Steven A. McKay's Blog, page 13

LUCIA Kindle & paperback cover reveal!

My standalone novel about a young girl taken into slavery by the Romans and spending her life in servitude in Britannia has been out exclusively on Audible for the past year. Well, now it’s finally coming to Kindle and print! It’ll be published on October 23rd, and there will be a pre-order a couple of weeks before that. I’m seriously proud of the novel, I honestly think it’s unique and nothing like my other books. I hope you all enjoy it, although it’s a tough read in many places given the subject matter. Below is the cover art for the new versions (I would have just used the Audible cover but they couldn’t give me permission). Remember, you can still get this on Audible, with superb narration from Imogen Church – why not use a credit on it?

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Jack O’ Legs. Who? A very strange addition to the Robin Hood legend!

I was sent a message on Facebook the other day by one of my readers (thanks Simon), telling me he’d been out walking in Hertfordshire and mentioning “Jack O Legs” and Little John. I was confused. What the hell was a Jack O Legs? Was it just a random auto-correct, changing normal, recognizable words into a bizarre phrase? Was it supposed to say Jack O’ Lantern? Jack-in-the-Green? But I was intrigued, so I did what any good historical researcher does, and headed straight to Google!

At this point, I’ve written four full novels about Robin Hood and a fair few spin-off novellas like Faces of Darkness which are also about the characters from that legend, including Friar Tuck and Sir Richard-At-Lee. It’s fair to say I’ve done a fair bit of research on this, but Jack O’Legs was something I’d never heard about before. I actually felt a little embarrassed, wondering if I’d completely overlooked some famous part of the well-known mythos! And that feeling grew stronger when I typed it into Google and ended up on a Wikipedia page describing Jack O’Legs. How did I miss this? As you probably know, anything, or anyone, with a Wikipedia page must be fairly well known and have made some kind of cultural impact (I still dream of having one myself, if anyone wants to create one and stroke my ego, thanks).

[image error]Robin Hood. Or is it Jack O’Legs?

So Jack – apparently he was an archer from Hertfordshire in England, who stole from the rich to give to the poor and, when he was dying, shot an arrow and asked to be buried where it landed. Notice any similarities there? Of course, these are all elements of Robin Hood’s story. There are some differences though, as Jack was said to be a giant, so tall that he could look into the upstairs windows of large houses! Boulders marking the head and foot of his grave are fourteen feet apart, and one source claims his body was doubled up, suggesting he was actually more like thirty feet tall. Could this be a conflation of Robin Hood and his enormous companion Little John? Taking two characters and melding them into one? Maybe. Jack was supposed to live in a cave though, which doesn’t seem to match anything from the Hood legend. It also seems unlikely, as there’s not really any caves around the place Jack was said to hail from. 

He died when, after a bad harvest, the bakers in his village of Baldock raised the price of flour. Jack ambushed them, stole the flour and gave it away. In return, the bakers caught Jack, blinded him and then he asked to be given his bow. Shooting an arrow, he requested to be buried where it landed, this was done, and there his story ends. I wouldn’t have thought bakers would be classed as “rich”, and raising prices in times of famine seems a natural occurrence (just look at the prices of hand sanitiser during 2020!), so I’m not entirely sure how this could be seen as “robbing from the rich to give to the poor”. Still, the part about being buried where his arrow fell is an obvious take from the Robin Hood legend.

Or could it have been the other way around? Does Jack predate Robin? An old poem from 1521 says the gibbet in Baldock was made for “Jack Leg” and, since Baldock dates from 1148 we can assume the legend arose between those dates. Unfortunately, so did tales of Robin Hood, the earliest mention of which was in 1377 when William Langland referenced “rymes of Robin Hood.” The first written account of Jack’s full story came in 1728, whereas the oldest Hood ballads date from three hundred years earlier. So it’s hard to say which legend borrowed from the other, if either did – maybe the similarities are mere coincidence? Or maybe both took elements of some OTHER, even earlier mythical character…

Today, there’s the aforementioned gravesite of Jack, there’s a “Jack’s Hill” near Graveley, and you could even buy a Jack O’ Legs beer from Tring Brewery although they’ve stopped production which is a shame. I’d have liked to try it!

