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I was looking for a book to take with me on my recent holiday (something light and easy to read)—so when I saw the title of this book, my heart almost stopped. Huh? Another book using the name time keeper? Perish the thought! And not written by just any author, but by Mitch Albom who has rubbed elbows with the rich and famous, including being Oprah’s Book Club pick. I reached for the book and checked the publication date. To my surprise The Time Keeper was published in 2012, the same year as the first book in my young adult time travel series, The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis came out through my former publisher. Coincidence? I think not.
Here’s the gist of this novel…
The Time Keeper is a compelling fable about the first man on earth to count the hours. The man who became Father Time.
In The Time Keeper, the inventor of the world’s first clock is punished for trying to measure God’s greatest gift. He is banished to a cave for centuries and forced to listen to the voices of all who come after him seeking more days, more years. Eventually, with his soul nearly broken, Father Time is granted his freedom, along with a magical hourglass and a mission: a chance to redeem himself by teaching two earthly people the true meaning of time.
He returns to our world-now dominated by the hour-counting he so innocently began-and commences a journey with two unlikely partners: one a teenage girl who is about to give up on life, the other a wealthy old businessman who wants to live forever. To save himself, he must save them both. And stop the world to do so.
After reading The Time Keeper, I found Albom truly has a gift for words. He has a unique brand of storytelling, one I’ve never come across before, which made this book flow easily. The tale is original and inspirational. At first, I wasn’t quite sure how to read Albom’s prose, but soon I found that I couldn’t put it down. I’d get to the end of one chapter, then was hooked into the next one. Although Albom’s spiritual convictions shine through, he’s not preachy, and leaves room for his readers’ imagination to percolate throughout the story. I loved the way certain myths were introduced into the mix—the Tower of Babel and Father Time—to give the story an air of familiarity. All and all, this book is worth the investment of your time, whether on vacation or cozying up on the couch at home.
Having read this book made me stop and think about how I spend my time and what is truly important in my life. Trust me, when you’re on your death bed, you’re not going to wish you could have spent more hours at work. Life is all about relationships, how you treat others and how you treat them. Life is about what makes you happy, what fulfills you. Just to stop and be still in the moment—now that’s a gift you can’t count.
So what about you? Read any good books lately? Would love to hear your comments! Cheers and thank you for reading my blog!
By:
[email protected],
on 10/4/2015
Blog:
Perpetually Adolescent
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Gillian Mears is an Australian writer, recognised for her award-winning literary fiction such as Foal’s Bread, The Grass Sister, Collected Stories and The Mint Lawn. It is well known that she battles crippling multiple sclerosis. She has now transferred her finely wrought writing to children’s books, beginning with The Cat with the Coloured Tail (Walker […]
I always think of James Thurber as a humorist, but there is no real humor in his fable about the pointlessness of war.
The Tiger Who Would Be King was first published in
The New Yorker on August 11, 1956. He hadn't expected the story to be printed because it was considered too "savage" but Thurber himself felt that the violence in his story was OK since he believed that fables were not for children, anyway. But, it was published and soon found it's way into school curriculum's.
The story is simple and the moral is clear, even before you read it at the end. One morning, the tiger wakes up and announces to his wife that he is now the king of beasts. When his wife reminds him that the lion is the king of beasts, the tiger tells her that all the other creatures are crying out for change.
Later, when the tiger visits the lion to tell him about the change, a fight ensues between the two big cats. Soon, all the other creatures are choosing sides and fighting with each other. In the end, the tiger is the only survivor, but even his days are numbered now. And the moral: you can't be king if there is no one to rule over.
The Tiger Who Would Be King is a picture book for older readers about the desire for absolute power, and the resulting war, and destruction. Though Thurber's voice and intelligence can be discerned throughout the story, there is no real message of hope anywhere in his fable except perhaps in the mind of the reader who realizes that the choices we make can have serious consequences.
Artist/illustrator Joohee Yoon has taken Thurber's 60 year old story and given it a new stunningly expressive look. Yoon's illustrations are hand and computer drawn with only two colors - green and orange which are boldly used on each page and leave much to the imagination. At the center of the story, there is a 6 page climactic fold out that shows the fierceness of the fight that between the animals who supported the tiger and those who backed the lion. In their boldness, the illustrations have captured not just the futility of war but also the brutality of it, making this an exceptionally effective picture book for older readers.
