Fantasy

Spells, Wings, and Flying Things

Hi Readers!

As the image below shows, we’ve been busy! The three *test* covers are for the three stories our scribe, Melinda, wrote for the trilogy of anthologies we’re producing. Collectively, we’re calling them ‘Magic Underground’ because Papa and I happen to live under a mountain. 😉

He’s got wings and a swift-flying mate, but they’re fighting a dangerous magic with nothing but their wits and claws. If they fail, they’ll lose more than their only human friend. Adventure with Thing and Amal as they risk it all.

Get their story in Spell of Shadow & Light
1) Spell of Wings & Glass was in Hidden Magic*
2) Spell of Bone & Ash was in Wayward Magic*
3) Spell of Scales & Steel was in Forgotten Magic*

*However, all three anthologies were part of a limited edition series, (Magic Underground Anthologies), that was available until December 31, 2020.

You can no longer purchase a copy of Hidden Magic, Wayward Magic, or Forgotten Magic, but you can get Spell of Shadows & Light, which includes all three stories Melinda Kucsera wrote for the Magic Underground Anthologies PLUS the action-packed conclusion, the novella Spell of Shadow & Light.

It was supposed to be twenty-three authors and a total of 69 stories across all three anthologies, but two authors left the set. 😦

Another author had story problems, but he called upon the Story Doctor, aka, our Scribe. In her humble opinion, all stories can be saved if the author is willing to do the work to save it. This author was. 🙂

I might have helped a little too. I am fictional after all, so I might have a soft spot for characters in need. (This is Ran, son of Sarn. Papa is the Curse Breaker in the Curse Breaker books.) Melinda is almost done with Spell of Scales & Steel. Then, it’s onto Curse Breaker: Hidden! 🙂

Don’t worry. I have a long list of things I want to do in that book. 😉 I’ll finish typing up my demands in tonight and submit them to the Scribe, so she can write them. 🙂

We’d hoped to release Curse Breaker: Hidden on March 10, 2020, our Scribe’s 40th birthday, but the trilogy fantasy anthologies our Scribe is helming, created three times the work, three times the problems and three times the headaches.

Don’t tell Melinda this, but Jerlo answered some emails too. You know it’s bad when we have to sic the Commander on people! We’ll keep you updated about Curse Breaker: Hidden, bu it will most likely release in April or May.

And now, because I know you’re dying to know what happens next, I return you to our adventure in progress. Last week, Papa worked too much magic. Now, he faces the consequences of that. 😦

Holiday Troubles, Part 8

Read part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7.

Papa’s eyes rolled back in his head, and he would have collapsed into a boneless heap if Auntie Sovvan hadn’t been holding him up.

“Papa!” I reached for him but missed. Nor was my uncle interested in putting me down despite my frantic squirming. “He’ll be okay, right?”

“Hey, now isn’t a good time to impersonate a log.” Auntie Sovvan shook Papa then had to lay him down when he didn’t wake up. “What’s wrong with him?” Even she looked a little rattled.

Why she looked at me for an answer, I’ll never know, but I shrugged anyway. I wasn’t Papa’s keeper, just his son. I knew even less about his magic than he did. But Auntie Sovvan needed an answer, so I gave her one. “I don’t know. Sometimes, Papa falls down like that and shakes.” I glanced at my uncle and passed the conversational ball to him as a bright light in the distance caught my eye.

I tried to ignore it, but the lights flashed between a line of trees maybe a mile away where the highway sped south to Briarcliff Manor and north to Poughkeepsie. Were they coming this way?

J.C. crouched by Papa and my Aunt. “He’ll be fine. He just needs to rest and recharge.”

That sounded like a good idea. I wanted a rest and recharge too and a little something to eat would be nice. But J.C. looked troubled by that news rather than relieved by it.

“What’s wrong?” I grabbed His sleeve as He passed my uncle. Since Uncle Miren was still holding me, I was about eye level with J.C.

J.C. squeezed my hand before gently prying it off His sleeve. “Nothing’s wrong, Little One. We’ll find the time for him to recharge.”

“We?” I asked because J.C. liked to go His own way during adventures. But this ‘we’ business made it sound like he might actually accompany us.

“Yes, ‘we.’ I’m coming with you.” He tweaked my nose.

I laughed until my gaze fell on my prone Papa again. He’d started shaking, and those strange lights were still coming toward us. Maybe they’d pass us by, but I doubted it.

I squirmed around to follow those flashing lights until they disappeared behind the apartment building in front of what was left of our scribe’s building. There was an exit a little ways beyond that. I counted the seconds it would take for a vehicle to turn off at that exit and make their way to the development where my Scribe lived. Apparently, I’d squirmed a little too much because Uncle Miren suddenly set me down.

“What are those lights? Why are they coming closer?” I pointed at them as they reappeared on the road perpendicular for my Scribe’s development.

Honks and horn blasts joined those strobing lights as they disappeared behind building four. Uh-oh, the driveway for my Scribe’s building was right next to there. People tended not to react well to fictional characters, especially when said characters had accidentally caused a lot of property damage.

“We have to get out of here before they see us.” I tugged the hem of J.C.’s robe, and He slapped a hand over His loosening sash to keep it place.

In my arms, Bear roused and turned his giant furry head to look about. “Maybe they’re not here for us.” He gave my arm a pointed look with his button eyes.

I loosened my grip. “How do you know that?”

“He doesn’t. Help me lift him.” Auntie Sovvan worked her arm under Papa’s shoulders.

He was still shaking, but we were out of time. We had to go now. I didn’t even want to imagine what would happen if those big red trucks rolled up and found us here.

***

To be continued next week when our adventure continues.


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