tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50270036381017143432024-03-13T17:27:40.147-07:00R.J. ConnorAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16632310155930044577noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5027003638101714343.post-17561667309996986722017-12-28T07:57:00.002-08:002017-12-28T08:01:58.096-08:00Christmas Gift<a href="http://author.to/rjconnor" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img height="200" src="https://attachment.outlook.office.net/owa/Ross-Connor@live.co.uk/service.svc/s/GetAttachmentThumbnail?id=AQMkADAwATM3ZmYAZS1hNjgyLTU3YWYtMDACLTAwCgBGAAADDNj3AifTLkSi%2F2wxTlR1OwcARlmy8dD5a0aw%2B5GYTnF7tgAAAgEMAAAARlmy8dD5a0aw%2B5GYTnF7tgABNW5EYAAAAAESABAARv3XRcuyN0ildBfi3Pn5API%3D&thumbnailType=2&X-OWA-CANARY=mhF7c9-r0kaOrBXdLtQHPrAQMxIKTtUYfhJX8g3KGWrl927pZ6AD9-nKVJvCysxMt4iIsjZSgrQ.&token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiIsIng1dCI6ImVuaDlCSnJWUFU1aWpWMXFqWmpWLWZMMmJjbyJ9.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.suS-VwsA9JY4WFCJOo-tLF6IXWnqFL815Yq_sgAPegj0-v1gnzdZrkSW2RcF2pggx7nZasdx-uaDXlNEdHsB_dOhNC7KNXPUAg_HbQ5K4OSh96wzQ--HG4oUlIN6WS902LXlIYpC9INdhTbjfk1LSwzsvs9dSRqrubexZpX3nV6b2WGIFVQli49_zNopZud_0_evMe6P6vdNkysYkO_ZDa34GoS-Sd7qQicuc0_FQKNEU5-gW-mGu3ym3K7-kCcooNejHpA2NwNtd6d4URRVXoPanh2GBR4RAfXriFJnC-hXl_JI4QX3SYs4-QlTdmhkhwCIRatseB_6K42XitoJDA&owa=outlook.live.com&isc=1" width="150" /></a><br />
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Hopefully you received one of these bad boys in your stocking for Christmas this year. If you didn't however, don't fret. They are available on <a href="http://author.to/rjconnor" target="_blank">Amazon</a> for a measley £3.84. Get yours now and find out more about the Black Death!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16632310155930044577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5027003638101714343.post-10707443342460790802017-12-23T13:23:00.001-08:002017-12-23T13:23:36.670-08:00Goodreads Book Giveaway!<div id="goodreadsGiveawayWidget271493"><!-- Show static html as a placeholder in case js is not enabled -->
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Black Christmas 1349 is now available in paperback!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Get yours in time for Christmas <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1973505878/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1513414280&sr=8-2&keywords=black+christmas+1349" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16632310155930044577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5027003638101714343.post-21904182350308127492016-11-11T02:37:00.000-08:002016-11-11T06:40:42.853-08:00Author UpdateAfter some time out from writing, I am pleased to announce that I am back in the game. Most of this year has been spent pursuing other endeavours but finally I can come back to doing what I love most. For those of you that have been kind enough to read my books in the Longsword Saga, you will be pleased to know that work continues on Heretic, a prequel and the next installment in the series. But my time will be split between that and a new project that I have started working on. That is a children's series based on the mythical King Arthur. For those of you that have children, the King Arthur chronicles will begin with the first book, Arthur and information related to the publication of that, will be announced over the coming month or so. Please keep checking my blog over the coming months for other updates and articles.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16632310155930044577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5027003638101714343.post-57862374284122852192016-02-22T06:57:00.001-08:002016-02-22T09:52:47.182-08:00From Castell to Woburn - The Story of my Summer (Part 1)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHNo_nuFVm_brBjucpSiblOEORjyr9up0DqiiPJM9kTyR4g37RZjb1KhXxIkwofqma1aCPz-UYxupJuw51s055xCmgfc1Tb_DIDWrMIA1qPQC-MCVITgJz_5YZmIr62Enk7S3Nglc5vlU/s1600/castellet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHNo_nuFVm_brBjucpSiblOEORjyr9up0DqiiPJM9kTyR4g37RZjb1KhXxIkwofqma1aCPz-UYxupJuw51s055xCmgfc1Tb_DIDWrMIA1qPQC-MCVITgJz_5YZmIr62Enk7S3Nglc5vlU/s640/castellet.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">From Castell to Woburn, it sounds like an epic journey doesn't it? Alas, it is one that I did not take. If I had attempted it however, I would not have used a car. I would have walked as our forbears did before us. Or at the very least, I would have stolen a horse and rode it off into the sunset. But the mountain passes of Spain are no place for a nag. Indeed, I sometimes wonder how man makes it through. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">For me to have walked from Castell to Woburn, I would have trudged 1,721 kilometres and it would have taken me 319 hours. No small feat. As it was, I did make a journey, but it was somewhat shorter. I took a walk from the Spanish village of Castell de Castells (Castle of Castles), the last of a line of villages that dots the Vall de Pop (Jalon Valley) to the summit of a mountain, where lies the castle that the village's name derives from, <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castell_de_Castells" target="_blank">Penya Castellet</a></i> (The Castle of the Rock) or simply <i>El Castellet.