Saving a mysterious stranger might come back to bite her.
Welcome to one of the July 16th stops on the blog tour for A Tale of Something New by D. S. McColgan with Bewitching Book Tours (schedule linked.) Be sure to follow the rest of the tour for spotlights, reviews, and more exclusive content!
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About the Book
A Tale of Something New
A Tale of Series Book One
by D. S. McColgan
Published 22 March 2024
A Tale Of Ltd
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Gaslamp Fantasy
Page Count: 241
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Liliana is shocked to find a dying man in the middle of the forest, surrounded by the remains of a brutal fight. She brings him home to her father’s farm to nurse him back to health. However, when the stranger regains consciousness, he doesn’t remember who he is or how he came to be there.
Intrigued by the mystery of it all, Liliana sets out to discover who this handsome, well-mannered stranger is. Could he be the man who whisks her away and shows her the world? Or will whatever happened in the forest put her and everyone she loves in grave danger?
This is the start of a new supernatural fantasy series focusing on the decisions one woman has to make in her effort to balance love, morals, ambition and responsibilities as her world expands from her little cozy village to the events that span her continent.
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Excerpt
At dinner, Liliana repeated what the stranger had said. After all, he now had a name.
Then the weather was discussed, and the whole table agreed that they were expecting another cold snap. Grandmother felt it in her bones, the farmhands and Cedric observed it in the animals’ behaviour and Father smelled it in the air. The chicken broth was well received.
Armed with a portion of said broth, Liliana ventured to the stranger’s bed after dinner. He awoke immediately and swallowed greedily, his gaze fixed on the bowl. There were so many questions swirling around in her head that she didn’t quite know where to start. If he was missing his memories, he couldn’t answer most of them, and she didn’t want to overwhelm him.
‘Do you remember me?’
He looked up briefly. ‘Yes.’
The fact that he could remember newer things was a good sign.
‘How’s the pain?’
‘Don’t ask.’
Liliana would’ve liked to know if his curt manner was part of his personality or due to the pain he was in. To wake up in a strange environment, in this agonising state and unable to recollect anything … No, she didn’t envy him.
Once the bowl was empty, she gave him the medicine, and Grandmother came to look at his wounds. She loosened the bandages in some places, careful not to damage the skin that had already healed. She rubbed on some of the ointment containing the resin Liliana had collected.
The stranger grimaced but made no sound.
‘That’s my grandmother,’ Liliana said. ‘She’s nursed many people back to health.’
Since he lay there quietly afterwards, Liliana stayed in the room. She was eager to talk to him more, but he kept his eyes closed, exhaustion on his face. So she sat down with her book, in front of the wardrobe. It was a precious, carved piece of furniture that Father had given to her mother after their wedding.
‘How did I get here?’
Astonished, she looked up. His eyes were still closed, but it seemed he felt her presence in the room. ‘I found you half-dead in the woods and brought you here.’
A pause followed, during which Liliana watched him over the edge of the book. What a peculiar way of speaking he had … Although she understood him clearly, the melody of his sentences sounded strange to her ears. His lips formed the words with precision, as if every single one of them deserved to be heard.
‘Be honest, what are my chances?’
‘The fact that you survived the first few days is amazing. If you keep going like this, I’m sure you’ll make it.’
A hint of a smile appeared on his lips. He opened his eyes and slowly turned his head to look at her, quietly grunting with pain. ‘What … are you reading?’
The bronze colour of his eyes still fascinated her. ‘Oh, this? A collection of fairy tales.’
Another pause followed while they studied each other.
‘You like books?’
‘I do. Would you like me to read you one of the stories?’
‘Yes, please.’
Liliana cleared her throat. ‘Most farmers struggle with reading. While I am by far the best reader in the family, it probably still sounds bungled to trained ears.’
The stranger gave her another smile to acknowledge her efforts and closed his eyes. Liliana began to read. She hadn’t read out loud in a long time. No one here shared her enthusiasm for books. Why would they? There always seemed to be gossip to share, and after a day of hard work, most people in the village didn’t want to overexert their tired brains. For them, books were an expensive and superfluous possession. When Cedi had been younger, she’d taught him to read. As with many other activities, her little brother started on it with great zeal, only to lose interest after the first few strides. Reading to someone who may be well educated made her nervous. But she soon found her rhythm. As intended, the stranger relaxed. Distraction was a good antidote to pain.
About the Author
D. S. McColgan emigrated from the Swiss mountains to Wales, where she now writes her stories surrounded by green hills, countless sheep and castles. She writes in German and English, and her short stories reside in the realm of fairy tales or magical realism. This year, she has published the first two books of her fantasy series: A Tale of Something New & A Tale of Something Red.
If you are not afraid of blood and fancy a historical tale with slow-burn romance, secrets, authentic characters and atypical twists, you will love her series.
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