When life gets tricky, Heather Baker meditates on fairy tales.
She can't sing... Yet.
But, maybe, with:
- A few more voice lessons,
- A music degree, and
- Enough practice,
Enticed by Neptune, the planet that rules everything hazy and glamorous, and dogged by Saturn, the planet that rules obstacles and eveything practical--she bounces between fantasy and reality.
Which planet will win?
~ Excerpt ~
Once upon a time there was a woman who didn't smile. She lived with a stern frown etched upon her face. On occasion, fleeting delight would catch her--like a doe in the headlights. Her lips would curve upwards, or she'd find herself unable to stifle a laugh, and someone would inevitably pronounce, "You have a beautiful smile."
She would pass the palm of her hand over her face, erasing all signs of glee, and grimace for the rest of the day in devoted penance, because life was a vale of tears and suffering, especially for women. That's what her Bible said, at least--and the misogynists.
The woman wasn't a particularly young woman, nor was she a particularly old one, but she wasn't quite middle-aged either. A late bloomer, with the planet of Neptune conjunct her Mid-heaven, she had a hard time distinguishing between fantasy and reality…
The three short stories, The Girl Who Watched for Elves, The Girl Who Dreamed of Red Shoes, and The Girl Who Couldn't Sing, chronicle the journey of a girl who believed in fairy tales and are a prelude to the Once Upon a Time Today collection.