The Top Five Questions Readers Ask Me
Since the first book in my Books of Raziel Trilogy, Archon, came out in 2011,
I've engaged in my fair share of online discussions, book signings, and panels.
And you know what? There are a few questions that readers always ask me, time
and again. So I'm going to answer some of them for you right here, right now,
and if there's anything I forgot, feel free to ask me later! I hope you find
this interesting!
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Your books are described as gothic fantasy. What is that? A book being gothic
has a lot to do with the atmosphere that's being created. The gothic is about
the elegance that can be found in darkness, it's the juxtaposition of light and
shadow, and it dives into the passions of its characters (usually, but not
always, forbidden ones). Unlike straight horror, gothic novels create a
sensation of brooding tensions and terror just underneath the surface. Gothic
fantasy means that all of this applies, but in a world created by the author
just like any other fantasy novel, and populated by fantastical creatures and
things.
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Do I have to read all three books of your trilogy in order? Well, like
anything else, you don't HAVE to, but you really should. Archon, Covenant, and
Angelus are all interconnected stories that follow each other sequentially.
Meaning that if you don't know what happened in Book One, you'll very likely be
lost in Book 2. This isn't anything unusual, really. Almost all trilogies
function this way.
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I love to write and want to publish my own novel someday. What course of
action do you recommend? First, and above all, develop a thick skin. Because in
this industry, you need it. Second, try to establish a web presence for
yourself, whether through a website, or better still a blog, Twitter, or
Facebook account to name a few. And most importantly, write your book! You
wouldn't believe how many people I talk to never even get to that stage after
countless years online socializing.
- Do you believe in real angels? I do, but not as they're portrayed in my novels. My novels are fantasy, through and through, though they're based to some degree on actual angel mythology from various world religions.
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Find Sabrina and her books
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AngelusThe Books of Raziel #3
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In the heart-pounding conclusion to The Books of Raziel trilogy, Angela discovers that she holds the keys to both Heaven and Hell, and that angels, demons, and all the creatures in between will stop at nothing to possess her...Praise for Sabrina Benulis and The Books of Raziel Trilogy:
The war started by three powerful angel siblings - Raziel, Lucifel, and Israfel - has divided the kingdoms of both Heaven and Hell. Now the destruction is spilling over into our world.
The last hope for a crumbling world is the Archon, also known as the human Angela Mathers. Angela alone can successfully oppose Lucifel and open Raziel’s Book for the power of good rather than evil. But to do so would mean murdering her best friend, a fact Angela refuses to face.
Now Angela sits on the throne of Hell, fulfilling a prophecy of ruin. But ruin does not always mean destruction.....sometimes it means revolution.
“[Benulis’] unique take on religion and angels is truly innovative. With just enough left unresolved, Covenant perfectly leads into the upcoming final book of the trilogy”
— Romantic Times Magazine on Covenant
“These angels can be vindictive and cruel, more human than you might expect and oozing supernatural abilities…. If you think you have the guts to take on this novel pick it up.”
— Boulder Examiner on Covenant
“A dark, bold story.”
— Lexington Literature Examiner on Covenant
“Benulis writes a no-holds-barred tale of destruction, love, power, and friendship. Everything you thought you knew about God, the Devil, angels and demons will be wiped away and replaced with a world so terribly beautiful that you will yourself gazing out into the night sky, hoping against hope that magic is real. Her characters have depth and 3-deminsional personalities, while her scenery, complete with candlelight and stain-glass windows, emphasizes the primal battles that humans go through on a daily basis.”
— Tulsa Books Examiner on Archon
“… Benulis uses lush descriptions and larger than life characters to tell the story of a battle between Heaven and Hell…She proves herself as a force to be reckoned with… I will definitely be on the lookout for the next installment in her book of Raziel series so I can grab it up and pour over each page.”
— Suspense Magazine on Archon
Excerpt:
Genesis – The Story So Far
Before the beginning of all things, there was a Mother who sang and carried the stars within her.
Worry consumed her because often the stars near her heart burned and jostled, as if fighting one another. Then the unthinkable happened, and she gave birth to twins long before the appointed time. These children were meant to be equal in every way, but from the stars one twin decided to claim dominion over our universe. He attacked his sibling, murdering him, and from then on a fragile balance weighed toward the side of shadows.
The Mother who has carried these gods fell into the deepest despair and took her punishment to the depths of the eternal Abyss.
Innumerable cycles of time passed before an angel named Raziel found her again.
Raziel was one of three powerful sibling angels, and they had also been told their purpose was to share equal rule over the universe. Yet the jealously and rivalry between two of them, Israfel and Lucifel, grew to a feverish pitch, and upon returning to his home in Heaven, Raziel found his sister, Lucifel, instigating the infamous War that would divide the angels forever into two opposing kingdoms.
It was a dreadful time of blood and feathers falling like the snow.
Raziel was the last to fall. Horrified and determined to end the bloodshed, he had confronted God and begged for intervention to stop Lucifel’s rebellion. Instead, he plummeted to his death in full view of his siblings, one of whom loved him more than life itself.
The glorious time of Israfel’s rule as Archangel in Heaven was over.
Lucifel too had failed to claim the crown she so desperately desired, and she fled to her new kingdom of Hell. But the Throne of Hell was little more than a prison, and Lucifel found herself swiftly jailed by the angels who had once worshipped her. They called themselves demons, and though their kingdom remained forever dark and dismal, they never forgot the glories of long ago.
This truce between angels and demons could not last. Instead, Lucifel’s influence grew from the darkness, and her twisted ideals seeped throughout the universe. Seeking the mysterious power contained in Raziel’s Book, one of his greatest treasures, it is claimed she means to destroy the universe that mocks her suffering.
The last home for a crumbling world is a being called the Archon, also known as Angela Mathers. Angela is human, but her soul is protected by the spirit of Raziel. She alone can successfully oppose Lucifel and open Raziel’s Book for the power of good rather than evil. However, the Book is not a thing but a person, and Angela knows that to open the Book would mean murdering her best friend, Sophia. She has refused to do so, seemingly sentencing the universe to a fate of silence worse than death, because it would be one without resurrection.
Angela Mathers firmly believed that even Hell could not separate her from her friend. She suffered, and bled, and fought in a twisted demonic maze to save the Book from destruction, only to unwittingly allow Lucifel to escape back to Heaven.
Now Angela sits on the Throne of Hell, fulfilling a prophecy of Ruin. But Ruin does not always mean destruction. Sometimes it means Revolution. Crowns pass from one person to the next, yet it takes a special soul to heal the burdens of all.
The Mother’s song no longer echoes throughout the universe, and new notes wait to be revealed. Now, the moment of change has finally arrived. The end of a cycle of pain has begun.
For through souls have hurt, and bled, and cried, the light ever returns in a rushing, relentless tide.
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