I’m delighted to welcome Mark Noce to my blog today, introducing his debut novel ‘Between Two Fires’, which is set in medieval Wales. I was particularly interested in this book because by coincidence I was just reading recently about The Black Book of Carmarthen, (Llyfr Du Caerfyrddin) which is the earliest surviving medieval manuscript written solely in Welsh. It dates from 1250 and apparently has some of the earliest references to Arthur and Merlin. Now, researchers examining it with ultra-violet light have found that words and images erased by the scribe more than five centuries ago, can be seen lurking beneath the visible manuscript. See this article.

Professor Russell of the library believes a pumice stone was used to remove parts of the text in the sixteenth century. He said: “It takes off a slight layer off the surface, but the ink has penetrated a bit further so what we can do is use UV light to bring out that ink. On some bits of it you can’t recover anything as it has been rubbed so hard.” (BBC website) What is even more bizarre is that someone has a theory that these erased figures are actually aliens, and that there was a medieval conspiracy to cover up their existence. You couldn’t make it up. I suggest that if you want to know more about medieval Wales, you immerse yourself in Mark’s book instead.
Mark was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area of the US and is an avid traveler and backpacker, particularly in Europe and North America. By day, he works as a Technical Writer, having spent much of his career working at places like Google and Facebook. When not reading or writing, he enjoys listening to U2, sailing his dad’s boat, or gardening with his family. Find him at Marknoce.com or on Twitter/ Facebook

About Between Two Fires

Saxon barbarians threaten to destroy medieval Wales. Lady Branwen becomes Wales’s last hope to unite their divided kingdoms when her father betroths her to a powerful Welsh warlord, the Hammer King. But this fledgling alliance is fraught with enemies from within and without as Branwen herself becomes the target of assassinations and courtly intrigue. A young woman in a world of fierce warriors, she seeks to assert her own authority and preserve Wales against the barbarians. But when she falls for a young hedge knight named Artagan her world threatens to tear itself apart. Caught between her duty to her people and her love of a man she cannot have, Branwen must choose whether to preserve her royal marriage or to follow her heart. Somehow she must save her people and remain true to herself, before Saxon invaders and a mysterious traitor try to destroy her.

Amazon/ Amazon Kindle/Thomas Dunne Books

Lovely bookcover isn’t it?