Alex Marchant's Blog, page 17
November 22, 2019
“An Interview With Alex Marchant” by Esther Chilton
I meet some fantastic people at events around the country and back in the summer I was delighted to meet Esther Chilton, fellow author and editor, at the UK Indie Lit Fest in Bradford.
We had a lovely chat about children’s books and she asked me to guest on her blog at https://esthernewtonblog.wordpress.com/
She sent me some great questions to answer, including a knotty one about which of my books is my favourite (surely that’s no more possible to answer than which of my children is?!), and the results are on her blog today. So if you’re intrigued as to any aspect of my writing and how I came to write my books (including those yet to be published…), you might like to hop over to An Interview With Alex Marchant…
Many thanks to Esther for hosting me 
November 21, 2019
#FREE #HistoricalFiction book – to UK school or library YOU nominate! #Giveaway
Last Friday I took part in Jennifer C. Wilson’s launch for her latest novel The Raided Heart at https://www.facebook.com/events/2545500392349693/, and I made the following giveaway offer:
“My aim in my books is to bring Richard’s real story to children far and wide, before they’re exposed to Shakespeare’s highly entertaining, but hugely inaccurate portrayal of his life in ‘The Tragedy of Richard III’. I aim to get The Order of the White Boar into as many schools and libraries in the UK as I can and I would like your help with that.
Please nominate a school (maybe a particular class) or library that you would like to receive a free copy. Simply tell me why (is your child or grandchild a pupil there? Is there a Ricardian connection in the town? Does the school not have much money to spend on new books?) and I will choose one lucky winner from among your answers.”
This offer is open until 8 pm GMT on Monday 25th November at the Jennifer’s launch page: https://www.facebook.com/events/2545500392349693/ – scroll down to ‘All posts’, click on that and scroll again to find the original post. Please comment underneath the post with your nomination of school or library. Or you can just DM me if you prefer!
You have a very good chance of winning as few nominations have yet been received! 
November 18, 2019
#RichardIII in fiction – a #GoodReads list
For those of you who enjoy fiction about King Richard III (which I suspect may be most of you who are following this blog!), this may be of interest.
Keen Ricardian Kathy Kingsbury has compiled a list on GoodReads of more than eighty novels and short story collections featuring the King. Many you may already know – others may be new to you (as they are to me). I’m delighted to see both The Order of the White Boar and The King’s Man pretty high up the rankings, and both Grant Me the Carving of My Name and Right Trusty and Well Beloved... feature.
Why not have a look? You may find a new favourite – or two. And don’t forget to vote for your old favourites too!
Kathy’s list can be found at:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/137023.Richard_III_In_Historical_Fiction
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Alex Marchant is author of two books telling the story of the real King Richard III for children aged 10+, The Order of the White Boar and The King’s Man, and editor of Grant Me the Carving of My Name and Right Trusty and Well Beloved…, two anthologies of short fiction inspired by the king, sold in support of Scoliosis Association UK (SAUK).
Alex’s books can be found on Amazon at:
November 10, 2019
Winners announced of ‘Right Trusty and Well Beloved…’ launch #giveaways!
I’m very pleased to announce that the winners in the giveaways at last weekend’s Right Trusty and Well Beloved… launch event are as follows:
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Wendy Johnson’s signed copy of ‘Finding Richard III: The Official Story’ goes to Kathy Hills (who seems to have had to put up with quite a lot from her family and friends for her commitment to Richard!)
Wendy’s second copy goes to Sue Barnard (the answer was George Duke of Clarence, also born in October – the 21st in 1449)
Philippa Langley’s children’s book about Knights and Castles goes to Kade and Aidan, nominated by proud (and knowledgeable) Ricardian grandma Kris Palmer (the answers were 1. Fotheringhay 2.Tewkesbury 3. Cecily Neville and Richard Duke of York)
Nicola Slade’s The Convalescent Corpse will be on its way to Janet Reedman
Joanne Larner’s handpainted stone goes to Sue Barnard
And the Middleham bookmark will be winging its way to Vanessa Crouchman
Jen Wilson will be in touch direct with the winner of The Last Plantagenet?
