It might come as a surprise that I find Dinah the hardest to write for. To get her voice right ~ a version of ‘me’ I aspired to be when I was younger, mixed with something entirely her own; fiercely loyal, determined, elegant, and more than a match for whatever horrors she encounters in the dreamworld. And sprinkled with a bit of childish glee when she encounters rose gardens, hot air balloons and little critters hiding in forests (especially talking hedgehogs!) ~ okay, maybe we are more alike after all 😂🤪
Here is an extract from chapter 1 of “The Devils Within.”
Dinah & the Caskets of Ice
And there you have it, the beginning of everything that is yet to come… for it’s not easy travelling into books to save people when you have no idea where to start ~ and with nothing but a Dream Devil in your mind for company!
Alden may be our OG Dream Devil, but all villains have an origin story, and I just had to listen to everyone’s clamour for a prequel, which is where my second novel comes in! So here we are, a little extract from our soon to be- pretentious, snarky collector of souls. He is a true appreciator of beauty, centuries spent, dedicated to preserving his beloved caskets of ice. His way into people’s dreams – through the fine threads of dream catchers. So you’d better check, for if you have one, you might be expecting a little visit tonight …👀
Listen on, for more than darkness lurks in the shadows.
Alden in his library
“Labyrinth of Souls” ~ Chapter 41
Hope you enjoyed this one! It was extremely hard to find just ONE sample ~ especially if you have a devil standing over your shoulder dictating! Stay tuned for the next extract coming soon.
Our main protagonist Dinah, Alden’s protege in the making…and a girl close to my heart.
Over the following extracts spanning all three novels, you’ll be getting glimpses into all our protagonists ~ Alysia, Alden, Dinah, Peter & Orion. I have tried to select some fun passages that also express their personality ~ but to find out more, you’ll have to keep reading for yourself (full links can be found in my novel release tab above!)
So without further ado, let’s get into our first audio and let Alysia take over with her introduction! From 17th Century Britain to the dream world, to Hong Kong, and finally to the UK; she becomes quite the traveller. Despite all that she’s been through, her resourcefulness and consistency has made her a favourite among readers! She may seem like a fairytale damsel, but one thing remains when facing the Dream Devil. Her quest for retribution is unwavering; a beacon that guides her even on the darkest of nights …
And what nights they are 👀
Alysia in HK
“Caskets of Ice” ~ chapter 11 (in 2 parts)
Hope you enjoyed that! Who doesn’t love a good old witch 🥴 Thanks to Anita for brainstorming all things dark and visceral with me, especially where nightmares come in.
Stay tuned for our second protagonist. Beware of your dreams, for a devil is coming….
Since a lot of you have suggested that I do ‘audiobook’ readings (of my novels and other short stories) I’ve decided to do a little test run to garner interest first! I have also included a little father – daughter session, where my father has very kindly recorded a dramatic reading of the fairytale, “The Three Wishes.” Go show it some love! If this collaboration turns out to be a success, I’m sure we can record more in future for you.
Keep your eyes (and ears) peeled for more updates by pressing subscribe! 🙂
Below is the short Victorian ghost story “Room in the Tower” by E F Benson, which I love for a variety of reasons (and… you will soon find out the reason why!) This story can be found in the British Library collection- Tales of the Weird. Without further ado, curl up in your favourite armchair, get a cozy blanket and arm yourself with a steaming hot drink … and let us begin…..👀
“The Three Wishes.”
Hope you enjoyed them!
Do let me know if you’d like to hear more of these audiobooks! Especially for teaching purposes, it’s wonderful to help students with accent and reading practice. If you’d like to support my writing, or any other free materials you find on this site, my ‘welcome friends’ page gives you the option to donate 🙂 Thanks all and stay safe!
My novel revamped in this brand new dual edition! 😲😍 Introducing an entirely new cover design with full, unseen illustrations inside! It also includes INTERACTIVE COLOURING IN PAGES! 👀😲
I still can’t get over it. I’m in love! ✍🏼 A sequel (or is it now considered a trilogy? Lol) is in the works, and I can’t wait to bring the next chapter of Dinah & Alden’s journey to life!
