Juliet Marillier

Rivalries ignite into heated romance, lost lovers seek second chances, and friendships turn to something more in these 12 stunning Romantasy stories. Including brand-new stories from beloved and bestselling authors including Hannah Nicole Maehrer, Kelley Armstrong, Alexis Hall, L. R. Lam, and more. Tumble head-over-heels for these 12 gorgeous Romantasy stories from bestselling and beloved authors. A pair of harried servants try to romance their respective bosses into a universe-saving marriage. Two bitter political rivals discover they have interests in common, and decide not to let a little thing like murder get in the way. After years apart, childhood nemeses come together to resolve their differences, and face down a common foe. From Regency England to a mysterious Romanian forest, and from a city made of flowers to a sinister faerie train, love conquers all in these 12 beautiful tales. FEATURING BRAND-NEW STORIES FROM: Hannah Nicole-Maehrer Kelley Armstrong Rebecca Thorne Alexis Hall L. R. Lam A. Y. Chao Juliet Marillier Chloe Neill Olivia Atwater Jen Williams Greer Stothers Vida Cruz-Borja

Stasya lives in an isolated farming village on the edge of the mysterious Heartwood Forest with her unusual dog for company. Thought odd by the locals, she is tolerated for her rare gift with animals. Engaging with her fellow humans is difficult, with one exception: goatherd Lukas, who shares her love of storytelling. The peace of Heartwood is shattered when a group of soldiers descends, under orders from the Ruler of the Northlands. Their mission: to hack a path through the forest and find the fabled treasure said to lie deep within. Under the gruelling decree, Stasya’s village falls into chaos. The task is clearly impossible. The forest is alive with bears and wolves, and the old tales speak of evil spirits, monsters and uncanny beings. Nobody has ever gone deep into Heartwood Forest and returned safe and well. When Stasya raises her voice in protest she is removed from her beloved home and transported to court – a different world. Word of her special skills has reached the Ruler’s ears, and Lady Elisabeta has a job for her. But Stasya will not break her vow to protect the forest, even under the most appalling threat. As Stasya and her band of unlikely allies embark on a perilous mission, it becomes apparent that uncanny forces may indeed be involved. Maybe the old tales of the Hermit are true...

Given that we know that the moon holds sway over the ocean tides, and the almost universal testimony of the effect of a full moon on people, it seems plausible that there are planetary effects that are more mysterious than we have discovered. Does a bias against seeming superstitious or appearing to descend to horoscope folly cause the scientific community to leave such questions less explored than they should be? After all, our words "influence" and "lunacy," not to mention the names of the days of our week, remind us that this belief has a strange staying power. Science has a very different view of energy than when astrology was rejected, so maybe it is possible to study our relationship to the cosmos in a way that avoids the pseudoscience but answers our lingering questions, like the impact of the moon on hospitals? What we don't know about such things could and does fill many books. But even Disney continues to invite us to wish upon a star. What there is to that idea scientifically we don't yet know, but anthropologically there's something profound at work. Maybe we need a branch of psychology devoted to the symphony of the spheres? Or maybe we need Of Gods and Globes III to speculate on the connection with fantasy and sci fi stories?

A young warrior who wields both the power of her music and the strength of her sword faces a grave threat in this enthralling historical fantasy. Bard and fighter Liobhan is always ready for a challenge. So when news arrives at Swan Island that the prince of Dalriada has gone missing after an assault by both masked men and the sinister Crow Folk, she's eager to act. While Liobhan and her fellow Swan Island warriors seek answers to the prince's disappearance, the bard Brocc, Liobhan's brother, finds himself in dire trouble. His attempts to communicate with the Crow Folk have led him down a perilous path. When Liobhan and her comrades are sent to the rescue, it becomes clear the two missions are connected--and a great mystery unfolds. What brought the Crow Folk to Erin? And who seeks to use them in an unscrupulous bid for power? As Liobhan and Brocc investigate, it will take all their strength and will to continue pursuing the truth. With the safety of their loved ones in the balance, the risks they must take may cost them everything.

