“The apartment isn’t much, stiff wallpaper frayed along the stairwell where hands have passed over it during every ascent and descent since its erection in the fifties, rips visible under the pale spark of a grimy lamp that hangs in the corridor, always rocking with a steady creak-pop-creak, though I’ve never felt a breeze in this portion of the complex and the fixture is too high to touch, even with a broom. I know, I’ve tried. Maybe the building rests on unsteady ground. Or maybe a breeze…”
There is no doubt that this author will join the pantheon of accomplished female writers like Mary Shelley and Alice Walker. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to read the next installment in this promising series!
K. Johnson
I absolutely love this book and can not wait for the next one!!! Please say there is a next one! Once you get used to the dialect, the story just wraps you up and you don’t want to put it down. This young author has a bright future if she keeps writing like this!- L.Stidham
I am more of a mystery, espionage, historical novel reader. But…I loved this book! Once I got used to the dialect, it got easier to read. The writing is excellent and the descriptions superb! It is really hard to believe this is the first novel for Ms. Shepeard. I look forward to book 2. I highly recommend this book.-S. Collins
I really enjoyed this book. It has a mix of a Southern Gothic and psychological thriller feel. The dialect does take a moment to get used to, but once you're used to it, it actually helps you immerse yourself in the story. Highly recommend to those who love stories about fantasy and/or challenges of loyalty.-Diana
Taylor Shepeard's Leather & Sage is one of the most emotionally charged monster novels readers will ever get their hands on. It feels very reminiscent of the theme of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Who is the monster in this situation? The one who was cursed, or the family that ostracized and condemned them because of it? Due to the multiple points of view, we see the characters dealing with their inner turmoil as they tumble further into their monstrosity. Taylor has done an incredible job balancing the horrific and sorrowful elements of this novel.-K Berrios
Taylor’s Other Works
Gator Stew
“Joseph does as the voice says. He picks at the double bass, growling against a crooked mic in the grungy bar nestled within the swampy land of Louisiana. The room is sticky. Sticky from spilt drinks carpeting the floor, lust-filled bodies pressed tight, and the ever-present moisture of alcohol and sweat in the air. It coats his skin and he pours the sticky feeling into his song like thick maple syrup, letting it drip over his audience. They suck it in.”
Playing Reality
“Tension builds as the line grows, its tail of bodies winding around the wooden bar. Kaleb eyes the people entering, frenzied in their need to start the day with caffeine. Dreary-eyed, he’s tempted to take a long swig of the macchiato in his hand. He’d stayed up too late playing Diablo III, unable to power down the console every time he completed a mission and began a new one. Now, moving through reality like a zombie, he curses himself for getting immersed . . . “
Foxy
“He looked at me as a vulture does a carcass, deciphering which parts to eat first and which parts to savor. He’s drunk; drunker than the other two with him. They’ve noticed me, but they aren’t vulgarly observing me like him. My gum forms a bubble as I exhale out, twirling a pen around my fingers. Thumb to pinky, pinky to thumb. The gum explodes in a pop, snapping back to my lips. I peel the sticky pieces off with my tongue. He takes a final swig of beer, and I stand at the diner counter “
Drifter
“The sea breeze wafts over her, gentle and comforting. She smiles and runs her hand slowly along her arm, imagining it is the salty touch of the air caressing her skin and guiding her down the beach. She doesn’t walk; the sand doesn’t touch her feet. She floats, as smooth and fragile as a mother’s lullaby to her sleeping newborn. A coaxing wind pulls her forward and the rolling waves sing their praise of her aimless direction.”
About Taylor
Taylor Shepeard is a novelist and short story author who specializes in various styles. Her short story publications range from flash fiction to short fiction and have been published by national literary magazines and journals. They fall under the following genres: literary fiction, magical realism, fantasy, and speculative fiction.
Her debut novel, Leather and Sage, is the first installment of the Willow Moss and Kindling series, published under Cursed Dragon Ship Publishing. A supernatural horror, the novel stemmed from a noteworthy binge of “Supernatural”, two sharp glasses of whiskey, and the author’s deeply ingrained southern roots.
