Burden of the Crown

When I first envisioned the Heir to the Crown series, I saw it as three grand stories. Fate of the Crown finished off the first part, while Burden of the Crown launches into the second of these stories. Although it is complete on its own, it hints at greater dangers to come. Many stories tell of a quest for a crown, but few deal with what happens when that task is complete. I wanted to tell a political story, but don’t read any of our twenty-first-century politics into it as this is not a comment on current affairs. Instead, it is inspired by events in our own planet"s history. One only has to look at something like the Wars of the Roses in England to see how plotting and counter-plotting can work. The struggle for the crown is more than just winning a war; it’s about holding onto it once you’re done, and I have endeavoured to show that in my own way. In Burden of the Crown, I have resolved some plot lines, and I dare say more than a few readers will be happy to see Beverly and Aldwin finally together, but of course more is on the way. As hinted in this story, a royal wedding is approaching, and who knows what might happen then? As usual, I must thank my wife, Carol, for her tireless efforts in the production of this tale. She is an invaluable part of this series, and her influence is seen throughout the series. I would also thank Christie Kramburger once again for her artwork, along with Amanda Bennett and Stephanie Sandrock, for their support and encouragement. Also, a big thank you to Brad Aiken, Jeffrey Parker, and Stephen Brown for their inspirational characters. I also owe a debt of thanks to my BETA team that did an outstanding job catching mistakes and questioning some plot points. It is because of you that the book reached its final form. Thanks to Rachel Deibler, Tim James, Mark Tracy, Phyllis Simpson, Don Hinkley, James McGinnis, David Clark, Stuart Rae, Michael Rhew, and Dianna-Lynn "Dee" Lundgren. As always, I look forward to what you, my readers, think. Your feedback on the series inspires me to continue writing.