Steven A. McKay's Blog, page 7

Another Amazon KDP All-Stars Bonus this month!

I was really happy to get an email from Amazon this week informing me that I’d be receiving an All-Stars bonus again this month – second month in a row! As they say, “The KDP Select All Stars bonus is a discretionary monthly bonus to recognize KDP Select books that delight readers.”
So I assume this is for sales, page reads, and reviews of my newest novel, Wrath of the Picts. I was awarded a couple of these way back in 2014 so it’s fantastic to get them again.

Thank you everyone who’s been reading Wrath (and all of my books!) recently, and an extra thanks to everyone who’s left a nice review. They really DO help, as you can see, so I greatly appreciate it.

Don’t forget my next Forest Lord novelette, The Pedlar’s Promise, comes out on December 1st and can be pre-ordered HERE. Paperback edition should hopefully be available the same day. It’s another fun tale for the Christmas period, not as dark as the last couple – no stalkers or religious cults this time. I think regular readers of these winter stories will really like it!

Finally, I have some big news coming soon regarding my next series so look out for that. I’m really excited about it and believe it’ll take my writing to a new level. Hopefully the novels will be as well received as my Forest Lord and Warrior Druid of Britain ones. I’m halfway into the first one and enjoying it – even the hours upon hours of research! – so that’s always a good sign…

Don’t worry though, there WILL be more from Bellicus, Duro, and Cai. I’m just not sure when yet.

Forest Lord series cover updates! Wow, how nice are these?!

My Forest Lord novels came out a few years ago now, beginning with Wolf’s Head way back in 2013. I always liked the covers, particularly the exciting imagery of Rise of the Wolf, and the fact that the first three books had Robin in the art, but he was gone for Blood of the Wolf.

With all that in mind, I asked my cover designers if they had any thoughts on updating the covers, make them look a bit more contemporary while retaining the feel of the originals. They came back to me with some great ideas, and I gave my input, and….We have four gorgeous new covers!

These are for the Kindle editions AND the paperbacks, and the great thing is, the paperbacks all have a piece of an arrow on them so when you have all four side by side on your bookcase the whole arrow appears. It’s really cool and I can’t wait to get a set to see it all on my own shelf! (Please note, as I write this on November 15th the updated paperback editions are not ‘live’ yet, but they will be within the next day or so).

I’m not sure which of the four is my favourite. I really love the colours on the new Blood of the Wolf cover though, there’s something really interesting about that one. It almost tells a story itself!

I’ve reduced the prices on all four of these on the Kindle just to help the relaunch (sorry, the paperbacks have a printing cost so they’re already about as cheap as I can make ’em). If you’ve only read my Warrior Druid of Britain novels now is the time to give the Forest Lord series a try. You have all four of these novels, PLUS the spin-off novellas which are usually set around Christmastime, like Faces of Darkness, Sworn to God, and the forthcoming The Pedlar’s Promise. Check them out!

So! What do you think? Do you like the new covers? Prefer the old ones? Which of them – old OR new – is your favourite? Let me know what you think by commenting below or use the CONTACT button at the top of the page.

I’m hugely proud of all these novels, I loved writing them and was always blown away by the feedback I got from readers who enjoyed them immensely. They were an essential stepping stone to my Druid books, Lucia, and of course my BRAND NEW series which is a different period again. I have some huge news regarding that with an announcement to come soon, so look out for that!

THANK YOU to all the readers who bought those original Forest Lord novels, you changed my life completely and I’m so grateful to you all.

A mock-up of the new spines, with the arrow crossing all four.

I’ll be doing a GIVEAWAY to celebrate the new cover designs (I’m not sure whether to give away the ORIGINAL editions or the new ones…) so make sure you’re subscribed to my Email List to be in with a chance of winning. You even get a free Forest Lord short story for signing up! Click HERE to join.

New book title, cover reveal, and pre-order!

