When the first publisher accepted Seven Noble Knights for publication, they asked for a map showing the locations mentioned in the novel. It seemed natural, as the medieval sources of Seven Noble Knights were obsessed with geography, and during the writing, I could often be found hunching over a finely detailed Spanish road map or trying to calculate distances with Google Maps.
I had always hoped to have something cartographic and beautiful in my book, to orient the reader and because I love maps. I knew I wouldn't be able to cobble together anything that met my artistic standards or that was specific enough to Seven Noble Knights, so I looked for a map artist who could include everything I wanted.
Nuno Alexandre Vieira has a lot of impressive artistic credentials under his belt. He won me over when he said he was from Portugal and knew the Iberian Peninsula well.
Nuno very generously sold me the license to do whatever I wanted with it in perpetuity, so I get to use it in the new edition, too!
It's exciting to see the places in Seven Noble Knights, to have this artifact in the real world that attests to the presence of my beloved story. One of the first things I did was print a copy, and it's decorated my writing area ever since.
It's black and white because the book won't be printed in color—that may contribute to the aged feel. The lettering was done by hand and I can't imagine anything about this map being any better. The artist should win an award for it.
Looking at the places mentioned, I'm proud to say the only one I haven't yet visited personally is Covadonga. I write about it as an almost mythic place in the novel, though no scenes take place there. Covadonga is in Asturias, which at this moment has the pandemic under control. What better time for a visit?
What places on this map have you visited?
Seven Noble Knights will be available December 11 from Encircle Publications. Thank you for sharing in the excitement with me.
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