In anticipation of the release of TexArcana: A Collection of Fantasy Short Stories, I’m interviewing TexArcana authors! First up, meet Brad Cullen Fleetwood, the author of the shot story “The Bragg Light.”
Interview with TexArcana Author Lamont Turner
This is an interview with one of the authors from our new anthology, TexArcana! Lamont Turner wrote the story “Looking for Laredo.”
Cover Reveal: TexArcana
What happens when Texans encounter ghosts or when they stumble into mysterious underground lairs? What secrets lurk in the tall prairie grass on a dark night? What darkness might emerge from Texas' bloody past?
From spine-chilling tales of monsters, ancient orichas, and antediluvian horrors to light-hearted stories of wayward teens and library covens, TexArcana is a collection of twelve fantasy short stories from various authors, all set in Texas. These stories reflect some of the magic and mystique of Texas, from its days as a rugged frontier up to its dynamic present.
Interview with Young Adult Fantasy Writer Lucy A. McLaren +
Tell us about yourself! What would you like readers to know about you?
Lucy: Hi! I’m Lucy A. McLaren, a fantasy writer and professional counsellor. I’ve adored fantasy stories for as long as I can remember, and consume them in their various forms—from books to films, video games to TV shows. Besides these, I love spending time with my husband and young son. I also like taking photos of old castles or ruins, as these are really inspiring to me.
My debut book, Awakening: The Commune’s Curse Book 1, released in May 2022 from Santa Fe Writers Project. It’s a multi-POV, character-focused YA dark fantasy, including found family, an authoritarian government, mental health rep, a realistic toxic relationship, and animal companions. I’m currently working on book 2 in that series alongside another YA fantasy book, and several short stories!
Alexis: Wow! I love looking at pictures of old castles or ruins, and your book sounds interesting.
What book or books have most influenced you as a writer?
Lucy: His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman is my favourite series of all time and has certainly influenced me as a writer. I admire Pullman’s worldbuilding and the compelling way in which he tells stories.
Robin Hobb is my favourite writer; I haven’t read all of her books (yet), but I love everything I have read (Rainwild Chronicles and Liveship Traders trilogy are my favourites). I admire Hobb’s character work in particular, and the way she makes the thoughts, feelings and behaviours of her characters so understandable, even when they’re abominable.
Alexis: I love His Dark Materials as well, though I’ve read never any Robin Hobb.
What TV shows/Movies do you like to watch or stream?
Lucy: My husband and I will watch anything Marvel. I really enjoyed Loki (I mean, Tom Hiddleston is awesome) and Daredevil (so pleased that’s coming back). The Witcher and His Dark Materials are both fantastic and I can’t wait for series 3 of both this year (roll on December)! I also like to watch crime dramas, or real life crime and police documentaries. I find them all incredibly fascinating from a psychological point of view.
In terms of films, again Marvel will always be a winner in our house. Other than that, I love Lord of the Rings and have done since it came out when I was a child. I can’t wait to share it with my son when he’s older! My favorite film, however, is Gladiator. Just… ugh, gets me every time. Amazing.
Alexis: Awesome! I’m a huge Marvel fan as well, and I really enjoyed the Loki TV series. I’m excited to see where they take his character. I’ve also enjoy The Witcher series (I even learned to play “Toss a Coin to Your Witcher” on ukulele:).
Do you like playing video games? What’s your favorite game right now? Has a video game ever influenced you as a writer?
Lucy: Oh yes, I love gaming. I haven’t had as much chance to do it as I would like since having my son, but it will always be a part of my life. At the moment, I’m playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons because it’s easy to dip into when my son is asleep and doesn’t take much brain power. However, I am *on hold* in Horizon: Forbidden West and I really want to get back to it. Just need to find the time and mental energy! It’s a brilliant game.
I’d say the games I’ve played over the years have certainly influenced me as a writer. The ones that spring to mind as being the strongest influences are Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask, and Final Fantasy VIII through X. There are multiple characters and intertwining storylines in these games. That is something I aim to emulate in my stories.
Do you like playing board games or role playing games like D&D? If so, which games do you like best?
