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THE STORY OF THE HUNDRED PROMISES - October 4th, 2022

A loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast that centers queer and trans characters

Trans sailor Darragh Thorn has made a comfortable life for himself among people who love and accept him. Ten years after his exile from home, though, his sister asks him to reconcile with their ailing father. Determined to resolve his feelings rather than just survive them, Darragh sets off on a quest to find the one person who can heal a half-dead man: the mysterious enchanter who once gave him the magic he needed to become his true self. But so far as anyone knows, no one but Darragh has seen the enchanter for a century, and the fairy tales that survive about em give more cause for fear than hope. In lush and evocative prose, and populated with magical trees and a wise fox, The Story of the Hundred Promises is a big-hearted fantasy suffused with queer optimism.

Advance Praise

“This book made me cry in the middle of an airport. I love the story of Darragh, a transmasc sailor, going back home to visit his dying father and then going on a quest to find the legendary Enchanter who helped him to transform himself when he was a child. I hope every queer person (and everyone else) who loves fantasy checks out this book. It is full of trans, agender, non-binary and asexual representation, along with widespread use and acceptance of neo-pronouns. And gratutious kindness! The whimsical, quirky tone of this book and its loving reinvention of fairy-tale forms reminded me of Daniel Lavery, in a very good way. I never wanted this book to end! The Story of the Hundred Promises is the trans fable the world needs right now.”

— Charlie Jane Anders, author of The City in the Middle of the Night and Never Say You Can’t Survive

“A lush and evocative fantasy that explores the quiet places of generational trauma with true gentleness, through the eyes of characters who feel so honest and true you can't help but cling to optimism even in the face of fear. A fairy tale every bit as new as it is familiar, this book is a triumph."

— Emmie Mears, author of the Stonebreaker series

“The Story of the Hundred Promises is a rosebud of a story, with fairy tale petals tightly wound around the characters at its core. As the tale unfurls, the reader is drawn deeper into the world as it explores the nature of love in its many forms, and you can't help but feel enchanted by the last page.”

— Lish McBride, author of Curses

“Through a deep world, lush prose, and delightfully crafted characters, Cochrane employs fairytales within fairytales to explore queerness and self-realization with a delicate and honest touch. The Story of the Hundred Promises is a beautiful tale of trust and love that will dig its roots deep within you and never let go.”

— Claudie Arseneault, author of Baker Thief

"To read this book is to explore a gentle, thriving garden. Myriad kinds of identity and love blossom in different colors, shapes and sizes, every aroma beautifully distinct. Story-vines weave throughout, interconnecting petal-layers of meaning, truths springing from deep roots and opening toward the sun."

— RoAnna Sylver, author of Chameleon Moon

“In a world of alternatives, love of all sorts weaves throughout this fantastic tale like rose vines. But it is self acceptance and love for ones own being that rings true throughout all realities.”

— Jonah Barrett, author of Moss Covered Claws

“Neil Cochrane’s The Story of the Hundred Promises is set in a world where folktales can come true, where magic can change lives, where a quest undertaken with a pure heart just might succeed. His cast of characters sweeps you along, but they quest not for treasure or sacred objects–they quest for wisdom and knowledge, for renewal and connection. Cochrane has a gift for describing the sublime moments of natural beauty we see when we slow down enough to live in the moment. Amongst the many layers of this complex and deftly woven novel are both a love song to the restorative powers of nature, and a cautionary tale about the perils of commodifying natural resources. The Story of the Hundred Promises is an affirmation of the myriad ways of being a human, and of the many forms that love takes when loosed from the confining bonds of a binary culture. Cochrane’s novel offers the hope that, if we do the work on ourselves and our relationships to heal the traumas of the past, we can and do rise to our best selves, and to our highest ideals of kindness and inclusiveness.”

— Stevan Allred, author of The Alehouse at the End of the World

From Under the Mountain (as C.M. Spivey) - 2016

As the second child of the Aridan imperial family, nineteen-year-old Guerline knows exactly what is expected of her: be unobtrusive, be compliant, and do not fall in love with her low-born companion, Eva. She has succeeded at only two of those.

But before her feelings for Eva can become a point of contention for the royal house, Guerline's calm and narrow life is ripped away from her—in the course of a single night—and she is abruptly cast in the role of empress.

Faced with a council that aggressively fears the four witch clans charged with protecting Arido and believes they are, in fact, waging war against the humans, Guerline struggles to maintain order. As her control over the land crumbles, she learns that the war is rooted in a conflict much older than she realized—one centuries in the making, which is now crawling from under the mountain and into the light. With the fate of Arido hanging in the balance, Guerline must decide who to trust when even her closest councilors seem to have an agenda.

Darkly cinematic, From Under the Mountain pairs the sweeping landscape of epic fantasy with the personal journey of finding one’s voice in the world, posing the question: how do you define evil, when everything society tells you is a lie?

The Longing and the Lack (as C.M. Spivey) - 2017

Lucinda Hightower is no stranger to death.

Since she was a child, Lucinda has been haunted by rabid dogs, suicidal crows, and the ghost of a woman in white. All are omens signaling someone's imminent demise—except Lucinda's friends and family are still breathing.

The omens follow her to Ireland and the quiet university in her father's hometown, increasing in strength and frequency once she meets Damien Reed. A handsome third year student, Damien thrusts himself into Lucinda’s life almost immediately and caresses away the unsavory reputation that shadows him.

It’s not until the ghost sinks her nails into Damien that he reveals his secret: the death omens are for him.

They’re the manifestations of a curse that claims the life of the eldest Reed son every generation. Damien’s time is nearly up. If Lucinda is to save him, she must solve the mystery of her family curse, and lay a spirit's rage to rest.

Novellas

I See the Web (as Cait Spivey) - 2014

Seventeen-year-old Erin has a lot to look forward to, even if it suddenly seems like everywhere she turns there’s a spider staring at her. She’s finally out to her friends and family, surprising exactly no one. When Dawn, the love of her tender teenage dreams, corners her in the library, a whole new world opens up to Erin. From here on out, it’s all make-out sessions with her beautiful girlfriend in rooms stacked high with books.

Until the spiders start whispering.

Turns out the spiders aren't just stalking her for kicks. They need her to be their voice, their vessel, whatever that means. But their timing is crap, because there's no way Erin is giving up her human life just when things are starting to get amazing. Too bad the spiders just won't quit. Like it or not, Erin will have to choose, and it won't be nearly as easy as she thinks.