This pumpkin had been the first to fruit, and now he set to hacking through its stem with a meat cleaver. Once sev- ered from the vine, he raised the gourd over his head and dashed it on the cobblestone footpath that wound through the garden. It splintered into a dozen crescents and there at its centre, slick with pumpkin meat, was the head of his wife. tIsbe aLways feLt far prettier than she looked. When she watched other girls - prettier girls - pass by on the road that led to the village, she counted herself among them. But whenever she stood in front of a mirror, she was surprised that her outsides did not match her insides. The young gentleman smiled, as though he was relieved to see he had found the right place. The right woman. Then, within seconds, he collapsed. Snow caught him instinctively, keeping her finger off the trigger of her revolver. She glanced each way, making sure no one else was in the hallway. Then dragged him inside.

Author Biography

K.M. Tremills is the author of the Great Lands and the Fated series. She built her writing career in the film industry, receiving support from the National Screen Institute and Telefilm Canada and screening a film at the Cannes and Toronto Film Festivals. Kate also contributed articles to Elle Canada and Moving Pictures. She was lured back to her first love - novels - when Messenger came calling. While writing her series, Kate collaborates with the brilliant Kathryn and Roberta Cottam. They have written two collections together: Three Short Tales of Red and Fabled. Kate is currently writing the sequel to Blue Moon and has plans for the sequel to Messenger. She gathers inspiration by speaking at conferences and travelling to lands near and far. Kate is always delighted to hear from readers at www.kmtremills.com. Kathryn Cottam holds a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Victoria and is a graduate of the Vancouver Film School Screenwriting Program. Kathryn has been both a story editor and screenwriting judge. Her script, Bus Station Zombies, was a semi-finalist at the Austin Film Festival Writing Competition and her first novel, The Shoemaker: A Tale of Love, Magic & Unnatural Acts was published last year by Fox Tale Press and was nominated for best Fantasy Novel of 2013 by InD'Tale Magazine. Visit her website at www.kathrycottam.com Roberta's short fiction and poetry is published in several issues of The Claremont Review and been featured in the anthology, Naming the Baby. Shakespearian Shopping Theatre, co-written with her sister Kathryn Cottam, was short-listed for The Arts Club in Vancouver. She holds a BFA with distinction from the University of Victoria and was a faculty member of the Art Institute of Vancouver where she taught one of her favourite subjects, Costume History. Roberta has illustrated for several international brands, including Lululemon, and has collaborated on clothing designs with Nelly Furtado and Joe Jonas through the non-profit organization, Me to We. Find her online at www.robertacottam.com