The gathering dust: Saga 3 unfolds

Caylith discovers that a sparkling, pirouetting, gem-like substance can lead the way to salvation for her Faerie and Britannia friends. But the burden is a painful one, and the journey is both exciting and fraught with peril.

In CHILDREN OF THE DUST, readers will meet the unique characters that inhabit Caylith’s world. Here are just a few:

Jay Feather . . . Old timer, head of the Feather Clan of dwarves. If he hasn’t seen it or experienced it, then by golly it’s not worth lingering over. Jay befriends Caylith, and he and his unforgettable family gravitate to her as the Deliverer of Faerie— the one the oracles have foretold will save them from the Twilight of Magic.

Uthor DragonsTongue . . . King of the Middle Kingdom, Uthor is caught in a trap along with his five-year-0ld son. Caylith and her companions hatch a brilliant plan to free him for a future that just might include King Arthur himself.

Michael the shipbuilder . . . A mysterious man from the even more mysterious land of Ireland, one whom Caylith chooses to build the unique boats that will take the pilgrims to meet Father Patrick. But what sorrowful secret does he keep, that will not be revealed until the final saga?

Andreas the scribe . . . A young man nearly born in a library, a place Caylith thinks of as a “parchment prison,” the too-tall Andreas turns out to be a key to the salvation of ancient scrolls and scriptures.

There are many more characters in CHILDREN OF THE DUST waiting to meet you. . .

 

James the Mentor, who knows the what-was (history of Britannia) and who can guess at the will-be (the future of that land in the wake of invading barbarians) . . .

Milos, the arrogant and stubborn cousin of Caylith, he who is the very Count of the Saxon Shore, but who is too bull-headed to listen to voices of reason as he sets out to destroy his enemies . . . And then of course there are all the old friends you’ve already met:

Brindl, BFF of Caylith
Thom, who is smitten with Brindl
Captain Stout, sea-going father of Thom
Kevan and Shawn, drop-dead-gorgeous twins and commanders too
Marrie AppeSprout, feisty old auntie of Caylith
Gristle, tough armsman and trainer of Caylith

Come on in, join the fun! You’ll find Children of the Dust here:

Children of the Dust on MIU
Children of the Dust on Amazon

 

Two books released . . . two to go!

April 1, 2013.

By now, you’ve seen the covers of our first two sagas  . . .

Running Over Rainbows on MuseItUp
Running Over Rainbows on Amazon

Hidden by the Rose on MuseItUp Bookstore
Hidden by the Rose on Amazon

You can find separate pages devoted to each of them right here on this site.

What’s next?

So far, Caylith has visited her elderly aunt in Lindum (modern Lincoln), and that story was told in Running Over Rainbows. She’s gone back home to Deva Victrix (modern Liverpool) in the next book, Hidden by the Rose, where she is shocked to find her ancestral villa destroyed and her mother dead or missing. That book tells how she came to be in a parallel world called Faerie, and how she managed to bring retribution upon some very evil people.

What does the future hold for this daring heroine, who is growing up faster the longer she lives in a make-believe world?

Find out how the fabled Horse of Uffington figures in our adventures.

Children of the Dust releases in May. This saga finds Caylith flummoxed to be named the Deliverer of the denizens of Faerie and Britannia too. It must be true—after all, it was foretold in the ancient oracles. In the wake of a deadly mist that has begun to consume Faerie, and an even deadlier threat of invasion of Britannia by barbarians, Caylith and her friends find a solution that will bring them at last to a “promised land,” the island of Éire.

The final saga in the series is titled Where Wild Ponies Ran and will debut in July. At last, after risking her very short self, Caylith is able to lead the folks of Faerie and convince some in Britannia to forsake their homes for the mysterious isle of Éire, where her friend Father Patrick has been sent to spread the godspels to the pagans of that dangerous place. After some harrowing adventures—and a few touches of sweet romance—Caylith is able at last to claim a new homeland in a world left after the crumbling of magic . . . the new dawn of St. Patrick’s Ireland.

Watch our blog for more about these books.

You’ll find out how St. Patrick himself came to ride in a ship exactly like this, and how the currach came to be a kind of latter-day ark for the survivors of Faerie.

Where does magic begin . . . and end?

Does magic begin when Caylith goes to visit her remarkable Aunt Marrie and finds a real-life unicorn? Or when she meets her mysterious Grandfather? Or was it there all along, in her love for road lilies and other growing things? Caylilth and her friends discover magic, but then they must confront its end, too. With the land of Faerie disappearing, they face the end of the Roman world in Britannia and the dawn of a new age in Ireland.

Bil and Bon Franks invite you  to enter the world of The Twilight of Magic saga . . . starting with the first book, Running Over Rainbows, set in ancient Britannia. Next comes Hidden by the Rose and Children of the Dust.The sweeping saga ends in the new land of Éire, Where Wild Ponies Ran.

Watch this post for more news as the publishing dates draw closer. Later, we will  invite authors of ‘tween-to- adult books to talk about their work. Look for your chance to acquire a free copy of The Caylith Songbook, a collection of lyrics that are sung throughout the sagas by various characters.

                            In The Twilight of Magic saga, you will meet some unforgettable creatures and see some sights rarely seen by others. You  will learn the rudiments of Owl Sight and of Walking Between Worlds. You will meet NimbleFoot the mountain pony, the Swans of Ravenscar, and the patriarch of the dwarf clans, Jay Feather himself. You will experience the thrill of seing the High King make a historical pronouncement near the famous Stone of Destiny that stands proudly on the sared Hill of Tara.

Please go to “About the Twilight of Magic Saga” at the top of this page to learn a bit more about each of these entertaining books…. Thanks, Bil and Bon Franks

NimbleFoot…Caylith’s beloved companion. Not even by magic, he follows her from the west coast of Britannia all the way across the Sea of Éire to the emerald island where they both find a home at last.