John Wilson's Blog, page 10

eBOOKS—new title

An old man sits by the dying embers of a fire in London of 1669. The ghosts of the past surround him and a decades old guilt weighs him down. As a young man, Robert Bylot did it all: journeyed to the magical Spice Islands on a quest for the alchemist John Dee, communicated with angels through Crystallomancy, and searched for the fabled Northwest Passage with Henry Hudson. He has survived plague, mutiny and fire, and found happiness with an extraordinary woman, but nothing has assuage the ancient guilt that tortures him—unless the old, stained book on his lap contains the answer. The book might be his salvation, or his damnation.

The Final Alchemy is the original novel for adults upon which the award-winning The Alchemist's Dream was based. The literary equivalent of the Director's Cut!

Click on the title or here to check it out.

The Governor General's Award for Children's Literature Finalist is now out as an eBook on Amazon and Smashwords.Follow the dramatic story of Robert Bylot as he is drawn into the mystery, intrigue and danger of Henry Hudson's tragic final voyage of 1611."…engrossing historical adventure…The Alchemist's Dream fascinates from start to finish." Governor General's Award Jury comments."The high calibre of writing, together with the thoroughly researched historical detail, make The Alchemist's Dream a compelling read." Quill & Quire






The story of the past 4 billion years with reference to Scottish cannibals, fever-ridden naturalists and the sinking of the Titanic. It all makes sense in this tale of long-vanished mountains, fracturing continents and the jigsaw puzzle that is the ground beneath us. "…this book is a true, well-crafted page-turner…If you've ever wondered how the continents and the particular slab of rock you live on came about, you will love this book. Even if you don't, you'll still love it. Highly recommended."As always, available on Amazon and Smashwords.







The latest Historical Fiction, hot off the computer. Try a sample at Amazon or Smashwords. The sample's free, but the entire book's only 99c, and the really exciting bits are at the end!














Joining And in the Morning (Amazon, Smashwords) as eBooks for Teens and Young Adults (and old adults who enjoy a fast-paced, historically-based tale), are Lost in Spain (Amazon, Smashwords) and Germania (Amazon, Smashwords). All these titles were award-winners when first published in traditional format, and are now available for only $2.99 each. Check them out.
A Cool Summer ReadNorth with Franklin: The Lost Journals of James Fitzjames is now out as an eBook on Amazon and Smashwords. For $5.99, a reader can now access a title that the Arctic Book Review called "a richly re-imagined fable," and which the Canadian Book Review Annual "Highly recommended."Somewhere on a barren Arctic shore in the summer of 1849, knowing he was dying, a British Naval officer wrapped his journal in sailcloth and buried it beneath a lonely pile of frost-shattered stones. He was one of the last of the 129 doomed men of Sir John Franklin's lost Arctic expedition. His name was James Fitzjames and for four years he had carefully recorded the expedition's achievements, hopes and, as things began to go horribly wrong, the descent into madness and eventual death of his closest friends. This is his journal.

eBOOKS—updated November 30th

The Governor General's Award for Children's Literature Finalist is now out as an eBook on Amazon and Smashwords.Follow the dramatic story of Robert Bylot as he is drawn into the mystery, intrigue and danger of Henry Hudson's tragic final voyage of 1611."…engrossing historical adventure…The Alchemist's Dream fascinates from start to finish." Governor General's Award Jury comments."The high calibre of writing, together with the thoroughly researched historical detail, make The Alchemist's Dream a compelling read." Quill & Quire



The story of the past 4 billion years with reference to Scottish cannibals, fever-ridden naturalists and the sinking of the Titanic. It all makes sense in this tale of long-vanished mountains, fracturing continents and the jigsaw puzzle that is the ground beneath us. "…this book is a true, well-crafted page-turner…If you've ever wondered how the continents and the particular slab of rock you live on came about, you will love this book. Even if you don't, you'll still love it. Highly recommended."As always, available on Amazon and Smashwords.


The latest Historical Fiction, hot off the computer. Try a sample at Amazon or Smashwords. The sample's free, but the entire book's only 99c, and the really exciting bits are at the end!












Joining And in the Morning (Amazon, Smashwords) as eBooks for Teens and Young Adults (and old adults who enjoy a fast-paced, historically-based tale), are Lost in Spain (Amazon, Smashwords) and Germania (Amazon, Smashwords). All these titles were award-winners when first published in traditional format, and are now available for only $2.99 each. Check them out.
A Cool Summer ReadNorth with Franklin: The Lost Journals of James Fitzjames is now out as an eBook on Amazon and Smashwords. For $5.99, a reader can now access a title that the Arctic Book Review called "a richly re-imagined fable," and which the Canadian Book Review Annual "Highly recommended."Somewhere on a barren Arctic shore in the summer of 1849, knowing he was dying, a British Naval officer wrapped his journal in sailcloth and buried it beneath a lonely pile of frost-shattered stones. He was one of the last of the 129 doomed men of Sir John Franklin's lost Arctic expedition. His name was James Fitzjames and for four years he had carefully recorded the expedition's achievements, hopes and, as things began to go horribly wrong, the descent into madness and eventual death of his closest friends. This is his journal.

eBOOKS—updated September 1st

The latest Historical Fiction, hot off the computer. Try a sample at Amazon or Smashwords. The sample's free, but the entire book's only 99c, and the really exciting bits are at the end!

