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Lucy Hounsom: Author

Also writing as Lucy Holland

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01/07/17

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Author, SFF podcaster, book merchant Read More…

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𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘛𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘸𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦-𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘢 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨-𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬.

🍁

#tolkien #tolkienquotes #lotr #thehobbit #waterfall #river #woodland #woodlandscene #autumniscoming #favbooks #bookstagram #fantasy #fairycore #faerie #devon #visitdevon #canonteignfalls #forest

𝑶𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆

𝑶𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒉...

Mum and I had a lovely walk at Canonteign Falls this afternoon. Some delicious cake in the cafe, a wander through the wood, and then a climb up the 90 steps of tree roots and mossy rocks to reach the top. Pic of the view in my story.

October is such a wonderful month. Woodsmoke on the air, chill mornings that mellow into cool afternoons, phoenix feather trees... It has none of the sadness of September when you can feel summer fading. Even though it heralds darker days. No wonder festivals like Samhain are celebrated this month. Liminality has power.

✿

#canonteignfalls #devon #visitdevon #autumncolour #fallcolors #rustic #cottagecore #afternoonwalk #westcountry #southwestengland #samhain #autumnishere #octoberdays

🏰 Raglan Castle 🏰 2021 has turned into a bi

🏰 Raglan Castle 🏰

2021 has turned into a bit of a castle-visiting year. Tintagel in April, Raglan and Castell y Bere in June, and Caerphilly + whatever others we find nearby later this month. Bonus Tintern Abbey in September.

@drvictoriajames suggested we stopped at Hay en route to Wales, but then I stumbled across Raglan and we were both wowed by its sheer size – more like a citadel. If you're in the area, do visit. It's glorious.

➳

#raglancastle #raglan #castlesofbritain #wales #renaissance #tudor #ruinedcastle #castlecore #romanticruins #history #oldarchitecture #oldbuildings #historicalbuildings #scenicbritain

I am so thrilled that Sistersong is @barnesandnobl

I am so thrilled that Sistersong is @barnesandnoble's October Discover Pick!

For a little known author, it's been wonderful seeing my book in so many shops and table displays – swipe for one courtesy of the lovely folks at @bn_whiteplains.

I said I loved being tagged in books-in-the-wild pics and you have taken me at my word! I am really enjoying seeing them all and your stores too ❤

Huge love to everyone who is handselling and recommending Sistersong to readers – I can't thank you enough for helping it find its feet over there 🥰

#sistersong #barnesandnoble #bndiscover #orbitbooksus #orbit21 #redhookbooks #sistersong #lucyholland #speculativefiction
#fantasybooks #bookstagram #bookish #bookishfeatures #instabook #bibliophile
#bookphotography #booksofinstagram #igreads #instareads #booksinnature #autumnreads #fallbooks

❝I know of the leafy paths that the witches take

❝I know of the leafy paths that the witches take
Who come with their crowns of pearl and their spindles of wool,
And their secret smile, out of the depths of the lake;

I know where a dim moon drifts, where the Danaan kind
Wind and unwind their dances when the light grows cool
On the island lawns, their feet where the pale foam gleams.

No boughs have withered because of the wintry wind;
The boughs have withered because I have told them my dreams.❞

✿

From 'The Withering of the Boughs' – some Yeats (one of my favourite poets) for National Poetry Day

#nationalpoetryday #yeats #wbyeats #irishpoetry #irishfolklore #irishmyth #folklorethursday #autummtrees #fall #autumncolours #woodland #glade #fairycore #faerierealm
#baretrees #tuathadedanann #devon

𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐵𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝐻𝒶𝓇𝓅

𝘐𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭, 𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘮, 𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵-𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘦’𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱’𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯, 𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘳 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦, 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦.
𝘐𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳 . . . 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘪𝘵, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘣𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘩.

𝘔𝘺𝘳𝘥𝘩𝘪𝘯’𝘴 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘭, 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦. ‘𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶,’ 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴.

✿

I am in awe of @pepperdinecreations! The bone harp was a collaborative project which I only contributed some words and a vision to and Becky merged that with her own vision and extreme crafting skills to bring the bone harp from Sistersong to life. It is enormously more creepy seeing this in reality than simply imagining it. And it did make me reflect on *that* scene...

Do go check out Becky's page for more incredible creations. Sistersong is published in the US on Tuesday! (Link in bio)

✿

#orbitbooksus #orbit21 #redhookbooks #sistersong #lucyholland #speculativefiction #historicalfantasy #fantasybooks #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #igreads #instareads #crafting #boneharp
#folktale #folkballad #murderballad #harp

𝕬𝖓𝖌𝖑𝖔 𝕾𝖆𝖝𝖔𝖓 𝕶𝖎

𝕬𝖓𝖌𝖑𝖔 𝕾𝖆𝖝𝖔𝖓 𝕶𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖉𝖔𝖒𝖘

It was a toss up between this map and one of Roman Britain, also drawn by the brilliant @manuscriptmaps. The detail is stunning.

For those interested in the world of Sistersong, here is Dumnonia in relation to the rest of Britain. The Celtic Britons were pushed ever further west into Wales and Cornwall, but held out for many years against the English, who referred to all natives as Welshmen. (Welsh being derived from Wælisc meaning "foreigner"). Pretty insulting considering they were the ones invading...

