Thursday, December 12, 2013

The Legendary Tour Grand Finale!

On Tour with Prism Book Tours...

The Legendary Tour Grand Finale

As the lighting blazed in a dancing, arcing column to the sky, a voice deep and powerful as thunder said, “My son, today my powers are bestowed upon you.”
                                                   
Special Tour Price!!!
$3 off each book through Createspace.
(Click on the cover to take you there.)
Guiamo (The Chronicles of G... Cumoro (The Chronicles of G... Morlanos (The Chronicles of... Inis Emain Ablach (The Chro...
Use coupon code: GS9D2K7C 

Combining legitimate legends with actual historical events, Marshall Best weaves an epic story that portrays the ancient world as it might have been, a world which the ancient historians recorded as fact; a time when gods ruled the earth and strange creatures dominated the land. It is the era of civilized conquerors exploring distant and primitive new lands. Scant recordings left to us today only touch on the fringe of the fantastic and brutal reality that existed in those distant lands of the west. 

Into this age, young Guiamo enters the world stage as the great game-changer, and by his hand the gods and beasts become destined to disappear into myth and legend.


Find out more about the writing of The Chronicles of Guiamo Durmius Stolo
and his world from where we stopped along the tour:

11/25: Launch

11/26: My Love for Reading Keeps Growing - Reviews of all four books


"With every book I keep thinking that it cannot get more intense but it seems that Marshall Best has a fabulous way of describing battle scenes.  I know I have said it before but I am still surprised at how much I love this series because it’s not something I would have read if not given this opportunity to review." 

Beck Valley Books - Guest Post

The Chronicles of Guiamo Durmius Stolo, like many stories before them, would never have come to be if it were not for the love of a father. Having written The Princess Meredith Bedtime Tales for his six year old daughter, Marshall Best decided to begin writing stories for his other children as well.  He began with 10 year old William, fashioning Guiamo, the main character in his series, after his son.

11/27: Cu's Ebook Giveaways - Guest Post

Marshall’s son, although a typical boy with a temper, is also very caring. He respects the older generation a great deal, looks out for the weak or downtrodden around him and is kind to children. These characteristics come out in Guiamo as he interacts with the brigands and their leader, Actus, the “Driven One”, as well as Suadusegus, Guiamo’s teacher. His actions toward them are anything but ordinary.

11/29: Mel's Shelves - Reviews of Guiamo and Cumoro

"The author has definitely done his research. I like the way certain details are brought back into the story later on so I feel that every part of the story is significant. I also love what I'm learning from Guiamo's character and how he deals with the situations he finds himself in."

12/1: Life as Leels - Review of Cumoro
* Review of Guiamo *


"I thoroughly recommend the entire The Chronicles of Guiamo series. I really don’t think there is “one audience” that this appeals to. Whether you be man, woman or young adult reader, I think this series appeals to all."

12/2: The Wonderings of One Person - Guest Post
Ancient history, especially, is filled with myths and legends galore of fantastical creatures, gods intermingling with man, fierce beasts and quests of heroes battling against evil. 

12/3: Tressa’s Wishful Endings - Guest Post


In this region, Old Irish is the oldest recorded language and can be tied back to around 500 A.D. which is much later than the period in which the stories take place. 

12/4: Bookworm Lisa - Guest Post


All battles in book one are real battles that Mr. Best has described as best he could.  As in other historical fiction novels, he takes known facts and fashions a story around those facts to fill in the gaps of what we do not know.  What makes it fantasy is the fantastical creatures and magic that accompany it.

12/5: Mythical Books - Review of Cumoro
Review of Guiamo *

"What this volume brings extra? Action! Yes, action with a capital A! You will have full pages of atrocious battles, of bloody fights whose outcome will oscillate to one side to the other. There will be no more the elegant and brilliant Caesar's maneuvers that could win a battle like a game of chess. Will be the wild frays of those feral times and places.


12/6: All Fantasy Worlds - Review of Guiamo

"Oh, how I love a well written book with a carefully built plot! And how I love to see the characters grow with every page I turn!

