Wraiths – a modern fairytale with the magic of Fore
Una D’Arcy’s first book, Wraiths: The Selfish Realm, is a modern fairy tale set in Fore. It is a story of hope and magic, about effecting change and how to find the courage to change the things you can and to live with what you can’t.
Una loves comic books and all things magical, and juggles writing with family life: “It’s aimed at 11-plus-year-olds and I just wanted to write something that had a little bit of magic in it. I love Terry Prachett, Marvel and DC Comics and anything Joss Whedon turns his hand to.
“Wraiths is a modern fairytale, where the everyday lives of four young girls are suddenly cast into a world of myth and magic,” she explains.
“I have always wanted to create something that would entertain a young reader and make them want to believe there is more to life and they should chase adventure.”
Una lives in Fore and in her book she explores the history of the area, and integrates it with mysteries of her own.
“Fore is a simply beautiful place filled with history, heritage and wonder and creates a landscape where you can believe that just about anything is possible.”
So why did she decide to publish online? “Craziness, frustration and hope in equal measure,” she laughs.
“I wrote Wraiths over a year ago but I didn’t know if it was good bad or indifferent. I did send sample chapters to a few publishers. Poolbeg came back nearly straight away to say they ‘loved my writing style’ but Wraiths wasn’t the type of book they were looking for. I was turned down flat by Penguin. So I just let it go.”
“This year, I was convinced that I was going to make changes for my family, look for a little security and start creating a career for myself after a decade of fitting my work into the spaces between my children’s needs.
“On the last day of February, I uploaded Wraiths to Kindle – just a spur of the moment thing. I hadn’t even given it a moment’s thought for a year. Then, half way through a cup of tea, I Googled self-publishing and up it came. Faint heart never won fair lady and all that.
“I also put it on Facebook, so that I wouldn’t get frightened by the idea of criticism or rejection and take it down again. It’s a little fledgling dream, fluttering away up there in the Amazon ether.”
Wraiths is the first book in the series, The Selfish Realm.