About the Book: The Crystal Shore is a character-driven fantasy adventure, with a cosy and familiar yet unique feel to it. Charlatan, Killian O’Shea, is hired by the neurotic Ren Thorncliffe, to help him uncover a lost artifact that will save his dying father. The money is very tempting for Killian, but so is the chance to redeem his past by doing something good for once in his life. He enlists the aid of Captain Lily Rothbone – a fierce pirate queen – and her crew, tricking her with the promise of treasure. There’s action, adventure, a world within a world, tips on how to make a good fish stew, and a ‘will they / won’t they’ romantic sub-plot between Killian and the pirate queen. There’s also a strong emphasis on friendship, and the bonds we create as we go through life.

The Crystal Shore won two awards in the Spring 2023 Book Fest awards. It came first in Epic Fantasy, and first in Magic, Myths and Legends. Sadly, there wasn’t a category for making fish stews.

About the Beverage: Jo recommends pairing The Crystal Shore with a rum old fashioned “made with Salford Rum, so I’m keeping it local. It features two dashes of Angostura Bitters, a teaspoon of maple syrup, and a slice of orange peel” because “Ever since I watched Mad Men the old fashioned has been my cocktail of choice. But I was thinking that if Lily, my pirate queen, wanted to make one herself she’d use rum. The rum is complicated and spicy, just like the relationship between Lily, and my protagonist, Killian. The sweetness of the maple syrup and the tang of the orange highlights the camaraderie and sass between Killian, Ren, and my trio of pirate gunners. A sharp dash of Angostura Bitters shows that nothing is what it seems, and danger lurks everywhere. And the giant globe of ice represents the journey my characters go on, both physically and mentally. I can see Lily making one of these in her cabin and sipping it while watching the stars come out.”

About the Author: Jo de-Lancey is a fantasy writer originally from Warwickshire, now living in Cheshire, England. She wanted to be an author from a very young age and used to while away the hours writing stories about enchanted scarecrows – which she’d then read to her older brother and his friends. Yes, she now cringes about this, but everyone has to start somewhere. She’s since left the scarecrows behind in favor of thieves, pirates, and magic. A love of the classic Final Fantasy and Zelda games drew her towards the fantasy genre, as well as the desire to create her own world. Her debut novel, The Crystal Shore, was released in 2022 and is the first in a series of four. When she’s not writing she can be found playing video games, navigating the wilds of the English countryside with her fiancée, or watching b-movies while drinking cocktails.

THE CRYSTAL SHORE is available on eBook and paperback from Amazon.

FOLLOW JO DE-LANCEY
Instagram - jo.r.delancey
Website - https://jodelancey.com/
A review from The Books That Make You - https://www.booksthatmakeyou.com/book_submissions/the-crystal-shore/
An author interview - https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/interview-jo-de-lancey/