PAULA'S PEOPLE: GUEST POST, STEVEN A McKAY - AUTHOR OF WOLF'S HEAD

Why writing your second book is so much harder than writing the first...

by Steven A. McKay            

It took me almost three years to write my début novel, Wolf's Head. Three long years of research, writing, editing, then re-writing. Hard going, especially when you're working full time and have a family who you want to spend as much time as possible with.
However, the lovely thing about writing your first novel is the lack of pressure. Sure, you put yourself under pressure to write a certain amount each week, and to make the book as good as possible but ultimately, you answer to no one. More than anything, writing a first novel, for me at least, was fun!
Everything in the story is new: your characters are doing things for the first time; places are visited for the first time; conflicts happen for the first time. You are creating your world from scratch, to your own rules and desires and it's hugely enjoyable.
Then you finally finish the novel and publish it. Assuming it's a decent read, that's when the trouble begins.
Suddenly, you don't have three years to write any more, because people have enjoyed your debut and are emailing demanding to know when the sequel is coming out! That's also when other authors start telling you the best way to market your first novel is to publish the next one!
The problem is, you're still working full-time so don't have any more spare time than you did while writing the debut. And, on top of that, you now have to spend a lot of time promoting that first novel so people will actually go out and buy it.
So there you sit, trying to write your new book, and it's much harder this time. Sure, your writing style and technical skill has probably improved, but now you've used up all the ideas you had for the first book, and, since you have to keep things fresh, you need to keep coming up with brand new ideas for plots and characters. All the time thinking, “I have to get this out there quick, before people forget about me!”
It's really a strange situation to be in I think. I remember when Bernard Cornwell's King Arthur trilogy was first published. My mum bought me the first one, The Winter King, for Christmas. She did the same a year later for the sequel, and again the next Christmas for the third book. It seemed natural to expect at least a year between books in a particular series.
To be honest, I'm sure if it takes me a year to finish my sequel to Wolf's Head, people will still be interested, and, if they liked the first one, they'll buy the second too. Readers are not as impatient as it seems to this stressed out author. But, just two months after publishing my novel, I feel like I need to have the next one out NOW. Is that irrational? Or natural? You tell me.
Actually, for all my talk here of being under pressure...it's brilliant! Seriously – people have bought my book! And, not only that, they enjoyed it so much they've taken the time out to contact me to say so! Yes, it's added a whole new layer of stress to the writing process, but it also brings a huge grin to my face every time I get a nice email, or Wolf's Head climbs a little bit higher in the charts.
So, yes – writing your second novel is harder than the first thanks to the weight of expectation and the desire to keep your momentum going. But if this is pressure – bring it on. I've got a sequel to write, if I can just stop smiling long enough to concentrate...


You can learn more about Steven A.McKay on his blog
And buy his book Wolf's Head here
Also available in the US paperback and e-reader versions.

Follow Steven on twitter and Facebook

PAULA READS: THE HORSEMAN'S DESIRE BY LORRAINE HUNT LYNN

The Horseman's Desire is set in  1840's England, a village in Dorset in fact and tells the tale of Emma Turpin, ladies maid, who upon her mistress' death inherits the old lady's house and fortune. Emma, whose beginnings were very humble, decides to use her inheritance for the good of others. She turns the house into a hospital for the poor and needy with the help of the local village doctor and a couple of servants. Every year the travelling circus breathes life into the little village and a dashing Gypsy horseman has caught her eye. When he lures her to his vardo with promises of wild excitement the like of which she has never known, Emma believes she has found the love of her life. But is Edmund Barltemas simply toying with her affections in order to use her in someway? These are the questions Emma is left with until one day, fate brings her horseman to her hospital and Emma learns that Bart has a dark secret that haunts him and threatens to keep them apart.


As a lover of history, I love reading fiction with a historical setting. Romance is always a welcome part of any novel for me, as long as its relevant to the story. Historical romance has never grabbed me but I was willing to read this book when it was offered me, for two reasons, a) because I knew that the author had done her research of the time and the place in which the book is set and b) because I was intrigued by the concept given to me in the blurb.

I started the book, expecting it to be plastered with sex and passion and little else, but as I read page by page, a delightful account of late Georgian England emerged was pleasantly surprised that there was so much more to this story that romance, ripping bodices and heaving breasts and throbbing...well you know, headaches!

