grumpy, lovable—and wounded ... Flora's Secret by Enya

Today's excerpt from Half Faerie and playlist song highlight Flora, the grumpy, lovable, wise—and wounded—spring faerie. In my wildest dreams, Peter Jackson directs Daughter of Light and Kathy Bates stars as Flora. SIGH.

 From Half Faerie, "Chapter 45: A Dinner Party"

“One day the muannai will be as free to travel between the Mortal and Enchanted worlds as the rest of you are. That’s my dream,” Goring said.

“No, they won’t,” Flora said.

“Ah. You can foresee the future. Is that a special talent spring faeries possess?”

“Anyone can read the times, compare them to the winds of change, and draw their own conclusion.”

“Now you’re a poet.”

“Flattery doesn’t become you, Zachariah. Umbra’s incarnation will close the ancient doors. It won’t open new ones,” Flora said.

Goring twisted the cuff of his fitted white shirt. “And you know this, how?”

“The Whole is self-protecting, and Umbra is mortal ash. Everything about him is dead to the Mortal World. Incarnated or not, it will repel him.”

“Then why bother?”

“No one argues the Whole is out of balance. That something must be done,” Flora said.

Goring prodded her. “Least of all you.”

Her eyes flashed. “Least of all me.”

The muannaye leaned back in his chair. “The truth is that none of us here, at this table, or anywhere in the Whole, know what new age Umbra’s incarnation will usher in.”

Flora raised her glass of beer. “But we can all agree that it will be a new one.”

Goring picked up his glass to match Flora’s toast. “To the advent of a new age, a springtime in history,” he said.


This week's song comes from @RachmiFebrianty's Half Faerie playlist. She selected "Flora's Secret" by Enya as the perfect musical expression of the spring faerie's soul…I agree.

And yes, Flora does have a secret…

Giveaway: The Short and Long of It

The Winners!
How do you like your books?

Would you rather read three shorter books?

Or one longer book?

We're going to give away 4 ebook sets of the first three books in the Queen of the Realm of Faerie fantasy fairytale series (Nandana's Mark, The Flower of Isbelline, and The Dragon Carnviale), AND 4 ebook copies of True Love's First Kiss (a compilation of the first three books in the series)!

How can you win?

Tell us whether you prefer your books shorter or longer in a comment below.

If you prefer shorter books, you'll be eligible to win one of the 4 ebook sets. If you prefer longer books, you'll be eligible to win one of the 4 ebook compilations. The winners will be picked in a random drawing. Please leave your email address in your comment so we can contact the winners.

Want to increase your odds of winning?

Tweet about this giveaway.

Include a link to this giveaway page, mention @heidigwrites, and use the hashtag #longer or #shorter in every tweet for more entries! Each tweet will count as one additional entry.

This contest will run until midnight PST on Sunday, June 16, 2013. The winners will be announced on this blog on Monday, June 17, 2013.

In the Enchanted World, true love’s first kiss is magic.

Nandana’s Mark, Book 1: When two half-faeries—Melia and her younger sister—are cursed under dreadful circumstances, true love’s first kiss is the remedy.

The Flower of Isbelline, Book 2: Nothing but true love’s first kiss can save Melia’s younger sister from blind ambition and ruin.

The Dragon Carnivale, Book 3: Melia must choose the freedom she cherishes or true love’s first kiss—and a relationship that promises to secure her place in the Whole.

Queen of the Realm of Faerie is a fairy tale fantasy series that bridges the Mortal and Enchanted worlds. It is also an epic fantasy. The main character, Melia, is an eighteen-year-old half-faerie, half-mortal.

When the story opens in the first book, Melia is troubled by her dark moon visions, gossip she overhears about her parents at the local market, and the trauma of living among full-blooded faeries with wings—she doesn’t have any.

As the series unfolds, the historic and mystical forces that shape Melia’s life are revealed. Each step of her journey—to find the place where she belongs—alters her perceptions about herself, deepens her relationships with others, and enlarges her world view.

True Love’s First Kiss is a compilation of the first three books in this ongoing series.

Note: We've been notified that some people are still unable to make comments. GRRR!!!!! and Sorry!!!!! Not sure why that is, if anyone knows… Otherwise, if you try to make a comment and can't, please email me at heidi _ g @ comcast . net! I'll post your entry for you, Thank you.

