web home of independent writer A.J. Church

Works in Progress

Lucid
The Erebus Files, Book 1

Half human. Half demon. All monster.

Since the emergence of his demon side, Laec has fought to control the savage appetites that could turn him into a ravening killer. He thought he had everything under control until a young girl goes missing and he finds himself at the center of the search. Now it’s looking like the same destructive urges he’s worked so hard to bury might be the key to saving the girl’s life.

Progress: Cover design is done. My goal is to finish and publish this book by June.
Read an excerpt

Return of the Light
The ’Ru Lexicon, Book 1

For five thousand years, the ’Ru have served as the guardians of mankind, protecting them from the demons of the Underworld. Their training and dedication have made them the most formidible force for good in three worlds, but a traitor among them could change all of that. Now the only hope for the survival of both humanity and the ’Ru is the successful fulfillment of an ancient promise and the heroics of an unlikely savior.

Progress: Working on the final spit polish.

Red Awakening
The Erebus Files, Book 2

Red is a thief, a liberator of supernatural artifacts. Growing up in the streets of Lower Erebus, there isn’t much she hasn’t seen. Until now. Because now the rules have changed, along with everything Red thought she knew about herself, and she’s going to have to learn fast if she has any hope of surviving the week.

Progress: Fleshing out the second draft.

Other Writing

Once upon a time I wrote some short stories. The following are two of the early ones (*cringes*).

The Edge

Somewhere within the barren house a clock counted a muted chime: one, two. I stared past the hot silver weight in my hand at the woman on the floor, her blood shimmering like cherry-colored oil on the slick white tile, framing a ragged hole between vacant eyes.

Green eyes.

I had no memory of who she was or why I was here among these stark walls. My brain was numb. I knew myself only from scent, and a name that flashed like a neon sign from oblivion ... Mike. Mike Salino.

Hand-Painted Pottery

“You’re going to use a knife?”

Rene paused, his eyes shifting from the glimmering dagger to the nude woman stretched before him on the bed. He’d picked her up at The Cave, one of those goth hangouts where the death groupies, as he liked to call them, came to roost. This one was a little young--probably just barely legal--but she’d practically fallen into his lap when he told her what he was.

“You’d prefer something else” he asked, flipping through his mental Rolodex to recall her name. Something with an A; Andy, Angela, Angeline. Yeah, that was it. Angeline.

“Well,” she pouted, “I just thought you’d, you know…use your teeth.”