The triumphant conclusion to Juliet Marillier's Sevenwaters trilogy, Child of the Prophecy ties up the battle between the old and new magics--Fairy folk vs. man's technology and hunger for power. Magic is fading...and the ways of Man are driving the Old Ones to the West, beyond the ken of humankind. The ancient groves are being destroyed, and if nothing is done, Ireland will lose its essential mystic core. The prophecies of long ago have foretold a way to prevent this horror, and it is the Sevenwaters clan that the spirits of Eire look to for salvation. They are a family bound into the lifeblood of the land, and their promise to preserve the magic has been the cause of great joy to them...as well as great sorrow. It is up to Fianne, daughter of Niamh, the lost sister of Sevenwaters, to solve the riddles of power. A shy child of a reclusive sorcerer, she finds that her way is hard: She is the granddaughter of the wicked sorceress Oonagh, who has emerged from the shadows and seeks to destroy all that Sevenwaters has striven for. Oonagh will use Fianne most cruelly to accomplish her ends, and stops at nothing to see her will done. Will Fianne be strong enough to battle this evil and save those she has come to love?

A young woman who is both a bard--and a warrior--seeks to repay her debts and settle scores in this thrilling historical fantasy series. The young warrior and bard Liobhan has lost her brother to the Otherworld. Even more determined to gain a place as an elite fighter, she returns to Swan Island to continue her training. But Liobhan is devastated when her comrade Dau is injured and loses his sight in their final display bout. Blamed by Dau's family for the accident, she agrees to go to Dau's home as a bond servant for the span of one year. There, she soon learns that Oakhill is a place of dark secrets. The vicious Crow Folk still threaten both worlds. And Dau, battling the demon of despair, is not an easy man to help. When Liobhan and Dau start to expose the rot at the center of Oakhill, they place themselves in deadly danger. For their enemy wields great power and will stop at nothing to get his way. It will take all the skills of a Swan Island warrior and a touch of the uncanny to give them a hope of survival. . . .

Juliet Marillier brings us a beautifully re-imagined version of the Six Swans myth in Daughter of the Forest. Lovely Sorcha is the seventh child and only daughter of Lord Colum of Sevenwaters. Bereft of a mother, she is comforted by her six brothers who love and protect her. Sorcha is the light in their lives, they are determined that she know only contentment. But Sorcha's joy is shattered when her father is bewitched by his new wife, an evil enchantress who binds her brothers with a terrible spell, a spell which only Sorcha can lift--by staying silent. If she speaks before she completes the quest set to her by the Fair Folk and their queen, the Lady of the Forest, she will lose her brothers forever. When Sorcha is kidnapped by the enemies of Sevenwaters and taken to a foreign land, she is torn between the desire to save her beloved brothers, and a love that comes only once. Sorcha despairs at ever being able to complete her task, but the magic of the Fair Folk knows no boundaries, and love is the strongest magic of them all...

A young woman is both a bard--and a warrior--in this thrilling historical fantasy from the author of the Sevenwaters novels. Eighteen-year-old Liobhan is a powerful singer and an expert whistle player. Her brother has a voice to melt the hardest heart, and is a rare talent on the harp. But Liobhan's burning ambition is to join the elite warrior band on Swan Island. She and her brother train there to compete for places, and find themselves joining a mission while still candidates. Their unusual blend of skills makes them ideal for this particular job, which requires going undercover as traveling minstrels. For Swan Island trains both warriors and spies. Their mission: to find and retrieve a precious harp, an ancient symbol of kingship, which has gone missing. If the instrument is not played at the upcoming coronation, the candidate will not be accepted and the kingdom will be thrown into disarray. Faced with plotting courtiers and tight-lipped druids, an insightful storyteller, and a boorish Crown Prince, Liobhan soon realizes an Otherworld power may be meddling in the affairs of the kingdom. When ambition clashes with conscience, Liobhan must make a bold decision--and the consequences may break her heart.

