Synopsis

Kate’s home is filled with turmoil that leaks out into her small town as her famous mother draws her family into international power struggles. Her parents worry about Kate’s interaction with her invisible friend Destiny… who can’t be real… or can she?

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Excerpt

Gem thought Kate was, for lack of a better word, unique. Hints of her mother’s lovely feminine charm appeared in Kate. Beyond that, she and Margot bore little resemblance to one another. Margot’s celebrity charm, that set her up to be the star of every gathering, was absent in Kate. Instead, Kate almost vanished into the background.

The forest’s ability to entice Kate to enter, appeared natural to Gem. Her long, straight hair lacked the gentle curls present in Margot’s hair. It had tones present in the bark of many evergreens… brown, mixed with hints of red, and flecks of yellow, as if sunlight peeking through the leaves deposited itself there. A small section in her hair, just around her right ear, stood out as it was a mixture of pearl-white and opalescent tones. Deep-green of the evergreen trees played with lighter tones of green, hints of blue, and occasional specks of gold in Kate’s eyes, and they seemed to glow or sparkle when her curiosity piqued.

Thankfully, she had more of her father’s character traits than those of her mother. Even in her most introverted and withdrawn moments, Kate agreed to help anyone who asked her. She assisted with tasks, and unlike her mother, Kate preferred doing so without recognition. Her father, Rob, behaved the same way. Neither sought volunteer opportunities, but both volunteered when asked. Both insisted that their contribution was minor compared to others.

Margot was a mesmerizing woman. Glamorous and blessed with a perfect figure, she was accustomed to being surrounded by admirers everywhere she went. Her habit of changing her hair and eye color to fit her changing mood and style set her apart.
…..
Kate was more like a mist, or a fantasy creature one could sense, but almost not see. One might refer to Margot as a distinct style of fantasy creature from her daughter.

Despite her vanity, Margot’s innate charisma charmed people, although those who witnessed her darker side bristled at how cold she became around Kate and Rob. Oblivious to her coldness, Rob melted with the slightest flash of her smile. Gem saw the smiles she aimed at Rob lacked love. Her harsh words aimed at Rob were hard to listen to, so they must have felt worse having them directed at him. Whether a strength or a fault, Rob’s patience approximated being limitless.
….
Kate seemed to occupy another world much of the time and frequently forgot to play her roles in the other children’s games. As she drifted off to places alone, Kate seemed to believe she was following someone.

Some locals wondered if Kate inherited an artist’s imagination. Others theorized she might be that type of slightly mad person, who is not a threat, but doesn’t fully grasp reality. Many noticed

Kate was polite and helpful beyond what one would expect from the average child.

Kate had a quality that some of the superstitious folks felt reflected the fairy folk of the old world. Gem avoided those discussions but understood how people might form such impressions. Kate knew odd things and never had a satisfying explanation for her knowledge.
….
He heard Kate say several times that ‘Destiny’ showed her things. ‘Destiny’ seemed personified and linked with the pronoun her, so he doubted it was a concept, rather than the name of a being, that she was referring to.

Margot lost her poise when Kate mentioned ‘Destiny’ and dragged Kate to the side. After Margot’s menacing whispers, Kate would return and apologize for speaking of ‘Destiny’ as if it referred to something real.

Sometimes in response, people laughed and commented that many people believed in destiny. They said, “Maybe people from Central Intelligence City believe they have full control over their lives, but people in Waterly know better.” He could see their comments confused Kate.

From what Gem could see, Kate believed Destiny was an actual being, and a female one at that. Maybe Margot believed that as well sometimes? He was aware her status would be jeopardized by admitting she had such beliefs, so it didn’t surprise him if that pressure added to her discomfort with the already unsettling idea.

About the Author

I have had characters and stories in my mind for as far back as I have memories. For me, writing has been a hobby, comfort, and a path through some school degrees… but until now, not shared widely. My mother loved imaginative play, and my father was a teacher of multiple languages. They opened my eyes to the wonder of how language shapes our view of the world, and how what we experience shapes our language. That undoubtedly influenced my storytelling. My stories are told in translation. For instance, people there aren’t a perfect map to people here, but have some similarities we can relate to.

I would love to have the characters, worlds, and stories escape my mind and bring joy to as many people as possible… while keeping a little distance from me, the storyteller.

My time is mostly spent writing, traveling to see family, cuddling dogs, gardening, walking, hiking, etc.

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Cover design and author “photo” artist: Kaleb Leino