Newest release
The Faeries Of Fable Island by Alicia Cahalane Lewis (April 2024)
Set on a forgotten stretch of Maine coast where tourists from all over the world once traveled in the hope of finding a hidden faerie land, The Faeries of Fable Island tells the remarkable true story of sixteen-year-old Megan Elida Fay, the great-great-granddaughter of the only Wendy Darling to meet Peter Pan on the roving magical island.
Meg, who has been “banished to the attic,” in her words, by her aunt Georgia to sleep with the nursery toys and the memories of her ancestor’s past, grieves for her mother who died when she was a child, and for her father who ran away shortly thereafter. Haunted by grief, Meg has thrown herself into forgetting her true self.
What was once the truth, Fable Island has now become a storybook land, but was this truth obscured when someone else rewrote the Faerie Queen and Peter Pan into their own story?
When truth and storytelling collide in this modern-day adventure, Meg sets out on a quest to find the real Faerie Queen. With the help of a little faerie magic, will it be possible for Meg to believe in herself once more? Will she be able to bend time and find the mysterious island, as her mother once promised her she would, and discover her free-spirited youthful self?
The Faeries of Fable Island promises the possibility of magic, storytelling, and the lure of a kindred land where dreams come true when one believes.
“audacious unpredictability”
“profoundly moving”
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“Alicia Lewis is a poetic writer who uses simple themes to disentangle us from the complexities we’ve built into our everyday lives. In The Faeries of Fable Island, she uses the adventures of a 5th-generation Wendy Darling to reintroduce us to the universal themes in the original Peter Pan: memory, courage, joy, sadness, love, and the uplifting influence of believing in magic. James Barrie would be proud—an amazing evocation of a magical place where spirits are free and dreams come true.”
- Pam Webber, Bestselling Author of The Wiregrass, Moon Water, and Life Dust.
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“This fantasy novel from Alicia Cahalane Lewis is a deeply philosophical and contemplative reimagining of Scottish novelist J. M. Barrie’s classic Peter Pan narrative.
In 2024, Megan Elida Fay, 16, lives in a dilapidated house on the Maine coast with her aunt. The remote stretch of coastline is a tourist hotspot, as it has been rumored for decades to be the place where believers can sometimes see an imaginary island, allegedly inhabited by Peter Pan himself. Meg’s family has been believers for generations; her great-great-grandmother (named Wendy Darling) apparently visited the island, which featured golden rainbows and fields of transparent poppies. Meg’s mother was a believer as well, but when she died after a battle with cancer, and Meg’s alcoholic father abandoned her, she feels “trapped in a story someone else wrote for [her].”
With the weight of her family’s generational secrets and expectations (as well as her still unprocessed grief) weighing heavily on her, Meg must decide between solving the mystery of the island or walking away from it all to begin her own story.
One of the novel’s strengths is its audacious unpredictability; the narrative doesn’t go where readers will expect it to. There’s also an impressive focus on rich, immersive description, as well as thematically powerful statements: “I look around the room crowded with fading antique books, dark dusty Victorian furniture, chipped glass vases, an umbrella stand filled with rotting silk umbrellas, a carriage wheel, a green parrot feather under glass, and a couple of dried moth carcasses pinned to a board. I wheeze, “We’re collectors of dead things...”
Readers expecting a whimsical story about fairies and the faerie realm will be disappointed. This is a much deeper novel, exploring complex issues like children struggling with loss, dealing with grief, environmental stewardship, the power of belief, and the magic created by embracing wonder.
Deep readers will find this novel unconventional, perceptive, and profoundly moving.”
-Blue Ink Review
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“An intriguing premise and one that made me jump at the chance to read this. With the promise of magic, adventure and Faerie Tales, we follow Meg, the great, great granddaughter of Wendy Darling as she seeks to discover if Fable Island is real after all. I adored the way this was written, the author's ability to blend modern times with the magic of a fabled book, a hidden Island, Peter Pan and the possibility of magic and Faeries. Well written, I was instantly drawn to Meg who is dealing with the grief of the death of her mother when she was six, her fathers leaving shortly after and her troublesome relationship with her Aunt. This book as well as all the elements of magic and fantasy realms deals with some other heavier subjects like grief, the death of a child and finding out who you are. I loved the idea of what the Island actually represents in the end, the sense of wonder and mystery surrounding Peter, Faeries and the island. Throughout, the real backstory of Meg's ancestors is slowly revealed and we learn the importance of belief and hope through Meg and her best friend. The ending of this one was perfectly in line with the whole vibe of the book, and leaves the reader wondering at what happens next. Belief and hope to the end. This is a quick read, and one that is perfect as either a standalone read or one I'd love to see a sequel too. Perfect for fantasy fans who believe in magic and possibilities!”