Lucy: I don’t play any at the moment, but I discovered D&D for the first time about 5 years ago and loved it. Creating my character, Evelyn, and her backstory were a big part in my going on to write Awakening—Evelyn is one of the four main characters, and the one whose perspective we follow the most. Playing D&D really brought her to life for me. I wish I’d discovered it when I was younger. It’s so much fun, and really encourages imagination and creativity. I hope to be able to find a campaign to join in future!
Do you have a pet or pets? If so, share a picture of your pet!
Lucy: Sadly I don’t have my own dog at the moment, although always appreciate cuddles with my family dogs Cosmo, Arya and Beth when I go to my parents’ house.
However, this is a photo of Evie. She was my dog; I bought her when I was 18 and we had 13 and a half wonderful years together. She was by my side for so much of the writing of Awakening, snoring away contentedly. She was the inspiration for Dog, the animal companion to young Rose in my book. She loved tea and going for walks in the woods. She was very special.
Evie, Lucy A. McLaren’s adorable doggie!
What advice do you have for other writers or people just getting started in writing?
Lucy: Don’t worry about getting your story perfect straight away. Get it written, editing and rewrites will come later. I made the mistake of trying to tweak as I was writing the first draft. Looking back, that was a massive waste of time. The book went through numerous rewrites and edits since that first draft, and changed loads.
Basically, get your first draft written. Get the ideas on paper. Refine later.
How do you choose what books you want to read?
Lucy: I’m very much a mood reader. I love the feeling of being able to choose my next book. My TBR pile is huge, so I’ll scan through that and just… get a feeling about a certain book. I’ve learned to go with my gut, because when I try to read a book I’m not “feeling” I end up not enjoying it as much.
I’m currently reading: Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons; Tabula Smaragdina: The Destiny Thief by Natalia Wawrzynczak; and Fate and Resolve by Amy Lee.
If you write horror or dark fantasy, what are some of your fears, and how did they influence your story?
Lucy: I write dark fantasy, though it’s not grimdark. My worlds tend to be grim, inspired by real life events I have seen or experienced. I do try to weave in some element of hope, though—whether that be the spark of friendship, or the animal companions that are part of Awakening.
For me, my fears do come from real life scenarios: oppression, trauma, mental health issues, sexual assault, victim blaming, toxic relationships. These awful things happen in our world, and they’re scary. I hope that exploring them in a realistic, respectful way in my stories will help people to understand these issues or to process their own experiences.
Lucy A McLaren, the author of Awakening: The Commune’s Curse
Share your links!
You can buy Awakening: The Commune’s Curse Book 1 now from your favourite bookshop or retailer.
Find Awakening: The Commune’s Curse on Amazon!
Check out my linktree: https://linktr.ee/lucyamclaren
Keep up to date with my dark fantasy trilogy, The Commune’s Curse, as well as my other fantasy stories by signing up to my newsletter (bottom of my website): https://lucyamclarenauthor.wordpress.com
I also share mental health theory every month on my newsletter, which can help you better understand your own characters, or your favorite characters in the stories you read—so do sign up if that sounds of interest.
You can follow me on Twitter (@lucyamclaren), Instagram (lucy_a_mclaren), Facebook (Lucy A. McLaren Author) and TikTok (@lucyamclarenauthor). I love connecting with fellow fantasy readers and writers!
Cover Reveal: Thine Eyes of Mercy
Welcome to the cover reveal for Danielle M. Orsino's novel, Thine Eyes of Mercy (Birth of the Fae #2) which is the highly anticipated follow up to Locked Out of Heaven!
Birth of the Fae: Thine Eyes of Mercy, Book Two
Expected Publication Date: December 2021
Genre: Fantasy
Queen Aurora, monarch of the Court of Light Fae and King Jarvok, Leader of the Court of Dark Fae are exhausted and battle worn after centuries of fighting. A war of attrition had taken its toll upon their kin and power bases.
What happens when you have to give in to your enemy?
All wars eventually end even magical ones. The Dark and Light Fae have set their elemental magick and weapons down but, all is not quiet in the Veil…
King Jarvok was confident his army could win the war, but at what cost? It was time to act like a King not a power hungry megalomaniac. That was his Creator’s title not his. He reaches out to Queen Aurora, and the Treaty of Bodhicitta is signed.
