D.W. Wilkin's Blog, page 145
March 22, 2015
Rules for better writing from Genghis Khan
The Rules for Writers
Those who follow me for a long time know that I also write in other fields aside from Regency Romance and the historical novels I do.
A little while ago, before the end of 2011 and the 2011 NaNoWriMo, (where I wrote the first draft of another Regency) I started work on a project about writing.
The premise was what one should think about when starting and working on a project. I came up with 10 rules to follow in a quest to become a writer and tackle that novel.
Here are The 10 Rules:
1) Read like a writer
2) Have a good story
3) Your work will be Thematic
4) Plot: The seven deadly ones
5) Characters will carry your tale, near and far
6) Words are your warriors
7) Stories are structured
8) All tales building to a Crescendo
9) Genghis edits history, shouldn���t you as well
10) Act like a writer
So it is now released. For $4.99 you can get this treatise on honing your skills.
Barnes and Noble for your Nook
Genghis Khan came from the Steppes of Mongolia, a family torn apart by neighboring tribes, to unite those tribes, or defeat them, and then conquer the greater part of the known world. His heirs would continue his conquest right to the edge of western society. The world feared the Mongols, and Genghis. Now, you can benefit, as a writer from the lessons he has to impart on how, with the changing world of publishing, you can perfect your work and write not only good material for this new age of book publishing. But can write great work for this new age. 10 simple lessons, and you will be on your way to conquering the bookshelves of the 21st century. This short book will have you learning all you really need to know to elevate your writing to the next level. These simple lessons will start you on the road to better writing as a member of the Horde in no time.
Feedback
If you have any commentary, thoughts, ideas about the book (especially if you buy it, read it and like it ;-) then we would love to hear from you.
March 21, 2015
Regency Personalities Series-General Sir George Cooke
Regency Personalities Series
In my attempts to provide us with the details of the Regency, today I continue with one of the��many period notables.
General Sir George Cooke
1768 – 3 February 1837
General Sir George Cooke
He was the son and heir of George John Cooke of Harefield, Middlesex, grandson of George Cooke, and great-grandson of Sir George Cooke of Harefield, prothonotary of the court of common pleas. His sister Penelope Anne married Robert Brudenell, sixth earl of Cardigan, and was the mother of James Thomas Brudenell, seventh earl.
Cooke was educated at Harrow, and at Caen in Normandy. He was appointed ensign in the 10th foot guards in 1784 and lieutenant and captain in 1792. In March 1794 he joined the flank battalion of the guards in Flanders, and in June was appointed aide-de-camp to Major-general (Sir) Samuel Hulse.
He was present when the combined armies took the field and attacked the French posts in April; in the actions of 17 and 18 May, and at the affair at Boxtel on 15 Sept. In 1795 he joined the brigade of guards at Darley camp and became aide-de-camp to Major-general Edmund Stevens. In 1798 he was promoted to be captain and lieutenant-colonel in his regiment, and in August 1799 he went with it to Holland. He was present in the action at the Zuype on 10 Sept., and in the battle on 19 Sept., when he was severely wounded.
From 1803 until the spring of 1805 he held the post of assistant adjutant-general to the north-west district. In 1806 he went to Sicily, returning to England in December 1807. On 25 April 1808 he received the brevet rank of colonel, and in July 1809 he was employed in the expedition to the Schelde, whence he returned sick in September.
In April 1811 he went to Cadiz, and on 4 June attained the rank of major-general and succeeded to the command of the troops stationed there, which he retained until his return to England in July 1813. In November he went to Holland with the brigade of guards. He commanded the first division of the guards at Waterloo, and lost his right arm in the battle. He was appointed K.C.B. on 22 June 1815, and colonel of the 77th foot on the following day. He also received for his share in the engagement the insignia of the third class of the order of St. George of Russia and of the third class of the order of Wilhelm of the Netherlands.
On 20 Oct. 1819 he was appointed lieutenant-governor of Portsmouth, a post which he resigned a few years later. On 19 July 1821 he obtained the rank of lieutenant-general, and on 23 Dec. 1834 he was transferred to the command of the 40th regiment.
He died, unmarried, in Harefield Park, 3 February 1837.
And Coming on April 1st, 2015
Beaux Ballrooms and Battles anthology, celebrating the 200th anniversary of the victory at Waterloo in story.
Looks good, huh? The talented writer and digital artist, Aileen Fish created this.
It will be available digitally for $.99 and then after a short period of time sell for the regular price of $4.99
The Trade Paperback version will sell for $12.99
My story in the anthology is entitled: Not a Close Run Thing at All, which of course is a play on the famous misquote attributed to Arthur Wellesley, ���a damn close-run thing��� which really was ���It has been a damned nice thing ��� the nearest run thing you ever saw in your life.���
Samantha, Lady Worcester had thought love was over for her, much like the war should have been. The Bastille had fallen shortly after she had been born. Her entire life the French and their Revolution had affected her and all whom she knew. Even to having determined who she married, though her husband now had been dead and buried these eight years.
