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Heidi Garrett has bound together the first three books in her Queen of the Realm of Faerie series in TRUE LOVE'S FIRST KISS:
Individually, the three books can be found as ebooks for nook, Kindle, and Kobo, starting at 99¢. At the moment, the omnibus of all three volumes can be found exclusively on Amazon for $3.99.
While centered in the world of fairies, you'll meet all sorts of fantastic creatures while reading such as dragons and mermaids.
In fact, in today's excerpt, we're all treated to a great excerpt featuring mermaids!
O F F I C I A L I N F O:
Title: TRUE LOVE'S FIRST KISS:
a compilation of The Queen of the Realm of Faerie Books 1-3
a compilation of The Queen of the Realm of Faerie Books 1-3
Author: Heidi Garrett
Release Date: Out June 18, 2013
Publisher: Heidi Garrett
SUMMARY:
In the Enchanted World, true love’s first kiss is magic.
NANDANA'S MARK
Book 1
When two half-faeries—Melia and her younger sister—are cursed under dreadful circumstances, true love’s first kiss is the remedy.
THE FLOWER OF ISBELLINE
Book 2
Nothing but true love’s first kiss can save Melia’s younger sister from blind ambition and ruin.
THE DRAGON CARNIVALE
Book 3
Melia must choose the freedom she cherishes or true love’s first kiss—and a relationship that promises to secure her place in the Whole.
The Queen of the Realm of Faerie is a fairy tale fantasy series that bridges the Mortal and Enchanted worlds. The main character, Melia, is an eighteen-year-old half-faerie, half-mortal. She lives in Illialei, a country in the Enchanted World, with her two sisters and their mother. Melia’s father has been exiled to the Mortal World, and her best friend is a pixie.
When the story opens in the first book, Melia is troubled by her dark moon visions, gossip she overhears about her parents at the local market, and the trauma of living among full-blooded faeries with wings—she doesn’t have any.
As the series unfolds, the historic and mystical forces that shape Melia’s life are revealed. Each step of her journey—to find the place where she belongs—alters her perceptions about herself, deepens her relationships with others, and enlarges her world view.
True Love’s First Kiss is a compilation of the first three books in this ongoing series.
NANDANA'S MARK
Book 1
When two half-faeries—Melia and her younger sister—are cursed under dreadful circumstances, true love’s first kiss is the remedy.
THE FLOWER OF ISBELLINE
Book 2
Nothing but true love’s first kiss can save Melia’s younger sister from blind ambition and ruin.
THE DRAGON CARNIVALE
Book 3
Melia must choose the freedom she cherishes or true love’s first kiss—and a relationship that promises to secure her place in the Whole.
The Queen of the Realm of Faerie is a fairy tale fantasy series that bridges the Mortal and Enchanted worlds. The main character, Melia, is an eighteen-year-old half-faerie, half-mortal. She lives in Illialei, a country in the Enchanted World, with her two sisters and their mother. Melia’s father has been exiled to the Mortal World, and her best friend is a pixie.
When the story opens in the first book, Melia is troubled by her dark moon visions, gossip she overhears about her parents at the local market, and the trauma of living among full-blooded faeries with wings—she doesn’t have any.
As the series unfolds, the historic and mystical forces that shape Melia’s life are revealed. Each step of her journey—to find the place where she belongs—alters her perceptions about herself, deepens her relationships with others, and enlarges her world view.
True Love’s First Kiss is a compilation of the first three books in this ongoing series.
An Excerpt from
TRUE LOVE'S FIRST KISS
by Heidi Garrett
TRUE LOVE'S FIRST KISS
by Heidi Garrett
Mermaids.
Elynus should've guessed.
A ring of the enchanting creatures sang in the sea cave’s semi-darkness. Where their luxurious hair left them naked, the porcelain skin of their arms and torsos gleamed, while their sinuous tails splashed and dipped, shimmering in the cove’s shallow waters.
Entranced by their presence, Elynus settled on a rocky shelf, just beyond their circle.
A loud boom jerked him from his reverie. The cave was dark, the air cold, the mermaids silent. He must have dozed off.
“Father!”
Was that Melia?
He struggled to gain his equilibrium in the pitch black.
“Father, can you hear me?”
He stumbled towards the sound of his daughter’s voice, his arms stretched out in front of him. Water splashed his boots, the tide rose. High tide would flood the cave. How much time did he have?
“Melia?”
“We’re all here.”
“Melusine?” he called.
“I’m here too, Father.”
Elynus stopped his forward movement. “Plantine?”
