FREE Fantasy ‘City of Dreams’!

FREE This weekend only! ‘City of Dreams: A Paranormal Adventure’

 

Trapped between the city walls of Traumermoure and his loyalty to the girl, Aigle must find a way to save a human he hardly knows by entering her dreams . . .

 

‘City of Dreams’ is a YA stand-alone fantasy novella that captures the enchantment of the world of art and dreams, and the power of friendship and hope.

 

“This is a brilliantly woven fantasy that will leave you thinking about the ending long past the last turn of the page. She raises many interesting points about the origins of art which will have you analysing the story.The characters are enchanting, the setting brilliantly visual and the author’s talents to keep your eyes glued to the page are mind-blowing. Loved it!” –Anari

 

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Vegan Fiction Book List

When you are vegan for compassionate reasons like I am and enjoy reading it’s often a question when buying a book whether it is going to be animal friendly, or not.

I more than often start a book, only to be disappointed how non-human animals are being portrayed and treated.

A book description doesn’t always prepare or warn us and I have come across too many, especially fantasy books, whereby violence against other creatures is accepted and tolerated. Even riding on horses, or how they are used for war, can bug me. And don’t get me started on the subject of dragons! When is someone ever going to save a dragon instead of treating them like monsters and slaying the poor mythical creatures in the fantasy genre? I think I might devote an entire article on that, or better yet, write my own dragon story!

Also, the story line may be good enough in many a book, but what if our characters gorge on the flesh of other animals or have hunting and fishing as their hobbies? Can, or should we, see past this? After all, we pick up a book to be entertained, to escape, or to even fight the good cause with the main character, not to be exposed like we already are in real life to the cruelties of human kind.

How then and where can we find vegan friendly fiction books?

When doing a search on Amazon for ‘Vegan Fiction’ you’ll get over a 10.000 results. That’s great you think, right? Wrong. Most of these are vegan cook books. . . That’s not fiction. Don’t get me wrong, it’s positive there are so many vegan cook books at the moment, but those books should really fall under non-fiction to make it easier for the reader to find. Sadly it’s all been thrown in one pile. You can, of course, also find vegan fiction books there. I know, as I have gone through most of the list.

I have also typed in Vegan Fiction in Google and found a vegan publisher: Ashland Creek Press. Their Website has tons of eco-friendly and vegan fiction books (VegLit).

And if you’re patient enough I’ll give you even more books! The list is at the bottom of the article.

First, let’s try to break vegan fiction down into two types: the entertainment side and the educational side. Vegan fiction can cover both types of fiction, but that is easily enough to determine from the book blurb.

1. Entertainment and escapism. To not be confronted with the habits of the meat-eating and animal abusing world. To simply relax and enjoy a good story. To be entertained, and to forget. These books in any genre have a normal plotline with main characters that just happen to be vegan.
2. Education and activism. The author has a clear vegan or eco-message wrapped up in the story with vegan or non-human characters. The author’s intention is to speak up for the animals, for the planet, and ultimately, for us all. For the reader to find a connection with the characters whom we as a vegan can easier relate to. To be faced with the current problems, future ones, or possible struggles. To help us think about our own situation, and what we could, or would do, to solve them. These novels can be dark, but they can also give us hope. They are often speculative and written to challenge us, vegan or not, to make us think hard about our values and questions our unquestioned morals. These books can even be life-changers for those who are not vegan yet.

So, I have created a list of vegan fiction books that are currently available for all ages and covers most genres (although I do favour fantasy and lesfic for personal reasons). It is not a complete list of course and I haven’t read all of them, but it gives a good idea of what is out there. I have also created a Top10 list of my favourite vegan books with short reviews which is published on The Vegan Society’s website here: https://www.vegansociety.com/news/blog/your-guide-veglit

On Amazon you can also read the blurbs of every book and samples by clicking on the “Look Inside” feature.

