I'm a novelist, poet, critic and sometimes writer for and about the theatre. Each of these things keeps interrupting the others. My poetry and criticism have won prizes. I'm the author of the popular and critically acclaimed fantasy quartet The Books of Pellinor, the Gothic fantasy Black Spring and The River and the Book, a forthcoming speculative fiction novel. In English, my novels are published with Walker Books (UK and Australia), Candlewick (US) and Penguin Books Australia. I have self-published two novels as Kindle ebooks: the literary memoir Navigatio and Jimmy Wonderspoon, a story that I wrote for my 10-year-old daughter. Presently I'm writing The Bone Queen, a prequel to the Books of Pellinor. You can find out more at alisoncroggon.com. And you can follow me on twitter at @alisoncroggon.

Why "Reimkennar"? It's an old word for sorceress that stems from old Germanic: literally "rhyme knower". Seems like a good title for a fantasy novelist slash poet slash whatever.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Yes, a new blog

Since Black Spring, my new novel - you can see the Australian cover on the right - is about to hit the bookshelves in Australia on October 1, I decided it was about time that I rethought my web pages. So welcome to Reimkennar, which replaces my occasional Books of Pellinor blog. Even though I am presently writing a Pellinor book - the story of Cadvan - my other novels just aren't Pellinor books. (Yes, there's another one, which I recently finished, called Simbala's Book. More on that as news comes through.)

It's difficult to describe your own books, so here's the Black Spring blurb from Walker Australia: "Lina is enchanting, vibrant but wilful. And her eyes betray her for what she truly is: a witch. With her childhood companion, Damek, she has grown up privileged and spoilt and the pair are devoted to each other to the point of obsession. But times are changing. Vendetta is coming. And tragedy is stalking the halls of the Red House. A stunning new novel by Alison Croggon, inspired by the Gothic classic Wuthering Heights."

I hope that sends a shiver up your spine. Black Spring will come out in the UK, again with Walker, early next year. And Candlewick Books will be publishing it later in 2013.  I can't wait until everybody else can read it. It will mean that I can forget about it at last!

Meanwhile, Walker Books UK has just re-released the entire Pellinor series, with some stunning new covers. Again, you can see the new cover for The Gift to the right. I am completely thrilled with these books, and they make a gorgeous set. I wrote new introductions for them, which was enormously fun. This is what they look this all together:


 I'm doing various interviews in the lead-up to the Australian release, so I'll be linking them here. Au revoir!

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi there Alison! :)
I really like that you have a blog, but I have a question. The 'Black Spring' book, is it a Pellinor book? With Cadvan mostly? :) It said so on the other blog but here, on the blurb from Walker Australian it says something about a girl named Lina. ;) Just wondering if it's Cadvan or not since you probably don't want to reveal your awesome book too much ;)
By the way, I love your books! I've only read The Gift and The Riddle though. I think The Crow and The Singing are sold out! :( Aww!
I've been looking for them in bookstores but I won't give up! :)
But I can't wait until the Cadvan book either! :D He's awesome, and you're awesome too.

Oh, and if you don't want comments on this blog you can delete this...
I mean nothing that makes you sad.

Bye :)

Alison Croggon said...

Hi Alice - Of course, comments are welcome! Thanks for posting. I don't know where you are, but certainly in the UK, all the Pellinor books have just recently been re-released in lovely new covers (see side image of The Gift) and shouldn't be too hard to find.

Black Spring is another book altogether, a stand alone which is loosely inspired by Wuthering Heights. Think gothic. It's just come out in Australia, and will be out in January in the UK. No, it's not a Pellinor book at all. The Cadvan book (working title: Cadvan, because I can't think of another) is still being written. So far, so good, although it's going a little more slowly than I would like! I'm hoping to finish it by the end of the year, and it seems to take another year or two to turn it into a book. Assuming that publishers are interested, of course.

Sorry about the wait: books take so long! And I do hope you find the other Pellinor books. They are all really one story. Make sure you ask the booksellers, so they know they should stock it! :)

Lys Lys said...

I hate having to wait for your new books here in the US. I just finished rereading the Pellinor books again. I can't wait to read Black Spring. I'm looking forward to reading Cadvan since me and my book club friends are always debating what his history could be.

Alison Croggon said...

Yes. It doesn't seem very fair. :( I hope you do enjoy Black Spring!

Unknown said...

Oh yes! I found the 'The Crow'! I finished it a few days ago and I will now say what I think of it: Awesome! It was so good! I liked the Hem/Zelika stuff ;) But she died... But anyways, it was good! And I have to mention that it is so cool that you responded to me! Iiiii! It's an honor that you took the time to! *Giggles*

Anyways- Thanks for clearing up the thing with the Cadvan book and the other book for me ;)

Thank you Alison Croggon! I'm your biggest fan!

Bye!
~Alice~

Alison Croggon said...

Thanks, Alice! I'm very glad you liked The Crow. It might be my favourite of those books.

Anonymous said...

Dear Alison,
I am a huge fan of your Pellinor books (so much so that have named my cats Maerad and Hem!) Thank you for many nights of blissful escapism. I am looking forward to Black Spring and want to wish you good luck with Cadvan.
Best wishes
Hannah Hall

Alison Croggon said...

Tnanks Hannah! I'll need it!