Author Notes before Chapter Ten

'coz it's been a while

Hello, friends and loyal readers. As much as I love writing my other posts, I really do want to see my novel to the end, and knowing there are readers for it is a tremendous motivator. Please leave comments and questions because they help me improve the story.

When I last left off, Rumple and Belle just finished their “little expedition” to Sherwood Forest. He spared Robin’s life, and she saw through his monster guise and hugged him. That moment is such a fan favorite, I’ll repost the picture.

Look at the expression on his face! Robert Carlyle is such an incredible actor!

Rumple spends the ride home savoring the memory of that moment and using his happiness and love to magically build Belle a library in his castle. If you’re familiar with Disney’s cartoon version of “Beauty and the Beast,” then you know that the gift of the library was a milestone in their relationship.

Chapter Ten will open with Rumple presenting the library to Belle. I’ve put the video link in the chapter, but if you’d rather watch before reading it, here it is.

The TV show never describes the books in the library, so I had a lot of fun with that. Remember: “the Land without Magic,” is our world, and because Rumple is preparing the magic to get there, he’s doing research in advance.

And now I want to draw your attention to one last part of Chapter Nine. After Belle passed the test, Rumple thought, “He’d let her take on even more next time. Fiercer Darkness, not just a staged trial run.”

“Next time” is coming right up!