The Thorn Queen
Page 20
Prince Piam sat on the edge of the bed. Pointing at her hand he asked, “What’s that?”
Meylyne looked down at the black opal shimmering black and green in the candlelight. “That is my mother’s opal. And you will never believe who was just here . . .”
The End
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I started writing this book many years ago, before I owned a computer (this was back in the day when it was normal for a person not to own their own desktop computer, let alone laptop). It was a slow process. I would write up a few pages in my diary, take those pages into my office, type them up after work and save them to floppy disks. Needless to say, I’ve had a lot of help and input over the years! I am deeply grateful to the following people that have offered oodles of heartfelt help and support in one way or another;
My friends, Christine Elder, Georgina Kartsonis, Hilary Butler, Veronica Campbell, Miriam Sharland, Claire Haigh, Nisha Inalsingh, Jeanne Chung, Sarah Deroulade, Kim Forster, Denise Clover, Bettina Glenning, Natalia Kantor and Rebecca Leche. My critique group; Deborah Underwood, Rachel Rodriguez, Christie Andersen, Amy Trusso, Pat Nishita, and Heather Hughes. My illustrator; Elisabeth Alba. My editor, Stephen Roxburgh. The Plot Whisperer, Martha Alderson. The fearless team at She Writes Press/BookSparks; Brooke Warner, Samantha Strom, Elisabeth Kaufman and Crystal Patriache. My parents; Sylvia and Graham Holland and my brother, Seth Holland. And last but not least, my amazing husband, Kumar and my daughter, Isabel, who set my heart on fire with gratitude and love each and every day.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo credit: Emily Dulla
ELISE HOLLAND grew up in the English countryside, contentedly devouring the books of CS Lewis, Hans Christian Andersen, The Brothers Grimm and Enid Blyton before moving to Michigan in her early teens. While studying psychology at the University of Michigan, she developed a fascination for Jung, archetypes and the collective unconscious to which we all belong.
Now she lives in Mill Valley, CA, with her husband, daughter, dog, and cat. In addition to fueling her tea addiction, she enjoys hiking, yoga, and spending time with family and friends.
SELECTED TITLES FROM SPARKPRESS
The Blue Witch, Alane Adams, $16.95, 9781943006779. Nine-year-old Abigail Tarkana has a problem: her witch magic has finally come in, but it’s different—and being different is a problem at the Tarkana Witch Academy. Together with her scientist-friend Hugo, she face off against sneevils, shreeks, and vikens in a race to discover the secrets about her mysterious magic.
But Not Forever, Jan Von Scleh, $16.95, 978-1-943006-58-8. When identical fifteen-year-old girls are mysteriously switched in time, they discover the love that’s been missing in their lives. Torn, both want to go home, but neither wants to give up what they now have.
Serenade, Emily Kiebel. $15, 978-1-94071-604-6. After moving to Cape Cod after her father’s death, Lorelei discovers her great-aunt and nieces are sirens, terrifying mythical creatures responsible for singing doomed sailors to their deaths. When she rescues a handsome sailor who was supposed to die at sea, the sirens vow that she must finish the job or faced grave consequences.
Red Sun, Alane Adams. $17, 978-1-940716-24-4. After learning that his mom is a witch and his missing father is a true Son of Odin, twelve-year-old Sam Baron must travel through a stonefire to the magical realm of Orkney on a quest to find his missing friends and stop an ancient curse.
Wendy Darling Vol 1: Stars, Colleen Oakes. $17, 978-1-94071-6-96-4. Loved by two men—a steady and handsome bookseller’s son from London, and Peter Pan, a dashing and dangerous charmer—Wendy realizes that Neverland, like her heart, is a wild place, teeming with dark secrets and dangerous obsessions.