Festive Frolics

Posted on October 14, 2022 by Rob

Following on the heels of Han’s Cottage, which was yet another very different kind of story, I am about to release yet another instalment of the Curio Chronicles. This book is to be released at this time for two reasons, the first being, with three out in 2022, it gives me a little space and time to continue writing some of the other stories I have on the go.

The second and probably the principal reason for putting the third book out now, is that the third story in the life of Abigail Watson, is set at Christmas time. It is indeed a festive themed story, and what better way to enjoy this book, than to read it over the actually season it is set in.

Just to look back a little, all of this series of stories was written back in the year of 2020, during what was lockdowns due to the virus. The whole series was written between October 2020, and April 2021, so as the lockdowns ended, I moved onto other things, such as my business and more writing. I actually wrote this third part of the story during the Christmas period, which was a little bit of a bleak time, as the world was in crisis and things looked bleak for all of us, and yet within the joy we created at home as a family, I dug deep into myself, and threaded Abigail’s story around the festive period.

Full wrap of Curio's Christmas by Robin John Morgan — Curio’s Christmas By Robin John Morgan

Abby has moved on a little, in this book she is two years older, and has spent two years living in the house on Waterside Lane with the rest of her Curio friends. She is working hard at writing, and feeling more settled than ever before, apart from the village, which does not change, she is growing up a little, as are her friends. Just to give you a little insight to what is to come, normally Birch would be home with her parents, Anthony whose father rejects him, is normally with Delphine, and Chloe and Edwina are at home with their parents. Abby takes it in turn each Christmas to spend time with her parents, and also visit Roni and Will up north, and Deb’s, is married to Jimmy and lives in their complex on Bradley’s estate. They have never actually been all together on Christmas Day, so when Bradley invites Roni and Will to join them in the Bahamas, and Jimmy is away on a tour of Asia, suddenly, Deb’s and Birch, find they are alone at home for Christmas, which also means so is Abigail, as she is partnered up with Birch. Plans are made, and a full Curio Christmas is on the cards, and hence, the fun starts.

Christmas is a complicated season, it is seen by most as a season of joy and happiness, but to many, it is a sad time, a time of loneliness, and most importantly, it is a time of giving, which when you add all of that up, and throw in some tinsel and baubles, you have the making of a good story. Curio’s Christmas is exactly that, a good story.

Growing up, people slowly change, and as you start to read, you will notice that there is a more grown up side to Abby and Birch. They are settled and together, and even though there is a lot of messing around and joking, their more serious sides appear, as I get to again open up their characteristics and show more of the people they are becoming. In the last chapter of Abigail’s Summer, Abby reflects on Roni’s speech, and especially the line of, “who you were, who you are now, and who you will become, are all different people,” and that really is the golden rule of writing this series, as I document the process of change, and move the characters from immaturity, towards maturity.

In book three of the series, Abigail is 26 years old, and seven years on from the first book, and there is a more settled air to her, although she still can freak out and fall apart at the drop of a hat. She is a little braver, and more world wise, and has reached that point of understanding from her conversations with Birch, where she understands her life and past history so much better than ever before. Living with Birch and her crazy antics at times, Abby has focused more on her writing and is improving every day, and has published Seeds of Summer, which she began to write at the start of book two. Seeds of Summer like Birch predicted, has become a hit book, and due to that she has become a more confident writer, which in turn has shone a light on her vampire stories. She has also finished and recently published Sanctuary Arch, the third in her gothic vampire series, ‘The hand of death.’ She has a lot of time at home alone, as Birch and others all work, apart from Chloe who lives in her studio painting, and in a way has inspired Abby to focus more on her own creative work of writing, and she has grown to love her life, and is now a prolific writer, and is seeing the first rewards of her labours.

Never forget where she lives, and yes, even though she is no longer on the Parish Council, Marjorie is still a dominant force in the village. Gossip has a habit of growing and spreading, and in this book, I aim to highlight this with a slightly different direction for the Curio’s. Like the ripples of a pool, the rings move ever outward, and as Abby starts to see some recognition for her writing, she becomes a victim of the press, fuelled by the rumours started by Madge. Curio’s Christmas has a lot of twists and turns and a little suspense, as the group tackle the ever growing world head on, with some fraught moments of worry, and a lot of good humour.

I feel this is a fuller story, with a deeper context, and again it reflects a lot of what I have seen and heard in my many conversations with others over the years. I have watched this journey with many younger people over time, and it felt good to work it into the dynamic of the group. The Curio’s are closer, and as a result more open and honest with each other, and yes at times, they even fray each others nerves. I feel it is a good reflection of true friendship, and that means not everything is coming up roses, and they can fall out and irritate each other at times.

Front Cover of Curio's Christmas by Robin John Morgan — Curio’s Christmas Front Cover

I have said several times in my blogs, how easy it can be to be distracted by some of the more graphic aspects of the story, which is indeed at times a good distraction I have created based on truth, but never the less a distraction all the same. This book is less graphic, book two filled with vibrant 24 years olds was always going to be the wildest book, but that is done and behind me, and so now I can really focus on some major aspects of Abigail’s journey through life. I have always stated that those who stick with this series will discover a very wonderful and beautiful story, and I still say that, and in this book, you will truly start to see that, especially in regard to the bond of the Curio’s, and within the relationship of Birch and Abby.

This story has far more impact than the others, as it looks deeper into family loyalties, friendships, and the deep bond of real love, it also has its surprises, as a more human quality starts to shine out from some of the characters. This story has a lot of empathy and compassion within it, and it also brings in some new characters in so much as friends of the Curio’s appear in a time of great need, it really is a fast paced story with some heartfelt moments, and a lot of the usual twisted Curio humour filled with inuendo, and Bell Twats, even a sound proof house cannot keep them completely out.

The festive theme really works well, even if Birch does have some strange ideas about the origins of Christmas, which I will add here, are actually based on true stories told even in this day and age, although at first you will not completely think they are. There is some more Bev, (Guard your vagina) how could I not include her, she is so lovely, and I feel has earned her place in Curio history? Below is the back sleeve blurb.

Christmas is coming, and normally, all the Curio’s are spread out, but this year, Roni and Will have decided to head to the Bahamas with Bradley and Ellen, Jimmy is on tour, and Edwin is unhappy with Abigail, so they are stuck at home. There is no other option, and it’s decided, it is time for a full on Curio Christmas, which means, Shopping.

Birch has no understanding of Christmas, because it belongs to the bell twats, and so Abby is determined to make it the best Christmas ever… Let the madness begin. Pooling their resources, they decorate the house, buy a tree and prepare to party, that is, until the press start with their attacks, and imply, someone inside the house has been sharing their secrets.

