(Book Four of the War Stories of the Seven
Troublesome Sisters)
by S.R. Cronin
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GENRE: Historical Fantasy
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BLURB:
Do you know what your problem is?
Olivine knows hers. This quiet thirteenth-century artist has been hiding a secret as she travels to
K'ba to meet her friends. Others assume she's fallen in love with another artist, but it's much
worse than that. For on the way to K'ba is the dirt poor nichna of Scrud, a place scorned by
other Ilarians. And in Scrud is the one man who understands her.
However, Bohdan recognizes the dangers posed by an impending Mongol invasion. When he
learns of Olivine's unusual visual powers, he convinces her to pick up her bow and start
practicing.
She does, though she's more concerned with moving to K'ba where she can paint all day and
see Bohdan whenever she wants. If only her sister hadn't decided Olivine and her fellow long
eyes held one key to defending the realm.
Then, as if life wasn't complicated enough, Olivine learns the artist community she yearns to be
part of has developed a different take on the invasion. They're sure the only way to survive is to
capitulate completely to the Mongols’ demands. Artists who feel otherwise are no longer
welcome.
Where does her future lie? The invasion is coming soon and Olivine doesn't have much time to
decide.
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EXCERPTS (Exclusive Excerpt):
“But … but what if all the invaders want is for us to die?”
“That’s highly unlikely, from what we’ve heard. They prefer servitude. But if that’s the way it
goes, we accept that fate,” Magomet said. “Fighting will only result in more suffering for us first.”
I studied his face. He was serious.
“That’s absurd.”
“Look, if you can’t be tolerant about my family’s beliefs….”
I cut him off. I hardly wanted to sever my relationship with these kind people. “I’m sorry. I didn’t
mean to insult your parents. But, come on. Just die?”
“None of us want our lives to end. We believe the invaders will only take some of what we have
and move on. If we don’t fight them, we’ll be fine. I’m only saying we’re willing to suffer the
consequences if we’re wrong.”
“Then I’m fairly sure you're not going to want to help me with a plan to fight them off, are you?”
He laughed. “Safe assumption. Olivine, my parents think a lot of you and they also think your
paintings are lovely. I’ve heard them say you have a real future as an artist. But, understand.
They wouldn’t hesitate to ask you to leave the studio if they found out you were recruiting
fighters to resist the Mongols. Am I clear?”
“You are. I won’t bring it up again. Anything I do, I’ll keep far away from your parents.”
He didn’t look entirely happy with my promise, but he nodded. “I wish you didn’t feel like this
was something you had to do. There are some here in K’ba, including powerful people, who will
do their best to make sure our ideas prevail. Please don’t get in their way.”
I couldn’t guarantee I wouldn’t, but I’d do my best to make sure Magomet and his family never
knew about it if I did.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Sherrie Cronin is the author of a collection of six speculative fiction novels known as 46.
Ascending and is now in the process of publishing a historical fantasy series called The War
Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters. A quick look at the synopses of her books makes it
obvious she is fascinated by people achieving the astonishing by developing abilities they barely
knew they had.
She’s made a lot of stops along the way to writing these novels. She’s lived in seven cities,
visited forty-six countries, and worked as a waitress, technical writer, and geophysicist. Now she
answers a hot-line. Along the way, she’s lost several cats but acquired a husband who still loves
her and three kids who’ve grown up just fine, both despite how odd she is.
All her life she has wanted to either tell these kinds of stories or be Chief Science Officer on the
Starship Enterprise. She now lives and writes in the mountains of Western North Carolina,
where she admits to occasionally checking her phone for a message from Captain Picard, just
in case.
Author Social Media Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cinnabar01
Facebook: www.facebook.com/46Ascending
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s.r.cronin/
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/5805814.Sherrie_Cronin
Amazon: www.amazon.com/Sherrie-Cronin/e/B007FRMO9Q
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/s-r-cronin
Author Blog: https://sherriecronin.xyz/
Book Series Blog: https://troublesome7sisters.xyz/
Buy Link:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Doesnt-Stories-Seven-Troublesome-Sisters-
ebook/dp/B09128H2YJ
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shes-the-one-who-doesnt-say-much-s-r-
cronin/1139107112
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
S. R. Cronin will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter
during the tour.