Yet now Robert Barnes, a major-general in command of one of Wellington���s brigades, had appeared before her, years since he had been forgotten and dismissed. The man she had once loved, but because he had only been a captain with no fortune, her father had shown him the door.
With a battle at hand, she could not let down the defenses that surrounded her heart. Could she?
As her father���s hostess, she had travelled with him to Brussels where he served with the British delegation. Duty had taken her that night to the Duchess of Richmond���s ball. The last man she ever expected to see was Robert, who as a young captain of few prospects, had offered for her, only to be turned out by her father so that she could make an alliance with a much older, and better positioned (wealthy), aristocrat.Now, their forces were sure to engage Napoleon and the resurgent Grande Arm��e. Meeting Robert again just before he was to be pulled into such a horrific maelstrom surely was Fate���s cruelest trick ever. A fate her heart could not possibly withstand.
An Unofficial Guide to how to win the Scenarios of Soaked the 1st Expansion for Rollercoaster Tycoon 3
An Unofficial Guide to how to win the Scenarios of Soaked
I have been a fan of this series of computer games since early in its release of the very first game. That game was done by one programmer, Chris Sawyer, and it was the first I recall of an internet hit. Websites were put up in dedication to this game where people showed off their creations, based on real amusement parks. These sites were funded by individuals, an expense that was not necessarily as cheap then as it is now. Nor as easy to program then as it might be to build a web page now.
Prima Books released game guides for each iteration of the game, Rollercoaster Tycoon 1, Rollercoaster Tycoon 2 and Rollercoaster Tycoon 3 (RCT3) but not for the expansion sets. And unlike the first two works, the third guide was riddle with incorrect solutions. As I played the game that frustrated me. And I took to the forums that Atari, the game publisher hosted to see if I could find a way to solve those scenarios that the Prima Guide had written up in error. Not finding any good advice, I created my own for the scenarios that the ���Official��� Guide had gotten wrong.
Solutions that if you followed my advice you would win the scenario and move on. But if you followed the ���Official��� version you would fail and not be able to complete the game. My style and format being different than the folks at Prima, I continued for all the Scenarios that they had gotten right as well, though my solutions cut to the chase and got you to the winner���s circle more quickly, more directly.
My contributions to the ���Official��� Forum, got me a place as a playtester for both expansions to the game, Soaked and Wild. And for each of these games, I wrote the guides during the play testing phase so all the play testers could solve the scenarios, and then once again after the official release to make changes in the formula in case our aiding to perfect the game had changed matters. For this, Atari and Frontier (the actual programmers of the game) placed me within the game itself.
And for the longest time, these have been free at the ���Official��� Forums, as well as my own website dedicated to the game. But a short time ago, I noticed that Atari, after one of its bankruptcies had deleted their forums. So now I am releasing the Guide for one and all. I have added new material and it is near 100 pages, just for the first of the three games. It is available for the Kindle at present for $2.99.
(Click on the picture to purchase)
Not only are all 9 Scenarios covered, but there are sections covering every Cheat Code, Custom Scenery, the famous Small Park Competition, the Advanced Fireworks Editor, the Flying Camera Route Editor which are all the techniques every amusement park designer needs to make a fantastic park in Rollercoaster Tycoon 3.
Scenarios for Soaked!
1) Captain Blackheart’s Cove
2) Oasis of Fun
3) Lost Atlantis
4) Monster Lake
5) Fountain of Youth
6) World of the Sea
7) Treasure Island
8) Mountain Spring
9) Castaway Getaway
March 20, 2015
Beaux, Ballrooms, and Battles -Author Interview Series Heather King
Today we have an author interview from my latest work, Beaux Ballrooms and Battles anthology.
It will be available digitally for $.99 and then after a short period of time sell for the regular price of $4.99
The Trade Paperback version will sell for $12.99
Today we are fortunate to have with us Heather King, who writes in two genres, Regency Romance and Paranormal Romance. Though we want to hear of her historical work in the Regency.
1) What moved you to become an author?
I have written and made up stories since I was a small child. I was ��� and still am ��� a dreamer and would spend hours lost in a world inside my head! When I was about seven, I won a third prize for a story I had written at school and I continued from there. My first real novel came about when the Foot and Mouth crisis prevented me from working, but actually believing I could be a writer was another matter. There are times when I���m not sure I truly believe it yet.
2) How did you find out about the Waterloo project?
Susana Ellis put out a call for interested authors in one of the groups I am in on Facebook. We were already friends and I thought it was a wonderful opportunity to work with other, more experienced writers and extend my author profile.
3) Can you tell us some of the things that attracted you to writing a piece on the anniversary of this famous battle?
Since I am English, it is one of my country���s greatest successes and I thought it would be wonderful to do something to celebrate the bicentenary. I have always loved horses ��� when ���knee high to a grasshopper���, I used to ���groom��� the family dog and ���tack her up��� with a cushion and a belt! The Duke of Wellington���s horse, Copenhagen, is one of a host of famous horses that has fascinated me from those early days. The story of the battle is shrouded in romance, so it was the perfect setting for my style of writing.
4) Tell us about your current story in the anthology.
