Lou Paduano | Urban Fantasy Novels | Sci-Fi Crime Series

The Gifts of Kali Author Commentary 3

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The author commentary of The Gifts of Kali continues! This week, I’m talking about Urg and Ruiz. SPOILER WARNING is in effect!

Connections

One of the main themes in Greystone is connections. People NEED connections, they crave relationships. Our entire society is built around the idea of community, of people pooling together for a common goal.

Looking back at Soriya’s training years meant delving into this idea of connections. Mentor fights against them. He dislikes her need to be around others. Soriya, however, gravitates towards others. She feeds off their energy, their talent. That’s one of the main pulls of her relationship with Loren in the main series. She loves bouncing cases off him, their give and take in trying to right a wrong.

Hammer and Anvil gave readers Bethany Loren and Eddie Domingo. These were the characters Soriya connected with, who she saw the world through. They offered her perspective for the unique situation they found themselves in, and allowed Soriya to grow as a person over the course of their adventure.

For The Gifts of Kali, I considered bringing them both back. Beth, for sure. Eddie was a long shot, especially considering I thought he was in a good place.

Instead, I decided to dive back into the main series and see if there were other players that might bring a new perspective to the table.

Urg returns

A college professor of mine, and dear friend, wrote to me after reading Signs of Portents. He was upset at the death of Urg of all things. I thought it was funny, and was upset I never used him for Tales from Portents considering it was a prequel of sorts.

The Gifts of Kali allowed me to rectify that error. Urg is back in this one, but I didn’t want it to be without reason. The notion of connections is extremely relevant when it comes with Soriya’s interactions with Urg. He is a protector, someone hoping to look out for her and be there if she needs anything.

She also turns to him when in dire straits. With the Tengu. In the aftermath of the Caldwell Correctional fight. Urg is her rock, someone she can rely on to shield her without the lectures and the teaching that accompanies others like Mentor.

That was Urg’s original role here. The comedy of his scenes evolved over the draft. I loved being able to have those small moments in the narrative, especially considering the darkness throughout. Being able to utilize Urg to bring some light to the story was one of my favorite elements of this book.

Ruiz

Loren had a couple shout-outs in Hammer and Anvil. I thought it was a nice touchstone to the main series by inserting him in the narrative.

One main player didn’t make the cut the first time around: Ruiz.

When I look at Greystone, I break it down as Soriya and Loren’s story, but the truth is Ruiz is as much if not more critical to the equation. He’s the regular joe of the trio, the family man, and the guy willing to tough out the darker days in the hope that there will be a better tomorrow.

Ruiz was a must for Gifts. Weaving him through the narrative was a little trickier than Loren in the first book. Most of Ruiz’s arc comes from the birth of his third daughter – a moment I thought was necessary considering how much death is involved in the book thanks to Shiva’s machinations.

I also thought the timeline was perfect for Ruiz to appear. He hasn’t met Soriya at this point. This is their introduction, and the way it plays out, there is no surprise at the animosity that seems to grow over time.

How Ruiz connects…

Ruiz, however, was not meant to be a connection for Soriya in this book. No, his main foil is Mentor. Both are fathers. Both have daughters. But both see the world very differently, and it is in their encounter by the docks that I knew I had hit the nail on the head.

Mentor’s fears about Soriya, about the end to come, don’t have the impact they should without Ruiz’s argument in the middle of the book. Ruiz drives the point home about bringing Soriya into this world, about forcing her to face the enemy head on, instead of shielding her from harm as Ruiz does with his family.

These are two strong-willed individuals who both offer arguments on how to face danger. It’s one of my favorite scenes in the book, but then again, anything with Ruiz is pretty much guaranteed to make that list.

Next time:

The lore of the book.

Thanks for reading.

The Gifts of Kali Author Commentary 2

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The author commentary for The Gifts of Kali continues! This time I’ll be discussing Mentor’s role in the book, including the secret “second” gift at the end of the novel, so SPOILER WARNING is in effect!

Mentor and his role

There are two main aspects to Mentor’s role in the book: there is the Greystone bearer side of his behavior and then there is his vision of the future. I want to break this down as both came about very late in the game for this book.

Hammer and Anvil showed Mentor to have a very adversarial relationship with Soriya. She’s a teenager, after all, so there should be little surprise that there would be some tension on that front.

I wanted to move beyond that. It was a motivator for Soriya in the first book, but I wanted to leave it behind and show why she’s stuck with him for so long, why their relationship is so important for the series. Mentor needed to have her back, he needed to be on her side and look out for her with every fiber of his being.

