Hazel Gray
The Castora Adventures
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
After Hazel had fetched her shawl, she began to make her way back to Uncle Doyen when she noticed the pale light of a lantern swaying in the trees. Her childish curiosity overcame her and, forgetting the dwarf’s warning, she followed the light deeper into the woods. It remained always a few paces ahead of her, swaying back and forth…back and forth…in a hypnotic manner that completely entranced her. Deeper and deeper, ever deeper, into the forest they went, over rocks and dewy grasses, down boggy slopes and up again—Hazel and the lantern. The night enveloped them like a great black cloak, seeming to separate them from everything but each other—Hazel and the lantern. Swaying…swaying…swaying…twinkling in the dark, shimmering and pulsing, coursing along in front of her slowly, smoothly, magically. It was as if she were dreaming, floating about in the night, part of the night, a spirit of the night. No longer a human girl, she was an element of this strange land, mesmerized by a mysterious golden eye that beckoned her, called her, whispered her name in a voice that only she could hear, pulling her ever further into the world. She would go on forever, floating, following.
Formats
Book Details
About the Book
Young Karen Martin has never been more afraid in her life. Chosen for adoption by a man she has never met, she reluctantly leaves Riverside Orphanage, the only home she has ever known. When a dwarf arrives at the train station to claim her, he immediately christens her Hazel Gray, replacing a name the girl has always hated. The girl’s new life with a tiny bearded man called Uncle Doyen has begun, and Hazel cannot imagine the adventures that await her.
Uncle Doyen leads Hazel into the wondrous land of Clementis, where woodland creatures talk, fairies flit about, and dwarfs roam the hillsides. Before long, Hazel adjusts to her new life, but her happiness is short-lived. Evil lurks in that bright land, and Hazel must embark on a dangerous journey through Clementis where she encounters evil dwarfs, faces a treacherous elf, and has many more exciting adventures.
In this whimsical fantasy tale, a young girl searches for her purpose and true self in a strange land where she soon learns that family comes in all shapes and sizes.
About the Author
Elizabeth C. Simek was raised in the beautiful countryside surrounding Dickinson, North Dakota, as one of eight children in a homeschooled family. She currently attends Dickinson State University, where she is pursuing a major in elementary education. Elizabeth’s favorite activities include reading, writing, needlework and watching a good movie.