The Council of Twelve series so far includes the first three books in the series.
You can find them here:
Katie is the sweetest angel we can imagine, a fantastic consort, emotionally stable, and still responsible, helpful, and caring. She’s Raphael’s perfect second half.
Sundance is the second female angel we meet in the series. She’s an exceptional angel in many ways, the first warrior angel in three centuries, she is blessed with many gifts and talented beyond her young age.
Zepheira is a strong-willed, stubborn woman, so far the fiercest female character in the series. As a half-angel, she is a raw diamond, and due to her nature, the only one holding Uriel’s fire.
During the entire series, we will recognize recurring characters and meeting new ones; in particular, are we going to meet ‘The Council of Twelve,’ including the twelve most powerful individuals existing, each one of them holding unique talents and powers.
The fight Good vs. Evil is present within each book, the tension climbs higher with each story.
In your opinion, what should happen next? Tell me in the comment. If you have an idea, want to write a short story that you think might fit the series, write it, please and send it to me: aurorajean.alexander@aol.com. Write ‘The Council of Twelve series on Writer’s Treasure Chest’ in the subject line.
A few days ago, I was working on a complicated fighting scene between two supernatural beings in book #8 in ‘The Council Of Twelve’ series.
To describe the fight accurately, I was getting up, using a wooden kitchen spoon to technically rehearse every step of the battle, before sitting down and explaining the movement and natural body reaction on the ‘theoretically’ inflicted pain.
It took me close to four hours for a fight that took a mere two pages to write. And yes, the argument does include a bit of pain, wings, bruises, and a severe knee injury.
Now, being a martial artist myself might have helped me big time to take this challenge on and solve the problem the way I did. But other writers might not have that [indeed minimal] advantage. How are they doing it? Is their fantasy more extended than mine?
Previously I mentioned my fighting scene took up about two pages of the book. Generally, that is a lot of room for one scene. But that is why I rehearsed. I had to make sure the fight was thrilling and still described well in an imaginative short manner.
Fighting scenes in books are incredibly different from fighting scenes in movies. Compared to what we see, reading the fight in a book has to tickle our own imagination. We don’t follow a fighter with our eyes… we follow him/her with our mind.
To see Bruce Lee fighting twenty opponents to the same time and describing the same scene in words, would need our book ten to twelve pages. To a reader, that would be incredibly boring. Most readers would never read through the entire fight. It would be a complete waste of time and effort. A reader would only jump the pages to the end of the battle. Most of them are interested in who wins.
Therefore I had to shorten something that usually takes about ten to fifteen minutes in a movie to two pages in my book. To catch the essential things in my fight, I was rehearsing to myself.
As an author, how do you write fighting scenes? Do you rehearse too? And as a reader, do you enjoy reading fighting scenes, and if yes, how long should they be to not bore you out of your skin? Thank you for telling us in the comments.
The Council of Twelve series is a YA fantasy/paranormal romance series where we meet celestial beings. The first book in the series is ‘Soul Taker’, where we meet the Council of Twelve, the most powerful individuals in existence, and the protagonist, Katie, a Guardian Angel-to-be. In the ‘Soul Taker Secrets’ category, I reveal the one or other ‘inside’ knowledge about The Council of Twelve, their consorts, and in this case, a little of their physical secrets.
The wing feathers specialized for flight are characterized by uniform windproof surfaces, or vanes, on either side of the central shaft that is created by an interlocking microstructure. Also called remiges, these feathers are asymmetric with a shorter, less flexible leading edge that prevents mid-air twisting.
Tail feathers
Most tail feathers, or rectrices, feature an interlocking microstructure similar to wing feathers. Arranged in a fan shape, these feathers support precision steering in flight. Typically, birds have six pairs of feathers on the tail, which display increasing levels of asymmetry toward the outer pairs. In some birds, tail feathers have evolved into showy ornaments that are useless in flight.
Contour feathers
Contour feathers are what you see covering the bird’s body and streamlining its shape. Arranged in an overlapping pattern like shingles, the waterproof tips are exposed to the elements, and the fluffy bases are tucked close to the body. Sometimes brilliantly colored or uniformly drab, contour feathers can also help the bird show off or stay camouflaged. Contour feathers on the wing, called coverts, shape it into an efficient airfoil by smoothing over the region where the flight feathers attached to the bone.
Semiplume
Mostly hidden beneath other feathers on the body, semiplumes have a developed central rachis but no hooks on the barbules, creating a fluffy insulating structure.
Down
Similar to semiplumes with an even looser branching structure but little or no central rachis, down feathers, are relatively short and positioned closest to the body where they trap body heat.
