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 acclaimed Autumn series. The book, now available on Amazon, delves into the early life of Cyril Landon, the equestrian master central to the series.
Set in the village of South Wood Chester, Gloucestershire, England, the story follows Cyril Landon, born into poverty with little hope for success. A chance labourer position at a local farm opens a door to a future he never imagined, leading him on a path to becoming a celebrated horsemaster. Richard Prause of Readers Favorite praised the novel, noting 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 that the book is "a boon for readers who are already fans of the series, and a brilliant introduction to fans-in-waiting."
Blackwood explained her motivation for writing the prequel: "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 that she felt the need to provide readers with a detailed account of a character who provides the successful life that the entire Autumn cast cherishes.
Blackwood's Autumn trilogy began with The Perils of Autumn, set primarily in the early 1970s. The novel centers on Autumn Leeves, born in 1946 to an unwed mother, who faces societal shunning until a kind shopkeeper takes them in. By 1970, Autumn graduates nursing school and is sent to care for the terminally ill wife of Cyril Landon, owner of Landon Lawns Stables. The story weaves romance and peril, as Autumn and Cyril marry, but face tragedy and challenges. The book earned Blackwood finalist honors in the Fiction Romance category at the 2019 International Book Awards and the American Book Fest's 2019 awards program, and received a 5-star rating from Reader's Favorite.
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. All of her books are available on Amazon, and more information can be found on her website at http://www.rusty-blackwood.com.
