Steven A. McKay's Blog, page 2
March 12, 2025
LUCIA – A Roman Slave’s Tale. Revised for 2025!
When my novel LUCIA first came out on Audible there was a mix-up and the epilogue that I’d written was not included. At the time, the publisher and I agreed that it worked alright without it, so it stayed like that, and then the Kindle and paperback editions came out a year later still without that epilogue. Over the years, I’ve noticed reviews complaining about the ending, readers saying they loved the book but felt it finished too abruptly. Which it did, because there was supposed to be an epilogue!
Anyway, I’ve finally decided to add the epilogue back in. All editions, including the audiobook (Audible HAD recorded the audio way back in 2019!) should now have the extra section included, along with an updated cover, AND a brand new endorsement from archaeologist Dr Jo Ball who you might know from Twitter/X or her own writing!
I’m very pleased that LUCIA is now finally out there as it always should have been. This book is the one I’m most proud of and I always thought it deserved more recognition. Hopefully now that will happen!
If you originally bought the Kindle edition I would expect you can just download the file again now and it should be updated for free (ditto Kindle Unlimited and Audible). If you bought the paperback and don’t want to spend money on a new edition just for a few extra pages, let me know and I’ll see what I can do. 
READ HERE – https://viewbook.at/LUCIA
Also available from Audible
March 3, 2025
Warrior Druid of Britain Book 7 – title and cover reveal! What next for Bellicus?
Today I finally finished book 7 in my Warrior Druid of Britain Chronicles! I was supposed to complete the first draft a couple of weeks back but went quite a bit over my word count so, unless my editor wants me to cut it down (usually I end up ADDING more!) I expect this one to be longer than usual.
Anyway, the cover art came in from my designers over at More Visual a while ago so I thought this was the perfect time to reveal that, and the title.
I really love the artwork, and the colours. It’s almost like an old fantasy novel cover, but the scenery just puts me so much in mind of old rural Britain, and it’s so atmospheric I think it draws the viewer in and hopefully makes them want to know that’s happening in the book!
The novel will need edited now, so it’ll probably come out around May/June (which also gives King of Wessex a chance in the spotlight for a bit). The Druid’s Prey is a little bit different to the previous book, The Vengeance of Merlin, with some pretty bad stuff happening in Dun Breatann and further south (when is there not I suppose lol) but I really hope readers enjoy the ride and the twists and turns the story takes this time around!
No pre-order just yet, but please do make sure to check out King of Wessex and the other two books in that Alfred the Great trilogy. If you’d like to buy a signed copy of those, or ANY of my books, use the CONTACT button and I’ll get you sorted out.
February 21, 2025
February 20, 2025
Long live the King! King of Wessex is out NOW!
My ALFRED THE GREAT trilogy is now complete! Finally, I’ve finished a full series!
KING OF WESSEX is out today! You can now buy the whole trilogy in paperback or on Kindle (and I have some more copies of the paperback here if you’d like to buy a signed one, or even the full set – let me know). I’m really excited to see what people think of the way the story ends – I really enjoyed writing the finale and I hope readers will like it too.
If you enjoy it PLEASE leave a review, it really helps. Thanks to my mum for the fantastic axe she gave me for my birthday. It’s razor sharp, heavy as hell, and would do some real damage. It’s for cutting pizza! :-p
As seems to be the way so often now, just as one book is published I am finishing off another – Book 7 of my Warrior Druid of Britain Chronicles is almost complete! I have a title, a fantastic cover which I’ll share soon, and I’ll have it edited and hopefully publish it around June this year. I’ve had a TON of fun writing it, it feels a bit different to the other Druid novels with some totally unexpected (even to me!) plot twists and events. In an age when shitty AI books are on the rise I’m proud to say no machine would have written Druid 7!
If you haven’t read all of my druid novels you can get them in a couple of bargain Kindle boxsets, so please check them out.
January 22, 2025
Wrath of the Picts bargain, King of Wessex paperback, and a VERY SPECIAL GIVEAWAY!
Hi everyone! WRATH OF THE PICTS, book 5 in my Warrior Druid of Britain Chronicles, is just 99p on Kindle UK and for a few days 99c in the USA too. If you haven’t already bought it, check it out now at the link below. If you enjoy it please do leave a 5 star rating and review!
https://mybook.to/WrathOfThePicts
Next, my author copies of King of Wessex, the third and final book in my Alfred the Great trilogy, have arrived! It’s really incredible to see the full series all together on my bookcase. It also marks the first time I’ve completed a series. I’m really proud to have written these books and had them published with Canelo AND actually seen them in book shops, a first for me. It’s been incredible to get photos of my wife and children holding the books in Waterstones stores around the country. You can pre-order King of Wessex at the link below. I will be doing a giveaway for a signed copy next month around the time it comes out on February 20th so look out for that here!
