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Uneasy Lies the Crown: A Novel of Owain Glyndwr is FREE on Kindle through 9/9!

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Happy reading,
Gemi

In Production: Audiobook for Uneasy Lies the Crown

I may have been quiet lately, but that's only because I have important things brewing and have been holding off on sharing the news. First, a conversation with a representative at KDP (Kindle Digital Platform) led to an offer from ACX, Amazon's Audiobook Creation Exchange, wherein they offered to help fund the making of an audiobook for Uneasy Lies the Crown, A Novel of Owain Glyndwr. For a long time, I'd been thinking how much I'd love to do this, but had put it off for a number of reasons.

ACX's offer was just the push I needed. I've always written with the thought of a movie in mind - meaning when I write dialog or conjure up scenes, I want them to be dramatic in action and emotion and convey the breathtaking scenery in which the stories occur - things that would easily transfer to a screen. So far I'm still waiting on Hollywood, but this, IMO, is the next best thing.

A lot of writers cringe at hearing their books read aloud because it never quite sounds like they'd imagined, but the opposite has been true for me. One of the challenges about Uneasy Lies the Crown is that it contains characters who are Welsh, English, Scottish and French. No small task for any narrator. I spent a lot of time cruising around on ACX, listening to narrators who could potentially do a range of accents and when I got two auditions, I realized either would fit the bill. I tormented myself for a week, making friends and family listen to samples from the narrators. In the end, I went with my gut and contracted with the highly talented Kyle McCarley.

I've been absolutely blown away by Kyle's professionalism and the amount of work he's put into preparing for the reading. He's making every single voice distinct and I have to warn you, if you get a chance to hear him read Harry Hotspur's or Owain's parts, you may develop an 'audio-crush' like me. It's the same feeling I get whenever I hear an interview with Gerard Butler - I soak up every syllable. (Shhh! Do not tell my husband.)

I cannot wait to hear the finished product! Can you tell I'm a wee bit stoked? I'll post more about the process as things develop and will let you all know when it will be available. The audiobook cover above was created for me by designer Steven Novak, who also did the update for Isabeau's cover.

• So what else is happening? My seventh book, In the Time of Kings, a time travel romance and adventure set in 14th century Scotland right before the Battle of Halidon Hill, is now out with beta readers. I'm hoping for a release date in early September and the book will be available for pre-order sometime in August. More on that soon! The cover is just ... WOW!
•  

Until later,
Gemi

Blurb Blitz Tour for Uneasy Lies the Crown

Join me January 14th through the 25th on a Virtual Blurb Blitz Tour for a chance to win an Amazon gift certificate! Simply stop in at any of the following blogs during the tour and leave a comment regarding Uneasy Lies the Crown, A Novel of Owain Glyndwr:

January 14:  My Devotional Thoughts
January 15:  The Bunny's Review
January 15:  STOP 2  Welcome to My World of Dreams
January 16:  Oh, Chrys!
January 17:  Uplifting Reads
January 18:  Long and Short Reviews
January 21:  Books Are Magic
January 22:  Christine Young Romance Writer
January 23:  Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews
January 24:  It's Raining Books
January 25:  Hazel West'sCharacter Purgatory

 Until later,

Gemi

Uneasy Lies the Crown - Now in paperback! And a giveaway!!!

Uneasy Lies the Crown, A Novel of Owain Glyndwr is now available as a paperback from Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble. You can also grab it as an e-book from:

Apple (iTunes)
Barnes and Noble (Nook)
Amazon.com (Kindle)
Amazon.co.uk (Kindle for UK readers)
Smashwords

And from now until midnight Eastern time on Dec. 1st, I'm running a giveaway. For a chance to win a signed copy of a paperback of any of my books plus a $15 Amazon gift certificate OR just a $25 gift certificate, simply do the following:

1) Read Uneasy Lies the Crown and leave a review on Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk. It needn't be a lengthy New York Times style book review, just your thoughts, plain and simple, stating your impression of the story and its characters.

2) Like my Facebook page if you haven't already and comment with the word 'Reviewed' in any of the appropriate posts about the giveaway - or leave me a message on Facebook. That's it! Reviews help not only authors, but guide other readers in deciding their next purchase.

(Giveaway open to customers of Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk.)

I'm so incredibly appreciative of all the readers and book bloggers who've helped spread the word about my books and those who've written to let me know they enjoyed them and ask when the next one will be out. I wouldn't still be doing this without you. Telling stories is a dream come true.

Happy reading,
Gemi

A Fractured Wales

(Offa's Dyke)

As my next historical novel nears completion, I'll be bringing you some history on medieval Wales. This book features Owain Glyndwr, the last Welsh Prince of Wales, and also includes: Harry Hotspur, Richard II, Henry IV and a young Henry V. Owain's life bears many similarities to that of Robert the Bruce, and it has been speculated that he emulated the Bruce and patterned many of his military practices and diplomatic policies on those of the King of Scots. In many ways, however, his story is markedly different.

The working title of the book is Uneasy Lies the Crown, A Novel of Owain Glyndwr, and its expected release date is the end of 2012. For now, here's a little background on the Wales before Owain's time:

*****
A Fractured Wales

During the Dark Ages, both of what are now present-day Wales and England were fractured into numerous, smaller kingdoms.  In the late eighth century, King Offa of Mercia built a dike extending approximately 180 miles from the estuary of the Dee River, down across the Severn, and on south to the mouth of the Wye.  Whether undertaken to thwart raids by the hill-inhabiting Welsh into pasture-rich Mercian lands or as the result of a mutually agreed upon drawing of lines is unclear, but Offa’s Dyke defined the limits of the general Welsh border for centuries on.

