Rachel Vincent

Rachel Vincent
Born June 1978[1]
Occupation novelist
Nationality United States
Period 2005 to present
Genre Fantasy, Young adult
Website
www.rachelvincent.com

Rachel Vincent is an American author best known for her Shifters series, a present-day urban fantasy series about a female werecat.

Biography

An Oklahoma native and recent transplant into the deep south, Rachel Vincent has a BA in English (University of Central Oklahoma, '00).[1]

Vincent is a member of Romance Writers of America. Together with Devon Monk, Jackie Kessler, Jenna Black, Karen Mahoney, Keri Arthur, Lilith Saintcrow, Rinda Elliott, and Toni Andrews, she also belongs to the writing group the "Deadline Dames".[2]

Bibliography

Faythe Sanders/ The Shifters Series

Faythe Sanders is a female werecat, struggling to establish her place in the Pride led by her father.[3]

  1. Stray (June 2007, ISBN 978-0-7783-2421-8)
  2. Rogue (April 2008, ISBN 978-0-7783-2555-0)
  3. Pride (February 2009, ISBN 978-0-7783-2649-6)
  4. Prey (July 2009, ISBN 978-0-7783-2681-6)
  5. Shift (March 2010, ISBN 978-0-7783-2760-8)
  6. Alpha (October 2010, ISBN 978-0-7783-2818-6)

The first six books are available as audiobooks.

Although this series is set in a fantasy world it explores many adult-realistic themes such as rape, sexism and self-development. The main character Faythe Sanders is a strong independent woman who struggles to find a balance between being loyal to herself and her own believes, while working towards building a safer-better future for her pride. She is a unique character that is not afraid to risk her image and life for what she believes in, although not always achieving a favorable outcome. It is a unique story in which although she is a werecat with a strong personality and convictions, she is still physically weaker than her male-werecats, and not always making 'smart' choices. This makes for a some-what realistic story line as her character is more realistic in the fact that she does often make mistakes and has to deal with being physically weaker than her other pride members. This does not stop her from overcoming diversity and demonstrating that there is a lot more she (and women) can offer than reproduction of the race, but she can lead her pride into a brighter future. That strength is more than being physically strong.

Stray

Stray is the first book of the Shifter Series, in which Faythe Sanders, the main character, is introduced. She is a werecat desperately trying to escape her world and live free as any normal 'human' girl her age would. Her responsibilities as a werecat include marriage and childbearing, none of which she is ready for. While away at Graduate school, Faythe is visited by her ex-fiance, Marc Ramos, who is there to inform her that there have been two tabby kidnappings. Tabbies, or female werecats are rare and therefore valuable to the werecat community. One small mistake causes Faythe to get kidnapped herself.

Rogue

Rogue is the second book of the Shifter Series. Faythe finds herself an enforcer, or protector of her Pride. She has gotten back together with her ex-fiance, Marc Ramos, but is still not willing to marry him, convinced that her life would be over if she did. Faythe discovers that her human ex-boyfriend, Andrew, has become a werecat himself, a Stray (a werecat not born into a Pride, a person who was scratched or bitten by a werecat, and turned into a werecat). Faythe discovers that she accidentally turned Andrew into a werecat and he wants to kill her for it.

Pride

In Pride, Faythe Sanders is fully aware that her father intends on making her Alpha of the Pride when he retires. Unfortunately, she finds herself on trial by the Territorial Council for infecting Andrew, her human ex-boyfriend. While on trial, an amazing discovery is made, a young tabby is found. She is malnourished and has been wandering in the woods for months. Kaci, the young tabby, gradually comes to trust Faythe and confesses where she came from and what happened to her.

Prey

In Prey, Faythe realizes that she may have feelings for Jace, while she loves Marc. Marc gets kidnapped and Faythe does everything she can to find him. She discovers that Calvin Malone is acting dishonorably against her Pride and trying to take over the Territorial Council, once run by her father, Greg Sanders. Faythe realizes that in order to restore power in the right places she needs to show the Territorial Council what kind of man Calvin Malone is.

Shift

Faythe and the rest of her Pride are seeking revenge for the murder of her brother Ethan. Ethan's girlfriend Angela informed Faythe that she is pregnant with Ethan's baby, but Faythe is still in mourning and has no time to address the issue. Jace pursues Faythe, despite her plea for more time to decide what to do. She knows she loves Marc, but realizes that she has feelings for Jace as well. Calvin Malone sends Thunderbirds to start killing Faythe's Pride members, so Faythe must act fast to help her keep her Pride safe. Marc finds out about Faythe's infidelity with Jace and tells her that she must choose.

