Three new novels for your reading pleasure!

Hi, Brian.

I'd like to announce the release of my latest novel, a YA portal fantasy called The Withered King.

When Colin Cameron's dying father entrusted him with the protection of his baby sister Effie, neither anticipated that Colin and Effie would one day stumble through a portal into the kingdom of the Green King. There, the king's winsome daughter’s first words to Colin are a proposal of marriage and the entire kingdom mistakes Effie for their long promised savior, the Spotless Maiden. 

The ancient scrolls say that only the Spotless Maiden can defeat their great enemy, the Withered King. Colin is not about to let his little sister ride to war against a demon king, but not everyone in the Green King's kingdom is willing to take no for an answer. And saying no to the Green King's daughter's proposal is not as easy as it seems.

Mark Baker

https://gmbaker.net/

The Withered King is available through Amazon here.

I haven’t read The Withered King yet, but I just finished Mark’s historical novel, The Wreckers Daughter and enjoyed it immensely (here). ~Brian

Hi, Brian.

Thank you for the great workshops. I am pleased to announce that I’ve self-published my historical fiction novel Tangled Threads of War. It tells the story of Cecilia Ulrich and her family in a small village in Alsace France when war is declared and how they navigate through the war years.

It’s available through Indigo here and also through Friesen Press, Amazon and Barnes and Noble in paperback, hardcover or Ebook.

Maureen Murphy

Hi, Brian.

I hope this email reaches you one way or another. I still follow all your announcements, though I now live in the Okanagan Valley in BC. I should let you know that even in this far-flung part of Canada, I do meet up with fellow writers originally from southern Ontario who took courses with you. So your influence has spread far and wide. 

I wanted to let you know that I have published a second novel, Dreams of the Alhambra, the early stages of which I was working on when I attended your writing programs. 

Here's the announcement:

Following the success of her debut novel, Palmyra, a historical suspense novel that won the Whistler Independent Book Award for Fiction in 2024 and was shortlisted for several other international awards, Karen Barrow has published her second historical fiction novel, Dreams of the Alhambra. Weaving together history, mystery, romance, and magical realism, the novel follows two women connected across centuries as buried memories and ancient secrets converge beneath the shadow of the legendary Alhambra palace in Granada, Spain. 

Available in paperback and e-book through major online retailers, including Indigo, Amazon, Kindle, and Kobo. Details of her books can be found through her website www.karenbarrowbooks.com 

Thanks, Brian, and enjoy the writing retreat this year!

Karen MacDougall

Award-winning Historical Fiction Writer Karen Barrow

Dreams of the Alhambra is available through Amazon here.

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See more new books by your fellow writers  here (and scroll down).

If you’ve had a story (or a book!) published, if you’ve won or placed in a writing contest, if you’ve gotten yourself an agent, or if you have any other news, send me an email so I can share your success. As writers, we’re all in this together, and your good news gives us all a boost. Email me at: brianhenry@sympatico.ca  

See all my upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and four-day  retreats here. ~Brian

Just released: Palmyra by Karen Barrow

Palmyra 

“I used to think the past was dead and gone, that time erased memories....”

An unexpected visitor to a cocoa estate on the island of Trinidad triggers buried memories of the mysterious deaths that plagued a prosperous French Creole family who once lived there. Now a near ruin, the once "Great House" was where Joe, the housekeeper's precocious eleven-year-old son, bore witness to half-understood incidents and undercurrents in the lives of its residents.

Decades later, his reawakened memories begin with the arrival of a handsome young stranger to the property-a catalyst which sets off a train of tragic events with consequences that reach into the present day.

Rich in historical and geographical detail, Palmyra chronicles a time when an educated elite rose from the ashes of slavery and indentureship to challenge the ruling white plantocracy and create an independent nation.

A finalist for the Guernica Prize for Literary Fiction, Palmyra is part coming-of-age story, part Gothic mystery and conjures a world teaming with divided loyalties, family secrets, and ambition.

Karen Barrow

Growing up on the Caribbean island of Trinidad, Karen's happiest hours were spent with either her head in a book or a pen in her hand. Knowing that the bohemian life of a writer would never receive parental approval, Karen journeyed to Canada to pursue other studies.

It was not long before a chance encounter with a geology student ended with raising a family in what at times felt like the far reaches of the country. During several moves, which included a delightful sojourn in Brisbane, Australia, before finally settling in the Greater Toronto Area, Karen honed the life of a professional student in search of what she always wanted to be ... a writer.

