Necrology

1898, Catskills, alternate America:

Two hundred years ago, Whitetail’s grandmother signed a contract on behalf of all the Dirty foremothers. They cast aside their worship of the Wilds and its magic-giving power. In return, anti-magic Freemen agreed to spare them from male violence.

Now orphanage headmistress Whitetail has sprouted antlers — proof of a violated contract. When her benefactor visits, proposing marriage, Whitetail’s appearance sparks abuse. After all, she’s looking macabre. And… pregnant by another? Orphan Rabbit’s cursing the man to winter, kills him. As Freemen police clamor in, Whitetail’s arrested for unsanctioned practices.

In prison, Whitetail’s future becomes clear: If she’s found guilty, Freemen will execute her by burning –Flames will destroy the locked-away female revolution they’d thought was a baby in her belly — Worse, they’ll use the antlers they just sawed off her head to cast a final cleansing, eradicating female magic for good.

And to ensure that the jury finds her guilty, Freemen have enlisted adopted daughter Rabbit as their star witness. For Rabbit, a revolution doesn’t seem like a bad idea, all she needs is a sign. In fact, with her magic at stake, she’s got nothing left to lose. Except… maybe a tooth.

Complete at 89k words, NECROLOGY is an Adult Historical Gothic Fantasy written from the point of view of a noble, yet imperfect mother, and the daughter she’d raised to celebrate herself. It may appeal to fans of Alexis Henderson’s feminist The Year of the Witching, or readers in search of historical reimaginings like Alix E. Harrow’s, The Once and Future Witches.