The Pomander and The Chatelaine are parts 1 and 2, respectively, of the Bryonia Farrow Duology, which will also serve as an introduction to my alternate world, The Halfwood.
The Pomander: After enduring a sheltered life and a closed door to her magic, Bryonia Farrow is welcomed into a new blacksmith guild in the capital city. Along the way, she meets and befriends Amalia, an enchantress and retired member of the Halfwood Council, who sees through Bryonia’s angry exterior and begins to teach her how to use magic. In the capital city, they begin a store called White Stag Mercantile, which is fronted by a friend so that neither of their names get out into the public sphere. In the midst of their secrecy, Bryonia doesn’t let Amalia in on her deepest shame – the debt she owes to a mystical healer despite being unable to save her husband from a terrible sickness – but Bryonia doesn’t know that Amalia has secrets of her own. Eventually, their half-truths and forsaken promises catch up with each other, and they must come to terms with the many faces of desperation and loyalty. Release: TBD 2022.
The Chatelaine: Tells the story of how The Halfwood Society began to use keys to enter The Halfwood. Details forthcoming.
What is The Halfwood? Hundreds of years ago, some say almost a thousand, a wicked man named Morgan entered The Halfwood through a portal and eventually used it as his place of escape from those on earth who sought revenge against him. Lady Cadwyn joins him – a lifetime with him in exchange for the people’s peace. Future Halfwood books include The Halfwood Society Series, featuring The Museum of Halfwood Things, which will tell the tales of Everett Atwood, Carter Pierce, Reverend Harris, and more.
The Halfwood Council and The Halfwood Society are two sides of the same organization – the Council exists as the Halfwood’s authority in dealing goods traded with earth, and the Society is the earth-side authority, each working with their respective citizens. After years of mismanagement by traders, allowed and even encouraged by the authorities, the Society and Council are almost completely shutdown. Only a secret faction is left to protect the goods that remain in the basement of a church in England. When Carter and Everett discover that secret trading is being conducted behind closed doors, they must act to put an end to The Halfwood’s grip on earth before its once-dormant lust for domination seeps out into the world.
I’m looking forward to sharing this world and these characters with you! – P. G. Evers