Weekend Reads: The Lily Gate by Hanna Sandvig (Sarah Sawyer)

 

 If you ever meet a talking frog—any chatty amphibian, really—my advice would be to ignore it. That’s what I should have done, anyway.

Born part human and part fae, Tuala received a christening gift from her faerie godmother—that of true love. Her godmother foretells that a competition for her hand in marriage will reveal her destined mate, and now that she’s eighteen, it’s time for the games to begin. Her mortal father isn’t too keen on this idea, so he’s added some stipulations of his own.

What follows this introduction to Tuala and her fate is a short, sweet retelling of The Frog Prince with hints of a broader and more expansive world of inhabited by all sorts of faerie creatures. Characters that appear in Sandvig’s full-length novel retelling of Beauty and the Beast make a cameo appearance here also, but you can easily enjoy the story without having read any of the other books in the series. So if you're looking for a lighthearted tale well-suited for a quick summer read, then check out The Lily Gate. 

An an aside, Sandvig is also an illustrator and has lovely character art you can check on her website. Are you a fan of being able to see illustrations from the characters and worlds of the books you read? I definitely am!

Weekend Reads: Kingdom of Dance by Deborah Grace White (Kimberly)

Spring into March with a charming fairytale retelling! Kingdom of Dance by Deborah Grace White retells  The Twelve Dancing Princesses and finishes up her series, The Kingdom Tales. This tale of a princess, a reluctant soldier mage, and dragons make for perfect weekend reading!

Kingdom of Dance: A Retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses (The Kingdom Tales Book 6)

My Rating - 4.5 Stars

This was a fun and charming spin on the classic fairytale, The Twelve Dancing Princesses! Zinnia, the eldest princess (and sister to the new king who we were introduced to in book four, Kingdom of Feathers), stumbles into trouble one night when she follows a dragon. Unfortunately, her eleven younger sisters tagged along and were swept up into the curse as well. A year and a half later, her brother has been alerted to something being not quite right with his younger sisters by their destroyed dancing slippers. Which is where our reluctant mage comes into play.

I really enjoyed this take on the Twelve Dancing Princesses. While many of the signature elements of the original fairytale were kept, White does a great job of twisting when, where, and how they show up. I particularly enjoyed the twist with trees of silver, gold, and diamond. Obsidian is a such a fun conflicted hero who must learn to accept his own magic before he can succeed in his new mission - saving Zinnia and helping her save their entire continent.

I liked Zinnia's own conflicting feelings about her place as princess and bearing the burden of her very large family. I also loved her courage in the face of hardship and unexpected challenges. Silencing curses are very effective but they won't keep this princess from doing her best to stop the schemes of an evil dragon.

My favorite thing about this story was the ending. It was totally and completely worth the slow buildup over the series with all the little hints about what is truly going on with the continent of Solstice. Not to mention the sudden rash of curses plaguing the royal families. It ended on a high note and a happy ending but also left room for us to wonder if we might see a familiar face or two in a future series.

I've enjoyed all six books in this series. They're full of adventure, dragons whose superior senses miss human manners at times, and clean romance fit for the whole family. White's next series is all about mermaids and I cannot wait to see what she has in store with that one! In the meantime, I recommend Kingdom of Dance and its series for anyone who loves a good fairytale retelling. The books are technically standalone but the overarching series arc is best appreciated when read in order.

Happy Reading!

Kimberly

Weekend Reads: Gothel and the Maiden Prince (Sarah)

 

I’m a big fan of WR Gingell’s books, particularly the City Between series, so when she shared about a series entitled A Villain’s Ever After it caught my attention. This series of novellas offers reinvented fairy tales with the traditional villains cast as protagonists, written by a variety of authors.

Fairy tales from the perspective of the villain have become more mainstream in recent years, with Disney offering a number of movies and books along these lines, but there’s always room for a new twist on the old tales (or at least that’s my perspective as a fairy tale enthusiast!).

In Gothel and the Maiden Prince, Gingell offers her version of Rapunzel, and as the title suggests Mother Gothel takes center stage. The prince is kind and sensitive, which makes him a good foil to the forceful, wary Gothel. The length constraints of a novella can make it harder to convey character growth, but Gingell achieved a satisfying arc for all the primary characters—although I would have loved to see what came next for Gothel, Rapunzel, and the prince! 

I found this an engaging rendition of Rapunzel in an intriguing setting, and I believe Gingell intends to return to the world she created for more fairy tale retellings. If that’s the case, I’ll certainly be picking them up.
 
If you’re looking for a quick yet satisfying read, I would check out Gothel and the Maiden Prince. And if you have interest in the series as a whole, take a look at our interview with one of the other series authors, Allison Tebo.

Please note, I have only read two of the novellas in this series, so I can’t say if the series in its entirety is clean. Also, trigger/content warning/possible spoilers….




childhood sexual assault and abuse are discussed in Gothel and the Maiden Prince.

Writer's Life: The Nuances of Fantasy or Fairy tales versus Epic Fantasy (Kimberly)

Writing in different sub-genres within the same fictional world is easy. Did you laugh? Me too. In truth, writing in different sub-genres in the same fictional world comes with its own series of challenges. In this case, let's talk fairy tale retellings versus epic fantasy.

