The Muse of Freedom: a Cévenoles Sagas novel

AN AWARD-WINNING, #1 BESTSELLER IN RENAISSANCE FICTION

“An engrossing story about fiercely independent people… This absorbing tale… creates a vivid world that will draw readers in… ” ~ Kirkus Review

In an age of state persecution, how far would you go to protect your faith, your identity, your freedom?

Languedoc, France, 1695. As authorities outlaw rights, and difference becomes dangerous, a man of unbreakable spirit, a mystic healer, and a hidden network of rebels search for freedom and light in the darkest of times.

This timely, gripping tale is based on a true story of resistance and divided loyalties, echoing our present times in a testament to the enduring human spirit that refuses to be silenced. In the shadows, communities defied the odds, guided by courage and solidarity, resisting the growing darkness of oppression with resilience, secrecy, and hope.

In a tumultuous land where beauty and brutality collide, Louis XIV’s oppressive absolutist rule demands “One King, One Law, One Faith” with no room for tolerance. He orders his Intendants to persecute Huguenots for their Protestant beliefs, destroying their temples and driving them to clandestine worship in caves, barns, and basements. An uprising is festering in the rugged Cévennes mountains of Languedoc, when a young nobleman, abducted as a child from Huguenot parents and held in a Dominican prieuré, comes of age and is released to begin training as an apothecary. Burdened by the weight of his past, he unravels a dangerous legacy of secrets, and with every uncovered truth, is thrust further into the burgeoning underground resistance.

With religious choice suppressed and neighbors vanishing, he is drawn to a mysterious mystic healer who offers not only refuge—but revelation. United in their quest for peace and spiritual freedom, they aid the oppressed, joining a secret network that defies their powerful monarch. They risk everything to uphold dignity and truth, until the Intendant’s spy betrays them and the King’s dragoons are sent after them in a relentless pursuit. A fragile spark of hope flickers, but their liberty requires a hard choice: live out their days hiding in a remote wilderness, take part in a violent rebellion, or flee their beloved homeland in a perilous escape with thousands of other refugees. What choice will each of them make to protect their freedom?

Inspired by the true story of Jean Pierre Bondurant dit Cougoussac, distilled and blended with Cévenole magic lore, this is a vividly told coming of age story and family saga of courage, tenacity, and the power of love.

Fans of The Burning Chambers, The Huguenot Chronicles, Poldark, Magic Lessons, and The Alchemist will find thematic elements from those stories melded into this thrilling and obscure slice of French history.

• Winner of New Voices Award by Writers & Publishers Network 2022
• Finalist in the Global Book Awards 2022
• Highly Recommended Five-star Award of Excellence 2022, The Historical Fiction Co.
• Reader’s Favorite Five Star Award 2023
• Honorable Mention, Book of the Year Award 2023, Coffee Pot Book Club