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Diana Tregarde #3.5
Satanic, Versus
Diana Tregarde and her partner Andre reluctantly attend a romance writers' convention and discover that the most unlikely people can cast spells. And a spell cast by someone who has no idea what she's doing can be extremely dangerous...
14 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1990
19 people are currently reading
477 people want to read
About the author
Mercedes Lackey
441 books9,543 followersMercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts & Music, a small recording company specializing in science fiction folk music.
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 10, 2011
diana tregarde short story. wish she'd write more diana stories. sigh.
March 5, 2011
Di and Andre as the Avengers was cute, but the rest of the story was just fluff. And a not so subtle jab at fluff- bunny witches.
June 21, 2021
Oh, this was soooo funny!
It's a short story, with Diana and her Vampire lover, Andre, being forced to go the the Romance Writers of the World Halloween ball, and how they managed to get a very unwelcome guest to the party, gone in a very unconventional way!
I loved it! 😍
It's a short story, with Diana and her Vampire lover, Andre, being forced to go the the Romance Writers of the World Halloween ball, and how they managed to get a very unwelcome guest to the party, gone in a very unconventional way!
I loved it! 😍
January 7, 2023
Short story
I love this writer's work but I am less fond of her vampire character. Diana Tregarde is a powerful witch that does not need a vampire partner, but I have to admit this story had some funny moments.
I love this writer's work but I am less fond of her vampire character. Diana Tregarde is a powerful witch that does not need a vampire partner, but I have to admit this story had some funny moments.
November 5, 2022
cute and funny
Careful what you wish for abounds in this short story. I found it highly amusing and entertaining. I just wish there was more to it.
Careful what you wish for abounds in this short story. I found it highly amusing and entertaining. I just wish there was more to it.
April 21, 2024
Hilarious
Very funny! Yet another great Diana Tragarde story. I love these so much! I wish she had made more! Fun!
Very funny! Yet another great Diana Tragarde story. I love these so much! I wish she had made more! Fun!
April 29, 2024
A lighter touch
A romance writer's association is having a Halloween Event and Diana and Andre are attending. What could go wrong? This is a lighthearted romp and very fun to read.
A romance writer's association is having a Halloween Event and Diana and Andre are attending. What could go wrong? This is a lighthearted romp and very fun to read.
April 6, 2025
Diana Tregarde finds trouble at a masquerade for romance writers. A fun read!
January 14, 2022
2.5. maaaaybe a 3. maybe.
March 6, 2024
re-read 3/1/2014
May 12, 2016
I remember this as being quite humorous. = )
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews