This Time
Nadira Holden, Demon Hunter Book 1
by Azaaa Davis
Genre: Urban Fantasy
When demon hunting is outlawed, it's time to resurrect a legend.
Not even death can stop her.
Fearsome demon hunter Nadira has been torn from her next life and resurrected in present-day New York. The demons she once battled have made peace with humans. Or, so they claim. But brawls between demons and humans are becoming more frequent, and human leaders are disappearing.
Tasked by the shadowy organization that trained her, she must battle her own personal trauma and once again fight for the souls of mankind. Will Nadira remain a beacon of light to those fighting for humankind? Or will she lose her humanity to the darkness within?
Don't miss This Time―the first novel in the Nadira Holden, Demon Hunter series―by author Azaaa Davis!
“Curiosity won over prudence, and she glanced to the left. She took in the sight of two men; both dressed for a night out on the town and both very pale. One guy was older, early forties maybe, leaning against the building with his head tilted back, exposing his throat. He had on shiny black shoes, black slacks, and a stylish navy-blue button up shirt that was undone.
She noticed a ring on his finger and an expression on his face that was equally dazed and scared. The other guy was younger, maybe in his mid-twenties like her. He gave Nadira a scornful look, and she blushed in embarrassment at interrupting what seemed like a lovers’ tryst. She looked away.
It was none of her business what two people did at night. So what if it were two guys feeling each other up in a public place. So what if only one of them wore a wedding band. So what if one guy looked scared and the other guy looked aggressive. That slurping sound meant something intimate was going on that she did not need to see. Except . . . their lips weren’t bruised, and both of their pants were zipped up and belted.
Damn it. Of course she would stumble across a possible vampire feeding.”
What did you edit out of this book?
What did you edit out of this book?
My debut novel This Time is about a resurrected demon hunter and those who love her. Believe or not, but I wrote a book involving a succubus without including any detailed sex scenes! A few hot and graphic sex scene were written into my outline. In draft one, I knew that I wanted to write an adult fantasy. Somehow, the two steamy scenes I originally imagined were edited out (but saved elsewhere). Why? Because the story had a fast pace that was perfect for the action adventure vibe I was aiming for. Because I devoted more of book one to character development and getting readers familiar with this new, magic-filled world. Because, despite the handsome male characters and scenes filled with sexual tension, I did not write a romance novel.
To be honest, the line between paranormal romance and urban fantasy can be blurry. But, research shows that romance novels follow a formula in the same way that mystery novels follow a formula. In romance novels, boy meets girl. Boy loses girl. Boy gets girl. My novel, This Time, doesn’t follow this formula. And, while romance seasons my story it does not make or break the plot.
The another scene that was valued but edited out of my book was actually a plot twist! Oh, don’t worry! There are still a couple of plot twist in my novel that are guaranteed to excite you. The cropped out scene involved Nadira and her relationship with a close friend changing drastically. And, it was too drastic to introduce towards the end of the book. But, I loved the idea for Nadira having conflict with her few friends. So… it ended up in book two! That was the only way I could willingly let go of the idea. This means that if anyone liked book one titled This Time, they are going to be thrilled about the new tough situations and significant revelations in book two titled That Night.
If you are thinking that some scenes absolutely need to be cut from a story (just like in any movie), then I agree! I use test reader as part of my novel writing process. Some of the feedback I collect is where did the story slow down, take a weird turn, get confusing or made them stop reading. Test reader are priceless! I appreciate all of their comments and questions, and I weight each suggestion very carefully. My other life saver is my editor. If I’m toggling between two choices that both seem right, my editor takes a close look and weights in. As someone who is well-read and knows what the current trends are, I respect her opinion a lot.
I hope you enjoyed learning that This Time is a little tamer than it could have been and contains one less plot twist than it did in earlier versions. What’s left is a well-written, well-paced story full of interesting characters and exciting situations.
Azaaa Davis is a writer of urban fantasy novels.
She fell in love with reading as a high school freshman and continues to read, write, and draw today. Her background in social work helps her portray realistic characters in fantastic--and sometimes terrifying--situations. A New York native, Azaaa currently lives in New Hampshire with her husband and daughter.
She debuts with This Time, A Nadira Holden Novel, about demon hunters, family ties and the magic of love.
Azaaa is working diligently to finish writing more fantasy novels while raising her daughter. Her next book is expected to be released in early 2019. Thank you for showing an interest in her stories!
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