From Hero Support to Leading Roles Mranes loves life by the Wrynath Sea with her family. But her heart longs for the sky and adventure. Goresi faces one last challenge to reaching her dream. Noise and nonsense in her mind block the path. Tonn loves his difficult training as an airhorse rider. Conflicts with other riders proves the bigger challenge. Dyna experiences change and joy as a newlywed. A voice from the past haunts her mind. Selene Knight fiercely loves and protects her children. Her son Arch’s struggles shatter her own heart. Everyone needs support and friendship. Especially fictional heroes on the journey. But those side characters live fascinating lives of their own, all too often unexplored. What would they tell us if we listened? Join Kari Kilgore as she discovers the larger world of her Misfortune and Magic series. Includes five original Misfortune and Magic stories: Wings of the Heart, Footprints Along the Path, Trusting Their Magic, Lines of Strength and Grace, and The Difficulties Ahead. More from Fantastic Side Trips: When Dreams Find Wings Mranes’s heart and imagination yearn for the sky and adventure. And a glorious airhorse to take her there. What will she learn about herself and the life ahead of her, on one special night when magic and desire collide? Caught in Distraction, When She Needs Peace Goresi faces one last challenge with a mind and heart full of chatter and nonsense. And no time left for practice and patience. Will a visit to her own past help her discover the way? Pure Joy, and Fierce Competition Conflicts with other fledgling airhorse riders prove the biggest challenge for Tonn. Can he learn to overcome difficulties and trust himself? Escaping Her Own Past A mysterious voice from Dyna’s past haunts her mind and threatens her happiness. Will asking for help set her free, or send her deeper into madness? The Heartbreak of Acceptance Watching her son Arch struggle in silence shatters Selene’s own heart. Only trying to get others to help her fight for him hurts worse. Can she convince the ones who matter most to accept the truth and help Arch?

Pure Joy and Fierce Competition Tonn thrills at the sight of airhorses, even after tough months as a rider-in-training. Knowing every day brings him closer to a pairing of his own. And the ultimate freedom of taking to the skies. But conflicts with other riders prove the bigger challenge. Can Tonn learn to overcome difficulties and trust himself? Also available in the collection Fantastic Side Trips: Side Characters Take Center Stage An excerpt from Trusting Their Magic: The Match That Defines a Lifetime Tonn jumped at Master Adur's sharp voice. "How did the airhorses learn the flight pattern we're observing right now? Tonn?" He was certain he knew the answer, but a rush of nerves sent his belly twisting anyway. "Same way landhorses do, or fish or fowl or anything else, Master. They're playing. Or at least that's how it starts out." "Exactly so." Master Adur's warm smile balanced out her sometimes harsh tones and fierce expressions. "The wild colony of airhorses not far from here does much the same every morning when the weather's fair. Have any of you had a chance to observe them in their own play?" Every hand shot up. Tonn took every chance he got to take the long walk out past Maestar's towering city wall, cutting through the low, wide passage out to the rocky cliffs overlooking the sea. He wasn't the only one who made the trip by the faintest light of dawn, hoping to catch a display even more breathtaking than the one over their heads.

A Journey of Desperation and Hope Thora's world changed in ten short years. From the promise of safe genetic modifications to a vicious disease wiping out billions. Now she and other GenMods hide themselves, fighting to survive in a failing landscape. Then Thora and her huge GenMod cats take a chance that might change everything. An excerpt from Survivors of the Malance: A Chance for Survival, or the End of Everything Thora took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm. She caught a strong whiff of how scared these two were on the breeze. And that there were several more frightened humans not far behind them. "There are only seventeen of us," she said. "I'm by far the oldest, so I volunteered to come out here to try to find you. We're not going to make it through another winter, not even with the cats helping us hunt." Gun-woman shrugged, shaking her head. But Thora was sure a frown of concern crossed the unarmed woman's face. "Listen, I understand why you don't want us around," Thora said. "But we didn't make the modifications, you have to know that. Our grandparents and parents did it, and some of them didn't even want us after we were born. A few of the kids with me were abandoned after they didn't come out matching specifications. Even these huge cats can't make it without us."

When Dreams Find Wings Mranes loves life along the Wrynath Sea. Scarlet sand and warm water, hard work surrounded by family. But her heart and imagination yearn for the sky and adventure. And a glorious airhorse to take her there. What will she learn about herself and the life ahead of her, on one special night when magic and desire collide? Also available in the collection Fantastic Side Trips: Side Characters Take Center Stage. An excerpt from Wings of the Heart: The Launch of All of Her Dreams "Will they get upset if I go now, Father? I don't want to make anyone feel bad." "The younger ones won't likely notice. And the older ones will know exactly why you enjoy extra time this evening. Your birthday is tomorrow, remember? Your fourteenth." Mranes expected a fine meal this evening, and gifts. Hopefully books with tales of faraway lands, or maybe one of her father's fine tunics made especially for her. She preferred those to gowns, much to her grandmother's disappointment. "I don't think I've ever forgotten my birthday, not since I was old enough to understand what it was." "What you don't yet know is this one is special. Tonight your mother and I will help you recall your sleeping lifetime in a different way than we have before." Mranes shivered as the breeze cooled her legs, startling after so long in the warm water. And not a little bit from the idea of having one of her sleeping lifetimes recalled.

Her Oasis of Calm in a Difficult Time Janet prefers cats to people. The endless variety of personalities, voices, colors, and cuddles keep her calm in a hectic world. So when the world begins to close down, volunteering to care for cats makes sense. But Janet learns sometimes people need care too. And cats know how to help. An excerpt from In Service to a Superior Species: Offering Comfort in the Best Way Possible After stopping to send up his perky greeting to each of the relatively happy cats, Bitu stopped in front of Moxie's home away from home. Rather than raising his head and calling out his version of "Good morning," he sat, wrapping his tail around his feet. He purred softly, watching the bars the whole time. Janet walked over just as quietly, peering inside instead of reaching for the bars right away. Moxie had scooted her bright pink cushion as far away from the front as she could get it, nearly blocking the door to the litter box area. She'd piled a purple fuzzy blanket up on one edge like a tiny barricade, so only a hint of sleek, pure black showed. After a few seconds, Moxie raised her head. One orange eye opened, then the other. She slow-blinked at Janet, lifted her slender tail in a dainty greeting, and snuggled down behind the blanket again.