SEA DUST now published in paperback and e-book

SEA DUST was first published by Robert Hale in 2005 and sold out within six weeks of release. Unfortunately it was never reprinted apart from in Large Print format for Ulverscroft.

This historical novel is set mainly at sea on a voyage from England (Whitby) to Australia (Sydney) in 1853.
Travel with Emma on this dangerous and dramatic journey as she escapes from her cruel husband little knowing she will be pursued by an even more evil malefactor.

This week, SEA DUST has been released on Amazon.com as an e-book (only $3.99). It is available in other e-formats through Belgrave House for $5.00.

Along with my other Hale publications, SEA DUST is now available in paperback through Lulu.com and available at Amazon.com

THE BLACK THREADnow available as E-books

Recently another of Margaret Muir's Hale books has been converted to e-book format.

THE BLACK THREAD was first published by Hale in 2007 and reprinted as a Large Print for Ulverscroft the following year.

This is a dramatic historical novel set on the Leeds Liverpool canal at the end of the nineteenth century.
This is now available at Amazon.com for $3.99.

Murder Fortissimo goes West!

Yippee! Hale have just confirmed that Murder Fortissimo is scheduled to be published in April 2012 by Harlequin, in Canada and the US. In paperback! I'm hoping it'll be available from Amazon in the UK.

No idea what the cover will be like but I'll post further details as I get them.

I'm very, very chuffed about this!

Bestselling Hale Kindle titles on Amazon - 30 November

1. Past Caring by Robert Goddard (29 Jul 2011)
£6.06

2. No Less Than the Journey by E.V. Thompson (31 May 2010)
£5.48

3. Churchyard and Hawke (Amos Hawke mysteries) by E.V. Thompson (29 Jul 2011)
£6.39

4. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange (1 Jan 2011)
£5.48

5. Coming Home by Vonnie Hughes (31 Jan 2012)
£6.39

6. The Chronicles of Sherlock Holmes by Paul D. Gilbert (1 Jan 2011)
£6.39

7. Lady Sabrina's Secret by Jeannie Machin (31 Aug 2011)
£6.39

8. Colonel Brandon's Diary by Amanda Grange (31 Oct 2011)
£6.07

9. Vow of Silence by Veronica Black (30 Dec 2011)
£6.39

10. Oliver Twist Investigates by G.M. Best (31 Jan 2012)
£6.39

The Boy From Berlin

My latest Hale novel, THE BOY FROM BERLIN is now available from Hale Books at the usual discount and post free in UK if ordered before December 30th. Always a good chance to by a decent novel at a decent price.I'm looking forward to receiving mine in the post and will read it through like a kid with a new toy. happy days!

Busy, busy

Busy day again. I’m squeezing this post in between outings. This morning my wife and I were at a house group. It’s a weekly meeting for about ten of us from our local Christian Fellowship here in Torrevieja. I take my keyboard and play a hymn or two, and we spend about an hour discussing a particular topic and drifting away and talking of all manner of things. It’s amazing how people open up once they have become relaxed and know that what they say will not go beyond the group. Back home for lunch and then out again visiting a sick friend. She has cancer, and has been battling the disease for about three years now. She gets a reprieve and then another crisis develops. We can only keep praying for her and hope the Lord heals. This afternoon we will spend about an hour with our friend and her husband, not much more than that because of her frailty. So, rather hurriedly really, I’m writing my blog post now so I can get it out today, Thursday.
My son sent me a breakdown of my web statistics this morning. I’m not in the big league, but since we updated the web, my hits went from an average over seven months of about 11000 to 22738 in November. They say that one swallow doesn’t make a summer, but I’m chuffed to bits with that increase.
It is now possible to order copies of my hardback, THE BOY FROM BERLIN. Publication date in December 30th. from the publisher, Robert Hale Ltd. They sell at a generous discount, about 30% and will send the book post free in UK. For those who might want to buy a copy, log on to Hale’s website at www.halebooks.com. I’m looking forward to seeing the book in print. I’m like a kid with a new toy when I open up my parcel with the books inside. I always read my books through, beginning to end. Makes me feel good knowing that this is all my own work, edited and published at no cost to me. Lovely.
The Kindle version of ROSELLI’S GOLD is now available. Shouldn’t be too long before it’s available in paperback in UK. There’s so much going on for me right now, what with my work coming out and everything else. Next week I’ll be giving away three copies of Roselli’s Gold through the Goodreads giveaway promotion. If you haven’t signed up for it yet, why not pop over to Goodreads and check it out? You never know, you might win. See you all next week.

Lady Farquhar's Butterfly

On December 30th my second book with Hale - Lady Farquhar's Butterfly - will be released as a Hale e-book.

It was inspired by a piece of research I'd done into the times for while I knew women had few rights at that time in which the book is set - 1818 - I didn't know they could be stripped of their child by a husband's decree after he was dead.

Deception and redemption are favourite themes of mine and are the driving forces behind Lady Farquhar's Butterfly. While the cruelty of the late husband to my heroine, Olivia, lives on beyond the grave, she must continue to battle his evil religious with his ulterior motives before she can find love with her son's guardian.

Lady Farquhar's Butterfly was published in 2010 by Hale in Hardback and re-released last year in Large Print by Ulverscroft. I hope it takes wings as an e-book.

