On Location--The Crow Kingdom

A vengeful mousemaid, Aster, and her friend Thistle find themselves banished from the security and protection of Evershade. While sheltering in the little grove, Aster peers across the grasses of the field at a line of trees in the distance. It is the Crow Kingdom, and it is then she hatches a plan to exact revenge on Evershade.

Aster's arrogance leads her to believe she can convince the crow king to attack Evershade. Leading Thistle out of the relative safety of the little grove, she bullies her way through the grass, hoping to get caught by passing crows. She gets her wish.

In reality, the line of trees that inspired the Crow Kingdom in "Season of Crows" is a very thin strip of spindly trees mixed with a few cedars (the little grove is on the left in the photo, and the strip of trees is on the right in the distance). The kingdom I envision is comprised of a slightly thicker strip of trees wide enough to contain the crow council area, at the edge of which stands a tightly woven cage called "The Hole" where they keep prey in reserve for the Moon Feast.

This location is literally a couple hundred yards from my home. The Ozarks are riddled with paved farm roads that run across fields and meadows, through woods, and into valleys. Several roads pass through areas that strike me as great locations to use in a book. Having an entire cluster of locations near my home is a true blessing.

 

Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Season-Crows-Evershade-Prix-Gautney/dp/1633731537/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/season-of-crows-prix-gautney/1124763398?ean=9781633731530

Ebook: https://www.amazon.com/Season-Crows-Evershade-Prix-Gautney-ebook/dp/B01M3PW03L/

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On Location--The Little Grove

Just beyond the Stone River, a wide field opens up, spreading eastward to the tree line. Within this field stands a little grove of trees that shoots up from a sea of grass.

In "Season of Crows," two mousemaids are banished from Evershade during the terrible drought, and they take refuge in the little grove. The trees provide shelter from predators of the air, and when prisoners escape from the Crow Kingdom in the dead of night, the trees provide a sense of safety from any pursuers.

In my novel, no furry creatures make their home here, but the little grove plays an important role for anyone making a journey in this area. I have the good fortune of passing this grove every single day, and I imagine the comings and goings of woodland creatures who have made this region their home.

Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Season-Crows-Evershade-Prix-Gautney/dp/1633731537/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/season-of-crows-prix-gautney/1124763398?ean=9781633731530

Ebook: https://www.amazon.com/Season-Crows-Evershade-Prix-Gautney-ebook/dp/B01M3PW03L/

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On Location--Torzeria

Torzeria, named by the great Ben DeVore, is where the turtles make their home. These beautiful reptiles with ornately carved shells speak Tortuli, the language of the ancients, one that has been long dead to other animal species. Torzeria's leader is a Seer named Elder Veil (Yero Skyezu in Tortuli), and he has an unsettling way of knowing things before they happen...and saying things that almost make sense...but not quite...

 

The High Field separates Evershade from Torzeria, and the land curves into a gentle bowl shape, slightly visible in this photo. The locations that inspired my book series are all located on private land, so I am not able to get as close as I would like to photograph them. I am standing approximately where the Lone Pine tree is located in "Season of Crows." It is where the Walnut Keepers gather sap for gluing cracked pots, securing bits of broken mirror to the walls of the King's Chamber, and gluing bits and bobs to the shells of King Obsidian and Queen Sapphire, the enormous snails who rule Evershade.

 

A stone river (paved farm road) runs along the southern edge of Torzeria, and we--in our "real" lives--often see box turtles crossing the road here. This made it a natural location for the home of the turtles. I miss the snow, but I do look forward to seeing these beautiful creatures again.

 

As the days get warmer, the fields will green, and the leaves will fill the canopy. The robins have returned to the Ozarks, and the spring peepers are singing to us. Perhaps I will be lucky enough to spot Elder Veil crossing the stone river near his home.

 



 

 

 

Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Season-Crows-Evershade-Prix-Gautney/dp/1633731537/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/season-of-crows-prix-gautney/1124763398?ean=9781633731530

Ebook: https://www.amazon.com/Season-Crows-Evershade-Prix-Gautney-ebook/dp/B01M3PW03L/

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On Location--Evershade

Evershade and the surrounding kingdoms are inspired by actual locations near my home. The Ozarks are filled with woods, fields, creeks, caves, bluffs--all nestled amongst a network of hills and hollows. One particular grove of trees caught my eye several years ago, and it has since become the heart of my beloved book series.

The unique feature of this grove is that it has a high bank stretching up behind it. In my novels, I call the lower field  in the foreground "the meadow" where the Walnut Keepers gather foodstuffs, medicinal herbs, etc., and the steep bank behind Evershade comprises the edge of the High Field where grass seeds are harvested--and where they relieve themselves in the Nethers.

This photograph was taken in the winter as snowy weather was beginning to move in. As you can see, the high bank is visible through the trees. In the summertime, the leaves of the canopy completely conceal the high bank from view, so it's only in the late fall and winter I can get a clear view of the structure of Evershade.

The Fray--the little stream that cuts through the heart of Evershade--runs through the line of trees from left to right (east to west) in the photograph. If you were to follow it east, it would eventually lead you to Cedar Grove, home of the white warrior squirrels and their gray counterparts. If you were to follow the Fray to the west where the High Field slopes down to meet the meadow, you would reach the Beaver Pond. Mr. Barkwhistle and his family have made their home here, and they play a very important role in the workings of Evershade--they have the grim duty of burying the dead.

