Interview with B.G. Cousins, Author of The Tachi

by grant

in Author Interviews, eBook, Literary Fiction, News

13 Apr 2021

What can you tell us about your new release, The Tachi?

The Tachi is Book 4 of the Rainey Chronicles. Like the previous three, it is an adventure novel steeped in real history.

Angus Rainey is caught up in the Wars of Scottish Independence. He becomes hunted by a powerful English earl and has to escape the country. In doing so, he eventually ends up with a caravan traveling the ancient Silk Roads to China. Along the way, he meets a German knight, a Persian princess and a disgraced Japanese nobleman who possesses three great Asian swords. One will become the hereditary sword of the Raineys, as seen in Books 1 to 3 of the Rainey Chronicles.

Together, the four head to the land of Nihon (medieval Japan) to regain the lands and status of the Japanese nobleman that were lost through deceit and betrayal.

What books are currently on your nightstand?

I do a lot of historical research. For Book 5 of the Rainey Chronicles, I have a copy of Vietnam by Max Hastings. For a novel unrelated to the Rainey Chronicles, I have The Ghosts of Medak Pocket by Carol Off and I’ve saved a video on my PVR called You are Here: A Come From Away Story.

What advice would you give your teenage self?

Oh, tough question. Anything I would say would eventually change who I am today, so one must be careful. I think I would say, consider your imagination and curiosity as strengths. Ignore people who belittle you for it. However, don’t be curious about too many things. Focus on three things, tops, or you will not reach your potential.

If you had an extra hour each day, how would you spend it?

That’s easy. I’d go for longer walks with my dog. My imagination soars the best when I’m walking alone with my puppy, especially when I’m in the mountains around Banff and Canmore.

What makes your world go round? Why does it bring you joy?

Bagpipes. Not only does it make my world go round, but it has also allowed me to travel to far off places with bands. I love to travel, and music has always been such a big part of me. Bagpipes define me to a large extent.

What scene from The Tachi was your favorite to write?

Ah, that is too hard to answer. There are so many scenes that I enjoyed visualized and putting to paper. The fight scenes are exciting. The funny conversations, especially the off-beat comments made by Freiburg throughout the book, were a joy to write. I couldn’t pick just one scene.