The heroine in the story, Emma Turpin has led a sheltered life as the ladies maid. Her backstory tells us that her upbringing as an orphan offered her an the chance of an education care of the charitable Parish Union,  a chance that poor young girls living with their families would never have had. So Emma's unfortunate start in life was to be her making. It was the skills she learned as an orphan that would give her the strength to make something of her life and the confidence to fall unconventionally in love. But don't be fooled by this, Emma is not your usual heroine, feisty, feministic and hard to get. Nor is she the wilting stereotypical submissive type of some historical romance authors. Oh no, Emma is a woman with normal desires and passions that echo across the years and down the march of time to now. We can relate to Emma, who, with her advantageous introduction to life and her empathic out look on life and towards others, come across as a human individual who pioneers womanhood in the 19thc. 

Edmund Barltemas plays her opposite number. Handsome, charming and desirable, he keeps us wondering...what is his plan? What is his dark secret that in all intents and purposes seems to keep him from fully expressing himself. This theme that runs through the book is what kept me hooked. The relationship that spawns between the two main players in the book is what makes this story such a delight. Endearing in its simplicity, the two of them are drawn together, despite their different circumstances. It is her thoughts and her philosophical resignation that touches me most:

 'She knew that she had consigned herselfto a life not dissimilar to that of a soldier's wife... In that way she could justify the sacrifice of her own respectablility in order to have the tiniest piece of him.'

Her own understanding of the similar aspects of the seperate worlds that they inhabit, speaks volumes of societal attitudes to people's circumstances in the world in this period: 

'She and Bartlemas, like so many of their age, had been raised in a world which hadn't cared so much if a man and a woman were wed when they lay together. Being base born was, until she had been told otherwise by the parish, simply a matter of being. Now it was a reason of shame..."

Lorraine Hunt Lynn has researched this era thoroughly and the knowledge she has gleaned in all aspects of the book shines through immaculately. From what a circus performer wore and lived in to women's underwear and 19thc poverty laws and social organisation and attitudes, Ms Lynn's research is faultless. The text transports you to time and place with such ease that the reader has no trouble believing that they are in the midst of a Victorian village in Dorset. The romance is there, but it doesn't crowd the narrative unnecessarily and the love between the two main protagonists is soulful in its sincerity. 

This is  the first in a series of books called  The Bartlemas Anthology which stretches across the seas of time from England to the goldmines of Australia. 

"...one scandalous union is all it takes to set in motion the most extraordinary tales of love and adventure imaginable"

Lorraine is giving away an e-copy of The Huntsman's Desire in today's competition in the event's page on Facebook. Go  here for details to win.

Lorraine's book's can be found on Amazon 

http://www.amazon.com/Horsemans-Desire-Bartlemas-Anthology-Novel/dp/1482760789/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379276998&sr=1-1&keywords=the+horseman%27s+desire

For more about the author - http://bartlemasanthology.wordpress.com/

Lorri Covers It

At my own suggestion, I thought that an occasional Cover Review would mix things up a bit, with a take on The Good, The Mediocre and The Unfathomable.

I wish I had a dollar for every time I have read of the value of a great cover when marketing a book. I happen to agree (to a point) with this advice, but admit to becoming heartily sick of the much repeated ye-ancient-fonte lettering on Historical Fiction books, to say nothing of the overdone bodice-ripper covers on countless Historical Romance novels. When I come to think of it, I’d rather take that dollar when each of the aforementioned is released to the world – I’ll be worth a small fortune in a very short space of time!

The main criteria for determining what makes a great book cover lies in it being appropriate to the subject matter, followed closely by its eye-catching quality as it sits on the shelf in wait for its new owner. When browsing the shelves of a library or bookshop, or when trawling Amazon for a next great read, it is the cover that first catches the eye of the prospective reader. The cover tells us so much about what lies hidden inside before we read a single word of the synopsis, doesn’t it?



