Deborah Cooke: Author

Oooo, it’s another guest blog day here at Alive & Knitting. Today’s guest writer is Melanie Card, who is a member of my local writing group. The truly exciting thing is that Mel’s first book just went on sale last week – this is a very exciting moment for any author, and I’m pleased that we all get to share it with her (a little bit). Mel’s first book is called Ward Against Death, and she’s here today to talk about her favourite scene from the book.

So, without further ado, here’s Mel!

Thanks, Deb, for having me on your blog today. I’m thrilled to be here and chatting about my debut novel, Ward Against Death and my favorite scene. The story is set in a fantasy world where a reluctant necromancer is tricked into helping an undead assassin solve her murder.

My hero, Ward, is pretty much your average guy (if your average guy could bring people back from the dead). He’s been kicked out of the Physicians’ Academy because he’s fascinated with surgery—surgery being sacrilege in the kingdom—and he’s been forced to fall back on the family business of necromancy.

Unfortunately for Ward, my heroine, Celia, is not your average girl. Her father is the head of organized crime in the city and she’s a trained assassin. Someone has murdered her and she’s determined to figure out who.

One of my favorite scenes in the book is the first one. It’s that moment when the hero and heroine meet for the first time and everything gets turned upside down. Ward has been hired to wake Celia from the dead—a wake is a fifteen minute spell where the deceased is woken so the family can their goodbyes. He is determined to make a name for himself as a necromancer, but when Celia wakes she doesn’t act the way she’s supposed to. She begs him to help her solve her murder… and Ward’s life is changed for ever.

Here’s an except from that opening scene:

Her eyes narrowed and her hand snaked under the pillow. “It’s not wise to enter a lady’s bedchamber without her consent.”

Ward plastered on his calmest, gentlest expression. The newly wakened dead often assumed they had just roused from sleep. “You’ve been unwell.”

Her icy blue eyes examined him, her gaze jumping from his face, to his wig, to his jacket, and back to his face. “Unwell? Is that what my father told you?”

“In a manner of speaking.” She wasn’t acting the way she was supposed to. Noblewomen, particularly those around his age, were usually demure or aloof—not suspicious.

“Well, I’m fine, and I’m sorry my father troubled you.” She threw back the covers, sat up, and stepped onto the thick rug. “Now go, be a good doctor, and tell my family I’m healthy and sleeping.” She punctuated her last word by pulling her nightdress over her head, revealing a slim waist, athletic muscles, and pale skin marked with the purple bruises of livor mortis along her back. And no other clothes.

“But—” He flushed and spun around to face the wall. “What are you doing?” No. Wait.

What was he doing? He’d seen a dead naked woman before. Just never like this.

She chuckled. “I’m going for a walk.”

“A what? No—You can’t.” She really wasn’t acting the way she was supposed to.

“I beg to differ.”

The situation was spiraling out of hand. Damn it, he had to take control. He was the necromancer, she the newly awakened. She was supposed to listen to him.

He turned to confront her. Thankfully, she was fully dressed—in men’s clothes, but at least she was dressed. “Listen, I—”

She slipped her hand under her pillow and removed a sheathed dagger.

Great Goddess! She kept a dagger under her pillow? Ward inched toward the door to block her escape without appearing obvious, although he had no idea what he’d do if she fought him. Why did he always get stuck with the difficult corpses?

 

Thanks for joining me today. My hero, Ward, can bring people back from the dead. If you had that power, what famous or inspiring person would you bring back to chat with for fifteen minutes?

Connect with Melanie: Facebook / Twitter @melaniecard / Goodreads / MelanieCard.com