March 12, 2019 is the release date for the new Vamptasy relaunch of my novel Psychonaut. I could not be more excited. Of all my books this is my personal favourite. It dances between horror and fantasy while Satori is in police custody, arrested for the murder of Star, he is also travelling worlds, battling demons and searching for Star, hoping still, beyond death to rescue her and be with her.
"Carmilla Voiez is more of a singer than a writer. She tells her compelling story in a hypnotic, distinctive voice that brings her eerie world vividly to life." Graham Masterton “Psychonaut is a book of mad impulses, inner vision, sadism, escape and belief. You feel uncomfortable reading it, like Alex strapped to the chair in Clockwork Orange being taught to feel sick at atrocity. Rather than leave us crippled by response, though, Psychonaut bears you through the hurt towards the only paradise we can be assured of...a love past fault.” Jef Withonef, Houston Press.
For those who missed it, Starblood was released in December also with a new cover. Check out these covers first so that I can keep you in suspense for the new Psychonaut cover a little longer.
And the graphic novel based on Starblood.
Here it is, the brand spanking new cover of Psychonaut, designed by the talented Rue Volley for Vamptasy Publishing.
Are you salivating?
Satori has promised Star he will save her and he isn’t about to let her death stand in his way. He battles demons, travels worlds and faces the wrath of human law, but he refuses to give in. Meanwhile Star is in another world, being tortured by a goddess and a demon baby. She doesn’t have time to wait around to be saved.
Psychonaut, by Carmilla Voiez - out March 12th, 2019.
An excerpt will follow the graphic novel cover if you continue to read.
Identical grey walls, grey floor, grey table and grey faces, Satori feels for a moment as if he’s re-entered the room he just left by way of a Penrose staircase. As he lowers himself onto the seat he half expects it to be warm. The chill of the plastic discomforts him. When he spots a tape recorder bolted to the table, he realises that this is a different room. His stomach settles and he relaxes a little.
Ms Wilson sits on the chair beside him. She opens her briefcase on the table. For reasons he cannot fathom the bulging case, jammed with papers, reminds him of his mother. He thinks of Marian and imagines her distress. In contrast, the woman beside him looks serene until two police officers enter the room. Their intrusion makes her eyes narrow. Satori feels her aura alter. Her body stiffens and she breathes more rapidly.
One of the police officers is the man who was inside Satori’s home when he returned from the mountains, D.I. Long. The other officer is female. The man is older than Satori remembers. His hair is steel grey and his weak chin is juxtaposed by cold, hard eyes. The woman is probably in her forties. Her hair is neatly styled and her face retains an aspect of prettiness in spite of the frown lines across her brow.
D.I. Long reaches across to slot a tape into the deck. He looks across the table at Ms Wilson who nods.
Pressing the red button, he clears his throat. ‘Interview commenced at …’ He glances at his wrist watch. ‘Ten-fifty a.m. on the third of December 2011. Present are Detective Inspector Alistair Long, Detective Sergeant Michelle Cummins, Mr Steve Michaels and Ms Jane Wilson, representing Mr Michaels. Mr Michaels you are aware that we have arrested you on suspicion of the murder of Sarah Brown and that you are still under caution.’
Satori nods.
‘Please speak, for the benefit of the tape Mr Michaels.’ D.S. Cummins’ voice is deeper than Satori had expected.
‘Yes, but …’
His lawyer puts her fingers on the back of his hand. He looks at her and sees her shake her head.
‘Please state your full name, Mr Michaels,’ says D.I. Long.
‘Steven Alexander Michaels,’ says Satori.
‘Detectives, my client is innocent of the charge and all the evidence you have provided us with is purely speculative and circumstantial. I would recommend that you release Mr Michaels while you make further enquiries.’
‘We have information which places Mr Michaels at the location. Witness statements agree that he was in a state of agitation. We have physical evidence linking him to the deceased and the murder scene and we are currently conducting interviews with acquaintances of Miss Brown, which are proving to be illuminating, to say the least. Do not worry yourself Ms Wilson. We have plenty of evidence to hold your client. The search of his premises later today will only strengthen our case.’
Search? Satori bristles. They are going to tear my room apart. Of course they are. He should have known this. He balls his fists and places them in his lap. Relax.
‘If that is the case, I require full disclosure of the evidence so that I may properly advise my client,’ says Jane Wilson.
‘I’m afraid that won’t be possible at this time, Ms Wilson. We have grounds to believe full disclosure at this stage of proceedings might hamper our investigation.’ Detective Inspector Long smiles.