Congratulations to everyone who won, and commiserations to those who entered but were not so lucky
Don’t forget ebooks and paperback of ‘Right Trusty…‘ can be bought from Amazon mybook.to/RightTrusty (where it can also be read for free on Kindle Unlimited) or direct from me – and if you’ve already enjoyed reading it, please do consider posting a review at Amazon and/or GoodReads. Every review helps the book to get noticed, and therefore adds to the funds raised for SAUK – and awareness of good King Richard himself!
Loyaulte me lie
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Alex Marchant is author of two books telling the story of the real King Richard III for children aged 10+, The Order of the White Boar and The King’s Man, and editor of Grant Me the Carving of My Name and Right Trusty and Well Beloved…, two anthologies of short fiction inspired by the king, sold in support of Scoliosis Association UK (SAUK).
Alex’s books can be found on Amazon at:
November 4, 2019
#Giveaways from ‘Right Trusty & Well Beloved…’ launch event – still live!
Thank you to everyone who came along to yesterday’s launch event for Right Trusty and Well Beloved..., the new anthology of short stories and poetry inspired by King Richard III and sold in support of Scoliosis Association UK (SAUK)
I hope you enjoyed it. I hope that you also entered all the competitions and giveaways.
If you didn’t enter, don’t forget that they will all remain ‘live’ until at least 7pm GMT on Tuesday 5th November, so it’s not too late to go over to the event at https://www.facebook.com/events/388574722021652 and throw your name into the hat!
Or alternatively visit my author Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/AlexMarchantAuthor where each of the relevant posts have been shared.
On offer are:
Philippa Langley’s offer of The Pocket Edition of 100 Facts – Knights and Castles by Miles Kelly
Wendy Johnson’s two copies of Finding Richard III: The Official Story
Nicola’s Slade’s A Convalescent Corpse
Jen Wilson’s The Last Plantagenet?
Joanne Larner’s hand-painted mini-portrait of Richard on a stone
A Middleham wooden bookmark
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![The Last Plantagenet?: A Ricardian Romance by [Wilson, Jennifer C., Press, Ocelot]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1572979810i/28406796.jpg)
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Good luck!
And if you’ve bought a copy of Right Trusty and Well Beloved… and enjoyed reading it, please do also consider posting a review on Amazon and/or GoodReads. Reviews, however brief, are always appreciated (especially if they’re 5* ones!) and also of course they help other potential readers find out about the book.
Many thanks and Loyalte me lie!
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Alex Marchant is author of two books telling the story of the real King Richard III for children aged 10+, The Order of the White Boar and The King’s Man, and editor of Grant Me the Carving of My Name and Right Trusty and Well Beloved…, two anthologies of short fiction inspired by the king, sold in support of Scoliosis Association UK (SAUK).
Alex’s books can be found on Amazon at:
November 1, 2019
**NEW** ‘Right Trusty and Well Beloved…’, #RichardIII-inspired charity anthology, now live!
I’m delighted to announce that the ebook of Right Trusty and Well Beloved..., the second anthology of short stories and poetry inspired by King Richard III and sold in support of Scoliosis Association UK (SAUK) is now live!! 
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If you’ve preordered it, it should have been delivered to your ereader by now
The ebook is also FREE to read on Kindle Unlimited
The paperback is not yet available on Amazon, but should be later today at the same place, priced £5.99/$7.99 – an announcement will be made once it’s there
Happy reading!
And don’t forget the book’s virtual launch this Sunday 3 November from 3pm GMT at:
https://www.facebook.com/events/388574722021652
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And of course, if you do enjoy the stories and poems therein, please consider leaving a review on Amazon and/or GoodReads! Thank you
The other authors and I look forward to seeing you all on Sunday 
October 28, 2019
Interview with Richard Tearle @lordf34 about ‘Right Trusty & Well Beloved…’ and #RichardIII
Richard Tearle, whose heart-rending story ‘The Corners of My Mind’ features in Right Trusty and Well Beloved…, has kindly welcomed me on to his blog to talk about the anthology (which will be published this Friday and launched officially on Facebook on Sunday 3rd November at https://www.facebook.com/events/388574722021652/ ) as well as King Richard and my own books about him.