. . . One of the things I loved about this book is that the main character, Guiamo, needs to learn in order to become a great man."

12/8: Pieces of Whimsy - Guest Post


One fun example of something that was crafted by Credne was a clostellum or lock, with a very special key, clavicula.  The reason this is fun is that it shows how authors put a part of themselves into their stories.  Marshall Best is from a family with a long history in the locking industry.  He is involved in collecting locks and knows a lot about ancient locks as well.

12/9: Mother Daughter Book Reviews - Author Interview


4. What is YOUR favorite part of the book?
I really like the parts where Guiamo learns about the ancient gods, Roman, Greek and Egyptian, when they lived among us as the men and women they were in the ancient days.

12/10: My Devotional Thoughts


Did you answer this quiz correctly?
Q: What is special about the spear given to Guiamo by Mars?
A: It can understand Guiamo and take orders.
This is true when Guiamo commands it in the ancient tongue.

12/11: Colorimetry


Marshall hopes to travel to England and Ireland someday to see and experience the places in his novels.  We asked him to share where he would plan to visit... 

Jessica's Casserole - Review


"This series has a VERY well developed plot and distinctive characters. I had an easy time keeping the characters straight and following the story.  There was plenty of imagery that inspired my imagination to really get involved with the book."

Interview with author, Christy Nicholas, about Ireland


The Hill of Tara plays a major role in the Guiamo Chronicles books. Can you tell us a little bit about its history and the myths surrounding it?

The Hill of Tara is one of many sacred sites in Ireland. It has been the site, for hundreds of years, where the High King is crowned. For any potential king, he must pass several tests. One is that he must drive his chariot between two standing stones, which form a V. These two stones must widen to let him pass, an indication that the land has accepted him as High King. Another test is that he must drive his chariot over the Lia Fáil, another standing stone, and it would screech in response. That screech showed to the surrounding countryside that Queen Madb, the goddess of the land, has accepted him as king...

12/12: Books for Kids - Guest Post


     "Now that part of the story pertains to a stone that was discovered that is red and white and looks like a big eyeball, and is involved with activities at a big lake. Then I turned to the map just north of Limerick, and there I found an enormous lake, Lough Derg... 
     Then I read the meaning of its name. It means “loch of the Red Eye.” Who would have thought such a coincidence would present itself so fittingly." 




Dalene's Book Reviews - Guest Post

Marshall also enjoys putting real life issues into his books, delving into a bit of philosophy while entertaining with orcs, dragons, magic and battles...

12/13: Celtic Myth Podshow - Excerpt


Julius Caesar, in his writings, De Bello Gallico, tells of the Brittani coloring their bodies blue.  We see this portrayed in the movie Braveheart as well. Marshall Best, in his series The Chronicles of Guiamo Durmius Stolo, has a new twist as to why these warriors painted themselves blue. 

Read more, plus an excerpt at Celtic Myth Podshow... 

+ Grande Finale



The Chronicles:

Guiamo (The Chronicles of Guiamo Durmius Stolo, #1)Guiamo

In 60 B.C., ten-year-old Guiamo Durmius Stolo, an exceptionally gifted Roman orphan, is abandoned in Gaul . Left to fend for himself, Guiamo is set onto a path of legend. Recognized by the gods as having world-changing talents, he is given a weapon that changes his destiny and the world’s forever. 


Cumoro (The Chronicles of Guiamo Durmius Stolo, #2)

Guiamo Durmius Stolo sails in 55 B.C. with Rome’s 7th Legion as Julius Caesar invades Britain. But Caesar has not before encountered the Fomori, a dominion of wicked creatures which wage war against the human inhabitants and dominate much of Britain. Armed with his god-made spear, Guiamo joins with the tribal kings against their Fomori foe when Caesar departs. 




Having destroyed the Fomori in Britain , Guiamo Durmius Stolo decides in 51 B.C. to bring the Cruthin people, once slaves to the Fomori, to Ireland , but encounters the Fomori who reside there as well. Guiamo discovers that the gods venerated by the Druids are unworthy. The gods are displeased with him and begin to work against him.


