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

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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.

2011

Happy Christmas everyone, and lots of good fortune with the pen in the coming year.

Good News!

Just heard exciting news about the ebooks! Why don't I receive a Hale
newsletter, I wonder?

My good news to share with you is that I have had another memoir accepted
by Magna/Dales - entitled Dancing in the Street - which we did on VE night!
The story covers the decade from 1940-50.

Will have another go at attaching pic of cover of The Poplar Penny Whistlers -
to be published by Hale next Feb. but available for pre-order now...


Sheila Newberry

Robert Hale have joined the ebook generation!

This announcement appears in the December Newsletter from Hale Books:

I am delighted to announce that Hale have joined the Faber Factory and will be publishing their first ebooks on the 1st of January 2011.
The titles are:
•
No Less Than the Journey by E.V Thompson
•
The Rybinsk Deception by Colin D. Peel
•
Sherlock Holmes in Russia by Alex Auswaks
•
The Chronicles of Sherlock Holmes by Paul D. Gilbert
•
Darcy’s Diary by Amanda Grange
•
Black Horse Westerns, Collection 1

Passage To Redemption

Some of you know that I have been involved in a world-wide book writing project that has finally borne fruit. You can see what I've been up to, apart from my own venture into POD by checking out the following: http://thebooknews.blogspot.com/2010/11/mexico-climate-change-summit-approaches.html
Why not have a look?

Mick

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

New Chuck Tyrell Black Horse Western

The latest Chuck Tyrell novel, Hell Fire in Paradise, hits the stands in November. If anything, it shows the pure pluck of the pioneer woman. When I was a youngster, we often sat on Aunt Sarah Mills's front porch and listened to her tell of the days back then. When she was eight, Geronimo, according to her, appeared at her home in Forestdale, Arizona, with four horses in tow. He wanted to trade the horses to Aunt Sarah's father for her.

The town of Ponderosa, just a few miles from Paradise Valley, is modeled on the real life town of McNary, which was home to Southwest Forest Industries' largest sawmill for several decades.


The sawmill at McNary/Ponderosa

The heroine of my novel, Laurel Baker, loses her sons and her husband on the same day. Then a well-dressed man shows up wanting to buy her ranch in Paradise Valley. Laurel won't sell, and things go from bad to worse. But neighbors watch over neighbors, and good people band together.

I promise. Hell Fire in Paradise is a good read.



Paradise Valley looked like this.



The cover of Hell Fire in Paradise looks like this. Available from Hale or most online booksellers such as Amazon and the Book Depository.

NORTH SLOPE

I promised to keep those of you who were interested updated on my foray into self publishing and e-books having parted company with Hale. My first paperback is now available on-line at Amazon. I am with a group of writers who have teamed up to promote each others novels. The group is registered as Acclaimed Book Ltd., and can be seen on www.acclaimedbooks.com. Because my novel is set in Alaska in 1968, based on the discovery of oil in that country (State), I have begun my promotion campaign there. To date I have arranged for advertising in the Juneau Empire for a seven day run prior to Christmas. A book reviewer has agreed to read the book and a book shop has kindly agreed too, hopefully the shop will buy a few copies. I'm working on the old adage about big oak trees from little acorns grow, and hope that my efforts in Alaska will drive up sales in that country and light the fires for me. I will continue to harass bookshops over there as well as other States in USA. I have also begun a smaller campaign in UK. You can see more about my book, which was first published in 1980, but never went into paperback, on my website: www.michaeljparker.com Wish me luck!

KEITH SOUTER JOINS THE LIST

Hi there,

A quick self-introduction. I am a part time doctor, medical journalist and novelist in three genres. Since 2003 I have written twelve books for Robert Hale (one non-fiction, entitled  DOCTOR'S LATIN) and eleven novels.

I write westerns under the name of Clay More, crime novels as Keith Moray and historical crime as Keith Souter.

My forthcoming crime novel, due out in december 2010 is called FLOTSAM and JETSAM. It is the fourth in the Inspector Torquil McKinnon series set on the Outer hebridean island of West Uist.

