{"id":7295,"date":"2023-03-22T11:45:49","date_gmt":"2023-03-22T15:45:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/maryrajotte.com\/blog\/?post_type=books&#038;p=7295"},"modified":"2025-06-17T14:53:17","modified_gmt":"2025-06-17T18:53:17","slug":"the-wretched","status":"publish","type":"books","link":"https:\/\/maryrajotte.com\/blog\/book\/the-wretched\/","title":{"rendered":"The Wretched"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1366\" data-attachment-id=\"7263\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/maryrajotte.com\/blog\/?attachment_id=7263\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/maryrajotte.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/postphotos\/5COVER-1.png\" data-orig-size=\"1500,1366\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"5COVER\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Issue 5&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/maryrajotte.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/postphotos\/5COVER-1.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/maryrajotte.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/postphotos\/5COVER-1.png\" src=\"https:\/\/maryrajotte.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/postphotos\/5COVER-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7263\" style=\"width:465px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/maryrajotte.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/postphotos\/5COVER-1.png 1500w, https:\/\/maryrajotte.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/postphotos\/5COVER-1-600x546.png 600w, https:\/\/maryrajotte.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/postphotos\/5COVER-1-768x699.png 768w, https:\/\/maryrajotte.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/postphotos\/5COVER-1-200x182.png 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Issue 5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p><strong>FEATURED IN:<\/strong>\u00a0FRIGHTMARISH ZINE &#8211; Issue 5 from\u00a0<strong>Northern Gothic Press<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Publication date:<\/strong>\u00a0March 2023<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ABOUT\u00a0<em>THE WRETCHED<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When a bleating lamb arrives at Baba Yaga\u2019s door, the fabled old woman shelters the young woman from things dark and hungry that demand penance<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kb-btns7295_8cd348-00{gap:var(--global-kb-gap-xs, 0.5rem );justify-content:center;align-items:center;}.kt-btns7295_8cd348-00 .kt-button{font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;}.kt-btns7295_8cd348-00 .kt-btn-wrap-0{margin-right:5px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kt-btns7295_8cd348-00 .kt-btn-wrap-0 .kt-button{color:#555555;border-color:#555555;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kt-btns7295_8cd348-00 .kt-btn-wrap-0 .kt-button:hover, .wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kt-btns7295_8cd348-00 .kt-btn-wrap-0 .kt-button:focus{color:#ffffff;border-color:#444444;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kt-btns7295_8cd348-00 .kt-btn-wrap-0 .kt-button::before{display:none;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kt-btns7295_8cd348-00 .kt-btn-wrap-0 .kt-button:hover, .wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kt-btns7295_8cd348-00 .kt-btn-wrap-0 .kt-button:focus{background:#444444;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn kb-buttons-wrap kb-btns7295_8cd348-00\"><style>ul.menu .wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn .kb-btn7295_ae5209-94.kb-button{width:initial;}<\/style><a class=\"kb-button kt-button button kb-btn7295_ae5209-94 kt-btn-size-standard kt-btn-width-type-auto kb-btn-global-fill kt-btn-has-text-true kt-btn-has-svg-false  wp-block-kadence-singlebtn\" href=\"https:\/\/maryrajotte.com\/blog\/product\/frightmarish-zine-issue-5-print\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span class=\"kt-btn-inner-text\">MORE INFO<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">PUBLICATION DETAILS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Inspired by witchcraft and the occult, this issue explores loss, mourning, and perseverance over even the most harrowing experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Size:<\/strong>&nbsp;5.5\u00d78.5 inches<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Length:<\/strong>&nbsp;32 pages<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Included in Issue 5:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>FEATURED STORY:<\/strong>&nbsp;The Wretched by Mary Rajotte<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>GUEST AUTHOR FICTION:<\/strong>&nbsp;The Gingerbread Witch at the End of the World by A.V. Greene<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>FOLKWAYS: Tales &amp; Lore Of Times Past<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 The Moon<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>GUEST AUTHOR FEATURE:<\/strong>&nbsp;The End Is Here and It\u2019s Not the End by A.V. Greene<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>FLASH FICTION:<\/strong>&nbsp;This Loathsome Legacy by Mary Rajotte<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>ARTWORK:<\/strong>&nbsp;William Bartlett<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>ACTIVITY PAGES:<\/strong>&nbsp;Word Search, Maze<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">AN EXCERPT<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left\"><blockquote><p><em><br>The spite-fuelled gibes seeped like arsenic into the earth, leaving nothing more than hollowed tree husks in their wake. Edging closer, the mob sharpened their cleavers with leather strops and withered my oak\u2019s branches with their loathing. Wan and wispy like sickly animals, they circled and bared their teeth, bringing forth logs with their ends shaved into pikes to batter my hut. They stomped their boots, then raked through my garden to destroy the life-giving plants. Poured lye into the soil, then spat in it to befoul it. Taking turns, they clawed at my cottage, setting the thatch on my roof alight.<\/em><\/p><cite>\u00a9 MARY RAJOTTE<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">READER REVIEWS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Coming soon&#8230;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Coming soon&#8230;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>FEATURED IN:\u00a0FRIGHTMARISH ZINE &#8211; Issue 5 from\u00a0Northern Gothic Press ABOUT\u00a0THE WRETCHED When a bleating lamb arrives at Baba Yaga\u2019s door, the fabled old woman shelters the young woman from things dark and hungry that demand penance PUBLICATION DETAILS Inspired by witchcraft and the occult, this issue explores loss, mourning, and perseverance over even the most&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":7262,"parent":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"book-authors":[],"book-series":[],"book-tags":[521,430],"class_list":["post-7295","books","type-books","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","book-tags-folk-horror","book-tags-short-stories"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.8.1 - 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