More reviews for FLOATING GOLD

Below are brief excerpts taken from some additional reviews for FLOATING GOLD. Previous reviews posted on 29 June.

I read FLOATING GOLD in a couple of sessions and my attention was clearly caught by the storyline and the detailed description of life aboard Elusive. Most engaging of all was the search for the treasure which had me rapt.
Margaret Muir has woven a tale worthy of a Hornblower epic.
John Livermore – Maritime Times of Tasmania

Muir crafts a spellbinding nautical tale that captures the reader’s attention and never releases it until the final page is turned. Her research and attention to detail are impeccable and her experience as a mariner enhances the adventure. FLOATING GOLD whisks readers back to the heyday of the British navy and readers find themselves living the life of a sailor and witnessing the awesome beauty and dangers of Deception Island and sailing the seas on a wooden ship in days of yore.
Cindy Vallar – Ed. Pirates and Privateers (www.cindyvallar.com/pirates.html)

There can be no doubting the calibre of the author’s writing. I found the book hard to put down and was kept interested throughout. There is a richness and sharpness to the prose that made FLOATING GOLD so enjoyable. I would certainly not hesitate in recommending it.
John Harding – www.thebookbag.co.uk

As sea-stories go, FLOATING GOLD ticks all the boxes. Ms Muir is adept at characterization, plotting and descriptions as well as showing that she knows one end of a ship from another. We are promised on the flyleaf “unknown dangers and unspeakable horrors” and I can promise some of these. Highly recommended and I do hope the first in a new series.
Rachel A Hyde – www.myshelf.com

FLOATING GOLD is an intriguing mystery featuring murder, spies and skulduggery. The plotting and pace are well maintained throughout and the penultimate chapter is page-turning historical fiction at its best. A book to be enjoyed by anyone who likes historical mysteries or cracking adventure yards about ships and the sea.
Marina Maxwell – Historical Novel Society

FLOATING GOLD - a well-crafted story full of interesting places with carefully and accurately detailed descriptions of now nearly-lost seamanship skills: I recommend this book to both the casual reader of a good story and to readers with an interest in sailing ships and seamanship.
Rob Thomas – T’gallant Lookout, Tasmania

The way that the author captured the language of the times, the mannerisms of the characters and sea terms was remarkable…giving the reader a real sense of what it was like during those years. An excellent novel. A great read, expertly crafted.
David Laing – Australian author

FLOATING GOLD is a historical seafaring adventure/mystery which will be a special treat for those who have salt in their veins, or those who enjoy a quest for an unusual treasure at a time when it was valued far beyond anyone’s dreams.
Rose Frankcombe - Stylus Magazine (ed)

I read FLOATING GOLD and found it to be an enthralling read which kept me wondering what the ‘treasure’ would be.
Bob Petrass – Maritime Times of Tasmania (editor)

Finally: Jon Stephenson – geologist, vulcanologist, member of the Fuchs/Hilary Antarctic expedition in 1958 wrote: ‘I enjoyed the story immensely and kept saying to myself, “this must be Deception Island”’. Jon was correct though the island was never identified by name in the story.
Jon Stephenson – Antarctic explorer and author – CREVASSE ROULETTE (2009)


‘Hundreds of billowing sails, resembling patches of morning cloud, were suddenly seen scudding around the rim of the world while, in the east, great golden spokes fanned across the sky like the helm of an ethereal ship rising from the seabed.’

FLOATING GOLD by Margaret Muir – published by Robert Hale Ltd (2010)
To order a copy WORLD WIDE POSTAGE FREE go to The Book Depository
Sunrise image from Google free images

Hale author promotes books on Squidoo

I believe Hale authors need a web presence to publicise their books.
And like Michael (previous post), I started promoting my latest book, THE CONDOR’S FEATHER last year, immediateley after the manuscript was accepted.
Although this book will not be published until July 2009, it already has its own page on the internet and is already attracting traffic:
http://www.squidoo.com/thecondorsfeather
Though I have a personal website and an active blog, I have made good use of Squidoo.com whose site allows me to create a dedicated site for each of my Hale book.
Setting up a Squidoo site is simple (open the website and it tells you how to do it in 60 seconds!)
It’s fast. And it’s free!
You can add to it at any time and illustrate your posts with a range of pictures of: people, places, events, reviews – anything associated with the writing of your story.
I have a Squidoo site for each of my previous Hale novels:
http://www.squidoo.com/seadust
http://www.squidoo.com/thetwistingvine
http://www.squidoo.com/theblackthread
Two of the above books sold out within a few weeks of publication but I still maintain the sites to promote the books which were subsequently published in large print (Ulverscroft) format.
Want another string to you promotional bow?
Why not give Squidoo a go?
Visit http://www.squidoo.com to set up your own book site

Photo: I don't have a cover for THE CONDOR'S FEATHER. I took this photo in South America. It's probably an eagle and not a condor - sorry!

Haunted by Whitby

In 1890, Bram Stoker visited Whitby.
Sitting on the top of the East Cliff he imagined a shipwreck. Then he visualised a black dog leaping from the stricken vessel and running ashore. After climbing the 199 steps, the hound was seen disappearing into the graveyard.
That black dog was, of course - Count Dracula.
Stoker found Whitby, with its ruined abbey and 11th century Parish Church, to be a haunting location for a scene in his classic novel.
I too found Whitby an enigmatic place and it was that setting I used for the opening of my first novel, SEA DUST.
Though I have lived in Australia for almost 40 years, it is the places which haunt me from my childhood that I write about.
THE BLACK THREAD (published this month in large print) is set on the Leeds and Liverpool canal. It is a dramatic tale set in the dark days of the inland waterways.

Photo: (Margaret Muir) Caedmon’s Cross stands in the graveyard of St Mary’s Parish Church. It was erected in memory of the poet who died in AD 680

An Improper Suitor: A Review

A new review of AN IMPROPER SUITOR appeared in December in Romance Junkies.

Here is an extract from the review:

Ms. Fairview is an extremely intelligent author... AN IMPROPER SUITOR is a wonderful heart-warming tale of a man and woman struggling to make sense of their feelings for one another and finding themselves both deeply in love with each other. There were a couple of scenes I almost cried and some of the events were truly hilarious.... I am always on the hunt for new authors to try and I can add Ms. Fairview to the top of my list. I would recommend this book to all my friends and anyone who loves a good historical.

Welcome to our new blog!

Welcome to the new blog for Robert Hale authors.

At this blog you will find out more about the authors and our books.

We hope to bring readers interesting articles about writing, researching and what it is to be an author, plus we'll feature the books we are so proud of.

Hale publishes a range of genres, as well as non-fiction, so you'll be spoilt for choice in reading material featured on this blog.

Since this blog is brand new, please keep returning as we settle in and grow accustomed to our new home on the net.

With regards,
the Hale authors