Happy Holidays
Wednesday, December 25, 2019
3rd Annual Smashwords End of Year Sale - December 25, 2019 through January 1, 2020
Monday, December 23, 2019
Book Launch - ONCE WERE BROTHERS by Lance Morcan
The Thomas family’s lives will never be the same again when seven-year-old Daniel Thomas is abducted from the family farm in New Zealand’s Far North by Maoris opposed to the presence of white settlers. Daniel’s father devotes his remaining years to searching for his missing blue-eyed, blond-haired son. Until his death a decade later, he’s assisted in his search by Daniel’s identical twin brother Benjamin. Like his late father, Benjamin believes Daniel is still alive.
Twenty years later and now a family man himself with children of his own, Benjamin receives a tip-off that could confirm one way or another whether his brother is alive or dead.
FREE Kindle book launch promo on Wednesday, December 25 and this weekend December. 28 and 29 PST.
New Zealand novelist and screenwriter Lance Morcan is a prolific author with more than 20 published fiction and non-fiction books to his credit as well as several screenplay adaptations of his work. A former journalist and newspaper editor, he regularly writes in collaboration with his son James Morcan, and their books are published by Sterling Gate Books.
Monday, December 16, 2019
Book Launch - A GLADIATOR'S LOVE by Lance Morcan
The year is 83 AD and it’s nine years since Roman soldiers killed a young Leonidas’s family in their farmhouse outside Athens and consigned him to the life of a gladiator at Ludus Magnus, one of the biggest and best ludi gladiatori, or gladiator schools, in Rome. Since then, he remains undefeated after twenty-five fights and has risen to the top of the gladiator rankings.
The Greek gladiator craves freedom. The one good thing in his life is Fatuma, an Ethiopian beauty who is a gladiatrix, or female gladiator, and who has stolen his heart. They share fleeting but precious hours together after dark in Leonidas’s cell – a concession occasionally granted to the gladiators by their Roman masters.
The outcome of Leonidas’s next fight will decide both their futures for he’ll be fighting Gaius, another undefeated gladiator who held the Greek to a bloody draw when they met in the arena previously. At stake will be the rudis, the small wooden sword given to gladiators who are granted their freedom.
FREE Kindle book launch promos on Wednesday, Dec. 18 and again over the coming weekend Dec. 21/22 PST.
New Zealand novelist and screenwriter Lance Morcan is a prolific author with more than 20 published fiction and non-fiction books to his credit as well as several screenplay adaptations of his work. A former journalist and newspaper editor, he regularly writes in collaboration with his son James Morcan, and their books are published by Sterling Gate Books.
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Book Launch - THE LAST TASMANIAN TIGER - a Morcan short story
Charlie Truganini can’t believe his eyes when on a trip into Tasmania’s wilderness he sees a Tasmanian tiger – a carnivorous marsupial considered by most Australians to be extinct.
Charlie has a number of claims to fame – one of those being he’s a direct descendant of one Truganini, the woman considered to be the last full-blooded Aboriginal Tasmanian and whose name he inherited. A close second to that is he’s the great-grandson of one Dingo Truganini, the tracker who helped capture the last known Thylacine cynocephalus – an animal better known as the Tasmanian tiger.
It’s his admiration for his great-grandfather’s exploits that explains why Charlie has devoted his life to searching for the Tassie tiger, as he refers to it, or the thylacine, as scientific types insist on calling it, to determine one way or the other whether it still exists. He has always suspected it does despite having never sighted it nor even stumbled across its spoor in all his travels.
When Charlie sees a Tasmanian tiger with his own eyes, he realises he doesn’t want his tiger meeting the same fate as the last one. And so he makes a decision. A decision that will have life-and-death consequences.
FREE Kindle book launch promos on Wednesday, December 11, 2019, and Saturday/Sunday, December 14-15, 2019
New Zealand novelist and screenwriter Lance Morcan is a prolific author with more than 20 published fiction and non-fiction books to his credit as well as several screenplay adaptations of his work. A former journalist and newspaper editor, he regularly writes in collaboration with his son James Morcan, and their books are published by Sterling Gate Books.
