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The Resurrection of a Short Story- Dien Bien Phu, 1954

This morning, one of my short stories was published in the nifty online litmag “Twist in Time Magazine.” It’s a short piece of historical fiction set in Vietnam before the French left. You can read “Dien Bien Phu, 1954” by clicking on the link and visiting their very lovely website.

This story means a lot to me. First of all, one of my goals was to be published this year by an American magazine. The Count of the Sahara? The Book Folks are based in London. Dodging the Rain is a lovely litmag and I’m a fan: Galway, Ireland. Storgy? There’s a big old bromance going on with Ross, Tomek and the team over there but they’re in London. On one hand it doesn’t matter–the internet is a big place and as a Canadian living in the US writing a short story about a French soldier in Vietnam, does where it is published really matter? Still, it bugged me. Now that’s handled. Blessing on the homes and camels of Tianna, Renee, Adrienne, and their team.

There’s a second reason I’m excited, and it is that this story nearly didn’t see the light of day at all.

Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while might recognize the title. It was originally submitted–and accepted– as my last contribution to the annual anthology of the Naperville Writers Group. I even put it up on my website but eventually pulled it off because, through a bizarre combination of things, it never got published. The editor literally forgot to add it to the final version of the book. (At least that’s the story I choose to believe.)

This turned out to be something of a blessing. While I was disappointed, I could now submit what I thought was a pretty darned good story and find a larger audience.

You can read more of my short stories on my site here. This is a solid addition to the collection.

Of course, to be cynical, the idea of getting my short stories published is to draw attention to the novels. If you like the short pieces you read for free, consider buying a copy of The Count of the Sahara or the Lucca le Pou stories: Acre’s Bastard and Acre’s Orphans.

A New Short Story in a New Genre- The Forger of Cairo

I love the short story form, and the good folks at Storgy.com have seen fit to publish one of my new pieces, The Forger of Cairo (you can read it here. Please do- and support my friends in London, who seem strangely fond of me.)

When I write short stories, it’s usually as a form of exercise. It starts with a challenge: can I do X? With “On the End of Magick,” I tried to emulate the Victorian tone of “Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell.” With “The Last Good Cigar Day of the Year,” it was hoping to capture that one, small, moment of zen I get sitting on the deck with a good cigar. Whatever I learn winds up in my longer work.

So, what was I trying to do with this one? A couple of things. For one thing, I notice that the market for horror fiction is much bigger than for the smaller, historical pieces in which I usually indulge (although if you read it you’ll see I did a little of both. Old habits dying hard and all.) I am, after all, trying to find an audience and perhaps a stray buck or two.

The second reason is that the new novel I’m working on is NOT a Lucca book, but a strange little contemporary thing that has horror/action elements in it. Before I invest the next 6 months or so of my life in such an effort, I wanted to see if I could pull it off. I guess you’ll tell me (and I hope that you do. Tell a brother, would ya?) Not only that, but the McGuffin in this story, as well as Lemuel in The Clairtangentist, are part of the new work. It’s like I’m creating my own private Marvel Universe.

If you haven’t read the new book yet, what’s keeping you for corn’s sake?

So I hope you enjoy this story. If this is your introduction to my work, Please check out the other short stories on my site and others. More importantly, if you haven’t read my novels, particularly the newest one, Acre’s Orphans, what’s stopping you? They’re available in all formats on my Amazon Author Page (and the paperbacks are available in any bookstore that will order them for you.)

Don’t let the weasels get you down!

Europe After the Fall of Rome with Cynthia Ripley Miller

The time between the glory of the Roman Empire and about the year 1000 is often referred to as “The Dark Ages.” Historians can pick nits all they want about specific dates, but the fact remains there are about 500 or so years with big gaping holes in the historical record and we are just now learning about much of what took place then. There seems to be a boom in people filling in the gap with exciting adventure stories. One of those is the Chicago-based writer Cynthia Ripley Miller.

Cynthia, what’s your story?

I’m a history geek, ironically adventurous, and I have a weakness for the underdog (literally, I support Paralyzed American Veterans and Puppies Behind Bars, an organization that aims to rehabilitate prisoners by giving them puppies to train as service dogs for disabled veterans).