Bestsellers on Amazon - 31 October - Kindle titles

1. Past Caring by Robert Goddard (Kindle Edition - 29 Jul 2011)
Buy: £6.39

2. Churchyard and Hawke (Amos Hawke mysteries) by E.V. Thompson (Kindle Edition - 29 Jul 2011)
Buy: £6.39

3. Across the Sands of Time by Pamela Kavanagh (Kindle Edition - 30 Sep 2011)
Buy: £6.39

4. No Less Than the Journey by E.V. Thompson (Kindle Edition - 31 May 2010)
Buy: £5.48

5. The Kansas Fast Gun (Black Horse Western) by Arthur Kent (Kindle Edition - 31 Oct 2011)
Buy: £3.19

6. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange (Kindle Edition - 1 Jan 2011)
Buy: £5.48

7. Maggie's Girl by Sally Wragg (Kindle Edition - 30 Sep 2011)
Buy: £6.39

8. Should I Forget You by Jeanne Whitmee (Kindle Edition - 31 Aug 2011)
Buy: £6.39

9. The Paradise Will by Elizabeth Hanbury (Kindle Edition - 30 Sep 2011)
Buy: £6.39

10. A Fraudulent Betrothal by Natasha Anderson (Kindle Edition - 30 Sep 2011)
Buy: £6.39

Review of 'The Rake's Challenge' by Rachel Hyde at Myshelf.com

                                                       
             

               The Rake’s Challenge       

              Beth Elliott

       Reviewed by Rachel A Hyde

 

Anna Lawrence is not at all keen on life at home and runs away to emulate her hero Childe Harold. She hasn’t got far when she is molested by two young men intent on some “sport”, but is rescued by a mysterious stranger. This is none other than London’s most notorious rake Giles Maltravers, the Earl of Longwood and saving damsels in distress is not something he is normally associated with. But this young miss hardly out of the schoolroom awakens something in him and he is determined to protect her. Surely nothing amiss can happen once she is safely delivered to her place of employment as companion to an old lady?

Ms Elliott knows how to write just the kind of Regency romance I enjoy. Anna makes for a delightfully fresh and engaging heroine, whilst Giles manages not to be overbearing thus avoiding those endless bickering spats that have me closing the book in some romances. Instead this is a story where two people really do get to know – and like – each other and it is full of enjoyable moments. Anna’s new employers are Italians and are up to something underhand – what? Then there are descriptions of Brighton in its heyday and all the things that the ton did there. This is a relaxing, sunny treat of a novel with much to recommend it for fans of writers like Georgette Heyer.

Sheila Newberry

Happy to report that Hale are to publish my latest novel, Young May Moon!
Sixteen year old May becomes the Punch & Judy Lady, fulfilling a promise
made to her late father, "Professor" Jas Jolley, and is assisted by her
lively young sister Pomona, who takes the leather bottle round the audience
on the sands at West Wick, in 1925. Four years before, from this same place,
their fiery mother Carmen, a flamenco dancer from Spain ran off with the preacher from
the rival entertainment , while Mr Punch cried out: That's the Way to Do It!

Other good news: I have a fifth memoir published on 1st November by Magna/Dales,
entitled Dancing in the Street, which indeed we did, on VE night... It covers the
In-Between years from 1942-50, in which I recall, among other things, dried egg,
doodlebugs, Disraeli and Daydreaming...

All best to all,
Sheila Newberry

Bestselling Hale Fiction on Amazon - Kindle only

I'm a bit late this month with my monthly bestseller list. This time out the list is purely devoted to Kindle fiction.

1. Past Caring by Robert Goddard (29 Jul 2011)
£5.49

2. No Less Than the Journey by E.V. Thompson (31 May 2010)
£5.48

3. Churchyard and Hawke (Amos Hawke mysteries) by E.V. Thompson (29 Jul 2011)
£6.23

4. The Paradise Will by Elizabeth Hanbury (30 Sep 2011)
£6.39

5. Broken Places by Wendy Perriam (29 Jul 2011)
£6.39

6. The Confession of Fitzwilliam Darcy by Mary Street (29 Jul 2011)
£5.25

7. The Chronicles of Sherlock Holmes by Paul D. Gilbert (1 Jan 2011)
£6.23

8. Rumours and Red Roses by Patricia Fawcett (31 Aug 2011)
£6.39

9. Across the Sands of Time by Pamela Kavanagh (30 Sep 2011)
£6.39

10. Spoiled by Ann Barker (30 Sep 2011)
£6.38

JOHN BURKE R.I.P.

John Burke, who has written many novels, and been published by Robert Hale died on the 20th September 2011 after a long illness.

A Father For Daisy was published by Hale at the end of June 2011. It is set in Horwich in 1898.

After the death of her elderly father, Bea Rossall is left without a home and has to find a means of support for herself and a four-month-old orphanded baby left in her care. When she turns down the proposition from a local mill owner that she become his housekeeper/mistress, he makes sure no-one else in the area will offer her employment. Bea decides that the only way forward is to seek Daisy's father in the hope that he will help to provide for his daughter ... but when the man named by Daisy's mother denies any knowledge of the matter, Bea wonders where to turn next - until an unexpected opportunity presents itself. Bea has to face scorn and overcome much prejudice against the role of women in society and the work-place, as well as danger to her life and the lives of those she loves before she can achieve her goal.