In 50 B.C. Guiamo Durmius Stolo finds himself victor over the detested Fomori whose leader, Cichol, is slain and those few who survived are scattered. Guiamo explores the secret places where Cichol kept his most important secrets and discovers there the treasures of Cichol's master, the goddess Domnu.




The Author:

Marshall BestMarshall Best is an avid reader, father of six and business owner. In the past several years he has found his love of writing as well. What began as a desire to write a story for his children has evolved into a nine book series.

Marshall has done extensive research into the history behind the legends, people and places of England, Scotland and Ireland involved in his books. He loves being able to weave real people and legends into his stories making them come alive. He is definitely a writer that tends to the details often mapping out timetables, calendars, geneologies, etc. that pertain to his book to ensure that it is as realistic as possible. 


Marshall also enjoys putting real life issues into his books, delving into a bit of philosophy while entertaining with orcs, dragons, magic and battles. He is someone who loves a grand adventure but makes sure it's not a shallow one.



Tour-Wide Giveaway:

-One print set signed by author – world wide giveaway
-One complete e-book set – codes provided to smashwords
-Two winners: e-book of Cumoro and a $5 Amazon gift card each
-Two winners: e-book of Morlanos and a $5 Amazon gift card each
-Two winners: e-book of Inis Emain Ablach and a $5 Amazon gift card each
Ends 12/20. Please see restrictions on Rafflecopter.



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Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Explore Ireland with Christy Nicholas on The Legendary Tour

The Legendary Tour may have sparked your interest in the ancient history of England and Ireland. Today we have a guest with us who has an intense love of Ireland. We thought it fitting to interview her as a part of our tour.  She has generously offered one of her e-books for the giveaway to be paired with book 3, Morlanos, which takes place mostly in Ireland. 







Photographer of the Mythical, Magical, Mystical

Christy Nicholas

     First of all, Christy, let me say thank you for taking the time to share with us a little bit about your book, especially as you prepare to head over to Ireland once more. I was very excited to run across it as it not only has pictures of some of the mythical places in Ireland but includes the history as well. It’s one thing to tell people that Marshall has written a fantasy series that includes the history and myths of Ireland. It’s another thing to look at a book and read about the very characters I've heard him talk about for the past five years writing this series. I think your book would be a wonderful addition for anyone reading Marshall’s series to be able to envision some of the settings in his book.


What began your fascination with Ireland? Did you set out to write a book or did the book grow naturally from your love of the country?

I think I've always been in love with Ireland. When I was a child, my mom had an Irish Rovers album (The Unicorn) which I memorized early on. My first trip on my own, anywhere, was a 1996 vacation (traveling solo) to Ireland, London and Somerset, England. I remember having dreams about Ireland before I left, and they weren't far off the mark. I think my soul remembers the place somehow.
As for the writing, I have always made trip reports, telling where I drank, what stones I tripped over, who I met, etc., not only to share with others, but to help me remember later. This book sort of came out of that, and a desire to share the magic of the land with others. 



In your opinion, what is the most fascinating place you have photographed in Ireland?


I have a love of the ancient, and one place where you can drink in the ancient and never be thirsty is Carrowmore. There are a dozen and more Neolithic sites within a mile radius, burial cairns, stone circles, all sorts of different sacred sites. Just walking around and realizing this was all created, with a great deal of effort, 5,000 years ago, is humbling and fascinating.




The Hill of Tara plays a major role in the Guiamo Chronicles books. Can you tell us a little bit about its history and the myths surrounding it?

The Hill of Tara is one of many sacred sites in Ireland. It has been the site, for hundreds of years, where the High King is crowned. For any potential king, he must pass several tests. One is that he must drive his chariot between two standing stones, which form a V. These two stones must widen to let him pass, an indication that the land has accepted him as High King. Another test is that he must drive his chariot over the Lia Fáil, another standing stone, and it would screech in response. That screech showed to the surrounding countryside that Queen Madb, the goddess of the land, has accepted him as king. These stones are on the site today, among many other earthworks and mounds, for you to explore.


