I’m thrilled to have fellow Story Empire Author, Mae Clair, here to tell us about her new book. I already read it and loved it! Here’s my review.
Hi, Denise. Thanks for hosting me today and allowing me to share my newest release with your readers. Things Old and Forgotten is a collection of short fiction that includes stories in several genres—magical realism, fantasy, speculative, even two that touch on mild horror.
When I’m writing, I often visualize in colors. My father was an artist, and although he would not consider white a color (technically, it’s a shade) it has long mesmerized me. It speaks to the ethereal, visionary, and the otherworldly. The color white floats—a wisp of the insubstantial we can never quite touch, like an echo weaving future and past.
I had all those elements in mind when I wrote Desert White which—among other strangeness—includes a white dog. When I was eight years old, I wrote my first short story, The Night Dog, about a spectral canine. It took me decades to pen another about a white canine. Below is a short excerpt taken from the beginning of Desert White.
EXCERPT:
“His name is White.” The gravelly tone of the old man’s voice matched his lined and weather-beaten skin.
“It’s fitting.” Micah eyed the dog from his seat at the kitchen table. If not for the German shepherd’s dark eyes, he would have thought the animal was an albino. White had sniffed around his mutilated wrists in the desert, nudging him with a cold nose. Now, curled up on the floor of Floyd Henley’s trailer, the canine didn’t seem the ghostly presence it had under a pale moon. Even so, he wished it wouldn’t lie so close. Large dogs made him nervous.
The shepherd was the last of his worries.
Earlier, he’d caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror above Floyd’s bathroom sink while the old man fussed over his wounds. When he’d driven into the desert that evening, his hair had been ink-black. Now, it was the same spectral white as Floyd’s dog.
I must be dreaming—still.
“Drink this.” Floyd thrust a cup of foul-smelling liquid into his hands. The concoction looked like yellow mud threaded with licorice.
“What is it?”
“Healthy. That’s all you need to know.” Floyd hobbled a short distance away, pausing by the rear door to snatch a plaid jacket from a peg. When he returned, he dropped the frayed garment over Micah’s shoulders. It reeked of must and stale pipe tobacco, but the fabric was warm.
Grateful, he gathered it close. He hadn’t been able to stop shivering since his brush with death. “Thanks.”
Floyd nodded to the cup in his hands. “Drink.”
He forced down a mouthful of the tonic. Tasted bitterness in steeped tea leaves, caraway, and something citrusy. “What were you doing in the desert?”
“I could ask you the same, but no need.” Floyd busied himself filling a basin with water. A crisp yellow towel hung from his shoulder. “We both know what drew you there.”
Shame heated Micah’s face. Tightening his hand around his cup, he studied the dried blood beneath his fingernails. The ugly rust-colored blots on his jeans.
I should have bled to death. Would have, if not for the old man and his dog.
He forced another swallow of the abominable brew, taking perverse pleasure in the way it curdled his gut. At least he was alive to feel the acid.
Floyd drew a chair close then set his basin on the linoleum-topped table. Pale green with chrome edges, the surface had a repetitive design that reminded Micah of boomerangs. How long would it take to count all those angled wedges flying into infinity? Long enough for the blood to drain from his body after slicing his wrists?
The old man had already lined up fresh bandages and gauze pads, well stocked for a recluse who lived in the middle of nowhere. Maybe he had no choice, holed up in the run-down trailer like a hermit. As far as Micah could tell, there wasn’t another soul for miles. Damn fortuitous he and the dog had been there.
BOOK BLURB:
A man keeping King Arthur’s dream of Camelot alive.
A Robin Hood battling in a drastically different Sherwood.
A young man facing eternity in the desert.
A genteel southern lady besting a powerful order of genies.
A woman meeting her father decades after his death.
These are but a few of the intriguing tales waiting to be discovered in Things Old and Forgotten. Prepare to be transported to realms of folklore and legend, where magic and wonder linger around every corner, and fantastic possibilities are limited only by imagination.
Thanks again for hosting me today, Denise. In honor of my love for autumn—a fantastic time to curl up with a book—Things Old and Forgotten will be on sale for .99c through October 31st.
Connect with Mae Clair at BOOKBUB and the following haunts:
Amazon| BookBub| Newsletter Sign-Up
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Great excerpt. Desert White was such a powerful story. I loved this book! Best wishes to Mae with her latest release 🙂
Denise, thanks for sharing 🙂
I agree, Harmony it was a very powerful story, and a fantastic read. Happy to share Mae’s good news!
Another great excerpt, Mae! Desert White is an interesting story. I look forward to read the entire story of the rest of the book. Thank you for hosting, Denise!
I’m glad you enjoyed the excerpt and are looking forward to the whole collection, Miriam. Thank you so much!
You’re very welcome, Mae!
I’m sure you will enjoy reading this collection, Miriam 🙂 I’m happy to share in Mae’s good news of her release!
Good excerpt! I am almost done with Mae’s collection. It’s wonderful!
Thank you for the lovely comment, Priscilla. That makes me so happy to hear!
It is a great read isn’t it, Priscilla?
I particularly enjoyed this story. Maybe because I once had a white German Shepherd. Thanks for hosting today, Denise.
