Though my existence is just now being made public, I've been walking amongst you (and, presumably, all the people now dead that were walking around before you) for more than two thousand years. I'm a Druid—the last real Druid, as a matter of fact. If I can keep my new apprentice alive for the twelve-year training period, there will be two of us.
You're probably wondering how I managed to live so long. And you might also be wondering why I didn't single-handedly stop the Industrial Revolution so we could have avoided things like oil companies and fast food and geckos who can save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. The answers to all those questions are in Hounded, a book written by Kevin Hearne, but the short answer is this: I was hiding.
I call myself Atticus O'Sullivan these days. (There was a terrifying three-month period in the 1950's during which I went by the name Nigel, but thank the Gods Below that's all past.) I have an Irish wolfhound that I jokingly named Oberon after Shakespeare's king of the Fae. I have bound his consciousness to mine so that we can speak mentally, and he keeps me grounded and appreciating the simple pleasures of life. As I write this, he's wondering when I'm going to stop and cook up some sausage for him.
What would I give to have no worries but a hungry hound! Unfortunately, the world's pantheons and the Fae aren't willing to leave me alone, now that my hideout in Arizona has been exposed. I'm not talking about some modern, sanitized version of the Fae, by the way: The true Fae are badass descendants of the Tuatha Dé Danann, who went underground long ago. First among the Fae is Brighid, goddess of poetry, fire, and the forge, though she might be a goddess of manipulation as well, considering what she did to me recently (it's in the book). I have an uncomfortable suspicion that she's not through with me yet.
The best thing for me to do—the smart thing—would be to run and hide somewhere else. Thing is, I've been doing that for two thousand years, and I'm a bit tired of it. I've got my Irish up now, and I figure those who want a fight from me can have one for free.
Kevin Hearne is writing down my story as fast as I can tell it. It's a series now called The Iron Druid Chronicles, which I like because it makes me sound like a total badass. The second book in the series, Hexed, comes out in early June and the third book, Hammered, will be released in early July.
You can read the first six chapters of Hounded for free right here and if you'd like to go mess with Kevin a little bit, that would amuse me no end. Kevin has a blog here and you can follow him on Twitter here.
Sláinte, friends. May harmony find you.
Happy Reading!
Atticus O'Sullivan
(as dictated to Kevin Hearne)
Taken from the HarperCollins/Del Ray Newsletter 2011
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