N.B. Dixon's Blog, page 27

Exciting news

I’m excited to announce that, after much thought, I have decided to re-release my earlier work.

Before I began writing historical fiction, I wrote fantasy aimed at the Young adult market. I’ve always loved tales of magic and adventure, in addition to stories chronicling England’s past. I’m looking forward to celebrating my love of all different types of fiction through my work.

I self-published four titles, which are currently not available to buy. At first I wondered if it was wise to continue publishing books aimed at different audiences, but as it appears to be a trend among authors these days, I have decided to do the same. I believe my young adult work deserves as much recognition as my adult fiction, if you will pardon my big-headedness. If it’s good enough for JK Rowling, it’s good enough for me. I don’t have definite release dates set, as they need to be edited once more, but it will be in the near future. In order to separate out my work, my adult historical fiction will continue to be published under my pen name, N.B. Dixon, and my young adult fantasy will be published under my real name, Nadia Bashoo, as it was originally.

I am currently in the process of updating my website, but there will be pages dedicated to young adult books for anyone interested in viewing them, and the different adult and young adult books will be clearly separated for ease of navigation. My young adult novels are suited to teenagers rather than younger children, and will be available as ebooks only. In time I will be adding covers, sneak excerpts etc, and as soon as the books are live once more, you will be the first to know

I am also in the process of writing the final chapters of the third book in the outlaw’s legacy series, Earl of Huntingdon, As well as preparing for the release of Knight of Sherwood in July. I’m really looking forward to a future writing for both markets.

Knight of Sherwood release update

Knight of Sherwood, book two of the Outlaw’s Legacy series, will be released July 20th.

Outlaw’s Legacy covers

I’m really excited. My cover designer sent the rough drafts for the covers for the rest of the Outlaw’s Legacy books. Unfortunately I can’t see them myself as I have no vision at all, but I’ve been assured they’re beautiful. You’ll soon be able to judge for yourselves as I’ll be posting them on the website and my Facebook author page as soon as they’re ready.

Updates

Yet again it’s been a while since I posted on this blog, and yet again I must apologise. Anyone who’s followed me for a long time now will know that I am notoriously bad at posting. However, I do have some exciting updates.

Firstly, I will be conducting another book tour in April. It’s my third this year. This one is a little different as it involves interviews and guest posts to various blogs, including character interviews. I’ve never done anything like these before. For those of you not in the know, a character interview is when the author pretends to be in a room with one of their characters, and the two of them have a conversation. I won’t deny that I did feel a little foolish, but it did turn out to be rather fun. The tour is being hosted by Love Bound Promotions, a new company that I cannot recommend highly enough to any authors just starting out. Their friendly and affordable service is well worth it. I will also be doing a giveaway in April, where I shall be giving away an e-book and paperback copy of Heir of Locksley. More details to follow.

Knight of Sherwood, book 2 in the outlaw’s legacy series is now with my publisher and I am well on the way to finishing the rough draft of book 3. I hope to soon be able to provide updates on the book covers for the series, which are being worked on as we speak. I can also now confirm that Outlaw’s Legacy will consist of five books rather than for.

Help Robin to be heard

There are so many retellings of the Robin Hood legend. He’s inspired authors and screen-writers alike. For fans, including myself, one of the most loved reimaginings of the legend is the TV series, Robin of Sherwood. I’m a late convert to the series, which originally aired on ITV in the early 1980’s. Since I was too little to remember the series, I was introduced to it last year, when I had the honour of attending the premier of the first ROS fully dramatized episode to make it onto audio. It featured all the original cast, and was radio drama at its best. For me, it was doubly important, as the TV series is very visual, and for someone like myself with no sight at all, it meant I missed out on some of the experience. Now, the plan is to produce another four adventures on audio, but this can’t be done without the help of regular people like you and me. The company producing the episodes, Spiteful Puppet, are a hundred pre-orders short of the amount needed before they can begin production. So why help? Firstly because it’s a damn good series. If you’re a fan of Robin Hood, then it would be a crime to let this project die. Maybe you love radio drama. In which case, you won’t find any better. Or maybe, like me, audio is your main way of enjoying a story, and you think this series should be enjoyed by all, blind and fully sighted alike, in any way possible. I’ve preordered my copy. Why not do the same. You can preorder the full box set on CD or download by visiting the following link. And while you’re there, why not check out the previous episode, or even the Hood series, also produced by Spiteful Puppet. Click here and preorder your copy now, and be sure to spread the word.

