Skip to content

The DNA of Stories

Ideas and first drafts with a bit of analysis from time to time

  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
  • Thrushbeard
  • 10 Minute Sprints
  • One Day at a Thyme
  • Story Noodling
    • Lyra
    • Arianna
    • Psyche
    • Calypso
    • Nightingale
    • Changing Lanes
    • Secrets
    • Greenwitch
    • Lost Island
  • Analysis
  • Kat Redfern Author Site

Tag: Fairytale

looking up at a large old oak tree in autumn, growing next to a short cliff. The tree is taller than the cliff and can be climbed to get to the top. The forest above it is visible. Ideogram Image

Escape via Tree

On April 30, 2025April 26, 2025 By Kat RedfernIn Story, ThrushbeardLeave a comment

Cadan loosened his hold on her and turned so they could look around. Maybe the pool would recover, become the tranquil haven she’d glimpsed on their race against the flood, but it would take a long time and may never be quite the same, trees fallen, sloping banks gouged out, stones and debris everywhere. The …

Continue reading Escape via Tree

Sackcloth and Sky Amazon Page

Sackcloth and Sky

On April 13, 2025April 13, 2025 By Kat RedfernIn Lyra, UpdatesLeave a comment

We interrupt these stories to bring you news of another story. My first book is up on Amazon! You can read the first part of the first draft here (remember to read from the bottom). But the whole book is now out in the world, with the most gorgeous cover, and was described by my …

Continue reading Sackcloth and Sky

A narrow section in a forest gully - a crack through a huge outcrop of granite, barely wider than Cadan’s shoulders, and twice his height, with steep, craggy sides, over fast-moving black water. Ideogram image

A Very Unwelcome Surprise

On April 9, 2025March 14, 2025 By Kat RedfernIn Story, ThrushbeardLeave a comment

They walked for a long time, if she’d done this straight after arriving from town, Eleanor wasn’t sure she would have made it halfway without misery and blisters. Finally, the path began to run beside a gully, containing a stream that Cadan said was the same one running past the village. He found a suitable …

Continue reading A Very Unwelcome Surprise

A river pool in a forest, deep and calm, sheltered from the wind by trees and rocks, but open to the sun. It's the first place in the forest where Spring arrives. Ideogram image

Taking the Day Off

On March 26, 2025March 14, 2025 By Kat RedfernIn Story, ThrushbeardLeave a comment

The next morning began in the bath house as usual. When she heard about the planned outing, Martha scoffed. “Typical, taking holidays while the rest of us work.” Eleanor raised a brow. “Like you work on the afternoons I’m with Sarah?” That earned her a hair toss. Martha had irritatingly pretty hair, all black and …

Continue reading Taking the Day Off

A young blonde woman in an ornate, pale green dress. The dress has elbow-length sleeves and a full skirt. Her hair is in an intricate updo, and she is wearing a necklace that looks like drifting apple blossoms. Behind her is a large palace in the style of Versailles. Ideogram image

The Apple Blossom Princess

On March 19, 2025March 14, 2025 By Kat RedfernIn Arianna, Random Fiction, StoryLeave a comment

This is a free novella for subscribers to my monthly newsletter, I'd love you to join, and find out what happens... My name is Arianna Goldbest, or possibly FitzMichael. I'm a stain on the family, a dishonour to the name, for I had the temerity to be born out of wedlock. One might presume my …

Continue reading The Apple Blossom Princess

historical fantasy style. A half finished homespun wool scarf in a dull green on two carved wooden knitting needles. The scarf is clearly being made by a beginner, with wobbly edges, and uneven stiches Ideogram image

Wobbly Knitting

On March 12, 2025February 21, 2025 By Kat RedfernIn Secrets, ThrushbeardLeave a comment

A week passed, with Martha appearing in Maggie’s workroom on the days Eleanor was there, Tilly said she stayed at the forge or roamed about the village on the other ones. On healing days, she chopped and ground and mixed and stirred and strained. It was tedious work, and for all Sarah claimed to experiment …

Continue reading Wobbly Knitting

Historic fantasy fairytale setting. In a room in a stone cottage, a 10-year-old boy spins wool on a drop spindle as a 16-year-old girl with brown hair tells a story of a trip down the river on a trading barge, the story forming images for both of them. The river has fields and villages on one side, and old forest on the other. Ideogram image

Spinning Tales

On February 26, 2025February 21, 2025 By Kat RedfernIn Story, ThrushbeardLeave a comment

The following afternoon, she presented herself at Maggie’s front door, and was handed the spindle. “Best get this out of the way before the horde arrive. You can do your carding while you’re weaving tales.” She’d lost the knack in the short time she’d been away. It took several false starts before she managed to …

Continue reading Spinning Tales

A young woman standing between two apprenticeships, one as a weaver, the other as a healer

Two Paths

On February 12, 2025February 5, 2025 By Kat RedfernIn Story, ThrushbeardLeave a comment

Eleanor placed a tentative hand on the cover of the book. “Are these your recipes?” Sarah nodded. “I don’t let on to many that I can read and write. Some in this village made life hard enough that I came from Away, let alone had education. Well, you know a little about that. ‘Twas worse …

Continue reading Two Paths

a pretty weasel looking up at the camera, with one paw on the long, brown skirt of the person taking the photo AI image

Weasels and Workrooms

On January 29, 2025January 24, 2025 By Kat RedfernIn Story, ThrushbeardLeave a comment

They knocked and found Samuel did indeed have time to spare, and more, was delighted to meet the village’s new storyteller. “The younglings were full to bursting with your stories of the last couple of days. And my Tilly, o’course, she’s been parading about the place with her new town braids like the fanciest little …

Continue reading Weasels and Workrooms

Dusk settles over a forest garden where rustic wooden houses with climbing vines share space with orderly vegetable plots. Heritage breed chickens roost in their enclosure near curious goats, while fruit trees create a natural boundary between the cultivated clearing and the wild forest. A gentle stream provides natural irrigation for this thriving micro-farm AI image

Village Tour

On January 15, 2025January 11, 2025 By Kat RedfernIn Story, ThrushbeardLeave a comment

Eleanor set her shoulders. She could do this, she was good at learning, very good, much better than some smug village girl who was only here to try and beat her, if Eleanor left, Maggie would probably lose two helpers, not just one. Maggie’s eyes looked through her again, but all she said was. “And …

Continue reading Village Tour

Posts navigation

Older posts
Newer posts

Categories

  • Story (539)
  • 10 Minute Sprints (100)
  • Random Fiction (94)
  • Thrushbeard (73)
  • Writing Exercises (57)

Tags

  • Fantasy (92)
  • 10 Minute Sprints (91)
  • Story Prompt (76)
  • contemporary (67)
  • Historical (40)

Year

  • 2026 (23)
  • 2025 (129)
  • 2024 (91)
  • 2023 (63)
  • 2022 (70)
Blog at WordPress.com.
Sackcloth and Sky by Kat Redfern
The DNA of Stories
Blog at WordPress.com.
  • Subscribe Subscribed
    • The DNA of Stories
    • Join 125 other subscribers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • The DNA of Stories
    • Subscribe Subscribed
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...