The treaty promises the Fae will never spill each other’s blood again. Rules for their human worshipers are put into place. The Court of Dark must not interfere with humans in a malignant way, but they can act as gods and goddesses of atonement. The Court of Light can return to acting as advisors to the European royal families, as they have done for centuries.
However, Queen Aurora and King Jarvok will learn that while they were playing war games, their humans have changed and moved away from the old ways.
The two monarchs face unknown challenges in a world where Christianity not paganism is the new power.
Sometimes the devil you know is better than the one you do not.
Coming Soon!
Locked Out of Heaven (Birth of the Fae #1)
Ride on the backs of fire-breathing dragons with the Dark Fae and watch the Light Fae play in the shadows of primitive humanity as they build their magical world.
Abandoned by their creator, two factions of powerful angels remain on earth after the Great War with Lucifer. They struggle to comprehend their Creator’s plan while their angel wings, a symbol of their angelic lineage, slowly and painfully decay. With no hope of returning to the Shining Kingdom, two groups of angels denounce their angelic lineage and develop into separate factions – the Court of Light, led by Queen Aurora, a former Virtue Angel, and the Court of Dark, ruled by King Jarvok, a former Power Brigade Angel. The two monarchs have opposing views on how to govern their kin, but the one belief they agree on is that human worship equals power.
Birth of the Fae: Locked Out of Heaven is an epic-fantasy adventure of heartbreak, rebirth, and hope that examines the bonds of family, friendship, and love. It is a fantastic tale of good versus evil in a beautiful world, where the Light Fae and their potent elemental magick are tested by the raw power of the dragon-riding Dark Fae warriors.
They are their own beings and masters of their own destiny. They are the Fae.
About the Author
Danielle M Orsino, destined to be a writer from a young age, was working as a nurse and treating a patient who needed some distractions during long I.V. Treatment sessions. So, Orsino reached back to a forgotten skill, A childhood dream. Danielle had wanted to be a writer and so she decided to tell a story. Little did she know the seed would grow into a fantastically epic adventure of heartbreak, hope and rebirth — Birth of Fae: Locked Out of Heaven. Drawing from her passion for comic books, Cosplay and fantasy along with her expert martial arts expertise, Orsino brings forth an electric and hopeful debut.
Danielle is taking on her biggest challenge to date: taking the story born from the long treatment sessions with a patient into a fantasy book series-Birth of the Fae: Locked out of Heaven. Expanding her love of writing, comics and exploring the world of fantasy novels, she delves into the realm of fairies and retells their origins from a completely new perspective. Orsino has a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and Exercise science and is an LPN with a special interest in Lyme disease research. Orsino has been widely recognized from her influence and experience in martial arts realm, training for over 20 years and with over 500 tournament wins, and accumulating national and world titles. She has performed for former President of the United States Bill Clinton and has been featured on “Soap Talk, Fox Five news CBS, TLC and E! With this experience, she worked as a Fight Choreographer on ”Wonder Woman: Balance of Power” and has worked with the likes of martial arts legend Vincent Lyn and WWE marvel and action star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Nothing Danielle ever does is simple, look at what NY times Bestselling author Clete Barrett Smith has to say about her debut endeavor: “After summoning this world into existence through an imaginative force of will, Danielle has scoured every inch of the landscape several times over. Critics often praise a story’s world building by saying that it feels “lived in.” Well, the world of the Fae certainly seems like that because Danielle herself has happily lived there for years as she worked to put all of this together…My favorite part of this story is that it is gloriously depicted in vibrant images.
The Birth of the Fae | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify Playlist
Cover Reveal Organized By:
Interview with Fantasy Author Azalea Dabill
How has fantasy impacted your experience of the world?
Azalea: It would be easier to say how it hasn’t influenced me.
Great fantasy adventure has been a lifeline, an inspiration, a joy, a teacher, an expander of my world. During illness it has been a comfort and enjoyment when I couldn’t get out. Imaginative stories gave me the gift of adventure, and still do today. Both good and bad speculative fiction inspire me. They inspire me in the sense that the good shows me moral possibilities of great deeds of heart and mind, while the bad has shown me how far off track we can get. It also identifies evils that need to be fought in the spiritual arena, the wide world of ideas, and the sphere we breathe in. Fantasy shows me heart-thrilling new realms, including the inner world of other minds I have not known, places I have not gone, and kingdoms yet to be won.
