This week I’m giving readers a brief glimpse into my soon to be released novella, Into the Shadow Wood.
Interested in having your book featured here on Sneak Peek Friday? I’m always happy to support my fellow authors. Just contact me through my blog or my author Facebook page.
Our weather-worn tents were nestled into a small clearing, like growing things that had sprung up out of the ground. There were so few of us left…so few. Remaining were the stubborn, the desperate—those who, like me, simply couldn’t let go. Something was still driving us to fight—to hope—in spite of the brutal truth that we had lost. What are we still doing here? This decision to go on is folly. Alaric’s words echoed in my mind. They rang no less true now than they had in the heart of the Shadow Wood.
Though I had escaped the confines of its borders, the Wood had not released its hold on my mind, and my nights continued to be filled with its dark torments. I slept fitfully, with a knife in my fist and my bow close at hand…just in case. The Shadow mocked my inner pain, whispering words of despair to my soul; I would never be free. Each morning I bathed in a nearby stream, scrubbing my skin nearly raw, shaving my face, and grooming my hair. No matter how vigorously I washed, I could still feel the slick residue of the Wood’s filth, and my lungs were heavy with its thick air. When I caught glimpses of my reflection in still pools, the face looking back at me seemed not my own. And it was not only my looks that startled me. At meal times, despite my best intentions, I ate like a crazed, half-starved animal. My brethren no doubt saw me as such judging by the cautious looks I caught from the corners of my eyes. So far, none of them had dared to ask about my journey into the abyss—they seemed afraid to know what could have possibly reduced me to such a state.
Allison D. Reid 
Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog and commented:
AUTHORS
Interested in having your book featured on Allison’s Sneak Peek Friday?
She’s always happy to support her fellow authors.
Just contact her through her blog or author Facebook page.
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Thank you!!
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Welcome Allison- hope you get lots of entries 👍😃
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Me too, I’d really like to help other authors. I know how hard it is to self-market.
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Reblogged this on The Life & Times of Zoe the Fabulous Feline and commented:
Intriguing opening!
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Thank you! The release date could be as early as next week–basically as soon as the final formatting is done.
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Hi Allison, I would be interested to be featured on your Sneak Peak Friday.
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Wonderful! Looks like I can pull everything I need from your Amazon listing except for whatever excerpt you want to feature. Just email that to me at areker@vssi-us.com, along with anything else you want readers to know about you or your work. I loved reading your bio! How lucky that your family was able to leave Berlin before the wall went up. I happened to be living in Stuttgart when the wall finally came down in ’89. It was such an unexpected shock. I remember exactly where I was when the news was broadcast, and how everyone around me reacted. It was such a joyful moment for Germany, followed soon after by the reality of the economic and cultural implications I think they’re still dealing with.
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Wow, you lived in Stuttgart? I started going in School there. we lived there for quite a number of years, when coming out from Berlin, first we came to Fulda, then Stuttgart. My father was a airplane designer (Airbus) and the Americans wanted him, but my father didn’t want to go to America. So we came to the military place in Fulda. Then Stuttgart and then Munich.
How small is the world.
Can you speak German? Where do you live now?
All right, i will email you, but i have to go now and do some chores and shopping for a letter box. It’s Saturday here and i have to do things.
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I lived in Stuttgart for 6 years–my step father was a civilian working for the military. I went to school on Patch Barracks, but we lived in a little village called Ehningen. I learned some German while I was there, but have since lost most of it. That was 25 years ago already, though it doesn’t feel like it! Now I live in the US (Ohio). No rush on the email since I won’t be posting another sneak peek until next Friday. Whenever you get a chance to send me your excerpt is fine.
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I never heard anyone saying that they lived in Stuttgart or even know the place. And here you are, just meet you and let me know you lived there. It’s so amazing to hear that you lived there.
Will come back to you
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The world really is a small place sometimes! 🙂 So I’m guessing if you lived in southern Germany, you know what maultaschen is. Boy do I miss that stuff! I can make kase spaetzle at home, but maultaschen not so much. I probably couldn’t get the right kind of meat here, even if I had the perfect recipe. I also miss brotchen, wurst, and REAL black forest cake.
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Well, i actually come from North Germany, borne in Berlin, Potsdam and then only later in Munich, no i don’t know what Maultaschen sind. My husband comes from South Germany, but he does not know either what it is. Knoedel, spaetzle and so, oh yes. But i learned to do the knoedel.
Yes, the real fresh Broetchen, i miss as well, and wurst. Hmm, but we have to adjust where we live. All good. Black Forest Cake, hey? Oh yes. And the real cheese cake.
All good.
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Maultaschen seems to be a Swabian thing–my experience has been northern Germans know nothing about it. Several kinds of meat ground with spinach and spices, wrapped inside a noodle. (Kind of like a giant ravioli.) It is usually either fried with egg, topped with a cheese sauce, or served with broth as a soup. There was a little place across from Patch Barracks that used to serve theirs with tomato sauce, probably because the Americans liked it that way. 🙂
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Sounds good, the Maultaschen. Thank you for explaining them. I have to confess, never heard of them. Never mind, but i can see, that one would like them. I miss the real German sour doe bread but finally found one, that come close to the one from Germany, but not all. But it’s okay. 😀
I just sent you an email for the information you asked. I hope they are okay.
Let me know.
Thank you so much for the great opportunity.
Bless you and have a wonderful day
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