The aging nymph Almana is supposed to take her next form, but something is holding her back. As she confides her ups and downs as a musical Muse, she keeps thinking about the greatest triumph in her repertoire, which also happens to be her most solemn regret. Her methods were not always the kindest, especially with him. She wonders if, perhaps, an apology is in order.
Has that brute Beethoven been reincarnated yet? If so, she needs to find him.
STATUS: Querying scheduled for November 2023
GENRE: Speculative historical fiction, with various settings between 1802 Vienna and present day US.
INSPIRATION: Childhood torture of piano lessons, which somehow led to reading composer biographies for fun. Maybe I have my own Muse.
Jack doesn't know how he became a chain-smoking devil, but he's sick of it. What could be worse than being trapped in the afterlife with a woman who hates him? He gets an answer to that when he's sent back to witness his time on Earth, with Vera begrudgingly by his side.
The bad blood between them rushes back as they remember where their paths crossed: a psychiatric hospital. Jack hopes another chance at being human could change the fate they've earned for themselves, but Vera must agree to go through with it. Being his hell is a temptation she might find hard to resist.
STATUS: Querying paused for edits (will resume November 2023)
GENRE: Speculative fiction thriller set in 1930's-1970's America
INSPIRATION: Ancient Greek concept of deep self-compassion, which precedes the ability to truly love someone else. Also, vicarious cigarettes.
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