Interview: Author's of Krampusnacht

“KRAMPUSNACHT: TWELVE NIGHTS OF KRAMPUS” EDITED BY KATE WOLFORD

Alpena, MI (November 11, 2014) – World Weaver Press (Eileen Wiedbrauk, Editor-in-Chief) has announced the Christmas horror anthology Krampusnacht: Twelve Nights of Krampus, edited by Enchanted Conversation: A Fairy Tale Magazine editor and publisher Kate Wolford, is available in trade paperback and ebook today, Tuesday, November 11, 2014.

Praise for Krampusnacht: Twelve Nights of Krampus:

“A kaleidoscope of Krampus tales featuring enjoyable twists and turns. Imaginative and

entertaining.”

— Monte Beauchamp, Krampus: The Devil of Christmas

“Twelve enthralling tales that turn the lights out on Christmas, and dance with folklore in the

dark.”

— Kristina Wojtaszek, author of Opal

The joy and terror of the season. For bad children, a lump of coal from Santa is positively light punishment when Krampus is ready and waiting to beat them with a stick, wrap them in chains, and drag them down to hell--all with St. Nick's encouragement and approval. Krampusnacht holds within its pages twelve tales of Krampus triumphant, usurped, befriended, and much more. From evil children (and adults) who get their due, to those who pull one over on the ancient "Christmas Devil." From historic Europe, to the North Pole, to present day American suburbia, these all new stories embark on a revitalization of the Krampus tradition. Whether you choose to read Krampusnacht over twelve dark and scary nights or devour it in one nacht of joy and terror, these stories are sure to add chills and magic to any winter's reading.

With new stories from Cheresse Burke, Guy Burtenshaw, Jill Corddry, Elise Forier Edie, Patrick Evans, Scott Farrell, Caren Gussoff, Mark Mills, Jeff Provine, Colleen H. Robbins, Lissa Sloan, and Elizabeth Twist.

Krampusnacht is available in trade paperback and ebook via Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, Kobo.com, WorldWeaverPress.com, and other online retailers, and for wholesale through Ingram. You can also find Krampusnacht on Goodreads.

Kate Wolford is editor and publisher of Enchanted Conversation: A Fairy Tale Magazine at fairytalemagazine.com and editor of the book Beyond the Glass Slipper: Ten Neglected Fairy Tales To Fall In Love With. She teaches first-year college writing, incorporating fairy tales in her assignments whenever possible.

World Weaver Press is an independently owned publisher of fantasy, paranormal, and science fiction. We believe in great storytelling.

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worldweaverpress.com @WorldWeaver_wwp

WORLD WEAVER PRESS

Publication Date: November 11 • Folklore/Fantasy/Horror Anthology $11.95 trade paperback, 205 pages • $6.99 ebook

ISBN: 978-0692314746

Publicity/Reviews: publicity@worldweaverpress.com

Information: www.worldweaverpress.com/krampusnacht.html

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Interview:

Ring, Little Bell, Ring by Caren Gussoff

1)      What about the Krampus myth inspired you?

I have always had ambivalence about the wholly-wholesome mythology of the holiday season. I mean, I loved getting gifts as a child, and now, as an adult, giving gifts is a great pleasure. But the season is a dark one and cold (in the northern hemisphere, at least), and families are complex – even when happy (and rarely, entirely so)—and holly, jolly Santa fails to address the whole experience. The elder-god-like, demonish Krampus makes a lot of intuitive sense.

2)      Why do you think Krampus is of increasing interest outside of Germany nowadays?

I suspect some of it is kitsch. Odd traditions and cultural quirks are pretty hip these days, and the idea of a horned beast who hunts naughty children in partnership with/opposition to the anodyne, toothless (metaphorically speaking) Santa has a modern, punk rock appeal.

3)      What was the most challenging aspect of writing your story?