During the course of my career I've written in a number of different sub-genres within the fantasy world realm that do not include my two ventures outside of fantasy. I started in urban fantasy then added fairy tale retellings and have now expanded the fairy tale universe to include an epic romantic fantasy. Sub-genre or niche bouncing is something I consider to be normal for many authors, so don't be alarmed if you're the same way. Not all of the shiny ideas fit into the same box and that's okay. However, there are going to be challenges when you hop sub-genres because each niche brings its own nuances.

Urban fantasy and fairy tale retellings set in a secondary world have very obvious differences in setting and world building. However, even if two sub-genres are set in the same fantasy world, there are still  challenges ahead. I'm going to focus on three of them.

Challenge #1 - Fairy Tales vs All Original

The biggest difference between writing fairy tale retellings and creating an all new story comes down to plot points. With fairy tale retellings, I have a road map to reference because the fairy tale I'm adapting provides defined points that must be incorporated inside the story framework. When examining the original tale I want to adapt, I look at the key elements and decide what can be dropped, kept, or twisted on its head. Which plays into decisions for how the story will unfold because there are certain parameters that must be met in order to qualify as a retelling or a looser reimagining. 

With all original stories, such as my Unseelie of Sonera trilogy, I have more plot flexibility because I do not have a specific road map I need to follow. This can also be an additional challenge because if you get stuck in parts, going back to the fairytale for inspiration will not help. 

Challenge #2 - Subplots Everywhere

Epic Fantasy is known for its subplots buffet. Everybody has a subplot! The world building is often massive and the main plot is created or carried by an ever-evolving group of subplots. Lord of the Rings and The Wheel of Time series are some of the best known examples of epic fantasy and its layers of subplots. Even if you are in the same broad universe as your less subplot-heavy fairy tale retellings, there will still be a big difference between them and your epic fantasy. Some subplots will be political, personal, and romantic, which will feed into the overarching series plot. With Unseelie, I have a lot of subplots in play due to the complex nature of the villain's plans and the obstacles faced in each book as Tatiana and Ramessu work toward their final goals. I also have a lot of family related subplots since there is a strong theme of found family and mother's love. This is partly due to the fact my epic fantasy trilogy is a continuous series in the vein of Lord of the Rings. They must be read in order to make sense.

With my fairy tale retellings, the books are far more stand-alone even though they each contribute to the overall series arc. I feature a different couple and their romance in each book so the subplots do not build on top of each other on the same scale as they do in the epic fantasy. There are fewer subplots contained in each book and only one or two background subplots carry over. With Love's Enchanted Tales, the primary background subplot was the curses connecting the different books. They are built more like the Chronicles of Narnia. They do not absolutely need to be read in order to make sense but there's some spoilers if you read them out of order.

Challenge #3 - The Size of the Cast

Epic Fantasy is known for large casts and for featuring multiple POVS. When I began Unseelie of Sonera, I had my two main characters, Tatiana and Ramessu, and a couple of side characters. The number of featured side characters grew in Book Two due to the demands of the story. When I started writing Book Three, the number of POV characters grew to eight due to the demands of the story once again. This combined with the complex layering of subplots makes for a challenging writing experience because you must avoid accidentally dropping characters and subplots.

By contrast, my fairy tale retellings usually only feature two POVS, the main couple. This makes it far less challenging to keep track of who is speaking and where. Other fairy tale retelling authors only feature one POV, usually the female main character. Even with fairy tales featuring larger casts such as Twelve Dancing Princesses or Month Brothers or Six Swans/Children of Llyr, a retelling usually only follows one or two POVs. The smaller POV cast also makes it easier to prevent dangling subplots that are not a part of the series arc.

With each of the these challenges, having a shared world does not negate them because they are rooted in the different nuances and expectations associated with these two different sub-genres. This is especially true if you plant your niches in different parts of the fantasy world like I did with Sonera. The fairy tales are set in a fairly contained corner of the world that draws on medieval Europe and India while Unseelie is set on a different continent that draws from ancient Greece and Rome. 

As challenging as it can be to write in these different sub-genres, I must admit that I love doing it. I love exploring a fantasy world full of different cultures. I love exploring the different ways of telling a story that can be more centralized around my main couple or can expand to include the villain and important side characters who will bring their own subplots and growth arcs. Fantasy comes in so many different flavors and nuances. It is not always easy to move between them as a writer, but I find it more than worth the effort of rising to each challenge.

Happy writing!

Kimberly A. Rogers

Weekend Reads: The Fairy Tale Enchantress series by K. M. Shea (Rachel)

 

 

I have always loved fairy tales. As a teen, I devoured all of Andrew Lang’s colored fairy tale books. Then, I discovered the wonderful world of fairytale retellings. It was only a few years ago that I found K. M. Shea’s Enchanted Fairy Tale series. This then led to the series I am sharing about today, The Fairy Tale Enchantress series.

Angelique begins the series as a young enchantress-in-training with massive reserves of power. That impressive magic is tied to her core magic, war magic, specifically the ability to feel and control multitudes of sharp objects in an area. Because of this core and its potential for horrible consequences should she turn evil, the Conclave, a governing body over the world's magic users, place strict constraints on her. They abused her in subtle and not so subtle ways like gaslighting, the constant assumption of her motivations being evil, and/or threatening to seal her magic. This has been going on for years before the beginning of the first book.

