The Roaring Twenties is featured heavily in my earlier works. Since some of my characters carry on through to modern times, the unique language indicative of this period follows along as well.
To help new readers situation themselves with the language of the period, I’ve compiled a list of slang from that era.
(more…)A gal has to look out for herself after all.
The Van Helsing Paradox explores the life and times of Clara Grey, a hunter for a secretive religious order. Explore Clara’s origins, as a child born before the dawn of the twentieth century and how she blossomed into a full-fledged hunter. Witness how the tragedy of the Great War and her training helped her to become an empowered flapper wielding her trusty derringer.
Patrick Webb, is a fellow author from the Twitter Writing Community. He recently did a review on The Clara Grey Adventures, a series that features Clara Grey as the leading lady. Currently, The Van Helsing Paradox, and The Van Helsing Resurgence are available to read, but a sequel is due out in the Fall!
Patrick provides an in-depth review of my two books, and makes a few guesses on what is to come. For those leery of spoilers, the author did a great job of warning you before reaching content that could spoil the read.
One of my favourite quotes from the review appears early on:
What I really love about Ms. Chartres’ writing is how she balances character moments, action and gore, with some intimate scenes thrown in for good measure.
I’d like to take the time to thank Patrick Webb for this lovely review. It is truly a blessing to have the opportunity to see how much a reader enjoyed one of my works. Thank you!
Last month, I was interviewed by Sarah Walker of Hidden Gems, a talk-show for avid readers and aspiring authors.
This interview can be found here, and features The Van Helsing Paradox, along with five questions that required a lot of thought to answer! I highly recommend that you check it out!
Hopefully Sarah’s YouTube channel will pick up as she interviews more authors!
Despite the lack of police response, Clara had no desire to linger. She doubted the pack would take long to select a new alpha and come back in force. That problem needed to be avoided, but made a vow to deal with them later, if the opportunity presented itself.
Amongst the wreckage, Clara found a few basics for survival: Shells for the double barreled shotgun which were stowed away in her coat; a black nine-millimetre pistol with four clips; a twenty-two calibre with five extra clips; and some sort of combat knife.
She slipped the blade in her right ankle boot, while the pistols were safely stowed around her waist. The clips were easily concealed inside her coat pockets, a useful activity since she found that girl’s emergency bright-red lipstick. Clara was not worried about drawing attention, everything was stowed away nicely without leaving behind any telltale lumps.
The last item she found, was a phone, an item that recognised from modern movies. Fortunately for her, that this particular phone had not been secured by its previous owner.
“This might come in handy later,” Clara said.
Clara paused before heading back out into the night. She looked at the young woman sighed, lowered her head, and walked to the back of the bar. With a bit of rummaging, she found the chit book, and quickly used that to scribble down a note.
Her final act before leaving, was to untie the woman, and cover her up with a tarpaulin salvaged from some saddle bags. Immediately to the side, she left a set of scavenged clothes, although they were too big for either of them.
“Better than nothing,” Clara said before walking out in search of that soul who needed her help.
Atop the set of clothes, sat a note she left behind. One written in a clean and precise lettering that said:
To answer your question, it was a matter of survival. I understand if you can’t find it in your heart to believe me, let alone forgive me. I’m not sure if I could, if the tables were turned.
I know you will be tempted to follow me in the hopes of avenging your father. Know that I will do everything in my power to defend myself. If we do meet in battle, and you are victorious, then understand that I am sorry for any pain I caused you.
On a side note, you have a wicked flair for fashion and makeup. Given different circumstances, we might have been friends.
Clara
Disclaimer: This chapter is currently in development. There are likely typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. Please do not treat this as a polished and completed work!
I came across a lovely 3🌟 review for the Van Helsing Paradox by Laura Smith. While there are a few points of critique, this review has a lot positive things to say about my story!
In my opinion, the reviewer nailed the overall feel of the novel with the line below. Namely, that the Van Helsing Paradox was written with a focus on key elements in Clara’s life.
Chartres weaves an imaginative tale about a whip-smart, ruthless, and level-headed vampire killer laid out in an anthology of missions.
