THERE IS STILL TIME TO HAVE YOUR SAY ...

And to have a chance of winning one of the first copies!
Designer Kate (also my daughter) is due to come and stay with us for a nice long visit bringing our new granddaughter for her first visit to the North Country Far. She will be doing all the design work on Bride of the Spear cover in exchange for some baby sitting!
Thank you to all who have commented so far: you have shown us that we are on the right track, but criticisms and suggestions have been noted too- especially about readability of the text. Here is the cover- front and back, in its newest incarnation (I can't desist from tinkering) - with cooler colours for the text- suggested by an earlier commentator!

MORE FREE BOOKS

The London 2012 Olympics end next weekend. The Free Download for THE BOY WITH TWO HEADS was so popular that author Julia Newsome wants to give her young fans another chance to read it free. So next Sunday 12th August we will celebrate the end of a splendid Olympics by offering not just one free book, but four:

Editor's Choice Historical Novels Review

August 2009

PATHS OF EXILE is a wonderful story, one that conjures up this long-gone age in extraordinary detail and reveals a profound understanding of its politics, cultures, and religions based on extensive research. It may be true, as Nayland admits, that “solid facts are rare indeed in 7th-century Britain”, but these characters—some real, others pure fiction—are so solid and credible that they will stay with you long after you turn the last page....
Full review on the Historical Novel Society website

MOON IN LEO: 

 4.0 out of 5 stars A fabulous journey through the 1670's  24 July 2011

By 

Shazjera (Bournemouth) - (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

At the beginning of our journey through life in the 1670's, we meet our heroine Rosamund. Having sent out a `spiritual call' for her twin Stephen, she is waiting for him to return from his Grand Tour of Europe. Her father is an alchemist and we know she is eagerly awaiting her brothers' return to complete the Sacred Marriage. As she sees him crossing the dangerous sands in Morecombe Bay, something happens to unsettle her and Stephen's homecoming is not as joyous as she imagined. ...

I really enjoyed this story - the way we get to experience how life was lived in the 17th century (the author has painstakingly researched); how the politics of the day are portrayed and the underlying rebellion; the celebrations of the Sabbats (Sabbats are the yearly cycle of the earth's seasons and would have been important during the time the story is set); the magic; the characters and the setting!

If you like historical fiction, then you will enjoy MOON IN LEO


And finally, after three really big, meaty reads- a little gem: a previously unknown and unpublished tale, by respected scholar and novelist Kathleen Herbert, who retells Guinevere's story from her point of view.
THE ONCE AND FUTURE QUEEN gives us a a view of Guinevere which speaks to our age.
 

A PATH TO AUSTRALIA

I woke up this morning to another great book review, this time for Paths of Exile: it's on Smashwords here, but I print an extract below:

The author very cleverly paints a crisp, clear glimpse of an opaque period of Britain’s history. This is where historical fiction - the active, conjecturing mind of an author who is familiar with all the available facts of a certain period - does what no amount of history lessons can ever achieve: it brings an era to life.

This tale of loyalty, treachery, murder, revenge, escape and pursuit, in 7th century post-Roman, pre-Norman Britain (sometimes known as the early ‘Dark Ages’) also has just a smidgen of romance thrown in for good measure. The story is woven around some authentic historical characters (filled out to full living colour), including the main protagonist, along with some vivid entities from the author’s fertile imagination. With great attention to detail (the author is certainly au fait with this period); this is a beautifully crafted story.

T D McKinnon

I feel very proud to be associated with authors of such quality, and although our small family business cannot publish more than a handful of titles a year, these two recent reviews have convinced me that I am right to stick with historical novels of the very highest quality.

T D McKinnon is an Australian writer: his website is here Cheers TD- how about taking a look at other Trifolium Books titles? The Boy with Two Heads will be available on Kindle very soon, and for those of you who live a little nearer to Trifolium Books' heartland, Julia Newsome will be signing copies in Wigton, Penrith and Carlisle on 20th and 21st June- when the Olympic torch comes through those towns. Details of times and venues later.

DON'T MENTION THE DARK AGES!

When I was a student, I lived just round the corner from the British Museum, and used to make an almost daily pilgrimage to gawp at the magnificent gold belt buckle, the shoulder clasps, the purse lid and all the other stunning artefacts from the Sutton Hoo find. It made the weekly task of translating a chunk of Beowulf more bearable, as it spoke of the real, substantial and complex civilisation that lay behind the poetry.