Also, if you have read a vegan fiction book that is not yet included in the list below, let me know: CONTACT ME as my aim is to compile a complete list to share with the vegan and literary communities world-wide! Here is my start:

Vegan Fiction (A-Z) with vegan characters or an animal rights’ plot:

 A Report to the Academy – Franz Kafka (literary)

Amanda the Teen Activist – Feathers & Freedom (children’s fiction)

Among Animals 1 & 2 (a collection of stories) – several authors

Among Animals (Tiergeschichten) –  Manfred Kyber

Animals: A Novel – Don LePan (sci-fi)

Animal Lex talionis – Sunny Augustine

Axiom’s End – Lindsay Ellis

Balance of Fragile Things – Olivia Chadha

Beasts – Ana Levley (dystopian, lesfic)

Beef – Mat Blackwell (dystopian, humor)

Best Vegan Science Fiction & Fantasy of 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020

Bestiary: Three Weird Tales – Nicholas P. Oakley

Call Off The Search – Natasja Hellenthal (fantasy, drama)

Children of The Sun – Natasja Hellenthal (fantasy, drama)

Chained Freedom – Natasja Hellenthal (fantasy, lesfic)

City of Dreams – Natasja Hellenthal (fantasy, paranormal)

Children of Time – Adrian Tchaikovsky (sci-fi)

Children of Ruin – Adrian Tchaikovsky (sci-fi)

Diary of a Dieting Madhouse – Paige Singleton

Don’t Bang the Barista! – Leigh Matthews

Earthlings – Ray Star (YA fantasy)

Escape (Diamond Song Book 1) – E.D.E Bell (fantasy)

Elizabeth Costello – J.M. Coetzee

Falling into Green: An Eco-Mystery – Cher Fisher

Fire Bringer – David Clement Davies (fantasy)

Float – JoeAnn Hart eco/romance

Forgetting English – Midge Raymond

Frankenstein – Mary Shelley

Hackenfeller’s Ape – Brigid Brophy

Halfbreed – Hickory Mack (paranormal fantasy)

Holy Cow – Ruth Hawe

Horsehide – Tracey Williamson

Kings of the Jungle – Daniel S. Fletcher

Komoreby – Sue Vida ( Sci-Fi)

Love & Ordinary Creatures – Gwyn Hyman Rubio

Lithia Trilogy: Out of Breath (1), The Ghost Runner (2), The Last Mile (3) – Blair Richmond (YA)

Memoirs of a Fighting Dog – Kaida Ashia

Mort (e) (War with No Name #1) – Robert Repino (warning: contains graphic violence)

Mother Nature’s Secret – Marian Hailey-Moss (children’s fiction)

My Days of Dark Green Euphoria: A novel – A.E. Copenhaver

My Year of Meats – Ruth Ozeki

My Last Continent – Midge Raymond

Minny’s Dream – Clare Druce

Odd Robert – Will Lowrey (eco/animal rights)

Outside Inside – Anne Grange

Oryx and Crake – Margaret Atwood (sci-fi)

Off the Reservation – Glen Merzer

Persimmon Takes on Humanity (The Enlightment Adventures: Book 1) – Christopher Locke (YA)

Popco – Scarlett Thomas (contemporary, adventure, science)

Project Hail Mary – Andy Weir

Quarterling – Natasja Hellenthal (YA lesfic fantasy)

Salazar – Seth Lynch (noir mystery)

Something in the Water – Ben Starling

Spireseeker – E.D.E Bell (fantasy)

Survival Skills – Jean Ryan

Strays – Jennifer Caloyeras (contemporary, YA)

Skinny Bitch in Love – Kim Barnouin

SkyWhisperers – Natasja Hellenthal (YA lesfic fantasy)

The Soul Thief – Beth Lyons (lesfic fantasy)

The Adventures of Vivian Sharpe, Vegan Superhero – Marla Rose (children’s fiction)

The Awareness – Gene Stone

The Banished Craft – E.D.E Bell (fantasy)

The Bees – Laline Paull

The BFG – Roald Dahl (children’s fiction)

The Boy from Tomorrow – Camille DeAngelis historical/timetravel/paranormal/children’s fiction

The Cha-Cha Babes of Pelican Way – Frances Metzman

The Thread that Binds, an Activist Romance – Michael Morris

The Trap and the Chain (The Kinship Series) – Robin Lamont

The Comyenti Series (Call Off The Search (1), Children of The Sun (2) – Natasja Hellenthal (Supernatural Fantasy)