So, back to the question I asked myself at the start of this piece: How could I have never heard of this guy before? Well, I took out my Robin Hood research books by people like Graham Phillips & Martin Keatman, John Matthews, John Paul Davis and J.C. Holt and looked up the index. None of them mention Jack O’Legs. What about general folklore books then? The Reader’s Digest’s Folklore Myths and Legends of Britain, an exhaustive collection of stories from all over the country (and famous for influencing Jethro Tull’s “Songs From The Wood” album) has no mention of Jack O’Legs. Myths and Legends of the Celts by James McKillopincludes a giant known as Jack in one chapter, but he’s from Cornwall and a different legend altogether.
So what do you think of this strange myth? Personally, I believe there was probably a real man who liked to steal from people and share his ill-gotten gains with his friends. He was ambushed by some angry bakers who were sick of him robbing them, dragged to town where his eyes were put out, and then he was hung. His friends exaggerated his height and his exploits, probably adding elements of the Robin Hood story which was likely well known in the area, and now we have this enduring but obscure story. I hope you found this little blog post interesting – I certainly enjoyed learning more about a piece of folklore that I’d never heard of before. 

And to the question of what Jack O’Legs might mean? Well, Jack of Legs of course! A dictionary of slang words from 1811 defined it as pertaining to a tall, long-legged person.

[image error]Mural of the giant Jack O’Legs painted by Patricia Tew in the Grange Junior School in Letchworth in Hertfordshire on its opening in 1952 for John Newsom’s ‘Art for All’ programme in new build schools from 1947-53.

SOURCES

http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/content/articles/2008/09/05/herts_myths_jack_o_legs_feature.shtml

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_o%27_Legs

http://myths.e2bn.org/mythsandlegends/origins37-the-giant-jack-olegs.html

https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100015130

Fancy a FREE Robin Hood short story? Just click the red button to register and you’ll get “The Rescue” – a Forest Lord tale – completely FREE :

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Book Corner: The Northern Throne by Steven A. McKay

New review, check it out! “The Northern Throne is a wonderful, engaging adventure that, once again, leaves the reader desperate for the next instalment.”

History... the interesting bits!

Bellicus the Druid and his friend Duro, a former Roman centurion, have already suffered a great deal in recent years but, for them, things are about to get even worse.
Britain is changing. The Romans have gone and warriors from many different places seek to fill the void the legions left behind. In the south, the Saxons’ expansion seems unstoppable despite the efforts of the warlord Arthur, while north of Hadrian’s Wall various kings and chieftains are always looking to extend their borders.

In Dun Breatann, Bellicus believes the disparate northern tribes must put aside their differences, become allies, and face the Saxon threat together, under one High King.

Or High Queen…

Small-minded men don’t always look at the bigger picture though, and, when Bellicus and Duro seek to form a pact with an old enemy, events take a shocking and terrible turn that will leave the companions changed forever.

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Steven A Mckay: The Northern Throne (Review)

“Every book Steven has written has seen his skill as a writer evolve and grow to the point now that he is as good as anyone in his genre” More high praise from someone who really knows historical fiction! Check out this review of TNT by Parmenion Books.

Review: The Northern Throne – Steven A. McKay

“Can you hear that?

No? Nothing?

Yeah, nothing at all, because that silence is the sound of all the Historical Fiction competition – so far behind Steven A. McKay these days, that you can’t hear them!” WOW, what a review for TNT! Check this out!