-Cathryn Melani, A LoveReading ambassador
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“On her 16th birthday, Megan Elida Fay, descended from a long line of Wendy Darlings, is still haunted by her mother’s tragic death 10 years earlier.
Abandoned by her father after her mother’s death, Megan moved in with her maternal aunt, the cryptic Georgia, in a clapboard cottage perched on the Maine coast, where she spends her time desperate to decipher whether her parents’ stories of Fable Island and Peter Pan were true. When Georgia informs her the magic is real—and that Meg’s expected to find the bridge to cross over to Fable Island—Meg feels trapped in someone else’s story.
Lewis (author of Restless) engraves this modern-day fairy tale with a deep sense of regret, from Meg’s debilitating grief to her aunt’s weariness at how to help to her father’s downward spiral when the magic feels impossible. Meg’s teen angst is palpable, as is her internal struggle between what she sees in the world around her and the mystery she senses hovering just out of her reach. Too practical and too wracked by grief, Meg works hard to convince herself that her mother can’t have transcended death to live on Fable Island, despite the glimmering signs that she is part of something much, much bigger than herself.
Part coming-of-age journey and part lesson in grief, Lewis’s tale encourages readers to let go while moving forward. Meg’s relationship with her father—and his failed attempt at reconciliation—is painful to watch, as is her best friend Theo’s quicker grasp of magical thinking, despite Meg’s legacy. After much effort, Meg eventually concedes: “Fable Island may not be real but it exists… It is in the hearts and minds of those who believe.” Lewis delivers a delicate balance between real life and the whisper of magic throughout, building moments of drama and whimsy that will stick with readers long after the last page.”
Comparable Titles: Liz Michalski’s Darling Girl, Alex Flinn’s Beastly.
-BookLife Reviews by Publishers Weekly
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“A thought provoking interpretation of a coming of age fantasy adventure. Megan is the great-great-granddaughter of Wendy Darling, struggling to cope after her mother’s death and her father’s disappearance, living with her aunt surrounded by family heirlooms. Connected to her family’s story is the one of Fable Island, a lost magical island where Peter Pan and the Faerie Queen reside. Will Meg be able to overcome her grief and discover this elusive island as her family thinks she would, and will she be able to discover a free-spirited self and open herself up to the possibility of magic? I thought that ‘The Faeries of Fable Island’ is an interesting take on a coming-of-age fantasy adventure. The use of a more literary style keeps the reader grounded mostly in reality, we follow Meg as she simultaneously clings to her past and connection to Fable Island while also rejecting the notion it exists. It’s like this rejection prevents Meg from seeing the magic and hope in the world around which would allow her to move through the darker parts of her grief. This is a thought-provoking, character driven novel with a dash of magical realism about trying to find hope and belief in your darkest moments.”
-Charlotte Walker, A LoveReading Ambassador
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Forthcoming
Miracle Man (May 2024) by Dr. Dave Ferruolo
Miracle Man is a compelling novel of spiritual awakening and human resilience. Follow the journey of Aaron Robert Gossy, an ex-Navy SEAL wrestling with war's aftermath. Struggling with PTSD and a life half-lived, he battles his fiercest enemy yet--his mind. Yet, a flicker of hope sparks his quest for redemption and enlightenment.
With each step, Aaron unravels his pain, uncovering a warrior's heart yearning for peace and purpose. The story transcends a mere narrative, offering an inspiring exploration of resilience and life's profound connections. Miracle Man resonates with our deepest human essence, serving as a guiding light for all navigating through their darkest moments.
Are you an author, or do you know of one, who would be a good fit for our indie publishing company? Join the waitlist - view the guidelines.
New Titles
Restless by Alicia Cahalane Lewis (April 2023)
Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org
“Indeed, the story circles her like a haunting dream...A brief but memorable tale with prose that sings.” - Kirkus Reviews
It is 1903 and eighteen-year-old Emilie Aubert, who ran away from home at the age of eleven, lives on the streets of Paris selling flowers to well-heeled gentlemen. When she meets Guy they begin a hurried love affair, one of restless expectation and uncertainty.