In essence, I’ve written a victim—she, unknowingly, falls for my version of Krampus, who runs his Christmas-themed village like a dictator: a paradise manicured and landscaped by fear. It was difficult to write her so that she is tragic. I wanted her fall to be sympathetic, not pathetic.

Marching Krampus by Jill Corddry

1) What about the Krampus myth inspired you? 

I didn't know much about the Krampus myth, other than the name (and since part of my ancestry is German-Austrian, shame on me). I had a general mental image of what it looked like, and that it was kind of the counterpart to Santa Claus, but that was about it. Then I saw a creepy old photo online -- probably taken in the 30s or 40s -- and one word popped to mind: Krampus. It really stuck with me and eventually I had to write a story to go with it. Since I didn't know much about the Krampus, I dove into researching it, and though most of what I learned didn't make it into my story, it helped to have all those details at hand, even if it was just for myself.

2) Why do you think Krampus is of increasing interest outside of Germany nowadays?

We love scary stories. Reading them, telling them, writing them. And there is something deliciously creepy and satisfying about twisting the otherwise joyous Christmas holiday (or is that just me?). An Anti-Santie? Yes, please. I also love that we writers are expanding our horizons into other cultures as we search for inspiration. So many fascinating folk tales are just waiting to be explored.

3) What was the most challenging aspect of writing your story?

Creating the voices of the two young main characters was especially challenging for me since I usually write adult characters, and though Marching Krampus is decidedly not for children, the tone and actions of the children in the story had to be realistic. Given the age of the main character, it was also difficult to balance the darkness of the Krampus myth with the scary, yet not nightmare-inducing, tone of the story I wanted to write.

4) If there's something else you'd like to address, feel free.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and while that may be cliché, it was indeed a picture that inspired my story. Any writers who find themselves blocked or uninspired should consider looking at old photos, new photos, paintings, art anything to break the mold of the same-old, same-old of their writing routine. Don't know the story behind it? Perfect ... now you can give that picture a tale!

Release Blitz: Spring Knight!

Spring Knight
by Mia Hoddell

Genre: YA Romance
Release date: November 14th 2014
Length: Novella

Blurb:
She wants the leading role in everything but her own life.

Kayleigh Barrow always gets the leading role. Top of her class, well liked, and a good actress, she’s most comfortable on stage where she can pretend to be someone else and forget the real Kayleigh exists. However, when auditions for the latest production are opened up to the entire university, the lines between fantasy and reality start to blur.

The last person Kayleigh expected to audition was Aiden Hanson. Renowned player and popular on campus, Kayleigh has tried to conceal her feeling from him for years. She knows it would be stupid to think he’d want her or an actual relationship, but when they’re thrown together in the production, Kayleigh can no longer hide from him.

No matter how much she tries to distances herself, he’s always there. Neither of them can deny their attraction, but Kayleigh has to question Aiden’s motives. He’s never had a serious relationship and she refuses to be another conquest. Yet, when her acting starts to become real and she can no longer hide behind her character, Kayleigh must decide whether Aiden’s worth the risk, or if he’s only after a challenge and will end up breaking her heart.

Spring Knight is the 4th book in the Seasons of Change series. However, all books are standalone reads so can be enjoyed separately, but can also be enjoyed as part of a series because characters overlap.

Out Now!

Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Add to Goodreads

You can also download the first three Amazon best-selling novellas:

Summer Demons

Winter Angel

Autumn Ghosts

for only 99c/77p here.

Excerpt

Black. It was the only colour she could see as she stood on top of the platform. Her vision had tunnelled with the waves of vertigo that hit her body, allowing only the dark colour into her eye line. With the strength of a gale force wind, it pounded on her chest, causing her to stumble back as its icy hold sent a shiver along her spine. The break from seeing the ground wasn’t enough, though. She couldn’t go far enough to feel safe. If she moved more than one step in any direction she would fall.

She felt dizzy ... lightheaded.