Laura Smith does mention the modern voice in this novel. That’s a fair point, considering the book was written specifically to have a modern voice. While a lexicon was included to help with the Roaring Twenties slang that was used sparingly, the intent was to add spice to the prose, not mimic the style of the era.
She does end off in a positive note!
Overall, it is a brutal, intriguing story that would appeal to any vampire fan.
Thank you so much Laura Smith for your honest review!
Clara Grey was perched on the railing at the edge of the observation deck. A gust of wind pushed her hair back, and showed off her pointed ears, sharp facial features, and steel-grey eyes that gave her an elfin look. Clara had been blessed with the body of a prima ballerina with the exception of a larger pair of breasts. This trade off suited her just fine, enabling her to turn some heads, while remaining deadly with a sword.
She loved this particular vantage point, the one place that gave her a pristine view of the mortal realm below. Even from this distance, she was able to make out landmarks, and even individuals going about their lives.
From here, she had no trouble witnessing the chaos that reigned on the mortal plain. People continued to be born, grow up, fight wars, and die. The only difference were advancements in technology and medicine. Funny how that only served to make life more complex.
That curiosity and drive to understand the world is what interested Clara. She often wondered how life would have turned out if she had been born in the twenty-first century. All of that knowledge available at her fingertips, which appeared to be a blessing for those curious like her. Still, would she have made use of it?
Everyone here could access the knowledge of creation, but many remained blissfully ignorant. Would she do any better without her educational foundation? Or would she employ this knowledge to achieve her goal of committing the perfect crime?
Sure there were many who avoided this place, for fear of being reminded of what was lost. Clara did not share their views, as one of God’s soldiers, her interactions with other souls were to be kept to a minimum. From here, she dreamed of the good she could do, if only they loosened her leash.
Instead of answering her questions, she kept on observing the world. Wait! What was that? Were her eyes deceiving her? Clara could have sworn there was a shockwave emanating from North America’s Eastern seaboard.
“I thought you’d be here,” Gabriel said.
Clara did not turn around to look, but smirked before she said, “The easiest way to be found is to stay in one place. What brings you here Gabriel?”
This was a tall man who was also built like a Da Vinci’s David, a perfect rendition, except for the lack of flaws. His hair was always perfectly trimmed, his muscles developed and cut. Even his wings were flawless, white, and without a single feather out of place. Was this the angel Gabriel from scripture and lore? Clara did not know, and never bothered to ask. Curious how that particular question never came to mind until now?
“There’s been a violation,” Gabriel said flatly.
Clara raised an eyebrow. Any violations on the mortal plain people were not playing by the rules. Free will was an aspect respected by both sides. So a violation meant that someone was denied the opportunity to choose.
With her curiosity sufficiently piqued, Clara looked over to Gabriel. Before her eyes settled on him, she saw something behind him that made her question reality.
“That’s impossible,” Clara said under her breath.
In the background, she saw two women, a stunning ginger caught in the embrace of an older woman. It was the latter that caught her eye, since the details of that face were burned into her mind. That was Edith, her best friend, and she looked exactly like she remembered.
They last crossed paths in Mexico, after an attack on the Tower left it isolated from the rest of the world. An ideal time for those remaining to regroup, to forge alliances, build a base of operations, and launch an offensive against those responsible.
Plans changed when Edith’s lover was caught up in the crossfire, killed by Drusilla, their long-time foe. Edith, the steadiest ship of the fleet, even in the heaviest of seas, finally broke her keel. That much became clear, when the grief stricken Edith made one last request.
“Kill that bitch,” Edith ordered.
That was exactly what happened two weeks later at some luxurious railway hotel. There, Clara had managed to put down that thing, using deception, holy water, a well-placed stab along with some divine intervention. The latter came at the cost of her life, but that was forfeit the moment she stepped through the front-doors of the Grand
“Clara,” Gabriel asked.
“Sounds serious,” Clara said absentmindedly in hopes of getting more information.
Gabriel looked behind him, but saw nothing. He did note that Clara had the appearance of someone who had seen a ghost. Despite years of experience Clara had in concealing every genuine emotion, a great shock always managed to slip through that cool and calm exterior.
