Saturday, April 16, 2022

🐰Saturday's Series Spotlight🐰: Elves After Dawn Part 1



Blueberry Bunny Boy by Leona Windwalker
Summary:
Elves After Dawn #1
Mallow is a walking disaster when it comes to all things Easter, and for an elf in Bunnyville, that's the worst thing possible!

Mallow

I've tried every Easter production station possible. I sneezed the chickens bald, and there's no way they are letting me anywhere near the ducks or bunnies now. Basket weaving? The less said about my attempts there, the better. Preparing the real eggs? I set the water to boil them on literal fire, and when they moved me to egg painting, I broke out in hives. I swelled up so big, they had to bring me down from where I floated up to the ceiling. If we'd been outside, I'd have drifted off like some errant cloud! Candy testing is out as I hate sweets, so it all tastes disgusting to me.

I'm such a disaster as an Easter Elf that Peter Cottontail himself had a meeting with Kris Kringle to figure out where in Kringle Enterprises they could safely put me. That's how I found myself assigned to the human world, working for the Feed and Seed department. Arranging and collecting deliveries of fresh greens and stuff for the bunnies and chicks should be fine, right? I knew I'd struck gold when on my very first day, I found it- a place called Rabbit Food. And the human working there? Oh wow...I think he might just be my mate!


Elfing Up Easter by Sophie E Russell
Summary:
Elves After Dawn #2
Arlo and Mr. Santa are enjoying their new life together, but when the actual Santa Claus asks them to help find the missing Easter Bunny, their relationship is put to the test. Arctic Elf twins, Finn and Torr, lead them on a wild duck(?) chase through the Appalachian Mountains while they try to get their new toy business off the ground and locate the missing rabbit(?) before the land dies, taking the magic of Easter with it.

***This is the third book in the universe with Mr. Santa and Arlo. To enhance the reading experience, make sure you read Secret Little Elf and Binding Dom first.***


Legend of the Easter Dragon by Kelsey Hodge
Summary:
Elves After Dawn #3
Alwyn
Secrets and ancient prophecies are all make-believe, right?
I’m nobody special, just your average person looking forward to the one day a year I get to spend with my best friend. Suddenly, when fairytales and prophecies storm into my life, everything changes... quite literally.

Llewellyn
Some secrets are necessary when the truth is unbelievable.
Alwyn’s always been special to me, but there are things I keep hidden from him. Revelations that are too unbelievable for the human world. When my best friend is suddenly thrust into my world, the truth must be told, and our friendship and future change in ways I never expected—but always secretly hoped for.



Blueberry Bunny Boy by Leona Windwalker
1 
Mallow 
I looked forlornly down at my arms. Thankfully, it had only taken one butterscotch candy to stop my eyes from and nose from running. The pink drying streaks of calamine looked almost pretty against the rich blue of my skin, the purple weals of my hives adding an attractive but most unwelcome bit of color to the overall pattern. 

Peter stood next to me in the infirmary, shaking his head. “I could use some suggestions, Kris,” he said to the not looking so jolly elf next to him. 

Yeah, I was deep in the rabbit droppings all right. This time, my failure had been kicked all the upstairs to the office of our head honcho, Peter Cottontail himself and he’d called in the CEO himself.

“Well, now, I’m not too familiar with this part of Kringle Enterprises,” Mr. Kringle said. “I know we merged our companies together after you and Kristelle mated, but us over at HQ have always held that you folks here in Bunnyville knew what you were doing and that it was better for us to remain mostly hands off.” He stroked his white beard thoughtfully. “Normally, I’d suggest sending him to the Pole and see if he fit in better at one of the departments there, but I’m not entirely sure that would be the best option here.” 

Peter winced. “Yeah, no. Most of the reasons behind him not working out in any of the various departments would hold true over there as well.” 

He wasn’t wrong. I hated sweets, for one thing, so working candy fulfillment in any way was out. It wasn’t just the overall sugariness of it all, it was what it did to me. Give real sugar, even just the tiniest bit during a necessary taste testing session, and I bounced around like a young jack rabbit on a pogo stick. Give me the sugar free stuff and I became extremely gassy. After I bloated up and floated up to the ceiling like a big, fat blueberry a la Violet Beaureguarde and had to be lassoed, brought down, and degassed, I wasn’t sorry one bit when they took me out of the candy section. 

Sewing plush bunnies and other toys for baskets? Turns out I have a knack for breaking bobbin cases. Basket weaving? Yeah, I’m not that co-ordinated and while I did manage to turn out a usable basket, one basket every eight days turns out to be rather too slow. Sprig Sugarpeep next to me was churning them out one every ten minutes, his deft hands and magic just going at it. I tried using my own magic to go faster, but it presented me with what looked like an enormous misshapen coffee cup that couldn’t hold so much as a drop of liquid.