Why do you think clean fantasy adventure is important to us as human readers?
Azalea: Because moral adventure shows us a picture of admirable action, with a sense of the mystery, beauty, and courage we need to live well. It gives us a picture of goodness, not alone, or always unstained, but goodness as it opposes evil. It helps us sort out ourselves, and where we fit in life in the universe. We learn by inner experience what it means to be inhuman and to be human.
In what ways are great fantasy and imaginative fiction vital to our future?
Azalea: The moment we cease to imagine, an exercise in possibility and a kind of creation, we begin to die, in spirit if nothing else. And it is also vital for us to create good things, to think of virtue, to be a witness of its thriving existence. If we imagine evil things and live in them, we misuse our gift of sub-creation. We are not here to make the world worse, but to encourage, help, and inspire every person in the great race of life.
What do you like to write?
Azalea: So far I’ve written YA medieval fantasy set in Britannia and Araby. I’m on the last book of the series. My next planned books are fantasy adventures set in other worlds. All of them, from kings and princesses to dragons are caught in a state of dire flux, seeking to save themselves and others from destruction, of course. An adventure is no good without conflict! I also prefer conflict on more than one level, so my books tend to be character driven tales of beauty and danger.
Current Work in Progress: the third and last book of the Falcon Chronicle, a YA medieval fantasy. Title: Falcon Dagger.
The first two books, Chronicle I: Falcon Heart and Chronicle II: Falcon Flight, and a companion novella Lance and Quill are available on Amazon.
Bio:
I grew up in the California hills with four siblings, building forts in the oaks.
The fuzzy-sweet scent of acorns and moss rounded the strong, delicate perfume of lupine and golden poppies under the summer sun. We didn't have TV in the evenings but listened to the night-song of crickets and dreamed of our day's adventures. We hunted ground squirrels with our home-made bows - but never got any, rode our Red-flyer wagon down our mountain, and roamed far and wide.
I learned to read early and entertained my brothers and sisters with many stories I read aloud.
Words hold so much power. They loved Narnia, The Young Trailers, and extraordinary fantasy. Robin McKinley's The Blue Sword enthralled me. I have never found enough imaginative adventure with threads of beauty, mystery, and wonder. Now I enjoy family, old bookstores, and hiking the wild.
Books: Falcon Heart, Falcon Flight, and Fantastic Journey
Or see my website: www.azaleadabill.com and sign up for reading adventure
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/azalea.dabill
Twitter: http://twitter.com/AzaleaDabill
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/azaleadabill
Join me on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/10067218-azalea-dabill
Or email me at: fantasticjourney.dynamospress@gmail.com
FanExpo 2021! Cosplay, Books, and Fun!
So one of the things I’ve missed since the start of the Covid pandemic is Comic Cons. The year before Covid hit, 2019, my friend Sarah Mensinga and I did our first con—Fan Expo Dallas 2019. We got a table where we sold our books and Sarah sold prints, and it was a great time. I only had one book available at the time, Sapience, and while I didn’t sell a huge amount of books, I made enough to cover my half of the table, which was good. I also met tons of people and saw some amazing cosplay.
After that, I got to do one more small con (Arlingcon, at the Arlington library). Sarah and I rented a table for Fan Expo 2020. Which was supposed to happen in March of 2020. And then the whole country shut down.
It’s funny, because I remember hearing rumblings about Covid even back in December 2019. By February it seemed like things were getting worse, but then it felt like it sort of exploded. In the end, Fan Expo 2020 was cancelled, but we decided to keep our table for the next time the con came back. Which it did for the first time September 17-20, 2021. And once again, we were there with our books. This time, I had Saints and Curses as well as Sapience.
Me and Sarah at Fan Expo 2021!
It was very exciting to be back after all that time. I honestly had no idea what to expect. I halfway expected that no one would be there except for a couple of vendors. I was amazed to see the huge crowds of people arriving at the con (masks were required and I’m vaccinated, so I felt reasonably safe from Covid). And just like 2019, there were tons of brilliant cosplayers. Since there were so many, I decided to post some of pictures in galleries. Check them out! I love great cosplay—it looks so fun and brilliant.
