Guest blog by Christy Nicholas
In Misfortune of Time, book #6 in The Druid’s Brooch series, the main character is Étaín, a grandmother who lives in 11th century Ireland in the shadow of a massive Christian abbey. Her husband is a priest, enamored of piety and asceticism, and she must hide her pagan magic in order to live up to his ideals.
However, as the couple grows older, her husband becomes more abusive and Étaín begins to fear for their grandson’s safety. In 11th century Ireland it was considered a wife’s duty to obey her husband, but in the end Étaín’s only option is to escape in the dark of the night, trusting other people to take care of her grandson.
Étaín’s story is typical of many women of her time in that she feels trapped by circumstance. But she eventually breaks free of her tormentor to make a new life for herself, though she has to pay a high price for it by becoming separated from the child. In that way, she is very much a part of the ancient culture that disempowered women within marriage and family.
A woman’s ability to survive on her own was difficult in ancient times and it can be a challenge today as well. But we can be grateful that the tools and norms of modern society have granted women a valuable advantage over their ancient predecessors. Of course, things are far from perfect, and there is still more work to be done.
Misfortune of Time is on pre-order now on Amazon.
Christy Nicholas, also known as Green Dragon, is an author, artist, and accountant. After she failed to become an airline pilot she decided to concentrate on her writing. She has her hands in many crafts, including digital art, beaded jewelry, writing, and photography. She does local art and craft shows as well as sending her art to science fiction conventions throughout the country and abroad. You can connect with her at http://www.GreenDragonArtist.com
P.K. Adams 
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