Sunday, September 15, 2013

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

The Shape of Evil Synopsis

Traveling to Egypt, Shanna Hunt and her friends hope to uncover the secrets surrounding a ritual the shape-shifters partake in to create more of their kind, a ritual that leads to more questions about just where the shape-shifters originated.

While the other hunters investigate temples and pyramids hidden in the desert, Rachel attempts to rescue Natalia from a deep undercover assignment that has gone awry, which may lead Rachel to a fate that she never saw coming.
As the hunters race to stop the resurrection of what could be their greatest adversary yet, they encounter mummies, betrayal and familiar faces.  But their greatest challenge is still ahead of them.  For as Morpheus predicts, “Death will come nevertheless.  And His appetite will be voracious.”

Monday, August 26, 2013

HOTD Casting Call: Serene

Next on my casting list for a Hunters of the Dark film/television series is Serene, one of the mysterious girls that shows up in the second Hunters of the Dark book and goes on to become a big part of the series.

Runners Up to play Serene
 
 
 Tao Okamoto (The Wolverine)

 
Katie Chang (The Bling Ring, A Birder's Guide to Everything)
 
My Choice for Serene
 

 
Fan Bingbing (X-Men: First Class, Skiptrace)
 
Serene goes on to play a big role in the Hunters of the Dark books, with a unique character arc that sees her in different roles when it comes to the hunters, so the actress that plays her needs to be versatile and convincing.  Model Tao Okamoto was amazing in The Wolverine, but it was her first role, so I would like someone a little more seasoned in this role.  Katie Chang, again, has only been in a few movies, although the acclaim she earned for her part in The Bling Ring makes her a strong contestant.  In the end, however, I would go with Fan Bingbing, who has a pretty amazing career for one so young, in music and in film.  While she's a new face to American audiences, she brings a wealth of experience and she has this beautiful otherworldly quality about her that's perfect for Serene.


Wednesday, August 21, 2013

The Shape of Evil - Preview!


Prologue


Fifteen years ago…

Samantha woke with a start.  She lay still for a moment, head on her pillow with her eyes open, as she listened for what may have woken her.  Perhaps it had been the sound of the mansion settling, or maybe it had been a dream.  She sighed, and put a hand to her forehead, fuzzy-headed and annoyed.  She’d been living in the demon Vassago’s house for nearly two months now, and rarely had a good night’s sleep.  He was teaching her what he knew of the dark arts, but she was growing weary of the beast, who mostly looked at her with condescension, or like she were a tasty morsel to eat, depending on his mood.  Was what he was teaching her worth it?  She knew what she wanted – to climb the ranks of La Faer Noir, to get in the front door and become someone, crawl up from the life of a lowly demon feeding off of the table scraps the big boys dropped.  She knew she belonged at the top.  It was her destiny.  She felt it in her bones.  And she would do whatever it took to achieve her dream.  Even if it meant suffering a sexist, haughty old demon who thought he knew more than everyone around him.  She only hoped that the time spent here would be worth it, that it would nudge her one step closer to the world she craved.  She’d certainly learned some interesting things, but were they the right things?  Were they the sorts of things that would impress the right people?  There was no way to know.  She would just have to absorb all that she could and hope that when the time was right, she impressed the right people with her knowledge, her determination, her power.

Turning over, she saw the moonlight filter in with the billowing curtains and smiled at the romantic scene.  She closed her eyes and willed sleep to come, forgetting that anything had awakened her in the first place.

And then she heard it.  The sound of a scream.  A cry of utter agony echoing through the halls.

Sitting up straight, Samantha was suddenly wide awake.  Her heart was pounding in her chest as she inched to the edge of her bed, wondering if the sound had been her imagination.  She pulled on her silk robe and slipped off of the bed, her feet meeting the cold tile floor with a shiver of pleasure on the warm night.

The scream echoed through the halls again.  It seemed to reverberate through the walls, and caused Samantha’s hands to shake with something like fright.  She chastised herself, and clasped her hands together.  She was a demon, and had nothing to fear.  Except perhaps whatever it was that could make a powerful demon like Vassago cry out like that, as if his body was the definition of pain.

