The Door in the Tree

Wicked on the Wind #1

by Alison Jean Ash

Recently escaped from an abusive marriage only to return to her abusive mother, this time with a disrespectful, guilt-tripping teenage son in tow, Cecily is broke, depressed, and hopeless. When a door opens in the tree she always thought was enchanted, how can she not go through it? In a land of wild magic where legends walk and ancient tales come true, Cecily will find new friends and new dangers —and come face to face with all her old nightmares.

191 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 21, 2015

About the author

Having lived in 13 cities in 7 states by age 18, as a child I found stability in books, all kinds of books. sci-fi, mystery, romance; backs of cereal boxes; Jane Eyre; Greek mythology; BEOWULF; comic books; anime. (I consider BEOWULF the great-grand-daddy of action comics.) The only books I don't read are best sellers--until they're out of fashion, that is.

Employment took me to bookstores, kitchens, offices and broom closets, to 12 years as a craft artist and 7 years of night work in emergency shelter. All the while, I've been writing: journals, poems, letters to the newspapers (I was 12 when my first was printed); articles, essays, reviews, and suddenly, one day in 2001 when I was working on what was supposed to be creative non-fiction: whoops, I was writing fiction!

I live, as I must, near salt water and mountains, in Western Washington. I rejoice in 2 children, 4 grandchildren and my adorable husband. I'm also a soccer fan, passionate enough that I sometimes describe myself as a soccer hooligan and have been known to dye my hair bright blue for my team.

Please visit my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/authorAlisonAsh

Reviews

[Kathy Heare Watts · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT WAS REAL, WHAT WAS ILLUSION
I found this story to be a combination of mystery, suspense, fantasy, and romance. Cecily’s life change so much after the death of her father, she has an evil, hateful mother and she left home as soon as she could at eighteen. Naïve, innocent, and gullible, she is preyed upon by Philip whom she marries after only knowing him one month and they move from England to the US, cutting her completely off from any family or friend connections. Abuse for so many years, she divorces him and returns to Stow with her thirteen-year-old son to take care of her ailing mother. Seeking the comfort of her favorite childhood tree, she is drawn into a mystical land of fairies, creatures, druids, and magic. Cecily learns that love is stronger than revenge and that she is stronger than she realizes and capable of getting her happily ever after ending by showing strength and standing up for herself.

[Jeff Stookey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Her bio says that Alison Jean Ash spent seven years working in shelters of homeless women and men. There she must have learned plenty about abusive relationships, and she surely drew on that knowledge in concocting this fantasy tale rooted in the real world. Strained family relationships and an abusive past are vividly and convincingly depicted at the opening of the story. These resurface in a magical and threatening world where the main character Cecily must learn many lessons about herself.
Ash offers solid wisdom here as her fairytale plays out on different levels.

I loved her use of the nursery rhyme and the birds throughout this charming story.

[Kathy Heare Watts · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT WAS REAL, WHAT WAS ILLUSION
I found this story to be a combination of mystery, suspense, fantasy, and romance. Cecily’s life change so much after the death of her father, she has an evil, hateful mother and she left home as soon as she could at eighteen. Naïve, innocent, and gullible, she is preyed upon by Philip whom she marries after only knowing him one month and they move from England to the US, cutting her completely off from any family or friend connections. Abuse for so many years, she divorces him and returns to Stow with her thirteen-year-old son to take care of her ailing mother. Seeking the comfort of her favorite childhood tree, she is drawn into a mystical land of fairies, creatures, druids, and magic. Cecily learns that love is stronger than revenge and that she is stronger than she realizes and capable of getting her happily ever after ending by showing strength and standing up for herself. Disclosure: I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts, opinions, and ratings are my own.