"This action-packed story kept me reading late into the night, moving from one adventure into another all the way through." - Elouise.

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On the Homefront

Daisy & Tilly's faces when told they had to stay home while we went out. :(

This week we were subject to a major thunderstorm that took out our power. Luckily I had just saved my work, so the outage didn’t hit me too hard. It was very strange, though, sitting in the living room for part of the afternoon with no electronic devices. It really makes you realize how much we use technology in our everyday lives. We weren’t completely lacking for entertainment, as our phones still worked. Nothing like falling back on good on cell phones. (That’s mobiles for those of you in the UK).

In other news, we finally went out to a restaurant for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic. We sat out on the patio, eating our food, while Carol was partially fried in the sun, as the umbrella was definitely not made for four! Other than that, it was an enjoyable experience. In Ontario, where we live, restaurants have reduced their capacity, so there was no fear of being too close to someone carrying anything contagious. All that and good company too!

Hopefully the nice weather will continue, though I think they’re calling for rain again this weekend.

Special ends on the 31st!

When was the stirrup first used?

The stirrup had a considerable impact on the use of cavalry. Most people generally think they were a later development of the medieval period, but there is evidence to suggest that they are far older. Though not technically stirrups, the ancient Assyrian's had a foot support in the form of a looped rope for the big toe. This was attached to a saddle by employing a strip of leather as early as 500 BC.

China may have had something similar during the Han Dynasty, placing its first use sometime between 206 BC and 220 AD. This early stirrup was for mounting the horse only and was typically used on only one side. The first evidence of a full-sized, double-sided stirrup was unearthed in a tomb dating to 322 AD.

In any event, they appear to have been in wide use across China by 477 AD. It is likely this incarnation that eventually made its way to Europe by the late 6^th century, and by the 8^th century, they were quite common.

The stirrup significantly increased the ability of a rider to remain in the saddle. It also allowed the rider to deliver an attack that could take advantage of his horse's weight and momentum. This, in turn, led to the dominance of cavalry until the advent of tanks.

Tempered Steel now available for Pre-order!

The reviews for Temple Knight are in — 5 STARS!!!

'A big hit!' - D L

'Absolutely riveting!' - Lady J

'Great start to a new series must-read' - Harland

'Temple Knight is a real page-turner of a story.' - Bradford

'Well written and a feeling of your right there as the story unfolds.' - Linda

'If your looking for a fantasy adventure read it just doesn’t get any better than this!' - Maretta

'Grab yourself a copy and lose yourself in a fabulous new series from an awesome storyteller.' - Lady L

'You won't want to put it down! I love the new characters and the way this series parallels The Frozen Flame' - Pamela B

A Look Back at Servant of the Crown

It was almost three years ago (October 20^th, 2017, to be exact) that I first published Servant of the Crown on Kobo. At the time, I had a full-time job as an IT instructor and only wrote on weeknights and weekends.

Servant of the Crown was actually complete for almost a year before publication. Having read some advice that recommended putting your first book aside and forgetting about it, I did just that, but only until I finished my second tale, Sword of the Crown. Once that was complete, I returned to Servant, doing a significant overhaul to the beginning of the book and filling out Gerald's background. If I remember correcty, I deleted six partial chapters and added nine.

I even considered telling the tale chronologically, but felt, in the end, that a flashback of sorts was more effective. Back then, I had no idea that the book would eventually reach bestseller status, though I always had more books in mind for the series. Eventually, my tales would grow to include the Frozen Flame and now Power Ascending, but I  always enjoy returning to Heir to the Crown, and the old warrior that started it all.

Congrats to Brian for winning last week's eBook Giveaway! Based on your great feedback, we went back to the drawing board and came up with a new theme for the covers. Please let us know what you think with a thumbs up or down.

Remember, all you need to do answer the question below, then you will automatically be entered into the Giveaway to win your choice of any of my ebooks, even the upcoming Temple Knight!

We are hoping to update a couple more covers this week, so keep your eyes peeled!

Work in Progress Update

Work on Fury of the Crown is proceeding at (dare I say it) a furious pace. I have been writing for two weeks and have exceeded 50,000 words, putting me close to the halfway point of my estimated wordcount of 120K. However, based upon my outline, my calculations may be off, as I’m only about a third of the way through my outline. This book may very well end up being longer the longest of the series, but time will tell, and by the end of next week, I shall have a much better idea.

I’ve introduced a number of new secondary characters in this book, though the old favourites are, of course, still front and centre. These new people help fill out the plot. Some are there based upon how they relate to existing characters, and others are there to present things from a slightly different point of view. As always, I strive to give them some interesting personalities that I hope will make them memorable.

Hard to believe I’ve written so much, and yet they still have to cross into Norland! Ah, well, you can’t rush into a massive military campaign without some planning.

Until next time, enjoy a passage from Flames, Book Three in The Frozen Flames series.

Book of the Week

Just in case you have not read this one yet!

Author Spotlight

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