Unsure on what to do, Gabriel chuckled before responding, “You look down all the time and yet you cannot see.”
“And miss out on the opportunity to learn from your wisdom?” Clara asked.
For a moment, there was silence, which permitted Clara’s discomfort to grow. The image of Edith haunted her, and Gabriel’s silence only made things worse. Did she manage to get under his skin?
For a moment, it looked as though Gabriel was facing in two directions. That behaviour was common when dealing with them, the creatures known as homo striga, or colloquially referred to as vampires. So why was she seeing this type of behaviour in an angel now?
When the illusion settled, Gabriel smirked before breaking the silence, “A soul was torn away from the light of God.”
Clara wondered if Gabriel was toying with her in some way. Either way, it was clear that there was much to learn. Death did not make her an expert in all matters, much to her disappointment. She knew that many chose to forfeit their souls in exchange for everlasting life in the mortal realm. Their baptism of sorts, meant they turned their backs on God and his divine light. Such bargains had been struck with humanity since time began.
“So what am I missing?” Clara asked.
Gabriel resumed his disconcerting silence from earlier. Since they were both immortal, there was no reason to hurry things along, and yet there was something unnatural about the experience. For her vantage point, it seemed that Gabriel was having another conversation, but was not privy to the other half.
In the background, her eyes caught something, but could not explain the phenomenon. Edith and the ginger were visible again, as though Clara were looking at an echo in time. She caught another glimpse of their passionate embrace, one intense enough for Clara to feel a twinge of jealousy.
“Clara?” Gabriel queried.
She kept her eyes focused on that general area, and refused to look Gabriel in the eyes. There was nothing, until Edith reappeared in another location with her wings tucked in. Moments before she dove towards the mortal plane.
“It was not voluntary,” Clara guessed to keep the conversation going.
It was an educated guess of course, if their kind could banish anyone they wished, then that would alter the balance. All of their actions were guided by the need to maintain an equilibrium, so a deliberate disruption meant a correction was due.
“What are the ramifications?” Clara queried.
“Our agreement is null and void,” Gabriel said. “We can wage war if we so choose.”
“I sense a but in your statement,” Clara said.
“It would forfeit the wager,” Gabriel answered.
Clara knew very little about this wager. Many, mused about a game of chance being played for supremacy over all outstanding souls. Some aspects of these stories were likely true, while others were nothing more than details added to dress up the truth. All Clara knew for certain was that no one talked about it.
“So the Council decided to send an agent,” Gabriel said.
“Me?” Clara guessed. “Why me?”
“Can’t send one of the seven,” Gabriel said. “That would be tantamount to going nuclear.”
“So why choose your most junior conscript?” Clara asked.
The ability to experience life once again, set her heart aflutter. It would likely not be permanent, but nothing down there was.
“You were mortal, you knew how to fight them,” Gabriel said. “Besides, we knew you’d be willing.”
“Can’t hide anything from you can I? And to think I once believed that nuns were unsurpassed at mind reading!” Clara exclaimed. “I’m in. So what do I do?”
“Fall,” Gabriel said.
“That’s it?” Clara asked.
“That’s it,” Gabriel replied.
“Anything I should know?” Clara asked.
“Keep your true nature concealed as much as possible,” Gabriel said. “Your powers will be limited, and that varies from person to person.”
“So act and behave as though I were mortal and everything will be fine?” Clara asked.
“That would be a safe bet,” Gabriel said. “Ready?”
“Always,” Clara said.
Without hesitation, Clara looked down and leapt from the railing. At first, she floated in mid-air while she freed her mind. On command, Clara dropped like a stone, reaching higher and higher speeds until she glowed in the atmosphere.
“What a rush!” Clara shouted while tearing through the atmosphere like a meteor.
The world before her grew in detail. While she had no idea where she was headed, that did not bother her. Clara sensed that her drop was guided.
Smudges of grey against the terrain became cities, followed by streets, buildings, and finally, people. No one seemed to be aware of her descent, even though she must have looked like a shooting star against the night sky.
