Ned Hayes's Blog, page 99
May 21, 2014
"Set wide the window. Let me drink the day."
- Edith Wharton, Artemis to Actaeon and Other Verses (via astrophil-to-stella)
May 20, 2014
Book List - Review for SINFUL FOLK
Good news on the book front… novel SINFUL FOLK reviewed in 100-year-old BOOKLIST — the magazine the New York Times calls “an acquisitions bible for public and school librarians nationwide.”
From Booklist
*Starred Review*
“In December of 1377, five children are burned in a suspicious house fire. Awash in paranoia and prejudice, the fathers suspect it is the work of Jews and set out to seek justice from the king, loading the charred bodies of their boys onto a cart. Unbeknownst to them, among them is a woman, Mear, who has been hiding out in the town for the past 10 years posing as a mute man. It is a treacherous journey, for their rations are spare and the weather is brutal. And always, they are haunted by the question, Why were their boys in Benedict the weaver’s house, and who would do this to them? Mear, ever resourceful, not only watches for clues to unravel the mystery but also provides invaluable aid in finding their way, for she has traveled this way before and is the only literate one among them. The reason for her false identity is slowly revealed as the villagers are chased by bandits and must overcome numerous obstacles, hunger and fear among them. Brilliantly conceived and beautifully executed, Hayes’ novel is woven through with a deep knowledge of medieval history, all conveyed in mesmerizing prose. At the center of the novel is Mear, a brave and heartbreaking character whose story of triumph over adversity is a joy to read.”
– BookList Reviewer Joanne Wilkinson
Book List – Review for SINFUL FOLK was originally published on NedNote
"Cold tears as salty as ocean spray wet my face. I remember the...
"Cold tears as salty as ocean spray wet my face. I remember the day before she died, my mother took me out in our little fishing boat, out on the open water of the sea—the thrum and hiss of surf upon the shore behind us, the rhythm never ceasing. And she taught me something: strange and secret words in a foreign tongue, a lilting singsong cadence to it."
"Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them."
- Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can’t Avoid, Lemony Snicket. (via iluvtoquote)
May 19, 2014
BOOK QUOTE: “A bird calls, distant and wounded. The woods...
BOOK QUOTE: “A bird calls, distant and wounded. The woods are still as death. Quick steam huffs in and out of Geoff’s open mouth. And with that, the dangerous moment seems past. We gather wood and help Tom build his fire. As I pick up spare twigs and dried bracken, I wonder how far our sounds penetrate into the black forest, and how far our shouts echo along the White Road. Anyone approaching along the road could find us here.”
PHOTO: woodendreams - (by Gary McParland)
May 18, 2014
"I love books. I like that the moment you open one and sink into it you can escape from the world,..."
- Elizabeth Scott, Bloom (via ancelyne)
"The fire blazes, sparks rioting above the earth, rising into...
"The fire blazes, sparks rioting above the earth, rising into the night. In the reflected blaze, the masks of the players packed in a cart glimmer behind us, false faces shifting in the light."
— from the novel Sinful Folk
May 17, 2014
"The first duty of the novelist is to entertain. It is a moral duty. People who read your books are..."
- Donna Tartt, author of The Secret History (via vintageanchorbooks)