My story is set around a true event involving Copenhagen. Entitled ���Copenhagen���s Last Charge���, it brings together Meg Lacy ��� newly arrived from England to join her Major-General father, Sir Vincent ��� and a young lieutenant, James Cooper, who isn���t all he seems. Thrown together in unexpected fashion, their bickering hides a growing attraction, but when James fails to uphold Meg���s role in their undertaking, their relationship appears doomed.
5) How did the story begin to develop in your mind?
I had the basic premise in the historical fact I had discovered, so it was a question of fleshing out the story around that core. I had almost finished the novella by the time James condescended to tell me his name. Until then, he had been ���the Lieutenant���! While walking the dog and feeding the animals I mulled over the likely problems to arise from my central thread and then when I began to write, having decided to begin with the Duchess of Richmond���s ball, the story started to take shape.
6) What did you find most challenging about this story?
Getting it written in time! It was part written when I had to put it to one side to work on other commitments. Then Christmas was approaching fast and suddenly I found time was running out. A good deal of midnight oil was burned in the process of getting it finished!
7) Tell us a little about yourself?
I am English, as I���ve already said. I was born in Leicestershire, have lived in Lancashire and now reside in the Wilds of Herefordshire/Worcestershire. I love the smells of cooking bacon, baking bread and new-mown hay. I don���t often drink alcohol, but I love a good cup of tea! My favourite equine discipline is dressage and my special horse (they have all been special in their own ways, but there was one on whom I achieved most success) once won me a mark of nine out of ten for my final centre line in a test. That was a wonderful feeling.
I���ve always preferred the past to the present and can go off into another world quite easily, to the point of not hearing someone speak to me. I hate confrontation, unpleasantness and being used by others. I have a somewhat quirky sense of humour.
8) What is your next work, and beyond that, what do you want to work on.
I have just released my second Regency novel, An Improper Marriage. The publisher of my debut novel, A Sense of the Ridiculous, has recently closed down, so I shall be re-editing and reissuing it under a new cover, the intention being to have that ready at the same time as the anthology. Through my involvement in Beaux, Ballrooms and Battles, I was asked to join another collection and am thus due to submit a second Regency novella in June; I have a non-fiction book, on writing about horses in historical novels, to be polished and also a Shape Shifter novel I am very excited about to get ready for publication. The latter will probably be released under my alter ego, Vandalia Black���s banner. No peace for the wicked! I also have a Regency novel that is very close to my heart and which will hopefully be my next full-length release in that genre. It is the one my late mother both inspired and enjoyed.
9) In the Waterloo Shorty Story, is there an excerpt to share? Your favorite scene, a part of your life that you put into the work and think it came out exceptionally well that you would like to share.
I enjoyed writing this story very much, particularly the interplay between Meg and James. Many authors of historical novels make mistakes when it comes to horses. I like to think that in this excerpt all the characters come to life, not just the human ones.
The black gelding was standing with his near-side hind leg raised fetlock height from the ground. He flinched visibly when Cooper ran his hand down the limb. The lieutenant straightened, the heavy frown once more in place.
���He has strained his hock, by the looks of it. Of all the cursed luck. However will I come up with that crazy stallion now?���
���You must take my horse, Lieutenant. I am sure there must be some form of transport to be had, a hackney cab of some description������
���This is not London, Miss Lacy. I cannot abandon you. It is not far to the fountain. I shall accompany you on foot. If we do not find him there, then we will have to reconsider. Allow me to assist you to mount.���
He tossed her efficiently into the saddle, his demeanour revealing nothing of what had passed between them earlier. Meg could only be thankful, although a small, wilful part of her was piqued that he could so quickly recover.
He jogged beside her as she trotted along and, strangely, it seemed the most natural thing in the world. In a very few minutes, they approached another intersecting street, although it was smaller than the last. On the corner stood an ornately carved stone fountain and there, to Meg���s intense relief, was the powerful chestnut horse, splashing his nose in the basin beneath and playfully shaking his head so that droplets of water sprayed everywhere, much to the amusement of a crowd of onlookers.
Meg reached down and touched Cooper on his navy shoulder below the striking yellow epaulettes.
���Lift me down, please, Lieutenant. Do not make any sudden moves, I implore you.���
He complied with her request and if his hands lingered at her waist a fraction longer than necessary, then she could not find it in her to chastise him. For every second he was close to her, she had the oddest compulsion to lean against him again ��� and the strangest notion that, for all his brusqueness, there was something about this man which fascinated her. It was a fascination she must guard against.
From the pocket of her peacock-blue pelisse, she produced a truncated carrot and knew a flare of satisfaction when his face registered his surprise.
���Where did you acquire that? I confess I am constantly discovering new things to admire about you, Miss Lacy!���
She permitted herself a small smile of triumph. ���When you were settling with the costermonger, I offered the urchin a penny for one of those he had purloined.���
���Consorting with criminals, eh? I am deeply shocked,��� he responded, sounding anything but. ���You will take care, will you not? He can be a devil at times, begging your pardon.���
���I do not believe he will do me any harm. It has always seemed to me, that with the exception of his Grace, it is men that Copenhagen dislikes. May I have your pocket knife?���
He handed over the implement, which to a soldier was many things: cutlery, scissors, awl, nail file and, on occasion, even a hoof pick. She quickly cut the carrot into slices lengthways, wiped the knife on her pelisse and handed it back.
