Week 27 of 2023

Greetings all

First, I want to apologize to all the mailing list subscribers. I did everything to get your email out on time except press the “Send” button. It was in the Outbox going, “Well? You gonna hit send?”

In any case, happy 4th of July! Let me tell you, Anthony goes all out for the 4th. The fireworks started in June and the display a few blocks away last night was spectacular.

The title to this week’s update, by the way, comes from The Blacksmith of Brandywine, a fantastic song about a guy in Pennsylvania during the Revolution who helped Washington elude a trap only to lose his family. He then took revenge on the redcoats before dying. Here’s a good link on the story: hoofcare.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-blacksmith-of-brandywine-story-of.html and here’s a link to the best version of the song I can find on the web: youtube.com/watch?v=PpCbxwVjaX0. This isn’t a great version, though. Sabaton really needs to do a proper version because it’s as metal a story as you’ll ever find.

On to the big news.   A Hope in Hell, the thrilling conclusion to Christopher G. Nuttall’s Heirs of Cataclysm trilogy, comes out on Tuesday. The advance reviewers  have been unanimous that it’s great and a fitting end to this post-apocalyptic swords and sorcery.

It was a very productive week otherwise, too. A Lake Most Deep is in the can and will go out to the advance readers this weekend. The Eyes of a Doll is at the proofer, so it’s ahead of schedule. Where Now the Rider went out to the editor today.

And I promised you a cover reveal, so here you go! Jake did an amazing job here, and while it’s similar to the first cover since it’s the same scene, it’s so much stronger. He’s really amazing.

Also, note the cool thing right over the “E” in Lake. Glen Cook, yes that Glen Cook, wrote me out of the blue that since I’d edited him a few times, he thought he’d take a look at the Edward novels. He started his review with, “That’s a damn fine read.”

Yes, my head is still blown.

Glen’s been one of my favorites for a long time, and to have the creator of the Garrett, P.I. series, one of the foundations of the fantasy/mystery subgenre, say that about A Lake Most Deep was astounding.

Let’s see, what else? I finished a sooper-sekrit project and sent it off. We’ll see what fruit that bears. I also mostly finished a new short story which I’ll send out this weekend.

Also this week, H.P. Holo invited me to join her on her podcast on July 22nd. We’ll be talking about A Lake Most Deep and whatever else comes to mind. If you haven’t seen her stuff before, you should check her out. She’s a rock star, as is Jacob, her husband.

And look at the graphic she made for this episode! And here’s the link if you want get updates on Facebook: facebook.com/events/234711226078834.

Whew, so much going on and next weekend might be even more awesome.

What I’m Listening To

Writing this with Law & Order in the background. S. Epatha Merkerson is so good as Anita van Buren. She’s one of my favorite TV characters ever.

Here are the original words to Blacksmith of Brandywine from its writer, Pat Garvey.

Original Words by Pat Garvey

Sep 26 – ’63

Chorus
Make it one for Washington and all his gallant men
And one for the girl that once was mine.
Make it one for the darlin’ boy I’ll never see again
And don’t forget the Blacksmith of Brandywine.

As we rode down to Brandywine
There was a sight to see
A giant man with a hammer in his hand
Lying dead ‘neath a cherry tree
And all around him on the ground
In fatal disarray
A score of men who would never fight again
Nor travel on the King’s Highway.

Then quietly we dug a grave
And gave him burial there
And passed the day a ridin’ on our way
Till we met with a musketeer.
From him we learned the story of
A brave and angry man
Who undertook the British enemy
With a hammer in his hand.

Chorus

There lived a man in Chester town
Away from the cannon’s roar
Of manner mild, he’d a woman and child
And he loved them twenty times o’er
Till a Tory spoke of a plot one day
To waylay Washington
He left his home and family alone
And to the General he did run.

When he returned the next morning
A horror struck his eyes
His family slain by Tory gun
And his house it burned the skies
The Blacksmith reached for his heavy sledge
And gave a practice swing.
Next day at the line on the field of Brandywine
You could hear his hammer ring:

Chorus
– Pat Garvey, Blacksmith of Brandywine

Rob’s Riddles

I have a Patreon where I write Old English style riddles and provide snippets of my work. You can find it here: patreon.com/rhodri2112, along with a sample riddle.

First Line of Next Riddle:

New Releases

Book 6 of the Prince of Britannia series by Fred Hughes, Prince Liberator, is out! Get it here: amazon.com/dp/B0C1TQ8639.

Shadow, Ash, and Prophecy came out a couple weeks ago. Get it here: amazon.com/dp/1648557732. This is book 2 in Trisha J. Wooldridge’s amazing Asian-themed epic fantasy, and focuses on the fey of her world in a battle against an evil prince.

And don’t forget, A Hope in Hell by Christopher G. Nuttall comes out on Tuesday!

Tracked Items

Today’s Weight: 351.6

Updated Word Count: 204,881 (I went back and caught up with some stuff I should have added a while ago)

Firehall Sagas Archives: 737 entries

Let me know if you have any suggestions on the website, this email, or cool story ideas at rob@robhowell.org. Especially let me know of suggestions you have for the Spotlight section.

Have a great week, everyone.

Rob Howell

Creator of the Firehall Sagas Universe

• Amazon Author Page: amazon.com/-/e/B00X95LBB0
• Website: robhowell.org
• Blog: robhowell.org/blog
• The Firehall Sagas: firehallsagas.com/
• Facebook Author Page: facebook.com/robhowell.org/
• Twitter: twitter.com/Rhodri2112

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