I have selected Historical Fiction as my first month’s Cover Review genre, and it goes something like this…


THE GOOD

Dominion by C. J. Sansom

If I was to say “I believe I’d like to read a 1950s English spy thriller” and saw this cover, I would look no further! The beautifully designed picture screams fog, London, intrigue and perhaps a little sex at me - before I even look at the title and author. Turning the book over, the first few lines confirm that I am indeed holding “an absorbing, thoughtful, spy-politico thriller set in the fog-ridden London of 1952” [sic]. It certainly catches the eye in its artful simplicity, and the clever use of lettering is a joy for this old calligrapher to behold. (If you want to know how to letter on velum, I’ve been trained – true!)
This book cover is just divine, and while I know nothing of the author or the subject matter, I would be tempted to buy it on its presentation alone.
9/10

THE MEDIOCRE

Merivel by Rose Tremain

I have heard a lot of good things about Rose Tremain as an author, but I would be hard pressed to linger over this particular cover. My first impression was that it was perhaps Medieval or even earlier, although the timepiece and figure hidden among bland colours and ill defined illustrations is at odds with this. The synopsis tells of the 17th century seduction of a doctor and courtier leaving the English Court for Versailles, but only when I read of the French Court did the cover make any sense at all. Had I been in a bookshop, the opportunity to make the connection would have been lost at first glance.
4/10







THE UNFATHOMABLE

A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel

Unless Maximilien Robespierre was a 1980’s New Yorker, I wouldn’t at first glance know what this book was about. Whosoever decided to evoke images of the works of Jacqueline Sussan or Sidney Sheldon should be horsewhipped for this, because it detracts totally from what promises to be a brilliant read about the French Revolution. Not only is the lettering totally inappropriate, but the tricolour could be one of a number of European countries if the reader was ignorant of the order of the red-white-blue configuration. No; Hilary Mantel’s great talent has been undermined by this sorry excuse for a book cover and the publisher should be ashamed!
1/10

Review: The King Arthur Conspiracy: How a Scottish Prince Became a Mythical Hero by Simon Stirling

When this nonfiction of King Arthur came up for review. I jumped at the chance to read it. I mean….how could this be nonfiction, right? Isn’t there some parts to the legend that is mythical and people’s imagination? Like a bed time story for children of knights on horses and magic swords and so on? How many of us really think Arthur was real? I thought I knew it all about Arthur. Well, I was wrong. Stirling reveals so much more to the story of Arthur and what we “thought” we knew about him and where he came from.

The beginning of the book starts with Avalon, where Arthur is buried. It explores the subject of where it is and how it was hidden from us for many years. Stirling also brings light to the conspiracies surrounding Avalon that I found really interesting. He even discusses if Arthur was in fact a mythical character or if there is more to the story. Which by now from my introduction you know there is…

While reading this book I couldn’t get over how the legend evolved and all the myths and gods from different places play a part in the story of Arthur. Even the different countries. I would have never thought.... Very fascinating. I have to admit that many of the names and words are a bit of a tongue twister to me! And I was finding myself trying to pronounce them out loud.

There are so many intricate parts to Stirling’s book, such as his mention of what Toulouse says. “That if Arthur had really existed there would be more concrete historical traces of him.” Well, I found that a bit interesting and presumptuous statement. Aren’t we still constantly uncovering history on a continuous basis? There are is still so much to be discovered in all parts of history. So she definitely hasn’t explored all the avenues-if you will-in my opinion.  Another thing that stood out for me was about Arthur’s family, including his sisters and how their names came about. Stirling even mentions the Lady of the Lake. Another part of the story, I thought was made up.

He also had some interesting things to say about Geoffery of Monmouth and his History of the Kings of Britain. As we all knew his interpretation was very popular. I remember his story well. There is so much to Arthur’s story that I could go on and on about. But I leave it up to the reader to discover it for one self. You will be enthralled!

He certainly gives you a vivid picture of how legends are made from real life events and people. He is meticulous with detail-- as a non-fiction should be. A truly fascinating read. I have learned so much! So forget everything you knew about Arthur and read this book. You will be glad you did. I highly recommend it.

Reviewed by Stephanie

Personal Fronts and Post War Battles

Book Review: Call Nurse Millie by Jean Fullerton

In my experiences of talking with people about the Second World War, with those who had heard battle and personal stories first hand or garnered them only from television and books, I find it interesting that young and old alike tend to refer to it as “the war,” as opposed to its full official moniker. Oddly this makes sense, for while no wars before or since are any less important or devastating to those affected, World War II has, for better or worse, created a new world in which battle experiences and their aftermath continue to be relayed even now, with personal fronts as far-reaching as those that existed during this deadliest of all wars.

