Pale Queen's Courtyard, Mesopotamian spear-and-sorcery, $2.99

[Marcin Wrona]

Kamvar, a soldier, has lost his way. Leonine, a thief and sorcerer, has forgotten that he had one to lose.

When the daughter of a High Priest finds herself exiled and hunted across the entirety of conquered Ekka, both men will remember who they are, and the country's invaders will learn that memories, unlike temples, are not so easily torn down.

Pale Queen's Courtyard is the first novel by Canadian author Marcin Wrona, and a finalist in SciFiNow's 2009 War of the Words.

What is it?
Historical fantasy, inspired by ancient Mesopotamia under Persian rule. This book is part of a series of three stand-alone but related novels, with each building on the events of the last.

In what order are the books presented?
Pale Queen's Courtyard
Golden Feathers Falling
When On High

Who will they appeal to?
Readers looking for a character-driven tale in a land of ziggurats and great rivers.

Is there sorcery and derring-do?
And thievery, and a struggle against imperial oppression!

Who are you?
I'm a Polish-born Canadian author, a multiple immigrant, a mustachio-twirling financier, and many other things besides. I live and work in Toronto.

Why did you publish through Kindle?
Because the lure of taking my career into my own hands was far too tempting to resist.

I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

[Stephen Prosapio]

Sounds like a great read. Welcome and all the best of luck to you!

[Marcin Wrona]

Thanks kindly! I'm sad I didn't find this place earlier.

[Ann in Arlington]

Welcome to KindleBoards, Marcin, and congratulations on your book! 

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[Marcin Wrona]

Thanks for the information. I'd be happy to field any questions people might have about myself or my writing.

[Marcin Wrona]

A quick excerpt from Pale Queen's Courtyard. Leonine has come to steal, and to do so he'll need to seduce a manor's mistress.


“What is this?” Leonine asked, genuinely curious. “I’ve never tasted its like.”

“Wine made from the plum,” she said. “I am told it is a round, violet fruit that grows on the islands that make up Akros. Amashuk introduced me to it… though it is difficult to get. Akrosian goods have been too scarce of late.”

How true, he observed wryly. Akrosian ships only rarely came to Sarvagadis or Adarpa – that was, in fact, precisely why he’d come.

He drained his cup, and grinned at her. “I could be persuaded not to denounce you to the Master of Coin, if you’d be so kind as to pour another.”

“I suppose I’m at your mercy,” she said. Taking up the ewer, Ila-uanna leaned in close to pour another cup. The scent of jasmine and cloves lingered when she drew back.

They played, and talked of inconsequential things. She was born not far away, in Inatum, the daughter of a once well-to-do family that had fallen on difficult times since the conquest of Ekka by the Merezadesh – “your people”, she had called them. He told her that he had grown up poor and humble in Sarvash, and that he learned to play the lyre from a kindly uncle. She spoke wistfully of a marriage she had been forced into and a husband that, over time, she had come to love. He spoke of a life spent single, a traveler with neither the wealth nor the time to attract a wife. As her horsemen struck across the river and attacked his flanks, she told him that she was terribly lonely. And wasn’t he also? He said he was, sometimes.

When she spoke, her rich voice wove strands of pain, joy and regret; a tapestry of a life halfway lived. There was honesty in it.  In what he had told her there was little honesty, although perhaps some of the regret was real. He too had lived life halfway.

[Marcin Wrona]

Through a stroke of serendipity, this week's bump time happens to dovetail with an interview with the fine folks at indiereads.net.

Check it out here.

[Marcin Wrona]

I've updated my photo! If you ever wanted to know what a Marcin looks like, now you do.

[Marcin Wrona]

“Wrona’s style and voice is where he shines. It is a bit different than a majority of the books out there, but once you’re in, you’re hooked. His narratives craft a vivid, honest world. Aspiring authors could take notes on how to work with fictional societies, religions and politics without stopping to explain anything. He effortlessly adds in a story of magic and sorcery that is such a part of a believable world, you just might forget that it never really happened.”

Read the whole review here.

[Marcin Wrona]

The average Mesopotamian meal consisted of unleavened bread and onions, with beer to wash it down. Rich folk had a somewhat more exciting diet. In addition to a bit of meat on their plates, they ate lots and lots of delicious fruit. Dates and pomegranates were particularly well loved.

[Marcin Wrona]

Like Egypt, Mesopotamia was wholly dependent on great rivers that could be harnessed to turn desert into arable land. But unlike the Nile, which overflowed only rarely, the Tigris and Euphrates were very prone to breaking their riverbeds if just a little too much rain fell, and they'd routinely sweep entire villages away in their wake.

[Marcin Wrona]

Pale Queen's Courtyard's stand-alone sequel is now through its second draft, and has been sent off to beta readers. We're on track for an August release as planned.

[Marcin Wrona]

Good evening, world. Just a few days of $0.99ness remain.

[Marcin Wrona]

A five-star Smashwords review calls Pale Queen's Courtyard: "...well written and captivating. The main characters are well developed and the story flows well...It is a very good book and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a good read."

[Marcin Wrona]

Reviews are starting to come in. Check them out at Amazon.

In other news, I liked the artist I got for my next book so much that I had him put together a gorgeous new cover for Pale Queen's Courtyard.

[Marcin Wrona]

A Smashwords review says:

"The story moves along at a good pace, and you never feel lost in the details, and there are a lot of details. The characters are well rounded with the potential for both have both good and bad. All in all this was an enjoyable read."

Also, keep an eye out for Golden Feathers Falling, the stand-alone follow-up to Pale Queen's Courtyard.

[Marcin Wrona]

Good morning. Golden Feathers Falling is out and available on Amazon. Check out the thread here.

[Marcin Wrona]

The final stand-alone novel of this series is on track for a December 2011 release. In the meantwixt, why not read the first two?

[Marcin Wrona]

Bumpity. Happy back-to-school, parents.

[Marcin Wrona]

If you're interested in a shot at a free copy of Pale Queen's Courtyard, you may want to visit Red Tash's Trick-or-Treat Bash, here. Plenty of authors have come out to play, so go check it out and see if something tickles your fancy.

[Marcin Wrona]

The monster-iest of months is almost upon us. Read a book with a bit of darkness in it!

[Marcin Wrona]

Weekly bump.

[Marcin Wrona]

A Smashwords review says of PQC: "This book is really going to be on my favorites list!"

In other news, the give-away at Red Tash's Halloween Bash has almost come to an end! There's still time to enter, so do it now for a chance at a Kindle and all sorts of great books.

[Marcin Wrona]

Weekly bump. Congratulations to Red Tash's contest winner.

[Marcin Wrona]

The last book of the series, When on High, is now available. For more information, read here!