Restless unfurls like the bud of a rose, as Emilie, and the people who know her, narrate this coming-of-age story. Written in poetic prose, the narration circles in and around each of these characters’ viewpoints offering a deeper understanding of Emilie and her true self.
“A lyrical historical novella about an elusive young Parisian woman who flees from her family and romantic relationships.
“When Guy, a solitary banker, buys stolen roses from an 18-year-old “vagabond” named Emilie, they forge a tempestuous connection that binds them together for years. Though she now lives on the streets, the young woman is a member of one of the wealthiest families in the City of Light; she ran away as a child after the death of her parents in a train crash. Guy is enthralled with her after their first meeting, but after they become lovers, he finds that Emilie refuses most of the constrictions of Edwardian society, from corsets and hats to marriage. The traditionally minded Guy takes this as rejection, and after he impulsively abandons her at a train station, they’re separated forever, which tortures Guy for years. The novella gradually coalesces around the theme of the desire to define the people one loves in order make oneself feel safe. For Emilie, this is shown to feel like imprisonment, even though she longs for love. She continues to elude all who seek her—even her aunt and former nurse who’ve never forgotten their lost child. This novella is comprised of many poetic vignettes that come together for a tantalizing whole that still somehow feels incomplete, as if the reader is searching, and failing, to find Emilie. The chapters are told in a series of intimate stream-of-consciousness first-person perspectives, as in this narration from Guy: “I construct a play without words because I have said nothing to you, and you, in turn, have said nothing to me. Where in this universe are you that I should know your lost language?” All the characters feel like brief sketches except for Emilie herself, and some chapters are figments of her imagination. Indeed, the story circles her like a haunting dream, with imagery taking precedence over plot.
“A brief but memorable tale with prose that sings.”
“Restless is a beautifully written novel told from the points of view of its main characters, Emilie and Guy, as well as some of the side characters. The first thing I noticed when reading Restless was the exquisite prose that covered each page. I felt like I was floating over the characters as I followed them on their journeys…Restless is a thought-provoking story with themes of love, loss, unknowing, sorrow, grief, freedom, life choices, and of course, restlessness.”
Room Service Please by Alicia Cahalane Lewis
Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org
Awarded first place in photography and second place in overall cover design by The Book Fest.
Have you ever stopped to think what makes a modern woman, modern?
In ROOM SERVICE PLEASE, Edie May, a budding dance protégé, has lost her virginity on the night of her sixteenth birthday, June 17, 1922, in New York City’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Unprepared for this turn of events, Edie is nonetheless determined to confront the man who seduced her and demand he make things right. However, Edie has been mistaken for Agnes Ayres, the famous Hollywood motion picture actress.
As much as she tries to convince everyone that she is not the rising starlet, Edie is whisked into a role she is not prepared to play. Using her wits and ingenuity, Edie transforms herself from the daughter of a washerwoman living on the Lower East Side into a shining star of her own making, a true Modern, and one of the first flappers of her era.
“In Room Service Please by Alicia Cahalane Lewis, delivers a spellbinding, twisty tale that features not only strong plot points but unforgettable, richly imagined, and sophisticated characters.
“This evocative, deeply immersive tale is character-driven, a tale about taking impossible chances. Fans of beautifully wrought and suspenseful coming-of-age stories will not be able to resist the spell in Room Service Please…I loved everything about this book — the powerful premise, the compelling characters, the unexpected twist, and the gorgeous writing. You won't be able to put it down.”
- Christian Fernandez, The Book Commentary
The Intrepid Meditator by Alicia Cahalane Lewis
Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org
In the Intrepid Meditator, poet and Reiki Master of Masters, Alicia Cahalane Lewis, shares her spiritual journey by unpacking what it means to live in balance. To Alicia, Earth is advanced energy and a matrix of potential. We can either choose to fight or cooperate with the planet’s polarity.
By incorporating her techniques for attaining harmony, Alicia offers experience, compassion, and heartfelt strategies to help readers find grace while navigating the deep highs and lows of grief and fear.
Hers is a balanced earth, but she fully recognize the frustration, disappointment, and longing we create. By acknowledging the difficulty of finding balance on the planet that continually shifts, Alicia takes her a message one step further by offering guided, annotated meditations to help advance greater self-awareness and Reiki inspired healing.
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