Gabriela Gotay

The Forest Princess

Dear Reader,

I’m currently working on a new book, the story and adventure of a forest princess. Here’s a sneak peek. I’m excited to be writing again, and hope to share more of the story, and the process as I go along. Enjoy!

Lore Mountain Forest is a place of inspiring beauty and deep storytelling roots. It is the birthplace of many tales full of wonder. The woodland realm had been divided long ago between the many daughters of the forest King and Queen.

There were seven daughters: Larissa, Sabine, Odette, Elissa, Milah, Lilah, and Little Noelle. Each county in the woodland held a secret, a piece of the everlasting source of all stories.

Once upon a time, as the people from this land are fond of saying, all pieces had resided in Elderbloom castle under the watchful eyes of the forest King and Queen. They had been kept safe for countless years until one day the seal of the chamber that housed them was broken, and a shadow attempted to steal them.

Before it could achieve its evil purpose, the combined power of the King and Queen filled the chamber and flooded the Elderbloom castle with light. The shadow was gone, and to the relief of all the kingdom, all source pieces were still there, unharmed.

A plan was then devised by the King and Queen, to scatter the pieces around the woodlands, and split the realm among their daughters. Each princess became the guardian of one story source piece, and of the land in which it was hidden.

To their eldest, Larissa, they gave Starglow Forest, Sabine received Silverfawn Wood, Odette would be the guardian of Owlvalley Glen, Elissa was given Willowcreek Meadow, Milah and Lilah, the twins, each received half of the land in ElderPraire, a collection of hills topped with thickets of hawthorn and red elderberry. And to Little Noelle, the King and Queen gave Moonwhisper Grove.

Years went by, and the woodlands were at peace. No other shadows were seen over the realm but the swift and shifting shapes of clouds. The shade under the canopy of its majestic trees was pure, safe, and unchanged.

But an enchanting mountain forest and a storytelling kingdom are not without change for long. And Forest princesses, particularly those who love to read, tend to daydream, wander, and find themselves in an unexpected adventure.

The story of the forest princess is such a story, and this is her quest to save Moonwhisper Grove, the fate of Lore Mountain, and the source of all known and unknown stories around the world.

I’m curious to know where this story will take us! I invite you to leave me your constructive feedback in a comment below.