Wings Unseen
Author: Rebecca Gomez Farrell
Published by: Meerkat Press
Publication Date: August 22nd, 2017
Genre: YA Fantasy
Book Description:
To end a civil war, Lansera’s King Turyn relinquished a quarter of his kingdom to create Medua, exiling all who would honor greed over valor to this new realm on the other side of the mountains. The Meduans and Lanserim have maintained an uneasy truce for two generations, but their ways of life are as compatible as oil and water.
When Vesperi, a Meduan noblewoman, kills a Lanserim spy with a lick of her silver flame, she hopes the powerful display of magic will convince her father to name her as his heir. She doesn’t know the act will draw the eye of the tyrannical Guj, Medua’s leader, or that the spy was the brother of Serrafina Gavenstone, the fiancèe of Turyn’s grandson, Prince Janto. As Janto sets out for an annual competition on the mysterious island of Braven, Serra accepts an invitation to study with the religious Brotherhood, hoping for somewhere to grieve her brother’s murder in peace. What she finds instead is a horror that threatens both countries, devouring all living things and leaving husks of skin in its wake.
To defeat it, Janto and Serra must learn to work together with the only person who possesses the magic that can: the beautiful Vesperi, whom no one knows murdered Serra’s brother. An ultimate rejection plunges Vesperi forward toward their shared destiny, with the powerful Guj on her heels and the menacing beating of unseen wings all about.
Readers of all ages will enjoy Wings Unseen, Rebecca Gomez Farrell’s first full-length novel. It is a fully-imagined epic fantasy with an unforgettable cast of characters.
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EXCERPT
Vesperi
"Vesperi Sellwyn! It has been ages since I saw you last. You have been too busy with those fancy lordlings to come visit old Graw." His voice scratched like the black scruff on his chin. "Though I have noticed fewer coteries riding through of late." He cocked his head. "Did those suitors find the merchandise too used?"
She glared. "None of them were suited to my needs."
"Oh, I am certain I have something that would suit your needs." He grabbed at the sagging bulge beneath his belt.
She ignored him. "You do, actually. I have need of fallowent. Do you know of it?"
"Fallowent, aye, I may have some of that, though it's scarce these days. The plants grow best by the river, and they disappear as fast as the Sell's waters." His face lit up as he spoke, confirming what Vesperi had pieced together years ago—this man loved his craft more than his pleasures. He was harmless, as far as men went.
Each hobbled step he took drew forth a curse. After some shuffling and banging, he returned with a pot in hand. Cloying scents of honey and musk rose up as he lifted the lid. She dipped a finger and it came out coated in black, sticky seeds no bigger than a flea.
"I will need more of it." She had no idea how long it would last. "So you had best figure out how to get some or my father will hear of it."
His face paled. "I will. There is no need to tell your father. I will have the guards take me foraging tomorrow."
"Good. I will return for more next week."
He raised his elbows as she made to leave but stopped her at the door. "You were right—"
She narrowed her eyes.
"—about those men, your suitors? To reject them."
Vesperi had little patience for stammering, but this was an unexpected compliment.
"I know you are a woman and Saeth teaches that women are prized only for their cunts and the kitchens, but fallowent won't do anything to make that brother of yours a man. He would let us all fall into the hands of Durn, or Saeth forbid, the cow lords of Yarowen."
Graw shuddered, and Vesperi gave him a brilliant smile, encouraging him to continue. "I would—I would rather you take over than him someday, and you can't do that if you get married. I am very attached to my store, you see—" he petted the padded arm of his chair, "—and I would prefer things stay this way."
"If we are lucky, my father will live many more years."
"Of course," he said hurriedly. "I did not mean to suggest—"
"You didn't," she assured him. "And Saeth may yet give my mother another son Lord Sellwyn can be proud of. We must pray for that."
He nodded, eyes downcast. But his head lifted when she placed an extra pile of souzers on the table.
"Your loyalty is noted by House Sellwyn." It was all she could say safely. She exited without another word, but the hood did not feel quite as binding when she pulled it over her head.
"Vesperi Sellwyn! It has been ages since I saw you last. You have been too busy with those fancy lordlings to come visit old Graw." His voice scratched like the black scruff on his chin. "Though I have noticed fewer coteries riding through of late." He cocked his head. "Did those suitors find the merchandise too used?"
She glared. "None of them were suited to my needs."
"Oh, I am certain I have something that would suit your needs." He grabbed at the sagging bulge beneath his belt.
She ignored him. "You do, actually. I have need of fallowent. Do you know of it?"
