What… no picture? Shhh…. that comes later. For now, you will have to contend with text… boring text. Hey, there needs to be some motivation for you to click the More button… right? So, why should you read this boring text and THEN click More? Well, I (author Christopher Dunbar) will tell you… new cover art for Curse of Venus: Morrigan’s Brood Book IV by the lovely and talented Khanada Taylor, that’s why!
Oh, and some news about new events, a new year, and… you guessed it… a new book. OK, now click More and read More. [Unless of course you went directly to this post and didn’t navigate from the main page.]
Cover by Khanada Taylor
Cover Art for Curse of Venus
My co-author, Heather Poinsett Dunbar, and I have known Khanada Taylor for quite a few years, and we have had the pleasure of working with her on book covers for our first four novels (and of course the derivatives used for the covers of Madness & Reckoning and the Chapter Book), as well as on other projects. Khanada is one of the few people who has read the entire Morrigan’s Brood Series… up to book 5… and what are we on… book 3? Well, she still hasn’t read books 6, 7, or 8, but those are coming… Anyway, Khanada has an excellent gift of being able to convert the printed word into visualization… into shapes, colors, and textures that capture the emotions and the depth of the text (not that there is too much depth in our text…).
Like our prior covers, this one is in the form of a tarot card… the Empress. The figure wearing the ornately embroidered, royal purple dressing gown is the Empress Irene, a characterization of Irene of Athens, or Irene Sarantapechain, who reigned as empress regent in Byzantium from 797 CE to 802 CE (thank you Wikipedia for the quick reference). She is seated at a beautifully carved wooden dressing table, staring into an ornate, bronze mirror. Yet, something is different about this mirror… While her face is beautiful and healthy, her reflection seems somewhat diseased and old. Why is that, you might wonder? I might save that for another post… or I could just ask you to read the book when it comes out.
You may also notice a green-eyed, black cat crouched under the mirror. Those who remember the cover art from Dark Alliance: Morrigan’s Brood Book III may remember a black cat rubbing against Charlemagne’s throne. You don’t? Well, here is the picture again…
Cover by Khanada Taylor
See the black cat now? Who is this black cat, you might ask… Well, I’m not gonna tell you…. ha ha ha haaa haaaaaa. However, Madness & Reckoning introduced the character, but the ethereal black cat never gave its name to Mandubratius. The cat’s name, as well as it’s true purpose, will be revealed… later in the series.
2013 Events Calendar
We have made a few changes to our 2013 calendar, so come visit our appearances on our events page. Our first event coming up, February 9th, is the Rory Miggins Memorial Irish Stew Cook-off, which benefits the Houston Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. Lots of other events will follow… and there may be further changes, so view this site periodically.
Release of Curse of Venus: Morrigan’s Brood Book IV
Well, the publisher is targeting June for Curse of Venus, and Heather and I are working feverishly to make sure our part is done on-time. Depending on several factors out of our control, it may be pushed to July, but it is definitely our top priority. We have heard from our readers, and you want book 4 now… now now now now Now! Ok ok ok okokok… working on it.
Until then, here is the new back-cover text:
The Strigoi, the Cursed of Venus, have spread through the Holy Roman Empire and parts beyond like a plague. In response, Pope Leo III takes advantage of the scourge to settle an old score with the man he placed on the throne: Charlemagne. The pope leads the papal army into the heart of the empire and demands sovereignty over what he believes is an ecumenical matter.
Charlemagne disagrees, and soon papal and imperial forces stand face-to-face across the field of battle. Will their leaders’ bitter rivalry send the Empire further into chaos and destruction, or will their Deargh Du “angels” save them from themselves, and from Venus’ Cursed?
Continue the journey… the fourth in a series of stories revolving around the Deargh Du through the ages.
Oh… did Father Ted fans catch the Father Jack reference in the back cover text? If you didn’t… pfffffffth… More news to come later…