As a child, I daydreamed a lot. A devoted teacher taught me to read and then there was no stopping me. I‘ve devoured works across most genres, including religion, philosophy, psychology and self-improvement. I’ve traveled, worked and lived in different countries, and my adventurous predisposition includes a sprint across the Parthenon with a security guard on my heels, a stay with a Jamaican family in the Negril tropical jungle, and backpacking across Europe to Istanbul.

I live outside of Chicago in the US with my family, along with a sweet German Shepherd and a cute, but bossy, cat.

What’s your “Long-Hair Saga,” series about?

I’m currently writing a series called The Long-Hair Saga. A portion of my novel includes the Germanic people called the Franks. Their nobles were referred to as Long-Hairs and later they would begin the Merovingian Dynasty in France. There are two completed books.

The first is called On the Edge of Sunrise. This novel takes place in late ancient Rome AD 450, about 26 years before the actual collapse of the empire in the west.

My heroine is a young widow called Arria. She longs for a purpose and a challenge and is well versed in politics and diplomacy as any man. She’s called, by the Tuscan people, La Precipienda, ‘She who perceives.’ Arria has a reputation for having solved several local mysteries.

When Emperor Valentinian, determined to gain allies to help stop the Huns, bearing down on the empire, sends Arria to the Assembly of Warriors in Gaul, she must try to persuade the Franks to stand with Rome against Attila. On her way, she is abducted by barbarian raiders, but is saved by the Frank blue-eyed warrior, Garic.

Arria is alarmed by her instant and passionate attraction to Garic and is torn between duty and desire. Her arranged betrothal to the ambitious tribune, Drusus, her secret enlistment by Valentinian as a courier to Attila the Hun, and a mysterious riddle—threaten their love and propel them into adventure, intrigue, and Attila’s camp. Arria and Garic are rebels in a falling empire. They must find the strength to defy tradition and possess the love prophesied as their destiny.

Book 2 is called The Quest for the Crown of Thorns

Three years after the Roman victory over Attila the Hun at Catalaunum, (AD 454) Arria Felix and Garic the Frank are married and enjoying life on Garic’s farm in northern Gaul (France). Their happy life is interrupted when a cryptic message arrives from Arria’s father, the esteemed Senator Felix, calling them to Rome. At Arria’s insistence, but against Garic’s better judgment, they leave at once.

On their arrival at Villa Solis, they are confronted with a brutal murder and a dangerous mission. The fate of a profound and sacred object—Christ’s Crown of Thorns—rests in their hands. They must carry the holy relic to the safety of Constantinople, away from a corrupt emperor and old enemies determined to steal it for their own gain. But a greater force arises against them—a secret cult who will commit any atrocity to capture the Crown. All the while, the gruesome murder and the conspiracy behind it haunt Arria’s thoughts.

Arria and Garic’s marital bonds are tested but forged as they partner together to fulfill one of history’s most challenging missions, The Quest for the Crown of Thorns.

I’m working on book 3, which will take Arria and Garic to ancient Jerusalem and another suspenseful adventure filled with mystery, murder and a most unusual mission.

Why that time period? What intrigued you about it?

My Italian roots (I’m a first generation Italian-American) and my time spent in Italy and teaching history propelled me toward ancient Rome. However, what really caught my interest was late ancient Rome, right before the fall of the western empire. This is a period when medieval influences are dawning in styles of dress, weapons, religion, and customs. It’s a twilight era, a time of upheaval, conflicts and a historical period ripe for story-telling.

As a novelist, my roots lean toward historical romance/ mystery & suspense. I really enjoyed the novel Outlander. It spurred me to write an adventure romance that included several genres—Romance, history, political intrigue, suspense and mystery.

I like the idea of strong characters and a heroine and hero supported by colorful characters that have smaller stories that help to create sub-plots. I love movies and books that bring me into secondary stories that enrich the overall arching theme and major plot. When a reader tells me they liked a particular supporting character, I feel good. I cannot write two main characters with one or two in the background. My muses won’t let me.

The dang muses are like that. What’s your favorite scene so far?

My favorite scene in the book is when my heroine, Arria, goes to the battlefield at Catalaunum (also known as Châlons and considered in the top10 bloodiest battles in history) looking for the hero, Garic—not sure if he’s alive or dead. This is the climax of the novel and when a major twist in the plot line happens and characters collide.

