Tag: The Warder

The Warder: A Sequel is Born

***News flash*** The Warder is here!!!

It is Monday morning following a busy few days. There’s nothing quite like answering a knock at the door, to find a box of long-awaited books. Needless to say, I am as pleased as punch!

Like its predecessor, The Warder has been a labour of love, with the writing, editing, thinking process spanning almost 10 years. I’m thrilled with the end result, and to see Books 1 and 2 proudly standing side by side

Available to buy from: Stairwell Books, Waterstones, Book Depository or Amazon

For anyone just joining us, The Warder is Book 2 in my fantasy series, Blood Gift Chronicles. It is the sequel to Return of the Mantra, though can also be read as a standalone. For a reminder of Return of the Mantra, click here for a full review.

(NB: Return of the Mantra is now also available on Kindle)

The Warder is told by three characters, who each have unique gifts that connect them to the land and each other. Suni and Wanda are back, ten years on, and are joined by Luna, a troubled girl. As each grapples to comprehend the gifts and curses that bind them, a new world is introduced…

Expect character-driven, fantasy adventure, with themes of wildlife and the environment, animism, magic, dragons and being true to oneself.

Blurb

What would you sacrifice for the ones you love? In a land of gifts and curses, is anything what it seems to be?

The King has been defeated and the spirit of the Mantra has been restored, Suni has been reunited with her father and all is – not quite right.

Wanda and his cousin Luna are living in the valley beyond the mountains: Luna is possessed and dreams of dragons while Wanda, gifted with the ability to communicate with animals, struggles with the curse of Orag. Ntombi blames Wanda for her daughter Luna’s condition.

Meanwhile, in the town by the sea, Suni fears for Wanda, and watches over him using her gift for dreamwalking. Many, including Suni’s father, suffer from a strange affliction and the townspeople are blaming the Mantra.

Then strangers arrive from the sea bringing hope for the town: but in this land of gifts and curses, is anything what it seems to be?

***

Of course, it’s a strange time to be publishing new work: with lockdowns we are missing the celebrations, and I look forward to a time when we can get out and about again. Thanks to everyone who has supported me this far on my writing journey: all those who follow me on social media, who take the time to offer words of encouragement, who read, buy, lend, review, share my work. I hope you enjoy. And particularly in light of the ups and downs over the last few years: despite everything I kept The Warder firmly in my sights, and thank those who stayed by my side.

Not forgetting Mia the cat. Last week was her eleventh birthday. She joined me on my writing journey as a kitten, and would like you to know she takes full credit.

Happy Reading!

 

The Warder

What would you sacrifice for the ones you love? In a land of gifts and curses, nothing is as it seems.

Return of the Mantra came to an end, but there remained questions unanswered. How did a King ever become so completely consumed? What is this ancient power that has cast a shadow over the land for so many years?

And so The Warder was born, a story that delves into these mysteries as we revisit the land of Shendi ten years on.

The release date is yet to be finalised by the publisher, but it is coming soon, and I am thrilled to finally be able to share the front cover. Like its predecessor, this has been a labour of love, revisiting my characters ten years on, further developing their personal story arcs, while introducing some new faces, and a new land, into the mix.

Expect another character-driven, fantasy adventure, with themes of wildlife and the environment, animism, magic and dragons, and being true to oneself.

Blurb

The King has been defeated and the spirit of the Mantra has been restored, Suni has been reunited with her father and all is – not quite right.

Wanda and his cousin Luna are living in the valley beyond the mountains: Luna is possessed and dreams of dragons while Wanda, gifted with the ability to communicate with animals, struggles with the curse of Orag. Ntombi blames Wanda for her daughter Luna’s condition.

Meanwhile, in the town by the sea, Suni fears for Wanda, and watches over him using her gift for dreamwalking. Many, including Suni’s father, suffer from a strange affliction and the townspeople are blaming the Mantra.

Then strangers arrive from the sea bringing hope for the town: but in this land of gifts and curses, is anything what it seems to be?

***

I look forward to welcoming The Warder into the world, and will keep you posted on the release date. For those yet to read Return of the Mantra, this is a sequel but it also works well as a standalone. (Though why wouldn’t you want to read Return of the Mantra!)

In the meantime, for me more writing beckons, and Book 3…

Happy Reading!

 

#fantasyfortnight

Each Monday evening at 8pm I tune into Devon Book Club on Twitter, following the conversation at #devonbookhour. Perhaps less personal than a face-to-face book club, although with members from Devon and beyond, as far as New Zealand, it gives an interesting perspective on all things books. And every so often there are themed events, like #fantasyfortnight beginning next week. Since I am a resident writer and reader of the fantasy genre, I have been asked to co-host, and to prepare an accompanying video introducing the event, some personnel recommendations of mine, and a snippet intro. of my own work.