Joining And in the Morning (Amazon, Smashwords) as eBooks for Teens and Young Adults (and old adults who enjoy a fast-paced, historically-based tale), are Lost in Spain (Amazon, Smashwords) and Germania (Amazon, Smashwords). All these titles were award-winners when first published in traditional format, and are now available for only $2.99 each. Check them out.
A Cool Summer ReadNorth with Franklin: The Lost Journals of James Fitzjames is now out as an eBook on Amazon and Smashwords. For $5.99, a reader can now access a title that the Arctic Book Review called "a richly re-imagined fable," and which the Canadian Book Review Annual "Highly recommended."Somewhere on a barren Arctic shore in the summer of 1849, knowing he was dying, a British Naval officer wrapped his journal in sailcloth and buried it beneath a lonely pile of frost-shattered stones. He was one of the last of the 129 doomed men of Sir John Franklin's lost Arctic expedition. His name was James Fitzjames and for four years he had carefully recorded the expedition's achievements, hopes and, as things began to go horribly wrong, the descent into madness and eventual death of his closest friends. This is his journal.

SCHOOL VISITS AND TOURS

I will be in the interior of BC in early October and in Southern Ontario at the end of the same month. If you would like to see if we can fit in a visit to your school around then, drop me an e-mail.For more details on my books and presentations, visit my website."Mr. Wilson is a thoroughly interesting and engaging storyteller. Teachers and students alike sat enthralled during each of his presentations. We look forward to hosting Mr. Wilson again!"–Rana Jones, Elboya School Library

TOURS 2012—updated March 27

The May tour is full, but I'll be back in the fall.For more details on my books and presentations, visit my website."Mr. Wilson is a thoroughly interesting and engaging storyteller. Teachers and students alike sat enthralled during each of his presentations. We look forward to hosting Mr. Wilson again!"–Rana Jones, Elboya School Library

MAY TOUR 2012—updated November 30

If you missed the Fall Tour, I'll be back in southern Ontario in May 2012 for the From the Garden to the Trenches: Childhood, Culture and the First World War conference (May 10 to 12). I am currently available for school visits on May 7 to 9 and 14 to 18. Book early to avoid disappointment.For more details on my books and presentations, visit my website."Mr. Wilson is a thoroughly interesting and engaging storyteller. Teachers and students alike sat enthralled during each of his presentations. We look forward to hosting Mr. Wilson again!"–Rana Jones, Elboya School Library

FALL TOUR—updated November 19th

The Canada at War tour has become a tour of WINNIPEG and southern Ontario. I'll be in Winnipeg October 31st to November 4th and Ontario the following week.
The Ontario segment will still focus on the wars of the 20th century and Canada's role in them, using Shot at Dawn; Desperate Glory: The Story of WWI; Bitter Ashes: The Story of WWII; And in the Morning, Lost in Spain, Flames of the Tiger and Four Steps to Death
In Winnipeg, I shall also focus on Written in Blood, which is up for the Manitoba Young Readers Choice Award, and do an event at McNally Robinson bookstore.
There are still days open in both locations. Visit Website for more information or contact me directly by e-mail .
"Mr. Wilson is a thoroughly interesting and engaging storyteller. Teachers and students alike sat enthralled during each of his presentations. We look forward to hosting Mr. Wilson again!"–Rana Jones, Elboya School Library

Victorio's War

The Desert Legends Trilogy is complete. Victorio's War continues Jim Doolen's adventures in 1870s New Mexico. He's a scout for the Buffalo Soldiers of the 9th Cavalry, but Victorio has led his Warm Springs Apaches back to their homeland. There's going to be war, but which side should Jim choose?Don't forget the free short story about Billy the Kid's famous escape from Lincoln jail. Go to the Desert Legends site at Orca Publishers and click on free book.