More than that, in this particular moment in time, Mentor is still the Greystone. This is his city to protect. So why not show that? The reader has never seen him in action to any significant degree, so why not build his arc around stopping Shiva?

The narration in Chapter 33 and 34 drives this home. Mentor takes on Shiva head to head, and Soriya can only sit back in awe at the man’s power. Despite the injury from the Minotaur, despite his age, Mentor shows he’s still got what it takes to put up a fight for the good of all.

I thought this was important to showcase, especially when the two fight together. It was a crucial statement on their relationship and why it worked.

Mentor’s vision

Mentor the teacher and fighter came first in this book. Those were the moments that I knew had to be there. What I didn’t realize was the emotional motivator behind Mentor’s work in this book: his vision in the Bypass.

Recalling where this specific thought came from has brought up a big ol’ nothing from the black hole that was once my brain. Motivation is always something I am trying to find, some justification for why certain actions are taken, for why we do anything in life.

I needed one for Mentor.

Seeing his death in the Bypass was that motivator for Mentor. He doesn’t fight it like Kali. He doesn’t try to work his way around it. Mentor merely accepts it as truth, knowing that he has to do everything he can with the time he has left.

I thought it was a nice play on the theme of fate and Kali’s own reaction. Soriya is, of course, torn down the middle which always adds tension to the drama.

Having this in the background was important for Mentor’s growth. It also provides a nice touchstone to Signs of Portents where Mentor meets his end. The fact that he knew what was coming and still met the threat is now always hidden in the background of that scene. It gives his death more weight, in my eyes at least.

The vision also provided the driving force for something else…

Kali’s Second Gift

I’ve received the question a number of times. What is the second gift Mentor asks for at the end?

There is a reason the book is called The GIFTS of Kali. I was very intentional about it. The second gift is something only Kali could provide, but what was it exactly?

I can’t tell you. I’d LOVE to tell you, but I can’t. It means everything for where Greystone is heading. It is so freaking important to the rest of the story, that telling you would be a disservice. I would hate to destroy the reveal.

What I can say is, what do you think Mentor would ask for? Consider what he’s been shown in this last moment. Kali tells him what is coming, not only for himself but for Soriya in the end. What could Mentor need from Kali knowing what he now knows?

It isn’t a stretch to figure out, but what it means for Soriya and Greystone in general?

Keep reading.

The Gifts of Kali Author Commentary 1

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The author commentary for The Gifts of Kali begins! SPOILER WARNING is in effect. You have been warned!

Kali’s evolution

There was a steep learning curve in this book, and it was one of my own creation. I thought it would be fun to play with the fact that Kali has a secret identity of sorts. She lives in Portents, does whatever the hell she wants, under the guise of Callie.

It was a clever ploy to throw the reader off until the reveal in Chapter 8.

One problem: I didn’t think of it right away. In fact, I was well into the draft before I considered doing this. So, for the most part, throughout the original draft Kali was simply Kali and that was that.

(What an idiot…)

This is where writing a book from start to finish might have helped. But I didn’t. Nope. Not even close. So by the time I figured out this amazing plan to conceal Kali’s identity even from the reader, I had messed it up.

It took draft after draft to clean it up. When I sent it to my editor, the ever incredible Josiah Davis, I thought for sure I had it all worked out.

I was wrong. Kali was left in one spot instead of Callie. Four paragraphs before the reveal.

UGH.

Thankfully, that was the last one. I really wanted it to be this eye-opener for the reader that they had been following Kali since Chapter 2. I honestly don’t know if it strengthened the book or merely gave me a migraine. These are the little things that keep a guy like me up at night.

The idea behind Kali

Fate was key to the book. The idea of predestination, that we have no true control over our lives. It definitely seems timely as I type this. How Kali/Callie acts at the beginning of the book, the presence she carries throughout the narrative, stems from her fighting this outcome with every fiber of her being.

She knows the end of the story and will do everything she can to avoid it. That is her main drive and why she rubs Soriya the wrong way more and more with each encounter.

I wanted to create someone that Soriya would look up to in Beth for Hammer and Anvil. It was more on the mental side, the lore of the city. Kali brought the physical side to the forefront, so Soriya was hoping to connect with Kali much like she did with Beth. As the story goes along, though, she knows this is a false front. That Kali’s fear is her driving force, not her strength.

