Alex Marchant's Blog, page 23

Barnet Medieval Festival – a review – and preview?

Where does an aspiring Ricardian author go to sell books? Medieval festivals of course, among a variety of other events.

And what was my first such festival? Funnily enough, it was at the site of King Richard’s first battle…

And after I’d attended, the Mid-Anglia Branch of the Richard III Society asked me if I would submit a review of this relatively new festival for their newsletter. Would I? Of course. You can find it at:

https://richardiiisocietymidanglia.wordpress.com/2019/01/11/alex-marchant-writes/

I had a wonderful time at the festival and was delighted to hear it would be running again, on the weekend of 8-9th June 2019, and likely bigger and even better – and hopefully still free to enter! Details can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/events/639586123089392/

Sadly I won’t be there this year (I have a daughter with both a big birthday and a punishing exam schedule around then), but hope to be back for 2020… and who knows, perhaps with a new book?

I am, however, hoping to attend various other festivals during 2019. Watch this space…

mybook.to/WhiteBoar

mybook.to/TheKingsMan

mybook.to/GrantMetheCarving

[image error]

 

‘An author’s inspiration’, Or ‘Acting on Impulse – look where it gets you’!

The wonderful Mary Anne Yarde has yet again allowed me the chance to chat on her fantastic blog – this time about how our charity anthology Grant Me the Carving of My Name came about.



Many thanks Mary Anne!

My latest blog post for @AuthorsElectric (with a fantastic image (c) @EllieFP)

The latest in my regular blog posts for Authors Electric.

Something a little different – not about Richard III or historical fiction but nodding at a relatively new genre – climate fiction or cli-fi. Little did I know when I stumbled across this while at my day job that I had myself inadvertently written a book in the genre…

https://authorselectric.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-brave-new-world-of-cli-fi-by-alex.html

(c) Ellie Foreman-Peck

 

2019 kicks off… with some upcoming events

2019 gets off to an exciting start!

First up, I’m featured author this week (13-20th January) on The Historical Fiction Book Club on Facebook (thank you DK Marley) (https://www.facebook.com/groups/historicalfictionbookclub/) As it’s a ‘private’ group, if you’re not already a member, you will have to join to ask questions. Please do come along and ask whatever you like (within reason, of course! I reserve the right not to answer certain questions  )

Next, I’m very much looking forward to an evening appointment in Barnard Castle with the wonderful Northern Dales Richard III Group on Monday 21st January. I’ll be reading my short(ish) story ‘The Beast of Middleham Moor’ (featured in the anthology Grant Me the Carving of My Name) and chatting about my children’s novels about King Richard III. Everyone is welcome, so if you’re in the area, do come along (and bring some more of those questions ). Full details can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/Northern-Dales-Richard-III-Group-1555111188072365/)

Following that I have various library and school visits lined up – more details later. And I’m currently planning my programme for the rest of the year. If you know of a group, school or library who would welcome a visit, or an event where a reading or talk might be a useful addition, please do drop me a line.

Let’s get the message out there about the real King Richard and the joy of reading! 

Another fabulous 5* review for ‘The King’s Man’! “I would highly recommend this as an excellent read”

As a newish author, checking your books on Amazon or GoodReads and finding your review counter has inched up again is always exciting – and especially so when you discover this sort of review waiting for you!
Another fantastic 5* review for ‘ The King’s Man ‘. Very many thanks to Pam Golden for taking the time to post it. I’m so glad you enjoyed both books!

A great new perspective on the much maligned Richard III


I loved this sequel to The Order of the Boar .
Told from the perspective of a loyal page, it gives flesh and bones to the little known details of Richard III’s reign. It links well with its prequel and takes the story forward to more familiar historical events, but from a very different angle from the usual Tudor propaganda.
It is a warm and affectionate understanding of the King and his motives, whilst exciting and full of danger, just as those uncertain times would have been. It also gives a very plausible explanation of the Princes in the tower – history’s biggest unsolved mystery.
I would highly recommend this as an excellent read, both for children and adults. I await the next book with interest.
[image error]
mybook.to/TheKingsMan

A Discovering Diamonds review for ‘The King’s Man’!

Continuing my current habit of missing all sorts of happenings, I’m delighted to announce (somewhat belatedly) that The King’s Man has received a Discovering Diamonds review. 

