“A story of good versus evil could not be more complicated. When eighteen-year-old elf twins are forced from their home to don the mantle of the Protector and follow a quest to save their land from the Chosen One, the duo must begin making choices that will change their lives forever. Did I mention one of them is mortal? Long story. On their way, Valkan and Veronia make friends and find love, but are they willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to save their land? Will an unlikely ally be enough to tip the scale in their favor? Is this battle even worth fighting? The Elven Dilemma follows Valkan and Veronia as they fight for good in a land full of ambiguity, and when the battle is at hand, a shift in perspective could mean the difference between victory and defeat.”
I began writing this story 18 years ago. Through the years as I have grown, this story has grown with me and has survived many a hiatus, allowing me to graduate from high school and college, pursue a career, start grad school, and find love (mostly in that order). And as I’ve fallen back into the writing groove, I’ve realized that this story has saved me many times over. Whenever I’m feeling lost and can’t seem to find my way in the dark, I remember the journey that I have been on these last 18 years. I remember that life is all about that journey, and sometimes we have to trudge through the darkness to appreciate the light.
It is precisely that journey that I wanted to highlight in The Elven Dilemma. Sure, we all want to reach the end, the final destination, the X on the map, but embracing the journey is sometimes just as important as completing it. So what if we lose ourselves along the way? So what if we become a different person by the time we reach the end? So what if our stories don’t turn out the way we planned? We can get through all of this if we live in the moment, embrace change, and open our hearts to the journey.
Author Marie Lenore's Fantasy & More 