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England, 1876. Twenty-year-old Maraina Blackwood has always struggled to adhere to the restrictive standards of Victorian society, denying the courage and desire that burn within her soul. But when demons and vampires take over England in a bloody revolt, Maraina survives by becoming a succubus: a demon of lust, and an embodiment of everything her parents told her not to be.
Now, to free England from its immortal new masters, Maraina must seduce and kill Salem Sotirios, a cruel, breathtaking incubus lord who commands unimaginable power. Soon, Maraina finds herself battling not only Salem’s forces, but also her own desire to succumb to the exquisite corruption he offers...and resisting him will mean embracing everything she once buried.
LILITU: THE MEMOIRS OF A SUCCUBUS chronicles a Victorian girl's transformation into a powerful succubus warrior, hell-bent on overthrowing an empire. It is the spicy first chapter in an epic Gothic Fantasy saga, proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths.
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P R A I S E F O R L I L I T U
"An epic dark fantasy for the ages, Lilitu: The Memoirs of a Succubus solidifies Jonathan Fortin's place atop the Gothic throne."--Jess Landry, Bram Stoker Award-winning author
"Hauntingly seductive and beautifully terrifying."--Emerian Rich, author of Night's Knights Vampire Series
"An engaging and disturbing alternate history/reality tale spun from the clever mind of a talented new voice in horror."--R.L. Merrill
"This Steampunk Gothic, in the spirit of Anno Dracula, was so much fun!"--Loren Rhoads, co-author of Lost Angels
"Lilitu blends together alternate history, fantasy, and blasphemy in a delight fully dark tale."--E.M. Markoff, author of The Deadbringer
I N T E R V I E W W I T H T H E A U T H O R
What makes this Dark Fantasy novel so special?
Lilitu intends to do for succubi and incubi what Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles did for vampires: exploring the emotional implications of their folklore with unprecedented depth to tell an epic Gothic Horror story that spans years. Furthermore, it uses them to explore issues of class and gender in Victorian England, satirizing the hypocrisies of the elite and exploring how nightmares are normalized in oppressive societies.
Tell us more about Lilitu's protagonist, Maraina Blackwood?
Maraina is a rebellious young woman who becomes a succubus in the wake of a demonic uprising, leaving her torn between the teachings of her youth and her desire to survive. Determined to make things right, Maraina seeks to end the demonic rule over England, but learns that doing so will mean seducing one of Hell's most wicked demons—and embracing a side of herself she was always forced to repress. Lilitu chronicles Maraina’s emotional transformation from a frightened Victorian girl into a powerful succubus warrior, hell-bent on overthrowing an empire. Through her, Lilitu fashions a heroine from an archetype long demonized: that of the seductress who takes control of her own sexuality.
Who are some of Lilitu's other characters?
Lilitu's dynamic cast includes Salem, a ruthless (but inhumanly sexy) incubus lord; Loretta, a masochistic demon burlesque dancer; Alkin, a cunning musician with a secret; Sven, a tortured vampire assassin; and Queen Isabelle, England’s deranged new monarch.
Why should readers give this book or your work a try?
A macabre tale of monsters and magic, Lilitu reads like the unholy union of Charles Dickens and Clive Barker, with dashes of H.P. Lovecraft and Jules Verne for good measure. Lilitu has something for everyone—mysteries, epic action sequences, kinky eroticism, and blood-curdling terror. There are also elements of grimdark, steampunk, paranormal romance, and bildungsroman, all converging together to create an emotionally complex, female-fronted dark fantasy tale about how our desires, fears, and traumas can transform us forever.
U N O F F I C I A L S O U N D T R A C K
TRACKLIST:
1. ELEND - Overture
2. SEPTICFLESH - Lovecraft's Death
3. IGORRR - Tout Petit Moineau
4. MOONSPELL - Night Eternal
5. APOCALYPTICA FEAT. NINA HAGEN - Seemann
6. THE CURE - This Is A Lie (Ambient Mix)
7. DIE FORM - InHuman
8. BELPHEGOR - Bluhtsturm Erotika
9. DIAMANDA GALAS - L'heautontimoroumenos
10. TORI AMOS - Raining Blood
11. VIRGIN BLACK - The Everlasting
12. CINEMA STRANGE - The Red and Silver Fantastique and the Libretto of the Insipid Minstrel
13. DARK SANCTUARY - La Clameur du Silence
14. DIMMU BORGIR - A Succubus In Rapture
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Click here to read why these songs were chosen.
Please note that this soundtrack is strictly unofficial and for entertainment purposes only.
Art by Salome Totladze