Heir to the Shadows: Book 2 of the Black Jewels Trilogy

This is my favourite book in the trilogy. I’m just going to get that out of the way. I love it. It’s one of those books that I put aside time to read as opposed to reading when I have the time between writing and other things.
It starts with two major events: Saetan is granted all parental rights to Jaenelle by the Dark Council and then Jaenelle awakens from the coma that succumbed to in order to recover from her injuries that she gained at the end of the last book.
Saetan helps Jaenelle reconnect with her human friends and the Kindred (animals who have the power of Craft, same as the humans), while he tries to protect her from the attempts to control her by Hekatah, self proclaimed Priestess of Hell.
In his search for his son Daemon, missing since his refusal to go through the gate at the end of Daughter of the Blood, Saetan finds and starts to build a relationship with his youngest son, Lucivar, who is recovering from his own injuries after a suicidal bid for freedom.
Jaenelle takes the final steps to reclaiming her full power after an attack on the Kindred forces her to see that it is needed to protect them.

This is truly a funny, touching part of the bigger story

Daughter of the Blood - Black Jewels Trilogy book 1

The first in Anne Bishop’s debut series The Black Jewels Trilogy takes the reader into a world that has been corrupted over several thousands of years. In a place where what colour jewel (ranging from white to black) determines how much inner power you have, the dreams of three men will change the world forever...
Saetan, The High Lord of Hell, wishes for a daughter. Aged in the high thousands he’s a Guardian, awaiting the daughter of his soul to arrive.
Daemon, the son of the High Lord of Hell dreams of being Witch’s lover. Until then, he is forced to submit to being a Pleasure Slave for queens all over Teirelle.
Lucivar, Saetan’s youngest son, dreams of a queen that he can be proud to serve, and that he can call a friend.
One night, Tersa, a witch who can see the future, announces that she is coming. Witch, dreams made flesh, and she will call in all debts.
Jaenelle isn’t what anyone expects. She’s younger, and she already has more power in her reach than the High Lord of Hell has... And all that she wants is to help people, and to be loved for who she is. Born into a family that doesn’t understand who or what she is, she struggles, sent to Briarwood (the facade of which is a mental health institution), until the High Lord becomes her mentor, teaching her everything he knows.
Then, Daemon is sent to Jaenelle’s grandmother’s house to service the adult women and meets the girl who is Dreams Made Flesh and learns of the horrors hidden behind the aristo facade.
For “Briarwood is the pretty poison” and what happens there will shape the bloods’ destiny forever.

I first found these books several years ago, and every time I read them I am drawn back into the world. Moving, funny, I’d recommend them to anyone who likes dark fantasy.

So, I'm being a good little writer person... I just sent of two totally different pieces to two different places. Cross those fingers people if you can.
The first was a short non-fiction article written about my experiences being unemployed. It was sent to the local paper. Let's see how long it is before they reject me as a freelance writer, seeing as they really do not want me on as staff. I've applied for more jobs with them than I have fingers or toes to count them on.
The other was a short story that I sent to Aurealis. While they don't usually print anything of mine, they do give feedback on every piece that they have rejected. The story, Divine Deception, is about trying to get out of a deal with Hecate.
The total book geek in me is apprehensively awaiting the next year's release of Twilight's Dawn by Anne Bishop. I have loved all of her books so far, and I knew that she'd take one of the characters where she's taking them. But, I think it is going to end up making me cry.