Where can we learn more?

My books are available on Amazon , Barnes and Noble, Kobo and more.

Readers can connect with me on:

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/cynthiaripleymiller/

Twitter: @CRipleyMiller

My Website: http://cynthiaripleymiller.com

Not to barge in on Cynthia’s interview, but Acre’s Orphans officially launched January 28th! You can order Paperbacks on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Chapters. The e-book is Kindle only Please help me launch it successfully by buying now. And any time you read a book like The Long-Hair Saga (or one of mine,) please leave an Amazon or Goodreads review. It’s like applause for the author.

History and Fantasy for Kids with Barbara Gaskell Denvil

Stories were my gateway drug to travel, history and most of what I became curious about as an adult. Whether it was Classics Illustrated comics (yes, I was that nerdy) or Tom Swift books (yes, I’m that old) I always appreciated real history or science in with my fantastic stories. So when people ask me what their kids should be reading, I quote my mother and say, “I don’t care if it’s the back of the shampoo bottle as long as they read.”

That said, there’s a warm place in my heart for people who write histfic aimed at kids. Mix that with good fantasy and the little buggers will read. Our future depends on readers so… welcome Barbara Gaskell Denvil and her Bannister’s Muster kidlit series. Today we’re talking about the first book in the bunch, “Snap”.

Okay, Barbara, what’s your story?

I was born in England about 250 years ago, but spent most of my life on the move. I’ve adored living all over the place with many years in England, France, Spain, Italy, Greece and Australia – and a number of other years on a boat sailing the Mediterranean in all that wonderful sunshine. How is that for inspiration? Actually I started writing when I was about six years old, it just seemed the natural thing to do, but after some years of working for magazines and publishers, I got married and had three daughters. It’s since the girls have grown up that I decided to start writing full length novels and have started with historical mysteries – medieval history fascinates me and I’ve researched it for years. I also adore writing fantasy, and my writing list combines both. Most of those are exclusive to Amazon – and I have loved writing every single one. Editor’s note, I suspect some exaggeration here but never talk about a lady’s age.

What’s Snap about?

This is the first book in a new children’s series I’ve just recently finished. I loved the idea of mixing my own favourite genres, that’s history and fantasy, with the endless appeal of mystery. So BANNISTER’S MUSTER is the name of the series, and Book 1 is called SNAP. Nathan is whisked away from his very normal life and is thrown back into Medieval London. He makes friends there of a small band of beggars and orphans who steal in order to eat and sleep rough. Just as he is getting used to such a life, the whole gang is tossed into a new world called Lashtang – and this really is fantasy. Nathan and his little sister Poppy plus all his friends have a series of amazing adventures combining modern London, medieval London, and the world of Lashtang. The history is absolutely accurate and I think it’s a great way for kids to learn history from fiction. There are six books in this series, and the last one has just been published. They are available on Audible as well.

Why that story? What intrigued you about it?

I often dream about medieval London, and sometimes wake up thinking that’s where I live. It really fascinates me. I was very young when I first saw the film of Shakespeare’s Richard III, and I was intrigued to know whether this monster from the past was ever really that bad – or not. Now taking a 12 year old boy and his sister and friends of various ages time traveling through to a completely strange world of imagination has been such a pleasure for me to write. It should appeal to those of about 8 years old to 14 years old – though many adults love the whole series too. Nathan is a typical boy, and that’s how I want him to be. I love wondering what it would be like to move from modern life to medieval life and then on to a dangerous life in a fantasy world, and back to the trials of the past. Pretty scary, I imagine – but terribly exciting. And that’s exactly what the book presents.

Sounds like Nathan and Lucca would get along well. What’s your favorite scene in the book?

Perhaps right at the beginning when Nathan is all curled up in his comfy modern bed, and out of the mist comes a huge hot air balloon with a strange looking man peering over. He’s a wizard, and he tells Nathan to wake up – we’re off for an adventure. Nathan thinks he’s dreaming, but no, it’s all real as he soon finds out. He climbs from his bed into the balloon’s basket, and then it tips and he falls. It’s a long way to fall but he arrives on his feet – back in the 15^th Century. And that’s where it all starts. But he certainly hasn’t seen the last of the wizard. The amazement and confusion are extremely realistic. I can just imagine how I’d feel in the same situation. I wish !! To be honest, this scene was largely inspired by my own wish to go on a hot air balloon ride one day. In fact, a friend of mine recently went to a hot air balloon festival and she told me that it was an absolutely wonderful experience. Perhaps I might have to get her to join me? We do both love traveling after all! Watch this space!

