Tales of the Wythenwood
by J.W. Hawkins
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Pub Date 31 Aug 2024 | Archive Date 5 Oct 2024
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Description
Great Oak, an omnipotent power, hatches plans to crush dissent. Injured Desideria is helped by a mysterious creature—but what is its real intent? The Taker of Faces stalks the night for her next victim. Will this be the one that sates her need and provides all that she craves? Indoli, a benevolent master of manipulation learns the consequences of teaching his ways too well—and soon the fate of the entire wood is at stake.
J.W. Hawkins' "Tales of the Wythenwood" masterfully blends whimsy with darkness, capturing the essence of dark fantasy and classic fairy tales while infusing them with modern sensibilities. The collection is rich in themes of nature, survival, morality, and the complex interplay between good and evil. The author’s love for rhythmic and descriptive language breathes life into the Wythenwood, making it a character in its own right. Each story, while unique, contributes to a cohesive world where the fantastical and the real intertwine seamlessly.
Not for the faint of heart. Some fairy tales were never meant for children.
A Note From the Publisher
Advance Praise
Praise for stories from Tales of the Wythenwood:
"Totally loved this and was happy that it caught my eye while I was doing catch-up with some of the other books that I had finished reading. If you love animal books, fantasy or even a good classic turned modern than this short story will introduce you to hopefully a good series that will be coming out."
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23679161-tales-of-the-wilderwood?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_16
Marketing Plan
The book will launch on 31 August 2024, sold through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing.
It will be available in both eBook and Paperback editions.
The PDF uploaded to NetGalley shows the book in its Paperback layout complete with illustrations.
In the eBook edition, illustrations are provided as links.
In the upcoming months I will be embarking on blog tours and running giveaways. Please contact me if you are interested in interviews, guest blogs or other author engagement for your blog, magazine, website or other media channel.
The downloadable media kit contains:
*Author Photo & Bio
*Book Blurb
*Book Cover (Standard & 3D) and illustrations from the book which you are free to use on websites, blogs or other media channels.
*One chapter sample from Tales of the Wythenwood which can be distributed on websites, blogs or other media channels.
Contact jw@jwhawkinsbooks.com to discuss author interviews or guest blogs.
Featured Reviews
Tales of the Wythenwood is the kind of book you don't want to put down for a second. I really recommend everyone to read this book as fast as they can because it's really good.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
4.8 Stars
Review
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for providing this ARC.
“Tales of the Wythenwood” by J.W. Hawkins is a darkly enchanting collection of stories that transports readers into a world where the line between reality and fantasy blurs. One can consider Wythenwood itself a character in these strange tales—a place where oddness is the norm.
Talking and sentient animals is one of my favourite genre of fantasy. From the whimsical tales we read as a child to the more dark and gritting tales now, it feels like the stories have also grown along with us; And this is one such story.
In fact “Tales of the Wythenwood” is a collection of short stories that artfully embraces the dark side of fantasy and age old tales of animal adventure as Hawkins masterfully weaves together elements of dark fantasy, high fantasy, and classic fairy tales, creating a rich tapestry that feels both timeless and refreshingly modern.
The stories are not however for the faint of heart as Hawkins delves really deep into the darkness that lurks in the shadows of towering trees in the depth of this enchanting forest.
There are a total of six short stories in the book, each one taking place in the same forest but with a different protagonist including foxes, trees(yes, sentient tree!) and more. My favourite of these tales is “The Curious Tale of the Far-Away-Trees”, one of the shortest stories but definately the most fun ( and grim) to read.
Pros:
Atmospheric World-Building: The Wythenwood is richly described, creating a setting that feels alive with mystery and magic. The environment itself becomes a character, enhancing the immersive experience including plenty of whimsical and dark creatures, some that exist in our world and some that don not.
Complex Characters: The characters are multi-dimensional, each with their own motives and moral dilemmas. Every tale features different creatures and main characters who are motivated by thier own desires which moves the stories
Blend of Genres: The collection seamlessly merges elements of dark fantasy, high fantasy, and classic fairy tales. It takes a twist on the usual stories in this genre which often involve some hopefull meassage and makes it into something much darker.
Thematic Depth: The stories explore deep themes such as morality, the natural world, and the tension between good and evil, offering more than just surface-level entertainment.
Cons:
Pacing : Some readers might find the pacing uneven, with certain stories moving slower due to the detailed descriptions and introspective moments. Each story is different and has the information and pacing according to its needs. Readers with certain preferances might find themselves in a pinch.
Ambiguity: The blending of reality and fantasy might leave some elements ambiguous, which could be frustrating for readers who prefer clear-cut resolutions. Although from experience this seems to be feature of the short story genre.
Not for All Ages: While it draws from fairy-tale traditions, the dark and mature themes make it unsuitable for younger readers, which may limit its audience. Anyone who is disturbed by harm done to animals should stay away from his.
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