Writing Wild with Verna McKinnon

Also great news about a series of short stories I have done set in my world of A Familiar's Tale . My first short story about Obsydia the Bloodstone Queen, called The Bloodstone Queen , was published in Aberrant Dreams webzine a few months back. I am happy to say there will be more short stories set during the Bloodstone Age in which the immortal Queen Obsydia ruled. I have always had a fascination for the dark fairy tale queens of old, and when I conceived of Obsydia, I wanted to create dark wicked beauty and power beyond imagination. A character of my own design in originality. I wanted unique and shadowy. I wanted a Queen of Shadows. Obsydia, daughter of the dark god Ahridum and a mortal seer, born in a dark tower and woke 13 nights after her birth a fully grown woman. Her hair is literally shadow that curls around her death pale face of flawless beauty, silver moon eyes that see all, and lips red as blood. Red as blood is fairy tale speak, but it applies to Obsydia. She

Greetings fans of all things Familiar! So sorry that it's been a while since my last entry. I have been busy writing my third entry in my Familiar's Tale series, Fires of Rapiveshta , and editing the second, Tree of Bones. I had a book signing recently at Borders Express bookstore at the Sun Valley Mall in Concord, CA. They are wonderful folks and so kind to let an unknown writer have a book signing, especially in these hard times. I was at first hesitant about a book signing, as I am not a well known writer (though I long to be princess of heroic fantasy tales) and this is my first published novel. But I am not shy either, and I managed to sell quite a few books in just a couple hours. I even surprised myself! I had such fun! And I sold many books! My husband, Rick, also took pictures which will be posted to site. I must also thank the wonderful artists that created magnificent cover art-Henning Ludvigsen and Natascha Roeoesli-that attracted potential readers