The Story Behind The Story…

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My name is Rory Marsden, and I am not the Lord of Hambrig, even though we share the same name!

Tales of Castle Rory is a series of Medieval Fantasy Adventures, set in the demesne of Lord Rory of Hambrig. Lord Rory writes in his private journal, obsessively noting down everything that happens, together with his feelings. Questions and doubts rise to the surface, yet he never loses hope. He is convinced that, at heart, his people love him and will never desert him.

This is also the story of my life.

I have known loss, pain and grief. I have had to rely on my family and my friends to get me through, and I know how important these things are.

This is why Lord Rory suffers such agony when he is deserted by those he loves.

During the worst years of my life, my mum was at my side. We cried and laughed together. We worked things out, shared ideas and became each other’s best friend.

I never thought to publish the Tales. My mum loved them, and she not only encouraged me to keep writing but she also urged me to publish the books. I resisted that though, because I’d written them for us, and I’d never had the intention of bringing them to a wider audience.

Until last year.

Last year my wonderful mum died, unexpectedly and suddenly, and I was left bereft. It took me several months to work out what to do in her honour, but it finally came to me: I knew I must publish my Tales of Castle Rory. I went back to The Box of Death and got it ready for the big, wide world. I hope you enjoy it, and the subsequent Tales as well.

My stories tell of family, loyalty, trust and resilience, together with the other sides of those coins: abandonment, betrayal, loss and disempowerment.

I now know that my experiences are my books and vice versa.