"I am ready to meet my maker. Whether my maker is prepared to meet me is another matter."
-Winston Churchill

Friday, November 9, 2012

Bewitching Book Tours: Once Upon A Twisted Time Guest Post


Today we get lucky to have one of the authors from Once Upon A Twisted Dream sharing a guest post during the virtual book tour at Bewitching Book Tours. Which author you say? Please welcome Trish M. Dawson! 

Welcome to Immortality and Beyond Trish! Thank you so much for sharing with us today. I hand my readers over to you...



"Hardest part of writing an anthology"-Trish Marie Dawson
When you think about an anthology and what it means - a collection of stories - you might think this is an easy endeavor to be a part with a group of writers, since you are only responsible for one part of the story. And in some ways, being included in Once Upon A Twisted Time was easy. The friendship between myself and the other writers was already there. And we knew each other's work well. Since I was embarking on a journey with three other talented and amazing writers, how could that be tough?
What I didn't initially realize is anthologies aren't just fun, they can be intimidating for a new writer. I remember starting my story, having nothing but excitement for the idea that would become the Once Upon A Twisted Time Anthology but somewhere during my writing adventure I realized my work was going to be in a book…right next to the work of three other writers. I had an 'Oh my God, what if my story totally sucks' moment - more than once. It's one thing for your work to be compared to a different book altogether or even to your own previous works, but when you throw a handful of separate writers into the same mix, it can be exciting and yes - also intimidating.
To be honest, I worried that my story wouldn't hold up to the others and it scared me a teeny bit at first. But then I realized that all the stories would be very different and would appeal to all kinds of readers, which was the point of mixing up the anthology with four writers. Four different stories with four different storytellers - can't go wrong there, right? We all have a different style of writing, and a different way of telling stories and I love it! If they all sounded the same, what fun would that be for the reader?
So yes, I have no problem at all admitting that I spent a few minutes worrying about how my work would be accepted compared to the work of the other contributors in the anthology, but I have no fear now. It's not about one story, it's about the whole. The completed project is amazing. The worlds that Miranda Stork, Tara S. Wood and Lindsay Avalon have created are gorgeous, unique and inspiring! Even though our pieces all fit nicely into the same collection, it's almost as if each is from a different realm. There is no way to compare one to the other, except to say 'That one is JUST as great as the other's!'
So rather than feel intimidated or worried that my story wouldn't jive with the rest, I ended up feeling blessed to be included, and honored to be a part of this amazing anthology. I hope to be able to do more work like this in the future with these same writers, as well as some other writer friends. I cherish the entire experience, totes!
Once Upon A Twisted Time
An Anthology of Dark Adult Fairytales
By: Tara Stogner Wood, Trish Marie Dawson, Lindsay Avalon, and Miranda Stork

Genre: Fairytales/Paranormal

Publisher: Moon Rose Publishing
Date of Publication: 31st October 2012

Number of pages: 250
Word Count: 76,000

Cover Artist: Miranda Stork



Book Description:

Think you know your fairytales? Think again. These aren’t your normal happily-ever-after. Within these pages, a murderous Little Mermaid gets her revenge, the Cinderella doesn’t really want to wear the slipper, Snow White is up to her eyes in industrial experiments, and the Beauty is in fact the Beast.

This collection of four novellas will surprise you, make you gasp in horror, sigh with relief, and sit on the edge of your seat. And most of all…they will make you rethink everything you think you know about dark fairytales…


Song of the Abyss-Lindsay Avalon

Princess Nerissa had envisioned a perfect wedding to a handsome prince. Instead, she fell into a nightmare. When her new husband tries to murder her just hours after pledging his life to her, she must flee towards the sea. Caught in transition from woman to selkie, she is trapped by the dark waters she hoped would be her salvation. Now her destiny becomes that of luring young men to their death…until one comes along that reignites the spark of love inside her. However to ensure her future, she must first face her past. Revenge must be taken…for both her life, and the life of the young man she now loves.

