It’s finally here. Date Night With Death is out in the world.
This was the book where I realized I wasn’t just writing another paranormal romance—I was building a series. It’s also where I first introduced the bigger threat that’s been quietly looming over Moonridge (slight spoiler alert: The Concord 13).
When I finished Once Upon a Blue Moon, I immediately dove into this one because Mina needed her story told immediately. You’ll notice right away that the tone is darker. That shift felt natural. My process has always been to get the bones of the story down first, and then during revisions I dig into the characters’ voices. Hazel had her sharp sarcasm. Blake carried that gruff exterior with the soft side tucked underneath. With Date Night With Death, Mina became the focus. She’s direct, no-nonsense, and dealing with some heavy personal struggles. Her coping mechanisms are avoidance first and gallows humor second. Dex, on the other hand, is a Reaper. He’s walked through the human world but never truly lived in it. Exploring how an old soul like him would interact with people, how he’d shape his speech patterns, how he’d discover his wants and needs, was a ton of fun to write. That said, I also realized that I can’t just write a story about Death himself without focusing on death. Exploring this aspect is what brought on the slightly darker tone.
Writing this also turned out to be personal in a way I didn’t expect. While working on this book, memories of losing my aunt to a brain tumor almost twenty-five years ago surfaced. She was the light in our family, and her kids have always been more like siblings than cousins to me. When she got sick, I was living far away, broke, and unable to show up for them the way I wanted to. That left me with a lot of unprocessed grief and guilt. Writing Mina’s story helped me work through some of that.
On a lighter note, the introduction of the Vampire Wives might be my favorite part. I’m a reality TV junkie, especially The Real Housewives, so slipping that influence into Moonridge felt inevitable. They brought me joy to write, and don’t worry, you haven’t seen the last of them.
Some early readers have felt the series took too dark a turn here compared to the lighter vibe of book one. I get that. But honestly, this book holds a special place in my heart. It’s still my favorite so far… though book three is giving it some serious competition.
Thank you for reading, for coming back to Moonridge, and for sticking with these characters as they grow. I can’t wait to share what’s next.
Love,
Avery
