Skeletonic and the Shadow of Valentown: A Dark Fantasy Steampunk Tale

A misunderstood skeleton. A missing Santa. A pink, sugary conspiracy threatening the entire multi-realm.Living in Hallows Town, Skeletonic is well used to people judging him by his bones. With his permanent 32-tooth grin and detachable joints, everyone assumes he has bad intentions. But Skeletonic is just a well-dressed, polite skeleton who enjoys the crunch of autumn leaves under his boots.Everything changes when a golden, heart-tipped arrow streaks across the night sky, silencing Santa's Workshop bell mid-chime. When Santa Claus mysteriously vanishes from Christmas Town, the Christmas folk immediately point their fingers at Hallows Town and lock down their borders.Frames for a crime he didn't commit, Skeletonic sets off to uncover the truth. Guided by a glowing pink fletching, his investigation leads him beyond the snow drifts to the quartz peaks of Valentown.Behind the silk ribbons and sweet aromas lies a dark truth: the Cupid Angels are using magic arrows to strip every realm of free will, forcing compulsory affection on the universe. With Santa trapped in a rose-thorn cage and his joy being harvested, Skeletonic is the multi-realm's only hope-because it takes a hero without a heart to resist a mind-control spell.Packed with dry wit, inventive bone-mechanics, and heart-warming themes of looking beyond appearances, Skeletonic and the Holiday Conspiracy is a thrilling middle-grade fantasy adventure for readers who love Halloween, Christmas, and everything in between!