BTW, Sarah and I are also going to another fair in December, the Grapevine Library Christmas Market. I’ll post more about it as we get closer, but it’s going to be December 4-5, 2021.
Day 2—Sarah and I spread out because the table next to us was unoccupied.
Book Spotlight: The Storm of Storms; Juche III by Adria Carmichael
A highly addictive Young Adult Dystopian Survival Saga that will keep you glued to the pages.
Nari’s shocking revelation in the watermill changes everything in an instant, and Areum is once more faced with an impossible decision. Will she betray her sister in order to save her life, or support her and let her die? In the midst of this struggle, the storm of the century hits the camp, and life goes from hard to impossible overnight. Areum slowly comes to realize there is only one way to ensure their survival.
To escape!
But how can they escape from an escape-proof prison camp? And even if they would get past the ferocious dog patrols, the machine gun-equipped guard towers and the electrified barbed wire fence… will she be willing to condemn everyone they’re leaving behind to an inescapable end through torture and death?
The Demon of Yodok (Juche #1)
JUCHE [dʒuːtʃe]
Just when Areum, daughter of a privileged family in the totalitarian state of Choson, thought she was free from her personal prison, her world collapses around her as her family are taken away in the middle of the night to a hell-like camp in the mountains where people who have strayed from the righteous path are brutally re-educated through blood, sweat, tears and starvation.
There she has to fight for survival together with the family she hates and is forced to re-evaluate every aspect of her life until then – her deep resentment toward her twin sister; her view of her father in face of the mounting evidence he is a traitor with the blood of millions of fellow countrymen on his hands; and even her love and affection for the Great General – the eternal savior and protector of Choson, whom she had always considered her true father.
The Weeping Masses (Juche #2)
Areum’s hopes to be set free from the brutal political prison camp holding them is crushed, and the heinous assault on her sister plunges her into a state of shock and horror… and puts her on a collision course with her family. All hope seems to be lost. Just when she is about to give up, however, a disturbing revelation is made… and as the evil of the camp is given a face, Areum finds a new purpose to keep fighting.
Revenge!
But first they need to survive, and with the constantly harshening conditions and her family being targeted from all directions, daily life in Yodok turns into a never-ceasing fight to evade imminent doom.
On top of everything, an impossible tragedy strikes Choson, and the unquestionable truth Areum has built her life around is challenged to its very core.
About the Author
Adria Carmichael is a writer of Young Adult Dystopian fiction with a twist. When she is not devouring dystopian and post-apocalyptic content in any format – books, movies, TV-series and PlayStation games – she is crafting the epic and highly-addictive Juche saga, her 2020 debut novel series that takes place in the brutal, totalitarian nation of Choson. When the limit of doom and gloom is reached, a 10K run on a sunny day or binging a silly sitcom on a rainy day is her go-to way to unwind.
Book Spotlight: Samurai by Joanna White
Samurai (The Valiant Series #3) *Books can be read in any order
Publication Date: September 7th, 2021
Genre: Clean Fantasy/ Adventure
Okada Akari and Sakamoto Megumi just may be two women in over their head.
Okada Akari is a samurai, the daughter of the Chief Advisor to the Emperor of the Sakamoto clan. One day on a mission, she is captured by a mysterious warrior and taken to an enemy camp—an enemy filled with strange, foreign powers the likes of which her world has never seen. What’s worse, a foreign stranger is supplying her enemy with weapons her people cannot hope to fight against. Yet that is only the beginning of her journey, one filled with war and love, sacrifice, and darkness.
Sakamoto Megumi has wanted to be a samurai her entire life. However, as the daughter of the Emperor, training is impossible. When the Emperor is assassinated, she is thrust onto a throne she never wanted. As Empress, she must find a way to become a leader her people will look up to, instead of a weak woman unfit for the throne. Her generals are waiting for her to make a grave mistake. Falling in love with her high general might very well be the mistake they were waiting for.
Corruption has touched worlds before, but this time, it will take more than a few Chosen to stop it before it fills the hearts of everyone around them – even the hearts of their closest friends and allies.
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I glanced down at my hand as it rested in my lap. “Do you think I am ready?” My voice was barely above a whisper.