Brewster the wizard is not a nice character, but he’s not all bad either. He suddenly wants to help, but then suddenly wants to spoil everything. It takes Nathan a long time to understand Brewster.

Where can people learn more about you and your books?

All my books are available on Amazon, and this series of children’s books are also available on Audible. How’s that for a goodnight story? Just fall asleep listening to the greatest adventure you can imagine.

BANNISTER’S MUSTER – BOOK 1 – SNAP has won many awards, such as B.R.A.G., Award, CHILL WITH A BOOK Award, DISCOVERING DIAMONDS AWARD, READER’S FAVOURITE AWARD., etc.. Also found on Goodreads and other well known sites.

Here are some other links:

Website: – https://bannistersmuster.com/

Facebook for the author – https://www.facebook.com/B.GaskellDenvil

https://www.facebook.com/Bannisters-Muster-1458577257506291/ – Facebook page for this book

Not to barge in on Barbara‘s interview, but Acre’s Orphans officially launched January 28th! You can order Paperbacks on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Chapters. The e-book is Kindle only Please help me launch it successfully by buying now. And any time you read a book like Snap (or one of mine,) please leave an Amazon or Goodreads review. It’s like applause for the author.

Award-Winning People are Talking About Acre’s Orphans

Acre’s Orphans has been less than a week, so it’s too early to tell if anyone is actually going to buy it. But they ARE reading it. I know, because I’ve received some very kind words about it from people who win awards and stuff. Many of these are from terrific writers who have read, and enjoyed, Lucca’s adventures. These are writers who I am proud will even talk to me, let alone enjoy my work. (I would write an entire blog post about Impostor Syndrome, but I’m probably not up to it.) That’s a joke. Kinda.

My writing friend Jeffrey Walker, author of the Sweet Wine of Youth series about the First World War, recently showcased me on his blog. (Read the interview here). His last book, Truly are the Free, just won an Indie Brag award for historical fiction as well as a short-list for the Goethe Award

Acre’s Orphans is another rollicking and gritty medieval romp for Wayne Turmel’s utterly incorrigible—yet grudgingly adorable—orphan-hero, Lucca Le Pou. A delightful read for any historical fiction devotee, Turmel manages to render up the decaying Kingdom of Jerusalem accessible, violent, and naughty enough to hook any YA reader, too. Who knew Hospitaller knights and leprous nuns could be so cool?

Apparently someone else is a fan of leprous nuns, because Bradley Harper, author of the Edgar-award winning A Knife In the Fog told me his favorite part was the battle with the bandits where (avoiding big spoilers) poor Sister Marie-Pilar saves the day. You never know what people are going to take from your work, but I kinda dug that scene as well. Brad’s first novel has been short-listed for a a freakin’ Edgar award as Best First Novel. Here’s his review:

“Acre’s Orphans is an enjoyable excursion back to the battle for the Holy Land, contested by none other than the fierce but honorable Salah-Din. Ten-year-old Lucca the Louse has his hands full avoiding Saracen soldiers, merciless bandits, and a spy loyal to neither side but hoping to profit from both. The tale is faithful to history and the diverse culture of the region which exists up to the current day. The characters are well-drawn and the stakes are high when the boy is entrusted with an important message from the captured city of Acre, intended for the remnants of the Christian nobility along the northern coast, four days travel away. Accompanied by a giant Knight Hospitaller, a young Druze girl on the cusp of womanhood, and a leprous nun, Lucca must get his ragged party safely to Tyre, where an uncertain reception awaits them all.”

Another award-winner is Barbara Barnett. She’s an insanely smart person whose novel The Apothecary’s Curse was short-listed for the 2017 Stoker award. She was the first to tell me in documented form what she thought…

“A splendid adventure laced with new perils at every turn for the young hero at the heart of Turmel’s latest excellent foray into the heart of the Crusades.”