Many thanks, Richard!
The full blog can be found at https://rtslipstream.blogspot.com/p/guest-stars.html
“This week’s special guest is Alex Marchant, author of two Young Adult novels about Richard III and the guiding light behind two anthologies of short stories about this enigmatic King. The second anthology, Right Trusty and Well Beloved, will be published on November 1st.
Q – First of all, I’d like to ask how you first became interested in Richard III and what made you take the stance that you have on his character?
A – Many thanks for inviting me on your blog, Richard. It’s many years since I found on the shelves of my school library a book titled Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey. I’ve always read voraciously, but might not have chosen what appears at first glance to be a detective story. But this one was about history, not just some pedestrian modern mystery, so I was soon hooked. …
https://rtslipstream.blogspot.com/p/guest-stars.html
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Alex Marchant is author of two books telling the story of the real King Richard III for children aged 10+, The Order of the White Boar and The King’s Man, and editor of Grant Me the Carving of My Name, an anthology of short fiction inspired by the king, sold in support of Scoliosis Association UK (SAUK). A further anthology, Right Trusty and Well Beloved…, will be published on 1 November…
Alex’s books can be found on Amazon at:
October 26, 2019
Virtual launch of ‘Right Trusty and Well Beloved…’ -charity anthology inspired by #RichardIII
I’m delighted to announce that ‘Right Trusty and Well Beloved…‘, the new anthology of short stories and poems inspired by King Richard III, to be sold in support of Scoliosis Association UK, will be officially launched on Facebook next Sunday 3rd November between 3 and 7 pm GMT.
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A gaggle of authors will be hosting the event – do come along and show your support! There will be chat and debate, competitions and giveaways – something for everyone, just like the stories and poems in the book! Do sign up at the ‘event’ page as ‘going’ or ‘interested’ and you’ll be sent a reminder to come along on the day. Please invite any friends who may also be interested and share the event in any groups you may belong to!
The book itself will be available as an ebook and paperback from Friday 1st November via Amazon at mybook.to/RightTrusty (or direct from me).
And the previous anthology is of course still available at mybook.to/GrantMetheCarving
And don’t forget, if you’re in the area, a bricks-and-mortar launch event will be held at York’s central library, York Explore, on Saturday 14 December from 2 pm. Six of the contributors will be attending for talks, readings, Q&As and book signings – ideal for picking up a few Christmas presents!
Loyalty binds us! 
‘It’s a dog’s life’ – a portrait of two inspiring hounds…
My latest regular monthly bog for Authors Electric offers a portrait of our two family dogs – both very different, but both inspiring in their way: Milli, who led to the creation of Matthew’s faithful pup Murrey, and Gunner, who… well, we’ll see…
“Last month I blogged about facing an ‘empty nest’, with both daughters now at university. But to be honest, it’s not empty at all. Not only is it occupied by myself and my partner, but there are also the pets, so it doesn’t seem particularly empty at any time, even if the elderly cat spends most of her time asleep, curled up near a radiator. Gunner, the dog, more than fills any space that’s left….”
The rest of the blog post can be found at:
https://authorselectric.blogspot.com/2019/10/its-dogs-life-by-alex-marchant.html
Alex Marchant is author of two books telling the story of the real King Richard III for children aged 10+, The Order of the White Boar and The King’s Man, and editor of Grant Me the Carving of My Name, an anthology of short fiction inspired by the king, sold in support of Scoliosis Association UK (SAUK). A further anthology, Right Trusty and Well Beloved…, is planned for later this year…
Alex’s books can be found on Amazon at:
October 25, 2019
One week to go… Launch day 1 November – the Day of the Dead! ‘Right Trusty & Well Beloved…’
Just one week to go until the publication of ‘Right Trusty & Well Beloved...’, stories & poems inspired by Good King Richard III on 1 November
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Preorder at http://mybook.to/RightTrusty
Meanwhile the first anthology ‘Grant Me the Carving of My Name‘ is still available – both books contain several #ghoststories ideal for #Halloween! 
