BEWARE THE LITTLE WHITE RABBIT Excerpt: Broken Tethers

The following is an excerpt from author Holly Odell's short story found in BEWARE THE LITTLE WHITE RABBIT.

Broken Tethers

Black crows punctuated the damp April morning with bleak conversation. Long-neglected hedges and comically unkempt shrubbery guarded the perimeter of a vast, overgrown property. A young woman fought her way through the snarled branches and emerged from a particularly slovenly-looking clump of bushes. Her appearance suggested she had already endured a gauntlet of physical indignities, of which this was the culmination.

“Come on, Alice.” She perked up. “Urban exploration is a dirty business. I should’ve thought about how messy this was actually going to be, though.” Next time she’d bring a towel, and...she looked down at her clothes...maybe a plastic jumpsuit, on second thought.

Wiping her muddy hands down the front of her jacket, she shifted attention to the object of her efforts.
At last she had a clear view of the mansion. Alice gasped. Abandoned for decades, it had slumped into an exquisite state of disrepair. “What a spectacular wreck.”

Things of beauty succumbing to the ravages of time and nature sent her heart leaping into her throat. Was it the catharsis of tragedy, the ache of nostalgia for a bygone age that thrilled her so much? Or the fact that she wasn’t supposed to be here? D, all of the above.

She forgave herself a mischievous chuckle at the thought of her phone ringing in the medicine cabinet where she “accidentally” left it. Why was the concept of voluntary solitude so difficult for some people to grasp? Certain places practically clobbered you over the head, demanding to be designated as tether-free zones. Nothing can rip the cheesecloth from the lens of a Tolkien-esque
 excursion faster than a techno ringtone or someone handing you their soda so they can pee in the bushes while badgering you about how late it’s getting. A badass adventuress can only tolerate so much pestering; she was entitled to a little harmless payback.

Her eyes roamed across the decaying exterior as she strode through the long grass to the top of the hill. After rummaging for a moment she produced a small digital camera from her pocket and took a picture of thick, tangled vines embracing the chimney, which lurched as if recoiling from the side of the house. She relished a delicious gothic shiver before resuming her assessment of the formidable structure.


Ready to go adventuring with Holly's Alice? You can order on Amazon right now!

BEWARE THE LITTLE WHITE RABBIT Excerpt: Alice in Wilderland

Author Jessica Bayliss created a wonderful but dangerous Wonderland for BEWARE THE LITTLE WHITE RABBIT in this contemporary with romantic elements. The following is an excerpt from her story.

Alice in Wilderland

Alice snapped off another shot and checked the image in her camera’s viewfinder. The light was wrong. She adjusted some settings and brushed a furry caterpillar off her subject, the rare Adders-Mouth orchid, an endangered species in the state of Connecticut. Or, at least she thought it was an Adders-Mouth.

She plucked a waxen petal and pinched it, releasing a delicate cucumber fragrance. Now she had no doubt the tiny bloom was one of the rare specimens on her list. And in another minute, she’d have the perfect pic to bring back to the Wilderland Ecological Society, the group that had arranged this weekend trip.

She glanced toward the path. There was no sign of her group through the thick growth of trees and brush. She was so not supposed to lag behind. Brooks was going to chew her out for sure, but if she got this shot, it would be worth their guide’s legendary wrath. Alice was determined to get into a top ecology program when she applied to colleges this year, and this summer elective was just the kind of extracurricular all the best schools liked to see.

Not to mention the fact that Alice needed something to fill her time, occupy her mind until the day she could get out of here for good.


Ready to explore Wilderland with Jessica's Alice? Amazon and Smashwords are both accepting pre-orders for the ebook version--and the paperback links will follow soon!

Author Tom Luke of BEWARE THE LITTLE WHITE RABBIT

When Tom Luke submitted the short story that became Alice and Her Shadow for Leap's BEWARE THE LITTLE WHITE RABBIT anthology, it was listed as The Fascinatingly Plotted, Well Characterized, and Satisfyingly Resolved Story of Alice and Her Shadow.  Our editors' eyebrows rose. Either this writer had a wicked sense of humor, a story that was accurately portrayed by such a title, or an unmatched ego. Having read (and absolutely loved) Tom's story, we can assure you that our first and second assumptions were correct.

But titles being what they are, we edited the original title down. The story we were able to leave nearly untouched.

Alice and Her Shadow will haunt you. And make you laugh.

Tom Luke is twenty-one and lives in a five-sided blue house with slanty floors. He has been writing long enough to know better and has never been able to understand why Garfield hates Mondays if he doesn’t have a job. He hopes you are well.

Author Medeia Sharif of BEWARE THE LITTLE WHITE RABBIT

Medeia Sharif was born in New York City and now lives in Miami. She received her master’s degree in psychology from Florida Atlantic University. Published through various presses, she writes middle grade and young adult short stories and novels (including Bestest. Ramadan. Ever., and Snip, Snip Revenge). In addition to being a writer, she’s a public school teacher.