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Affordable gifts for book lovers on your Holiday shopping list!
Scratching your head, wondering what to get your favorite bookworm this holiday season? Well, a book, of course. Not sure of the genre? No problem. From historical fiction to contemporary short stories and science fiction, author Mary Ann Bernal’s books fit the bill. Whether holding a print edition or digital reader or wearing headphones, there is a story that’s perfect for your device. Something for everyone with a click of the mouse. Affordable gifts for people who love to read.
Purchase Links
Amazon US Amazon UK Smashwords Barnes and Noble iTunes Audible
The Briton and the Dane: The Complete Trilogy
Forbidden Lore: Arianna and Ethan are locked inside a haunted cemetery. Will they survive the night?
Scribbler Tales Volume Two
Malice: Proving innocence. Andrew’s life falls apart when he is falsely accused of rape.
Science Fiction/Fantasy
Planetary Wars: Rise of an Empire
An innocent romance tainted by deception. A universe enslaved by a tyrant. A crisis of conscience to admit the truth. A choice to be made, but which path to follow?
Historical Fiction
The Briton and the Dane
Alfred the Great has successfully defeated the Danish King Guthrum, but warriors from the Viking homeland threaten to undermine the fragile peace. Wounded in a skirmish, a feared Northman is given succor by a young Saxon woman as King Alfred’s soldiers prepare to defend the kingdom from a new Viking threat. Yet deception and treachery festers in the soul of men who would swear their fealty while plotting to usurp the rightful ruler of the kingdom. One woman would be the catalyst for discovering the truth, but who would prevent the ultimate betrayal?
The Briton and the Dane: Birthright
It has been two years since King Guthrum was defeated by King Alfred of Wessex, but there is one man who would wear the Danish King’s crown. Two former adversaries would unite to quench the latest threat, as the Viking King’s illegitimate son raises an army to usurp his father’s throne. Would the son defeat the father in the battle for sovereignty or would the unlawful son suffer the ultimate betrayal when loyalties are proven in the heat of battle?
The Briton and the Dane: Legacy
Four years have passed since King Alfred thwarted the Viking conquest of Wessex, but the feared Northman continues to batter Britannia’s shores. During this time of unrest, a visionary King institutes a cultural renaissance not seen since the days of Charlemagne. But hatred festers, and the need for vengeance overshadows allegiance as a plot to depose of the rightful ruler is discovered. Would this latest threat be repelled or would the truth destroy the dynastic heritage?
Three novels in one collection .
Intrigue, treachery, betrayal in ninth-century Britain.
The Briton and the Dane: Concordia
In Anglo-Saxon Britain, amidst the Viking threat, a woman comes of age. Captured by Saracen pirates and taken to Muslim Hispania, enslavement or death is her fate. Fearing for her life,
she plans her escape, but will she succeed?
The Briton and the Dane: Timeline
Obsessed with a haunting portrait of a Saxon nobleman, an archeologist searches for the truth. Alone in the castle ruins during a fierce storm, Gwyneth is swept into eleventh century England. Amidst the political unrest, she is enmeshed in the intrigue as foreign contenders vie for the throne. Will she be caught up in a conspiracy for which there is no escape?
Contemporary Short Stories
Genres
Crime, Fantasy, Historical, Horror, Mystery, Occult,
Romance, Spies & Espionage, Thriller & Suspense
Scribbler Tales Presents: Escape from Berlin
Featuring Betrayal, Deadly Secrets, Murder in the First, The Ritual
Escape from Berlin
Mark Dresdner’s cover is blown. Fleeing East Germany, he finds the border crossing closed. With the enemy closing in, his fate is sealed, or is it?
Betrayal
Aelia shares a confidence with her husband, putting her life at risk. Her trust is misplaced, and she faces execution in the arena. Will Gallus have a change of heart before it’s too late?