The Crows of Beara – Julie Christine Johnson

The Dragon Keeper – Mindy Mejia (thriller)

The Earthling Rebellions – Andi Hayes

The Echo of Others – S.D. Rowell

The Exile of Elindel – Carol Browne (fantasy)

The Fettered Flame – E.D.E Bell (fantasy)

The Flying Crooked Series (SF), Suppose We (1), Falling Up (2), Kepler’s Son (3, coming soon) – Geoff Nelder

The Green and the Red – Armand Chauvel (romance, eco)

The Gift that Time forgot – T.M. Dewfall (children’s fiction)

The Humans – Matt Haig (sci-fi, eco)

The Plague Dogs – Richard Adams (YA)

The Promised Land – Manfred Kyber

The Seep – Chana Porter

The Stone Gods – Jeanette Winterson – (sci-fi lesfic)

The Three Candles of Little Veronika – Manfred Kyber

The Tourist Trail – John Yunker

The Martian – Andy Weir

The Names of Things – John Colman Wood

The Lives of Animals – J.M. Coetzee

The Longing – Bridget Essex (lesfic)

The Ugly Princess: The Legend of the Winnowwood – Henderson Smith

The Animals v. Samuel Willis – Will Lowrey

The World of Wickham Mossrite – J.L. Morse

The Year of the Flood, (MaddAddam #2), MaddAddam (#3) – Margaret Atwood

Thornfruit – Felicia Davin (lesfic fantasy)

Vincent and the Dissidents (The Enlightment Adventures Book 2) – Christopher Locke (YA)

Watership Down – Richard Adams (YA)

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves -Karen Joy Fowler (contemporary)

Winterhued – E.H. Alger (medieval historical fantasy)

Words on a Killing – Will Lowrey (contemporary)

Why did I write ‘Quarterling’?

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You may or may not know that The Comyenti Series, from which ‘Quarterling’ is a part of being a spin-off novel, is a fantasy series that as a whole is really close to my heart. It always has been, more so than all my other books. Being a huge animal lover, vegan, and empath myself writing about an alien humanoid species, who are all mind-speaking empaths, and have all these amazing animal abilities, but with their own weaknesses comes almost natural to me. That probably shouldn’t come as a surprise for those that know me. Especially since most of my life I have almost felt like an alien on this world myself! Being sensitive to noise, bright lights, strong smells, fainting in crowds, wanting different things in life than others my age, reading different books, being vegan, and lesbian! I am also quite a private person, so I guess not many people know much about me at all, hence why I started this newsletter in the first place.

But, I digress. All of the main characters certainly feel like different parts of me I wanted to explore. Especially Sula Comyenti who started it all in book 1: ‘Call Off the Search’ which was originally called ‘Small Sacrifice’, and who has been with me from the start shaping the story and series with me, always insisted in getting heard. For a writer it is almost impossible not to listen to those voices in your head! They won’t leave you alone until you write their stories down. No, you are not insane, you are a writer. That is our excuse, at least.
Still, I just love writing every book that is either part of the series or a spin-off story such as Quarterling is, so I really don’t mind. Besides, Sula is always great company.It became clear to me though that after writing the first two books the characters had much more to say and to do before I started writing book three. I knew I just couldn’t fit it all in without losing the main thread of the book and for the readers to lose the plot. These characters, once an adult, deserved each their own story, their own novel. And that is what I am doing. That is the plan at least. Sula has five children so they all get their own book, some even more than one. There are three so far and a fourth is in the making!

There is ‘Chained Freedom’ (Free download here: https://www.amazon.com/Chained-Freedom-Comyenti-Natasja-Hellenthal-ebook/dp/B00IK4OWXE/ ) in which Fay had a brief appearance, but she was only really a side-character like in book 1 and 2, not a main one. So she kept insisting on telling her own story! Her voice grew stronger and louder. I had already told Aigle’s story in ‘City of Dreams’, or at least one of his stories, and I felt it was time for Sula’s first born Fay to really tell hers.

