Feel free to skip the story and go to the next heading (Your Quest: Prize, Rules, and Forms) if you want to get straight to the rules, quest, and eligible stories.
The heavy wooden door creaks as you press it open. It’s been a long time since you’ve visited Crispin in his scholarly sanctuary. Regardless of the time of day or year, the windows are closed and curtained, and drippy white candles and statuesque oil lamps bathe his study areas in golden light.
The scent of lamp oil, salt, ink, and aged parchment embraces you. You cross the threshold, your gaze at once falling to his place in the back of the room. You expect him to be hunched over his slanted slab desk like usual, but today he is practically dancing in front of a table.
You tilt your head.
Odd is an understatement. Your ordinarily stately friend seems more like a child who has discovered a treasure than a red-robed scholar. Two books lie open on the table, one large and leatherbound, the other much smaller with thinner paper and bigger words. Before both sits a red paper container stuffed with strips of something fried.
He looks up at you, his hazel eyes dancing with delight. “Such exquisite timing! Come, come, come.”
You draw closer, eyes narrowing.
“Behold!” He lifts up a bright red paper container filled with strips of golden-fried potatoes. Laughing, he darts in front of you and thrusts the red paper container in your face. “Try one.”
“You aren’t even going to ask me to remove my cloak or how my journey has been?” you tease. Those strips smell delicious though. Your stomach grumbles in response. How long has it been since you ate?
“Yes, of course. Of course, but you have to try this first. Please.” He jostles the container as if that will make it more appetizing.
“The sacrifices I make for you.” Shaking your head, you pluck one of the little strips out. What could be so extraordinary about this bit of fried food? You pop it in your mouth.
Oh.
Well.
It’s potato. But not ordinary potato. Crispy on the outside. Creamy on the inside. Salty and savory. Mouthwatering alchemy with the slightest tinge of…onion? Maybe a touch of cheese? How is it that good?
You grab two this time. “Where did you get these? There’s no way you made them.” Crispin is many things, but a good cook is not one of them.
He giggles and then gives you the entire container. “No, I didn’t prepare them. I found them.”
You stop mid-bite. Your eyebrow arches. Is this going to turn into something disgusting now? “Found them where?”
“I’ve finally done it. You should be quite proud of me. I’ve finally discovered a new form of magic.”
“These are the magic?” They are good, but are they that good?
“No, no, no.” He shakes his head and then gestures at the smaller of the two books. “They were in the last book I read. They are known as ‘french fries.’ And using this new form of magic, I summoned the french fries into existence, and they are delicious.”
Your mouth drops open. “You can read about food and summon it out of books?”
He nods excitedly. “Yes! Food and drink alike.” He grins at you. “What sorcery is this? Perchance I dream. At last I love.”
You tap his arm playfully. “You’ll find love one day. But in the meantime, this is incredible. You’re sure you can do this with anything?” You try another french fry and sigh happily. All right. Maybe one could be in love like this.
“I need to continue testing it. Find its limitations.” He crosses back to the book. “The best thing I can do is test it out with as many stories as I can. Perhaps you’ll help me?”
“Whatever you need.”
He motions toward the door. “Hurry to the library then and fetch me five stories that feature food and drink in a prominent or pleasurable way. Bring them back straight away. I’m going to go through my library and see what else I have. Hurry back!”
He’s already hustled over to the shelves and started pulling out green and blue cloth bound books with elegant bindings.
This really is remarkable. All these years he’s tried to come up with some new form of magic and here he is now. As you head out, you take the paper container of french fries with you. Your day has certainly gotten much better.
Your Quest: Prize, Rules, and Forms
Prize
Once you complete this quest, you will be entered in a chance to win a mystery snack box (the winner will be emailed to find out whether the winner wants some of their favorite snacks or a mystery box of snacks. All items must be legal to mail. Snacks will have value to $15.)
This is open to the US, UK, Canada, and Australia.