"Fallowent, aye, I may have some of that, though it's scarce these days. The plants grow best by the river, and they disappear as fast as the Sell's waters." His face lit up as he spoke, confirming what Vesperi had pieced together years ago—this man loved his craft more than his pleasures. He was harmless, as far as men went.
Each hobbled step he took drew forth a curse. After some shuffling and banging, he returned with a pot in hand. Cloying scents of honey and musk rose up as he lifted the lid. She dipped a finger and it came out coated in black, sticky seeds no bigger than a flea.
"I will need more of it." She had no idea how long it would last. "So you had best figure out how to get some or my father will hear of it."
His face paled. "I will. There is no need to tell your father. I will have the guards take me foraging tomorrow."
"Good. I will return for more next week."
He raised his elbows as she made to leave but stopped her at the door. "You were right—"
She narrowed her eyes.
"—about those men, your suitors? To reject them."
Vesperi had little patience for stammering, but this was an unexpected compliment.
"I know you are a woman and Saeth teaches that women are prized only for their cunts and the kitchens, but fallowent won't do anything to make that brother of yours a man. He would let us all fall into the hands of Durn, or Saeth forbid, the cow lords of Yarowen."
Graw shuddered, and Vesperi gave him a brilliant smile, encouraging him to continue. "I would—I would rather you take over than him someday, and you can't do that if you get married. I am very attached to my store, you see—" he petted the padded arm of his chair, "—and I would prefer things stay this way."
"If we are lucky, my father will live many more years."
"Of course," he said hurriedly. "I did not mean to suggest—"
"You didn't," she assured him. "And Saeth may yet give my mother another son Lord Sellwyn can be proud of. We must pray for that."
He nodded, eyes downcast. But his head lifted when she placed an extra pile of souzers on the table.
"Your loyalty is noted by House Sellwyn." It was all she could say safely. She exited without another word, but the hood did not feel quite as binding when she pulled it over her head.
About the Author
In all but one career aptitude test Rebecca Gomez Farrell has taken, writer has been the #1 result. But when she tastes the salty air and hears the sea lions bark, she wonders if maybe sea captain was the right choice after all. Currently marooned in Oakland, CA, Becca is an associate member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Her short stories, which run the gamut of speculative fiction genres, have been published by Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Pulp Literature, the Future Fire, Typehouse Literary Magazine, and an upcoming story in theDark, Luminous Wings anthology from Pole to Pole Publishing among others. Maya’s Vacation, her contemporary romance novella, is available from Clean Reads. She is thrilled to have Meerkat Press publish her debut novel.
Becca’s food, drink, and travel writing, which has appeared in local media in CA and NC, can primarily be found at her blog, The Gourmez. For a list of all her published work, fiction and nonfiction, check out her author website at RebeccaGomezFarrell.com.
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Congrats on the recent release, sounds great, and thanks for the chance :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lisa! Glad you liked this excerpt.
DeleteThanks for being on the tour! :)
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to reading it!
ReplyDeleteI hope you'll love it, Maria!
DeleteThanks, Al, and CBY Books, for hosting this excerpt from my book! It's part of one of my favorite chapters, actually. I'll be reading it at an event this weekend in the Bay Area!
ReplyDeleteThe book description and excerpt sounds intriguing. Thanks for sharing. Love the cover too.
ReplyDeleteMeerkat Press did a great job getting the perfect cover for the book!
Deletethis book sounds good
ReplyDeleteI hope you'll read and enjoy it!
DeleteThis book sounds very interesting.
ReplyDeleteI'm thrilled you think so, Debra!
DeleteJust goes to show, you can't go licking any old spy.
ReplyDeleteHa ha, Richard! Glad you enjoyed the excerpt.
DeleteSounds Incredible!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jodi!
DeleteThis sounds awesome!
ReplyDeletemia2009(at)comcast(dot)net
Glad you think so! Thanks for reading the excerpt.
DeleteI think this sounds very good! I really like this style of book.
ReplyDeleteI hope you will enjoy it if you check it out!
DeleteLooks and sounds great Thank you
ReplyDeleteHope you like it!
DeleteThanks for this giveaway.
ReplyDeleteSounds very Game of Thronish exciting.
ReplyDeleteIt's epic in a smaller way, but does have multiple POVs for a full picture of the story. Hope you check it out!
DeleteCongrats on the new book and the tour. An awesome synopsis and excerpt. I love these types of stories that I can enjoy reading myself and then share with my teen-aged granddaughter.
ReplyDeleteOh this sounds like such a great read! I love the books that keep me thinking...and guessing whats going to happen next!
ReplyDeleteI have loved fantasy since I was a young child. I love that nowadays it is a genre that is much more open to embracing heroic female characters!
ReplyDelete