https://mybook.to/KingofWessex
(The next section was sent to my Email List subscribers but I thought I’d open it to everyone that visits my website for a change). Speaking of giveaways, now I come to that special new section I mentioned…You guys are my most loyal readers, you have read all my books, you buy all the new ones, and it’s brilliant. Very, very much appreciated. But it means when I run a giveaway you are being offered something you probably already own or have read, so I thought it might be great for you guys to get the chance to win a signed copy of a book by a DIFFERENT author. Step forward one of the biggest names in historical fiction right now – PETER GIBBONS! Peter actually won the Kindle Storyteller Award recently, and his books have sold thousands of copies (way more than mine!), with brilliant reviews for every one. Vikings, King Arthur, Saxons, fantasy, I think my readers will love his stuff. We interviewed Peter on Rock, Paper, Swords! (EPISODE HERE) and I knew he was a nice guy so I reached out to ask him if he could provide a copy of one of his books to giveaway to you guys. He has kindly said he’ll send a signed copy of EXCALIBUR, book 1 in his new Arthurian series (which I actually endorsed) and he’ll post it worldwide so the giveaway is open to everyone. What a guy! Going forward I’d like to do this a few times every year with different authors, depending on the interest people have for this one, so please do enter and maybe check out Peter’s fantastic books whether you win or not at this link – https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Peter-Gibbons/author/B093WPM….
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY IS ANSWER THIS RIDICULOUSLY EASY QUESTION (leave a comment at the bottom of the page or reply to this email):
In Arthurian legend, what shape is the table Arthur and his companions famously sit at?
Good luck everyone! Please do take a look at Peter’s books, pre-order my King of Wessex, and look out for my next Warrior Druid novel coming around summer 2025. I’ve written about 70,000 words so it’s getting there. I might even have a cover to reveal in February’s newsletter so stay tuned.
Cheers!
Steven
January 6, 2025
King of Wessex: pre-order the epic conclusion of the Alfred the Great Trilogy
HAPPY NEW YEAR READERS! My next book is available to pre-order! KING OF WESSEX, the third and final book in my Alfred the Great trilogy comes out on February 20th and I’m very happy with how it all turned out. I really enjoyed writing the end scenes, lots of action and some pretty emotional parts too. Check it out at the link here – https://www.canelo.co/books/king-of-wessex-steven-a-mc-kay/
His reign must come to an end. But his legacy will live on forever.After thwarting the scourge of the Viking hordes that had decimated Britain for decades, King Alfred assured a period of peace and prosperity for the kingdom of Wessex. The dream of uniting all Anglo-Saxons under one, noble banner seems closer than ever before.
But his enemies are not ones to be taken lightly. For even as Alfred works to ensure the fate of his descendants for centuries to come, a fearsome warlord, Haesten, gathers his warriors for a brutal assault upon the shores of Alfred’s territories.
As the battle lines are drawn, as the true power of this new and terrifying threat comes into its own, the ageing king knows in his heart that things will be different this time round. For as strong as his land, his birthright, his Wessex, has become, the consequences of defeat have never been more terrible.
For one who has gained everything… has everything to lose.
‘Another excellent historical adventure from Steven A. McKay. Whatever era he turns his pen to, the result is a captivating thrill ride’ Tim Hodkinson
December 13, 2024
Free Kindle Book This Weekend: Faces of Darkness – a medieval winter mystery
If you haven’t read Faces of Darkness yet you can get it HERE for FREE on Kindle this weekend. Thank Santa!
This is one of my Winter Tales and was based on a true stalking case from Canada. While not set exactly at Christmas it does take place during winter, in the run up to Yuletide, so it’s ideal reading for this time of year. And it’s FREE, I mean, everyone’s a winner!
Is the Lady of Croftun Manor being stalked by an evil man, a demon, or is she perhaps making it all up? The bailiff John Little must find out before it’s too late, and he’s helped in his task by Friar Tuck, of course!
Grab your copy HERE and if you enjoy it please check out the rest of my Winter Tales. The Heretic of Haltemprice Priory is the latest and comes with a bonus story, The Christmas Hunt, but there’s a few to choose from. If you like them please leave a rating/review on Amazon!
“A gem of a story…Faces of Darkness offers an intriguing plot based around a real life event…add in the perfect pace and you’ve got a winner!” 5/5 – David’s Book Blurg
December 10, 2024
Winter Tales – Sworn to God. Exploring dark medieval cults in fiction!
The idea for Sworn to God (published in November 2020) came to me after listening to a true crime podcast (The Trail Went Cold). The episode covered a strange religious cult from 1980’s America and it had some elements I thought would translate well to a medieval “Forest Lord” setting, including the leader of the group encouraging her acolytes to fight evil, but invisible, “black lords”, and having those followers sign over their fortunes to her just before they mysteriously expired or simply disappeared without a trace. The ideal scenario for a bailiff like John Little to investigate and an opportunity to create an interesting female antagonist!
