Fantasy, Lore, and More: The Revenge of Bridget Cleary

Hi, I’m indie fantasy author, Melinda Kucsera, and in this episode, Mathilda Zeller is joining me to talk about her debut novel, The Revenge of Bridget Cleary.   What’s it about? Exiled from the fairy realm, Brigid Cleary finds herself torn between vengeance, love, and loyalty as she navigates Victorian England. With midsummer fast approaching, Brigid only has until the solstice to steal back her fairy gold and gather her father’s blood to re-enter the fairy mound she once called home. Inspired by Irish folklore, the Pre-Raphaelite art movement, and the true story of Bridget Cleary's murder, The Revenge of Bridget Cleary is a “haunting, compelling, and thoughtful” quest as Brigid struggles to regain her place among the fairies.   What's in this episode: Mathilda reads a chapter from The Revenge of Bridget Cleary, transporting us to a magically twisted 19th-century world. We then discuss the dark fantasy elements, mythologies, and historical details that shaped Mathilda’s imaginative tale of fairies lurking below the surface of Victorian society including the pre-Raphaelite artists. We then dive into her second book, The Bee King, its anthropomorphic bees, and their horrifying quest for a new queen. Where to get the books: Get The Revenge of Bridget Cleary at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B853LC2V Get The Bee King at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C2SMM5TT   Where to find our guest:  Twitter: @MathildaZeller Website: https://mathildazeller.wordpress.com/ Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mathildazeller Newsletter signup: https://preview.mailerlite.io/preview/5849/sites/53092917229651311/3YKvOO About your host, Melinda Kucsera: Melinda Kucsera writes fantastic short stories, novels, and books when not being kidnapped by dragons or chased by armies of fictional creatures. (We do, on occasion, rescue her.) She leaves the running of her newsletter to a cast of lovable characters who hog her inbox. Enough about her, it’s us you’re really interested in, her cast of characters.  Join us every week for a new story. About the interview: I entered my book, Curse Breaker Enchanted, in the Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off 9 (SPFBO 9) this year and thought it might be cool to interview my fellow entrants. Only 300 books can enter the contest. 10 will advance to the semi-finals, and one will be crowned the winner of SPFBO 9 for 2023. I hope you're cheering for Curse Breaker Enchanted! You can grab a copy for free right now to celebrate. If you want to get even more involved, join my community on Patreon and start reading book 10, Shards For His Gift, right now. I'm writing what I hope are the final chapters and posting them this weekend.   Where to find your host, Melinda Kucsera:  Website: https://melindakucsera.com/  Start the Curse Breaker Series now. Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.mkucsera.com/welcomecharacters Support this show on Patreon. Get thanked and read my latest novels before anyone else.