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Showing posts from March, 2019

#HistFicThursdays - Gothic Horror - Memories of the Grand Tour

Arthur Rackham's timeless illustration (from Wikipedia )  There was a big push a few years ago to rewrite fairy tales. Snow White and the Huntsman got a less than warm reception, but Maleficent was more kindly received. Not wanting to be left out, I also had a go at rewriting a fairy tale, although I think I was a little bit late to the party. Memories of the Grand Tour was based on the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel , and features my only female narrator. I don’t know particularly why I chose a woman’s voice for this one. Generally, I find men in Gothic Horror to be easier to write about, simply because they had more possibilities and options during the time in which I set most of my writing. A Victorian woman sitting alone in a pub, for example, would say a great deal about her character before the story even starts, whereas male characters in the same situation wouldn’t even invoke a raised eyebrow. Strangely, by contrast, both Gothic Horror novels which I am cur...

"Jake, Lucid Dreamer" by David J Naiman

12-year-old Jake has been suppressing his heartbreak over the loss of his mother for the past four years. But his emotions have a way of haunting his dreams and bubbling to the surface when he least expects it. When Jake learns how to take control in his dreams, he becomes a lucid dreamer, and that’s when the battle really heats up. Using his wits to dodge bullies by day and a nefarious kangaroo hopping ever closer by night, Jake learns about loss, bravery, the power of love, and how you cannot fully heal until you face your greatest fear. This uncompromising novel is a magical yet honest exploration of emotional healing after a devastating loss. Described as a  “poignant coming-of-age novel (that) offers a sensitive and honest examination of a child’s spiritual and emotional battles”  by The BookLife Prize. This moving story is in the genre of  magical realism , a type of storytelling popularized by acclaimed authors such as Neil Gaiman, Rebecca Stead, Katherine A...

Cover and Trailer Reveal

I've not been able to publish many posts so far this year, but I can't think of a better way to start this blog up again. The next couple of months are going to be an exciting time for Crowvus. We have the John o' Groats Book Festival coming up, and 2 books launching in April! Yes, 2! It's like London buses...nothing for a while and then 2 come along at once! Today, we have the very thrilling job of revealing the cover and trailer for Beneath Blacks Clouds and White - the 2nd novel by Virginia Crow. Although written as a prequel to Day's Dying Glory, this poignant historical fiction novel can be read without any knowledge of the characters of the 1st book. Despite adoring his family and enjoying frequenting gaming tables, Captain Josiah Tenterchilt’s true love is the British Army and he is committed to his duty. As such, he does not hesitate to answer the army’s call when King Louis XVI of France is executed. ​ Accompanied by his wife to Flanders, Josiah f...