Michelle Muto
Don't Fear The Reaper
“It’s not fair,” I said. “Death is when we need each other the most.”
Banning smiled that forlorn smile of his.
Banning smiled that forlorn smile of his.
“No, life is. We just don’t see its worth then.”
Blurb:
Haunted by memories of her murdered twin, Keely Morrison is convinced suicide is her only ticket to eternal peace. But in death, she discovers the afterlife is nothing like she expected. Instead of peaceful oblivion or a joyful reunion with her sister, Keely is trapped in a netherworld on Earth with only a bounty-hunting reaper and a sarcastic demon to show her the ropes.
When the demon offers Keely her ultimate temptation--revenge on her sister's killer--she must determine who she can trust. Because, as Keely soon learns, the reaper and demon have been keeping secrets and she fears the worst is true--that her every decision changes how, and with whom, she spends eternity.
Snippet:
Under the circumstances surrounding her death, I wondered if Jordan had a
different agenda—a bit of darker unfinished business. Like figuring out a way to
get back at Pete.
“When earthbounds stay here for a long time, before they move on—if they
take in all the negative energy you said they do, do they start to think differently?
Act differently?” I asked.
Banning shifted in his seat. “Some.”
“How different?”
He shrugged. “For some who don’t move on, quite a lot. They become
bitter. Some become unstable.”
I listened to the rain beating against the windows. Loneliness washed over
me again. My whole life had been built around the knowledge that my sister was
there for me. Now that she wasn’t, I feared the worst.
different agenda—a bit of darker unfinished business. Like figuring out a way to
get back at Pete.
“When earthbounds stay here for a long time, before they move on—if they
take in all the negative energy you said they do, do they start to think differently?
Act differently?” I asked.
Banning shifted in his seat. “Some.”
“How different?”
He shrugged. “For some who don’t move on, quite a lot. They become
bitter. Some become unstable.”
I listened to the rain beating against the windows. Loneliness washed over
me again. My whole life had been built around the knowledge that my sister was
there for me. Now that she wasn’t, I feared the worst.
Teaser - Chapter 7:
I couldn’t trust Daniel, but he was proving useful. “Thanks.”
“Don’t go thanking me yet,” he said.
“Don’t go thanking me yet,” he said.
The driver gunned it as he pulled into traffic and I had to twist my hair in a
ponytail and hold it tight to prevent it from whipping me in the face. “Banning is
going to be pissed, isn’t he?”
Daniel shrugged. “Yeah. He’s really serious about watching after you.”
True, I was out of my element here. But Banning was a reaper—if he knew
when people were about to die, surely he could find me if I got into trouble with
Daniel. He’d said he wouldn’t let Daniel take me to hell. I just didn’t understand
the hold up. “What’s with the waiting period, anyway?”
Daniel stared at me like I had just grown another head. “Waiting period?”
“You know, before you can take me to hell. Unless, that’s where we’re
going now.”
He gave me a slight, almost charming smile. “Going to hell in a pickup.
We’re on the highway to hell.”
I simply stared at him.
“No,” he relented at last. “With the way you died, the suicide and all,
there’s a bit of a controversy about what to do with you. So, you’re stuck with
Banning and me until the situation is resolved. But, we’re not going to hell—
yet. A waiting period? Some souls hang around for awhile and some go to their
destinations a few minutes after they die.” He paused as though remembering his
own death.
I wondered if the memory of his death was as painful for him as mine
was for me. I’d been responsible for my death. But Daniel? With his personality,
someone probably took him out on purpose.
“Most people like to get to where they’re supposed to be when they die,”
he said. “Well, after they visit and say goodbye and all that jazz. Most are like
that. Others take longer. After a while, things settle down a bit for them. Usually,
they leave once the party’s over. As we’ve said—they don’t call it purgatory for
nothing. It’s no fun here. Earthbounds can’t usually communicate with mortals.
There’s no way to stop a loved one’s grief or act as some sort of guardian angel.
Worse, there’s nothing to keep you out of harm’s way.”
I frowned. The driver made an unexpected turn and I fell against Daniel’s legs. He withdrew them quickly and retied his shoestrings. I righted myself. “You
mean purgatory can be dangerous? What do you mean? How do you hurt someone who’s already dead?”
Daniel watched along the sidewalks as we sped past. He nodded. “Yeah.
It’s maybe even more dangerous for you here than the mortal world. It’s one more mechanism to force earthbounds to move on.”
He casually regarded the people in cars and on corners as we passed. A few
glanced up as the truck went by. We slowed to make another turn. Two men, one
in a navy suit and another in jeans and a dirty suede jacket stared at us. Hard to tell from a distance and in passing, but their expressions seemed less than friendly.
“Those two could see us?” Which meant they were dead, too, of course. Daniel nodded.
“I guess they don’t like demons, huh?”