We don’t write for awards. We sure don’t write for the money, but we do write to be read. To have my words enjoyed by people all over the world, including those whose talent I respect is more than a little fun. Just thought I’d share.

If you haven’t ordered your copy of Acre’s Orphans, or haven’t read the first of Lucca’s adventures, they are available on Kindle or in Paperback wherever you get your fix.

And please, leave a review. It’s like applause for the author.

It’s Here. Acre’s Orphans is Out in the World

Even in a city as dirty, crowded, and generally stinky as Acre the smell of smoke stands out from the other odors. There are two kinds of smoke smells. The good kind promises a warm charcoal fire on a cold, rainy day—or a hot meal pretty much any time.

Today, it was the bad kind, and far more exciting…

Acre’s Orphans is the continuing tale of Lucca Le Pou, an orphan boy on the streets of Acre-the wickedest city in the world. He may have survived the Battle of Hattin, but now his beloved city is about to fall to Salah-adin and the Saracens.

What’s left of the Kingdom of Jerusalem is fractured and fighting among itself. When he uncovers a plot to divide the remaining Crusaders, he must get news to the Tyre–the last remaining Crusader stronghold. Can he make it before it’s too late for everyone he loves?

If you’re one of the many readers from around the world who enjoyed Acre’s Bastard, this is the next journey. If you haven’t read the first book yet, this one stands alone and only adds to Lucca’s growing legend.

“The characters are intriguing, the plot is tight, and there is fresh adventure around every turn. Well worth the read”
Windy City Reviews

You can order Acre’s Orphans on Kindle or the paperback at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Chapters.ca

New Zealand Pioneers and Smart Sheepdogs- Amanda Giorgis

Every country in the world has stories to tell about its founding or settling. Yet if you read historical fiction, it would appear the Americans and Brits have the market cornered. Maybe it’s the Canadian in me, but I love stories set in places I’ve never been, and aren’t the same old tropes rehashed (I’m looking at you, Civil War and Regency.) That leads us to Amanda Giorgis and her tale of New Zealand’s pioneering past, The Wideawake Hat.

Okay Amanda, let’s get to it. What’s your deal?

None of my family were surprised when I told them I had written a book, although the surprise was that it has taken me 62 years to do it! I grew up in a small village in Somerset, UK with imaginative parents who passed on their love of books and reading, and the rare ability to see through other people’s eyes and put myself in other’s shoes. I started life in teaching but fell by accident into computing at a time when the industry was dominated by men and ‘computing’ was not even a school subject.For most of my career I stayed around the world of education, making computer systems work for real people in colleges and universities in England. We, that is my husband Terry and I, made the long trip to New Zealand for a wedding in 1997 and fell in love with the country, but it took us another 9 years to form a decent plan to emigrate. We both wish we had done so 20 years earlier, when we were young enough to fully embrace the carefree outdoor lifestyle of this beautiful country.
It suits me fine that there’s little need to wear ‘posh’ clothes here. Nor do you feel like you are competing with your neighbours for the latest new thing. People take you as you are here. I like that. And it is hard not to be inspired by the scenery. One gets quite blasé about the mountains on your doorstep and the wide panoramas which we take for granted as we drive to the shops.
When I am not writing I am usually to be found in the garden battling the elements to force plants to grow in our wild environment, or walking our three rescue huntaway dogs, or in a church tower ringing bells. Bellringing is a passion I share with Terry. We met that way, when I was just a schoolgirl, and, over the years, we have made many friends and woven our lives around ringing church bells.

What’s the story behind The Wideawake Hat?

The Wideawake Hat is the first book in a series about the early settlers to New Zealand’s South Island. It tells the true story of James Mackenzie, a local folk hero after whom the Mackenzie Basin is named, and his clever sheep dog, Friday. Although the facts of James’ arrest for sheep rustling, and subsequent pardon, are irrefutable, what became of him is not certain. The book wraps a fictional scenario around the truth of the story. It begins in 1849 with the arrival in Port Chalmers of newly-weds, George and Sophia McKay. They journey inland to find a new home and, along with settlers from all parts of the Empire, form a new and thriving community.
The saga will continue weaving fact and fiction with the development of the Mackenzie Basin over the second half of the 19th century, and maybe beyond?

Why this story? What was it that was so interesting to you?