As Abby fights to pull off the perfect Christmas, problem after problem occurs, building up to a final collision of chaos that leaves the whole village reeling in the aftermath of splintered loyalties.

Creating a fast and exciting series of events that leave the reader gasping, Robin John Morgan raises the stakes again, in what is a brilliantly fast paced, witty, and emotional third tale of the Curio’s journey through life on Waterside Lane in Wotton Dursley.

The book is due to hit the shelves on October 24^th, which gives me time to deal with all the usual problems with the world’s most dominant bully and retailer of books, and so the book should be out in lots of time for Christmas, I do hope you will add it to your wish list, and if you do, I thank you deeply. Curio’s Christmas, part three of the Curio Chronicles, will be here with all their usual crazy, to hopefully enhance your own festive season, and with that, I will leave you for now, to get promoting.

Thanks to everyone who has supported me over the years, as it allows me to keep writing, and at my age, that is far better than working outdoors over Winter as I used to.

Curio’s Christmas, The Curio Chronicles part three, by Robin John Morgan, will be available and digital format from October 24^th 2022. All his work is available in both formats from all online retailers of good books.

Writing Timeless

Posted on June 26, 2022 by Rob

It is rather odd, as I sit here during the summer solstice of the year 2022, and I remember a time, many years ago, gathered with my Druid friends, at Stonehenge, on this same solstice day, watching the sun.

It is funny, remembering the times and the long talks with those around me, about being a natural human being, and living life, connected to the world around us, and honouring it. I was so young and filled with wild and creative ideas, and yet here I sit on a muggy humid day, and I feel no different. I have aged, I have wisdom (Allegedly) and the silver is running in threads through my hair, and yet time feels stood still, nothing has changed and everything has changed, it is a fun and strange place to be in life.

There is a quality to my thoughts and thinking process that feels timeless, I still believe in freedom, and living as natural a life as is possible in this modern cyber-tech world, and I am still captivated by those stories that never appear to age. If anything, as you read them, they appear to be relevant, even if they were written one hundred years ago. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells still appears as relevant now as it always has to me, it is a quality I have always admired in a good book, and in many ways, is something I have tried to emulate in my own stories.

Does the reader know which age HTTK is set in, or the year Abigail goes to university, and meets her roommate Birch for the first time? I hope they don’t, it is something I have tried to erase to keep the atmosphere and feelings of my work present, so the reader always feels they are in the moment.

The strange thing is, I actually use real calendars when I write, so that all my days of the week and special events are perfectly timed through my stories. The story of HTTK, actually starts on January first, 2038, and travels through the eight books, to finally end in mid August of the year 2039. The whole eight books last for a time period of one year and seven months, as this story was set in the future, but did it feel that way?

No… Not really, and that is because I took a group living in the future, threw in a whole host of modern day items, mixed up with items from yesteryear, and played one thing off against the other. As the result, it created a story that appeared so real, the reader no longer knew what actual age they were in. I, as always, lobbed in a few things to create that sense of time that had past, so that the reader in the present day would identify with them, and forget this was a futuristic story. A good example, would be. “Cool bangle.”

Jade utters these words as she picks up a very everyday object, such as a roll of cellophane tape, it is something we all know, yet to her it is a strange item, and one she mistakes as an item of jewellery, which is one of home occupations. Another good example from book one would be when Jade leans over a reading guard, to discover he is reading a Harry Potter novel. Before killing the guard, she whispers her approval to herself, regarding the novel as “A classic.”

That one line takes the story into the future, a future where the work of JK is an established classic of literature, which I do believe one day it will be regarded as such, once enough time has passed. The comment puts Jade in the future, it is a gentle reminder of what kind of story you are reading. Uncle Walter died hunting elephants, as Robbie explains, as he describes the barbed arrowhead, he has got the smithy to make for him. Hunting elephants in Britain, since when you ask? It is in that moment you realise, the world was destroyed and left to ruin, and obviously elephants escaped from the zoo, to find freedom roaming in the British countryside, of which Uncle Walter was a specialist at hunting them down.

The world came to an end in 2012, and this is 2038, which is 26 years later, and a great deal has changed. The readoption of the words lord and lady again, shift the clock. Titles revised from age past, and the story starts to feel like it is more a medieval story, with talk of King Arthur and Robin Hood, until of course you realise, Blades is sat on a roof fixing a wind turbine to generate power, aided by young Eric, and Harry thinks his vibes ain’t cool, because he thinks Eric is after bedding his daughter.

One era crashes with another, and the ancient walk side by side with the modern, and the reader no longer has any idea which era they are in, they are too engrossed in the story to care, and it all seems to sit happily side by side and no one notices the story has become a timeless work. Is it modern, medieval, or futuristic, who knows, it just fits? Actually, it takes a massive amount of thought and careful writing to create such a smooth flowing story, that washes away the time period, and lulls you into the words?

I do feel setting a book in a specific era can be a great thing, period dramas especially fit. My wife has a passion for Pride and Prejudice, a real classic period novel, but I also feel it can be limiting. Does anyone really know when Rise of the Raven was set? I cannot deny, for this one I used sleight of hand. It is clearly pre-Roman invasion of the British Isles, but apart from that, what else can provide a clue?

Rise of the Raven by Robin John Morgan — Robin John Morgan’s Rise of the Raven

I will not deny, there is a little deviousness involved in this one. The Fae are far more advanced at this time than the realm of men, we see this in the day to day living of Branna and Ariel, who at this time are using charcoals and quills to write on parchment, something the world of men has not yet come to adopt in day to day life. Most of the realm of men cannot read, so why would they write, their life is hunting and toil in the fields. When Branna makes her escape, her first encounter is a hunter who trades furs for gold and silver coins, he is considered a very rich and wealthy man by Roack, who realises his possessions will enhance the status of Branna.

Later in the settlement at Tintagel, she enters a long house, of wood, with dirty floors and a fire pit in the centre, it is a very different way of living compared to her small brick house in Avalon. There are no separate rooms, just one large one, and they all sleep on the floor, where as Ariel and Branna sleep together in a bed in Avalon.

Bouncing the two completely different life styles, plays a trick on the mind, and suddenly the era and dates disappear, and all that matters is the story. To add more weight Berengar walks out on his father, passing through a door, that has a heavy cloth to cover it. The house is of wooden construction, and yet they hang heavy materials to create their doorways, all of this distorts the time frame, and draws the reader closer to the details of the characters and their dialogue.

It is sleight of hand, and deliberate, as I want these stories to flow in such a seamless fashion, the reader becomes more and more engrossed. What year is Abigail’s Summer set in, does anyone know or really care?