I love the section labeled “History and ‘Myth’tery" in the book's introduction. Can you explain what you mean by that? I think it would help the reader to understand how authors can use so many of the actual historical figures from a time period and yet take poetic license to weave an enjoyable fantasy.

Irish history is full of myth, and its myth is full of history. For much of the past, the Irish did not use writing, but relied upon the Druids to maintain their history through memorized stories. When Christianity took over, many of these stories were either lost to time as the Druids died out, or were changed with a Christian perspective. Therefore, we have little archeological proof of what stories remain. Many of the myths do, though, have some archeological basis. For instance, the Book of Invasions tells us that the Sons of Míl (the Celtic tribes) came from Spain to Ireland. Recent DNA evidence suggests that this was, indeed, true.


During ancient times in Ireland, the land was divided into “fifths.” From your study of that time period, can you share with our readers why there would be a vast amount of material for an author to pull from to include in an action and adventure fantasy?

There are many tales within those that remain, full of adventure, war and love. The Irish have been, traditionally, a very warlike people, and would often start a war over things we might consider minor – such as boasting about having the best cow in the country, or because a great-grandfather once owned a spit of land.


Is there a particular photograph you would like to share with us from one of these five kingdoms and could you share its significance? 

Sure! I’ve included one I took of the Lia Fáil, the stone I mentioned above at the Hill of Tara. I’m off to Ireland again in November to visit the Hill of Uisneach, the Hill of Tara, and many other sacred sites.









As I have worked with Marshall more on his books, I have come to discover that the history of Ireland is very intricate and involved. What kind of research did you do to gather the historical information accompanying your photographs and how did you keep it all straight?

I have read several books of tales – translations into English, as while I am studying Irish, I am by no means fluent in it – as well as listened to some podcasts based on those tales. My favorites have been Celtic Myth Podshow and Irish History Podcast. Google has also been my friend, including little things, like the proper spelling and accent in Lia Fáil. :D


How long have you been working on this project?

I started writing the Irish book when I returned from my last trip, which was May 2011. That had been my fourth trip to Ireland. I had self-published a couple of books before, mostly trip reports with lots of photos, but this was my first work that offered other information, such as the history, the hidden places, travel tips and the like. I finished it in January 2013, and found a great publisher, and voila!


Do you have other books planned for the future?

I just sent a similar book to the publisher, but for Scotland. It will likely be out after the New Year. Now I’m working on my first novel – a story based on my parents’ love story.


Is there anything else you would like to share with us about your book?
 
I think it’s good for people who want a decent founding in the myth and history of the island, even if they aren’t planning a trip there. For those that want to go, however, I think it would be an invaluable resource. I try to offer places off the beaten path – things you might not find on a regular tour or travel book.




Thanks once again for joining us during the Legendary Tour! We appreciate you taking the time and hope you’re having a wonderful time over in Ireland as our readers have enjoyed hearing more about Ireland and it’s connection to Morlanos, book 3 in The Chronicles of Guiamo Durmius Stolo.

Thank you so much for hosting me! 


We have a couple more days on the tour and then the Grand Finale! If you haven't had a chance to enter the giveaway or have missed posts, click below for more information.



About Christy


My name is Christy Nicholas, also known as Green Dragon. I do many things, including digital art, beaded jewelry, writing and photography. In real life I'm a CPA, but having grown up with art and around me (my mother, grandmother and great-grandmother are/were all artists), it sort of infected me, as it were. I love to draw and to create things. It's more of an obsession than a hobby. I like looking up into the sky and seeing a beautiful sunset, or a fragrant blossom, a dramatic seaside. I then wish to take a picture or create a piece of jewelry to share this serenity, this joy, this beauty with others. Sometimes this sharing requires explanation – and thus I write. Combine this love of beauty with a bit of financial sense and you get an art business. I do local art and craft shows, as well as sending my art to various science fiction conventions throughout the country and abroad.



AUTHOR WEBSITES

www.greendragonartist.com

www.facebook.com/greendragontravel

www.facebook.com/greendragonartist

Publisher's Website