In the Tree’s Shadow #newbook

Hi all. We have a guest here today in the form of DL Finn. She’s here to tell us all about her newest publication, which is a collection of short stories.

Make her feel welcome. Use those sharing buttons at the bottom and check out her new project. Take it away, Denise.

Thank you for having me here today, Craig, to share my latest release, In the Tree’s Shadow.

I love to walk in the forest. My husband created a trail for me that we named the Magical Trail. It is decorated with statues andornaments in the trees. Usually, it’s a very peaceful place to walk, but there have been a couple of times when I felt a sinisterpresence in the forest. I passed on walking alone in those moments. It was like something evil passed through, and I didn’t want to run into that.

This story focuses on what happens if that feeling is ignored.Although Sena senses something, she still takes her loving German shepherd companion, Lucy, into the forest. Like her, I’ve always felt safe with my dog Sara. Even in her last days,when the walks were slower. I knew she wouldn’t be strong enough to fight off a predator, but it seemed like her presence was enough. 

But what if Sena and Lucy find something that isn’t a bear or mountain lion on their walk? I may never know what evil passes through the forest on those few times I’ve felt it, but I explore a what-if for Lucy and Sena in the story “In the Shadows.”

BLURB:

A collection of short stories where dreams and nightmares coexist.

Nestled inside these pages, you’ll meet a couple in their golden years who take a trip with an unexpected detour, a boy desperate to give his brother the Christmas gift he asked for, a girl with a small glass dragon who is at the mercy of her cruel uncles, and a young mother who has a recurring dream about murder. You’ll be introduced to worlds where people get second chances and monsters might be allowed their desires, while angels and dragons try to help. Happy endings occur, but perspective can blur the line between good and evil in these twenty-seven tales. Since the stories vary between 99 and 12,000 words, whether you have only five minutes or an entire evening to settle into reading, there is something that will suit your time and taste.

I saved my work and turned off the laptop. Lucy, my devotedGerman shepherd, waited patiently for me to put on my shoes and tug on my warm coat and mittens. Stepping outside, I shivered and zipped up my coat as Lucy pushed past into the lead. The late afternoon sunbeams filtered through the pines and offered no warmth, but I found joy in the trees that glowed with autumn’s jewels.

EXCERPT:

It was my favorite time of year—the heat of summer was a distant memory, and winter’s chill hadn’t taken hold. Yet today it was different. As I stepped off the redwood deck, unease settled over me like I was being watched. I scanned the silent tree-lined perimeter, but I saw nothing unusual as Lucy sprinted to our walking trail. I quickened my pace, unable to shake off that disturbing sensation. Lucy’s piercing bark mixed with a gray squirrel’s loud chirp of displeasure as the small rodent raced up a cedar, sending chunks of bark flying.

“Just a squirrel,” I said, more to myself than Lucy.

I’d been jumpy lately. Well, more than normal. Living alone had always suited me, but recently it seemed as if my safe place in the woods was being invaded by the craziness I had long avoided. I brushed those feelings aside because I had work to doand books to write. I was a best-selling horror author with deadlines. I might write about scary things, but I knew ghosts and monsters weren’t real. They were just the way I made a living.

AMAZON PURCHASE LINK

FUN FINN FACTS:

1. I was only a couple of feet from a bear who entered our garage. I took pictures and videos of it from the doorway. He wasn’t bothered by me being there as he ate our dog’s food.

2. I could not water ski like the rest of my family. Singles or doubles, it didn’t matter. However, I was good at being pulled on a tube.

Bio:

D. L. Finn is an independent California local who encourages everyone to embrace their inner child. She was born and raised in the foggy Bay Area, but in 1990 she relocated with her husband, kids, dogs, and cats to Nevada City, in the Sierra foothills. She immersed herself in reading all types of books but especially loved romance, horror, and fantasy. She always treasured creating her own reality on paper. Finally, surrounded by towering pines, oaks, and cedars, her creativity was nurtured until it bloomed. Her creations include children’s books, adult fiction, a unique autobiography, and poetry. She continues on her adventure with an open invitation to all readers to join her.

D.L. Finn Links:

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D.L. Finn blog

Amazon Page