Ancient Ireland and a contest

First of all, I'd like to invite you to a celebration party for the publisher of my most recent book. Stop by http://www.cherylyeko.com/ and enter the Soul Mate Publishing anniversary contest to win print books, ebooks and the grand prize, a Kindle Paperwhite.

I haven't posted anything lately, because I've been busy working on a new book. I first started it over fifteen years ago, but despite having already imagined the characters and written the beginning, it's taken a while for the story to come together.

It's a fantasy romance, set in ancient Ireland, in an area much like the scene above, near Killarney in County Clare. Of course, in the book, if you travel beyond the marsh, you enter the Mistlands, the realm of the Seancine, the magical race that once controlled Ireland. My heroine, Cera, is one of the Seancine and the hero, Darach, is one of the warrior people, who arrived later.

The warrior people are despised by the Seancine for their violence, ruthlessness and disregard for the natural world, which is the source of the Seancine's powers. Despite the differences between their races, when Darach rescues Cera from one of his clansman, they form an instant connection. But there are many things keeping them apart. Not merely the chasm between their worlds, but also the prejudices of the people close to them and a conflict with a neighboring tribe that results in Darach fighting the other tribe's champion in a battle to the death.

But love can be stronger than intolerance and bigotry, and prevail against all sorts of dark forces. Especially if there is some magic involved.

I'm a long way from the end, but I'm really enjoying creating the enchanted realm of The Magic in the Mist and watching Cera and Darach's story unfold.

With St. Patrick's Day just around the corner, I'll leave you with my husband's favorite Irish toast (which is really Latin, but oh, well):  Sine Metu, Fear Nothing.