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I kid you not, the journey was thwart with danger. And I say this not because I am a fictional author who wishes to add value to the story, nor because people before me such as the protagonist of my novel <i><a href="http://author.to/RJConnor" target="_blank">Mercenary</a></i>, Sir Richard Longsword, have stumbled it's steep and horrifying steps. I say it because I went up there against my better judgement, on the last day that I could, right into the heart of a storm.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Now believe me, I am no fool. It was a cloudy day, for sure. But even then, I did not foresee what was to come. No sooner did I step foot at the base of the mountain, I felt the first drops of rain tickle my brow. Luckily, I thought to myself, I remembered to bring an umbrella. So somewhat senselessly, I decided to push on. Perhaps I was thinking of those who had built the castle so many years ago. To be honest, I do not remember. But whatever I was thinking, I bravely carried on.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The path was wide to begin with and it's rise was steady. It wasn't long, however, before the path narrowed and with each twist and turn, it slowly started to steepen. By the time I was halfway up, the path was little more than a foot wide and for want of a better phrase, it had turned in to a water slide. The rain was falling so heavy, you'd have thought there was no path at all, just a fast flowing stream.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">My feet were cold and wet. My arms and legs were sore from the bombardment they'd received from passing twigs and branches. Then, before I knew it, I was in the clouds. It was quite surreal, if not somewhat eerie. And little did I know, down the bottom waiting for me, in a nearby cafe, my step father was being told off by a Spaniard, who believed it was necessary to call the Policia, because I was probably dead!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I made it to the top and despite my tribulations it only took me about an hour and a half. I headed round the last turn, then before me was the wonderful remains of this spooky castle. Of course I had to get up close, because I was still in the clouds and it was just like fog. The castle isn't just at the top of the mountain, like it's name suggests, it's on top of a rock, on top of a mountain.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I walked around the base of the rock, which was on a steep slope and it was hard to picture how the castle would have stood. But as you got closer to the rock, you could see what looked like stairs cut into the stone and an idea of where certain rooms would have stood began to fall in to place. Despite thinking it was probably wrong, I decided to climb these steps, which were very hard to access to see if I could get to the very top.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">There was evidence that others had climbed here before me, including an empty cigarette pack, but I came to the conclusion that it probably wasn't allowed, as it was downright scary and I'd chosen the worst day to do it and I couldn't see more than a few metres in front of me. I made it to the top and I was so glad that I did. It was flat which suggests there would have been some type of hall up there as the space was big and at the end were the remains of a tower.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I took some photos, which I will be sharing on my Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RossConnor7/" target="_blank">page</a>. Unfortunately the view from the mountain was not great, as each way I looked all I could see was cloud. But what that did do at the very least was mask the few hundred feet drop, that would have led to a certain death. I could only imagine what the view must have been to those that lived there, hundreds of years ago. But hopefully one day I can go back and see for myself.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The castle, was built by the Moors, during their occupation of the Iberian Peninsula. One of many they built in the mountains, such as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Castell_de_Guadalest" target="_blank">Castle of Guadalest</a> which features prominently in <i><a href="http://author.to/RJConnor" target="_blank">Mercenary</a></i>. The reason they built them here, was firstly because, they could see for many miles around, but secondly because they were downright impossible to capture. During my novel in 1513, the castle belonged to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Santiago" target="_blank">Order of Santiago</a> and my protagonist only spent the night here.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I did not spend the night. In fact, I hurried back down, to a disgruntled step dad and thankfully, no Policia. I was cold and drenched through, I even gave up on my brolly. But there was one thing the weather could not dampen on that day and that was my spirit. For though I was alone, and I say that lightly because I never truly felt alone. I always felt as if I was walking with those who had come before me. But on that day I had an adventure of my own and my destination was remarkable.