"He played his fiddle in the woods as well as in the open glades. His work in the forest took him deeper and deeper each day away from the hut till one day he said to himself “Why do I walk so far each day I’ll build myself a hut nearer to my work.” And so deep in the forest he built himself a grand hut snug and warm. When he left the old hut he said to the house elves “follow me and the cow, and you shall live well, for this house will soon grow cold, I’ll not remain here.”

Seven stories of magic and music from USA Today bestselling author Anthea Sharp, exploring worlds from ancient Ireland to a steampunk future. Find a few old favorites here, plus some brand-new tales of bardic power, spooky adventure, and how music might possibly heal our broken world. Includes the following titles: INTO THE FAERIE HILL – Blind minstrel Turlough O’Carolan spends one night beneath the faerie hill that will change him, forever... THE HARPER’S ESCAPE— A sad, mystical tale of a harper fleeing for her life in Elizabethan Ireland. THE QUIET GIFT—Set in the Collegium of Mercedes Lackey’s Valdemar, a young woman with Bardic Talent must learn to accept her gift as it is, not how she wishes it might be. THE CLOCKWORK HARP— A spooky steampunk retelling of the Cruel Sister ballad, set in the universe of Victoria Eternal. MUSIC’S PRICE— Jeremy Cahill’s gifted cello playing calls the creatures of Faerie to him. As a boy, his Irish grandmother crafts him a charm to keep the fair folk at bay—but when it finally fails, Jeremy must face the terrifying power of Faerie…alone. GUINEVERE’S GIFT— Guinevere Gaunt (Gwen to her friends) is one of the last humans to carry the blood of the old bards. Half-trained and barely making a living playing the Celtic harp, she can’t afford to turn down her latest wedding gig, even though it means returning to the treacherous Fae Realm. ICE IN D MINOR—On a near-future Earth, an intrepid composer uses music in a final effort to save our world… KEYWORDS: Alt History, Steampunk, Fantasy Anthology, Short Stories, Celtic Folklore, Celtic Myth and Magic, Bards, Harps, Music, Coming of Age, Magic and Legends