I actually fought with myself over the idea of ‘going to hell’ if I wrote this book. Let’s just say it was a real bear but I think it came out well and I’m very glad it’s over. 

Lisa Beth Darling – 18 August 2021

The Back Flap

Lucifer is unceremoniously yanked out of Hell by his Father so he can return to his old job in the Garden of Eden. When he arrives, broken, battered, and bleeding, he falls into the arms of Eve who is unsure about seeing her old lover again as are the people now living in a dying paradise.

Tasked with returning the Sacred Trees of Life and Knowledge to flourishing bounty once more, Lucifer struggles to learn his new place in his old home. Yet, he hasn’t been placed there solely to tend the Garden. His son, Cain, is on the way with murder and destruction on his mind.

Having lived, cursed by God, for eons, Cain Enoch has made quite a name for himself and amassed a fortune that would make even his Grandfather envious and with it he’ll stop at nothing to find Eden and destroy. Why? So he can finally die even though it means taking the Earth, Heaven, and Hell with him.

About the book

What is the book about?

In The First Sin (South of Eden), Lucifer is yanked out of Hell and forced to take back his old job of tending The Garden of Eden because Paradise is dying.  Eve, cursed by God to forever walk the earth alone and impoverished, has also returned to Eden at God’s request. She isn’t alone there’s a whole host of Olympians living and working in Eden to help keep it from suffering a miserable end that would take Heaven, Hell, and Earth with it.  This is an ending that Cain Enoch, son of Lucifer and Eve, would very much like to bring about just so he can finally die.

When did you start writing the book?

More than three years ago.

How long did it take you to write it?

Three years.

 Where did you get the idea from?

The Muse, the Cosmos, the Universe, that’s where all of the ideas originate and then, if I’m lucky, I get tapped to write the story they’ve come up with.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

I grew up Catholic and Baptist so there were many things I struggled with writing and which lead to years-long writers block. The story shows Lucifer in a much kinder light than The Bible ever dreamed of and God in a much darker one. I actually fought with myself over the idea of ‘going to hell’ if I wrote this book. Let’s just say it was a real bear but I think it came out well and I’m very glad it’s over.

What came easily?

Nothing. No one single thing.  Usually when I write, Cast & Crew and I are just flying around The Zone happy as clams but not this time. This story had more stops and starts and different incarnations than anything I’ve ever written.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

Actually, they’re Legendary. My Cast & Crew in The First Sin (South of Eden) consists of Lucifer, Eve, Ares, Demeter, Persephone, Gabriel, Gaia, God a/k/a Chuck (yes, slight nod there, I know J )and Cain.  There are only one or two all-original characters in this book. The main characters have been extrapolated from Myth and Legend and the portrayal of them by different actors/actresses then mashed together to form my versions of them.

Do you have a target reader for this book?

Due to its content it is geared for people 18 and over who are opened minded, who have a wicked sense of humor, and who like an off-the-beaten-path read.

How was writing this book different from what you’d experienced writing previous books?

Once it reached its last incarnation, the one that’s available for your reading pleasure, it is the first novel that I have ever written…completely sober.  Up until two years ago I was the stereotypical writer who always had a bottle of wine and then Southern Comfort and then 10 packs of Whipped Cream Vodka nips, close at hand. Yes, I’m not afraid to admit I became quite the drunkard. Those days are gone and I don’t miss them. Since I always drank when I wrote, it took almost a year for me to just sit down at my computer again in my old office. After all, that’s the biggest place I drank. I battled many demons while writing The First Sin but I think I came out on top.

What new things did you learn about writing, publishing, and/or yourself while writing and preparing this book for publication?

As Fate would have it, I was lucky enough to get a job as a church secretary late in 2020. Keep in mind I walked away from the church 40 year ago and have been happily skipping down my own pagan path for the last 30. Working in a church was an odd concept but I learned that I didn’t have to be afraid of ‘burning in hell’ for writing this book. I learned these are just people muddling through on their own shared path. Their God is no better or worse than mine. Mostly, as I got into the groove of the new job and realized the utter deliciousness of my situation and what a wonderful sense of humor the Fates must have! I also realized that there really was no reason not to charge ahead full-bore with everything the Muse wanted to do in The First Sin. In fact, if there would be any ‘sin’ at all, it would have been in not being true to my craft and, most of all, to the story that chose me to write it.

End of Interview:

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Get your copy of The First Sin from Amazon US or Amazon UK.