News Releases for “Eclipsed by Shadow” – THE LEGEND OF THE GREAT HORSE trilogy

Press Release: ‘Eclipsed by Shadow’ Wins Eric Hoffer Book Award for Young Adult (YA) Fiction

John Royce’s debut novel “Eclipsed by Shadow” has won the Eric Hoffer Book Award for Young Adult (YA) Fiction for its fun and engaging portrayal of the history of horsemanship in civilization.
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‘Eclipsed by Shadow’ Wins Eric Hoffer Book Award for Young Adult (YA) Fiction

Boston, MA (PRWEB) May 27, 2009 — John Royce’s debut novel “Eclipsed by Shadow” has won the Eric Hoffer Book Award for Young Adult (YA) Fiction. The Hoffer Award is presented each year to honor freethinking writers and independent books of exceptional merit.

“Eclipsed by Shadow” is the first book of a new fiction adventure trilogy, “The Legend of the Great Horse,” a fun and engaging portrayal of the history of horsemanship in civilization. This volume begins the journey of a modern-day teenager traveling back in time to explore how horses were used in the past. History comes alive as readers encounter prehistoric horse-hunts and experience the hysteria and thrills of chariot racing, ride with the thundering hordes of Genghis Khan and witness the pageantry of jousting.

Vivid writing and colorful characters (both two- and four-legged) create a fresh, page-turning adventure that educates as it entertains. Library Journal recommends the book, saying “Veteran horseman Royce combines history and myth with action and adventure to create a fast-paced, well-informed tale…” and other critics have ponied up their praise: “Sure to Please!” (Midwest Book Review), “Lots of Horsepower Here!” (Free Lance-Star) and “One of those works you will remember forever.” (2009 Reader Views Literary Award review)

The author, John Royce, is a horseman from Texas with over 25 years of experience in competitive riding, training horses and coaching students. His unique story is the product of 10 years of research. Mr. Royce explains the enduring popularity of horses: “Horses have been with mankind since the beginning–the history of horses is the history of civilization.” The author currently resides in Boston, Massachusetts.

The story is a delightful read for history buffs and horse fans alike, Young Adult (YA) 15+ to adult.

Eclipsed by Shadow (Micron Press | 2008) by John Royce
ISBN 978-0-9724121-3-1
292 Pages, Softcover $15.95

ISBN 978-0-9724121-5-5
304 Pages, Hardcover $24.95

Contact the Publisher:

Micron Press
71 Prince Street, #35
Boston, MA 02113
(617) 301-2901

First Chapter, Bio, Press Kit, and more online at: www.TheGreatHorse.com

Review copies available on request.

History at a Gallop: “Eclipsed by Shadow” wins 2009 Reader Views Literary Award

For Immediate Release
Contact: Robert Hall | Micron Press 617-301-2901

History at a Gallop: “Eclipsed by Shadow” wins 2009 Reader Views Literary Award

» See Reader Views Literary Award Review

BOSTON – The critically acclaimed first volume of a bold new trilogy about the history of horsemanship has won in the Fantasy category of the 2008 Reader Views Literary Awards. Veteran horseman John Royce has crafted a fast-paced literary journey through civilization’s earliest history that is gaining the attention of YA+ readers and educators.

Readers are transported to long-ago cultures through vivid characters and events. One does not have to be a horse enthusiast to recognize that horsemanship has been a central force of civilization, and Eclipsed by Shadow tells the history through a fun and engaging story. As the Award review states, “John Royce introduces us to one of those works you will remember forever.”

Since its publication in late 2008, Eclipsed by Shadow has received recommendations from Library Journal, Midwest Book Review and the Historical Novel Society as well as a growing list of excellent reviews from newspapers, Top Amazon reviewers and others.

“I believe a wholesome story can be a page-turning adventure,” says author John Royce, veteran horseman turned writer, “Horsemanship provides a colorful link to our human past, and that inspiration sparked an adventure which spans the arc of civilization.”

Readers and reviewers are finding this first book of The Legend of the Great Horse trilogy to be an authentic and engaging experience. In the words of a Top 50 Amazon Reviewer: “This sweeping historical fantasy should have an impact on its reader that penetrates far beyond the boundaries of the usual YA (Young Adult) novel. It teaches lessons about history & horsemanship, and what it really means to be ‘civilized.’ “

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Eclipsed by Shadow | The Legend of the Great Horse ~ Book I of III
By John Royce

ISBN 978-0-9724121-3-1
292 Pages, Softcover $15.95

ISBN 978-0-9724121-5-5
304 Pages, Hardcover $22.95

Micron Press
71 Prince Street, #35
Boston, MA 02113
(617) 301-2901

First Chapter, Bio, Press Kit, and more online at: TheGreatHorse.com

“Eclipsed by Shadow”: New Hardback Edition

– FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –

Contact: Robert Hall
Tel: 617/301-2901
Email: R_Hall@MicronPress.com

SADDLE-UP FOR A NEW READING ADVENTURE!