Hope that Angelique will get a chance to thrive comes in the form of her new master, Everiste, who appears at the beginning of the first book in the series. He begins working to undo the years of damage caused by the Conclave and others on her psyche. However, the damage is more extensive than Everiste initially thought. But before he can make much progress, Everiste is captured by a group of power-hungry evil magic users, and the pair of them are separated.

The series of six planned novels (four of which are published now) follows Angelique through the arduous process of finding and rescuing Everiste. She grows as she makes this journey, learning to heal through the love and acceptance of many people outside her insular world of magic users. She does this while working to stop the evil magic users from attacking governments and kingdoms to subjugate the non-magic users. She is constantly thwarted in her search by desperate cries for help. Unable to stand by while others are harmed, she is compelled by her tender heart to assist them. Yet, not without cost to herself and her missing master.

What I love about this series is K. M. Shea’s accurate and beautiful portrayal of personal growth and the process of overcoming abuse. It is rarely a quick or easy process. And some scars are always going to be there even after we heal.

The books are engaging and entertaining. The characters are real and become almost like friends. I am eager to read the last two books when Shea releases them. So far, each new installment has been worth the wait.

Written as a parallel series to her Timeless Fairy Tales series, K. M. Shea’s The Fairy Tale Enchantress series can stand alone. However, I strongly encourage anyone interested to read it after the first series for a deeper level of enjoyment as you get to see some of the events through Angelique’s eyes.

Interview with Allison Tebo (The Goblin and the Dancer Blog Tour)

We are so excited to welcome Allison Tebo to Lands Uncharted today! Allison is a fun author of fairy tale retellings whom I've had the opportunity to connect with through the Facebook group we founded together, Faith and Fairy Tales, and she is such a kind, thoughtful person. And she just released a new book, The Goblin and the Dancer - we get to be a part of her Blog Tour to celebrate! I'll include more information about the book and Blog Tour below (including a fabulous GIVEAWAY!), but first, let's hear from Allison!

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am a Christian author in my late twenties. I am the youngest of four children and I have a twin sister. I have a background in sales, but I now spend most of my day writing conversations between imaginary people. When I’m not writing fairy tales, I’m writing action adventure speculative fiction for T Spec Fiction, the e-zine I run with my three sisters. When I’m not creating new worlds with a keyboard, I love to create them with paint or charcoal by utilizing my certificates in cartooning and children’s illustrating from London Art college. When not dabbling in the imaginary realm, I enjoy baking, reading, and defending my title of Gif Master!


Ha, Gif Master is a title worth defending! What prompted you to start writing? Are you one of those authors who knew you were meant to write since childhood, or did it come as a discovery later in life?

I was telling stories with my Legos, dolls, and plastic dinosaurs for as long as I can remember, but I actually started writing at the age of ten, because I was imitating my big sister. My first story was a one page mystery, a very bad one. It has since been destroyed.

Even though I officially started out my writing career because I was imitating someone else, I think the career choice was rather inevitable. I grew up in a family of storytellers and was surrounded by storytelling day and night. It definitely didn’t take me long to start writing simply because I had to! The stories had to get out.


Sometimes it does feel like the stories decide to be written rather than an author deciding to write... Which fictional character (book or movie) do you most relate to, and why?

One character I relate to a lot is Joy from Inside Out. She is highly motivated, almost solely motivated, by helping others and she has a lot of enthusiasm and zest for life. She’s almost aggressive in her friendliness and helpfulness and she loves intensely. She’s very energetic and enthusiastic, but she also has a tendency to micromanage. I don’t usually relate to a lot of characters in fiction, but I saw so much of myself in Joy that it startled me.

 
What a great character to relate to! We’re all about exploring new worlds here at Lands Uncharted—if you could choose one place to visit, real or fictional, where would you go?

Ah, what a hard question! If I were visiting a fictional world I suppose I would have to pick Narnia: it’s the imaginary world that I’ve yearned for the longest. If it were a real world location, I would pick the Wizard of Oz theme park in Beech Mountain, NC. It looks like an amazing little place dedicated to one of the best book series in existence.

Ooh, I've never heard of that theme park! I bet it's amazing! Now, please share one of your favorite writing tips.

When you’re done writing your book, don’t immediately submit it to beta readers. I see a lot of newbie indie authors do this. Definitely have someone with strong developmental editing skills go over your draft first. Make sure your story is solid, structurally, before rushing into proof reading. Be ready to accept instructive criticism and to rewrite your book until it is truly polished work.


Completely agreed. Your newest book, The Goblin and the Dancer, released on September 10th! Congratulations!! What inspired the Villain’s Ever After series, and how did you choose The Steadfast Tin Soldier for your retelling?

The Villains Ever After collaboration was the brainchild of the brilliant Camille Peters. I saw her pitch for the series in a Facebook group and it was such a fun idea that I asked if I could participate. Ultimately, twelve fairy tale authors assembled with the goal of making cross promotion fun by collaborating on a fairy tale series with villainous twists.