Fifth Outlaw’s Legacy book confirmed

First it was a trilogy, then a quartet, now a quintet. This series has grown considerably since I first started planning it. For some time now, I’ve felt that to end the series with four books was a mistake when I still had a little more to say. It also meant I wouldn’t have to cram too many plot lines into the final two books. I can now confirm Outlaw’s Legacy will be a five-book series. The second volume, Knight of Sherwood, will be released this summer. For more information about release dates, as well as book blurbs, excerpts and buy links, visit the Outlaw’s Legacy page.

Interview with Author J Tullos Hennig

This week I am delighted to welcome J Tullos Hennig, author of the Wode series. A powerful and thought-provoking take on the Robin Hood legend. I was fortunate enough to discover these books last year and they have stayed with me ever since. Now the author herself has been kind enough to give this interview. Enjoy!

Q:
When did you first discover the legend of Robin Hood?
A:
Oh, my, it was a long time ago! At first through books—so many of the RH books were geared for a younger audience when I was a child—then through the Richard Greene series, as well as Douglas Fairbanks and Errol Flynn. I used to roam the forests in the south with my cousins as a child, playing Robin Hood.

Q:
How much of the Wode Series did you plan in advance?
A:
I’m much more of a ‘discovery’-type writer and rarely plan any book, though I often do have an idea of an ending and several points along the way. Writing the Wode books entailed a serious rewrite of an older book, so there was some familiarity of storyline; still, quite a few surprises along the way have happened, and will continue on in the last book of the series, I’m sure.

Q:
What made you decide to portray Robin Hood as gay, and have you experienced any controversy as a result?
A:
Well, I’m afraid I don’t have a short answer for this, so kindly bear with me.
The original Greenwode was a first book in a trilogy written in the 70s-80s, and in that version, there was a definite ‘bromance’ between the original Robyn and the displaced knight Gamelyn (from another outlaw ballad that so many nowadays have forgotten) but the relationship didn’t go much further than that. The original was a decent-enough book, it was in negotiations with a NY publisher, but things fell through. It’s definitely that hindsight thing; now I’m glad it didn’t happen, because about 10 years ago I started looking at that filed-away manuscript and thinking, ‘what if?’ What if I took the challenge that a younger me likely hadn’t the writing chops to pull off; what if I spun it into the epic, twisty thing it truly wanted to be from the beginning? Underrepresented voices are very important to me—and rife in the Robin Hood legends. It seemed a no-brainer to bring those voices to the forefront, not just with Robyn’s sexuality, but Gamelyn’s, as well as Marion’s agency (which she is denied in so many retellings). Add to that the reality of myth as brutally conquered spirituality…
It was magic. And when I pitched it to the publisher who went for it, and started reworking the manuscript… more magic!
As to controversy… no, not really. Only once did someone actually have the stones to say ‘How dare you?’ to my face. My answer was: ‘How dare you be so narrow-minded?” Such bigotry exists, of course, and will as long as people have too much fear and too little empathy. But my response is to give the old archer’s salute and keep writing.

Q:
There have been many interpretations of the Robin Hood legend. What made you decide to introduce a fantasy element?
A:
I love speculative fiction. I’m a SF/Fantasy fan from way back. I’m also a total history geek… but I’m hyper-aware, (in part because of my own heritage), that history is suspect. Speculative, even. 

Q:
Are there any versions of the legend that influenced your writing?
A:
The one that perhaps had the greatest effect was Richard Carpenter’s Robin of Sherwood, but not in the way one might think. I’d already written the first Greenwode before I saw RoS, but when I did see it, I fell in love, likely because it was so obvious we’d sifted from the same mythological sources. I ended up very involved in the series, and no question but the newer version owes much to Kip’s influence. I’d many an interesting conversation with him about the folkloric and pagan aspects of RH. He was a wonderful writer and a lovely, lovely man. Greenwode is dedicated to him.
Parke Godwin’s duology is another exquisite reimagining. The writing alone is enough to inspire anyone, even if his Robin isn’t very like mine. I’d encourage anyone who loves great storytelling to read his books. Of course, that’s what makes it fascinating, all these different ideas.
I guess what it comes down to is the respect. Whenever you take an old warhorse of a legend, you must respect its legacy. Question it, yes, subvert it and re-imagine it, shape it to the best of your ability into a vital continuation of Story. To just rehash a tired trope out of expediency is disrespectful to not only the power of legend, but your own talents.

