Mini-teasers for Book III, Swords of the King

Have a line or two…

I want to get into the habit of cross-posting these one-liners, 7x7s, and random blurbs from Facebook more often. If you’ve read them there, skip to the end because you don’t want to miss information about the cover reveal and preview of Chapter 1.

Of teasers and pantsers

I can’t say I post these types of teasers to my Facebook page on a regular basis. They are spur of the moment posts – I’ll be working on a scene for Swords and think, “This is cool and there aren’t any major spoilers. Let me share this.” Or another author acquaintance will tag me to participate in a “go to page 7, line 7, and share 7 lines” game. Maybe a few more people will see them here and be interested in tracking my progress, or they’ll check out Men of the Cross or For King and Country.

While some writers can pound out a novel in a few months – bless them – I work a bit slower and some days can’t even get one hour of writing in. I started working on Swords of the King in late June. I’m what’s called a “pantser,” that is, I write by the seat of my pants rather than have a detailed outline. I know how the novel ends and I have the key points outlined to get me to the end – but how I get there within the confines of actual historical events is a journey for me and my characters. I was surprised when a nasty villain from Book II decided to show up much earlier than I had originally planned, but I am having a ball with him. 🙂

I had done a good bit of research preparing for the writing of Book III, but keep discovering I have more to do to ensure I can immerse the reader in events, places, and people.

I would like to say the first draft will be done by early summer 2017, but I can’t make any promises. I hope you will hang in here with me.

One-liners, 7x7s, and random thoughts…

Henry  knew warriors who claimed every battle was the same. Details were lost in the charge, in the flight of arrows overhead. Henry shuddered. The noise. Siege machines ripping large boulders through the air. Rocks smashing into a stone curtain wall. The clink of armor, the clank of swords. Screams, the sounds of men dying. The smell… Oh God. The smell of blood stung Henry’s nostrils and bile rose in his throat.

* * *

May have to dig deeper into medieval Paris circa 1196. Hadn’t planned to go there for Book III, but the knights are pointing me in that direction.

* * *

At the bridge, Henry and Stephan watched the ducal train. Cart after cart came over the distant ridge and then stretched down on to the flood plain like a serpent, an apt description when Henry remembered King Richard’s words about his former sister-in-law and her advisors. Covered in brown and beige tarps that looked like snakeskin when shadows fell across them, the carts overflowed with baggage. The duchess’ necessaries would include tapestries, pillows, and linens to make any room to her liking, silver and gold goblets and trenchers, pots to cook her meals, and casks of wine.

A hundred mounted riders slithered at the van- and rearguard, the procession plodding along and now about half the distance between the summit of the hill and the bridge. The Breton flag, a black cross on white field, flew above the duchess’ litter. A spirited horse drew up beside it and the curtain was drawn aside. The rider was a child judging by his size—an important one, being that three knights hovered round him.  Arthur.

* * *

By the time King Richard rode through the gates the skies had unleashed their fury—not that the storm matched the thunder in the king’s eyes.

* * *

“Why so suspicious, friends?” Edric settled himself and slung a blanket across his back. “I am here to ensure Robin completes his mission and—”

“And then kill me so if I am captured I will not break under torture and tie the deed back to John.”

“God’s bones,” Henry exclaimed.

Edric roared with laughter, even wiped tears from his eyes. “You have quite the imagination, Robin.” He took a long breath. “That cannot be further from the truth. I am here to help, that is all. You underestimate your usefulness to Prince John.”

* * *

“What have you done, Robin?”

Robin heard Marian’s voice call to him above his horse’s pounding hoofs. “You will not be happy,” he muttered to himself.

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Be special! Sign up for the cover reveal and a preview of Chapter 1

I hope you’ve enjoyed these tiny snippets. In the future – hopefully by the end of this year – an early Christmas present! –  I plan to send a preview of Chapter 1 to people who sign up for my mailing list. Be the first to see the cover of Swords of the King (unless you happened to be at the Historical Novel Society Conference the last few days and got the postcard in your hospitality bag).  See the link below and sign up now.

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Photo credit
Château de Fougères – photo by Luna04 at French Wikipedia – Transferred from fr.wikipedia to Commons by KaTeznik using CommonsHelper., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4838424)

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