Meet the heroes of Bridge Of Swords

SENDATSU




Sendatsu is a warrior on the run, being hunted by his own people, trying frantically to get back to his children and unravel a 300-year-old mystery about magic and why his people sealed themselves off from the rest of the world.

The son of a Clan Leader, his name means Guide or Pioneer in the old tongue of his people, the language nobody speaks any more. He has lived a life of privilege and luxury, always surrounded by servants and those eager to do his bidding.

Yet it has not been easy. His father, Lord Jaken, is determined to take control of the Council, to rule not one clan but the whole of Dokuzen. Sendatsu had to be the best at everything, prove the superiority of Clan Tadayoshi – or else. And he has known heartache. As the son of a Clan Leader, he was not allowed to marry his childhood love, Asami. Instead he was forced to marry the daughter of another Clan Leader, to unite two clans and improve their political standing. Meanwhile Asami also had to marry – Sendatsu’s best friend, Gaibun.

His wife, Kayiko, died in childbirth and he stepped aside from the life of political manoeuvring and backstabbing his father saw for him to instead raise his children. This act of rebellion was the first and only way he had defied his father.

But when a chance discovery reveals clues to a 300-year-old mystery and threatens to turn Dokuzen on its head, Sendatsu is the one at the heart of it.

Forced to go on the run, hunted by his own people, he finds himself in Vales, a rough, backward land that nevertheless may hold all the answers in the ruins dotted across his hills and valleys and in the hearts of its people. If he can find the answers, he can go home.

But Vales is not without its own problems, while to the south, the cruel King Ward of Forland looks to add it to the long list of his conquests.

Sendatsu stumbles across a curious pair, a young Velsh bard called Huw and a young Forlish dancer called Rhiannon, both on the run from Ward.

He sees them as the source of answers and the way home. They see him as the hero they need. But are both wrong?



HUW

In a land where all must work hard to live, Huw dares to dream. While his people love to pass the long winter nights with tales, songs and riddles, Huw is the first of them to want to make that his life. While his village sneers and laughs at him, he travels south to Forland, to earn enough gold to prove them wrong.

In this arrogant country, made rich from its conquests and packed with slaves from conquered lands, he wins both gold and fame, winning the coveted right to perform at the King’s court.

To get there he has had to deny his Velsh heritage, pretend he is also Forlish, forget all his father taught him about honour and principles – but he sees that as a small price to pay.

But then two things rock his complacent little world. First he meets Rhiannon, a beautiful Forlish dancer also performing for the King and falls head over heels for her. Then he learns King Ward plans to terrorise and terrify the Velsh until they beg to become part of Forland.

Torn between staying and somehow winning the heart of the untouchable Rhiannon and warning his people, the decision is taken out of his hands when he overhears King Ward and Rhiannon’s father discussing how to make her the King’s mistress.

Huw tricks Rhiannon and flees north to Vales, hoping to save his people and win the girl, all in one.

But saving a peaceful land of farmers and miners from a brutal army of conquest is not an easy task.

Then Huw and Rhiannon meet Sendatsu, from fabled Dokuzen. Not realising he is a hunted fugitive, they see him as the saviour of Vales. Although Rhiannon, who has been raised on tales of beautiful Dokuzen and longs to dance there, sees Sendatsu as something more …

Huw faces many choices, none of them easy, and must learn there is always a price to be paid for your actions …



RHIANNON



Her mother died giving birth to her and she has been raised by her father Hector, once a noted singer in the court of King Ward, until illness robbed him of his voice and his fame. He has trained her from birth to astound the court and astonish the King with her singing and dancing.

Her life has been devoted to the one goal, without friends or family, until she meets a young bard she thinks is called Hugh of Browns Brook. But her new friend turns her life upside down when he tells her he is really Huw from Vales and she has to run away with him or join her father as a victim of King Ward.

Torn between grief at the loss of her beloved father and a determination to avenge his death and protect the Velsh, she only sees Huw as a friend. But she sees Sendatsu as a vision, something out of the songs she has spent her life singing.

