Urram - Rekindled Hope (Excerpt Only) [RELEASING MAY 7TH, 2024]

Author's Note

IT is a truth universally acknowledged among any writers who have tried to write a sequel, that the middle books of a series are the hardest and most difficult to write, let alone edit. There were many times, particularly in the editing stage, when I wondered whether this book would ever be completed and worthy of being read by others. In the words of my editor, the middle book of a trilogy is challenging because you cannot begin a story—it has already begun—and you cannot write the ending. Threads must be picked up and left unwoven. But this story, battered by many rewrites and edits, is finally ready for you, dear reader.

I will not bore you with notes on how much changed from the initial draft. Only know that it is very different, but in a good way. This book went from barely a novel size (44K words) to an epic fantasy length of nearly 120K words by the time line edits were finished. Urram ~ Rekindled Hope is much larger than its predecessor, Dìlseachd ~ A Stolen Crown, but I hope the journey is just as enjoyable.

But before we begin this new adventure together, I have a few comments to make.

Firstly, if you have not read the previous instalment of the Princess of the Highlands Trilogy, I suggest you do so. This book naturally contains spoilers and many things will not make as much sense without having read the first book.

Secondly, as a reminder to any who may have forgotten (or didn't read the author's note in Dìlseachd ~ A Stolen Crown), this book is not a work of historical fiction. It is, one might say, a non-magical historical fantasy inspired by real events and a real era, or alternative history, or...a mediaeval period drama. Though set roughly in the Dark Ages of Scotland (around 800 A.D.), when Vikings and Saxons encroached on the land, and the Scots and Picts warred with one another, later uniting to overthrow the enemy, there are some things I have taken liberty with. Castles and plate armour exist, for instance, though those were not as we know them to be until a few centuries later. And there are other, more minor details that are not accurate to history. But for the sake of this story, I have written it as such. And, of course, none of the characters or events or places exist as I have written them.

Which then brings me to accents. I use Scots' English (or variations of it) to represent Scottish Gàidhlig. For the Lowlanders, it is not as thick as the Highlanders much farther to the north. Naturally, for those for whom it is a second language, it is even lighter or nonexistent. The Danes and the Cymry do not speak in accents at all among themselves, and the occasional word in their own language is slipped in—because, after all, I am the author and can make such choices.

Dìlseachd ~ A Stolen Crown is dearest to my heart out of all the books I've written, as I've often said. But this book, Urram ~ Rekindled Hope, is perhaps my favourite out of the entire trilogy. This story begins in spring, and it's a tale of change, of new growth, and, as the title foretells, of hope. The characters are not quite the same people we have left them, but for a little while, we can journey with them and see for ourselves what they have become. As Angus says, not all change is evil, and I hope you enjoy this new adventure just as much as you did the first one.

But I will not hold you back any further.

This tale has been a long time in coming.

Spring is finally coming for Scotland, and I cannot wait for you all to read about it.

Come. A princess searching for identity, a lad yearning for love, and others fighting for freedom are waiting for us.

~ The Author

P.S. Whatever happens, know this: I absolutely despise tragedy.