Deadly Secrets
Lysandra finds a new life in America by marrying an unsuspecting college professor, unless her past catches up with her at the altar.
Murder in the First
Bethel takes matters into her own hands, seeking vengeance on the man who ruined her life. But something goes seriously wrong and the predator becomes the prey.
The Ritual
Pagan worshippers embrace All Hallows’ Eve, initiating new members with a blood covenant. Fearing for her soul, Devona runs away, but will she survive the raging tempest?
Scribbler Tales
Volumes One - Five
Scribbler Tales Volume One
Desperate Measures: What happens when Audrey learns of Paul’s duplicity? Cloning experiments have gone awry.
Forever Lost: Rina and Adrian are star-crossed lovers. Will love prevail?
Sail with Me: Aaron reflects upon his childhood. Confessions of a military brat.
The Hourglass: A covenant with the Devil. How far will Flair go to keep Brice alive?
Broken Promises: Madeline’s love for Nathan clouds her judgment as the Wall Street titan denies any wrongdoing.
Deception: Vigilante vengeance. The criminal justice system fails when the guilty walk free.
Endgame: It was a dream government job until Sandy learns the truth. Covert operations shrouded in secrecy.
The Portrait: Demonic possession. All Geoffrey wants is a family, but Holliday and Olivia have other plans.
Scribbler Tales Volume Three
Hidden Lies: When classified schematics are stolen, evidence points to an inside job. Industrial secrets compromised.
Nightmare: Phantom Legacy. Melanie wants to sell her ancestral home, but the specter of her dreams has other plans
Payback: A psychopathic killer is on the loose. Detective Newport must stop an assassin
targeting prosecuting attorneys.
The Night Stalker: Deadly Obsession. Pamela must prove her suspicions before the police can protect her
Turning Point: Personal vendetta. Is a decorated firefighter an arsonist? A Fire Marshall wrestles with the truth.
Scribbler Tales Volume Four
Abducted: Threatened with death. When Katrina Cooper is kidnapped, can the money be raised in time?
Cunning: Lethal folklore. Charlotte stumbles upon the truth behind Transylvanian vampires.
Enamored: Pursuing love. Aging Lady Margaret is besotted with a much younger man.
Reckless: Eluding capture. Peter’s latest victim survives, informing the authorities.
Safeguard: Self-defense or Murder? Sarah awakens covered in blood.
Scribbler Tales Volume Five
Bloodlust: Lilly considers a Satanic covenant on All Hallows’ Eve as she seeks immortality.
Illusion: Felicity stumbles upon tomb robbers in the Valley of the Queens. Dream vacation has gone awry.
Manhunt: Perilous flight. Tami and Mick plan one final heist, but will it lead to their downfall?
Pandemic: Facing extinction. Dr. Lancaster must find a cure for a mutated virus strain.
Revenge: Criminal behavior. Can Angela rid herself of her abusive husband?
Thank you for visiting.
Monday, December 2, 2019
The Briton and the Dane: Concordia - Coffee Pot Book Club Book of the Year Honorable Mention - Early Medieval
Honorable Mention
The Coffee Pot Book Club Book of the Year
The Historical Fiction Book of the Year
Early Medieval
Travel back in time to late Ninth Century Anglo-Saxon Britain where Alfred the Great rules with a benevolent hand while the Danish King rules peacefully within the boundaries of the Danelaw. Trade flourishes, and scholars from throughout the civilized world flock to Britannia’s shores to study at the King’s Court School at Winchester.
Enter Concordia, a beautiful noble woman whose family is favored by the king. Vain, willful, and admired, but ambitious and cunning, Concordia is not willing to accept her fate. She is betrothed to the valiant warrior, Brantson, but sees herself as far too young to lay in the bedchamber of an older suitor. She wants to see the wonders of the world, embracing everything in it; preferably, but dangerously, at the side of Thayer, the exotic Saracen who charms King Alfred’s court and ignites her yearning passions.
