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The Forest and the Sea: A Cinderella Retelling
Tracy Zumwalt
Publication date: November 12th 2024
Genres: Fairy Tales, Retelling, Romance, Young Adult

Reynette is desperate to escape the servitude of her step family at Laudermann Manor and the lustful desires of the loathsome, Sir Bjorn.

Lord Ehrhart seeks to please his father and their subjects by securing a future wife and future Duchess of Badenberg.

Will a chance meeting in the woods lead them to find their hope and future within each other’s arms?

The people of Badenberg are preparing to celebrate the anticipated, Midsummer Festival.

In the worn hallways of Laudermann Manor, a young servant girl longs for freedom and love. Bound by duty to her cruel step family, she yearns to attend the festival and meet a kind, brave suitor who will seek her floral wreath and therefore, declare his intent to pursue her.

Her hope takes a turn when her wreath is sought by a mysterious, yet somehow familiar man.

Meanwhile, Lord Ehrhart, son of the Duke, is under growing pressure to find a bride. Trusting his future to the Duke’s advisor, Ehrhart agrees to a series of balls to seek the next Duchess of Badenberg.

But, behind the festivities and beautiful floral decor, a dangerous scheme unfolds— the Duke’s brother and his ruthless son, Sir Bjorn, conspire to seize the Duke’s position, putting love, power and loyalty to the ultimate test.

Help arrives through an unexpected ally as Reynette and Ehrhart seek to unravel the web of deceit and hidden motives.

Extravagant balls are thrown, secrets are revealed, and murderous plots are uncovered in thisreimagining of the Cinderella story.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

His father and Badenberg needed him to find a suitable wife. Ludwig’s solution was to host the two balls and hope Ehrhart found a wife among the wealthy and titled of Badenberg. But, though Ehrhart had agreed to such a plan, he couldn’t help but feel he’d find a wife on his own terms. Would that be Beatrice? He stared down at his hands loosely wrapped around the reins. Beatrice was certainly a plausible solution to his problem, but could she be a woman he’d love for the rest of his life? She appeared interested in him and his attention, but did he truly know her intentions? He had meant what he’d told his sisters, he was interested in more than just a pretty face.

Suddenly, a loud thud echoed through the trees, followed by another and another. Then he heard a piercing crack to his left. Ehrhart peered up just in time to watch a tree fall along the path. The jarring movement and sound caused Storm to rear.

With his hold on the reins so loose, the sudden jolt sent Ehrhart out of his saddle and towards the ground.

He closed his eyes and braced for the impact, which came quickly. The wind was knocked out of him. He gasped and breathed deeply to restore the air to his lungs, but his vision was slow to clear. Squeezing his eyes tightly, he tried moving his limbs and muscles. His legs and arms moved without pain, but his back felt stiff from the fall. He opened his eyes, staring at the trees above him. Streaks of sunlight pierced the canopy.

To his left, he heard light footsteps drawing near. Someone was attempting to sneak up on him. He was vulnerable while lying on his back. An urge to protect himself flooded his senses. He grunted as he lifted his head and reached for the dagger concealed within his boot.

After drawing the knife from its sheath, he pulled the weapon into a defensive position near his face. The hilt was held securely in his palm while the blade rested upon his skin, extending up and past his wrist. He was still on the ground, but the knife gave him hope in defending himself.

He waited for the steps to get closer.

When they did, he swung his arm from his face and rolled to his left side, allowing him to look into the eyes of his would-be attacker.

Author Bio:

Tracy Zumwalt abandoned her dream of writing a novel over fifteen years ago.

But, through her daughter’s newfound love of fairytale romance, Tracy has revisited her once discarded bucket list item and entered into the world of fairytale retelling. She is all about the happily ever afters and finding inspiration in the world around her, whether that’s through exploring new places or simply savoring moments at home.

When Tracy is not crafting new stories, she is either on the move, staying active, or in the kitchen, cooking up plant-based meals to share with family and friends.

She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two children. Together, they’ve created a life committed to love, adventure and finding the joy in both the simple and complex moments of life.

Website / Goodreads / Instagram

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Vibrations – Children of Atlantis
A. R. Alexander
Publication date: November 12th 2024
Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Nada and Kani, two sixteen-year-olds with secrets as deep as the ocean, are about to face the truth. Nada, an orphan hiding her ability to read sound waves despite being deaf, has kept her powers buried for years, fearing rejection and isolation. Kani, who seems like a typical popular kid, also harbors a secret, he can sense and manipulate vibrations around him, a gift he’s never fully understood.

When a string of unexplainable attacks turns their world upside down, Nada and Kani are thrust into a hidden war between ancient forces. Atlantis, the legendary lost civilization, isn’t just a myth: it’s their destiny. Together, they must unravel the mysteries of their origins and confront mythical creatures determined to stop them. With the survival of Atlantis, and possibly the world, on the line, Nada and Kani must face their fears and inner demons. But can they rise to the challenge and prove they are the champions Atlantis has been waiting for? Or will their secrets be their undoing?

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EXCERPT:

Nada
December 21, 2012
NADA

I can feel the gritty sand under my hands as I hit the ground. My battle partner lies still beside me, his chest barely rising and falling. I reach out, my fingers brushing through his blood-soaked hair, feeling the ragged rise and fall of his breath. The creatures’ footsteps grow louder, the sound of their approach heavy and unrelenting. We wait for the final blow, completely spent. Every movement sends a fresh pulse of pain through our battered bodies, blood seeping steadily from our wounds. I shut my eyes and think, Mom, forgive me. You told me to run, but I didn’t listen. The world around me starts to fade away.

