We’re in the last bend now–though the series isn’t over yet! This week we’re reading Between Frames
Two fae is company, but a company of fae is trouble.
Which is exactly what we’ve got. Trouble, I mean. Well, and fae. Lots of fae.
Something or someone is stalking and killing high-level fae around Hobart—tearing out hearts and leaving a trail of bloody bodies behind. Fae don’t like it when they’re the ones getting killed, so of course they came to hire my owners.
Owners, you ask?
Hi. I’m Pet. No, that’s not my name. I am a pet.
My owners? They’re fae. Well, two fae and one stroppy vampire.
Welcome to the world Between.
***
We’ll discuss this book Saturday, June 29th, officially ending our Read-Along. But we’re going to close out with a bang! So, onto the interview section with W. R.
Kitty: If you don’t mind, could you explain more of the parallels between The Highwayman poem, and Athelas’ situation? (And perhaps could you tell us what was Athelas’ reaction was when he realized this?)
W. R.: As soon as I knew it was moonlight Upper Management had used to control Athelas, I knew exactly what it would take to set him free. For those of you who aren’t familiar with The Highwayman, it’s a highly coloured, highly romantic poem about a highwayman who falls in love with the Inn Keeper’s daughter, Bess. The police of the day come to realise that and set a trap for him at the inn, while tying up and gagging Bess with a musket beneath her heart. The only way she can warn him of the impending ambush is by pulling the trigger of that musket to give off a warning gunshot—killing herself in the process. She can save either her lover or herself.
So when Athelas is imprisoned in moonlight, he knows it will take the sacrifice of a life to set him free. Being twisty fae, he at first tries to accomplish this by killing the person he thinks is fake Pet. Once he is more or less certain that she is Pet, he knows she’ll have to kill herself willingly to save them both—or that he’ll have to kill himself to do the same. Of course, Pet, not being familiar with the poem, doesn’t know this.
And Athelas also knows that if he’s wrong, and she’s not the pet, he’s just killed himself for no reason at all…
Kitty: Ohhh, the feels! Yeah, I can see how this would make Athelas excessively unhappy, hahah! Next question–what has been the most fun about writing this series?
W. R.: The most fun about this series is writing Pet. There is a LOT of myself in her (more than with quite a few of my characters) but she does so much more, and she’s so much more inclined to run her mouth than me, that it’s just delightful to let her go.
Also, there’s a certain thread on my Facebook Author page that has been giving me life these days…
The fans of this series are a huge part of how much fun it is to write the books. I love messing with them, I love talking to them, and I love seeing the clever, clever theories they come up with!
Kitty: I may or may not have stirred the pot in that facebook thread–and I know I’ve seen a few of of the Champions there as well! But can you tell us how many books your planning for the series in total?
W. R.: There are ten books planned for the series (BETWEEN HOUSES being number 6 after BETWEEN FRAMES), but if I can’t resolve the main storyline by then, I’ll stretch it to twelve 😉
Kitty: That’s so exciting! There’s so much you’ve been uncovering, I was internally protesting at the idea that it would be over in only six or eight books. Now, let there be much rejoicing!
This Week’s Giveaway
Four randomly selected winners will receive two Timeless Fairy Tale stickers each–the ones shown in the graphic. This giveaway is open to US and International readers! It runs 6/24 through 6/30. Winners will be notified through email. Click here to Enter!
And now for the boring legal stuff: No purchase is necessary, winners have five days to confirm their address after they are notified. If they don’t respond in time, a runner up will be chosen. The stickers will be mailed to the winners once an adequate address is provided. K. M. Shea reserves to right to cancel the giveaway or substitute the prize as seen fit. This giveaway is not sponsored or endorsed by Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, etc, but run solely by K. M. Shea.
Now, let’s go out there and finish up this Read-Along, Champions!