Well, friends, until next time, burrow deep and stay warm!

Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Season-Crows-Evershade-Prix-Gautney/dp/1633731537/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/season-of-crows-prix-gautney/1124763398?ean=9781633731530

Ebook: https://www.amazon.com/Season-Crows-Evershade-Prix-Gautney-ebook/dp/B01M3PW03L/

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"Watched"

Part 3

Ash peered about the clearing to make absolutely sure he was alone. Satisfied that all was quiet, he searched the surrounding area for a sturdy twig and found one that had a fork on one end. He picked it up and tested the weight in his paws. It would do. Snapping off the forked section, he set it aside and began tossing debris from the clearing to create a relatively smooth surface next to the moss-covered log.

He grabbed his gathering basket from where it was hanging on the log and trotted it over to the base of a nearby tree, depositing it on the ground after he took a big bite from the strawberry inside. An old acorn half buried in the dirt caught his eye. He dug it up, brushed it off, and hurried over to the log, placing it on the knob where his gathering basket had hung only moments before. Nodding, he picked up the staff and stared at the acorn.

Stepping back into the clearing, he stood tall on his hindpaws and gripped the twig firmly. Raising it above his head, he swung it through the air, battling imaginary enemies with his makeshift staff. He grunted, stabbing an invisible foe with the sharp end and pulling it back, imaginary blood dripping from the tip. In one enormous leap, he launched himself into the air toward the log and struck the acorn hard, knocking it from its perch. It landed with a thud and tumbled across the dirt like the skull of a fallen enemy until it came to a rest nearby. Ash breathed hard. He did it. He took down his enemy. Now if he could just do that for real...

High in the canopy, a dark mousemaid and a woodpecker with a blind eye watched him. They glanced at one another, an unspoken conversation passing between them in the space of a second. There was more to this mouse than met the eye...

Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Season-Crows-Evershade-Prix-Gautney/dp/1633731537/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/season-of-crows-prix-gautney/1124763398?ean=9781633731530

Ebook: https://www.amazon.com/Season-Crows-Evershade-Prix-Gautney-ebook/dp/B01M3PW03L/

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"A Place to Himself"

Part 2

Stepping into the West Woods wasn't quite like walking into a dark cave, but almost. The air was oppressive, but Ash supposed it was due to the darkness and the closeness of the trees. Light didn't penetrate the canopy here as it did in Evershade.

He scanned the undergrowth for signs of old trails to make traveling easier, but in every direction there was nothing but thickets and sparse patches where mayapples grew. No paths to be had. Not even rabbit trails.

He paused at the base of a spindly tree and took a bite of the strawberry he had stuffed in his gathering basket. Stars above, it was delicious. After he swallowed, he perked his ears and listened for danger. The funny thing was, there wasn't much of anything to hear. There was no rustling, no birdsong, nothing beyond his own breathing. Even the Fray seemed to fall silent. He was right. There was something off about these woods. And that's what he needed.

Picking his way through the underbrush, Ash searched for a comfortable place to work. He knew what he was looking for--a small clearing with a bed of moss and some twigs nearby. Maybe a stray shaft of light to illuminate the space, but that might be asking too much.

He trotted up a large root to get a better view of his surroundings. There were dark trees as far as he could see, but a fallen log off to the left caught his eye. Hopping off the root, he hurried to the decaying tree and found a nearly ideal space. Moss carpeted the log on one end and spread in a blanket on the ground. This would do.

He hung his gathering basket on a knob jutting out from the bark and planted his paws on his hips. Now that he was well and truly alone, it was time to get to work.

"Time Alone"

Part 1

Ash closed the door to his burrow and adjusted the strap of his gathering basket. The sun had yet to rise above the horizon and spread its tendrils over the countryside. He yawned and reached over to a leaf, cupping his paws around a dewdrop that had formed on a little sprig near his entryway. Rubbing it through his whiskers and across his face, he yawned a second time and suddenly wished he weren't journeying today. The call of his moss bed was almost too much for him.

His quiet pawsteps found the path leading past Petal's burrow. He forced himself not to stop at her door and instead turned west, following the funeral path that flanked the Beaver Pond on the south side. The glassy surface of the water came into view as the canopy disappeared and gray sky spread above him. All about the pond thin stumps sharpened to a point dotted the banks, rising like ghosts from the mist.

Mr. Barkwhistle surfaced on the far side of his lodge, sending ripples across the water. Ash was certain the big beaver couldn't see him--his eyesight had never been that keen--and rather than stopping to chat, Ash veered off the funeral path and took a little-used gathering trail that extended toward the West Woods. He liked Mr. Barkwhistle, but the young mouse wasn't in the mood for conversation this morning. Perhaps when he returned.

The trail skirted a strawberry patch, and he paused long enough to pick a round, red strawberry and stuff it in his gathering basket. The berry fit perfectly inside the robin's eggshell that comprised the bottom of the basket. He picked another and took a large bite of it, the juice squirting across his fur. Rolling his eyes, he took one more bite, then tossed the remainder in the grass. He plucked another dewdrop from a slender grass blade and washed his fur a second time, removing as much of the berry juice as possible.

The West Woods loomed tall and dark ahead of him. He never much liked entering these trees--there was something off about this place. But, this was the only location he was sure no one would stumble upon him.

Taking a deep, steadying breath, he stepped into the shadows of the forest and left the safety of Evershade behind. He hoped it wouldn't be for good.