A Queen’s Struggle in Medieval Wales
Thank you for having me here on the Authors’ Lounge! My name is Mark Noce, and I’m the author of Dark Winds Rising, the second novel in the Queen Branwen Series published by St. Martin’s Press. A historical novel set in medieval Wales, Dark Winds Rising follows the continuing story of the young Queen Branwen, who strives to save both her family and her people from marauding invaders and internal strife within her imperiled kingdom.
Full of mystery, romance, and historical intrigue, my story is ultimately fictional, but based on historical research and my own wanderings in Wales. Fans of historical fiction inspired by elements of high fantasy and thrillers will most likely enjoy my book.
A Mother’s Battle Amidst War and Betrayal
As the sequel to my first novel, Between Two Fires, this book chronicles Queen Branwen’s compelling story as she is now not just a queen and wife, but a mother trying to preserve her child in an age of warfare and assassinations that plague the aristocracy of the era. Several years after uniting the Welsh to defeat the Saxons and settling down with her true love, Artagan, Queen Branwen finds her world once again turned upside down as Pictish raiders harry the shores of her kingdom.
Rallying her people once more, she must face her most dangerous foe yet, the Queen of the Picts. Ruthless and cunning, the Pictish Queen turns the Welsh against each other in a bloody civil war. Queen Branwen soon finds that the enigmatic Picts are unlike any foe she has faced before.
Inspired by Mystery, Resilience, and Celtic Strength
What initially drew me to write a story set in the early medieval period was the actual lack of hard evidence regarding the years of about 500-600 AD in early Wales. So much was literally destroyed that it’s difficult to say for certain what was going on, and yet the people of this resilient region not only found ways to survive, but eventually thrive. I have always enjoyed tales with strong female protagonists (my wife does too), and the Celtic and Medieval combination of Welsh culture during this time period seemed a perfect fit.
Staying True to the Craft in a Changing Industry
Although I would certainly like to continue the series, I have several other manuscripts I’m eager to press forward on with my agent that I want to make sure see the light of day next. It’s no secret that the publishing industry is in turmoil since the pandemic, and the advent of AI has only added to the chaos. My advice to fellow aspiring authors would be the same as it always has been. Stick to your writing. Work on your craft. Make the best story you possibly can and one you’ll be proud of sharing with others.
At the end of the day, regardless of the ever-changing market and industry shifts, it’s our writing that ultimately provides the grist for the mill-the real human element that makes art truly worth making. If you stay true to that core principle, then everything else will naturally fall into place as it should.
Finding Inspiration Through Life’s Balancing Act
Balancing writing with a busy personal and professional life is never easy; moreover, it becomes even more challenging, especially in these troubled times in which we live. However, that is precisely what makes pursuing our dreams all the more pertinent. By day, I’m a Technical Writer and Program Manager-having worked in both tech and financial companies alike-but by night, I’ve always been a Fiction Author. Meanwhile, I strive to balance these roles with being a father, husband, and, occasionally, a gardener and sailor in my so-called “spare time.”
I’ve even learned to apply the difficulties I sometimes face in real life by imposing those experiences on my characters in books. It’s our endured hardships in life that, indeed, offer some of the most inspiring material when crafting our next work of art on the written page. Moreover, in adversity, there is also opportunity.
An Invitation to Discover More and Connect
I hope I’ve whetted your appetite for more historical fiction, and I genuinely hope that you enjoy Dark Winds Rising. Feel free to connect with me via my links on the Authors’ Lounge or on my website. My books are not only available on Amazon but also, in addition, at Barnes and Noble; furthermore, you can find them wherever books are sold.
www.marknoce.com
Dark Winds Rising (Amazon)
Between Two Fires (Amazon)