Somehow, he heard me. I glanced back at his reflection. He gently smiled, his eyes were steady and calm, and his voice was void of pity. “I believe you will lead your people wisely, like your father did before you. You have his wisdom and equality inside your heart, Princess Sakamoto.”
I blinked back tears that had begun to form and glanced back down at the one and only hand I had. The real meaning behind his words echoed inside my mind. You are able to lead your people whether you have two arms or one. My strengths outweighed my weakness.
When the young girl, Chiaki, finished combing through my hair, I told her that she could leave. Once the shoji slid shut behind her and I could no longer hear her footsteps, I turned around and met Ryosuke’s gaze. As I stood, I kept my eyes firmly locked on his. Though I could not embrace him, because at any moment anyone could interrupt us, his gaze on mine held more warmth than if I was actually in his arms.
“Your father and your mother both believed in you. I believe in you, Megumi. You are not alone on this path. Never forget that.”
Now Available on Amazon!
About the Author
Joanna White is a Christian Author and fangirl. Hunter and Shifter are the first two books in her debut series, called the Valiant Series. In December 2019, one of her short stories was featured in Once Upon A Yuletide, a Christmas fairy tale anthology by Divination Publishing. Dark Magi, a prequel in the Republic Chronicles came out in November 2019. Glimpses of Time and Magic, a historical fantasy anthology, also featured one of her stories.
She graduated from Full Sail University with a BFA in Creative Writing for Entertainment. Ever since she was ten years old, she’s been writing stories and has a deep passion for writing and creating stories, worlds, characters, and plots that readers can immerse themselves in. In 2020, she reached her personal goal of writing a million words in a year. Most of all, Joanna loves God, her family, staying at home, and being a total nerd.
To stay updated and find out more about her novels, where her inspiration comes from, games, giveaways, and more, visit her website at: authorjoannawhite.com.
Book Spotlight: She's the One Who Doesn't Say Much by S.R. Cronin
Happy publication day to S.R. Cronin! Check out the latest installment in The War Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters! Read on for details and a chance to win a $20 amazon gift card and an Amazon gift copy of the first book in the collection, "She's the One Who Thinks too Much"!
She’s the One Who Doesn’t Say Much (The War Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters)
Publication Date: August 13th, 2021 (Today)
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Do you know what your problem is?
Olivine knows hers. This quiet thirteen century artist has been hiding a secret as she travels to K’ba to meet her friends. Others assume she’s fallen in love with another artist, and it’s not a match Mother would consider suitable. But it’s much worse than that. For on the way to K’ba is the dirt poor nichna of Scrud, a place scorned by other Ilarians. And in Scrud is the one man who understands her.
However, Bohdan recognizes the dangers posed by an impending Mongol invasion. When he learns of Olivine’s unusual visual powers, he convinces her to pick up her bow and start practicing.
She does, though she’s more concerned with producing enough art to run away from home and live in K’ba, where she can paint all day and see Bohdan as often as she wants. If only her sister hadn’t learned of what she can do and decided Olivine and her fellow long-eyes hold one of the keys to defending the realm.
Then, as if life wasn’t complicated enough, Olivine learns the artist community she yearns to be part of has developed a different take on the invasion. They’re certain the only way to survive is to capitulate completely to the Mongol’s demands. Artists who feel otherwise are no longer welcome.
Where does her future lie? The supposed invasion is coming soon and Olivine doesn’t have much time to decide.
The War Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters consists of seven short companion novels. Each tells the personal story and perspective of one of seven radically different sisters in the 1200s as they prepare for an invasion of their realm. While these historical fantasy/alternate history books can be enjoyed as stand-alone novels, together they tell the full story of how Ilari survived.
Which sister do you think saved the realm? That will depend on whose story you read.
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Excerpt
We lay together afterwards, talking as people do. I shared my ideas of living on my own in K’ba and he shared what he’d worked on recently. I’d already seen a set of beautiful bowls he’d carved with the knife I’d bought him. Now, he turned to a bin near his mat and pulled out a handful of small shivs, sized to fit in a skirt pocket.
“Our leaders in Scrud worry about these Mongols, too,” he said. “They worry the army won’t bother to defend the likes of us. But I’ve been thinking about the women in Ilari. We’ve heard what happens to females in an invasion. The idea of … my mother, my aunts, my sisters. It just makes me sick.”