I think
The Tiger Who Would Be King would pair very nicely with
Dr. Seuss's Yertle the Turtle, another story about the desire for absolute power.
This book is recommended for readers age 8+
This book was borrowed from a friend
No updates for eight months is unsual on my blog. I've not disappeared, I've been working on different projects. Some I can share, others are still waiting to be published. Mostly, I'm trying to find a bit of time to design my website properly, which means also taking down a lot of my older work. Not the ideal task for the summer with 40°C!
I'd like to share the illustrations from this italian edition of Snow White, though. It was one of my favourite projects this year. I love classic fairytales. I hope one day I'll have the chance to illustrate a Brothers Grimm collection. Dark and scary...
I don't always include so many images from the same book on the portfolio, but in this case I have trouble choosing.
The book is published by Edizioni EL an italian house I work regularly with. I believe good books are made by good synergies - I like the editors at Edizioni EL and always enjoy working with them. Good communication and lovely people. Special thanks to Silvia Genovese and Gaia Stock.
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on 7/7/2015
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Today I thought I’d take a closer look at the differences between fables and parables and come up with some recommendations for readers of all ages who enjoy a little learning with their leisure. A fable is: a short story that conveys a moral to the reader, typically with animals as characters. A parable is: a short story designed […]
By:
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on 4/15/2015
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I enjoyed writing the blog post Books with the word ‘Girl’ in the title so much, I thought I’d do one for books that have ‘boy’ in the title. At first glance, I thought this one might be easier, but let’s see how I go. The first book that comes to mind for me is […]
By: Carter Higgins,
on 2/4/2015
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by Janosch (NorthSouth, 2014; originally published 1965 in Switzerland as Das Apfelmänchenn.)
I love a good pen name, and Janosch has one. His real name is Horst Eckert, and he is one of Germany’s most beloved children’s book authors and illustrators. He was new to me until NorthSouth revived this classic in late 2014. I’m so glad they did.
This is Walter’s story. He was the poorest man in the entire kingdom and he only had one single apple tree. A strong and beautiful tree, a nice home for a solitary cardinal. But no fruit. No blossoms. No bending branches.
Walter wishes for an apple. Just one. And when you wish with all your might, things change.
And his wishes came true, as wishes sometimes do.
(click to enlarge)
The art is loose and fiery. Full of motion and an eery calm.
But I love how this book breathes.
A page of art, a page of text. A page of text, a page of art. The contrast between Walter’s colorful (and worrisome) world and the spare white space of the words sets a comforting rhythm to a familiar story.
And the apple grows. So Walter goes to the market.
(click to enlarge)
The very worst feeling in the whole world is when other people don’t believe in your wishes.
Walter loses interest in his apple and in his wishes and in his life.
Until the dragon comes to town.
(click to enlarge)
Here’s where the breathing hitches and the white space/art space tempo gives way to one glorious spread of Walter’s wish saving the kingdom. It’s startling and ridiculous and wonderful.
And after that, Walter was careful what he wished for.
In print this month, a fable for Storytime Magazine!
Issue 5 is on sale now and I have illustrated three double pages for the story "Fate finds a fish." You can order a copy as well as the previous issues on their website - http://www.storytimemagazine.com/
It's a lovely read for kids with contributions from incredibly talented illustrators.
In Mother’s Love Can Conquer Any Fear!, author Subhash Kommuru and illustrator Sujata Kommuru have combined animals, storytelling, and expressive illustrations to successfully share the core values of family, community, and courage with young readers.
By: David Chuka,
on 5/8/2014
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It’s Author Interview Thursday! Yeah! I was involved in a conversation with a friend who was having a few challenges pushing their business to the next level.
My 2 cents to their dilemma was that they had to SEE themselves closing deals, winning clients and making bumper sales. I added that they also had to stay in their lane and believe that their daily positive actions would eventually bring the future they desired. I believe this laser-focussed mindset is embodied by our special guest in the hot seat today. She writes in the fantasy genre and aligns her marketing efforts to establish this. I was fascinated by the fact that she co-writes her books with her sister, Toni Burns. I was introduced to her by Sharon Ledwith who was our featured guests several moons ago. I’m so glad Sharon did as she’s an author who generously supports other authors. She has so much good stuff to share with us today. So without further ado, please join me in welcoming Lisa Fender.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and the first time someone complemented you on something you had written.
Thanks David for having me as a guest on your blog! I’m looking forward to meeting some of your followers!
