It is so late, and you have helped so many people find stories. It seems though as if you have miles to go before you sleep. Really, though, it might not even be night.
You’ve reached another part of the forest. This one is all deep burgundies and rich browns.. Gold fireflies fly lazily through the air like tiny lanterns. This is a beautiful place, but you know to be cautious. This is a place where many of the guardians live, and they are inclined to appear and make demands for offerings for passage through their land. The requirements are rarely strenuous, but as there are no limitations on what can be asked, it is wise to be cautious.
As if summoned, wings rustle in the sky overhead.
You glance up in time to see a great shape dart overhead. It lands a few feet ahead of you.
A massive man with great broad wings stands before you. White stripes adorn his broad cheekbones and well-defined biceps. He spreads his arms wide. Even from this distance, it’s clear he towers over you by at least a full foot. Long black locs cover his head and hang over his shoulders. “If you wish to pass, offer me tales strange and lovely.”
You pull back, startled. Of course. One of the guardians. Karo, if you remember correctly. You draw yourself up and then bow your head. “Good night to you, kind guardian. I will happily make the offering. What manner of strange and lovely tales would you most appreciate?”
He studies you, his black eyes searching you up and down. “Maybe we make it a challenge for you? Offer only stories you have not yet read but that you wish to read. Ones you think sound intriguing, strange, beautiful, wondrous.”
You almost laugh as you rub the back of your neck. “The list of books I want to read is so long, it would surely bore you.”
He laughs. The sound is quite loud and yet not overwhelming. He twitches his massive shoulders. “There was one mortal whom I asked for such an offering, and she obliged. She had so many stories that she wished to read that we had to sit and greet the dawn. At last, I told her she had given more than enough.” Crossing his arms, he chuckles. “You have a good voice. I could listen to you for hours, but it is not kind to mortals to delay them so long. Tell me ten love stories you have seen in these past days that you would like to read. And—if you’d like—tell me why they caught your eye.”
You nod slowly, setting your hands on your waist. “I can do that.” The trickiest part is going to be narrowing down that list.
He smiles a little more. “No need to overthink it, mortal. Begin whenever you like.”
“All right,” you say. “Well, I suppose I’d start with…”
Your Quest: Prize, Rules, and Forms
Prize
This prize pack is a selection of ebooks whose titles we aren’t going to announce just yet because they may be too closely related to the theme of this quest. But the combined value is over $15.
This is open to anyone who completes the form.
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.
This quest has ten official points and then optional entries for each where you can briefly explain why you want to read that story.
Be kind to your fellow readers and other authors.
The Forms
This is an easy one.
You just need to list out ten stories from the official lists that you would like to read. You can gain extra points by including what made this story catch your eye.
This one you will either fill out a Google Form or email us your discoveries.
Each answer is worth one token. So you can receive 10 – 20 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 #karosquestbonus (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 ten choices to faeornofae@farofeb.com. Make sure to include any of the bonus activities you have done as well. Use the title Clever Girl 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 Karo’s Quest
You list off the ten stories that have caught your eye. It’s tricky to narrow it down. Your list of future books to read is so long, you could easily see yourself in the same place as the woman who stayed until dawn. Somehow you choose ten.
He beams at you as if somehow he can see every story in its entirety. “These stories are exceptional. Thank you for your offering.”
You tip your head forward. “Thank you for accepting them. Does this mean I can pass?”
“It does. Unless you want a hug before you leave.”
“You hug everyone who comes through here?” That almost makes you laugh.
He gives an exaggerated shrug. “If they have good taste in stories and they want a hug, yes. I give excellent hugs.”
“Then yes.”
He lifts you up and hugs you tight. “You love so many stories, and it makes our world so much happier when you share them. Go in peace, little friend. You are almost to the end.”
He sets you down.
“Thank you. I hope you find even more stories yourself.” You adjust your bag back on your shoulder. “And you’re right. You are an excellent hugger.”
Grinning, he steps back. “There are more and more each day, and I never tire of their emergence. Now go along. There’s another traveler I must see.” He leaps up into the sky, wings unfurling. For a moment it looks as if he might snag on the dark branches, but he navigates them as easily as if swimming through clear waters.
You wave as he disappears into the night.
Yes. This journey is nearly completed. And it is good to know that there are always more wonderful new stories to experience.
Have you explored all the Bonus Quests yet? If this is the only one, don’t worry. There’s a sharp sound like steel striking stone and the shirring of string just over there.