“Women face added risks,” I said. “When conquered, we endure things men generally don’t.”
“I know. I thought I could make these, and give them to women to carry. Here, hold this.” He put one of the shivs in my hand. “What do you think? Could you defend yourself if you had this?”
I held the tiny weapon tight. Perhaps I imagined it, but the wood felt poised to defend me if I needed it to.
“I could do some damage, if it was up close and personal, which I guess it would be. And a surprise. Then maybe once they discovered how dangerous Ilari women are, they’d think twice before assaulting us.”
He nodded. “That’s what I’d hope for. I’m going to start making as many of these as I can. Give one to every woman I meet.”
I looked around at his meager belongings. There were no comforts to speak of. None. “Bohdan, don’t you think you should sell them? At least for a little something?”
“How could I do that? Come on, Olivine. No woman should have to pay me to keep herself safe.”
Then he looked at me and his eyes softened. He reached out and took a piece of my long bronze hair between his fingers and looked into my eyes. He’d already told me how much he loved their intense green color. I expected him to compliment them again, but instead he said “I wish you were more of a fighter.”
I raised an eyebrow. “I rather thought you liked me the way I was.”
He looked down, embarrassed. “Oh, I do. I mean I wish you had more ways to look out for yourself. You’re just not that physical, and I think force is all these monsters will understand.”
“I have physical skills.”
“Yes, so you’ve demonstrated. I don’t mean those, you’re great in that area.”
“I don’t mean in that area. They made me learn stuff in school, told me I had to develop my body to be well rounded.”
Right away I regretted saying it. The Royals of each nichna prided themselves on sponsoring basic education for children, everywhere but Scrud. If Scrud even had Royals, which I wasn’t sure they did. I’d already learned Bohdan was embarrassed he’d never been to school, although an older sister had taught him to read and write some.
“So what did they make you learn?” he asked.
“How to shoot with a bow and arrow.”
“Seriously? Are you any good?”
“I used to be. Surprised everyone, most of all me.” I paused. I hesitated to talk too much about the many things I’d gotten to do over the years, because Bohdan had been offered so few opportunities.
“I do this thing, it’s hard to explain, but if I focus on something small that’s far away, like a flower or a bee or a leaf, it comes into clear focus while everything else goes blurry.”
“Sounds useful for an artist.”
“Oh, it is. I used to think everyone could do it. I mean, who talks about how their eyes work, right? But when I was in Pilk I found out it’s called being a long-eye and it’s uncommon. Some artists have it but most don’t. Anyway, it helped me with archery, too. I got a kick out of shooting arrows and being good at something like that.”
He’d gone back to worrying. “If I asked you to pick up a bow again and practice, would you? For me?”
“Of course, but why? You know I’m trying to make as much art as I can so I can move to K’ba. There are only so many hours of light in a day.”
“True. But it could be a way to defend your home. I think Ilari will need all the fighters it can get, and all the kinds of fighters it can get.”
He just wasn’t going to stop fretting about the Mongols. I rolled my eyes.
“Okay. A little archery every day, I promise. The sunshine will do me good.”
Available on Amazon US & Amazon UK
She's the One Who Doesn’t Say Much will also be available on B&N, Kobo, Apple, and Smashwords in late August.
About the Author
Sherrie Cronin is the author of a collection of six speculative fiction novels known as 46. Ascending and is now in the process of publishing a historical fantasy series called The War Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters. A quick look at the synopses of her books makes it obvious she is fascinated by people achieving the astonishing by developing abilities they barely knew they had.
She’s made a lot of stops along the way to writing these novels. She’s lived in seven cities, visited forty-six countries, and worked as a waitress, technical writer, and geophysicist. Now she answers a hot-line. Along the way, she’s lost several cats but acquired a husband who still loves her and three kids who’ve grown up just fine, both despite how eccentric she is.
All her life she has wanted to either tell these kinds of stories or be Chief Science Officer on the Starship Enterprise. She now lives and writes in the mountains of Western North Carolina, where she admits to occasionally checking her phone for a message from Captain Picard, just in case.
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Troublesome Sisters | BookBub | Amazon | Goodreads
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