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.