Cassandra Clare shares a ‘The Wicked Powers’ snippet and lots of ‘Sword Catcher’ news! (original) (raw)

Another month, another Cassandra Clare newsletter filled with lots of information! Since we are The Mortal Instruments Souce aka TMI Source, let’s start with The Shadowhunter Chronicles news! 😉
Cassie gave her subscribers a tiny snippet from The Wicked Powers, her final trilogy in the Shadowhunters universe. ❤

“I don’t think I’m going to be able to let you off with a warning this time, Drusilla,” said Luke Garroway, taking off his gold-rimmed spectacles so he could peer more closely at Dru. Dru crossed one leg over the other. She wished she was wearing something a little more dignified than ripped fishnets, boots, and a t-shirt dress that said SURELY NOT EVERYONE WAS KUNG-FU FIGHTING, but she hadn’t expected to be pulled into the Headmaster’s office so unceremoniously.

Uh-oh! What did Dru do? I’m thrilled with this snippet and I love what’s on Dru’s t-shirt. I am sure Simon would approve of it.
Cassie also shared Dru artwork on her Instagram. (Please note: Usually I would embed the post here, but it seems like Instagram posts aren’t properly displayed on WordPress anymore and as long as I haven’t figured out how to solve this, I will share links. If you are able to help, please tweet or send a DM request @TMI_Source.)
Click here to see a grown-up Dru.

For an update on Cassie’s publishing plans (Sword Catcher, The Wicked Powers, Secrets of Blackthorn Hall, and more) click here.

Now for all the Sword Catcher news:

• Cassie announced her US and UK tour dates, you can check them out on her website. Of course she’ll be stopping in London, so you know where I’ll be in October. 😉
• If you happen to go to San Diego Comic Con this year, you can grab an ARC of Sword Catcher. All the important details are in this Instagram post.
• US readers also have the chance to win an ARC via goodreads.
• Cassie was interviewed by Shelf Awareness – they also reviewed Sword Catcher – and you can read the whole interview here.

Let’s have a look what Cassie shared about Castellane and who rules the city:

Castellane is a city-state — it has its own government and royal family. Part of my inspiration for Sword Catcher was Venice during the Silk Road era, and families like the famous Borgias and Medicis. Castellane’s government consists of a royal family and a Council of Twelve — twelve families, each of whom holds a charter that gives them ownership over a certain kind of good that is traded through the continent of Dannemore. These are the Charter Families; they are the richest in Castellane, and Charters are passed down through families, like an inheritance — though the ruling family, the Aurelians, has the power to grant charters and also to take them away.

The Charter families

The Uzecs have quite a bit of sway as the holders of the Wine Charter.
A popular man is Mathieu Gremont, who holds the Coffee and Tea Charter.
Fabulous Lupin Montfaucon always has the latest fashions, as appropriate for the Charter holder for fabrics.
Joss Falconet is an old friend of Prince Conor’s, and owns the Spice Charter. More on him later!
House Gasquet controls all the oil and perfume coming in and out of the city.
Lady Alleyne, the mother of Antonetta, is in charge of the valuable Silk Charter and makes sure she and her daughter are always in the finest silk dresses.
The Cazalet Family has owned the Banking Charter for so long, coins are often called “cazalets”.
House Roverge owns the Dye Charter. House Sardou has the Glass Charter,
House Raspail Timber, and Alonse Esteve owns the Horse Charter.

They have their meetings in the Dial Chamber, whose seats are arranged to look like the numbers on a clock. Sitting at midnight is House Aurelian, the Royal Family, whose charter is kingship. At these meetings the fates of cities and countries are decided with the stroke of a pen. It used to be the pen of King Markus, but as he has grown weaker with a mysterious illness, that pen has found itself in the hand of his son, Conor Aurelian, who we’ve met before…

Another really useful image that I’m sure will help lots of readers once they read Sword Catcher.
I also wonder what is wrong with the King?

The character of the month is a certain gentleman called Joss Falconet.

Joss Falconet, already draped across a green velvet sofa, waved to them in desultory fashion. He was the youngest of the Council members, having gained the spice Charter upon the death of his father two years ago. He was handsome, with high cheekbones and the smooth black hair of his Shenzan mother. Two courtesans shared the sofa with him already: a dark young man playing with the lace at the cuffs of Falconet’s scarlet velvet coat, and a blond woman leaning against his shoulder. Around his neck gleamed a chain of rough-cut rubies set in silver bezels. When he was pleased by a courtesan, he would pull one free and gift it to them. It made him very popular.
“Excellent,” Falconet drawled. “Finally someone to play with.”
Kel sank into a carved jade chair. It wasn’t the most comfortable item in the room, but he had no intention of relaxing just yet. “You seem to have plenty to amuse yourself with, Joss.”

Joss Falconet by Sasha Coleman. Here you see him with the arrows for a bow and arrow, which he uses for hunting; opium poppies and wine, and his ruby necklace.

Joss is the youngest of the Charter holders. His mother was from the country of Shenzhou, his father from Castellane; both died when he was younger. Joss has been friends with Conor and Kel since they were all small children. Like Conor’s other friends, he loves parties, a good time, and ridiculous exploits, but there may be rather more to him….

We got one more snippet to get to know Joss a little bit better:

The table shifted; Falconet had seated himself beside Kel. He wore black velvet today, the silk enlivened with a luminous silver weave. Falconet was not like Conor or Montfaucon—he presented himself well but clearly lacked their fascination with clothes and fashion. Kel often wondered what it was that did interest Falconet. He seemed to regard all activities with the same casual amusement, but no real preference.
“So,” said Falconet, glancing at Kel’s shoulder. “How did you get injured, then?”
Kel cut his gaze sideways. “What makes you think I did?”
“People talk. But . . .” Falconet spread his hands wide. “We needn’t discuss it if you’d prefer not to.”
“I got drunk,” Kel said. “Fell off a horse.”
Falconet smiled. Everything about him was sharp—his cheekbones, the angle of his shoulders, even the cut of his smile. “Why in gray hell would you do such a fool thing?”
“Personal reasons,” Kel said.
“Ah.” Falconet was watching Montfaucon, who was engaged in wagering with Roverge. “As I said, we needn’t discuss it.” Falconet examined his nails. “Speaking of Conor, the right marriage would bring a great deal of gold and glory to Castellane. If I may share a thought . . .”
“You will, whether I give you permission or not,” said Kel, and Falconet grinned. Joss was among those rare nobles who treated Kel as a person separate from Conor. Kel knew perfectly well this didn’t mean Falconet had his best interests at heart, but it was interesting, all the same.

Joss certainly sounds like an interesting character, I cannot wait to find out more about him! I’m already looking forward to the next character of the month. I’m guessing we’ll meet two or three more.

Sword Catcher is published on 10 October! Don’t forget to pre-order your copy today and make sure to also add it on your goodreads TBR!