Hello fellow readers, writers, and general lovers of story-telling in its many forms.
It’s been a few months since my last update, and with a new book release less than two months away, what better time to fill you all in?
While I’m still very much determined to finish the first draft of STATIC (my cyberpunk novel, for those of you unfamiliar), I surprised myself with the decision to release another book this year–namely, to put together some of the short stories I’d been working on over the past few years in an anthology of my own.
“Of Curses & Kingdoms: A Fairy-tale Anthology.”
So what kinds of stories are in said anthology, you might be asking? Five fantastical tales in all; three of which are retellings/re-imaginings of popular folk and fairy-tales, and two original stories with a healthy dose of inspiration from the fairy-tales and folklore many of us have been acquainted with since childhood and adolescence.
Namely: The Pied Piper of Hamelin, Rapunzel, and Rumpelstiltskin–all three of which bear my own twist on the tales of old.
And as for the two original stories bookending these three? Be prepared to take a plunge into the world of Faerie, where two Fae girls, Jillian and Delilah, must navigate the perils of a star-crossed love affair during a time of war and upheaval. Then journey with Prince Tieran and the consciousness whom he shares his body with, Severyn, as they fend off assassins and other dangers in the hopes of returning Severyn to a body of his own…and uncovering a plot most nefarious.
Each story carries not only the theme of “curses and kingdoms”, but something else as well: love conquering all.
Whether it’s the prejudice between faerie clans, centuries old vendettas, fear of the unknown, a heart or a kingdom divided–Love. Conquers. All.
You will find these themes and more pressed between the pages; you may even find pieces of yourself in one character or another. Perhaps you’ll see a bit of yourself in them all.
That’s what I found as I wrote each one of these stories: pieces of myself, past, present, and future. Different facets, not only of myself, but of those who have touched and inspired me the most.
Another theme strongly present throughout? Same-sex partnerships. Some characters, like Kristoff in my Rumpelstiltskin retelling, are quite clearly bisexual. Others, like Rapunzel herself, are ambiguous, leaving it open to interpretation as to whether the characters are lesbian, gay, or bi (respectively). This was done intentionally, so that each reader–no matter their own orientation–could connect with the characters in their own way–though of course I hope for connections to be made, irrespective of something as immutable or innate as sexuality.
And on the subject of sexuality, it’s important to note that while there is no “on-screen” sex, as it were–there are still sexual themes present throughout these stories, all to varying degrees; some simply implied through innuendo and mild interactions, others more directly shown leading up to the proverbial fade to black.
Regardless, it is my recommendation that unless you are 18 years or older, you not read this particular collection of stories. If you are older and have teenage children of your own, I’ll leave it to your discretion whether you allow said kids to read these works or not (though I highly recommend you read beforehand to be certain, either way).
All that being said: I cannot wait to share this anthology with you all. It is something I’m quite proud of, even if I did feel a bit out of my element at times.
OF CURSES & KINGDOMS: A FAIRY-TALE ANTHOLOGY will be released June 1st! You can pre-order the ebook version, or you can mark your calendar for the paperback.
IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN BEING AN ARC REVIEWER, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IN THE COMMENTS. E-COPIES WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE FORMAT OF YOUR CHOICE.
Pre-order Link: OF CURSES & KINGDOMS
Until next time, I bid you all adieu and happy reading!
Summary:
Towers. Haunted Forests. Kingdoms at war. Curses. Magic.
In these five, whimsical tales, you will take a journey through different times and worlds; embark on harrowing adventures to meet characters both cruel and cunning, capricious and kind. With three fairy-tale retellings sandwiched between two original short stories, each exploring themes of hope, danger, adversity, redemption, and love in all its complexities, Of Curses & Kingdoms is sure to satisfy any literary appetite.
Mythos 