Satori feels three pairs of eyes burrow into his skull. He glances up. His lawyer’s face looks sympathetic, but her pursed lips warn him to keep quiet. The detectives’ eyes gleam. They are sharks and they have smelt his blood.
‘You’re going down for this Mr Michaels. Your only hope is to be as cooperative as possible. You need to tell us everything that happened. Perhaps you were suffering from mental illness? Perhaps you still have some hope? Tell us everything, Mr Michaels.’ D.I. Long licks his lips.
Satori’s lawyer, Jane, must have seen the action too. She shudders and her face hardens. ‘I object to this style of questioning. It is not my client’s job to tell you answers to questions he can only guess at. We are willing to cooperate with your enquiries and we are as eager as you are to reveal the truth of this tragic event. However, you will need to ask your questions before you can expect an answer to them.’
The detective’s mouth thins. His eyes flicker.
This is a game. They will move their pieces in turn until one can cry check-mate. I am the hunted and the protected. I am the black king.
‘Very well,’ D.I. Long says, his voice devoid of emotion. ‘Mr Michaels what was your relationship with Sarah Brown?’
Satori looks at Jane who nods.
‘She was my girlfriend.’
‘What sort of relationship did you have with the deceased? Were you happy?’ D.I. Long leans forwards.
Satori can smell his smoky breath. ‘I loved her.’
‘What was Sarah Brown like?’ Detective Cummins asks.
‘She’s an artist. She’s beautiful, kind, gentle.’
‘Were you still dating at the time she was killed?’ D.S. Cummins stares at Satori’s face.
Jane nods again.
‘No, we broke up about three months ago.’ Satori answers.
‘Were you the one who instigated the break-up?’
Jane Wilson frowns. ‘That’s irrelevant. My client and his girlfriend had broken up. Couples do that all the time. It makes no difference who left whom. This is not the schoolyard, Detective.’
‘Why did the relationship end, Mr Michaels?’ D.S. Cummins asks.
‘She told me she needed space to be herself,’ Satori answers.
‘Were you involved with another person?’ Detective Long hisses the word person as if it feels caustic on his tongue. ‘At the time of Sarah Brown’s murder?’
‘Be careful, Detective. No one has as yet established that Miss Brown was murdered,’ Jane replies.
‘Hmm, if it makes a difference to you … Mr Michaels?’
‘No, I wasn’t.’
‘What of the deceased Miss Sanders?’ D.I. Long waits in silence for Satori’s reply.
‘Who?’ Satori asks.
‘Rhiannon … Raven. What was your relationship with Raven, before she was murdered?’
‘We were friends.’
‘Were you intimate with her?’
‘Detective, your question is not relevant to the investigation. As I understand it, you are not charging Mr Michaels with any involvement in Rhiannon Sanders’ death.’
‘That is true, Ms Wilson. We are satisfied that Miss Brown acted alone in the killing of Miss Sanders. However we suspect that Mr Michaels may be an accessory after the fact, aiding Miss Brown’s escape. It also provides him with a motive for killing her. Were you acting out of revenge, Steve?’
‘I didn’t …’
‘Then how did you know where to find her?’ D.I. Long leans back in his chair. A self-satisfied smile plays across his lips.
‘I …’ Satori looks towards Jane who nods. ‘I have some psychic abilities.’
‘Psychic abilities? What sort of psychic abilities?’ D.S. Cummins asks.
‘I can find things and people.’
‘How?’ D.S. Cummins hiccups as if stifling a laugh of incredulity.
‘By dowsing.’
Both detectives pull the same face. Their mouths crease and they shuffle in their seats.
‘Was Miss Brown alive when you found her?’ D.I. Long pulls the questioning in a more traditional direction.
‘Yes,’ Satori replies.
‘Where did you find her?’ D.I. Long smiles again.
‘In the mountains, in a little cottage. The Cairngorms.’
‘And yet, Mr Michaels, when we first interviewed you after your return from the Cairngorms, you lied to us about where you had been. Why did you do that?’
‘I was ill. I didn’t want to face what had happened. I’m sorry.’
‘Are you lying to us now?’ D.I. Long asks.
‘No,’ Satori says, staring at the table.
‘And what sort of state would you say Sarah Brown was in, when you found her?’
‘Depressed.’
‘Depressed?’
‘Yes, depressed and confused.’ Satori stares at D.I. Long’s smug face. He no longer checks for the signals of his lawyer.
‘Confused about what?’ the detective inspector asks.
‘Mostly about the woman she ran away with,’ Satori replies.
‘Who did she run away with, Mr Michaels?’ D.I. Long asks.
‘I only know her first name … Lilith.’
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