September 3, 2012

Sunlight streams through the windows, cutting through the pool’s surface, highlighting the rhythm of my strokes. I love swimming early, before the chaos of the swim team arrives. With my eyes closed in the water, it feels like I’m at the center of the universe, my universe. I don’t need to open my eyes to know I’m nearing the edge; I just feel it, flip, and head back. My body glides, my arms break the surface, pushing through the pliable liquid, brushing my thigh, rising into the air, and starting over again. The rhythm of my breathing, alternating between water and air, sets a gentle beat for my heart. It’s comforting, especially today. Lately, I keep having that weird feeling, like when
it seems like someone is watching or following you and my sleep’s been a mess. Maybe it’s the loneliness making me paranoid. This morning swim helps me relax and lifts my mood a little.

Suddenly, everything changes, and chaos erupts. I reluctantly pull myself out of the water. I sit on the pool’s edge for a moment, water dripping from my fingertips, then turn to grab my towel. I keep my goggles on, hoping they’ll at least partially shield me from the cacophony of noise coming from the rowdy crowd of swimmers.

As I’m trying to make my way out as quickly as possible, I sense someone behind me, reaching for my shoulder. I spin around, instantly on the defensive.

«Hey, hey, hey! Easy…» my friend Carrie laughs, raising her hands. «Is it possible you never hear me when I call out to you?»

I exhale slowly, not realizing how tense I’d gotten, smile at her, and gesture for her to wait a second. I pull off my swim cap and remove my earplugs.

«Sorry C, I forgot to take these out… What’s up?»

She shrugs and then nods toward the windows above the pool that overlook the school hallway.

«Did you see who just arrived? I heard he starts tomorrow… and he’s ridiculously cute!» Carrie gushes. When it comes to guys, she’s always enthusiastic.

I cautiously turn and spot the principal talking to a couple of parents standing next to a tall, lean guy with dark hair and an easy smile.

Carrie shifts, turning her back to the pool so we can sneak a look.

I sigh, watching as she effortlessly adjusts her perfect curls, which frame her smooth, deep-toned shoulders. Her confidence is something I can never quite understand. I can’t help but wonder, once again, why someone like her would want to be friends with someone as plain as me.

«Who is this guy, anyway?» I ask, not really interested.

«His dad is the famous Hawaiian artist Kalai Kekoa, and his mom is the Japanese author Riko Shirabe. I know you like them both!»

«Oh, right… Well, you know how this is gonna go. The school’s royalty will pull him into their clique, and he won’t give us a second glance without their approval. At least, he won’t notice me, but you seem to have caught McAllen’s attention, haven’t you?» I say, giving her a wink.

She giggles, a little embarrassed, and lowers her eyes. «I know you don’t trust that group, but they’re not so bad when you get to know them… They’re just kids who haven’t figured out their place in the world yet.»

Gosh, she’s so sweet! I smile at her. «I think you picked the right major, you’re going to be an amazing psychologist! I just worry they might hurt you. Like my mom always says, a confused kid can be unpredictable…»

She laughs. «Nah, you’re just too suspicious!»

«And you’re too trusting! Together, we make one balanced person,» I laugh.

I glance back at the guy, and something unexpected catches my eye. He’s talking to the principal, but the waves coming from his voice and body are unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. They’re bright, almost glowing, and take on a strange shape. I can’t make sense of it. Mom warned me, right up until the day she died: If the waves ever turn to images, run. But these aren’t images, they’re something else, and they terrify me.

Author Bio:

"Let’s try something new: let’s start from the end."

Because, in the end, I’m proud of what I’ve become. After all the hard work, it's important to recognise when you've earned your reward. I’ve battled with dyslexia and ADHD my whole life, often feeling like I wasn’t good enough, like I was foolish or constantly falling short of others. But over time, I realised that the struggles I faced, the unique strategies I developed to solve life’s challenges, have become my greatest strengths.

If someone had told me 30 years ago that I’d become a psychologist—or even more surprisingly, a writer—I would have laughed out loud. But here I am. I graduated, I published a book, and I’m about to publish two more.

Now, let’s talk about that first book—oh yes, it did find its fans! But it was inspired by a more traditional style of writing that doesn’t quite resonate with modern tastes anymore. So, I made the tough decision to pull it from the shelves. One day, I hope to dust it off, give it a fresh new look, and reintroduce it to the world. I learned so much from that experience, and for that, I’m incredibly grateful.

These days, I’ve found my groove writing Young Adult fiction, and I’m excited to release my upcoming novel this November. If anyone is interested in being a beta reader or receiving an advanced copy, feel free to reach out! I’m happy to send out the ebook to the first few who contact me. I’m also launching a newsletter on my website, and the first 100 subscribers will receive the ebook for free.

I’m also thrilled to announce a new adventure I’ve embarked on with my friend and translator, Sandra Ortu. Together, we are working on a project to rediscover and bring attention to forgotten Italian female writers. Our second book, which I’ll be publishing soon, is a testament to that journey.

As a reader, I’m an avid book lover with a passion for Young Adult fiction. But my first loves were the works of Terry Brooks, Isaac Asimov, Hermann Hesse, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, George Orwell, Ray Bradbury, and others. Over the years, I’ve devoured countless classics and discovered that there’s always something new to learn from every genre. I can’t wait to share my thoughts, exchange recommendations, and connect with fellow readers here on Goodreads. Let’s explore new worlds together!

Website / Goodreads / Instagram / Newsletter

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