Miss Cavendish and the Spark of Salvation-Tara Stogner Wood
In a city toiling under the iron fist of the Spiegel Syndicate and its monopoly on coal, Miss Georgina "George" Cavendish is on the brink of a breakthrough that could change the world forever. There's just one thing standing in her way, her aunt - Xenobia Cavendish. Threatened by her efforts, the Syndicate procures the services of a notorious assassin with a past tied to her own, known as The Huntsman, to dispatch the brilliant scientist. But once he gets a glimpse of the headstrong beauty, will he be able to do the job, or will Georgina sway him to The Cause? And will George find the breakthrough she needs in time, or is New London Town doomed to forever lie under the dark shadow of her aunt's factories?

Hawke and the Beast-Trish Marie Dawson

Some curses last forever, and some can be broken with the whisper of three little words. Isabella Rose Woodward fell in love with a witch's son over a century ago. Her punishment for breaking the young man's heart was a beastly one. Every month she turns into a different creature, aging on the full moon when her curse allows for a brief return to her human form. Her only salvation is to find a man that will love her as she is…be it adorned in feathers, fur or scales. Has she found this love with the handsome Jasper Hawke? Or will a mysteriously determined Hunter find her first, and snuff out the life she so desperately seeks? A life of normalcy, where she loves and is loved in return… just as she is.

Reborn City-Miranda Stork

Nyx has one mission in life; bring down the brainwashing of New Omsk’s citizens, and release them from their mundane lives of toil. The year is 2355, and the world is a new place. A Governor is in charge of every city in the world, and humanity is attempting to rebuild itself after recovering from a war that nearly killed it. But this Governor has set his eyes on the intrepid little hacker, Nyx, and he will stop at nothing to get her. But perhaps he needs her more than he ever dreamed he would…as do his citizens.


Trish Marie Dawson-

I was born and mostly raised in San Diego, California where I live now with my  family and pets. I’ve been writing short stories and poetry since high school after an obsession with Stephen King’s ‘The Stand’. After over fifteen years of crazy dreams and an overactive imagination, I began my first book ‘I Hope You Find Me’ in December of 2011. When I’m not writing, I am homeschooling my amazing daughter and mildly autistic son, reading whatever I can get my hands on, or enjoying the Southern California sun. As a strict Vegetarian, I hold a special place in my heart for animal rights and dash into the backyard weekly to rescue lizards and mice from our mini-lab/aussie shepherd/cocker spaniel mixed dog, Zoey…who is always getting into some sort of trouble.


Tara Stogner Wood-

Tara Wood divides her time between creating domestic bliss and creating hot paranormal romance with the occasional side of kink. When not playing June Cleaver for her hubby and daughter, she can be found at the local Starbucks slamming back Frappuccinos and plotting out her next idea. Or she’s watching the BBC. Tara resides with her wonderful and tolerant family in the suburbs of Houston, Texas. She is currently at work on several projects, one of them being the next book in her In Blood series.


Lindsay Avalon-

I am a wife, a mother to an adorable mini schnauzer, a programmer, and now an author. I love reading romance because no matter what may be happening in my life, I can always count on my books to end happily ever after. My sister drilled into me an appreciation for fantasy and mythology, something I try to bring to my books. After hearing me complain a few too many times that I had “nothing” to read despite the hundreds of paperbacks scattered around the house, my husband began suggesting I write my own stories. When I finally took his advice I discovered that although I enjoy my day job as a software engineer, my true calling is to be an author.


Miranda Stork-



I was born in Guisborough, North Yorkshire in 1987 and have lived in various places around Britain, including Newcastle and Glasgow.
My writing is inspired by various writers, including the vivid characters of Charles Dickens, the imagination of Stephen King, and the gothic imagery of Anne Rice.

My love of horror began at an early age, when I was only three or four. I could read proficiently at the age of three, and devoured fairy-stories, but I always had a bent towards the darker stories, such as the Brother's Grimm's tales...Red Riding Hood was always a firm favourite, although I always felt sorry for the wolf, despite him having tried to eat everyone!



2 comments:

Nightly Cafe said...

Thank you so much for sharing with us today Trish :)

Teddy Rose said...

Thanks so much for sharing with us. Great post!

ShareThis