Steven A. McKay's Blog, page 38
December 31, 2015
Happy New Year 2016!
It’s Hogmanay and 2015 is almost over. Thank you to all my readers and reviewers, I hope you all have a brilliant 2016! I’m currently working on the final Forest Lord novel, so please Follow this blog or sign up for my Email List (with its FREE short story!) to make sure you keep updated with any news on that.
The highlight of my year has to be the three Forest Lord novels reaching Amazon’s UK Kindle chart top 30, while all five of my books hit number 1 in their specific categories . That was an incredible day!
Now, apparently to build my “author brand” I’m not supposed to ONLY talk about my writing – I should mention my other interests too. Well, I love playing guitar and occasionally write songs. Here’s one of ’em – Def Leppard inspired, I hope it brings a smile to your face…I sang and played all the instruments, not too badly I hope…
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL! See you in 2016!
December 24, 2015
Merry Xmas one and all!
Just a quick message to say “thank you” to everyone who’s bought, read, reviewed and spread the word about my books in 2015. I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas!
If you can get the kids in bed early tonight, why not settle back with some mulled wine, a mince pie, a crackling log fire (or cosy radiator!) and lose yourself in medieval England’s snowy countryside with Friar Tuck? Don’t forget it’s also available as an audiobook (from Audible and iTunes) and I’d like to think it’s the perfect way to spend Christmas Eve…It’s spent the past few weeks at number 1 in Amazon’s short stories chart so people seem to be enjoying it so far.
Click HERE to go straight to your local Amazon page for the book.
Have a good one, and don’t get too drunk!
December 12, 2015
All of my books at number 1 on Amazon!
Yessss!!!!! I’ve just had a call out from the day-job to go and put money in someone’s gas meter but spotted this as I was getting ready to go.
All five of my books at number 1 in their categories, with the Forest Lord series all in the overall UK top 30!
I’m so pleased, thank you everyone who’s bought them, left nice reviews and spread the word. It really is like a Christmas miracle!
Special thanks to Amazon KDP for putting the Forest Lord books in their Kindle Daily Deal yesterday.
Saturday Historical Novelist Interview with Steven A. McKay
To celebrate my Robin Hood books being in Amazon’s overall top 30 (and 1,2 and 3 in their War chart!) here’s a brand new interview I did with novelist Christoph Fischer. Check it out!
Today I have the pleasure of introducing anther excellent historical novelistL Steven A. McKay, the bestselling author of the Forest Lord historical fiction series. Welcome Steven, please tell us a little about yourself as writer and as person.
I’m a 38 year-old Scotsman who writes about England’s greatest mythological hero: Robin Hood. When I’m not writing I love to spend time with my family – I have a wife and two small children – and I also play guitar, being a big fan of heavy metal like Iron Maiden, Slayer and Behemoth.
Tell us about the concept behind your books. How did you get the idea?
I originally wanted to write something set in Britain and, when I settled on Robin Hood as my main character I knew I’d have to make my version different to all the others. Let’s face it, the legend has been done to death over…
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December 10, 2015
The Forest Lord series on offer PLUS a new extract from the next book!
All three of my Forest Lord books are part of today’s UK Amazon Kindle DAILY DEAL. Each book is at a special hugely reduced price for today ONLY. Get the full set of three for just £2.97 or one each for 99p.
If you haven’t read them yet, or simply need to complete your collection today is the day to do it!
Go HERE to find out more.
And, as a bonus, here’s an extract from the fourth and final Forest Lord book (as yet untitled).
This follows two brand new characters (well, sort of…) as they meet a couple of genuinely unsavoury outlaws who played a small part in Rise of the Wolf…It was literally written tonight so un-edited. Enjoy!
“Hold!”
The cry was high-pitched but filled with aggression.
With the promise of violence.
Philip stopped dead in his tracks, eyes scanning the foliage all around them.
“Who said that?” Eoin rumbled. “Show yourself.”
A small man stepped out from behind the massive trunk of an old yew tree, longsword in hand. He had an unkempt beard, dark eyes, and appeared to be utterly filthy. And yet, when he grimaced at them, Philip was surprised by the fellow’s full set of almost white teeth.
“You two look like you can handle yourself,” the small man noted. “So I won’t get any closer.” He laughed unpleasantly. “Take my word for it though, if you don’t do as I say my mates will fill you with arrows so quick you’ll die looking like a pair of giant fucking hedgehogs. Drop your weapons and throw your purses over here. Quick now. Those hares strung around your neck too.”
Eoin glanced down at Philip, who simply nodded and slipped his coin-purse – which was as good as empty – from his belt and tossed it onto the ground in front of the robber. Eoin followed suit, although his purse really was empty, and so light it flopped sadly to the ground only a short distance away from him.
“Oh for fuck sake,” the little robber spat in disgust. “Is that it? You two were hardly worth it.” He held up a hand and, with an air of bored resignation, spoke to the trees.
“Kill the big bastard first. I’ll deal with the other one myself.”
Philip dropped instantly, and swung his leg around, tripping Eoin just as an arrow tore through the air where they’d been standing.
He pushed himself back up onto one knee and drew his dagger.
