Tag Archives: Fantasy Trilogy

Bonza Day (as we say here in Australia)

I came home from the shops (which is a bit of a trek now that I live in the wilds of Tasmania) to find a note in my letter box saying there were parcels to pick up from the post office. I thought it would be the possum trap we’ve ordered.

Here I digress…

Over winter the possums have eaten the bark of several of the fruit trees and then they ate two little azaleas that I planted. I thought azaleas would be safe since they haven’t eaten others. I was wrong. So it wasn’t the possum trap (in case you are worried, we intend to drive down to the river which is part of a national park and let the possum go so it will be a pig in mud, rather than making a pig of itself in our garden).

The parcels were… drum roll … my copies of Solaris Classic KRK, All FOUR books.  I was expecting book one but I should have realised Solaris would send all four books since they were being printed together, so they could be released a month apart.

The updated covers look terrific. Here they are on the kitchen table. Kudos to Clint Langley for the wonderful artwork.

krkr_4_frontcovers

You’ll notice on book two there’s a sticker letting people know that Garzik’s novella, The King’s Man, is included at the end of book two. Great news, for all those readers who contacted me wanting to buy a print version.

And then I turned the books over and discovered the layout artist had done something really clever. Ta Da!

krk_all4_backcovers

They’ve used silhouettes from the front covers. Very graphic, very nice. So kudos to the graphic designer at Solaris for this!

And now I’m all set up to do the GoodReads giveaway for book one which starts on the 24th of September and runs until the 30th of November. (Will see if I can add a link to the giveaway when it goes live). Must get to work on all the blog posts I promised as well.

See here where the Fantastical Librarian interviewed me. Thanks to the lovely Mieneke.

 

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Filed under Australian Writers, Book Giveaway, Cover Goodness, Covers, Fantasy books, Female Fantasy Authors, Fun Stuff, Inspiring Art

Fall of Fair Isle cover squee

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Solaris have sent me the Fall of Fair Isle cover, artwork by Clint Langley. (Release date: March 2015) This is an omnibus reprint of my original trilogy, which was published 1999 – 2003.

FINAL_THE FALL OF FAIR ISLE

 

This trilogy is set 600 years after The Outcast Chronicles:

3covers72dpi copy

And tells the story of Imoshen, named after Imoshen the First of Fair Isle. When her island is conquered she must find a common ground with the invading Ghebite general, Tulkhan, to save her people from oppression. To add to her troubles, her betrothed who she believed dead, has survived. Like Imoshen, Reothe is a throwback to the original T’En and he is determined to win back his island home and the woman he loves.

The story is both intimate and epic. Unlike many books The Fall of Fair Isle starts after the great battle and follows Imoshen’s struggles as she maneuvers to preserve the peace without compromising her ideals.

For a long time it was hard to get copies of book three of the trilogy, now thanks to Solaris it will be released with a brand new cover that captures the intrinsic conflict, one woman’s battle to preserve her people’s way of life.

 

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Filed under Australian Writers, Covers, Fantasy books, Female Fantasy Authors

Of Cats and Kings

The King part:

Solaris are doing a ‘Start a Series’ promotion, selling the first book (e-book) for 99c this weekend. They’ve selected The King’s Bastard from King Rolen’s Kin series. (You can find it here).

King's Bastard, King Rolen's Kin 1 72
The Cat part:

I don’t want to get into the great debate about the difference between cat people and dog people. We’ve always had cats but our daughter has bought a Pug. He’s actually a Jack Russel crossed with a Pug so he’s a Jug, (a rescue dog 13 mths old).

Of course, he thought the cats were put in the house for his entertainment and they weren’t impressed. It was not that he wanted to hurt them, he just wanted to play but the cats didn’t understand. So they are now outside cats (with a very comfortable insulated shed to sleep in) and Manny the Jug is now an inside dog. Here he is at the dog park with our eldest daughter.

Manny the Jug at the Dog Park

Manny the Jug at the Dog Park

No more sleeping in my desk drawer, little black cat.