Abigail’s Summer, the Curio Chronicles Book One.

It is a modern novel set for this age, and yet the years over the series pass by. In book one Abigail is nineteen, in book two she is twenty four, and by book five, she is twenty nine, and each book feels like it is being read as something set in this moment, this year, possibly this day. There is only one person alive at this point who knows the year, and that is me, because once again, I set the story to a real calendar, so that the bank holidays and dates line up perfectly to each day mentioned. On the calendar, Curio’s Summer is set exactly five years later, and yet, the date appears to be irrelevant, you are reading it now, and it feels like now, because the themes of the story fit perfectly with today, or tomorrow, or to that fact, the day after, and the day after that. No year appears to fit, and yet the story like Kingdom feels like it is happening now.

The Curio Chronicles have lots of clues as to this modern age time, but what year? Well it was all written in 2020-1, but was it relevant for that year? Well no not really, we know this because there is no virus in the story. I deliberately did not make any mention to the lockdowns or the virus, simply so in five years time, the books will still feel they were written for that time. There is social media, and Insta, and Abby swipes open her phone, so it does fit now, but there again, it also fits six years ago, and will probably fit in another six years.

Curio's Summer, Robin John Morgan — Curio’s Summer, The Curio Chronicles, Book Two

I use the phrase, “Gossip travels faster than email.” So, it is a current book, and just to throw the reader off, in the last book of the series, (Not published yet) I add, “Gossip travels faster than messaging.” It shows the advance of technology, and keeps the books fresh. Birch is a naturist, and lives naked, which fits nicely with the 1980’s and 90’s, but does it fit today? Actually, with over fifty million naturists in Europe in 2021, and those are just ones we know about, Birch is a hell of a lot more current and up to date than most people realise.

At the start of the next book. (Book three whilst writing this) there is a reference to the World Naked Bike Ride, an event that has been running globally since 2007, and once again the story is modern, but how modern, and that all plays into the comfort of the reader who imagines the things happening in the book are going on right now? It is a deliberate ploy to make the reader place the characters in a modern time frame in their minds. The reader can create a picture of Abby, based on their own knowledge of what a quaint country village looks like today, or next year, and that brings Abby to life, and makes her very real to the reader, and as a result, the reader can identify better with her.

One of the best aspects of writing stories that appear timeless is the characters, it is clear from HTTK, that Hearne, Opal and Morgan le Fey are ancient, but the one character I especially enjoyed writing was Ariel. We see her in Rise of the Raven, where she is just under 200 years old, and yet appears young and vibrant, like a mid twenties modern woman would be. In kingdom eight, which is set many hundreds of years later, she is lifted from her box, where she has slept for ten lifetimes, and is revived by Runestone, she truly is timeless as she has not aged a day in her magical period of sleep. In two more books I am writing related to kingdom, Ariel will be featured, one set ten years after Rise of the Raven, and another one set eighteen years after the end of Heirs to the Kingdom.

It is a concept I wanted to play with more, and Kingdom is the perfect vehicle for it, and through Ariel within these stories, the passage of time becomes important to who she is, as she reflects back on her life which has spanned the ages. It is similar to Una and her sisters, who were imprisoned and then awoken, and had to adapt to a completely different world. I wanted to elaborate more on this in Kingdom, which I did in book five, where she talks about meeting King Arthur. I wanted more, but was defeated by the page count, and so through Ariel, I have the chance to express it more through her life. She truly is a timeless character who can look back on the world of men at its start, and has moved through the ages to live in the future.

For myself, it is all a big part of the joy of writing, and I hope for the reader, it makes the story more intense, and real. I want the readers to be focused and present in the moment, and so engrossed the story swallows them up, so they bask in the pleasure of immersive reading. Has this been achieved yet? As the reader of this blog, and I assume my books, only you would know. It is always a joy to get feedback on the books and how the reader perceives them, and all the comments and messages I get, I read with a thrill, knowing in part I have achieved my goal, it is also another great joy of writing for all of you.

I want seamless and timeless stories, and I am always looking to make the effect deeper and better for each new reader, and so, with that in mind, I will to look to the past, and note the improved efforts, and then, I shall continue my quest, and try my best to write timeless.

Robin John Morgan is a writer and blogger, who has published the fantasy magical adventure series Heirs to the Kingdom, and the modern sexual and body positive series The Curio Chronicles, he has also written Rise of the Raven, a dark fantasy, of political intrigue, love, loss and betrayal. He blogs his thoughts and opinions on ‘Robin’s Space,’ here on HTTK about his writing life, and also blogs as a guest for other sites, which includes a naturist world.

All his books are available world wide in digital and print formats.

Summer with the Curio’s

Posted on April 13, 2022 by Rob

The second book in the Curio Chronicles series is here, and is out in print and digital, and so I want to take a moment to look at what is the second book of this series. As I have said before, the Curio Chronicles is the story of the life of Abigail Jennifer Watson, that charts her life and the choices she has made, and has to make, as she moves through life with her friends, centred around the conservative, and somewhat old fashioned thinking residents of her home village.

In the first book, Abigail’s Summer, she was just nineteen years old, and as she enters on page one of the second book, she will be twenty four, facing a life away from university, stuck at home, as Birch her best friend has remained at university to finish her doctorate in psychology.

It is here that I want to begin to highlight my thinking as I wrote the book, and firstly approach the theme of the story as the process of starting to grow up, and facing maturity begins. Based on my experiences with working with younger people, I have had a good chance to sit back and observe the reality of life, which let’s be honest, is not at all fair. The Curio’s as a group grew very close in a short space of time, but the movement into adulthood, is a difficult one, and once college and Uni were over, life takes a dramatic change as suddenly they are all faced with work, and the responsibility of an adult. The bond is still strong, but to a degree has been strained.

I really do feel that we do not teach enough adult skills in schools these days, and once set free from the bonds of education, our young tend to go a little wild for a while, and at times, that has some very negative consequences that the young are ill equipped to deal with. As a result of that, we see a lot of jumping to conclusions, overthinking, and drama. Oh yes, there can be a lot of drama, especially in the 22 to 30 year old bracket.

Having watched this, and I am currently experiencing this with one of my own children and their friends, I do find it quite fascinating from the point of view of human behaviour. The simple truth is that at eighteen and out of college and high school, the young tend to think, I am grown up now, and I can do as I like, and as society clearly shows, yes you can, but do not expect others to see it that way, especially the older generations. The culture clash that follows can bring with it a lot of resistance, and that will always lead to confrontation, not only with other generations, but also with each other, especially, if you are a young person influenced by the drama around you.