Bestselling Hale Fiction on Amazon - August 31

1. Beyond the Storm by E. V. Thompson (Paperback - 30 Nov 2010)
From £7.86

2. No Less Than the Journey by E.V. Thompson (Kindle Edition - 31 May 2010)
Buy: £5.48

3. Past Caring by Robert Goddard (Kindle Edition - 29 Jul 2011)
Buy: £5.10

4. Churchyard and Hawke (Amos Hawke mysteries) by E.V. Thompson (Kindle Edition - 29 Jul 2011)
Buy: £6.39

5. Churchyard and Hawke by E. V. Thompson (Paperback - 31 May 2011)
From £3.70

6. The Confession of Fitzwilliam Darcy by Mary Street (Kindle Edition - 29 Jul 2011)
Buy: £4.53

7. The Man Who Could Not Sleep and Other Mysteries by Michael Gilbert (Hardcover - 31 Jan 2011)
From £11.45

8. Ruined by Ann Barker (Hardcover - 31 Jul 2009)
From £9.01

9. The Colour of Death by Frances Lloyd (Hardcover - 30 Sep 2011)
Buy new: £18.99

10. Broken Places by Wendy Perriam (Kindle Edition - 29 Jul 2011)
Buy: £6.39

Vulture Gold, originally a BHW, is a finalist

Originally published as a Black Horse Western, Hale returned the rights to me and Western Trail Blazers published Vulture Gold first as an e-Book, then as a printed book. I sent the book to Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards competition and was notified that VG is a finalist.

Garet Havelock was a Cherokee half-breed and the marshal of Vulture City. But that wasn’t enough to stop outlaw kingpin Barnabas Donovan from sending in three armed men to rob $100,000 in bullion from the Vulture Mine headquarters, killing two people in the process. Havelock set out to catch the thieves and recover the gold and in the unforgiving Mojave Desert, Jicarilla Apaches forced Havelock and Donovan’s bunch together in a cave on Eagle Eye Mountain. Then there was Laura Donovan, half-sister to the outlaw leader . . . Now Havelock must survive the Apache ‘run of death” and face Donovan’s gunslingers to get the gold and the girl.

Available as an e-Book here.

Through Glass Eyes published in e-format

This historical saga by Margaret Muir was first published in hardback by Robert Hale Ltd in 2006 under the title, 'The Twisting Vine'.

'Through Glass Eyes' was the author's working title.

1896 - When Lucy steals an expensive French doll from her dying mistress, she is unaware of the different roles it will play in the years to come. But throughout her journey of love and loss, pain and joy, the Bru doll is never far away. Set in the West Riding of Yorkshire, this is a heartfelt rags to riches saga spanning more than 25 years.
Through Glass Eyes is available from Belgrave House or Amazon.com for $3.99

Bestselling Hale Fiction at The Book Depository

This month's bestseller list looks at the online retailer The Book Depository.

1. Henry Tilney's Diary by Amanda Grange (May 2011)

2. No Less than the Journey by E.V. Thompson (May 2010)

3. Beyond the Storm by E.V. Thompson (Nov 2010)

4. Constable in the Country by Nicholas Rhea (Apr 2010)

5. Lady Sarah's Redemption by Barbara Eikli (May 2009)

6. The Condor's Feather by Margaret Muir (Jul 2009)

7. Churchyard and Hawke by E.V. Thompson (Nov 2009)

8. Coming Home by Vonnie Hughes (Mar 2010)

9. The Gravedigger's Tale by Simon Clark (Nov 2010)

10. The Man who would not Sleep by Michael Gilbert (Jan 2011)

My latest Regency tale is published this Friday

The Rake's Challenge


Giles Maltravers has his rakish lifestyle turned upside down the day he saves Anna Lawrence from a pair of drunken young bloods. The irony is that Giles is now honour-bound to protect this headstrong girl.

Inspired by a fervent devotion to the works of Lord Byron, Anna is determined to live a life of adventure, but she plunges from one disaster into another. Giles has no time left to enjoy his former carefree existence, especially when the Prince Regent decides that Anna is just in his style....

                                                For example.........



Anna visits Brighton for the summer season. It is her first visit to the seaside, so naturally she wishes to experience sea bathing. She goes for a dip - but ends up in hot water with Giles!




                         
 
 
 
         It is not long before she catches the Prince Regent's eye ... and after that it takes all of Giles's ingenuity to rescue her from any number of dangerous situations.

All the latest Black Horse news

To keep up to date with all the latest Black Horse Western news be sure to check in at the Black Horse Express. Brief snippets and then links are provided to all the news, reviews, interviews and extracts on the Net.

