My interview with Will Kelly, cover artist for HAMMER OF THE HUGUENOTS

Cover art by Will Kelly

I had the privilege of meeting Hammer of the Huguenots cover illustrator Will Kelly in person when he joined us on the Knox 500 Tour summer 2014. He’s a humble fellow so it wasn’t until near the end of the tour that I learned he was an artist, the real kind. I remember sitting down with Will near the dock at Loch Levin Castle and beginning conversation about book illustrations. He’s agreed to chat about the process of creating a book cover for my forthcoming book.

Bond: I love what you have done on this cover! Tell us about your background as an artist. Where did you learn to do this kind of thing?

Kelly: Thanks Mr. Bond! The book cover was a real pleasure to work on. And that was a great day at Loch Levin - I remember that conversation well - and I also remember they served a pretty great latté!

My background as an artist is fairly straightforward, if a little unorthodox. Like many kids, I grew up drawing in my spare time, mostly comic strips. I had a love for the simple storytelling that could be found in comic strips such as Peanuts. Charles Schulz was a real hero of mine as a child, and since then I've actually acquired some of his pen nibs that he drew his strip with every day. I learned to emulate his work by creating my own strips in a similar style to his. 

I was homeschooled all the way through highschool, and as I entered my highschool years I started to become frustrated with my drawing abilities. I wanted to create things that were beyond my skill level, and I really couldn't. I was reaching a point where I wanted to figure out what I wanted to do as a career. I thought about a lot of things, but "Illustrator" wasn't one of them. It was at this point when I read your book "Hostage Lands" for the first time - and although the story really grabbed my imagination, it was also the cover art that really hit the right note for me (and full disclosure, this is a true story, and Douglas Bond isn't paying me to say this!). After reading the book, I looked up the artist's website and discovered that Illustration was indeed a viable profession that combined art and storytelling, two things that I really love. Since then, the illustrator (Justin Gerard) has become a friend and a mentor and his

Bond and Kelly on KNOX 500 TOUR

encouragement has really made the journey of making it in illustration much easier. As far as formal training, I have very little, aside from a few college art classes. I do try to learn all I can by attending art workshops and studying on my own. It's all about consistent practice.

Bond: Readers might be interested to know how it is that you came on the Knox tour and when and how you first discovered some of my books.

Well, like I mentioned earlier, I was homeschooled, and in my family we love books. My mom introduced me to the original Crown and Covenant series, and I really enjoyed those. Since then I've tried to keep up with the latest Bond books, and I've especially enjoyed the last few in the Heroes & History series, of which Hammer of the Huguenots is the latest. I had just finished Hand of Vengeance and decided to look up your website. I have wanted to travel to Scotland for years, (I'm a huge anglophile, and I watch my share of BBC television!) especially since my ancestry goes back to Scotland. After I realized that you led tours, and discovered The Knox at 500 tour, it was a no-brainer. I love traveling, and history, so it was a perfect combination of the two. And let me tell you, the trip was an amazing experience, especially getting to experience the sights with other like-minded folks who were so kind and shared a passion for travel and the amazing narrative of the history of the Church. Scotland was magnificent, and there's rarely a day that goes by that I don't think about going back.

Bond: What were the particular challenges of creating a book cover for this book?

That's a great question. As it turns out, I'm actually relatively new on the publishing scene, so every new project is a challenge. Not only am I striving to make a solid product, but I also feel like I have to make it up as I go. Often my creative process feels like I'm throwing spaghetti at a wall and seeing what will stick. But in all seriousness, there were quite a few challenges to this particular project. In particular, working in this particular painterly, more realistic style is something that I don't do a whole lot of. I create a lot of children's characters in my own work, and painting in a realist style is much more of a challenge, although the principles are still the same. It's all in the technique. It was also a challenge to convey the character's emotion and personalities in a single static image. Getting the characters right was important - it's what the whole piece hinges on really. Also, maintaining a cohesive look with the other books in the series was always in the forefront of my mind. Justin Gerard's artwork (Hostage Lands, Hand of Vengeance, and other bond covers) has been an inspiration to me for years, and I'm very familiar with the processes he uses. So I worked in a similar method to his, but of course you'll be able to look at my art and tell that it's something totally new, but hopefully engaging. I hope it connects with the readers and gives them something to fire their imagination.

Bond: Does it help a book illustrator to know the author’s books, to have read some of them, to be familiar with the particular character of the books?