East of the Severn, the divided kingdoms were eventually melded into one when Althelstan became the first King of all England in the tenth century.  Well into the thirteenth century, Wales was still divided into four main principalities: Gwynedd in the north, Powys in the central lands, Dyfed in the southwest and Deheubarth in the south.

Perhaps one of the greatest contributors to this ongoing fragmentation of medieval Wales lay in the practice of fostering out the sons of noblemen.  Being raised in separate households, blood-brothers often had little personal knowledge of each other and consequently less likelihood of developing any affection for or loyalty to one another.  Also, in much of medieval Europe the eldest son would inherit his father’s titles and thus the bulk of the lands, a practice called primogeniture.  In Wales, however, inheritances were divided amongst sons – a practice called partible succession or gavelkind – thus weakening centers of power, furthering divisions and setting the stage for bitter sibling rivalries.   

Welsh princes sometimes sought out and accepted the overlordship of English kings in order to gain protection from neighboring chieftains or even their own kin.  In 926, King Athelstan exacted tribute (payment in return for peace) from several Welsh princes, including Hywel Dda of Dyfed who eventually became the ruler of three-fourths of Wales through inheritance.  He aligned himself closely with the English king, visiting the English court frequently, and later standardized the laws of Wales – an act for which to this day he is still remembered.  Upon his death, though, his kingdom was split amongst his three sons and for yet another century Wales remained divided. 

Homage (a formal acknowledgement of allegiance) given to English kings became routine for Welsh lords and costly tributes were doled out regularly, but later the Welsh were often even required to supply troops to the English to support military campaigns elsewhere.  Welsh archers, renowned for their skill with the longbow, and Welsh pikemen were routinely employed in English armies in campaigns in France and Scotland.

In the middle of the eleventh century, the ambitious Gruffydd ap Llywelyn of Powys united north and south Wales for a brief period before Earl Harold of Wessex had him pursued into the wilderness and killed.  Earl Harold later became King Harold of England, until William of Normandy defeated him at Hastings in 1066.  Norman keeps were then constructed throughout Wales and were garrisoned with English soldiers to keep the locals in check.  English lords, many of Norman descent, increasingly controlled the civil administration of Wales. 
*****

Next up - the uniting of Wales.

Until later,
Gemi

Trunk Novels and Deadlines

Last night I was searching under my bed for my fuzzy slippers (seeing as how it's practically winter already and my feet were freezing), when amidst the dust bunnies, de-gutted squeaky dog toys, and socks-without-partners, I re-discovered two long-forgotten trunk novels. One was my first ever attempt at a novel, which I'll very loosely describe as historical fantasy, and the other a slightly better attempt at real historical fiction, for which I actually did research, about 15th century Welsh prince Owain Glyndwr. And yes, those are the real trunk novels above which I certified mailed to myself, still sealed, just in case someone hacked my computer, stole my brilliant idea and hit it big - at which point I could sue them and make my millions that way.

What is a 'trunk novel'? As a writing mentor of mine once described, it's one of those feeble attempts at putting together a whole story, which we eventually come to realize isn't the best we can do. And so we nudge them aside (i.e. bury it in a trunk) and write something better. It's hard at the time to admit it and let go, but in retrospect a writer has to see the effort as a learning experience and not time wasted.

On another note, last night I was sprung with a deadline for submitting some blurbs about my stories and the latest revision of my manuscript about Queen Isabella. Isn't it amazing how a deadline can turn you from a brain-dead, thumb-twiddling zombie into a focused, productive individual? I was up until 3 a.m. and I'm operating on two cups of coffee already this morning, but it's done. Now, if you'd have given me a month to do it, I probably would have taken a month. Not that I ever procrastinate or anything...

Until later,
Gemi

Why not write about what you DON'T know?

Imagine if J.R.R. Tolkien had adhered to the advice: "Write about what you know"? There would be no Middle Earth, no hobbits, no Gandalf... Not only would an entire genre of literature fail to exist, but I'd bet my eye teeth many of the great books we know today would never have been written.

Really, who spawned this suffocating notion that we must first be experts in a given field to write about it? Perhaps the better advice would be to write about what fires your imagination and what you're so passionate about that you could bury yourself up to your elbows in reference material for days on end?

I've been asked many times why I write about medieval times or certain figures like Robert the Bruce, Owain Glyndwr, Queen Isabella and Roger Mortimer. The seed of my fascination began with a childhood spent reading Ivanhoe, The Three Musketeers and a plethora of Jean Plaidy books. But spare time for reading died with college and children.

Then, I saw the movie Braveheart. Yeah, yeah, yeah - you historical accuracy purists who so readily decry its inaccuracies may clamber down from your soapboxes for a moment. Truth is, I had never even heard of William Wallace before then. Never. And I only had an inkling who Robert the Bruce was. Yet because of that Hollywood-ized version of a historical era, I was so inspired I wanted to learn more. It re-ignited my love for history and reading and a dream I'd had since I was 12 - to write. Not about something I knew, but something which inspired me: the struggle for freedom, the weak overcoming the strong, hope, persistence, loyalty --- all of it lying in wait in history's chronicles and waiting to be told to new generations.

The fun part about being a writer is that you learn so much in the process. And when that research shows, so will your readers!

Until later,
Gemi