Teagan's Books

Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Hello again, everyone.  The deadline for giveaway entries passed at 5 PM.  Random number generators make this so easy that I’m announcing the winners tonight.  Remember this includes entries from a Facebook post I did yesterday before the geeky-gishy-giddyness of the number 5 took hold of me.  I will reach out individually to each winner, to confirm the email to use for their e-book. They are (drum roll…..)

Tim Price, Valentina Cirasola, Priscilla Bettis, Pat Alderman, and Don Massenzio. 

Congratulations everyone!  Thanks to everyone who left a comment and entered.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!  Hello, everyone. Welcome to a celebration of synchronicity!  It’s May 5th, and today I announce the fifth Journey of “Dead of Winter.”  No I did not plan this in advance. 

Update! The paperback is now available too. Universal link: relinks.me/B0942KC471

When I realized the timing, I got all geeky-gishy-giddy. (That’s my Teaganese word, feel free to use it.)  I decided to add a giveaway to this announcement. I’m giving away five e-books of “Dead of Winter: Journey 5, Llyn Pistyll Falls.”  All you have to do to enter is leave a comment. The drawing closes at 5 p.m. Mountain Time (USA) Wednesday, May 5th. (That’s 7 p.m. Eastern.)  I’ll number the entries, and then use a random number generator to pick the winners.  (Unfortunately, if you are not in the USA, it will have to be a “mobi file” which can still be added to your e-reader, or a PDF.)

Announcing the May Issue

Dead of Winter: Journey 5, Llyn Pistyll Falls

The Blurb

The titular dead of Winter begin this Journey in a collection of vignettes, before we move into the main story.  The Veil separating the world of the living and the Realm of the Dead has indeed become thin.  As feared the dead begin to enter the Realm of the Living.  Small outbreaks of chaos are scattered across the world as spirits try to resume their old lives.

Also in those shorts, two characters are introduced who will come back into the story in future Journeys — Gregorios, and Mairead who recalls the circumstance that brought Zasha and Tajín together.  The spirits also visit some characters from past Journeys.

Then Emlyn and company continue their travels.  Emlyn and Boabhan uncover a clue about the ancient staff, and that leads them to a new location.  They encounter the King of Hell, and this time, Arawn is not in a dream-like netherworld.

***

There’s More!

I haven’t shared many snippets from the Journeys of “Dead of Winter.”  That’s partly because the volumes are short, but I don’t want to give spoilers either.  However, today I have an excerpt that doesn’t give away any of the story.  It’s one of the vignettes I mentioned in the blurb above.  These illustrate the effect it has on Emlyn’s world, when the Veil separating the living from the dead becomes compromised. These vignettes also expand on the customs of the various countries in the story as well as the characters. Those of you who are already part of the Journeys, will enjoy this particular character’s misadventure more than those who do not know him.

A Dead of Winter Short

The buggy rocked and bounced as Elder Pwyll drove leisurely along the road.  The ponies didn’t seem to have much fire, but he was in no hurry.  As he held the reigns, the noonday sun caught the facets of his ruby ring.  He gazed at the brightly glittering stone in admiration.  He wasn’t paying attention to the road until one of the other clerics nudged him.

A funeral procession blocked the way ahead.  There weren’t many mourners.  It looked more like a burial detail, grave diggers and the like.  A flat bed wagon bore the body, which was covered by a funeral sheet.  A strange symbol was painted on the shroud.

Elder Pwyll had never seen such, but his oldest companion remarked that in days long past, such symbols were used for murderers.  The symbol was meant to bind their evil.  It was buried with them, and the symbol marked their graves as well.

“Now we know that such a practice is an affront to Un’Naf.  Only He can bind the dead,” the old cleric commented with growing anger.

“How can this be?  I’m not aware of any deaths in the area,” Pwyll remarked, looking askance at the elders of Penllyn and Llyn Crag.

The clerics climbed down from the buggy as members of the procession approached.  Elder Pwyll buttoned his coat.  He suddenly felt cold.  A strangely dressed man walked up to the buggy and addressed Elder Pwyll.

“You should come,” the strange man told him.  “I don’t know you, but the family is not from these parts.  Besides, it’s clear that you are their kin.  You have their features.  You should come with us.”

At those words, Elder Pwyll’s companions stepped away from him.  Their faces were painted with contempt.  The oldest cleric drew a sharp breath.  He eyed Pwyll the way he might stare at a dung beetle.

Elder Pwyll looked again at the odd symbol covering the corpse.  He resembled a murderer?  Pwyll was offended.  Although he knew his family history was not without blemish, he would never admit as much.  Could the diseased be a distant relative?  If so, then how did he come to be in Llyn Crag — and dead?

The ponies nickered nervously.  The elder patted one of the animals absently.  A commotion began around the wagon that carried the body.  Had the corpse moved?  Elder Pwyll squinted and looked again.  Men and women in the group began to scream and run away.

“You should come with us,” the man repeated.  “It’s proper that the family attend the burial, even for one such as he,” the man said and firmly gripped Elder Pwyll’s arm.  “You should come.”

The man’s hand was so cold the elder could feel it through his coat sleeve.  Roughly, he pulled away.

The other clerics didn’t understand what was wrong, but none the less they hurriedly got back onto the buggy.  Before the men were well seated, the ponies bolted, making directly for the funeral wagon.

The elegant buggy sideswiped the wagon, overturning both conveyances.  The elders fell from their rig as it overturned.

The wrapped corpse tumbled from the flat bed wagon, struggling as it fell.  Elder Pwyll watched in horrified fascination as the corpse shrugged out of the burial shroud.

The other two clerics cried out and ran away as fast as their feet would carry them.  The corpse stood and leered at him.  The dead murderer’s face looked just like his own.

“Yes,” repeated the corpse, “by all means, come with us.”

Elder Pwyll screamed.  The pealing laughter of the dead man and the phrase “Come with us” rang in his ears.  He ran, and did not stop screaming until after he overtook his companions and left them behind.

***

Remember, leave a comment to be entered in the drawing for a free e-book of  Dead of Winter: Journey 5, Llyn Pistyll Falls.  Also, click the link below to see an exquisite review of the previous issue, Journey 4. 

Dead of Winter — The Other Journeys

If you haven’t already joined the journey, you’re just in time to curl up with a comfortably sized amount of reading.  

Journey 4, The Old Road has a new review from author and translator Olga Núñez Miret,  You can learn more about Olga here.

Journey 5, Llyn Pistyll Falls

Kindle:  relinks.me/B09431TD6G

Paperback:  relinks.me/B0942KC471

Journey 4, The Old Road

Kindle:  relinks.me/B092G5LB7R

Paperback:  relinks.me/B092M51Y88

Journey 3, the Fever Field

Kindle: elinks.me/B08XTNZ9M8 

Paperback:  relinks.me/B08XXY3JXF

Kobo:  Dead of Winter: Journey 3, the Fever Field eBook by Teagan Riordain Geneviene – 1230004609599 | Rakuten Kobo United States

Journey 2, Penllyn

Kindle:  relinks.me/B08VMNSF97

Paperback:  relinks.me/B08VLMR2KD

Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dead-of-winter-journey-2-penllyn

Journey 1, Forlorn Peak

Kindle:  relinks.me/B08RBBVRGX

Paperback:  relinks.me/B08R7RH4F5

Kobo:  Dead of Winter: Journey 1, Forlorn Peak eBook by Teagan Geneviene – 1230004446033 | Rakuten Kobo United States

.

.

This is a work of fiction.  Characters, names, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2010 and 2021 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved. 

No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author or provided by free sources, unless stated otherwise.

 

…