Oh, how I love a good origin story. This is Jayne’s.
“Magic has long been contained in a tiny river of stars, accessible to only a very few talented magicians. But Jayne Thorne has come into her powers, and the world is about to change.”
I have a surprise for you! I’ve started a new series, co-writing with a friend, and it’s urban fantasy!
Way back in March 2016, I saw a story on Twitter: The CIA is hiring a $100,000 Librarian.
It didn’t take me reading past the headline to start cracking jokes in my head: specifically, “Jane Bond. CIA librarian.” She came alive for me in ways few characters have done since I cooked up Taylor Jackson. I saw her immediately, cracking wise and saving the world.
I sent the story to my husband and assistant.
“Hey. I have an idea. A young librarian named Jane Bond applies for a job at the CIA as a reference librarian and gets more than she bargained for. Has anyone already done this?????”
The answer, it turned out, was no. I ran the idea up the flagpole. “What if I wrote a new series with this character, something lighter, not as dark, funny, fun.” My agent pointed out we probably couldn’t use the Bond branding, but the idea sounded interesting.
Problem was, I already had so many commitments that there was no way I could manage to add another. So the idea sat.
But I was edgy about it. We authors are a zeitgeisty bunch. I knew if I didn’t write the story, someone else would. My fabulous assistant at the time, Amy Kerr, did yeoman’s work helping me figure out the storyline, the character, pulling together a proposal and outline. My agent wasn’t in love. I was, of course, devastated. I knew in my soul there was something about Jayne (note the spelling change, she was already morphing). I wanted to explore her character so badly.
Pre-pandemic, we used to have author get-togethers for brunch and writing days. I was hosting the day Alisha Klapheke came by. While most of us goofed off in the kitchen eating and gossiping, she greeted everyone, then set up shop in the corner of the couch, put on her headphones, and banged out 2,000 words before joining us for the fun.
That caught my attention.
And I started to think maybe, just maybe, I needed a co-writer. And maybe, just maybe, I was setting Jayne in the wrong world. And maybe, just maybe, Jayne needed to have magic.
I have long wanted to write in the fantasy genre. Urban fantasy, epic fantasy, whatever—something that I could build the world, the rules, the moral structure, the magic system. But like writing in any genre, you need to know the rules, the tropes, the authors. Alisha had all of that knowledge and more—a brilliant voice and sharp shooter writing skills.
I approached, she agreed, and a partnership was formed. It was now 2018, two years since that first spark of an idea lit up my imagination.
You see where this is heading. Work, work, work, both of us meshing Jayne into the fabric of our solo careers. Outlines and proposals, synopses and drafts. Meetings over lunch, and eventually, Zoom. Incredible changes in both of our lives and careers. But during it all, writing, creating, breathing life into the idea of Jayne until she was fully realized and truly leapt off the page. We decided on the pen name Joss Walker, and we’ve been off to the races ever since.
Jayne Thorne, CIA Librarian, was reborn in a magical world, where the CIA has a magical branch called the Torrent Control Organizations (TCO) that’s main division is called The Library. Magic has been throttled, stuck in the Torrent for a very long time, and a terror organization is using dark magic, necromancy, to try and raise formerly strong magicians to access their powers and control the world. When Jayne, a librarian at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, accidentally accesses a grimoire in the Vandy vault, the resounding thunderclap to the magical world draws the attention of both friend and foe. The CIA gets to her first, and her journey begins. The book is a little bit thriller, a whole lot of fantasy, and all kinds of magic, with tons of books, cool libraries, international settings, and a hot Irishman thrown in for fun.
This is an uplifting work. Even with the seriousness of the subject matter, Jayne’s wit and irreverence lighten the story. We wanted to write something fun, not dark, and I think we’ve succeeded.
Without Alisha, Jayne would have never come to life for me. I am in her debt, and so incredibly grateful to be her co-writer!
And you, my friends, finally get to sample the fabulous world we’ve created. I can’t wait for you to get the book and meet Jayne and her team for yourselves.
Some housekeeping: for the time being, the digital version will only be available through Amazon, but the print, both trade paperback and hardcover, are available everywhere. We just got the exciting news that Target is including the paperback and hardcover in their current Buy Two Get One Free deal on select books, movies, and games through June 19. The audiobook is coming soon. So do me a favor. Call your favorite indie, send a note to your library. Jayne Thorne, CIA Librarian, is here!
Jayne Thorne, CIA Librarian #1 - TOMB OF THE QUEEN
A LIBRARIAN. A SPELL BOOK.
AND A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION SET ON ENSLAVING THE WORLD.
Librarian Jayne Thorne enjoys her quiet life of tea and books. That is, until she finds a spell book in the Vanderbilt archives that accidentally gives her access to a magical dimension.
Now she's hunted by a magic-wielding terrorist group called the Kingdom, and the only way for her to survive is to team up with a secret branch of the CIA. Her first mission: Go undercover at Trinity College Library in Dublin to discover the identity of a Kingdom member and determine if the Book of Leinster is actually a magical necromantic grimoire.
With the help of a handsome Irish kickboxer, Jayne uncovers the truth of her unexpected spell book: The Irish manuscript is one of five grimoires that can raise five dead, master magicians, and secure their totems of power. With these totems comes the power to control the world.
But the spell book isn't the only thing with secrets in Jayne's new life. Danger lurks in every corner and Jayne must rise to meet her fated role... or perish alongside the rest of the world.
Perfect for fans of A Discovery of Witches who love Indiana Jones and Gilmore Girls, this paranormal adventure thriller is the fantasy you’ve been waiting for.
