Wicked, Clockwork Heart

by J.L. Murray

Summer's heart doesn't beat, it ticks along with time. Her mother claims she's wicked, that her clockwork heart is cold and unworthy of love. But when Summer meets Noel, a country boy who loves Summer just the way she is, she wants to believe she can be happy. Happiness is tricky, though, especially where magic is involved. Summer learns the ruby that powers her heart came from a powerful witch. And Summer is just what she's looking for.

In this short story, J.L. Murray weaves a tale of love, loss, betrayal, and devotion. Of dancing bears and tinkered treasures, magical rubies, witches, and gold filigreed hearts. Wicked, Clockwork Heart is sure to stay with you long after the book closes.

14 pages, ebook

First published January 18, 2018

About the author

J.L. Murray is the author of the Niki Slobodian series (Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, The Devil Is a Gentleman, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, The Devil Was an Angel, and The Devil's Backbone), The Thirteen series (Jenny Undead and Eat the Ones You Love), After the Fire, Blood Day, the Blood of Cain series (Monstrous, Hoarfrost, Sanguine), the Gothic Folk series (The Hungry Deep), and The Collins Widow.

Murray is a firm believer that horror can be beautiful, and that good and evil are very far from black and white. She lives with her family in Eugene, Oregon and can be reached through her website at www.jlmurraywriter.com.