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.

A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF A SMALL PUBLISHER

In February 2011 we published Kathleen Herbert's Moon in Leo; that in itself quite an achievement since I received it in a chaotic jumble of over a thousand badly typed pages, just over 6 months before. (Read the full story here)

It is February 2012, and we are about to publish our third book, The Boy with Two Heads, so I am in celebratory mood.

 

SEMIOTICS AND COVER DESIGN
 

Our covers have been praised for their beauty and elegance and I hope the new cover will appeal too. It is busier and more "modern" looking than the others, but, like them it has its own story. A cover should tell you as much as possible about the content of the book.   (I wrote an earlier post about how some American covers were misleading) Just as with Moon in Leo and Paths of Exile, the images were chosen for their significance as well as for their look. This is what makes cover design so fascinating: sometimes the semiotic aspects war with the aesthetics! When they both come together it's magical. I hope we have got it right with this one- but I am sure you, the readers will tell us- please feel free!

THE BOY WITH TWO HEADS COVER STORY

Both background photographs were taken by the author: the picture on the front is of the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, built in 1896 to house the first modern Olympics. 

A detail from the map of Ancient Athens. The bridge over the Ilissos (now covered by a modern road) is the spot where both Themis, and over two thousand years later, Suzanne, meet with their accidents. The natural amphitheatre between the hills is the site of the Panathenaic Stadium. In 432 BC, this is where  Athenian youths would practise their sports. 

The girl on the cover (our Suzanne) is looking towards the crossing where her accident occurs. The photo on the back of the book is of the crossing itself and the police accident board (a real board, kindly loaned by my local constabulary) is on the exact spot where the accident occurs. The bronze head (our Themis) is of the Youth of Antikythera in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. When we had problems obtaining permission to use a photo of the statue, Alex, who lives in Athens, stood on tiptoe and held her camera above her head to get the picture we finally used.  Designer Kate worked her magic on it, and finally flipped both heads!

When she turned this-

into this-























we all three knew it felt right. Don't forget to tell us what you think!

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