Q:
Were there any scenes that had a profound effect on you as you wrote them?
A:
I’m afraid most of what I write tends to have a profound effect on me. Some writers are script consultants, some are directors, some are set designers… I am that slightly mad and intense Method actor.
I wait for rewrites to back off and wield the dispassionate editor’s axe.

Q:
What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
A:
Most ‘advice’ nowadays is utter bollocks. But when I am asked to teach or give a workshop, this is what I recommend:
Read. Read in your chosen genre, and outside it. Read books that value language, from many cultures and many eras.
Write. Write for yourself first, and realise that it isn’t supposed to be easy. Failure is a teaching moment, even more than success—and success doesn’t always equal talent. Keep growing what talents you have, be patient, respect and learn your craft.
Find a mentor who will both cherish you and hold you responsible.

Q:
The question of whether or not Robin Hood existed is still hotly debated. What is your view?
A:
I really don’t care. Myths are so much more powerful—and ultimately have more truth to them—than many things considered fact. Whether Robin Hood was a real person, or an amalgamation of many persons, or a magical spirit of the greenwood, the important thing is that his Story survives.
I mean, it still resonates nearly a century after it supposedly began! That’s what matters.

Q:
What can we expect from you in the future?
A:
I’ve a lot of projects in the wings, and hope to live long enough to finish most of them! The main project I’m shopping now is culturally based more on my grandmother’s Choctaw descendants than my grandfather’s U.K. heritage; a different voice, to be sure, but one underserved and vital.
But as to ‘thisnow’, as the Wode denizens would say, I’m prepping for the release of Summerwode in May, and working on the final book in the series, Wyldingwode.

Thank you so much, N. B., for these fascinating and thoughtful questions, and for the honour of appearing on your blog to answer them!

The Wode books are available in paperback and the Amazon Kindle store, as well as through Audible.com. The series is published by DSP Publications. A big thank you to J Tullos Hennig for this interview.

Interview with Steven A. McKay

Today I’m delighted to welcome Steven A. McKay, author of the Forest Lord series. He was kind enough to grant me an interview, which I now have the privilege of being able to share with you all. The Forest Lord series, beginning with Wolf’s Head (released 2013) and continuing with The wolf and the Raven, Rise of the Wolf, and concluding with Blood of the Wolf (released 2016) is a vivid portrayal of life during the reign of Edward II. The series intertwines actual historical events and characters with the well known legend of Robin Hood, and is one of the most realistic interpretations I’ve ever been fortunate enough to read. The series also includes two novellas, and is available on amazon and Audible.

Q:
When did you first discover the legend of Robin Hood?
A:
Well it’s something that has always been around – I think everyone in the UK must know about Robin Hood. I’d seen some of the old films and a couple of Robin of Sherwood episodes but I was never really drawn into it, unlike say King Arthur. But when I decided to write a novel about Robin and started to research the character I realised how interesting it all was.

Q:
How much of the Forest Lord Series did you plan in advance?
A:
Not much really. I had an idea that I wanted to follow the original ballads and legends as closely as possible. Graham Phillips and Martin Keatman’s book about the legend really gave me a lot of pointers on that but I tend to use only a loose plan when I start a book. I have a beginning, some things that might happen and a probable ending to work towards but it is very dynamic and changes constantly depending on the characters.

Q:
You clearly put a lot of effort into your research. How important is historical accuracy to you?
A:
It depends. I want to get the period as accurate as possible, so, for example, no potato soup as they didn’t have potatoes in medieval England. That kind of thing can really throw a reader off and ruin their immersion in the story so I always strive to get those details right. Well known events like wars or kings being removed from power should also be adhered to closely. But for the most part readers want to be entertained, not given a dry history lesson. As an example, Sir Henry de Faucumberg might not have been Sheriff of Nottingham and Yorkshire from 1321 – 1328 in reality, but it made for a better tale to have the same character in place for all my books so I kept him there. Accurate? No. Better story? Yes.