���You have done that before,��� he observed.
���Oh, many times. As a child I was wont to walk down to the fields and feed my father���s hunters.���
���Where is your father���s estate?���
���You are very bold, Lieutenant, when we are yet to be properly introduced.��� She tried to sound stern, but could not keep the smile from her tone.
������Tis true,��� he answered, shaking his head. ���I am a sad reprobate, I fear.���
She dipped her eyelids, so that he might not see her enjoyment of this unforeseen side to his character.
���I believe you are correct, sir, but I shall indulge your curiosity on this occasion. My father���s estate, which is a modest parcel of land, lies in the county of Oxford. Now, if you will be so kind as to hold my horse������
Without waiting for an answer, she walked slowly towards Copenhagen. He turned his head at her approach, water dripping from his muzzle. The warm sunshine turned the beads of moisture clinging to his whiskers into jewels of brilliant colour. His neck was soaked with sweat to a deeper shade of red-brown and his nostrils were flared, revealing deep pink membranes within.
���Good boy,��� she murmured, keeping her hands behind her back. ���You have led us a merry dance, have you not? It is time to come home to your stable, sir.��� Continuing to croon softly, she edged nearer, stopping the instant the horse showed signs of flight. He stepped backwards, shifting his quarters as though intent on escape, and lifted his head higher. ���If you continue in this foolish manner, you will slip and lame yourself, you know, like the lieutenant���s poor horse. Be sensible, silly boy.���
She slowly brought her hand from behind her back and proffered a slice of carrot, her hand flat. Copenhagen whiffled through his nose, his nostrils quivering as he scented the root. Meg braved another step and then another. The stallion stretched his neck forward towards the tidbit.
���Oh, no, sir,��� she chided. ���You may have it when you permit me to catch you. If I allow you a slice now, you will take it and be off, will you not?��� She spoke the words in a sing-song manner, as her father���s groom had taught her many long years ago. Copenhagen dropped his head and snorted.
10) Who do you think influenced your writing, this work, and who do you think you write like?
In my early teens, I discovered the Regency novels of Georgette Heyer and the delightful, witty dialogue, the sense of fun and adventure, and sentence structure have all influenced me. The glorious stories by Elizabeth Chadwick have inspired me to find expressive ways of describing scenes and emotions. The wonderful writing workshops run by Sue Johnson have helped me to grow and expand my horizons as a writer.
Copenhagen���s Last Charge was triggered by the snippet of historical information I discovered while doing my research and the horsewoman in me at once took over. I think the ���who��� in this question is a ���they���, since all the horses and ponies I have owned, loved and worked with have played their part in my knowledge and understanding of the equine species.
I have my own voice when I write and do not aim, as such, to be like any other writer. That said, I should very much like to be thought to uphold the traditions of the Regency genre as laid down by Georgette Heyer (if for a modern audience) and thus follow, with tiny steps, in her magnificent wake.
11) Who do you read? What are the things that a reader can identify with that you have grounded yourself in.
Between working the ���day job���, walking my dog and caring for the family, which also includes two ponies and three cats, my days are pretty full! I don���t read as much as I would like to, but when I do have time, apart from revisiting old favourites from my Heyer collection, I love Elizabeth Chadwick, Barbara Erskine, the Poldark Series by Winston Graham, Jane Austen, JR Ward (the original Black Dagger Brotherhood series), Christine Feehan, Kerri Arthur and any well-written Regency Romance. There are many more I have yet to discover!
12) When writing, what is your routine?
Family and the animals come first! On a non-working day, if I am in the middle of a novel, I will re-read the last few paragraphs to get back to where I was when I stopped and hopefully that will trigger the creative juices. When I am between novels, as now, I usually have a list of tasks to complete and it is a question of working through them. If I am starting a new project that is longer than a short story, I often do a plot sheet. On a large piece of paper, I jot down ideas for scenes, conflicts, problems, plot twists etc., going off at tangents (with arrows) when ideas occur. I find pictures of my hero, heroine and other important characters, as well as settings. I also do a profile for each main character, so that I have an idea of their personalities before I begin to write, although this often changes when they tell me I���ve got it completely wrong!
I tend to write from beginning to end, as you would read a book, so my characters lead me through their story, rather than being driven by any heavy-handed, initial analysis on my part.
13) Do you think of yourself as an artist, or as a craftsman, a blend of both?
Neither, actually! I am just someone who enjoys creating a world where the nasties of modern life cannot enter. I write stories I would enjoy reading and I hope they immerse readers in that world and allow them to escape from reality for just a short while. I like to describe the settings, clothes and food, to give my readers a full picture of the world my characters inhabit, as well as a few tidbits of historical information along the way. I believe a story should flow, carrying the reader from one chapter to the next until they come to the sometimes humorous, but always satisfying finale.