A possible cover image for Bride of the Spear

Many writers have also illuminated those years between the departure of the Romans and the coming of the Normans (said with gritted teeth; some of us think that 1066 was the first year of the real Dark Age) Among them are some of my personal favourites, Kathleen Herbert, Carla Nayland and Helen Hollick. Not only am I in awe of their knowledge of those years, but I appreciate their ability to make rattling good stories about them. I met Carla because she replied to a comment I had made on Sarah Johnson's blog about Kathleen's new book, and Helen got in touch with me through one of my later posts. Helen says that Kathleen gave her wholehearted support and encouragement to write about Arthur in a straightforward, but exciting way, cutting through the Medieval mysticism and presenting him as he most probably was: a strong and charismatic war leader.

So I am looking forward to meeting other writers and readers who share my love of Britain's Heroic Age, and all things Anglo Saxon. There will be a chance to buy a copy of Paths of Exile at a special reduced price- and get it signed. (Although Bride of the Spear is not yet available, I do have some copies of Moon in Leo) The other participants of the seminar will also have books to sell and sign and I have news about the republication of Kathleen's Heroic Age Trilogy (AKA Northumbrian Trilogy, Cumbrian Trilogy, Trilogy of the Northern Kingdoms) and will announce a little competition I am setting up in connection with their publication.

See you on Sunday!

My initial sketch for a raven cloak pin to go on the covers of the North Trilogy. It will be made in silver, with moonstones and a ruby, and touches of gold. Ravens flew on Owain's banner, and the royal ring of Rheged was set with an oval ruby.

FACT INTO FICTION

TALKING ABOUT BOOKS, TALKING ABOUT HISTORY, TALKING ABOUT THE ANGLO SAXONS 

History and Fiction in the Age of Sutton Hoo

The people who made this beautiful, refined and sophisticated object must themselves have been refined and sophisticated. Why do we persist in calling the age of Sutton Hoo the Dark Ages? Let's hope we shed some light and go away thinking of the Heroic Age instead when a handful of writers gather at Sutton Hoo next Sunday to explore the links between history and fiction.  

My own part will be small, but I  shall be talking about a subject very close to my heart- jewellery, and its significance, particularly in Kathleen Herbert's Heroic Age Trilogy, which I will be republishing shortly. I'd like to thank Carla Nayland and P M Sabin Moore for organising the seminar and for giving me the opportunity to take part in it. I look forward to meeting some of you there!

Details below:

WRITING ABOUT THE ANGLO-SAXONS
History and Fiction in the Age of Sutton Hoo

A ONE-DAY SEMINAR IN THE COURT AT SUTTON HOO
10 am - 5pm, Sunday 23 October 2011. Free entry.
Local authors of historical fiction and non-fiction set in Anglo-Saxon England discuss their work
Meet the authors, ask questions, join in the discussions
Book signing and sales - unique Christmas gift for the book lover in your life
No charge for admission to the seminar. Book places in advance at Sutton Hoo Reception (01394 389700), or ask at Reception on the day
Venue - Sutton Hoo, IP12 3DJ ( link to map )

Programme

10.15	Welcome and introductions
10.30-11.15	Building the Framework Source material - history and archaeology
11.45-12.30	Building the World Everyday life, crafts, jewellery, food
12.30-13.45	Lunch break Meet the authors, book signing
13.45-14.45	Building the Society Warfare, kingship, roles of women
15.15-16.00	Building the Culture Poetry, religion, myth and imagination
16.00-17.00	Meet the authors, book signing

Participants

	Carla Nayland Author of Paths of Exile, historical novel set in Anglo-Saxon Northumbria.
	PM Sabin Moore Author of Stormfrost and Brightfire, historical novels set at Sutton Hoo
	Paul Mortimer Re-enactor and author of Woden's Warriors, a non-fiction study of Anglo-Saxon warrior culture
	Steve Pollington Author of numerous non-fiction works on Anglo-Saxon history and culture
	Connie Jensen Proprietor of Trifolium Books UK, publisher of historical fiction set in Anglo-Saxon England, including Paths of Exile and Bride of the Spear