Interview with Rory Surtain, Author of Sorrow’s Twin

Sorrow’s Twin is the third book in the Demon in Exile Series.

The premise of the Demon in Exile Series is that Colivar is a Kingdom plagued by seemingly random attacks from the Infernal Domain. For centuries, the Order of the Vigil has fought to stem the demonic tide and preserve the Realm, but politics and uncivil wars have depleted their ranks. For reasons unknown, the High Prince of Hell has decided to lend them a hand in the form of a soul from a powerful House of War, a demon in exile.

Part action, part mystery, and part psycho-drama, Sorrow’s Twin depicts Ara Storm and Company locked in a sinister conflict with an enemy hidden deep in the rainforests on the Realm’s eastern border. A clan of heretics have been cutting deals with a demonic entity that calls itself the Emperor, and a campaign to hunt them down becomes more deadly than anyone imagined. Ara Storm finds himself in the worst of all possible positions as he confronts the Emperor’s Children and the dark forces within himself.

Sorrow’s Twin goes places I’d never thought possible when I began writing the Series, diving deep into the mind of the MC and his impact on the characters around him. With the (mostly) first-person narration, there’s always a conflict within the MC’s view of himself, a battle between hero and anti-hero or human and demon, and also a balance to strike between the MC’s strengths, flaws, and commitments and the personal price he pays for each.

Ara Storm, the MC, isn’t a shapeshifter as some might expect from the book’s cover, but rather he harbors some darker paranormal abilities that make him more than effective as a demon-slayer for the Realm and a general menace to himself and those around him. Ara Storm’s schemes don’t always go as planned, but when they do, it can be a real nightmare.

The Demon in Exile novels offer a much more urban fantasy flow, focusing on the characters, their connections, and a well-twisted plot.

Forged by Benedict Jacka and We Ride the Storm by Devin Madson, but most of my time is spent editing Wind Catcher, Book 4 of the Demon in Exile series, revising and proofing ahead of its publication later this year. Text flows differently on a Kindle screen than it does on a PC and inspiration jumps off of the page.

No one is ever as good or as bad as you think they are, so don’t judge.

Writing, probably a coming-of-age Warhammer 40K novel. I’ll get there someday.

What makes your world go round? Why does it bring you joy?

An unscripted blend of family, coffee, and creativity drive my day, allowing me the freedom to choose the meaning of the next minute, or the last.

There are two pivotal scenes that come to mind, both covering the introductions between Ara Storm, the eighteen-year-old MC, and two very different Kings in the land of Colivar. In each scene, there is a sense of mystery, challenge, and surprise with a back-and-forth in terms of who’s really in control. Great fun.