14) Where should we look for your work.
An Improper Marriage
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Improper-Marriage-Heather-King-ebook/dp/B00TP1ZE4C/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
http://www.amazon.com/Improper-Marriage-Heather-King-ebook/dp/B00TP1ZE4C/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
An Improper Marriage is currently only available in E-book, but will shortly also be out in paperback.
A Sense of the Ridiculous 
(At the moment. On sale at Musa Publishing)
http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=618
Kindle from http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00I04PYPE
http://www.amazon.com/A-Sense-Ridiculous-Heather-King-ebook/dp/B00GCTZAPI
http://www.amazon.co.uk/A-Sense-Ridiculous-Heather-King-ebook/dp/B00GCTZAPI,
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-sense-of-the-ridiculous-heather-king/1117301394?ean=2940148144618��
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-asenseoftheridiculous-1343258-162.html������������
http://www.bookstrand.com/a-sense-of-the-ridiculous
http://www.easons.com/p-2713793-a-sense-of-the-ridiculous.aspx
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18932247-a-sense-of-the-ridiculous��
http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/A_Sense_of_the_Ridiculous.html?id=H5pNngEACAAJ&redir_esc=y��
http://prod-www.kobobooks.com/ebook/A-Sense-of-the-Ridiculous/book-K6BaNBLOiEG2Yd4B098llQ/page1.html��
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/373203
Vampires Don���t Drink Coffee And Other Stories 
Paperback and E-book, Amazon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vampires-Drink-Coffee-Other-Stories/dp/1500219096/ref=sr_1_13?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406294881&sr=1-13&keywords=vampires+romance+short+stories+anthology
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vampires-Drink-Coffee-Other-Stories-ebook/dp/B00N05GXZI/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-13&qid=1406294881
http://www.amazon.com/Vampires-Drink-Coffee-Other-Stories/dp/1500219096/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1406297421&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=vandalia+black+vampires+short+stories+anthology
http://www.amazon.com/Vampires-Drink-Coffee-Other-Stories-ebook/dp/B00N05GXZI/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-1-catcorr&qid=1406297421
��
SOCIAL MEDIA
Blog: http://regency-writer-hking.blogspot.co.uk
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Email: heather.king.author@gmail.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomheatherkinguk
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00I04PYPE
Regency Personalities Series-Charles Lennox 4th Duke of Richmond
Regency Personalities Series
In my attempts to provide us with the details of the Regency, today I continue with one of the��many period notables.
Charles Lennox 4th Duke of Richmond
December 9 1764 – August 28 1819
(Note that we profiled the Duke previously in May of 2013)
Charles Lennox
Richmond was born to of General Lord George Lennox, the younger son of Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond, and Lady Louisa, daughter of William Kerr, 4th Marquess of Lothian.
Richmond was a keen cricketer. He was an accomplished right-hand bat and a noted wicket-keeper. He was a founding member of the Marylebone Cricket Club. In 1786, with the Earl of Winchilsea, Richmond offered Thomas Lord a guarantee against any losses Lord might suffer on starting a new cricket ground. This led to Lord opening his cricket ground in 1787. Lennox��� and Winchilsea���s guarantee provided the genesis of the best-known cricket ground in the world, the Home of Cricket. Nearly always listed as the Hon. Colonel Charles Lennox, Lennox had 55 recorded first-class appearances from 1784 to 1800 and played a few more games after that.
Richmond became a British Army captain at 23 in 1787. In 1789, while a colonel in the Duke of York���s regiment, he was involved in a duel with Prince Frederick, Duke of York. At Wimbledon Common, Lennox fired, but his ball ���grazed his Royal Highness���s curl���; the Royal Duke did not fire. Colonel Lennox shortly after exchanged for a commission of Lieutenant-Colonel in the 35th. Later the same year, he was involved in another duel, with Theophilus Swift, Esq. They met and Swift was wounded in the body, but recovered.
Later that year he married Lady Charlotte Gordon. In 1794 and 1795 he participated in naval engagements against the French in the West Indies and Gibraltar. He was sent home when he came into conflict with his superiors. He was also MP for Sussex, succeeding his father, from 1790 until he succeeded to the dukedom.
He became the 4th Duke of Richmond on 29 December 1806, after the death of his uncle, Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond. In April 1807 he became Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. He remained in that post until 1813, with Arthur Wellesley as his secretary. He participated in the Napoleonic Wars and in 1815 he was in command of a reserve force in Brussels. On 15 June, the night before the Battle of Quatre Bras, his wife held a ball for his fellow officers. Although he observed the battle the next day, as well as Waterloo on 18 June, he did not participate in either.