One of the delights of this book, was in the bringing together the group who all have different backgrounds and different attitudes, and allowing them the freedom to interact. To a degree, having established their persona’s in the first book, I was free to really explore and expand these characters, and I had a lot of fun doing so. Having Birch around helps, she is a natural negotiator, but she is fallible, as all through Uni she carefully controlled the amount of experiences that Abby has so as not to freak her out, and in many ways, Birch feels she has to take on that responsibility for all of the group. It is a beautiful characteristic, but it can also wear on you, and there are moments when even Birch finds life a struggle.

This book allows me the chance to really explore the characters, and get inside their heads as they interact with each other, and I cannot deny, I love the chaos that it brought through the group dynamic, as the group still felt very much like they could live as they did that summer aged around nineteen, but as they find out, it is not always as easy as they think, and there are some hard lessons to face and resolve.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of this book, was exploring Abigail, and taking into account all of her past history, with her cruel father, her aloof mother, and the wild liberated attitude of Hatty. Abby has learned to overthink everything, and she is always close to the edge of a panic attack. Her naivety is her weakest point, and it is simply her lack of knowledge of the outside world, and what people are really capable of, that leaves her at times a little too trusting, and as a result she gets exploited. I have seen this so many times in life, and when it is pointed out to the individual, they are shocked and at a loss of how to really respond. The problem is, when people are raised in such a protected environment, they do tend to move towards becoming inward, and start jumping to conclusions, and I have seen so much of this. They start to believe their own truths, and sadly they are so far removed from the actual truth, that when they are finally confronted, it is usually a massive blow to them, that leaves them reeling and unable to cope.

Abby, is very prone to such behaviour, hence Birch is always trying to point things out and increase her education, especially around issues of sexual discovery. It is easy to think that Birch is the most mature and responsible, and in that you would be wrong, it is actually Edwina, who favours her mother more than her father, and actually has a very acute mind for business. Birch is prone to outbursts of joy, and running off on excitable tangents, whereas Edwina, is far more grounded and level headed. Her sister on the other hand is only interested in emulating her idol, Hatty. Chloe swears like a sailor, and her passion is to paint and get laid, and she is exceptionally good at both, as we soon discover in the first few chapters of the book.

The thing is, Chloe is actually really tuned in to who she is, and she is actually a lot brighter than you would first expect. She is probably the best cook in the group, as she shares the role with her mother in the kitchens of her parents’ restaurant. She has simple tastes, and simple pleasures, and trust me, as we saw towards the end of the first book, she has absolutely no inhibitions at all, which does surprise and startle Abby more than she would be willing to admit. Within all of that, the most unexpected thing emerges, which is her huge heart, as Chloe is actually a deeply caring person, but in that, she is also very vulnerable. Chloe is very good looking and has never been short of admirers, but in many ways, it is also her handicap, as the simple truth is, most girls within her age group, hate her for being better looking and more popular at school.

Behind the scenes, Chloe has also been bullied a lot more than people realise, and her face of self assurance, is not quite as strong as you would at first expect, as will become clear in later books. The Curio’s, are the first group of girls that have ever treated her as an equal, and within that, she has grown to really care about them, because for the first time in her life, she has female friends, something she never thought would ever happen, and it actually means a great deal to her, and she is fierce in her defence of them, especially Abby.

Deb’s in the first book was very shy and naive, but since that summer, she has really come out of her shell, although there is still an innocence to her when it comes to girl things, especially around sexual subjects. Deb’s biggest drawback, is she has always felt isolated and a little lonely, and in many ways, with the addition of Birch at Abby’s side, Deb’s feels it a little more. When it comes to sex, in the last five years, she has more than made up for her lack of experience in book one, and she has lived quite the secret life, especially in Cambridge, where she has been working for the last three years.

With a reunion in mind the story begins, and in true Curio fashion, all of them are young, idealistic, and filled with exuberance, and yes, they feel they will just simply return to normal, and go as wild as they did in book one, which they do. Here the group get to show modern hook up culture and attitudes, and as many older readers will see, it is very different, if not eye opening from the days of their youth. I have no issue showing the generation gap here, and I hope my older readers will take a step back and just think for a moment, as they try to comprehend how much the world has changed. I know from my own youth, things are very different in comparison, and for my time, I was quite the liberated lunatic we see from Birch at times. There is a serious point here, because in the last book, Marjorie really was the villain and the culture clash really showed, but I cannot deny, when I pull off the covers and show the real difference between then and now, I wonder how many will find themselves feeling caught between the two groups?

It is easy to attack Marjorie in the first book, she really is vile towards the girls, but once you see what the girls are capable of, will you sit back and think Madge was right? There is a step up of sexual content in this book, I do try to hold back and write it more from Abby’s thoughts, but at times, a little description is required to paint the picture, and so, it is in the book, or subtly hinted at. I do not write any content, simply for idle titillation, there is a point to all of it, as is revealed either late in the chapter, or in the book, some events will play into other books, which is why it is there, as it is the vehicle towards the group learning a lesson. Will it be a little shocking for people who have not encountered this? Probably, but just read on, and all will be explained later.

I have stated a few times, within the Curio Chronicles, I take the village and all its inhabitants, and I use them as a tool to hold a mirror up to modern day society. I am lucky, I have had the fortune to be able to talk in great depth with many age groups in the last thirty years of my life, and I have learned a lot about the way society has changed a great deal. The young today are more exposed to adult media than my generation was, and as a result they learn things a lot quicker and earlier than we did.

Is it a problem within society, I feel it is and it isn’t? It concerns me that the young are exposed to this, and yet our education systems appear to be only concerned with certain issues. They do not teach relationship skills adequately in schools, or look at the responsibility that comes with sex. They are very good at teaching abstinence, but with the rise of porn and other explicit media young people are learning from what they watch, and honestly, it leads to behaviours that in many ways shock the older generations, because they can be abusive. It is out there, and it is happening, and this book reflects on some of the danger that comes with it, because our young are not shown how to deal with it maturely.

In today’s modern life, alcohol and a party attitude are where it is at, and whether you want to believe it or not, it happens. Most of the time, nothing really comes of it, but on occasion it can cause chaos, and I portray this from the point of view of young adult women, with their attitude towards life and their relationships, which is surprisingly accurate compared to today and those I have worked with. This kind of attitude and behaviour is reflected all the way from age 18, right up until past 30. Is it damaging? Some of it is, and in that some parents and parts of society are responsible, I have a very liberal and tolerant attitude, but even I feel concerns with how society is taking our young, and educating them.

