Announcing the electronic publication of Saucy Chronicles I: The Unicorns, a fantasy anthology of eight short stories about everyone’s favorite mythical beast, the unicorn.
I’m very proud to be a member of this group, and excited about our new anthology, which I was privileged not only to contribute to (“The Frog and the Unicorn”), but to edit and publish.
Here’s our story:
In mid-2011, eight members of the Saucy Ink writers group (http://saucyink.net) decided to create a short-story anthology, with “unicorns” as the unifying theme. This collection is the result of that project. These are definitely not the unicorns of fairytales (although there is at least one fairytale here). Rather, they are good, evil, chaotic, and calm. And while unicorns are the theme, they aren’t always the central characters—but they are always significant.
THE ALABASTER QUEEN: The Protector has performed her duties for eons, without knowing or remembering quite why she does so, and now she has waking dreams she has with one of her Protected. At times disturbing; at others, uplifting, this story epitomizes the “differentness” of the stories in this collection.
THE FROG AND THE UNICORN: If we’re going to have unicorns, we need a fairytale, don’t we? True love, evil magic, and a beautiful princess: all the classic elements in anything but a classic tale.
PUREHEART: What happens when a unicorn breaks the taboos of her kind? What happens when a being of purity succumbs to the appeal of another whose soul is pure, but allows a dark evil to spring forth? Discover the answers in this hauntingly beautiful story.
ENTRAPMENT: There seems to be a recurring theme in unicorn lore regarding the link between unicorns and virgins. This story just might be the key to understanding that link. Who are you or I, to dispute it?
AUTHENTICITY: Bound on one hand by a treaty that obliges his kingdom to care for an enemy’s unicorn as an honored guest, and on the other by the deep and abiding love for his queen, King Jeho is rather stuck on the horn of a dilemma. Can he fairly balance his love and his duty?
THICKER THAN WATER: A murder mystery involving an old god, demigods, and blood. Remember: there are unicorns, and then there are…unicorns.
WHAT YOU WISH FOR: All Daivik ever wanted was to be a powerful mage—a Master: to have the respect of his peers, the admiration of those below him.
THE TAXIDERMIST: The Hunter is growing old—dying, in fact. But when a young girl intrudes into his life, he is forced to decide, quickly, whether she is what she seems, and whether he can be again what he once was
