There are times when the antagonist in a novel jumps out at you. In my novel, Spiral Into Darkness, the serial killer is the obvious antagonist. The character kills people seemingly at random. Only as you read the book do you see connections. You find out who the serial killer is about midway through the book, but I kept the why hidden until the end, which has several juicy twists.
I enjoy books where I have to figure out who the real antagonist is. That’s the mystery within each of my books. That, and the why behind what they do. Some of my books have multiple antagonists, but usually one, maybe two stick out as the clear villain(s).
For my newest book, Black Yéʼii I had to have an individual who had no redeeming qualities. I started writing it with one in mind, but the more I wrote, Landon Kerns came to the forefront. Indeed, the antagonist- the real antagonist is sociopathic. No empathy, no conscience, no morals, and certainly no redeeming qualities.
Black Yéʼii is Navajo and is interpreted to mean, The Evil One and that is the subtitle for the book.
David King, who does the cover art for my publisher, Black Rose Writing, absolutely nailed the concept of the book. I gave him a couple of ideas and shared with him the meaning behind the title, and this is his creation. I can’t think of this book in any other way, and no other cover design would capture the book’s story.
Yéʼii are spiritual deities of the Navajo, and there are many. However, there is one Yéʼii they do not talk about. In fact, they don’t even mention the name. To do so, they believe invites evil into their homes and their lives. Superstition? Perhaps. The Catholic faith that has many saints, and are named in prayer by believers. There are medallions, jewelry, statues and knickknacks made in their likeness.
In Navajo lore, monsters, often referred to as Anaye, were a race of evil beings who plagued the Dine’, the Navajo people. They were defeated by the Hero Twins. The Anaye were responsible for hardship and suffering experienced by the Navajo people.
So for my book, Black Yéʼii, I had to come up with an antagonist that embodies the fear one of the protagonists, George Tokay, who holds the belief in Yéʼii. He is, after all, Navajo, and trained by his grandfather, Hosteen Tokay. His grandfather was known as a hatáli among the Dine’. In my book, Betrayed, which takes place on the Navajo Nation Reservation in northeastern Arizona, one of the elders refers to George as Hosteen Tokay and as a hatáli because of George’s training and closeness to his grandfather.
My publisher, Black Rose Writing, came up with a wonderful promotion for Black Yéʼii. The first picture of the bleeding rose, comes from it. The narrative that goes with it explains the idea of the antagonist of the book, as well as the concept of Black Yéʼii. It follows …
You think you understand darkness? You play in the shallow end. You haven’t seen the beauty in the blade’s edge, the symphony in the screams. They call me a monster. You might too. But you don’t realize… I’m just helping the Black Yéʼii sing its favorite song. And you? You’re about to hear every single note.
Dare to meet the monster? Read ‘Black Yéʼii‘.
The old songs, the ones about Hozho, about balance… they aren’t just stories you tell your children. You feel it, don’t you? That hum beneath the world, the light trying to hold. But then the whispers start, the Black Yéʼii scratching at the door of your spirit. You clench your fists, the steel of your knife a cold comfort on your hip.
This fight… it’s in your blood, in your scars. You have to stand, even when the darkness threatens to swallow you whole. You have to be the light.
Will Hozho prevail? Discover the battle within ‘Black Yéʼii’.
Think you know what it means to survive? You walk with me through the pines as each twig snaps beneath your boots and echoes my scars. I feel our ancestors guide my hand when darkness gathers around the campfire. Every secret I uncover becomes your burden. Discover the razor’s edge of justice and heritage in Black Yéʼii, and step into my story.
You hear your heartbeat pounding as I press the blade against cold concrete. You taste iron on your tongue before the final cut severs every hope. Every scar you carry confirms you can’t escape me. Dive into the darkness – read Black Yéʼii.
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BRW did a wonderful job capturing the essence of my book and the antagonist in Black Yéʼii.
You can find each of my books mentioned in this post: Spiral Into Darkness, Betrayed, and Black Yéʼii on my website at www.jrlewisauthor.com There, you will find all ten of my books, their descriptions, and a purchase button if interested- and I hope you are.
I hope you enjoyed this post. I’d love to hear your thoughts, so please use the contact form below. And as a treat, if interested, I discussed Black Yéʼii on the Horizons Author Lounge podcast hosted by Dr. Rhonda Lawson. It was a fun and entertaining 30 minutes as we discussed how writing a dark novel, my newest, Black Yéʼii came about. You can watch it here: https://youtu.be/R5q9LyeSLXM?si=Att4uB-0TM8smY55
Thanks again for following along on my writing journey. Until next time …
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