Items in the last month:

An interview with Peter Taylor
Review of Lonesome Range by Tyler Hatch
An interview with Chuck Tyrell
Bestsellers on Amazon.co.uk
Good offers at Book Depository
Review of The Scattergun Gang by Hank J. Kirby
Review of Wyoming Double-Cross by J.D. Kincaid
Review of Trail of the Burned Man by Thomas McNulty
A brief interview with Colin Bainbridge
Bestsellers on Amazon.com
Review of Shotgun Messenger by Colin Bainbridge
Extract from The Ballad of Delta Rose by Jack Martin
Black Horse Westerns - June 2011
New BH author website for Carl Bernard
E-BHW range to be extended
Linford Westerns - June 2011
Review of Ace High in Wilderness by Rob Hill
Dales Westerns - June 2011

Bestselling Hale books on Amazon - 30 June

As June's bestselling fiction list wasn't much different to May's list, I thought I'd detail Hale's bestselling books (fiction and non-fiction) at the end of June:

1. Beyond the Storm by E. V. Thompson (Paperback - 30 Nov 2010)
From £7.81

2. River Fly-fishing: The Complete Guide by Peter Lapsley (Hardcover - 30 Sep 2003)
From £10.00

3. Hedge Witch: Guide to Solitary Witchcraft by Rae Beth (Paperback - 31 Aug 1992)
From £2.48

4. The Crime Writer's Guide to Police Practice and Procedure by Michael O'Byrne (Paperback - 30 Apr 2009)
From £3.99

5. Poetry Writing: The Expert Guide by Fiona Sampson (Hardcover - 30 Oct 2009)
From £7.59

6. By Tank: D to VE Days by Ken Tout (Paperback - 29 Oct 2010)
From £5.95

7. No Less Than the Journey by E.V. Thompson (Kindle Edition - 31 May 2010)
Buy: £4.84

8. Bon Appetit!: French-English Menu Dictionary by Judith A. White (Paperback - 30 Nov 1998)
From £0.69

9. No Less Than the Journey by E.V. Thompson (Paperback - 30 May 2010)
From £2.53

10. Churchyard and Hawke by E. V. Thompson (Paperback - 31 May 2011)
From £4.02

'Murder Fortissimo' by Nicola Slade

Interviewed today by Canadian blogger, Sarah-Jane Lehoux

http://sarah-janelehoux.blogspot.com/2011/06/eight-is-enough-q-with-nicola-slade.html

Bestselling Hale Fiction on Amazon - 31 May

1. (-) Beyond the Storm by E. V. Thompson (Paperback - 30 Nov 2010)
From £7.79

2. (N/E) Henry Tilney's Diary by Amanda Grange (Hardcover - 31 May 2011)
From £7.83

3. (+2) Churchyard and Hawke by E.V. Thompson (Paperback - 30 Nov 2009)
From £7.72

4. (-2) No Less Than the Journey by E.V. Thompson (Kindle Edition - 31 May 2010)
Buy: £5.78

5. (-2) No Less Than the Journey by E.V. Thompson (Paperback - 30 May 2010)
From £6.08

6. (N/E) Constable in the Country by Nicholas Rhea (Paperback - 30 Apr 2010)
From £2.74

7. (-) Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange (Kindle Edition - 1 Jan 2011)
Buy: £6.39

8. (-) The Chronicles of Sherlock Holmes by Paul D. Gilbert (Kindle Edition - 1 Jan 2011)
Buy: £6.23

9. (N/E) Constable Over the Hill by Nicholas Rhea (Hardcover - 31 May 2011)
From £11.11

10. (N/E) The Tewkesbury Tomb by Kerry Tombs (Hardcover - 29 Apr 2011)
From £16.14

DRAGON WIND RISING

DRAGON WIND RISING








Now in e-format with a stunning new cover, this is the first of two books about the adventures of Lea Stafford.

DRAGON WIND RISING is the story of Australia's first female foreign correspondent, the enterprising Lea Stafford, who has arrived in Peking in 1900, unaware of the gathering storm of anti-western feeling. She is fascinated by the colour and pageantry of the mysterious Forbidden City and the contrasting life of the crowded alleys surrounding it.

While screaming hordes of Boxers stream across China, slaughtering missionaries and promising death and destruction to all foreigners, western leaders procrastinate. They continue with their lavish dinner parties and soirees, assuring one another that the Empress would never permit them to be harmed.

However, the reactionary Iron Hats within the palace prevail, and soon the Boxer hordes are joined by military units which surround the legations. The hated 'round eyes' find themselves under siege, bombarded and cut off from all support.

Amidst the mayhem Lea finds love and commitment in the unlikely person of Michael Attwood, a mysterious trader in antiquities with the shadiest of reputations, both in business and in his dealings with the ladies. But it seems all too late. For 55 days their lives hang in the balance, as the embattled representatives of the western nations begin to starve behind their crumbling walls, fighting off attack after attack while searching the horizon for help that does not come.

Hale novel republished under title - THROUGH GLASS EYES

When first accepted for publication, Hale did not consider my working title, Through Glass Eyes, appropriate, arguing that the doll element in the story was not strong enough to support the name. I disagreed but acquiesced.
I remember Mark Twain’s short story, The Million Pound Bank-Note (later to become a book and movie staring Gregory Peck). In that tale, the story evolves around the note. In Through Glass Eyes the doll is not always present, but is always hovering in the background.
Furthermore, changes in the doll’s dress over a period of 25 years can be regarded as a metaphor for the fluctuating fortunes of Lucy Oldfield reflecting her times of hardship, struggle and eventual triumph.
To my mind, the title could not be more appropriate.