What power the creature that had the ability to make Vassago scream for his life must wield.  Samantha had to know where such power came from.  And so without a second’s thought of running from a creature able to sow such discord, she followed the noise of her teacher’s agony, her body shuddering with anticipation as she hurried along the dark, empty hallways that led her toward the source of the wretched sounds.  He was weeping, begging for mercy.  Vassago!  It was unheard of.

Samantha shook her head incredulously, then paused outside of a heavy wooden door.  The library where Vassago kept his most precious books under lock and key.  No one was allowed inside, not even under his supervision.  She was sure the sounds had emanated from this room.  She glanced up the halls, deserted and silent.  The other apprentices who had come to learn from him had probably all fled after hearing his first cries, the cowards.  But she would not waste such an opportunity.  She would see what sort of beast made a mighty demon lord howl with pain, and cry disgracefully.  Then perhaps she would have learned something after all, during her stay here.

Despite the brave front she put on, she hesitated as she laid her hand on the door.  She could no longer hear his cries, but she could feel the residual fear that lay on the other side.  A succubus fed off of emotions, after all, usually from arousal and pleasure, but also pain and despair to a lesser degree.  And she felt it radiating in waves from the library.  Although she could tell before she opened the door that Vassago was dead.  The lingering energy was fading fast, growing cold, as surely as his body.  And perhaps she would meet a similar fate should she spy on the creature who had performed such a deed, but that was a chance she was willing to take.  It was such risks that separated the strong from the weak.  It was the mark of character that would propel one to greatness.

But she was still unprepared for what she saw in that room.

Blood was everywhere, splattered on the heavy velvet curtains drawn over the windows, staining the spines of ancient books and manuscripts lining the shelves of texts that bordered the room.  One long intestine was laid out methodically along the floor, coiled as if someone were carefully placing it to measure its length.  Samantha knew immediately that he’d still been alive when this had occurred.  The amount of agony she’d felt from the room corresponded with the scene.

Samantha’s eyes flicked up to the blonde woman who was leaning back against the expensive oak desk, a look of rapture on her face.  Her head was thrown back, her eyes closed, a big smile spread out over her face.  She was a little thing, very pretty, and seemingly harmless.  The blood that ran up to both of her elbows, however, told a different story.

As if sensing another presence in the room, the girl suddenly looked up, causing Samantha to flinch.  She drew in an involuntary breath, but lifted her chin to impress upon the girl that she wasn’t afraid of her.

“Glorious,” the blonde said, stretching as if she were waking from a luxurious nap.  She slid off of the desk and glanced down at the intestines laid out before her.  “For all of his bravado, he was rather a weak creature in the end, wasn’t he?”  She looked up and Samantha met her clear blue eyes directly, marveling at their intense color, so like the sky.  Just above her eyes, in the middle of her forehead, hung a pale pink stone from a silver chain that disappeared into her hairline.  “But I find that most arrogant, self-absorbed men turn out to be utter disappointments when their strength is truly put to the test.  And so predictable.  They promise a challenge, but they inevitably burn through their wishes like little inexperienced schoolboys.”  She shrugged.  “Power corrupts, as the saying goes.”

“Who are you?” Samantha asked.  She looked from the girl to the bedlam around her, and it didn’t seem to quite add up.

“I am Tessa.  And you would be?”

“Samantha.  Samantha Cummings.”

Tessa cocked her head and looked her over.  “He was your teacher?”

Samantha licked her lips, resisting the urge to examine what was left of Vassago.  “He was a tool, to learn, to grow more powerful.”

“A tool for power, hmmm?” Tessa smiled, and it reached her eyes, which sparkled dazzlingly.  “How wonderful.  But you haven’t tasted true power yet, Miss Cummings.  Would you like to?”

Samantha looked at her uncertainly for a moment before nodding.

Tessa watched her carefully, before seeming to decide something.  She grabbed something off of the desk that caught the light, shining like gold, and tossed it to Samantha.

Samantha caught it and stared down at the shape of a simple oil lamp, fashioned from what seemed to be pure gold.  “What is this?” she breathed, feeling something intoxicating radiate from it.

“Power,” Tessa said, taking a step in her direction.  She lowered her eyes to the lamp.  “And please, be more of a challenge than Vassago, my dear Miss Cummings.”