“No. But it may not be only me they aren’t fond of. A lot of earthbounds
aren’t happy to be here and are looking for trouble. And, those bound for hell
figure they’ve got nothing to lose,” Daniel replied.
Another chill of fear crept into my bones. “But, big deal, right? What can
they possibly do?”
“Can you feel the wind? Your own skin? That didn’t end when life did.
That’s good and bad. Some earthbounds don’t want to leave until they change
their fate somehow. And that is a lot harder to do when you’re dead. Some get a
little mean about it. They take out their issues on other earthbounds. Especially the new ones.”
“So, some people can stay?” I thought of my parents. Maybe I’d find a way
to never leave them. Never harm them.
Daniel nodded. “All anyone can do is give the newbies the facts and hope
they move on quickly. Sometimes, it’s best to let them find out on their own just
how dangerous purgatory can be. On rare occasions, reapers step in and set the
worst of the worst straight, seeing as they’re kind of the marshals in this plane
of existence. Still, some earthbounds do decide to stay on—hundreds of years or
more in some cases.”
“That long?” I couldn’t imagine being in this place and feeling this way for
centuries.
“It happens. Unfinished business, disbelief. You think you’ve got issues!”
He laughed. “Anyway, there’s more earthbounds in purgatory than you’d think.
Millions. Probably ten times over. Once they finally leave here, though, well, they usually never want to come back.”
“But, why not just stay here until their loved ones die? They could all go to
heaven together, right?”
“Yeah, except here’s the rub—someone always leaves someone else
behind,” Daniel answered. “Jim won’t leave without Mary who won’t leave
without someone else. You’ve already seen more spirits than you know. You’re
just the new kid. After a while, you’ll sort it all out.”
The pickup truck pulled into an auto parts store. Daniel rose to his feet and
offered me a hand. I took it and he pulled me upright so fast I thought my arm
would rip from its socket. “Hey,” I said. “Go easy.”
Daniel hopped over the side of the truck. “That was easy. Lesson one:
that’s why earthbounds never mess with demons. You’re already dead, so you
can’t really die again. But, there are worse things than death. You can still feel
pain, and pissed-off earthbounds aren’t the only ones walking around with nasty
attitudes, savvy?”
Yeah, I got it. Why had I thought Daniel was the only demon around? I
hopped over the side of the truck without his assistance, even though he offered.
The last thing I wanted was to end up eating asphalt.
“Morgue’s this way,” Daniel said.
A bus whizzed past us. One of the passengers peered out at me, pressing
a hand against the window. I don’t know if my presence startled or angered her,
or if it was concern that flashed across her face. I thought about the men we’d
seen coming here and how unfriendly they seemed. I hoped the rest of Deadsville
wasn’t like them. Why hadn’t I stayed with Banning?
“Well,” I said, dusting off the back of my jeans and setting off down the
street with Daniel. “You’ll tell me when we come across more like us, right?”
He grinned and his eyes blazed in a way that was dark and disconcerting. “Then
heads-up, Sunshine. We’re walking straight into Metropolis.”
Tell Me About Heaven
The story behind Don't Fear The Reaper:
I first came up with the idea for Don't Fear the Reaper after several
agents had rejected another novel I’d written and asked if I had
anything, darker – more edgy. Oddly, it’s been years, but I still recall
coming up with the concept so vividly.
I was cleaning house and mulling over new ideas when Blue Oyster
Cult’s iconic 1976 song, Don't Fear the Reaper, came up on my iPod’s
playlist. There were several parts that truly inspired me: “Take my
hand,” “40,000 men and women everyday,” “Love of two is one. Here,
but now they’re gone,” and “the candles flew and the mist appeared,
the curtains blew and then he appeared.”
From there, it was a matter of ‘What If’s’ that made my idea unique
from the song. What if it wasn’t star-crossed lovers? What if it was
family? What if the main character met up with a bounty-hunting
reaper and a handsome, but sarcastic demon? And what if all the
odds were stacked against my main character and yet, she still found
hope and assistance in the most unlikely of fellow characters? What
if all it took to save a soul was sacrifice, one born of undying love and
devotion? And yet, what if the price of that salvation came at a high
price?
I couldn’t wait to write it. What I hadn’t expected was how it’d
rip open old wounds, how the pain of writing Keely’s grief meant
revisiting my own. I’d lost my grandparents, my parents, my uncles,
all my aunts except for one. I’d lost friends and beloved fur babies, all
of whom I’d loved with every fiber of my being. I’d witnessed four of
their deaths. I even held the head of two in my arms as they passed.
Two loved ones died in the house I currently live in.
Up to this point, I’d managed my grief. Now, by sitting down to write
about love that went beyond death, I was getting ready to stick a
hammer and chisel into the wall I’d built and bring the entire thing
down—and with it, all the painful memories I’d carefully placed
behind it.
