Note: I received a free copy of Lady Blackwing from its author Devorah Fox in exchange for an honest review. 
 "What would she write for her first entry?" 
 A character study of poor ole Ollie over there? Or, how about that Laundry Room Zombie Apocalypse? Mercedes twirled the pencil, the scene forming in her mind's eye. 
 Lady Blackwing by Devorah Fox is a 25-page novella about Mercedes, a waitress who likes to write but never finishes a story. 
 The short novella opens with Roger, a man who wants to write his big story and so buys an extravagant notebook, a brand of pencil known to have been used by John Steinbeck. He sits at a cafe and orders an espresso, "The drink of famous writers who, if they didn't hang out in bars as had Hemingway, hung out in coffeehouses." 
 Roger gets frustrated by his inability to write a single word and leaves his notebook and pencil on the cafe table and leaves. Although Roger's accumulation of items used by his favourite authors doesn't do anything for him, they do more than plenty for someone else. 
 The opening character reminded me of myself, when I want to create the perfect setting to get my writing flowing but nothing actually happens. Writers will easily relate and sympathise to him. 
 "He failed to understand what was so special about these notebooks and why Hemingway and other writers were so fond of them. His hadn't done a thing for him. His Muse had been AWOL." 
 After Mercedes writers her first story, she wakes up to discover that it might have been real. As Lady Blackwing progresses, Mercedes slowly begins to write, grow confident and understand what the magical pencil can do. 
 While there is little imagery in the story, there is character development for Mercedes. The book cover isn't the prettiest but it shouldn't put you off. 
 I liked how Devorah Fox makes the reader question the paranormal aspect of the novella. I also liked the idea of a story within a story. As we get bits and pieces from Mercedes' short stories. The reader also gets to see how Mercedes, as an author, thinks; how she tries to throw obstacles in her protagonist's way and tries to resolve. 
 Overall, Lady Blackwing by Devorah Fox is an exciting, quick-paced short novella. Highly recommended. 
 Author Devorah Fox has revealed that she is currently writing a sequel to Lady Blackwing. I'm curious what else awaits Mercedes in the new adventure. 
 Overall rating: 4.5 stars