This is the Great Virtual Author Tour!

Dear gentlefolk of all ages...

It is my great delight to announce the debut of my long awaited mostly by me and perhaps my corgi, Kit, so I can take him out for longer walks in the newly crisp weather short story collection, The Trouble With Wanting, and Other Not Quite Faerie Tales, available on November 13th, 2018. I have gathered 7 stories, featuring characters never seen before, as well as the new adventures of old favorites (more Yuuki anyone?).

Cover art by Michelle Kennedy. Find her on her blog and Instagram.

One of those new characters, Izzy, knows all too well of the pain book nerds suffer while we're waiting for our next dose of literary magic. She's even willing to do something contrary to her nature to get her fix. While we all aren't book nerds, many of us do have things we are quite serious about (sports, TV shows, comics, etc.). People who are serious about their passions have been known to do some very strange things to support them. What was the oddest thing you have done (or have considered doing) in the name of your passion?

Tell me about it in the comments section, you'll be enrolled in the first give-away I'm running.

A package of Nippon Kodo sandalwood incense,

3 bags of Harney & Son's hot cinnamon spice tea,

& 3 bookmarks handmade by me.

For a bonus entry, share this post on the social media platform of your choice (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) and please make sure to use the hashtag #NotQuiteFaerieTales. The contest closes on midnight EST November 25th, and I'll announce the winner on the 26th.

If you are not a regular reader of my blog, if you haven’t liked my Facebook page, or we aren’t friends on Instagram, please make sure you add your email to the comment. I need to be able to contact you if you win. If I have no way to contact the winner, a new name will be drawn.

This contest is open worldwide, except where prohibited by law. Canadian friends I will have to ask you to include the next letter in the sequence, A, B, __ in your response in order to enter.

I'll also be doing more giveaways as I make the rounds at the virtual homes of several blogger friends. I hope you'll follow me on my virtual author tour.

November 13th - Magaly Guerrero -What's a Little Blood to a Mother's Heart?

November 15th - MagicLoveCrow - Journeying Into the Dark to Find the Light

November 17th - Daydream Believer - Scary Faeries Make Helpful Friends
November 19th - Poets United - Blog of the Week: Rommy Driks

November 21st - She Who Seeks - Writing "Her Story"

There will be a wrap up post here again on November 26th, along with a final, fancier giveaway.

Good luck everyone, I hope you enjoy the tales and tea!

By Rommy Cortez-Driks

The Trouble with Wanting and Other Not-Quite Faerie Tales is available for purchase on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.


Song Choice: The Greatest Show - from The Greatest Showman

Kindred Steel

A reluctant traveler scarcely notices the beauty of the road. The colors of each new sunrise lack the harmony found in the memories of those viewed from home. Isolation is a special torment to one used to the closeness of kin. Though in my travels I've learned one doesn't need to be kin to be kindred. I shall not forget my teeth if I encounter mistakes from my past. But I will not ignore the shine from the steel of souls with claws different from my own.


Wind blown seed misses
the earth which cradled deep roots.
This new soil is strange
to me. These flowers are odd,
but I recognize their scent.

Photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash

Song Choices: Kyrie by Mr. Mister and Philadelphia Freedom covered by Tina and Ike Turner

Today's poem is linked up to Imaginary Gardens with Real Toads' Tuesday Platform.

This poem is from the point of view of Yuuki, a character I have enjoyed writing about for years. The events of this poem take place after this short story, though the full story of what happens to Yuuki next will be covered in my upcoming short story collection, The Trouble With Wanting and Other Not Quite Faery Tales, which will drop in Fall 2018.

By Rommy Cortez-Driks

Light in an Eclipse

There is blood on the end of the sickle moon,
though no one but me can see it.

It's the same moon that hung
over the place I was born
grown gaunt with homesickness.

Or maybe I've just seen myself
reflected in the moon
as darkness inches across it,
engulfing it so nothing of its past remains.

The most familiar things look wrong
under a moonless sky. I recognize nothing
that looks like home.

I embrace my darkness,
but I do not let it consume me
for I have the brightness of the stars in my soul.

I let them point the way,
if not towards home,
towards a future where I shine steady
as souls wax and wane around me.

Song Choice: Away by Priscilla Hernandez


This poem is linked to the Tuesday Platform over at Imaginary Gardens With Real Toads and Poets United Poetry Pantry 421.

Perhaps you've noticed the tags this week too. I didn't plan on Rina having a large role in the Yuuki stories, but when I wrote a bit of flash fiction from the point of view of Ana's favorite aunt, people seemed to really like it and wanted to know more about her. This poem is written from the point of view of a much younger Rina, and I promise to expand on that tale very soon. 😉

By Rommy Cortez-Driks

Whispers to a Stone

The stones believed me when I told them
how I felt about you.
They will expect me to keep my promises,
but I know they will keep my secret.

Don't expect me
to drip sugar from my mouth,
begging you to change who you are.

You would not be you
without your frustrating idealism,
rushing off to do battle
while forgetting there are holes in your armor.

I don't want you not to be you.
But I will never be anything but myself.

I am not demure.
I do nothing half-way.
That includes standing by you,

using all my power to shield
the vulnerable parts you overlooked
and keep safe all the things you love,
while I keep true to the words
that, for now, I will only speak to the stones.



Song Choice: America's Sweetheart by Elle King

This poem is linked to the Tuesday Platform over at Imaginary Gardens With Real Toads and Poets United, Poetry Pantry 420. If you are a longtime reader of the blog you may have had a flash of recognition at some of the tags. This is a poem from the point of view of Cordelia, a character I have written about on this blog before.

By Rommy Cortez-Driks