As for The Steadfast Tin Soldier, I’ve had an infatuation with goblins (or any ugly little creature) for some time. I had also watched a YouTube video where a Lego orc had a crush on Arwen that, alas, didn’t work out, I found myself thinking that the ugly guy should have had a fair shot at winning the girl’s heart. I was determined to do an elf and goblin love story and was on the lookout for an opportunity to present itself. When I joined the Villains Ever After collaboration shortly thereafter, I began looking through fairy tales to retell and discovered, with delight, a reference to a villainous goblin in the story of The Steadfast Tin Soldier. Here, at last, was my opportunity to write the goblin and elf romance. The rest is history!


Aww, now I'm even more excited to read it! What are your favorite and least favorite aspects of writing fairy tale retellings?

That’s a hard question! I love so many things about the fairy tale genre. I love the allegorical elements, the strange and lighthearted oddities, the fantastic creatures and wondrous settings. But I think, ultimately, writing fairy tales is very cathartic. When the world doesn’t make sense, I can still take something weird and try to inject logic and reason into it. I’m not able to answer all the worlds’ questions, but I can provide answers for why Cinderella’s father married the wicked stepmother! Writing fairy tales is a way for me to bring answers, order, and clarity to a part of my mind that craves it. I also love stories that almost demand sweet endings. There’s enough sorrow in the world: I love making people laugh and giving readers the assurance that they will be completely satisfied and happy when they reach the final page.

My least favorite aspect of writing fairy tales? Probably all of the connotations for overly fluffy romances, instead of good, solid stories. That, or the people who tell you you’re not a ‘real’ writer because you write retellings instead of creating your ‘own’ plots. How frustrating!


Ugh, that is definitely frustrating. Can you give us any insights into your next project?

I’m plotting out several more fairy tale retellings. One is based on Jack and the Beanstalk and set in a world inspired by Vietnam/Cambodia and another is a Pied Piper set on a fictional tropical island! And, as always, I create fairy tale flash fiction and fairy-tale themed articles and games on Patreon every month!

Ooh, fun! Thank you so much for sharing with us today, Allison! Congratulations again on your new release! You can connect with Allison on her website, Instagram, Patreon, Facebook, newsletter, Amazon, and Goodreads. And here's the back cover blurb for The Goblin and the Dancer:

Grik the goblin spends his days as a janitor cleaning the Metropolitan Dance Hall, drawn to the Elvish world and tired of the darkness of his underground home. He secretly pines for the ballet company’s lead dancer, Rosanna, but his own ugliness and shyness stand in the way of confessing his love.

When a handsome soldier named Paul appears on the scene to make a bid for Rosanna's affections, Grik’s jealousy bubbles over and he commits the unthinkable, plunging all of them into the river and down into the depths of the earth.

Determined to redeem himself, Grik leads Rosanna and Paul through the place he calls home: but even a goblin can’t be prepared for everything that is found underground. Trapped in the dark, nightmares both within and without rise to the surface, threatening to destroy them all.

A magical and heartfelt retelling of The Steadfast Tin Soldier about finding your worth.

Doesn't it sound fantastic? And that cover!! You can purchase The Goblin and the Dancer on Amazon. Oh, and did we mention something about a giveaway? :) You can enter for a chance to win HERE. Good luck!

Don't miss the other stops on the Blog Tour!

Sept 10th

• Guest Post with Sawyer
• Author Interview with Abigail

Sept 11th

• Author Interview with Kylie

Sept 12th

• Book Review by Maegan

Sept 13th

• Book Spotlight by Charity

Sept 14th

• Book Spotlight by Julia

Sept 15th

• Book Review by Merie
• Book Spotlight by Laura

Sept 16th

• Author Interview with Lands Uncharted
• Author Interview with Mae

Sept 17th

• Book Review by Joellen
• Guest Post with Laura

Weekend Reads: The Beast and the Enchantress by Camille Peters and Rumpled Rhett by Rachel Rossano (Kimberly)

 Happy Labor Day Weekend! It's the unofficial start of fall season and the perfect time to curl up with these two new fairytale retellings!

Today I bring you two different fairytale reimaginings by two different authors that both play with the idea of what if the traditional villain was actually the hero.

First up is The Beast and the Enchantress by Camille Peters!

My Rating: 4.5 stars

This lovely novella takes the idea of the enchantress, the inciting incident antagonist, and asks what happens when she falls in love with the prince she cursed into a beast. This is a very sweet read where the enchantress starts out unimpressed with the prince then is motivated to curse him in an impulsive pique after he hurts her younger sister. I loved the motivation wasn't truly arbitrary or just for laughs evil on Astrid's part. It was misguided and influenced by her own shortcomings in a pursuit of a type of justice. Only the spell also rebounds on Astrid a bit.

While the beastly side of the curse isn't "he's a monster", I appreciated the development of both characters. Redeeming both of your protagonists and making their growth fit takes definite skill. Astrid isn't a "morally grey" villain. Nevertheless, she had some great growth from the brash impulsiveness driving her decisions in the beginning to the change of hearts required for breaking the curse. Overall, a sweet read in a new world that I wouldn't mind reading more of in the future. 

Next we have my review of Rumpled Rhett, the latest retelling from our very own Rachel Rossano!

