Once Upon a Realm - Book Tour and Giveaway

​ Remixed Fairy Tales by Diverse Voices  

Once Upon a Realm
Remixed Fairy Tales by Diverse Voices
Genre: YA fairytale retellings set in fantasy, sci-fi, and dystopian worlds
with stories by
K.R.S. McEntire, Montrez, Alicia Ellis, R.L. Medina, E.M. Lacey, Krystina Coles
​

A biracial teen is forced into a betrothal with an enigmatic lord. A Latina teen races to recover her stolen identity and escape a dark fae court. A Black teen with forbidden abilities rescues his lover from a dystopian regime.

In Once Upon A Realm, familiar fairy tales are reenvisioned and reborn as six authors from Black and/or Latina backgrounds create novella-length stories that transport readers to fantasy, sci-fi, and dystopian worlds. Each story shatters stereotypes and challenges traditional narratives, inviting readers to see themselves reflected in tales of adventure, magic, romance, and strength. Fans of The Lunar Chronicles, A Blade So Black, A Curse So Dark and Lonely, and Cinderella is Dead will fall in love with these fresh, fierce takes on fairy tales.

This collection includes:

Red in the Woods by K. R. S. McEntire, inspired by Little Red Riding Hood
Shadow and Song by Montrez, inspired by Peter Pan
Circuits and Nerve by Alicia Ellis, inspired by Hansel and Gretel
These Sapphire Walls by Krystina Coles, inspired by Bluebeard
A Bloodstained Sun by E. M. Lacey, inspired by Snow White
Waking Up by R. L. Medina, inspired by Sleeping Beauty


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​

​From Red in the Woods by K. R. S. McEntire, part of Once Upon A Realm

“I think I’m just nervous about your grandma. She’s been leaving more often, staying away longer.” Tears filled his eyes. He turned his head and tried to blink them away before Fable could notice.
      “Look at me,” Fable said, her voice more confident than usual. “You don’t have to hide your pain from me. You can show me how you feel.”
      He brushed the dampness on his cheek away before fixing his gaze on her. His inquisitive stare left Fable perplexed. Why was he afraid to reveal his emotions? He was her best friend. Didn't he understand that she was a refuge where he could be himself? She had never felt freer than when she was with him and she had assumed he felt the same.
      “What if she doesn’t come back? I’ll be out here all alone.”
      Fable pulled him back into her arms. “You’ll never be alone,” she promised.
      Uncertainty flickered in his eyes, and Fable continued to hold him. They didn’t speak, but their silence was comfortable. She listened to his quick breathing slow down while she listened to wolves and other wild animals shuffle about outside.
      “You’ll never be alone,” she whispered again.
      He slipped an arm around her waist and held her close, lacing his fingers between her fingers once again.
      Moments passed by, and his eyes were perfectly dry, but he still didn’t seem ready to let her go. His hands became warm, and he couldn't seem to stop fidgeting, his thumb brushing against hers in a nervous rhythm. His grip tightened as if he needed the physical connection to ground himself amidst a whirlwind of emotions.
      “You okay?” Fable asked. She noticed sweat starting to pool on his forehead even tho the crisp night air had cooled the cabin.
      “Y…Yes.”
      A smile tugged at the corners of Fable's lips. He was cute when he was nervous, and the sight of him caused butterflies to dance in her stomach. But what did he have to be nervous about? It was just the two of them.
      “Fable…” he said, but the word trailed off at the end, as if he wasn’t sure how to say whatever it was that he wanted to say.
      “Yes?”
      He leaned forward, a question in his eyes as he looked up at her. As they held each other in the blanket fort, tension seemed to electrify the air around them.
      He stole a glance at her lips, his gaze lingering for a heartbeat too long, and she sensed his desire to kiss her. Fable's heart raced in anticipation as she offered a subtle nod and a shy but hopeful smile.
      He closed the distance between them and his lips met hers in a tender, cautious kiss—their first kiss. A warm glow spread through her as his kiss grew more sure and confident. He pulled away, and a shy grin played on his lips. She could sense a shift in their friendship to something that felt like more. He rested his head on her chest, and she held him until he fell asleep as she watched the full moon shine outside of the cabin window.

** Check out the Release Giveaway here!**
https://clcannon.net/2024/05/22/onceuponarealm/

Tell us about your main characters - what makes them tick? 

