I would like to tell you about something terrible
that happened to a prince, once upon a time....
I am the servant of my stories, and this one, A Cadence, has plagued me for too long: now it is time for me to tell the story of Prince Tenniel and the mermaid.
If you have never seen a mermaid before, you may find
the idea of a
young lady with the tail of a fish in place of legs somewhat repulsive.
In fact, mermaids are not repulsive at all: they are enchantingly beautiful, all of them; and not one of them smells of sea-water: I could not tell you why, but I have heard that all mermaids have the fragrance of raspberries.
The other thing about mermaids is that they are incredibly stupid; a fact that never seems to have bothered the human men who found themselves struck by their beauty.
Ben Hoare, A Cadence
In fact, mermaids are not repulsive at all: they are enchantingly beautiful, all of them; and not one of them smells of sea-water: I could not tell you why, but I have heard that all mermaids have the fragrance of raspberries.
The other thing about mermaids is that they are incredibly stupid; a fact that never seems to have bothered the human men who found themselves struck by their beauty.
Ben Hoare, A Cadence
All stories contain their own echoes; there are countless ways of telling them, of ending them, of finishing things off. But I am guided by what really happened, by the story that is hardly ever told other than in whispers.
It does not necessarily please me to tell such stories. Containing mermaids and dragons, and set in that hazy age called "Once upon a time", you might think that this is the stuff of fairy tales.
But it is not. I cannot promise that my stories will end happily, or that miraculous magic will save my characters from their very real fates. However strange my stories will seem to you, they are true - at least, they are stories you can believe in, and that must count for something.
Download A Cadence
now for free when you request my updates
A Cadence is just one of many stories I am waiting to tell. On this website, I'll be sharing more stories and downloads, plus my thoughts on storytelling, the imagination and much more.
Today I'm inviting you to sign up for my updates. When you do, you'll get:
- The complete download of A Cadence, absolutely free
- Updates from me, as often (or as rarely) as you want them
- An automatic place on the waiting list for my next story, A Fantasy
This download is my way of getting the word out about the stories I am about to tell the world. I'd love you to read it, enjoy it, share it with your friends, and stay in touch so I can tell you what I'm doing next.