Behind the scenes: The origin of “The Prince of Hellscape Series”

The concept for “The Prince of Hellscape Series” formed after I watched the movie Meet Joe Black. The movie’s premise of Death living on Earth fascinated me. Although I envisioned something grittier, and darker, than these romantic urban fantasy movies.

Back then, shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Charmed were huge. So, I had a variety of supernatural beings to choose from, from angels and demons. I sketched out some rough ideas, but like many of my teenage projects, I eventually shelved them. I occasionally revisited my notes during my studies, especially after rewatching Joe Black, Buffy, or Charmed. But it didn’t go anywhere—until 2014.

A fresh take on a familiar archetype

I had written fanfiction in a different genre. Positive feedback motivated me to write web fiction. At the time, I wasn’t interested in pursuing traditional or self-publishing. After binge-watching Buffy and Supernatural, my creativity surged. I dug out my old notes for my supernatural thriller. As I brainstormed characters, my mind kept returning to one entity: the devil. He’s a symbol of power and corruption, but also potential redemption. Regardless of religious differences, everyone recognizes the persona. In short: the perfect main character.

From the start, I wanted him to have a strong female companion on Earth. I steered clear of the common storyline of a mortal woman falling in love with a supernatural being. Romance wasn’t my focus. Although I had intended to incorporate some intimate themes, the series was never meant to be a romantic urban fantasy.

Twists of fate in writing

Soon, the idea took shape: the devil leading a criminal empire while also solving crimes or fighting for justice in a major U.S. city. Instead of setting it in New York, where Meet Joe Black took place, I set it in Los Angeles, the City of Angels. Then I started thinking about how Lucifer would fit into the story. Where would he live? What would he do? Someone like him couldn't teach or bake (no offense to those jobs). He would aim to own a business. The idea of the devil running a nightclub as a front for his criminal empire felt like a perfect fit.

The pieces of the story clicked in my mind. But everything fell apart when I found out about an upcoming TV show. In Lucifer, the devil leaves Hell to run a nightclub in LA. The trailers were great, but the similarity in premise killed my inspiration. I shelved the project indefinitely and went back to writing fanfiction.

Resurrecting the devil’s tale

While wrapping up “The Empath Series”, I started thinking about my next project. It came down to either a supernatural thriller or a sci-fi fantasy action-adventure series. I leaned toward the latter. But bad luck struck again when I heard about Red One, a movie starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The concept was similar to what I had planned for my intended book series. I had already outlined the series and written a draft of a short story to kick it off. But I put the project on hold. Now, I’m unsure if I’ll ever pursue it. I'll decide after watching the movie.

After shelving my previous projects, I revisited my notes for the supernatural series. Although I couldn’t use the original characters or setting, the premise still intrigued me. Upon reflection, I saw the idea’s potential.

I considered creating an original city, like Metropolis or Gotham City. The latter's dark, gritty vibe would have matched my tone. My goal was to ground the story in as much reality as possible. Miami and Las Vegas fit a tale of darkness and temptation. In the end, Sin City, with its glitz, glamor, desires, and underlying darkness, won out.

Forging the prince and his ally

Now, I turned my attention to the main characters. For the male, I considered using an incarnation of Death, but it no longer fit my vision. I wanted a character associated with Lucifer, the Prince of Darkness, the Father of Lies, the Deceiver. Ultimately, I kept it “in the family” and focused on the devil’s son. That’s how Luminael Morningstar, the Prince of Hellscape, was born. 

Next, I created Luminael’s strong and independent female companion. Despite being beholden to him, she should have her own rank in the infernal hierarchy. Someone similar, but distinct from Mazikeen of the Lucifer TV show. Given her connection to the devil in the Catholic Bible, Eve seemed like an obvious choice. But I passed on her.

The crossroads demon mythology has always fascinated me in fiction. When searching topics connected with the devil, or the occult, Aleister Crowley always comes up. Eventually, I merged them to match my story (and totally disregarded that the TV show, Supernatural, did something similar). Since the character would be a daemona, I shortened it to Crowley.

Bringing the vision to life

With the characters and setting in place, I outlined the entire supernatural suspense thriller series. I have key plot points mapped out for six installments, especially the destinies of Luminael and Crowley. Undoubtedly, I’ll make changes along the way. It would match the entire development process of the series. 

Despite all the setbacks and revisions, the heart of the story remained unchanged: it’s always been about a supernatural being moving to Earth.

In “The Prince of Hellscape series”, supernatural intrigue, organized crime, and otherworldly forces collide. The series follows Luminael Morningstar and Crowley, as they carve out a new life among mortals in Sin City.

Book One, Eclipse of Avarice, will be released on November 4th.