Fiddler’s Green is the end of a story that began a long time ago with a map and a buried treasure. You may recall that I buried my family’s Christmas presents in the woods one year, giving out maps so they could find them, and how that was the genesis of The Fiddler’s Gun. But that’s not the map I’m talking about. The real map was nothing more than a faint outline in the mind’s eye. It was a fleeting vision of a young woman—an American revolutionary named Fin Button.
Over the last ten years, I’ve trusted Fin’s lead and followed her into some strange and wonderful places. I tried my best to keep up and she always kept a few steps ahead, always confident that she knew just where she was going. And like any good map should, she beckoned me toward a fair and hidden place and bade me dig.
I spent most of this year digging, not with a spade but with words. And now that the treasure chest, Fin’s story, has been unearthed, and dusted off, and carried out of the wilderness, I’m honored to announce that it’s time to start handing out keys so you can all see what’s inside.
The Fiddler’s Gun was a success because so many of you believed in the project and generously offered your patronage. I’m deeply grateful for each of you. Patrons were a pivotal part of the book’s creation. It’s now my hope that if you enjoyed the first part of Fin’s story, you’ll stick with her to the end. The book is written. The editing is complete. I’m probably typesetting as you read this, and how about that gorgeous artwork by Evie Coates?
But the final hurdle is the tallest and the costliest: printing. I’ve been saving all year to pay for the print run, but right now I’m only able to cover about half of the cost on my own. If you’re interested in becoming a patron of Fin and her story, you can be a very real part of the publication of a book that may not exist without your support.
Read on to see what some who have read it have to say. If you judge it to be worthy of your patronage, I hope your face will light up with the shimmer of gold when, come December, you open and partake of the treasure I’ve labored so long to give.
Early Praise for Fiddler’s Green:
“Mercy, honor, trust, dignity, reclamation: these words are not typically associated with pirate folklore. But in the astounding sequel to The Fiddler’s Gun, Peterson has managed to save the best for last. Fiddler’s Green is just as replete with action and adventure as it is with love and reclamation.” —Eric Peters, singer-songwriter, Chrome
“The colorful character of Fin Button comes resplendently alive in the pages of Fiddler’s Green. Peterson has done his research well and found the human heartbeat at the center of both history and legend.” —Douglas Kaine McKelvey, author of The Angel Knew Papa and the Dog
“Peterson has written an exciting adventure, but it is so much more than that. The characters will get inside you, and you will live, ache, die, and find freedom with them as you enter their stories. Fiddler’s Green is raw and real, a very human tale, and nothing short of transformational.”
—Travis Prinzi, author of Harry Potter & Imagination
“The best of Peterson’s work in The Fiddler’s Gun is matched and tripled in his action-packed sequel, Fiddler’s Green. He proved himself an able writer of a worthy tale in Gun, but as I read Green, I felt like I was witness to the magical moment of a certifiable author being born. There were passages that took my breath away and brought tears to my eyes. Stunning prose, unforgettable characters, a rip-roaring page-turner of an adventure that I couldn’t put down. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Now, tell us another story Mr. Peterson.” —Jason Gray, singer-songwriter, Everything Sad is Coming Untrue
“There’s more to Fin’s story than meets the eye. Sure, there’s peril, piracy, heartache, and humor, yet enveloped within the expected is the unexpected. Fin is not always who I want her to be—rather, she is who she is. Still an orphan deep in her bruised heart, she wrestles with goodness and redemption, but they wrestle back. I love a book when its characters reach out, grab my arm, and pull me into their lives, forcing me to look them in the eye, to bear their burdens and joys. With Peterson’s pen at the helm of such beautiful, poetic, and precise writing, I felt tears rolling down my cheeks during a chapter or two. And is Fin’s homecoming joyful? You’ll have to read this classic-to-be to find out, but I will say that joy is a strange and complex reality. Peterson is right up there with my favorite authors who write truthfully, taking the hurt and ‘turning it to beauty.'”
—Jenni Simmons, Editor, Art House America Blog; Contributing Editor, The Curator
Fiddler’s Green
A Secret Mission. A Faraway Sea. A Long-awaited Homecoming.
From the backwaters of Georgia to the taverns of Philadelphia, Fin Button is the talk of the colonies. The British say she’s a pirate. The Americans call her a mutineer. The crew of the Rattlesnake call her the most unlikely thing of all: Captain.
But with the Revolution on the verge of defeat, the Congress offers Fin a deal. If she can free a noblewoman held captive by pirates, the French may be persuaded to join the war. Fin’s reward? A full pardon. Along with Jack, Topper, and the mysterious Armand Defain, Fin sails the Rattlesnake to the Mediterranean Sea, half a world away. Their destination is Tripoli—home of the savage corsairs and slavers of the Barbary Coast.
To win the prize, Fin will need the help of an ancient seafaring order, the Knights of Malta—and the resolve of one faithful knight could alter more than just the outcome of the Revolution. It could mend the heart of a lonely girl and give rise to an American legend.
Official Release: December 7th, 2010 Patron packages ship as soon as books arrive from the printer (estimated 11/19).
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Fiddler’s Green Patron $25 – (2) signed copies of Fiddler’s Green, priority shipping, *your name listed as a patron on the acknowledgments page
Fin’s Revolution Bundle $25 – (1) signed copy of Fiddler’s Green, (1) signed copy of The Fiddler’s Gun, download of the digital book The Fiddler’s Gun: Letters, *your name listed as a patron on the acknowledgements page
Fiddler’s Green Gift Bundle $50 – (5) signed copies of Fiddler’s Green, *your name listed on the acknowledgements page
Fiddler’s Green Book Club Bundle $100 – (10) signed copies of Fiddler’s Green, custom bookmarks printed with the name of your club, downloadable discussion guide, *your book club listed as a patron on the acknowledgements page
Fin’s Revolution Club Bundle $150 – (10) signed copies of Fiddler’s Green, (10) Signed copies of The Fiddler’s Gun, custom bookmarks printed with the name of your club, downloadable discussion guide, downloadable digital version of The Fiddler’s Gun: Letters, *your book club listed as a patron on the acknowledgements page
*For inclusion on the acknowledgements page, order must be received by 10/21