Ruby's Recommendations: McDroll, Vaillancourt, Kempe, Sobieck and more

Well, I'm pleased to say the renovations here at the citadel are going swimmingly, and we should have a new recreation centre for the gnomes, as well much improved facitlities for guests.  Princess Ruby has been supervising proceedings very closely indeed I must say.  However, she has also been urging me to make a list of some of her favourite authors. Ruby says you really must have a look at them and their work. 

So, ever faithful, I am doing so now.  In no particular order, thelist is as follows:

• McDroll (aka Fiona) -  A wonderful Scottish lady who has done some tremendous short stories.  Ruby is particularly enjoying The Wrong Delivery series at the moment, which she says are both funny and eye-wateringly shocking.

• Michel Vaillancourt  - Splendid Canadian fellow who writes in the Steampunk genre.  A genre which had be baffled for a while, but turns out to be amazing. Think Jules Verne, airships, and feisty damsels.  Michel has just re-released his popular adventure, The Sauder Diaries: By Any Other Name, in a fantastic new edition.

• Graham Smith - Another person who lives is bonnie Scotland.  Ruby is raving about his brand new selection of short stories, called Gutshots.  You can guess by the title that this is not Winnie the Pooh.

•  C Margery Kempe - An enigmatic lady whose saucy, humorous and creative erotic stories have been known to make quite a few of the parlour maids blush.  My faithful butler, Stanislav, even found one by accident and I swear it made his glasses steam up! 

•  Ben Sobieck - A talented and witty wordsmith who hails from the frozen, northern US state of Minnesota.  One of his characters, Maynard Soloman, even had my chaos network under investigation for a few weeks. Talk about temerity!  Ruby is currently engrossed in his novel, Cleansing Eden.

• Paul Brazill  - Honorary Gnome Master and citadel legend.  I am still recovering for the evening out we had a couple of weeks ago, and have only just been released from the doghouse by my beloved Ruby.  Paul has sent us a paperback copy of Drunk on the Moon, which is proving very popular with the gnomes.

Oh well, that is it for now. I hope you look at these fine authors and their work.  They come highly recommended by my beloved wife, and I can assure you - she is always right.

Character Reveal #2 - from Campaign of the Gods

A (well known) character from forthcoming novella - Campaign of the Gods.

On the good side or bad side? What do you reckon?

Thor:  Norse god of thunder, lightning and storms. 

A mighty warrior, Thor is the protector of both Asgard (the realm of the gods) and Midgard (Earth – the realm of humans), a task for which he carries the mighty war hammer known as Mjollnir.

When not smiting giants Thor is known to enjoy drinking and feasting with friends and family in his vast castle, Bilskirnir, which lies in the realm of Thrud-vang (literally ‘Strength Fields’).
His name is the origin of the English word ‘Thursday’.

Spirit Archer - FR*E on #Kindle Wed 6th and Thurs 7th June

The Spirit Archer is a FREE Kindle download on Amazon sites on Wednesday 6th June and Thursday 7th June.

Now is your chance to bag this wonderful coming-of-age story for nothing!


                                     Amazon UK link

                                    Amazon USA link

Character reveal #1 for future novella - Campaign of the Gods

On the good side or bad side? What do you think?

Ivar Ragnarsson (aka Ivar the Boneless): 

Viking leader and berserker.  Ivar commanded the Viking ‘Great Heathen Army’, which invaded England in AD 865, captured York the following year and established Danish rule over half of early medieval England.

The nickname ‘Boneless’ is subject to much speculation. It is thought possibly due to Ivar possessing great physical flexibility, lameness in one leg, impotence, or his even having a bone disease.  Whichever way you look at it, Ivar was undeniably a wise commander and fearsome warrior.