My final guest in the Hydra Blog Hop is Beth Ann Masarik. Take it away, Queen Beth!

Hey Marian and Marian’s friends and followers! Thanks for having me on the blog today. My name is Beth Ann Masarik, and I’m here to talk to you about my series called The World Among Us. It’s a YA/Fantasy about forbidden love, gods, demons and all sorts of supernatural creatures. It was originally released with Otherworld Publications, but it was pulled from the market this past June because Otherworld is closing at the end of this year. Since then, I have signed with Hydra Publications, which is how I met the lovely Marian. Frank and I are working hard to revise Prince of Darkness, and we are anticipating a re-release day for sometime in early 2013.

Now for a bit more about the book, The World Among Us: Prince of Darkness:

Hades is hell-bent on taking over the world, but in order to do so, he has to remove his nemesis, Gaia, from power. But one thing stands in the way, however, and she goes by the name of Selene.

Cue Damien, son of Hades and Persephone. He happens to be in love with Selene, and will stop at nothing to make sure that she is safe even though their love is forbidden. Furious with his son’s treachery, Hades tricks Damien into killing the only woman that he has ever loved. He does so by telling Damien that he will spend the rest of his eternal life in the Fields of Asphodel if he does not prove his loyalty. Torn between his un-beating heart and his family, Damien does the only thing a true demon prince knows how: killing those closest to him.

Will Damien follow through with his father’s evil scheme? Or will he be banished to the Fields of Asphodel for his treachery?

About the Author:

Beth Ann Masarik is a Young Adult author and writer, indie publisher, and youth advocate. She writes Young Adult fantasy and urban fantasy novels that are mostly about forbidden romance and have some sort of magical creatures in them. Her debut novel, The World Among Us: Prince of Darkness was first published with Otherworld Publications. Unfortunately, OWP is closing on December 31, 2012, and the book is no longer available. You can visit her author website at www.bethannmasarik.com and blog www.bahbammymusings.wordpress.com for more details on her publishing adventures.

As a youth advocate, she is one of the adult coordinators of the Our Lady of Fatima youth group that is run by her youth minister, Veronica Ticas-Ludwig.

In addition to writing, she also publishes a bi-monthly e-zine called Literary Lunes Magazine. It is offered as a free black and white e-copy and also offers a low-cost full colored paperback copy of each issue. For more information, please visit the magazine website at www.literarylunes.com and the publishing house blog/website at www.literarylunespublications.com

Before I go, I’d like to leave you a little teaser from one of the chapters in Prince of Darkness. This chapter happens to be titled “Miss Sensitivity.”

“SELENE! SELENE!”

The sound of a female shrieking frantically disturbed the silence of the moon’s atmosphere. She appeared out of thin air a few yards away from a small stream of water that ran down the center of a garden, which led to an elaborate temple. The temple stood eight feet tall, was wide enough to fit a studio apartment inside, and the stream went right up to the entrance of the holy ground. Tucking a curly strand of brown hair out of her face, the frantic woman stepped closer to the stream, hesitant to cross it. Translucent stepping-stones appeared on the water for her to walk across, and she did so timidly, afraid of slipping and falling into the enchanted water.

“SELENE,” the woman called again as she walked down the stream on the cobblestones toward the temple.

“In here, Diana,” Selene shouted in a voice that sounded like a melody from the Elysian Fields.

A beautiful, red-haired woman in a white toga sat on a throne made out of pure silver. Her green eyes looked warmly and with concern as Diana rushed over to her. A glass of clear liquid appeared in Selene’s hand when she snapped her fingers.

“What is it Diana? What’s wrong?” Selene asked while she handed her friend the glass of water.

“It’s Endymion,” Diana replied while gulping it down greedily.

Diana’s face turned a deep shade of scarlet, in contrast to Selene’s fire-engine-red hair. How was she going to tell Selene about Endymion being murdered? She knew how much Selene loved him and could only imagine how horribly she was going to take the news.

“What about him, Diana? Is he all right?” Selene asked as nervous knots formed inside of her. She suddenly felt like she was going to be sick.

Hmmm…. That doesn’t sound like a happy moment. I wouldn’t want to be Diana when she has to break the news!

Thank you so much for visiting, Beth! What’s the story behind the royal trappings in your picture? You look like you’re having way too much fun! ~grin~

Meanwhile, folks, I’m making my final hop appearance at Stories To Tell and, this being the 14, I’m also posting at Echelon Explorations.

A WRITING PROMPT FOR YOU: A character has to break the news of a death to someone.

MA