Guest Post: Theresa Meyers, Author of Shadowlander + Giveaway

World of the Dark Fae

I’ve always been kind of annoyed how faeries are portrayed by Disney as these light and bright little bits of fluff, or plump little fairy godmothers. The truth is they’re a whole lot darker, more powerful and more dangerous than they’ve been portrayed. It’s that darker aspect of the fae that got me thinking. You see, unlike other supernatural beings, the fae aren’t just limited to Halloween. They can come out at any time. And when they are annoyed—you don’t want to mess with them.

Many cultures go out of their way to make friends and allies with the fae. If you look for a moment at the artwork of Brian Froud, you can see why. Sometimes they can be so very human-looking, but there’s always something darker, more ancient that runs beneath the surface.

Even by some of the oldest cultures, there were fae, sometimes thought to be spirits. And given how dark they can be at times, thought to be demons or djinn. They aren’t malevolent so much as they don’t share our same sense of worth or value what we value. To them we’ve botched things up badly and they are seeking to reestablish balance before their world suffers too. I can’t blame them there.

My first introduction to fae was when I was very young. My mother read us stories, fairytales, and in many the elves or fae were very helpful, but in some they came to punish by turning milk sour or ruing crops or stealing children. I can see why people ascribed to such superstitions as not wanting to step into a “fairy ring” or circular formation of mushrooms that might grow in a field or they might set out a gift of milk sweetened with honey on Midsummer’s Eve, when the veil between our world and the fae realm is thought to be easily passed.

In my Shadow Sisters series, starting off with the novella SHADOWLANDER, I look a little deeper at the dark fae realm, letting my imagination run amuck. There’s giant cats, fae of all kinds and an intrepid set of sisters determined to make a difference and protect humanity. But even they learn not everything is as it seems. Sometimes you have to trust and step into the unknown.

So, now it’s your turn. What’s something you always thought was darker than Disney portrayed it?

Four sisters, three rules to live by, one big problem.

O’Connell Family Rule #1: Don’t let the Fae know you see them.

O’Connell Family Rule #2: Don’t talk to the Fae.

O’Connell Family Rule #3: Never, ever follow them.

Most people only believe what they can see. GiVed with the ability to see the deep, dark fae of Shadowland, Catherine Rowan Mary O’Connell would prefer not to. When the fae abduct her friend Maya, Cate breaks the sacred O’Connell Family Rules and sets a trap for the handsome fae who haunts her every step.

Rook, High Court Advisor to the Shadow King, has been following Cate since she was sixteen. When Cate reveals herself as one of the fabled “Seers”, Rook is stunned—she is One of the few that can permanently open the gates between their worlds. If he turns her over to the Shadow King, his court will rule the human realm. Cate knows she has precious li`le Rme to find Maya. By midnight, the glamour of Mid‐Summer’s Eve will fade, leaving her trapped forever in the Shadowland, but Maya’s abductor won’t give up the woman he’s mesmerized easily.

The midnight hour is almost at hand. Cate must choose: her freedom or her destiny.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Raised by a bibliophile who made the dining room into a library, Theresa has always been a lover of books and stories. First a writer for newspapers, then for national magazines, she started her first novel in high school, eventually enrolling in a Writer's Digest course and putting the book under the bed unRl she joined Romance Writers of America in 1993. In 2005 she was selected as one of eleven finalists for the American Title II contest, the American Idol of books. She is married to the first man she ever went on a real date with (to their high school prom), who she knew was hero material when he suffered through having to let her parents drive, and her brother sit between them in the backseat of the car. They currently live in a Victorian house on a mini farm in the Pacific Northwest with their two children, three cats, an old chestnut arabian gelding, an energetic mini‐Aussie shepherd puppy, several rabbits, a dozen chickens and an out‐of‐control herb garden.  http://www.theresameyers.com/

GIVEAWAY

One lucky winner will win an ebook of Shadowlander!

MANDATORY ENTRY

Enter Theresa's Question:  What’s something you always thought was darker than Disney portrayed it?

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Open WorldWide. Contest ends November 12th.  Winner has 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be selected. Prize emailed direct from publisher.