The Black Forest

by Raima Larter

Lucinda's Mamma is very sick, although little Lucinda is not supposed to know this. On an otherwise ordinary day, a strange cat leads Lucinda to something remarkable--an apparent secret passage hidden in the wall of her tall apartment building. What will happen if Lucinda follows the mysterious pathway inside the hidden opening? Read this modern-day fairy tale to find out.

22 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 16, 2025

About the author

Raima Larter is a writer and scientist. A former college professor and government scientist, she is the author of numerous short stories, three novels, and the popular science book, "Spiritual Insights from the New Science: Complex Systems and Life," published by World Scientific in 2021. Her newest novel is "The Kiss Catastrophe," published in 2024. Raima's first novel, "Fearless," was published by New Meridian Arts Press in February, 2019. Her second novel, "Belle o' the Waters" was published by Mascot Books in April, 2019. Her short stories have been nominated for awards, including the Pushcart Prize. Raima authors the blog, Complexity Simplified, covering topics from science to religion and spirituality and also contributes articles about scientific discoveries to the American Institute of Physics website and other online publications. She has two short story collections, “The Gate of Heaven and Other Story Worlds,” published in 2012, and "Motherhood and Other Magical Realms," published in 2022.

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, time for a little reading intermission. No, I don’t mean stop reading, I mean put down those heavy reads you’ve been plowing through all summer and dive into a perfectly refreshing fairy tale for the 21st century.

In the recently released The Black Forest: a modern-day fairy tale, Raima Larter has crafted a delightfully quick read, appropriate for all ages. All the elements of a fairy tale line up to transport the reader from the hurdy gurdy of modern life to the adventures of a bright, curious child, lured into the path of danger by a crafty pair of green eyes. The green eyes lead her to a secret passageway into a dark forest, within which she discovers a charming cottage in a bright spot of flowered sunshine and occupied, of course, by an old woman. Or is she an old witch? There is a lesson the old witch needs to impart to the child—if Lucinda is brave enough to confront her fears.

Treat yourself (and your littles) to this bit of fantasy with a heart.