Coming fast on the heels of Wrath of the Picts (which is doing GREAT and has dozens of ratings on Amazon so far) I’m really happy to announce my NEXT book. It’s a novelette starring Little John and Will Scaflock, set in winter (as is traditional now!) and it’s called The Pedlar’s Promise.

You can pre-order the Kindle edition HERE. There will be a paperback although, being a novelette, it’s not very big and the price will reflect that.

My recent Forest Lord novellas have been based on pretty dark themes like stalkers and religious cults, but this one is a bit more fun and the true story it’s based on had a happy ending… I think it’s a good way to bring in the Christmas period and I hope you’ll all enjoy it. I must admit I did NOT think I’d be able to do a winter tale this year, and it bothered me because it’s becoming something of a tradition – for me AND my readers – but I had a couple of weeks while my editor was going over Wrath of the Picts so I made the most of the time and I’m really happy to get another medieval Xmas story out there!

My dog, Pippi, with the gift that inspired this story.

Chuck T and M Stead were the winners of the signed copies of Wrath of the Picts. Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway, and look out for another one at Christmas as I’ll have ONE spare proof copy of The Pedlar’s Promise for someone on my mailing list to win (click HERE to join if you’re not already on it)!

Cheers, and please keep the reviews for Wrath of the Picts coming in! Oh, and LOOK OUT FOR THE NEXT EPISODE OF ROCK,PAPER,SWORDS! AS WE’LL HAVE SOME EXCLUSIVE NEWS ON BERNARD CORNWELL’S NEXT BOOK (unless someone else finds out before our episode airs, hopefully as a bonus episode this coming Friday, September 16th)…

Medieval England, December

A pedlar has been sent to Wakefield with an unexpected and apparently quite valuable Christmas gift for John Little and his friend Will Scaflock. Unfortunately, the pedlar likes his ale a little too much and somehow gets lost and ends up in the wrong town. With no other work to do, or any strange mysteries to solve for a change, the pair of bored former outlaws decide to ride out and track down their gift. Of course, things don’t quite go as smoothly as hoped and they experience a series of hair-raising adventures on the snowy roads and villages of Yorkshire before their quest finally ends with a surprise…
Will our heroes ever find their quarry? What is the mysterious gift their friend Robert Stafford has sent to them from Brandesburton? And who the hell thought it was a good idea to go riding around northern England in the depths of winter searching for a drunk old pedlar?
Pour yourself a warm glass of wassail and settle in beside the fire to find out!
The Pedlar’s Promise continues the series of winter tales including Friar Tuck and the Christmas Devil, Faces of Darkness, and Sworn To God and brings some much-needed cheer to the gloomy winter months.

PRAISE FOR STEVEN A. McKAY’S WINTER STORIES
“Another winter tale of the adventures of Little John, Will Scarlett and Tuck. Would it even be Christmas without them?” 5-star Amazon review
“At Christmas my kids look forward to Santa while I look forward to the arrival of Tuck, John and Will Scarlet to solve another mystery.” 5-star Amazon review
“This is the type of story whose reading demands a crackling fire and a glass of ale as you travel through time into a different world. I finished the story with a tear in my eye and a smile on my face.” 5-star Amazon review

Wrath of the Picts (Warrior Druid of Britain Book 5) by Steven A. McKay – REVIEW

“Simply untouchable greatness, you won’t find a better storyteller than Steven A. McKay.” Wow, check out this stunning review for Wrath of the Picts!

David's Book Blurg

Today I’m reviewing Wrath of Picts by Steven A. McKay, Book 5 in the Warrior Druid of Britain series.

Here’s the blurb.

Princess Catia has gone missing and once again it falls to the legendary druid, Bellicus, to find her. Was the child taken by force, or did she go willingly with the Pictish warrior-woman, Aife?