Click here for the video.

It’s an interesting way to start the year, which was also accompanied by a new book delivery to replenish stocks of Return of the Mantra. I do love the sight of a box of new books.

Happy reading, happy writing, and if Twitter is your thing, feel free to join Devon Book Club for #fantasyfortnight – Worlds Beyond Borders: from folklore and fairytale to demons and dystopia.

Fantastical Horizons

I hadn’t expected to be attending World Fantasy Convention 2020, set to take place in Salt Lake City, Utah. But with Covid-19 stamping out social gatherings, the organisers created a virtual event, that I was pleased to attend from the comfort of home.

I had the opportunity to give readings from Blood Gift Chronicles. In Return of the Mantra, we heard from Suni, a young woman who has to come to terms with the fact that the fate of her homeland depends on her. This was followed by a sneak preview of the sequel, The Warder, where we face the question: are they gifts, are they curses, are they both? It was heartening for the readings to receive such a warm reception, and for the themes to evoke discussion and questions that kept me on my toes.

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For the Love of Books #3

It is Monday morning of what promises to be a busy week, not least because World Fantasy Convention 2020 is due to start in just a few days. I’m thrilled to have been given a reading slot to read from Return of the Mantra.

(News Update: Free delivery worldwide on Return of the Mantra from Book Depository.)

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News Update

Just over two years ago, Return of the Mantra was released into the world: the first in the series, Blood Gift Chronicles. Now, with the edits complete and book cover plans underway, it’s exciting to see Book 2, The Warder, reaching its final milestone.

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Transformation

I’ve been busy with edits for The Warder, honing in on the detail, polishing, steadily working towards publication. There’s a theme running throughout this novel: Transformation.

Prior to publication of Return of the Mantra, brainstorming book cover ideas with the publishers, I came across Adinkra symbols from West Africa. It’s not an idea we went with, but I surprised myself, managing to reduce a story to one word. I have three stories so far in the series, Blood Gift Chronicles:

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Quiet Reflections for a New Decade

Tuti Island

Two decades ago, or thereabouts, I was in the Sudan. Last year, after returning my revised manuscript to the publishers, I thought about a snippet from life in North Africa, and a place called Tuti Island. The snippet begins with a walk along the river Nile, where I spotted some boys tormenting a small turtle they had fished. Feeling sorry for the turtle, and possibly unwisely, I handed over a few Sudanese pounds in exchange for the turtle. I headed off down the river, intending to release it, but everywhere I went, the curious boys followed. Unable to find a quiet spot, I took the turtle home, filled the sink with water and stones, and fed it flakes of fish. It wasn’t ideal, but then I heard about Tuti Island, a nearby place which friends were sure would offer a quiet spot for releasing the turtle. So one day I put the turtle in my basket, caught a bus, then a boat, arriving at the small island situated where the White Nile and Blue Nile meet. I found a deserted strip of sand, placed my turtle in the water, and watched it swim to freedom.

I never forgot that island, or the colours and designs the Sudan inspired. And so my recent painting is titled ‘Tuti Island’.

Christmas and New Year have been a series of quiet reflections. Following a year of ill health and loss, it’s a comfort to slow things down, to take deliberate note of the small details, and breathe the fresh air. With its dark evenings, crisp air and sodden ground, winter feels like the perfect time to just take the time, to take stock, to gain a wider perspective, to remember that the moment is now to create what we choose.

As a writer who also indulges in painting, I am no stranger to the blank page, and the blank canvas. And yet perhaps it’s never really blank to start with. We create, and we recreate, capturing moments, thoughts and lives we’ve known and returning them to us in fresh new forms.

The last decade saw my first novel published, the new decade promises more. So much of Return of the Mantra was inspired by life in Africa: people, places, situations I had known, recreating the real into an almost unrecognisable fantasy. The Warder picks up the story ten years on, and by this time it really does have its own life and momentum. I was particularly encouraged to see a recent comment on Twitter from a reader, saying how much they loved the character, Wanda. He was inspired by orphaned children I had known, out of a desire to create an unlikely hero, a gifted young boy. In book 2, aged 18, Wanda takes a more prominent role. Together with his female counterparts they are exposed to a land beyond their shores, and so continues their journey in understanding that the world is not a dichotomy of black and white, good and evil. Rather, it is shades of grey, cause and effect, where personal growth and self-discovery are essential in realising the effect each character has. Not too unlike the real world.

And on that note I wish you a Happy New Year and a peaceful new decade.

Summer Days

It’s been a challenging few months, all the more reason to appreciate the ordinary, like walking independently thanks to the support of my physiotherapist. On the many sunny days we’ve enjoyed over summer, it’s been great to get out and about around Devon, breathe fresh air and just appreciate the surrounds.

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