It was the worst possible time to find out she was scared of heights, but maybe it was the thought of jumping rather than the actual distance. Not only did she feel faint, but also sick. Kayleigh didn’t even know how those two actions could combine, but she let out a nervous giggle and hoped another type of blackness would capture her mind before she made a complete fool of herself. It probably made her sound insane, but she couldn’t stop the sound.

No longer could she find the answer to why she was on a platform, willing herself to fall. It had seemed logical and easy on the climb up, but now she suddenly felt as if she was standing on top of a building, rather than a few metres in the air. Her heart was pounding in her chest; the rhythm frantic as she urged herself to peer over the edge once more. Palms slick with sweat, her fingers slipping over each other, she twitched nervously as she strained her neck to catch a glimpse of the floor.

“I can do this. Just lean back and it will all be over,” she muttered to herself, only adding to the crazy image she had going on.

People were shuffling anxiously on the ground, unsettled by her actions. “Block them out, Kayleigh. You can do this,” she chanted ritually under her breath before she inhaled sharply. Slowly counting, she exhaled with a deep sigh when she reached twenty. Her whole body relaxed with the action and Kayleigh closed her eyes, trying to find a sense of peace and stillness. Unfortunately, all it did was make her knees weaker. Reopening her eyes, Kayleigh kept her head up and her chin parallel with the floor. If she didn’t look down, what she was about to do couldn’t scare her … at least that’s what she told herself.

About the Author

Mia Hoddell lives in the UK with her family and two cats. She spends most of her time writing or reading, loves anything paranormal and has an overactive imagination that keeps her up until the early hours of the morning.

With three poems published before the age of sixteen, Mia moved on to short stories but finding she had too much to tell with too little space, Mia progressed to novels. She started her first series (The Wanderer Trilogy) at the age of fourteen and since then hasn’t stopped writing. Elemental Killers is her second series and with an ever growing list of ideas, Mia is trying to keep up with the speed at which her imagination generates them.

Connect with Mia:

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Google+ | Amazon Author Page

or subscribe to Mia's Newsletter for information on:
 ARCs, giveaways and new releases

Guest Post: Pam Stucky

On Genre, Teens, Loneliness, Connection, and Being an Aunt

So let’s talk about genre.

I have a new book out, The Universes Inside the Lighthouse, a young adult sci-fi book.

What I’ve learned since I started writing: When you write books, people ask you all sorts of questions you’ve never really thought about.

Among them, things like, “What made you want to write for young adults?” and “What made you want to write science fiction?”

So I’ll let you in on a secret: I never wanted to write for young adults. I never wanted to write science fiction.

I just wanted to write stories. I wanted to explore ideas. I wanted to write stories I wanted to read, and share them with others. As with all my novels, The Universes Inside the Lighthouse is a story I wanted to read.

I know there are authors who pick a genre first—romance, chicklit, western, dystopian—and then write to that. That’s probably easier, but that’s never been how I approach writing. I have an idea I want to explore, I write the story, and then I see what genre it fits into.

This latest book apparently is “young adult” because the protagonists are seventeen, and, as I understand it, that’s the primary criterion. I have a friend, a grade-school librarian, who read the book, and she tells me it could even be “middle grade,” based on content—because almost all young adult these days has sex and killing and other violence, and my book does not.

Is that how it is these days? Things have changed since I was a kid reading Nancy Drew and Little House on the Prairie and Choose Your Own Adventure books.

Which brings me to this. I’ll let you in on something else that’s not such a secret: I don’t have kids. I don’t have kids, so I’m not privy on a daily basis to what the kids are doing and reading and thinking these days.

You might think that would be a disadvantage for a person writing a young adult book, and maybe it is, but remember: I didn’t write a young adult book. I wrote a story.

