M.E. Vaughan's Blog, page 5
March 17, 2015
The Sons of Thestian – Book Trailer
The new The Sons of Thestian book trailer is out! If you’re into Y.A. Fantasy, LGBT Lit, or Celtic/Arthurian mythology check it out!
The Kindle version of the book is now available on amazon for only £3.32!
For more on the books, check out the website at: www.harmatiacycle.com
March 15, 2015
**~KINDLE RELEASE: THE SONS OF THESTIAN! ~**
The Prince Jionathan is plagued by visions of death. With the King on his death-bed, and the tyrannical Queen in power, the Kingdom of Harmatia lies in peril. Fleeing the city in fear of his life, Jionathan is shadowed by Rufus Merle, a young, secretive magi tasked with bringing him home. Now, with the help of a fearsome sidhe warrior named Fae, they must traverse a dangerous faerie-wood together. Against bandits, faeries and cursed priestesses, these unlikely friends travel a path fraught with danger, not least from the blood-thirsty Night Patrol and the dark conspiracy that shrouds them.
March 1, 2015
Oh, Kindly Rose
Composed by Madeleine Vaughan & Hannah Cu...
Oh, Kindly Rose
Composed by Madeleine Vaughan & Hannah Curtain
Lyrics by Madeleine Vaughan
Performed and recorded by the University of Winchester’s King Alfred Singers, at Chester Cathedral for the 2015 Choir Festival.
Soloists: Madeleine Vaughan & Charlotte Lambert
Oh, Kindly Rose
Written in loving memory of my mother Dominique Casalta-Vaughan, (1957-2014)
The Rose stands tall, with spindled spine,
And marks of love, enamelled vine,
Oh pretty rose, your beauty bright,
the summer’s grace, Eden’s delight
A butterfly, pressed to your heart,
nourished and born, by song of lark
May dance and prattle, til autumn come,
and lips turn brown, and summer’s done.
Oh kindly rose, you wilt too soon,
rise up again, the lilting tune
Is not yet done, mais dormez bien,
Maman, cheri, Ma rose a moi.
Alas, no more, the earth is dry,
the stem is cracked, and the petals die.
Too soon, too soon, I pray you stay,
my heart it aches, belay the day.
But rose is earth, the garden bare,
the memory fades of flower fair.
Live on, live on, the echo plays,
the song you sing, may still remain.
And yet so soon, at winter’s draw,
With wings of paper, will butterflies fall.
February 24, 2015
***WORLD PREMIERE*** Sons of Thestian by M.E. Vaughan – BOOK COVER
Art by the amazing Peter Brockhammer.
BACK COPY – Prince Jionathan is plagued by visions of death. With the king on his deathbed, and the tyrannical queen in power, the Kingdom of Harmatia lies in peril. Fleeing the city in fear of his life, Jionathan is shadowed by Rufus Merle, a young, secretive magi tasked with bringing him home.
Now, with the help of a fearsome sidhe warrior named Fae, they traverse a dangerous faerie-wood together. Against bandits, faeries and cursed priestesses, these unlikely friends travel a path fraught with danger and a dark conspiracy that shrouds them.
For more on The Harmatia Cycle Books, check out the website at: www.harmatiacycle.com
Like the facebook page at – https://www.facebook.com/Madeleine.E.Vaughan
January 24, 2015
Meet Pyromaniac Rufus Merle & Problem Child Arlen Zachary.
Because the best way of introducing characters, I feel, is always with stupid, badly-drawn comics…So, here are Rufus & Zachary respectively.
January 8, 2015
Review of Pantheon: The True Story of the Egyptian Deities
Pantheon: The True Story of the Egyptian Deities by Hamish Steele
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Pantheon is a delight from cover to cover. A wonderfully drawn recreation of the Egyptian myths, Hamish Steele approaches the story with a vibrant enthusiasm that brings all the characters to life. Loyal to the original tale, the comic is witty and humorous, and stands (in my opinion) as one of the best retelling of this ancient (and very often forgotten) story.
There is nothing I don’t like about this comic. From the charming drawing, to the well formulated story-telling, to the progressive and engaging pace of the plot, Pantheon has you hooked from the beginning.
With a handy key at the back, and with each character designed very uniquely, it is easy to keep track of who is who (something which can sometimes prove difficult with stories based on mythology.). The hours of dedicated research are clear from the get-go, but Steele has a refreshing way of reworking it into a easily accessible story, even making fun of some of the more ridiculous or convoluted parts of the myth.
Informative and engaging, please note parents that this is not a good book to introduce to your kids. Tastefully graphic, Pantheon has several violent moments, a sex scene and contains…sort-of bestiality/incest at one point too… Needless to say, not for children, but definitely something for adults to have a giggle at.
As for the quality of the book itself; it’s beautifully bound, with a colored front-cover, and sturdy black and white pages on the inside; so nice and durable with clear lines and drawings.
I cannot recommend Pantheon enough to anybody. It is a joy from start to finish, with several real ‘laugh out loud’ moments, and a wonderfully thoughtful ending. Definitely something I’ll be reading over and over.