In 1818 he was appointed Governor General of British North America. During the summer of 1819 Richmond undertook an extensive tour of Upper and Lower Canada. At William Henry (Sorel, Que.) he was bitten on the hand by a fox. The injury apparently healed, and he continued to York (Toronto) and Niagara (Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.), even examining military sites as far distant as Drummond Island. Returning to Kingston, he planned a leisurely visit to the settlements on the Rideau. During this part of the journey the first symptoms of hydrophobia appeared. The disease developed rapidly and on 28 August he died in extreme agony in a barn a few miles from a settlement that had been named in his honour. Some accounts suggest that the duke had been bitten by a dog; stronger contemporary evidence, however, supports the view that he had received the rabies infection from a fox. Richmond���s body was brought back to Quebec, where on 4 September he was buried in the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity.
Richmond had fourteen children:
Charles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond.
Lady Mary Lennox, married Sir Charles Fitzroy.
Lt.-Col. Lord John George Lennox, married Louisa Rodney and had issue.
Lady Sarah Lennox, married Peregrine Maitland.
Lady Georgiana Lennox, married William FitzGerald-de Ros, 23rd Baron de Ros.
Lord Henry Adam Lennox.
Lord William Pitt Lennox, married first Mary Anne Paton & 2nd Ellen Smith.
Lady Jane Lennox, married Laurence Peel..
Captain Lord Frederick Lennox.
Lord Sussex Lennox, married Hon. Mary Lawless.
Lady Louisa Maddelena Lennox, married Rt. Hon. William Tighe.
Lady Charlotte Lennox, married Maurice Berkeley, 1st Baron FitzHardinge of Bristol.
Lt.-Col. Lord Arthur Lennox, married Adelaide Campbell.
Lady Sophia Georgiana Lennox, married Lord Thomas Cecil.
And Coming on April 1st, 2015
Beaux Ballrooms and Battles anthology, celebrating the 200th anniversary of the victory at Waterloo in story.
Looks good, huh? The talented writer and digital artist, Aileen Fish created this.
It will be available digitally for $.99 and then after a short period of time sell for the regular price of $4.99
The Trade Paperback version will sell for $12.99
My story in the anthology is entitled: Not a Close Run Thing at All, which of course is a play on the famous misquote attributed to Arthur Wellesley, ���a damn close-run thing��� which really was ���It has been a damned nice thing ��� the nearest run thing you ever saw in your life.���
Samantha, Lady Worcester had thought love was over for her, much like the war should have been. The Bastille had fallen shortly after she had been born. Her entire life the French and their Revolution had affected her and all whom she knew. Even to having determined who she married, though her husband now had been dead and buried these eight years.
Yet now Robert Barnes, a major-general in command of one of Wellington���s brigades, had appeared before her, years since he had been forgotten and dismissed. The man she had once loved, but because he had only been a captain with no fortune, her father had shown him the door.
With a battle at hand, she could not let down the defenses that surrounded her heart. Could she?
As her father���s hostess, she had travelled with him to Brussels where he served with the British delegation. Duty had taken her that night to the Duchess of Richmond���s ball. The last man she ever expected to see was Robert, who as a young captain of few prospects, had offered for her, only to be turned out by her father so that she could make an alliance with a much older, and better positioned (wealthy), aristocrat.Now, their forces were sure to engage Napoleon and the resurgent Grande Arm��e. Meeting Robert again just before he was to be pulled into such a horrific maelstrom surely was Fate���s cruelest trick ever. A fate her heart could not possibly withstand.
Two Peas in A Pod, A Regency Romance
Two Peas in a Pod has now passed the exclusivity to Amazon test and is available in wider release, electronically (digitally) for other readers now. We sold a few copies on Amazon but nothing to warrant an exclusivity period. Amazon is too big and too full of itself.
Two Peas in a Pod is still available as a Trade paperback click here to order Regency Assembly Press.
$3.99 for an electronic copy. The Trade Paperback, due to publishing costs and the cut that Amazon takes continue to see a Trade Paperback costing $15.99 (The much hyped royalties that we writers are supposed to get is nowhere near what the news reports say. Most of that price is taken by Amazon.)
iBookstore (These are my books
and still at Amazon
Here is a picture, which of course you can click on to go fetch the book:
Love is something that can not be fostered by deceit even should one���s eyes betray one���s heart.
Two brothers that are so close in appearance that only a handful have ever been able to tell them apart. The Earl of Kent, Percival Francis Michael Coldwell is only older than his brother, Peregrine Maxim Frederick Coldwell by 17 minutes. They may have looked as each other, but that masked how they were truthfully quite opposite to one another.
For Percy, his personality was one that he was quite comfortable with and more than happy to let Perry be of a serious nature. At least until he met Veronica Hamilton, the daughter of Baron Hamilton of Leith. She was only interested in a man who was serious.
Once more, Peregrine is obliged to help his older brother by taking his place, that the Earl may woo the young lady who has captured his heart. That is, until there is one who captures Peregrine���s heart as well.
There is a visual guide to Two Peas in a Pod 
as well at Pinterest and a blog post here.
March 19, 2015
The Masqueraders Chocolate House, an Anthology where all proceeds go to charity
Today, I and five others are releasing the first in what could turn out to be a few, an anthology centered around Bath of the Georgian and Regency period.