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Oh my goodness, I cannot explain how much I love this book without spoilers. Nevertheless, I shall do my best. ;)

Rumpled Rhett is a reimagining of Rumplestiltskin and the Huntsman character who appears in various fairytales. Only instead of being the villain, he is most definitely the hero. I adore this story and Rhett and Cat's relationship. The arranged marriage/marriage of convenience between them is one of the most touching and sweetly romantic I've read. Rhett has a lot of groundwork to build in earning Cat's trust due to the fact she comes out of an abusive household. This background and how it shapes Cat as well as her reactions throughout the book have been handled with grace and respect without turning the book itself too dark to handle emotionally. It brings hope and reminds everyone that kindness, respect, and love can fan the embers of waning strength back to a roaring fire spurred on by hope. I applaud Rossano for being able to strike the balance of acknowledging the weightiness of Cat's background and family dynamics without making it uncomfortable or too dark and depressing. 

Rhett, for all his fearsome reputation, is the perfect gentle hero for Cat and I adore them together. I wish I could say more about this gentle intriguing hero but he has so many secrets and twists in this book and I don't want to spoil anything! This reimagining of Rumplestiltskin also features cameos from some intriguing background characters whose hinted stories are sure to add to the wonderfully rich world developing in the Once Upon A Duchy series. I cannot wait for the next book!

How do you feel about villain redemption or being reimagined as the hero in fairytale retellings? Let me know in the comments.

Happy Reading!

Kimberly A. Rogers

Story Snippets: Rumpled Rhett (Rachel)

Earlier this year, I introduced you to one of my heroes in my Writer’s Life post “TheSocks Must Go.” Well, Rhett, my huntsman who hates his new wife’s hole-ridden socks, is making his literary debut on August 31^st and his book is available for pre-order on multiple ebook platforms. The paperback will be available for order on Amazon on the 31^st as well.

So, as a treat, I am going to offer an unshared excerpt from the novel below. This is before the infamous socks incident and immediately after all parties have agreed to the arranged marriage and accompanying deal. They have removed to a tavern for a meal, and all the men, except Rhett, have begun a celebratory round of drinks.

Cat has slipped into her usual place, sitting in the shadows far from the action in the center of the room.

 

Cat

The stranger (the Huntsman) was huge, tall, broad-shouldered, and very clearly at ease with his ability to physically intimidate. I had been watching Osbert (the reeve’s man of business) fidget and cough his way through their discussion. From the scribbling, the paper shuffling, and the Huntsman’s grim expressions, they were probably discussing the contract. Still, the Huntsman never relaxed into his seat. Those dark eyes routinely scanned the room, locating and noting the orientation of each of us, even me. No one ever kept track of me. I wasn’t sure I liked the fact he kept glancing my way.

Then, the tavern keeper’s wife appeared with his dinner. The smell of cooked meat, flaky pastry, and savory vegetables filled my nose as the woman passed with the two loaded platters. My stomach roiled and growled in anticipation of food, but I ignored it. The meal wasn’t for me. It was never for me. I would eat a few scraps of whatever remained from the midday meal when I returned home if my brother didn’t get to them first.

The Huntsman stood. I felt the occupants of the room tense, well, the still sober ones. Keeping my face tilted slightly down as though I studied the table, I watched him from beneath half-lowered eyelids. He spoke to the tavern keeper's wife and then Osbert. Whatever he said pleased Osbert. I hadn’t seen the man smile in ages.

A flurry of movement to my right drew my attention. Bess was on her feet. Red lips puckered, hand on her hip to emphasize her curves, and a come-hither flutter to her eyelashes, she was ready for the stranger to notice and respond to her unspoken invitation.

That must have been why he rose. I had noticed his gaze hesitating briefly in the women’s direction a few times.

Unwilling to watch Bess land another conquest, I dropped my attention to my hands. Chapped and raw, they needed more salve. Tomorrow, I would seek out Widow Louisa and ask for a refill of the jar she had given me last year.

“Mind if I sit here?”

The rough, deep tones resonated in my bones as my head snapped up in surprise. I just blinked at him for a moment. Why was he here? Bess wanted him. What Bess wanted, she took.

“Nod if you can’t find your tongue, or Osbert might attempt to murder me.”

“Osbert would never.”

He chuckled that odd rusty laugh of his and set his mug on the table between us. Strangely, the liquid inside didn’t smell of ale or cider. He placed the platter of food next to the mug before turning around to look for a chair. Moments later, he was sitting just around the side of the table to my left, his knee almost bumping mine.

I tucked my knee further under the table.

Despite the fact he made no indication that he had noticed my movement, I had the impression that he observed it all. I suspected that nothing slipped his notice. Instead of commenting on my avoidance, though, he calmly leaned back to untie a pouch from his belt before dropping it on the table. Then, inclining forward with companionableness as though we were the best of friends, he began rummaging through the interior of the bag.

“I have something for you.” His long fingers pulled out an even smaller pouch. This he spilled onto the tabletop beneath the protective curve of his other hand. No one could see the contents save the two of us. It was just as well because my brother and his associates might’ve been very tempted to do something rash if they could. A small pile of gold flans, three signet rings clearly made for large male fingers, and an intricately detailed moonflower made of silver and gold. From the midst of this collection, he plucked a delicate band of gold. Fashioned in the likeness of a vine, it curled in and out, winding around itself in an endless circle.

