Custard: A Romeo and Juliet Story (Sort Of)

By Dayle A. Dermatis

Brownies—not the little girls or the fudgy treat kind, but the Scottish pixie kind—help take care of households by being superior with household chores.

 

Agnes and Neil, from different brownie clans and working at different manor houses, both prided themselves in their custard. Custard, which requires the best, freshest eggs.

 

A chance meeting over a favorite clutch of eggs starts Agnes and Neil on an adventure, and the chance to create something new.

 

Their story will never be forgotten.

 

Editor Dean Wesley Smith says of "Custard," "Dayle Dermatis…is a storyteller whose compelling and playful prose I will follow down virtually any path."

 

"Custard: A Romeo and Juliet Story (Sort Of)" originally appeared in Pulphouse Fiction Magazine, 2021.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Soul's Road Press
• Release date: Jul 20, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201373221

Dayle A. Dermatis

Dayle A. Dermatis is the author or coauthor of many novels (including snarky urban fantasies Ghosted and the forthcoming Shaded and Spectered) and more than a hundred short stories in multiple genres, appearing in such venues as Fiction River, Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, and DAW Books.Called the mastermind behind the Uncollected Anthology project, she also guest edits anthologies for Fiction River, and her own short fiction has been lauded in many year's best anthologies in erotica, mystery, and horror.She lives in a book- and cat-filled historic English-style cottage in the wild greenscapes of the Pacific Northwest. In her spare time she follows Styx around the country and travels the world, which inspires her writing.To find out where she’s wandered off to (and to get free fiction!), check out DayleDermatis.com and sign up for her newsletter or support her on Patreon.* * *I value honest feedback, and would love to hear your opinion in a review, if you’re so inclined, on your favorite book retailer’s site.* * *For more information:www.dayledermatis.com

Book preview

Custard

Custard

A Romeo and Juliet Story (Sort Of)

Dayle A. Dermatis

Soul’s Road Press

Contents

About This Book

Custard

Ghosted

Chapter 1

About the Author

Also by Dayle A. Dermatis

Be the First to Know!

About This Book

Brownies—not the little girls or the fudgy treat kind, but the Scottish pixie kind—help take care of households by being surperior with household chores.

Agnes and Neil, from different brownie clans and working at different manor houses, both prided themselves in their custard. Custard, which requires the best, freshest eggs.

A chance meeting over a favorite clutch of eggs starts Agnes and Neil on an adventure, and the chance to create something new.

Their story will never be forgotten.

Editor Dean Wesley Smith says of Custard, Dayle Dermatis…is a storyteller whose compelling and playful prose I will follow down virtually any path.

Custard: A Romeo and Juliet Story (Sort Of) originally appeared in Pulphouse Fiction Magazine, 2021.

Custard

Okay, so you’ve heard of brownies. No, not the little girls, or the chocolate fudgy treats. Brownies . The Scottish pixies who, if you treat them right (and that’s practically a story in itself), will help take care of your household.

Leave them a bowl of milk and honey, and you’ve got their service. Actually thank them, or call that food a payment, and they’re outta there.

Because brownies are a proud lot, they are. They’re so superior about their talents that they’re all named after food or household items or chores.

Button, Corset, Aglet. Dicht, Mop, Bootblack. Hairpin. Duvet. Pudding, Kippers, Clootie Dumpling (och aye, she was a fine brownie lass).

What happened sometime before the turn of the twentieth century in Dumfries, Scotland, was this: there were two somewhat