Circle of Fire

Sixteen teenagers taken from their homes. Eleven bodies recovered, each completely drained of blood. Some believe vampires are responsible, but Jon Barnett knows it's something far worse. To stop the killers in Taurin Bay, he becomes enmeshed in a web of black magic and realizes he needs help. But fate gives him only one choice in the form of recluse Madeline Smith.

Madeline Smith has retreated to an isolated farmhouse, afraid of the psychic abilities she can't control-abilities that have killed. But when "ghost" Jon Barnett brings a warning of danger and her nephew disappears, Maddie has to leave her haven. She also has to learn to control the abilities she fears and place her trust in Jon Barnett, a man who is neither human nor ghost.

But as the search for the teenagers becomes a race against time, and the noose of sorcery threatens to kill Maddie and Jon, the greatest danger to them both could be the feelings they have for each other-feelings that they refuse to acknowledge.

I started writing when I was about twelve. I'd just finished reading one of Elaine Mitchell's Brumby books, and hated the fact she killed off my favorite character--so I rewrote the book and changed the ending. I haven't stopped writing since, though it's only in the last few years I've seriously thought about getting published.

In 1997, I placed second in the Washington Romance Writers Novel Beginnings contest (specialty romance) with Heart of the Hunter. In 2000, I was short-listed in the Random House George Turner Prize with Spook Squad (urban fantasy). Dancing with the Devil is my first published book.

I live in Melbourne, Australia, and I'm a dessert and function cook by trade. I'm married to a wonderful man who not only supports my writing, but who does all the housework as well. We have one daughter, one dog and a garden full of weeds. When I'm not working or writing, I can be found parked in front of the TV watching re-runs of the X-Files or Buffy.