Let’s see, I live in Golden Colorado and love it here. I’m married to Rick, and we’ve tied the knot twice, with each other that is, and he has 3 kids and I have 2. We both have grandchildren, but we were young grandparents. In fact, we are both “big kids”. We love hiking, camping, fishing, and the like, and our favourite relaxation is to go to the hot springs in the mountains and soak and enjoy the fresh air.
The first time someone complemented me on my writing was when I was still a teen. I had written some poetry and read it to a friend of my mothers’ who was an author herself. Her name is Autumn Stanley and she has a famous book in several of the university’s across the country. She was also an editor for Stanford University years ago. She’s a wonderful woman and when I finally published Fable, I sent her a copy, and of course, she sent it back with marks for me to fix. My sister and I had to laugh, we knew she couldn’t help herself, and we fixed most of her edits and republished.
What can a reader expect when they pick up a book written by Lisa Fender?
You can expect not your usual story, for one. I didn’t want to write the same type of urban fantasy, or dystopian fantasy that everyone else was. Instead of the “A” typical vamp or werewolf, I decided to do a take-off of the Djinni, but not one in the bottle, but a race of beings in another dimension. These beings keep the balance of both our worlds and are threatened by a faction in their side of the portal, and are threatened by what we are doing to our planet on this side.
For two, we really pride ourselves of trying to make sure that the writing is as good as any traditional published work. We have two critique partners and after we think we have the chapter the way we want it, we send it to a friend of mine who is an author, and he goes over the chapter. Once the book is finished, Toni and I go through it once more before it goes to our professional editor.
We want to make sure it’s tight and an enjoyable read for whomever takes a chance and reads our books.
You co-write books with your sister Toni Burns. Can you tell us a unique challenge this situation presents and how you both overcome it?
Actually, the challenge is we are sisters and fight once in a while. But when it comes to writing we are spot on with each other. For some reason we really click and are in each other’s minds when we write. We have a system that works for us. I write the rough drafts, and then go through and clean them up a little. Then she and I go over each line and brainstorm together the way we want the story to go. It works great for us.
You write in the Fantasy genre which is very popular and competitive. What advice would you have for someone who wants to write in this genre?
Of course, make sure you put out a high quality book. You need to pay for a professional Editor. It’s the only way. I’ve read quite a lot of self-pub books and the mistakes and head-hopping stick out like a sore thumb, for me anyway. Next, try to come up with something unique. Sure there are going to be certain types of “guidelines” to your story. For example, if you’re writing epic fantasy, there will probably be a type of kingdom, and swords and bow and arrow will be the main source for weapons, but you can still come up with a new angle.
What have you found to be a successful way to market your books?
This is one of the toughest parts to being a writer these days. I have pounded my head against the desktop more than once and it can leave you with hurt feelings and misguided advice. I have been studying the social media concept here lately and I believe the best way is through email contacts, either newsletters, or some type of fun interaction with your readers. Facebook used to be a great place, but now they have changed their reach for your fans. These days you’re lucky if more than 40 people see your posts at any given time.
They want you to pay for Facebook advertising and even that doesn’t amount to much more of a reach. Twitter is tough too because you have thousands following you and you them. How many of your followers’ posts do you click on and read? Not too many usually, so probably not too many are reading yours.
This is such a tough business so my advice is to try and set up a way to personally reach your readers.
What were some of your favourite books as a child?
This is such a long list; I don’t know where to start. I was always a big reader. I loved all the Disney classics, Snow White, etcetera, but I also liked the Boxcar Children and the Hardy Boys. I think my favourite was Wild Things and Charlotte’s Web.
What three things should writers avoid when writing dialogue?
Dialogue should sound natural. Watch the way people talk with each other and try to bring that out in your writing. You don’t want it stiff.
Two, use more action tags than “he said, she said” tags. Especially if you like to use other words besides “said”. They can take the reader out of the book.
Three, don’t add too much character’s thoughts in between each dialogue speech. It’s annoying.
What is your definition of success as an author?
To me success in life is the people who surround you with love, and care about you. I think it’s the same with being an author. I think the more popular you get the more people love you. To have people tell you they love your story is so wonderful! If you can build from there and gain more and more fans, you are successful.
What book or film has the best dialogue that inspires you to be a better writer and why?
There are several. I think the Europeans are much better with great acting and writing than we are. Harry Potter had some great acting, as did Lord of The Rings, and even Game of Thrones. Their acting is powerful and believable. My writing couch was English and she taught me the way they are taught across the pond. She really instilled in me the creative writing skills you need to have a clear and tight book.