Concordia manipulates her besotted husband into taking her to Rome, but her ship is captured by bloodthirsty pirates, and the seafarers protecting her are ruthlessly slain to a man. As she awaits her fate in the Moorish captain’s bed, by sheer chance, she discovers that salvation is at hand in the gilded court of a Saracen nobleman.
While awaiting rescue, Concordia finds herself at the center of intrigue, plots, blackmail, betrayal and the vain desires of two egotistical brothers, each willing to die for her favor. Using only feminine cunning, Concordia must defend her honor while plotting her escape as she awaits deliverance, somewhere inside steamy, unconquered Muslim Hispania.
Purchase at:
Friday, November 15, 2019
The Briton and the Dane: Concordia - Coffee Pot Book Club Book of the Year Finalist - Early Medieval
Finalist
The Coffee Pot Book Club Book of the Year
The Historical Fiction Book of the Year
Early Medieval
Travel back in
time to late Ninth Century Anglo-Saxon Britain where Alfred the Great rules
with a benevolent hand while the Danish King rules peacefully within the
boundaries of the Danelaw. Trade flourishes, and scholars from throughout the
civilized world flock to Britannia’s shores to study at the King’s Court School
at Winchester.
Enter Concordia,
a beautiful noble woman whose family is favored by the king. Vain, willful, and
admired, but ambitious and cunning, Concordia is not willing to accept her
fate. She is betrothed to the valiant warrior, Brantson, but sees herself as
far too young to lay in the bedchamber of an older suitor. She wants to see the wonders of the world, embracing everything in it; preferably, but dangerously,
at the side of Thayer, the exotic Saracen who charms King Alfred’s court and
ignites her yearning passions.
Concordia
manipulates her besotted husband into taking her to Rome, but her ship is
captured by bloodthirsty pirates, and the seafarers protecting her are ruthlessly
slain to a man. As she awaits her fate in the Moorish captain’s bed, by sheer
chance, she discovers that salvation is at hand in the gilded court of a
Saracen nobleman.
While awaiting
rescue, Concordia finds herself at the center of intrigue, plots, blackmail,
betrayal and the vain desires of two egotistical brothers, each willing to die
for her favor. Using only feminine cunning, Concordia must defend her honor
while plotting her escape as she awaits deliverance, somewhere inside steamy,
unconquered Muslim Hispania.
Purchase at:
Friday, November 8, 2019
New Release: THE ME TOO GIRL by Lance & James Morcan - Free Kindle download November 9 and 10, 2019
FREE Kindle book launch promo this weekend - November 9 & 10 2019.
Download your copy at:
About Lance Morcan
New Zealand novelist and screenwriter Lance Morcan is a prolific author with more than 20 published fiction and non-fiction books to
his credit as well as several screenplay adaptations of his work. A former
journalist and newspaper editor, he regularly writes in collaboration with his
son James Morcan, and their books are published by Sterling Gate Books.
The father-and-son team's published books include the new
release horror Silent Fear (A novel inspired by true crimes) and the
bestselling historical adventures White Spirit and Into the Americas. They also
have several series on the market including The Orphan Trilogy, an
international thriller series, the globetrotting action-romance series The
World Duology, and the controversial non-fiction franchise The Underground
Knowledge Series. An additional non-fiction title, Debunking Holocaust Denial
Theories was written in collaboration with Holocaust survivors to document the
genocide.
The Morcans' production company Morcan Motion Pictures has a
number of feature films in early development, including adaptations of Silent
Fear, Into the Americas and White Spirit. It is also developing Underground
Knowledge into a TV series.
Lance is currently revising his solo-written novel New
Zealand, an epic historical adventure spanning 500 years of South Pacific and
Polynesian history. Including research, writing and life's distractions, this
novel has been over a decade in the making.
About James Morcan
New Zealand-born actor/writer/producer James Morcan resides
in Sydney, Australia. He has written two bestselling novels, performed in
various international film productions and is a podcast host. His books have
been translated into eight languages (Arabic, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese,
Norwegian, French, Afrikaans, German).