The young have no education on issues such as empathy, compassion, and especially love. They really do not understand the relationship dynamic and feelings that bond two people together, and to be honest, they are so involved with image presented from aspects such as Social Media, they are too busy living their sexual lives. I am not condemning them, all of us have been there with our infatuations, what I would like to do is present it through the stories in a way that people begin to try and understand how our young have been abandoned by educational systems to fend for themselves, and learn the hard way.

Within the Curio group, I have placed Birch central, as she has grown up mainly with adults around her, and so even though she can appear unstable at times, she actually is a very well educated woman, who brings a dynamic of responsibility to the group. In this scenario, I also have Edwina, who is far more mature than the other girls, but she spends most of her days interacting with business people, and so has matured a lot faster. I have Chloe, who can be childish and is not very academic, but she is very street wise. Deb’s is maturing faster than Abby and Chloe, and is very grounded in her sense of loyalty and family. Last of all there is Abby, a very intelligent girl, who has retained a lot of her innocence, and yet due to the way she was raised, suffers from self doubt, and really finds it hard to truly trust her feelings or others. Anthony is a very business driven, and much more mature because of it, but he has suffered more than any, and understands the world in ways others never will, and within that, he has a lot of inner insecurity and loneliness.

It is a fascinating group dynamic, that leads to wild chaos, and yes is a great vehicle for humour, and within that, I do not hold back, unlike many outlets, I do not agree with so called modern censorship, and believe if presented properly, humour can be applied to any situation, as was seen in HTTK where in the midst of battle, the Specialist found that making a joke, lifted their spirits and got them through the tough times. Maybe it is a British thing, we do have a reputation for making fun of ourselves as well as others, and we do like to chuckle at the expense of others at times. Like all things with my writing, within the humour there is always a message that makes a serious point, and I do try to show it as clearly as possible, and in that, I have the best vehicle with the Curio’s. The conversations between Abby and Birch when they are alone, are a very important parts of the books, for it there that Abby’s understanding gains the most, and she learns so much to help her navigate life.

Abby’s background is the most important aspect of her in this group, and in a way, she is caught between two very differing philosophies. Abby has the very strict conservative views of her father, with his ruthless discipline, and that of Birch and her open liberated modern ways, and that causes a clash, and an inner crisis for Abby. In many ways she is caught between two fires, one that was beaten into her, and one of a yearning to be free and really understand who she actually is a human being. It does cause an inner turmoil for her, and just like her mother, at times she goes against her gut feelings, and finds herself in the midst of chaos, and heartbreak. It is a wonderful balancing act, and actually for myself one of the best parts of writing this book, and I do wonder as the book comes out, how many will pick up on her creeping self doubt, as she tries to really understand herself?

Like all things I write, there is much more, and within that, you must consider the grownups. Harriet is still living life on her own terms and giving out great advice to both Abby and Flick, although she is not as present in this book as she is in the first, and of that you will find out why. Edwin and Felicity are still together, and yet within that, there is more than meets the eye. This book shows some of the parallels of Felicity’s life repeated in Abby’s, and through that you draw a greater understanding of Felicity and the life she had before Edwin. Felicity still has much to learn about herself, and with Abby and Birch as examples, she starts to see herself very differently.

Roni and William bob in and out throughout the story to offer wisdom and insight, and yes, somewhere lurking is Bev. (Guard your Vagina!) As Bev matures a little more, and stretches her wings beyond the borders of Uppermill. Marjorie and her cronies are still very much alive and well, and spreading their vile thoughts across the village, and there have been a few changes to some of the background characters. Marion is back, and she is going through her own changes in life, as the story steps up another level, as some of the behind scene’s dealings by Marjorie surprise even her. As always, Lillian and Celia, the oldest perverts in the village are around for Birch to flirt with, as Lillian becomes over excited and fans herself with anything at hand, to cool her wild and naughty thoughts. There is a new central character, in the form of Isabel Johnson, who comes down from Manchester to bring her northern expertise to the frame, but I will leave that for all of you to discover within the pages of the book.

It is a good fast story with a lot of inuendo, and I feel a good pace, with some wonderful humour, as the book heads towards yet another climactic end in true Curio style. I am delighted with the response to the first book, it has been received very well indeed, and I am hoping this addition to the series will enhance the first book more. If you really do enjoy it and find it a fun illuminating read, please, tell your friends and encourage them to read it, I still have a long way to go before I am truly recognised for my work. Hit the like buttons on posts, write a revue, and comment about your enjoyment, they all add up to spreading the word, and I really would love more people of all generations to pick up the books and read them.

It is available in digital from all book app platforms, and also in print from good book retailers online or otherwise. The books are print on demand, and can be ordered from anywhere. Once again, I thank all of you who have read this, and I am already at work on other projects, one of which is Curio three, as well as a little more to add to HTTK, and other things completely unrelated to anything I have written so far.

Thanks for all the support, it really does make a huge difference to my writing life.

RJM.

A Look into Summer

Posted on March 22, 2022 by Rob

Shortly the second book in the Curio Chronicles series, titled, Curio’s Summer will become available to purchase, and so before all of you have the chance to grab a copy, I want to provide a little more insight, to where I was at when putting this series together. It feels strange, as this book was written in November 2020, so it was some time ago, and I am now working on other stories unrelated to anything I have written before.

Like all things I write, I like to present something that feels real and believable, and for myself as the author, I wanted the readers to really understand the character of Abigail. The first book, Abigail’s Summer gives a reasonable understanding of some of the events of the past, which accounts for some of the behaviours she exhibits in the book.

The second book in the series will to a degree pickup on some of the themes of the first, but it will also open up more aspects of Abigail who is still caught in the process of growing up and coming to terms with her own life choices. It is important to understand, that it is her relationship with her parents alone in Wotton growing up, that have shaped the person she is, and with the addition of Birch in her life, Abigail starts to learn why she reacts a certain way to certain things, and makes deliberate choices to change the narrative of her life.

In the first book, the bullying and shaming by Marjorie and the village are a powerful negative in Abigail’s life, and they do have a serious impact on her and her reactions to how she deals with things, but in the second book, it becomes clear, that the impact of her young life at home before Uni, has also played a much bigger role in how she reacts, and certainly in her ability to trust people. The damage of Edwin and his controlling manner, appears a lot more as she ages in her behaviour, as it fuels her self doubt, and even though she has worked hard to repair her relationship with her mother, it is Edwin’s treatment of Felicity, that has shaped a great deal more of Abigail, than she would at first realise, especially in regard to her friendships and relationships.

