You may think you know my story. My name has been bandied in ballads and jests, for good and (mostly) for ill.
Welcome to one of the January 2nd stops on the blog tour for Guinevere: Bright Shadow by Sarah Provost with Goddess Fish Promotions. Be sure to follow the rest of the tour for spotlights, reviews, and a giveaway! More on that at the end of this post.
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About the Book
Guinevere: Bright Shadow
by Sarah Provost
Published 13 December 2022
Liminal Books
Genre: Arthurian Fiction, Fantasy
Page Count: 371
Add it to your Goodreads TBR!
“You may think you know my story. My name has been bandied in ballads and jests, for good and (mostly) for ill. High Queen, priestess, adulterer… but first and always a woman. Courage and honor shaped me; ecstasy transported me; grief, betrayal and terror tempered me.
“My loyalty to the Goddess was supreme. But as the new religion took hold, the pagan way was threatened with extinction. There were those on both sides who would use me as a pawn in that battle, even if it meant taking my life. “Yes, I bear my portion of blame. I loved Arthur, and I loved Lancelot, will I or no. But that was only one element in the impending chaos. Britain was divided, my love was divided, and such divisions cannot endure. I did everything in my power – and learned new powers – to prevent an all-out war. But would it be enough?”
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Excerpt
We heard footsteps in the corridor. Thinking it was the guard come to take us for sentencing, we stood and faced the door. But it was Edalwurf who stood there.
“What are you doing here?” I asked coldly.
“I have come to save you, Madam,” the bishop replied. “By law, the punishment for a woman who commits treason is death at the stake. But you have many friends, myself included, who do not wish to see you suffer. I have come to tell you that you can be spared.” Catlin tensed, then slumped back. She knew what was coming, and so did I.
“You are to be my savior?” I asked.
“Not I, Madam, but the Savior of all. Accept His mercy, which he offers to even the most loathsome sinner. Repent, vow yourself to the Christ and you shall be saved both in heaven and here on earth.”
“So if I submit myself to your authority, I can live out my life in a convent. If I do not, I am consigned to the flames?” He nodded.
I walked to the door, pounded on it for the guard. “I’d rather burn.”
I admit I was startled by the expression that met my declaration. It was not rage or frustration or even pity, which would have been surprising enough. It was satisfaction. This man had no interest whatever in saving my soul. He would be delighted to see me burn. “As you wish, Madam,” he murmured, and went out.
About the Author
Sarah Provost is a poet, playwright, screenwriter and novelist, currently living and working in upstate New York. A collection of poems, Inland, Thinking of Waves, was published by the Cleveland State University Press. Her stage plays have been produced off-Broadway, in London, Los Angeles, and states beginning with K. No screenplays have been produced, but she made a decent living writing for Paramount, Disney, HBO and others until Hollywood broke her heart. After a period of recuperation and relocation to a place with much worse weather, she began writing Guinevere: Bright Shadow, her first novel. A second novel, The Real Girl, is in progress.
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Giveaway Alert!
The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B&N gift card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway| Dec 26 | Gina Rae Mitchell | Dec 27 | Fabulous and Brunette |
| Dec 28 | Kit ‘N Kabookle | Dec 29 | Momma Says To Read or Not to Read |
| Dec 30 | The Key Of Love | Jan 2 | Sandra’s Book Club |
| Jan 2 | Westveil Publishing | Jan 3 | All the Ups and Downs |
| Jan 3 | Long and Short Reviews | Jan 4 | Novels Alive |
| Jan 5 | Sybrina’s Book Blog | Jan 6 | Joanne Guidoccio |
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
I enjoyed read Sarah Provost bio. What an interesting and exciting career she has had. I don’t know about leaving the west coast for the east coast. I don’t like the cold.
Yeah, Audrey, there have been many frigid days when I regretted it!
Thanks for hosting!
Hi Friends. Thanks for stopping by, and a big thank you to Jenna for hosting! I look forward to your comments and questions.
Audrey commented on the varied career I’ve had. Have any of you led similarly patchwork lives? What do you like about it, and what do you not?
Thanks again, Jenna, for hosting.