Filoplume
Short, simple feathers with few barbs, filoplumes function like mammal whiskers to sense the position of the contour feathers.
Bristle
Bristles are the simplest feathers, with a stiff rachis that usually lacks barb branches. Most commonly found on the head, bristles may protect the bird’s eyes and face.
In this picture, we can see the wing shaping feathers and their functionality.
Now, bird and angel wings basically have the same biological structure with one main difference. Their mobility is far more extended to guarantee the optimal function since, of course, angels don’t have tail feathers to brake, steer, and keep the balance of the wing carrier. And of course, they are much more reliable, due to the weight they have to lift.
There are over 150 authors in the Cafe and Bookstore and I wanted to keep it to key pieces of information such as buying links, recent review, website and covers. However, I know that readers also like to know more about the background of authors.
In this series during June and July I will share the bios of all the authors in the cafe in a random selection. I hope that this will introduce you to the authors in more depth and encourage you to check out their books and follow them on their blog and Twitter.
Meet Deborah Jay
Deborah Jay writes fantasy and urban fantasy featuring complex, quirky characters and multi-layered plots – just what she likes to read.
Fortunate enough to live not far from Loch Ness in the majestic, mystery-filled Scottish Highlands with her partner and a pack of rescue dogs, she can often be found…
I am so very proud that Demon Tracker got its third 5-star review. The book has also been recommended on BookBub which I’m very excited about! This is so great, I’m smiling all the time!
‘Amazingly Good’
With all that is going on in this world, Alexander provides a wondrous escape into her magical mythological world.
‘Demon Tracker’ throws all the punches and hits every target! ‘Demon Tracker’ is good to the last page read! Not one page was I bored! I think the best book in the series yet. Zepheira is a breakout character and I fell in love with her instantly. Alexander creates a character that is brash, sarcastic, witty, and tough without any effort. She has to be my favorite book character to date. I hope this is not the last in the series. We do still have a jilted Lucifer sulking in the shadows!
Demon Tracker’s second 5-star review was posted May 3, 2020. I’m so happy I’m actually dancing around my place. This is a great day!
REVIEWED BY LINDA TONIS
MEMBER OF THE PARANORMAL ROMANCE GUILD REVIEW TEAM
I want to begin this review by saying if you haven’t read the first two books, I strongly recommend doing so. Book two ended with questions about Sundance, and those questions are finally answered in this book.
Zepheira (Zye) is a fighter and messenger of the Divine Army hunting demons, but a call from The Big Seven”, legendary warrior angels, sets her on a new path. A demon has stolen the soul of an angel, and it is important that they find him and release the soul; otherwise, it will be lost in Hell forever. She has only two weeks to carry out this mission, but as the best tracker and her ability to use her sense of smell, they are confident she can succeed where they have failed.
She immediately knows by using her sense of smell that the demon they are after is Faramon, the same demon that was there the night her mother was killed. Zye is the daughter of a human and Pan who like Faramon was there when her mom died, since then she has never seen or heard from her father. She is a hybrid blood creature with the same horns as her father. She offers herself as bait with a promise from Uriel the Archangel to be there to protect her.
Her mission is a success except for the fact that she finds herself Lucifer’s prisoner. Some of the funniest parts of this story take place in Hell, where Zye pits herself against the evilest creature known to mankind. She never shows fear even when she is shaking in her boots, and Lucifer has found his match. What happens with the two of them I won’t reveal because it is too priceless to give away in this review.
Uriel and Zye have no doubt that their feelings for each other go way beyond what was initially intended; after a lifetime of searching for the perfect woman, he has finally found her, but does she feel the same?
Zye is an amazing character with the kind of strength that even stunned the Council of Twelve, except for the fact that they do try on many occasions to curb her use of foul language, not always successfully.
A wonderful addition to a wonderful series.
I’m so very excited to report that Demon Tracker got its first 5-star review on May 1, 2020. It is such a wonderful feeling to find out that readers love my book! Thank you so very much for this great review!
In this third installment of the Council of Twelve series, the author throws us a curveball of sorts as she introduces not only a new character, but a whole new angle on the mythology of this series. It’s interesting to watch how the author is taking the over-arcing story of the series a step further with each new character introduced.
This time we get to meet a demon tracker, one of the best ever. However, her appearance could easily be mistaken for someone demonic herself, which is of course not the case. Besides those great horns on her head, what else is making her a target of the master of Hell. What is his connection to her and why is he so interested in asking questions about her parentage?