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16632310155930044577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5027003638101714343.post-17016480533385585592015-12-31T09:29:00.003-08:002016-02-22T04:56:02.993-08:00Mercenary - Goodreads Giveaway *Updated*<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Congratulations to </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Dawn Lewis</b></span><span style="font-size: large;">, who won a signed copy of Mercenary on the Goodreads Book Giveaway!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "lato" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">Enter for a chance to win a copy of my historical fiction novel #<i>Mercenary</i>!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "lato" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">Richard Longsword is a Mercenary. By day he works the desolate orange groves but by night he is in the paid servitude of the Grand Duke of Gandia, serving as captain of the Guardians of Guadalest, an elite group of warrior knights who defend the fortress of Guadalest. When the fort is attacked by men who claim to be enemies of Richard's father, it threatens to spiral into a whirlwind of events that will change his life forever. He is left with no choice but to embark on a perilous journey to not only uncover the truth but to save the lives of his family. A tale of love, loss and ultimate betrayal. Richard Longsword is a Mercenary, but this time its not for money, this time its for revenge.</span></div>
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by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7993045.R_J_Connor" style="text-decoration: none;">R.J. Connor</a>
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Giveaway ends January 08, 2016.
<br />
See the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/168117" style="text-decoration: none;">giveaway details</a>
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<script charset="utf-8" src="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/widget/168117" type="text/javascript"></script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16632310155930044577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5027003638101714343.post-37105551786475911262015-12-31T09:27:00.002-08:002016-02-22T05:08:59.464-08:00Black Christmas 1349 *Update*<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAQE0LxdU9oS6fnmmzKBF11w6T4NLucuZPBCxmW7Sa83-oQG5opVLnQcp1vNZm1uJcgxqoJBaz7i2_hHkVDPTM5P2g2VUAndbz8gYo_uy7s4S7jdVvvcYS8pCjZzoAAmt4lwixEDXXgrU/s1600/Black+Christmas+1349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAQE0LxdU9oS6fnmmzKBF11w6T4NLucuZPBCxmW7Sa83-oQG5opVLnQcp1vNZm1uJcgxqoJBaz7i2_hHkVDPTM5P2g2VUAndbz8gYo_uy7s4S7jdVvvcYS8pCjZzoAAmt4lwixEDXXgrU/s320/Black+Christmas+1349.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Short-story prequel to <i>Mercenary</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Currently available to <a href="http://author.to/RJConnor" target="_blank">download</a> on Amazon kindle</span><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 19.6px;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">England 1349.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Black Death is rife. God has abandoned his people.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">After the death of his abbot, an Irish monk named Aiden O'Connor, must come to terms with the growing fear the plague has wrought.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">With his greatest companion at his side, Brother Thomas, Aiden must leave the confines of St. Albans Abbey and seek refuge somewhere else.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> But as one door closes, another opens and a secret that should have remained hidden,</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">is unveiled.</span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16632310155930044577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5027003638101714343.post-32838835326302033452015-12-25T05:52:00.001-08:002015-12-25T07:37:29.688-08:00Christmas Greetings!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Cf64lcwyODJ4JFfUJ5JPowCJa72x6boyqFxDxI3gdA-5AF2jGRnAYidz4PHGWdfKRlj6ah5SLtBKkKZaU99iyUt6SI-o0oyX9w5b6Asjyt9x32LVOHmUAqxYsOTteW-A1t1-YUBgo48/s640/blogger-image--1992481234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Cf64lcwyODJ4JFfUJ5JPowCJa72x6boyqFxDxI3gdA-5AF2jGRnAYidz4PHGWdfKRlj6ah5SLtBKkKZaU99iyUt6SI-o0oyX9w5b6Asjyt9x32LVOHmUAqxYsOTteW-A1t1-YUBgo48/s640/blogger-image--1992481234.jpg" /></a></div>
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Well, it was a wet morning here in Watford, England. But that didn't dampen our spirits. In fact, it brought with it an extra sense of joy, knowing that no matter what the elements would bring our cheerful festivities would carry on completely untroubled by what was happening outside. There could have been a hurricane last night but that wouldn't have stopped Santa filling my stocking and boy did he fill it!</div>
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But gifts aside, and yes I say that lightly for I am playing my new copy of Assassins Creed as we speak. The historical detail it possesses is fantastic and that is my excuse. But no, Christmas is a time for family and I am lucky to be spending it with most of mine. At this time of yet we should consider those less fortunate than ourselves and be grateful for what we have but also make the most of what we have because it won't be here forever. </div>
