[...] “Magic isn’t real!” I yelled, and then immediately felt ridiculous. Not just because I had yelled at a cat, but because I had yelled at what was becoming harder and harder to deny as a talking cat, and said talking cat’s response was to give me the kind of look that could only be described as a smirk.
 
I was arguing with a magical creature about whether or not magic existed. I was definitely losing.
 
“Okay.” I slumped down in my seat. “Okay, fine. Grandma was a witch and you were her cute talking sidekick and you made magic soap together.”
 
“Familiar,” the cat corrected me. “Not ‘sidekick’ or whatever other undignified label you were planning to bestow upon me.” [...]
 
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Painted for my short fiction collection, Tales from 2020, to accompany the short story "Grandmother's Familiar"
Your purchase of this original artwork includes a free paperback copy of Tales from 2020!!
 
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From science fiction and fantasy author K.N. Salustro comes a collection of short stories written over the course of 2020. There are no plagues in these pages, the extreme weather comes from a mythical creature, and the biggest disaster you’ll see takes place on a spaceship when someone tries to make baked goods with an incendiary combination of ingredients.
 
This collection includes stories that are on the more serious side, and ones that are more humorous. Most fall on the fantasy spectrum, with the exception of that one space-faring sci-fi story. These tales may not change the world, but if you’re looking for some escapism, you’ve come to the right place.
 
Tales from 2020 includes:
Fire in the Sky
The Thunderbird
The Beetle and the Twins
The Marvel Artist
Don’t Look Back
Grandmother’s Familiar
How Not to Make Cookies in Space
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Painting ships unframed.
 
For best framing practices, consult your local framing shop and ask about their experience with handling and framing watercolor paintings. Proper backing and mounting is required to ensure preservation of your painting. Watercolor paintings retain their best vibrancy and longevity when NOT placed in direct sunlight.