Ceinwen Langley

Aspiring young naturalist Celeste Rossan is determined to live a life of adventure and scientific discovery. But when her father loses everything, Celeste’s hopes of ever leaving her home town are dashed… until she sees a narrow opportunity to escape to Paris and attend the 1867 Exposition Universelle. Celeste seizes her chance, but the elements overwhelm her before she can make it five miles. In desperation, she seeks refuge in an abandoned chateau only to find herself trapped inside the den of an unknown species: a predator with an intelligence that rivals any human. It’s the discovery of a lifetime. Or, it will be, if Celeste can earn the beast’s trust without losing her nerve – or her heart – to her in the process. The Misadventures of an Amateur Naturalist is a queer historical fantasy for adventurers of all ages.

The Misadventures of an Amateur Naturalist

"You're not the first young woman to try to bend the rules, my dear, but they failed and so will you." For as long as anyone can remember, young women have vanished into the woods. Believing them to be weak willed and lured by demons, the zealous Mayor enforces rules to protect them: rules that render the village women submissive and silent, or face being ostracised. Emma's only hope of a decent life is to be married by her eighteenth birthday, but her quick mouth and low social standing make her a poor prospect. Lonely and afraid, she finds herself dreaming of the woods, and of a mysterious boy who promises freedom and acceptance if she'll only step across the border into the trees. With her birthday fast approaching, she has a decision to make: run away from her future, or fight for it.

The Edge of the Woods

Meet Ella, a young woman who has lost everything; Hans, a boy doomed by his father's greed to live as a monster; and Nameless, a lonely mermaid who yearns to be loved. Each seeks their happily ever after, but wishes and magic will only get them so far. Almost Midnight takes three beloved fairy tales and retells them with new twists and turns, uniting them through the powers of love, courage, hope, and the magic of midnight.

Three Classic Fairy Tales Retold

Almost Midnight

The odds are stacked against Emma. Fatherless and poor in a remote village where men, money and faith determine everything, her only hope for a decent life is to marry before her eighteenth birthday. Though her prospects aren't good and her options aren't appealing, to live as an unmarried woman is a life sentence of silence and solitude. Emma has to make a match. But when a beautiful, antlered boy appears in her dreams and tempts her to join him in the forbidden woods, another path opens to her. Finally, after a life devoid of possibilities, Emma has a choice to make: to run from her future, or fight for it.

Ceinwen Langley

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