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The Crow Town Anthology - April 24, 2026

Dear Reader,

During the holidays in 2025, I was lucky enough to be asked if I would submit a short story to an anthology. The creators of Crow Town had built something wonderful in 2025 when they released Crow Town Book One, which was a resounding success. I was delighted to try my hand at writing a unique story set in the dream, yet still meeting the anthology's requirements for a second volume slated for release in 2026. It was difficult because I don't write my fantasy tales from a prompt or a story brief. I'm a discovery writer who must reveal the world and the characters as I write the story they want to tell.

I penned a scene from the seat of my pants. A dragon politely informed me it was only half of a tale. I went back to the drawing board and tinkered with it some more. After about a month, I had a better rough draft. I polished it over the Christmas break and submitted it. At that point, I was sure that I loved The Bargain With Death; I was also equally positive that it was garbage and no one would read it. It's an author's anxiety, but I've gotten better at ignoring it after 10 years of writing the dream.

The editor of the anthology wrote to me. I opened the email expecting a rejection. She loved my story and sent me a form to sign so The Bargain With Death would be in Crow Town Book Two, and I had a Cheshire Cat's grin plastered on my face. For an old independent storyteller, who never wrote a query letter and had no dreams of ever becoming traditionally published, it was a thrill even so.

I can't tell you how frustrating it has also been to wait while they put everything together. I prefer my hands directly in the mix and guiding my own creative projects, but being part of the Crow Town group was a great experience. Ripley Archer has invited me back to be part of a third volume next year. I have a new brief and more time to consider it. I hope I can rise to the occasion once again and rival my original submission with an even higher quality story for the repeat performance. Wish me luck!

And now a word from our sponsor, Ophelia Kee.

Shameless Self Promotion

Thread Quote Card

Thread, the entry point into the world of the dream.

Unraveling chaos with each tattered thread

A thousand years ago, chaos escaped into the dream. By 2016, shadowy evil forces using madness were wreaking havoc on the balance of magic and erasing necessary parts of an ancient prophecy. In danger of losing its magic, the dream attempts to use broken pieces and replacement parts to weave a new tapestry. Choosing the right building blocks isn’t easy.

In this exhilarating prequel tale, meet Luke and Eli, two characters with fascinating pasts and complicated secrets, before they become the king and queen the dream needs them to be. Luke Mendez is a retired military man. Having anxiety, he spies the beautiful girl next door, but then struggles to introduce himself. Eli Miller, the high school history teacher, worked tirelessly for years to break free from a terrible relationship. She moved to Tyler to start over.

Thread is the story of a lonely direwolf shifter and a lone tiger shifter in a time before the two of them meet each other. It sets the stage for A Pack Forms, an enthralling urban fantasy with a paranormal romance tale in the epic Draoithe Saga by Ophelia Kee. If you enjoy the story before the story, Thread is your free introduction to a new series.

Welcome to the dream…

Behind the Scenes

Crw Town Bargain with Death Book Cover

My latest short story is publishing in the anthology Crow Town Book Two. Allow me the pleasure of sharing the back cover book description with you.

The Bargain With Death

A LARKS North Tale

A destiny forged in shadows

Escaping the fire that destroyed the Cioaran Enclave, Emilia flees into the night, only to end up trapped and dying in the cellar of a forgotten town. Broken, impaled, and desperate, the young woman whispers a forbidden prayer to the ancient gods, summoning the Reaper himself. Death offers her a chilling ultimatum: fade into the eternal dark or strike a bargain to serve him in exchange for her life.

Eliasar Valravn, a reclusive shadow master and a smith, known to the locals as Elias Crow, owes an ancient debt to Thanatos. When a raven delivers a summons, Eliasar is commanded to rescue a rare Daughter of the Crow whose magic mirrors his own. Bound by duty, Eliasar must save Emilia from her broken state.

Thrown together by a powerful destiny, will they survive their encounters with Death, or will their bargains prove to be their demise?

It’s more than a story; it’s an experience. Welcome to the dream…

Noble Dark Fantasy with Steamy Paranormal Romance & Fated Mates 18+ HEA! NC!

***Warning: Adult Themes, Fantasy Violence, and/or Explicit Sexual Situations. Intended for a mature audience.

While for a short while, The Bargain with Death is only available in Crow Town Book Two, I will eventually publish it as an Ophelia Kee exclusive short story in the LARKS North Collection. I hope you will support this project with me and enjoy tales from many talented authors.

The Silver Wraith's Firelight Queen

I had so much fun writing this standalone tale that it has inspired me to write more stories like this. Would you like a teaser? Alright, check out this title: The Silver Wraith's Firelight Queen. Y'all, this one is set in the dream at the edge of the Void. That's it, I will save the rest for May 2.

It will be posted to Substack as a serial as I add chapters to the Draoithe Saga. I hope you'll come along for the ride. Story Chapters in the Draoithe Saga Serial Experience post on Substack on Saturdays!

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Thank you for stepping into the dream once more. If you are listening on YouTube, don't forget to like and subscribe for more original stories and audio adventures! Special thanks to @OkMusicWriters for Enter The Dream. I need to get back to edits and videos. Leave your comments and questions. I'd love to hear from you. If you found this post worthy, please share it. I hope you have a lovely weekend and will discover a grand story. Please remember when you read, be kind and leave your reviews. Until my next post, welcome to the dream…

Be Careful!

Happy Reading,

Bye-Bye,

Ophelia Kee

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