31 Comments
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Ophelia Kee's Dream's avatar

I like the artwork.

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Hanna Delaney's avatar

Thank you. I make everything in canva.

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PWN the Stacker's avatar

What good fortune for this to show up in my home feed, which is otherwise flooded with Substack growth how-to’s! Thanks for the enjoyable micro fiction to help break up my work day :)

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Jessica Maison's avatar

Really wonderful prose. Love the end❤️

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Hanna Delaney's avatar

Thank you so much, Jessica. Not as horror as I usually go but I appreciate you stopping by and enjoying the story.

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Brannley Miller's avatar

“She would shed her tears, and she would do as duty demanded.” What a great line!

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Hanna Delaney's avatar

Thank you so much, Brannley. I love the twist on fairytales. The women don't always have agency, but they can work with what they do have.

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Richard Ritenbaugh's avatar

Great story! Perhaps it's my age, but I'm more intrigued by the grandmother . . .

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Hanna Delaney's avatar

Same! She's got a few yarns in her, I can tell.

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Garen Marie's avatar

I like how you lift the pretty and enchanted mask to reveal a darkly satisfying conclusion. 🖤

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Hanna Delaney's avatar

Thank you Garen. I'm glad it was satisfying. I appreciate your comment x

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Kit Karlsson's avatar

So....when are we getting a printed compendium of the Hanna Delaney fairytales collection??

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Hanna Delaney's avatar

Oh, as soon as! But first--- more stories!

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Lyndsey Resnick's avatar

Perfect, Hanna! What a beautiful fairytale. Clever and bold. Loved it!

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Hanna Delaney's avatar

Thank you, my friend. Your words mean a lot to me.

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Lyndsey Resnick's avatar

I can’t wait for the collection. You do this so well. :)

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Liz Zimmers's avatar

This is a stunning fairy tale. Rich and sly and absolutely beautiful!

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Hanna Delaney's avatar

Thank you Liz. I hoped you'd like it.

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Jane Dougherty's avatar

I enjoyed this. I like a satisfying conclusion to a fairy tale :)

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Hanna Delaney's avatar

Thanks, Jane! I don't write a lot of fairy tale/fantasy pieces at the moment, but I enjoy doing them.

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Jane Dougherty's avatar

It’s easy to miss the point of them. Turning something darkly misogynistic into a little pony rainbow tale just doesn’t work.

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Hanna Delaney's avatar

Yes, I know what you mean. I love Angela Carter's fairytales for that reason. She doesn't sweeten anything. They are what they are, but you can play around with the outcomes and motivations.

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Jane Dougherty's avatar

Yes, she kept that dark element, never went Disney.

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Sandy Shaller's avatar

Hanna, "The Court of the Phoenix King" is a beautiful and evocative story. It harkens back to all sorts of legends misted in cloud and rolling hills. Do you have a collection of these sorts of stories? If you do, I think you should consider submitting them. Bravo!

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Hanna Delaney's avatar

Hi Sandy. I hadn't thought of submitting them, no. There are a few but I'd like to add more, then maybe publish the book myself. I'll see! Thank you for reading and stopping by. It's lovely to hear from you.

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Anne Hickley's avatar

Hanna, does your husband ever worry about the number of men you kill off in your short stories? 🤣 I really enjoyed this one! Happy Easter.

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Hanna Delaney's avatar

Ha laughed when I told him this, Anne 😂 Happy Easter and thank you for reading! Love having you here.

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Anne Hickley's avatar

Love being here …wish I liked horror so I could read more of your stuff! 😀

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Hanna Delaney's avatar

I'll always have a buffet going on here, I think. Don't worry.

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Saint-Lazare's avatar

Exquisite fantasy atmosphere, it's mysterious and inspiring.

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Nick Winney's avatar

so mysterious and atmospheric!

heavy with foreboding...

You're getting better all the time I think Hanna.

some really great lines here.

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