>> Bright Star >> book one
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COMING NOVEMBER 24, 2023
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Bridgette Conner is in her early 20s, studying violin at a university in the American South. She's a part-time waitress, a full-time creative, and for all intents and purposes, a pretty normal twenty-something living a pretty normal life. She has senior year finals coming up, a few summer classes to round things out, and after that? Bridgette hasn't given it much thought.
One Sunday in 2018, a newcomer enters the diner where she works. And suddenly, Bridgette has many, many thoughts about what comes next: Magic is for fairytales. Her life has been anything but. ... Until now. "Bright Star" follows Bridgette as she begins to tackle an uncertain, constantly changing present based on a past she didn't know was hers to claim. The world in which Bridgette grew up is very different from the possibilities she's now presented with — if she is willing to join forces with Elves and Fairies, witches and Sanguisuge coteries, Tieflings and Baetalü, to make possibility reality. Immersed largely in the history of the Salem Witch Trials and Civil Rights Movement, melded with modern-day challenges of changing colonizer mindsets and confronting one's own economic and social biases, "The Meridian Trilogy" is as much a fantasy series as it is a lens through which to view twenty-first century politics and global lifestyles. Intensely researched, meticulously detailed, combining fictional worldbuilding with real-life happenings, it's a rarity in the genre ... and perhaps like Bridgette Conner, something new in its entirety. The saga begins now. Will you join us? *** Please note "Bright Star" contains strong language and themes related to mental health. land acknowledgement
"Bright Star" was written in Athens and Augusta, Georgia; Sugar Grove, North Carolina; and Sanibel and Anna Maria, Florida, on the stolen ancestral lands of the following indigenous nations: * Calusa * Moneton * Mvskoke (Muscogee/Creek) * S'atsoyaha (Yuchi) * Seminole * Taino * Tocobaga * Tsalaguwetiyi (Eastern Cherokee) |
Potential Spoilers Below
. ... ..... ... . Read the description at your own risk! The Era of the Liluthuaé Has Begun.
When last we heard of Bridgette Conner, fated Elfling “savior” of worlds both magic and non, she crossed a spelled barrier into the secret world of Palna: a country encapsulated in its own borders, home to ill-intentioned Craft Wizardry and the potential threats she was born to fight against. That’s the last anyone in greater Heáhwolcen heard of her, too. Bridgette’s two-week deep-dive into Palna has now extended, and she’s managed to get tangled up with a whole new crew of magical miscreants. As she immerses herself in this mysterious country, her comrades in the Samnung simultaneously charge themselves with rescuing her, while also determining how to handle a second potential civil war within their own borders. Things on Earth are of questionable diplomatic nature too as American and British leaders make choices that affect the entire world. The chaos Bridgette and her companions encounter raises questions of just how involved the ill-intentioned Ealdaelfen Elves have perhaps been in the years since they allegedly perished. It's a time for old legends to be retold, and new truths to be revealed. But the biggest secret of all could bring everything crashing down. The biggest secret could destroy the Samnung, Heáhwolcen, and by default, the world below. There’s a member of the Samnung who’s been hiding something; who isn’t all they seem to be. And in order for the task of the Liluthuaé to be fulfilled, that which is hidden must come to light ... for the Bright Star does not shine alone. *** Please note "Triumvirate Rising" contains strong language and several scenes of a sexual nature, as well as scenes related to handling mental health and abuse. Signed hardcover collector's sprayed-edge editions will be available for pre-order Sept. 15 to 30, 2023 with an estimated shipping date of Nov. 18.
Unsigned editions will be available for pre-order Sept. 15 through Nov. 23 via your local independent bookstore, Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble, and select other retailers. Ebooks will be available for pre-order Sept. 15 through Nov. 23 on Kobo, Apple Books and Nook with an availability date of Nov. 24. |
>> See what readers have to say about "Bright Star" and "The Meridian Trilogy" >>
"'Bright Star' by Dallas Anne Duncan is so good! The main character is so witty and relatable! I find myself truly caught up in the world the author has created."
— Marissa H., Georgia
"Masterfully written, exquisitely detailed, and thoroughly entertaining — I loved the first installment of 'The Meridian Trilogy'!"
— Derek C., Alabama
"Never in my imagination would I have thought of an office space like that, and now I wish magic was real. Also, can I just say, the use of the word 'y'all' in fantasy literature? Chef's kiss. Of all the edits, using the word 'y'all' would never be included in my notes. It made it feel real."
— Stephen B., Oregon
"Thoroughly enjoyed ['Bright Star']! Really bummed I've already read through it already and have to wait for books two and three to continue on these characters' journeys, but I guess that's essential in a good book! Fantastic job and can't wait for what's to come!"
— Brie G., Georgia
"The amazing world of the Bright Star is beyond the ordinary person’s imagination, but Dallas Anne Duncan has made it a very real possibility in the mind of the reader. The descriptions take the reader to this incredible world so different than ours. I want to ride a Unicorn and experience the celebrations! I am eagerly anticipating the next book! Truly, it is a masterful work that transports the reader to a magical place!"
— Terri Kaye Duncan, author of "Camping Reservations: Body of Lies", Georgia
"This genre totally isn’t my normal go-to. But I couldn’t put the book down! The character development and the detail is in-fucking-credible! The depth and backstory Dallas gave both Collum and Bridgette is impressive, to put it mildly. She literally can’t write the next two books fast enough."
— Whitney M., Georgia
Read additional reviews (and please leave yours!) on Barnes & Noble, Target, Kobo, Apple Books and Goodreads.
— Marissa H., Georgia
"Masterfully written, exquisitely detailed, and thoroughly entertaining — I loved the first installment of 'The Meridian Trilogy'!"
— Derek C., Alabama
"Never in my imagination would I have thought of an office space like that, and now I wish magic was real. Also, can I just say, the use of the word 'y'all' in fantasy literature? Chef's kiss. Of all the edits, using the word 'y'all' would never be included in my notes. It made it feel real."
— Stephen B., Oregon
"Thoroughly enjoyed ['Bright Star']! Really bummed I've already read through it already and have to wait for books two and three to continue on these characters' journeys, but I guess that's essential in a good book! Fantastic job and can't wait for what's to come!"
— Brie G., Georgia
"The amazing world of the Bright Star is beyond the ordinary person’s imagination, but Dallas Anne Duncan has made it a very real possibility in the mind of the reader. The descriptions take the reader to this incredible world so different than ours. I want to ride a Unicorn and experience the celebrations! I am eagerly anticipating the next book! Truly, it is a masterful work that transports the reader to a magical place!"
— Terri Kaye Duncan, author of "Camping Reservations: Body of Lies", Georgia
"This genre totally isn’t my normal go-to. But I couldn’t put the book down! The character development and the detail is in-fucking-credible! The depth and backstory Dallas gave both Collum and Bridgette is impressive, to put it mildly. She literally can’t write the next two books fast enough."
— Whitney M., Georgia
Read additional reviews (and please leave yours!) on Barnes & Noble, Target, Kobo, Apple Books and Goodreads.
>> Press
- Fiberomancer Vlogmas, episode 4: Unboxing a collector's edition of the "Bright Star" hardback
- The Red & Black Spring Reading List