Award-winning novelist Rusty Blackwood has announced the release of her new novel, Before The Grandeur: The Making of a Horsemaster, a prequel to her popular Autumn series. The book, now available on Amazon, delves into the early life of Cyril Landon, the horsemaster central to Blackwood's previous works.
The story is set in the village of South Wood Chester, Gloucestershire, England, and follows Cyril Landon, a young man born into poverty. Despite his circumstances, Landon's determination and grit lead him to a laborer's position at a local farm, which opens a door to a future he never imagined. The novel explores how his choice to step through that door transforms his life and sets the stage for the events in the Autumn trilogy.
In a review by Richard Prause of Readers' Favorite, the book is praised for its focus on "the simple, powerful moments of a man earning the trust of a stallion" and described as "a perceptive exploration of ambition and loyalty." Another reviewer, Asher Syed, noted that the novel serves as "a brilliant introduction to fans-in-waiting" while rewarding existing fans of the series.
Blackwood explained her motivation for writing the prequel, stating, "It gives me great pleasure to bring you, Before the Grandeur: The Making of a Horsemaster. This trip down memory lane was a journey thoroughly enjoyed on my behalf, as it opened a well-defined observation into Cyril Landon's early life, from birth, through a difficult, poverty-stricken existence, to the acclaimed, celebrated Horsemaster you meet in The Perils of Autumn." She added, "A prequel usually precedes a story that is told over a series of books instead of following, but I felt the need to give the readers, and supporters of the well-received Autumn Trilogy, a detailed account into a character that provides the successful life that the entire Autumn cast cherishes."
The Autumn series centers on the character Autumn Leeves, introduced in the first book, The Perils of Autumn, which earned Blackwood finalist honors in the Fiction Romance category at the 2019 International Book Awards and the American Book Fest's 2019 awards program. That novel, set in the early 1970s, follows Autumn Leeves, born in 1946 to an unwed mother, as she navigates perilous circumstances and eventually becomes a nurse assigned to care for the terminally ill wife of Cyril Landon. The story weaves romance and intrigue as Autumn and Cyril find themselves attracted to each other despite obstacles.
Blackwood's previous works include the 5-star rated Willow's Walk, a romantic fiction novel set in Ottawa, Canada, and Passions in Paris: Revelations of a Lost Diary, which has been compared to Erich Segal's Love Story and Nicholas Sparks' The Notebook. Both received widespread acclaim from reviewers.
The new book is available at Amazon. More information about Blackwood's work can be found on her website.
