Welcome to stop number twenty five in the #exploreleira blog tour where we’re celebrating the (almost) one year book birthday for Songkeeper! It is the second book in the Songkeeper Chronicles, which tells the story of a girl who can hear the song that created the world.
If this is your first encounter with the blog tour, we are continuing a series of alphabet posts looking at the world and characters and magical creatures of the Songkeeper Chronicles … and we have an awesome giveaway that you can enter below! You can find a list of the stops and dates here: #exploreleira tour. (Links will be updated once each post becomes live.)
Today, we’re looking at the letter …
Y is for You
Apparently, nothing in the Songkeeper Chronicles begins with the letter “Y,” so I decided to do something a little bit different for this post. All this time, you guys have been listening to me talk about the characters, places, and creatures in the books. But this time, I thought it would be fun to hear from you.
So I got in touch with a few Songkeeper Chronicles fans and asked them to share something about the story, whether it was a funny story about reading the books or an insight on their favorite character. Here’s what came in!
From Deborah O’Carroll, of The Road of a Writer blog:
Once upon a time, I went on a roadtrip, from Texas to New York state. I brought two copies of Orphan’s Song by Gillian Bronte Adams with me, and returned with one.
I found it somehow appropriate that this fantasy novel, a book with an exciting journey and beloved characters (Amos, Birdie, Ky, Cade, and all), should go on an exciting journey with me to a far-away place, while I met and re-met many wonderful people. And always, like the Song in the book always goes with Birdie, I had a copy of Orphan’s Song as a companion. In fact, two copies: I took an extra to give to a friend on the way. The other copy journeyed with me all the way to far-away New York state, and I took advantage of some exotic (to this Texas-dweller) pine trees and moss to do a photo-shoot for the book, resulting in great forest-y fun. I felt like I was in a fantasy world myself, under those tall green trees with the moss at my feet and the whispering wind of adventure though the boughs. One should always have a book on a journey, if possible, and this book in particular made an excellent and loyal companion.
From Jane Maree, of the Misty Maiden Blog
From the very first moment when Ky Huntyr came onto the page of Orphan’s Song I fell in love with his character. He was such a unique character with his unending spunk and that stubborn ring that I very much related to. He had a hugely brilliant character arc, and the way he faced all his problems was just so real. Every time his point of view chapters came along, I was completely sucked in. And, particularly in Songkeeper, there were several times when I was so enthused in the book and his character that I was shivering with excitement. Ky’s personality really stuck with me, and he was one of the most memorable characters in my mind. The sort of kiddo who makes me want to read the books over again several times more.
And from fellow fantasy author, Hope Ann, of the Writing in the Light blog:
I have so many favorite characters in this series that favorite starts losing its meaning. They’re all so wonderful in so many different ways. But one of my favorite relationships is the disdain, mixed with grudging respect, between Amos and Gundhrold. It is pretty much summed up in two quotes:“Gundhrold’s head lowered until his massive beak was only inches away from Amos’s nose. ‘I am a son of the desert. This was once my home – the home of all my kind. I know every crag, every slope, ever crick and hollow-‘Amos rolled his eyes. ‘Every blatherin’ speck o’ sand?'”And then, later:“Why did the sand-blasted catbird have to be so seaswoggling logical? It was downright infuriating.”I love gruff and sarcastic characters, and one gets plenty of both when dealing with these two.
My absolute favorite character in the Songkeeper Chronicles is Amos/Hawkness (slight spoilers there!). He takes well to the role of protector, but more than that, his shadowed past, sometimes rough exterior, and hidden softness were just perfect. His relationship with Birdie throughout the books is one of my favorites throughout the series, and his dynamics with the other characters are amazing as well. Amos’ conversations with Gunthrold the griffin made me laugh out loud at times (to paraphrase: “I know this desert much better than you do.” “…Every blatherin’ speck of sand?”). Most of all, his bravery and commitment to protect Birdie are inspiring. Though he may have given up on his mission for a time, his courage shines through at the most desperate of moments.
Aw, thanks guys! I’ve also received a few fan art drawings and videos over the years! Seriously, few things make an author more excited than seeing the way other people visualize their world and characters. In fact, I keep a Pinterest board for fan art, so if you have read and enjoy the series and ever feeling an inkling to try your hand at imagining something from the books, I would love to see it!
Love the sense of action in this image of Birdie at the Westmark Bridge from Orphan’s Song, by Andrew Miller.
And here we have Ky Huntyr on the streets of Kerby – love the detail – from Orphan’s Song, by Clare Farrelly.
Here’s a glimpse of Birdie overlooking the battle of Bryllhyn from Orphan’s Song also by Clare Farrelly.
And then there’s this lovely rendition of the Songkeeper’s sword from Orphan’s Song, by Jane Maree.
And look at this beauty of Amos and Gundhrold from Songkeeper, by Clare Farrelly.
And this incredible video put together for the final scene from Songkeeper by Andrew Miller! SPOILER ALERT! It is from the final scene of Songkeeper so you may not want to watch it if you haven’t read the book. But if you have read the book, I think it’s a beautiful imagining of the scene.
Thanks to all of you who contributed fan art or sent in a story! I loved the chance to hear from you guys about the Songkeeper Chronicles. Be sure to stop back in tomorrow for the last day of the tour and a final chance to enter the giveaway.
Check out the links below to purchase the books:
Amazon: Orphan’s Song, Songkeeper
Barnes and Nobles: Orphan’s Song, Songkeeper
And before you leave, don’t forget to enter the giveaway! One lucky winner will take home a copy of Orphan’s Song, Songkeeper, and a gorgeous handmade mug. Two lucky winners will take home copies of Songkeeper! Open to international entries. Enter through the Rafflecopter below and be sure to continue following the blog tour. You can earn new entries for each post that you visit along the way. Winners will be announced after April 15th.
S is for Songkeepers and Songlings
With Artair at their head, the outlaws were a fearsome and free band. Fearsome in their freedom. For they dared to live and to love and to laugh in a world that was broken beneath the horrors unleashed by the Takhran. Numbered among the outlaws were Nisus and Jirkar, the dwarf twins from the Whyndburg Mountains, a swordsmith by trade named Lucas Peregrine from Kerby, Dalton who later owned the Sylvan Swan, a young farm boy named Oran Hamner, and the one known as Hawkness.
