The Black Fairy and the Dragonfly

By Paul Day

Once every thousand years, in the kingdom of fairies, a creature quite unlike any other is born. And with her birth comes fear. For she is the rarest creature born among fairies, with skin as black as night and hair as white as snow. Seen as an evil omen, she is doomed from the very moment she is born and cast aside to live on the fringes of the kingdom, where she must fend for herself, shunned, abandoned, alone. It is here, among the creatures of the forests and swamps, Lilly forms a friendship with a dragonfly. She is happy for a while until she learns the fairies have all mysteriously vanished and despite being cast out, she nevertheless feels compelled to find them. Driven by strange dreams and visions, Lilly will discover the world beyond her home is more magnificent, more terrible and far more beautiful than she could have imagined. So begins an incredible adventure, a fairy tale like no other.

This is a story so unusual, so unique, that it almost defies its genre and challenges the reader to think differently about fairy tales. The world the reader is presented with is a wondrous, dangerous and beautiful place. Lilly's journey will take her from the fringes of the fairy kingdom, to the hills of dancing fire, all the way to the mystical mountains and deep into the hidden underworld. She will meet Queens and Lords and be confronted with a terrible evil, which seeks to tear her world apart. But Lilly's differences are less to do with her color and more to do with the magic contained in the deepest part of her soul. A magic so powerful that if it were revealed, even the Dark Queen Eglartharious herself may tremble at the sight of it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Paul Day
• Release date: Mar 29, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310937743

Paul Day

Paul G Day specializes in books aimed at children and young adults. He has a unique narrative style designed to draw the reader's attention to the images of the setting as well as the predicament of the protagonist. Through human and non human characters, his books tell a very human drama and the complicated emotional journey we all sometimes find ourselves taking as we search for meaning and answers to profound and often confronting questions. Every one of his characters reflect a personality which has its beginning in the heart and mind of the writer himself. Paul's stories are about love, loyalty, family and courage. They represent a coming of age, where the central character must learn and grow in order to survive the complex and sometimes unforgiving world about them. Paul believes in strong young characters who stubbornly and sometimes defiantly challenge the troubles that compound their lives, finding a way, even in the darkest, bleakest moments of their otherwise unremarkable existence, to overcome adversity, thereby ultimately becoming extraordinary.

Book preview

The Black Fairy & The Dragonfly

Copyright 2013 Paul G Day

Published by Paul G Day at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Prologue

Chapter One: The Flight of The Dragonfly

Chapter Two: The River of Tears

Chapter Three: The Return of The Black Fairy

Chapter Four: The Search for The Lost Fairies

Chapter Five: The Hills of Dancing Fire

Chapter Six: Where The Eagles Dare

Chapter Seven: The Chasm of The Crystal Sphere

Chapter Eight: The Queen of Dark Charms

Chapter Nine: The Songs of Distant Fairies

About Paul G Day

Other books by Paul G Day

Connect with Paul G Day

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to my Editor and friend Janice Spina for her editorial work, encouragement and advice and for taking me on and believing in my work. Her dedication to the work of Indie Authors is tremendous. Also thanks to my darling wife. You are a constant source of support for me personally and I love you very much. Thank you for understanding me and allowing me to go on this incredible adventure. I owe you everything.

PRAISE FOR THE BLACK FAIRY AND THE DRAGONFLY

If you're a fan of George MacDonald's work, or Andrew Lang's rainbow of Fairy Books, you'll enjoy this story. It's perfect for a read-aloud, for listeners ranging from 3 to 7, with short chapters that keep the story moving.

(The Kindle Book review)

My granddaughter loved it so much I had to read it to her every day she was at my house, she now plays like she is Lilly (D Boydston)

Quite an unusual story, but a very quick and enjoyable read, clean and nothing too gory. This little fairy tale is more for a younger reader, but I enjoyed it considerably (Ms Marzipan)

An enchanting tale that captures the imagination and takes you on a fantastic voyage of discovery, adventure, friendship and courage (Cindy Beitinger)

This is the first book I have read by Paul Day and it will certainly not be the last. This author has a special gift in the way he creates a magical world of fairies for children to travel through.  (J Spina)

This book grabbed my interest the whole entire time. Not many books can do that. (Maddie P)

Prologue

A Rare & Special Gift

She is a very rare and beautiful thing. Such a creature is only born once in several generations. She is the tiniest, most fragile of all infants born in the forest. Although she is a fairy, there are no wings developed yet. Between her shoulders, small bumps are all there are to suggest the beautiful wings which will one day grow.

Her eyes are wide and white, but her pupils are black like the night. Her hair is dark and fine, with just enough of it peaking at the crest of her petite head to form a small tuft, which curls over at the top like a little wave.

She is lifted from the birth flower by an adoring mother who doesn’t seem to have noticed anything unusual about the creature. Her husband has noticed. He wears a worried frown and backs away slightly when the girl is presented to him.

Reviews for The Black Fairy and the Dragonfly

[blaqkat13 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a fast paced, but beautiful children's story that's great for both young & old. It also holds a valuable lesson that every child should know, that being different doesn't mean you're less. It ends with a sweet but massive cliffhanger, but the author promises a sequel. The only thing I wish it had was a few illustrations to compliment the lovely narrative. Still, the lack of illustrations does not take away from the story. I can see this being a great bedside read for a child, I know I would of loved having this read to me at night when I was young & so I will do the same if I am ever blessed with kids. I will be impatiently awaiting the sequel, until then I will reread this story anytime need to lift my spirits or just want a short happy read.