Kikimora

Raised in isolation by a brooding magician and his learned cat, Kikimora has almost come of age – and that means she has a destiny to fulfil. Because Kikimora is no ordinary girl, but a monster spun from the breath of an ice wyvern and the crocodile tears of a killer, and her purpose is to wreak vengeance on mankind.

But Kikimora’s nature is not harsh or cruel. Sent out into the human world alone, she will need all of her ingenuity to overcome the destiny laid out for her, and perhaps find her own path to happiness.

The first chapter of Kikimora is now available to read. Let me know what you think, and if it has whetted your appetite for the rest of the book.

Kikimora is very loosely based on Slavic folklore, particularly the description by Anatoly Lyadov accompanying his fairy tale for orchestra, Kikimora:

“She grows up with a magician in the mountains. From dawn to sunset the magician’s cat regales Kikimora with fantastic tales of ancient times and faraway places, as Kikimora rocks in a cradle made of crystal. It takes her seven years to reach maturity, by which time her head is no larger than a thimble and her body no wider than a strand of straw. Kikimora spins flax from dusk and to dawn, with evil intentions for the world.”

(Source: Wikipedia)

The first chapter features two characters from Slavic mythology who may not be familiar to Western readers, Leshy, the spirit of the forest, and the Rusalka, beautiful water spirits who drown unwary men – similar to mermaids.