found herself caught in a group who she thought was safe only to find herself embroiled in a battle between good and evil. Before she could run, a gunshot rang out and she felt the searing pain slice into her.  She fell to her knees, bleeding from the gunshot wound, but she didn’t die. Instead, she turned into a demon and began attacking the men around her.

I woke, sweat pouring off of me, panting as I tried to grasps what I had just dreamt. Now, most people would have been freaked out by the dream, but not me. I ran from my room, grabbed a notebook and pen, and began jotting it all down. I put my own spin on it and made it a romance.  My mind was in a frenzy with this dream. It captivated me, mesmerized me, and refused to let go. I felt like a woman possessed. I couldn’t write it fast enough. Because my dream began in the middle, I was curious how it all began. What made this young woman run away? How did she end up with this group of men who were obviously into trouble? Why had she become a demon? I needed to find out and to do that, I needed to become the women.

Missy Green was born, and she needed her story told. Thus, Awaken the Demon was born.

To find out how she became a demon you’ll have to read the book. I know, I’m cruel, but hey, I do write about demons so is that really a surprise to you?

Now, you’re probably wondering why it took ten years to get this book published. Not for a lack of trying, that’s for sure. I enteredAwaken the Demon in a contest and it actually came in second place. The reason it didn’t win was that in the original, it didn’t have a happily ever after ending which is a no no in romance. So I reworked it so there was a happy ending, submitted it again to this publisher who chose it as second place and it was rejected. Why you may ask? Satan. Yes, the devil, and no he didn’t make me do it. LOL There are aspects of Satan in the book and the publisher didn’t like that the hero was a direct descendant of the big bad. Not willing to rewrite it, I submitted it to other publishers and got the same response. “Romance Novels are supposed to be romantic and bringing in someone as horrible as Satan just doesn’t work for us.” Well, hell. I get the same response time and time again. Finally I thought, okay, I’ll rewrite it. I changed it up so instead of Satan, I created the King of Demons. And instead of Missy being a descendant of witches, I made her a descendant of angels. But something wasn't right. It just didn’t feel right. So I dropped it.                                                                                                                                                                                  

Awaken the Demon still possessed me and I longed to have it published. So after years of letting it gather dust on my computer, I decided to give it another shot. A friend recommended I try Decadent Publishing and so I cleaned it up and sent it in. Despite wanting desperately to have it to be published , I wasn't about to hold my breath. I knew they’d send me a rejection saying they couldn’t publish a book with Satan in it. Much to my surprise and delight, they accepted it. I think I nearly swallowed my tongue. I was speechless. My dreams, my passion for this book were finally coming to fruition. Missy Green and Draco Starr would finally have their story told.

Now, you may think that is the end of it. Guess what? It’s a series. After writing Awaken the Demon, another story came to me with as much passion as the first. Offer the Demon. It’s the story of Missy and Draco’s daughter Aurora, who, despite hating having to do it, is Satan’s minion and must collect souls for him. It’s a struggle between good and evil with an ending that will leave you gasping. But like everything else I write, it spirals into more and book three was created. Who knows, there may be more but for now, there are three books in the Demon series.

Offer the Demon was accepted by Decadent Publishing, and I couldn’t be happier. (g)

Dreams do come true, if you hold onto them long enough.

Have you ever experienced something so gripping that you fought tooth and nail to bring it to light? Was there a story that you wrote, or are writing that has a hold on you and tugs at your heart?  Let me know and one lucky commenter will win a copy of Awaken the Demon.

Shiela’s Website: www.shielasbooks.ca

Awaken the Demon, available at Decadent Publishing. http://www.decadentpublishing.com/

For Better or Worse ~ Decadent Authors in the Spotlight

 



"The tin grin was in. My mom took this picture in 1981 when I was nineteen. I had braces for six years," says Leanne Dyck (author of The Sweater Curse). Leanne offers no explanation for the glasses or the hair, however.





 



 







Rita Hestand - 1960s  "Me, the one is a picture of my hair ratted back in the late 60's, it is sticking out all over, the other is what it looked like when it was combed into a style.  My mother was a hairdresser and took both pics."

Kathleen Gallagher ~ "If I Could Turn Back Time", was released June 1, on my birthday. If Cher could wear the wild hairstyle, so could I. 

 Ann Mayburn ~ late 80's. "Those giant dark glasses, that tough girl glare, I was hell on wheels! Pink and grey 10 speed wheels that is. On a walk...with my grandma and my little brother. Yep...I was a real bad ass."

Valerie Mann ~ 1976, Denver, CO. Dig the groovy beaded headband and sexy hotpants (too bad the picture cut off the view of my legs). My mother made those duds for me - they said "VOTE" all over them. 

My father and I came home and found a wild duck in the yard. Judging from the stranglehold I had on it, it's no wonder it flew away during the night. 

 Clare Dargin - late 90's. That was a meeting for my job a little over ten years ago.  And they were going over from table to table taking pix and I was, oh, I've been here all day... okay... <cheez!> now go away so we can finish and I can go home!!

Maureen O. Betita
~ 1976. "I was 16 and this was my pic from my student body card. Oddly enough, I thought I was fat. Sigh. Man, I loved that shirt! And I often wore it with my light blue bell bottoms, painted with flowers on them... I still own them in my memory box."
















Mahalia Levey ~1993 April just admitted early into the military :)

Sheila Stewart ~ "Do not piss me off!!"

Mari Freeman ~ Mardi Gras Road Trip, New Orleans 1985

Gracen Miller - 1989 ~ Good Lord!!--that hair is atrocious!!!  LOL  And to think I paid for that awful curl job.  *shudders*  Looks more like I stuck my finger in an electric socket.  :-)

  












Jennifer Robins, Age 15
Jennifer always wanted to write even at an early age but couldn't find the needed time until she grew much older. 

 

Deena Remiel ~ A long time ago, in a land far away called Long Island, there lived a girl. There, she shed her sheltered world and came into her own as a college student for four years. This girl was captured in photograph in her second year, 1985. She partied hard, made great friends, and studied well.