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I love Christmas and I love spending it with my children. It was with that in mind that I was inspired to write a Christmas short story. One that would coincide with my on going saga. So I chose a setting close to home and during a time where the whole of England could have considered themselves less fortunate than ourselves. I endeavour to not give to much away but of course I talk about the time of the Black Death. </div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Black Christmas 1349 was first published on English Historical Fiction Authors blog and it was available for free but it is now available </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">to download on kindle for as little as £1.99 in the UK. If you would like to get hold of a copy, please see my books page. Alternatively I am giving away a free copy of my first book Mercenary on Goodreads. For a chance to win this, you can enter using the link at the top of my home page. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">But for now, I say farewell as the turkey beckons and the cauliflower and cheese will not eat itself! So from me, have a very merry Christmas and I hope, a prosperous New Year! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">RJC</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16632310155930044577noreply@blogger.com0Watford Watford51.682812 -0.396247tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5027003638101714343.post-84528871853182022672015-12-15T11:35:00.000-08:002015-12-15T11:35:00.949-08:00Black Christmas 1349<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjj1addakLrvyZKA5scGbrKeg6VAvCDcFYV0TYbch8f6LjCESchf209hsKgUVfV6LHZ9eHgxUZotqI3JaJb7kf1yC9-AMdWNaUqumkpQK_m-q74cBKzRWJQfrIoGXLRBFhfGdKvVntVPg/s1600/Black+Christmas+1349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjj1addakLrvyZKA5scGbrKeg6VAvCDcFYV0TYbch8f6LjCESchf209hsKgUVfV6LHZ9eHgxUZotqI3JaJb7kf1yC9-AMdWNaUqumkpQK_m-q74cBKzRWJQfrIoGXLRBFhfGdKvVntVPg/s640/Black+Christmas+1349.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Short-story prequel to <i>Mercenary</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Currently available to read online free of charge, </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">at <a href="http://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.co.uk/p/blog-page.html" style="color: #721658; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">English Historical Fiction Authors</a> blog.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: large;">England 1349.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Black Death is rife. God has abandoned his people.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: large;">After the death of his abbot, an Irish monk named Aiden O'Connor, must come to terms with the growing fear the plague has wrought.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: large;">With his greatest companion at his side, Brother Thomas, Aiden must leave the confines of St. Albans Abbey and seek refuge somewhere else.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: large;"> But as one door closes, another opens and a secret that should have remained hidden,</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: large;">is unveiled.</span></span></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16632310155930044577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5027003638101714343.post-7328866492675328482015-06-12T05:18:00.002-07:002015-06-12T05:18:23.490-07:00HLD#6: Berkhampstead Castle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ4AlTE-38ckDfEiet6EkkveJqnv3LfDTFCBdU4Y9jPCGJC4NkVSaDxdUW1iFUvTup6VpdShnokWjBfzLQRhNg7owUNQ3PmUWTcgFjA_S8x-RDaz33jhR6cvKAnuFAm_jz86le_hDtVfY/s1600/IMG_2271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ4AlTE-38ckDfEiet6EkkveJqnv3LfDTFCBdU4Y9jPCGJC4NkVSaDxdUW1iFUvTup6VpdShnokWjBfzLQRhNg7owUNQ3PmUWTcgFjA_S8x-RDaz33jhR6cvKAnuFAm_jz86le_hDtVfY/s320/IMG_2271.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">The remains of Berkhampstead Castle inner bailey.</span></div>
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The last leg of my Heretic tour took me down the A41 to the town of Berkhampstead. Here nestled in beautiful grounds, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of ordinary working day life, including the railway line, is the remains of an old Norman motte and bailey castle.</div>
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The castle was built in what was then considered a strategic location, as it sat smack dab on the road from London in the Chiltern Hills, making it a key gateway to the Midlands and the North. After victory at the Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror made way to London and it was here, that the Archbishop of York surrendered to him, before construction of the castle began.</div>
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The castles construction was under saw by Williams half brother Robert, who became lord of the castle. Earthworks were put in place to defend the castle and there was large park suitable for deer hunting. The castle soon became a centre for administration and the old town of Berkhampstead soon built up around it.</div>