5/5
December 11, 2014
Rufus Merle, from The Harmatia Cycle – www.harmatiacycle...
Rufus Merle, from The Harmatia Cycle – www.harmatiacycle.com
December 6, 2014
Inspired by AMC’s show of the same name.
Written & Perfor...
Inspired by AMC’s show of the same name.
Written & Performed by Madeleine Vaughan
Produced by Richard Willats
Part of the Stars & Stones Album to be released 2015.
November 29, 2014
Character Introduction – The Night Patrol
In my upcoming book ‘The Sons of Thestian’ the Night Patrol present as one of three offensive enemies the main characters must face. The Night Patrol is a sector of the Magi with the unique ability to transform into creatures of nightmare, and is lead by Arlen Zachary, Rufus’ brothering apprentice.
At Zachary’s side, his closest friend Marcel Hathely, acts as his second in command. Marcel brings with him too an apprentice, Emeric Fold. Together, these three are the most skilled and ferocious in the Night Patrol. Despite this reputation however, they do not always present as the powerful warriors they are. Emeric and Marcel tend to shadow Zachary in his day-to-day business.
Above: (Left) Marcel Hathely, (Bottom, lounged) Arlen Zachary, (Back, Right) Emeric Fold.
To find out more about the world at its characters, check out my book website at www.harmatiacycle.com
October 22, 2014
Zachary & the Scullery Maid
The third short story of a series promoting my upcoming book The Sons of Thestian which being published this November. The stories are designed to give slices of life, introducing setting and characters.
I hope you enjoy.
Warning: The following contains bad language & some violent imagery.
“ZA-CHA-RY!”
The shrill cry echoed up through the stone hallways, sending the birds on the window sill fluttering away in a panic. Belphegore and Zachary raised their heads as the latter gently placed down his quill.
“Hark,” he muttered wryly, “A storm comes this way.”
“What have you done?” Belphegore asked him sternly, but his voice was lined with a faint humour.
“Me? Done?” Zachary pulled an innocent face as a loud hammering came from the door.
“Lord Odin!” From beyond, the angry sound of Lord DuMuriel’s voice rose. “Lord Odin, where is your meddling apprentice?”
“Lord DuMuriel, please come in. Arlen is here with me.” Belphegore invited, and even before he had finished his sentence, the door had swung open. DuMuriel marched in, and at the sight of Zachary, his eyes seemed to pulse further from his skull. Zachary smiled agreeably.
“Lord DuMuriel, what a pleasant surprise.”
“You intrusive, interfering, obnoxious child!” DuMuriel began, pacing over to Zachary who remained firmly in his seat, smile ever in place.
“My good friend,” Zachary said lightly, “Whatever is the matter? You look quite put out. Let me fetch you a drink-”
“-I don’t want a fucking drink!” DuMuriel curled his fingers into Zachary’s collar. Zachary remained unperturbed. “I want my servant back!”
“Your servant?” Zachary blinked languidly, “What servant?”
“Lord DuMuriel, I must insist that you unhand my apprentice and sit down.” Lord Odin commanded firmly, the humour gone from his voice. DuMuriel obeyed, stepping back, his posture still taut with rage. “Please explain yourself. Let us see if we can resolve this problem.”
“There is no problem to resolve!” DuMuriel shouted angrily, “One of my servants – former servants – was caught stealing from me!” DuMuriel explained, “Several of my silver goblets were found hidden in her chambers.”
“That is grave and unfortunate indeed, but what has that to do with my apprentice?” Belphegore prompted and DuMuriel turned once more on Zachary, his breath ragged.
“I had her thrown in the servant dungeon. She was to be punished.” he explained, “But when I went down to claim her this morning, I was informed that she had been bought by someone else – Lord Zachary to be precise!”
“Oh Etheus’ tongue, that was your servant?” Zachary feigned horror. “My dear Lord DuMuriel, I had no idea that she had committed such an offence.”
“You knew!” DuMuriel roared, “you knew!”
“To the contrary…” Zachary stood, “you see, I was in desperate need of a scullery maid. Desperate. So when I saw that there was a girl available in the Servant’s Dungeon who had all the qualifications… Well, I jumped at the opportunity.”
“You took her! She was mine!” DuMuriel lunged forward, as if to grab Zachary but Belphegore stood abruptly from his chair, the wood squealing against the stone. The noise reminded DuMuriel of his place.
“I am afraid, Lord DuMuriel, that when you send a servant to the Servant’s Dungeon you forfeit their employment. It was perfectly legal for Arlen to buy her out for his own household. You should have received the proceedings of such a purchase, of course.”
“I don’t want money.” DuMuriel growled, “I want her hand!”
“To add to your collection?” Zachary asked plainly and DuMuriel seemed to stiffen. “It seems to me, Lord DuMuriel that you have employed quite a few thieves in your time. Might I suggest that you are more prudent in your choice of staff?”
“What are you trying to say?”