Morcan's published titles include the new release horror
Silent Fear (A novel inspired by true crimes) and the bestselling historical
adventures White Spirit and Into the Americas. He also has several series on
the market including The Orphan Trilogy, an international thriller series, the
swashbuckling action-romance series The World Duology, and the controversial
non-fiction franchise The Underground Knowledge Series. An additional non-fiction
title, Debunking Holocaust Denial Theories, was written in collaboration with
Holocaust survivors to document the genocide. These titles were all co-authored
with his father Lance Morcan and published by Sterling Gate Books. Their
production company, Morcan Motion Pictures, is developing Silent Fear into a
feature film and Underground Knowledge into a TV series.
James' most recent acting performance was a leading role in
the post-Apocalyptic feature film After Armageddon which he also wrote. The dystopian
adventure film was shot in rural Australia and Morcan co-starred with Berynn
Schwerdt (Wyrmwood). Other leading roles include the OZ-Bollywood productions
My Cornerstone and Love You Krishna. Morcan also wrote the screenplays for both
features which were filmed in Sydney and Mumbai and incorporated English and
Hindi languages.
Additional productions he has performed in include a BBC TV
series, several indie features and a live stadium production of Ben Hur
headlined by Academy Award winner Russell Crowe. To date, his feature films
have screened at cinemas in New Zealand, India, Australia, Italy, and Cannes.
James is a podcast host on the YouTube channel Underground
Knowledge and founded one of the most popular discussion groups on Goodreads,
also called Underground Knowledge.
Monday, September 23, 2019
Originality by Design: An Incurable Romantic Anglophile ~ by Author Mary Ann Bernal
Originality by Design: An Incurable Romantic Anglophile ~ by Author Mary Ann Bernal
An Incurable Romantic Anglophile ~ by Author Mary Ann Bernal
I guess one would say my writing career began in the fourth grade where my teacher was impressed with an original poem of twenty-seven words, and yes, I still remember the verse. Her encouragement remained with me throughout high school when my abilities were recognized during extra credit presentations. Although my college degree is in business administration, I attended creative writing workshops throughout the ensuing years.
Required reading during tenth grade was “Ivanhoe” by Sir Walter Scott and “To Have and to Hold” by Mary Johnston. Why do I recall these particular novels? The aforementioned titles are the building blocks of my literary aspirations.
Ivanhoe, the heroic knight who saves the Jewish maiden, Rebecca, and marries his love, the lady Rowena. This story is set during the reign of Richard the Lionheart in 12th century England. Thus began my love affair with the Middle Ages, specifically, Britannia.
In “To Have and to Hold”, English soldier, Ralph Percy, buys a wife, Jocelyn Leigh. Over the course of the story, husband and wife are separated, and Ralph Percy does go to the ends of the earth to be united with the woman he had come to love. Romantic, isn’t it?
Blend the two tales and, behold, an incurable Romantic Anglophile finds the perfect genres to explore.
Hollywood also deserves some inspiration credit. During my formative years, period blockbusters such as “Ivanhoe” and “The Vikings” appeared on the big screen. And because these films made money, more followed from “Knights of the Round Table” to “Prince Valiant” and so on. You might recall Hal Foster created a Prince Valiant comic strip in 1937 (before my time) and continued through 1971 (Mr. Foster’s last).
When did Erik the Viking become a spark? After seeing Kirk Douglas wield a sword, followed by King Alfred, and we must not forget Beowulf.
Of course, life has a way of interfering with literary aspirations, which kept Erik in the recesses of my mind until my son married. Erik now demanded to be heard. He was tired of being in the shadows, he wanted the recognition, he wanted his story told.
Hold on – I needed to learn the craft because there are rules, aren’t there? Writing workshops were not enough. With the advent of the computer, more choices were open to me. I could enroll in an online course and participate when I had the time, even if it meant wearing my pajamas and drinking coffee at first light.