Rules
To complete the Quest, you can use stories from either of the official lists. And yes, you can take stories from both.
You can only use a story for one element on the list in this quest. It is all right if you repeat a story from any other quest though.
You will probably have to investigate social media or read blurbs because this is the most challenging of the quests. A few books will hold clues on their covers or in the genre since cozier stories often involve food. You may have read some of the stories Search for the tag #faeornofae and check out what some of the participating authors are sharing.
Also remember that both food and drink are included. These items do not have to be ones you yourself would enjoy. So, depending on the story, that might greatly expand what could be included.
Be kind to your fellow readers and other authors.
The Forms
You are on your way to find five stories that feature food or drink in a pleasurable or prominent way.
This one you will either fill out a Google Form or email us your discoveries.
Each answer is worth 2 tokens. So you can receive 10 tokens by completing this. Each token is an entry into the giveaway.
Bonus Tokens
In addition to the regular tokens, you can get bonus tokens by completing the following acts.
One extra token for every story you share in an individual social media post. (Yes, you can post on multiple platforms.)
Use #crispintastyquestbonus (and if you want to absolutely bless me, save off the links and paste them in the forms or an email to make sure we definitely see them. Screenshots also work.).
(We have graphics of all the stories here so you don’t have to make something separate. Just look look under the author’s last name to find the stories.)
Submitting Your Form
Once you’ve gathered up your collection of stories, you’ll need to turn them in so we can verify.
You can turn in your stories in two ways.
- Complete this form and directly post your answers (if you do this, you don’t need to turn in anything else. The form will allow you to return to it and edit your answers).
- Email your five choices to faeornofae@farofeb.com. Make sure to include any of the bonus activities you have done as well. Use the title Crispin Tasty Quest or some similar identifier.
Make sure to submit your completed form or list by July 3 at 11:59 PM EST.
If you have any problems, please feel free to email faeornofae@farofeb.com.
The Conclusion to Crispin’s Quest
It takes a little longer than you’d like to find the five books with food or drink that is prominent or pleasurable. But you have those delicious french fries to give you strength.
You return to Crispin’s sanctuary and are at once met with an almost maddeningly delicious array of scents both savory and sweet. Books nestled in your arms, you press the door open.
The great tables for study and writing are now practically sagging under the weight of so much food. Roast boar pressed with green herbs, feta stuffed olives, spiced pears in brandy sauce, pork and mushroom pies, flaky peach cobbler, slabs of honey cake, and so much more.
Blinking, you let the door slide shut. “You’ve been busy.”
“Perhaps a little.” He flashes you a grin and then gestures for you to come closer. “The experiments are going wonderfully. Before we continue, why don’t you join me?”
Your stomach rumbles. There are other places you need to go, but right now, this is exactly where you want to be. “I think I will.” Carefully, you place the books on one of the few clear remaining surfaces. “The only thing that would make this better is if we could read while we ate, but I don’t want to risk marring the books.”
Crispin shrugs as he removes a couple stone plates from underneath a tray of almond croissants. “One of us could read. It could be like when we were children.”
“If one of us is reading, that one is not eating.”
“Fair, fair. Except.” He steps back behind the table, opens a cupboard, and removes a small owl statue. “With this, we can both eat. Hand me one of the books.”
You remove one of your selections and pass it to him. What else has he come up with?
He sets it on the table and places the owl statue on the first page. In the most pleasing and melodic voice you can imagine, the owl starts reading the first story from your list.
Crispin picks up another french fry and gives a flourish, his expression quite serious. Then he smiles and gestures for you to join him. “I can think of no greater happiness in life than to share food and stories with such a good friend.”
“Neither can I.” You fill your plate with all kinds of delicious food straight out of the stories. What could possibly be better than sampling the delicious dishes and beverages from the stories you love to read so much?
Have you explored all the Bonus Quests yet? If this is the only one, don’t worry. I hear there are more coming. In fact, there’s a rather strange mirror over there.