The 1850s in the South Island of New Zealand saw the start of European settlement. Before that only Maori had lived there, and they were relative newcomers to the land where strange and unique creatures like the kiwi had evolved undisturbed by human contact. I often wonder how these folk would have felt making a journey from which there was no likely return to a place they knew almost nothing about. Perhaps it would be like us taking on a voyage to the far reaches of the universe.
Life was tough for the early explorers, many of whom had grown up with strict Victorian sensibilities. Genteel womenfolk who discarded their corsets and full skirts to work on the rough land in harsh weather. Young women who spent much of their adult life pregnant, and became accustomed to the loss of loved ones in the harsh conditions. The men – mainly the second sons of farmers, unlikely to inherit – forced to build shelter for their wives and children and to find food and carve a livelihood, unaware of the extremities of the climate and the vagaries of the indigenous flora and fauna.
I am fascinated by these pioneer souls and wonder if I would ever have had the courage to take the journey myself. I hope I would have done so. I would like to be like Sophia, my heroine.
The idea for the book didn’t come from Sophia though. It came from the tales that surround the mysterious James Mackenzie. He was arrested and imprisoned for sheep rustling and later pardoned because it was ruled that the use of his dog to prove his guilt was unlawful. That much is fact, but there are many stories about him which cannot be substantiated. The one which became the germ of my book is the story that tells of the three sets of footprints found in the wet ground when he was arrested. I asked the question, “Who could have made those other footprints?” And the answer is – my story!

Tough question- what’s your favorite scene?

I could choose so many scenes – maybe the one where James saves Sophia from the unwanted attentions of Thomas Baylis. Or the one where that same rogue, Thomas, meets his demise. Or maybe the trial scene where James begs to be able to hold his beloved dog one last time – that’s a real tear jerker.
In the end I have chosen the pivotal point of the story, where George is caught in a sudden storm. He tries to cross the swollen river on horseback to get home to Sophia. Roy, his dog, hitching a ride across the saddle. It is the part of the book I read aloud to people, but I have to stop at a certain point to avoid spoilers! It shows George’s naivety in building a flimsy bridge which cannot survive the storm and his lack of knowledge of the sudden changes in weather in this part of the world. Despite this, he does his best to get home to his beloved wife. I also like the loyalty of Roy, his dog, and his absolute faith in his master to do the right thing to save them all. It is the passage where most readers tell me they get hooked on the story, and one where a box of tissues may be required!

Where can folks go to learn more?

‘The Wideawake Hat’, published in October 2018, is available on Amazon as an e-book or paperback, and on Kobo as an e-book. The paperback version can also be purchased in New Zealand from my website.
Book 2 of the Applecross Saga, ‘Shepherd’s Delight’, will be available in mid-2019 from the same outlets.
My website is www.amandagiorgis.com
On Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Amanda-Giorgis-2139172903077531/
On Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18484155.Amanda_Giorgis

Not to barge in on Amanda’s interview, but Acre’s Orphans officially launches January 28th! You can order Paperbacks on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Chapters. The e-book is Kindle only Please help me launch it successfully by buying now. And any time you read a book like The Wideawake Hat (or one of mine,) please leave an Amazon or Goodreads review. It’s like applause for the author.

A Scottish Seafaring Mystery- Bill Kirton

I’ve always loved sea-faring stories, which is odd since I can get “mal-de-mer” in a hot tub. Still, the idea of being on a schooner is romantic and thrilling. Bill Kirton has captured that spirit, plus what historical fiction does best, he focuses on a little-known art: the carving of the elaborate figureheads ships bore. His two-part series The Figurehead, and his latest, The Likeness.

So, Bill. You’re an interesting cat. What’s your story?

I’ve been lucky. My main job was as a university lecturer teaching French, which involved sitting around with intelligent, dedicated young people talking about books. I also presented TV programmes during which I went hang-gliding, drove a racing car, flew a glider and a plane, interviewed people and failed miserably at water-skiing. I was a voice-over artist for radio and TV and wrote and performed songs and sketches at the Edinburgh Festival. I’ve also written, directed and acted in stage plays in Scotland and the USA.

What’s the plot of The Likeness?