October 20, 2008 | Micron Press is pleased to release the new library hardback
edition of Eclipsed by Shadow, the first volume of the new historical
adventure trilogy, The Legend of the Great Horse.

Horseman and author John Royce has crafted a page-turning mix of history and horsemanship. His engaging writing combines action, suspense and humor in a journey that brings to life our ancient partnership with the horse. Readers travel back to a time when primitive man stalked horses as prey, and witness the fascinating development of horsemanship in ancient and medieval cultures.

Eclipsed by Shadow has been named a Heartland Reviews’ 2008 GRREAT Read (Gifted & Reluctant Readers Explore Amazing Titles) and is an Independent Publisher Highlighted Title.

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Further information about this unique and imaginative novel can be found at www.TheGreatHorse.com. For questions or other requests, please contact:

Robert Hall
R_Hall@MicronPress.com
Micron Press | Marketing Director

Saddle Up for a New Reading Adventure!

– FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –

Contact: Robert Hall
Tel: 617/301-2901
Email: R_Hall@MicronPress.com

OCTOBER 20, 2008 | Eclipsed by Shadow, the first book of the new trilogy The Legend of the Great Horse, arrives this Summer 2008 with a fresh and original look at the colorful role of horses in civilization.

Horseman and author John Royce has crafted a mix of history and horsemanship into a page-turning event. Lively writing combines suspense, mystery and humor into a startlingly realistic adventure through man’s past—on horseback.

Educational, literary, fast-paced and vivid in detail, Eclipsed by Shadow brings to life man’s ancient partnership with the horse. Readers travel through the pages of history to a time when primitive man stalked horses as prey, and witness the fascinating development of horsemanship in ancient and medieval cultures.

Further information about this unique and imaginative novel can be found at www.TheGreatHorse.com. The book is available for review upon request.

For more information or to schedule an interview with the author, please contact:

Robert Hall
R_Hall@MicronPress.com
Micron Press | Marketing Director

Legend Sends Girl on Time-Travel Journey

– FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (via PRWeb) –

Contact: Robert Hall
Tel: 617/301-2901
Email: R_Hall@MicronPress.com

Mysterious Horse Legend Sends Girl on Time-Travel Journey

Once there was a Great Horse–so the legends say according to one elderly woman. But Meagan cannot believe her horse, Promise, is the one the legend speaks about. Then dishonest horse trainers try to steal Promise, and Meagan’s rescue efforts send her on a most unexpected adventure.

BOSTON, MA September 18, 2008 — Horses have been mankind’s companions since the dawn of civilization. Today many people no longer have relationships with horses, but author John Royce reminds us how closely people and horses have always been linked in Eclipsed by Shadow: The Legend of the Great Horse, Book I of III (ISBN 9780972412131, Micron Press 2008).

When Meagan Robert’s horse, Promise, is born, everyone is interested in the special palomino, especially Ms. Bridgestone, who tells Meagan the legend of the Great Horse throughout history. Ms. Bridgestone believes Promise is the next in line of the Great Horses, but Meagan cannot believe it until crooked horse trainers attempt to steal Promise. Trying to protect her horse, Meagan mounts and is astonished when Promise sprouts wings and turns into “The Great Horse.”

Meagan’s astonishment has only begun. Soon she finds herself traveling back in time to 20,000 B.C. and then forward through history, learning how the horse has been used since the dawn of civilization. She becomes a Roman slave tending chariot racing horses, and visits the Crusades where horses were blindfolded to participate in jousting matches. Throughout her experiences, Meagan uses her 21st century equine insight to survive while helping people understand the true nature of horses.

Eclipsed by Shadow is Book I of III in the “Legend of the Great Horse” trilogy. The legend of the Great Horse is one of an angel who asked to serve mankind when Adam and Eve were cast from Eden. The Lord granted the wish by turning the angel into the Great Horse. Since that time, the Great Horse has returned again and again to serve humanity. This first exciting volume tells the story of the Great Horse through the Middle Ages, while successive volumes will carry the story back up to the twenty-first century.

Author John Royce spent considerable time studying the historical role of horses in cultures throughout the world–from food for prehistoric man to their role in warfare and sport. Royce states that he wrote Eclipsed by Shadow because “the horse is our common legacy” and he wants to remind people no longer familiar with horses of that important relationship. Readers will find themselves caught up in both the instructive history and the fascinating historical episodes Meagan and Promise witness. The novel’s sequels will be eagerly awaited.

About the Author

John Royce is a writer and horseman from Texas who now lives in Boston, Massachusetts. The move to Boston fueled his interest in history, which he combined with his twenty years of training and competitive riding to create his spell binding ode to horsemanship, Eclipsed by Shadow.

Eclipsed by Shadow: The Legend of the Great Horse, Book I of III
(ISBN 9780972412131, Micron Press 2008) can be purchased through local and online bookstores.

