Those of you familiar with Eolyn-lore will be happy to know one of those armies is led by our old favorite, Akmael, Eolyn's erstwhile love, who has now consolidated his power as Mage King of Moisehén.
The other is led by a new character in the saga, Lord Mechnes, a Syrnte prince seeking to conquer Moisehén and assert his niece's claim to the throne of Vortingen. Mechnes is a wonderful villain, charismatic and brutal, intelligent, amoral and self-serving. He's fond of women and music, but what he lives for is crushing the enemy. I'm looking forward to finishing this novel so I can share him with the world.
In the meantime, I'm just a little worried as to what's going to happen when Akmael and Mechnes clash on the battlefield just south of Rhiemsaven.
Battles are an interesting thing. Even when we map them out as writers -- even as we come to understand the strategies and tactics of our fictitious commanders -- we cannot be entirely sure what's going to happen moment-by-moment when two armies meet. I've spent the last few days, with the help of a friend, defining the terrain, positioning infantry, cavalry and archers, reading up on selected battles from ancient and medieval times, and now at last the two armies are poised to meet each other. I can almost feel the tension coming off the sketch pad where I've drawn everything up. Akmael has put together a rather daring plan to counter Mechnes' greater numbers and highly skilled soldiers. Daring, but will it work?
Only in the writing will I find out.
Some very exciting events and signings are scheduled over the next few days in Kansas City, MO. I hope that, if you are in the area, you will check them out.
Thursday, May 24, Prospero's on 39th will host High Adventure with Hadley Rille Books, featuring eleven authors of fantasy and science fiction. It'll be a fun evening of readings and discussions, with books available for purchase and signing.
Then, Friday May 25 through Sunday May 27, I will be at Kansas City's own ConQuesT. Look for me on the panels, or in the bar. The final panel schedule is not quite up, so I will be posting updates on where I will be when through my Facebook page for Eolyn. But here are a few things I know for sure:
Friday, May 25 at 8pm. I will be at the meet-the-authors-and-artists reception
Saturday, May 26 at 11am. I will be at the Hadley Rille Books panel and readings
Saturday, May 26, at 3pm. I will be at the mass signing, along with several other Hadley Rille Books authors
Also on Saturday, May 26 at 4pm, I invite you to attend the launch party for Terri-Lynne DeFino's awesome new fantasy novel, A Time Never Lived. To find out more about the launch, please visit my post this week on Heroines of Fantasy.
