by Jewel
Quinlan
Hello everyone! I’m very happy to be on
the blog today. I have a new release coming soon with Decadent’s Beyond
Fairytales line. When I was young we had a copy of Grimm’s Fairytales lying
around and I loved reading and re-reading them all. When I saw that that
Decadent had a line devoted to putting a spin on this line of tales and others
I couldn’t resist offering to write a story for it. The fairytales are assigned
by lottery and I was given Fundevogel to work with, which is a more obscure
tale, but one I remembered reading. (Click here
for the Grimm original version)
Although I do write contemporary and
paranormal romance, this tale was a little challenging for me. If you read the
original you will pick up that, basically, the hero and heroine are running for
their lives from someone who wants to kill them.
Translation – romantic suspense.
Something I’d never written before.
But I’m not one to shrink away from a
challenge. So I took the bare bones of the Grimm fairytale and fleshed it out into
what became Eternal Oath; full-length novel set in
modern-day Seattle. But, oh yeah, with a bit of a paranormal twist. Cuz that’s
my thing.
My Decadent editor is finishing up putting
her polish on it and I should have it back in my hands soon for corrections.
However, below is a brief sneak peek from the rough draft for your enjoyment.
I’m looking forward to hearing what you think.
Eternal Oath excerpt:
This
time when the colors reformed she saw herself, as though a spotlight shone down
on her. She was much younger than she was now, about ten, and wrapped in a
woolen blanket. Her hair hung in two long braids which looked frazzled and had
loose strands coming out of them. Dirt and twigs clung to her and she was
looking into a mirror over a bowl of something from which steam rose. Because
of the steam the image wasn’t super clear but Linda could see her younger
self’s lips moving…she was saying something.
Even
though Linda knew the girl was her, she also knew it was not her. It was as
though she were the girl looking into the mirror and at the same time an
observer standing in the corner and watching. Instinctively she knew she had to
hear what the girl was saying. She stilled and focused her eyes and hearing,
harnessing a tranquility that cleared and sharpened her mind. Her breaths came
even and deep. And then, as if the volume button had been pressed, she could
hear what her dream self was saying.
“You
must remember. You must remember. You must remember,” chanted the girl.
But
that was all she said with her eyes so large and charcoal-gray as she looked
into the mirror. She seemed to be concentrating with all her being on those
three words. But those were all she said. After a few more moments Linda became
frustrated. Remember what? This girl
knew something. She was the key to these horrible dreams she was having, Linda
could feel it in her gut. But if she was, why wasn’t she saying more? She
waited a few more moments hoping the girl would continue. When she didn’t Linda
cried out, “Remember what? Tell me!”
The
little girl sucked in a surprised breath and then her dark gaze shifted in the
mirror from her own reflection to Linda’s. She seemed amazed to see Linda there
but she paused no longer, her words came out in a rush. “You are both in grave
danger. Tonight.”
And
then the rest of the girl’s words were lost as Linda was pulled to
consciousness again, unwillingly this time. As she was swept away she could see
the girl’s lips moving but the sound had been turned off again. The image shattered
like glass and she woke to Falk gently shaking her by the shoulders.
For more information about Jewel Quinlan
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