A few months ago, I read Jacob Parker’s book, Kestrel’s Midnight Song. I had heard about it before since my brother did CGI work for Jacob’s book-trailer, but I hadn’t heard enough to comprehend what an incredible read it would be. It hooked me quickly! I whizzed through it in two car drives and was shocked by the clear-eyed perspective and depth of insight displayed by the author. I would never have guessed it’d be SO AWESOME!

Kestrel’s Midnight Song is about a young shepherd boy called Micah, who won’t stop breaking the rules laid down by his psychotically horrible master. Mostly, the rules concern how to raise his sheep:

‘Never name your sheep—never assist another shepherd with their sheep—never trade, sell, or buy sheep. And never, ever, EVER—risk the lives of yourself or your flock to rescue one sheep in danger.’

Micah doesn’t heed this for some reason and always insists on diving to the rescue of his little straying sheep, even if blizzards threaten. It is his deep affection for his sheep which singles him out for a perilous quest whose end he cannot know, and upon which rests the fate of the Kingdom of Gable and the Green Isles. And in the end, only sacrificial love on his part will suffice to save both sheep and kingdom.

The story follows several other characters as well, such as a chivalrous, blue-eyed giant named Drift who rescues Robbyn (a young slave) after her secrets are revealed. And to make a pun, I can’t forget Isaac Ganthorn, one of the best-depicted characters in Kestrel’s Midnight Song. He is a Marauder who is continually haunted by the memory of the shepherd boy’s eyes, which look forever sleepy and innocent.

But since ALL the characters are interesting, I better run through them! There’s the Marauder King (shocking and terrifying, especially his gold tooth. That part was done with excellence) and Captain Lewell, who waits impatiently for his promotion to being the Marauder King’s second. Or Bart the nonsensical who is truly clever.

Or Gretchen, the former King’s Wool-Spinner who informs us that everyone needs forgiveness & healing, and no-one is perfect, even old ladies like herself. And of course, there is the strange matter of Micah’s father, who as it turns out is lesser than Micah; or Samuel Kamloop whose life-long passion is conversing with birds, much to his detriment. Nor should I omit James Kestrel himself, who gets his name on the cover and whose hanging is due all through the book.

This book’s plot works perfectly and left me baffled and guessing all the way to the dramatic, twist-and-turn end! Masterful, vivid storytelling combines with tightly sequenced and meaningful events to climax in the most striking way I have ever seen. If the book is an inside look at the author’s head, then Jacob Parker must be a genius. The entire book fits together like so many wheels and cogs within an intricate device, each one interlocking, each one depending on the rest. This book also has to be the most pristinely clean book imaginable while being widely alert to detail & realism. Jacob’s terrific sense of humor is, therefore, just icing on the cake.


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So for the first time, Adele is going to make specialized, tailored, custom costumes for people other than friends and family; fascinating costumes that the wearer will feel happy in. People who see her creations have always requested this; now it is actually happening! However, since she currently can’t afford to be a charity, you’ll have to pay well. She’d rather make men’s costumes than women’s: and it absolutely must be a creative, interesting type of costume. She refuses to make anything, at all, (!) unless she enjoys making it and you enjoy wearing it. Adele will add her own touches to whatever design you come up with.

What to expect: Special order. Also, Adele will only make 3-4 costumes a year at most. She’s quite busy and is not a factory, so go elsewhere if you want something quick, cheap, and amusing. Outfits will not be completed on a strict schedule, and up to three months (or four) must be expected before your costume reaches you. She'’ll also need very detailed measurements in order to make a costume for you.

This is an opportunity to get something really nice, all handmade, designed with cool looks for you in mind. No dull clothing will Adele sell, and should a project turn out somehow wrong, she’ll start over with no charge to you. So get your dibs in fast, before you lose your chance!

Price ranges: If you’ve seen the To Darkness Fled book trailer, something in the range of Prince Esek’s crimson shirt would be $500. It was all handmade and the embroidery & smocking were complicated.

But if it was three, easier pieces of clothing, say like Achan’s outfit, (shirt, doublet, breeches), it would reach the same price.

(Spots are from lens flare)

So anything between $200 and $500 for a special piece of clothing. Having some machine sewing on the inside of the costume where it can’t be seen will keep the price on the lower spectrum. But Adele won’t do machine sewing on the outside unless the costume is made of a thick fabric & the seam is almost invisible, as on Achan’s black doublet.

To give an example of the pricing, imagine a special shirt approaching the extravagance of Esek’s. With zero machine sewing, it would be:

1—$500

With some machine sewing on the inside seams, and a little less embroidery, it would be:

2—$400

Or if strapped for funds, Adele would recommend going for a drama-rich shirt like Achan’s, all hand-sewn, which would be:

3—$200

This is Achan’s blue shirt w/out the doublet (the actor is enjoying all the fake blood, btw).

Don’t let the examples fool you. Adele is not intent on merely replicating what she has done previously. New costumes are the idea.

Visit ‘Epic Tailor’ on Facebook to discuss costume making with her and see more photos.

Adele offers unique looks and is only interested in completing difficult, fantastic projects that will make you soar when you wear them!

In it were Jacob Parker, as the Evil Prince Esek, Christian Miles as the real though roguish Prince Achan, me as Vrell Sparrow, my sister Ness as a stray holding up grapes, (Esek’s fav. food) and my father Robin Hood … uh, woops! NO. Robert Treskillard as the estimable Sir Gavin Lukos. My brother Leighton did the *shockingly cool* CGI effects, such as the window-shattering, the gowzal (bat thingy), green-screen removal, castle and moth. (Why did I mention that moth last? Cause I hate it!)

The AMAZING (!!) music was composed by talented Jon Miaocco. Also, mostly due to a music mix up, the kudos for the good timing on the trailer’s score goes to God’s conducting of the music. Because … the score was made a few years ago and we did not intentionally edit the scenes to coincide with it. Then, through a series of small miracles, we fixed on it as most fitting possible for the book trailer. Jon was finishing up college & busy, (not too busy to work with us and fabricate spooky effects for the trailer, and tweak a few things!) so everything turned out perfectly for the release date.

Thank You God!

So if there’s anything I’ve learned from making this book-trailer, it’s that when people work together, and God is in the mix, anything—literally—can happen.

What do you think? Do we all match?