Inspiration for The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven trilogy
I am a former French teacher and college professor. When I earned my MA in French literature, I fell in love with the medieval legend of Tristan et Yseult. When I taught high school French, I had my advanced classes read that medieval roman courtois as part of our study of France in the Middle Ages. I enhanced the story by illustrating it with puppets, playing the French musical, “Tristan et Yseult” (with Magali Neslot and Solal), and teaching a medieval Breton dance as we danced to the song, “Les Noces” from that musical. We watched the French version of the film “Tristan and Isolde” (with James Franco and Sophia Myles), culminating with “Le Théâtre en Classe”– where my students reenacted the story in costumes.
I had written a little play for my French I students to perform at the annual state French competition. Last year, I decided to write The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven trilogy based on my love for the medieval legend and the play I had written for my students.
Retelling the legend of “Tristan et Yseult”
I never liked the tragic ending of the original medieval legend. Tristan and Yseult pined for each other throughout the story and ended up dying of broken hearts, much like Romeo and Juliette. Although I did retain a lot of the original storyline in developing my trilogy, I created new characters and rewove the plot with much more inclusion of the Arthurian myth related to the French legend. I also incorporated paranormal fantasy elements, such as Druids, forest fairies, Elves, dwarves, and dark lore from the mystical Forest of Brocéliande. I even created my own version of Avalon –based on French research and a real archipelago of islands off the northwestern coast of France–with an entirely different ending than the original medieval French legend of Tristan et Yseult.
World Building
I read and researched French legends from the enchanted Forest of Brocéliande for many aspects of the fantasy world, including tales of Lancelot, Merlin, the Lady of the Lake, and Avalon. I drew upon my childhood experiences growing up on a tidal bay in Maine and my keen interest in plants, herbs, and healing crystals. As a French teacher, I frequently traveled to France, visiting châteaux, sites of medieval pilgrimage, and troglodyte caves of the Loire Valley. I blended all of this together, weaving in certain aspects of fairy tales, such as Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, to embroider the medieval legend of Tristan et Yseult with creative, vivid imagery and fiery, romantic passion.
Conclusion of the Trilogy
Hunted by the Black Widow Queen, Issylte–a healer with the verdant magic of the forest–must flee Avalon with the two finest knights in the Celtic realm, both wrongly accused of treason. The trio travels to Bretagne, where Issylte heals a critically injured wolf and obtains fiercely loyal, shapeshifting allies.
In mystical Brocéliande, Issylte becomes a warrior priestess of the Tribe of Dana and otherworldly mate of the Blue Knight of Cornwall, discovering with Tristan a passion that transcends all bounds. When she becomes the Lady of the Mirrored Lake, sworn to defend the sacred waters of the Goddess, Issylte must undertake a perilous quest to discover what priceless object lies hidden in its murky depths.
As a nascent evil emerges in a fetid cave, Issylte and Tristan must face a diabolical trio that threatens their lives, their love, and their kingdoms.
Enchanted. Enflamed. Entwined. Can their passion and power prevail?
“The Lady of the Mirrored Lake’—my new release– is book 2 of The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven trilogy. “The Emerald Fairy and the Dragon Knight”—the conclusion—will be published June 21 (the summer solstice!).
Future Publication
I am delighted that my novel, “Winter Solstice in the Crystal Castle”, will be published later this year as well. It’s a medieval romance between a feisty French Viking princess forced to marry a man she loathes and the sullen, chivalrous knight who suffers an impossible love for his vibrant, valiant Valkyrie.
About Author Jennifer Ivy Walker
Enthralled with legends of medieval knights and ladies, dark fairy tales and fantasies about Druids, wizards and magic, Jennifer Ivy Walker always dreamed of becoming a writer. She fell in love with French in junior high school, continuing her study of the language throughout college, eventually becoming a high school teacher and college professor of French.
As a high school teacher, she took her students every year to the annual French competition, where they performed a play she had written, “Yseult la Belle et Tristan la Bête”–an imaginative blend of the medieval French legend of “Tristan et Yseult” and the fairy tale “Beauty and the Beast”, enhanced with fantasy elements of a Celtic fairy and a wicked witch.
“The Lady of the Mirrored Lake”—book 2 of “The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven” trilogy–is a blend of her love for medieval legends, the romantic French language, and paranormal fantasy. It is a paranormal fantasy adaptation of the medieval legend of “Tristan et Yseult” (Tristan and Isolde), interwoven with Arthurian myth, dark fairy tales from the enchanted Forest of Brocéliande, and otherworldly elements such as Avalonian Elves, Druids, forest fairies and magic.
Explore her realm of Medieval French Fantasy. She hopes her novels will enchant you.
Website: https://jenniferivywalker.com/
Goodreads Author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22671046.Jennifer_Ivy_Walker
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferIvyWalker
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bohemienneivy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferivywalkerauthor/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jenniferivywalker
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-lady-of-the-mirrored-lake-jennifer-ivy-walker/1142600233?ean=2940186700920
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1- About the Author
- Posts in the Past
Thank you so much for featuring my new release, The Lady of the Mirrored Lake, book 2 of The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven trilogy!
Thank you very much for hosting me on th eCoffee Time Romance blog!