And the thing is, because I’m the auntie rather than the mother, I think I have some advantages. If you’re the parent, your mind is filled with things like “Did I fill out the permission slip?” and “Is that lice?” and “Will my child be bullied today?” and “Will my child be the bully?” and “What is the right age to talk with my child about (fill in the blank)?” and “Am I an awful parent if the only green thing my child has today is a green lollipop?” and “How do I talk with my child about school shootings, and drugs, and love?”

As the auntie, and a very successful one at that (by which I mean I think I managed to avoid changing diapers about 99.9% of the time), I don’t have all those things in my head. And let’s be clear, that’s a lot of stuff to have in your head, and I know it.

But because I’m the auntie, the friend, the second-cousin-once-removed to these teenagers and children, I don’t have to worry (much) about their well-being. And further, the relationship between auntie and child is far different, far less complex than the parent–child relationship. There’s not the pushing and pulling away, the need assert independence. Being an auntie is much easier.

Which means I have the time and opportunity to talk with these young kids in a very different way, sometimes, than parents do. And I do. I talk to them with respect and curiosity, and it’s amazing the things these kids tell me once they trust me and realize I’m really listening and really interested. They open up.

And I’ll tell you something: Even if their frontal lobes aren’t going to be fully developed for another decade, they still have a lot going on in their minds. They aren’t stupid. Their minds are whirling and they don’t always know what to do with everything inside their heads, but believe me, there’s a lot going on. Parents who ask, “What did you do today?” or “What’s going on in your life?” may hear the answer, “Nothing” (ad nauseum), but as the auntie, I get glimpses into the truth. Glimpses into their fears and insecurities and hopes. They are trying to figure out this complex world, and it’s overwhelming and confusing.

That’s why, once I realized I was probably writing a young adult book, I didn’t dumb it down at all. I still told the story I wanted to tell. I still used the big words. (That’s how we learn! They can pick up meaning from context!) But the themes, well, the younger ones might only get the adventure part of the story, but the older ones, they’ll pick up on the deeper themes.

One of the big themes in the book is the idea that “You are not alone.” We all feel alone at times—I definitely do—and I think teens are still in the process of learning the universality of experience. What do I mean by that? I mean, they’re still learning that just because someone is a student athlete or gets all A’s or is beautiful doesn’t mean they don’t struggle. (We’re still working to learn that as adults, too, right?) I recently read (I tried to find the article just now but I can’t) that teens are lonelier than ever. I believe loneliness is a huge issue in our society right now; personally I think loneliness and people feeling they don’t belong are at the core of so many of our society’s problems. We need to have discussions about this. We need to find ways to connect and to talk about connection. I’m hoping my book will not just entertain and amuse and take people far afield into the universes and their imaginations, but maybe also provide an opening for some very important conversations. Maybe kids will talk about it, maybe with friends, maybe with parents. Maybe not. Maybe it’ll simply help them to see things in a new way.

Madeleine L’Engle (author of A Wrinkle in Time) once said:

“The writer whose words are going to be read by children has a heavy responsibility. And yet, despite the undeniable fact that the children’s minds are tender, they are also far more tough than many people realize, and they have an openness and an ability to grapple with difficult concepts which many adults have lost. Writers of children’s literature are set apart by their willingness to confront difficult questions.”

I didn’t set out to write young adult, but now, having done it, I love it. And I’ll definitely do it again.

Author Bio

 

Pam Stucky, a native of the Pacific Northwest, is the author of the Wishing Rock series (novels with recipes), starting with Letters from Wishing Rock, and the Pam on the Map travelogue series, books that take readers along on Pam's journeys and adventures around the world. The Universes Inside the Lighthouse, Pam's eighth book, is Pam's first foray into both YA and sci-fi. The Universes Inside the Lighthouse was released November 11, 2014 and is available in print at Amazon, and in ebook on Kindle, Nook, and Kobo.

Book description: The Universes Inside the Lighthouse

Introducing the Balky Point Adventures!