“I don’t understand.”  Samantha rubbed a splatter of blood from the side of the lamp and watched it gleam, as if winking at her.  A shiver crept up her spine as she felt something like strength course through her veins from where she touched it.  It ran up her arm and filled her whole body with a delicious feeling.  Her eyes widened as she gazed down at the lamp, and the power suddenly seemed obvious, the air shimmering around it excitedly, like it were ready to burst from mere contact with the item.  The lamp was something more than it seemed.  Something old and terrible and full of magick.

She looked up, and Tessa bowed her head slightly.  “It’s simple, really.  Just…make a wish.”

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Want an authorgraph?

You can now get your favorite e-books from me authorgraphed!  Select the books you want authorgraphed and I'll send you a signed inscription.  I will personalize them for you too, if you'd like!  Check out your options here.

Monday, August 5, 2013

New Omnibus Cover


To be a little more cohesive with the rest of the books in the series, the Hunters of the Dark Omnibus is getting a new cover!

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Where I Write

Here are some pictures of my study/library, where I do most of my writing...



 
The view out the window...
 

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Her Dark Destiny FREE!

In addition to the sale on the Hunters of the Dark Omnibus, I'm offering the first book in the Hunters of the Dark saga for free!! 

Ereaderperks featured Her Dark Destiny as their pick for top-rated fantasy titles available for Kobo, but it's also available at Barnes & Noble as well as Smashwords (where you can download nearly every digital format out there, including for the Kindle).  I'm hoping it will be available for free through Amazon soon, but I haven't had any luck offering books for free through them in the past, so Smashwords will probably be your best bet there.   Get it for free while you can and tell your friends!

Thursday, July 11, 2013

HOTD Omnibus Sale

Until the fifth book in the "Hunters of the Dark" series is released in September, I am going to have a sale on the Omnibus edition, which includes the first three books in the series, as well as the prequel novel "The Tomb."  You can get it for $0.99!  Four books for $0.99!

 
Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Smashwords

Nicole is also running a giveaway over at Passionate Book Divas if you would rather enter to win a free copy!  Even if you don't want to enter, check out the great site!

Monday, July 8, 2013

HOTD Casting Call: Jordan

Alright, time to cast my next dream guy for the Hunters of the Dark film/TV show ...this time for werewolf hunter Jordan.

Runners Up to play Jordan


Lucas Till (X-Men: First Class, Battle Los Angeles)


Alex Pettyfer (I Am Number Four, Magic Mike)

My Choice for Jordan


Justin Deeley (90210, Geography Club)

At least with the first book, Jordan is the second biggest character in Hunters of the Dark after Shanna Hunt.  Twin of Jade Cox, Jordan grapples with his sexual orientation and falls for sexy vampire Noel, a perfect foil for Shanna's relationship with Damien.  Jordan is an All-American pretty boy, which all three of the guys here have down no problem.  However, I think Alex is getting perhaps a little too old for the part of a teenager, and Till just doesn't have the sex appeal of Justin Deeley, so I'm giving it to the 90210 star.  Deeley also has had experience playing the with homosexuality in the film adaptation of the teen gay novel Geography Club, which earns him points.  And, did you see that picture of him?  Drool...


Tuesday, July 2, 2013

HOTD 5

The fifth novel in the Hunters of the Dark saga will be out in a few months!  Add it to your GoodReads to-be-read pile here.  And since it's book number five in the series, I'm going to leave you with five little teasers for what you can expect to see in this new book...

1. The Legend of the Chimera.

2. Plenty of familiar faces, and several you might not expect...  You will see Cheitan and Bast.

3. A new hunter, Aurora, that rubs some people the wrong way.

4. The origin of the shape-shifters.

5. Death.

Thursday, June 27, 2013

HOTD Casting Call: Quinn

Back to the boys, here's who I would have play Quinn in a Hunters of the Dark TV series/movie adaptation...

Runners Up to play Quinn
 
 
Milo Ventimiglio (Heroes, Rocky Balboa)

 
Max Irons (The Host, Red Riding Hood)

My Choice for Quinn


Ben Barnes (Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, The Big Wedding)
 
Quentin "Quinn" Lightheart is the perfect guy for Shanna, should she ever see him that way.  He had a very traumatic introduction to the series in the third book, and someone with a wide range would need to play him.  He also needs to be a classically handsome guy that just smolders on camera, which the three actors here definitely do.  Ben Barnes, however, is just a perfect guy's guy, and is hella pretty, so I'd give him the part.