The words British and English now tend to be used interchangeably alongside being 'from the UK', but the formation of this national identity was a complex process where peoples, religions and cultures violently collided. And I haven't even mentioned the Vikings or Normans...

Anyway, history is cool. Maps are cool. Please pre-order my book if you're in the US or Canada! Only 5 days to go...

➳

#maps #cartography #ancientmaps #anglosaxon #britishhistory #history #medievalhistory #Sistersong #bookstagram #igreads #instareads #historicalfantasy #2021books #2021reads #bookishfeatures

'𝘖𝘯 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨'

My colleague took this photo on his way to work the other day – I just edited it. Peak Dumnonia that made me think of the Jackie Leven song. Any other Jackie fans on here? I really don't know any!

✿

#mist #mistymorning #autumn #autumniscoming #september #dawn #dawnsky #otterystmary #countryside #dumnonia #devon #visitdevon #westcountry #jackieleven #naturephotography #beautifulnature

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬

12 days to go until US publication! Lots of cool things in Sistersong, here are just a few of them 🧡

➳

#historicalfantasy #orbitbooksus #bookishfeatures #bookquote
#orbit21 #redhookbooks #sistersong #lucyholland #speculativefiction
#fantasybooks #bookstagram #bookish #instabook #bibliophile #bookphotography #booksofinstagram #igreads

𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝟏𝟎𝟏𝐭𝐡 𝐛𝐢

𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝟏𝟎𝟏𝐭𝐡 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲!

Or is it 101st? I mean how many people get to write that their grandparent is 101?!

Interrupting my writing-castles-nature aesthetic to bring you Grandma Iris, whose birthday we celebrated yesterday. That's her boyfriend, Pat, a scant 92 years old. My grandpa has been gone two decades now so it's quite wonderful to have my grandma still with us. She is such an inspiration. And how great does she look!

🎈

#grandma #grandmother #101years #happybirthday
#family #century #1920

Both times I've dropped by Topsham this summer, th

Both times I've dropped by Topsham this summer, the clouds have been ~dramatic~ think it's Dartmoor's dark work.

☁️

#topsham #exeter #devon #westcountry #visitdevon #clouds #dramaticsky #riverexe #estuary

𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘨,

𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘨, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘸𝘢𝘺

(Hadestown is great, right)?

Sistersong publishes in less than 3 weeks and where has the time gone? I have been so engrossed in writing the followup book that the months have just flown by.

Today I am honoured to share another lovely blurb, this time from the phenomenal @hwhittenwrites!

"Sistersong truly reads like a ballad—beautiful and mournful, a melody that sticks in your head. An absolutely stunning book."

—Hannah Whitten, author of For the Wolf

➳

#Sistersong #orbitbooks #orbitbooksus #blurb
#orbit21 #redhookbooks #lucyholland #speculativefiction
#fantasybooks #instareads
#bookstagram #bookish #instabook #bookishfeatures #booksofinstagram
#booksofig #igreads

First draft of the new book sent off to my editor

First draft of the new book sent off to my editor today and I don't know what to do with myself except to say that Sistersong is published in the US 3 weeks tomorrow! Pre-order link is in my bio and as pre-orders are so very vital to authors, please help spread the word however you can 🙏

I know I owe my subscribers a newsletter, I did start to write one 6 weeks ago but the deadline was looming and I really have been working solidly every possible day to meet it. I promise I'll catch up with all the things I let slide! Tonight, however, calls for a glass of wine and an episide of Mo Dao Zu Shi final season 😏

#Sistersong #2021reads #orbitbooks #fantasy #historicalfantasy #fantasybooks #tinternabbey #booksinthewild #orbit21 #redhookbooks #wip #bookstagram #instareads #igreads #igbooks #upcoming #autumnreads

The upside of rain flooding the abbey was amazing

The upside of rain flooding the abbey was amazing reflections. Perhaps if you gaze into the water long enough, you will glimpse a bowed and hooded head, a flash of robe or prayer book, and hear the faint sung strains of a chant...

✥

#tinternabbey #tintern #abbey #ruins #romanticruins
#medievalarchitecture #medieval #medievalbuilding #religiousbuilding #holyhouse #dramaticsky #afterrain #reflections

𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐀𝐛𝐛𝐞𝐲

𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐀𝐛𝐛𝐞𝐲

You round the final bend and it's just *there* – this incredible building. Sitting in its secluded valley surrounded by the Welsh mists which were out in force when I took this photo. No wonder Wordsworth was so moved to poetry in such a place. So here are a few of his words to start your day.

✿

Therefore let the moon
Shine on thee in thy solitary walk;
And let the misty mountain-winds be free
To blow against thee: and, in after years,
When these wild ecstasies shall be matured
Into a sober pleasure; when thy mind
Shall be a mansion for all lovely forms,
Thy memory be as a dwelling-place
For all sweet sounds and harmonies; oh! then,
If solitude, or fear, or pain, or grief,
Should be thy portion, with what healing thoughts
Of tender joy wilt thou remember me...

