‘The Legend of the Great Horse’ trilogy – Page 32 – THE LEGEND OF THE GREAT HORSE trilogy

Cover Design for “The Golden Spark”

The trade cover for The Golden Spark (Book II of The Legend of the Great Horse trilogy), published by Micron Press was designed by Allen Griffith of Eye 4 Design based in Austin, TX.

The striking cover of The Golden Spark (Book 2 of The Legend of the Great Horse trilogy ~ Micron Press) was designed by Allen Griffith of Eye 4 Design.

The image features a gold coin on display in a drawing room of Versailles, the famous royal château of the 17th-Century King Louis XIV of France.

The coin is a reimagined period currency minted to honor one of the equine characters of The Golden Spark … shown performing the Capriole, one of the Airs Above the Ground of the Haute École, or High School, of dressage.

Eye 4 Design specializes in quality custom graphic design, and produced a stunningly rich image while remaining faithful to the book’s historically accurate scenes. The design continues the central ‘coin’ theme of Book I: Eclipsed by Shadow while artistically reflecting changes in color, variety and complexity that attended the rebirth of European culture in the Renaissance.

Eye 4 Design is a specialty commercial graphics design firm based in Austin, TX, delivering quality custom work for both business and individual clients. For more information contact Allen Griffith @ 512-454-5471.

Book II: The Golden Spark – Adventure Finds Young Horsewoman Lost in History

A fun and unique “creative non-fiction” story for adults and teens, The Golden Spark follows the struggles of a young woman carried unwillingly through the Renaissance, who uses her knowledge of modern horsemanship to survive.

Here is the final publication Media Release for The Golden Spark – Book II of The Legend of the Great Horse trilogy … being issued this Tuesday! [PDF]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Robert Hall
Email: R_Hall@MicronPress.com

ADVENTURE FINDS HORSEWOMAN LOST IN HISTORY

Book Two continues ‘The Legend of the Great Horse’

BOSTON, MA April 5, 2011 | Micron Press is pleased to announce publication of The Golden Spark, the 2nd book of the award-winning time-travel trilogy, The Legend of the Great Horse by John Royce. The book continues the journey of a modern-day teenager lost in history, delivering an entertaining adventure for horse-lovers … and those who don’t know a saddle from a bridle!

A fun and unique “creative non-fiction” story for adults and teens (Ages 14+), The Golden Spark follows the struggles of a young woman carried unwillingly through the time of the Renaissance through early 1800’s, who uses her knowledge of modern horsemanship to survive.

Book II: The Golden Spark is the sequel to Eclipsed by Shadow, John Royce’s debut title which won the Eric Hoffer Award and a top recommendation by Library Journal. This well-informed, wholesome series illustrates the importance of horsemanship in our past and offers a positive message for today.

Available through bookstores and major online booksellers. For more information, please visit TheGreatHorse.com.

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The Golden Spark and other books of The Legend of the Great Horse trilogy offer an exciting adult-level “horse story” for the kid in all of us!

#62- The Time Jump

NOTHING HARMLESS FEELS so much like dying as having one’s breath well and truly knocked out. Heaving for air without result, Meagan fought panic as she waited for a breath. When it finally came, she leaned onto her hands and panted in great gulps. – Eclipsed by Shadow (excerpt)

NOTHING HARMLESS FEELS so much like dying as having one’s breath well and truly knocked out. Heaving for air without result, Meagan fought panic as she waited for a breath. When it finally came, she leaned onto her hands and panted in great gulps.

Sounds of men came through the darkness, their speech fast and urgent. Meagan steadied her breathing and listened as words rose and fell around her, foreign words spoken in crisp, rapid strokes. The voices approached and hands gripped the fabric of her tunic, inspecting, pulling at the folds and letting them go.

A light colored horse was led forward, a faint apparition glowing in the darkness. Meagan reached out a hand and ran it along familiar contours. It was a pony, a short but fully grown equine. She was lifted and pushed onto the pony’s back, where she instinctively reached for the reins lying low on the animal’s neck. The stadium and chariots had evaporated into the night air. The last Meagan remembered was the rush of white wings, and the world seemed to melt and reassemble into new solid forms. Now Rome was a memory.

A knot of horsemen rode past Meagan. She could see faces in the light of the torches they carried, Asian faces, parched and grim in the flickering redness. Her pony mount swished its tail impatiently, and Meagan automatically reached to pat the animal’s shoulder. Her hand felt an irregular patch in the hair, and she leaned over to see. Branded on the shoulder, barely visible in the torchlight, was a crescent symbol over a circle.

Voices were receding into the night. Meagan allowed the pony to join the sound of hoof beats flowing through the warm darkness. All she cared to know was that she had moved closer to her own time—so far, there was no evidence. One thing was certain: she was not yet back home.

Excerpted from Eclipsed by Shadow, the award-winning first volume of “The Legend of the Great Horse” trilogy. (Hrdbk pg. 179)

Book II: The Golden Spark is available! Book III announcements coming soon…

Read the 1st Chapter online!

“History teaching curriculum failing pupils”

One reason “The Legend of the Great Horse” trilogy is a worthwhile read is its exploration of history in chronological order — with time lines before each new era — as it traces the development in horsemanship in civilization.

A new report from the UK has found students are being ill-served by ‘a curriculum which does not give them a “chronological understanding” of the subject.’

History teaching fails to give pupils proper view of the past, says watchdog:

The Ofsted report said many primary and secondary pupils are being let down by a curriculum which does not give them a “chronological understanding” of the subject …

Schoolchildren fail to grasp how events in history are linked because the subject is taught in “episodes”, an official report has warned….

A “fundamental weakness” in primary schools was that some teachers “did not teach to establish a clear mental map of the past for pupils”.

One reason “The Legend of the Great Horse” trilogy is a worthwhile read is its exploration of history in chronological order — with time lines before each new era — as it traces the development in horsemanship in civilization.

The books of the trilogy convey accurate history in a fun and engaging story … the books give readers solid overview of history as they ride along with an exceptionally well-written and intelligent literary tale. (For ages 14 and up)