Beside it being a coming of age story and one of unrequited love, and just about being young leaving home for the first time, I have been toying with the idea of writing some of my own experiences down. The things I have witnessed whilst living in Norway, Wales, and the South of France especially have always stayed with me. The animal cruelty and accidents whilst I was out hiking mostly. I wanted to share these experiences with my readers and what better way than through a story? They say, write what you know, and that is what I have always done. I have changed the facts around slightly as in my case I was mostly too late, but not always. Once I did save a nearly drowned sheep from a freezing, roaring river, and one bird out of a football net, but found another sheep dead with her head stuck in a fence and other sheep washed ashore. These images never left me. The rat I saved two years ago still lives with me as I couldn’t find a surrogate mother. Fay reminds me slightly of myself when I was seventeen. Full of big ideas, hopes and dreams, and that life isn’t always how we plan it to be. Love isn’t either. It can come in various forms and may not be what we imagined it to be.
Fay started to tell me her story from the time she left home. It was easy to let her live some of my own experiences and see what she would have done, with or without her super powers. And how I would wish I had those powers often! But then again, she is restricted in some ways. How? Well, you will just have to read the story. 

Speaking of superpowers though, especially a female superhero, saving animals, not people this time, was needed, desperately I felt. I have researched but only found one or two other books with a vegan superhero, but they were all for children… Why, I wonder are animals always associated with children or children’s stories? Don’t adults love animals? Do we outgrow them and their cuteness? Don’t we want to read about their happy ending? Adults love their pets, but often can’t extend it to other animals. Most don’t want to think about the suffering, the exploited animals, at least not enough to want to save them. Vegans do. Luckily. Thus a story was born. Fay was going to be a superhero for the animals with an older audience, okay young adults more precisely as she herself is only seventeen when the story starts, but still, it’s a start. I do hope to reach a broad audience with Fay’s story. That is why there are many more subjects thrown in: coming of age, parents, adventure, romance and a touch of magic.

Well, I won’t ramble on too much as this should just be a little post about what made me want to write ‘Quarterling’. Whilst writing I did try to have an audience in mind. I can imagine other vegans want a hero they can relate to or look up to, so it is for them to have a story to feel at home in without too much violence or visual content. But is still is a story about animal activism and what we can all do, or can’t and about hoping to change people, but how? And if we can, should we and to what ends? There are many questions of a deeper nature. Of right and wrong, of grey areas, and that even if we have certain powers there are even more powerful forces at work we cannot always control, and we find ourselves powerless. It’s a story of wanting to save the world, of change both in and outside of us, of being different and finding our way in the world, of acceptance, of having responsibilities and what it means to be an adult. And I also hope to reach those hearts that haven’t quite made compassionate choices yet. For those who say they love animals. Who knows what changes they will make? One can always hope.

Read more about my inspiration and need for wanting to write this story in the Afterword in ‘Quarterling’, now ready for pre-order here: 

https://www.amazon.com/QUARTERLING-Lesbian-Young-Adult-Fantasy-ebook/dp/B07FF5RH15/

Share the link on your social media to share the love, thanks (:

Excerpt

‘Fay, there is no need to lie to me, you know. I have observed you and seen what you can do. You are clearly not from Bhan. If you were, your kind would have surely taken over from the humans.’
‘Why would you say that and what exactly have you see me doing? Wait, it’s from around the time of the market day I have sensed your presence, isn’t it? What did you see me do?’
‘Enough to know that you act as if these animals are your responsibility, but they are not.’
Fay’s eyes widened and she was numb for a moment as if shocked to hear that. ‘Then whose? If it wasn’t for me they would all still be suffering or dead by now!’
‘It’s not for you to decide, to interfere.’
‘What? So, you’re saying that if you see an injustice done to another soul, or an injured creature, you walk away from it? What if it had been members of your own kind caged in that market?’
‘We’ve never been captured,’ Zemandu answered calmly, unaffected.
‘Perhaps you should be so you know what it’s like.’
‘And you do?’
‘Even if I didn’t I would still care. It’s called having a heart. Besides, all of us carry the painful memories of our ancestors in us. It’s enough for us to feel empathy for other species, because we were treated not too dissimilarly. My kind were trapped, not for food, but as curiosities, and when humans couldn’t get what they wanted from us, killed. We were seen as a threat and menace to humanity, not allowed to live side by side with them like you are.’
‘You can fly, you are immensely strong, you can make fires like I can, and you can communicate with all these anima—’ ‘Argh,’ Fay grunted. She had seen all that? How had she let this happen?
‘No need to be shy or worried. I won’t tell anybody. There is always one dominant species on any planet. What, you didn’t think this was the only habitable planet in the entire universe, did you?’

