Fantastic Creature Anthology Release and Scavenger Hunt!

“Here be dragons … and selkies and griffins and maybe even a mermaid or two.

Twenty fantasy authors band together to bring you a collection of thrilling tales and magical monsters. Do you like to slay dragons? Or befriend them? Do you prefer to meet cephalopods as gigantic kraken or adorable tree octopuses?

Each story focuses around a fantastic creature from folklore or mythology, and they range from light and playful tales for the whole family to darker stories that may make you wish to leave the lights on. These stories carry the Fellowship of Fantasy seal of approval. While our monsters may be horrifying, you won’t stumble into graphic sex and constant swearing.

Perfect for the fantasy lover who can’t get enough of mythical beasts.”

My story, “Skin Deep”, is a bit of a spin on Beauty and the beast, based on a Scandinavian version of the tale.

To help launch this AMAZING collection of tales about Fantastic Creatures, we’re doing a Scavenger Hunt, with fabulous prizes and giveaways for people to enjoy. I am really excited about this group venture, and I hope everyone participates and shares it with their friends. All you have to do is visit our sites and collect the number clues at each site enter a draw for a Kindle Fire and a collection of eBooks by a wide range of fantasy authors.

Scavenger Hunt Itinerary:

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^^^CLUE!!^^^

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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And here you can read about one of the anthology’s authors and their Fantastic Creature – let’s all give a warm welcome to Jessica L. Elliott.

Hello readers! I’m Jessica L. Elliott, author of the Charming Academy series, and I’m here to tell you about my contribution to the anthology, the story of Talori and the Shark.

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Hello readers! I’m Jessica L. Elliott, author of the Charming Academy series, and I’m here to tell you about my contribution to our new anthology, Talori and the Shark.

Most of my characters don’t come to me fully fleshed-out, so to speak. But Talori was a notable exception. What I noticed first about her was that she was less colorful than most mermaids. She’s pale with hair like sea-foam and silvery eyes. She looked almost muted from the flashy, bright mermaids I typically see. In fact, by mermaid standards she might be considered quite plain. But despite her lackluster appearance (if a mermaid can be lackluster), she exhibited a heart of gold. When her father falls on hard times through his own poor choices, Talori rises to the challenge of finding a solution for her beautiful sister and accepting the fate of slavery for herself. Her future is uncertain when we first meet her and things seem to go from bad to worse when she is sold into an arranged marriage with a merman known only as the Shark.

Talori and the Shark was inspired by the classic tale, “Beauty and the Beast” as well as the Roman myth telling the story of Cupid and Psyche. Working these elements into an underwater setting was a fun challenge. You know what else is fun? Giveaways! For a chance to win three signed bookmarks, read the excerpt and tell me here what you would do if you were Talori. If you like what you see here, be sure to download the anthology so you can enjoy this, and other great stories, today.

Talori helped get the cart put away and fed Triton, the hippocampus her father used in his travels. She stroked the animal’s long face and spoke quiet, soothing words. Her mother had once told her about horses, a sort of land hippocampus that humans rode as transportation. Talori couldn’t imagine a hippocampus with four legs and a tail as silky as its mane. She was rather fond of Triton. His large green eyes were expressive and intelligent. He had a powerful body, his neck crested with a flowing mane. Pearly fur gave way to iridescent white scales, dancing with rainbows of color as the light touched them. When she finished, she saw her father floating with his head low, one hand on their pillow basalt and sea rock home. She swam behind him and said gently, “Whatever has happened, I’m sure we can work it out. But first you need to tell me about it.”

As Mako described the business deal he’d entered with the slippery merman, Prospero, Talori felt her heart sink. Searing, consuming anger filled her. There had been many times Mako disappointed her with his poor business decisions. But this was different. He had completely ruined them. The more he talked, the less sure she was that they could make something work out. “And now, I have nothing,” he finished. “He’s coming tomorrow to take the house and the business.” His voice broke. “He’s even going to take you girls.”

UPDATE! There’s a signed Bookmark giveaway from Jessica: