Marilyn Pemberton

Flights of FancyPoems of beginnings and endings and life in between

Tale tāl, n. An act of telling: a narrative, story: a false story: a mere story: (in pl.) things told idly or to get others into trouble: reckoning (arch, ). (Chambers English Dictionary)This is Book 4 in the Grandmothers' Footsteps series. It's 1912 and Imogen Hayes, who was adopted at birth, has only recently been reunited with Harriet, her natural mother. Now happily married, Imogen has to contend not only with the devastating aftermath of the sinking of RMS Titanic but also the birth of her first child. 1914. Imogen, pregnant with a second child, discovers a fairy tale written and secreted away by Harriet that turns on its head everything she has ever been told about her conception and her father. Is Imogen strong enough to bear the burden of knowing whether it is just a fairy tale or whether it's the truth?

Rediscover a Victorian-era collection of fairy tales. Employing sorcery, a wicked princess wears the princes and kings who desire to marry her as crystal beads strung on a gold chain around her neck. A musician searches the world for his missing wife, unaware that elves have transformed her into the golden harp he plays every day. A determined prince embarks on a quest to find the evil fairy who stole the heart of his beloved princess. These are just a few of the inventive and captivating stories in this fine new edition of Mary De Morgan's fairy tales, The Necklace of Princess Fiorimonde and Other Stories (1880). Despite her fairy tales being well-known and loved during her time, De Morgan has been overlooked by history and largely forgotten. Considered one of the earliest feminist writers, her influential fairy tales often reflected her social and political ideologies, including reform for women. Featuring strong heroines and subverted gender roles, her untraditional stories often eschewed wealth and power, and occasionally ended sadly with no happily-ever-after. Also included in this new edition is the story "Through the Fire" from On a Pincushion (1877), De Morgan's first published book of fairy tales. Immerse yourself in a young boy's adventure as he journeys to the North Pole on a mission for the fire Princess. Fans of Hans Christian Anderson and George MacDonald will adore De Morgan's rediscovered collection of fairy tales. Foreword by Dr. Marilyn Pemberton, Out of the Shadows: The Life and Works of Mary De Morgan (2012).

Rediscover a Victorian-era collection of fairy tales. Employing sorcery, a wicked princess wears the princes and kings who desire to marry her as crystal beads strung on a gold chain around her neck. A musician searches the world for his missing wife, unaware that elves have transformed her into the golden harp he plays every day. A determined prince embarks on a quest to find the evil fairy who stole the heart of his beloved princess. These are just a few of the inventive and captivating stories in this fine new edition of Mary De Morgan's fairy tales, The Necklace of Princess Fiorimonde and Other Stories (1880). Despite her fairy tales being well-known and loved during her time, De Morgan has been overlooked by history and largely forgotten. Considered one of the earliest feminist writers, her influential fairy tales often reflected her social and political ideologies, including reform for women. Featuring strong heroines and subverted gender roles, her untraditional stories often eschewed wealth and power, and occasionally ended sadly with no happily-ever-after. Also included in this new edition is the story "Through the Fire" from On a Pincushion (1877), De Morgan's first published book of fairy tales. Immerse yourself in a young boy's adventure as he journeys to the North Pole on a mission for the fire Princess. Fans of Hans Christian Anderson and George MacDonald will adore De Morgan's rediscovered collection of fairy tales. Foreword by Dr. Marilyn Pemberton, Out of the Shadows: The Life and Works of Mary De Morgan (2012).

Cairo, 1936. Effie, a ten-year-old orphan from London, turns up in a packing case at the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities. All her life she has dreamed that her mother is an Egyptian princess, but she is faced with cruelty and crushing disappointment before she finds what she is looking for. Beattie Trevethan is the daughter of the advisor to the Minister of the Interior and, along with her close friend and archaeologist Marcus Dunwoody, she takes Effie under her wing. Beattie is singled out by the 'Eye of Horus' gang, who are intent on driving the British out of Egypt by any means necessary. The lives of Effie, Beattie and Marcus are changed forever in a country beset by civil unrest.

Would you sell your son if it means he will lead a better life than you can offer him; if it means a bag of gold for you; if it means the boy will never lead a 'normal' life? Phillipe, the narrator of this tale, is secretary to Count De Lorenzo, and love to the Count's young wife. He is tasked with buying young boys from poor villagers, having them castrated and taking them to Florence to be taught to sing as castrati. The parents are told that their sons are especially blessed with their wonderful voices and they do not object to the boys making the physical sacrifice in order to thank and praise the Lord; not to the bag of gold they are given in exchange. The boys are innocents, victims of circumstances beyond their control. Surely they can have nothing to do with a barber's mysterious death, or the suicide of an abusive Jesuit priest? This is a tale of passion, revenge, guilt, loss - and yes, love.