The book’s set in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1841. It’s the sequel to my first historical novel, The Figurehead, and it features a figurehead carver, a visiting troupe of actors performing maritime melodramas, and the strong-willed daughter of a ship-owning merchant in the city. There’s a suspicious death (which the carver investigates), a romance, which started in the first book and comes to its maturity in the second, and the first steps of the heroine in the (man’s) world of early Victorian commerce.

It was written to satisfy the demands of some readers who said nice things about The Figurehead, and pressured me to write a sequel.

That’s how Acre’s Orphans came about, readers wouldn’t let me give Lucca any rest. What is it about the story that had you so fascinated?

The book had a strange genesis. I’d written five modern crime novels and a non-writing friend said to me ‘You should write about a figurehead carver.’ ‘Why?’ I said, and he just shrugged his shoulders. But I love anything connected with the old, square-rigged sailing ships and Aberdeen has such a great ship-building past that I was hooked on the idea. It also gave me an excuse to learn wood carving (so that I could convey how it feels to create figureheads) and fulfil a fantasy by being part of the crew on the beautiful Danish sailing ship, Christian Radich, on a trip from Oslo to Aberdeen.

I know this is an unfair question, but do you have a favorite scene?

Helen Anderson, the female lead, is often a scene-stealer, so any time she appears, things happen, but the activities of the actors during play rehearsals and performances, as well as the workings of stage machinery and effects in Victorian theatre are fascinating. From that, I even learned where the expression ‘You’ve stolen my thunder’ came from.

There’s also Helen’s voyage on board one of her father’s ships. And the final two scenes – the ‘reveal’ of whodunit, then the decision the carver and Helen eventually make about their future. Writing all of them presented different challenges so it’s hard to pick a favourite.

Where can we learn more about you and your work?

My website and blog are at www.billkirton.com and both books are on Amazon, where my author page is https://www.amazon.com/Bill-Kirton/e/B001KDNSLY, and Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/1100307.Bill_Kirton

And on Twitter, I’m @carver22

Not to barge in on Bill’s interview, but Acre’s Orphans is now available for pre-order on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Chapters. Please help us launch it successfully by buying now. And any time you read a book like The Likeness (or one of mine,) please leave an Amazon or Goodreads review. It’s like applause for the author.

Jack the Ripper Meets Conan Doyle- Bradley Harper

The best part of writing (or reading) historical fiction is the “what if” game. So here’s one for you. What if Arthur Conan Doyle was caught up in the Jack the Ripper investigation and THAT’S what gave birth to Sherlock Holmes? You gotta admit, that’s a good one, and it’s the premise of Bradley Harper’s novel, A Knife in the Fog.

I stumbled across the book while listening to Ilana Masad’s podcast, The Other Stories (check it out.)

So, Brad, what’s your deal?

I’m a retired US Army pathologist with over 200 autopsies to my credit, about twenty of which were forensic in nature. Prior to attending med school I was an Airborne Infantry officer who had a bad encounter with an army physician, and I decided I could do better. I’ve had four commands, served in the Pentagon on the personal staff of the US Army Surgeon General, and while supporting US Special Forces in Colombia had a $1.5 million bounty on my head for anyone who could deliver me alive to the FARC (offer no longer valid, by the way). In Nov-Dec timeframe my wife of forty-five years and I portray a happily married couple from the North Pole at a local theme park. I’m a soft touch however, and only threaten those on the Naughty List with Spiderman Underoos or burnt cookies.

You are a doctor, double as Santa Claus AND write your butt off. That’s a good life you got going. What’s the premise behind A Knife in the Fog?

My book is a work of historical fiction, in which I put a relatively unknown young Arthur Conan Doyle on the trail of Jack the Ripper, until the Ripper begins stalking him. I did extensive historical research into the Ripper murders, the Whitechapel area, and Victorian society. I relied heavily upon the expertise of Ripper historian Richard Jones, who besides having two books to his credit on the Ripper, runs a walking tour company that goes in Whitechapel at night. I bought out an evening tour so for some three hours the two of us ambled through the Ripper’s old hunting grounds, and stopped for a drink at the Ten Bells, a pub that served two of the Ripper’s victims, and is still in business today.

That’s a killer premise. How’d it come to you?