 

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Redefining the Hero: The Extrapolated Costume Design of Wonder Woman — Discover

Wonder Woman was filled with beautiful, powerful costuming, and a rich, detailed culture for the Amazons — and it all came from Lynda Carter and her 1970’s leotard.

via Redefining the Hero: The Extrapolated Costume Design of Wonder Woman — Discover

NEW RELEASE! The Cursed

Fionnuala and her brothers lead a magical, carefree life in the emerald Tuatha kingdom of Lir in ancient Ireland. But when their mother dies in childbirth their world is turned upside down.
Left heartbroken, King Lir locks himself up in his bedchamber, leaving the children to fend for themselves. Fionnuala, old enough to leave and marry, takes it upon herself to care for her younger brothers. But then little Conn falls ill.

When Aoife with her dark crimson hair, the bluest eyes, and uplifting spirit arrives to heal him, they all fall for her; Fionnuala the most. Yet, somehow it is her father Aoife chooses to marry…
Feeling betrayed and hurt the princess has great trouble accepting this, but she doesn’t know the truth of the real reason why Aoife agreed on marrying the king. Will the two women find a way to be together, or is a jealous king going to stop them?

Suspenseful, romantic and seeped in Irish myth and magic, ‘The Cursed’ captures a dramatic adult lesbian-fairytale twist on ‘Lir’s Children’ and the power of love, hope and patience.

Click here to get yours

Native-American lgbt fantasy myth FALLEN STARS

In memory of the 100 million Native-Americans who lost their lives. Let them not be forgotten. Nor their myths and legacy. ❤
I fact, in 161 native tribes, being gay was fully accepted as souls loving one another was more important than being the ‘right gender’ for being together.

My #lgbt/ #lesbian #ebook for #kindle ‘Fallen Stars’ is based on an old #NativeAmerican Tsimshian #myth. This is the tale of two extraordinary women.

“This was a story unlike any other I have read. I loved the setting, the myth like lore and especially the characters. They were strong and brave. Their trust and love in each other secure after their dangerous journey, especially toward the ending. Simply wonderful, technically sound and very enjoyable. Although not an erotic it is very romantic and thought provoking. It made my heart mushy and all I could say was awww.” Ameliah Faith​

New Cover for Call Off The Search!

I’ve been thinking to change the cover for ages now as it just wasn’t generating enough sales and I didn’t really like it. It was too dark, too depressing. So, I came across this picture which I bought from Shutterstock. It’s perfect as it portrays Sula, the main character much better. The feathers for her mind merging/flying abilities. The quantity of them; members of her race, vanishing like feathers on the wind. Her bronze skin, her green eyes, but also her sensuality. tThe fact that she looks in the camera with a defiant look, makes her appear stronger which she is, but her mouth depicts vulnerability as well.

What do you think? Would you want to read the book by seeing the cover and reading the blurb:

What if you’re the last of your kind? What if you’re so different you had to hide? Hide from people responsible for the annihilation of your kind? Would you be safe, ever? Could you forgive?

For Sula it’s not so easy. She possesses superpowers of which humans can only dream, but she has one fatal weakness–one which let to the downfall of her people–the comyentis. Jealous of their ability to merge their minds with animals to instill their abilities, people sought her kind out and destroyed them. After living a life in hiding, years searching for others of her kind, Sula faces a difficult choice. With not just her own life but her whole species’ held precariously within her hands, she feels the weight of her responsibility.

Will she be able to overcome her aversion to humans to save her species from total annihilation? And what else is in store for her?
Will she follow her head or her heart?

‘Call Off The Search’, Book One in the supernatural fantasy Comyenti Series, follows Sula as she fights for her new family, her female lover, her hopes, her freedom and the very existence of her species.
The dramatic sequel, ‘Children of The Sun’ is also available on e-book and in paperback.

