Strike at Midnight(103)

It was going to take some getting used to once my feet had floated back down to the ground. But I wouldn’t take one day of it for granted. Ever.

I had opened the gift. And I liked it.





THE END





ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Katie Epstein is an author of paranormal and fantasy novels. She lives in the UK with her husband and two children. She is passionate about the world of fiction and lives her life with her head in the clouds—only coming down to touch the ground every now and again. You can read more about her and her world of woo-hoo at www.katieepstein.com.





A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR


I have always loved fairy tales, whether it be from the Brothers Grimm, folk tales or Disney. I’ve loved the possibilities they bring and the wonders of what they allow us to perceive through our own imagination.

Through my research on these, I have discovered that there are so many versions across the ages of the different tales, and ones we have missed because they’re not in the mainstream. It’s been great to see where some of the elements have originated from, and where other layers have been added by different authors putting their spin on things.

When fairy tale movies with modern twists hit the big screen, it reaffirmed how influential fairy tales have been in both our history and pop culture. They created a successful blend of the stories we know and love, with a modern spin that gave us a new take on the fairy tale world. That is what I wanted to do with these stories.

I found at first, that the book was taking me from the Regency to Medieval periods, and I was getting hung up on the fact that it wasn't committed to either one. I was getting frustrated that neither seemed to apply to the whole novel or future novels that would become a part of this series. It was the moment when I was thinking for a tagline for the series when it finally hit me. These books are fairy tales. There are no rules here. And considering the fact that a lot of the fairy tales were written during the periods between the 1600-1900's, no wonder the influences were affecting the outcome of the story at different times in our lives. It was supposed to.

I needed to let loose and let the story unfold as it wanted to, with the modern terminologies and twists thrown in as I had intended. It took me a while to fully open the door, and let this book give birth to a world that will grow and form in each of the stories written.

There will be other books to come in this series, and my intention is to give Melody, Rapunzel, Briar Rose—and a few new faces—a voice in their own story. Each book will be stand alone in regards to the main protagonist, but there will be a lot of character crossovers and developments in their surrounding world as time goes on. I also intend to release a few novellas along the way so people can choose if they want to read more background or developments on particular individuals. I know Rella is already nagging me for one.

So, to sum it up, I’m learning to let go a little as this world is created, and my philosophy and tagline are now one of the same: ‘Anything can happen in a fairy tale’… I hope you enjoy!





ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Without the help and assistance of all these individuals, this book wouldn’t be what it is today.

I would like to thank Clarrisa Yeo from Yocla Designs for such an amazing book cover. She took the concept and ran with it, bringing Rella to life in a way I would never have thought possible.

Thank you to Claudette Cruz who painstakingly edited my writing—you deserve a medal—and maybe a well-earned rest now it’s done! My ‘British-isms’ know no bounds as I learn more about the rules of American-English.

Thank you to my beta readers Steph, Nicky, Jane, Emma, Dave C, Laura, Michelle and Tracy for plodding their way through it, and special thanks to Sheila who gave me some novel-changing feedback that made it something I am extremely proud of. Thank you so much!

Thank you to Stacey, the lady who I would cast as Cinderella any day (even though she has a cleaner mouth than Rella). You’re an inspiration and I thank you with all my heart.

Thank you to Erica who did such a fantastic job on the voiceover for the book trailer. You gave Rella a voice, and it still gives me goosebumps when I watch it!

As always I have to thank my husband, who not only puts up with the rollercoaster of being married to a writer but who is my right arm with the bits I tend to run away from! He trusts in me every day, and I wouldn't be doing this, right here, right now, without him. He is my very own Prince Charming.

My mom, the relentless babysitter and one of my biggest advocates—even though she can't read the books just in case there are any rude bits (I would never live that down)—thank you for all you do, each and every day.

To my two children who make me laugh, make me cry, but—most importantly—make me fight. When I'm feeling down or disheartened by the process, they say the simplest of things that pierce straight through the dark cloud to give me the sunshine I need. I learn something new every day from these two lunatics.

Last of all, thank you so much to the readers who take a chance on me as an author. I really hope you enjoyed this story.

That’s the lot…I think! If I’ve missed anyone, I apologize. It’s been one of those days!

THANK YOU!