I have recently finished what I expect will be the final round of edits for my second novel, The Nightmare Lullaby. Like Atterwald, this one features a musical instrument with arcane powers, a garden, and a heroine who is often mistrusted through no fault of her own. Yet my husband, an honest and trustworthy critic, has proclaimed that this new book is even better than Atterwald, as every new novel should surpass, at least a little, the one that came before it.

Here is the description I have composed for the back of the book:

“A dark spell is winding its way through the sleep of the people of Crainante. An evil spirit takes flight and screams of all the sorrows in the world, turning dreams into the most horrifying of nightmares. If it soars unchecked, it will drive everyone mad. Yet a magnificent carillon sits on a hillside overlooking the town and pours music like a healing balm upon the people.
At the center of this tug of war stands Meliroc, geas-bound servant of Crainante’s sorcerer Cedelair. A woman eight feet tall, with bone-white skin and hair, she is a question mark, even to herself. When she discovers that the carillon-player is a lonely specter imprisoned by his instrument, she resolves to find the songs that will set him free: one of joy, one of sorrow, and one of love. Yet his freedom comes at another, far higher price, which Meliroc is bound to pay. Meanwhile, Cedelair searches for the driving force behind the nightmares plaguing his town – and all signs point to Meliroc.
The darkness has cursed her. The light will deceive her. Can she save herself from both?”

Expect to hear more about this one in the weeks and months to come.