Success, I completed several courses, so now I could put paper in the typewriter – not really. No need for correcting tape or white-out and forget carbon paper! We had word processing software and all you had to do was backspace to delete a word, and there was Spellcheck! Wow. One drawback with Spellcheck – causes a person to not be overly concerned with possible misspellings – Spellcheck was on the ball, Spellcheck would pick up the slack if auto-correct didn’t fix the error immediately.
Being an organized person and following established guidelines, I
created an outline, scribbling a few words next to each chapter heading including the characters controlling the story line, Erik and Gwyneth, the femme fatale, who arrived on the scene shortly after Erik dominated my thoughts. But I was not able to start writing yet. There were the supporting cast members to be named, there were locations to add, there were maps to draw and a glossary to list archaic words for historical fiction newbies.
Is it safe to assume the story starts now? Well, sort of: we do meet Erik and Gwyneth in the first chapter, and they do continue to dominate the early pages of the novel, but something unforeseen happens, and I wasn’t ready for the onslaught of the secondary and less important characters demanding, and I mean DEMANDING more “screen time”.
What was happening here? Who were these fictional characters that had come out of nowhere as the story developed? Why should I have listened to them? It was getting out of hand and complicated because now, I had to have a map of Wessex updated frequently so I could remember which character was where at any given moment. Suddenly, I found myself fully immersed in an epic, voluminous
narrative, and my Erik the Viking novel had evolved into a trilogy. How could I, in good conscience not tie up loose ends when everyone deserved an ending, happy or not? We, the reader, want to know.
I did not wish to leave Wessex yet and decided to write a character spin-off, a coming of age story with “The Briton and Dane: Concordia”. This time I fought with the minor characters, refusing to let them “rain on Concordia’s parade.” They tried, but they failed. And I was proud of maintaining control. I was in charge, wasn’t I? Not my fictional characters.
Reflecting on Erik and Gwyneth’s role in the trilogy had me feeling guilty because the trilogy wasn’t really just their story, it was David and Helga, and Stephen and Elizabeth, and Rigr and Dalla – you get the drift. There was nothing else to do but try again with another novel, “The Briton and the Dane: Timeline.” Grant it, “The Briton and the Dane: Timeline” is a time travel romantic fantasy, and Gwyneth is transported back to England before William the Conqueror’s invasion in 1066. While they might not be the original Erik and Gwyneth in my mind’s eye, it is still their connection, a bond that transcends time. And I was successful! I finally wrote my Erik the Viking novel.
Alas, all good things must come to an end. I had to leave Wessex and move on to other projects. It was hard saying goodbye to these wonderful characters who took up a good portion of my life, but I would not change anything, because I had fun in Alfred the Great’s England.
Mary Ann Bernal is an avid history buff who also enjoys science fiction. She is a passionate supporter of the U.S. military, having been involved with letter-writing campaigns and other military support programs since Operation Desert Storm. All of Mary Ann’s novels and short story collections are dedicated to fallen military heroes who gave their lives defending our freedom. A prolific writer originally hailing from New York, Mary Ann now resides in Elkhorn, Nebraska. You can contact her at the following links:
WEBSITE
BLOG
TWITTER
FACEBOOK
PINTEREST
INSTAGRAM
LINKEDIN
Required reading during tenth grade was “Ivanhoe” by Sir Walter Scott and “To Have and to Hold” by Mary Johnston. Why do I recall these particular novels? The aforementioned titles are the building blocks of my literary aspirations.
Ivanhoe, the heroic knight who saves the Jewish maiden, Rebecca, and marries his love, the lady Rowena. This story is set during the reign of Richard the Lionheart in 12th century England. Thus began my love affair with the Middle Ages, specifically, Britannia.
In “To Have and to Hold”, English soldier, Ralph Percy, buys a wife, Jocelyn Leigh. Over the course of the story, husband and wife are separated, and Ralph Percy does go to the ends of the earth to be united with the woman he had come to love. Romantic, isn’t it?
Blend the two tales and, behold, an incurable Romantic Anglophile finds the perfect genres to explore.
