The Shrike & the Shadows
A.M. Wright & Chantal Gadoury
Published by: Parliament House
Publication date: March 3rd 2020
Genres: Dark Fantasy, Horror, New Adult, Romance
Men have gone missing before.
The village of Krume is plagued by a haunted wood and a hungry witch. It’s been that way for as long as Hans and Greta can remember, though they have never seen the witch themselves; no one has.
When men start to disappear once again in the cover of night – their bloody hearts turning up on doorsteps – the village falls into frenzied madness.
Hans and Greta, two outcast orphans, find themselves facing accusations of witchcraft and are met with an ultimatum: burn at the stake, or leave the village forever.
With nowhere else to go, they abandon their only home.
As they venture into the strange forest, their path is fraught with horrific creatures, wild and vivid hallucinations, and a mysterious man tied to the witch’s past.
The Shrike is watching, just beyond the deep darkness of the woods.
—
EXCERPT:
“See these lines here, my maus?” She tapped the top of Greta’s palms. “They are your heart lines. The way it curves, you have a caring soul.”
“You must have that, too, Mama.”
“Aha!” her mother exclaimed, and Greta jumped. “These love lines! How auspicious, little maus.”
“What, Mama? What do they mean?” Greta looked up into her mother’s face eagerly. She smiled.
“It will surprise you, this love of yours.” Her mother paused, frowning for just a moment before taking up her smile again. “But not for many more years. You will be ready then…”
Greta’s mother stilled, her words falling from her mouth quietly. She barely heard anything after that.
“Mama?”
“Yes?”
“Will I be okay?”
“Oh, of course! But to be sure, we must find your fate,” she said, though somewhat distant. “Here they are. And look! They meet here, at your life lines… goodness, so young for such a burden.”
Greta frowned at her mother. “Mama, you’re not making any sense.”
“I know, my maus, I know. I did not expect to see so many… things.”
“Are they sad things? Because you sound sad, Mama.”
Her mother grasped at her hands and held them for a moment. She gave a gentle squeeze and said, “Not all, but some, yes. Some will be sad, and others will be happy.”
“Oh.”
Then, Greta’s mother fell into her with an embrace. She locked little Greta into her arms and rocked her slowly. She had felt so warm in her hold, and so content, she had almost missed her mother’s final words:
“It will be a fearsome trial, my love. Your fate is bound to a great and daunting endeavor.”
Author Bio:
A.M. Wright is an Ohio native, perched on the shores of Lake Erie for as long as she can remember. She is a graduate of Walsh University and holds a Bachelor's Degree in Corporate Communications, with two minors in Marketing and Writing. She has a passion for reading, writing, and drawing; and has a particularly strong love for shojo-manga and all genres of anime. When A.M. Wright isn't focused on her day job, she is sorting through submissions, writing too many stories to keep track of, and playing video games with her fiance in a townhouse that's just a fifteen minute drive from "The Roller Coaster Capital of the World."
--Amazon Best Selling Author, Chantal Gadoury, is a 2011 graduate from Susquehanna University with a Bachelor's Degree in Creative Writing. Since graduation, she has published "The Songs in Our Hearts" with 48Fourteen Publishing, and "Allerleirauh" with Parliament House Press, with future titles to follow. Chantal first started writing stories at the age of seven and continues with that love of writing today. Writing novels for Chantal has become a life-long dream come true! When she's not writing, she enjoys painting, drinking lots of DD Iced Coffee, and watching Disney classics. Chantal lives in Muncy, Pennsylvania with her Mom, Sister and furry-'brother' (aka, puppy) Taran.
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