Not always, but in the case of Hammer of the Huguenots it was helpful. Not so much for the story, but for the overall look of the series. I was familiar with the size of the other books, the way they looked, etc. I actually had all of them close at hand to refer to as I worked on my cover. Melissa Craig (the editor at P&R publishing) was very helpful and encouraging and helped keep the direction of the art on track to fit the tone and theme of the series and the book itself. Having a general idea of the story is helpful, and in some cases an artist does need to know as much as possible about the book. Sometimes however, knowing too much about a story gives an artist too many details and makes it harder to decide on a single scene to illustrate. We had a clear vision for the cover image from the start, so that part of the process was fairly straightforward. As for the Hammer of the Huguenots, I've actually not even seen a manuscript yet, so I'm going to be as surprised as everyone else to read it for the first time!

Bond: What other illustration projects have you worked on, and were there specific adaptations you had to make to work on this one? Every illustrator has their unique style and preferred approach to illustration, but with a book cover, especially when it is in an existing series, how much charting of new waters is required for the illustrator to fit with the feel of covers in books in the series already?

Most of the illustration work I've done up to this point has been for either independent publishers or for myself (personal projects). I've done a few books, a couple of comic book covers, and (my personal favorites so far) a series of illustrations for Story Warren, a website devoted to inspiring children and their families to foster Godly imagination through storytelling. My usual method of creating art is fairly simple, usually starting with line work and simple coloring. It's a style that's more at home in a children's book or magazine I suppose. But I do enjoy doing more complex pieces, and with this project I knew from the start it would be a challenge. One thing I think is important for an artist is not to get too stuck on one particular "style". Style is a deceptive word, and many beginning artists (myself included) tend to fall into the trap of searching to find their own unique style. This is somewhat of a myth, because it's really all about doing what's best for the project at hand, what will make that image work the best. Some of the most successful illustrators that I know work in multiple styles, and different clients hire them for different needs. It's all about being as versatile as you can, and just being as good as you can at making art in general.

Bond: When did you know you wanted to be an artist? Were you inspired by any particular artists along the way in your career? Which ones and why?

I think somewhere in the back of my mind, I've been hard-wired to be an artist since birth, but I guess I only finally woke up to the fact when I was about twenty and started getting serious about improving my drawing and painting abilities. Justin Gerard, like I mentioned earlier was the first illustrator that I really connected with and got my career started. But I've been inspired by so many artists along the way. James Gurney was my first major influence as a kid - he created a wonderful series of books called Dinotopia about an island in the 1860s populated by dinosaurs and humans who live together. It's an amazing series, and it really hit all the right notes for me growing up. The paintings were detailed, and he carefully constructed this fantasy world that felt real - I spent many hours doing the same thing as a result of those books. I got to meet Mr. Gurney back in 2012, and it was just so great to finally meet a childhood hero. Of course, there's many others: Hergé - the creator of the Belgian "Tintin" books, Norman Rockwell, P. J. Lynch. Of course there are so many others, I could go on for quite some time... :)

Bond: What artist from the past would you most want to sit down and have a meal with and what would you want to ask the artist? (you can add what you would order to eat etc if you would like)

Oh, that's a great question! It's also a tough one. I think it would have to be N. C. Wyeth. There are so many things I admire about his work and I would love to talk to him about his craft. His mastery of storytelling and color and light are simply brilliant. And he had the opportunity to illustrate so many classic tales, Arthurian Legends, Treasure Island, and even Biblical stories. I know I would have a lot to learn from him. He also illustrated the Robert Louis Stevenson story Kidnapped, which of course takes place in Scotland, so I would have to say it would be appropriate to meet with him in a Scottish pub, preferably in Edinburgh, over a hearty shepherd's pie, peas and chips paired with a nice pint of McEwan's scotch ale!

Bond: Wyeth is a favorite of mine, as well! What is your advice to a young artist who would like to become a professional illustrator?

