Once in a while I come across ideas that simply make me say, "Wow, I never would've come up with that one in a zillion years." Girlfriends Cybercircuit member Jackie Kessler has imagined a fascinating universe "peopled" by demons and a 4000-year-old smart-ass succubus named Jezebel. Fun and sexy, her second novel, The Road to Hell, has the critics singing Kessler's praises, as did her debut, Hell's Belles.
Praise for THE ROAD TO HELL:
"Kessler's sizzling sequel to paranormal debut Hell's Belles puts ex-succubus Jezebel--the now-mortal Jesse Harris, a dancer at a strip club--stage center again. For a month after waking up in a hospital, the former 4,000-year-old, fifth-level succubus who used to seduce humans to claim their souls has been living a happy mortal life in New York with a devoted boyfriend, New York vice cop Paul Hamilton. So when Alecto, a Fury from hell, arrives and demands she return to hell to help Alecto's sister, Megaera (Jesse's former best friend who betrayed her), Jesse balks. Much of the rest of the book is spent convincing her to change her mind, with each sexy escapade topping the last, until (among other things) the demons go after Paul, and Jesse has to "pull an Orpheus." Kessler's raunchy blend of heaven, hell and eros makes for a wild thrill ride, and hot, tough-talking Jesse has gumption and sass." — Publishers Weekly
"Kessler's sassy heroine is back with the scorching-hot book two of the Hell on Earth series. A sharp-tongued succubus writes in first person, telling a deliciously wicked story that mixes romance and humor with dark urban fantasy. The combination of supernatural elements with the mundane realities of life in the big city keeps things real. This is one helluva read--put Kessler on your must-buy list." — Romantic Times (4.5 stars)
"The Road to Hell hints at a vast talent that could alter the romance genre the way Kessler's heroine has altered the landscape of the underworld." — Rose & Thorn
“In The Road to Hell, the second book in the Hell on Earth series, author Jackie Kessler reintroduces us to the cutest, sexiest and most downright foul-mouthed perky ex-demon you're ever likely to run across. Once again, Kessler demolishes my preconceptions about romance novels, eschewing the bursting bustier and the bare-chested hero for a sly nod, a knowing wink and a bawdy smile, and giving the best romance authors a serious run for their places on the best-seller lists.” — Novelspot
Kessler didn't originally dream of writing novels but instead aspired to draw comic books. Not Archies, either—superhero comic books. Maybe it was all the heavily muscled guys in spandex…
Around the time she was 15, she realized that as much as she enjoyed drawing (note that I’m saying nothing about the quality of those pics), it was a lot of fun putting words in the characters’ mouths. She didn’t know the term “fanfic” back then, but she started writing stories about the X-Men, Alpha Flight, and the Teen Titans. "Didn’t do anything with those stories," Jackie claims, "other than horrify my mother. She asked why I couldn’t write nice stories, you know, about bunnies. Nope—me, I wanted to write about power. About magic. About hot guys in spandex. And about beating those guys bloody and senseless... So maybe it’s ironic that the book I wound up writing had nothing to do with overly muscled men and everything to do with scantily clad women. (Well, temporarily scantily clad.) Oh, right, and demons."
Kessler lives in Upstate New York with her loving husband, two Precious Little Tax Deductions, two cats, and 8,000 comic books. For more info, please visit her website: And remember: love your inner demon.
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