INTERVIEW

With myself regarding my western writing - http://lauriepowerswildwest.blogspot.com/2009/09/tarnished-interview-with-gary-dobbs.html

New Zealand author’s second novel published by Robert Hale

Ultimate Betrayal by Loren Teague is a story of intrigue and deception set against the dramatic scenery of New Zealand's high country and the rolling green hills of Ireland.
In this page-turning mystery, IRA terrorists, the Irish Police, New Zealand Immigration and MI5 all have a significant role to play.

When Katrina Jones flies from Boston to New Zealand in search of an old friend, she sets off a chain reaction. But the secret which Sean McKinlay carries cannot be resolved until the pair retrace their footsteps to where the story began – Ireland.
I stayed up until 1.30 am last night to finish the book – what more can I say!

Ultimate Betrayal is Loren’s second novel with Hale Books and is available from The Book Depository – world-wide postage free.

Note: Ultimate Betrayal was published in March but due to ill health, Loren has been unable to post anything about it. In an email I received from her today, she says, 'I am getting there again!'
Best wishes to you, Loren.
Marg

Black horse Western News Round-up

For all the latest Black Horse Western news be sure to check in at the Black Horse Express

Recent items:
Review of Packing Iron by Steve Hayes
Don't Tarnish the Brand article by Howard Hopkins
New Chuck Tyrell cover
Bestsellers at The Book Depository
Review of Ruben's Ruse by Ben Coady
Gun Law available to order
Dales Westerns - August 2009
Vampires on the Range
Bestsellers on Amazon
James C. Work writes about Black Horse Westerns
Last Chance Saloon by Ross Morton
Terry James's 2nd BHW to be published
Review of Riders of the Barren Plains by I.J. Parnham
Black Horse Westerns - July 2009
Review of The Short Creek Rustlers by J.D. Ryder
Edition #15 of Black Horse Extra available
Wild Bunch Wednesday
Bestselling Linford Westerns on Amazon
Review of Rio Bonito by Abe Dancer
Review of the Death Shadow Riders by Elliot Conway
Review of Gunman's Walk by Clint Ryker
Linford Westerns - July 2009
Dales Westerns - July 2009
Interview with Mark Bannerman
Review of Portrait of an Outlaw by J.D. Kincaid
New Chuck Tyrell novel accepted

Marketing - Beat to a Pulp

For the last few months I've had a number of short stories published in local magazines, together with a prominent footnote about my books plus fingernail cover pictures. This is one way to market books, though I have no idea if it brings in any new readers. It does keep my names (Ross Morton and Nik Morton) in the public eye. I have also had a couple of stories published on an online webzine; even if I wasn't keen on marketing my books, I'd still send stories to this outlet as they are gaining a fine reputation for a broad range of good writing, ably edited by Elaine Ash.

Beat to a Pulp is a webzine that features a great variety of stories in a number of genres. Each week a new story is featured; earlier tales are still accessible, either on the page or in the Archive. The writers also benefit from feedback from the readers, which is a real bonus.

This week's 'punch' is one of my short stories, 'I Celebrate Myself' - the title is taken from Walt Whitman; his poetry lends itself to story titles, I reckon. Anyone reading my latest western The $300 Man will know that Whitman - along with Christina Rossetti - is quoted by the two main characters.

Anyway, 'I Celebrate Myself' is about a NY cop faced with an unusual dilemma and it can be found at

http://www.beattoapulp.com/stor/2009/0809_nm_ICelebrateMyself.cfm

complete with readers' comments; feel free to drop in, read and leave a comment..

Nik

The NOPRIZE AWARD

The NOPRIZE award will be given out twice a year for excellence in the western genre. There's no pretty little statue to display, no certificate to hang on the wall - in fact the NOPRIZE is basically a kudos thing - a way for western fans to thank the winners for all they've done for the genre. Details of the categories and of how to vote will be given here soon and I do hope western fans everywhere will cast a vote. Basically the NOPRIZE is intended to be a bit of fun and although there is no physical prize it'll be great for any writer to know that people like their work so much as to vote for it.