Q:
Are there any versions of the legend that influenced your writing?
A:
As I say, the ideas in Phillips & Keatman’s book really gave me a lot of things to work with, such as the fact Robin was really Robert, lived around 1320, was married to Matilda and went from the wrong side of the law to being employed by the government.
I also bought all the Robin of Sherwood DVDs to get an idea of what they did with the legend and ended up absolutely loving it! I was very influenced by the camaraderie between the characters in that so it was quite amazing for me when Phil Rose – who played Friar Tuck – wrote a foreword for my Friar Tuck and the Christmas Devil novella! He thought my book would have made a good episode in the show which was really nice to hear.

Q:
Were there any scenes that had a profound effect on you as you wrote them?
A:
Not particularly when I’m writing them, more when I plan things. I did well up a few times when thinking about what I was going to do with the characters – particularly Will Scarlet for some reason. I always seemed to be doing bad things to him, poor guy! I also felt like Tuck was guiding me some of the time – it was his idea for Robin to go to London in the third book, not mine. That probably sounds like I’m insane, but some characters do seem to take on a life of their own.
But no, I understand lots of writers get emotional when they’re working on a book, and I am quite a soppy person, but I don’t really feel anything when I’m writing, I’m pretty detached from my own work.

Q:
In the Forest Lord books, you paint a vivid portrayal of medieval life, where your characters sometimes have to kill to survive. Was that difficult to write?
A:
No, not really, as I say, I’m don’t feel that wrapped up in the books as I’m working on them so violence isn’t that hard for me to write. I’m more interested in making sure the choreography in a fight scene is entertaining than anything else. I don’t like watching overly graphic, violent movies or reading about it in the news but I don’t have a problem with it in novels unless it’s over-the-top and cartoonish.

Q:
What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
A:
Make it fun. Don’t force yourself to write when you really don’t want to because if it’s not enjoyable then you won’t stick at it. Creating a book is a pleasure, so treat it as one, rather than as a chore.
Also, plan each scene in advance or you’ll end up just sitting staring at the screen wondering where to start. I normally go through ideas in my head the day before I write a scene and have it mostly worked out so when I get the chance to sit down it just flows out with no head scratching or writer’s block.

Q:
The question of whether or not Robin Hood existed is still hotly debated. What is your view?
A:
Well, that’s part of the charm of the legend isn’t it? The mystery keeps it fresh and allows people like us to strip it back and make something new from it.
Personally, I’m sure there wasn’t just one man that all these stories were based on. The Robin Hood character is an amalgamation of a variety of people and their exploits, both real and imagined.

Q:
What can we expect from you in the future?
A:
I will be publishing one final Forest Lord novella starring Will Scarlet, called The Abbey of Death in the spring. But my main focus in 2017 is a brand new series, the first book of which I’ve already started on. After the constraints of a writing about a well-known cast like Robin, Scarlet, Tuck etc I now get the chance to create my own characters and I’m loving it! The Druid is the working title for my new book and it’s about a warrior druid in the north of Britain, just after the Romans have left the island. He will have a quest to go on and it will be really interesting to explore a character like that who is a spiritual leader but also a hard-as-nails fighter.
Hopefully readers will enjoy it as much as they seemed to enjoy the Forest Lord series!

Thanks for having me today, it’s been great! Your readers can find me at the links below, check them out.
If you sign up for my mailing list you get a FREE Forest Lord short story that’s only available to my subscribers here – https://stevenamckay.com/mailing-list/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/RobinHoodNovel/
Amazon – viewAuthor.at/SA-McKay
Twitter – @SA_McKay

I’m sure all my readers will join me in saying thank you for such a great interview. If you haven’t purchased the Forest Lord novels yet, do so now. You won’t be disappointed.

Heir of Locksley Review tour: week 1

Today marks the beginning of the review tour for Heir of Locksley. I’ll be making weekly stops at blogs who have chosen to review the book. My first stop is at Deep in the crease
I would like to thank them for their lovely review.

Happy new year

2016 has been an incredible year for me. I finally saw the culmination of three years’ hard work when Heir of Locksley was published and then released. I also completed the rough draft of the sequel, Knight of Sherwood, a task I thought would never be finished. It was also my privelige to attend the revival of the TV series, Robin of Sherwood, widely acknowledged as one of the best re-tellings of the legend. It has made its comeback on audio and I look forward to seeing the direction it will take.

So, what does 2017 hold? Next year will see the release of Knight of Sherwood. I will also begin writing the next book in the series. I will be doing more tours and events for Heir of Locksley, the first beginning in January. All in all, a busy year to look forward to.

All that remains is to wish all my lovely readers a happy 2017.