Their trail leads far north to the windswept fortress of Dunnottar, so the druid must journey there with his companions, Duro, Eburus, and the fearsome wardog, Cai. Leaving Dun Breatann in the hands of Queen Narina and her enigmatic new husband, Ysfael, the friends ride out, but things are never as straightforward as they seem…

Violence and death follow Bellicus as he seeks to discover the fate of the princess. In doing so, he also finds himself on the trail of the swordsman, Lancelot, who disappeared months before when his warband was slaughtered by…

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Wrath of the Picts available to pre-order!

You can now pre-order my new Warrior Druid of Britain novel, Wrath of the Picts on Kindle. It’ll be published on September 3rd and continues the adventures of Bellicus and Duro so check it out at the link here – https://mybook.to/WrathOfThePicts

I’m hoping the paperback edition will b available on the 3rd too, and I also have some posters with the cover art which I’ll be signing if you’d like to buy one either alone or with a paperback. Just contact me through here if you’re interested! Spread the word please.

And don’t miss Episode 5 of Rock, Paper, Swords! which is out today. I chat with my co-host Matthew Harffy about the original Lord of the Rings movies and it’s a really fun episode – anchor.fm/rockpaperswords

Princess Catia has gone missing and once again it falls to the legendary druid, Bellicus, to find her. Was the child taken by force, or did she go willingly with the Pictish warrior-woman, Aife?

Their trail leads far north to the windswept fortress of Dunnottar, so the druid must journey there with his companions, Duro, Eburus, and the fearsome wardog, Cai. Leaving Dun Breatann in the hands of Queen Narina and her enigmatic new husband, Ysfael, the friends ride out, but things are never as straightforward as they seem…
Violence and death follow Bellicus as he seeks to discover the fate of the princess. In doing so, he also finds himself on the trail of the swordsman, Lancelot, who disappeared months before when his warband was slaughtered by Saxons. Will the druid be in time to save them both? Or will their enemies, old and new,earn the bloody vengeance and glory they so desperately desire?
Ambition, lust, grief, and the power of the old gods combine in Wrath of the Picts as the druid and his companions are thrust towards a shocking finale that will leave Dun Breatann in turmoil and Northern Britain ravaged again by war.

Fans of Bernard Cornwell, Matthew Harffy, Griff Hosker, and Conn Iggulden will love this action packed fifth novel in the Warrior Druid of Britain Chronicles!

Barr Hill Roman Fort/Medio Nemeton – location in Wrath of the Picts

Some of the action in my new Warrior Druid of Britain novel, Wrath of the Picts, takes place in and around Barr Hill Roman Fort, which is located along the Antonine Wall (check out my older posts about other sites along the Wall, at Castlehill and Duntocher). This place made an appearance in The Northern Throne too but I’d never actually been there, despite the fact it’s not that far from where I live and, back when I was installing data loggers to gas meters, I worked in this area sometimes. I’d been describing the fort and surrounding lands from photos and maps but then I realised – I’m a full-time writer now, I have plenty of time to make a research trip to somewhere like this!

So, last Thursday, that’s what I did. I even took my little dog along. I was happy to find that my descriptions of the hill fitted just fine with what I’ve got in the books, although the walk up to the fort was rather steeper than I expected. Made even harder by the fact Pippi wouldn’t walk (she’s really nervous) so I had to carry her practically the whole way!

The River Kelvin (or Celefyn as it is in my books) can be seen in this photo.

She was happy enough to walk around once we got to the top, thankfully, and the views are great. It’s clear why the Romans chose this location for a fort.

Honestly, there’s very little left of the original buildings/walls, but it’s still well worth a visit if you’re nearby . We had a picnic and wandered about soaking in the atmosphere, watched by a couple of ravens (there always seems to be a raven or two at the top of these old sites, and I included one called Uchaf in the books that Bellicus has taught to speak). We had the whole place to ourselves, right up until we decided to leave for the 40 minute drive back home through one of my favourite places, Milngavie.

