This post is just a quick summary of where you can find a few articles I’ve written in the last few months, in case you’ve missed them (in no particular order).
I wrote a feature for Shepherd about the five books that led to my obsession with Saxon England.
And sticking with all things Saxon, I’ve written a piece all about Saxon England for this month’s interactive Historical Times magazine. (this link will take you to the sample – sign up to become a member – the magazines are always stuffed with fabulous content)
I can’t quite believe it’s been a year since the release of The Last Shield, but it has, and finally, I’m excited to share The Last Seven with my readers. I confess, the title started as a bit of a joke, but it was just too good not to use:)
Here’s the blurb:
He sent twenty men to infiltrate three hundred. It had to be enough.
While Archbishop Wulfhere of York begs for assistance against Jarl Halfdan, now living in Northumbria, Bishop Smithwulf of London is eager for Coelwulf to forge an alliance with King Alfred of Wessex. And the three Viking raider jarls continue to hold Grantabridge. Yet, Coelwulf has so far managed to dismiss all of these concerns, consumed with worry for his missing warrior, Pybba.
But while searching for Pybba, events overtake Coelwulf, his men are murdered, and his aunt taken, but by which of his enemies?
If Coelwulf fails to rescue his aunt alive, what hope does he have for keeping his kingdom secure?
The year is AD875, and the men of Mercia must once more ride into the fray. The future of Mercia depends on them.
For the first time, I’m releasing the original version, and the Cleaner Version of The Last Seven on the same day. (For those who haven’t encountered the different versions before, the major difference is the absence of a certain word in the Cleaner Versions – I think we probably all know what that word is.)
The paperback and hardback will also be available for the original version. The book will also be available to read with Kindle Unlimited.
I really, really, really, hope you enjoy being back with Coelwulf and his men as much as I loved writing the book. But, a warning, I want you to read the book and enjoy it, but my plan is that book 8 will not be available until this time next year. So, take your time, if you can. And, if you can’t, then don’t forget there’s also a short story collection, Coelwulf’s Company, Tales from before The Last King, and of course, Icel’s story is the basis for The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles. Hopefully, there will be enough for you to read, until the release of the next book.
And, I’ve written a new short story for The Last Seven. If you sign up to my newsletter, I will be sharing the short story with my subscribers first. (I send a monthly email on the 1st of each month.)
Thank you to everyone who has preordered the new book. I hope you all love it, and appreciate the new map I’ve had made for the book.
To celebrate the coming release of The Last Seven, the first book in the series is free on Amazon Kindle for the next few days.
If you’ve not yet discovered Coelwulf, and his warriors, then here’s the blurb;
They sent three hundred warriors to kill one man. It wasn’t enough.
Mercia lies broken but not beaten, her alliance with Wessex in tatters. Coelwulf, a fierce and bloody warrior, hears whispers that Mercia has been betrayed from his home in the west. He fears no man, especially not the Vikings sent to hunt him down.
To discover the truth of the rumours he hears, Coelwulf must travel to the heart of Mercia, and what he finds there will determine the fate of Mercia, as well as his own.
The Last King is available in 2 versions – the original, which is stuffed with foul language, and the ‘cleaner’ version which is missing some of the stronger language, although there’s still many examples of bugger and arsehole, as well as a few others. The battle gore hasn’t been toned down in the cleaner version.
Sometimes, when I’m writing a scene, I just have to write something to go with it, a side story, a prequel, just something that ties up loose ends between one book series, and another, and so, Coelwulf’s Company, a collection of short stories from before the beginning of The Last King. Have you wondered what all our fierce warriors were up to before The Last King? How Coelwulf came to command his warriors? Hopefully, you’ll find some of the answers here in my first collection of short stories featuring the characters from The Last King, and also one character from Son of Mercia!
And, if you’ve read the Chronicles of the English, and are wondering where to go next, then The Mercian Brexit, is an attempt to bridge some of the gap between that trilogy and the Lady Elfrida books. At 15,000 words, The Mercian Brexit is one of my longer short stories, but equally, not as long as some of them have ended up (Cnut was supposed to only ever be 50,000 words but ended up over 100,000 – so not so very short after all.)
Both books are also available to read with a Kindle Unlimited Subscription.
These aren’t my only short stories. You can also find one in The Historical Times magazine from July 2022, and there are also a couple on my author platform with Aspects of History, and I plan on writing many more as well.
I’m excited to share this one with you. I mean, we all knew what it was going to look like, but all the same, I think this looks suitably menacing for a title like that:)
Here’s the blurb:
He sent twenty men to infiltrate three hundred. It had to be enough.
While Archbishop Wulfhere of York begs for assistance against Jarl Halfdan, now living in Northumbria, Bishop Smithwulf of London is eager for Coelwulf to forge an alliance with King Alfred of Wessex. And the three Raider jarls continue to hold Grantabridge. Yet, Coelwulf has so far managed to dismiss all of these concerns, his worry only with his missing warrior, Pybba.
