'Soul Chaser' - WIP Novel

Here you will find my latest Norse Mythological inspired novel chapters which I am still currently writing and developing. The genre for my developing piece is magic realism – where magic and other worldly inexpicably intrude into the modern reality of life. Kind of along the lines of most Dark Fantasy books these days where paranormal/supernatural characters exist within present day society. Except mine presents a vision of what occurs in the unseen world of the afterlife and how events beyond the grave effect life for the living.

It began with my first and all time favourite short story ‘The Old Ways Never Die’ which not only got my a fantastic mark during my English Studies with Creative Writing Degree but was also entered into the Runemarks Fan Fiction competition run by Joanne Harris herself and got an honourable mention on her website, link to story and proudly described as ‘great’.

Since then I have developed it further, introduced new characters, new developments and created the beginnings of this novel work in progress. Please read the novel briefing and rough blurb beneath if you wish to get a general jist of what my novels about or simply dive straight into a world where the living and afterlife collide.

Access the current parts of the adventure from the links below or to the right in the Blog Pages section.

Title: Soul Chaser

Genre: Magic Realism/Urban Fantasy (where magic/supernatural forces are involved in the unknowing modern world)

Current Length: 3 Chapters (currently drafts) and growing.

Cover tagline: “There are more than Angels and Devils after your soul.”

Rough Blurb:

In present day York in North Yorkshire a group of women go about their work – collecting souls of the dead. But they are not God’s Angels – at least not of the Christian God divinity. These women are Valkyries, who used to select the slain warriors after battle in order to increase the undead army of Odin, Ruler of the Aesir. The Old Pagan Gods of the Vikings.

Through the centuries strength and faith in this religion has faded but not entirely. Even today there are those in the old Viking homelands of Denmark, Norway and Sweden who still follow in the ways of their ancestors.

Yet this old faith operates more like a business, it has had to change it’s ways and methods in order to survive in a world where increasing numbers no longer believe in divine influences or are squabbled over endlessly by the growing conflict between Christianity and Islam. Not to mention that hardly anyone dies by the sword anymore with the development in science and technology.

One such Valkyrie, Jennifer Wallace, is a perfect example of this new adaptation of this old religion. As she is a fairly modern 20th Century girl having only departed the living world in early 2000. She has managed to adjust to the strict way of life Valkyries must live in order to work amongst the living and the dead – not to mention the other supernatural and holy forces which are after their dead ‘clients’ for other purposes.

Yet Jenny thinks she has the afterlife all worked out until her mentor and fellow Valkyrie Katherine is vanquished in disturbing circumstances and a chance encouter with a pair of mortals, brother and sister Chloe and Nathan (who is blind with Odin’s Sight) thrusts Jenny into the intricate secrets and agendas of the Aesir Gods.

Before she is prepared for her new role, truths are shattered, dark secrets are discovered and she is made to realise that there is more than Death that entwines the lives of those in the world of the living and the afterlife.