Tell me about Heaven, Dad I really want to know, Because ten long
years have passed, And I miss you so…
The above stanza is from a poem I wrote to my father ten years after
his death. I cannot begin to describe what it was like to lose my
father, whom I loved more than my very being. All these years later,
I’ll freely admit it: I’m a Daddy’s girl. We’re so much alike, he and I. I
was robbed of him far too soon by multiple myeloma, a brutal and
incurable cancer.
For those who have read Don’t Fear the Reaper, it’s easy to see the
real life example I used. It’s easy to spot the grief, the emotion I used
for my main character, Keely Morrison. All scenes I drew from real
life.
Oh, and about those agents? I had several tell me that the opening
was one of the best they’d read in a long time and that the concept
was truly original. But, in the end, they felt the subject matter was
too dark. That’s okay. I think the person best qualified to make that
choice is the reader.
That’s my heart on a sleeve, Dear Reader. The story behind the story.
Thanks for reading about the journey.
agents had rejected another novel I’d written and asked if I had
anything, darker – more edgy. Oddly, it’s been years, but I still recall
coming up with the concept so vividly.
I was cleaning house and mulling over new ideas when Blue Oyster
Cult’s iconic 1976 song, Don't Fear the Reaper, came up on my iPod’s
playlist. There were several parts that truly inspired me: “Take my
hand,” “40,000 men and women everyday,” “Love of two is one. Here,
but now they’re gone,” and “the candles flew and the mist appeared,
the curtains blew and then he appeared.”
From there, it was a matter of ‘What If’s’ that made my idea unique
from the song. What if it wasn’t star-crossed lovers? What if it was
family? What if the main character met up with a bounty-hunting
reaper and a handsome, but sarcastic demon? And what if all the
odds were stacked against my main character and yet, she still found
hope and assistance in the most unlikely of fellow characters? What
if all it took to save a soul was sacrifice, one born of undying love and
devotion? And yet, what if the price of that salvation came at a high
price?
I couldn’t wait to write it. What I hadn’t expected was how it’d
rip open old wounds, how the pain of writing Keely’s grief meant
revisiting my own. I’d lost my grandparents, my parents, my uncles,
all my aunts except for one. I’d lost friends and beloved fur babies, all
of whom I’d loved with every fiber of my being. I’d witnessed four of
their deaths. I even held the head of two in my arms as they passed.
Two loved ones died in the house I currently live in.
Up to this point, I’d managed my grief. Now, by sitting down to write
about love that went beyond death, I was getting ready to stick a
hammer and chisel into the wall I’d built and bring the entire thing
down—and with it, all the painful memories I’d carefully placed
behind it.
Tell me about Heaven, Dad I really want to know, Because ten long
years have passed, And I miss you so…
The above stanza is from a poem I wrote to my father ten years after
his death. I cannot begin to describe what it was like to lose my
father, whom I loved more than my very being. All these years later,
I’ll freely admit it: I’m a Daddy’s girl. We’re so much alike, he and I. I
was robbed of him far too soon by multiple myeloma, a brutal and
incurable cancer.
For those who have read Don’t Fear the Reaper, it’s easy to see the
real life example I used. It’s easy to spot the grief, the emotion I used
for my main character, Keely Morrison. All scenes I drew from real
life.
Oh, and about those agents? I had several tell me that the opening
was one of the best they’d read in a long time and that the concept
was truly original. But, in the end, they felt the subject matter was
too dark. That’s okay. I think the person best qualified to make that
choice is the reader.
That’s my heart on a sleeve, Dear Reader. The story behind the story.
Thanks for reading about the journey.
DFTR Praises:
LDS Women's Book Review Top Ten Pick 2011
"Don't Fear the Reaper by Michelle Muto exudes beauty that is so tantalizingly dark..." ~Shana, Sizzling Reads reviews
"This is hands down, one of the best books of 2011! From the opening chapter that all authors should learn from, to the bittersweet ending, Don't Fear the Reaper will keep your heart on edge as you continue to turn the pages." ~MoonlitDreams review
"In One Word - Stunning." ~Andrea Thompson
"...a hauntingly beautiful tale..."~Ashley
"This book will move you...~S. Staley
"... easily my favorite read of all time. ~Thomas Amo, author of An Apple for Zoe
DFTR Playlist:
About Michelle:
Michelle has always loved storytelling. When she was a child, her favorite stories were of monsters and things that lurked in the dark. Telling stories often frightened her classmates and got her into a lot of trouble with her teachers. They had no sense of humor.
As an adult, Michelle traded her love of writing for the corporate life where she was an IT professional. Today, she's doing what she loves best - writing and storytelling.
Michelle grew up in Chicago, but currently lives in NE Georgia with her husband and their two dogs. She loves scary books, funny movies, sports cars, chocolate, dogs, and changes of season.
Michelle's Links:
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Hecks yeah I am! I've been wanting to get it on my Nook! Can't wait to see if I win!
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