David Cook's Blog - Posts Tagged "rebellion"
The Soldier Chronicles
For a long time I've thought about turning stories in ebook format. Now, as life for me has calmed down abit after the birth of my son, the time is right.
The chronicles started life as backstories to a novel I wrote and is still unpublished called 'The Desert Lion'. I wrote it between 2006-2008 and when sending off to get representation, I didn't want to sit around twiddling my thumbs - I had a few ideas and expanded some of the characters of that book - of which will be a dozen volumes.
So with back stories and those characters with their own unique stories I continued writing them. I wanted to tell of faraway battles and lands which will be brought to life as companion pieces from the years 1794-1815.
I then turned my attention to a favourite hero from England's past - Robin Hood. So all the Napoleonic stories went on hiatus.
With my Robin Hood story, 'The Wolfshead' (being edited as I write this) taking centre stage I then became a father and the writing stepped dutifully aside for me to take on this new role.
But now after two years the chronicles have seen ebook daylight.
I did speak to Bernard Cornwall a few years ago about sending my completed works off for representation, and he said to me, 'Once it's done, sit back and have a whiskey'.
I think I will...
The chronicles started life as backstories to a novel I wrote and is still unpublished called 'The Desert Lion'. I wrote it between 2006-2008 and when sending off to get representation, I didn't want to sit around twiddling my thumbs - I had a few ideas and expanded some of the characters of that book - of which will be a dozen volumes.
So with back stories and those characters with their own unique stories I continued writing them. I wanted to tell of faraway battles and lands which will be brought to life as companion pieces from the years 1794-1815.
I then turned my attention to a favourite hero from England's past - Robin Hood. So all the Napoleonic stories went on hiatus.
With my Robin Hood story, 'The Wolfshead' (being edited as I write this) taking centre stage I then became a father and the writing stepped dutifully aside for me to take on this new role.
But now after two years the chronicles have seen ebook daylight.
I did speak to Bernard Cornwall a few years ago about sending my completed works off for representation, and he said to me, 'Once it's done, sit back and have a whiskey'.
I think I will...
Liberty or Death
The first novella in the series is (numbered, but not neccessary in chronological order)Liberty or Death. It's a story set against the backdrop of the Irish 1798 Rebellion.
What captivated me was the struggle of the ordinary people and the horror that turned the ever-green fields to bloody gore. It lasted between May and September of that year and caused, some accounts say, between ten to fifty thousand casualties.
The book cover represents the town of New Ross which was the scene of the uprising's bloodiest encounter. Thousands of Irish rebels descended on the walled town, which was defended by a few thousand soldiers. The rebels succeeded in taking the town, houses were burned and shops plundered, but could not follow the success due to limited firepower and fatigue. The Crown forces returned and re-took the town with loaded muskets and cold steel.
The protagonist is Lorn Mullone, a character written to be sympathetic to the rebel cause, yet loyal to the Crown. He is tasked by the government to find Colonel Black, a shadowy figure said to be responsible for several murders, which will undoubtedly harm peace talks. Mullone's journey takes him to New Ross where he and his men are drawn into the defence of the town and witness the bloodiest fighting.
Will Colonel Black be caught and exposed? Only Mullone is the man for the job - but he has to survive the assault and his nemesis, De Marin - a French spy who wants him dead.
What captivated me was the struggle of the ordinary people and the horror that turned the ever-green fields to bloody gore. It lasted between May and September of that year and caused, some accounts say, between ten to fifty thousand casualties.
The book cover represents the town of New Ross which was the scene of the uprising's bloodiest encounter. Thousands of Irish rebels descended on the walled town, which was defended by a few thousand soldiers. The rebels succeeded in taking the town, houses were burned and shops plundered, but could not follow the success due to limited firepower and fatigue. The Crown forces returned and re-took the town with loaded muskets and cold steel.
The protagonist is Lorn Mullone, a character written to be sympathetic to the rebel cause, yet loyal to the Crown. He is tasked by the government to find Colonel Black, a shadowy figure said to be responsible for several murders, which will undoubtedly harm peace talks. Mullone's journey takes him to New Ross where he and his men are drawn into the defence of the town and witness the bloodiest fighting.
Will Colonel Black be caught and exposed? Only Mullone is the man for the job - but he has to survive the assault and his nemesis, De Marin - a French spy who wants him dead.
Liberty or Death 4th Edition
Well, the 4th edition is now live at Amazon and at Smashwords for all platforms.
I used Catherine Lenderi to give the novella a good going over and the result is the definitive version.
What's changed?
Well, whatever mistakes got passed my eyes in the previous proof-reads. Nothing major to the storyline.
But the biggest change has to be the addition of THE EMERALD GRAVES 2nd edition at the back of the paperback LIBERTY OR DEATH version at CreateSpace. I decided to add this to this version only due to the giveaways and, although doesn't alter the ending, it gives an insight to the Battle of Vinegar Hill and Mullone's desperation to apprehend the French spy, De Marin.
I hope you enjoy it.
I used Catherine Lenderi to give the novella a good going over and the result is the definitive version.
What's changed?
Well, whatever mistakes got passed my eyes in the previous proof-reads. Nothing major to the storyline.
But the biggest change has to be the addition of THE EMERALD GRAVES 2nd edition at the back of the paperback LIBERTY OR DEATH version at CreateSpace. I decided to add this to this version only due to the giveaways and, although doesn't alter the ending, it gives an insight to the Battle of Vinegar Hill and Mullone's desperation to apprehend the French spy, De Marin.
I hope you enjoy it.