The Chocolate House
All For Love
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Our Authors are noted and award winning storytellers in the genre of Georgian and Regency era Historical Novels:
David W Wilkin
Francine Howarth
Giselle Marks
Jessica Schira
Susan Ruth
Elizabeth Bailey
A Sensual blend of Chocolate, Romance, Murder & Mystery at “Masqueraders”.
The beautiful City of Bath, famous for its Roman Spa, its Abbey, its Pump Room & Assembly Rooms, and Sally Lunn���s bun shop, is a place made famous within the literary world by the likes of Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer, and other authors of Georgian and Regency historical novels. Thus Bath is renowned as a place for intrigue and romance, but few readers will have stepped across the threshold of Masqueraders���, a notorious and fashionable Chocolate House, that existed within the city from 1700 to the latter part of the reign of William IV. What happened to it thereafter, no one knows, for sure. Nor does anyone know why Sally Lunn���s bun shop disappeared for decades until it was rediscovered.
So it could be said, essence of chocolate drifting on the ether denotes where the seemingly mystical Masqueraders��� once existed, and it is that spiritual essence that has brought authors together from around the globe, to pen a delightful collection of Georgian & Regency romances, that are, all, in some way, linked to The Chocolate House. We sincerely hope you will enjoy the individual stories, and be assured all the royalties earned will be donated to Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London.
The stories:
A Rose by Any Other ��� Giselle Marks.
A Fatal Connection ��� Elizabeth Bailey
The Runaway Duchess ��� Francine Howarth
Death at the Chocolate House ��� Susan Ruth
A-Pig-in-a-Poke ��� Jessica Schira
A Little Chocolate in the Morning ��� David W. Wilkin.
My story (As the author and owner of this Blog, I feel I can tell you more) is the story of Charles Watkins the Marquis of Rockford (for those who want the nitty gritty, ask and we can discuss the very specific creation of name details that went into this) who has recently come into his title and estates, his father dying just about a year before. Now he is to return to London after his mourning is over to use his seat in the House of Lords in aid of the war against Napoleon. He is not in Town to seek a bride though the dowager Marchioness should like that he attain one.
No, certainly not the schoolmate of his younger sister Emma, Lady Caroline Williamson, the daughter of the Earl of Feversham. A girl as young and silly as his sister, he would never wed, and certainly not fall in love with. But rescuing her from the clutches of a man who was old enough to be his own grandfather, that he could do with ease, and perhaps Panache.
Available at Amazon Digitally for your Kindle or Physically in Trade Paperback
Regency Personalities Series-General Baron Hugh Halkett
Regency Personalities Series
In my attempts to provide us with the details of the Regency, today I continue with one of the��many period notables.
General Baron Hugh Halkett
30 August 1783 – 26 July 1863
Hugh Halkett
General Baron Hugh Halkett was born in Musselburgh, Scotland. He was second son of Major-General F. G. Halkett and brother of Lieutenant General Colin Halkett.
From 1798 to 1801, Halkett served in India in the Scottish Brigade, which his father had been instrumental in raising. In 1803 as senior captain, he joined the 2nd Light Infantry Battalion of the newly formed King’s German Legion (KGL), which was under the command of his brother Colin. The 2nd Light were involved in the Cathcart’s expeditions to Hanover, R��gen and Copenhagen. During this time he was promoted to major and his bold initiative on outpost duty won a commendation.
From 1808 until 1813 Halkett fought in the Peninsular War, except in 1809 when he took part in the Walcheren Expedition. He fought at the Battle of Albuera in Charles Alten’s independent KGL brigade. When his brother was promoted to lead the brigade, Halkett took over command of the 2nd Light Infantry Battalion, KGL. At the Battle of Salamanca, his battalion fought in John Hope’s 7th Division. In the Siege of Burgos campaign, he distinguished himself at the Battle of Venta del Pozo. In 1813 he joined the new Hanoverian army. At the Battle of G��hrde he led a brigade of Hanoverian troops in Count Wallmoden’s army. He captured a Danish standard at the action of Sehestedt.
At the Battle of Waterloo, Halkett commanded four battalions of Hanoverian landwehr (militia), which were sent to the front with the regulars. These units were organised into the 3rd Hanoverian Brigade of Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton’s 2nd Division. Halkett’s brigade was held in reserve on the right flank for most of the battle. After the defeat of Napoleon’s Imperial Guard, the Duke of Wellington sent Halkett to pursue the disintegrating French forces. He is remembered for capturing General Cambronne while his Osnabr��ck Battalion engaged the French Imperial Guard.
After Waterloo, Halkett stayed in the Hanoverian service. He rose to be a general and inspector-general of infantry. He led a Federal Army Corps in the First War of Schleswig (also known as the Prussian-Danish War of 1848), and defeated the Danes at the Battle of Oeversee, a rear-guard action at Sankelmark.
Halkett held many foreign orders, including the Prussian Order of the Black Eagle, the Pour le M��rite and the Russian St. Anne. In 1862, he was ennobled (heritable) to a Freiherr (Baron) by King George V of Hanover.
And Coming on April 1st, 2015
Beaux Ballrooms and Battles anthology, celebrating the 200th anniversary of the victory at Waterloo in story.