Keith Souter

BHW author wins international award

Charles Whipple, who writes Black Horse Westerns as Chuck Tyrell, won AGAVE AWARD FOR LITERATURE in the THE 2010 OAXACA INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE COMPETITION, for his short story A Matter of Tea.

The competition is held in conjunction with the Oaxaca International Film and Video Festival because cinema and literature have always been closely intertwined. This competition provides a forum for writers from around the world to display their talents.

Whipple's story was selected as the winner from a thousand entries. He will fly to Oaxaca, Mexico, to receive the award. The top ten stories in the competition will be published in a special commemorative edition.

Passage To Redemption

Another project in which I've been involved. This novel, a topical, eco novel was written by twelve writers from around the globe. It is now available on Amazon.com, and will eventually be available in UK. We are planning to put it on Kindle too. The link for the curious ones among you is: http://www.amazon.com/Passage-Redemption-Crew/dp/1453804889/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_1

Mick

New Chuck Tyrell Black Horse Western

Mr John Hale informed me of the company's decision to purchase my latest manuscript -- A Man Called Breed -- a tale of the hardships a Medal of Honor winner must go through because of his Cheyenne mother. I have not yet received word of when the book will be published.

The Watercress Girls

Amazon are offering The Watercress Girls, my latest novel for Hale, at a good price -
I'd love to share this family saga with you! Experience pioneer life with my
characters in Moose Jaw, Canada, and later North Dakota; the bitter cold, the
lakes, the long journeys by train to the unknown... And follow a mystery throughout the story which is resolved back in the Old Country.

The synopsis is as follows: On a blazing hot day in late August 1914, twelve year
old Mattie dances in the stream, spraying her little sister Evie with silvery
showers of water. They have come here to cool off and to pick watercress for tea. They are unaware that their idyllic childhood in Suffolk is almost at an end, for as their mother says, "all the world's gone mad."
the girls will grow up to lead very different lives. Mattie is destined to travel far from home and to found a dynasty of strong-minded women like herself. Evie, in the role of family carer, still achieves a satisfying career.
But will the two disters be reunited and a secret resolved?

I researched this book with the five Mackley girls, born in Moose Jaw during the early days of the last century, when they grew up in a log cabin built by their
father, learned to sew their own clothes from flour sacks and cut up Sears catalogues for use in the privy!

Life was hard, but they all thrived, and were an inspiration to me.

See my books listed on Amazon and Fantastic Fiction.

Readers have provided good feedback on my recent memoir, Who Stirs the Porridge in the Pot? (Dales paperback)

Wishing you all happy reading - and writing! Sheila Newberry

Further Progress

I received the proof copy of NORTH SLOPE paperback today. I am really delighted with it. I have no complaints and look forward to seeing it available on Amazon.com in the very near future. There shouldn't be too long a delay before it is available on Amazon in UK. This is the beginning of the 'new direction' I spoke of after parting with Hale. Judging by several web blogs I have read recently, many of them written by people in publishing and reviewing etc., I seem to be taking on a huge task. But I'm quite happy to do this. My target, initially would be to promote the book sufficiently well to get above the 350 mark that I associate with Hale Books. 400 would be good, but I'll have to wait and see. I have attached a copy of the book jacket, desgined by my son, for you all to have a look. You can also see it on my web page.

Looking ahead

I was invited to send the usual synopsis plus first three chapters of my latest MS to a literary agent. I've been going down this road for a good many years now, but still can't help thinking....'if only'... Perhaps I should know better; I've failed to interest literary agents for the last twenty years or so, but at least John Hale saved my bacon and published six of my books, so I've a lot to thank him for. We've parted company now, and my next book will be a paperback imprint of my very first novel, NORTH SLOPE. I have already had an invitation from an Alaskan magazine to send them a copy of the book when it's released (it's set in Alaska). The reason I'm telling you all this is because I was asked to let you know how I got on having severed my connection with Hale. We'll see.