An exciting new series, reminiscent of A Wrinkle in Time with just a dash of Doctor Who, that will take readers on adventures throughout space and time.

The Universes Inside the Lighthouse
Seventeen-year-old Emma and her twin brother Charlie think they’re in for a boring summer vacation. That is, until Emma notices something unusual in the lighthouse lobby. Unraveling this mystery proves to be just the beginning of an adventure that will take Emma, Charlie, and their unlikely new friends to distant planets, throughout the multiverse, and to a place where everything is possible ... and will ultimately lead Emma to discover the unfathomable powers that reside within her own mind.

Buy links: The Universes Inside the Lighthouse

Amazon (print)

Amazon (Kindle)

Kobo

B&N

More information on and purchasing information for Pam’s other books at www.pamstucky.com

Connect with Pam Stucky

Author's Website 

Facebook

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Odyssey Online Writing Workshops

ODYSSEY WRITING WORKSHOPS

ANNOUNCES INTENSIVE, LIVE, ONLINE CLASSES

This winter, the Odyssey Writing Workshops Charitable Trust is offering three live online courses with the same high quality and rigorous approach as its acclaimed, in-person Odyssey workshop:  Showing versus Telling in Fantastic Fiction, One Brick at a Time:  Crafting Compelling Scenes, and Effective Endings in Speculative Fiction.  

Since learning is an active process, all Odyssey Online courses involve live online class meetings, allowing students to ask questions and participate in discussions.  Each course is designed to provide intensive focus on a particular aspect of fiction writing.  Challenging homework assignments allow students to practice new techniques, while feedback from the instructor and from classmates helps students to make strong improvements.  Each student also has an individual meeting with the instructor.  Courses provide a supportive yet challenging, energizing atmosphere, with class size limited to fourteen students.  While courses are designed for adult writers of fantasy, science fiction, and horror, interested writers of all genres are welcome to apply.  

Last year, forty-two committed writers from the US, Canada, the UK, New Zealand, Australia, and Japan participated in Odyssey's three online courses.  One student commented, "Odyssey is a precious resource for aspiring writers. Instruction that goes beyond the basics, that teaches how to write compelling, not merely competent stories, is hard to find."

Odyssey offers only three online courses per year to ensure high quality.  Instructors, the very best in the field, fill each course with invaluable insights and information.  Working with students during class meetings and in between classes, instructors are able to foster illuminating discussions and provide personalized, in-depth advice. 

Odyssey's winter 2015 courses focus on critical writing skills:  

Showing versus Telling in Fantastic Fiction

Course Meets:  January 1 - January 29, 2015

Instructor:  Jeanne Cavelos

Application Deadline:  December 6, 2014

Level:  Beginner/Intermediate

Many writers have been asking Jeanne Cavelos, the Odyssey Director, to offer her Showing versus Telling course again, so after three years, it's back due to popular demand.  It may never come again, so if you're interested in learning key skills that will enrich every part of your story, now is the time to apply.  Few writers truly understand the difference between showing and telling. Even fewer understand that showing and telling are not two opposing possibilities, but two ends of a spectrum offering a range of subtle gradations. To write with power, a writer must know where on that spectrum he should be at every moment, must be able to control the levels of showing and telling, and must be able to write strongly at each point of the spectrum.  These abilities are key to every sentence in every story.  The skillful manipulation of showing and telling makes settings vivid, brings characters to life, puts the reader in the middle of the action, emphasizes the most important ideas and moments, and conveys powerful emotions. 

We will study examples of the successful and unsuccessful use of showing and telling. We'll also discuss the special necessity of showing in fantastic fiction, and the challenges of doing so. Students will practice showing and telling across the spectrum, will study works they love for examples of showing and telling, and will rewrite a section of their own work, putting these techniques into practice. Previous students have found this course extremely helpful.  When it was last offered in 2012, thirteen out of fourteen students rated the course "excellent."

