Undercity is a city like no other, which is tourism speak for being located in a damp, dark crater in the perpetual shadow of the vast floating island hovering fifty or so feet overhead. The Loamkin, its colourful array of diverse, innately magical inhabitants, are what would be termed the 'salt of the earth.' Banished by the more powerful ruling elite to a life in the shadows, they all share one common trait - the undying determination to make the very best of their lot, in a life that holds few options and even fewer blessings.
Tea with the Bobbit follows Penny McBryde and her mischievous broonie siblings on a hairy adventure, when an innocent accident sends a simple babysitting assignment spiralling into utter chaos. The Bobbit is, by nature, never pleased and rarely pleasant, and that is on his best days. Today is not one of those days. Who will win in this unconventional and sugar-fuelled battle of wits? Only time will tell.
A Deal with the Karach sees Penny stepping out of her comfort zone and into the murky world of black-market smuggling. When your entire existence, and that of everyone you know, is contingent on a ruling elite who would rather see you vanish entirely from the face of the realm, getting hold of what you need can be no easy feat. It didn't take Undercity long at all to nurture a pretty expensive black-market enterprise to fill the gaping void between the haves and the have-nots. With the harbour at a standstill and vital resources running scarce, Penny must now venture to the seedy backwater that is Grayea's Doldrums to make a deal with the Karach, a shadowy, underworld figure who is definitely more than they appear.
Tales from Undercity: Volume One introduces two quirky, fast-paced short stories set within the fantastical world of Aelithia. These tales will eventually join several longer in-progress works, all set within this same magical realm. Keep your eyes peeled for future upcoming releases in The Undercity Chronicles series.
*No permission is or has ever been given by this author for this book or any part of it to be used to train generative AI in any form or context.