All our old friends are here such as the Council of Twelve, along with Sundance and Kate from the previous installments of the series. As well as some familiar foes and new dangers.
The crowning finale of the Demon Tracker Blog Tour will be shown on the website of the Paranormal Romance Guild. Thank you very much for such a wonderful final post of this blog tour! I really appreciate your support!
Title: Demon Tracker Series: The Council Of Twelve’ series Author: AJ Alexander Genre: Paranormal Romance Publisher: Indie Release Date: April 11, 2020
Zepheira is the best Demon Tracker working for the Good side. With her unusual looks, her phenomenal sense of smell, and her bravery, she quickly draws ‘The Big 7’s attention to her talent. They hire her to find one of them. Leaving her familiar surroundings and regular work environment unsettles Zepheira at first. But the challenge to prove herself and to increase the reputation of her infallibility tempts her.
She is convinced she will be a great asset to ‘The Big 7’. Little does she know she will be a much greater asset in Heaven’s fight against Evil. Zepheira suddenly becomes more than a hired tracker. She finds herself an important pawn in the game of love, heat, and fire. Will her courage and sacrifice be sufficient to dance with the flames?
Don Massenzio is not only a gifted author, but he is also a very helpful and supportive friend – and he is the editor of ‘The Council Of Twelve’ series books. Who knows them better than he does? When I was looking for help, organizing this Blog Tour, Don Massenzio was immediately saying yes. Thank you so much for your ongoing support, Don! I don’t know what to do without you.
I’m pleased to host a blog tour stop for the book, Demon Tracker by A.J. Alexander.
A Bit about the Book:
Zepheira is the best Demon Tracker working for the Good side. With her unusual looks, her phenomenal sense of smell, and her bravery, she quickly draws ‘The Big 7’s attention to her talent. They hire her to find one of them. Leaving her familiar surroundings and regular work environment unsettles Zepheira at first. But the challenge to prove herself and to increase the reputation of her infallibility tempts her.
She is convinced she will be a great asset to ‘The Big 7’. Little does she know she will be a much greater asset in Heaven’s fight against Evil. Zepheira suddenly becomes more than a hired tracker. She finds herself an important pawn in the game of love, heat, and fire. Will her courage and sacrifice be sufficient to dance with the flames?
Unfortunately, the author and blogger who had offered to publish the blog post for day 11 in the ‘Demon Tracker Blog Tour’ has not reacted anymore on any of my emails and attempts to chat. Therefore, I decided to fill the gap with my own blog post. Please, find here below the trailer, the excerpt, the links to the book and to connect with me on social media.
Book Excerpt
Less than twenty minutes later, I received a message from Michael. I was strictly ordered not to do anything but stay where I was. Andreas would pick me up a little later. In the meantime, I could work out in the gardens with some of the angels if I wanted to.
“I’m sorry, Zye. I must leave at once,” Uriel whispered. He kissed my cheek and was gone.
I worked out with Robbie and Daniel while Maria watched us carefully. All three of them were excellent sword fighters and we had a good time. After the workout, I rinsed the sweat off my body, dressed in black pants and a white t-shirt, and went outside again to sit down and just enjoy nature for a while.
I watched frogs climbing out the pond, sparrows and hummingbirds flying and hopping all over the place and butterflies filling the air with breathtaking colors.
After a while, Andreas sat down next to me on the white bench. “Hello, Zye.”
“Hi, Andreas. I was told you were supposed to take me somewhere?”
He smiled. “Not just somewhere, Zye. You will be meeting the ‘Council of Twelve’.”
I froze. “Are you joking?”
He shook his head. “No.”
I felt my blood drain from my face.
Andreas jumped up. “Holy Mary! You’re not going to pass out on me, are you?”
I carefully stood up, testing whether my feet would still carry me.
My body trembled.
Andreas laughed. “Listen, Zye, there is no reason at all to freak out. Yes, they’re Archangels, but they won’t eat you. Don’t forget, Uriel will be there as well and he’s likely to protect you!”
I took a couple deep breaths. “Yes, he will. But what can he do when eleven others are voting against me?”
Andreas laughed. “What do you think they’d vote for? Killing you? Zye, they’re angels, standing on our side, fighting against evil. Just like what you do!”
His words made me think for a few moments before I finally replied, “I can’t help myself, Andreas. I’m still scared to death.”
He smiled mildly. “There is no reason to fear them. Of course, respect them. After all, they’re probably the most powerful individuals on Earth besides our one and only Creator. They’re not going to do anything bad or evil to you.”