In Once Upon A Realm, I wrote a Red Riding Hood retelling titled Red in the Woods. The story is set in the world of my YA dystopian series The Eden Saga, which includes the books Saving Eden, Finding Eden, and Making Eden.

I have two main characters in this story. They are young lovers, but they both have trauma. 

They live in a dystopian world where human DNA has mutated. People with mutations are shunned and killed.

This story follows Liam and Fabel, two teen lovers who are dealing with varying levels of trauma. Fabel wears oversized clothes so no one can see her mutating body, while Liam lives alone in a cabin in the woods to avoid contact with other humans. 

Fabel is taken captive, and Liam is forced to enter the settlement to rescue her. It’s a short story with themes about love and the importance of community. The story is a reminder that no matter who you are, where you are from, or what you have been through, it’s worth fighting for a happily ever after in life.


What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

I loved getting to work alongside the other authors in a collaborative project! Writing is seen as an isolating activity, but this project allowed me to work alongside and connect with others. We support each other, learn from each other, and promote the book together. 

Being an indie author is hard. Writing indie books for a young adult audience is even harder, because most people who read indie books are adults. Throw in a desire to have diverse characters in my stories, and i’d dare say it’s almost impossible without community and support. So, with this project, I wanted to find that community by reaching out to other authors doing what I do. 

There is something for everyone in this book including fantasy, sci-fi, dystopian, and romance. All six authors in Once Upon A Realm are writing diverse, indie, YA books. In fact, every story inside of Once Upon A Realm is connected to another book or series by the author. If you fall in love with these stories, you can keep reading the connected series. 

This is not my first collaborative project. I wrote a book called A Dance of Blood and Destiny, which was part of a shared world created by author Jessica Cage. I've been a part of many anthologies.


What can we expect from you in the future? 

There are so many stories I want to write! I have a YA contemporary fantasy/ghost story in my brain and an NA portal fantasy rom-com. Something makes me want to try my hand at the rom-com first because I love light, joyful, cozy fantasy reads lately!


Tell us about a favorite character from a book. 

Kaz and Inej from six of crows. Actually, almost every character from that series. I love seeing characters work through and overcome life’s challenges and come out on top. I also love a show burn romance. 

What are you currently reading? 

I’m rereading That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon because I wanted a lighthearted fantasy romcom, and it’s one of the few books that made me laugh out loud. I also recently read and enjoyed Lore Of The Wilds, a fantasy romance, and First Lie Wins, a thriller. 

What made you want to become an author and do you feel it was the right decision?

I feel like I didn’t have a choice! I’ve been writing since I was a child, filling my school notebooks up with stories, creating pretend “magazines” on Microsoft Paint, and asking my mom to print them out for me. These days, I do all kinds of writing. I’ve worked in journalism and I currently work in public relations. It doesn’t matter if I am writing books, newspaper articles, or press releases, I am still always writing something! I’d encourage everyone to do what they love and point out that writing is more versatile than people think

Connect with me online at krsmcentire.com 
Join my book community diverse books with magic on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2360974984026956
​

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
​
May 24
kickoff at Silver Dagger Book Tours
Bedazzled By Books
Midnight Book Reader
Painting With Words

May 25
Ilovebooksandstuffblog
Book Bites....with a side of coffee
The Bookshelf Fairy

May 26
4covert2overt ☼ A Place In The Spotlight ☼
Craving Lovely Books
Twisted Book Ramblings

May 27
Daily Waffle
Insane Books
My beauty my books

May 28
Haley Cavanagh Books
The Sexy Nerd 'Revue'
eBook Addicts

May 29
All Things Dark & Dirty
Girl with Pen
Inside the Insanity

May 30
The Dungeon Crawlers – GUEST POST
Naughty Nightie Book Blog
Beautiful Books

May 31
Webs and Blogs For Writers
C.A.Milson
Kenyan Poet

June 1
Books all things paranormal and romance
Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin'
Royally Insane Books

June 2
The Book Junkie Reads . . .
Scrupulous Dreams
Trixie Reports Books

June 3
Author Sahara Foley
I'm Into Books
Country Mamas With Kids

June 4
Anna del C. Dye official page
❧Defining Ways❧
Celticlady's Reviews

June 5
A Wonderful World of Words – GUEST POST
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Literary Gold

June 6
All The Write Stuff
Book Reviews by the Reluctant Retiree
Sylv.net

June 7
Books with Brandie Shanae – REVIEW
booked with gemma – REVIEW
The Book Dragon

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