COMING NOVEMBER 18, BLANTON’S 5TH NOVEL

THE NOBLEST SHARE OF EARTH

In the far north of Ireland lies the peninsula—Inishowen—renowned for its beauty, revered for its rich, fertile, and vital lands, and coveted by many for its strategic location. The marriage of the young clan chieftain to an English Viscount’s daughter creates an alliance meant to secure and strengthen Inishowen’s future. But greater powers on all sides—greedy chieftains of other clans, foreign adventurers seeking land, and English planters meant to displace the Irish, cast violent and ever-growing threats upon the hopes and dreams of the young couple. Nothing is certain. Survival cannot depend on muskets or swords, nor a single bold hero, but on something new, untried…and utterly relentless.

 Based on the true story of Sir Cahir O’Doherty of County Donegal, his wife Maire Preston of County Meath, and his rebellion against the English in 1608.

WHEN STARLINGS FLY AS ONE

A story of war, struggle, spirit, and survival:
a story of two sides. Based on a true account of Ireland’s longest siege, and the people who survived it.

Secretive and often bold, Merel de Vries seeks only escape from the English nobility she serves. When Rathbarry Castle is besieged by rising Irish clans, she faces an impossible choice: allegiance to owner Sir Arthur Freke, loyalty to new-found love Tynan O’Daly, and inner yearnings belonging to her alone. 

On the wind-swept coast near the village of Ross, the English settlers hoping to build a new life now seek shelter within the castle. Rathbarry’s former owners, the MacCarthy clan and its followers, have brought their armies to take it all back. 

To Merel, a Dutch orphan, both sides are heroic and both sides seem unspeakably cruel. Worse still, the people she loves are on different ends of the struggle. With no access to food or supplies, the castle residents face starvation, disease, and the constant fear of death. Sir Arthur is desperate to find a solution for rescue. Merel insists she can help—but no one will listen. When opportunity comes, can she truly do what her spirit urges? Or, will a sudden betrayal change everything?

INTERVIEWS AND COMMENTARY

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