Award-winning novelist Rusty Blackwood has announced that the ebook version of her latest novel, Before the Grandeur: The Making of a Horsemaster, will be available at no charge on July 30 and 31, 2026, at Amazon. This prequel to the thrilling Autumn Trilogy immerses readers in the equestrian world of professional racing, concealed secrets, and unfaltering love, demonstrating that determination and grit can turn uncertainty into triumph.
The story follows Cyril Landon, a deprived young Englishman born into poverty in the village of South Wood Chester, Gloucestershire, England. With little hope for success, Cyril's life changes when a labourer's position at a local farm opens a door to a future he never imagined. This new book explores the difficult journey that precedes the grandeur awaiting readers in The Perils of Autumn.
"I am pleased to offer Before the Grandeur: The Making of a Horsemaster at no charge during this timeframe," stated Blackwood. "Born into extreme poverty with little hope of survival, Cyril Landon's difficult beginnings throughout England's horrific war years will better assist readers in understanding the difficult journey that precedes the grandeur awaiting them in The Perils of Autumn. For fans of historical fiction, this page-turner is a must read."
The book has already garnered praise from reviewers. Richard Prause of Readers Favorite noted, "It doesn't depend on manufactured plot twists to drive the story. Instead, it focuses on the simple, powerful moments of a man earning the trust of a stallion. It's a perceptive exploration of ambition and loyalty, indeed. If you appreciate character-driven historical fiction, this novel is well worth your time." Another reviewer, Asher Syed, stated, "Overall, this will be a boon for readers who are already fans of the series, and a brilliant introduction to fans-in-waiting."
The first book in the series, The Perils of Autumn, was named a finalist in the Fiction Romance category by both the International Book Awards and American Book Fest in 2019. It also received a 5-star rating from Reader's Favorite. The novel is set primarily in the early 1970s and centers on a young Kentucky woman named Autumn Leeves, who is born in 1946 to an unwed mother. Shunned by society, mother and daughter find themselves in peril until a kind shopkeeper takes them in. By 1970, Autumn graduates nursing school and is sent to care for the terminally ill wife of middle-aged English equestrian master Cyril Landon, setting off a chain of events involving romance, secrets, and peril.
Blackwood's previous works include the 5-star rated romantic fiction novel Willow's Walk, set in Ottawa, Canada, and Passions in Paris: Revelations of a Lost Diary, a sweeping saga compared to Erich Segal's Love Story and Nicholas Sparks' The Notebook. Information on all of Blackwood's work is available at her website, and her books are available at Amazon sites worldwide.
