Check out my guest appearance with the amazing author Ally Aldridge! On her blog, I discuss Banned Books Week (which is going to be September 22-28 this year) and the importance of creative and intellectual freedom for writers, librarians, and humanity. We have a few months to go, but there’s no harm in thinking about it early! Thank you, Ally, for this opportunity!
Tag: Promotion
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Herbs in Mystical Greenwood
April showers bring May flowers. So this month I thought I’d talk about the herbs that appear in Mystical Greenwood.
Wortcunning is a real term that I found in my research. I liked it and chose to use it in the book. The herbs Saershe employs for medicinal purposes were likewise inspired by real herbs and the treatments for which they were used.
Here they are:
Blackwort/Knitbone (Comfrey) 
Rosin Rose (St. John’s Wort) 
Red Clover 
Wild Mint 
Thousand-leaf flower/Soldier’s woundwort (Yarrow) *Photos from Wikimedia Commons.
I’ve discussed before how fantasy can often be rooted in reality, especially when it comes to world-building. Originally when I was conducting research on herbs and plants for medicinal purposes, I chose herbs primarily for their purposes and didn’t give too much initial thought to where they came from. Eventually though I decided I wanted them to all have a generally similar place of origin to make the sense of reality stronger (similar to how I chose trees sacred to the ancient Celts), so some were discarded, and new ones came in, specifically Comfrey and St. John’s Wort. Yarrow, wild mint, and red clover were there from the beginning, and I’d decided were able to be kept.
Some are referred to by their proper names in the novel. Others are instead referred to by alternate names (which are given for those who haven’t yet read the novel). I didn’t set out to use those alternate names; I found them when I was reading about those herbs. I chose to use the alternate names because I felt their proper names sounded too modern and would not fit in a fantasy world (similar you might say to how dinosaur species in the Land Before Time films were referred to by names such as “Longneck” and “Sharptooth”).
Their healing abilities may be exaggerated for the purposes of storytelling, as Saershe also uses magic when employing them (it is a work of fiction after all), but I did try to make sure their purposes would be mostly authentic, and so the story did not stray out of that feeling of reality.
Don’t forget to order your copy of Mystical Greenwood!
Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA
Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Foyles
If you enjoy the book, PLEASE post a nice review and spread the word! And if you’re a fan, order your merchandise on Deviant Art!
Further Reading
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Inscribed #3
The collection grows.
I purchased a copy of Michael Hauge‘s Writing Screenplays that Sell a long time ago, and I read it in time for him to inscribe it at the 2018 Maryland Writers’ Conference, where he was a guest speaker. His book is on my list of recommended readings for authors.
I first met Rafael Alvarez at another Maryland Writers’ Conference years earlier, and I received an inscribed copy of Hometown Boy during a talk he did at the Linthicum Community Library.
John DeDakis signed my copies of Fast Track, Bluff, and Troubled Water at the 2018 C3 Convention. I first met him when he spoke at a meeting of the Annapolis Chapter of the MWA, and he later provided an extremely helpful critique when I was editing Mystical Greenwood.
Last week at the MWA in Annapolis, Susan Moger was the guest speaker, and she signed my copy of her novel Of Better Blood.
Don’t forget to check out the rest of the collection, especially if you’re looking for some titles to add to your own to-read list:
I look forward to signing copies of Mystical Greenwood at the conference this weekend!
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Interview with author Andrew McDowell
This is my second guest appearance on Ari Meghlen’s blog. Many thanks again to Ari for this opportunity, and if you’re a writer looking to do an interview, I highly recommend her site.
Author Ari Meghlen Official Website
Today I welcome back author and good friend of mine, Andrew McDowell who has shared his advice with us before. Today he agreed to do an author interview. Check out his answers below :)
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Gryphons and Dragons and Unicorns!
Gryphons and dragons and unicorns, oh my! Yeah, I couldn’t resist. Mystical Greenwood features these three mythical creatures, as was revealed in the book trailer created by Mockingbird Lane Press. So, this month I thought I’d discuss their history a little, as well as the personal fascination that led me to include them in my story.
GRYPHONS
When it came to choosing the “main” mythical species for Mystical Greenwood, from the beginning I wanted one a little more unique than dragons or unicorns. I first truly became acquainted with gryphons while reading about them in the Harry Potter book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. There was something about them that struck a chord with me. I knew right away this was the creature I wanted for my story.
Gryphons represent courage, boldness, majesty, and nobility, and true love since they were said to mate for life, and only once. Their name can be spelled differently too, as I mentioned before when discussing names in general which is what led me to choose the spelling I did. I also read their nests were reputed to contain emeralds, which I felt would fit well with the “Gaelic” atmosphere I was striving for.
DRAGONS
When reading about knights in shining armor and dreaming of being one as a child, I read about dragons. There’s that common story line of a knight slaying one, like St. George. They’re undoubtedly the quintessential fantasy creature. Western dragons are often depicted greedily guarding treasure, like Smaug in The Hobbit or the dragon in Beowulf. They’ll embark on rampages when a single item is stolen from their hoard. They’re linked with power and magic, like the dragons of Daenerys Targaryen.
Dragons come in many colors, all of which can be interpreted symbolically. The fight between Wales and England has been embodied by red and white dragons (the colors of the same dragons a young Merlin realized were wrecking Vortigern’s castle from constantly battling in an underground pool). They can fly, breathe air or fire, dwell on land or in water. There are so many possibilities with dragons!
While living in Japan, I became acquainted with a dragon different from the Western one. The Eastern dragon is often wingless, benevolent, and worshiped. I once thought about having both in my story, but it would’ve been a world-building dilemma, so I didn’t (which is also why I used “feline” instead of “lion” for gryphons). Because of the Western dragon’s association with greed, those in Mystical Greenwood are villains. Nevertheless, maybe I can somehow introduce good dragons in the sequels. There’s also the possibility of sea dragons. Maybe I can combine the two. We’ll see.
UNICORNS
Unicorns represent purity and goodness. In the first Harry Potter novel, drinking their blood extends life, but that life becomes cursed for slaying such a pure creature. Their horns were said to be made of a substance called alicorn, which possessed healing capabilities. Narwhal tusks were once believed to be unicorn horns. Like dragons and gryphons, something about them draws me. Perhaps in my childhood fantasies about being a knight I dreamed of riding one (though whenever I imagined myself on an actual horse, it was white).
I’m considering introducing a few other mythical creatures in the sequels, but I am glad I chose these three for Mystical Greenwood. Please don’t forget to purchase your copy and post your review!
Further Reading
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Looking Back on Summer
This summer has been eventful. In June I appeared on the ArtistFirst Radio Network, which is highly supportive of independent authors:
Not long after that, I went to a wonderful family reunion. I signed their copies of Mystical Greenwood, and they surprised me with a special cake! Here’s a picture of the cake, along with some pictures of relatives from later on with their copies:
Most recently I made an appearance at the Crofton Library, where I talked about how I came to be published, and featured a musical performance of the two songs in Mystical Greenwood by their composer, Lee J. Chapman, and his associates:
Be sure to check my Events page for upcoming appearances in autumn and winter!
Don’t forget to purchase your copy of Mystical Greenwood! Post a review when you’re done! Every review helps! Please spread the word! Recommend it to your local bookstore and/or library! It is available from the following sites:
Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Foyles
In addition, you can purchase mugs, greeting cards, postcards, magnets, mouse pads, and coasters featuring the cover art, as well as prints, on Deviant Art! If you’re a fan, show it!
Don’t forget to subscribe to receive new blog posts. Check out my Blog page to catch up on old ones! Be sure to visit me on social media too:
Andrew McDowell 