But while searching for Pybba, events overtake Coelwulf, his men are murdered, and his aunt taken, but by which of his enemies?
If Coelwulf fails to rescue his aunt alive, then what hope does he have for keeping his kingdom secure?
The year is AD875 and the men of Mercia must once more ride into the fray. The future of Mercia depends on them.
This week’s Kindle countdown deal is Northman Part 1, Book 3 in the Earls of Mercia series, but with a handy ‘the story so far’ at the beginning for those keen to jump right in at this point (If you’ve read the Elfrida books you’ll be at about the same moment ‘in time’ anyway.)
(also available to read with a Kindle Unlimited Subscription)
Here’s the blurb:
Northman, the eldest son of Ealdorman Leofwine, fostered, at the King’s insistence, by Eadric of Mercia, finds himself caught between loyalty to his father and his foster father.
Fighting for his own sense of self, whilst Viking Raiders vie for the English King’s land, he must choose his own path, and hold true to his own belief’s amongst murky Court politics and bitter pitched battles.
Leofwine, Ealdorman of the Hwicce, must accept his King’s wishes with regards to his eldest son, even though he finds them abhorrent. Simultaneously he must continue to act in the best interests of his king as the English people face their direst threat yet, the raiding of Thorkell the Tall, the king of Denmark’s own Commander, trusted friend and foster-father of his son, Cnut.
And when events become even direr, will father and son act as one, or will they be torn apart by the machinations of the man who plots to undermine every action the king takes, Ealdorman Eadric?
Northman Part 1 is where readers of The First Queen of England, and The King’s Mother trilogies should pick up the story of Saxon England.
I wrote this book quite a few years ago, and I was only reminded yesterday that it’s dedicated to my cousin and his wife on their wedding – so Happy Anniversary to them:)
Before his encounter with Ealdorman Leofwine on his fateful trip to Shetland, King Swein first had to wrestle Denmark from an overmighty father and make his own name as a warrior of great renown.
This side story to the Earls of Mercia series tells of the early years of King Swein’s reign, his first raid on England, his unfortunate encounter with Ealdorman Leofwine and his desire to once and for all kill Olaf of Norway, culminating in the mighty sea battle of Svolder in 999.
I hope you enjoy – this can be read as a standalone if you’ve not yet read the rest of the books in the series as the main character is one of the minor characters in the series.
Swein is also available to read with a Kindle Unlimited Subscription.
I’m super excited to share the huge promotion for book 6 in The Ninth Century series, which is currently 99p UK, 99c Canada and Australia, and 65 INR, as well as being reduced in all marketplaces. And if that’s not enough, all six books, in both original and the Cleaner versions, are also reduced on on Amazon US and UK. (Well, apart from book 1, which is always 99p/99c).
So, if you’ve not caught up with events in Mercia in the 870s, before the release of book 7, which I couldn’t resist calling The Last Seven, now is the perfect opportunity to do.
I’m really pleased to be able to share that Pagan Warrior, book 1 in the Gods and Kings Trilogy, is now available in audio.
If you’ve listened to The Custard Corpses, then yes, it’s the same narrator, Matt Coles, but wow, have I tested him with this one. I am genuinely amazed by the skill in which he’s brought the motley collection of warring kings to life from seventh century Britain. And, even if you’re read the book, I would recommend listening to the story as well. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed listening to the narration.
I’m really excited for this one. I truly hope you, as my readers, will love this second book in young Icel’s story. My beta readers assure me it’s very good, and in fact, one of them was up until 3am reading the end:)
Here’s the blurb:
As a lone wolf inside a Wessex stronghold, Icel must ensure his own and Mercia’s triumph.
Icel is becoming a warrior of Mercia, but King Ecgberht of Wessex still holds the Mercian settlement of Londonia and its valuable mint.
King Wiglaf of Mercia is determined that the last bulwark be reclaimed from his sworn enemy to complete his rehabilitation as Mercia’s rightful ruler.
In the heart of the shield wall, Icel suddenly finds himself on the wrong side of the battle and thrust into the retreating enemy stronghold where he must take on the pretence of a Wessex warrior to survive and exact a cunning plan to bring down the Wessex force cowering behind the ancient walls.
His allegiances are tested and the temptation to make new allies is overwhelming but Icel must succeed if he’s ever to see Tamworth again and bring about King Wiglaf’s victory, or will he be forced to join the enemy?
Wolf of Mercia will be on blog tour with Rachel’s Random Resources for the next week. Do check out the stops on the blog, which I’ll add as it goes along.
And, don’t forget to sign up for my Boldwood Books newsletter to keep up to date with special offers and new release information, and also to enter competitions – there will a release day competition to win some signed copies of book 2.
M J Porter 