And so to start the ball rolling I would like to give a honoury NOPRIZE to publisher, John Hale for his sterling work with the Black Horse Range. If it wasn't for Hale there would be no British westerns at all and the publishing house has supported the genre for many many years. Of course this last year has seen the books starting to get more and more attention and many BHW writers, myself included, have seen their work reviewed on blogs, websites and in newspapers and magazines. Once the BHW range were only available in the UK but they are starting to gain in popularity across the seas, especially in the spiritual home of the genre, the USA. If one man deserves congratulations for this then it is Mr Hale himself who has bucked the trend of the market place by sticking with the genre through thick and thin.

And so on behalf of western writers and fans everywhere The Archive says a big, "Thank you" to Mr Hale who undoubtedly deserves his NOPRIZE award.

Super review

I just found this super review at Amazon.com USA

***** page turner

"Suffering from amnesia after being involved in a hit and run accident and having no living relatives, Alva is released from hopital into the care of her estranged husband, Conte Luca Mazareeze, to recuperate.

Unable to recall why she fled from her husband and the beautiful island of Santa Caterina, Alva falls in love with Luca again. Life should be blissful, yet something bothers her. As her memory returns she discovers nothing at the Palazzo is as it seems and she is surrounded by danger and intrigue.

Margaret Blake's page-turning thriller/mystery, Shadows of the Past, builds to a nail biting finale. Definitely recommended as a highly entertaining read."

Ciao!

In All Honour - a hero with a difference

'Why can't I meet a man like Greg in real life?'

Several people have asked this question after finishing In All Honour. Of course, it helped that Greg is over six foot tall, broad shouldered and has a pleasant, open look with glowing amber eyes and coppery brown hair. He is energetic, brave and kind but fierce in the defence of his family and his honour.

In her review of the book for MyShelf.com, Rachel Hyde says: "I often think that there are not enough Regency novels set in Bath, surely one of the main places that come to mind associated with this period. This book brings the town to life, with a good feel of the place and its pleasures and pastimes. I also enjoyed the amiable Greg, a pleasant change from the usual dominating alpha male and somebody it would be easy to like as well as be attracted to. The odd "gray" character might add spice to this type of tale however, where everybody is either very likeable or irredeemable villains but this is still a very enjoyable novel."

Greg appeared in The Wild Card and so he was already established as a nice guy. It seemed to me that the only way to balance this was to have a truly horrible villain. And the people who like Greg so much just love to hate Lord Percival. So I think my story gives pleasure in some rather different ways...

Tarnished Marketing

As this blog's about marketing our work I thought you may be interested in this post on The Edge Hill University marketing blog about my online marketing of The Tarnished Star. Please leave a comment on the piece. Go HERE

THE CONDOR'S FEATHER - Patagonian adventure - out now

In the centre of Punta Arenas, on the Strait of Magellan, stands a statue to Ferdinand Magellan the navigator who, in 1520, named the sandy beach along which the town is now built.
Situated at the tail end of the earth, Punta Arenas has had a troubled history.
It was first settled by sealers and whalers, shipwrecked mariners, convicts running from the law, native Indians, hunters and treasure seekers.
Then in 1877 a riot resulted in much of the town being destroyed and families murdered in their homes.

In 1879, a real-life Englishwoman, Lady Florence Dixie, sailed to Sandy Point (as the English called it) and embarked on a ride across the pampas.
She was accompanied by her brother, the Marquis of Queensbury and a friend.

When I visited the town a few years ago, I read a snippet of information about this remarkable young aristocrat and was intrigued.
Inspired by her exploits, by the town’s history, and by the remarkable landscape of southern Patagonia, I wrote THE CONDOR’S FEATHER – an equestrian adventure set in 1885.


THE CONDOR'S FEATHER is now available at your local library.
Or you can order a copy from The Book Depository (free world-wide postage).
Or go to: Hale Books (free UK postage)

To read more about THE CONDOR’S FEATHER - from inspiration to publication - press here

POST SCRIPT - (25 July 2009)
I have not yet seen a copy of the book which is officially due for publication next week, but this morning I received an offer from Thorpe (Ulverscroft) to publish a Large Print edition. This will probably be available early in 2010.

GARY DOBBS/JACK MARTIN INTERVIEW

Just to let everyone know there is a two part interview with myself HERE

THE THIRD SECRET - REVIEW

This book shares the same title as a Steve Berry thriller of 2006 and also concerns the Third Secret of Fatima. There the similarity ends, however. Spanning the period 1941 to 1970, this sixth book by Michael Parker is a relentless page-turning adventure that should appeal to fans of Frederick Forsyth.

