THE GREEN BLADE Cover Reveal
Cover Reveal for Book 2 of The Secrets of Avalon trilogy
Good morning and welcome all to Heart and Sword, the author newsletter for Mary Rose Kreger. (That’s me!)
Welcome, Detroit Book Fest subscribers!
Welcome especially to my new subscribers from the Detroit Book Festival this past weekend!
The Detroit Book Fest was the best event I’ve ever participated in as a vendor. It’s held on the third Sunday of July at Detroit’s historic Eastern Market. I manned an author table in Shed 6, an outdoor shed that welcomed thousands of book lovers into the Festival.
I met so many amazing people at the Festival: avid book lovers seeking an adventurous new read; young writers dreaming of publishing their first book; fellow authors sharing their inspiring stories with the world.
Thank you to everyone who stopped at my table. Each year I spend hundreds of hours writing and editing my books at home, carefully crafting my work into thoughtful, compelling, high-quality stories. But when I attend in-person events like the Detroit Book Festival, I meet the other side. I meet the people destined to receive my writing and use their imaginations to make it their own. Readers like you make my fiction come ALIVE, and I am forever grateful to each of you! :) Thank you so much! 😊
Cover Reveal
Today I am thrilled to reveal the beautiful cover design for THE GREEN BLADE, Book 2 of The Secrets of Avalon trilogy:
THE GREEN BLADE is the sequel to Avalon Lost, my debut YA fantasy adventure novel. It tells the story of Princess Philia Pendragon and her loyal watchman, Will Owain, as they journey across the Isle of Avalon, seeking a cure for Philia’s evil curse.
THE GREEN BLADE will be released in e-book and paperback this December 2025. Stay tuned for a pre-order date!
While this cover shares some of the same features of the first book, it also contains more detailed portraits of my two main characters. That is because the deepening romance between Philia and Will is a key element of THE GREEN BLADE’s storyline. There are also some clues about the book’s main themes and landscapes hidden on the cover.
Thank you so much to Benita Thompson of Kairos Book Design for the gorgeous design. My main characters thank you for making them look so good! :)
Here’s a little bit about THE GREEN BLADE:
Who can defeat a Curse worse than death?
Princess Philia Pendragon has returned to the enchanted Isle of Avalon, but her journey comes with a terrible price: a "curse worse than death". The Curse spreads like dragon fire through her body, poisoning her cheery temperament and bending all her thoughts towards death. As her parents and healers search for an antidote, Philia encounters a gruesome Dragon hellbent on eliminating any possible cure. Lord Amaranth soon claims the Dragon for himself, and uses the creature to declare war on Avalon.
Will Owain, the Princess' loyal watchman, refuses to accept Philia's cruel fate. He'd give up everything to save her, but he fears even his own life would not be enough. Is there a way to save Philia, if someone can muster the courage and generosity to do so? Or will saving the Princess destroy not only Will, but their entire beloved kingdom?
The Green Blade, sequel to Avalon Lost, is the heart and hinge of the Secrets of Avalon trilogy. Its vivid worldbuilding, emotionally charged action scenes, and compelling characters will appeal to fans of The Legend of Zelda universe, Studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke, and John Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice series.
More about this book:
Genres: Epic fantasy, Fantasy romance, Arthurian mythology, Clean YA fantasy, Portal fantasy, Coming of age, Mental Health issues.
Audience: Teens, Young Adult, Adult.
Settings: The magical, medieval kingdom of Avalon.
Recommended Reader Age: 14+ (some content may be too mature for younger teens)
Completeness: Second in a series.
Similar/influenced by: The Legend of Zelda, The Ranger's Apprentice, Princess Mononoke, The Ascendance Trilogy by Jennifer Nielsen, The Princess Bride, Song of the Sea...
In Summary:
THE GREEN BLADE is for readers who want a fantasy adventure with noble characters, treacherous villains, a star-crossed romance, devious dragons, and lots of epic fight scenes! ⚔️🐉⚔️
AVALON LOST now available in audiobook format!
Avalon Lost, Book 1 of The Secrets of Avalon trilogy, is now available in audiobook format on Amazon and Audible!
The audiobook for AVALON LOST was released in March 2025. It offers a brand new experience of the book, featuring delightful Scottish, Welsh, and British accents by the talented Zephyr Thomas.
For my new subscribers, here is a little more about AVALON LOST, A YA Fantasy Adventure Novel:
Unless he finds her, the kingdom falls.
Philia Pendragon is the greatest teen fencer in modern Wales, but she longs for another world. Late at night, she's haunted by memories of a magical, medieval kingdom, and the loving father she was forced to leave behind. Can Philia navigate shifting portals and hidden traitors to return to the Enchanted Isle?
Will Owain is the most determined apprentice in the King's Watch. Selected by His Majesty for a high-risk mission, Will must forego his quest to rescue his mother from the traitor Lord Amaranth. Can Will find the King's lost daughter, Philia, by year's end and prevent the King from forfeiting his throne to Lord Amaranth?
AVALON LOST's visual storytelling, compelling characters, and epic fight scenes will appeal to fans of The Legend of Zelda universe and Pedro Urvi's Path of the Ranger series.
Thank you so much for reading! If you like what you see, please share this post with your friends. This is a grassroots book release, so your support means more readers will learn about this indie story. ❤️&⚔️
The cover looks amazing! I am so excited for The Green Blade!
What a beautiful cover!