For more information, visit www.TheGreatHorse.com.
Publicity contact: Robert Hall (617) 301-2901

Reader Views: “Fascinating and Well-researched”

ECLIPSED BY SHADOW was a magical horse story that is suitable for both teenagers and adults alike. The equine and world history aspects were fascinating and well-researched by the author … The ending left me breathless wanting to find out what time period Promise was taking Meagan to next.—Wendy Cleveland, Reader Views

The following is a pre-publication review by Wendy Cleveland of Reader Views of Eclipsed by Shadow:

Reader Views | Wendy Cleveland

Eclipsed by Shadow centers around a teenager named Meagan Roberts who is a young equestrian. The story starts out in the present-day of the summer solstice, June 21, 2001, when a very unique horse is born. Meagan felt that a horse should name itself, so her foal became “Promise.” Everyone around town seemed to be interested in this special palomino, especially her neighbor Eleanor Bridgestone. Ms. Bridgestone tells Meagan the tales of “The Great Horse” throughout history and seems to think that her horse is the next in line. “The Great Traveler, with mysterious powers to bring darkness to the world. Of course, we wouldn’t be sure unless the Great Horse was actually ridden.”

Crooked horse trainers get wind of this discovery and try to steal Promise. This invokes Meagan to protect her. She gets on her horse’s back and tries to jump a fence to get away. When she does, Promise sprouts wings and turns into “The Great Horse.” She flies Meagan back in time for her to the see the way horses were used for work, war, sport, spectacle and even food.

Meagan’s adventure in this first book in a three book series goes from 20,000 B.C. (where the cavemen used horses for food) to 100 A.D. Rome (where horses were used for sport in Chariot fights), and 1240 Crusades (where horses were blindfolded and used in Jousting matches). In each time travel, Meagan uses her 21st century equine insight to try and help people understand the beauty and sole purpose of horses.

“Eclipsed by Shadow” was a magical horse story that is suitable for both teenagers and adults alike. The equine and world history aspects were fascinating and well-researched by the author. Some facts that I did not know were that horses existed back in 20,000 B.C. or when stirrups, saddles, and horseshoes were discovered. The ending left me breathless wanting to find out what time period Promise was taking Meagan to next.

Eclipsed by Shadow is the first book of the new fiction trilogy, The Legend of the Great Horse, arriving this Summer with a fresh and original look at the colorful role of horses in civilization. The story follows the time-travel adventure of a modern horsewoman lost in history.

“Eclipsed by Shadow” Cover Design

For Immediate Release
Contact: Robert Hall | Micron Press 617-301-2901

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ARTIST MARTI ADRIAN PRODUCES ARTWORK FOR “ECLIPSED BY SHADOW”

May 16, 2008 | Micron Press is excited to present the final version of the book cover art for Eclipsed by Shadow. Popular Canadian artist Marti Adrian has delivered a stunning piece of original artwork that captures the themes of this unique and engaging story.

The central motif of the richly imagined work is based on an ancient Greek coin featuring Pegasus, the flying horse of mythology. “Eclipsing” this shining Pegasus is the Great Horse Promise, the main equine character of the book. Accurately rendered colorful scenes from the story surround the central coin, placed in rotation around an arc to symbolize the book’s underlying theme of progress in horsemanship and the advance of civilized life.

Marti Adrian is an artist based in Canada with a special talent for horses. One current project by Adrian is gaining world-wide recognition, Lewis Lavoie’s mural mosaic entitled, Le Cadeau du Cheval (The Horse Gift), in which each mosaic panel is a separate painting by individual artists from all over the world. Another current mosaic project for Adrian is The Glory of Horses, a fundraiser for the rescue and support of unwanted horses. Adrian’s attitudes are noted on her website (www.MartiAdrian.com): “Nothing brings me more pleasure than to portray an animal, especially those magnificent horses … if one of my pieces brings some emotion to your heart, then I have done my job.”

Marti Adrian’s artwork will be displayed on both the upcoming Summer 2008 softcover edition of Eclipsed by Shadow, and also a hardcover gift edition to be published later in the year.

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Eclipsed by Shadow is the first book of a new trilogy, The Legend of the Great Horse, arriving this Summer 2008 with a fresh and original look at the colorful role of horses in civilization. The book is available for review upon request.

Anthony Jones
A_Jones@MicronPress.com
Micron Press | Marketing Director

Further information about this unique and imaginative novel can be found at www.TheGreatHorse.com.

For more information or to schedule an interview with the author, please contact:

Anthony Jones
A_Jones@MicronPress.com
Micron Press | Marketing Director

Saddle Up for a New Reading Adventure!

– FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –

Contact: Robert Hall
Tel: 617/301-2901
Email: R_Hall@MicronPress.com

MAY 28, 2008 | Eclipsed by Shadow, the first book of the new trilogy The Legend of the Great Horse, arrives this Summer 2008 with a fresh and original look at the colorful role of horses in civilization.

Further information about this unique and imaginative novel can be found at www.TheGreatHorse.com. The book is available for review upon request.

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