Meanwhile, she is learning to stretch her wings, to make decisions for herself and step outside the gilded cage her father crafted for her.

What she doesn’t know is that her father Hector is very much alive and hunting for her and Huw, determined to drag them both to King Ward and face his vengeance at being cheated of his prize.

What none of them know is that the answers to the 300-year-old mystery lie within Rhiannon. She has a hidden power that will turn every single land upside down and utterly destroy everything the people think they know about their history.

She is the future … if she can unlock what is within her.



ASAMI AND GAIBUN

While Sendatsu searches for answers and a way back to his children, his two childhood friends struggle to find a way to return him.

Asami is the most talented Magic-weaver Dokuzen has seen in a generation. Once, all the people could use magic but the power has been dwindling within them. There are few capable of more than a trick or two.

Devastated by Sendatsu’s refusal to defy his father and run away with her, forced to see him marry for politics and not love, she has thrown herself into her magic.

She agreed to marry Gaibun but it was not a union of love and while they share a large home, they do not share a bed. She consoles herself with dreams of a different Dokuzen, where who your clan and parents were do not matter as much as your talents. The head of the Magic-weavers, Sumiko, tells her that if she were to rule Dokuzen, things would be very different – and this is music to Asami’s ears, although also treason, punishable by death.

Gaibun’s father Retsu should have been Clan Leader, until tricked and outwitted by Lord Jaken – Sendatsu’s father. And yet the two boys became friends. Gaibun is desperately in love with Asami but has had to live with the knowledge she sees him as but a friend and loves Sendatsu.

When their marriage turned his dream into a nightmare he consoled himself with mistresses and devoted himself to the Border Patrol, dedicated to keeping everyone else out of Dokuzen. Now working for Lord Jaken, he has been promised much, not least the leadership of their clan when and if Lord Jaken can take control of Dokuzen.

Sendatsu’s unwitting discovery of a revelation that could destroy the very foundations of Dokuzen sets both Sumiko and Jaken’s plans to rule into motion. Asami and Gaibun must somehow help return their friend and avoid being drawn deeper and deeper into plots and conspiracies in the struggle to rule Dokuzen.

Bridge Of Swords tour schedule July-Sept 2012

Here it is, the long list of places where I'll be appearing, talking and indeed selling Bridge Of Swords, as well as the original trilogy, the Dragon Sword Histories.
Feel free to bring along books to get them signed or just pop in to say hello!

Thursday July 26 - Shearer's Bookshop Leichhardt (for When Genres Attack panel) from 7pm
Sunday July 29 - Dymocks Erina (11am) Dymocks Tuggerah (2pm)

Thursday August 2 - Dymocks North Sydney (7.30am and again at 12pm)
Friday August 3 - Kinokuniya (11.30am)
Sunday August 5 - Unleash Kotara (11am)
Thursday August 9 - Galaxy Bookstore in the city (12pm)
Thursday August 16 - Dymocks Penrith (12pm and then again at 5pm)
Friday August 17 - Unleash Miranda fair (11am)
Saturday August 18 - Book Bazaar Umina (11am)
Sunday August 19 - Dymocks Carlingford (11am)
Thursday August 23 -  ADELAIDE Dymocks Adelaide (11am), Dillons Books Northwood (1.30pm) Mostly Books Torrens Park (4pm)
Friday August 24 - ADELAIDE Collins Edwardstown (10.30am) Dymocks Glenelg (12.30pm) Pages & More West Lakes (2.30pm)
Saturday August 25 - Talk at Lake Haven Library (12pm)
Sunday August 26 - Dymocks Parramatta (11am)
Thursday August 30 - CANBERRA Town &Country Goulburn (10am); Dymocks Tuggeranong (1.30pm)
FRiday August 31 - CANBERRA Dymocks Belconnen (10.30am); Dymocks Central (2pm)
Saturday September 1 - Dymocks Macquarie Centre (11am)
Thursday September 6 - BRISBANE Dymocks Brisbane (10.30am), Pulp Fiction (2.30pm); A+R Post Office Square (3pm) Dymocks Carindale (4pm)
Friday September 7 BRISBANE TLC Books Manly (10am); Dymocks Chermside (1pm)
Saturday September 8 Gosford City Markets (on behalf of All Good Books Gosford) 10am
Sunday September 9 Dymocks Chatswood (11am)
Thursday September 13 MELBOURNE Dymocks City (11am); Minotaur (2.30pm); Dymocks Southlands (4.30pm)
Friday September 14 MELBOURNE Dymocks Knox City (10.30am); Dymocks Camberwell (1pm)
Saturday September 15 Dymocks Rouse Hill 11am
Sunday September Dymocks Warringah Mall 11am
Saturday September 22 Infinitas Parramatta 10am; Dymocks Castle Towers 12.30pm
Sunday September 23 Dymocks Charlestown 11am