The Weekly Extract: none of that Pixie Dust & Evanescence…She's Going Under

Last week's excerpt featured Tuck, a tree elf (think Orlando Bloom's Legolas in The Lord of the Rings). Tatou was furious because he was blind to the danger surrounding everyone else. All he could see was Plantine, Melia's younger sister and his true love. But maybe he had a point, and Plantine is in more trouble than anyone realizes….

From Half Faerie ...

“Did you hear Plantine? The stronghold’s throne is not enough for her. She wants the one at the Cathedral Palace, too.” Tatou whispered, although Plantine was so engrossed with Flora’s grief, she wouldn’t have heard the pixie if she yelled. “She wants to be the Queen of the Realm of Faerie.”

“She’ll be a tyrant,” Melia said.

“Tuck may be the only one who can reach her.”

“She’ll never agree to see him.”

“We have to convince her that seeing him is the right thing for her and everyone else.”

“May I enter?” Chloe stood in the doorframe.

Plantine ignored her. She helped Flora into her enormous bed.

“She’s not feeling well,” Melia said.

Chloe nodded. “Yrrick has announced a dinner party. Lord Goring would like to welcome his bride’s sister and her friends to the stronghold.”

Dread echoed in the hollow of Melia’s chest.

Plantine rushed from Flora’s side. “You brought more friends?”

“A priest from Idonne, a m—” Melia caught herself. They’d left Sinjiin in the Welcoming Hall in his tiger form. If he wanted Chloe—or anyone else at the Calashai—to know he was a mage, he could tell them himself. “—his pet tiger, and a tree elf.”

Plantine’s eyes glinted with dark temper. “A tree elf?”

“Yes,” Melia said.

Plantine turned away from the servant. She pressed her palms together and closed her eyes. “Thank you, Chloe. You may leave us now.”

The muannaye curtseyed and departed.

“I told you not to bring him here,” Plantine said.

Tatou darted towards her.

“If you throw anymore of that pixie dust on me, I’ll have you locked up,” Plantine warned.

The pixie hovered in front of Plantine’s face with her hand in her pocket. Melia held her breath. It was the last dark moon night in the moon cycle, and it looked like it was going to be a long one.

This week when you listen to the awesome Amy Lee singing Going Under, think of Plantine going under Umbra's influence—Umbra is the mortal ash accumulating in the Void that wants to use her as a vessel of incarnation.

 

Weekend Extract: Tatou's hot temper plus Imagine Dragons

I have two treats for you today. How about we start off with an extract from Half Faerie? One featuring Tatou and her hot pixie temper…

From Half Faerie, "Chapter 36: A Field of Lilies"

“You couldn’t have stopped last night’s attack,” Tatou said. “There were too many of them.”
“There were only two,” Melia whispered.
“No,” Tatou said. “You’re forgetting about the archers. When Clover took me to the stream, the woods were thick with them. If you’d arrived earlier, they would’ve killed you.”
“They’ll do worse with Plantine if we don’t reach her in time,” Tuck said.
“Lord Goring needs her,” the pixie said. “He won’t let anything happen to her.”
Melia raised her eyebrows at her friend.
“What? He thinks Plantine is the only one in danger?” Tatou asked.
Tuck pushed away from the table. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Then what did you mean?” The pixie walked across the table to stand in front of him. “Those wolves would have swallowed me whole last night if Clover hadn’t had the good sense to hide me. Did you see the wounds on Flora’s back? Or notice the burns on her face? We’re all getting hurt trying to help Plantine.”
Tuck raised his hands. “I’m sorry, you’re right. I’m thinking only of Melia’s sister because I know how vulnerable she is from her mother’s curse.”
Tatou’s pixie temper soared. “Not too vulnerable to get the basin’s location and send—”
Gumf slammed the table with the palms of his hand. “Both of you, stop it.”
The tree elf and the pixie stared daggers at one another.
“You’re all on edge,” the Veil’s proprietor said. As if on cue, three dwarves appeared by his side. “Let them take you to your rooms. Bathe and get some rest tonight. You can continue your journey in the morning.”
No one moved.

Number two is special. Rachmi Febrianty created a brilliant playlist for the Daughter of Light trilogy. I've been listening to the songs over and over. And while I'm figuring out how to share them all with you, let me leave you with her suggestion for a song from Tuck to Plantine…it's perfect.

Please enjoy Bleeding Out by Imagine Dragons…