Well, this answer might get a little long-winded, but it's only because it's something I'm very passionate about. I really love to see younger artists coming along and learning the same lessons that I've learned in the last 6 years or so. I've had the opportunity to follow the progress of several teenage artists via social media such as Instagram, and their blogs, whose drawing abilities have skyrocketed in just a short amount of time. I am excited to see these younger individuals coming up and learning the art of telling stories with pictures. It's what I love to do, and I love to see them do it. My advice would be work consistently, but don't burn yourself out. Work hard, but not too hard. Ultimately, your success really doesn't depend on the amount of work you do, but the amount of sincerity and integrity with which you do it. Start by drawing what you love drawing. Study the masters. Find artists that speak to you through their work and emulate them. Copy their work! Learn what makes it tick. Get out and try to connect in person with other artists and illustrators (don't be shy - illustrators are some of the nicest people I know!) But most of all, if you want to be successful, understand that making art isn't about boosting your own ego or image, it's about sharing the gift of art and imagery with others. Creativity is a gift that's been given to us by God, and we can only truly enjoy it when we're sharing it with other people.

Bond: What is your purpose for creating art?

Purpose can often be a hard thing to nail down! But I can say for sure that as a "Sub-creator" (as Tolkien so eloquently put it) I see my purpose of creating art as a chance to emulate the creativity of the Creator of the Universe. The story of the Redemption of Jesus Christ is very much a reality to me, and I try to live my life as an artist as a reflection of that story. Of course, that's a constant challenge, because every day I deal with the issues of my own pride in what I do, doubts, whether or not I'm popular, how many likes my art gets on Facebook, and so on. But when I step back from all of that noise, and really get to the root of why humans are hard-wired to create things in the first place, my response becomes a lot more humble in knowing that God has made us with desires to create and bring even a feeble amount of beauty into the world. Placing my trust in the reality of a God who is sovereign and has given me the desire to be an artist has been very freeing, and really gives me purpose in even the most meager attempts I make at creating art. Good art, or poor, everything I'm doing has purpose and meaning in the ultimate plan of His will. It gives me a lot of peace and freedom to be able to follow my path as an artist with conviction and gladness.

Thanks, Will! What a delight partnering with you on this book and cover!

Thanks so much for inviting me to do this interview! Best wishes for the new book - I'm very excited to read it. And let's see about planning another trip to Scotland, eh? :)

And if anyone would like to stay in touch, I'd love to hear from them! You can find my website at www.willkellyillustration.com or just follow me on twitter @w_t_kelly (I mentioned networking in my response about young artists - here you go guys, here's your chance! Feel free to show me the art you're working on! :) )

Hammer of the Huguenots featured in French newspaper

Le Midi Libre January 18, 2015

French newspaper Le Midi Libre (January 18, 2015) just ran a feature article on my writing of the HAMMER OF THE HUGUENOTS on-location in France. My son Cedric wrote the English language version from which Gérard Mignard (University of Paris professor emeritus and correspondent for the newspaper) translated the French version of the feature article. Here is Cedric's article in English and some scenes from France.

Hammer of the Huguenots: A New Novel on the Wars of Religion in France, by Douglas Bond (P&R Publishing, 2015)

With tantalizing descriptions of local cuisine, French Gothic cathedrals, medieval walled cities, dark caves in the Cevennes, lush vineyards in the Côtes du Rhône, and the salt marshes of Aigues-Mortes, there can be no doubt this book was written in the south of France. When most Americans think of France their limited knowledge expires with food and fashion. But American writer Douglas Bond, author of more than twenty books, is not like most Americans. Neither is his latest book, Hammer of the Huguenots, like most books about France. 

When pressed, your average American may think of the World Wars, and some may even think of Victor Hugo or Enlightenment philosophers. However, few indeed have any meaningful knowledge of the tragic history of the 16^th century Wars of Religion.

Through careful academic, social, and gastronomical research, Bond has sought to uncover and convey this rich history and culture. And though set in the grim days of the mid-sixteenth century, no book about life in the south of France can be entirely dark. Writing on-location in 12^th century La Roque-sur-Cèze, one of les plus beaux villages de France, and other locations in the south of France, Bond captured the quintessential warmth and atmosphere of these charming regions.

Using his genre of choice, historical fiction, Bond captivates his readers, draws them in, and places them into the center of a Huguenot family. Although sympathetic to the Huguenot cause, Bond follows the history where it leads.

INSIDER INFORMATION

Perhaps, it is best to reveal my own bias. Bond is my father. However, as one who has studied under him in writing and history classes, proof read manuscripts, and frequently discussed and debated

In the Calanques, south of France

issues of politics and religion, I am well placed to give both a predominantly objective and certainly intimate description of the author.