Hollywood also deserves some inspiration credit. During my formative years, period blockbusters such as “Ivanhoe” and “The Vikings” appeared on the big screen. And because these films made money, more followed from “Knights of the Round Table” to “Prince Valiant” and so on. You might recall Hal Foster created a Prince Valiant comic strip in 1937 (before my time) and continued through 1971 (Mr. Foster’s last).
When did Erik the Viking become a spark? After seeing Kirk Douglas wield a sword, followed by King Alfred, and we must not forget Beowulf.
Of course, life has a way of interfering with literary aspirations, which kept Erik in the recesses of my mind until my son married. Erik now demanded to be heard. He was tired of being in the shadows, he wanted the recognition, he wanted his story told.
Hold on – I needed to learn the craft because there are rules, aren’t there? Writing workshops were not enough. With the advent of the computer, more choices were open to me. I could enroll in an online course and participate when I had the time, even if it meant wearing my pajamas and drinking coffee at first light.
Being an organized person and following established guidelines, I
Is it safe to assume the story starts now? Well, sort of: we do meet Erik and Gwyneth in the first chapter, and they do continue to dominate the early pages of the novel, but something unforeseen happens, and I wasn’t ready for the onslaught of the secondary and less important characters demanding, and I mean DEMANDING more “screen time”.
What was happening here? Who were these fictional characters that had come out of nowhere as the story developed? Why should I have listened to them? It was getting out of hand and complicated because now, I had to have a map of Wessex updated frequently so I could remember which character was where at any given moment. Suddenly, I found myself fully immersed in an epic, voluminous
I did not wish to leave Wessex yet and decided to write a character spin-off, a coming of age story with “The Briton and Dane: Concordia”. This time I fought with the minor characters, refusing to let them “rain on Concordia’s parade.” They tried, but they failed. And I was proud of maintaining control. I was in charge, wasn’t I? Not my fictional characters.
Reflecting on Erik and Gwyneth’s role in the trilogy had me feeling guilty because the trilogy wasn’t really just their story, it was David and Helga, and Stephen and Elizabeth, and Rigr and Dalla – you get the drift. There was nothing else to do but try again with another novel, “The Briton and the Dane: Timeline.” Grant it, “The Briton and the Dane: Timeline” is a time travel romantic fantasy, and Gwyneth is transported back to England before William the Conqueror’s invasion in 1066. While they might not be the original Erik and Gwyneth in my mind’s eye, it is still their connection, a bond that transcends time. And I was successful! I finally wrote my Erik the Viking novel.Alas, all good things must come to an end. I had to leave Wessex and move on to other projects. It was hard saying goodbye to these wonderful characters who took up a good portion of my life, but I would not change anything, because I had fun in Alfred the Great’s England.
 |
| Mary Ann Bernal |
WEBSITE
BLOG
Monday, September 2, 2019
Pam Lecky: A Conversation with Author Mary Ann Bernal
A Conversation with Author Mary Ann Bernal
Today in the Library we have Mary Ann Bernal who has dropped in to say hello and to share some insights into her life as an author.
You are very welcome, Mary Ann, please introduce yourself:
Thanks for inviting me, Pam. In addition to being an incurable romantic Anglophile history buff, I am also a Science Fiction nerd, dreaming of exploring strange new worlds the minute Captain Kirk commanded the Enterprise. Yes, I am an original Trekkie.
My grandchildren also keep me on my toes, but I am one of their staunchest supporters in all of their extracurricular activities, from sitting in the bleachers for sporting events to orchestra seating for dance competitions.
I am a passionate supporter of the U.S. military, having been involved with letter-writing campaigns and other military support programs since Operation Desert Storm. All of my novels and short story collections are dedicated to fallen military heroes who gave their lives defending our freedom.
Which genre do you write in and what draws you to it?