Medeia's contemporary fiction story, MUSTANG ALICE was a great addition to the BEWARE THE LITTLE WHITE RABBIT anthology. A bit wild and crazy it's perfect for an Alice-in-Wonderland inspired anthology!

Find Medeia online at:

http://www.medeiasharif.com 

Twitter 

Instagram  

Goodreads 

Ready to read Medeia's story in our anthology? Soon!

Until then, meet our other authors and join in our online contests and events!

Char Bennardo

C. Lee McKenzie

David Turnbull

Christine Norris

Jackie Horsfall

Need Help with Story Structure?

Story Structure with Author and Editor Kat OShea

				Registration Information Click to register
April 28 - May 25, 2014
About the Workshop   An interesting and exciting beginning will draw readers in, but how do you keep their interest high throughout? A well-plotted story will keep them turning the pages and make them eager to read your next book. Both plotters and pantsers can benefit from knowing how to structure a story that readers can’t put down. Learn about different story structures that can keep your novel riveting from beginning to end and prevent sagging middles. But story structure isn't only about plotting. A novel needs other basics to give it structure -- thematic resonance and character change. Adding these underlying elements can take any story from good to outstanding. If your goal is to write a bestselling novel, this is your opportunity to learn from an experienced editor.  Cost: Premium Member $20 / Basic Member $30 About the Instructor   Kat O’Shea is Editor-in-Chief at Leap Books, a small, innovative publishing house for teen and tween novels. She has 20+ years of editing experience with a variety of publishers, and she has been published under several pseudonyms in both the YA and adult markets.

Teen Interviewer Talks to Kitty Keswick

Teen interviewer Anna interviews Leap Books author Kitty Keswick:

When did you know that you wanted to be an author?

I have always written stories. I wrote to escape, to entertain myself, to get the stories that were in my head...out. I write from my dreams and if I don't work on the stories that I'm dreaming about ("they" can be very persistent), I don't sleep until I do. I started out as a journalism major because I enjoyed writing. I didn't care that much for non-fiction and switched my major. The idea of being a novelist was always in the back of my head. I had been writing full-length stories since high school. It was until 2004 that I started to do something about it and joined RWA (Romance Writers of America). There I learned more about the craft and started attending conferences and sending out queries.

Have you always specifically liked supernatural stories?

Yes and no. My stories have supernatural elements, but they are more character driven and based in folklore and mythology.

Do you consider romance a necessary component in all your stories?

Yep. I am and always will be a romantic sap. It's a blessing and a curse. Love can be wickedly cruel and totally earthmoving amazing. There's always something to write about when love is involved, good or bad. Love changes you, it shapes you. Whether it's for better or worse is up to you.

What is your favorite genre of stories to read?

Right now, it's mysteries and sci-fi. It changes. I am re-reading One for the Money and Game of Thrones.

Why did you choose to write young adult books instead of adult books or children's books?

I wrote general romance first. Several novels and got close. I had many editors tell me they liked my character building and worlds and snarky humor, but felt my voice was a little young for general romance. I took their advice and went back to my roots, YA. I started writing, really writing as a teen. I used the basic elements of those stories to formulate my YA novels. I keep a dream journal and often get my ideas from my dreams. Freaksville started out as a strange conversation between two best friends.

What advice do you have for aspiring authors?

Study your craft, never stop learning. Read. And never give up.

More about author Kitty Keswick:

 Kitty Keswick has been an Anglophile since age four when she saw Robin Hood and fell head over heels in love. As she grew up on her grandfather’s California vineyard, Kitty’s imagination was her best friend. At a very tender age, she started writing her stories and reading them to the grapes.

Kitty now lives with a bossy tabby cat and maybe even a few ghosts. She spends her days with Werewolves, Valkyries, Vamps and other creatures that go bump in the night.


Her books:

Having a family whose skeletons in the closet lean toward the paranormal is not a topper on anyone’s list. Sophomore Kasey Maxwell is busy juggling the typical teen angst. Add visions, ghosts, and hairy four-legged monsters into the mix and you get FREAKSVILLE. It’s a wonder Kasey has survived.

Sixteen-year-old Kasey Maxwell left Freaksville behind when her family moved from California to rural Pennsylvania. But she didn't leave her troubles behind. As her Valkyrie side grows, the spirits become more haunting. When her visions turn bloody, Kasey must trust new support systems—paranormal ones.

Get entombed in stories of Egyptian treasures, shudder at tales of malevolent spirits, and become enthralled with the adventures of witch-hunters, ghost seekers, and lost souls. From steampunk to cyberpunk, our collection spans past, present, and future hauntings. One story actually leaps off the page with 3D augmented reality. Go ahead. Turn the page if you dare. We won't tell if you sleep with the light on. Because after all, there's no rest for the wicked.

Freaksville Book Trailer




Spirited Book Trailer