It opens in the Vatican in 1941 and a Cardinal is substituting an important document in the Secret Archives. He is fearful for the original’s safety, as it, together with Vatican gold, was being shipped abroad before either the Nazis or the Russians might plunder Rome. While passing through Chad, the secret Italian convoy transporting the Vatican gold is attacked by British troops led by Captain Miles Roselli. The transport truck is hidden away…

Some 22 years later, one of the Vatican gold ingots is located and the hunt is on to find the hiding place. In truth, the document is more valuable than the gold, as if it is revealed to the world as a fake it could discredit the Roman Catholic Church. Those involved in the search are Roselli, the Vatican’s special agent Cellini, the Mafia family Galliano, a French Foreign Legion commandant and Roselli’s children Angelina and Bruno.

Until her stepbrother arrived on the scene, Angelina’s life had been pretty ordinary. Once she decided to take the chance ‘to change from a kind of quiescence that characterized her life into something that promised the unknown’, she found herself fighting for dear life in dark wet caves and dodging bullets.

Parker has peppered the story with telling description, notably of the inhospitable mountains, and nuggets of information whether about bullion dealing or the Vatican Institute for Religious Works. Also, there are plenty of great phrases, for example: ‘… once he stopped trying, he would start dying.’ Another: ‘… began to think of other things rather than the footprints of a memory that he didn’t know he possessed.’

If you like your adventure tales with pace, intriguing characters, believable heroes and exotic locations, then this is definitely for you.

The book has one of the best covers I’ve seen in a long while; interestingly, the latest Dan Brown thriller, The Lost Symbol also features the papal seal, though Hale’s cover was out first.















A version of this review can be seen at following blog:

http://pattinase.blogspot.com/2009/07/fridays-forgotten-books-july-10-2009.html

Friday's forgotten books is a regular (weekly!) feature. I was asked for a review so used this one. Not that Mick’s book will be forgotten, ever. By the way, my wife Jennifer has also read The Third Secret - she kept turning the pages and really enjoyed it.
Nik Morton

Black Horse Western News Round-up

For all the latest Black Horse Western news be sure to check in at the Black Horse Express

Recent items:
Interview with Gary Dobbs
Wild Bunch Wednesday
Review of Revenge at Wolf Mountain by Chuck Tyrell
Bestsellers on The Book Depository - 13 July
Extract of Misfit Lil Robs The Bank by Chap O'Keefe
Wild Bunch Wednesday
Bestsellers on Amazon - 6 July
Review of Double-Dealing at Dirtville by Clay More
Review of Long Shadows by Terry James
June's BHW poll
Review of The .45 Goodbye by Dempsey Clay
Review of Lanigan and the She-Wolf by Ronald Martin Wade
Bestselling Linford Westerns on Amazon - 29 June
Extract of the Tarnished Star by Jack Martin
Review of Blast to Oblivion by Chap O'Keefe
Review of Long Shadows by Terry James
Review of The Outpost by Owen G. Irons

Wild Bunch Wednesday

Today on the following blogs a group of Black Horse Western authors aka The Wild Bunch are posting excerpts from their current and upcoming releases. It's a themed event and this week it's the turn of the hero. At the end of each post you'll find links to the other authors and their excerpts so click on any link below to get you started and Happy Reading!

Terry James at Joanne Walpole’s blog
Lance Howard at Dark Bits blog
Jack Martin at The Tainted Archive
IJ Parnham at The Culbin Trail
Jack Giles at Broken Trails

Woodland Daughter large print release

My historical family saga, Woodland Daughter, originally released by Hale, has now been released in large print in the UK and I've just seen the cover for it. I've put it on here but it's not very clear for some reason, sigh.

Blurb:

Throughout her years of devoted service to the Bradburys, Eden Harris has hidden a secret that would affect them all, a secret shared only with her husband, Nathan, and her grandfather. But an enemy returns, shattering her world and exposing her secret. Then, robbed of Nathan, she must flee from the country estate. However, her attempt to start anew is not so simple as the past haunts her. Now Eden must gather her strength and look into her heart to accept what the future offers.

Woodland Daughter can be bought in hardback here with free worldwide delivery, or in this large print version here.

ICE ANGEL

Ice Angel, my second Regency romance published by Robert Hale, is officially available from today and I hope readers will enjoy the story as much as I enjoyed writing it.

