Re-reading The Prisoner of Zenda

 I've done a Re-Reading column on The Prisoner of Zenda for The Times. Swoon!

The Liberators: First Paragraph

 

Blackwood darted through the crowds like lightning, his feet pounding on the pavement, splashing in puddles. The chill of December seared through his bones. Around him the press of people on their Friday shopping trips surged and flowed; a flock of pigeons scattered, startled. Blackwood pushed past an old lady, overturning her trolley. He saw a railing ahead of him, checked behind, and leaped over it in one bound, landing lightly on the other side. It was raining, and he was panting, and he could feel the taste of blood in his mouth, and drops of tangy sweat rolled down his cheeks. The stab wound in his shoulder throbbed. He had been running for half an hour, and he had lost all communication with Hunter, and one of the Liberators was just behind him. 

From The Liberators by Philip Womack: get it here.

A Plug for Francis Plug

 

I reviewed the deliciously comic Francis Plug: Writer in Residence by Paul Ewen for Reviews by Writers. Read it here.

Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors: review

 

Good afternoon, I've reviewed Coco Mellors' debut novel, Cleopatra and Frankenstein, for Spectator World. You can read the piece here.

The Liberators back in print

I decided to try out Print on Demand, as I like the idea of keeping back list titles alive. The Liberators was my second novel, and it came out 12 years ago. It was about a young boy, Ivo, who comes to London and finds some distinctly strange things going on. It's dark and weird and won some fans (including a girl who told me at the Young Adult Literature Convention that it was her favourite book.) 

It also deals with some of the same themes as my in print books, particularly Wildlord, which sees an older boy going off to Suffolk and encountering a mage-like figure. So I thought I'd bring it back. I hope it may find new readers.

You can buy it on Amazon here.

More Wildlord news and Happy New Year

 Eoin Colfer (whose Artemis Fowl is a classic) runs a wonderful book podcast on which he interviews children's authors. The equally excellent Jonathan Stroud was interviewed in episode 6 - and said some very kind things about Wildlord. You can hear the episode here. 

And meanwhile, Lesley Watts has chosen Wildlord as her book of the week. You can read her lovely review here.

It's a great thrill to hear from readers. With three (very different) books out in 2021, and with all the problems of lockdowns, it's been harder for new books to find their place. 

 I hope that new readers will also look back to my older books - The Double Axe and The Arrow of Apollo, as well as The Darkening Path trilogy. You can buy them all here.

Happy New Year to all!