It is five years on from the first book, and the most prominent sign of Abby’s abusively strict childhood is her inability to accept her true feelings, as she overthinks and doubts the truth of who she is, and what she truly feels. In Abby’s own words, she has pretty much lived most of her life on edge, with her “Shields Up.” This is surprisingly more common in life than you would realise, and is one of the many effects of being bullied and shamed in earlier life, which does not appear that obvious to those around her, but it is there, hiding, and secretly working away inside her.

The Curio’s are scattered, and life is changing, the young idealism of their teenage Uni and college years, is wearing thin, as life becomes real, and harsh, and all of the Curio’s have to face it and deal with it, which alone is not an easy proposal. When the book starts, Abby is isolated and alone and not coping well, as she hides herself away, Edwina is working herself to death on the road. Deb’s is working in another part of the country and feels lonely, Chloe is struggling to stay afloat in a run down flat, with a poorly paid job, and Birch who has now qualified, is trying to prove her worth to her mother within the practice, in Manchester. The only one who appears to be anywhere near stable and adjusting, is Anthony, who has expanded his staff, but also has Delphine at his side to guide him.

The story of Abigail was always meant to chart the changes everyone faces in life, and how over time attitudes and beliefs can slowly change. The books are written at a good pace with a lot of tongue in cheek humour, and in such a way that highlights the differences between certain generations and their lack of understanding of each other. One of the best points of the first book, was actually how many people enjoyed reading it, I cannot deny, it was surprising, and yet delightful to see. I will offer at least one spoiler alert for the second book, which is, yep, the story is going to up the ante a little more.

Curio’s Summer is wilder, and just like all twenty four and twenty five years olds, there is a lot of crazy, wild naughty behaviour to come before the hormones start to settle into a more stable state, so get ready for the ride of a lifetime. Everything is written for very good reason, and there will be a few moments of gasps of surprise, but stick with it, as the answers will follow on later in the story.

The second book is going to take a good look at sexual behaviour and attitudes, language, and the choices we make as young adults, and all whilst shattering the attitudes of their former nineteen year old selves. In the first book, returning to Wotton felt like an uphill battle, in the second book, it will become all out war, as the group fight for acceptance, and face the unseen odds of Marjorie’s true vile and dark loathing of them as a group. The gloves are well and truly coming off, and it is within the confines of this aspect of the story, that the only support that the Curio’s have, is each other.

The bond between them, becomes their strength, and their only means of survival, and it is within the uniqueness of each of them, that they all provide a vital role to each other. It is here in this story, as their lives play out, that because the story of the group has now been established, I have had the space to really bring the full nature of each of these characters out, and what I am hoping with this book, is for you all to see, how it is within their normal everyday life, that each of them serves a role within the group, as their bonds grow even deeper.

I feel it is here within this aspect of the story, begins the start of something which over the series with show a subtle, and yet very powerful and beautiful story of care, compassion and deep love. Once again, I hold a mirror up to society, and show the ugly truth of what society has become, and yet within its core, there is a tremendous beauty to be found, within friendship, and support. Once again it is all girl’s together, to stand, to fight, or fall together, and within it all, Felicity, Hatty, and the villagers of Wotton will be dragged in to see the injustice within society, and learn not just about others, but also deep parts of themselves.

This book will chart the real depth of Birch and Abby, as the true power of their bond that started at Uni is revealed. In book one Roni talks of how Birch has formed a powerful bond with Abby that will last for a lifetime, and it is within this book, the real truth of Birch is revealed, and just how much Abby means to her, and the lengths she goes to, to show it. Like everything Birch does, there is a crazy insane logic to it, which was seen in book one, but Curio’s Summer really sets the bench mark for the rest of the series to flourish.

As with most things Abby, her sporadic anxiety attacks, moments of sheer panic, and chronic overthinking hamper her vision, and yet through this book, and Abby’s reaction to everything, especially her self doubt, you will start to understand a younger Felicity, and how she made that fateful mistake that led her to marrying Edwin, and how that ultimately defeated her, and brought heartache and pain into her life as the struggling, cleaning obsessed, unhappy person she was in book one. Abby strays dangerously close to repeating her mothers’ mistakes, with disastrous effect, and Abby has to look to Hatty and Birch for guidance, as she faces the same bitter choice.

With Birch as leader, and with the Curio’s united behind her, this story is littered with the wild antics, insane and out of control moments, of the life of a free, opened minded and liberated group of young women, hell bent on living life to the full, which has some very eye opening moments for Abby, as she finds herself asking herself, ‘did I really just do that?’ This is where Abby is forced to grow up, and take some responsibility for her own life and actions, as she truly breaks free of her parents, and takes full control of her own life, and for her, at times, it is shocking as she admits truths about herself, she has always played down.

Curio’s Summer highlights a lot of the joys of the young, especially some of their sexual ideas, but also some of the game playing, drama, exploitation and treatment of their peers, and the older generations. It highlights the differences between upbringing, and attitudes within the confines of a group, who share such differing lifestyles, from a rough council estate, to the well to do suburbs of the rich. This contradicting mix, will show how it plays on the insecurity of the young, but also highlights that when pushed, they can step up to the plate and be reckoned with.

I am sure yet again there will be a few raised eyebrows, and a challenge or two for some readers, as it shines a bright light on modern youth culture, and the entrenched views of the older generations. It is my hope it provides as much enjoyment as the first book, if not more, and as a series gains more recognition amongst a wider readership, but as with everything I write, I will sit back and watch.

Curio’s Summer, the second part of the Curio Chronicles will be available to purchase shortly.

Freedom – Truth

Posted on February 18, 2022 by Rob

Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. (Martin Luther King)

My whole life has been lived with the goal of freedom, and as a writer, it is a common theme of the stories I write. In Abigail’s Summer, part one of the Curio Chronicles, Marjorie Wallace has her ‘Transient Watch’ which is a group of residents, with the soul aim of spotting and removing undesirables from the village.

Their definition of an undesirable, would be a person who does not look like or act like the residents of Wotton would wish them too. I know that treatment well, as a young teenage hippie, I did not look like others wanted me to, and I did not fit in with their idea of what a young teenage boy should look like, and for that, I was shunned and shamed.

My grandmother told me I looked like a scarecrow, and I was an embarrassment to the family, and she was ashamed of me, I am quite sure Marjorie and her would have had a lot in common. Her friends reported everything I did in the local town, which to be honest was just walking around with friends, having a laugh, or campaigning for a good cause, of which I did a great deal. I was often questioned and shamed for what I saw as just living my own life my own way.

I had a lot of pressure placed on me to conform, usually by shouting yelling and shaming, so in many ways, my fight for to be free, has at times been a life long aim of my own life. I guess you could say, that was when my fight for individual freedom began.

