Steven A. McKay's Blog, page 60
September 14, 2013
September 13, 2013
September 11, 2013
My review of “Spartacus – Talons of an Empire”
Check it out if you like your Roman fiction!
http://thereviewgroup.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/spartacus-talons-of-empire-by-robert_10.html
September 9, 2013
ENTER to win a signed copy of Wolf’s Head!
http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/64762?utm_medium=api&utm_source=giveaway_widget
Enter to win one of 2 signed paperback copies of Wolf’s Head at Goodreads! I’ve just changed the formatting of WH too, so these are the last of the original batch. Who knows, might be a collector’s item one day. 
September 4, 2013
Extract from the sequel to Wolf’s Head
I thought I would share a little extract from the sequel to Wolf’s Head, which I’m working on just now. This is from near the start of the book (provisionally titled The Wolf and the Raven), when Robin and his men find themselves sharing the forest with a lot of NEW outlaws…
“These other outlaws have no respect for anyone. Someone should stop them.”
“It’s nothing to do with us,” Robin replied, glancing up from his log by the fire, where he sat stirring a big cauldron of pottage.
The men muttered in agreement, but Tuck fixed his young leader with a glare. “Will you still be saying that when they rape someone in Wakefield?”
Robin shook his head, looking away from the clergyman. “What would you have us do, Tuck? We’re oulaws ourselves. We can’t go around Barnsdale hunting down others. All we can do is hope we meet these lads and they join up with us.”
The men shouted agreement at that, but Tuck shook his head. “These outlaws aren’t like us. They’re desperate – starving.”
Matt Groves snorted. “Desperate? I’ve been a wolf’s head for years, friar! Men don’t get much more desperate than me.”
“What’s that in your hand then, Matt?” the portly friar demanded, gesturing towards the bowl of pottage in Groves’ right hand. “All of us here have food, money, warm clothing and a friend at our side to defend us if the foresters find us.”
Matt waved a dismissive hand and turned his back on the friar with a scowl.
“You might think you’re desperate,” Tuck stated, looking around at the other men, his eyes finally meeting Robin’s. “But I fear we’re going to find out all too soon what truly desperate men will do when they’re trapped in these woods with nowhere to run.”
September 3, 2013
Free Kindle version of WH with paperback purchase
Amazon emailed me today asking if I wanted to join their new scheme. Basically, if someone buys the paperback version of Wolf’s Head (which is on special offer just now for something like £8.24 in the UK and $11.83 US) then they can get the Kindle version at a discounted price. I chose to set the discounted price as “Free”, rather than charging $1 or whatever for it.
Seems a nice idea, it’ll be interesting to see how it works out when it goes live in a few weeks.
Remember, you can also buy signed paperbacks directly from me in the “Buy Books” section!
August 30, 2013
Sequel coming along nicely…
This week I’ve managed to write a couple of thousand words of The Wolf and The Raven (which is the sequel to Wolf’s Head). I also transferred the “manuscript” onto my tablet and spent an evening reading the 46,000+ words I have so far. I was very pleasantly surprised! I’ve been worried it might not live up to Wolf’s Head, but I quite enjoyed what I’ve written and, in spite of my decision that this series will only be a trilogy, I started to think it might need four books.
We’ll see what happens, stay tuned…
August 22, 2013
Fantastic new 5 star review on Amazon.co.uk
An excellent retelling of an old and much loved tale, 22 Aug 2013
By
lerule “lerule” - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What is this?)
This review is from: Wolf’s Head (The Forest Lord) (Kindle Edition)
“The first page of this novel begins with action, ‘Robin! Look out!’ Already my interest was engaged. A fight on the first page, drawing me in instantly. You know you want Robin to win, but will he?
Steven has written this book in a contemporary style, modern language, which works well. There is a balance of action with calmer moments, but always great tension of more trouble to come. It’s not your standard Robin Hood tale, there are twists and unexpected turns. Do you think you know the story well? After all it is probably one we have all grown up with. Steven’s retelling takes place some two hundred years in the future from the original, and in Wakefield, not Nottingham!
The Wolf’s Head is well researched, well written, I found it hard to put down, but easy to pick up and start reading again. The story kept me both entertained, it kept me on my toes, it both surprised me, and made me sad. Words written well can create many emotions, and Steven does this in his novel, one of three in the Wolf’s Head series. I can’t wait for the next instalment.
Buy it! Read it! and you will see just what I mean. In my opinion Steven A. McKay is not only a new author, but a tour de force in his field.”
August 20, 2013
YOUR Radio excerpt 3
Final part of my interview with YOUR Radio
August 18, 2013
YOUR Radio part 2
Second excerpt from my interview with YOUR Radio
