Synopsis:
A small collection of three short stories:
(1) Of Sand and Castles – Two brothers in medieval times, one born to be a soldier, the other a dreamer
(2) The Mother’s Day Gift – A little boy tries to get his mother a gift on the special day
(3) Once in a Blue Moon – The title story, an enchanting fairytale. Rainbow, a goddess, is disillusioned by the unfairness of love and is determined to fix it.
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Cover:
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Excerpt:
It really is a beautiful sight, all the woodland creatures agree, the way the leaves turn bright red and orange, and sprinkle the ground like so much confetti. Even in the winter when Old Man Frost is blowing cold and bitter, there is a blanket of white over all the land, with silvery icicles and ponds. All very simply painted, but captivating.
“I like it,” Old Jack said grudgingly through his sneer. “They call it a winter wonderland, you know. Hee! Hee!”
And in the spring, with sunshiny days like warm promises, come the earth in full bloom with its multitude of colours, and everyone knows that Rainbow was here; all this artistry was her work. For Rainbow was the goddess of red, blue, and green, and all the colours in between.
As she sat on the grass now in the midst of it all, looking at and touching a flower in her hand, her hair and her clothing moved with the breeze, and she seemed to radiate, to emanate, bluing the sky, greening the grass, yellowing the air.
Two birds on a decorative adventure were garnishing her hair with some flowers. As she touched the one in her hand, sometimes hesitantly in her wandering thought, it would change, maybe with a pinkish trim around the edges or some red speckles in the center.
“Can you do that?” the squirrel said, watching with awe.
“She can do anything,” Bluebird said, fluttering above her.
“I mean I’ve never seen it like that before.”
Rainbow smiled. “Then it’s a rarity.”
“Wouldn’t it be strange? People wouldn’t know what to think.”
“They’ll think it’s special,” she laughed now. “They’ll be pleased to find one.”
“Bow,” Raccoon said, as they were known to call her, “do you think a rose by any other colour would smell as sweet?”
“Quick, write that down,” the groundhog said to the squirrel, “I think he’s got something.”
“Well, let’s see then,” Bow said, and the rose that he was looking at turned black as coal, which he sniffed at cautiously making bit of a face.
“I don’t think I like black roses,” the rabbit said with his mouth full, which made everyone laugh.
“Can we get the opinion,” Groundhog chuckled, “of someone who doesn’t eat them?”
And that was life in the forest in a nutshell.
Later, Rainbow wandered off by herself to walk by the lake which was something she always liked to do. She liked the silent moments sometimes when there was just her and the purity of the One God’s creation around her. Far from the villages and the people and the distractions therein, she could reflect on life and her role within it with clarity.
It was early evening and it was still light out but soon her colours would be fading with the sun, leaving only the faint glitter of moonlight on the water.
She heard voices then, and though she knew she could not be seen by people unless she allowed it, she instinctively stopped and hid behind a tree.
It was a young man and a girl with their horse beside them, now bending its head forward for a drink of water, and she could hear them talking and sometimes laughing, and at first, she smiled, thinking they were sweethearts, but as she looked on, it became apparent to her they were not. It was in nothing they said, but in everything she saw them do, or did not do. For he would touch her on the arm, or on the shoulder, and she would smile but move away. He would look lovingly into her eyes but her gaze was always fleeting or cast downward. And most of all, she noticed that he was always facing her, and she was almost always facing away.
They talked in a very friendly manner but what an incredible feeling of awkwardness beneath it all. You could cut it with a knife. And the young man did not have any more skills or charm to do anything about it.
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Buy Once In A Blue Moon:
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About the Author:
Ken Christopher Ping first started writing short stories, although unpublished, prior to writing his first novel. Among his careers, he has been a graphic artist, as well as having served three years in the army.
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