Thursday, June 13, 2013

HOTD Casting Call: Samantha Cummings

Here is who I would have playing the villain Samantha Cummings in the TV show/film adaptation of Hunters of the Dark...
 
Runners Up to play Samantha

 
Kate Hudson (Almost Famous, The Skeleton Key)

 
Stephanie Romanov (Angel, Thirteen Days)
 
My Choice for Samantha


Jaime Murray (Dexter, Ringer)
 
Succubus Samantha Cummings isn't the typical one-dimensional villain.  While she is head of the New York branch of La Faer Noir, she has also proven herself an ally of sorts to Shanna and her friends from time to time.  She is a beautiful woman, cunning and dangerous, and in a position of power in the monster community.  Whoever plays her has to exude confidence, have almost a regal air about her, and the three actresses here can do that, as well as play the part of a delicious villain - Kate Hudson as Cassandra on Glee, Stephanie Romanov as Lilah on Angel, and Jaime Murray as not only Olivia on Ringer, but most notably, Lila on Dexter.  And while I think that any one of these women could fill the shoes of Samantha on screen, Jaime Murray has just impressed the hell out of me over the years, so I'm going to have to give this one to her.


Wednesday, June 5, 2013

HOTD Casting Call: Amelia

In a movie/TV show based on Hunters of the Dark, here is who I would have play the sorceress Amelia...

Runners Up to play Amelia

 
Karen Gillan (Dr. Who, Guardians of the Galaxy)
 
 
Ashley Rickards (Awkward, Gamer)
 
My Choice for Amelia
 

Emma Roberts (Scream 4, Nancy Drew)

The red-headed sorceress Amelia is tough and enigmatic.  The actress who plays her has to be pretty versatile, and play "mysterious" very well.  And I don't want her to look like someone playing a witch at a Renaissance Fair.  She needs to exude confidence and be convincing.  The three actresses here have the chops.  I love Awkward and I've seen Ashley Rickards in other things, like American Horror Story and know that she can play roles that aren't comedic as well, but are rather dark. And I think she'd make a good redhead.  I'm not as familiar with Karen Gillan, just the few bits I've caught of her, since I haven't really seen much Dr. Who - I just like her look and think she would be good for this sort of role.  I am more familiar with Emma Roberts, and I would have her play Amelia for her role in Scream 4 alone, but I've seen her in other things as well, and she's an amazing, multi-faceted actress.  I would be lucky to have her play Amelia.

Monday, May 27, 2013

HOTD Casting Call: Felicia

Here is who I would have play Felicia in a TV show/movie adaptation of the Hunters of the Dark series...

Runners Up to play Felicia
 
 
Zoe Saldana (Star Trek, Avatar)
 
 
Zoe Kravitz (X-Men: First Class, Divergent)
 
My Choice for Felicia
 
 
Ashley Madekwe (Revenge, Secret Diary of a Call Girl)


A little older than the other hunters, Felicia Wales is the first hunter that Shanna actually encounters in the series, and she makes a big impression on her as a kick-ass chick.  Felicia is a reliable scout and leader, although her psychic powers can make her seem a little strange at times.  A versatile actress who can portray a strong woman is necessary, which all three here are certainly qualified to do.  In the end, however, Ashley Madekwe is less recognizable, and I think she's a terrific actress, so I would love to give her the role.  Plus, I love her British accent.

Sunday, May 19, 2013

More Reviews!

Here are a few more recent reviews that readers may be interested in...

Review of Dark Genesis over at Words Create Scenes.

Review of The Young Adult Book Club at The Gay Reader.

And check out my new PushPage to find out more about me, and feel free to ask me any questions you want!

Friday, May 17, 2013

HOTD Casting Call: Noel

Here is who I would have play sexy vampire Noel in the movie/TV series based on Hunters of the Dark...