“That I will keep an eye on this new girl, and make sure she doesn’t steal from me.” Zachary clasped his hands behind his back, “Though if I am as good a judge of character as I believe, I think she has an honest heart…Perhaps the theft happened in a moment of…unconsciousness.”
“You son of a-” DuMuriel growled.
“-Next time, if you mean to punish a thief, I would suggest not trying to make such an occasion of it.” Zachary proposed, “After all, I may find myself in need of more servants in the future.”
DuMuriel growled, “She’s mine.” he repeated.
“She is nobodies.” Zachary corrected, “But as of now she does work for me…And should anything happen to her that might compromise her ability to do so, that would be judged as an act of theft from me. Which I would warn against, DuMuriel, because you’re not the only man who has the capacity to take another’s hand.” Zachary reached forward and seized DuMuriel’s wrist, holding it up tightly.
“Are you…are you threatening me?” DuMuriel asked with disbelief, waiting for Zachary to pass the grave words off as nothing but a joke. Zachary smiled lightly.
“Yes.” he sang, “Yes am I am. Because I was reading the Book of Law the other day, and I saw that thievery can be punished up to the ‘removal of a hand or equivalent’.” He leant in and whispered, “For the sake of your lineage, I would be wary of that…Because I am very imaginative when it comes to ‘the equivalent’.” he released the man and returned to his desk, taking up his quill. “I am glad we could resolve this as men.”
DuMuriel stood, the colour drained from his face. It pleased Zachary that he had the ability to frighten such men in to silence.
“Is that all, Lord DuMuriel?” Lord Odin asked pointedly and DuMuriel shook his head and then nodded, his fists clenched.
“I will remember this, Zachary.” He warned and turned back to the door.
“I hope so,” Zachary encouraged, and DuMuriel slammed the door after him, marching away. “What an unpleasant man.” Zachary returned to his work, aware of Belphegore’s eyes on him.
“A Scullery maid, Arlen?”
“Yes. My Scullery was in grave peril.”
“Do you even know what a scullery is?”
“I have no idea.” Zachary admitted, putting down the quill and beaming. “It sounds like another word for foreskin.”
Belphegore laughed and then sighed, relaxing back in his chair. “This is becoming a habit, Arlen.” he warned.
“What is?”
“Saving servants. How many do you have working for you now?”
“Oh, a few.” Zachary shrugged, “There is always a surplus, but after a while I tend to find them better work elsewhere with trustworthy people.”
“You are a merchant of good will.” Belphegore congratulated, “but be careful. You are making fools of powerful men, and they will not always be afraid of you.”
“What would you suggest?”
“Choose your battles carefully,” Belphegore advised, “For instance, that girl – Carolina was it?”
Zachary stiffened, “She has been an excellent worker.”
“She was caught openly stealing from you and yet you kept her in your employment.”
Zachary shrugged, “Her son was sick. Dying. She wanted to pay for the physician.”
“That does not resolve her of the crime.”
“Certainly,” Zachary swapped the quill to his left hand idly, continuing to work. Belphegore coughed and looked pointedly at the offending hand. Zachary swapped the quill back this right, though it was growing stiff. “I saw her punished. She worked off the equivalent of what she stole in free hours of labour.”
Belphegore shook his head, “And her son?” he asked, knowingly, and Zachary kept his eyes to the page.
“Was brought up to my house and attended to by the Palace physicians on my behest.”
“And how is he?”
“Healthy. Happy.”
“Your enemies will perceive your kindness as a weakness.” Belphegore rose and went to the window.
“That’s what it is…” Arlen admitted, “But I couldn’t condemn the woman for stealing from me.”
“Why not?”
“Her child was sick. She did what she thought she had to. Perhaps I am wrong, Master – but I am not of the mind that desperation should be punished. We would all do wrong for the ones we love.”
Belphegore turned to him. “And whom do you think of, when you speak of such love?”
“Why, you master.” Zachary flattered.
“Get out.” Belphegore ordered with a laugh, and Zachary grinned and rose. “You know,” Belphegore added as Zachary made for the door, “Your grandfather was a great man.”
Zachary grew still. “So I have heard.”
“I knew him, briefly. He was revered amongst the last generation of magi. Yes, he was by all accounts a great man, and a great warrior…But he wasn’t very kind. He could not permit that weakness.”
Zachary drew in a long breath. Yes, he knew about that. He known since he was young, even before it had been explained to him; the kind of man his grandfather had been. The kind of men all Zacharys turned out be be. Belphegore gave Zachary a terse smile.
“I am glad that you do.”
The words warmed him, and Zachary stood, stunned and bowed his head in thanks. It was the greatest compliment his master had ever given him, and slowly he felt it form into a white light in his chest. Hope. He realised. And for that, he was ever more thankful.
Thank you for reading. For more on the books, check out the book website at http://www.harmatiacycle.com
If you enjoyed this story, please like, share or leave a comment, and look out for the next one which will be published soon under the hashtag #HarmatiaShorts
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