In setting out to produce a cover for the paperback, I wanted to feature the doll, a 24-inch French bisque Bru of the 1890s. Of course to buy one of these rare antiques today would cost tens of thousands of dollars.
By chance, I learned of a one-day Doll Fair in Launceston (Tasmania) and went along with my camera.

On the first stall, a beautiful doll caught my eye. To my amazement, I discovered it was a replica Bru cabinet doll of the late 1800s – though only about 8 inches tall. And the only one at the fair.

Exhibitor Derrise Mahoney was delighted to share her story with me. She is a local doll maker who creates and paints the porcelain heads from Bru moulds, adds the mohair wigs and designs the dolls’ dresses. With Derrise’s permission, I took several photos of her beautiful Bru and, as a result, was able to produce the book’s cover which I am delighted with.
Through Glass Eyes is a story for the ladies. It’s a heartfelt rags-to-riches saga set mainly in Yorkshire in 1895. Here is the outline:


“When Lucy Oldfield steals an exquisite French doll from her dying mistress, she is unaware of the roles it will play as time goes on. Love, loss, pain and joy are the ever-changing facets of Lucy’s life, and throughout her journey, the Bru doll is never far away.”

Now approved for print, Through Glass Eyes will be available on Amazon in July or you can find it at GRINDELWALD.
Marg Muir

FLOATING GOLD by M C Muir in paperback

Another of my titles is now available in paperback and you can read the opening pages on the Amazon page.
FLOATING GOLD was first published mid-2010 in hardback by Robert Hale Ltd. I never wanted this novel to be published in my full name, so in this edition the by-line bears only my initials.

As you can guess, this is a nautical fiction adventure.
Being a second edition provided the opportunity to add a brief blurb and extracts from reviews to the back cover.



The iceberg is appropriate to the story. I purchased the image from Big Stock Photo which is an excellent on-line outlet for quality photos of just about anything imaginable, and for just a few dollars.

FLOATING GOLD is now available at a discounted price direct from the publisher, GRINDELWALD. It is also available via Amazon.

THE BLACK THREAD now in paperback

The paperback edition of THE BLACK THREAD is now available on the major websites including Amazon.com.
First published in hardback by Robert Hale Ltd in 2007 then in large print by Ulverscroft.
The Black Thread is a dramatic historical fiction story set on a Yorkshire canal in 1895.
Having created the basic cover myself, I used a photo I took in England a few years ago.



Also due for release as an ebook August 2011 with Belgrave House.

Also Available with discount at GRINDELWOOD press.

Image: original Hale cover.

THE CONDOR'S FEATHER now in paperback

I'm delighted to announce that THE CONDOR'S FEATHER, first published in hardback by Robert Hale Ltd (2009) is now available in paperback.
I have undertaken this publication myself through Lulu Press under the name GRINDELWALD.
It is printed in Melbourne and will be on the major on-line retail sites such as Amazon and Barnes and Noble in about 6 week's time.
Having received a copy of the book, I am delighted with the quality.

THE CONDOR'S FEATHER is a historical Equestrian Aventure based loosely on the real-life journey undertaken across the wilds of Patagonia by Lady Florence Dixie in 1885.

Here's an excerpt of what MyShelf.com had to say about this book:

If you are an armchair traveler like me, you will happily curl up with this tale of travel and adventure. I could imagine this book being made into a western, as it is replete with the sorts of events those wonderful old films always feature. The strong silent cowboy, jail breaks, bad hombres on the trail who will stop at nothing, and lots of descriptions of the beauty of a savage, untamed landscape.


Thanks to Robert Hale for publishing in hardback in 2009.
The Condor's Feather is also available in library quality Large print from Ulverscroft (2010).
And as an e-book with Belgrave House (2011).

Available now at GRINDELWOOD press.

Marg Muir

The Condor's Feather now an e-book

I am pleased to announce that one of my 5 Robert Hale published titles – The Condor’s Feather (Halebooks 2007) - was released today in the US by Belgrave House as an e-book.

Belgrave House ebooks are on sale for $5 or discounted, and are available in 10 formats to suit most reading devices.

"We offer ebooks in ten formats: epub (industry standard), PRC (Mobipocket, Kindle), PDF, Microsoft Reader (LIT), PDB (Palm, eReader), HTML, Word, Rich Text Format, RB (Rocket and ebookwise), and Hiebook (KML), etc."

Update: 14 May - Now featured on Amazon at a discounted price.

I selected the cover image from www.bigstockphoto.com - Belgrave added the condor.
The Condor's Feather is an Historical Equestrian Adventure set in Patagonia in 1885.
I hope to see my other Hale titles up there very soon.

When the Flowers are in Bloom

Although this isn't a Hale book, I felt you wouldn't mind it being mentioned here as it's in a good cause. All author and publisher royalties will go toward aid for the survivors of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami.

The Foreward says, ‘Reading about the cataclysmic devastation that hit Japan in March, I was greatly moved by the attitude of the survivors. People of all ages went out of their way to help each other. Looting seemed a rare event. There was a determination to overcome this terrible adversity. Lives and towns would be rebuilt, eventually, even if it would take years. The people would endure.