Having written numerous published books of historical fiction, biography, devotion, and theology, Bond has hit his stride as an author. For proof look no further than this book. Vivid descriptions and authentic characters with feelings like his readers, make Hammer of the Huguenots not just a joy to read, but make it seem to read itself—pulling the reader along as if an active participant in the living drama unfolding on the pages.

SUMMARY OF THE NOVEL

Contextually, this book spans the first three Wars of Religion from 1560 until 1570. Set initially in Aigues-Mortes, the story unfolds through the eyes of a Huguenot shipwright’s conflicted apprentice Philippe, bewildered by the prayers of his master Monsieur Beaune’s family. Bond’s protagonist wrestles with his confusion throughout the story: Why these drawn-out prayers over meals? What is the real bone of contention between the medieval Church and the Huguenots? And, why would anyone want to harm a family like his master’s?

Maurice, eldest Beaune son, passionate and adventurous, provides a fitting counterpart to the more introverted Philippe. Throughout the book, the young men’s relationship grows as they are drawn together by loyalty and peril. Meanwhile, Philippe’s friendship with Maurice’s charming sister Sophie also develops. To his bewilderment, this peace-loving Huguenot family Philippe comes to love, are the same people the medieval Church wanted to be rid of. As the story unfolds, the malicious designs of the enemy become unmistakably evident:

…the silence now broken by the clattering thunder of horses’ hooves pounding the cobblestones, the shouts and cries of men, echoing and reechoing off the narrow houses lining the streets that radiated from the church. Camargue horses, terrible in their whiteness, manes flowing, teeth champing…, and with every snorting stride, their riders spurring them on, straight toward Pastor Leclerc, the door of the church, and the worshipers within.

Forced into a conflict he does not understand and his friends do not want, Philippe joins the Huguenot cause out of friendship rather than conviction. But will that change? 

CONFLICT AND CHANGE

Change could well be considered one of the overarching themes of the book. Peace changes to war; friendship ripens into love; Confusion gives way to clarity; convictions shift from Rome to Geneva. All of France is changed by the tumult of the Wars of Religion nearly 500 years ago. After more than a century of bloody religious conflict, it is little wonder that many in France today feel more comfortable with irreligious secularism. English-speaking readers feel the struggle of the Huguenots as if it were their own, despite the centuries that lie between. Although Bond gives a satisfying exploration of the historical moment, the novel probes timeless human themes. 

Bond’s historical accuracy can be seen in his portrayal of the conniving, Italian-born, Catherine de Médici, a papal bull of  March 15, 1569 calling for the annihilation of all Huguenots, repeated royal edicts professing peace--then broken by Charles IX, and massacres at Vassy and Sens.

WHAT WAS AT STAKE?

Deeply concerned with discovering the heart of the Huguenot cause, Bond lets readers hear excerpts from several sermons delivered by the oft-forgotten reformer Pierre Viret at Nîmes and Montpellier. The setting for one message Bond recreated by an episode from his own time exploring in Nîmes. Caught in a violent summer rain storm, Bond, his family, and dozens of others took cover in Cathédrale Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Castor de Nîmes. This real 2013 experience became the setting for a historical sermon preached by Pierre Viret to several thousand people there in 1561.

“All that is necessary for your salvation has been offered and communicated to us in Jesus Christ. He alone is given to us for our salvation, and ‘is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.’ …I plead with you this day. Put off your idols. Find refuge in Jesus Christ alone!”

12th century village where a good deal of HH was written

Along with vernacular preaching, another emblem of the Huguenots was their public Psalm-singing in French. True to history, at great risk, the Beaune family boldly sings—often louder than Philippe deems prudent:

Let God arise in all His might,

And put the troops of hell to flight,

As smoke that sought to cloud the skies

Before the rising tempest flies.

It is only natural that Bond gives the psalm singing its due place in the story of the Huguenots—Bond, a writer of hymns for the new reformation, has written six books about hymnody, and was a consultant for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s God’s Greatest Hits 2012 television series. When not writing or speaking at conferences, Bond teaches at a classical Christian high school in America, and for his teaching of writing was awarded the regional “2005 Teacher Award.” 

Additionally, Bond and his wife Cheryl have led historical study tours in Europe since 1996—a source of many lasting friendships, several of which aided significantly with this book. One of these—a veritable modern-day Huguenot—Pastor Lionel Jauvert, direct descendent of Huguenots from the Cévennes, hosted the Bond family in his ancestors’ house, built in 1485, another source of inspiration for Hammer of the Huguenots.