The Bridge Of Swords tour

Last Friday  I went into the new HarperCollins offices on Liverpool St in Sydney to meet the sales staff, as well as marketing and publicity, my editor Kate Burnitt and the retiring, incomparable Stephanie Smith.
I am delighted to announce that HC are now just as excited as I am about the release of Bridge Of Swords in August 2012!
You may remember my 50 Stores In 30 Days tour of four States and the ACT to support the release of The Radiant Child, the final book in The Dragon Sword Histories.
Well, because I do enjoy it, because it works and because I am a little crazy, I'll be touring all over again this August (with a little July and September thrown in).
HarperCollins will be getting back to me with a list of bookstores who would like me to come in and sell a big stack of books and, once I've sorted that out, I'll be posting all the details here and on Facebook.
At this stage, it'll be Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra and of course Sydney.
Sydney will see an extended tour ... I anticipate visiting stores around Sydney deeper into September and possibly even October as well.
Naturally I'll also be putting details up on Twitter about what I'm doing over those key five weeks of the tour - and any dates to follow!

The title battle

Apologies for not posting much recently ... the massive rewrite necessary for book 1, as well as the deadline pressure to keep book 2 on track and flowing has meant I have had little time for anything else.
But, with the copy edit for book 1 done and the first page proofs to be read, plus book 2 about a week away from the first draft being completed, I have a little time to tell you about the long and winding road that has been the title struggle for this new series.
I can officially announce the mucking around with titles is over and we have everything set.
The new series will be The Black Book Of Elves.
Book 1, due out in August 2012 in trade paperback, will be Bridge Of Swords.
Book 2, due out in May 2013 in trade paperback, will be Valley Of Shields
Book 3, due out in February 2014, in trade paperback, will be Wall Of Spears.
I'm happy with those titles now but it has been a somewhat arduous journey!
When I conceived the series, I wanted to use the title Empire Of Bones, based around a throwaway line in Radiant Child. Following on from that, I was going to use Land Of Lies and Kingdom Of Heart. But a few minutes on Amazon showed those titles were taken so it was back to the drawing board ...
Much of the action takes place in Vales, a hilly land that bears a passing resemblance to Celtic Britain.
With that in mind, I initially thought about a series of titles based loosely on the Mabinogion, a series of books from the 1300s that give us many heroic folk tales, principally much of the romantic Arthurian stories. Two of the most famous are the White Book of Rhydderch and the Red Book of Hergest - the Black Book Of Camarthen is sometimes also included in this list.
I wanted to base my titles on these three but, ultimately, could not find an evocative title beyond the Black Book of Elves. The Red Book of Vales and the White Book Of Forland did not cut it.
There was something powerful about the Black Book of Elves, however, even if the Black Book Of Camarthen is not truly considered part of the Mabinogion, so I decided to use that as the series title.
Next step was to look at taking inspiration from the Dylan Thomas poem the Dying Of The Light. probably the most famous Welsh poet, this poem is either written to or about his dying father. As fathers play a huge role in this new series (yes, this is a bit of a theme of mine!), it seemed like fertile ground.
Obviously I could not use the poem title, because George RR Martin used it for a science fiction novel but there are many equally powerful phrases, such as the Cursed Tears.
Ultimately, however, these were not strong enough, nor did they really sum up the story.
Next I thought about the three main characters and titles based on them, such as The Dancer's Dream or The Elf's Nightmare - but really didn't want to have elf in the main title. Not when they're really not elves and especially when I make a big deal about not featuring a cast of singing elves and dancing dwarves.
So I turned to other Celtic themes and came up with Bridge Of Swords, after a legend that you must cross the bridge of swords to get to the Celtic afterlife. The Celts thought this was a world as real as the one they lived in (made them fearless in battle!) This idea of a parallel world, a new world just on the ``other side'' is a key theme in this series, so it seemed perfect.
Now that was the first book sorted - but finding the next two titles became a real struggle.
Pass Of Arrows was deemed too soft - although it is a real place, according to legend the site of a battle victory by King Arthur.
Then we had Wall Of Shields, Tower Of Shields, Forest Of Spears, Valley Of Spears ... seemingly going round and round!
I had a few facetious suggestions as well ... Spears Of Asparagus is one that springs to mind!
But, finally, we have something that both myself and HarperCollins are happy with and that, hopefully, will draw the eye on the bookshelf.
A long road but a worthy one!

