Happy to hear the Twilight franchise is almost over? Get ready for a new cheesy trilogy. Ralph Winter (X-Men) and Terry Botwick are turning to The Dark Divine, acquiring rights through their 1019 Entertainment banner to Bree Despain’s three-book young adult series. First tome, titled “The Dark Divine” and published last December by Egmont USA, centers on a 16-year-old pastor’s daughter who falls in love with a boy who reveals he’s a werewolf. Second title, “The Lost Saint,” is scheduled to be released on Dec. 28; the third, untitled book is skedded for publication in late 2011. The deal comes seven months after Winter and Botwick snagged feature rights to Dean Koontz’s “Frankenstein,” his bestselling tale of a socially prominent and successful businessman and his superhuman original creation in modern-day New Orleans. “The project has strong romantic appeal to the young ‘Twilight’ audience,” Winter and Botwick said. “Bree Despain is a talented voice with a loyal following.”
“I stood back and watched his movements. Daniel had that way about him that could shut me down in an instant. . . . I kicked the gravel a couple of times and worked up my courage again. “Tell me . . . I mean . . . why did you come back? Why now, after all this time?””
Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared–the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in blood. But she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night really held. And when Daniel returns three years later, Grace can no longer deny her attraction to him, despite promising Jude she’ll stay away.
As Grace gets closer to Daniel, her actions stir the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind Jude and Daniel’s dark secret . . . and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it–her soul.
