SIR THOMAS KYDD STRIKES AGAIN! JULIAN STOCKWINS’ PERSEPHONE AND INFERNO OUT TOMORROW

‘The preeminent living historical naval fiction writer on either side of the Atlantic.’ – George Jepson, Quartedeck

Sir Thomas Kydd once again takes to the seas in PERSEPHONE, the eighteenth novel in Julian Stockwin's KYDD series, to be published by Hodder & Stoughton in hardback on 18 May 2017 and will be released alongside the paperback version of INFERNO, the seventeenth novel in the series.

Julian will be signing copies of these two books at several events around the UK.

With heart-pounding action, and astonishing historical accuracy, the critically acclaimed series has been published in seven countries including France, Japan and Russia.

PERSEPHONE. November 1807. Captain Sir Thomas Kydd must sail to Lisbon to aid the Portuguese Royal Family’s evacuation in the face of Napoleon’s ruthless advance through Iberia. In the chaos of the threatened city an old passion is reawakened when he meets Persephone Lockwood, a beautiful and determined admiral’s daughter from his past. However, Kydd soon becomes aware that Persephone has another suitor and he decides to throw himself into the only thing that still matters: The Royal Navy.

INFERNO. 1807. Captain Sir Thomas Kydd has salvaged the remains of his reputation and is the hero of the hour aboard the Tyger once more. The British Navy is still imperious at sea however Napoleon Bonaparte is steadily dominating mainland Europe. In an attempt to prevent the French from taking control of Denmark's navy, Kydd's great friend Nicholas Renzi - now Lord Farndon - is sent on a desperate diplomatic mission to persuade the Danes to give up their fleet to Britain. But the Danes are caught between two implacable forces and will not yield, opting instead for the inferno of battle.

About the Author

At 14 Stockwin joined a tough sea-training school, followed by the Royal Navy, transferring to the Royal Australian Navy when his family emigrated. He saw active service in the Far East, the Antarctic, the South Seas and Vietnam, and was on board the Melbourne at the time of its disastrous peace time collision with the Voyager. Later he worked for NATO on the strategic development of merchant shipping.

He is also the author of the MOMENTS IN HISTORY series (UK, Allison & Busby) - gripping historical fiction which examines and re-imagines turning points of the past. THE POWDER OF DEATH, the second book in the series, tells the story of the re-discovery of gunpowder, after an envoy to China and an English scholar vow to take the deadly secret to their graves. When Edward III uses it to his advantage at the Battle of Crecy, the first full-scale battle at which guns are deployed in the field, the nature of warfare is changed forever.

Find out more about Julian on the Blake Friedmann website and on Julian’s website.

Follow Julian on Twitter here.

Praise for Julian Stockwin and the KYDD series

‘I was soon turning over the pages almost indecently fast’ – The Independent

‘His vantage point of a common sailor gives the nautical novel a fresh twist. In [Stockwin’s] hands … the sea story will continue to entrance readers across the world.’ — The Guardian

 ‘As a historical fiction writer you have to keep your history in proper shape while combining it with a narrative that someone actually wants to read. Score two out of two for Julian Stockwin...It is engrossing.’ – The Daily Mail

'Stockwin’s eye for authentic detail is faultless.’ — Pennant

‘From the very first novel KYDD Stockwin climbed the dizzy heights of the bestseller lists and has stayed there ever since.’ – Craig Cabell, Book Collector and Magazine

'Stockwin writes brilliantly, bringing wonderful characters to life in a wholly realistic setting exploring history and times in thoroughly researched detail.’ — Alan Eggleston, Booksville

THE LAST HORSEMAN shortlisted for Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize

David Gilman’s riveting Boer War novel THE LAST HORSEMAN has been shortlisted for the Wilbur and Niso Smith Adventure Writing Prize. Established in 2016, the prize is an annual event celebrating the best adventure novels published in the last calendar year. The prize is open to writers of any nationality, writing in English.  

David Gilman is the author of the highly-praised MASTER OF WAR series (Head of Zeus), set during The Hundred Years War and sold in several countries around the world. Gilman’s standalone novel THE LAST HORSEMAN was described by The Historical Novel Society Magazine as ‘packed full of intrigue, adventure and excitement, while The Times said it was ‘gripping and full of action, but also smart and subtle about questions of loyalty and guilt in a war with few good guys.’ David has also written the DANGER ZONE adventure trilogy for younger readers, published by Puffin. 

The six-strong shortlist for this year’s Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize is:
•        David Gilman THE LAST HORSEMAN (Head of Zeus)
•        Frank Gardner CRISIS (Bantam Press)
•        Stef Penney UNDER A POLE STAR (Quercus) 
•        Sara Sheridan ON STARLIT SEAS (Black and White Publishing) 
•        James Swallow NOMAD (Zaffre Publishing) 
•        Graham Hurley FINISTERRE (Head of Zeus) 

The 2017 judging panel comprises: Steve Winter, award-winning National Geographic Photographer; Alex Crawford, Special Correspondent at Sky News; Kevin Conroy Scott, Literary Agent at Tibor Jones & Associates; and Corban Addison, bestselling author and winner of the 2016 Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize. The £10,000 prize will be awarded at a ceremony at London’s Royal Geographical Society in September 2017. 

