Saturday 21 February 2015

The Tudor Enigma 3: Mantle of Malice


Two days to launch day for April Taylor’s third book in The Tudor Enigma.

In Mantle of Malice, Luke finds himself up against the dreaded inner circle of sunderers, Custodes Tenebris. Not only have they decided Henry IX must be driven from the throne, but Dominus elemancer, Luke Ballard must also be disposed of.

The baby Prince of Wales is abducted and Luke is ordered to find him. A journey to Luke’s home county of Lincolnshire ends in tragedy and Luke himself is ambushed by the enemy and seriously wounded. All that and he has fallen desperately in love…



Mantle of Malice: published by Carina Press on 23rd February 2015.


Book 2 - Taste of Treason












You can find out more about April Taylor here:

Saturday 14 February 2015

A Change is as Good as…

My new study, where the writing continues.
Hornsea Writers has been my peer group for over ten years. Moving from the area has extended my usual weekly journey from a thirty-six mile round trip to one of four hundred and thirty miles. Oddly, it’s a drive I won’t be doing on a regular basis!

I’ve yet to discover a writing group in my new location in the Forest of Dean, (if anyone reading this knows of such a group, please let me know) but this is largely because I’ve been too busy setting up a new home to do any research.

So, why am I still writing on this blog? Well, I didn’t want to leave this hugely supportive and professional group simply because I could no longer regularly attend meetings. And, fortunately for me, the group felt the same way. There’ll no doubt be the occasional opportunity for my physical presence in Hornsea in the future, since my publisher, Fantastic Books Publishing, is situated close by. No doubt Dan will have ideas that involve my actual appearance at his idiosyncratic premises. For the rest of the time, however, my connection will be virtual. 

It’s one of the advantages of our modern connected age that distance is no longer a barrier to communication. As a group, we’re mutually interested in our writing and social lives, so I continue to remain a presence and we’re still exchanging news and ideas. It’s a privilege to be a member of such an intelligent and experienced group of writers and I hope to remain here for as long as I continue to write.

At present, that writing largely consists of an autobiographical account of my ten years with ME/CFS. And I’ve actually started writing the book, following a fairly long period when I had time only for research and development, due to the house move. Once the book’s published, half the proceeds will go to the charity that helped me during my early years with the condition. I’m also training for the Great North Run, a half marathon that takes place on 13th September this year. I’m raising money for the same charity through that run.

If you’d like to follow my progress with the book and the running, you can do so on my website by clicking here. And if you’d like to sponsor me for the charity, Action for M.E., you can do that by using this link: https://www.justgiving.com/Stuart-Aken/


Thank you.

Saturday 7 February 2015

Buried Deep crosses the pond


Buried Deep, Penny Grubb’s latest novel and her first police procedural has just been snapped up by US giant Harlequin for their mass-market paperback crime list.

In York, something nasty washes up in the aftermath of a flash flood and sets off a murder enquiry that will spread its influence further and deeper than anyone could have imagined. In Buried Deep a private investigator on what should have been a routine private investigation clashes head-on with an official police enquiry. When all parties have their own agendas, nothing is going to run smoothly.


Buried Deep is available in paperback and ebook formats

Buried Deep is published in the UK by Fantastic Books Publishing