RECENT AND UPCOMING TITLES—updated March 27

Sequel to Written in Blood Ghost Moon—It is 1878. On the way to search for work in New Mexico, Jim Doolen encounters a young Billy the Kid and the two are soon enmeshed in a brutal war between two rival trading factions. Jim is a helpless witness to cold-blooded murder and watches as Bill swears revenge and leads a gang of ruthless killers into the hills. However hard he tries, Jim can't escape the violence and is finally drawn into its dramatic conclusion on the streets of Lincoln."Action fans will thrill to the gunplay and other dangers. James' conflicting feelings about his archetypically dangerous friend—and also a telling conversation with an old Mexican survivor of the Alamo about the difference between legend and reality—introduce thought provoking elements. A tale of the Old West with a sturdy historical base and nary a dull moment." Kirkus Reviews"[This] coming-of-age tale is filled with history, including an eyewitness account of what really happened at the Alamo, which is again referenced in the climax. Wilson…captures the dichotomy building in Jim as he seeks his place in a world rife with violence and treachery." VOYAThe third book in the Desert Legends Trilogy, VICTORIO'S WAR, will be available in May. Also coming soon from Orca, a FREE eStory about Billy the Kid that didn't fit in GHOST MOON. Keep an eye out.
Set in the harsh desert world of Arizona and Mexico in the 1870s, Written in Blood follows young Jim Doolen as he attempts to find traces of the father who abandoned his family ten years earlier. As he travels through the scorched landscape, Jim crosses paths with an Apache warrior, a cave-dwelling mystic, an old Mexican revolutionary and a mysterious cowboy. With each encounter he adds one more link in a chain that leads back to a dark, violent past. Finally, in a ruined Mexican hacienda, Jim realizes that discovering his past has also opened the way to his future.Praise for Written in Blood"…a captivating and engrossing read." Quill & Quire"Chapters are short and action filled, Jim is a likable character and reluctant readers will find this to be a fast-paced, easy-to-swallow tale of the Old West." Kirkus Reviews

Allan McBride has fought in some of WWI's bloodiest battles. He has seen his comrades, and his best friend, killed. But tonight he waits in a shed outside Amiens, accused of desertion, to discover if dawn will bring a last-minute reprieve—or execution by firing squad. Shot at Dawn a new title in Scholastic Canada's series of historical adventure stories for boys, I Am Canada. Sample: "Shells were landing all along the barbed-wire entanglements in front of us, throwing up great fountains of earth, shattered wooden stakes and tangles of wire. Heavier guns were targeting the strongpoints behind us. We huddled down as low as possible in the bottom of the trench as the ground heaved and clods of earth flew through the air. The sound was a physical presence—a hammer beating constantly inside my head."Review: "The novel is very intense…this is a fascinating portrait of a young man pushed to the edge and struggling to come to terms with a world he could never have imagined.…the powerful writing and strong characters will grip readers from beginning to end, and hopefully provoke some thoughtful discussion about this pivotal moment in history." Quill & Quire

RECENT TITLES—updated November 30

Sequel to Written in Blood Ghost Moon—It is 1878. On the way to search for work in New Mexico, Jim Doolen encounters a young Billy the Kid and the two are soon enmeshed in a brutal war between two rival trading factions. Jim is a helpless witness to cold-blooded murder and watches as Bill swears revenge and leads a gang of ruthless killers into the hills. However hard he tries, Jim can't escape the violence and is finally drawn into its dramatic conclusion on the streets of Lincoln."Action fans will thrill to the gunplay and other dangers. James' conflicting feelings about his archetypically dangerous friend—and also a telling conversation with an old Mexican survivor of the Alamo about the difference between legend and reality—introduce thought provoking elements. A tale of the Old West with a sturdy historical base and nary a dull moment." Kirkus Reviews"[This] coming-of-age tale is filled with history, including an eyewitness account of what really happened at the Alamo, which is again referenced in the climax. Wilson…captures the dichotomy building in Jim as he seeks his place in a world rife with violence and treachery." VOYA
Set in the harsh desert world of Arizona and Mexico in the 1870s, Written in Blood follows young Jim Doolen as he attempts to find traces of the father who abandoned his family ten years earlier. As he travels through the scorched landscape, Jim crosses paths with an Apache warrior, a cave-dwelling mystic, an old Mexican revolutionary and a mysterious cowboy. With each encounter he adds one more link in a chain that leads back to a dark, violent past. Finally, in a ruined Mexican hacienda, Jim realizes that discovering his past has also opened the way to his future.Praise for Written in Blood"…a captivating and engrossing read." Quill & Quire"Chapters are short and action filled, Jim is a likable character and reluctant readers will find this to be a fast-paced, easy-to-swallow tale of the Old West." Kirkus Reviews

Allan McBride has fought in some of WWI's bloodiest battles. He has seen his comrades, and his best friend, killed. But tonight he waits in a shed outside Amiens, accused of desertion, to discover if dawn will bring a last-minute reprieve—or execution by firing squad. Shot at Dawn a new title in Scholastic Canada's series of historical adventure stories for boys, I Am Canada. Sample: "Shells were landing all along the barbed-wire entanglements in front of us, throwing up great fountains of earth, shattered wooden stakes and tangles of wire. Heavier guns were targeting the strongpoints behind us. We huddled down as low as possible in the bottom of the trench as the ground heaved and clods of earth flew through the air. The sound was a physical presence—a hammer beating constantly inside my head."Review: "The novel is very intense…this is a fascinating portrait of a young man pushed to the edge and struggling to come to terms with a world he could never have imagined.…the powerful writing and strong characters will grip readers from beginning to end, and hopefully provoke some thoughtful discussion about this pivotal moment in history." Quill & Quire