I have sat for three weeks watching live streams on You Tube, as I watched the most surprising of people, rebel against the system and ask for their freedom to be restored. I am not that interested in the politics of this situation, if anything over the last few years I have become so tired of politics, I given up listening, but I do understand a stifled voice, I do understand being ignored, and I most certainly recognise acts of repression. It feels today, when one of the politest countries on the planet fights for it’s freedom to simply live a normal life.

In Heirs to the Kingdom, Robert Loxley fights for the freedom for everyman to have a life that includes, a safe home, and the space for a family to grow. In Rise of the Raven, Branna yearns to be considered as a dark haired Fae, equal to those of fair hair in her own realm. In the Curio Chronicles, Abigail yearns to simply be accepted as she is, and be allowed to be herself, and allowed to live as she chooses.

These are such simple things, they are not grand goals, and yet in all three stories similar to all those across the world who fight, they are denied. I suppose in many ways, I identify with all of my characters, as it is a strong theme of my own life, and in many ways, my fiction represents aspects of real life. From my point of view, all of my characters have a good point, their wishes to live a life of their choosing unharmed, or to look and dress as they choose, and live an unconventional lifestyle, or to simply be recognised as an equal within the confines of their society. For them, that is just a normal life, and I have to ask, isn’t that what all of us of want?

I consider myself lucky, I live in a democracy under the UK law, I have those freedoms, the right to think, the right to speak, and question. I can dress as I choose, even if it is frowned upon. I can leave my home and walk peacefully around my own town, and even though I find myself lost in the political wilderness, I still have the freedom to protest, and the right to vote in an election. Most importantly in today’s society, I have the right to choose what I put inside my own body, which is probably why for the last 42 years of life, I have been a vegetarian.

I have been surprised by Canada, I was under the concept that Canadians were warm caring friendly people, I have extended family there, so when I heard there was a protest, apart from being very surprised, I tuned into the news media to watch, as another very strong part of who I am, is I have always sought the truth.

Watching the Canadian TV news channels, I found myself surprised, the thought of Canada running wild with truckers’ intent on destroying their country, really shocked me. I do not watch TV, everything I watch is on You Tube, and so naturally, three weeks ago the algorithm started to show me streamers who were live on the scene. It was startling to witness the difference between the Mainstream Media News, and simply armature on the scene streamers, as they were telling very opposing stories.

I have an open mind, so tuned in, where I was confronted with just ordinary people, with a mobile phone, walking round Ottawa talking to people, and suddenly I started to see a very different story. You can imagine my surprise, to start to see things like social media pages linked to protestors, being banned on social media, Events miss quoted or painted as criminal by the Conventional News Media, and named called and shammed by their own government.

The more I watched the live streams, such as “Viva Frei, UOttawaScotty, Ottawalks, Travel fun 69, and more,” the more I began to realise, that a huge amount of these protestors were my age, and they sounded very familiar. The painted a picture of a peaceful protest, and preached love and brotherhood and community, the very same things that my teenage friends preached, and suddenly, it felt like my generation had come back to guide the young to the truth of real peaceful protest.

The job of a journalist, is to report the facts, and question. Sadly that is no longer a truth.

For a few years now, we have seen protests that involved riot’s, car and building fires, and looters, and yet over in Canada, the truckers protest, had free food for all, safe spaces for kids to play, free hugs, no violence, dancing, smiles, and bouncy castles. The streamers interviewed the truckers and visitors, simply stopping them in the street and asking them what they thought, and every response was the same. “It is warm, friendly, peaceful and wonderful.”

Like most things, early on in the protest, a person was seen with a swastika flag, and one seen with a confederate flag, and the mainstream media was quick to pounce. All of the protest members were smeared, and painted with a tarred brush, none of them reported how the protesters had evicted the two individuals from the protest. Sadly, it became part of the rhetoric of the prime minister of Canada, who refused to speak with them about their grievances, and having had years of my life protesting myself, I could not understand how he would dismiss and turn his back on them, when he has met other far more violent rioter groups in the past?

The media and the Prime Minister of Canada’s truth, are fake, this protest is nothing at all like they say, one comment I heard that I think really fits, is, it is like “Woodstock with Trucks.”

To be honest it is not hard to understand, as there has been a new wave of globalist socially divisive views sweeping the planet, which many political parties appear to be embracing, it is fuelled by power and greed. Sound familiar, I am sure Mason Knox would fit right in? It is not for me, and as a life long libertarian, I find myself unable to buy into such divisive beliefs, that gives one kind of person, more rights than another. I have always looked at everyone as a unique individual, who has the same rights and equality, which apparently is appearing more and more to be seen as an out of date view.

As I have listened to people talk, I saw very quickly that Canada had been suffering for two years of continuous lockdowns and restrictions, their lives have been turmoil, as their freedoms have been eroded, with mandate after mandate from the government, and I could really understand people saying enough is enough.

In the UK we had lockdowns, but here we are seeing the restrictions lifted, and as a parent that has been through home schooling, and deep worry for my family, I feel a huge sense of relief as normality slowly returns, as it has across many nations of the world.

I cannot deny watching streamers interview ordinary people and protestors, I feel for them. Even with less restrictions on my life here in the UK, I have seen how it has affected the emotional and mental welfare of my own family, and I really am not sure I could cope with much more. We have at least had small breaks, and I will not deny, looking at the world around us all, I can understand these people’s frustration, and why they feel so left behind and let down.

In Canada freedom is under threat, free speech is being stifled, as it moves towards something of a government controlled police state. It is heart breaking to watch, and I fear for my children and ask, will this ever happen in the UK? If Canada falls, so will the rest of the free world.

As I watch the screen for well over 30 hours of streams from these new truth seeking streamers, I can only think of the struggles from my own life and of my characters, and yet I feel hope, as I watch journalist shammed for following a political party line, and an out break of solidarity and community washing across the world from Canada. I hope the young are watching and taking note, as us old folks from the freedom movement of the 1970’s hand over the baton of peace, freedom and truth to the younger generations. Let us hope their voices do not get snuffed out.

I want to weep for those peaceful protesters, who have a government backed police state, that I am watching tweet that they will euthanise truckers pets, smash truck windows and drag drivers out, threaten to take protesters children away, freeze bank accounts, all with the aim of intimidating normal hard working people. Fear is a mighty weapon, and you can see it in action in Canada. The truth is meaningless and Freedom is dying, watch and learn, because it could be coming to us all.

Only when you are silenced, will you truly understand what you have lost. Robin John Morgan.

