Now and then, I read (or at least skim) some article about how to write, publish, or promote either a novel or a picture book (I write both). The other day, I was looking through a launch plan and workbook from marketingforchildrensauthors.com. It provides some "social tips," including the advice to talk about why I wrote this particular book. What motivated and inspired me? I wasn't sure how I'd answer that question for my upcoming fantasy -- and then I remembered.
For many years, I've played with and poked at the idea of some being or other -- genie or faerie or visiting alien -- offering to grant me one or more wishes. I long since took to heart the lesson of W.W. Jacobs' short story "The Monkey's Paw": be careful, very careful, what you wish for. Its underlying prediction: wishing, if somehow made effective, will end badly.
I take that as a challenge. I've often tried to formulate a wish that no malign entity could twist into a weapon against me -- a wish with absolutely no loopholes such an entity could exploit. I've never been altogether satisfied with the results, but I'd probably try again if the opportunity arose to have a wish granted. I'm a lawyer, and this task has always struck me as particularly appropriate for a lawyer to undertake.
At some point prior to last year's NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), it struck me that if the world of the Fair Folk ever revealed itself, and if some of its inhabitants sought to entice mortals into making bargains, those mortals would be better off hiring a lawyer. And a lawyer fascinated with folklore might be more than ready to open such a practice. From that notion came Abe and Adira, father and daughter lawyers, and their practice in a region in Vermont where the Fair Folk have appeared.
Of course, being a lawyer isn't always enough to keep you safe.
Here's the book description (in its present form).
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The many wondrous realms the Fair Folk inhabit offer tempting opportunities for mortals hoping to benefit from faerie magic. But making bargains with the Fair Folk is a dangerous business, for the fae have a habit of leaving loopholes to snare the unwary. Father-and-daughter lawyers Abe and Adira have made a career out of helping their fellow humans reach such agreements safely.
Abe and Adira know the rules for dealing with Fair Folk: don't reveal your true name, don't say thank you, don't accept gifts, don't eat fae food, don't tell even the slightest of lies . . . . Oh, and always, no matter the provocation, be unfailingly polite.
A moment of carelessness, a brief lapse, and a professional defender of mortal interests may be in dire need of rescue.
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The Kindle edition is now available for preorder. And since I love showing the cover, here it is again!