‘It is this theme, the strength of the human spirit that I have attempted to capture over the years in many of my short stories. Some of these tales may seem sad or traumatic but, despite that, I trust that hope, love, honor and integrity shine through, transcending the blight of evildoers, disability and natural disaster.

‘As writers, we strive to walk in the shoes of our characters. Fiction writers lie in order to grasp the truth. In some small way, I hope these stories reveal truths about the human condition.’

Blurb
These twelve diverse stories travel far and wide, over the globe and through history, to examine the human condition. Whether a quest for atonement decades after the Second World War, or to repay a debt of honor, Japanese characters reveal their fragility. In Sarajevo, Bosnia or the grim projects of New York, life must go on.

Characters show us that disability is not a handicap. Forgiveness and redemption are human qualities the world is short of today, perhaps. They’re needed by those who disinter the past and graves from an old war in Spain. Birth and death – they’re here. So is honor, duty, courage and love.

When the Flowers are in Bloom - Solstice Publishing

Bestselling Hale Fiction on Amazon - 28 April 2011

1. (-) Beyond the Storm by E. V. Thompson (Paperback - Nov 2010)
From £7.00

2. (+1) No Less Than the Journey by E.V. Thompson (Kindle Edition - May 2010)
Buy: £5.96

3. (-1) No Less Than the Journey by E.V. Thompson (Paperback - May 2010)
From £2.65

4. (+3) The Man Who Could Not Sleep and Other Mysteries by Michael Gilbert (Hardcover - Jan 2011)
From £14.99

5. (-1) Churchyard and Hawke by E.V. Thompson (Paperback - Nov 2009)
From £7.97

6. (N/E) The Black Horse Westerns: Collection No. 1 by Abe Dancer, Dean Edwards, Tyler Hatch and Scott Connor (Kindle Edition - Jan 2011)
Buy: £7.99

7. (+1) Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange (Kindle Edition - Jan 2011)
Buy: £6.39

8. (N/E) The Chronicles of Sherlock Holmes by Paul D. Gilbert (Kindle Edition - Jan 2011)
Buy: £6.39

9. (N/E) Language of Thieves by Elizabeth Jackson (Hardcover - Apr 2011)
From £16.14

10. (N/E) Altered Egos by Bill Kitson (Hardcover - Mar 2011)
From £12.53

Another nice review for 'Murder Fortissimo

A great review of 'Murder Fortissimo' from a newish book blogger. Thank you, Laura, I'm sure your blog will flourish.

http://girlyscribbles.wordpress.com/

It's quite long so I'm just putting the link. It's intriguing to see that so far all the reviews (which have been lovely) are discovering echoes of Miss Marple and Midsomer in the story, as well as Hazel Holt's Sheila Malory mysteries.

Old Guns

Robert Hale have just accepted my 5th Black Horse Western, Old Guns. My 12th book. Now I'm wondering about #13...!

The story is a little different for a western in that it moves from 1859 to 1866 to 1892 as flashbacks reveal how the present is blighted for a group of ageing ex-lawmen.

Old Guns - possible blurb.

July, 1892.
Sam Ransom’s looking forward to his 62nd birthday with his wife and two children. Then he gets a telegram from the Bethesda Falls sheriff. His old partner Abner was mortally wounded, but before he died Abner left a note – the Meak twins were out to get Ransom and the others ‘because of what happened at Bur Oak Springs’. Their families weren’t safe, either. Ransom sets out to warn his old friends, Jubal, Rory and Derby. But he’s too late to prevent another brutal death.

Bur Oak Springs happened over two decades ago. The place was a ghost town even then. The Meak twins seem set on a crusade of vengeance, but why?

Ransom’s family is put in jeopardy and the ultimatum is clear. He and his friends must return to the ghost town again, to confront the Meak brothers and their gang. There’s a sense of déjà vu about this; yet, there are fresh revelations too.

It’s a showdown. The young guns against the old guns.

Nice review for Murder Fortissimo

A great review from reviewer, Rachel A Hyde at MyShelf.Com

Recently retired headmistress Harriet Quigley needs a place to recuperate following an operation and chooses Firstone Grange. This is a home for short stay older people who need a place for some rest and relaxation, perhaps while families or caretakers get a break. It all seems very pleasant and ordinary, but one guest is determined to upset things. Elderly wheelchair-bound Frenchwoman Christiane Marchant looks like everybody’s idea of a sweet old lady, but is anything but. Things are surely going to come to a head, and they do in a surprising way. Cue Harriet and her clergymen cousin Sam Hathaway to investigate.

This author has previously penned two excellent Victorian whodunits Murder Most Welcome and Death is the Cure (also reviewed on this site), and although I hope she will be returning to this series, here is something different. Modern social satire rubs shoulders with a traditional mystery and delivers some surprises, somewhat in the way of Caroline Graham or Lis Howell. Characters can appear at times to be stock, but this is all part of the satire and makes for an enjoyable tale. Parts of the dénouement are powerful enough to shock, and it is a testament to the author’s skill that this book manages to run the gamut from being amusing to moments of horror.

If this is the first in a new series I will be wanting to read more.

Who Stirs the Porridge in the Pot?