✿

#tinternabbey #tintern #wordsworth #poetry #nature #oldarchitecture #abbey #cistercian #monks #beautifulbuildings #medievalarchitecture #medieval #wyevalley #wales

I think many of us take the sight of drystone wall

I think many of us take the sight of drystone walling for granted, as it's such a ubiquitous part of the UK landscape.

This method of fencing has been in use for three millennia and the art of it is included in UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, which recognises the importance of preserving traditions and techniques passed down through the generations.

This beautiful bit of wall is in the Dysynni Valley, Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

#drystonewall #unesco #intangibleculturalheritage #drystonewalling #wales #agriculture #blueskies #ancientlandscape #dysynnivalley #gwynedd

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐨

Sistersong is published in the US exactly 4 weeks today on October 5th! So to mark the date, I'm honoured to share these lovely words from @jennifer.saint.author of Ariadne fame ☺️

“A beautiful reimagining of an old British folklore ballad, Sistersong weaves a captivating spell of myth and magic around the reader. Lucy Holland's lyrical prose and powerful storytelling will lure you into an eerie, intriguing world in which enemies lurk unseen, the threat of betrayal hangs heavy and sisterly loyalties are tested to their limit."

If you're in any way weary of Sistersong news (sorry not sorry lol) I hit 100,000 words on the Wild Hunt book today and now it really is a race to the finish!

➳

#orbitbooks
#orbit21 #redhookbooks #sistersong #lucyholland #speculativefiction
#fantasybooks #bookstagram #bookish #instareads #booksofinstagram
#booksofig #igreads #writersofinstagram
#wordporn #amwriting

𝐈𝐧 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧, 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐲, 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲.

UK readers! Sistersong is a kindle monthly deal for September! If you've had it on your wishlist for a while, now is the perfect time to snap it up because 99p is a steal 🔥

"Sistersong is a fresh and gripping retelling of an ancient tale. Set in a realistic, gritty world, the nuanced, compelling characters are the heart of this story about family, love, loyalty and identity. I loved it." -- John Gwynne

"A masterpiece of storytelling . . . a beautiful story of the complex and loving relationship between three siblings and how their relationship and strength influenced the lives of those around them." -- TheBookBag

➳

#Sistersong #kindlemonthlydeal #kindledeals #historicalfantasy #booksofinstagram #fantasy #bookstagram #instareads #bookish #fairycore #folktale #celtic #2021reads #amazonkindle #lucyholland #speculativefiction
#fantasybooks #bookworm #booklover #bibliophile #bookphotography #alwaysreading

How are the nights drawing in so fast!? What's mor

How are the nights drawing in so fast!? What's more I can hear fireworks, which are putting me in mind of the 5th of November.

In honour of impending autumn, have an old and mossy tree I snapped back in the cooler months when summer was just a far-off dream.

🍂

#oldtrees #beautifultrees
#mossy #fairycore #woodland #changingseasons #forestpath
#devon #stormlight #autumn

Thrilled to share some of the kind things people a

Thrilled to share some of the kind things people are saying about Sistersong 💛

“Sistersong is a marvelous tale, gracefully told in language as beautiful as the song that inspired it. It's a celebration of the power of sisterhood, the strength of earth magic, and the triumph, in the end, of fidelity to both. I fell in love with all three siblings, and I think you will, too!”

—Louisa Morgan, author of A Secret History of Witches

Things are heating up a bit now with US publication just 6 weeks away (how did that happen)?

Did I mention that I'm also on deadline (3 WEEKS) for the followup and am but a withered husk? Please make me smile by preaching the joys of the pre order! (Link in bio) And oh god, my cat has just sneezed on me and it's gone down my sleeve.

🐈

#Sistersong #bookstagram #instareads #historicalfantasy #2021books #redhookbooks #thiswritinglife #ondeadline #preordersarelove #booklove #alwayswriting

💛𝗦𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆💛

I am giving away a signed, personalised physical ARC of the US edition of Sistersong!

To enter:
➳ like this post
➳ follow me
➳ comment below with your favourite folktale, fairytale or myth🐉

International! Ends 27th August. Winner picked at random and contacted only from this account.

✿ABOUT✿

In the ancient kingdom of Dumnonia, there is old magic to be found in the whisper of the wind, the roots of the trees, the curl of the grass. King Cador knew this once, but now the land has turned from him, calling instead to his three children. Riva can cure others, but can’t seem to heal her own deep scars. Keyne battles to be accepted for who he truly is—the king’s son. And Sinne dreams of seeing the world, of finding adventure.

All three fear a life of confinement within the walls of the hold, their people’s last bastion of strength against the invading Saxons. However, change comes on the day ash falls from the sky. It brings with it Myrdhin, meddler and magician. And Tristan, a warrior whose secrets will tear them apart.

Riva, Keyne and Sinne—three siblings entangled in a web of treachery and heartbreak, who must fight to forge their own paths.

Their story will shape the destiny of Britain.

“𝘍𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘬𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥.” — Publisher's Weekly

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In a magical ancient Britain, bards sing a story of treachery, love and death. This is that story.

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