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| Image courtesy of Wikipedia |
The book is Huw the Bard, and she's bringing us back to her bawdy, bittersweet medieval universe.
First, a taste of what's in store for the lucky readers:
Despite
his best efforts, he’d become rather seedy-looking, and his clothes now sported
stains he couldn’t remove. Few people would give him work much less a meal,
thinking him a ne’er-do-well who might rob them of their valuables.
At
last, he managed to make his way to the town of Lumley, which marked the
nearest border between the duchies of Grefyn and Weyllyn. Lumley answers to the
Grand Duke Weyllyn. I should be safe enough here, he thought. But just as he
was about to step out of the hedge and onto the high road, a troop of mail-clad
Crows appeared riding down the road in the distance, all bravado and noise. Ah.
This is why game has been scarce the last week. The Grefyn saves his gold by
making his Crows live off the land and the poor must starve. I remember hearing
he makes them sleep in the stables when they come to an inn. They have to buy
their own ale and because of his parsimony, they bully everyone and take what
they want rather than pay for it.
Settling
back into his hedge, Huw waited until long after dark before finally making his
way to the backdoor of the Spotted Dog, an inn where he’d spent many an evening
with his harp while traveling from house to house in the old days as a
journeyman. Knocking quietly, he waited in the dark, hoping Glyn had heard his
tap.
When
the door was opened, it was with shock he saw his host. Glyn’s face bore many
fresh bruises, and his left eye was swollen shut. “Who is it?” The cleaver in
his hand gleamed in the light of the kitchen.
“It’s
me, Huw Owyn,” Huw replied, horror tingeing his voice. Someone had beaten Glyn
mercilessly.
Glyn’s
fist reached out and pulled him into the light. “You’re not welcome here,” he
whispered, upon seeing it was truly Huw standing there. “There are Crows
nesting in this town, looking for your sort, and they’re not being gentle about
it.” Abruptly releasing him, Glyn said, “Wait a moment. I’ve a bite to spare
for you.” The man turned back to the kitchen and returned with something in his
hand. Thrusting a trencher of bread filled with stew at Huw, Glyn firmly shut
the door in his face.
Huw
vanished into the darkness. Crouching under shrubs in the shadows outside the
city walls, Huw said a quick prayer of thanks and a blessing for poor Glyn,
who’d tried to help him despite the presence of Crows in his common room. Then
he ate every last scrap, feeling the pain of hunger diminish with each
mouthful. He’d never tasted anything so good in his life. When he finished, Huw
ghosted among the piles of refuse and the privies in the alleys of Lumley,
making his way out of town as silently as he was able.
*****
And here's what the book is about:
Huw Owyn is the last true bard in Waldeyn.
Fleeing a burning city,
Everything he ever loved in ashes behind him,
Penniless and hunted, no place is safe.
Abandoned and alone, eighteen-year old Huw the Bard must
somehow survive
It’s two-hundred leagues to safety,
And then two-hundred more.
A lot can happen to a man on a
journey like that.
Without further ado, here is the lovely cover:
Connie J Jasperson, Author
Connie J Jasperson lives and
writes in Olympia, Washington. A
vegan, she and her husband share five children, eleven grandchildren and a love
of good food and great music. She is active in local writing groups, and is the
Olympia area municipal liaison for NaNoWriMo. Music and food dominate her
waking moments and when not writing or blogging she can be found with her
Kindle, reading avidly.
You can find her
blogging at: Life in the Realm of Fantasy
Tower of Bones Series – Book I, Tower
of Bones takes the reader to the world of Neveyah, where the Gods are at
war and one man holds the key to winning that battle. Book II, Forbidden Road is the follow-up, and
picks up the story six years after the end of Book I, Tower of Bones.
Tales from the Dreamtime, a novella of new fairytales told in a
traditional style, consisting of two short stories and
one novella.
Billy’s Revenge Series – Huw,
the Bard takes you to the world of Waldeyn, and a medieval alternate
reality. Fleeing a burning city, everything he ever loved in ashes behind him,
penniless and hunted, Huw the Bard must somehow survive.
3 comments:
Thank you so much for featuring my book today on you wonderful blog! Huw thanks you too!
Congrats Connie, you always have such pretty covers.
Thanks for stopping in to see the gorgeous book, Catherine!
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