These fronts continued to exist even after VE Day, while Britain carried on food and clothes rationing and people existed in many ways the same as they had during the war: as part of a society in which the distinction between military and civilian life was blurred. A weary population, however, threw their energies into celebrating the end of five grueling years of deprivation and horror. As East Londoners with glee and relief bid farewell to the Blitz, Millie Sullivan holds a newborn baby in her arms, opening Call Nurse Millie with an apt eye on the future. Millie, as a midwife, guides birth in the wake of death, also signaling the strength of character we are yet to see in this hard working district nurse.

Not long thereafter Millie’s strength is tested when her father lay dying just as Winston Churchill announces Germany’s surrender and the midnight cease-fire. Her mother, Doris, observes wryly, “Only you could have a stroke on the day it’s all over.” Doris falls into a deep depression, however, and later takes ill as Millie simultaneously attempts to keep up with her demanding vocation and fallout of nasty workplace politics. In our age of easy transportation, it is heartbreaking to envision, as Fullerton draws out her characters in action, Millie biking to all her patients’ homes and later persuading her mother onto a bus, which hurtles her not only towards a devastating misdiagnosis but also the terrible consequences of medical neglect, arrogance and unsuitable treatment.

The pace of the book often mirrors the events within; while the opening pages are somewhat slow, this gives pause to reflect on Millie’s required on-call hours in between her regular long days. Obliged by rules to live at Munroe House, Millie conducts her affairs in a necessarily mapped-out fashion—when to go to a phone box, her mother’s house, patient visits, errands and appointments and more, all while navigating runs between the barbs and blows of a micro-managing superintendent and an ally harboring petty grievances—reminiscent of Baranskaia’s Olya, whose life of sheer exhaustion includes repeatedly forgetting to perform the simple task of sewing on a belt loop. Nurse Sullivan is often bone weary or stifling yawns, and at one point forgets to dole out pain medication.

The longer we are permitted to have this glimpse into Millie’s post-war life, the more we learn about social, economic and material conditions of the time. The day of the doodlebug has passed, but predatory welfare policies (or informal, unofficial practice) force people into cold and starvation for fear of losing their children; others are lost following long years of literal darkness meant to shield and protect, accidents being only one category of casualty. Racism and elitism seem to become more vicious, perhaps partly a birthing pain as some recognize the passing of an older world to make way for a new. Those welcoming this new world tend to be people like Millie’s patients, who often have to choose between dinner and medical treatment, the latter of which plays a large role in the activism of some in Millie’s social circle.

Interestingly enough, experiencing Call Nurse Millie is akin to a history lesson, sans the tedium. Though not brutal in the same way as novels depicting the heat of actual warfare, it explores the theatres people had to experience via daily emotional combat in a city under siege and whose citizens at times target each other, and is therefore no less devastating. Those over sensitive to racism in historical context would do well to don their battle armour, for it is here in a big way, but its elimination from the pages of Call Nurse Millie would be failure to acknowledge the trials, and more importantly, triumphs against Hitler’s bombs, that these ordinary people lived and died by.

Fullerton writes a fair amount of medical information into the novel; being familiar with most of it left me unsure whether or not this is problematic for those who are not. She also leaves it to well into the book to clarify that “Sister” references someone who is a nurse, and that its use pays homage to the profession’s heritage. However writer friendly this may be, it can easily be forgiven by her fluid narrative style, which performs duties oftentimes without us ever realizing it does. “Reginald Hayhurst was probably in his early forties” introduces both reader and Millie to a medical provider she pays a professional visit to, placing both squarely in the same boat. There is no omnipotent narrator; we are experiencing this moment on the same level as Sister Sullivan. This and other techniques, such as visual cues that indicate or reflect on the passage of time while presenting as Millie’s ruminations—“The pale blue hospital counterpane draped over the bed was similar to the one that had covered her father almost a year before”—bring us closer to Millie’s own experience. We are there and invested with her and other characters, even when some of them are not so sympathetic.

Call Nurse Millie, as historical fiction, has the advantage that many people today relate quite closely to the era, because relatives they’d lived and interacted with experienced many of the same moments Millie did. Indeed, some readers themselves likely have. We as humans tend to yearn for links to our past and this era, albeit 70 years ago, is still so close it is tantalizing, much like Millie’s own story.

Call Nurse Millie by Jean Fullerton

May 2013

ISBN-10:  1409137406

ISBN-13:  978-1409137405


Come check out The Review's FB page for a chance to win one of three copies of this great historical novel!

