Guild of the Cowry Catchers

Among the querulous island kingdoms of Wefrivain, the only unifying power is religion - a wyvern cult ruled by an eccentric High Priestess. The system is under attack by a gang of pirates called the Guild of the Cowry Catchers who prey on Temple treasure ships. The Temple Police charged with eradicating this menace keep disappearing.

Enter Gerard, a young prince, exiled from his small kingdom for rashly marrying the court minstrel. He has been chosen by the High Priestess as the new captain of Police. Gerard is smart, honorable, and a little naive. To break the pirate ring, he must cooperate with a wily, amoral colleague, who has already tried to kill him twice. As Gerard struggles to protect his talented wife, obey his seductive employer, and forge a complicated friendship with his dangerous co-worker, he becomes increasingly aware that the pirates have a legitimate quarrel with the wyverns. Dark secrets lurk in the Temple dungeons, and solving them will cost Gerard far more than his honor.

 

Updates

3/08/09 - This book now has its own dedicated site at www.cowrycatchers.com. It's being released in full cast audio, complete with illustrations.

9/16/08 - I posted another chapter of this book, and I've nearly finalized its query letter. I'll query for it in 2009. Regardless of the results, I'd like to podcast it fully illustrated in 2010.

6/17/08 - began editing this story for submission.

1/1/08 - posted wonderful new sketches for illustrations of Part II. I'll post these without titles in order to avoid spoiling the story for anyone.

12/16/07 - finished the initial draft of this story.

8/23/07 - put up another very lovely picture - the color version of Thessalyn singing to Gerard.

6/13/07 - put up another lovely picture, the color version of Argument. There are some close-ups of some of extra pretty stuff - Gerard's face and the basket of Silveo's sword.

3/30/07 - I commissioned Sarah Cloutier (AKA Rah) to make some illustrations for Part I of this book. They are absolutely beautiful. I'm posting the scans here. She did pencil sketches, some of which will be turned into full watercolors. Some of the sketches are more cleaned up than others. I will post more as they become available. The book is about 3/4 done at this point.

10/2/06 - I have just started this book. It is a prequal to Walk Upon High.

Samples and Extras

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Illustrations are released weekly here.

All art, text, likenesses, and logos associated with Guild of the Cowry Catchers are Copyright © 2003-08 Abigail Hilton unless otherwise stated, and may not be distributed or copied without consent.