Runners Up to play Noel
 
 
Darren Criss (Glee, Girl Most Likely)


Tyler Posey (Teen Wolf, Doc)
 
My Choice for Noel
 

 
Joshua Bowman (Revenge)
 
Jordan's vampire flame gets all of the hot scenes, so a guy with smoldering good looks is going to have to play him.  Noel is gay, and again, I hate to type cast, so I would probably have to pass on Darren Criss in favor of the other two men (even though that photo makes it really hard to) because he is best known for his gay character on Glee.  And since Tyler Posey plays a supernatural creature on Teen Wolf already, I think I would want to give Joshua Bowman a shot, since I was utterly impressed with his performance on Revenge.  And it doesn't hurt that he's beyond delicious.  Especially shirtless.

Saturday, May 11, 2013

HOTD Casting Call: Valor

Valor is the enigmatic woman who gathered the hunters together and sends them on their missions.  Here's who I would have play her in a movie/TV show...

Runners Up to play Valor


Tricia Helfer (Battlestar: Galactica, Burn Notice)
 
 
Rose Byrne (Bridesmaids, X-Men: First Class)
 
My Choice for Valor
 
 
Rebecca Hall (The Awakening, Iron Man 3)
 
Valor is very much in control and doesn't betray her emotions often.  When she does, it needs to be subtle.  She is very stony and strong, something all three of the women here can play.  I would love for any one of them to play Valor, but I think Rebecca Hall and Tricia Helfer just feel more like Valor, and between the two of them, I was blown away by Rebecca Hall's performance of a messed-up, cold woman in The Awakening, so very much like Valor, and she has this intensity that's magnetic, so I would have to go with her.

Monday, April 22, 2013

Thursday, April 18, 2013

HOTD Casting Call: Damien

Alright, it's time to get down to business.  Damien, the hot vampire that Shanna is in lust with, should be played in the movie/TV show by someone with smoldering good looks...

Runners Up to play Damien


Ian Somerhalder (The Vampire Diaries, Lost)


Jason Behr (Roswell, The Grudge)
 
My Choice for Damien


Dave Franco (21 Jump Street, Warm Bodies)


Damien, while immortal, is still a little older than Shanna in terms of appearance, but still needs to be uber-hot.  Like, the hottest of all the hotties in the production.  And since he's a rocker, he needs to have a little edge to him.  Somerhalder certainly fits the bill, but again, I hate to typecast, and since he plays a sexy vampire on The Vampire Diaries, I would be more likely to look at the other two guys.  Behr is delicious, but perhaps a bit too serious for the role, although I do love the edge he has in a movie like The Tattooist...  But I'm going to go with Dave Franco here.  He's young, gorgeous, and while he's known primarily for being a funny guy, I could totally see him rocking it as Damien.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

I'm a big fan of Rick Yancey's Monstrumologist series, which is a fantastic, and actually scary, YA horror series.  So I was very happy to see the big marketing push behind Yancey's new book, The 5th Wave, which people are singing the praises of.  I was lucky enough to get my hands on an ARC and I'm excited to report to you that it is stunning!  Believe the hype!  It looks like this could be the big one to read this summer, so get your hands on it ASAP.  The 5th Wave is a book that takes place during an alien apocalypse.  They have come, they have landed, they are not friendly.  They have bombarded humanity with four waves of destruction to weed people out, with perhaps a fifth on the horizon.

Cassie is a teenager lucky enough to have survived the first four brutal waves, which include an electro-magnetic pulse that cuts off the world's power, earthquakes that create tsunamis, and a plague.  Those not killed by those threats have to face silencers, aliens who are hunting down the remaining humans with great skill.  This book is epic, but it's also really grounded, focusing on a small group of survivors.  I was a little skeptical when I realized that each new "part" in this book switches characters, but I found myself really enjoying the story revolving around each character.  When I was finished with one part and was like, I need to find out what happens next, I was equally drawn in to the new part that I was beginning.  Yancey just has a way of making these characters and their circumstances, which were very different from one another, all really relatable and exciting.

I really liked that as far-fetched as this concept is, it's grounded in a stark reality, and it's very emotional.  The material can be a little heavy at times, but is lightened by humor throughout.  It's very well-balanced, with things that haunt the characters running through the course of their character arcs.  I could definitely guess that some things were coming, but even though you kind of know, you second guess yourself, and then, it's just so interesting seeing things play out that you don't mind.