“We’ve agreed you mustn’t incarnate Umbra,” Melusine shouted above the crash of waves her father could no longer view.
“When you promise you’ll stop, we’ll release you from the cave.”
Melia.
He could find no words. His heart beat in his chest; clammy sweat gathered on his brow. He sloshed towards the sound of their voices. Seawater reached his knees. He concentrated his furious energy on the boulder blocking his exit. Whatever magic his daughters had cast, it rendered his own efforts impotent.
“Are you going to incarnate Umbra?” Melusine shouted.
“HOW DARE YOU IMPRISON ME.”
He heard their muffled voices.
“Father, if you promise you won’t incarnate Umbra, we’ll lift the binding spell from the stone.”
“I WILL MAKE NO SUCH PROMISE. I AM YOUR FATHER. RELEASE ME, NOW.”
“Why won’t you reconsider?” Melia’s voice quaked.
The water had reached his waist. It was freezing cold. He paddled, searching for higher ground with his hands. “DO YOU WISH TO DROWN ME?”
Again, he heard their muffled voices. Plantine’s voice separated; she chanted. He strained to hear her words.
When her sister’s voices joined in, he caught the final verse:
Wind that carries air with mighty force
Roll this heavy stone with one slight breeze.
Thank goodness, they’d come to their senses. He waited.
The sea cave remained sealed.
“PLANTINE,” Elynus called.
Water reached his neck; he bobbed, feeling for a handhold, something to cling to.
The icy sea numbed his extremities.
“I can’t move the stone. Father, are you all right?” Plantine’s tearful voice pleaded.
Elynus gulped great mouthfuls of water. The rising tide showed no mercy. In his wildest imaginings, he’d never conceived his life would end by patricide. He tried to remember Pressina, the last time he’d held her in his arms.
“FATHER!” Melia’s panicked cry came from far away.
Elynus should've guessed.
A ring of the enchanting creatures sang in the sea cave’s semi-darkness. Where their luxurious hair left them naked, the porcelain skin of their arms and torsos gleamed, while their sinuous tails splashed and dipped, shimmering in the cove’s shallow waters.
Entranced by their presence, Elynus settled on a rocky shelf, just beyond their circle.
A loud boom jerked him from his reverie. The cave was dark, the air cold, the mermaids silent. He must have dozed off.
“Father!”
Was that Melia?
He struggled to gain his equilibrium in the pitch black.
“Father, can you hear me?”
He stumbled towards the sound of his daughter’s voice, his arms stretched out in front of him. Water splashed his boots, the tide rose. High tide would flood the cave. How much time did he have?
“Melia?”
“We’re all here.”
“Melusine?” he called.
“I’m here too, Father.”
Elynus stopped his forward movement. “Plantine?”
“We’ve agreed you mustn’t incarnate Umbra,” Melusine shouted above the crash of waves her father could no longer view.
“When you promise you’ll stop, we’ll release you from the cave.”
Melia.
He could find no words. His heart beat in his chest; clammy sweat gathered on his brow. He sloshed towards the sound of their voices. Seawater reached his knees. He concentrated his furious energy on the boulder blocking his exit. Whatever magic his daughters had cast, it rendered his own efforts impotent.
“Are you going to incarnate Umbra?” Melusine shouted.
“HOW DARE YOU IMPRISON ME.”
He heard their muffled voices.
“Father, if you promise you won’t incarnate Umbra, we’ll lift the binding spell from the stone.”
“I WILL MAKE NO SUCH PROMISE. I AM YOUR FATHER. RELEASE ME, NOW.”
“Why won’t you reconsider?” Melia’s voice quaked.
The water had reached his waist. It was freezing cold. He paddled, searching for higher ground with his hands. “DO YOU WISH TO DROWN ME?”
Again, he heard their muffled voices. Plantine’s voice separated; she chanted. He strained to hear her words.
When her sister’s voices joined in, he caught the final verse:
Wind that carries air with mighty force
Roll this heavy stone with one slight breeze.
Thank goodness, they’d come to their senses. He waited.
The sea cave remained sealed.
“PLANTINE,” Elynus called.
Water reached his neck; he bobbed, feeling for a handhold, something to cling to.
The icy sea numbed his extremities.
“I can’t move the stone. Father, are you all right?” Plantine’s tearful voice pleaded.
Elynus gulped great mouthfuls of water. The rising tide showed no mercy. In his wildest imaginings, he’d never conceived his life would end by patricide. He tried to remember Pressina, the last time he’d held her in his arms.
“FATHER!” Melia’s panicked cry came from far away.
~*~
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Thank you for having me on A Backwards Story:) Heidi
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