Warrior Druid Of Britain 3

My version:  PDF
Genre: Historical Fiction , Post-Roman Britain, Saxons, Celts
Publisher: Broadsword Publishing
First published: 2020
ASIN: B08C7XRC9K
Pages: 280

From the cover:
Bellicus the Druid and his friend Duro, a former Roman centurion, have already suffered a great deal in recent years but, for them, things are about to get even worse.
Britain is changing. The Romans have gone and warriors from many different places seek to fill the void the legions left behind. In the south, the Saxons’ expansion seems unstoppable despite the efforts of the warlord Arthur, while north of Hadrian’s Wall various kings and chieftains are always looking to extend their borders.
In Dun Breatann, Bellicus believes the disparate northern tribes must put aside their differences, become allies, and face the Saxon threat together, under one High King. Or High Queen…
Small-minded men don’t always look at the bigger…

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RELEASE DAY!!!! The Northern Throne (Warrior Druid of Britain Book 3) by Steven A. McKay – Review

As always, an entertaining review from David’s Book Blurg for The Northern Throne, check it out! “I think the power given to a Druid made Bellicus a little blind at times and he’s certainly knocked down a peg or two as he is shown his own weaknesses.

David's Book Blurg

Today I’m reviewing The Northern Throne by Steven A. McKay, Book 3 in the Warrior Druid of Britain series! It’s just out today!!!

First things first.. that cover! I’m bloody well quoted on it!!! Now is that going to make me take it easy on McKay? No no no.. If my name is added to something it bloody better be a 5* read!

Here’s the blurb

Northern Britain, AD431, Spring.

Bellicus the Druid and his friend Duro, a former Roman centurion, have already suffered a great deal in recent years but, for them, things are about to get even worse.
Britain is changing. The Romans have gone and warriors from many different places seek to fill the void the legions left behind. In the south, the Saxons’ expansion seems unstoppable despite the efforts of the warlord Arthur, while north of Hadrian’s Wall various kings and chieftains are always looking to…

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Song of the Centurion is just 99p/99c

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Yep, book 2 in my Warrior Druid of Britain Chronicles is on a Countdown Deal for three days. Usual price is £3.99/$4.99 so you can get a nice wee bargain if you buy it just now. You can also grab the Audible version for a reduced price when you buy the Kindle edition so fill yer boots!*
Link here: https://mybook.to/SongOfTheCenturion

This promotion is, of course, designed to push sales of the series before The Northern Throne comes out THIS FRIDAY. You can pre-order it HERE if you haven’t already (please do, it helps chart placings and that, in turn, pushes more sales and visibility). 

Thanks!

Win a signed copy of The Northern Throne!

The Northern Throne is out this Friday, August the 14th, and you can pre-order it worldwide HERE. But, if you fancy winning a signed copy, check out Grimdark Magazine’s Facebook post and join in – all you have to do is post a pic of your favourite druid/wizard/magician and let us know why you chose them. Easy!

I’ll also be giving away a signed copy of one of the very rare (only 5!) PROOF paperbacks along with a TNT mug and poster on my Email List, so make sure you’re signed up to that by clicking HERE.

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HOOD: Outlaws and Legends – New Xbox/PlayStation game featuring my writing!

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Just as a little aside from news on my forthcoming Warrior Druid of Britain novel, The Northern Throne, which comes out a week today on August 14th (GET IT HERE), I wanted to share this new console/PC game – HOOD: Outlaws and Legends.

As you can see from the screenshots this is a dark, gritty take on the Robin Hood legend, and I’ve actually been involved in writing for it over the past 18 months with the developers Sumo Digital which was incredibly exciting for me. It will be coming out in 2021 on the Xbox and PlayStation platforms (current and next gen) and PC.

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I can’t say anything else about it just yet as it’s all super secret, but I was writing for this while also working on Song of the Centurion and Faces of Darkness so 2019 was a very busy and productive year for me. I had no idea, really, how HOOD: Outlaws and Legends would turn out until I saw the trailer last night and, as a gamer myself, I honestly can’t wait to play it.

