Eire's Captive Moon
Summary:
Éire’s Captive Moon, the first book of Sandi Layne’s Éire’s Viking Trilogy, brings you to the unsettled era of the early Viking raids along the coast of Éire – today’s Ireland.
A wounded refugee from the violent Viking raids on Éire’s coast is healed so well by Charis of Ragor that Agnarr captures the moon-pale woman for his own and takes her home to Nordweg to be his slave.
Also captured is Cowan, a warrior gifted with languages. He is drawn to the healer of Ragor and finds himself helpless before her. In more ways than one!
Through the winter, Charis plans a fitting vengenance upon her captor for the men he killed. She also prepares to return to Éire and the children she left behind.
But will her changing feelings interfere with these plans? When two men vie for her heart, will she give way before either – or both?
Please click HERE to see my review!
Sandi wrote a wonderful guest post for us, please read!
As I tried to think of something about which to write, at Jennifer’s kind invitation to present a guest post for her blog, I had no words. This might seem odd, for someone whose business is words, but it’s true. After pondering and discarding many ideas on my own, I put out an appeal on twitter.
I am stumped. I have been asked to do a guest post for my book launch blog tour and I haven’t the foggiest what I should write about.
— Sandi Layne (@sandyquill) December 17, 2012
Once upon a time writing was a very solitary occupation. A writer was alone with his imagination as he interpreted it, setting out a story, translating images and feelings and dialogues into the coding of words. It wasn’t until that code was read by someone else that the writer could see if their telling of the story was effective. For far too many, the words were never read, for the writer—afraid of rejection— hadn’t the courage to share them. Others created their stories in an intimate interchange of ink and paper, re-reading and editing on their own before swallowing their worries and sending the manuscript to a complete stranger in a submission.
And then they waited, perhaps second-guessing their own skills, their stories, their basic plots, even, as the silence stretched.
It was lonely. I know from experience that people who aren’t in my head don’t necessarily understand all the people who live there—and many don’t want to hear about them. It’s confusing to have names and places and relationships tossed at one without sufficient frame of reference. So, a writer must often curtail how they share the day to day experience of their work.
I have been known to walk into the foyer at my son’s elementary school, saying, “I had a great evisceration, today!”
This works if you’re in my head (or if you’re a writer of battle scenes!) but not for the average parent waiting to take their child home from school.
Back to the twitter appeal. In this day of social networking, a writer needn’t be so lonely. There are ways that a stay-at-home writer can connect with other people without taking a break from their actual work. They can ask questions, take quick polls, check details, and even find like-minded souls who can read their first drafting of a work. A writer can find inspiration online in a way not possible to all the generations of writers who came before. So I went to twitter to ask what people wanted to know about, in terms of a guest post. What kinds of things appeal to my readers—people who follow me already?
Suggestions came in and that was wonderful. See, the truth is, we all like it when our opinions are solicited. One follower suggested I share the obstacles I faced in getting this book written and published. Another (a published author) sympathized with my plight of not knowing what to say. Still another suggested a very cozy kind of post about holiday traditions that I cherish.
I have the best and most creative followers and I don’t necessarily write in a vacuum anymore. I can reach out and ask for help from people who sympathize, who have ideas, who encourage me and others like me.
How marvelous is that?
Sometimes, I can share snippets of what I am writing. A neat trick on twitter with its 140-characters-or-less limit, let me tell you. But when I do, I invariably get responses from my followers. And this, Reader, is a rush. On Facebook, where I can share larger clippings, it’s great as well. There, many of my “followers” are friends and family, and their opinions and support come from different places.
It is quite likely I shall use the suggestions given to me on twitter for future blog posts, whether on this fantastic blog tour or on my own website. A writer is, in the end, a communicator. A purveyor of thoughts and ideas, couched in fiction or otherwise. A single person’s imagination has limits, but by seeking out the ideas of others, one person can speak to and for many. In this day of social network opportunities, we can do so with more facility than ever before.
Which lets me conclude this post. Thank you for reading, and many thanks to itlnbrt for hosting! You’re all very kind!
Here’s Sandi …
Author Bio:
Having been a voracious reader all her life, Sandi never expected to want to write until the idea was presented in a backhanded manner. Once the notion occurred to her, though, she had to dive in the deep end (as is her wont) and began by writing historical fiction. She has since written more than twenty novels—most of which will never see the light of day.
Sandi has degrees in English and Ministry, has studied theology, spent years as an educator, has worked in escrow and sundry other careers, but research is her passion. She won an award for Celtic Fiction in 2003, but as well as history, she is also fascinated with contemporary research and has self-published several novels in the Inspirational Romance genre.
She has been married for twenty years to a man tolerant enough to let her go giddy when she discovers new words in Old Norse. Her two sons find her amusing and have enjoyed listening to her read aloud—especially when she uses funny voices. A woman of deep faith, she still finds a great deal to laugh at in the small moments of the everyday and hopes that she can help others find these moments, too.
Purchasing info:
Eire’s Captive Moon is available for pre-order on the TWCS site (link below) or iTunes. It will be available in paperback and ebook on Amazon, iTunes, B&N and TWCS site on January 10th.
Thank you for hosting! 🙂 So kind of you.
Anytime! Can’t wait for the next one already!! 🙂
Team Agnarr!