My idea for the book came to me one day while reading about Doyle on Wikipedia. I was surprised to learn that there was a four-year gap between the first Holmes story, A Study in Scarlet (written 1886, released 1887), and the Sign of Four (written and released in 1890). Doyle had a terrible time getting anyone interested in the first story, and in the end settled for twenty-five pounds and loss of copyright just to get it published. Doyle was so embittered that he swore to never write another “crime story.” The Ripper murders happened in late summer and early fall of 1888, and I conceived of a tale involving Doyle that would explain why he eventually agreed to return to Holmes and why the Ripper suddenly stopped without ever knowingly being caught. The idea just grabbed hold of me and wouldn’t let go.

Tell us about one particular scene in your book

During my walk with Mr Jones he mentioned that the discovery of the body of the Ripper’s fifth victim, Mary Kelly, coincided with the installation of the new Lord Mayor of London, scarcely a mile away, and that thousands of people left the ceremony to witness her body’s removal. The report at the time mentioned that the crowd was utterly silent as her body was carted away in a simple wooden box. I interspersed the sights and sounds of the formal ceremony with this scene of pathos, and had the sounds of celebration just discernible to the silent witnesses to the Ripper’s foul handiwork.

It was a similar one-on-one with a tour guide that inspired Acre’s Bastard and Acre’s Orphans. What else should we know?

My book is available at all major bookstores and most independents that deal with mystery, as well as Amazon, and an audio book (Tantor Media) and ebook format are also available. I was flattered to be allowed to choose the narrator, and Mathew Lloyd Davies, who won an Audie in 2018, just blew me away. A former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, his narration is really a performance. Hearing my words voiced by a professional actor was a thrill I really can’t describe.

Not to barge in on Brad’s interview, but Acre’s Orphans is now available for pre-order on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Chapters. Please help us launch it successfully by buying now. And any time you read a book like Knife in the Fog (or one of mine,) please leave an Amazon or Goodreads review. It’s like applause for the author.

Where did Lucca the Louse Come From?

No doubt by now you are aware that Acre’s Orphans will be published on January 28th. Many of you are familiar with its hero, Lucca le Pou (or Lucca the Louse for those of you who don’t speak French.) He’s a popular little guy, and a number of people ask me how I came up with him.

Put simply, Lucca started as a fun idea, and was finally created out of horrible tragedy. It’s probably a story worth sharing, and very few of you will have heard this one. So it started here:

This is me standing in the old city of Jerusalem in November of 2008 on the site of the Hospital of St John… the Hospitallers for those of you who follow such things. As I stood there, thinking all kinds of Crusadery thoughts, I kept asking myself, “what the hell were they thinking?”

The Crusades have always held a fascination for me. I’m a sucker for knights and jousting and swords are always cooler than guns. So I tried to imagine what would make someone travel halfway around the world to fight in a war that, to my modern mind, makes no sense at all. Especially the battle of Hattin. What the hell makes someone do that? And what must it have been like for people who weren’t nobility or churchmen– the average folks? I figured there was a story there, but I couldn’t figure out what it was. Acre’s Bastard originally started as the tale of a Hospitaller knight, and it wasn’t particularly inspiring, given that most of them would be slaughtered at the end.

Then this picture flashed around the world.

This picture of 5-year-old Omran Daqneesh was from 2016 when Russian bombs fell on the Syrian city of Aleppo. Aleppo is about 300 miles from Acre, and was a constant scene of battle even back in the 1100s.

I couldn’t get the idea out of my head that children had been dying in wars in the region since the beginning of our history, and it just gets uglier and more vicious. That led me to think about other stories of children caught up in war. I was much more interested in the civilians than the knights and nobility. What would it be like for a child back then. If Lucca was a bit older, you know who he reminded me of???

One of my favorite stories is Kim by Rudyard Kipling. An orphan caught up in wartime, befriending soldiers and living on his wits. If you haven’t read it, you’re missing out.

So, I made him more like one of my favorite characters

And so, I imagined Lucca as old enough to not be traumatized like young Omran, and not old enough to actually have to fight, and there you have it.

Now he’s on his second adventure, Acre’s Orphans. There are still lepers, knights, spies, and swordplay. There will be tears and, yes, a lot of laughs.

Check out the new book when it’s published on January 28th. It is available to pre-order on Kindle and the paperback will be available by January 20th.

Of course, if you haven’t read Acre’s Bastard yet, get on it!