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From time to time, I like to feature other authors and commentators with something unique and interesting to say. Today, author Stephen B. Pearl talks a little bit about his inspiration for Seven Days, a story of whirlwind romance with a creature of the fae which appears in Love, Time, Space, Magic.

If you like what Stephen has to say, you can find more of his musings and published works at www.stephenpearl.com.

Hi all,

I’m Stephen B. Pearl author of, among other things, the story Seven Days in Love Time Space and Magic from Pop Seagull Publishing.

The original inspiration for Seven Days came from the Jethro Tull song The Whistler. The song seemed to lend itself so well to the fairy stranger format that the story almost wrote itself. A recurrent theme in fairy lore is the stranger who comes into the village and performs some act for good or ill that changes everything. On a personal level there are few things as devastating than romantic betrayal. Whether that betrayal is by the loved one or the universe is of little matter, it still leaves one bereft and hurting. Thus I saw Chanter, the fey servitor, as the fairy stranger, but instead of saving a village he saves a broken heart. One heart at a time he makes good his folly of the past.

With Seven Days I explored the gift of a transient fling. The idea that having someone there, even for a little while, to remind you that you are worthy of love and respect is a very powerful thing. I also, with the character of William, I take a look at the selfless nature of true love, the kind that can last a lifetime.

Finally, With Fawn and her issues I touch on the idea that we have to be open to love. Often we cut ourselves off from love because we don’t see ourselves as worthy. We have been taught that we aren’t attractive enough, smart enough, good enough to deserve love and so keep those who would love us at arm’s length.

Chanter in my story sees into the heart of the hurting soul and draws out the cause behind the cause. In my experience the wounds that hurt worst are the ones that open old injuries. It is like a piece of metal. Hit it once and it is strong. Hit it a thousand times and it will break. Thus when Chanter says to William, “Your wound was more raw but simpler, hers is deep; forged of years of hurt. I will do what I can.” Chanter is summing up a life of pain for Fawn that has opened with the romantic betrayal. Chanter makes no judgment as to which is worse, William’s pain of having lost his love to death or Fawn’s of having been cheated on and dumped after a life time of being belittled by those who should have loved her, because they are both pain. One is acute the other chronic and both can devastate a person, twisting them into something less than they should be.

You might say that Seven Days has a lot of emotion.

I hope this insight has been of interest and would just like to say you are worthy of love. Let yourself embrace it and grow in it and it will stay long past the seventh day.