Looks good, huh? The talented writer and digital artist, Aileen Fish created this.
It will be available digitally for $.99 and then after a short period of time sell for the regular price of $4.99
The Trade Paperback version will sell for $12.99
My story in the anthology is entitled: Not a Close Run Thing at All, which of course is a play on the famous misquote attributed to Arthur Wellesley, ���a damn close-run thing��� which really was ���It has been a damned nice thing ��� the nearest run thing you ever saw in your life.���
Samantha, Lady Worcester had thought love was over for her, much like the war should have been. The Bastille had fallen shortly after she had been born. Her entire life the French and their Revolution had affected her and all whom she knew. Even to having determined who she married, though her husband now had been dead and buried these eight years.
Yet now Robert Barnes, a major-general in command of one of Wellington���s brigades, had appeared before her, years since he had been forgotten and dismissed. The man she had once loved, but because he had only been a captain with no fortune, her father had shown him the door.
With a battle at hand, she could not let down the defenses that surrounded her heart. Could she?
As her father���s hostess, she had travelled with him to Brussels where he served with the British delegation. Duty had taken her that night to the Duchess of Richmond���s ball. The last man she ever expected to see was Robert, who as a young captain of few prospects, had offered for her, only to be turned out by her father so that she could make an alliance with a much older, and better positioned (wealthy), aristocrat.Now, their forces were sure to engage Napoleon and the resurgent Grande Arm��e. Meeting Robert again just before he was to be pulled into such a horrific maelstrom surely was Fate���s cruelest trick ever. A fate her heart could not possibly withstand.
A Trolling we Will Go Omnibus: The first three Fantasy stories of Humphrey and Gwendolyn
A Trolling We Will Go Omnibus:The Early Years Not only do I write Regency and Romance, but I also have delved into Fantasy.
The Trolling series, (the first three are in print) is the story of a man, Humphrey. We meet him as he has left youth and become a man with a man���s responsibilities.
We follow him in a series of stories that encompass the stages of life. We see him when he starts his family, when he has older sons and the father son dynamic is tested.
We see him when his children begin to marry and have children, and at the end of his life when those he has loved, and those who were his friends proceed him over the threshold into death.
All this while he serves a kingdom troubled by monsters. Troubles that he and his friends will learn to deal with and rectify.
Here are the first three books together as one longer novel.
A Trolling We Will Go, Trolling Down to Old Mah Wee and Trolling���s Pass and Present.
Available in a variety of formats.
For $6.99 you can get this fantasy adventure.
Barnes and Noble for your Nook
The stories of Humphrey and Gwendolyn. Published separately in: A Trolling we Will Go, Trolling Down to Old Mah Wee and Trollings Pass and Present.
These are the tales of how a simple Woodcutter and an overly educated girl help save the kingdom without a king from an ancient evil. Long forgotten is the way to fight the Trolls.
Beasts that breed faster than rabbits it seems, and when they decide to migrate to the lands of humans, their seeming invulnerability spell doom for all in the kingdom of Torahn. Not only Torahn but all the human kingdoms that border the great mountains that divide the continent.
Feedback
If you have any commentary, thoughts, ideas about the book (especially if you buy it, read it and like it ;-) then we would love to hear from you.
March 18, 2015
WATERLOO Anthology Cover Reveal
Today we have the reveal of the cover of my latest work, a short story in the Beaux Ballrooms and Battles anthology. The Facebook event is ongoing between Noon and 9 Eastern time. I start hosting at 1 Eastern time for a half hour.
Looks good, huh? The talented writer and digital artist, Aileen Fish created this.
It will be available digitally for $.99 and then after a short period of time sell for the regular price of $4.99
The Trade Paperback version will sell for $12.99
My story in the anthology is entitled: Not a Close Run Thing at All, which of course is a play on the famous misquote attributed to Arthur Wellesley, ���a damn close-run thing��� which really was ���It has been a damned nice thing ��� the nearest run thing you ever saw in your life.���
Samantha, Lady Worcester had thought love was over for her, much like the war should have been. The Bastille had fallen shortly after she had been born. Her entire life the French and their Revolution had affected her and all whom she knew. Even to having determined who she married, though her husband now had been dead and buried these eight years.
Yet now Robert Barnes, a major-general in command of one of Wellington���s brigades, had appeared before her, years since he had been forgotten and dismissed. The man she had once loved, but because he had only been a captain with no fortune, her father had shown him the door.
With a battle at hand, she could not let down the defenses that surrounded her heart. Could she?
As her father���s hostess, she had travelled with him to Brussels where he served with the British delegation. Duty had taken her that night to the Duchess of Richmond���s ball. The last man she ever expected to see was Robert, who as a young captain of few prospects, had offered for her, only to be turned out by her father so that she could make an alliance with a much older, and better positioned (wealthy), aristocrat.Now, their forces were sure to engage Napoleon and the resurgent Grande Arm��e. Meeting Robert again just before he was to be pulled into such a horrific maelstrom surely was Fate���s cruelest trick ever. A fate her heart could not possibly withstand.
