Sometimes love will hit you with a chair to say hello.: seanan

Sometimes love will hit you with a chair to say hello.

We have successfully weathered both the release of A Red-Rose Chain and the start of a new year, complete with my birthday (it's my birthday!), which means you deserve a treat. And here it is:

A brand-new story about Patrick and Dianda's first meeting! "Heaps of Pearl" has been posted on the Toby Daye short fiction page. It is available in ePub, MOBI, and PDF formats, and is free for download. Please download rather than trying to read locally; my server will thank you. (It's at the bottom of the page; scroll down.)

This story is best read after The Winter Long if possible, as it contains relationship spoilers through that point in the series. It is a story about meetings, and mermaids, and the terrible strain of living up to expectations. It is narrated by Patrick, because he's less likely to punch people for funsies.

Cover graphics are by Tara O'Shea. All short story electronic conversion thus far has been done by

scifantasy. As both of them are awesome, we applaud them now.

Go forth, read, and please feel free to use this as a discussion post, which means there may be spoilers in the comments. Tread carefully.

Enjoy.

guendolen_sama

January 5 2016, 23:44:40 UTC 1 year ago

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Happy birthday! **toots a noise maker**

seanan_mcguire

January 7 2016, 03:51:57 UTC 1 year ago

Heh.

arcaneblades

January 5 2016, 23:48:33 UTC 1 year ago

Happy Birthday!

Formal salutations accomplished, thank you so much for this. It's a beautiful if bitterweet piece. I adore the view of the Simon that was, before, as it adds a great deal of depth to his character, and Dianda and Patrick are so sweet here.

tylik

January 5 2016, 23:57:41 UTC 1 year ago

Happy birthday, and thank you!

Your introduction left me kind of wondering what a piece narrated by Dianda would be like... but probably mostly because i had barely met Patrick yet.

adafrog

January 6 2016, 00:12:07 UTC 1 year ago

Thanks!

jenfullmoon

January 6 2016, 00:26:53 UTC 1 year ago

Awwww, how sweet! He seduces her with food!

Also, happy birthday!

spiralngphoenix

January 6 2016, 00:50:39 UTC 1 year ago

Happiest of birthdays!

Thank you for the lovely story. I *knew* I loved Patrick for a reason. He's a local boy! :D

dornbeast

January 6 2016, 01:16:38 UTC 1 year ago

Thank you for the story. I hope you have a happy birthday.

And here's to love that makes a person wonder if the chair would have had less effect.

lazzchan

January 6 2016, 01:23:33 UTC 1 year ago

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Thank you so much for the present~ <3 As soon as I saw the description, before I even started reading it, my roommate and I already starting cheering in delight and speculating. :D

calico_reaction

January 6 2016, 01:45:38 UTC 1 year ago

Yay!!! Thank you!!!

montuos

January 6 2016, 02:14:56 UTC 1 year ago

Oh, sweet! Thank you! I've been wondering how they got together! I like them lots. :)

Also, happy birthday!

klwilliams

January 6 2016, 02:52:05 UTC 1 year ago

Happy birthday! Chaz's birthday was yesterday. It's obviously a good time of year to celebrate friends' births.

liddle_oldman

January 6 2016, 02:52:50 UTC 1 year ago

Happy birthday!

acelightning

January 6 2016, 02:55:27 UTC 1 year ago

Happy Birthday, and what a beautiful story! Dianda is such a practical individual - a trait that doesn't seem to be very common in Faerie. (Although I will never forget the image of Dianda, in mermaid form and riding in a wheelchair pushed by Toby, careening down a long stairway/street while shrieking hysterically...)

I hope to someday see more background material about Patrick's work in adapting technology for use by Fae - I'm a technomage myself, although merely human. Patrick sounds like someone I'd like to share ideas with.

anne_d

January 6 2016, 03:40:18 UTC 1 year ago

This was just what I needed after the day I've had*. Thank you!

All those familiar faces, but they're so much younger.

*Gallbladder removal.

grenacia

January 6 2016, 04:11:28 UTC 1 year ago

Thank you! You are really on a roll with the free fiction lately, and it's been especially exciting free fiction too! Happy birthday!

marooux13

January 6 2016, 05:03:17 UTC 1 year ago

Happy Birthday!!! Thanks for the this wonder gift, it mentions the other daughter. Reading these short stories is like taking a sip of your addiction to stay sane while waiting for the next dose.

morvoren

January 6 2016, 05:39:29 UTC 1 year ago

Happy birthday!

I love the world you've built for Toby, and every bit that I see makes me love it more. (Also, Patrick is really sweet and I like Dianda more every time I see her.)

_dante_sparda_

January 6 2016, 06:09:29 UTC 1 year ago

So much to love in this. All these heartbreakingly beautiful little details. And DIANDA. I love her more than is healthy for me.

Thank you very much, and happy hatching day to you. <3

Tweets For The Day

livejournal

January 6 2016, 06:54:41 UTC 1 year ago

User

jade_kadir referenced to your post from Tweets For The Day saying: [...] Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to you: http://t.co/FHT0bg8Uvg [...]

cgbookcat1

January 6 2016, 07:17:23 UTC 1 year ago

Happy Birthday! I hope it was wonderful.

ironed_orchid

January 6 2016, 07:55:29 UTC 1 year ago

Happy Birthday!

meddlingkids22

January 6 2016, 09:41:50 UTC 1 year ago

I hope you have a happy and relaxing birthday, preferably with lots of chocolate.

Thank you so much.

bunny_m

January 6 2016, 10:31:45 UTC 1 year ago

EEEEEeeeeeeeeeeee........

Hey, it *your* birthday, you're the on that should be getting gifts!

[ComicBookGuy]Best. Author. Ever.[/ComicBokGuy]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!