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SIMON STIRLING - Special Feature - FACT OR FICTION ?

Simon Stirling author of Who Killed William Shakespeare and The King Arthur Conspiracy talks about one of the mysteries of William Shakespeare's life.

Before the magnificent Hive was erected in Worcester, the county records were stored in a fairly nondescript building near the County Council offices.  We went there several years ago to hunt down a 450-year-old will.
The eight-and-a-half page ‘Last Testament of John Whateley of Henley in Arden’ was brought out to us.  No white gloves, no rules – just don’t doodle or blow your nose on the document.  We settled down to decipher the cramped script, and there it was: a reference to ‘Agnes my daughter’!
Back in those days, the names Anne and Agnes were used interchangeably (the ‘g’ of Agnes was not pronounced).  So Agnes, the daughter of John Whateley, would also have been known as Anne Whateley.
William Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway in 1582 (in her father’s will, she was named ‘Agnes’).  But only the day before two Stratford farmers rode to Worcester and laid down a substantial bond to ensure that young Will did marry ‘Anne Hathwey, maiden’, the bishop’s court at Worcester had issued a special licence allowing him to marry ‘Annam Whateley de Temple Grafton’.

Will of John Whateley

We eventually returned the document to the desk, where my wife couldn’t resist asking if anyone else had wanted to see John Whateley’s will.  When the staff looked nonplussed by this question, Kim – my wife – excitedly announced that the will identifies an Anne Whateley, the name of William Shakespeare’s original choice of bride.
Quick as a flash, a man zoomed across the room to assure us that the ‘official line’ had been established by Samuel Schoenbaum, who wrote that ‘Anne Whateley’ had been a historical accident, a mere slip of the clerical pen.  I ushered Kim out of there, highly amused at the thought that an ‘expert’ on the subject was referring us to the words of a scholar while ignoring the evidence in front of his own eyes.
For the record, Agnes Whateley’s brother – George Whateley – lived in Stratford-upon-Avon, a few doors away from the Shakespeare household.  He served on the Stratford Corporation with Shakespeare’s father.  So there is a strong chance that Will Shakespeare would have known of Agnes Whateley of nearby Temple Grafton.
The point, though, is this: there is an ‘official line’ on the subject of Anne Whateley.  Which is, she didn’t exist.  Even when you point out that an Anne Whateley with Shakespearean connections was named in her father’s will, she continues not to exist.  Because somebody once said so.
Since my book Who Killed William Shakespeare? The Murderer, the Motive, the Means was published a few weeks ago, one question has been put to me by several journalists – ‘Historians and Shakespeare experts have scoffed at the idea that he was murdered.  What do you say to that?’
To which I have responded – ‘Okay, so let them tell us what really happened, then.’
Only one written account of Shakespeare’s death survives.  It was noted down by the newly-installed vicar of Stratford in 1662, and it relates that Shakespeare, Ben Jonson and Michael Drayton had a ‘merry meeting’, at which they ‘drank so hard’, it seems, that Shakespeare caught a ‘fever’, from which he died shortly afterwards.
It took forty-six years for the story of Shakespeare’s ‘merry meeting’ and his fatal ‘fever’ to come out.  Shakespeare’s son-in-law, John Hall, was a respected doctor of Stratford-upon-Avon who kept detailed notes on his clients and the treatments he had administered to them.  He left no record of Shakespeare’s death.
Neither did Shakespeare’s ‘cousin’, Thomas Greene, a trained lawyer and minor poet who knew Michael Drayton.  Greene was the town clerk of Stratford-upon-Avon.  He and his family had lived for several years at Shakespeare’s home of New Place.  But Thomas Greene made no mention of Shakespeare’s death.  Rather, he quickly resigned his post, sold his house, and moved to Bristol.
Shakespeare’s fellow poets, Drayton and Jonson, had nothing to say at the time about Will’s death.  Neither did that other Warwickshire poet, Fulke Greville, who – as Recorder of Stratford – was the town’s registrar and coroner.
This blanket of contemporary silence regarding Shakespeare’s death is not, of course, proof that he was murdered (that evidence exists elsewhere).  At the same time, though, it offers no evidence that he was not murdered.  Many people died of mysterious fevers in those days, and more than a few of them were victims of assassination.
So how can ‘historians and Shakespeare experts’ state so categorically that Shakespeare wasn’t murdered?  Realistically, they can’t.  They have no proof.  But they’re happy to scoff at the suggestion, because the theory flies on the face of everything they’d like to believe about William Shakespeare.
History is not written in stone: it’s more fluid than that.  New discoveries are made, new accounts written.  It behoves each generation to rediscover the past, not least of all because our understanding of the past can only be based on our view of the present, and as that evolves so must our attitude towards history.
More to the point, every historical account is, to a greater or lesser extent, a work of fiction – like a map, which illustrates the terrain and certain landmarks but is still only a selective, symbolic representation.  The assumption that Shakespeare’s first choice of wife, Anne Whateley, never existed is a convenient fiction (that is, as an explanation it might or might not be true).  It is not a ‘fact’, in the strictest sense of the word.  It is an opinion, an educated guess, which just happens to have been accepted as historical fact.  When new evidence emerges – like her father’s will – then we need to consider it carefully.  Most of all, we must be prepared to adjust our ideas to accommodate this new information.
Similarly, it might be appropriate to say ‘I don’t think Shakespeare was murdered’, but it is wholly inappropriate to insist point-blank that he wasn’t.  By doing so, scholars are really only defending their own comfortable fictions while refusing to examine the facts.
The bottom line, then, should be clear enough.  Much of what we think of as historical ‘fact’ (e.g. the remains of King Richard III were lost in a river) often turns out to be historical fiction.  At which point, everybody has a decision to make: do we stick with the fiction, to which we’ve grown so attached, or do we create an updated and – hopefully – more accurate narrative incorporating the latest evidence?
Ultimately, the choice is a political one.  Because the past and the present are intimately connected (or, at least, our views of them are), and if you are resistant to any form of change in the present, you’ll struggle to accept any alteration to your picture of the past. 