Niso Smith, Founder of The Wilbur and Niso Smith Foundation, says: “The Prize is the Foundation’s flagship programme. We are delighted to have received such a high standard of submissions, from both established novelists and writers submitting their debut work of fiction. There are many talented adventure authors writing today and they need to be recognised for their outstanding work. The shortlist really encapsulates the spirit of adventure writing. Each novel allows us a glimpse into different worlds and times, from modern-day to historical settings, and each with clear threats to overcome – whether that’s a fearsome human enemy, societal conventions, or the formidable power of nature.”

Established in September 2015, The Wilbur and Niso Smith Foundation is a charitable organisation dedicated to empowering writers, promoting literacy and advancing adventure writing as a genre. 

For more information on the Foundation and the Prize, click here

Follow David on Twitter

See more on David Gilman’s website here.

Praise for David Gilman:

‘What Gilman does superlatively is heart-pounding action.’ — Amanda Craig, The Times

‘Move over Bernard Cornwell!…Historical fiction at its best.’ — Historical Novel Society

‘David Gilman writes so well, managing to stir the blood while moving the reader, at least this one, to tears.' — For Winter Nights

‘Some may notice that there are certain words that are repeated in each of my David Gilman reviews because they're so true they stick to him like a magnet to magnetic stuff. So adjectives like action-packed, exciting and wonderfully researched are a given. Yet only the qualities of the work stay the same; the story is as fresh and shock-filled as each of its predecessors.’ — Ani Johnson, The Bookbag

London, green? Rediscover the capital through Rural London, published today by Michael O’Mara

Kate Hodges’ RURAL LONDON will be published today by Michael O’Mara. Lusciously-illustrated, RURAL LONDON invites you to discover London’s windmills and farms, its wild waters, gothic castles and grand country houses. Hodges presents a new face of the City, one that is green and peaceful, in sharp contrast with popular perceptions of the metropolis. Featuring farmers’ markets, Morris dancing and the best ‘country’ pubs, RURAL LONDON persuades you to fall in love with the city once more.

Tune into BBC London today at 1pm, where Kate will be speaking about her book with Jo Good. She also did a takeover of the Emerald Street mailout, where you can find see a sample of RURAL LONDON.

Kate tweets at @TheeKateHodges. 

Look out for features in Time Out and Londonist too.

And you can visit Kate’s website for more of her thoughts and information about her books.

A STREET CAT NAMED BOB WINS BEST BRITISH FILM AT THE NATIONAL FILM AWARDS

We are delighted for our clients Tim John and Roger Spottiswode that ‘A Street Cat Named Bob’ has won Best British Film at this year’s 3rd annual National Film Awards UK. The National Film Academy’s annual awards celebrates the UK’s best films and talent both in front and behind the cameras, and this year’s event, hosted at Porchester Hall in London, was home to a plethora of stars of industry.

The award, voted for by audiences, was hotly contested, and ‘Bob’ beat off competition including ‘Our Kind Of Traitor’, directed by Susanna White and starring Damien Lewis and Alan Skaarsard, and  ‘A United Kingdom’, directed by Amma Asante and starring Rosamund Pike and David Oyelowo.

Directed by Roger, screenplay by Tim (and Maria Nation), and adapted from James Bowen’s international bestselling novel, ‘A Street Cat Named Bob’ is based on Bowen’s true life experiences on the streets. Produced by Adam Rolston at Shooting Script Films, and financed/exec produced by Prescience, the theatrical release was November 2016, and was greeted by warm reviews and strong box office. The film stars Luke Treadaway, Ruta Gedmintas, Joanne Froggatt, Anthony Head and Bob the Cat as himself. It is now available on DVD.

I KNOW WHERE SHE IS - debut thriller to Canelo

Editorial director Louise Cullen has acquired I KNOW WHERE SHE IS by SB Caves for Summer 2017 publication

I KNOW WHERE SHE IS features a mother whose child was abducted ten years earlier, and seems unlikely to ever be found until a mysterious young woman appears claiming that Francine’s daughter is being held captive. The chain of events that follows sees Francine face her worst nightmares and do things she never thought herself capable of in a quest to find her child.

Cullen said: 'SB Caves’ novel grabbed me from the first page and did not let go. I read much of it on the edge of my seat and raced through to the breathless finale. This novel has pace, tension, action aplenty and is an unsettling exploration of a dark side of human nature. Most of all, it is about a mother who will do whatever it takes to save her child.'

Caves said: 'I'm delighted that Canelo have faith in my writing and I'm really looking forward to working with them.'

The author is currently working on his second novel, a UK based thriller.

Follow SB Caves on Twitter here.