Sue’s Thursday photo prompt started a story which I have decided to keep and add to a collection of folksy, fairy stories I’m getting together. This is a short offshoot of the original idea. Thanks, Sue for the inspiration 🙂
On the cracked and blackened ground, the eggshell almost glittered in its whiteness. The air smelled of burning and something sweet and exotic. A breath of breeze, carrying scents of cedar and a thick oily perfume, stirred the treetops and brought an echo of a song. She looked up, hoping to find the singer and instead saw a golden feather drifting slowly downwards, rocking back and forth. She caught it in her hand and the soft plumes hardened to a filigree of gold.
The musical echo became a torrent of wild music, rich and musky, gold and silver, rose and jasmine. High above the treetops, caught in the light of the sun, a bird, bigger than the biggest eagle, with feathers the colours of a wonderful dream, spread fiery wings and disappeared into the fierce light. The song trailed to an echo again.
Be happy. Be magnificent!
She smiled. She thought she could be both of those if she tried.
Jane Dougherty Writes 
Thi9s is a lovely teaser for your stories, Jane 🙂
I’ve got the stories, just need to find the energy to do the formatting.
I’ll look forward to that one… and a guest post to go with the launch?
If I get it together, that would be great. I’m in a slough of despond at the moment, having taken down the entire Green Woman series because Finch said they wanted it and I had to unpublish it before they could issue a contract. I found out yesterday that as of Monday, Bonnier has halted all contracts for the foreseeable future. I’m so pissed off I’m physically ill today.
Oh good grief, that is absolutely awful, Jane! No wonder you are feeling low.
I don’t really know what to do. Reformat, make new covers, start all over again with no reviews?
They have to be out there…and no doubt the reviews will come back in. Unless the publishers actually stick to their bargain, I would be tempted to see this as an opporunity to put right any niggles and give them new covers… I’m going to be doing that with a far less valid reason.
You’re right. No doubt I’ll get it done and try and make a splash. Stories are coming along fine. I’ll let that be the decider, see how painful the process is.
Well, you have a heck of a backstory for the re-launch 🙂
I’d rather pass on that one to be honest.
Fantastic, Jane. Hats off to your fantastic imagination.
Thanks Robbie 🙂
Beautiful rendering of the Phoenix. The music adds a new dimension. (K)
Thank you 🙂 I remembered about the smell while I was writing this. The scents of the orient.
Reblogged this on Die Erste Eslarner Zeitung – Aus und über Eslarn, sowie die bayerisch-tschechische Region!.
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Delightfully positive Jane, I liked how you took the image as it is and applied your meaning to it…
Thanks Michael. Nothing is ever exactly as it seems 🙂
Loved this Jane
Thank you, Willow 🙂
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This is lovely, Jane, and a rather more upbeat ending than some of your (beautiful) stories 🙂 I’m sorry to hear you’re having publisher troubles, I do hope they are resolved for you soon. And your upcoming book of short stories sounds great!
You have to write cheery stories once in a while 🙂 Thanks Helen. The publisher problem isn’t going to be resolved unfortunately, another reason for taking a back seat for the time being. The job of republishing or looking for another publisher is just too big to tackle.
Ah, I’m very sorry to hear that, Jane – I imagine it’s the last thing you need with the move as well.
Actually, it’s a good time for it to have happened. I have so much else to worry about it puts my creative full stop into perspective.