“What is it?” The question slipped out before I could hold it back. Surely he didn’t intend for me to wear it.

“A symbol.” He met my gaze. His eyes weren’t black or even brown. They were a blue so dark and intense that it swallowed the light. The color reminded me of the evening sky as the light faded, taking the wild, colorful sunset with it. The blue of the sky right before the blackness of night crept across to rule till morning.

“A symbol of what?” I fixed my attention on the ring instead.

“Fidelity.”

The reverence in his voice made me glance at his face again. Strong features, a rather large nose, and a defined chin gave him a face that could not be called handsome, not that there were many handsome men for me to compare him to. His face fit the rest of him, clearly masculine and intimidating without being ugly.

He continued. “It was given to my grandmother by my grandfather and then passed down to my father. He gave it to my mother. It is one of the few things I still possess that I know for certain was my father’s.” He set the ring on the table next to his mug before sweeping the rest of the expensive trinkets back into the tiny pouch. He returned it to the larger bag. Then, he plucked out another small pouch, which he set on the table too.

“Master Huntsman.” The tavern keeper approached the table hesitantly. “The food you ordered.” Setting a platter slightly smaller in size and content before me, he cleared his throat expectantly.

“Would you prefer ale or cider, Cat?” the Huntsman asked.

“I don’t drink ale,” I reminded the tavern keeper, not that he would know since I never frequented the tavern.

“I thought as much.” He motioned to his wife, who brought a mug of cider and set it before me. “Is that all?” he asked my companion.

“Yes, thank you.” The Huntsman didn’t bother looking up from whatever he was doing with the new pouch.

The scent of cooked meat filled my nose, making me dizzy.

“Eat, Cat.”

I glanced at him. He hadn’t even looked my way. Instead, he was fully intent on pouring some dried leaves into a small ball made of metal mesh attached to a delicate chain. This he closed and dropped into his mug, clasping the chain around the handle so it didn’t disappear into the liquid in his cup.

“What is that?” I asked.

He closed the pouch and returned it to his bag, reattaching it to his belt. “Tea.”

“Are you ill?” He didn’t appear sick.

“No.”

“I only drink willow bark tea when I am sick.” My nose wrinkled of its own accord. I hated the bitter taste.

“This isn’t willow bark tea.” A flick of his glance my way with a slight smile made me blink.

“What kind of tea is it?”

“A combination of a couple spices and herbs. A friend of mine makes it for me. Would you like to try?”

The smell rising with the steam from his cup was tempting, but I wasn’t in the mind to take another risk this day. “Perhaps another time.”

“I realized that I didn’t ask you.” He stirred his tea with a spoon.

“Asked me what?”

“To marry me.”

 I frowned at him. “You asked me if I was certain.”

“And you said you didn’t have a choice. I am giving you a choice.”

I frowned down at the ring. It lay on the rough-hewn tabletop, glinting faintly in the dim light. Around us, the crowd roared with laughter at someone’s joke, and the women in the corner chattered. Meanwhile, the man next to me waited. His calm silence enveloped us, stilling the panic that had been breaking over me in waves. Perhaps this might not be as bad as I feared.

  

To find out her answer, you can pre-order the book here.

Story Snippets: Fairy Lights in Deep Magic, Winter 2019 (Laurie)

I hope everyone's having a fabulous summer so far! I'm just sitting here staring at the calendar, wondering how July could possibly be more than halfway done already...

Anyway, is anyone familiar with Deep Magic? It's an awesome e-zine of clean fantasy and science fiction, featuring many short stories and some excerpts from longer works. I was so sad to hear that their Summer, 2021 issue will be their last! *sniff* But it also makes me more grateful than ever that my steampunk Cinderella retelling, "Fairy Lights," was chosen for their Winter issue back in 2019! Definitely one of the highlights of my writing journey thus far :) 

So today, I thought I'd share an excerpt of that story with you! In this scene, Raella's stepmother and stepsisters have just finished getting ready for a ball at the palace, and Raella is eager to show them her latest invention. Enjoy! (You can find the Winter, 2019 issue of Deep Magic HERE and a list of all the issues HERE.)

I rubbed my sweaty palms against my cropped pants. Time for the big reveal. “Of course. The carriage is all ready for you out front.” The moment they’d sequestered themselves to get ready for the ball, I’d given Dagen a quick lesson, then driven the carriage out just beyond the porch and polished off the layers of dust.

I led the way out the door, pressing my lips together to hide my grin.

“But where’s the horse?” Mother placed her hands on her hips. “Dagen, what is the meaning of this?”

He winked at me from his perch on the driver’s seat. “It seems we don’t need Dolly anymore.” The top of his balding head almost disappeared beneath the layer of fringe dangling from the front canopy.

Mother huffed. “Of all the idiotic—”

“It’s true.” I rushed ahead of them to Dagen’s side. “You asked me to fix the carriage and I added...well, an enhancement. The carriage drives itself now.” My grin finally escaped my attempts to subdue it. “I wanted it to be a surprise.”

“And a surprise it is. Quite an accomplishment, Raella.” Mother’s expression was more sour than ever.

“You mean it has an engine?” Dianthe squinted into the dim light cast by the nearest street lamp.

