Stephen Barker's Blog
September 5, 2015
'The Crags of Loch Crian'
Thank you to all the kind people who entered my Giveaway for "The Crags of Loch Crian". I'll be getting the books out to the lucky winners in the next day or so. Hopefully those who weren't lucky will try this exciting story anyway! All the Best, Stephen.The Crags of Loch Crian
August 15, 2015
Thanks to all who entered the Giveaway!
Thank you to all the kind people who entered my Giveaway for "Murder at Pembury Hall". I'll be getting the books out to the lucky winners in the next day or so. Hopefully those who weren't lucky will still get a chance to read the exciting story. Look out for the next Giveaway coming soon - it will be the second book in the Jim Drake Mysteries, the sequel to Pembury Hall,
Stephen Barker set in Scotland - "The Crags of Loch Crian"!
Cheers, Stephen
Stephen Barker set in Scotland - "The Crags of Loch Crian"!Cheers, Stephen
September 19, 2014
10 Children's Books
A cheat really - but something to blog after completing the list for FaceBook -
Thank you Isabella for tagging me in the #bookchallenge
Here are mine:
The Children of Green Knowe by Lucy M. Boston
Northern Lights by Philip Pullman
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper
Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin
Moomintroll books by Tove Jansen
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff
The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier
Thank you Isabella for tagging me in the #bookchallenge
Here are mine:
The Children of Green Knowe by Lucy M. Boston
Northern Lights by Philip Pullman
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper
Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin
Moomintroll books by Tove Jansen
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff
The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier
May 2, 2013
November 24, 2012
The enduring magic of Green Knowe
The enduring magic of Green Knowe
I must have been about eight or nine when I first read The Children of Green Knowe by Lucy Boston, and this extraordinary story has been with me ever since. There are not many memories that we can be certain of, but I do remember the mysterious opening illustration by Peter Boston and Tolly’s delicious, dark arrival at the old manor house – delivered by rowing boat through the swirling floodwaters.
Though the earliest ‘Green Knowe’ story was published in 1954 and the last of the six in 1976, the books are timeless. I re-read them with my children at a similar age – their reaction of intrigued excitement releasing a satisfying bout of nostalgia.
There’s something understated and beautiful about Boston’s writing that treads a certain fine line: The poetry and lyricism never preventing the page from speaking directly to the reader in the way that the very best children’s stories do.
In the lazy buzz of the late English Summer of 2004 we were privileged to visit the setting of the stories, ‘The Manor’ in Hemingford Grey, Cambridgeshire. The visit exceeded expectations; indeed something about that magical, literary place, must have finally triggered me to begin to write in earnest. I came home and determinedly wrote the story that had been germinating in my head for some time, The Secret of Spirits Bay, already knowing that I would pay tribute to Lucy Boston in writing its sequel - my ‘De Vere House’ in The Riddle of The Stones is based on her ancient home.
Here’s a photograph of the garden…
(...if this doesn't come out I will post the photo - and the one of the mouse ! - on my facebook page)
Yes, there are giant topiary chess pieces!
And my writing companion…
The ebony mouse
I must have been about eight or nine when I first read The Children of Green Knowe by Lucy Boston, and this extraordinary story has been with me ever since. There are not many memories that we can be certain of, but I do remember the mysterious opening illustration by Peter Boston and Tolly’s delicious, dark arrival at the old manor house – delivered by rowing boat through the swirling floodwaters.
Though the earliest ‘Green Knowe’ story was published in 1954 and the last of the six in 1976, the books are timeless. I re-read them with my children at a similar age – their reaction of intrigued excitement releasing a satisfying bout of nostalgia.
There’s something understated and beautiful about Boston’s writing that treads a certain fine line: The poetry and lyricism never preventing the page from speaking directly to the reader in the way that the very best children’s stories do.
In the lazy buzz of the late English Summer of 2004 we were privileged to visit the setting of the stories, ‘The Manor’ in Hemingford Grey, Cambridgeshire. The visit exceeded expectations; indeed something about that magical, literary place, must have finally triggered me to begin to write in earnest. I came home and determinedly wrote the story that had been germinating in my head for some time, The Secret of Spirits Bay, already knowing that I would pay tribute to Lucy Boston in writing its sequel - my ‘De Vere House’ in The Riddle of The Stones is based on her ancient home.
Here’s a photograph of the garden…
(...if this doesn't come out I will post the photo - and the one of the mouse ! - on my facebook page)
Yes, there are giant topiary chess pieces!
And my writing companion…
The ebony mouse
November 20, 2012
Apologies - eBook glitch & giveaway
Hi, an apology to anyone who has downloaded the new eBook edition of 'The Secret of Spirits Bay' in the last couple of weeks... Due to a problem with the manuscript file received back from the publisher, the wrong version of the book was uploaded. This verson was an earlier draft. I'm pleased to say that I've now corrected this problem and both the new eBook and paperback are as intended - new, fresh editions with a few small changes I'd been wanting to make since first publication in 2008. There will be a FREE eBook giveaway via the Kindle store in the next few days. If you have the wrong version, please download the current one. Best wishes, Stephen. PS depending on which e-Reader you use, there is some variation in the display of maps & text-boxes in the eBook, some people are getting an extra map!! However the text of the story is all correct. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A1SGLKO
November 8, 2012
'The Secret of Spirits Bay' new edition
New eBook edition of 'The Secret of Spirits Bay' available now. Watch out for a free promotion at Amazon from 9th November. New edition Paperback will follow soon! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A1SGLKO
September 6, 2012
eBook Giveaway 'Deadwater Lane'
'Deadwater Lane' by Stephen Barker - an ideal read for teens. Exciting & streetwise. Free eBook on the Amazon Kindle store from 7th - 8th September 2012 (US dates). http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007OIB8A2
August 5, 2012
eBook giveaway - 'The Riddle of The Stones'
'The Riddle of The Stones' by Stephen Barker - Free eBook on the Amazon Kindle store from 8th - 10th August 2012.
Read the exciting conclusion of the Spirits Bay stories. http://www.amazon.com/Riddle-Stones-S...
Read the exciting conclusion of the Spirits Bay stories. http://www.amazon.com/Riddle-Stones-S...
July 1, 2012
Pricing change for eBook
Not really a blog... Still haven't quite figured where to find proper time for those yet! More a news flash, just to say that I may need to make a pricing change to my eBooks as my New Zealand distributor feels they are priced too low at present.
This will affect 'Deadwater Lane' and 'The Riddle of The Stones' particularly. Suggest getting in soon before the price goes up in coming weeks. Thanks for your interest & Happy reading! Stephen
This will affect 'Deadwater Lane' and 'The Riddle of The Stones' particularly. Suggest getting in soon before the price goes up in coming weeks. Thanks for your interest & Happy reading! Stephen