“Get that little bastard,” he growled.
The thief brought his sword back, ready to charge, but Philip swept up a short, stout branch from the forest floor and threw it at his face. The man parried it just in time but the manoeuvre left him off balance, and the huge weight of Eoin barrelled viciously into him. They fell onto the ground with a thud that Philip imagined he could feel as well as hear.
“Hold him down,” he shouted to Eoin. “By the neck!”
He turned and addressed the trees and bushes all around them, a grin splitting his face as if this was a great game.
“You out there – you can shoot us, but my big friend there will snap your leader’s neck before he dies. Or, you can come out and we can talk.”
Eoin wasn’t just holding the downed robber; outraged at the attack, his hands were squeezing inexorably on the man’s throat.
“All right, all right!”
A man no older than thirty, longbow in hand but with – in stark contrast to his downed friend, no front teeth at all – slipped out from his hiding place to their rear. “Leave him be, let him up. We didn’t plan on killing you –”
“Just on taking all our money and leaving us as good as dead in the middle of the forest?” Philip finished the man’s sentence sarcastically. “Well, as you can see…” he retrieved the coin-purses he and Eoin had dropped and emptied them into his hand. “We haven’t got any fucking money. Did have, but we left it behind in Holmfirth when the law chased us out.”
Eoin had let the small robber up by now and they stood glaring at one another now: the giant and the purple-faced, breathless thief.
Philip gazed across at the little man, sizing him up, and came to the conclusion he’d rather go toe-to-toe with Eoin.
The dark-eyed robber had a maniacal gleam in his eye that was deeply disturbing. They’d need to be careful around this one although…if they could get him on their side…
“Come,” he smiled, walking forward and grasping the robber’s hand. “We’re all outlaws together aren’t we? You must be as hungry as we are.”
He reached up and pulled the hares on the string around his shoulders over his head with a grin. “Let’s eat.”
December 1, 2015
Ye Olde Xmas Traditions
…and a giveaway too. Check out my blog post on the English Historical Fiction Authors blog and leave a comment at the bottom to be in with a chance of winning a signed copy (worldwide)!
November 22, 2015
Another new Q&A with me
Some interesting questions from blogger (and author) Annie Whitehead here, check it out at the link below:
http://anniewhitehead2.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/robin-hood-friar-tuck-and-heavy-metal.html?spref=fb
November 17, 2015
10 Questions with… Steven A. McKay
Brand new Q&A – stuff about the new book and the like. Go on, take a look!
Originally posted on David's Book Blurg:
Today i bring to you an interview with the awesome Steven A. McKay author of the brilliant Wolf’s Head which is book one of his Robin Hood series.
The series is currently made up of 3 novels and 2 novellas. If you’ve not had a look at them please click the images below to be directed to my reviews :)
Now on with the questions!!
1) For anyone who follows my blog I’m sure they will be aware of your work but for anyone who’s not read any of your books yet what would you say to them to get them to give them a go?
It’s historical fiction without the “gadzooks” or “prithee” bollocks. I wanted to write stories set in medieval times but with people you and I could relate to. Normal people, rather than high born knights and ladies…
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November 16, 2015
Amazon’s Kindle Singles Programme
I’m very pleased to see my new novella Friar Tuck and the Christmas Devil displayed very prominently on Amazon’s “Kindle Singles” page!
It’s a great honour to be part of this programme, which Amazon describes as “Compelling ideas expressed at their natural length.” They receive thousands of submissions from authors every month according to the Huffington Post and, of those, apparently only a tiny minority are – like me – indies.
On top of that I get a 70% royalty on each sale, compared to the 35% from each sale of my previous novella Knight of the Cross. Not to be sniffed at!
I was also offered cover art but I’d already asked my usual designers to come up with something and, although it would have been nice to get a freebie from the Amazon designers I think you’ll agree my own guys did a fantastic job.
Also in the Kindle Singles programme are shorts by the likes of Lee Child, Dean Koontz, Barbara Taylor Bradford, Rachel Abbott, Patricia Cornwell and Stephen King. Some serious company for a humble Glaswegian meter reader I’m sure you’ll agree! They’re all very nicely priced too (mine is just 99p/$1.49 and the others are all about the same).
If you enjoy short works of fiction or non-fiction you should check out the Kindle Singles page. You’re sure to find something you’ll enjoy.
And if you’re an author, why not submit something yourself?
November 14, 2015
Want one of these for free?!
Still celebrating the release of Friar Tuck and the Christmas Devil, I’m giving away signed books – already given out five signed copies to lucky winners and more to come over the weekend!
These three copies of my HP Lovecraft-inspired novella Knight of the Cross with brand new cover art just arrived so if you’d like to win one, it’s easy enough…
To enter, just follow the instructions I posted here yesterday:
All I ask is you spread the word on social media. Share this post on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest or wherever else you can, and email me to let me know you’ve done it at stormwatch1977@hotmail.com
I’ll draw names from the hat at random and I’ve a big pile of books to give away so…Folks on my mailing list will have other chances to win more so if you haven’t signed up yet, click here!
Buy Friar Tuck and the Christmas Devil here for just 99p/ $1.49!