Toy Story or Shrek?
Another tough question…I guess I have to say Shrek. Love him!
What three things should a first time visitor to Colorado do?
Go to the mountains and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. Enjoy a hot springs pool, and if you like skiing then this is a great place for it.
What can we expect from Lisa Fender in the next 12 months?
We are revising the second book in our Lorn Prophecy series, Lore. We hope to have it ready to publish by the end of the year…we’ll see. I am also plotting Lore ahead so that I can start writing the rough draft for the third book in the series. I have also written ten chapters in the next compendium for the Djenrye Chronicles, which are side books about our made-up world, Djenrye. It’s been a lot of work, but I love it! We do have one of the compendiums published – Fated. It’s the first in that series.
Where can readers and fans connect with you?
I am on the usual hangouts,
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fablebookI
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lisafender1
And my Blog: http://www.lisafender.com
We are building our website as we speak and hope to have it up and running in the next couple of months. We will have an interactive blog to get people involved with the story and writing. I’m really looking forward to it! We will be sending out invites to join our email list by the end of the week.
Any advice for authors out there who are either just starting out or getting frustrated with the industry?
Just like wine, every good thing takes time. Give yourself a break and just be consistent in what you’re doing to gain fans. It might take a while, but being relentless is the answer.
Thanks again for having me as your guest David! You’re a great host and good luck with your books!
Thanks for spending some time with us today Lisa. You really have opened my eyes to a few things I wasn’t aware of. I love the fact that you’re in this for the long haul and are not putting any pressure on yourself to be an over-night success. As Lisa stated in the interview, the best way she considers to reach out to her readers is to have them on her mailing list. If you want to see how she structures her emails and interacts with her audience, click the link below to join her mailing list.
http://www.djenworld.com
You can also read the full description and pick up one of her books at the link below
Lisa Fender on Amazon
By Peter H. Reynolds
Candlewick Press, 2009
$15.99, all ages, 40 pages
Standing astride a giant floating teapot, a girl named Rose sails the world gathering seeds for a city garden in this uplifting tribute to the late Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, whose life inspired a mile-long greenway in Boston that bears her name.
The girl, with her long jacket trailing behind and her head held high, mirrors the spirit of Kennedy -- her steely determination, exuberance and desire to increase the well-being of others -- as she pulls together a community to grow a garden.
Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, which officially opened in 2008, 13 years after Kennedy's death at age 104, is a mile-long ribbon of parks and public spaces built on the former footprint of Boston's overpass, the Central Artery, which has since been rerouted underground.
In Reynolds' story, Rose is steadfast and sure, and drifts from place to place until her teapot, an ornate vessel the length of a large rowboat, is brimming with seeds of all kinds and she wanders into the port of a bustling city to look for a site for her garden.
From his lighthouse window, the harbormaster suggests Rose float upriver to where it's lovely, but Rose wants to search the city first.
There she finds a forgotten stretch of earth between two walls of buildings -- a barren plot similar to areas transformed into the Kennedy greenway -- and decides this is the place that needs her seeds the most.
But the garden doesn't come easily for Rose. As she's working the soil, a flock of birds swoops down on the teapot and the birds eat most of the seeds. (The greenway too was slowed by obstacles, mainly related to the the highway tunnel project.)
Rose is startled, but she sees how full and happy the birds seem and realizes all is not lost. So she slips into the teapot to gather the few seeds that are left, determined to make the most of what she has.
By: yesisedit,
on 1/17/2010
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The old tale of Tortoise and Hare tells that falling asleep while doing a task is bad.
Jack the rabbit read it well, thought to himself, “the light this sheds is sad !”
No member of my global community is so lax, I’ll get that title back !
To that end he checked out the local Tortoise, Goggling on his computer for every fact.
He bought goggles and bomber cap from a site on the internet .
And while he was at it, found some sites and placed a few side bets.
The odds were good, in the turtles favor.
The money Jack knew he would soon savor !
Come race day the a crowd came out and the sun did shine.
The Tortoise was ready and Jackrabbit looked quite fine !
The race got started with a flurry and flash.
The rabbit was off like a shot but Tortoise got hung up in desert trash.
Jack was far out in front and in sight of the finish line .
But Coyote spied the race, thinking Tortoise and Hare would taste just fine.