Alpha

Everything is about to change for werecat Faythe when her father is ousted from the council that controls their secret world. And a shocking tragedy jeopardizes her future as Alpha of the pride. Now a rebel on the run, Faythe's biggest fight lies ahead. Old allies from the supernatural world are ready to stand by her side. And Weretoms Marc and Jace would give their very soul in the duel for Faythe's heart...

Yet as their enemies draw near Faythe knows that she and she alone - can lead the pride into what may be their final battle.


Soul Screamer Series

Kaylee Cavanaugh wants to be a normal schoolgirl but she possesses a strange power. She doesn't see dead people, but she can sense when somebody nearby is about to die: when that happens she is compelled to "scream bloody murder".[4]

Works (listed in order by internal chronology)

  1. "My Soul to Lose" (July 1, 2009, ISBN 978-1-4268-3867-5)
  2. My Soul to Take (August 2009, ISBN 978-0-373-21003-9)
  3. My Soul to Save (January 2010, ISBN 978-0-373-21004-6)
  4. My Soul To Keep (June 2010, ISBN 978-0-373-21005-3)
  5. My Soul To Steal (January 1, 2011, ISBN 978-0-373-21027-5)
  6. "Reaper" ( Novella About Tod Released December 2010, ASIN B004AYD50E)
  7. If I Die (September 20, 2011, ISBN 978-0-373-21032-9)
  8. "Never to Sleep" (Online Only Novella About Sophie Released January 1, 2012, ISBN 978-1-426-83414-1)
  9. Before I Wake (June 26, 2012, ISBN 978-0-373-21061-9)
  10. With All My Soul (March 26, 2013, ISBN 978-0-373-21066-4)

Reaper

In this ebook prequel, Tod Hudson tells his side of things and his choices after death. Life... Death... or something Between....

My Soul to Lose

A prequel novella to the Soul Screamer series, released as a free PDF ebook download.[5]

My Soul to Take

In the first full length novel, Kaylee begins the story not knowing anything about her bean sidhe nature, and when young, healthy girls begin dropping dead for no apparent reason, Kaylee is forced to sing their soul song. She meets Nash Hudson, also a bean sidhe, and together along with Tod, Nash's older brother who is also a reaper and a bean sidhe, they try to piece together the mystery of the unnerving deaths. Along the way, Kaylee learns that she is not human, and that her mother, who died when she was only a toddler, had died in Kaylee's place. She is now essentially living on borrowed time - her mother's time.

My Soul to Save

In the second story in the series, Nash's grim reaper brother Tod enlists Kaylee's and Nash's help protecting his pop princess ex-girlfriend Addison. The teenage singer had sold her soul for fame and fortune, but she didn't read the fine print in her contract. If Kaylee and Nash fail to save her, she will spend an eternity being tortured in the Netherworld.

My Soul to Keep

In the third story in the series, demon's breath is let loose on Earth and humans are becoming addicted. In trying to solve this problem, Kaylee faces a betrayal... is this how life for a bean sidhe supposed to be?

My Soul to Steal

In book four, trying to work things out with Nash—her maybe boyfriend—is hard enough for Kaylee Cavanaugh. She can’t just pretend nothing happened. But “complicated” doesn’t even begin to describe their relationship when his ex-girlfriend transfers to their school. She's Sabine and a mara, the living personification of a nightmare. And she's deathly determined to take Nash back.

If I Die

In the fifth book, Kaylee's borrowed lifeline is ticking away quickly, but she has a new problem. The hot new teacher is really an incubus, who feeds from the desire of unsuspecting students.

Before I Wake

The sixth book, expected publication: 2012 Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent “recovering,” she’s back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend.

But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won’t keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn’t just gambling with her own life….

With All My Soul

What does it mean when your school is voted the most dangerous in America? It's time to kick some hellion butt...After not really surviving her junior year (does "undead" count as survival?), Kaylee Cavanaugh has vowed to take back her school from the hellions causing all the trouble. She's going to find a way to turn the incarnations of Avarice, Envy and Vanity against one another in order to protect her friends and finish this war, once and forever.But then she meets Wrath and understands that she's closer to the edge than she's ever been. And when one more person close to her is taken, Kaylee realizes she can't save everyone she loves without risking everything she has...