Check out the pics (click on them to see bigger versions), and see what you think of my description of the place in Wrath of the Picts when it comes out. The action in this location is pretty intense, featuring a couple of scenes which I think readers will remember for a long time. One was fun to write, the other not so much…

Trying to eat my sandwich with the dog on my lap! Regimental Shrine Absolutely COVERED in dog hair! I parked right here, at the entrance to a small industrial estate, and walked up.

I really hope you’ll check out the new book when it’s published (hopefully within the next month or so), and enjoy it. Catia gets herself involved in some more scrapes, and Bellicus, Duro and Eburus all feature heavily as they try to untangle the mess that’s been left in Dun Breatann and beyond after the princess’s departure. Sometimes an author feels uncertain about a book they’ve written, but I think Wrath of the Picts will be a good addition to the series!

Warrior Druid of Britain Book 5 – title AND cover reveal!

I exclusively revealed the name of my new Druid book on Rock, Paper, Swords! over a week ago but if you didn’t listen (why not?!), well, check the image to see what it is!

Yep, Wrath of the Picts is the title and I’m pretty happy with the first draft as Bellicus, Duro, Cai and Eburus try to figure out what’s happened to the Princesses Aife and Catia! My editor will start going over it tomorrow so, all being well, it should be ready to buy on Kindle and paperback by the end of August. I’m actually making a road-trip to one of the locations in the book tomorrow – I’ve made up a picnic for me and my crazy little dog, Pippi – so hopefully I can add a real feeling of that place which does play a BIG part in the closing sections of the novel, including one of my favourite ever scenes….

Look out for the pre-order very soon, and don’t forget the next episode of Rock, Paper, Swords! will be out on Friday, July 29th! Matthew Harffy and I will be discussing great beginnings in novels, reading from some fantastic books and talking about what makes them draw readers in, so please do subscribe and give us a listen! Check out the podcast HERE.

Rock, Paper, Swords! episode 2 out now – listen to find out the title of my next Druid novel!

We released episode 2 of our new podcast last week. In it, Matthew Harffy and I discuss some things you might find interesting, from food in historical novels (and the pitfalls of talking about things that weren’t around at the time your book is set!) to weaponry. It’s a fun episode, and perhaps even more appealing to my readers as I exclusively reveal the title of my new book on it! I will, of course, announce it soon on here and my social media channels along with the cover art but if you’d like to find out now, please do give the podcast a listen. You can find it (for free) HERE.

We’re also running a giveaway where a lucky listener can win signed books from BOTH me and Matthew – all you have to do is give Rock, Paper, Swords! a 5 star review/rating on Apple/Spotify or wherever else you listen and let us know you’ve done so. Or, just share the episode on Facebook, Twitter etc and, again, let us know you’ve done it so we can put your name into the hat. Do subscribe as we have some cool stuff coming up, including interviews with people like Robyn/Erin Young and Tim Hodkinson.

Happy listening, and look out for that Druid book 5 cover reveal, coming soon!

New historical action & adventure podcast!

I’ve teamed up with fellow historical author Matthew Harffy for a brand new podcast called Rock, Paper, Swords! Every fortnight we’ll be discussing historical fiction, history in general, action, adventure, writing, and various other things (including a bit of rock music)! We’ll also have other authors on as guests from time to time so there should be plenty for people to enjoy.

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I hope you’ll join us on July 1st for episode 1. If there’s any topics you’d like us to cover, or guests we might invite on, drop us a message on Facebook, Twitter, or on here. Rock, Paper, Swords! will be available on Apple, Google Podcasts, Spotify etc so look out for us going live on July 1st.

We’ll also be doing a giveaway for some signed books so give episode 1 a listen for more details on how to enter.

The Druid now FREE with USA Prime Reading

After 99p/99c offers, and being free with Prime in the UK, The Druid, is now free to readers in the USA who have Prime Reading. I hope you’ll check it out if you haven’t already, and please tell your friends about it too. Get it HERE, or click the cover art above and enjoy!