River City Writer

It’s a tough life, being the editor of a semi-legitimate Internet publication. Sometimes, you receive a press release at 8pm on a Friday night. When you’re the editor and sole writer for a semi-legitimate Internet publication, this means that you’ve got to put down the vodka and get some work done.

But, this isn’t supposed to be about me, is it? As you may have guessed from the title, this post is supposed to be about Amber Hayward’s reading at Laurie Greenwood’s Volume II on Monday, October 29 at 7:30pm.

Amber is a sci-fi/fantasy writer who lives and writes in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. Her latest novel, Darkness of the God, is in bookstores now, and she’s doing a reading here in Edmonton to help promote it.

According to the press release, Darkness of the God involves psychic powers, religious cults, and murder:

He had the jungle, now he wants the world…

In front of the television cameras, international cult leader Caldos Moriera is all goodness and light - a man in white who “heals” the people of the world. But behind the scenes he is a dark and despicable man who will do anything to anyone to get what he wants.

But Ana and her handicapped uncle know the truth.

To them Caldos Moriera is a murderer, the one who killed Ana’s father, and the one responsible for brutally butchering Ana’s mother! In fear for their own lives, Ana and her uncle flee their Brazilian home to hide in the safety of the vast Sonoran Desert. But Caldos is greater threat than they first imagined. He has learned of Ana’s own psychic healing abilities, and realizes that she may be the path to his ultimate power.

Ana, realizing that she is the only one strong enough to confront his dark force, vows to do whatever it takes to stop him; and begins to prepare for the spectacular and deadly psychic battle that is about to take place.

While I’m not really a huge sci-fi or fantasy fan myself, this actually sounds like it might be an interesting novel. If you’re into fantasy, you should check out the reading. If you like what you hear, consider picking up a copy of the book. It’s important to support Canadian artists if they’re doing something worthwhile.

Is Amber Hayward doing something worthwhile? I don’t know, I haven’t read the book. You’ll have to check it out for yourself to find out.

Amber Hayward is an internationally published author and poet. Somehow she finds time to write despite the demands of managing the Black Cat Guest Ranch in the beautiful foothills of the Canadian Rockies.

Darkness of the God is the second novel in the “Children of the Panther” trilogy. The first in the series, The Healer, was published in 2002. Amber is now hard at work on Stolen Children, the third and final novel.

Amber Hayward will be reading from her novel, Darkness of the God, at Laurie Greenwood’s Volume II (12433-102 Avenue) on Monday, October 29 @ 7:30pm. For more information about Amber and her books, visit http://www.edgewebsite.com/.