Coyote joined in the race with turtle the first one he caught just rounding the bend.
Tortoise pulled up shy in his shell and, though Coyote knocked, would not let him come in.
So off Coyote sped to catch his other pray but Jack saw him coming and did not want to be Din Din.
As things often go the race was a bust and no body won.
Jack was diligent and did not sleep, so lived to have another son.
Tortoise, though he was slow, lived long and finally came out.
But Tortoise forgot what the race was about.
So when you hear another famous fable.
Just finish your spinach and clean up the crumbs before you leave the table.
So you may live long like Tortoise and Hare,
Though like Tortoise your mind may not be there.
And fast is good when you are fast as a bunny so you may outrun the danger.
Like Jackrabbit, you may have to change your course when chased by a stranger.
for this image, I used mixed media: cut and torn paper (some paper was actually from watercolor images that didn't work--I never throw anything away!), color pencil, ink pen, and glue. I had fun with this & thought using different media from my norm was a good idea...I just let myself go, but I think collage is really not my thing!
Jules Watson, critically acclaimed author of the Celtic fantasy novels The White Mare and The Dawn Stag, talks about her latest book, Song of the North, which takes place in the western Scottish kingdom of Dalriada during the Roman conquest of Britain.
Song of the North is the story of Minna, a Roman servant who finds herself captive in the wilds of Western Scotland among a mystical Celtic people she had been brought up to revile. As Minna begins to know more about Dalriada, its people, and its history, she begins to suffer from torn allegiances and the irresistable call of her own blood to join in the war for Celtic freedom.
Overlook: Song of the North stars two very different but equally sexy leading men, Cian and Cahir. Do you have stronger personal feelings toward one or the other? (Certain members of the Overlook staff have a crush on Cian.)
Jules: I love them both for different reasons - I always have to fall in love with my heroes, or rather be in love with them to write them! Both are tortured and damaged in their own way. Cahir is a mature, princely character who is most definitely a man, but who has to go further and find the sacred king in himself. Cian starts out as a hurt boy and has to find the man in himself, the one who can open his heart to love. Both journeys are interesting to me - they both have to find their true selves and that is a theme I return to again and again. I was also playing around with the idea that different relationships call to different parts of the participants. Cian appeals to a younger, more playful part of his chosen mate, while Cahir draws out a deeper, more "higher purpose" aspect. I'd take either man, though there is something compelling about Cian hovering on the edge of his own potential, especially when you can see the man he will be.
Overlook: It's interesting that Minna is of mixed blood and struggles with her racial identity, especially since she tries at first to fit in with Roman culture, which systematically rejects her. Do you think/have you found that many British residents of this period would have had the same situation?
Jules: This is a great debate in archaeology - we simply don't know to what extent the native peoples remained "native" or mixed with the Romans, or how deeply the Roman culture was overlaid on the native one. From inscriptions we know that many Roman soldiers stayed after their service was up and married British women, so there must have been many residents of mixed blood. However, the victors were Roman and the defeated were Celtic, so it may be people were more inclinded to identify with the race of their fathers - they would probably have got further in life! By this late time (360s AD) it's probable that the veneer of society in the towns and at wealthy villas was entirely Roman, though there is evidence the Celtic religious beliefs continued alongside the imposed Roman ones. I think it would depend on your
place in society - the nobles and merchants who depended on Roman trade would most likely have been more "Romanised", so it fits that Minna coming from the working, peasant classes would have elders who clung to the "old ways" more firmly.
Overlook: The slice of Pictish culture you offer is fascinating. What during your research of that period/group surprised you?
Jules: One thing I love about the Picts is how we know virtually nothing about them! We don't even know what language they spoke - all they have left us are their incredible carved stones, with pictures of grand warriors riding horses and hunting deer and boar, and strange animal drawings. They will always be fascinating because the stones give us a tiny glimpse into their
minds and yet we will never know the deeper, vaster reaches of those minds. There are hints that they tattooed themselves - the word Pict may derive from either a Roman or native word meaning "the painted ones" - and I must admit I have always found the idea of hordes of tattooed warriors roaming around quite exciting. We have no idea what the tattoos were but I linked them to the animal carvings on the Pictish stones and decided they might have been tribal totems. Imagine having the representation of a wolf or a hawk tattooed all over your face! And the thought of thousands of those wild men screaming and charging down a hill into battle - amazing.
Song of the North is just out in bookstores and libraries.