You can read more about Simon's investigation into William Shakespeare's death in his book here on Amazon in the UK and world wide. Simon is also giving away a hard-back of his book so join us on Facebook for a chance to win a copy!

SPARTACUS - Talons of an Empire by Robert Southworth - Reviewed by Steven A. McKay

SPARTACUS

Talons of an Empire           

by Robert Southworth

Reviewed by Steven A. McKay

Please note that the giveaway is no longer valid

This, Robert Southworth's debut novel, is billed as an “alternative history” tale. That's not really a genre I've read much of, other than the odd Philip K. Dick or Harry Turtledove novel. However, Spartacus, Talons of an Empire can quite easily be read as a “straight” historical novel so don't be put off by the “alternative” tag.

 The idea here is that Spartacus survived his famous rebellion, and is then put to bloody work for the hateful Roman overlords in return for his freedom. It's a fine premise to base a story on, but to be honest, you can imagine the protagonist as any gladiator and it'll make no difference to your enjoyment of what is a fine book.

 What we have is a group of men – almost a “Dirty Dozen” of the Roman-era – taking on a dangerous mission through hostile lands and, ultimately, fighting to the brutal end in the arena.

 The author sets the scenes well, drawing vivid pictures of each place in the reader's mind so it's easy to become drawn into the action as if we were right there.

 The characters are fairly varied and there are some poignant, gentler moments scattered throughout which serve as an interesting and welcome diversion from the brutal action and let us see the human side of these hard fighting men.

 There were a few places, though, where I felt the action jumped a little too quickly – it might have been nice for certain scenes to have lasted a bit longer, building the tension before cutting to another part of the story – but in general the pacing is very good. 

 I also struggled somewhat with a couple of characters' (Cassian and Spartacus) reactions – both at the time and subsequently – to certain deaths. I can't go into more detail or it would spoil the plot a bit, but I thought, if it had been me witnessing those events I would have felt rather different to Cassian or Spartacus. But that's down to the individual's outlook so can't really be classed as a criticism, just an observation.

 I picked this up for under a pound on Amazon and I have to say it was well worth the admission price, and, with the next in the series, Spartacus, The Gods Demand Sacrifice just released, I would recommend you take a look at this fine new author.

RATING

4/5

Robert is giving away a paperback copy of his book so for your chance to win, join us on Facebook

Steven A. McKay is the author of the Kindle War chart number 1, Wolf's Head. 

Find out more at his website:

http://stevenamckay.wordpress.com/