I’m very excited to share my latest short story with you all–“Queen of Nerves,” published in Dragons & Darkness by Indie Bites!
It’s about darkness, but not the literal kind. When I brainstormed about the darkest things I could come up with, it all came back to anxiety and depression, which I’ve been living with my whole life. I wondered what it would be like to explore that in a fantasy setting especially because I have seen very few characters with mental illness in speculative fiction.
Elysia has always wanted to be a good princess and, one day, a good queen, despite the anxious thoughts and compulsions that have plagued her since childhood. Mother was the one person who understood, but she’s gone now and it’s time for Elysia to take her place. But when she makes a terrible mistake on the eve of her coronation, has she failed before she’s even begun?
What I love most about Indie Bites is that their issues are published for free so that readers can discover new authors. You can also buy a paperback edition at print cost (so the publishers aren’t making any money from it). So that means you can read it for free!
Thanks so much for reading, and I’ll catch you all next time!