~ this book is for people who are interested in lucid dreaming, fantasy and dark fairytales!
I want to specifically thank @missgrace for her wonderful colouring page designs (scroll to see), and being through the editing process of the novel with me! @krbowman I couldn’t have done without your advice! 💕 thank you @illustrasu for once again creating such a stunning cover that combines both elements of my novels together! 🙌🏻
🌹Purchasing info:
You get 2 books in 1 in this new edited version! If you fancy having the older first edition covers they are still available to order too☺️
🌹For those who want signed copies, you may DM me (excluding p&p costs to your country!) ✨
🌹BETA readers:
If you’re interested in being a reader in exchange for a Goodreads/IG/Amazon review, I’d be happy to send you a copy! Please also DM me! 🙏🏻
If you want to support me, all books are available through Amazon (link below!) Scroll to read the blurb, thank you friends!!😘
Hello friends! You may or may not have seen my new illustrations via Instagram, they are now included in the hard copies of “Labyrinth of Souls” available on Amazon (shipped internationally!)
Here is a sneak peak. Which is your favourite?
Orion’s dreamscapeCorridor of dreamsThe haunted figurines
“Thank you again to Kate, for gifting me a copy in exchange for a honest review. Kate has done it again, her story is only growing stronger in this action-packed, whimsical world! I now know what it’s like to live in one’s dreams. The characters are still growing and the love for them is growing too, even the villains are perfect. There are a lot of new characters in this dark world, plus the comfort of regular ones, cannibal witches being a favourite of mine. This took me on a spectacular journey, which I will retake. And i cannot wait to see what comes next, as the ending of book 2 definitely leads the way to infinite possibilities. Again high praise to Kate, for this lovely, exquisite work of art. Can’t wait to dive back into Alden and Dinahs world.” Natalia (Goodreads)
“Looked forward to reading this sequel to Caskets of Ice and I wasn’t disappointed with the writers atmospheric writing. The author is also an accomplished poet and her ability to create a dark and menacing scene is second to none. The idea of dreams being an entrance to another world is a captivating one and I will certainly enjoy dipping into this book again from time to time. Highly recommend it.” Nicholas (Goodreads)
“The general flavor of this novel is like Inception/Interview with the Vampire with maybe just a splash of Jim Henson’s Labyrinth! In keeping with the tone and beautiful poetic, almost Gothic writing of the authors first book “Caskets of Ice” this sequel is set in a decadent dream world… but with Dinah’s presence things are not all dark in the dream world as before. You can tell the author took notes from her readers and included more narrative so I had a much easier time (and felt much less stupid 😅) reading Labyrinth of Souls comparitively. This sequel fills in details about the main characters from the previous story and also adds some new very imaginative creatures and foes. If you’ve ever imagined what it would be like to live in your dreams and maybe get a little lost in them too then this is a must read. As Alden might say…Well, what are you waiting for? 😏” Cerissa Sample (Goodreads)
Winners of the ‘On the Bus’ Competition- University of Kent 2012
Stink Bug
You can touch it; pin pricks that crawl among the stems. Fragile, bruised like a peach with puffy eyes. You hold it, transport it, box it.
Like the eclipse of a vein it begins its ascent. Closer it approaches, ever moving, ever testing the air. Takes flight-
Change places; you and it can reverse. Channel a whisper through your limbs and lose yourself, split like the contours of a leaf.
The Missing Piece
It’s not as insignificant and sacrificial as the pawn with its one step, two step cross over take.
Not as whimsical as the diagonal bishop, the first people remember in conversation but the last in a game.
It’s not as independent as the knight with its ‘L’ darting; carousel across the board. Not so much a strong and steady protector but an aid; an aid for the-
Ice queen, with her aloof dignity that makes grown men cry, a ruby underwater.
And not like the king at all who hides, face pressed to the wire when war approaches; but houses all his courtiers and people.
Tuition fees & availability: $450/£45 per hour. Message privately for available time-slots as this is liable to change.