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You can find out more about the game at this link HERE. They also have Twitter and Facebook pages. The game is not based on my books but I did write a fair bit for it and I think fans of Wolf’s Head and the others in the series will find plenty to enjoy within its hi-res environments. I already plan to upgrade my Xbox One to a PlayStation 5 to get the most out of it (haven’t had a PlayStation since I spent hours on Ridge Racer, Tekken and Wipeout on the original machine 20-odd years ago!).

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Here is the teaser trailer – be warned, it’s pretty graphic so not suitable for young people. Check it out and let me know what you think! If you work in the games industry and want to know more I can direct you to the developers who will answer your questions better than I can!

On the subject of my new novel, The Northern Throne, I’ll be running a special giveaway for my email list subscribers, where they’ll have a chance to win a signed PROOF copy of the book (one of only 5) along with a signed TNT poster and a TNT mug! If you haven’t signed up, do so  HERE  and get a FREE Forest Lord short story featuring some of my Robin Hood characters sent straight to your inbox.

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The Northern Throne available to pre-order!

Yep, you can now pre-order book 3 in my Warrior Druid of Britain Chronicles, The Northern Throne. This follows directly on from Song of The Centurion and my mum a respected reviewer tells me it’s the best book so far! Publication date is August the 14th so set aside that weekend for some more adventuring with Bellicus and Duro.

You can get your pre-order in right now though, and help me push it up the charts – here’s a worldwide link that should take you directly to your country’s Amazon page – getbook.at/TNT

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The book is only available to pre-order on Kindle for now but the paperback edition should be ready to go on release date, and an Audible version will follow soon after.

I’m still editing TNT just now, polishing it up so it’s the best it can be for August 14th, but it’s mostly complete and once it’s done I can then move on to my next project: A new Tuck/Little John thriller which I hope to make available around Christmas time again! I’ve started a bit of a tradition with these it seems…Before that comes out, there will be the Kindle and paperback launch of my Roman slave-girl novel, LUCIA in October so look out for that.

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Stay safe everyone, stay indoors when you can and read books (especially mine).

AD431, Spring

Bellicus the Druid and his friend Duro, a former Roman centurion, have suffered a great deal in recent years but, for them, things are about to get much worse.
Britain is changing. The Romans have gone and warriors from many different places seek to fill the void the legions left behind. In the south, the Saxons’ expansion seems unstoppable despite the efforts of the warlord Arthur, while north of Hadrian’s Wall various kings and chieftains are always looking to extend their borders.
In Dun Breatann, capital of Alt Clota, Bellicus believes the disparate tribes must put aside their differences, become allies, and face the Saxon threat together, under one High King. Or High Queen…
Small-minded men do not always look at the bigger picture though, and when Bellicus and Duro seek to form a pact with an old enemy events take a shocking and terrible turn that will leave the companions changed forever.
This third volume in the Warrior Druid of Britain Chronicles is packed with adventure, battles, triumph, and tears, and at the end of it a new course will be set for Bellicus.
But at what cost?

PRAISE FOR STEVEN A. McKAY’S WARRIOR DRUID OF BRITAIN CHRONICLES

“…the historical detail is seamlessly melded into a plot bursting with adrenaline and suspense…To my mind this novel is everything historical fiction should be and more.” – JAMES VELLA-BARDON, author of The Sheriff’s Catch

“as a storyteller McKay is up there with the best of them.” – David’s Book Blurg

“on a par with anything you’ve read before by him there Cornwell, or Kane, or Kristian…a triumph, an honest to goodness, self-assured triumph.” – STEVE DENTON/SPEESH READS

Dark age adventure at its gripping best.” – MATTHEW HARFFY, author of The Bernicia Chronicles

“The Druid tells a story as stunning as the cover art suggests.” – SHARON BENNETT CONNOLLY, author of Heroines Of The Medieval World