David Young’s fabulous cover depicts an Elizabethan E-plan house (based on Trerice manor house) which features in the book. Ice Angel is set in London and Sussex in 1815. It tells the story of Isabella, Lady Vane – the eponymous Ice Angel of the title – who is a beautiful but mysterious young widow, newly arrived in London. While society wonders about the secrets in Lady Vane’s past, Harry Cavanagh, 3rd Earl of Bramwell, continues his devil-may-care approach to life … that is, until he meets the bewitching Isabella and feels compelled to discover what lies beneath her icy exterior.

I had great fun researching this book, particularly with regard to the Regency passion for gambling and eccentric wagers ;0) To coincide with publication date, I’m posting a three part blog on Regency wagers at ForRomanceReaders

Do pop over and take a look – it’s a fascinating subject!

Ice Angel is available to order on-line from Hale books, Amazon, The Book Depository and other outlets, currently still at pre-order discount prices.


Elizabeth Hanbury

www.elizabethhanbury.com

THE TARNISHED STAR BY JACK MARTIN OUT TODAY)

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An interview with Gary Dobbs

To celebrate the publication today of The Tarnished Star, read an interview with the man behind the bestselling Black Horse Western Gary Dobbs at The Black Horse Express

Shadows of the Past - review

Alva returns to her Italian husband’s private island home after recovering from a hit-and-run. Unfortunately, she has lost her memory. Her husband Count Luca Mazareeze hopes that she can be healed in their idyllic setting. Gradually, Alva learns that there was an enormous rift between her and her husband before the accident. If only she could remember why!

While the household staff seem solicitous, Alva’s stepdaughter Renata is totally unpleasant and even says that she hates Alva.

Annoyingly, the dust-jacket blurb gave too much away, I felt; I’d have liked to learn these facts as the author revealed them.

Let it suffice to say that there are several reasons why Luca feels cold towards Alva. However, as he commented icily, she was good in bed – and there’s a heated interlude where that’s ably illustrated!

It’s soon clear that Alva is made of stern stuff, capable of picking herself up from disaster, dusting herself down and striving towards self-knowledge and the truth, no matter how painful.

The mystery of Alva’s past and the underlying threat that seems to hover ever-closer mean that this is a page-turning tale and an enjoyable read.

Blast to Oblivion - review

Inspired by Conan Doyle’s The Valley of Fear, this twenty-first Black Horse Western by Chap O’Keefe (Keith Chapman) starts with a bang – a shotgun killing in Denver.

Ex Pinkerton Joshua Dillard was hired by the deceased’s sister, Flora, to investigate the murder. She suspected that her brother’s wife was concealing something – particularly as she had moved away with her male secretary Joseph Darcy to the mining town of Silverville. When Dillard arrives there, he meets up with an unusual character with the monicker of Poverty Joe, who happens to be instrumental in saving Dillard from some desperadoes. Dillard interviewed the ungrieving widow but couldn’t find any evidence to link her with her husband’s death. Besides the unwelcome attentions of the desperadoes led by Cord Skann, Dillard also has to contend with the duplicitous Marshal Broadstreet.

This is an enjoyable yarn and it’s clear that the author has written about Joshua Dillard a number of times (this is his seventh appearances, in fact; the character fits like a well-worn glove. Subtle evidence of research crops up from time to time, too. ‘An English lady traveller in the district had recorded that bad temper and profanity in the presence of women was widespread.’ I could be wrong, but this may be alluding to Fanny Trollope’s classic ‘Domestic Manners of the Americans’.

The action-packed story is laced with humour as well as gunplay. The twist at the end is neat and it’s satisfying for both the reader – and especially for Dillard – that Flora is a woman of her word.

(It looks as though the cover features the same artist whose artwork adorns my latest BHW too; nothing to do with the book, but a stirring action-packed cover anyway).
Nik (Ross Morton)

Black Horse Western news round-up

For all the latest Black Horse Western news be sure to check in at the Black Horse Express

Recent items:
Black Horse Westerns - June 2009
Interview with Steve Hayes
Bestsellers on Amazon.co.uk - 22 June
Review of Comanche Moon by John Brand
Review of the Tarnished Star by Jack Martin
Interview with John Paxton Sheriff
Linford Westerns - June 2009
Dales Westerns - June 2009
Bestsellers at The Book Depository - 15 June
Review of Coyote Deadly by Lance Howard
Interview with I.J. Parnham

John Burke

There is a short profile of Robert Hale author John Burke at http://brokentrails.blogspot.com

Shadows of the Past

Thanks to a facebook friend I found this super review. The review is from www.romancereaders@heart.com and I do believe they review quite a few Robert Hale books, so check out their site if you have a book coming out.