A Magazine Celebrating Romance: Love romance? Love discovering the best new writers with bite-sized stories? Or maybe you prefer to treat yourself by escaping into a sure-to-please favorite author's world now and again, but don't have the time to read a full-length novel. Heart's Kiss magazine offers delicious variety and more. Each issue has 70,000 plus words of fiction from names readers will recognize, to newly discovered writers, including interviews and articles talking about what romance readers love most--the books they love, why romance is important in today's world, their love of the genre and what to enjoy next. Heart's Kiss is filled with a sweet-spicy-erotic mix of historical, contemporary, paranormal, suspense and futuristic romance stories that will be sure to make you yearn for more. IN THIS ISSUE: OPENING EDITORIAL by Tina SmithHEART'S KISS INTERVIEWS STEPHANIE LAURENS by Lezli RobynA WINTERY TAIL by Petronella GloverWOMAN HOLLERING CREEK by Meghan EwaldJUST ONE LOOK by Jacqueline SeewaldA REAL ACE V-DAY PRESENT by Rei RosenquistLATE TO VALENTINE'S by Alice FarisBEFORE I BREAK (Part One) by L. PenelopeI'LL CRY IF I WANT TO by Julie PitzelRECOMMENDED BOOKS by C. S. DeAvillaTHE TEMPTRESS PRESENTS: CHOCOLATE BARS Raw, Vegan & Gluten Free by Andrea AbediHEART'S KISS INTERVIEWS JULIET MARILLIER by Lezli RobynCLOSING EDITORIAL by Lezli Robyn

Original novellas by Juliet Marillier, Lucy Sussex, Joanne Anderton, Cat Sparks, Stephanie Gunn, Angela Rega, and Susan Wardle. Seven original novellas from some of Australia's premier fantasy writers. In these pages you'll find trolls and angels, princes and puritans, cats and captives, and master crafters of materials and machines.

Original novellas by Juliet Marillier, Lucy Sussex, Joanne Anderton, Cat Sparks, Stephanie Gunn, Angela Rega, and Susan Wardle. Seven original novellas from some of Australia's premier fantasy writers. In these pages you'll find trolls and angels, princes and puritans, cats and captives, and master crafters of materials and machines.

A Magazine Celebrating Romance. Love romance? Love discovering the best new writers with bite-sized stories? Or maybe you prefer to treat yourself by escaping into a sure-to-please favorite author's world now and again, but don't have the time to read a full-length novel. Heart's Kiss magazine offers delicious variety and more. Each issue has 70,000 plus words of fiction from names readers will recognize, to newly discovered writers, including interviews and articles talking about what romance readers love most--the books they love, why romance is important in today's world, their love of the genre and what to enjoy next. Heart's Kiss is filled with a sweet-spicy-erotic mix of historical, contemporary, paranormal, suspense and futuristic romance stories that will be sure to make you yearn for more. IN THIS ISSUE: OPENING EDITORIAL Tina Smith HEART'S KISS INTERVIEWS BRENDA JACKSON by Lezli Robyn AT LONG LAST (excerpt) by Brenda Jackson FAR HORIZONS by Juliet Marillier THE FORBIDDEN KISS OF LIFE (A Disorderly Elements Short Story) by Olivette Devaux FROM A DRY, BITTER STREAM COMES THE SWEETEST OF FOUNTAINS by D. H. Hendrickson ST. JEAN AND THE WISH (A Jane and Jinn Mystery) by Brenda Carre THE HEART FINDS THE WAY by Rei Rosenquist BEAUTIFULLY IMAGINED (The Beautifully Series) by Gracie Wilson WEDDING NIGHT (poem) by Julie Pitzel YOU READ THAT?: EVOLUTION OF THE HERO (column) by Julie Pitzel HOW DIFFERENT VOICES ARE CHANGING THE YA ROMANCE LANDSCAPE by Karen McCoy RECOMMENDED BOOKS by C. S. DeAvilla THE TEMPTRESS PRESENTS: FAMOUS CAULIFLOWER MAC & CHEESE (Vegan & Gluten Free) by Andrea Abedi HEART'S KISS' FIRST RENDEZVOUS WITH THE ROMANCE WRITERS OF AMERICA CONFERENCE by Lezli Robyn

A Magazine Celebrating Romance ISSUE 8: APRIL 2018 Lezli Robyn & Tina Smith, Editors Shahid Mahmud, PublisherHeart's Kiss is a bi-monthly romance magazine published by Heart's Nest Press, the romance imprint of Arc Manor, an award-winning independent publisher based in Maryland. The magazine has a mix of original and reprint stories, excerpts, serializations, columns and non-fiction, book recommendations and interviews with prominent personalities in the industry. IN THIS ISSUE: Interview: Marie ForceExcerpt: Delirious by Marie ForceStories by: L. Penelope, Juliet Marillier, Olivette Devaux, D. H. Hendrickson, Melinda Curtis, Kate Capulet, Brenda NovakNon-fiction by: Brenda Novak, Julie PitzelSerialization: Warden of Sight (part 2) by Anna J. StewartRecommended Books: C. S. DeAvilla

