Today I am so pleased to welcome Rowan Speedwell to Joyfully Jay. Rowan has come to talk to us about her latest release, Bitterwood. She has also brought along a great tour wide giveaway. Please join me in giving Rowan a big welcome!
Much of the story of Bitterwood is tied up with the Society for Creative Anachronism. This organization—which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year—was the brainchild of a group of Berkeley students and fantasy writers, who decided to throw a tournament in a backyard. It was such a success they decided to do it again, this time in a park, where they’d have more room. But they needed a name for their organization in order to reserve the park, so one of them came up with the above-mentioned title.
The tournaments kept happening. And the idea spread. Now there are more than 30,000 members (and countless others that ‘play’ with us without being official members) world-wide, in places as far flung as Australia, Alaska, and Abu Dhabi. There once was even a group on an aircraft carrier!
Those early members included well-known fantasy authors such as Diana Paxson (at whose home the first tournament took place) Marion Zimmer Bradley, Poul Anderson, and Robert Asprin.
There are presently 19 kingdoms in the SCA. I live in the Middle Kingdom.
While the focus has always been European history from 600 AD to 1600 AD, the SCA is not Euro-exclusive. Any culture that had interactions with Europeans during this period are open to exploration. Given that this time period includes the Era of Exploration, that means pretty much any human culture can be studied, as long as the time constraints are in place. For instance, we have Aztec, Japanese, Chinese, sub-Saharan African, Middle Eastern and other cultures rubbing elbows with Byzantine nobles and Elizabethan peasants. We’re all over the map, folks!
In my novel Illumination, Miles is an illuminator, a skill I learned about in the SCA. I’ve studied sewing and weaving, beadwork and woodwork, and even some archery. Other people study glass-blowing, armoring, blacksmithing, and animal husbandry. The level of scholarship is amazing, and it’s not unusual for filmmakers to consult with SCAdians on points of history and culture. Even the Lord of the Rings movies had SCAdians as consultants.
I dedicated Bitterwood to my friends in the SCA, because there literally would be no Bitterwood without them. So much of what went into the unseen backstory came from what I learned from them.
Fantasy isn’t just a matter of making stuff up. Things have to make sense. Things have to be grounded in reality, otherwise it just doesn’t feel real. There’s no suspension of disbelief. World-building is vital in fantasy. I’m lucky in having great sources to help with my world-building. I can only hope my words can do justice to their contributions.
Blurb
Outrunning a winter storm in the north, Captain Faran of the King’s Guard leads his men and a young mage named Meric to shelter at Bitterwood Manor, the ancestral home of the Daenes. Faran and his troops have been searching for weeks for a mysterious, lion-like beast that reportedly haunts the uncharted northern woods. For Meric, finding that prophesied cat is a matter of life and death.
Though Faran is deeply focused on their mission, the enigmatic Joss Daene, Lord of Bitterwood, fascinates him. Strong and proud, Joss is everything Faran wants in a lover. More, if he were honest. But Joss belongs to Bitterwood, and Faran to his duty.
Together they will need to brave the oldest, darkest part of the Bitterwood in the coldest, deepest snows of winter to find the legendary cat. But time is running out—for Meric, for the kingdom, and for Faran and Joss’s fledgling love.
Bio
An unrepentant biblioholic, Rowan Speedwell spends half her time pretending to be a law librarian, half her time pretending to be a database manager, half her time pretending to be a fifteenth-century Aragonese noblewoman, half her time . . . wait a minute . . . Hmm. Well, one thing she doesn’t pretend to be is good at math. She is good at pretending, though.
In her copious spare time (hah) she does needlework, calligraphy and illumination, and makes jewelry. She has a master’s degree in history from the University of Chicago, is a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism, and lives in a Chicago suburb with the obligatory Writer’s Cat and way too many books.
Connect with Rowan:
- Website: rowanspeedwell.com
- Twitter: @RowanSpeedwell
- Goodreads: goodreads.com/Rowan_Speedwell
Giveaway
To celebrate the release of Bitterwood, one lucky winner will receive a $15 Amazon Gift Card! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on September 24, 2016. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!
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I really loved this one! It was my first “Rowan Speedwell” and it won’t be my last! My review posts tomorrow.
Great world-building, a noble quest, realistic magic, sweet and sexy romances and an ending that I could see as a new beginning. All fave bits for me.
Best,
Veronica
Hooray, SCAdians represent! I will definitely be adding both Bitterwood and Illumination to my To-Read queue.
-Duncan MacKinnon, late of the Kingdom of Atlantia 🙂
Tom, I haven’t read Bitterwood (though Veronica is reviewing it tomorrow and really enjoyed it) but I can vouch for Illumination as excellent!
I always wondered how SCA works!
vitajex@aol dot com
I just finished and truly enjoyed this story! the setting and characters were gripping, and the underlying quest compelling.
I read Illumination a couple of years ago, and I enjoyed it very much. I’m looking forward to reading Bitterwood. My college roommate became heavily involved in SCA after we graduated; it was fun to learn about how SCA came to be. Thanks for your post, Ms. Speedwell.
Wow! SCA sounds really cool. Thank you for sharing about it. And I totally agree about fantasy requiring strong world building. As a reader I love immersing myself in a new world, but it has to seem plausible.
I read Bitterwood in its first edition and loved it. Congrats on the re-release and fantastic new cover.
jen(dot)f(at)mac(dot)com
I don’t participate in SCA but I’ve met people who do. It sounds fascinating. Thanks for the post.
legacylandlisa(at)gmail(dot)com
First time that I’ve heard about SCA which sounds so fascinating.
Congrats on your re-release.
strive4bst(AT)yahoo(dot)com
I’ve actually never heard of SCA so now’s the time for me to hit Google. It sounds super!
I’m looking forward to reading Veronica’s review. The book looks great! 🙂
oops, looks like I’m supposed to leave an email — aelnova@aol.com
I go to the Tournament of the Phoenix each year in Poway, CA. It is an exciting fascinating experience with “real” knights in shining armor and beautiful court ladies,. I’ve learned a lot about that era of time and taken many, many photos, especially of the horses! This book sounds like it right up my alley and I look forward to reading it very soon.
1. This book sounds freakin’ awesome. 2. So does the Society of Creative Anachronism. How have I never heard of this? *runs off to google*
ashley.vanburen[at]gmail[dot]com
I enjoyed this book. Never read the first edition but I thought the cover was definitely better haha
amie_07(at)yahoo(dot)com
Love the cover I could stare at it all day.
humhumbum AT yahoo DOT com
Thanks for the fascinating post! violet817(at)aol(dot)com
Thank you for the interesting post. I did not now about SCA, but it certainly sounds like something I would love (I’m going to research it on line right now… I’m so intrigued). I am looking forward to reading Bitterwood. It was love at the first sight (that cover… I just love it).
susanaperez7140(at)gmail(dot)com
how interesting bn100candg at hotmail dot com
This was a very interesting post. I have never heard of SCA before. But I have read most of your books 🙂 booklover-forever at web.de
What a great post! SCA sounds wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing.
ree.dee.2014 (at) gmail (dot) com