The Summer Book Club Introduces THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT

Welcome to The Summer Book Club! First up, The Queen's Gambit. I have a few thoughts to share as we get going.

The first three Books of Imirillia consist of The Queen's Gambit, The Ruby Prince, & The Wanderer's Mark. I had known the story was there for years, waiting, but the bulk of writing the trilogy took place while I was  the head gardener at a private mountain estate called Rivendell. (Yes, named after that Rivendell.) I worked on the books every chance I had. As soon as I was home from work, no matter how tired. On lunch breaks. At red lights. In the slivers of consciousness between sleep and dreams. I was so deep into the books that some nights I would force my husband go on rambling walks, so as to put my feet firmly back on the soil of this world, despite how much I loved the cool hills of Aemogen or the shifting sands of Imirillia.

I don't think of The Books of Imirillia as a traditional trilogy. Rather, more of a three act play. They were written at the same time, their arcs build into one another. The pace and sway of Gambit, act one, follows the lines of Aemogen itself; the green hills, the cliffs, the sea, the traditions of the people, the legends, how they perceive the world. Gambit's momentum is a reflection of this. And accordingly, book two is it's own unique reflection of of the settings in which we find ourselves, but continuing in its role as act two.

My goal in all the books I write is to capture the subtitles of character. The inner landscape must be understood, for all motivation and action lead back to it. 

All right. Let's get going! There will be Gambit posts all week. And remember, if you have questions you want me to answer for Friday's post, leave them on the blog, or facebook, or e-mail them directly to write@bethbrower.com (if they're spoilerish.)

Let's get reading!

- Beth

A few reviews below:

“The book, story line and characters kept me reading even when I knew I had other things to do. The characters became friends that I wanted to know better and find out what was happening to them. I have read the entire series already because I just couldn't leave them alone. I had to know what was happening, but when I finished it I hadn't had enough. I am now reading them slowly so I can savor them and see all the things I missed from reading so quickly. These are characters that stay true to themselves and the author was able to make them come to life for me. A true love story of honor and sacrifice, sadness and despair. All the feelings that happen in my life. The book brought me to tears many times as the characters worked through their challenges and I felt somewhat as they were feeling. The second read is fun and also more interesting as you can see with perspective. I just love this author's writing. She writes with honesty and feeling for her characters. Thank you Beth Brower.”

-Gladys (Amazon Customer)

“It's not very often anymore that I am entranced by a fantasy with a new type of plot line, this is different, this is entertainment!”

-Chris (Amazon Customer)

“A lovely book! Very captivating.”

-Amazon Customer

THE WANDERER'S MARK COVER REVEAL

DRUM ROLL, PLEASE...

I adore this cover. ADORE. I mean, as a writer, you dream/worry/think about your covers A LOT. Because you want it to be something that will convey the words, the journey, the characters that you have fought so hard for. And a fantastic cover can be SO DIFFICULT TO FIND. But when they come, stars align. Well, Kevin Cantrell has done JUST that. His intricate designs have reflected the stories--the beauty and flow of Aemogen, the ritual and herritage of Imirillia--and this third cover has taken all of those sensibilities, and adding to them the gravity of what these characters will face in The Wanderer's Mark.   

July 19th, I can't wait. 

THE ARONEE DESERT...

“The wind in the Aronee was steady, lifting the purple grains off their dunes and flinging them about in unexpected patterns... No imaginary landscape could have been more fantastic and surreal than this dry, raging sea.”

— THE RUBY PRINCE by BETH BROWER

---

{I'VE BEEN CREATING MOMENTS FROM QUEEN'S GAMBIT, RUBY PRINCE, AND WANDERER'S MARK. AS WELL AS SOME OTHER BOOKS I'VE WRITTEN. IT'S SATISFYING, AND INTERESTING. I HAVE THESE IMAGES IN MY MIND AND I TRANSLATE THEM INTO THE WRITTEN WORD. NOW I AM MOLDING THEM BACK INTO COLOR AND FORM, SOME ABSTRACT MANIFESTATION OF WHAT IS SO CLEAR IN MY THOUGHTS. I'LL KEEP WORKING ON THE ART, AND CONTINUE FORGING THE WORDS, FOR THERE ARE MANY MORE STORIES WAITING.} 

SOUNDTRACK FOR THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT & THE RUBY PRINCE

{SLIGHT SPOILER ALERT IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOKS YET}

I write, walk, think, and drive to music. This spills over into my writing, and so most of the books I'm working on have their own playlist. Some of these songs became part of the soundtrack while I was still in the first draft. Some found their way in while I was writing the second, or third, or even the seventh. A few came after all the words were set on the page. All of the songs either matched a scene, or a setting, an emotion, or the intangible ties between characters. Maybe this is the soundtrack for you. Maybe it isn't. If there is a song that you feel resonates with your reading of the book, please let me know! I'd love to hear. 

TRACK ONE - The Blood of Cu Chulainn by Jeff Danna & Mychael Danna                                    

{My title? The Queen's Gambit} 

*If there was a movie trailer for The Queen's Gambit, this would be the song. I have listened to this hundreds of times while driving through the mountains to work, thinking of Aemogen. 

TRACK TWO - The Cry of The Celts by Ronan Hardiman 

{My title? The Battle Run.}

TRACK THREE - Smaointe... by Enya

{My title? Eleanor tells of Edith and Shaamil}

*This song most clearly ties into the scene when Eleanor and Wil are on the cliffs by the Fortress of Anoir, and their conversation there. It becomes the theme for the things they discussed, and winds through all three books. 

TRACK FOUR - Celtic Lands clip {from 1:33 - 2:57} clip by Kurt Bestor

{My title? Wil falling for Eleanor falling for Wil falling...}

*The edit is important. It's just that moment, in the middle of the song. I made myself this clip of just of this section so I could listen to it on repeat. Over and over. And over.

TRACK FIVE - Lord of the Dance by Ronan Hardiman

{My title? Aemogen Gathers}

*In my mind, this is the song for the ceremonial dance that Edythe leads at the end. 

TRACK SIX - Gypsie by Ronan Hardiman

{My title? I Must Go}

*"The gift of a dance."  If you've read the book, you know. 

TRACK SEVEN - World Spins Madly On by The Weepies.

{My title? The Regrets}

*The rain that came after the dance...both of them waking in different places, and the cold, misty morning reality of what that means. 

TRACK EIGHT - Desert Rose by Sting

{My title? The Ruby Prince}

*If there were a movie trailer for The Ruby Prince, this would be the song. 

TRACK NINE - Ancient Lands by Ronan Hardiman

{My title? The Deserts of the North}

TRACK TEN - Light of Life by Harry Gregson-Williams

{My title? The Allure of Zarbadast}

TRACK ELEVEN - Exile by Enya

{My title? The Distances}

*Eleanor's theme throughout. 

 BONUS TRACK

Invisible by U2

*Basaal has some theme songs. This is one of them.    

{The rest of the soundtrack will be posted with the release of The Wanderer's Mark!}

What do you think? Do any of them work for you? Do you give books you read songs or soundtracks? Let me know!