Collecting eggs? My feather allergy made me sneeze and I kinda exploded out a bit of natural defensive magic. I’m still getting looks over the bald chickens and they won’t let me anywhere near the ducks now, either. 

“He can’t even paint the eggs, you say?” Kris murmured to Peter. 

“No,” Peter sighed. “He burns water so can’t help boil them, and what he didn’t drop of the boiled eggs he was trying to decorate, he did okay with. Only it turns out he’s allergic to the dyes. This is the result. And he can’t go on plastic egg duty as they are full up.” 

“What about Bunny duty?” Kris asked. 

“All full up from the Krampus detail. Plus with those hives, we were worried about him being in a suit and scratching. Not to mention getting calamine flakes and smears all in there.” 

“Is he allergic to fur? Was thinking about the real rabbits,” Kris said. “No, don’t tell me, he’s allergic to animal fur.” 

“After the chickens, we didn’t want to risk it,” Peter sighed. “And the pixies refused to take him on for flower duty in case he was allergic to flowers and turned them all into giant Triffids or something in response.” 

“Yeah, that wouldn’t be good. Hey, what about collecting the extra feed, rather than doing the actual feeding?” 

Peter looked dumbstruck. “Now why didn’t I think of that?” He turned to me. “Mallow, how long can you hold a glamor?” 

“Um, depends on how complicated,” I answered honestly. “I can make my ears look less pointy, disguise my fangs, and make myself not look blue for as long as I want, unless I’m asleep. Making people think they are seeing a giant rabbit is harder, though, and I can only do that for a couple of hours at most, and then only if nothing distracts me too much.” 

“No, no, not rabbits. We get our carrots and other veggies for the rabbits and bird feed for the chickens and ducks from the human world. We can’t buy it all in one place, so the Department of Feed and Seed sends out elves to pick up deliveries from local organic suppliers out in the human world.” 

“I could do that!” I said excitedly. 

“Well, glad that’s sorted,” Kris said. “You ever been out in the human world, son?” 

“No, but I’ve watched a lot of TV shows and movies,” I replied earnestly. Peter and Kris exchanged glances. “I’ll assign Glitter to help keep an eye on him. They can stay at the same motel,” Peter said. 

Kris nodded, turning his attention back to me. “Glitter is a well-intentioned elf, but I have one word of advice for you and you would do well to understand that it directly relates to why he earned enough Krampus points to get Mall Bunny duties. Do not eat anything he offers you unless you see it delivered by an actual restaurant worker and avoid any special snow globe side trips he offers.” 

“I won’t,” I promised. In fact, given my allergies and sensitivities, I’d do one better. I’d not eat anything I didn’t get myself. As for the snow globe trip thing, I didn’t see that happening either. I was going to go to the human realm, do my job, and prove myself a useful Elf. Nothing else mattered at all!



Elfing Up Easter by Sophie E Russell
Prologue 
“Sir,” the small man said after stepping onto a thick rug that spanned nearly the circumference of the round room with carved oak walls. He was shorter than the maroon leather wingback chairs he stood between, but his face was lined with age and worry. His silver eyes glowed in the firelight as he stared at his taller companion’s back. “I haven’t been able to reach him.” 

The big man stroked his brocade smoking jacket and stuck his hand inside the deep pocket where he touched a letter. He turned his back on the gigantic snow globe—which appeared to have trapped a thunderstorm—and faced his friend. He smiled, and his blue eyes crinkled. “Don’t call me, sir. How many times do I have to remind you?” 

The small man shrugged his narrow shoulders, and his dark green hat shifted to one side. “At least once more.” Without invitation, he sat on the plush leather sofa beside the man. “Has she called yet?” 

“No, but I have a feeling I know what it’s about.” The big man moved between the other set of wingback chairs and sat on a red velvet sofa across from his friend.

“Word travels fast.” The small man’s feet dangled a few inches above the floor, but he leaned over and braced his elbows on his bony knees. “We’re going to need his help for this. Do you want me to try reaching him another way?” 

The big man nodded. “You have permission. I’ll deal with Tez. You know how he gets about his mirrors.” 

“I do. That’s why I didn’t want to talk to him.” The small man looked thoughtful, as his wrinkles of worry eased on his weathered olive skin. “The twins might be able to help, too, sir.” 

Sighing, the big man nodded again. “I know.” He smoothed his trimmed white beard with a meaty hand and dragged his smile away. His shoulders angled downward in defeat. “ I just don’t want to send them away.” 

His friend hopped off the sofa and gave him a wry, but knowing, smile. “Now you know how I felt.” 

“Yes. Call the twins. I have a feeling Esther is just running late. When you reach him, ask him to bring the others. They’d probably help, too.” 

