When Sarah was four, she promised her mother she would be a good girl -- a proper young lady in their small country town -- and that she would ignore the creatures who appeared to her and whispered in her ear of things unknown. But like all creatures of myth and legend, they won’t be ignored forever.
Now thirteen, Sarah is attacked by a wolf with poisonous black fur and strange, human-looking eyes. With the help of a few unexpected friends, she manages to survive the attack but soon discovers the creatures have returned. They want Sarah to find a powerful gemstone and bring it to them in Lyrica, their magical homeworld.
Her new friends urge caution, however. There may be more monsters like the black wolf. And the creatures themselves are frightening. Can Sarah trust them? Stuck between reality and imagination, her mother’s wishes and her own desires, Sarah faces an impossible choice – break her promise or do nothing to save a world in peril.
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8547000.Natasha_D_Lane
Twitter: https://twitter.com/natasha_lane1
Website: https://www.natashalanewrites.com/
Excerpt: https://www.natashalanewrites.com/excerpt/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NatashaLaneWrites
Want to know what she listened to while writing this?
Playlist Explanation
PC&EGS Playlist:
All the songs were picked because they represented different aspects of the story and main character, Sarah. These songs also hit on several themes I included in the story such as trusting yourself and perseverance.
1) The Second Star to the Right by The Jud Conlon Chorus
In my novel, Sarah’s favorite book is Peter & Wendy (the original title of Peter Pan), so I
had to include a classic from the soundtrack. Peter, the lost boys, and childish
imagination are so important to Sarah in my story.
2) Just Around the Riverbend by Judy Kuhn in Pocahontas
For me, this song screams adventure which is what my story is all about at its core. The
idea that there could be a new journey “just around the riverbend” speaks to Sarah,
especially when she’s young and full of that wonderful childhood imagination.
3) Mama, I’m a Big Girl Now from the 2007 HairSpray Soundtrack
Though this song is upbeat, fun, and peppy, Sarah has a troubled relationship with her
mother in the story. They have a lot of conflict that really stems from her mother wanting
her to conform, to “be normal” because Sarah just isn’t “normal.”
I chose this song because, even though Sarah isn’t as bold as the characters who sing it,
she is a young woman, breaking free from parental rules to return to who she is.
4) Daddy’s Girl by 1 Girl Nation
In contrast to the relationship Sarah has with her mother, she and her father are pretty
close. Her father often steps in as a shield when her mother is berating her. He also has
more faith in Sarah and doesn’t expect her to change who she is. So, knowing that, it’s no
surprise she’s a daddy’s girl.
5) Can’t Take It by Imogen Heap from the Chronicles of Narnia Movie One
When Sarah first stumbles into the magical world Lyrica she’s both frightened and
amazed. Obviously, like any magical world, it’s a lot to take in and Sarah has to grasp it
all quickly because there’s a big job that needs to be done. This song is for those
moments when she’s allowed to just take in all that is Lyrica.
6) The Battle Instrumental by Harry Gregson from Chronicles of Narnia Movie One
Would any epic adventure be complete without a huge battle scene? I think not.
7) Keep Holding On by Avril Lavigne
Like any story, the path to the end goal is not easy. I definitely add in several bumps in
the road to make it harder for my characters. That said, throughout it all, they have to
remind themselves, as well as each other, to never give and to “keep holding on.”
8) Listen With Your Heart by Linda Hunt & Bobbi Page from Pocahontas Movie One
I was never a big princess type girl but Pocahontas is one of my favorite Disney movies,
even though the Disney version is horribly inaccurate.I still enjoy the song numbers, the
themes, like peace with nature and humanity, so it’s no surprise she got two spots on my
book’s playlist. In my novel, there’s also a talking tree that tells Sarah she needs to trust herself aka “listen with your heart.”
9) The Wolf by Fever Ray from the 2011 Red Riding Hood Movie
One of the main antagonists in the story is a pack of cursed wolves. How could I not add
a song from Red Riding Hood? Of course, my story isn’t a fairytale retelling but the wolf in this story is a classic villain.
Author Bio Short:
Natasha D. Lane is a friend of most things caffeinated, a lover of books, and a writing warrior to her core. As a big believer in the idea that “the pen is mightier than the sword,” she graduated from Juniata College in 2015 with hopes of becoming a journalist. While she still holds on to that dream, after spending some time in the corporate world and then completing a year of service, she decided it was time to return to publishing. Her first fantasy novel “The Pariah Child & the Ever-Giving Stone” is one of several works she plans on completing. If there were a single piece of advice Natasha could give to young writers, it’d be this: Write your way through life.
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