The 5th Wave is very different than The Monstrumologist series, and proves Yancey's versatility as a writer.  But even though this is very different for him from his Printz Award Honored book, it's still a really well-written, thoughtful piece of writing that's every bit as riveting and suspenseful as anything he's written.  In fact, I could barely tear myself away from this book, and eagerly sat down for hours at a time to tear through it.  I would recommend this for anyone who loves a good action title, and it will satisfy hardcore science fiction and dystopian fans.

Saturday, April 13, 2013

HOTD Casting Call: Rocquele

Alright, let's cast a villain.  Rocquele the witch appears in the first two Hunters of the Dark books, and here's who I would have play her...

Runners Up to play Rocquele

 
Helena Bonham Carter (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, The King's Speech)


Tara Summers (Ringer, Hitchcock)

My Choice for Rocquele

 
Olivia Williams (Dollhouse, The Ghost Writer)
 
Rocquele is a wicked witch in the Hunters of the Dark series, and someone who could play crazy, but also haughty and arrogant, would be necessary for the part.  These three actresses could certainly slip into the role with ease, but I would hate to typecast Helena, and any other witch she played aside from Bellatrix would probably pale in comparison.  Of the remaining two, I just have to go with Olivia Williams, who can be cool as a cucumber and can play the snobby beauty like she was born to do it.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

HOTD Casting Call: Brett

The next Hunters of the Dark character I'm going to cast my dream actor for is Brett Starr, the team's giant hunter and alpha male.  Differing opinions?  Leave them in the comments!

Runners Up to play Brett
 
 
Alexander Ludwig (The Hunger Games, The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising)
 
 
Kellan Lutz (Twilight, Immortals)
 
My Choice for Brett
 
 
Freddie Stroma (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Pitch Perfect)
 
Brett is a lovable dopey guy, enthusiastic and pretty full of himself.  He does have a soft side however, and a cutting past that later books will explore.  All of these actors have the goods to play him, although Kellan is perhaps getting a bit old for the role.  Between Alexander and Freddie, it was kind of a toss-up, but I just think Freddie is prettier, and he seems like more of a ladies' man, which suits Brett.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

HOTD Casting Call: Cheitan

Continuing my dream cast for a Hunters of the Dark movie/TV show, let's move on to some minor characters for a moment.  Cheitan appeared in the first book of the series, and will be returning to the series in book five, along with a few other familiar faces who have been absent lately.  He will have a bigger role as the series continues (you heard it here first)!

Runners Up to play Cheitan
 
 
Steven Strait (The Covenant, 10,000 B.C.)
 

Booboo Stewart (Twilight: Eclipse, X-Men: Days of Future Past)
 
My Choice for Cheitan
 
 
Jacob Artist (Glee, The Philosophers)
 
Cheitan is a young, cute demon, and the actor who plays him has to be in shape because he's rock-hard.  Because he's basically made out of rock.  Get your mind out of the gutter, guys.  ;)  All of these guys have certainly proved they have the abs and chiseled physiques needed for the role, but Jacob Artist just seems like the right personality for it.  And he's smoking hot, which doesn't hurt!


Friday, March 29, 2013

HOTD Casting Call: Jade

Continuing with my dream cast for a Hunters of the Dark movie or TV show, I have some pretty strong candidates in mind for Jade.  As always, leave a comment if you have another actress in mind (or if you want to just second any of my awesome choices).  :)

Runners Up to play Jade

 
Lauren Cohan (The Walking Dead, The Vampire Diaries)
 
 
Michelle Trachtenberg (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gossip Girl)
 
My Choice for Jade
 
 
Phoebe Tonkin (The Secret Circle, The Vampire Diaries)
 
I envision a really strong, butt-kicking young actress in the role of the hotheaded hunter Jade, who loves action and reacts before really thinking things through.  All three of these actresses have been really confident in their various roles, but perhaps it's the idea of cute little Dawn from Buffy that has me leaning toward the other two girls, who I feel would be awesome as Jade.  Lauren and Phoebe also have more physical roles, and both have more of a dark, edgy, and sexy side to them, which matches up with Jade really well.  In the end, however, I can not get over the presence that Phoebe Tonkin had in The Secret Circle, and it's that playfulness and bad-girl edge that she showed off there that put her over the edge for me.  I feel strongly about this one - she would be perfect for the role.