Wow! I knew you had Shepherds, Joan, but I didn’t realize you had a white one. I think they’re gorgeous.
Thanks so much for visiting!
I may have a photo of him. He had bits of dark hair mixed in, but he was gorgeous.
I was happy to host, Joan. We have a German Shepard mix, best dog we ever had and I thought of that reading the story too.
We’ve had several over the years as did my parents. They’re very loyal dogs.
I bet your Shepard was gorgeous, Joan.
He was. I think I have a photo of him. As I recall, his snout was black. Now I’m going to be looking through old photos.
I loved Desert White. It was one of my favorites. This is a great collection of stories. Wishing Mae all the best.
Denise, thanks for hosting. Your review was wonderful.
Desert White was one of my personal favorites, too, Staci. I’m so glad the story, and the whole book, have been well received. Many thanks!
I was happy to host, Staci and share the news of a great read. This was a powerful story that I won’t forget.
Thank you for the comment and the wishes, Harmony. Desert White is a particular favorite of mine in the collection! 🙂
Thank you so much, Harmony. Desert White was a particular favorite of mine in the collection. I’m so glad you enjoyed the book!
Denise, thank you for hosting me today with Things Old and Forgotten. I was thrilled by your review as well. Thank you for sharing it here with your readers. It’s a delight to be on your blog!
I’m happy to be sharing your great read here today, Mae! May it find many new readers!
Great excerpt. I get longer lunch breaks this morning and am exited to read another one.
That’s awesome to know, Craig. Thank you and happy reading!
Enjoy your lunch and happy reading!
Terrific excerpt, Mae! Thanks so much for hosting, Denise. I look forward to reading the entire collection.
Jill, I’m thrilled you enjoyed the excerpt and even more delighted you’re looking forward to the collection of stories. Thank you so much!
I’m happy to spread the word on Mae’s latest great read, Jill. I know you will enjoy it.
Another great excerpt. This was one of my favorite stories. I love it when a character finds redemption! Thank you for hosting today, Denise! Congrats, Mae!
Jan, Desert White is one of my personal favorites, too. And the original title of the story was Redemption. 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed the tale!
There is nothing better in a story than finding redemption, Jan 🙂 I was happy to host and spread the good news of this great new release!
Love the excerpt. It lives up to the excellent blurbs that inspired me to grab this book!
That’s fantastic to hear, Jacqui. Thank you so much!
It does live up to the blurb and then-some, Jacqui 🙂
I have this on my Kindle. I hope to get to it soon! Congratulations on the new release, Mae! Thanks for hosting, Denise.
I’m excited it’s on your read list, Beem. Thank you so much! I wish you happy reading! 🙂
I know you will enjoy it, Beem! Happy to host 🙂
This was my favorite story in the collection. It’s going to stay with me a while. That, and the fun story with the sweet, southern lady and the genies. But every story was wonderful. A great collection.
Judi, this was one of my personal favorites among the stories, too (as was Miss Lily Makes a Wish). I never expected Desert White to resonate with so many people but it seems to have made an impression on most readers and for that I’m grateful!
It is a story that stays with you. Judi, and I smile thinking about the genie story. It is a fantastic collection of short stories!
Great excerpt–vivid, with details that made the scene easy to visualize. And I like your review, too, Denise; I’m curious about the Father’s Day story. Terrific post! : )
Thank you so much for reading, Cathleen. I’m glad you enjoyed the scene.
The Father’s Day story is one that is very special to me. I wrote it about my own dad who died when I was young.
And Denise wrote a fabulous review. I was delighted by it!
Vivid images completely described the entire book. I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading it, Cathleen 🙂
I’ve read this book and love all the stories Denise. Wishing Mae all the best, she is a wonderful writer.
Thank you so much for dropping by to check out the post and recommend the book, Balroop. I’m so appreciative of all your support. Thank you for such a lovely comment!
I agree, Balroop, they were all good stories!
Such a joy to read, Mae! Thanks for sharing this excerpt with us, and many thanks for hosting, Denise. Cheers to you both! 🙂
I’m so glad you liked the excerpt, Natalie. Thanks so much for visiting to check it out!
It really was, Natalie 🙂 Happy to spread the word!
Great post highlighting Mae & her book. I enjoyed the excerpt! Thanks so much for sharing, Denise!
Thanks, Marlena 🙂 It’s a good read!
I had to laugh at what your dad said about the color white – I’ve always said the same thing, lol. I’ve really been enjoying these excerpts, Mae – make me even more excited to start reading.
A great extract, Mae. Thanks for hosting Mae with her new book, Denise.
It was a great excerpt Robbie 🙂 I was happy to have her and you visit!
Mae is an auto buy author for me. Thanks for hosting, Denise.
Mae is a auto buy for me yoo, Mark 🙂 Happy to host!
Mae is a ‘sculptor of the written word’ that’s the best way I can describe her style. She brings stories into a vivid three dimensional experience. Thanks for sharing, Denise!
That is the perfect way to describe her writing, Mark 🙂
Thanks Denise. 🙂
Marvelous! Thanks for sharing Mae’s latest, Denise. I love “Floyd” as a character name. Hugs to you both.
I was happy to share and yes, a great name for a character. Hugs right back to you!