D.L. Finn’s #NewRelease IN THE TREE’S SHADOW

Ciao, amici. Do you have anyone in your life who, when you think about him or her, one concept immediately comes to mind? Today’s guest is one of those people for me. She is kind, compassionate, fun-loving, talented… all the things that draw you to a person. But the first thing I think of when she pops into mind? Nature. Everything she does, everything she is, is about the beauty in our world. From the smallest seed to the mightiest sequoia, from the tiniest bug to the most gigantic bear. And not only does she find joy in all this wonder, she finds the magic, too. (Ask her about fairies…)

I’m so happy to have friend, Story Empire colleague, and fellow author D.L. Finn here today to breathe life into this post. She’s going to talk about her latest release, In the Tree’s Shadow. Take it away, Denise.

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Thank you, Staci, for having me on your beautiful blog today to share my latest release, In the Tree’s Shadow.

“It’s Only a Dream” is a short story based on my Angel & Evildwel Series. I thought I was done writing stories about the angels and evildwels, but they had other ideas and found their way into the story. Lisa was happily married and blessed with two daughters. In the past, she had a recurring dream about finding a murdered family. Her therapist believed the dreams were related to Lisa’s unhappy childhood, and after many therapy sessions, the dreams stopped. Unfortunately, one night the dreams returned with even more unsettling details.

Here is where Zelina, the angel, insisted that she must watch over Lisa. An evildwel followed the angel and immediately found a malicious human host to feed on the fear the host generated.

Dreams have messages for us if we can figure them out. This is what Lisa needs to do before it’s too late. Luckily, she has an angel on her side, but in opposition, there is a hungry evildwel inside a cruel human.

BLURB:

A collection of short stories where dreams and nightmares coexist.

Nestled inside these pages, you’ll meet a couple in their golden years who take a trip with an unexpected detour, a boy desperate to give his brother the Christmas gift he asked for, a girl with a small glass dragon who is at the mercy of her cruel uncles, and a young mother who has a recurring dream about murder. You’ll be introduced to worlds where people get second chances and monsters might be allowed their desires, while angels and dragons try to help. Happy endings occur, but perspective can blur the line between good and evil in these twenty-seven tales. Since the stories vary between 99 and 12,000 words, whether you have only five minutes or an entire evening to settle into reading, there is something that will suit your time and taste.

EXCERPT:

Zelina the angel stood by Lisa’s side in the darkness. Lisa’s quivering body was bathed in sweat as she pulled on her green robe and headed to the kitchen. Zelina regretted the dream that had terrified her, but there was no other way to warn her. Would it be enough? She hoped it would be.

Zelina wasn’t the only one there with her. Evil was there too.

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Lisa’s hands trembled as she poured the boiling water into her favorite rose china teacup over a bag of Earl Gray. The citrus smell calmed her racing pulse but didn’t push away the nightmare’s images. That terrifying dream was back, with a new ending. It started with her in the middle of an unfamiliar forest. She was surrounded by blowing snowdrifts. As the storm raged on, she trudged through knee-deep snow. The trees thinned ahead, and she stepped into a clearing where light beckoned from a log cabin.

The house drew her like a magnet. She needed to know what was inside for no logical reason. The snow stopped falling, and the plummeting temperatures seeped through her snow gear. Her boots crunched loudly in the frozen snow instead of sinking into it as they had in the forest. The steps of the wraparound porch were free of snow. A wooden bench draped in a neatly folded red plaid blanket and a matching rocking chair showed the owners liked to relax outside. A statue of an angel reading to a small child stood on a small stone table. It made Lisa smile.

She approached the stunning wooden door with a mother bear and two cubs carved into it. This is a door I’d love to have gracing my entry.

She grasped the silver knocker with her gloved hand and knocked twice without response. A chill shot up her spine, and her curiosity turned into concern. She pushed the door open with a loud creak.

“Hello? Is anyone home?”

No answer as she wiped her feet on the bear welcome mat and stepped inside. Just ahead was her dream kitchen, glimmering with new stainless steel appliances, a fireplace, and a white farmhouse table. The house was cozy and welcoming, yet the urge to escape nudged her.

“Hello?”

Four steps in, the entry opened into a huge family room—and death.

AMAZON PURCHASE LINK

FUN FINN FACTS:

1. When I see a rainbow, I know good luck is coming my way.
2. I refuse to listen to any spells or incantations on TV shows or movies, made up or not.

BIO:

D. L. Finn is an independent California local who encourages everyone to embrace their inner child. She was born and raised in the foggy Bay Area, but in 1990 she relocated with her husband, kids, dogs, and cats to Nevada City, in the Sierra foothills. She immersed herself in reading all types of books but especially loved romance, horror, and fantasy. She always treasured creating her own reality on paper. Finally, surrounded by towering pines, oaks, and cedars, her creativity was nurtured until it bloomed. Her creations include children’s books, adult fiction, a unique autobiography, and poetry. She continues on her adventure with an open invitation to all readers to join her.

D.L. Finn Links:

Twitter | BookBub | Facebook | Instagram

Pinterest | D.L. Finn blog | Amazon Page

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Read an excerpt from D.L. Finn’s new short story collection. A wonderful new release! #excerpt #fiction #shortstories #newbook via @dlfinnauthor

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MY REVIEW:

This short story collection by D.L. Finn is perfect for readers who like to dip their toes in dark waters but still prefer the light. Whether writing about evil, loss, or promises unfulfilled, readers will never be assaulted by grisly violence, gratuitous gore, or vile explicit content.

Stories span from micro installments to novella-length works, so whether you have a minute or an evening, you can find a new world to dive into. Fans of fantasy, horror, clean romance, and family fiction will have a hard time choosing a favorite. I know I did. 

As I’ve come to expect from Finn’s work, nature plays a strong and wonderful role in many of the tales. Even in the realistic fiction, I could sense tree fairies flittering off the page. There’s always a sense of wonder and magic in her tales—I’m sure it’s part her voice and part her spirit that she infuses in her words.

I read In the Tree’s Shadow in two evenings because I kept saying, “Just one more.” I suspect many readers will do the same.

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I love the angel/evildwel battle and am so glad that was the excerpt Denise chose for today. It was one of my favorite stories in the collection. But it’s always nice to visit familiar story worlds, isn’t it?

I hope you’ll share Denise’s announcement with your friends and join me in offering her congratulations by leaving a comment below. Before you go, I invite you to click on some of the links, most especially the purchase link for In the Tree’s Shadow.

Grazie!