Since I had always wanted to write a story about a Viking prince, my genre of choice was historical fiction. After having written five novels in The Briton and the Dane series, I broadened my fan base to include contemporary short stories in the Scribbler Tales collection, and more recently, I have added a Space Opera, Planetary Wars: Rise of an Empire, to the mix.
My writing style varies because my interests are wide-ranging. I love history but I also love science fiction, so why not pen what I enjoy? It is always good to leave one’s comfort zone to conquer new challenges. Diversity is a good thing and one should not be limited in scope. My pendulum swings from the Ninth Century to futuristic worlds.
Are you an avid reader? Do you prefer books in your own genre or are you happy to explore others?
Yes. I love to read, but I do not limit myself to one specific category. It is better to broaden one’s perspective then remain stagnant in one area. To grow, one must experience new things. What better way to discover different mindsets then to read different genres? Of course, there will always be favorites, and in many instances, it will be hard to choose the top five.
What part of the writing process do you find most difficult? How do you overcome it?
Ah, writer’s block comes to mind. Is it such a thing? Perhaps, perhaps not. But I am sure most of us have stared at a blank computer screen while our minds wander. Yes, there is the outline. Yes, you know the story, yet you’re stuck.
My solution was to not call it a day after having finished a chapter or a section within a chapter. I will write a few lines for the next section or chapter before leaving the office. The next day when I pull up the file, there are sentences to either change or expand upon. Problem solved.
What was the best piece of writing advice you received when starting out?
Write about what you love because you enjoy it, not because you have to. Some authors will write for the current trend, such as vampire stories. If you don’t love your work, neither will your readers. It does not matter if you’re out of sync. Your work will be discovered. Never settle.
If a movie was made of one of your books, who would you like to play the lead roles?
The Briton and the Dane trilogy selected cast:
Lord Richard – Jeremy Irons; David – James Franco; Stephen – Clive Owen; Erik – Chris Egan; Rollo – Ioan Gruffudd
If truth be told, I have cast the entire lead roles on a spreadsheet since I always picture my characters in my mind’s eye whilst I write.
If you could live the life of a historical figure for one day, who would you choose and what would you get up to?
Eleanor of Aquitaine – she was one feisty wealthy and powerful woman in the Twelfth Century. She was married to Louis VII of France and King Henry II of England. While married to Louis, Eleanor participated in the Second Crusade, leading her Aquitainian soldiers, not of noble birth. It was said she was dressed as an Amazon (warrior women in Greek Mythology) and that point, I would love to prove. What was Eleanor wearing as she and her ladies-in-waiting headed towards the Holy Land? How many men were shamed by her courage?
You have been chosen as a member of the crew on the first one-way flight to Mars – you are allowed to bring 5 books with you. What would they be?
Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott, The Time Machine by H. G. Wells, To Have and To Hold by Mary Johnston, The Andromeda Strain by Michael Creighton, and Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne du Maurier. Can I throw in my Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis DVD collections? Tough choices.
Please tell us about your latest published work.
My next project, in development, is a historical fiction novel set during the First Crusade.
Published works:
The Briton and the Dane collection is an action and adventure drama set in dark ages England when the Vikings terrorized the world. The Briton and the Dane: Timeline is a historical fiction fantasy time travel love story.
Planetary Wars Rise of an Empire is a science fiction/fantasy romantic adventure Space Opera.
Scribbler Tales is a compilation of short stories whose genres include the paranormal, action and adventure, mystery and thrillers, fantasy, romance, drama, and suspense. A single author contemporary fiction anthology.
If you would like to know more about Mary Ann and her work, please check our her links below:
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Crime and Punkishment compiled by Brenda Perlin - book review
My review:
Brenda Perlin has compiled a unique set of short stories
reminiscing about the age of Punk when music expressed the anxieties of the
world’s youth during a very unsettling time. The author has shared memories
from her past as have the other artists not afraid to tell their story, and how
the mores affected their coming of age. A very interesting look at another
milestone in the history of the music culture. I thoroughly enjoyed reading
about a generation younger than mine, and look forward to reading more from
this author.
Available at:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)