                                                                                                                                                      

“A fantasy novel that boldly goes where most works in the genre dare not tread.” ~ John R. Dizon,

#1 in lgbt fantasy TOP RATED February-May 2015.

Get yours here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HIRTFZE

Cover Reveal for new Fantasy novella ‘The Cursed’

I’m pleased to announce the cover for my new #Fantasy novella to be released next month!

I originally called it ‘The Legend of Aoife and Fionnuala’ and it was accepted by a publisher, but I decided to pull out to have full control. That’s me! (:

~In the emerald Tuatha kingdom of Lir, in ancient Ireland, Fionnuala and her brothers lead a magical, carefree life. But when their mother dies their world is turned upside down. Left heartbroken, their father the King locks himself in his bedchamber, leaving Princess Fionnuala to care for her younger brothers. But when little Conn falls gravely ill she must seek help.

When a healer named Aoife arrives all of them fall for her beauty, but none as much as Fionnuala. The feelings are mutual, or so it seems…
However, King Lir, taken by her radiance and red hair– similar to that of his late wife– takes her for himself and marries her.
Betrayed and hurt by this, will Fionnuala find a way to be with Aoife, or will a jealous King come between them?

Suspenseful, romantic and seeped in myth and magic, novella ‘The Cursed’ captures a dramatic twist on the Irish Myth ‘Lir’s Children’ encompassing the power of love, hope and patience.

Stay tuned for the release date in December!

NEW COVERS COMYENTI SERIES BOOK 1 AND 2!

 

CALL OFF THE SEARCH: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HIRTFZE

CHILDREN OF THE SUN: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N2U9GE6

BOOK 3, CONTROLLER OF THE SENSES: COMING WINTER 2015!

Symbolism and thoughts on short story ‘Chained Freedom’ by Natasja Hellenthal

“This is not a fairytale, but a true story,” storyteller Tana Woodwolf tells the audience at the start of ‘Chained Freedom’.

This is some more information, symbolism and random thoughts about ‘Chained Freedom’, a thought-provoking fantasy. I’ve written the story some years ago whilst being stuck in a rather, suffocating relationship. I always had the choice to step out sooner than I did, but I didn’t feel ‘free’ enough, or ‘ready’ enough, or even ‘strong’ enough to do so but moreover full of guilt.
Instead, I wrote this story, as all my stories are based on my own life and experiences to some degree. I’m not Tana, mind you, but I feel like I know her really well!
But it’s not just relationships, of any kind, we can relate this story to, and apply it to our lives; it’s any kind of loss of freedom really. Freedom; everyone’s birthright, but so very fragile and easily swept away from us, whether we let it happen consciously, or more than often not. It could also be through religion, our upbringing, conditioning and social dogma’s that we get trapped without giving it a second thought.
When are we really free?

‘Chained Freedom’ is a short story featuring Fay Comyenti, first daughter of Sula and Felix from the first book in a Fantasy drama series, ‘Call Off The Search’ (Comyenti Series), and how she helps a woman break free from a magical entrapment.
Fay is not the main character, but an important side-character, who reminds the main character of Chained Freedom, Tana Woodwold, of her own inner strength.

Short synopsis:

Tana Woodwolf wakes to find herself trapped within a strange land. She learns quickly from the faces of the others that this is no paradise she has been transported to; it is a prison.
Unable to escape, Tana soon discovers that a dark and malignant force is dragging them, one-by-one, to unreachable higher rooms of the tower from which they never return.
If she is to ever escape from there then she will need to use all the guile and strength she has within her. Does one of the others hold the key? Or is it something else within the prison that she needs to study?
As the darkness comes nearer, a strange voice whispers, ‘Look and be free… You have to let go of what you know.’
Should she trust the voice? Should she trust the others? Does she even have a choice?
As despair and terror closes in around them all, only one person can discover the truth and save them…

Symbolism of Chained Freedom (spoiler alert!)