WRITTEN WHERE IT HAPPENED

Many episodes in the book were written in either the exact location or a similar setting to the historical location. For example, one chapter has the protagonists taking refuge—as so many Huguenots were forced to do—in a cave in the Cévennes. Without the aid of road signs or trail markers, Jauvert led Bond to a remote cave where hundreds of Huguenots sought refuge to worship in safety. High above the village of Saint-Jean du Gard in the dark recesses of that cave, Bond drafted a fictional episode based on painfully genuine occurrences in that very cave five-hundred years prior.

Montpelier's Cathedral: where Viret preached

Another acquaintance, Gérard Mignard, resident of La Roque-sur-Cèze, and correspondent for Le Midi Libre, offered invaluable insight that helped Bond capture the local charm of his village, Provence, and the Côtes du Rhône. In addition to his regional expertise, Mignard introduced Bond to his local friends, gaining him entrance to a 12th century private chateau, yet another genuine setting for an episode in the book.

Food plays a central role in Hammer of the Huguenots. Bond and his family enjoyed many of the regional culinary delights of France, as evident throughout the book:

It was a meal he would never forget—steamed legumes; chevre cheese, blended with herbs and garlic; roast wild boar, killed that day in the hills above the farmhouse, dripping with herbes de Provence and butter sauce. Their host uncorked a bottle of local Grenache Noir; its dry complexity with a hint of spice lingering on the palate made Philippe wonder if miracles had ceased after all.

Although there are many delightful and even a few humorous episodes, the book’s historical context is grim and dark, indeed. Though France’s Wars of Religion have often been thought of as civil wars, Bond demonstrates otherwise. While King Charles IX rallied his forces against the Huguenots (influenced by his mother Catherine de Médici and his ruthless uncles, Duke of Guise and Cardinal of Lorraine), Bond makes the case that the conflict was not simply French against French, but far more the Holy Roman Empire with its multi-national mercenary army arrayed against France‘s Huguenot population, by some estimates, fully 40% of 16^th century France’s population. Threatening severe censure against France, Emperor and King of Spain, Philip II was a significant force behind the violence against the French Huguenots. Not to be outdone, Pope Pius V, determined to end the conflict, issued a papal bull in 1569 calling for a crusade to exterminate all the French who aligned themselves with the Huguenot cause.  

COMMENTARY ON RELIGIOUS CONFLICT TODAY

Like radical Islamists today, the mercenary armies of the empire ruthlessly engaged in their murderous holy war. Bond depicts historical accounts of Huguenot congregations attacked while singing in Sens and Vassy, surrounded and fired upon by François, Duke of Guise’s men. Volleys from arquebuses left scores of men, women, and children dead or wounded in Huguenot temples. 
As hammer blows fell upon the beleaguered Huguenots, Bond demonstrates how, for a time, they grew stronger. “Tant plus à me frapper on s’amuse, tant plus de marteaux on y use!” It is from this well-known saying that Bond took the title Hammer of the Huguenots. Many Huguenots, to their

15th century chateau: lived and wrote an episode here

eternal comfort, discovered with Pierre Viret that “Truth under attack is strengthened.” Frustrated in their inability to quell the spread of the Reformed faith, the hammerers of the Huguenots warred on against them. 

As Bond recounts the tragic history of France’s Wars of Religion, his bewildered protagonist continues wrestling with the questions that torment him. What he longs for is his Libération: escape from the complexity of life in a war-torn country. But, he realizes that he so desperately wants cannot be achieved by himself. Freedom—will Philippe ever find it? Perhaps in a manner he never anticipated. 

Delicately weaving fact with fiction, Bond pulls his readers effortlessly through some of the most beautiful landscapes in France, places them at tables filled with traditional delicacies, and walks them through the valley of the darkest days in France’s history. How could a people be so cruel toward one another? How can someone be so sure in her belief that she would rather die than renounce her faith? What would make two young men care so much about a few captured Huguenot preachers that they would risk their lives to rescue them?  

Read Douglas Bond’s Hammer of the Huguenots. These questions and more are explored in the captivating way that only well-crafted historical fiction can accomplish. This uncommon American writer has penned a refreshingly uncommon book for all to read.

Cedric C. M. Bond, a juris doctor candidate at Oklahoma City University School of Law, is son of Douglas Bond, author of Hammer of the Huguenots.