To Be, Or Not? - June 19, 2026
Dear Reader,
Now, before you get to thinking I've waxed poetical, let me be clear. I'm not a fan of Shakespeare. I know I just alienated all the English literature fans out there, but... Art should be appreciated for what it is. Or not, and I firmly believe that beauty is in the beholder's eye. This beholder was force-fed Shakespeare in high school. It didn't go over well.
Unlike stories such as Rime of the Ancient Mariner or A Christmas Carol, Shakespeare felt like a slog through someone else's viewpoint. It's classic and has an important place in English literature, but not anything I would choose to read again. Tolkien I would read many times over, but not even seeing any of Shakespeare's plays as live performances tempts me.
Perhaps I have simply passed the point of caring what others think. Maybe I have finally reached that point in life where my preferences concerning art matter more than someone else's opinion or their judgment. I shall look upon art I appreciate, listen to music that moves me, and read the stories that appeal to my tastes. I will not be confined to one genre, nor swayed by what is popular. When I write, I shall follow my deranged tiger muse, and I shall continue to discover the story one scene at a time.
I can only hope others finally arrive at a point in their own lives where they too may choose freely. And even if they love Shakespeare, I hope they will appreciate that there will always be others who simply can't see what they find so great in it.
The Draoithe Saga isn't meant for everyone. It's dark, but it's not horror. It's neither science fiction nor a genuine mystery. Romance is a serious part of every story in the dream, and the characters drive the scenes the reader sees.
The Draoithe Saga is a noble dark fantasy of epic proportions. The world-building is colossal. There are tropes which reappear: damsels in distress, a dark prophecy, immortal magic, chivalric heroes, and found family. Feeling their way through the dark to discover a light at the edge of the dream is a constant theme.
It's nothing like Shakespeare, except that it's written in English. It's not old; it's modern. If stories with dragons, vampires, shifters, angels, and demons appeal to you, allow me to invite you to subscribe and read while I write and edit. Meet the witches, wizards, archmages, and lesser gods who roam the levels of the dream. Be warned: if you seek the classics, you won't find them in the Draoithe Saga. It's more than a story; it's an experience. Welcome to the dream...
Summer 2026 Sale!
50% off The Draoithe Saga
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End date:
July 31st 2026!
Behind the Scenes
I've recently debated revealing my true identity: the woman behind Ophelia Kee. I can't quite do it yet, but the fictional nonfiction podcast, which went dormant some time ago, calls out to be revived. It could be a place to put the real me.
As things stand at the moment, I must continue to protect my students in the day job, but it would be nice to let a deranged tiger write all her stories while the real-life version of me handled the behind-the-scenes. There are also essays and content I would love to share, nonfiction stuff, that doesn't fit in the dream.
I often refer to the concept of a life without the day job as my crockpot life. It's the slow-down-and-live-in-the-moment version of me that can't really exist, at least not yet. Maybe I never will accomplish it the way I envision it, but someday, this slow-cooker-dream-life might materialize, and I could just be me, letting the masks I've had to wear fall away. An old tiger can dream, can't she?
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'm neck-deep in bookish stuff, editing and posting chapters of The Monarch and writing scenes in Twilight Dark. Leave your comments and questions. I'd love to hear from you. If you found this post worthy, please feel free to 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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