The Opposite of Memory
Can losing your memories make you stronger? Can it be a form of recreation? What happens when the difference between memory and reality becomes blurred?
From hard science-fiction to space opera with a taste of fantasy and the surreal along the way, this anthology explores the intersection of memory, technology, identity, and reality.
Read these 25 mind-expanding stories and change your perspective forever.
Paperback available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other booksellers.
Ebook available from Amazon (Kindle) (and others soon!)
By Mary E. Lowd. Published by Deep Sky Anchor Press (February 2024).
Cover art by Josephe Vandel
The Snake’s Song: A Labyrinth of Souls Novel
The Celestial Fragments, Book 1
When a creature of the treetops listens to the song of a snake, she finds herself drawn into an adventure deep under the earth. Witch-Hazel was never good at being a squirrel. She could never find her lost stashes of acorns, but maybe she can prove herself by finding a treasure that matters much more — the lost Celestial Fragments of the All-Being. Witch-Hazel’s quest takes her through labyrinths, lost mole cities, and underground kingdoms. She faces riddles from a leontaur, an army of ghost moles, and sorcerer crabs, but she also makes unexpected friends. Can Witch-Hazel find the Celestial Fragments and make it back to the sunlight world above? If she survives, will she be the same squirrel who began her journey, or has she been forever changed by the snake’s song?
For sale in paperback and ebook at Amazon.
By Mary E. Lowd. Published by ShadowSpinners Press (March 2018).
Cover art by Josephe Vandel
The Bee’s Waltz: A Labyrinth of Souls Novel
The Celestial Fragments, Book 2
After generations of living in a purple dogwood, Zwi’s hive needs to find a new tree to call home. The honeybee has been searching everywhere for a tree blessed by the All-Being, while her squirrel friend, Witch-Hazel, tags along. But then Witch-Hazel begins seeing visions of her long-lost, beloved otter friend, Fish-Breath, guiding her on a journey toward the All-Being’s castle in the sky. To complete their quests, the honeybee and squirrel must seek favors from a mysterious Luna moth, brave the temptations of a unicorn’s garden, and avoid being drawn into the ongoing rivalry between a flock of ravens and a golden eagle living on the stem of giant beanstalk stretching into the sky.
If the honeybee and squirrel can hold the course, they just might learn the secret behind why the endless rivers between the earth and sky dried up long ago and heal a timeless wound to their world. But most importantly, maybe Witch-Hazel will get to see Fish-Breath again.
For sale in paperback and ebook at Amazon.
By Mary E. Lowd. Published by ShadowSpinners Press (November 2021).
Cover art by Josephe Vandel
The Otter’s Wings: A Labyrinth of Souls Novel
The Celestial Fragments, Book 3
After returning from their visit to the All-Being, Witch-Hazel the squirrel tries to retire in Riverton with her friends Fish-Breath the otter and Twiggy the beaver. But their adventures haunt them, in the form of Fish-Breath’s un-otter-like wings, gifted by the Celestial Fragments. A dangerous, magical figure tracks Fish-Breath down, and the three friends find themselves back on the run in Twiggy’s hot air balloon, trying to escape the frightening shadow-cats and looking for a way to extract the Celestial Fragments from Fish-Breath’s body.
The adventurers seek help on an island of gryphons, from a mad scientist octopus, and in the watery realm of a koi fish queen. All the while, Witch-Hazel’s connection to the magic flowing through their world grows, and she begins to suspect there are deep secrets about the nature of magic and their world that the queens of the elemental realms haven’t been telling her.
Paperback available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other booksellers.
Ebook available from Amazon (Kindle), Smashwords, and other ebook retailers.
By Mary E. Lowd. Published by ShadowSpinners Press (November 2022).
Queen Hazel and Beloved Beverly
New for 2023!
What if your favorite childhood video transported you to a real magical kingdom—and an old friend who never forgot you?
Beverly is struggling to pack up her grandmother's house after her death when she stumbles upon an old VHS tape labeled "The Princess and the Raccoon." She remembers watching it as a child and pops the tape into the VCR, hoping to relive happy memories. But when Beverly touches the TV screen, she's transported into the fantasy world on the tape. There she begins a dangerous journey to find her childhood friend, Princess Hazy, now the Queen of a strange kingdom.
Though Beverly longs to be reunited with Hazel, she must first brave a land filled with peril. Led by a talking raccoon and wolf, Beverly evades the queen's sinister knights addicted to strange candies and visits with friendly animals along the way. She wonders whether Hazel has become as cruel as the knights in her service. Beverly's only hope of returning home lies with the queen, but can their childhood friendship survive the passing of years and the responsibilities of the crown?
A story of grief and wonder, "Queen Hazel and Beloved Beverly" shows us that imagination and childhood friendships leave a lasting legacy. Beverly's journey reminds us that we never completely lose our pasts, even when they exist in other worlds.
Available now on Kindle and in hardcover!
By Mary E. Lowd. Published by Deep Sky Anchor Press (December 2023).
The Necromouser and Other Magical Cats
An angry cat who discovers the techno-mystical ability to raise mice from the dead…
A starving kitten who discovers a secret hidden in the San Francisco bay…
A witch’s cat, a scientist’s cat, and a cat who recognizes no owner…
In this collection, follow the adventures of the beloved tabby cat Shreddy as he faces off with zombies, ghosts, gryphons, foolhardy dogs, and all sorts of household appliances.
Then meet a series of cats whose stories will take you from heartbreak to joy, showing the magic in our own world through the reflection of a cat’s eyes.
Necromouser contains four all new stories and five Ursa Major nominated stories, including “Shreddy and the Carnivorous Plant.”
Paperback available from Amazon.
Ebook available from Amazon (Kindle) and Smashwords.
By Mary E. Lowd. Published by Deep Sky Anchor Press (July 2015).
Commander Annie and Other Adventures
When Annie's best friend ditches her, she has to go on an adventure of her own. In a cardboard spaceship, she flies to the most dangerous planet she's discovered. In this collection, meet aliens, fairies, and talking animals; travel to faraway worlds and magical realms; and discover the point where science-fiction and fantasy blend.
From the award-winning author of The Necromouser and Other Magical Cats, read this selection of twelve delightful tales, including two original novellas: "Commander Annie" and "Nawry the Noodlebeast."
Paperback available from Amazon.
Ebook available from Amazon (Kindle), Smashwords, and other ebook retailers.
By Mary E. Lowd. Published by Deep Sky Anchor Press (November 2023).
Some Words Burn Brightly: An Illuminated Collection of Poetry
Some words rise like the sun,
And illuminate your world
For a season
For a day
Learn the secrets of the roses, witness the companionship of two daffodils, lose your soul in a feline gaze, and ride away on a fairy steed, into a sunset or an eclipse. Find all this and more in these 81 illustrated poems by Mary E. Lowd. A delightful read for poetry and nature lovers of all ages.
Full-color, illustrated paperback available at Amazon.
By Mary E. Lowd. Published by Deep Sky Anchor Press (November 2023).
Furry Fiction is Everywhere
Have you ever read a book or novel and wondered why they even bothered to make certain character(s) in the book something other than human? Want to avoid that in your own work?
There are some simple steps you can take to make your anthropomorphic (or furry) characters stand out on the page. This guide will walk you through step-by-step how to build a believable furry species, world, and characters.
Includes downloadable worksheets to get you jump started on your furry writing journey.
Paperback available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other booksellers.
Ebook available from Amazon (Kindle), Smashwords, and other e-book retailers around the web.
By Ian Madison Keller & Mary E. Lowd. Published by Rainbow Dog Press (September 2021).