I am giving a talk with the above title at Melton (Woodbridge) on Friday, 15th April.
I will read from a selection of my Hale novels and Magna memoirs. A mixture of romance - and plenty of fun, I hope! My friend Madelaine told me she laughed out loud
when she read the Poplar Penny Whistlers, and that she loved Puglet the dog! It's a good feeling to make people smile isn't it, though readers often tell methat my stories can also make them cry...
Sheila Newberry.

Help me help the victims of Japan's earthquake

I write Westerns for Black Horse, but the quake in Japan (the nuclear power plants are about 200km north of my home in Chiba) got me to wondering what I could do to help. Of course I could (and do) volunteer, but I thought it would be good to provide everyone a chance to help.

Publishing by Rebecca Vickery and I have put together a slim volume of my stories set in Japan. One, A Matter of Tea, won the 2010 Oaxaca International Literature Competition. Naturally, it headlines the book.

This book is available on Smashwords (or will be by the first of the week) and costs only US 99 cents. All the income from this book will go to help victims of the 3/11 quake. They lost homes, belongings, and even family members. This is my best shot at helping them. And I'll make sure your contributions go to help real people, not the bureaucracy of a charitable organization. Please help. Order here.

Thanks. I'll report back.

Charlie Whipple aka Chuck Tyrell

A COVERT WAR

I now have my latest, Hale novel available in paperback. I expect to be making it available on Kindle. Anybody have any suggestions or observations about the right or wrong way to go in order to develop sales in both markets? Wish me luck anyway.

Bestselling Hale Fiction on Amazon - 16 March 2011

On the Black Horse Express blog I post a popular weekly bestseller list of what Amazon, and other on-line retailers, are claiming to be their bestselling Black Horse Western titles. I thought it'd be interesting to expand this to posting a list that includes all Hale titles. So below is the list of the current top ten Hale fiction (in all formats) bestsellers on amazon:

1. Beyond the Storm by E. V. Thompson (Paperback - 30 Nov 2010)
From £5.95

2. No Less Than the Journey by E.V. Thompson (Paperback - 30 May 2010)
From £2.81

3. No Less Than the Journey by E.V. Thompson (Kindle Edition - 31 May 2010)
Buy: £5.34

4. Churchyard and Hawke by E.V. Thompson (Paperback - 30 Nov 2009)
From £4.43

5. The Chronicles of Sherlock Holmes by Paul D. Gilbert (Hardcover - 31 Oct 2008)
From £8.08

6. Sherlock Holmes and the Giant Rat of Sumatra by Paul D. Gilbert (Hardcover - 31 Aug 2010)
From £14.59

7. The Man Who Could Not Sleep and Other Mysteries by Michael Gilbert (Hardcover - 31 Jan 2011)
From £16.14

8. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange (Kindle Edition - 1 Jan 2011)
Buy: £6.39

9. Meet Me in Malmo by Torquil MacLeod (Hardcover - 31 Dec 2010)
From £13.27

10. Beyond the Storm by E. V. Thompson (Hardcover - 30 Nov 2010)
From £9.35

Lady Farquhar's Butterfly in Large Print

My latest novel with Hale was released in Large Print by Ulverscroft on March 01.

I love the cover and can't wait to hold the book in my hands but as I live near Melbourne, Australia, I'll have to be a little more patient.

The Hale version (also with a cover I love) was released last June and has had good reviews including this from Long and Short Reviews:

"Sweet with heat and hard to beat, Lady Farquhar's Butterfly gains momentum as it builds to a terrifying climax.... Beverley Eikli’s concise, smooth, and subtle writing reveals characters and their motivations with a style that makes Lady Farquhar's Butterfly fascinating—a thoroughly enjoyable, page-turner of a tale."

A big thank you to my fellow Hale authors who have been full of helpful advice.

Large Print edition of 'April and May'

                                            

                                                               On 1st March, Ulverscroft brought out a Large Print edition of April and May. It's the first time one of my Regency tales has been accepted for a Large Print edition, so I'm learning... and thank you to those Hale authors who have given advice and help.

   

Back in Print

Good news for me today: Gill Jackson has agreed to publish my latest MS, THE BOY FROM BERLIN. I'm well pleased about this bearing in mind the state of publishing and how difficult it must be for a Company like Hale to sell their books in the marketplace. So from me it's a big thank you to Gill for having faith in me.

Best course on PACING I've ever seen

Mary Buckham knows her stuff. I'm posting this from her just in case some of you might want to fork over $30 and get sixty-five times that much in useful advice. Mary's really really good.

Charlie

March 1-25, 2011
Pacing: How To Create a Page Turning Manuscript
by Mary Buckham
$30 at www.writeruniv.com

What keeps a book intriguing enough to have fans turn the pages and not set it down? How can one author's books have you riveted and another's leave you feeling ho-hum? Ever wondered if there are key craft tips and techniques to balance fast-paced conflict, tension, suspense or mystery, action and emotion? In PACING: HOW TO CREATE A PAGE TURNING MANUSCRIPT you'll learn:

* The ingredients of a page turner
* What hooks are and how to maximize them
* The power of effective scenes: common pacing pitfalls to avoid
* The ten elements of strong pacing
* How to use subplots and secondary characters
* How to avoid a sagging middle
* What a beat is and how to use it
* Great beginnings and endings that have your readers wanting more!