"I was intrigued from the first page of Margaret Blake's Shadows of the Past...

Margaret Blake tells a story filled with raw emotion that shows that even when most vulnerable, a smart woman can be a formidable adversary.

I was wholly entertained by this clever tale..." Kay - Romance Readers at Heart

Ciao!

Pushing your books by sound

I've become aware of how valuable a tool in book promotion, podcasting can be. I have toyed with the idea of making an audible version of my blog The Tainted Archive - well I've done so now - it's called THE TAINTED PODCAST and can be subscribied to via Itunes. Take a listen here -

http://taintedpodcast.podbean.com/

I'm quite pleased with the result - it has rough edges but that's just getting used to the editing. I plan to do a bi-monthly show. If you use Itunes then please rate the podcast as it'll build up its visbility.

You can also hear it screamed via the player on my blog - http://tainted-archive.blogspot.com/2009/06/tainted-podcast-john-wayne.html

The Other Mr Darcy: A Pride & Prejudice Sequel

I just found out that The Other Mr Darcy, due out on June 30th, is now available at The Book Depository. What a thrill!

The Other Mr Darcy is an Austensque romantic comedy: It features Miss Bingley, who gets a raw deal in Pride and Prejudice, because, of course, we see everything through Eliza's eyes.

Caroline Bingley is heartbroken at Darcy's wedding -- and caught in an embarrassing situation by Darcy's American cousin.

Here's the fuller description:

When Caroline Bingley, for the first time in her life, collapses to the floor and sobs at Mr Darcy's wedding, she does not think anyone is watching. Imagine her humiliation when she discovers that a stranger has witnessed her emotional display. Miss Bingley, understandably, resents this unknown gentleman very much, even if he is Mr Darcy's American cousin. And a year later, when she is forced to travel to Pemberley with him, she still has not forgiven him. But her attempts to snub him fail completely, and, as the Bennets descend upon them, she finds herself spending more and more time in his company, with her rigid standards of behaviour slipping slowly away...

Is there more to the infamous Miss Bingley than meets the eye? And can this other Mr Darcy break through her reserve?

This is a book for people who like to see things from a bit of a different perspective.

If you've ordered your copy, you should be receiving it soon. If not -- it's still available at the pre-order discount, which is very good, along with free UK, US and international shipping at The Book Depository.

Kattn - a Tehuelche Indian - from THE CONDOR'S FEATHER

In this extract from THE CONDOR'S FEATHER (due July), Thia Beresford comments on the Tehuelche Indian girl who travels with them on their expedition:
...............................................................
‘Her heart is as deep and silent as the pampas,’ Thia said. ‘It is as though she is in tune with the vast countryside around her. A kind of innate animism which native people posses, which we civilized people seem to have lost.’
William had no answer. There was certainly something about this Indian woman which he could not explain. Without meaning or intention, she attracted him like a pin to a magnet, yet she hardly ever spoke, showed little expression, even conserved her gestures to essential movements. She was as tall as a longbow and moved like a willow in the breeze. Was as strong as any man he knew and slightly taller than he. She was not beautiful by English standards with her plucked eyebrows and painted skin, but she had the elongated face and forehead of the high priestesses he had seen engraved on the walls of the ancient temples in Cairo. Now he wished he had drawn her portrait as he could never replicate it accurately. Yet her face was engrained in his mind and he knew he would never forget it.
................................................................
The Tehuelches Indians' territory was mainland Patagonia.
This old picture depicts a group of young Selk'nam Indians (Onas) of Tierra del Fuego. They were usually naked despite the freezing condition on the island.
Sadly, the natives of this region are now extinct.
................................................................
To find out more about the book and my inspiration to write it, go to:THE CONDOR'S FEATHER. To order a copy with FREE WORLD-WIDE DELIVERY go to:
THE BOOK DEPOSITORY.
................................................................
Marg Muir