This one immediately brought to mind an episode of Xena: Warrior Princess called ‘The Quill is Mightier.’ In it, Gabrielle is cursed by Aphrodite so that whatever she writes comes to life, but it results in Aphrodite losing her power. Hilarity ensues. It’s sort of a fantasy of some writers that maybe their stories can come to life, maybe a character will club me over the head and drag me off to a cave for not writing the story the way he wants.
Laney grew up in an antique store and is off to college. She has a best buddy, Jason, and they’ve been friends so long they’re not sure if maybe they’re in love too. Then, some weirdo attacks Laney at the subway station and, gosh, he seems familiar. Off to school she goes. Another dude turns up who seems really familiar too, because she’s been having all sorts of naughty feelings about him. Or, at least, she’s been having naughty feelings about the hero of the book she’s writing who looks an awful lot like William. In fact, they have the same name. Stuff happens that she imagines and she fears she’s losing touch with reality.
Laney discovers her grandpa’s secret manuscript and hears some twisted tales from him too.
Things really get weird when she’s approached by Natalie who invites her to the Golden Recluse. Apparently, it’s a small group of Weavers just like her, who get together to save each other’s sanity, among other reasons.
Laney’s not convinced, but after running amuck with real life and some imagination becoming real life, she decides to go, if only to figure out what the heck is going on with her. Turns out, Weavers are storytellers who’s imagining come to life and their characters run roughshod over them. Typically, the bad guy tries to take control and kill the hero so things turn out his way.
Kind of like real life, just when Laney’s figuring herself out, the universe is quick to even the score.
This story was a little wordy for my tastes, though not unusually so for the Fantasy genre. Guess it’s really the editor’s call. At times, it reminded me of Tom Riddle’s diary from Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets and all those awesome holo-deck episodes of the Star Trek universe.
About the Author
Heather Kindt grew up in Derry, New Hampshire, but now resides in the mountains of Colorado with her husband and two children. She loves writing YA fantasy and humorous fiction. Her debut novel, Ruby Slips and Poker Chips, won the Dan Alatorre Word Weaver Writing Contest.
Kimber Li 
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