I love miniatures. When I was a kid, I studied dollhouse and accessory catalogs and books for hours. Somehow—since this was before the Internet—I found a listing of dollhouse stores and
I even convinced my parents to take me to several of them. I enjoyed looking, but I also developed an interest in making model houses and dollhouse furniture (with kits).
I still enjoy browsing a dollhouse store. I bought an adorable miniature violin at the last place I visited. My youngest son was playing violin at the time. And the dollhouse kits I see advertised on Amazon and Wayfair always catch my eye. I would love to make one, but the adult in me asks, “Where are you going to keep it?” and this is a legitimate question. My house is a cozy two-bedroom bungalow. I found a decent alternative in book nooks, bookshelf inserts of a miniature scene. I’d like to make one, but since I’d like to buy the supplies in person, I need to wait until COVID is over.
In the meantime, to satisfy my infatuation with miniatures and dollhouses, I found an app called Design Home. It’s like decorating a virtual dollhouse with furniture, rugs, paintings, and plants. Using the app, I designed a living room for my main character, Alina Lehrer, in A Fairy’s Quest.
Alina is recovering from a trauma. A few months ago, someone tried to kill her. When she has a flashback, she reorients herself by looking slowly around the room. I describe her process in the excerpt I included below.
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Excerpt:
Alina Lehrer shook off the unbidden memory. Everything’s okay. I’m safe here. She took a deep breath, then moved her gaze slowly around the living room of her townhome condo in Chicago’s Oakland neighborhood. From her viewpoint on the white leather sofa, everything seemed to be in its proper place.
The impressionist painting behind her hung high on the light gray wall with its bold blues and greens practically jumping out of the frame. It made a pleasing focal point, bringing together all the colors in the room. Her potted white orchid stood tall and delicate in the corner next to the pale blue armchair. She paused to close her eyes and inhale its sweet fragrance. Feeling a bit calmer. Next, she settled her gaze on the vase of fresh-cut flowers placed perfectly in the middle of her reclaimed wood coffee table, centered in front of her sofa. Perhaps it was indulgent, but buying fresh-cut flowers from the nearby farmers’ market was her weekend guilty pleasure. A slender blue and white lamp, topped with a shallow, drum-shaped white lampshade, sat in the middle of the square, marble-topped end table. Her gray oak floor gleamed from a recent polishing.
Everything was in order—better than usual—since she’d been cleaning non-stop since the incident. Why did she care so much about having everything in its place?
When everything else goes to shit, you need an anchor, something stable, reliable.
Home was that place for her.
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Blurb:
New York had Broadway. LA had Hollywood. Chicago had magic.
During the Golden Age of Magic, descendants of The Anunnaki sought refuge in the City of Magic.
Five years ago, fairy princess Alina Lehrer played the role of dutiful daughter until, in a single act of rebellion, she broke her arranged marriage agreement with David Laurent and destroyed a powerful alliance between their families. She fears her mother will hold it against her until she fulfils her familial duty—to reclaim the fairy crown that had been stolen from them more than a century ago.
Now, the usurper to the throne is dead, thus ending the fairy-wizard feud. It is time to reclaim the throne, and ultimately the stolen crown. But happily-ever-after seems as far away as ever for Alina. She is still heartbroken after the rejection of her first love and is still healing from a near-death trauma. She must push aside her personal feelings and find a way to confront her demons in order for her to complete her quest.
Rylan Jackson, codename Orion, has an impeccable record as a trained assassin for The Royal Court of Fairies. As The Court’s most trusted asset, he always gets the job done. Until his target is Alina, the one woman he can’t resist.
Fate has placed Alina and Rylan on opposing sides in a world of deception and betrayal. Where truth is ambiguous. Where loyalties war with affection. Where there are no coincidences.
But Alina has the power to change her destiny and soon learns Fate is not set in stone.
Available from: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords
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Author Bio:
Maya Tyler is a multi-published author of paranormal romance novels and blogger at Maya’s Musings. An avid reader, Maya writes the books she loves to read—romances! Her paranormal romances come with complex plot twists and happily-ever-afters.
When she’s not writing, she enjoys hanging out with her family, reading, listening to music, practicing yoga, and watching movies and TV.
You can find Maya on the web at the following locations:
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Website | Blog
You may have heard the news coming out of Chechnya, part of the Russian Federation, where police are kidnapping gay men (and those they perceive to be gay) and taking them to camps for torture. Several state-sanctioned murders have also been reported.
