What's Inside:
- 1st person POV
- outspoken female protagonist
- hidden identity
- animal companion
- gruff male main character with a soft inside
- shared love of literature
- power imbalance
- immersive world
- Jane Eyre vibes
A Quote:
I didn’t answer him directly. “If a slave slips and falls, there is no blood.” My voice had more pique in it than I intended, but surprisingly, the tarqin laughed. It was a harsh laugh, bitter almost.
Reviews:
"This is a sublime piece of writing that also defies easy categorisation. A kind of medieval fantasy with a touch of magic. Incredible world building, a protagonist enslaved in a library, a fey hunting cat called Shimash, a young lord in need of both assistance and poetry. Reminiscent of Alexandrian libraries, Bedouin caravans and Moroccan souks, there is a sense of a larger and stranger world that is both conveyed and hidden within the scope of the story. Congratulations Cathryn. An extraordinary story."
Dr Rashida Murphy, 2023 Stuart and Hadow judge
"This is a beautiful, enchanting short story that led me deep into a far away place. Cathryn knows how to create characters that pull you into their world and lives with a few sentences that spark the imagination and leave you wanting more! I thoroughly enjoyed this! My only complaint is that I didn’t want it to end! Exotic, immersive and thought-provoking. A must-read!
Looking forward to telling my followers about this story!"
Kathryn Jordan, author of the Keeper of Light fantasy series