Fixed weekly lessons:
I am based in London – minimum one lesson per week to be conducted over zoom. Discount will be given for more than one class per week.
Payments for fixed weekly lessons are to be made one month in advance and paid no later than the first week of the new calendar month.
24 hours notice must be given for lesson cancellation. Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of lesson fee. Lessons can be rescheduled, subject to availability. (24hrs notice must be given)
Payments can be made via online banking transfer. (both UK & HK banks)
General Guidelines:
Lessons will be conducted during weekdays. (Sat & Sun excluded)
‘For she had seen him before, this voice in the shadows. The night her father died.’
“In Caskets of Ice, the author pulls you in with her detailing and dark mystery of the dream world. Within her dream world, you encounter horrors and fantasy. The characters have to battle the ultimate antagonist, who controls the horrors within their dreams, keeping them contained. The author delivers such a beautiful dark fantasy. The way she paints a picture with her words is inspiring. Such a beautiful read. There are even a few illustrations inside. Can’t wait for the next one!” ~ K.R. Bowman
“Kate’s writing is INSANELY beautiful. You can really tell that she writes poetry. Every sentence is lyrical, with really original similes and metaphors. The entire concept of a dream world was fascinating, and I loved the snippets of darkness we were told, from flesh eating witches to the fact that dreamcatchers are just a gate away for the Dream Devil! Reading this literally feels like you’ve fallen into a deliciously dark dream.” ~ A. Bismillah
“This book was utterly captivating, from the unique storyline to the eloquent use of the English language and the images within the story. I for one am so glad the author decided to illustrate her book because it gave so much more value to the story being told. I loved the uniqueness of the storyline, it is so unlike a lot of other fantasy novels out right now.
Casket of ice follows Dinah, who has spent her life troubled by the dream realm. Her life has been anything but normal, especially since her fathers passing, and mystical talking shadows follow in her wake, until she closes her eyes and the dream world sucks her deep into a vortex which is comes to realised is more real then she first believed. Alden the dream devil will stop at nothing to raise his army of dead, In his ice caskets he keeps his greatest creation. Alden has been invading the dreams of his victims terrifying them, but he encounters something he hasn’t before the sheer determination of Dinah, Alysia, and Orion to stop the dream devil, who will stop at nothing even killing the ones they love.
This book is a must read. You will fall in love with the characters and the storyline.” ~ Caroline Masci
“Wow this is such a lush, dark and beautiful world. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this story, but I found it was much more of a horror novel than I expected, which I really enjoyed. I don’t normally like the horror genre, but Dracula is one of my favorites and this has major Dracula vibes. Imagine Dracula meets Inception all set in a fairy tale. I loved the combination of these vibes- definitely a very original and creative world.
The writing in this was gorgeous- dripping with luscious descriptions and metaphors. It was reminiscent of Stephanie Garber’s prose, which I love. I also really appreciated how the writing felt dreamlike- having the scenes and POVs switch around so it felt like being in a dream while reading the story.” ~ J. Aldous
“Where is it that we go when we fall asleep? It is when dreams turn to nightmares, when we hear nothing but the throb of our uncomfortable thoughts to stop ourselves from fearing the darkness.”
Caskets is Ice by Kate W.J. White is a dark fantasy novel where dreams can be the horror of reality. Dinah seemingly has a normal life, full of friends, school, and the typical pitfalls of growing up. However, in her world of sleep, there is a dream devil preying on all that she holds dear – steeped in a past that goes much deeper than Dinah ever imagined.
Things I liked: – White’s lyrical writing. You can tell that Kate is a poet just in her prose: “Faith… It is nothing but the hues of grey between the black and white of clarity.” There were so many lines that were lovely. – The unique concept of the world building and plot. I liked the idea of a dream world that can harm our reality – or even allow us to entirely escape the truths of reality permanently. – The book turned out to be creepier than I had thought initially – I love being surprised as a reader. – While this book is YA, some of the elements of the story felt so elevated and mature, I wasn’t missing anything. I reached for this ebook more than the other books I was reading.” ~ E. Scott McMullen
Katewjwhite 