‘This night will be bad….’ – a Christmas tradition [from @AuthorsElectric]

My latest post on the Authors Electric blog spot, about my annual Christmas – or rather Midwinter – tradition.

https://authorselectric.blogspot.com/2018/12/this-night-will-be-bad-and-tomorrow-by.html

And don’t forget – there’s still plenty of time to order the perfect stocking fillers!

myBook.to/WhiteBoar

mybook.to/TheKingsMan

mybook.to/GrantMetheCarving

 

‘Young Ricardian Award’ – winning champion of #RichardIII announced!

I am delighted to announce that the winner of Wendy Johnson’s young Ricardian goody bag is 8 year old Freya Goodyear (nominated by Ruth Breen).

Wendy asked for nominations at the recent online launch of ‘Grant Me the Carving of My Name’, to which she contributed two stories. Wendy was delighted by the stories that came in from family and friends nominating their youngsters and says “it was very difficult to choose an outright winner”.

[image error]
Wendy, with her husband, David Johnson

After much deliberation, Wendy has decided that the goody bag will be sent to 8-year-old Freya. But each of the nominated children will receive a small gift from Wendy, and 3-year-old Victoria (nominated by Michèle Schindler) will be sent a special little prize for being the youngest to champion King Richard’s cause. (Her proud aunty, Michèle, will also receive a signed copy of Philippa Langley’s ‘The Search for Richard III: The King’s Grave‘ for helping to bring her up so well!)

[image error]

The contents of Wendy’ goody bag (but don’t show Freya just yet!)

Ruth Breen told Wendy that her former pupil, Freya, spoke up for King Richard during one of her English lessons. They had been discussing medieval heraldry when Freya said she had read about King Richard III: “she immediately said that what she had read was Shakespeare’s account but that what he said of Richard couldn’t possibly be true as nobody is that evil. She also said she had read other books where he was a great soldier and she didn’t believe for a second that he had murdered his nephews.”

After the summer holidays, Freya returned from a trip to Northumberland with a boar badge and told Ruth about the historic sites she had visited with a connection to Richard. Ruth says, “Freya not only has a love of history but has become a champion for Richard and the cause of restoring his good name.”

Thank you to everyone for nominating all these young Ricardians, and I hope Wendy has inspired them all to continue to fight (figuratively, of course) for King Richard.

Loyaulte me lie!

And don’t forget, ‘Grant Me the Carving of My Name’ is the ideal stocking filler for older Ricardians!

mybook.to/GrantMetheCarving

[image error]

Christmas in the Time of #RichardIII

I was delighted to be asked by the lovely Mary Anne Yarde to contribute a blog about Christmas during the reign of King Richard.

Given that he only reigned for two Christmas seasons, it seemed a slightly tricky prospect … until I realized what in fact we do know about those two Yuletides…

For the whole blog, please visit:

https://maryanneyarde.blogspot.com/2018/12/christmas-in-time-of-richard-iii-by.html

[image error]

Christmas 1482 is featured in

mybook.to/WhiteBoar

Christmas 1483 and 1484 are featured in

mybook.to/TheKingsMan

mybook.to/GrantMetheCarving

GRANT ME THE CARVING OF MY NAME: A NEW RICARDIAN ANTHOLOGY FOR CHRISTMAS!

On the book front, I am rather excited about GRANT ME THE CARVING OF MY NAME, an upcoming anthology of fiction about Richard III , which should be out right in time to make a fabulous Christmas present.  Release date is scheduled for December 2 and all proceeds from sales will go to the Scoliosis Society UK. Stories are from many well-known names in Ricardian circles and range  from the serious to the humorous. Editor is Alex Marchant, author of  THE ORDER OF THE WHITE BOAR series and the cover is a fabulous piece by Finnish artist Riikka Katajisto.

List of contributors are as follows:

Narrelle M. Harris

Wendy Johnson

Riikka Katajisto

Susan Kokomo Lamb (one-half of Larner & Lamb!)

Joanne R. Larner (the other half of Larner & Lamb!)

Matthew Lewis

Máire Martello

Frances Quinn

J. P. Reedman

Marla Skidmore

Richard Unwin

Jennifer C. Wilson

So.. something  good…

33 more words