“The Better Part of Darkness, a debut urban fantasy novel by Holly Springs author, Kelly Gay, has been chosen by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance, as one of their fall 2009 Okra Picks. Published by Pocket Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, “The Better Part of Darknes” will release nationwide on November 24. The novel was purchased in a two-book deal last year. “A long-time dream come true,” says the author, a 2006 recipient of an NC Arts Council fellowship grant in screenwriting. According to Kelly, “Getting the grant was a huge boost to my confidence as a writer and it kept me moving forward to my goal of becoming a published author.”

Publishers Weekly says of the “The Better Part of Darkness”, “Intricate world-building and richly complex characters mix with a fast-paced plot to create a standout start to a new series.” New York Times Bestselling author, Vicki Pettersson calls it “...so gritty, vivid, and original that it flaunts one of the greatest qualities of good fantasy: utter believability... This is the urban fantasy novel I didn’t know I was looking for.”

And RT Magazine gives “The Better Part of Darkness” four stars, saying, “Talented Gay enters the urban fantasy world with a strong debut novel . . .Gay’s world vision is dark and gritty, with plenty of mystery and treachery thrown in. This is an excellent start to an electrifying new series!” Welcome to Post Revelation Atlanta, the cross roads between heaven and hell. It’s the promised city for the off-worlders, beings from myth and legend. Some bring good works and miracles. And some bring unimaginable evil.... Charlie Madigan is a divorced mother of one, and a tough cop trained to take down the toughest human and off-world criminals. She’s recently returned from the dead after a brutal attack, an unexplained revival that has left her plagued by nightmares and random outbursts of strength that make doing her job for Atlanta P.D.’s Integration Task Force even harder. Since the Revelation, the criminal element in Underground Atlanta has grown, leaving Charlie and her partner Hank to keep the chaos to a dull roar. But now an insidious new danger is descending on her city with terrifying speed, threatening innocent lives: a deadly, off-world narcotic known as ash. Charlie is determined to uncover the source of ash before it targets another victim — but can she protect those she loves from a force more powerful than heaven and hell combined?

About the Author: Kelly Gay is a multiple award winning writer and recipient of a North Carolina Arts Council fellowship grant in writing. She was born in Baltimore, MD, resided in southern PA, and has lived in the Raleigh area for the last seventeen years. She is currently working on the sequel to her debut novel and a new Young Adult series.