#WordCrafters #Book #BlogTour For "Once Upon An Ever After" - Includes A #Giveaway + My #Review

    

 

Today is my stop on the tour for "Once Upon An Ever After" and I have a review and a giveaway to share with you.  But, before I get to those, I have a guest post from one of the authors featured in this anthology.  Her name is Lyndsay E. Gilbert.  So, take it away, Lyndsay.

 

 

 

I've always been in love with fairy tales. I read them religiously as a child and then studied them at length at University, not only western but Middke Eastern and Slavic too. I am constantly writing stories based on old tales, exploring their themes a little deeper and stepping a little further into their darkness.

 

In Once upon a Time, and Now, and Forever I set out to explore the well-known magic mirror of Snow White fame - clearly a sentient thing. I wondered if it had a soul or spirit trapped within the glass, perhaps stuck or enslaved by it. Then it came to me that there could be an infinite number of spirits who move from shiny surface to shiny surface - whose job it is to mimic living people and become their reflections. I also happen to be Irish and worked a few of our superstitions in as well. We open the window when someone dies to release their souls, and many people cover the mirrors in the house, so the deceased person's soul does not get trapped. All this weaved itself together in my tale - I understood where the mirror souls came from and began to follow the story of one soul in particular. A passionate girl who comes to remember who she really is and who unabashedly seeks freedom.

 

Author bio:

 Lyndsay E. Gilbert hails from Northern Ireland, where she lives beside an ancient castle looking out to sea. She loves reading, writing, horror, fantasy, fairy tales, playing the fiddle, cats, dogs (particularly German Shepherds), moving music, cross-stitch, and belly dancing. She has a few stories published in anthologies.

 

 

Blurb
This unique and imaginative collection of eleven thought provoking fantasy stories will delight readers who enjoy stories of wishes gone awry.
 

What happens when…
A woman desires to carry on her family’s legacy, uncovering a long-buried curse?
A not so perfect witch casts a spell to defy age and preserve her relationship with her handsome shapeshifting familiar?
A time traveler longs to be the savior of knowledge lost?
An incompetent delivery boy becomes an unlikely savior of forgotten artifacts?
A magic mirror yearns for a different question?
A tiny story witch desires to share her stories with the world?
 

Spells are cast, unlikely alliances made, and wishes granted, sometimes with surprising outcomes. You’ll love this anthology of modern myths, lore, and fairy tales. Once you read these twisted tales, you’ll be sure to be careful what you wish for….
 

If you liked Gilded Glass, you’ll enjoy Once Upon an Ever After: Modern Myths & Fairy Tales, short stories with thought provoking themes, captivating characters and diverse cultures, from humorous to horrifying, from the legendary past to possible futures and back to the here and now.

 

Purchase your copy from your favourite online retailer by clicking this link.

 

 

 

 

Once Upon an Ever After: Modern Fairy Tales & Folklore by Kaye Lynne Booth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewing an anthology like this one is never an easy task. After all, it’s only natural that some stories will appeal to the reader more than others, especially when a variety of different authors is involved. This collection was no exception. Every story deserves its place in this anthology; the stories are well-written, with interesting characters and fascinating plots. Yet I enjoyed some more than others, simply because of my personal tastes. For example, I thought “The Mirror Of Truth” was an entertaining read, and “The War Babies” was a touching tale. Regardless of your own personal tastes, I’m sure you’ll find a story or two among the ones in this collection that you’ll enjoy too.

View all my reviews 

 

 

 

Digital Giveaway!
For a chance to win a free digital copy of Once Upon an Ever After, just leave a comment to show you were here. Follow the tour and comment at each stop for more chances to win. Three copies will be given away in a random drawing.

 

 

Tour schedule:

Monday – August 22 – Opening Day Post – Writing to be Read – Intro. & Guest Post – Sarah Lyn Eaton
Tuesday – August 23 – Patty’s World – Review & Guest Post – Robbie Cheadle
Wednesday – August 24 – The Showers of Blessings – Guest Post – Olivia Merchiston
Thursday – August 25 –Roberta Writes – Interview w/ Kaye Lynne Booth
Friday – August 26 – Zigler’s News – Review & Guest Post – Lyndsay Elizabeth Gilbert
Saturday – August 27 – Closing Post – Writing to be Read – Guest Post – A.E. Lanier