Guest interview: Before the New Moon Rises by Cathy Hird
Poseidon's hunger for revenge strikes like forked lightning. Princess Thalassai struggles to build peace while her brother and her fiancé battle against the Earthshaker's plots. Will aid from other Olympian gods stem his anger or escalate the conflict?
Congratulations to Cathy Hird on her publication of Before the New Moon Rises by Prizm Books. This is a follow-up book to Moon Goddess.
Cathy Hird is a minister and a mother, a weaver and a shepherd living in rural Ontario. She is a story teller who weaves ancient threads into tales that touch modern questions. As well as her two published novels, Cathy writes a weekly column for an on-line news magazine, short stories and some poetry.
I digitally sat down with Cathy to chat more about her books, writing and life in general.
Interview
1. Tell us about the genre you write in.
When I decided I did not want to do serious academic writing, I decided to try my hand at my favorite genre, fantasy. But there are so many stories set in a medieval world, I went looking for another mythology to ground my story. I have loved Greece and the stories from there so I started delving into that mythology. While I was inspired, I was not so impressed with the patriarchy and xenophobia of the classical era. I asked myself, what if the women were strong and the older earth goddess was not dead and the men could resolve problems without a ten year war. Moon of the Goddess, Before the New Moon Rises and the next book when it comes grow from these questions.
Technically, because the heroine is 17 or 18, the book is classed as YA. But more adults have read the first book, and strong readers under 12 liked it. So I did not set out to write YA just ended up in that category. Not that I mind, given the authors whose company I keep there.
2. Do you write in other genres as well?
I write a some short stories that are realistic and literary. Each week, I publish a spirituality column for an on-line news magazine, and occasionally I do resources for the national church denomination I am part of. The writing is much more formal and the content more structured. But because I write fiction, I trust my readers more than I used to and use more images and story telling.
3. What book do you wish you could have written?
I wish I could have written Mercedes Lackey's version of the Arthurian legend. I love her central character, Gwenhwyfer, and the idea that there were three Guinevere's. Someday I will try my hand at "The Matter of Britain" when my imagination and skill is up to the task.
4. Do you have a day job as well as writing?
At this point with my writing, I make enough to go out for dinner once a quarter but the day job pays the bills. I work as a minister in a church, and as a sheep farmer. So writing fiction kinda balances out the life I lead, provides a break from some of the heavy stuff I meet up with.
5. Any individual male and female figure you particularly admire, dead or alive, and why?
There are two whose lives particularily inspire me: Martin Luther King Jr and Nelson Mandela. Their stories of pressing for justice while calling people and a nation to a higher ideal have helped me in my work for justice and healing. Their values seep into my writing, too. In this unsettled and angry world, we need more people, and more stories, that teach us compassion and non-violence, hope for a new world.
6. What do you have in mind for your next writing project?
While I have a couple stories set in Ancient Greece still brewing in my head, the new novel is a contemporary fantasy set in Rural Ontario, a shift from the common urban setting. This one involves a captured elf, an alchemist and his daughter who has to fix the mess he makes.
Thank you Cathy for letting us know about you and your book.
Before the New Moon Rises is available now for pre-order at Prizm Books.
Before the New Moon Rises:
When Poseidon's ambition is thwarted (as told in Moon of the Goddess), Princess Thalassai expects to enjoy the luxury of peace in the valley of Ephyra. Instead, the Earthshaker's revenge strikes like forked lightning. He recruits Aphoron, disgraced prince of Ephyra, to set off an attack on her home city. The god then releases a monster shark to shut down trade and lays a sleeping spell on the four kings who hold sway in the lands claimed by the ancient goddess Eurynome.
With the king under Poseidon's spell, Thalassai struggles to maintain order in the city. Her fiancé Brizo sets sail to defeat the monster shark, but in the first encounter, the shark destroys the ship's rudder and oars. Her brother Melanion chases after Aphoron and uncovers the prince's plan to attack their city. As other Olympian gods who are angry with Poseidon are drawn into the fray, conflict threatens to engulf the lands of Greece. Will it spread to the mountain of the gods? Will the young leaders find a way to defeat the Earthshaker's plans and restore peace?
Available at Prizm Books: http://www.prizmbooks.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=111&zenid=a87b664daa879741f67e93d48e48918e
Moon of the Goddess:
Thalassai, pampered princess of ancient Tiryns, wakes from a dream and discovers she has been kidnapped. Fear grows to terror when she realizes her kidnappers intend to use her as a pawn to gain Poseidon’s aid for their valley. The mother goddess who in the past sustained the valley calls a bloodred harvest moon into the spring sky. She will challenge Poseidon for the allegiance of her people and assist the princess.
Thalassai’s brother Melanion rides north to rescue her, and he finds allies among the servants of the goddess. Slowed by bandits, Melanion is forced to take a tunnel under the mountains even though earthquakes have rendered it hazardous. He skirts the edge of Hades’ kingdom as he races to reach his sister in time. Caught between the mother goddess and the rising power of Olympus, will Thalassai break under the strain or find the strength she needs to stand up to her captors?
Available at Prizm Books: http://www.prizmbooks.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=78&zenid=949399157b78889c20a77ceaf9248dfc
Where to find Cathy:
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/cathyhirdwriter/
Twitter @cathyhirdwriter
1. What do you have in mind for your next writing project?
While I have a couple stories set in Ancient Greece still brewing in my head, the new novel is a contemporary fantasy set in Rural Ontario, a shift from the common urban setting. This one involves a captured elf, an alchemist and his daughter who has to fix the mess he makes.
2. Tell us about the genre you write in.
When I decided I did not want to do serious academic writing, I decided to try my hand at my favorite genre, fantasy. But there are so many stories set in a medieval world, I went looking for another mythology to ground my story. I have loved Greece and the stories from there so I started delving into that mythology. While I was inspired, I was not so impressed with the patriarchy and xenophobia of the classical era. I asked myself, what if the women were strong and the older earth goddess was not dead and the men could resolve problems without a ten year war. Moon of the Goddess, Before the New Moon Rises and the next book when it comes grow from these questions.
Technically, because the heroine is 17 or 18, the book is classed as YA. But more adults have read the first book, and strong readers under 12 liked it. So I did not set out to write YA just ended up in that category. Not that I mind, given the authors whose company I keep there.
3. Do you write in other genres as well?
I write a some short stories that are realistic and literary. Each week, I publish a spirituality column for an on-line news magazine, and occasionallly I do resources for the national church denomination I am part of. The writing is much more formal and the content more structured. But because I write fiction, I trust my readers more than I used to and use more images and story telling.
4. What book do you wish you could have written?
I wish I could have written Mercedes Lackey's version of the Arthurian legend. I love her central character, Gwenhwyfer, and the idea that there were three Guinevere's. Someday I will try my hand at "The Matter of Britain" when my imagination and skill is up to the task.
5. Do you have a day job as well as writing?
At this point with my writing, I make enough to go out for dinner once a quarter but the day job pays the bills. I work as a minister in a church, and as a sheep farmer. So writing fiction kinda balances out the life I lead, provides a break from some of the heavy stuff I meet up with.
6. Any individual male and female figure you particularly admire, dead or alive, and why?
There are two whose lives particularily inspire me: Martin Luther King Jr and Nelson Mandela. Their stories of pressing for justice while calling people and a nation to a higher ideal have helped me in my work for justice and healing. Their values seep into my writing, too. In this unsettled and angry world, we need more people, and more stories, that teach us compassion and non-violence, hope for a new world.