After 16 years in the Greater Toronto Area during which time she developed her writing skills and wrote two novels, Karen and her husband moved west in 2021 to settle in the beautiful Okanagan region of interior British Columbia. There she finished her third novel, Palmyra, which was begun during the initial disquieting months of the pandemic. Undoubtedly this contributed to the brooding nature of the story. 

With an unrecognizable accent and many a stamp in her passport, Karen considers herself a global citizen.

You can follow Karen here.

Palmyra is available from Chapters/Indigo here.

And see more new books by your fellow authors – and invites to their book launches – here (and scroll down).

See Brian Henry’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and four-day retreats here.

Kudos to Karen for making the short list for the Guernica Prize, to Wendy for publishing an article, to Gail for self-publishing her latest novel, and to Elizabeth for getting a three-book deal!

If you’ve had a story (or a book!) published, if you’ve won or placed in a writing contest, if you’ve gotten yourself an agent, or if you have any other news, send me an email so I can share your success. As writers, we’re all in this together, and your good news gives us all a boost. 

Also, be sure to let know if you're looking for a writers' group or beta readers; a notice in Quick Brown Fox, will help you find them. 

Email me at: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

 

Hi, Brian.

I am happy to share with you that my third novel, Palmyra, was short-listed for the Guernica Prize for Literary Fiction, with the winner being announced on December third in Toronto. Set at the turn of the 20th century on the island of Trinidad, Palmyra is a historical fiction that I have described as Caribbean Gothic Suspense ... nothing like being creative with the sub-genres.

I want to thank you, once again, for all the tireless work you've done in building a successful, supportive community for writers in the GTA and beyond. Though I moved out to BC a couple of years ago, I am still very much in touch with the writers I meet through your programs.

I'll contact you when I have details of when Palmyra will be made available to the public.  

Karen MacDougal

 

Hi, Brian.

I don't know whether or not this is the kind of thing you like for your blog, but I thought I'd forward it just in case it is.

I was asked to submit an article about a local man who is celebrating his 100th birthday. He is amazingly sharp and active and has a great many stories to tell. Actually, I wrote an article for his 96th and updated it for this one. It was in both the Huntsville Forester and Bracebridge Examiner, as well as online. 

The gentleman and his wife are both thrilled with this article. Tomorrow our entire village, and anyone who's interested, is invited to a surprise party for him, and my husband and I will certainly be there.

I just thought it was such an interesting life to write and read about that your followers might enjoy it. 

Meanwhile, my latest novel, Dead Serious, which you helped coach a bit, is doing well. I have a small publisher in Arizona, who has been great to work with.

Thank you.

Wendy Truscott

https://www.wendytruscott.com/

You can read Wendy’s article about Baysville’s last war veteran turning 100 here.  

For more about her novel, Dead Serious, see here.

 

Hi, Brian.

After taking several of your writing courses, I improved, gained confidence and successfully published several short stories. Then, my first novel, The Price of Loyalty was self-published in February 2022. I am delighted to announce that my second novel has just gone live on Amazon. It is called Allegiance.

The first book was an adventure for Middle Grade readers taking place during the American Revolution. My latest book is for Teens or Young Adults and takes place during the War of 1812. It is told through the eyes of a sixteen-year-old girl whose home has been taken over by enemy soldiers and turned into a surgical hospital. She must struggle with caring for the soldiers, the patients, and her own family. She sees death and despair and struggles when she starts to feel affection for the army surgeon. The situation is impossible. Both books are based on the real-life stories of my Loyalist ancestors.

The link to the book can be found here. 

Thanks, Brian! 

Gail Copeland

Hi, Brian!

I took your seminar with the agent this year, and really enjoyed it. And now I'm signed to a publisher in California – a new one, still small, but I have a very good feeling about her.

Here's the weird thing – when I saw her call for manuscripts, I didn't want to put two days into a query letter if, say, she was only looking for thrillers or romance or something. So I sent a quick email saying that I had a YA fantasy, if that would interest her. 

She asked for the first three chapters, and the next day requested the entire manuscript. Two months later she offered me a contract. (I had John Degen vet it – I'm not as starry-eyed as all that!)

The book is The Swan Harp, a YA sword-and-sorcery, and the publisher is Type Eighteen Books. Since I wrote, the publisher has asked for the second book, and now we're talking about a name for the series, so things are ripping along at warp speed. The second and third books are The Lost King and The Shaman's Wife.

Cheers,

Elizabeth Creith

Writer & Artist

https://elizabethcreith.com/

Note: Check out Elizabeth’s previous books: Erik the Viking Sheep (Scholastic) here and Shepherd in Residence (from the now defunct Scrivener Press in Sudbury) here or directly from Elizabeth. Email: elizabeth.creith@aol.com  

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See Brian Henry’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and weekend retreats here.