Jules Watson, author of the critically acclaimed Song of the North, answers some more fan questions about the book and her characters.
Overlook: Your heroines are all drawn to the the spiritual realms of Celtic life, as priestesses, healers, and seers. Why was this important to you?
Jules Watson: The Celts placed religion and spiritual belief at the very heart of their
culture, with a great reverence for nature. From what they left behind, it
seems they considered that everything was imbued with spirit, that rituals
made even the mundane sacred so that all of life had meaning. I have been
drawn to them because that connection to nature is something I long for, and
the questions my characters ask are my questions, about our relationships to
the earth, to the gods, to our own souls, and to each other.
I am an utter romantic though, so I wanted to explore those things in the
context of a sweeping tale of adventure, peril, love, loss and all the
emotional depths that keep us as readers gripped to the page, and hopefully
shedding some tears.
Overlook: During the course of your historical/archeological research of the Dalriadans during this period, what have been the most fascinating pieces you've come across? Have you learned anything about the period that truly shocked or surprised you?
Jules Watson: There were many times that I felt instinctively about something in the
books and then later found out this fitted in with an existing fact, myth or story. For example, in my books there is a sacred island of priestesses off the west coast of Scotland, and since I had been to the great stone circle at Callanish on the Isle of Lewis I decided to set the priestess retreat there. I found out years later that an ancient writer said a Greek traveler had indeed come across a "sacred island" off the west coast of Scotland - which gave me quite a shock!
It also intrigues me how there are so few remains left of Scottish houses, settlements, and roads, which could make you think the peoples in Scotland at this time lived in a very primitive way, and yet one thing that does survive is their metalwork - incredibly ornate armbands set with enamel, and twisted gold and silver torcs, and incised swords and pommels and intricate
cauldrons and jug handles. Everything - even the tinest part of a horse bridle - boasts a craftsmanship that we can rarely match even today. Seeing how much effort and skill they put into their metalwork, I always think a trifle wistfully about all the other artefacts which must have been just as lavish, ornate and beautiful but which didn't survive the years - their wall
hangings, cushions and rugs, their clothes, their carved woodwork and paintings. And if they made such things, what did they think? We know the druids and their predecessors in earlier ages tracked the movements of stars, eclipses, seasons and cycles. How complex must their religious beliefs really have been? These were not simple savages living in crude huts
but highly sophisticated people.
Overlook is proud to be publishing Song of the North, a historical fantasy set in western Scotland, by Jules Watson, author of the critically acclaimed The White Mare and The Dawn Stag. Jules's books have gained a cult following among fans of Celtic fantasy and has been compared to Marion Zimmer Bradley's Mist of Avalon and Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. Song of the North hits stores tomorrow. Jules, an archeologist and writer who lives in western Scotland, talked with us about her inspiration for Song of the North and her interest in the kingdom of Dalriada, the western Scots about whom she writes. We'll be posting her responses to celebrate the publication of Song of the North.
Overlook: You write about Dalriada, a kingdom based in the western Scottish and eastern Irish isles during the second, third, and fourth century. The freedom struggle of the Dalriadans is a fascinating story, but not many people are familiar with Scottish history of this period. What first got you interested in Dalriada and inspired your books?
Jules Watson: A major starting point was my great love for The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. The combination of Celtic romance and adventure, coupled with the priestess/spiritual aspects was the perfect book for me and obviously for millions of other readers who thirsted for that, too. Afterwards I sat waiting for years for someone to bring out another Mists of Avalon - and no one did, so eventually I thought "I'll have to do it myself,
and write what I want to read."
So I knew any novel of mine would have to be about the ancient Celts, as I had been obsessed with them from childhood - their fierceness and love of freedom, beauty, art, song and tales, and their deep connection to nature and their gods. I had also studied archaeology which triggered a fascination for prehistoric cultures. And as all novelists know, the key to gripping
plotlines is conflict. When writing historicals it's therefore a good idea to focus on conflict points between different cultures and peoples, and so this is what I did. The great enemy of the Celts was always the Romans...I had by this time fallen in love with the rugged beauty of Scotland...so I thought, "The Romans invaded Scotland - this would be a good framework for
my novels!" And of course this brought up the theme that made the movie Braveheart so compelling - a proud people attacked by an enemy force who have to fight for their freedom.