“Yes, precisely. Once I pull this lever, the heating element will—”

“But think of all that horrid steam.” Dianthe wrinkled her nose. “Mother, we cannot attend the ball in such a contraption. No one will want to come within miles of us.”

“Perhaps they’ll think it’s interesting.” Herra gave me a half-smile.

“It will be the only one, at least for this ball.” I placed my hand on the twisted metal of the tall front wheel. “But after everyone’s seen it, by the next event I’m sure dozens will—”

“That’s enough, Raella.” Mother had walked to the far side of the carriage, now she rounded it to face us. “Of course you’re proud of your invention, but we can’t possibly consider driving it to Prince Hendrick’s ball. What if it breaks down on the way, or starts a fire that ruins other carriages? No, Dagen will hitch up Dolly this instant, and we’ll be on our way. I presume it still functions as a horse-drawn carriage?”

I dragged the toe of my boot across the dirt. “Not exactly. I’m still trying to sort out...”

Dianthe whimpered.

Mother’s exaggerated sigh could have emanated from a steamship. “Then we’ll go on the cart. Dagen, I want it ready in five minutes.”

“Y-yes, Ma’am.” He shot me a sympathetic glance as he scurried to the barn.

“Girls, let’s return to the house before our dresses get covered in dirt.” Mother stalked past me up the porch stairs.

Herra lifted her skirt, the buckles of her knee-high boots glinting in the moonlight. “I thought it was a neat idea.” Her voice barely reached me as she shuffled by.

Dianthe’s stiff posture mimicked Mother’s. “When will you learn your tinkering is a useless, unladylike waste of time?”

#

I glanced up from where I’d crumpled onto the front porch. The cart was no longer in sight, only a trail of dust left in its wake. My hands returned to my face. How had I fooled myself into thinking they’d understand this time? That they might even appreciate my efforts? A stream of tears escaped between my fingers, and I didn’t bother to stop them. No one was here to see.

A point of pink light flickered, followed by a buzz. I swiped my sleeve across my eyes. Farther in the distance, a green twinkle of light hovered in the air. I might have guessed the fairies would be out the night of a ball, but why so far from the palace? The tiny creatures attended to the queen and other noblewomen, but no one of such rank lived this far from the center of town.

I pushed off from the porch’s splintering wood and stretched my legs. Might as well return the carriage to the barn for the night. A yellow light blinked to my right, then pale blue to my left. How many fairies were here? Maybe they weren’t allowed in the palace during events as grand as Prince Hendrick’s ball. Shaking my head, I started for the carriage.

A woman clad in shimmering white materialized before me.

I lurched back with a screech. “Who are you? And how—?”

“My apologies; I suppose that was a bit startling.” Her voice had the resonance of a bell, vibrant and commanding. “They told me you were on the porch, but, well, I guess now you’re not.”

“I was just...” Wait. I didn’t owe any explanations to this bizarre apparition. “What is your purpose here?”

“Ah, a practical girl. Well, I might as well share the good news right at the start. You’ve been chosen to attend the ball.”

“Excuse me?”

More tiny lights glimmered around her shoulders, appearing and disappearing so quickly I couldn’t keep track of them all. The buzzing in the air grew to a hum. “I am Louvaine, mistress of fairies, and if you must know, I have come under a bit of criticism lately. Something about magic misuse. It’s all nonsense, of course, but I thought Prince Hendrick’s ball was the ideal opportunity to clear my name with a good deed. So, I sent out my fairies. ‘Ladies,’ I told them, ‘Find a girl who’s miserable about not going to the ball. One with the potential to be a true belle.’ And of all the crying girls in town, they chose you. We’ll get you looking like a princess, and to the ball you shall go!”

This cannot be happening. “That is very kind of you, but I have no desire to go to the ball. My crying was about something else.”

“Nonsense. You’re a young, pretty girl”—she stepped back to appraise my attire—“who only needs some assistance with her wardrobe to be presentable. The perfect recipient of our help.”

“No, I mean it. I’m sure another one of the crying girls would be much more appreciative of such an opportunity.”

She released a weary sigh. “I know your kind, dear girl. The martyrs who never want anything for themselves, who claim they don’t mind slaving their lives away without any frivolity, then cry about it in secret. You will go to the ball, and you will look spectacular. Ladies.” She snapped her fingers, and every light blinked on in a dizzying assortment of colors. “Escort Miss—”

Her brows raised expectantly.

“Raella.”

“Escort Miss Raella inside, get her bathed, if necessary, and into one of your finest gowns.” She pointed toward the house, and the fairies swarmed like a colony of tunnel bees. “And do something about that hair!”

My feet rooted to the ground as I squinted against the roiling lights. Had I fallen asleep while sitting on the porch? Or had my loneliness since Daddy’s death finally driven me mad?

Gentle pressure on my back inched me forward. Whether dream or reality, apparently it was time for me to get dressed.

Story Snippet: The Last Will and Testament of Captain Nemo (Mary)

 Here in the height of summer, most people find their thoughts (if not their actual bodies) drifting to the pool or the beach. For my part, I just got back from a much-needed trip to the river and it was SO refreshing.

Which got me to thinking about water, and I decided that for this episode of Story Snippets I would share an excerpt from my nautical fantasy novelette, The Last Will and Testament of Captain Nemo - a mashup of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid.