Using the flipside of the coin for this book, allowed Soriya to see things from a different perspective. These are her training years, so having these issues come up were important for her own personal growth.

Soriya believes fate to be a beautiful thing, a motivator. Kali believes the opposite, that it is a chain around her pulling her kicking and screaming.

I hope you enjoyed that philosophical argument in the book. It was fun to write.

A look at Mentor next time. Thanks for reading.

The Gifts of Kali Author Commentary Intro

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This is my favorite part of the blog. I love being able to share the story behind the story. This time around, I’m talking about The Gifts of Kali. Gifts will always hold a special place in my heart. It is the first book I wrote as a “full-time” author. Every book that preceded it was written during nap times, in the dead of night, or during holidays when my wife took over the kid duties.

Gifts was the first time I felt like I knew what the hell I was doing. I went from a very clear outline to a draft in 16 days. It was crazy, energetic, and incredibly freeing to be able to get everything down on paper.

So where did the story come from?

I’ve spoken about this before. There were certain points I wanted to hit with the prequel trilogy. One of them was the ribbon Soriya wears along her wrist. For as much as it is used I thought it was important to explore where it came from and what the circumstances were behind Kali gifting Soriya with this incredible tool.

That was the main thrust for writing this book. Everything that built from there came organically, and I’ll be delving into the lore in a later author commentary.

For this introduction to the book, I wanted to talk about one specific moment that started the ball rolling for me.

I wanted a car chase.

Is that weird? I certainly thought so at the time. I was driving my kids to school one morning and Counting Stars came on the radio. As we were traveling over a bridge I suddenly saw Soriya in this epic battle on the roof of a car. She was leaping along traffic, taking out villains left and right, all with her patented smirk.

I think I listened to that song 500 times while putting the book together. Every time, it seemed to amp up the action pieces.

The car chase ended up going in a different direction at the climax of the novel. I love the way it evolved over the course of the draft. When I close my eyes I can still see it from Ruiz’s perspective at the hospital, looking out toward the RDJ and seeing a lone truck barreling along the road to outrun the shadows chasing it down.

The RDJ

Speaking of this little tidbit… no one has said a thing to me about the name of the expressway. I thought I would get so many comments about the name, which is of course a nod to Robert Downey Jr. It was one of those cute little jokes I was able to squeeze into the background. I always hope readers pick up on these, or at least wonder if it means what they think it does, while they’re reading.

More to come next time. Thanks for reading.

The trilogy ends here. The Final Gauntlet is on sale now!

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Today is the day! The end of the Greystone-in-Training trilogy has arrived! The Final Gauntlet is available now in ebook and paperback.

The end of the beginning…

The story hits on every piece of Greystone lore. Nathaniel Evans and the founding of Portents. The Luminaries and their secret strongholds in the city. Bethany Loren. The Bypass.

So much is packed into the book. I wanted this finale to be a celebration of everything that has come before and a guide for the road ahead. The second half of Greystone picks up right after this book. That might make you scratch your head right now, but trust me, when you reach the end you’ll see what I’m talking about.

I’m so excited to have you on this journey with me. I loved writing about Soriya, Loren, Ruiz, and everyone that makes Portents special.

Enjoy The Final Gauntlet and stick around, there is still more story to tell!

Order your copy of The Final Gauntlet today!

Paperback shoppers:

The paperback is available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and more. For those who prefer my online story, you’ll have to wait just a bit longer. I should have copies in two weeks and will let you know!

From the back cover:

The Daughters of Salem have returned.

A doorway was opened and a threat from the earliest days of Portents has found its way home. The Daughters have a clear mission: to use the power of the doorkeeper and awaken a terrible darkness on the world.

Soriya stands alone to face the threat. To do so, she must protect the magic-wielding doorkeeper—a woman in a desperate search to find her past.

There is more at stake for Soriya, though, as Mentor levels one final test upon her. Should she pass, Soriya will at last earn the mantle of the Greystone.

If she fails, however, all of Portents may succumb to the darkness within their souls.

Her greatest challenge is only the beginning as the secrets of the city come to light in the epic final chapter of the Greystone-in-Training trilogy.

Order your copy of The Final Gauntlet now!

Greystone-in-Training Sale!

Hammer and Anvil is FREE right now!

The Gifts of Kali is only $0.99 for a limited time only!

Read the whole story.

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy this journey as much as I did writing it.

Look for more Greystone coming your way soon.

