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My debut novel, Drawn into Darkness, is a paranormal romance. Dark, yes, but ultimately a romance. A strong bond develops between Rachel, the single mother with a troubled teen and Lachlan, the Soul Gatherer disguised as a priest-a bond neither one of them can deny, even though both have reasons to walk away.

Lachlan is well aware that there's no hope for a future with Rachel. But his attraction to her is immediate and visceral-and he can't help but offer his aid in protecting her daughter.

Rachel is struggling with many of the same challenges any one of us faces-making ends meet, keeping her job, raising her daughter. She has no idea that Lachlan is a Soul Gatherer. What she sees is a quietly confident, if somewhat enigmatic, man of the cloth. It's perfectly natural for her to seek him out when her daughter begins exhibiting strange behavior. But her failed marriage has left her leery, and Lachlan's disguise doesn't exactly set them up for success.

It says a lot for the compelling nature of a Scottish warrior that he's able to allay her fears and calm her doubts.

Excerpt:

His tongue drew a delicate pattern on her wrist. Combined with the heat of his hand seeping into her skin and the heady effect of his musky scent, she tingled-all over.

"Is it difficult?" he murmured.

"What?"

"Being the sole provider for your family, always having to be responsible, never being able to take more than a moment for yourself, even when you need it?"

Her breath caught.

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On Monday I mentioned that Soul Gatherers are serving in purgatory, gathering souls and fending off demons to earn their way into heaven. What I didn't mention is that a term with Death is 500 years long.

 Doesn't sound very fair, does it? Only 100 years or so to screw things up, but a whopping 500 years to make up for your sins? Nope, it's not fair. Welcome to the world of the Soul Gatherers. There are some advantages, though. You don't age. You can't die, except at the hand of another immortal. You get improved physical prowess, and you get to use magic.

 Still, 500 years is a long time. Ask the hero of Drawn into Darkness, Lachlan MacGregor-he's been at this for over four hundred years already. He died back in 1603.

The book is set in modern day San Jose, California, so how did a Scottish warrior with a sword end up as the hero? Well, he's very good at what he does-battling demons-having spent a good part of his early life brandishing a sword. So, Death picks him for a special assignment and that assignment requires him to be in California. What's the assignment? Watching over a teenage girl. Why does Death want him to do that? You'll have to read the book to find out.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I'll admit I have an enduring fondness for Scottish warriors. Drawn into Darkness won the RWA's 2008 Golden Heart award for Best Paranormal Romance, but it was my second time finaling in that prestigious contest. My first final was in 2005 with a historical manuscript called Guardian of My Heart, where the hero was-you guessed it-a Scottish warrior.

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Tomorrow marks the release of my debut paranormal romance, Drawn into Darkness. It's the first book in a series about immortal Soul Gatherers who battle demons for the souls of the dead.

 What's a Soul Gatherer, and why is he locked in such an eternal struggle? Well, on some level, he's a re-imagining of the grim reaper concept-serving as a warrior for Death, collecting the souls of those who've passed on. But on another level, he's something of a savior. He not only gathers souls-he ensures those souls reach their rightful destination, be it heaven or hell, no matter what it takes.

 That where the demon battles come in. Good souls go to heaven and only bad souls go in the other direction, right? In the world of Drawn into Darkness, that's mostly true. Problem is, demons don't play fair. They aren't content to take only the souls allotted to them-they want more. Their answer? Ambush a Soul Gatherer or two and steal some of the souls destined to go upstairs.

Clearly, Soul Gatherers can't be skeletal. They also walk among the living in order to do their jobs, so wearing a dark, hooded cape and carrying a scythe isn't very practical. To be effective, a Soul Gatherer must be a true warrior-capable, strong, and mostly honorable.

Only mostly honorable? Yes. Each Soul Gatherer is a person serving in purgatory, trying to redeem himself for past mistakes and earn his way into heaven. Here's a discussion between my heroine, Rachel, and a secondary character that explains what I mean:

Excerpt:

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Annette McCleave is our guest blogger during the week of August 31st. If you have any questions for Annette McCleave, add a comment to any of her posts. Here is some more information about Drawn Into Darkness:A Soul Gatherer Novel:

Serving a five-hundred-year sentence as a Soul Gatherer—one who battles demons for the souls of the dead—Lachlan MacGregor keeps his distance from humans. That is, until the lovely Rachel Lewis knocks on his door, begging for help. 

As they struggle to rescue her daughter from the clutches of a powerful demon, Lachlan finds himself increasingly drawn to the artistic single mother. But when Death assigns him an unbearable task, he’s left wondering who will provide more for his soul.