How to hand-sell 1000 books Part II

So you've done all your preparation work and arrived at the book store with pens in pocket and water bottle in hand.
After meeting as many of the staff as you can, you MUST get your table set up out the front of the store. Anything inside the store is a killer. And don't use a chair. If you sit down, you'll be lucky to get two sales, let alone 20.
Chat to the owners and see if they'll do a deal.
The ideal scenario (with a trilogy) is for them to knock a dollar or two off the price of the first book (to get the mildly interested and tyre-kickers over the line) and then a decent discount for them to take the entire trilogy.
Price points are vital. My trilogy has a rrp of $67. If you can offer it for $59 or better, I have a much better rate of success than $60 or above.
Dymocks Nowra offered all three for $55 and I sold five trilogies in 45 minutes, on a quiet Thursday afternoon when about 10 people walked past!
With that negotiated, get started!
If you're lucky, there are a few people waiting for you. You can use Facebook and Twitter to alert people - and don't disregard local newspapers. They're always looking for stories and even a couple of pars will give your name plenty of attention. They may not come in on the day but if they later see a poster up, or a signed copy on the shelf, then you've got a real chance of a purchase.
If there's no one there for you, no problem. There are dozens of book-lovers walking past the store each hour. You just need to talk to them.
You have to turn yourself into a cold-caller or spruiker - but a nice one!
My opening line is: ``Do you like reading?'
It forces people to stop and think - they can't just say ``No'' because it makes them look silly.
Having said that, there is a proportion of people who hate reading and will be quick to tell you!
Generally, they seem to prefer eating and getting themselves tattooed!
If they stop, or at least pause, I say: ``I'm an author and these are my books''.
They can either brush me or come over and talk.
You'd be surprised how many want to talk but if they don't, you have to still smile and give them a wave.
You are on show - you have to keep putting out positivity. Smile, be pleased to see people. You're asking them to pay money and buy your books. The least you can do is look happy about it!
Often I'll see someone walking briskly towards me, trying to hustle past this pushy bloke who's obviously trying to sell something. I'll give them a big smile and a cheery greeting and, quite often, they'll slow down enough for me to ask if they like reading - and go from there. But toss a question at them too early and they just brush you.
So now you have them talking. I have my pitch all worked out, tailored to whether the potential buyer is male, female or teenager (yes, a different species sometimes!)
Seriously, I give them a quick rundown of the book, point out a few reviews, number of reprints and bestseller status, then give them the special offer.
If all is good, then they say yes and I sign immediately before sending them inside to pay.
I sign at this stage for two reasons - one, they can't have a rethink while wandering around the store and just put the book down on a shelf and two, you're free to keep selling, instead of waiting for someone to pay and then come back to have it signed.
Now, if they are still wavering there are a few things to do. Offer them the back of the book to read. Ask them their favourite authors to see if you can draw a connection with your books.
Sometimes, however, they decide not to buy. Don't show any disappointment. Instead, encourage them to recommend you to friends/family who might like it better. Or to put it down on their wish list. Wave them off with a smile, so they have a positive memory of you.
The whole point of this is to sell yourself for two hours. Don't sell yourself short. People won't always want to buy your books on the day. But if you give them time and a smile, then it may well pay off.
Likewise if people tell you they love to read but don't like fantasy. Suggest your name to friends/family but don't make them feel bad.
Every person you talk to should remember you in a positive light.
When it comes to who to talk to, always pick women over men, as women are 70% of fantasy buyers.
Ideally you ask everyone, which means quieter foot traffic can mean better results. But, if faced with a choice of two, I always ask the woman!
Keep track of sales, if you wish, but always remember it's about speaking to people first, selling second. Get the first right and the sales will follow.
People want to meet authors. They want to buy books. You just have to reach out to them.
Next, I'll take you through in-depth tips and tricks to help convert talks into sales.