***

Close by the Rackliffe estate was a stretch of beach where, Eyrál knew, the younger Lord Rackliffe was wont to go riding in the early mornings. It was to this place that she travelled, and waited until just before dawn to swallow the witch’s draught.

How the transformation took place, she never knew. Upon swallowing the draught she found her vision distorted, her ears pierced by a deafening ringing, and her senses scattered by an overwhelming dizziness. In this condition she lay on the sand, unknowing, until Lord Rackliffe did indeed happen upon her.

He saw her lying senseless, still half in the water, and drew the natural conclusion that she was the victim of a shipwreck, as he himself had so recently been. Upon discovering that she still lived, but being unable to rouse her, he lifted her in his arms and began carrying her back to his father’s house, utterly unaware that in his arms he bore the woman to whom he owed his life.

Into this situation, Eyrál awoke: borne in the arms of the man whom she had spent the last months loving from afar. And in that moment, her love for him grew deeper still, and she leaned her head on his shoulder and rested in her love and his nearness.

Lord Rackliffe, for his part, took Eyrál back to his father’s house and saw that she received the ministrations appropriate to the circumstance of a shipwrecked woman. His efforts to ascertain her name, as well as every other line of questioning or conversation, were met only with silence, for the Mer speak a language unique to them. Eyrál understood not a word that was spoken by Lord Rackliffe or any of his household, and dared not speak a word in her own tongue for fear of betraying her identity. Instead, she maintained an unbroken silence until those around her reached the consensus that she was a mute.

As she had in the way of worldly possessions only the sharkskin garment she had been wearing when she swallowed the witch’s draught, a wardrobe was provided for her. As she had never before possessed human legs or feet, she found walking both painful and difficult. This was easily explained in the minds of her hosts, who believed she simply needed time to convalesce. She mastered her newfound limbs quickly, however, and within a few days was walking well, though her feet remained tender and delicate.

Over the span of her convalescence, Lord Rackliffe grew fond of her as one would of a foundling dog, and treated her as one, but so hopelessly in love was she that she suffered all without complaint—even with gratitude! When he had her dressed as a pageboy so that no one would question her accompanying him on hunting trips, she complied with a naïve sweetness that only made his behavior more repulsive by comparison. When he placed a cushion on the floor outside the door to his private rooms for her to sleep on at night—as if she, a princess of the Mer and the savior of his very life, were truly nothing more than a favored dog!—she accepted all with gladness.

Her sweetness of temper and beauty of spirit made her a favorite among everyone in the Rackliffes’ household, from the Lord and Lady to the lowliest servant. However, if she believed that her perfect devotion and saintly submission to Lord Rackliffe’s unforgivable cruelty would win his love, she was sadly mistaken. While she slept on her cushion outside his door and accompanied him on his hunts and attended his lavish shipboard parties, his affections were being lost to another: the temple maiden who had discovered him on the beach where Eyrál had dragged him after the sinking of his ship.

A few months after Eyrál’s arrival, an announcement was made of the younger Lord Rackliffe’s engagement to that same temple girl, the daughter of a wealthy and influential Egyptian businessman. Arrangements for the wedding were made, a grand celebration aboard Lord Rackliffe’s finest ship was planned, and of course, Eyrál was invited.

The Mer princess knew full well that Lord Rackliffe’s impending marriage would mean her death, thanks to the sea-witch’s spell, and her heart broke at the realization that the man for whom she had sacrificed everything—for whom she was about to give her life!—shared nothing of her devotion. And yet so great was her love of him, and so good was her heart, even in the face of losing both love and life, that she held up her head, smiled upon Lord Rackliffe and his new bride, embraced them both to show her goodwill, and danced with more joy and abandon than any of the other guests at the celebration.

The wedding night came. The guests, weary from their revelry, retired to their cabins. Lord Rackliffe and his bride withdrew to the tent that had been erected for them in the middle of the ship. Only the night watchman and Eyrál still stirred.

As she stood at the bow of the ship, a cry came to her from the sea. Her sisters, distressed by her rash and vain pursuit of the prince, had themselves gone to the sea-witch to seek a counter-spell, one that would allow their sister to return to her life among the Mer. The witch had granted their boon in the form of a knife. If Eyrál were to use this knife to slay the prince before the approaching sunrise brought her death, her Mer form would return to her and she would be free to rejoin her sisters.

Pained by their mournful entreaties, Eyrál accepted the knife her sisters offered and stole into the tent where Lord Rackliffe and his bride blissfully slept in each other’s arms. But so great was her love, so good was her heart, that even in the face of her own destruction she could not take his life.

She returned to the bow of the ship and looked down to where her sisters eagerly waited. But to their dismay, she cast the knife from her and withdrew to the center of the ship, away from their sight so that she might not inflict upon them the pain of witnessing her end.

The sky colored, the sun rose, and yet Eyrál did not die as she had anticipated. No, indeed, for the witch’s spell had not required the love of Lord Rackliffe himself; it had only required the love of a human—and there was a human on board that ship who loved her with body, heart, and soul: myself.

***

I hope you enjoyed this excerpt! If you'd like to read the rest of the story, you can find it here.