"Jeanne's Showing versus Telling in Fantastic Fiction was another amazingly effective Odyssey Online course that I had the privilege of participating in. As Jeanne's brilliant teaching guided the discussions and led me through passage after passage of great writing examples, revealing their subtleties, rendering their secrets and the techniques responsible for their emotional impact, and as her amazingly designed assignments led me to experience such effective revision tools, study them, apply them, make them my own, and as it all took place among the propelling enthusiasm of such a diversely talented group, I saw my weaknesses and learned to treat them; I saw my strengths and learned to enhance them. I felt the gigantic leap of improvement, and so did my readers. Now after the class has ended, I sit in eagerness for what's in store for next year." --Anahita Ayasoufi

One Brick at a Time: Crafting Compelling Scenes

Course Meets:  January 5 - February 2, 2015

Instructor:  Barbara Ashford

Application Deadline:  December 9, 2014

Level:  Intermediate

Barbara Ashford, one of Odyssey Online's most highly rated instructors, has crafted an exciting new course for this winter focusing on scene structure.  Compelling scenes pull readers into a new world, evoke an emotional response to the characters and conflicts, and encourage readers to turn the page to find out what happens next. Failure to fine-tune these essential building blocks of your story can dilute its power and impact.  This course will explore ways to help you add tension, drama, and power to your scenes by 

• examining the fundamentals of scene design–from its overall shape down to its individual beats;
• exploring the characteristics of effective scenes and the common pitfalls that can undermine their impact;
• providing tools to diagnose "ailing" scenes and bring them back to life;
• discussing the "special needs" of opening and closing scenes, and flashbacks;
• considering each scene as "part of the whole" by understanding its role in developing characters, showcasing the world, and fulfilling the implicit promise you are making to readers

Many students have asked for a course on scene structure, so we're very excited to be able to offer it.

One of Barbara's students last year, Christine Row, said this:  "Barbara is an incredibly knowledgeable and effective instructor who completely blew away all my expectations for the course.  In addition to discovering how to bring emotions to the page in a stronger and more precise manner, I learned more about theme, story structure, characterization, and world building than I’d thought possible for three short classes.  Her analysis of my novel excerpts has helped me redirect my wandering plot issues, and every critique I received has been detailed, analytical and thought provoking.  This course over-delivered and will be something I refer back to for many works to come."  

Effective Endings in Speculative Fiction

Course Meets: January 22 - February 19, 2015

Instructor:  C. C. Finlay

Application Deadline:  December 26, 2014

Level:  Intermediate/Advanced

C. C. Finlay has an outstanding reputation as one of the top fantasy/science fiction workshop leaders in the country.  We're thrilled to have him as part of the Odyssey family and even more thrilled to have him teach a course on Effective Endings. The most common weak area in stories is the ending. Many writers can grab a reader's attention with an intriguing beginning and build through a promising middle, but when the end arrives, the reader is often left confused, incredulous, or deeply disappointed. The ending is the true test of the story, of the author's ability to give greater meaning and power to everything that has preceded it. 

Legendary science fiction editor Gardner Dozois has said, "I think last lines of stories are very important, and a bad last line for a story can diminish the value of even a good story by, say, forty percent."  While the course won't involve calculating percentages, it will examine how the right ending can help fix a broken story or make a good story great.  We will study the way story beginnings set up endings. We will look at characters and the way the ending needs to provide a satisfying conclusion to a character's narrative arc. We will explore the importance of taking risks and being audacious, how satisfying endings depend on making bold and meaningful story choices. Finally, we will examine the endings themselves--the last scene, the last image, the last line. This will be a very helpful class to any writer.

C.C. Finlay is the author of four novels and dozens of short stories. His fiction has been nominated for the Hugo, Nebula, Sturgeon, and Sidewise awards and collected in many Year's Best volumes. More recently, he has also been editor for the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. From 2000-2007, he was administrator of the Online Writing Workshop for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror, and currently serves as one of OWW's Resident Editors. He has previously been an instructor at the Clarion Writers Workshop, the Clarion Young Adult Workshop, and the Alpha Writers Workshop, as well as numerous convention workshops.