Here, between the realms of the Sky Father and Earth Mother, hellhounds race, ghosts drift aimless, and the taniwha stalks. Home fires drive them back, at the same time sparking stories and poems that traverse seconds, eons, and parsecs. Tales of gatekeepers, cloak wearers, and secret keepers. Of pigs with AK-47s or ruby-hued eyes, of love-struck moa, and unruly reflections. Stark truths, and beautiful possibilities... Te Korero Ahi Ka, a term which means to speak of the home fires burning, is an anthology of science fiction, fantasy, and horror, showcasing work from both established and emerging members of the SpecFicNZ organisation of writers, poets, artists, and creatives. It is a statement about how New Zealand creators of speculative fiction and art shine their light on our literary landscape.

The enchanting fantasy series from the award-winning author of the Sevenwaters novels continues, as embittered healer Blackthorn and her companion, Grim, struggle to fulfill the rules of her bond to the fey. . . . Despite her personal struggles, Blackthorn agrees to help take care of a troubled young girl who has recently been brought to court, while Grim is sent to the girl's home at Wolf Glen to aid her wealthy father with a strange task--repairing a broken-down house deep in the woods. It doesn't take Grim long to realize that everything in Wolf Glen is not as it seems--the place is full of perilous secrets and deadly lies. . . . Back at Winterfalls, the evil touch of Blackthorn's sworn enemy reopens old wounds and fuels her long-simmering passion for justice. With danger on two fronts, Blackthorn and Grim are faced with a heartbreaking choice--to stand once again by each other's side or to fight their battles alone.

Award-winning author Juliet Marillier's "lavishly detailed"(Publishers Weekly) Blackthorn & Grim series continues as a mysterious creature holds ancient Ireland in thrall... Disillusioned healer Blackthorn and her companion, Grim, have settled in Dalriada to wait out the seven years of Blackthorn's bond to her fey mentor, hoping to avoid any dire challenges. But trouble has a way of seeking them out. A noblewoman asks for the prince of Dalriada's help in expelling a creature who threatens the safety and sanity of all who live nearby from an old tower on her land--one surrounded by an impenetrable hedge of thorns. With no ready solutions to offer, the prince consults Blackthorn and Grim. As Blackthorn and Grim put the pieces of this puzzle together, it's apparent that a powerful adversary is working behind the scenes. Their quest soon becomes a life-and-death struggle--a conflict in which even the closest of friends can find themselves on opposite sides.

Blade of Fortriu is the second book in Juliet Marillier's Bridei Chronicles. Five Winters have passed since young king Bridei ascended the throne of Fortriu. Five years, in which the people have felt a contentment unknown for generations. But the security of a people can vanish in a heartbeat, for wolves are often drawn to fields filled with fattened sheep. Bridei is determined to drive the Gaelic invaders from his lands once and for all. And so, with his land secure and his house in order, he prepares for war. And one of Bridei's plans to win the war to come involves the beautiful young Ana. A princess of the Light Isles, she has dwelt as a hostage at the court of Fortriu for most of her young life. Despite being a pawn of fortune, she has bewitched all at court and is dearly loved by Bridei and his queen. But Ana understands her duty. And so she will travel north, to make a strategic marriage with a chieftain she has never seen, in the hopes of gaining an ally on whom Bridei's victory relies. For secrecy's sake, Ana must travel at a soldier's pace, with a small band led by the enigmatic spymaster Faolan. Bridei implores Ana to trust see the good in Faolan but Ana cannot see beyond his cold competence and killer's eyes. Then, when she arrives at the chieftain Alpin's stronghold in the mysterious Briar Woods, her discomfort and unease increase tenfold, for this is a place of full of secrets and her betrothed is an enigma himself. The more Ana tries to uncover the truth of her new life, the more she discovers a maze of polite diversions that mask deadly lies. She fears Faolan, but he may prove to be the truest thing in her world. Or her doom."