Desa and Kalia

Author’s Note

Every time Desa gets out, I pull her back in!

When I finished the Desa Kincaid trilogy, I said to myself, “That’s it! This character is going to settle down with her wife and enjoy her happy ending.” But then several people requested a crossover with the Justice Keepers Saga. So, okay; I pulled Desa off the bench for one more adventure. She helped me launch the Epic Literary Universe with a big, epic, Avengers-style team-up. You can read about that in the War for Ezryn duology: The Ancient Gate and A Pillar of Light.

War for EzrynThe Ancient GateA Pillar of Light.But now, we’re done, right? Desa has saved the world, and now, it’s time for her to put away her guns and settle into that quiet life she keeps insisting that she wants so badly. Well, not exactly.

This story is older than you might think. It’s been rattling around in my head for about fourteen years. The idea first came to me way back in the summer of 2009.

There are many songs on the Desa soundtrack, but one of the more important ones is Billy Talent’s Rusted from the Rain. This entire novel was inspired by a single line in the chorus of that raging rock anthem. “Come on, strip me of my power. Beat me with your chain.” It’s not just the cruelty in imagery; it’s the defiance behind those words. What remains unspoken is the singer’s quiet promise that he will survive this latest assault as he has all the others that came before it. The trauma can scar him, but it cannot break him. And that is Desa in a nutshell.

Rusted from the Rain.thatShe’s been living with some rather nasty demons for a very long time. This novel is her chance to confront them head-on. Remember, there are no shortcuts to mental health. For Desa, this is just one more step on a very long journey.

So, I guess you can thank Ben Kowalewicz for this one!

As always, this is a standalone; anything you need to know will be explained in these pages, including any relevant details about Desa’s past. But if you want a little extra clarification on the magic or the technology, feel free to check the appendices in the back of the book.

One minor content warning. This book will contain a frank discussion of suicide. If that’s not something you feel like reading about, I completely understand. You can check out the “also available” page in the back for other books to check out. Otherwise, enjoy Desa and Kalia, the Sin Thief.

Desa and Kalia, the Sin Thief.