I slowly tried to slow my heart rate and bring my trembles under control. “See? You’re getting better.” Andreas grinned. Then he opened his arms and offered to carry me to the assembly hall.
The so-called “assembly hall” was an enormous room, beautifully built, with polished marble of purest silver-gray, inlaid by some marble that looked like the veins of fire. The ground was covered with anthracite-colored stone and harmonized beautifully with the light gray walls and the beautifully painted fiery ceiling. The ceiling was so high, even the Archangels could fly within the hall.
The room was equipped with a small waiting area with black leather seats and a small glass table. It was quite modern, but comfortable. Andreas gave me a brief description before we started to prepare me for the impressive and pompous sight.
After our arrival, I stepped away from Andreas and in my head heard Uriel’s voice: “If you’re going to do this more often, girl, I will have problems with that.”
I grinned. “There is only one solution to this problem,” I replied.
“And this is?” Uriel’s buoyant voice asked back.
“Next time pick me up yourself, Mr. Taxi,” I snarled.
I enjoyed the mental clash and the growing closeness it showed between Uriel and me.
Andreas curiously examined my face. “You were just somewhere else with your thoughts,” he commented with amusement.
I blushed furiously which made him chuckle.
“I’ll wait here for you.”
I swallowed. “I… okay.”
Then I turned to the huge ornate white door that opened by itself to let me inside.
There I found two huge angel warriors in full armor and a beautiful winged woman gesturing for me to follow her. She led me through a light, nearly empty corridor to a smaller pair of wooden doors. She opened them to let me enter. I hesitantly entered and the door closed behind me.
There I stood in front of a simple long table with twelve tall, exceptionally beautiful Archangels, each of them unique Still, I had the impression that these individuals formed an enormously strong singular entity.
Of course, I saw their different manifestations, but what caught me off guard was the fact I could perceive them all so clearly. Their smells and aromas were much stronger than the ones of other individuals I had encountered.
I already memorized Uriel’s scent. To me, he was the purity of flames and heat, fire, and blaze. But to be truthful, he smelled deliciously like cinnamon. I hid a smile.
I interrupted my train of thought when Michael stood. “Please, Zye, come closer and meet the ‘Council of Twelve.’ From your left: Uriel, Myself, Anghariel, Zachariel, Centriel, Deonur, Raphael, Gabriel, Benadrel, Santanael, Tsechirel, and Simael.” He threw me a sharp look. “You seem to be totally in shock, Zye. Are you all right?”
I almost collapsed; my mouth was as dry as an Arabian desert. I had to swallow before finally I was able to reply. “Forgive me, Mylords. I just discovered that I apparently can catch your natural fragrance in a very strong and unique way. It hit me when I entered the hall.”
Gabriel rose, eyeing me curiously. “Wow, really? You’re not kidding?”
I only shook my head.
“Does that mean, even if you can’t see us, you’re still able to tell we’re here?” “Not only that,” I explained. “Each one of you smells unique.”
Gabriel seemed enthusiastic about this information. “You could tell us apart without even seeing us?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“No ‘Sir’ here, Zye,” he replied with the wink of an eye. “I’m Gabriel.” He turned to the others who had similar expressions on their faces. “Oh, please, can we take the time?”
Michael laughed. “We’re not in a hurry.” He scanned me quickly. “Are you up for a test?”
I swallowed dryly. “Yes.”
Uriel stood. “Fine with me, friends. But seriously: she looks like she’s going to pass out any minute. Would you mind being nice enough to offer her some water and let her relax for a couple of minutes?”
He walked around the table and handed me a glass of water. His hand was placed caringly onto my shoulder.
Just when I took a sip, Anghariel drawled, “Sheesh, Uriel. You sound as worried as Grandma Walton.”
I spit my mouthful of water across the floor, laughing. This unexpected little mishap made the Archangels stare at me in wonder before they smiled as well. I apologized, but it took a couple of minutes until we all calmed down. By that time, I was visibly relaxed and Michael called his friends to order.
“What do you need for us to do, Zye?” he asked politely.
I smiled. “Not too much. I need to separate each one of you. I would say, at about the distance from here to the furthest corner over there. Then your natural perfumes won’t get mixed altogether.”
“Who do you want to start with? Uriel?” Michael asked curiously.
Anghariel chuckled. “I don’t think so, brother. I’ll bet my socks she knows his stench quite well by now.”
I blushed, Uriel grinned and eleven Archangels apparently had tons of fun. I bowed my head politely to Anghariel. “Would you mind if I start with you?”
He laughed. “Nope. It would be my pleasure.”
