If you’re thinking about taking up the dark-hunter challenge any time soon (after first having died the prerequisite tortured death and even grislier betrayal demanding vengeance), the must-have guided tour is The Dark-Hunter Companion (DHC) by Sherrilyn Kenyon with Alethea Kontis.  Alethea makes her influence known in the Introduction:  “There are very few people to whom Acheron Parthenopaeus owes a favor.  I am one of them.”

And Sherrilyn Kenyon must like her a lot, too, since she shared all those nifty dark-hunter, kick-ass secrets with Alethea and wrote DHC with her

So what did Alethea Kontis do to win the right to mingle with immortals and a New York Times bestselling author?

First, she was raised to know how to spit.  Spitting is an essential skill for a young Greek-American growing up with distinct respect for the superstitions of her heritage.  Having problems with the undead?  Spit at them.  Want to break curses?  Spit!

Second, she’s a book buyer who has sold her own books and stories.  Confused?  Not when you recognize Alethea’s diverse talents.  She’s sold everything from fantasy to a children’s picture book to “tell-all” essays about the speculative fiction writers’ community.  Check out her collected essays at Beauty and Dynamite (Apex Publications 2008) for lots of spunk and bite.

And Murphy is her guardian angel?  Good thing she knows all those dark-hunter secrets.

“It’s a surreal life I live,” said Alethea after her Saturday afternoon panel shared with Kenyon.  “All these fantastic things have happened to me, and I haven’t even sold my first novel yet.  I can’t wait to read the next chapter of my own life!”

Join Alethea from time to time at Sherrilyn Kenyon’s booths 1001 and 1002 in the Imperial Ballroom (M) and for her reading Sun 5:30PM (READ) University and Mon 2:30PM (DFR) Montreal/Vancouver.