Major Arcana series
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Decisions, Decisions (The Chariot, Major Arcana Series) by Francesca Astraea
In January, Marnie Doyle emerged from New Year celebrations with a headache and a bad mood. Her girlfriend had gone off with a past boyfriend, at Marnie’s New Year party. You still have a key to her flat, a voice whispered in Marnie’s head. Throw out all her stuff. Nick the change she keeps… Continue reading
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Customer Enquiries Part Two (The Emperor, Major Arcana Series) by Francesca Astraea
From Ernest Bezzina (bezzinasemporium@outlook.com) To Mandy King (mandyk1968@gmail.com) 28th July, 8:03am. Dear Mandy, Thank you so much for your email and my sincerest apologies for the delayed response. I have only had email set up for a few months and am still learning how to use it. I believe we have some items… Continue reading
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Customer Enquiries Part One (The Emperor, Major Arcana Series) by Francesca Astraea
From Mandy King (mandyk1968@gmail.com) To Ernest Bezzina (bezzinasemporium@outlook.com) Subject 75th Birthday Gift Enquiry 15th July, 10:02am. Dear Bezzina’s Emporium, My name is Mandy King, I was given your email address by a friend of a friend. I am looking for a gift for my mother’s seventy-fifth birthday, and I believe you may be able… Continue reading
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Changing Direction Part Two (The High Priestess, Major Arcana Series) by Francesca Astraea
Read part one here. As she ate, Freja alternately looked out the window and watched Alexandria clean. That smell, industrial kitchen cleaner, felt out of place, somehow. The real world felt further away than it had ten minutes ago, as though the Dutch family had taken the twenty first century away with them. … Continue reading
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Changing Direction Part One (The High Priestess, Major Arcana Series) by Francesca Astraea
Freja didn’t mean to stop for ice cream. The plan was to walk until she could think of nothing but sore feet, walk a bit further, turn around and limp back to the hotel. She reckoned she could lose a good couple of hours, from the seafront at Las Ramblas all the way to—what… Continue reading
Francesca Astraea, Francesca’s Words, ice cream, Major Arcana series, No. 1 Readers' Club, Patreon short story, post-coronavirus fiction, story about magic, story about witches, story set in Barcelona, story set in Catalonia, story set in Spain, The High Priestess tarot card, writer Southend-on-Sea, writers on Patreon -
The Ambrosia Spa and Hotel (Death, the Major Arcana Series) by Francesca Astraea
I’ve been rereading the Percy Jackson series and this was partially inspired by the spa in The Sea of Monsters. The other part of my inspiration was my almost overwhelming desire to go on holiday. ‘Tony,’ Beverley began. ‘I’ve been thinking, about the holiday…’ ‘Mm?’ Tony glanced over his newspaper (or, as the daughter would… Continue reading
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Help Wanted (The Moon, Major Arcana Series) by Francesca Astraea
Bethanie had been meaning to visit Bezzina’s Emporium of Magical Artefacts and Antiquities her entire year at university. Typically, she only managed it on her final day in Southend, when her bags were packed and she knew it was now or never. The trip was a little gift to herself, a ‘congratulations for surviving this… Continue reading
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The Statue of Laurel Cottage Part Two (Strength, Major Arcana Series) by Francesca Astraea
Read part one here. Once upon a time, when Great Britain was full of farmland, occupying Romans and bad teeth, there was a girl with an overbearing father. Once upon a time, there was a girl in love with the girl with an overbearing father. Once upon a time, both the father and the girlfriend… Continue reading
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The Statue of Laurel Cottage Part One (Strength, Major Arcana Series) by Francesca Astraea
When estate agents tried to sell Laurel Cottage, they mentioned the six bedrooms, the floor-to-ceiling windows and surprisingly sustainable heating costs. And, of course, the irony of such an old, grand, gated house being called a cottage. They did not mention the garden. When perspective buyers visited, encouraged by the relatively low price and desirable… Continue reading
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Respecting Wishes Part Two (Judgement, Major Arcana Series) by Francesca Astraea
This is a commission for my patron Sonia Marie, as part of the offer I had on during February 2020. Sonia’s prompt: Three friends in their mid-twenties meet at a fourth friend’s funeral. They haven’t seen each other since a fifth friend’s funeral when they were teens. Write their story. Part one is here.… Continue reading
No generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) was used in the creation of any of my prose or visual or audible media. I expressly forbid any organisation, person or entity from using my work for generative-AI training.