“Will a little girl wish upon me?” Clara asked with a giggle.
Clara made out her destination, a nondescript courtyard nestled between multi-story structures. There would be no one around to witness her arrival once she made contact.
“Three… two… one…” Clara said.
Right on cue, her feet hit the ground and absorbed some of the impact. Unfortunately, that had not been enough, so the concrete beneath her deformed, cracked, and was scorched by the heat.
She took a moment to adjust, stood up, and then straighten out her back. While no longer visible, a set of majestic wings could be seen folding in the shadows. How fortunate, since her wings would have drawn a few errant stares had they remained visible.
“Just as much as not wearing a stitch of clothing,” Clara muttered while eyeing her bare body. “At least I’m no worse for wear.”
Gabriel should have mentioned how her clothes would burn away as she fell to Earth. Then again, life on Earth was not without its challenges, and this was bound to get a few laughs back home.
Clara looked over her landing site, in the hopes of finding a lavish clothing store. On first glance that seemed unlikely, since all of the doors were boarded up.
“Just ducky!” Clara said aloud.
Just then, she noticed something nearer to the corner. Clara walked over the cool pavement, while the evening air clung to her skin and gave her a chill.
“That means it’s going to get really cold soon,” Clara said.
Upon closer inspection, Clara found a second set of scorch marks and indentations that looked similar to those she left behind. The surface of this landing site was still warm, so this damage had been recent.
“So that echo was real?” Clara wondered, but dared not consider it a possibility.
She was pretty sure that Gabriel would have sent only one champion to fulfil the mission. That man was not known for hedging his bets, or risk escalation.
“Besides,” Clara said. “Why not tell us ahead of time, to coordinate our search?”
When the wind picked up, Clara shivered. Reminded of her nudity, she made up her mind to solve the most pressing matter. It was going to get cold tonight, and she would need to find some warm clothes.
“Wonder if I’ll be able to charm someone into giving me their coat?” Clara asked while sauntering down towards the courtyard’s exit.
Disclaimer: This chapter is currently in development. There are likely typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. Please do not treat this as a polished and completed work!
Here is a lovely 5🌟 review for The Van Helsing Paradox! This is my latest dark fantasy release that tells the tale of Clara Grey, a young child who grows up to hunt things that go bump in the night!
Her review is a quick read, and nicely sums up the whole of the story without delving into spoilers that might ruin it for new readers. Here is my favourite quote:
Its breathless pacing makes it a great pool or beach read—in the sun!
Thank you Cecily Winter for the kind words! I’m thrilled you liked my novel! 🥳
Wow! What a lovely review from M.J. Hudon for The Van Helsing Paradox. This is my latest dark fantasy release that follows the life and times of Clara Grey, a child who grows up to hunt things that go bump in the night!
Her review is simple, straight forward and beautifully done. The following is an except from the review:
Clara Grey notices things. Things nobody else will allow themselves to see. It is this ability, this willingness to believe, that makes Miss Grey the perfect candidate for training to be a monster hunter.
This one is my favourite:
Well written and smart, The Van Helsing Paradox is a fresh take on monster hunting and monster hunters.
Thank you very much for your great review! Are you curious about my work? Just click on my Prose link, to find a list of all my published works!
The #IndieApril movement on Twitter was a boon for independent authors, and this trend seems to have spilled into May. Overall, a good month for reviews for my latest dark fantasy release, The Van Helsing Paradox. In all, I caught six reviews on Amazon.com, and for your convenience they are included below:
Fast-paced, intriguing, and I love Clara as a protagonist.
I’d recommend reading, especially to those who love a good femme fatale or noir story!
An exciting tale packed with adventure and interesting characters…
Entertaining and delightful and I look forward to reading more by this author
This is a very creative, well thought out story
If you enjoy vampire tales, Indiana Jones, detective mysteries and all of that with a slice of horror, this book’s for you.
Of note, two of the reviews were removed from Amazon.com. The reasons for which are unknown, and only found out when making this post, because my screen captures of reviews found, did not match what exists on the site now. Either way, I can’t complain. These are unsolicited and positive reviews, what more can a writer ask for?
