The Illuminati Are Not The Only Secret Society...

Abigail Argent, a master craftsman, has a particular talent.

Seeing the beauty in a plain piece of metal and being able to draw it out.

When she comes across a book that links her craft with the ancient myth of alchemy, she's intrigued.

But a danger is lurking where the worlds of art and myth collide.

Delving into one of Italy's oldest secret societies, curiosity comes at a price that no-one should have to pay.

If you like a conspiracy theory that walks the line between myth and science, you'll love A Rarer Gift Than Gold.

A Rarer Gift Than Gold takes everything you think you know about alchemy and turns it on its head

Treat yourself to A Rarer Gift Than Gold as featured on Radio 4, BBC World Service & Timeout Magazine

Interview with the Author

Will you share a little about your book?

 It’s a conspiracy theory about alchemy.  Set in the art and craft world, it’s low fantasy with high stakes. Readers who enjoy the Da Vinci Code should like it.

 

Will you share how you came up with the idea for this book? 

 

I am a sculptural restorer specialising in metals. I wanted to convey my love of metals and the idea came to me when a historian friend was doing some research and calling up some pretty rare volumes. He got a warning to stay away from the material he was looking at. I wondered why anyone would be so protective of something so dry and academic. I wondered what motivation they could possibly have and what might happen if he ignored the warning. I built this book around this event.

 

Who or what was your inspiration for this book?

 

Every day, I work with historic objects and one of the questions I always ask myself when restoring them is ‘what is missing from this object. What can I not see?’ and ‘why might evidence have been lost?’ It has made me very interested in what’s absent from history and why.  This story is about how history can be manipulated by the removal of physical evidence for personal gain.

 

It is said that authors write themselves into their characters. Is there any part of you in your characters and what they would be?

 

The only part of the lead character that is like me is her love of metals. That we share.

 

Have you been influenced by the writing style of other authors?

 

I adore and devour books, but trying to imitate someone else would just be too hard. Your own voice has to be authentic otherwise I think you come off as a hack.

  

Do you have plans to write another book?

 

Girl in A Golden Cage is out now. It’s another book in The Gold Gift Series

 

For Fun, if you could have dinner with an author, who would it be and what would you ask them?

 

Tolkein

 

Where Can Reader’s Find Out More?

www.lucybranch.com  - I have a newsletter too if reader’s want to connect