I’ve written quite a few short stories, novelettes, and novellas over the years and my Winter Tales generally run to about 12,000 to 25,000 words I believe. Sworn to God however is over 50,000 words so I guess it should be classed as an actual novel (a short one, but still).
Some of the stories in this series are a bit more whimsical (The Christmas Hunt for example), but Sworn to God is rather darker in tone which was inevitable given the subject matter. Historian Sharon Bennett Connolly said, “Sworn to God is not just a medieval mystery, but also a study of human nature and how these cults can develop, even today.”
Perhaps the most interesting thing for me in the book was Will Scaflock’s part in the story. I won’t spoil it, but he has to get more “hands on” with the cult than either John or Tuck and it’s always interesting when a character is thrown into situations that don’t suit their nature. Sworn to God was also the first winter tale to feature Will and he’s been in them ever since – he might have a terrible temper and be an enemy’s worst nightmare, but he adds some much needed humour to stories like this which deal with some grim subjects! I really do enjoy writing these three characters, they’re great fun.
If you haven’t read this particular tale yet you can read it free on Kindle Unlimited or buy it HERE. If you have read it, let me know what you thought in the comments at the bottom, or on social media!
December 7, 2024
WINTER TALES – Faces of Darkness.
Faces of Darkness was the third of my winter stories and the first to be based on a true story. I was still a gas & electric meter reader when I wrote this and I would spend a lot of time driving from job to job listening to audiobooks or podcasts. One of my favourite true crime podcasts, The Trail Went Cold, covered the creepy and unsettling case of Cindy James, a Canadian woman who was stalked in the 1980’s. I was, and still am, fascinated by this case, and I thought it would work well as a snowy medieval tale. The true story of Cindy James was harrowing, and did not end well for her – Faces of Darkness is a more hopeful book. We actually interviewed Robin Warder of The Trail Went Cold on Rock, Paper, Swords and discussed Cindy’s case as well as the case that inspired another winter tale, Sworn to God, check out our interview HERE.
You can buy Faces of Darkness HERE if you’ve yet to read it.
Yorkshire, England, AD 1328. Winter.
Lady Isabella de Courcy is found alone, in a room bolted from the inside, unconscious, and injured. Pinned to her is a note bearing a shocking statement of intent, but this is just the latest in a line of similar, terrifying events.
For months now Croftun Manor has apparently been stalked by a shadowy figure who leaves little trace of their movements and has never been clearly seen by anyone, even Isabella…Some suggest the lady is harming herself, while others believe a sadistic demon must be behind it all.
As more incidents occur and fear builds within the manor, can the bailiff, John Little, along with his friend – the legendary friar, Robert Stafford – uncover the truth? And more importantly, will they be able to help the troubled young woman before she ends up dead?
This fast-paced standalone winter tale from the author of Wolf’s Head sees the return of two much-loved characters and is based on a shocking real-life stalking case from the 1980’s which remains unsolved to this day. Faces of Darkness is the perfect winter story for true crime and historical fiction fans.
“A gem of a story…Faces of Darkness offers an intriguing plot based around a real life event…add in the perfect pace and you’ve got a winner!” 5/5 – David’s Book Blurg
“There were several points where I thought I had solved the mystery, only to be disabused of my theory a few pages later, which, of course, makes the book even more riveting! It was enthralling!” – Sharon Bennett Connolly, author of Heroines Of The Medieval World
December 5, 2024
Winter Tales – Friar Tuck and the Christmas Devil
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People sometimes ask if I write winter/ Christmas stories to “cash in”. I wish that was true! 
Truth is, people only really buy these books around December so I don’t really make much money from them. Why do I write them? Because they’re great fun! I like the Forest Lord characters and didn’t want to forget about them when the main series wrapped up with Blood of the Wolf, so this seemed a good way for them to live on. The first one, Friar Tuck and the Christmas Devil, only had Tuck solving the mystery before celebrating Xmas day with a bit of wassailing. It was a really fun story to write so I eventually decided to do some more. Over time, Little John, and then Will Scaflock joined in with the adventures. Sometimes the tales are light, with a bit of humour or even slapstick in them as in The Pedlar’s Promise, but other times they can be pretty dark, like Sworn To God. As with all my books, they tend to finish on a hopeful note, for the main characters at least, if not the baddies!
With Friar Tuck and the Christmas Devil I was blessed to have Phil Rose – who played Tuck in the incredible British TV series Robin of Sherwood – write the foreword and even narrate it for the audiobook.
Some people have told me they read this novella EVERY year as it’s become part of their Christmas tradition and that, to me, is a dream.
Phil as Friar Tuck with Michael Praed (Robin Hood).
Have YOU read Friar Tuck and the Christmas Devil? How does it compare to my other winter tales in your opinion? Comment below, or on my Facebook page!
BUY IT HERE (or get it on Kindle Unlimited) if you’ve not read it yet.
Merry Christmas all!