Sneak Peek of The Final Gauntlet

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The Final Gauntlet arrives next week! Check out a sneak peek of the novel and prepare for the deadly rise of the Daughters of Salem. This is not only the end of the trilogy, but The Final Gauntlet sets up so many things to come.

Grab your copy today!

Sneak peek of The Final Gauntlet

Chapter Two

It was time.

Annabelle Waterhouse knew it as soon as she woke up. The feeling ate at her like a cancer. It stirred her thoughts and drove her toward her goal. She tried to resist the urge as nothing more than the impetuousness of youth. She knew deep down, however, the time had come to try again.

Books lay in large piles on every counter in her cramped one-room apartment. Some were opened, and the texts within were littered with stray notes and circled objects. Lists marred the edges of each page. Some related to specific tasks to be completed, while others connected to different writings entirely.

The research had taken time, though it was something she skimped on in the beginning. That had proved to be a fatal flaw—the mistake that had followed all her attempts since. Even after months of preparation, Annabelle had jumped the gun last time. She had let excitement give way to arrogance, and another bitter failure was the result.

Not this time. Not again. Another mistake could not and would not occur again if it fell within her power. Days slipped to weeks, which turned to months, in her efforts to find the right tools for the job ahead.

She found rare ointments and elixirs. There were potions and brews lost to history, but she searched them out to gain access to their potency. Everything was in service of her goal. Fear held her back, but it could not stop her endless pursuit.

Annabelle shuffled her belongings into a knapsack. She delicately placed the items inside to avoid any unseemly collision of the volatile chemicals in each vial. She tucked the books in the back to keep the glass from shifting inside.

Placing the pack by the door, she reached for the coat rack and the lone cloak hanging from the hook. The cloak was long and trailed down to her knees when she slipped it on. The deep green cloth contained golden runic patterns along the back and sleeves. Annabelle tied it tight to her waist and let out a long breath.

She stopped in front of the mirror beside the door. She picked at stray locks of crimson hair to pull them away from her emerald eyes. Her lips were thin and her cheekbones were sunken against her gaunt figure. Who did they belong to? Which feature had been her father’s? She wondered with each glance. Did her mother share her green eyes? Did her father carry the same wild hair? She knew nothing of them and nothing from her past.

Her every endeavor was to learn the truth about her origins. She had called the city outside home for as long she could remember, but Portents was not her true home. It held no family, no lineage, or legacy. Her childhood had been one of loneliness and desperation; she had sought out friendships and connections only to find emptiness in the attempts.

Annabelle Waterhouse didn’t belong in Portents. She never had. Somewhere, though, was the truth. Tonight it was time to find out who she truly was and what she was meant for in the world.

The door would show her the way.

Twice now she had made the attempt. Both attempts had failed. This would be different. Her preparations had seen to that. Her dreams would make it a reality. All she required was a glimpse of the truth, a snapshot of her parents waiting for her on the other side ready to take her home.

It had to be tonight. Annabelle had spent so much time over the last year studying and researching. There was no more fear nor any doubts about what she had to do.

It was time to find her past and face her future.

Annabelle pulled the green hood over her head. It hid her scarlet hair and dropped her eyes into shadow. Her hand snatched up the knapsack, slipping the strap over her shoulder. Then she stepped out into the night, ready to face whatever lay ahead.

 

Chapter Three

Life unfolded in the Courtyard. Soriya observed it all from the shadow of the alley. Across from her were the bronze entry doors to the hidden microcosm. She had been coming to this place since she was a child. Mentor had brought her to the Courtyard at an early age to see the wonders the true city held—and also so he could find a babysitter while he attended to a flock of harpies which sought revenge on a local gang.

There was always a new sight to see with each visit. Soriya stood in awe of the population residing within the twelve-block sanctuary. With doorways concealed throughout the space, the Courtyard bridged dozens of worlds and gave hundreds of unique creatures a place to call home. Thanks to the hidden space, they were allowed to live the way they chose rather than being pigeonholed into a certain role.

Elvish children rushed along the main road that cut through the space. They danced between the shoppers and the merchants, playing games and shouting laughter to anyone and everyone they met along the way. They ran recklessly, encircling the large right foot of a giant, who patted his stomach and muttered about the all-you-can-eat boar fest at the pavilion on the far end of the lane.

Laughter connected them all, from the street cart dealers to the residents in their mismatched homes. Some of the domiciles dated back decades, while others appeared as old as medieval times. The Courtyard transcended time and space. It pulled pieces of each era into its folds, while at the same time giving access to the multitude of worlds hidden just out of sight from the mundane and ignorant.

