Dear supporter,
I was really excited last weekend to have reached the 75% funding milestone for my new translation of the Alliterative Morte Arthure (King Arthur's Death). I'd like to thank many supporters of my translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight who have had the confidence and belief to have backed my new book too. To be three-qaurters there with my second book is wonderful; I wouldn't be here without your help. If you have not yet pledged, can I ask if you would help push the book over final hurdle?
Right now, I have a personal target to reach 100% by April so there's one small step now to make to achieve the last 25%. If you've not yet backed Arthur and would like to help me achieve this goal, I would be hugely grateful. If you know of others who would be interested, please do pass on this email to them.
Don't forget, every supporter (who wishes to do so of course) will also have their name printed in the back of every book sold. Every pledger (at hardback level and above) receives a special de luxe pledger edition with many unique features - and there are some cracking pledge rewards too, including original prints (like the one above), personalised illuminated letters, greetings cards and giclee prints.
This particular fourteenth century masterpiece is nearly twice the length of Gawain and is the King Arthur story as you've never read it before. It has a wonderful alliteration, rapid pace and, at times, an incredibly dark sense of humour. In translating it, I have aimed to get as close as I can to an etymoligically accurate translation as possible so the words have a certain punch and brevity which really makes it come alive.
The book will be illustrated throughout with linocuts in a much more ambitious way than Gawain. Like Gawain it will also feature illuminated letters (all hand cut by me), as well as detailed notes and glossaries.
Do help if you can - and thank you, in advance, for helping this new translation become reality. Please do pledge here
Thank you, and warmest regards,
Michael Smith
Author, Translator, Printmaker
PS - I am in the early stages of organising a reading and printmaking event featuing Gawain at Warrington Museum and Art Gallery (my home town). The Gawain-poet probably knew Warrington well; who knows, he may once too have known one of the Boteler family - the same family founded my old Northern state school as far back as 1526! More news when it happens!