Ninja Cat

Ninja Cat

No more getting in the way as I type, Sassy cat.

Colour coordinated cat

Colour coordinated cat

 

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Filed under Cats, Fantasy books, Fun Stuff

Fall of Fair Isle

I can now talk about what is happening with my original trilogy, Fall of Fair Isle. (Back when it first came out the trilogy didn’t have a name but readers may remember it as The Last T’En).

Solaris Books, will be releasing the trilogy as an omnibus print edition, due for publication mid 2015, and it will also appear in e-book editions. This trilogy was not released in the UK and the third book was very hard to get so it will be lovely to have a new edition with (I hope) a wonderful cover by the talented Clint Langley, who did such a good job on The Outcast Chronicles.

3covers72dpi copy

 

The Fall of Fair Isle tells a more intimate tale than The Outcast Chronicles. It begins where most fantasy books finish – after the great battle.

After the Ghebites invade Fair Isle, Imoshen (named for her ancestor, Imoshen the First) is the last surviving member of the royal family. She has to work with General Tulkhan, the Ghebite invader,  to save herself, her people and her way of life. Hers is a matriarchal society, his is a patriarchal society where the men can take three or four wives. The Ghebites fear the T’En, who they regard as closer to animals than True-men.

As for the T’En, when Imoshen the First led her people to this land, she told them to take partners from the locals, so that they would blend in and be accepted. The T’En inter-bred with the original inhabitants of Fair Isle, who were descended from the Ancients (a race of mystical beings) and their blood was diluted until there are very few pure T’En throwbacks. Six hundred years of this has changed the way the T’En gifts are expressed in full-bloods and half-bloods and much knowledge of old T’En lore has been lost. (They call the mystic plane, death’s shadow).

At the core of the trilogy is an exploration of gender politics, as Imoshen and Tulkhan try to find common ground. Despite their differences, they fall in love. To add to the complications, before the invasion Imoshen was betrothed to Reothe, the last of the T’En males. She broke her vows to him, to bond with General Tulkhan. Furious, Reothe leads the rebels in a bid to retake Fair Isle and claim Imoshen. She has to choose between Reothe, who wants to restore the T’En and create a new Golden Age and Tulkhan who is the best of True-men.

 

 

 

 

 

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Filed under Australian Writers, Fantasy books, Female Fantasy Authors, Gender Issues

Supanova with Chris & Cheryse

Off to Supanova today and tomorrow.  Cheryse and I had heaps of fun yesterday.

Here we are all set up with our books.

Here we are all set up with our books.

 

Will be in the RICC building, in Artist’s Alley (booth 191). We Artists are underneath the Signing Hall.

And here we are thinking about running away with the Doctor. (They were still setting up at this point, hence the ladder etc).

And here we are thinking about running away with the Doctor. (They were still setting up at this point, hence the ladder etc).

Today Chris McMahon will be joining us.  I’ve known Chris since way back in 1997 when he joined the Vision Writers group so we’ve been through the upheavals of trying to write, while looking after our families. Today he’ll be bringing along copies of his Jakirian Cycle. A little while ago I was teaching my UNI students and one girl mentioned this really cool book she’d found by a Brisbane author but could never find the rest of the trilogy. Turned out it was Chris’s first book, The Calvanni. Small world.

Hope she sees this and comes to Supanova.

J_trilogy

‘Think Kill Bill meets Dune . . . Heroic Fantasy in world of ceramic weapons where all metal is magical . . .’

So if  you’re coming to Supanova, drop by and say Hi!

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Filed under Australian Writers, Conferences and Conventions, Conventions, Fantasy books, Fun Stuff, Promoting Friend's Books

Supanova Big Girl Squeee!

This weekend I’m off to Melbourne Supanova. I’ll be sharing a table with Lindy Cameron from Clandestine Press  (They published my paranormal crime Price of Fame). Here we are at the Brisbane Supanova 2012.

Lindy_and_Rowena_SupanovaSupanova is heaps of fun. Amazing costumes, lots of talented people, writers, artists, actors from right across the mediums and associated speculative fiction sub genres. It’s always great to catch up with readers. It’s really nice to go somewhere, where the things you love aren’t considered weird.

