I am pleased to introduce M.K Wiseman, as part of a blog tour to celebrate her book, The Kithseeker. Welcome Duvet Dwellers Books and over to you.
Real History versus Fantasy History; or, the Dangers of Pushing Research Too Far
I almost went back to change the title of this post. In hindsight it comes across as quite menacing. But then, considering the topic at hand, I think I’ll keep it as typed. For you see, my writing jam is historical fantasy and sometimes real history just … *shiver
Have you ever heard of Hew Draper? I ran across his name while putting together a few fun table props for a convention I attended in August. ExpectoCon in Madison, Wisconsin is a new immersive wizards and witches weekend brought to you by the same mind that created the series of TeslaCon immersive steampunk conventions. As such, I needed a few really nifty outfits and a set of cool new props.
I decided to be so bold as to do a cheeky mild cosplay of one of my own characters. Well, more a nod than a true character cosplay. I fashioned Nagarath’s cinnabar staff and tried to have at least one of my weekend outfits resemble something akin to what I believe a 17th century Croatian wizard would wear. And I made reference books.
And to do so, I did (admittedly shoddy) research so that I could have with me the means to discuss, at length, various magickal histories. Books. Wizards. Strange facts (e.g. the history of the wand is quite fascinating). These filled my little note books in the hope that I could fill strangers’ ears with impromptu in-character lectures. To some extent, I was successful in this attempt and had a blast doing so. But to another extent this exercise mainly served to scare me.
Nicholas Flamel—made more recently famous through J. K. Rowling’s having dropped his history into the Harry Potter series—proved an interesting if non-threatening maybe-maybe-not wizard. I mention Hew Draper above. He managed something potentially more exciting. I say potentially for, no record exists of his having escaped the Salt Tower of the Tower of London on May 30, 1561 … but neither does there exist proof that he did not, in fact, conjure himself away after making the cryptic astrological carving on the wall of his cell.
And then there’s La Voisin. Catherine Monvoisin, French poisoner for hire for the aristocracy in the seventeenth century. Her fate we know. She was publicly executed in Paris on February 22, 1680. Charge of witchcraft (amongst other things.) I stopped researching when I found out how she was performing “black masses” and I figured I no longer wanted to know anything of real wizards from history.
I guess I’ll stick to fantasy for now?
The Kithseeker
Title: The Kithseeker
Author: M.K Wiseman
Genre: Historical fantasy
Release date: 21st August 2018
Blurb
France, 1680
Liara’s defense of the Wizard Nagarath has rendered Anisthe incantate–bereft of magick–but even this cannot guarantee her safety. Because the death of her father-in-magick would seal the girl’s fate, necessity demands she and her wizard maintain a watchful eye on the war mage, while protecting her from his dark designs.
Anisthe has embarked on a journey across Europe, aided by his half-fey manservant with an agenda all his own. They search for a legendary mirror that contains the world’s most powerful magick. Although the stuff of fairytales, the possibility of its existence compels Nagarath and Liara to seek the artifact themselves. Both know that should Anisthe lay claim to that power, Liara would be at his mercy and not even Nagarath could save her.
Thus, the pair find themselves at Versailles, surrounded by agents who ferret out magick users and destroy them. Uncertain who is friend and who is foe, with their rival on their heels, they must discover the mirror before Anisthe releases its evil, or worse, it lays claim to Liara’s magick and brings doom upon them all.
Purchase Links
https://smile.amazon.com/Kithseeker-Bookminder-Book-2-ebook/dp/B07FMSMHW8/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kithseeker-Bookminder-Book-2-ebook/dp/B07FMSMHW8/
Author Bio
M. K. Wiseman has degrees in animation/video and library science – both from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Today, her office is a clutter of storyboards and half-catalogued collections of too, too many books. (But, really, is there such a thing as too many books?) When she’s not mucking about with stories, she’s off playing brač or lying in a hammock in the backyard of her Cedarburg home that she shares with her endlessly patient husband.
Social Media Links
https://twitter.com/FaublesFables
https://www.facebook.com/FaublesFables/
https://www.instagram.com/faublesfables/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7073540.M_K_Wiseman
http://mkwisemanauthor.com
Thank you for visiting M.K Wiseman and I love the idea of cosplay and hope you took lots of photos. I am also tempted to read more of the real wizards you researched.
For book reviews on her book The Kithseeker, why not pop in to other blogs in the tour. Details are below.
From Under the Duvet 