Recently I discovered All Booked Up, a very interesting Blog for lovers of fantasy, science-fiction and historical novels:

"Reviews of the books I read. A mix of all sorts from classic to new books, history to science fiction/fantasy and beyond. Also the occasional rambling post about books and reading in general."

To my delight, All Booked Up was willing to do a review of Curse of the Tahiéra. I will post a link when it is published.

All Booked Up: First (and second) hardcopy book for review.

I'm so pleased Authors of Myspace posted a little interview with me on their blog, as well as a description of my newly released book!
You can read the interview here
(you may have to scroll down a bit)

Michèlle Ross, talented artist from England tapped into the magic world of the Tahiéra and did a gorgeous illustration for the sequel!

Here is a detail of the illustration.
Click on the picture to get a bigger resolution.

The complete picture will be in the sequel: 'The Search for Tzanáta.'
Out this autumn!


Visit Michèlles website for more of her artwork.

It remains a mystery to me where inspiration comes from.

I had taken a number of books with me on my trip to Kefalonia to feed my imagination, among which was 'Celtic Myths and Legends'.

One afternoon I was sipping an overpriced cappuccino in the 'demi-mondaine' (to Kefalonian standards) harbour of Fiskardo when I felt it. A cloud of inspiration. It came from overseas, drifted towards me and passed through me, a cloud of images, colours, feelings, and impressions. Celtic impressions. How I knew that? I felt it.

The impressions haven't formed into definite stories or parts of stories yet, but never mind. They came, and will do their thing. What, and how? I don't know. But it feels good.

Well, I just got back from an inspiring two weeks on my favourite Greek island - the lovely green island of Kefalonia, where Curse of the Tahiera was 'conceived'.

The beautiful ancient olive tree that is featured on the cover of the book grows here, on the hill above Antisamos overlooking Sami bay, where a few great blocks of stone from the Mycean period (2000 BC) still stand proudly. His/her mate, another stunning ancient olive tree, stands a few meters away, overlooking Antisamis bay.

I took a moment to connect with this lovely tree, that has many faces (I've taken about 30 photographs!) and must have seen a lot of history. Much of the lovely many-flowered island's history is violent, with invaders coming at it left and right for centuries. Among them were the Romans, who laid siege to the beautiful proud ancient Mycean city of Same (Sami) on top of the hill and finally conquered it, the last of the four Kefalonian city-states to be taken, and took the inhabitants away as slaves.

Yet when I connected with this place for the first time, I felt nothing but peace and joy - somehow, the earth only seems to remember the heart-felt pride of the people who dwelt here for centuries, their joy and zest for life, and the dance of the nymphs that still dwell in the caves in the hills!

The tree itself, an amazing example of perpetuating life, young branches and new leafs sprouting from seemingly dead wood, exudes a wordless kind of peace. I sat with it, touching its rough bark, and imagined myself being the tree, seeing it all for centuries, the sieges, the wars, the pirate attacks, and finally the nazis taking over the island in World War II.
And all I felt this tree radiating was: 'It is all well. All is Peace. All is Well...'

The English edition of Curse of the Tahiéra is now available!
I'm so thrilled!
US and UK residents may order it through Booklocker (it will also be available through Amazon and other online bookstores soon).
www.booklocker.com/books/4021.html
Or order your copy at your amazon store!

Residents of the Netherlands and other European countries may want to order directly from my site...there will be a limited number of signed copies available soon ;-)
www.wendygillissen.com/verkrijgbaar.htm

Yay, the English edition of Curse of the Tahiéra has been accepted for publication by Booklocker in the U.S.!
They accept less than 10% of proposals, so I'm very proud:-)
I'm doing a last manuscript check-up at the moment; it will take about a month before the book is in print.
I'm very happy with Booklocker, sympathetic no-nonsense people who are always happy to help!:-) If you're curious about Booklocker, there's a link to them under 'Favorites'.

Op 2e paasdag signeer ik in de Frontier Bookshop in Amsterdam! Zin om langs te komen en in een informele sfeer van gedachten te wisselen? Kom dan langs tussen 14:00 en 17:00 aan de Leliegraacht 42 in Amsterdam.

Frontier Bookshop heeft een uitgebreid assortiment aan boeken, tijdschriften, DVD's, video's, instrumenten en kristallen op het gebied van grensverleggende onderwerpen, zoals: Alternatieve geneeswijzen, Alternatieve gezondheid, New Age, enz.

Bonzie is a fashion studio in Ireland where Bonzie and her aunt Ger make the most scrumptious creations you might label as 'tattered steampunk chique'.

On the back cover of 'Curse of the Tahiéra' I'm pictured wearing one of her creations.

When Bonzie mailed me she would do a feature on me in her 'Client corner' I didn't expect it to be so extensive! Not only does she mention the book, but also the outfit I might be wearing on the cover of part two, 'Search for Tzanáta'!

Thanks Bonzie, you're the greatest!:-D
http://www.designsbybonzie.blogspot.com

Music is one of the things (besides nature) that inspire me most. The writing process usually starts with an our on the couch with an mp3-player with a stock of Celtic tunes by Loreena McKennitt, Omnia and Altan, but also less well-known artists (at least, in the Netherlands) like Cecile Corbel, Catriona McKay and Julie Fowliss.

Tradional Celtic folk music has a particular inspiriational power. If I can, I try playing the ancient melodies myself.

Here is a song by Omnia that brings me to the Wood at once, with its dancing elves, and the daunting figure of the Woodland King, a being that represents both dark and light, for transcending them he is both... Because in nature there is no good or evil, everything IS.