Sheri Yutzy - Speculative Fiction Author

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You are here: Home / All Posts / A LANTERN & A CORNFIELD – #flashfictionmagic

A LANTERN & A CORNFIELD – #flashfictionmagic

November 13, 2021 by Sheri

Shera studied the shadowy crease between Armand’s eyebrows while he surveyed the tapestry hanging from her hands. Was he pleased? Surprised? Disgusted by her first vision of her own world?
Why had she chosen to weave a cornfield, anyway? It looked plain and blond surrounded by the rich curtains of Armand’s royal tent.
“There’s something I can’t quite discern,” he murmured.
“What?”
He fumbled behind him for the lantern and brought it close, his nose inches from the tapestry. Inches from her.
“What is this—“ His finger brushed the tapestry’s horizon and dizziness rushed through her. She stumbled as something stabbed her bare feet. The tent seemed to shrink around the lantern and Armand’s wide eyes. A crisp breeze lifted the black hair at his neck. Shera gasped as the wide sky appeared behind him, dark edged clouds scuttling around a pale orange moon.
A harvest moon.
Laughter echoed from across the field and they spun together. A bonfire snapped at the air, its sparks revealing a circle of

people sipping from mugs and talking loudly over each other.
Familiarity rushed over her, sweet as relief. Armand touched her hand and she jumped.
“Have you brought me to your home, Shera?”
She slid her fingers into his. “I think you did. Others have touched the tapestry and this never happened.”
“My royal blood?” he asked drily. His eyes flitted from the moon to the bonfire to the long dark of the field behind them.
“Come on.” She grinned and tugged him toward the fire.
He crunched slowly behind her, the lantern swaying light over their feet. “But how will we—I—get back?”
“We have looms here too.” She stopped and faced him. “It’ll be okay, Armand. Somehow, I’ll get you back to your people. I promise.”
He nodded, a spark of curiosity lighting his dark eyes. “But first, show me yours.”

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About Sheri

Here Goes Something New!

Hi, I'm Sheri Yutzy. I love forests under the night sky, trying new foods, and drinking Irish tea. I've been to 21 countries, and once spent the night in a hotel lobby in Florence, Italy, because the entire city was fully booked for a festival.
I'm married to a musician who looks good in black, mama to three curious kids, and happy resident of a Cape Cod cottage in Ohio.
I write YA fantasy and am acquisitions editor at sparkflashfiction.com.
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My agent and I have been discussing tropes, namely My agent and I have been discussing tropes, namely the ✨enemies to lovers✨trope. It’s always been my favorite form of romance, but she has helped me see it doesn’t fit every situation.😅

However, I am realizing that ✨enemies to lovers✨ is a lot more nuanced than I thought. 
Questions I have: 
Is it still ✨enemies to lovers✨ if only one of them thinks the other is an enemy? (Sorcery of Thorns)
Are there other versions, like 
✨irritated to lovers✨
✨suspicious to lovers✨
✨reluctant stalker to lovers✨ (my current favorite)

How do you view a common trope like this? Is it all just one big category to you? Or are there subcategories that you like?

#teaandbooks #booksandtea #bookworm_insta #booksoutside #fantasylit #yalove #amwritingyafantasy #yafantasywriter #yafantasyauthor #novelfantasy #loveagoodbook #readtogether #iamreading #indiebook #newbooksmell #loveofreading #imreading #booksmell #booklovergift #bookloversoftheworld #constantreader #books4life #enemiestolovers #enemiestoloversbook #enemiestoloverstrope #talkingtropes #sheriyutzy
Some of my favorite photos from the past few weeks Some of my favorite photos from the past few weeks…

#takingitslow #seethebeautyineverything #thoughtfulliving #fosterthoughtfulness #bethoughtful #lessonslearned #thoughtfulness #findingrest #findrest #restfulsunday #restfulday #restfulness #restfulweekend #restfuldays #restful #slowlifestylemovement #beautyinthemundane #creativelive #smallthingsinlife #seethebeautyaroundyou #embracingaslowerlife #slowliving_create #inspiringsimplicity #ordinarymagic #alittlemagiceveryday #themagicineveryday #chooselovely #gowildlyandslow #allthebeautifulthings #awakethelight
A reminder that sometimes the best growth comes as A reminder that sometimes the best growth comes as a surprise. You learn the most when things feel hard and it seems like nothing is happening but painful waiting. Believe me, your roots are stirring and stretching beneath your soil. Your season is coming, though it may still be a surprise.

#seethebeautyineverything #thoughtfulliving #fosterthoughtfulness #bethoughtful #lessonslearned #thoughtfulness #findingrest #findrest #restfulsunday #restfulday #restfulness #restfulweekend #restfuldays #restful #slowlifestylemovement #beautyinthemundane #creativelive #smallthingsinlife #seethebeautyaroundyou #embracingaslowerlife #slowliving_create #inspiringsimplicity #ordinarymagic #alittlemagiceveryday #themagicineveryday #chooselovely #gowildlyandslow #allthebeautifulthings #awakethelight #sheriyutzy
The slow reading has been a mixture of restorative The slow reading has been a mixture of restorative and boring. (If you didn’t see my previous post, I’m not reading eBooks for a while and focusing on my own bookshelves.) 
I’m currently reading:
THE HOUSE OF SEVEN GABLES by Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Apostolic Fathers
The Complete Works of Emily Dickinson. 

The Apostolic Fathers I bought recently, but the other two I’ve owned for years. It’s strangely relaxing to read slowly, with no sense of rush to finish what I’m reading. I also must admit the urge to read just isn’t as high when it’s not a high tension thriller or atmospheric mystery.😏 

I still have beautiful books like the ones pictured on my shelves, waiting to be read, but I’m hesitant to break the spell of reading classics. It’s also a difficult time for me to read in my own genre, because I’m finishing up edits for THE SELLER, and drafting a science fantasy project. Working on two projects at once is taxing enough without adding in other similar worlds and characters.

When I first noticed my lack of desire to read my own genre, I worried it wasn’t the one I should be writing anymore. But over the years I see that desire ebb and flow depending on how much writing I’m doing in that genre. It can be inspiring to read a lovely book similar to the one I’m writing, but more often it slows me down with doubt and insecurity. I prefer to read them when I’m between projects, or on a break during drafting or editing.

Can you read books in your genre while you draft or edit?

#bookworm_insta #booksoutside #fantasylit #yalove #amwritingyafantasy #yafantasywriter #yafantasyauthor #novelfantasy #loveagoodbook #readtogether #iamreading #indiebook #newbooksmell #loveofreading #imreading #booksmell #booklovergift #bookloversoftheworld #constantreader #books4life #facethenight #laniforbes #dearestjosephine #carolinegeorge #whatliesbeneath #rebeccaross #ariverenchanted
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