What it boiled down to was humanity. In that moment of pure relaxation, Soriya Greystone found the truest definition of humanity in watching the lives unfold around her. She realized the reason for her work, for every lesson learned and every task accomplished. It was for them and always would be. The thought made her proud.

She laughed, clapping along to the energetic, chaotic beat of the Courtyard. The sound filled the air, and her chest heaved from the pure joy in her heart.

The flapping of wings silenced her. Black and wide, they spread and gave flight to the raven called Kok’-Kol, who joined her at the mouth of the alley.

“It is good to hear you laugh, my child,” the raven said.

“Kok’-Kol,” Soriya said with a smirk. The raven landed on her shoulder. “I didn’t think you were around. If I had known, I would have brought a treat.”

Soriya left the street behind. The joy of the Courtyard fell into the background as the pair entered the darkness of the alley that served as the mighty raven’s home. Kok’-Kol left the comfort of Soriya’s shoulder and flew ahead. With each flap of his wings, torches flickered to life along the walls. The brick of tenement houses covered one side. The other was made up of cracked and broken stonework from the side of a castle. Kok’-Kol flew to the small altar at the back of the alley. He appeared to hover in the darkness.

“The thought is appreciated,” Kok’-Kol replied. He lifted a wing and patted his gut. “I’m watching my figure anyway.”

Soriya chuckled. “I’m sure.”

“What brought about your visit tonight?”

“Well, I…” Soriya stopped when she realized the enjoyment behind the raven’s question. She pointed to the winged beast. “You already know, don’t you.”

“I do.”

Kok’-Kol was one the First Ones of the Miwok, an ancient tribe that, in their passing, became bound to their spirit animals. He had survived centuries as a raven thanks to his foresight—a gift that allowed him to view future events. It was in the sharing that he ran into trouble. Soriya had called him on it many times in the past, though she respected his methods and what he could offer to her.

“Mentor asked me to meet him here,” Soriya explained. “I think he’s planning his big test. He’s going to pass on the role of Greystone finally.”

Finally. Like it was a predetermined move by the man. Mentor wasn’t that old. He still had plenty of years left where he could protect the city. Soriya understood that. She also knew that until he passed along the mantle, while others might call her Greystone, she would only ever be his student and nothing more. It was a role she’d grown frustrated with of late—like somewhere deep inside she knew it was time to move forward.

“If you succeed in this last trial,” Kok’-Kol said.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Soriya said.

“I was merely reminding you to check your ego.”

“I get it, Kok’-Kol.”

“Do you now?” he replied, eyes piercing through the shadows. “I’m not so sure.”

“Why? What have you seen?”

The raven hesitated. He dropped from the altar to a dumpster in the center of the alley. His beak picked at the remains on the small piece of cardboard covering the lid.

“It’s not like you to hold back,” Soriya said.

He caught the remark with a glare. Then he turned to face her. “Darkness and light I have seen. The door swings both ways. The daughters seek their kin to use for their own foul deeds. A choice will be made. Help her see the truth. She will be the key someday.”

“But what—”

“You asked what I have seen, my child,” Kok’-Kol interrupted. “That is what I have seen.”

Soriya balled her hands into fists of frustration. “That doesn’t explain anything though. You know that, right?”

“Next time you’ll remember the treat, then, won’t you?”

“Touché.” Soriya huffed. She shook her head, and her hands fell open before clasping tight to her hips. “I’ll be ready, Kok’-Kol.”

The raven spread his wings to draw her in closer. Green eyes burned at her. “Do not listen to the voice, my child. It is from the past and the future. He will only lead you astray.”

“What do you—”

Kok’-Kol took flight, which cut off her question. The black raven flew past Soriya for the open space of the Courtyard, rising higher and higher until he was gone.

“Thanks, Kok’-Kol,” she muttered. His warning stayed with her. The raven, though stubborn in his insight, was never wrong. Kok’-Kol had never failed in his duty. His explanations simply took the long way around. One of these days she feared she might fail thanks to his games. She hoped it wasn’t tonight. “What the hell did that mean?”

When her gaze fell back to earth, a shadow grew across the alley. A tall, lithe figure stood at the street, his tan cloak billowing in the breeze. Mentor’s stern look was lost to the shadows, but his very presence made his intentions clear.

“Soriya.” He held out his hand to her. “It’s time.”

Excited to see what the test will be? Order your copy today!

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