 

This is me with Meaghan in Brisbane

This is me with Meaghan in Brisbane

Here I am at the last Supanova, hanging out with Isobelle Carmody and the Dark Lord.

Here I am at the last Supanova, hanging out with Isobelle Carmody and the Dark Lord.

So if you are in Melbourne and plan to come to Supanova, drop by and say Hi!

 

 

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Filed under Australian Writers, Conferences and Conventions, Conventions, Fandom, Fantasy books, Fun Stuff

How the KRK books unfold…

I’ve had some queries about how the timeline for the KRK books unfold and one very helpful reader (waves to FyreGarnet) suggested I do a timeline. So here it is. I hope this makes it clear, let me know if it still confusing. Sometimes you get so close to something, you can’t see it clearly.

KRK Timeline for web page

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Fun on Twitter

Those Hip Young Dudes at Solaris Press tweeted: To win a copy of Rowena Cory Daniells’ Outcast Chronicles trilogy, tell your followers what magical power you would like to possess!

I came back with:  Asked Teenage son what magical power he’d like. He wants 2 be able to convince people to do things. (Should be a politician!)

Here are some responses.

@SolarisBooks my magical power would be the ability to split myself into multiple entities; everything gets done, and fast, too!

@Solarisbooks The ability to break things down into their constituent atoms and reassemble them as I saw fit.

@SolarisBooks Would Love and Save count, or is that basically Rewinding Time? Whatever it is, that would be epic :))

@SolarisBooks The ability, at any time and merely by clicking my fingers, to transport myself and my wife instantly to our bedroom. Naked.

@SolarisBooks The power to ensure all that stuff you loved as a kid stayed true when you became an adult. Not just the memories.

@SolarisBooks The ability to answer other people’s questions five seconds before they answer them. Just to see their disbelief.

@SolarisBooks  I’d like the ability to absorb any knowledge and skills instantly.

@Solarisbooks the ability to destroy fifty shades of grey just by sayings its name, thus ending its tyranny.

@solarisbooks the power to grow wings like a dragon and fly

And one smart guy said:

@SolarisBooks asks what magical power I’d like to possess. Well, it’s simple: I just want to HAVE a magical power, doesn’t matter what!! 🙂

Don’t know who the winner was, but I’d like to thank them all for entering!

The magical power I’d like? to be able to download stories straight from my brain without having to spend hours sitting at the keyboard!

Such a nerdy writer thing to say.

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Filed under Australian Writers, Fantasy books, Fun Stuff, Nourish the Writer, Readers

More bookerly goodness!

I came home from marking assignments all day to discover my books had arrived.  Now I have boxes of books, including Exile! I was unpacking them and putting them on the shelf and when I turned around I discovered Monnie had climbed into one of the boxes. You know how cats love boxes.

So, all I am waiting on now, is book three and I’ll have the set!

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Filed under Australian Writers, Female Fantasy Authors, Fun Stuff, Nourish the Writer

The Eagle Has Landed!

My copies of Beseiged have arrived!

Why is it that books only seem real when you hold them in your hand? Besieged is bigger than I expected. The cover looks lovely. Solaris have done something with the figure on the front so that it is shiny on a matt background.

Here are the books on the kitchen bench, leaning up against the retro toaster and kettle, the kids bought me for my birthday.  The ‘ghost who walks’ is Monie. He’s part Russian blue and and likes to inspect things. Just as I took the picture he heard a noise by the door.

And here are the books on my office shelf with King Rolen’s Kin. But I think I’ll move them down a row,when I get the other two Outcast Chronicle books, so I can put all three books in a line.

That’s my news for today. Now I have to package up the books to send off to reviewers and people who have won give-away competitions. In no time at all they’ll be gone – hopefully to people who will enjoy them!

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Filed under Australian Writers, Covers, Fantasy books, Female Fantasy Authors, Nourish the Writer, Promoting your Book