The people in the east of Scotland in the early first century AD were the Picts, but I also knew that there was another people based on the west coast in an area called Dalriada, supposedly settlers from Ireland. So this gave me another layer of conflict - what if I had Pictish and Dalriadan characters thrown together and all joining to fight the Romans?
The last piece of the puzzle is that the Kilmartin valley in Argyll in western Scotland has the greatest collection of ancient standing stones, tombs, forts and stone circles of anywhere in Scotland and as writer I had to ask, why? I wondered what had drawn people over thousands of years to build all these religious monuments, what was so special about this place? The valley also holds the fort of Dunadd which was the seat of the Dalriadan kings, so it all came together.
Now I had the time, the place, and the historical events - I just had to mix those in with the characters, romance, adventure and mystical aspects that drive my books and make them my own.
Jules Watson will answer more questions about Dalriada over the month of January. Check out her latest, Song of the North, in stores and libraries on January 10th.
From Jules Watson, author of The White Mare and Dawn Stag, comes a new volume in her magnificent Dalriada Triology, Song of the North. Arriving in bookstores in January, this enchanting novel is a story of the ancient Scottish fight for freedom and a love destined for centuries. Born and raised in Australia and now living in Scotland, Jules is an archeologist and freelance writer who brings an impressive amount of research in to her marvelously detailed and atmospheric novels. Publishers Weekly notes: "Archeologist Watson concludes her popular Dalriada trilogy with another richly imagined and actionpacked saga. . . Watson’s work is as inventive, eloquent and exotic as ever; her fans will relish this rousing conclusion."
Publishers Weekly offers early praise for
Song of the North, a new novel by
Jules Watson, coming in January 2008. Watson is the author of
The White Mare and
The Dawn Stag, both published by Overlook. From the review: "
Archeologist Watson concludes her popular Dalriada trilogy (after The Dawn Stag and The White Mare), with another richly imagined and action packed saga. Watson’s heroine, Minna, is a nursemaid for a Roman family living south of Hadrian’s Wall that separates Roman Britannia from barbarian Alba (present-day Scotland). A half-caste with “unnatural eyes and strange ways,” Minna runs away after the death of her beloved grandmother. Traveling north where her brother serves with the legions, Minna is captured by slave traders and sold into slavery. Her new owner, Queen Maeve, the wife of King Cahir of Dalriada—one of the tribal kingdoms of Alba—assigns her “to tutor royal children.” King Cahir soon realizes that the new tutor is a “‘sign of the prophecy’” that it is his destiny to “free Alba of Rome.” King Cahir forges an alliance among the usually fractious northern tribes and marches south to confront the Romans. Standing in their way are the hated Roman legions, their despised Wall, Minna’s split allegiance to her Roman roots and her captors, and treachery among Cahir’s family and allies
. Watson’s work is as inventive, eloquent and exotic as ever; her fans will relish this rousing conclusion."
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Hello Lisa,
Thanks for sharing with us today. Your story was very inspiring, encouraging and insightful!!! Best wishes!!
Thanks for stopping by today Jamee-Marie
So glad you liked my interview with Lisa.
Lots of good stuff she shared with us today and I’ll definitely be revisiting to remind myself of them.
Thanks for joining in Jamee! Are you a writer?
Thanks again for having me David! You did a great job setting up the interview!
Pleasure was all mine Lisa.
I’d love to have you back when you release your next title.
Hi Lisa
Jamee-Marie was on the hot seat last week
Below is the link to my interview with her.
http://davidchuka.com/author-interview-with-jamee-marie-edwards/
wonderful! I will have to check out her book!
It is always nice to see one of my favorite authors, (not to mention people) being in the spot light. David you did a great job diving in and asking great questions about the series. I look forward to hearing your take on the novels as they publish.
Cheers!
Hi Sis,
Once again, thanks for taking the brunt of getting our books out there! Your responses were insightful and inspiring (even to your co-author!).
Excellent questions, David – thanks for your efforts as well. :0)
Thanks for visiting Toni. It was such a pleasure having Lisa today.
I would love to be a fly on the wall when you’re both having a writing session.
Hi Brandie
Your kind words are much appreciated.
Lisa is a Star and I look forward to seeing her fanbase grow as she writes more epic adventures!
Lisa, if you could bottle ‘relentless’ you’d make a killing! I need to embrace your awesome work ethic! You and Toni are truly a great writing team! Cheers to David, who is a top-notch interviewer! Kudos all around and best wishes for bestsellers!
Thanks Brandie! You’re one of my favorite people too!