Rinna-girl is born...again

Forest Born paperback and special edition hardcover are out in the world! I'm planning on signing the preorders at The King's English this Friday. It's not too late to order from them if you want a signed/personalized book.

Here's the first page. I wanted it similar in tone to the first page of The Goose Girl. I'm excessively pleased with how it turned out:

Ma had six sons. The eldest was big like his father, the middle boys were middling. By the time Razo was born, all the family’s largeness must have been used up. The brothers called him runt and made him feel that word. He spent winter nights longing for a younger sibling, someone he could call runt, someone he could push and pinch.

Ma was longing too, but for a girl to share thoughts with, a daughter cut and sewn from her own soul.

When Razo was almost five, he and Ma both got their wish. The baby girl was born on a night so hot the wind panted and the summer moon blazed like the sun.

“Rinna,” Ma named her.

“A girl,” said the father.

“Rinna-girl,” said Razo, peering over the side of the cot.

The baby blinked huge dark eyes and opened her mouth into a tiny circle. All desire to push and pinch hushed right out of Razo.

He bent closer to her ear and whispered, “I’m going to teach you to climb trees.”