How to hand-sell 1000 books a month - Part I

I've managed to turn bookstore appearances into something of an art, averaging 20 sales per store, often topping 30 sales and twice hitting 49 books sold in two hours.
Of course this does not count extra books left signed at the stores, people who don't want to buy that day but will ``keep you in mind'' and those who will pass on your name to their relative/friend who loves fantasy.
Plus there is the store feel-good factor, where store owners and staff are impressed by your efforts on their behalf and will not only have you back for your next book, but will also recommend your books to customers over the coming weeks and months.
It's a strategy I used to hand-sell 1032 books in a month and certainly helped my third book, The Radiant Child, spend the entire month on the Dymocks fantasy/sci-fi Bestseller list, with two weeks at number four, where it was the top-selling title by an Australian author.
I can't promise you will get those results but, if you are willing to put in the work, you will do well. And here's how:

STAGE ONE: PREPARATION
You can't just walk out there and expect to do well. You have to be ready. The hard work begins long before you walk into a bookstore.
First step is the mental preparation. You will get ignored, brushed off and sneered at. It will happen. Be prepared to take it and move on. In two hours I will expect to ask more than 100 people to speak to me. About 30-40 will listen and 15-20 will then buy. That's a good day. If you can't handle rejection, then you shouldn't be a writer. If you can't handle being rejected 50-60 times in a couple of hours, then don't try these store appearances.
I did some acting when I was younger and try a couple of techniques. Firstly I see myself as Duncan Lay The Author for these appearances, which puts some space between the rejection and myself.
Secondly, experience tells me if I ask enough people, I will find buyers. I just have to shrug off the sneers and meet them with an ever wider smile. If you put out positive energy, eventually it comes back to you.
Next you need to know what to say. You have to sound confident. Work at what you will say until you are ready. You can offer people the back of the book to read but I have worked out a little spiel of my own. I also have variations to appeal to families with teenagers, to women and to men.
Obviously you are going to get the odd question that comes from left field - once I was asked how long was the longest battle scene and had to hurriedly flick through Risen Queen to find the answer.
But you can anticipate most of the questions - How long have you been writing, what was your inspiration, how long did it take to write this book, do you have any advice for budding writers, is this your full-time job (oh, if only they knew!) etc, etc.
Have a little think about these common questions, so you sound like you're on top of your game when they do get asked.
Arrive with a bottle of water and a pen, so you look prepared. Make sure the store has posters etc at least a week or so before you arrive.
Lunchtime is the best time for these appearances, so make sure you had a good breakfast.
If you have bookmarks or business cards, take enough so you can hand them out to as many people as possible.
Next, and this is VITAL. Insist you get a table out the front of the store (NOT inside) and NO CHAIR.
Sitting down breaks the eye contact with people. Sitting behind a desk creates a barrier between you and potential buyers. Going inside a store means you don't get to talk to passers-by.
Any of these things will destroy your chances at a successful store appearance.
Above all, prepare yourself so that the number of sales is not the be-all and end-all. You have two hours to promote yourself as best you can. Do that and sales will follow. Obsess about numbers and you will struggle.
So now you're ready to go ... next time I'll discuss how to talk to people, then go into some finer points of selling.
And, if I get enough forwards and re-tweets, I will put up a short video, to show you how I put it all together!