Unbound Series

  1. Blood Bound (September 2011, ISBN 978-0778312550)
  2. Shadow Bound (May 2012, ISBN 978-0778313434 )
  3. Oath Bound (April 2013, ISBN 978-0778314301)

Blood Bound

Olivia Warren is a paranormal tracker who tracks best with the scent of blood but can also track by name. When her friend she hasn't seen for six years Annika/Anne's daughter (Hadley) goes missing, Liv has no choice but to find the girl. Because a second oath made in her childhood that made the first one invalid was burned while the first oath is still intact means Liv can't rest until the child is anywhere safe and the Murderer of her Father dead. She must break one of her first rules- TRUST NO ONE- because Anne insists she work with and trust her former lover Cameron Caballero in order to accomplish the task. On the way she finds out Anne isn't Hadley's real mother and to keep Hadley safe she must trust in another old friend who works for/is bound to the people they're trying to keep Hadley away from. While all this chaos is going on Liv is trying to get away from her past, while Cam is trying to find out her past and help her.

Shadow Bound

If you live in the dark long enough, you begin to forget the light…

KORI DANIELS is a shadow-walker, able to travel instantly from one shadow to another. After weeks of confinement for betraying her boss, she’s ready to break free of the Tower syndicate for good. But Jake Tower has one final job for Kori, one chance to secure freedom for herself and her sister, Kenley, even if that means taking it from someone else…

The job? Recruit Ian Holt—or kill him.

Ian’s ability to manipulate the dark has drawn interest from every syndicate in the world, most notably an invitation from Jake Tower. Though he has no interest in organized crime, Ian accepts the invite, because he’s on a mission of his own.

Ian has come to kill Tower’s top Binder: Kori’s little sister. Amid the tangle of lies, an unexpected thread of truth connecting Ian and Kori comes to light. But with opposing goals, they’ll have to choose between love and liberty….[6]

Oath Bound

The Tower Syndicate will fall...

The secret daughter of the head of an infamous Skilled crime family, Sera Brandt has hidden her past, her potential, and especially her powers. But when a tragedy strikes her other family, Sera needs justice. And the only way to get it is to reveal her heritage – including a rare Skill – and take the reins of the Tower Syndicate from her cunning and malicious aunt.

If he can figure out how... Kristopher Daniels might have the answer. He's fought the syndicate to protect his sisters, but he'd never realized just how close to the new heir he needed to get....

And if they can survive... Neither is used to trusting. But there's something between them that can't be ignored. And so Sera is on the run with a man she can't figure out, a target on her back and the new knowledge of just how powerful she really is….[7]


Anthologies

The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance

Rachel Vincent's "The Mid-Day Mangler Meets His Match," is set in an alternate reality where everyone is a vampire, is the story of a teenager who finds use for her vestigial fangs when she must fight to save her little sister from a serial killer.

Immortal: Love Stories With Bite

Rachel Vincent's contribution, "Binge" is a story based in the Soul Screamer universe. It is about a leanan sidhe who is able to inspire the musician she loves to new creative heights. There is a twist, she must fight the urge to drain him and his talent.

Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love

Rachel Vincent's story takes place in the Soul Screamers universe, two years before the start of the series. "Fearless" features a tough, emotionally damaged Nightmare named Sabine, who's just been sentenced to a state-run halfway house for girls. Now fighting a psychic drought and an enemy in her midst, her only comfort is the love of her life - Soul Screamers leading man Nash Hudson.

Chicks Kick Butt

Rachel Vincent’s contribution, “Hunt,” is a Shifters world short story featuring Abby, Faythe’s cousin from Stray.

Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions

Rachel Vincent’s contribution, “Niederwald,” is a Soul Screamers short story featuring Sabine the mara and Emma, Kaylee’s human best friend, on a road trip gone wrong.

References

  1. 1 2 http://www.myspace.com/rachelkvincent
  2. "Deadline Dames". deadlinedames.com.
  3. "Rachel Vincent's Shifters". Official site.
  4. "Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers". Official site.
  5. "My Soul to Lose Download Page". Official site.
  6. "Rachel Vincent's Shadow Bound". Official site.
  7. "Rachel Vincent's Oath Bound". Official site.
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