Cynthia P. Willow

When twelve-year-old Patty Gayle's grandmother grants her an old skeleton key, it unlocks the adventure of a lifetime! The key leads her to beautiful Kingsley, a magical land threatened by an evil sorcerer. Patty Gayle soon discovers that an ancient prophecy has foretold that a young human girl is the only hope for Kingsley. If she is truly to be the chosen one, she must overcome her deepest fears. Will the faith of a young girl be enough to free Kingsley from a tragic fate?

Thirteen-year-old Callie dreams of having her own adventure in the magical world of Kingsley like her grandmother and her great-great grandmother before her. But she doesn’t have very high hopes since the portal to Kingsley was shut fifty-two years ago. Little does she know that the inhabitants of Kingsley are in desperate need. A plague is killing Kingsley's creatures. But Callie doesn’t live on the lake, nor does she have the magical bracelet to allow her to breathe underwater. How will she get to Kingsley? And will she figure it out in time to save the land?

Kingsley is a parallel world to ours. It is a beautiful world full of fairy queens, mermaids, and all sorts of talking creatures.

Well, if you borrowed the bracelet which allows you to breathe under water, then you could go to the bottom of the ocean and play poker with the dolphins. If you don’t know how to play poker, you could swim with the mermaids. If you’re more of a land-lover, perhaps you’d like to visit Faith, the unicorn. And if you’re not afraid of heights, you might want to take a ride on Keagan’s back. No, I’m telling you what Keagan is. 

All humans must stay clear of the Ghillie-Dhu. They dislike humans. And of course, there are evil sorcerers there, but I’ve said too much.

Yes! There is a delicious purple triangular fruit that sustains the person who eats it for a good while. 

The 3 fairy queens use magic for good purposes. Their magic also keeps them immortal. The brownies--which are servants in the castle--also use magic for making all sorts of things.

If dolphins playing poker isn’t entertainment, then I don’t know what is.

Kingsley is ruled by three fairy queens. They are sisters. By name: Ruby, Pearl, and Emerald. Ruby is the leader of the three. She is the one who holds everything together. She’s stern, but just. Pearl is the caring, emotional sister who thinks of others first. Emerald has the personality of a teenager and giggles a lot.

The world of Kingsley is inspired by a real place in Florida called Kingsley Lake. My ancestors settled Kingsley Lake, and my grandmother and mother grew up there. Three of my grandmother’s sisters were named Ruby, Pearl, and Emma. I planned to write a story about the sisters when I was just a child. I took that plan and mixed it with my mom’s childhood fantasies and made a series.