Mary Buckham is co-author of BREAK INTO FICTION: 11 Steps to Building a Story That Sells and an award-winning Romantic Suspense author. She has hundreds of free-lance articles to her credit, a non-fiction book and is a former Magazine Editor. Currently she presents writing workshops online and around the country. Mary encourages you to visit her website at www.MaryBuckham.com for more information about her and her current writing projects.

Fortunate Wager shortlisted for Love Story of the Year

.
I am delighted to announce that my Newmarket Regency Fortunate Wager has been shortlisted for the Love Story of the Year 2011 administered by the Romantic Novelists' Association!!

This is my second consecutive shortlisting, so it is especially pleasing. The winner will be announced at the RNA Pure Passion Awards champagne reception on March 7th.

I'm just wondering whether it's possible to drink champagne whilst keeping my fingers crossed.

1st review for Murder Fortissimo!

http://geraniumcatsbookshelf.blogspot.com/

First review for my new book. almost (almost...) makes up for the broken wrist!

Demise of books vastly overstated

BHW author Matthew Mayo sends this encouraging word about the world of books. Were worth a look.

The Ballad of Delta Rose cover image

And here it is.

I'm very pleased with the image Hale have come up with for my July release, The Ballad of Delta Rose.

It's a nice clean looking image and the aged character, mounted on his horse, looking thoughtful perfectly fits the fatalistic feel of the story.

The book is available for pre-order now and currently sitting in the top spot of Amazon's pre-order western charts. The Black Horse series are largely intended for the library trade which means short print runs and pre-ordering is really the best way to ensure your copy. Pre-order HERE - no monies will be deducted from bank accounts until the book is ready to ship in July.

My most hardboiled westerns.

The Ballad of Delta Rose to be published July 29th 2011 from Robert Hale LTD/ Black Horse Westerns

Breaking News

Yesterday my big news should have been publication day for 'Murder Fortissimo'. Instead I was in day surgery having a metal plate put in my badly broken left wrist! Other wrist weak and black fron fingers to elbow but not broken, thank goodness! Luckily am RHanded, so can sign books!

Moral is: avoid Burns Night and scottish dancing!

Vulture Gold

This novel was published by Robert Hale's Black Horse Western imprint in 2005. The rights reverted to me last year, and now the novel is available in eBook form through Smashwords and will soon be in a print version as well. At $2.99 per download, let's hope it gains more fans for the traditional westerns put out by Black Horse.

Snake Den trailer

Robert Hale authors, consider getting a trailer made for your books. Here's the one for The Snake Den.

Good News!

Just had to share the good news with my fellow writers! Not my own production -
but our first great-grandchild! His name is Alexander Jonathan and we welcomed
him to the world on 18th January. I think I have earned my spurs as a writer of family sagas, eh? My own new "baby" will soon arrive - The Poplar Penny Whistlers comes out on 28th February!

I would like to wish all the best to new Hale writer, Sylvia Broady, whose first
book will be published on the same date. The Yearning Heart.

All best, Sheila Newberry

New Chuck Tyrell novel

Although not from BHW and Robert Hale, a new Chuck Tyrell novel will be out in days. Here's what people say about it.


THE SNAKE DEN

Chuck Tyrell

“Sometimes a man’s gotta take a stand.” – Shawn Brodie, aged 14.

Arizona, 1882. Falsely accused of theft, Shawn Brodie is sent to serve three years in the Hellhole called Yuma Territorial Prison. Lamb to the slaughter, maybe?

The Mexican Zapata wants to stick him with a knife, the warden wants him to mend his thieving ways, and the sergeant of the guard wants to get into Shawn’s pants. If he won’t do what Sergeant Tarkington wants, he’ll end up in the Snake Den, a cube of iron straps hung from the ceiling of a dark cave. If he doesn’t do what Zapata says, he’ll end up with a nail sticking out of his eye. If he can’t convince the warden that he’s not a thief, he’ll spend his days tromping Colorado River mud to make adobe bricks.
Is his young life going to be made up of beatings, rape, and incarceration in the deadly Snake Den? The odds seem stacked against young Shawn ever getting out of Yuma Prison alive.
The Mexicans hate the whites, the Chinamen and blacks stay out of the way, and the whites fight among themselves. Somehow, Shawn must learn how to defend himself, and chance throws him in with Shoo Lee, a cellmate, an Oriental proficient in the barehanded fighting technique Kara Ti. Perhaps if he becomes Shoo Lee’s disciple he can endure...
“Remarkable. A page turning thriller set in a frontier prison where a boy convict learns about the tough world of survival as he grows into a man. Told with gritty courage and honesty – a surprising blend of East and West, it’s a coming-of-age story like none you’ve ever read.” – Corinne Joy Brown, author of McGregor’s Lantern, Sanctuary Ranch, and Come and Get it!

“Though young, Shawn has the strong moral fiber to survive, no matter what comes his way. Chuck Tyrell has produced a memorable hero and a grim, gritty yet very real tale of brutality leavened with kindness, despair salved with hope, and ultimately an inspiring testament to a young boy’s journey into manhood.” – Ross Morton, author of The $300 Man

"Chuck Tyrell has brought authenticity and poignancy to a western with a difference..."
– Jack Martin, author of The Ballad of Delta Rose.