Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Excerpt from "Artemis Unbound" by LL Darroch in 'If'

Several of the Circle 8 Writers have been Facebook friends of mine for a few years now. This talented group of writers has published several anthologies of their short stories. Check out an excerpt from LL Darroch's "Artemis Unbound," from their collection If.

Book Blurb:

The stories of If:

Amy Browne: "And So It Begins: the Birth of Paisley" Short (Paisley)story: The kingdom rejoices at the birth of a new princess. If only grandma had been more careful, the baby would not have floated up, up and away.

Andi Caldwell: "Saint Theresa" Short Story: Theresa had something in common with her namesake Saint Theresa: seeking terrible vengeance on those closest to her. If only she had known then what she knows now--that the saint was no saint in her young life, either.

Angel Sharum: "As If You Cared" Short story: If Robert hadn’t been so alienated by his wife’s manic depression, maybe the cure wouldn’t have proved so deadly.

"If You’d Only Listened" Short story: Nobody ever listened to Will, not his mother, not even his best friend Dale—NOBODY! If they had, maybe Will wouldn’t have decided it’s time for Judgement Day.

"I’m Sorry" Flash story: Sorry, Charlie.

"I Want You Back" Flash fiction: If only Nathan would’ve washed his own dirty shirts.

LL Darroch: "Artemis Unbound" Short story: A scarlet ribbon always around her neck. Oh, dear, if poor Henry had only known or had guessed why his beloved never took it off.

"The Bracelet" Short story: If Mattie can only conjure up fake spirits, how can one that keeps taunting her with a bracelet prove to be too real.

"UserError" Flash fiction: If you’re going to use a computer to cheat, don’t drink coffee.

“Green Cheese” Flash Fiction: Green Cheese: What if the moon really was made of green cheese?

"Fortress" Poetry: If the past is a dead thing, should a tombstone marks its grave?

Brittany Joy Chadwick "IF" Short story: If Frank could only believe in his Imaginary Friend.

Robert L. Arend "Snow Globe Short story: If only Ralph hadn’t been so ambitious, greedy and selfish, he and his family might not be homeless and struggling to survive the harsh Philadelphia winter. If only he could change their present by changing his past.

"The Andre Peterson Conspiracy" Short Story: If Sirhan Sirhan didn’t kill Robert F. Kennedy, who did? Time will tell.

Read an excerpt from "Artemis Unbound"
“No, I know none of them look like me. I’m a foundling.”

“A foundling?” Henry looked confused.

“As in found, left behind, abandoned. My parents found me as a baby in the forest in the autumn, at the base of a tree much like this one. They adopted me.” She was standing at the red leafed tree that her boots sat under.

“I was wrapped in a bed of dry leaves and had this on,” she said, touching the ribbon around her neck. “I never take it off because of the note…,” but she didn’t repeat what the note had said.

Henry wasn’t going to push and ask her, but he was very curious.

He walked Temi and the kids to a large rambling stone and ivy covered estate that had been maintained in pristine condition. One of the founding families of the area had built the stately home. Now he knew why the name Rutherford had rung a bell when he heard her say it.

“I’ll take my leave here,” he said, suddenly feeling uncomfortable and out of place. He was a woodsman, not a statesman.

“Oh, please, come in for some hot chocolate. I promised the kids we would make some when we got back. You were gracious enough to help out. Please let me say thank you properly.”

Simple grace, and the hair…

What had astonished Henry most that first day, beyond the fact she looked like the woman in his fantasies, was how incredibly real and down to earth she was. He had felt right at home from that first step in the front door of the grand mansion. Inside the stately beauty, everything was warm and welcoming, from the décor to the people who lived there.
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