Award-winning novelist Rusty Blackwood has announced that the ebook version of her latest novel, Before The Grandeur: The Making of a Horsemaster, will be available at no charge on July 30 and 31, 2026, at Amazon. The novel serves as a prequel to her thrilling Autumn Trilogy, immersing readers in the equestrian world of professional racing, concealed secrets, and unfaltering love.
The story follows Cyril Landon, a young Englishman born into poverty in the village of South Wood Chester, Gloucestershire, during England's war years. Despite a seemingly hopeless future, Landon's determination and grit lead him to a labourer's job at a local farm, opening doors to an unexpected future in horsemanship. Blackwood stated, "Born into extreme poverty with little hope of survival, Cyril Landon's difficult beginnings will better assist readers in understanding the difficult journey that precedes the grandeur awaiting them in The Perils of Autumn."
The free download period provides an opportunity for new readers to discover Blackwood's work and for fans to delve deeper into the backstory of the Autumn Trilogy. Before The Grandeur has garnered praise from reviewers. Richard Prause of Readers Favorite noted, "It doesn't depend on manufactured plot twists to drive the story. Instead, it focuses on the simple, powerful moments of a man earning the trust of a stallion." Asher Syed added, "This will be a boon for readers who are already fans of the series, and a brilliant introduction to fans-in-waiting."
The first book in the series, The Perils of Autumn, was named a finalist in the Fiction Romance category by the International Book Awards in 2019 and received a 5-star rating from Reader's Favorite. Set primarily in the early 1970s, it centers on Autumn Leeves, a young Kentucky woman who graduates nursing school and is assigned to care for the terminally ill wife of equestrian master Cyril Landon. The story explores their ensuing romance, plagued by those trying to stop it, and Autumn's perilous journey through loss and childbirth.
Blackwood's previous works include the 5-star rated Willow's Walk, set in Ottawa, Canada, and Passions in Paris: Revelations of a Lost Diary, a romantic fiction novel compared to Erich Segal's Love Story and Nicholas Sparks' The Notebook. Information on all of Blackwood's work is available at her website, and her books are available at Amazon sites worldwide.
This free download offer allows readers to explore the origins of the Autumn Trilogy without financial commitment, potentially expanding Blackwood's readership and providing insight into the character-driven historical fiction that has earned her critical acclaim.