“Yes, sir!” The small man gave a mock salute. 

The big man’s cheeks flushed with irritation, but his eyes pinched as he fought a smile. “Stop calling me that!” 

“Maybe later!”



Legend of the Easter Dragon by Kelsey Hodge
Prologue 
A young elf stands in the middle of the field, surveying the surrounding landscape. Smoke hangs thick in the air that is filled with the sounds of shouting and roaring, the swish of approaching wings mixing the cacophony together. Looking up, the elf watches as a huge white dragon flies overhead, scanning the ground and appearing to be looking for somewhere to land. Though whether to fight or talk, the elf can’t be sure, and yet they continue to observe the beast while standing amongst the scorched scars of battle. The need to run and hide has long since passed. The battle is over; there are no victors... the paths have now been decided. 

The dragon swoops down to land; such a majestic beast. His scales are a pure white and untarnished by the combat, the smoke trickling from his nostrils the only sign of his inclusion in the fight. Lumbering up to the elf, the dragon bows gracefully, acknowledging that he, too, knows of the decisions that have been made. 

The elf approaches the dragon and bows in front of him, confirming the respect they have for each other. The elf’s green dress has the appearance of newly grown grass and is covered in fresh flowers, designed to mark the heralding of spring,

“So, great dragon, the paths have been decided,” the elf states in a voice that is both sweet and gentle. 

The dragon nods in affirmation and walks in a circle around the elf before finally speaking. 

“Indeed, the paths have been decided. The line of dragons shall end today.” The dragon bows his head again, but there is a hint of sadness in his eyes. 

The elf places a hand on the side of the dragon's snout, feeling the heat resonate from the beast, which causes the elf's hand to glow white-hot, and yet there is no pain. 

“Yes, my great white dragon, though this is not the end of your line. Hopefully, many years from now, a time will come when this”—The elf stretches out their hand and waves it around the scene before them—“will all be forgotten. A time when the decisions made upon this day will no longer mean anything. We may meet again, my great dragon friend.” 

“No, my elf friend, the decisions made on this day are final,” the dragon states with little force behind his words, but the heaviness on his heart this causes can be felt emanating from him. 

Knowing this is not the time to disagree or mention the plan the elf has set in motion, the elf, instead, heads towards the edge of the field and to the tree line. Turning, the elf watches as the great white dragon stretches his neck up towards the heavens and roars, becoming surrounded by a brilliant light of white, so bright that for a second, the elf is forced to shield their eyes. When they can look again, the dragon is gone, and instead, in his place stands the figure of a human man. Yet as the elf looks more closely, the eyes shining back at them are the same as the dragon who had been there moments before.

The man scans the tree line as if looking for someone, but the elf knows they can no longer be seen. The magic once contained within the dragon is gone. That is the price paid for the decisions made today. The elf feels a presence next to them and upon turning, a smile tweaks their lips. 

“Llewellyn, this is no place for you. Best be on your way please.” 

Llewellyn bows respectfully but pauses for a second, looking over the land before walking away. Once the elf is sure they are alone again, they take one last look at the human still standing in the centre of the field, and with a heavy heart, turns and vanishes into the woods, whispering, “I will see you again, Alwyn, my friend.”



Saturday's Series Spotlight
Part 1  /  Part 2




Leona Windwalker
Leona is a longtime staunch supporter of human rights and environmental causes. Her favourite genre to read is M/M fiction and she particularly enjoys science fiction, fantasy, and action/suspense subgenres—especially if they have a nice seasoning of romance. She has far too many books on her Kindle, has overloaded her phone with even more and, when not reading, writing, being driven to distraction by her children, or being overlorded by her three cats, can be found trying to locate the portal that the sock monster uses to steal socks from her dryer.


Sophie E Russell
Sophie E. Russell is a meme addict and maladaptive daydreamer. She is the sole hooman of Archie the cat and is a fine arts and creative writing student at university.

She would live on pizza and smoothies—given the chance—and has an unhealthy obsession GIFs. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, painting, or printmaking. She loves to take naps and often wakes up singing.

Sophie loves writing about deep, sexy, and quirky men who find love and happiness in the schmoopiest ways possible. She is an emerging author of male-male romance, and Stroll into Love is Sophie’s first book.


Kelsey Hodge
Kelsey Hodge loves romance books, and has been reading them since she was little and discovering M/M books a few years ago was a turning point. She finally found stories that she wanted to write, making sure that her characters always get their happy ever after. She lives in the UK with her partner and cats.



Leona Windwalker

Sophie E Russell

Kelsey Hodge
EMAIL: kelsey@kelseyhodgeauthor.com



Blueberry Bunny Boy by Leona Windwalker

Elfing Up Easter by Sophie E Russell

Legend of the Easter Dragon by Kelsey Hodge

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