Wings & Things with Guest Blogger: Dina Rae

 Welcome back author Dina Rae 

to the Book Boost!

She's here to discuss ancient religions and here's what she had to say...

In my recent novel, Halo of the Damned, I used research about the ancient Yezidi religion (spellings vary).  The Yezidis originated from northern Iraq.  The religion spread throughout the Kurdish community, eventually making its way into Europe.

Yezidis worship angels, especially Malak Tawas (spellings vary).  The peacock symbolizes this angel who many believe to be Satan.  Malak’s story in the Koran matches the same stories in the Bible and Old Testament about a rebellious angel who wages war with a third of all of God’s angels against God and the remainder of angels in Heaven.  Once defeated, God sends all of them to Hell.

Yezidis believe God created Malak first, before all other angels, in His image, therefore he is also God.  They also believe the world was first created as a pearl.  Their holy books are Black Book and Book of Revelation.  Their afterlife ideas are vague, but lean towards reincarnation.  I found the religion fascinating and used it as part of the plot.

A Note from the Book Boost:  Thanks for joining us today, Dina.  I'm doing an angel book right now and really enjoying it.  Your research sounds fascinating!  Please tell us more about your book.

Blurb:

A chain of advertising agencies, a new breed of humans, and a fallen angel to worship…

Andel Talistokov is known for his slick advertising agencies across the globe. He is a fallen angel that uses advertising as a weapon for Satan's work. His growing power emboldens him to break several of Hell’s Commandments. Furious with his arrogance, Satan commands him to return to Hell after finding his own replacement.

Yezidism, an ancient angel worshiping religion, quietly expands throughout the West. Armaros appears as a guest of honor during their ceremonies. He mates with young women to produce nephilim, a mixed race of humans and angels. They are alone and unprepared for their supernatural power.

Joanna Easterhouse, a recovering drug addict, steps out of prison shortly after her mother's fatal accident. She and her sister, Kim, unravel their mother's secretive past. Intrigued, they learn their bloodline is part of a celestial legacy. Both worlds collide. Halo of the Damned is a horrifying tale that weaves research together with suspenseful twists and turns.


Excerpt:

As Andel waited for his servant and slave, Marcus, to come and clean up his sinister mess, he noticed blood all over his Armani suit. He licked the sides of his face, still savoring the taste. The Turkish rug that lay under his daughter’s corpse was also ruined.

Unlike the suit, the rug was irreplaceable. He remembered when an Iman had given it to him hundreds of years ago. It was priceless, and now he had to part with it.

He looked at the decapitated, beautiful head one last time and remembered what a true bitch she turned out to be. 

His intercom buzzed. “Come into my office,” he hissed, as he remotely let Marcus inside.

“You called, Master?” he obediently asked, as he stepped into his office, looking at the floor. He zeroed in on the remnants of the cadaver. Pieces of flesh, bone, and organs were chewed up and stringy. This was not the first time he had cleaned up Andel’s mess.

“May I ask what she did that brought your wrath upon her?”

“I’m downsizing,” Andel smirked.  

Want More Dina?

Visit her on the web here:  www.dinarae.co

Follow her blog here:  www.dinaraeswritestuff.blogspot.com

Pick up a copy of her book today!  Click here.