The Rising of a Raven

Posted on December 1, 2021 by Rob

It has been a long busy summer for me, and I have lived pretty much at my desk, which in all honesty I love. Since coming to the end of Heirs to the Kingdom, in July 2020, and having the chance to write all five instalments of the Curio Chronicles during the Covid lockdown, I emerged from my desk in April this year feeling utterly alive and refreshed.

I love writing, I never ponder if anything will sell or if people will be interested in what I write, and actually I do not really worry about it, because it is those moments alone sat lost in thought, hammering away at the keys, that give me the greatest joy, and actually, one of the biggest for me this year, was knowing I would finally get to reveal a story that has been ongoing since 2017 as I wrote it. To be completely honest, it has been a story in the making for years.

Rise of the Raven by Robin John Morgan, front cover.

Rise of Raven has been a long time coming, I actually wrote the first chapter of HTTK book eight, and then turned to the story that would feature in small parts in that book, and I began the process of writing two books at the same time, as I leap frogged back and forth from book to book.

When The Circle of Darkness was published in July 2020, Raven was not complete, it was actually about ten chapters short, and so having completed Kingdom, and feeling the pressure lift, I went back to page one and began a complete overhaul of what had been written, and then started on the chapters that would finish what in my mind was a single stand alone book, that was related to kingdom.

I finished the book in it’s first draft in October 2020, and let my wife read it, it was pretty rough at the time compared to the final format, and she really loved what she had read, and so I took a break, and began working on another stand alone book that I had written a synopsis for back in 2017, and I began Abigail’s Summer.

That sort of ballooned, as I finished, and filled with more ideas of these new characters, I continued write. The problem with what became the Curio Chronicles, was most of it came from my counselling background, so I was not short of real life stories to write about, surrounding Abigail, and suddenly it was April 2021 and I was five books in, so called it a day.

Rise of the Raven, by Robin John Morgan, Back cover.

Then it was back to Raven, and the real truth of the two characters Branna and Ariel. It is at this point I will hold my hand up and admit, I did some creative editing with Kingdom book eight. To be honest, if I gave everything away in the Circle of Darkness, it would have been pointless writing Raven, and so I was liberal with what I revealed. It is so hard right now not to become overly excited and blurb out the whole story, and I have to hold back, but I will not deny, knowing everyone expected this book to come out, when it does, it is my hope, it will be nothing like what you expected to read.

There is so much more to this back story, and the two characters of Branna and Ariel, and for the first time ever in my writing, I decided to add more to the book and not let my wife read it. I wanted it finished first, and so using some much more advanced tech to help me, I did the full edit, and shelved the 29 chapters of what was Branna’s story, and started work on what will be the next book that is also a prequel to HTTK.

I began writing picking up where Raven left off in a time jump, and was fourteen chapters in, when suddenly I realised Raven was not complete. I read what I had written again, and all the new stuff I was writing, and it was at that point I stopped to give a great deal of thought to what would come out.

What I originally had in mind, and right up until late August 2021, was a story that was quick and easy and not very long. I had 29 chapters ready to cut into block format ready for publishing, but the problem was, the first eight chapters of what I considered to be another book, were very relevant to Raven, as I wanted the second book to lead into the life of Morgana of Berengar, but it was a clear as day, Branna’s story was not over, and so in early September, I cut the chapters out of the second book, and added them to Raven, and once again did a complete read through, and it was mind blowing how amazing I found the story.

Again, fighting here not to give spoilers.

It was the right choice, and provided the perfect climax to their story, but be aware, if you think you know how this story will go, you will be disappointed. As I do in usual Kingdom fashion, I have been very careful about what was written in the eight books of HTTK, and have carefully considered every clue I have given, and I have painted a picture that will lead the readers over the eight books to form a specific idea of the past, trust me, it’s wrong. My wife finally read the much improved full draft in mid September, as the digital version of book seven came out, and she loved it, and I was delighted by that.

Rise of the Raven by Robin John Morgan full book cover.

The real story is so much deeper and much more involved, I really am delighted with it, and just to set the stall out properly for the book, I have added an introduction from the year 2078, set long after kingdom, and written by Tila. Remember her, she is the Fae of Earth who lives with Crystal?

So, what can I tell you to get you all giddy, but give nothing away?

Firstly, remember the two books of Branna written by Ariel in Kingdom Eight? Well Raven is both of them, as transcribed by Tila for the House of Scribes in Florae. Rise of the Raven is the book round Ena’s neck, that was written in blood runes, that charts the story of Ariel as she was despatched to Avalon as an ambassador, on behalf of Queen Bridget Violet. You all know she is housed behind the Citadel Mount with Branna, and you all know that Rhiannon did it deliberately to keep Ariel away from Avalon whilst it was being built, so there will be no surprises there.

Book eight made it clear, that Branna was assigned the task of studying the Merle, and that Branna had no love of Rhiannon who she saw as a colour blind leader, but there is so much more to this story. Raven will chart why Branna was so unhappy before Ariel, what happened to her and Ariel in Avalon, and why Bridget Violet became so ill, and eventually left Princess Gwendolyn the throne. The story will chart Branna as she flees from Avalon and what she encounters, and why she was given the task to study the Merle, when because of her dark hair she was seen as inferior. You will witness the rise of Castle Berengar, and the realm created there, and also find out how Crina and Cezar ended up trapped. There is more to Crina, than book eight revealed, and slowly you will understand why Roack became more than just a connection to the Merle for Branna.

This is a fascinating story that will twist and weave, to reveal far more than you realise of all the realms in HTTK. There are a lot of new characters and some you know, such as a younger Merlin, and Fagan, who is the Maker in Avalonia in this book. Sequana will be alive and advising Rhiannon, and Avalon will be a brand new realm, freshly built and awaiting it’s queen. Florae will be under construction, and Ninian has all of his toes, and Gwynfor is a young unmarried man. Rayne the son of Rhiannon has not met Gwinne, and has had a long term relationship, which he walked away from, as he was not ready to settle. It is a really interesting tale, and so I will leave you with those few thoughts to ponder, and prepare to finally release the book, and if you think you can work it all before you read it, I very much doubt it, but give it a go anyhow.

As always, the support of every reader is massively appreciated, especially after fifteen years of writing, and if you have not got round to it, give Abigail’s Summer a try, it is nothing like kingdom, but it is certainly worth looking at, and as the first part of a very involved story of five, it will open up and really become a tale worth following, because like everything I write, the first couple paint one picture, but the reality is always so very different.

Rise of the Raven, is now available in digital and printed format, and I really do hope, you find it surprising and exciting.

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Robin John Morgan shares his thoughts on Life, Writing, Publishing and his published works

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