England, 1876. Twenty-year-old Maraina Blackwood has always struggled to adhere to the restrictive standards of Victorian society, denying the courage and desire that burn within her soul. But after a terrifying supernatural encounter, Maraina's instincts compel her to action.

Maraina soon discovers a plot to unleash a new world—one of demonic aristocrats, bloody rituals, and nightmarish monsters. Putting her upbringing aside, Maraina vows to fight the dark forces assuming control of England. But as her world transforms, Maraina finds that she too must transform...and what she becomes will bring out all that she once buried.

Lilitu: The Memoirs of a Succubus is the first chapter in an epic dark fantasy saga, proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths.

Interview with the author:

What makes this Dark Fantasy novel so special?

Lilitu intends to do for succubi and incubi what Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles did for vampires: exploring the emotional implications of their folklore with unprecedented depth to tell an epic Gothic Horror story that spans years. Furthermore, it uses them to explore issues of class and gender in Victorian England, satirizing the hypocrisies of the elite and exploring how nightmares are normalized in oppressive societies.

Tell us more about Lilitu's protagonist, Maraina Blackwood?

Maraina is a rebellious young woman who becomes a succubus in the wake of a demonic uprising, leaving her torn between the teachings of her youth and her desire to survive. Determined to make things right, Maraina seeks to end the demonic rule over England, but learns that doing so will mean seducing one of Hell's most wicked demons—and embracing a side of herself she was always forced to repress. Lilitu chronicles Maraina's emotional transformation from a frightened Victorian girl into a powerful succubus warrior, hell-bent on overthrowing an empire. Through her, Lilitu fashions a heroine from an archetype long demonized: that of the seductress who takes control of her own sexuality.

Who are some of Lilitu's other characters?

Lilitu's dynamic cast includes Salem, a ruthless (but inhumanly sexy) incubus lord; Loretta, a masochistic demon burlesque dancer; Alkin, a cunning musician with a secret; Sven, a tortured vampire assassin; and Queen Isabelle, England's deranged new monarch.

Why should readers give this book or your work a try?

A macabre tale of monsters and magic, Lilitu reads like the unholy union of Charles Dickens and Clive Barker, with dashes of H.P. Lovecraft and Jules Verne for good measure. Lilitu has something for everyone—mysteries, epic action sequences, kinky eroticism, and blood-curdling terror. There are also elements of grimdark, steampunk, paranormal romance, and bildungsroman, all converging together to create an emotionally complex, female-fronted dark fantasy tale about how our desires, fears, and traumas can transform us forever.

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