More information about Odyssey's online classes can be found here:  http://www.sff.net/odyssey/online.html or by emailing jcavelos@sff.net.

If you've visited the Odyssey site recently, you may need to click REFRESH on your browser to see the new content.

PLEASE NOTE:  Those application deadlines are coming up soon!  If you would like to apply for more than one course, you must apply separately for each one.  

Odyssey Online helps you to learn new techniques and build your skills, and provides in-depth feedback to guide you.  If you're ready to hear about the weaknesses in your writing and ready to work to overcome them, you'd be welcome to apply to our online classes.

In addition, the Odyssey site, http://www.odysseyworkshop.org, offers many resources for writers, including free podcasts, writing and publishing tips, a writing blog, a weekly salon, a critique service, and information about the six-week in-person workshop.  

Make a major improvement to your writing in 2015!

Release Blitz: Gears of Brass

  A world like ours, but filled with gears of brass, where the beating heart is fueled by steam and the simplest creation is a complex clockwork device. Within this tome, you’ll find steampunk fairy tale re-tellings, as well as original stories that will send your gears turning. Welcome to the steampunk realm, with eleven authors guiding your path. Gears of Brass is a steampunk anthology published through Curiosity Quills. Within the pages, you’ll come across clockwork inventions and steampunk-ified fairy tale retellings. Eleven authors will guide you through worlds filled with airships, top hats, and corsets. TEASERS (each teaser is from a different tale in the anthology)   “Stealing a few steps backward, I reached for him and brushed my fingertips along his cheek. Static energy crept across my palm. It glowed blue and pulled like taffy, sticking to my fingertips, then snapping back to his skin. My hand jerked back so hard I hit myself in the chest. My eyes traipsed down his neck, his shoulders, finally stopping at his midsection. It was almost as though I could see inside him. “   “The guards struggled forward, but failed to move even an inch. Everyone was frozen in place, except the uninvited guest. The man floated toward Lord and Lady Miller. “You see, my lord, your wife made a deal with me that cannot be broken. Your daughter is mine.”   “I swiped my hand across my nose, wishing I could smell the green of the trees. Eyes burning, I swallowed hard, feeling the incision in my throat where they’d cut out my sinus enhancer. I would never be able to smell my exotic perfumes again.”   “Anthie watched the lissom liquid slip inside the carrying tube. I could see her inhaling the smell of the lubricating oil. So could Dr. Holmgren. From time to time he looked across at us through his reinforced goggles. They gave him the appearance of a baby owl, which was at odds with his general nastiness. I knew he was taking everything in. And I knew he had a special eye on Anthie.”   “In a hidden room deep inside the base of the great clock there was a click, a whir of gears, a valve opened, and the key chamber was flooded with air. Several minutes later, Bella awoke. The girl coughed, choked then screamed as blood began to once again flow through her veins: the first time in a millennium.”   “Something growled near to her right. The hairs along Redyn’s arms stood up and she held her breath. The sound came again, deep, guttural. Redyn turned her head, her lips parted, her gaze scanning the forest. They’d told her not to wander far from the cottage, but they couldn’t have expected her to play with that hideous excuse for a doll near everyone else. A wolf crept out of the shadows, his gray fur standing on end like hers.”   “Three years ago, your father ruined my life. He terminated my family’s reputation.” “Um…” Amethyst wished she could back up further. Wind pushed at her top hat, so she shoved it up higher to straighten it. “I don’t understand.” “Now, I’ll ruin his life.”   BUY Links: Amazon

  Add to Goodreads here Learn more about the authors behind Gears of Brass over at Curiosity Quills Press   Don’t forget to enter the mega giveaway below! a Rafflecopter giveaway