Conflux Part Two

If Friday of Conflux was mainly bookstores with a little panel work thrown in, Saturday was more about the panel.
It kicked off with a Starting The Journey panel, about the steps you need to take to get yourself published.
My fellow panellists were Voyager author Nicole Murphy, Angry Robot author Jo Anderton and ex-Harper Collins editor and online guru Natalie Costa Bir.
Nicole, as moderator, pointed out just how many people in the audience wanted to be published with a quick straw poll. Given there would be hundreds more across Australia, it brought home the enormity of the challenge.
I guess the message I tried to convey was simple.
Out of every 100 submissions an agent is sent, they will ask for perhaps five full manuscripts. Out of that five, perhaps one will be selected. maybe even one out of 120. It's that tough.
So it's up to you to do everything possible to make sure you are that one. Because if you don't, then you can be sure someone else is.
If that means thinking about the commercial possibilities of your work at the earliest stage, then so be it. Obviously don't try to slavishly follow what you think is the latest trend - you have to write something from the heart - but it makes sense to appeal to as many people as possible.
That was an enjoyable panel - and funny in that you could see the audience tweeting furiously as the advice came out!
After the panel, it was off to Dymocks Tuggeranong, where the long weekend rain had brought the shoppers out in hordes. As usual, they were happy to buy books from an author and I sold plenty of trilogies and also swiftly sold out of Wounded Guardians, leaving behind a happy bookstore!
An author-in-residence spot came next, and a great chat with the delightful Natalie, my copy editor extraordinaire and tweeting expert Abigail Nathan (Bothersome Words) and author-to-be Zena Shapter. They kept me company before it was time for a panel on Writing With Dinosaurs, about common themes or motifs in writing.
My panellists here were fellow Voyager author KJ Taylor and sci-fi author Simon Petrie.
I met KJ at my last Conflux in 2009; our books were and are on a similar time frame for release. More, I like the way she thinks - and she's always entertaining as a fellow panellist!
Our panel ranged across ideas and similarities within writing and I revealed a couple of recurring motifs within my own work ... a donkey and a bedtime song!
Once again, at the mass book signing, we sat together and chatted ... very necessary as we didn't have books to sell and sign!
The Sunday saw my final panel - Fantasy Accoutrements - the things every fantasy character needs.
I kicked off with the Goblinator 6000 Mark II ... it slices, it dices and it also has a handy attachment for cleaning the blood out from underneath the fingernails.
It's better than the Mark I, which had a tool for clipping nose hairs, except the button for that was too close to the slicer, which had several unfortunate incidents ...
In all seriousness, I highlighted the need for logic - as well as Hollywood's distressing habit of breaking rules of history and sense in its portrayal.
Basically, you can do whatever you want, but have it make sense. You can't sleep out for several nights without getting dirty and needing to carry plenty of food. Swords and other weapons lose their sharpness. Quivers mean you drop arrows everywhere.
I like to use history as a guide. Humans living in those environments coped as best they could and seeing how they did gives you a perfect start.
If you want to get creative, then that's fine as well - but have it make sense.
And as KJ Taylor pointed out, think things through to their logical conclusion!
I had a fun kaffeeklatsche afterwards but then called off my reading with my voice struggling due to all the bookstore appearances.
All in all, a fun Conflux. I met plenty of wonderful people and hope I said a few things that helped people, a little!