Tana, once free, is determined to also help free the other slaves. She won’t rest until she has found a way to do so. She cannot be completely free, until then she is still chained. Little does she know that the Wizard is the very embodiment of Evil and can never be defeated. It’s the balance of life, of light and dark, of right and wrong. It is more than that: as long as men continue to do evil, hurt other people, the Wizard will live. Only people with dark thoughts are being transported! That’s the first rule.
As for the other slaves, they are people like Tana, who cannot be broken free from the outside, but themselves will have to try to find a way from the inside.
Some people aren’t ready yet and live with a curtain (the magic wall), closed over their eyes. Others, like Tana, with a little help, can see an opening and find a way to lift the veil to let the light in again; a way to see the world in its true light and find goodness. Hope is the key that can open the heart which is the way. Compassion and love are the door(s).

Tower: Patriarchal dominance and world-leader ship. The prisoners end up there (close to the evil wizard) as a first warning and to actually been given a second choice. Not the real criminals are being put here, as they get a harder punishment, but people, like Tana, with minor crimes.
Prisoners: that’s what we all are unless we break through. Also a reference to ‘free range’ animals, or caged domesticated animals, who can’t escape at all. The prisoners know, like farmed animals, that they will end up dead and live in fear (both have been proven).
Wizard: Pure evil. But really it’s not about him, he is just a symbol. That’s why he has no face, no name, no voice and no real role in the story, because it’s about the slaves and their own inner wizard, their own evil inside of themselves. You can choose to do either good or bad. But you cannot be good to others if you’re not good to yourself first.
Disbelieve of their fate: What have they done wrong to deserve this? That’s a real life question of many people in ‘chained’ or difficult situations.
The Magic wall: the curtain or veil that is drawn over our eyes, making us forget our innocence and to be in touch with the real world around us.
Fay: the helper, someone who believes in Tana, for we all need someone to have faith in us; to do what seems the impossible.
Chains: invisible, but they’re still there. Also our responsibility to help others. We can never be truly free unless the whole world is. Until then we are still half-chained or with
one hand.

The message that Tana is trying to give to other people is: Be good, do good, be kind to one another. If you don’t, you’ll end up in the tower. Because she had found kindness and a love in her own heart, hope and a lightness in her being, maybe by doing good, helping others, she found a way out and the wizard ‘let’ her escape, because she was changed and no longer evil.
I believe that with the right mind-set and help people indeed can change.
This story to me is the ultimate story of good and evil, right and wrong and how we can all fight our own evil in ourselves and help others. Surely by helping others you reduce the evil in your heart. The opening in the wall in the end was bigger and felt easier for Tana to find.

Quotes:

“If you cannot change a situation why not improve the quality of life around you?”

“You see, you’re only chained if you allow yourself to be chained. Your soul, the real you, cannot be put in shackles and will always be free.”

“You can’t possibly make holes in the wall for everyone. I don’t think it works that way,’ Fay said. ‘You’ve seen it with your own eyes. They have to, like you did, create their own doorway.’
‘So, I’ll show them how. I can teach them how to escape, I’m sure I can.’
I had a feeling she didn’t agree with me.
‘I’m not saying you can’t, but how does the old saying go; prevention is better than a cure?”

“The other prisoners and I had one thing in common: our enslavement, chains or not, and there surely would be more people after my leaving, perhaps I had been replaced already.
Am I free?
Even though I could have easily walked away and forgotten all about the mysterious evil wizard and his slaves, I just couldn’t. Until then, my freedom was still in chains.”

End Note:

After nearly ten years of being thrown backwards and forwards, of living in doubt and insecurities, of a life half lived in freedom, half in chains, I managed to free myself from my own forged shackles. But, complete freedom is of course a big word. I will always have my responsibilities as we do, some I created, but since then I’m much stronger and aware and am no longer shackled. The chains I wear these days or made of invisible soft silver cords.
I’m even more conscious of the meaning of freedom and what we are all doing with it once we have it, or what we do to get it back when we don’t.
Every day in freedom is a gift. Many don’t have it and are still fighting that struggle, some have lost their lives.
We are all bound to each other through invisible, silver lines as I call them. They are not just those attached to our family and friends, but to everyone. I believe we owe it to others who are less fortunate and need our help, even if we don’t know them.
We cannot help everyone, but everyone can help someone.

‘Chained Freedom’ is available here:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IK4OWXE

Listen to the book here:http://www.booktrack.com/read/d9408688c713442e8476cf3a46693f5a