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The castle saw many kings, several of whom passed it on to their chancellors. The castle saw significant redevelopment in the 12th, century probably under the guidance of Thomas Becket.In the 13th century it was besieged by the French during the baronial wars in the reign of King John. After capturing the castle it was later retaken by royal force and give to Richard the Earl of Cornwall.</div>
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Other leading figures who resided there were Edward III who bestowed the castle on his son, the Black Prince, who expanded the hunting grounds. In later years it was used to hold prisoners before the castle fell in to disrepair and ruin. In the 16th century the castle was unsuitable for royal presence and most of the stone was taken and used for building in the town.</div>
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A rather unceremonious downfall to what was the first and greatest of the Norman castles ever to be built. It's history is both illustrious and inspiring and even today, with crumbled walls, it's still an impressive site. With the hill the old keep used to stand on, and the huge bailey, surrounded by two moats. Berkhampstead Castle is well worth a visit! </div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16632310155930044577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5027003638101714343.post-23074844535186265402015-05-11T07:03:00.001-07:002015-06-12T04:36:34.390-07:00HLD#5: Sopwell Nunnery & Hertford Castle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYDsUPZgT61x3eu8HiAhkZxsTNxQiwd9W3ORytPybe1ECCDEbBhxlv0sD41lfR2f-MvZ7X28aPQJMDOL8Ssj8sqSq4z5ojglwiJEyXpj7UKjCtugDSy2hrzmynGbHs8BTVkzcoURCuxzA/s1600/IMG_2111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYDsUPZgT61x3eu8HiAhkZxsTNxQiwd9W3ORytPybe1ECCDEbBhxlv0sD41lfR2f-MvZ7X28aPQJMDOL8Ssj8sqSq4z5ojglwiJEyXpj7UKjCtugDSy2hrzmynGbHs8BTVkzcoURCuxzA/s320/IMG_2111.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">The last remains of Sopwell Nunnery</span></div>
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Heretic is well under way!</div>
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Since my last post, I have taken time away from the tour to get cracking with the novel itself. I have already written the opening chapters and the plot is all but decided. I am very excited with how the book is shaping up and I hope when the time comes, that you guys will benefit from the extensive research that I have put in. </div>
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As this is a prequel to Mercenary, which in itself is an unusual tact to take, especially with the sequel already in the pipeline. It is therefore important to me that Heretic really give you a flavour of, not just the period, but a background to the whole story and the characters we have come to love.</div>
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The Easter holidays brought a reprieve from the desk and during my two week break I was able to finish off the bulk of the tour. The fifth leg of my journey took me east across Hertfordshire to the county town of Hertford. But not before a quick stop off to see another site in St Albans.</div>
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What you see in the picture above you is that of the remains of Sopwell Nunnery. That is slightly misleading however, because the nunnery was actually torn down by Sir Richard Lee, who bought it in 1539 from King Henry VIII, following the dissolution of the monasteries. He built on top of the old site and what you see now is the remains of Sopwell House.</div>
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As far as Heretic is concerned however, I only care about the Nunnery, which at the time was a cell to St. Albans Abbey. It was built by Geoffrey de Gorham, the Abbot of St. Albans in 1140. There is not much to tell in terms of history but it is believed the 15th century prioress Juliana Berners, wrote the Boke of St Albans, a very popular book at the time.</div>
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Hertford Castle was the jewel of the day. Although little of it remains, the gatehouse cuts a pretty impressive figure and some of the outer wall is still standing. Set in beautiful grounds surrounded by the old town, it is a very beautiful place to walk around.</div>
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The castle was built way back in 911 by Edward the Elder. The castle didn't really come in to fruition however until after the Norman conquest. They updated it to a motte and bailey and it was surrounded by a moat. It was granted to Peter de Valoignes, the High Sheriff of Essex and Hertfordshire by William the Conqueror.</div>
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During the rule of the Valoignes family, King Henry II, seeing potential in the castle had it modified in the 1170s. These modifications included the gatehouse, a drawbridge and new flint walls. After the death of Robert de Valoignes in 1184, the last of his line, the castle passed to Henry's son Richard I. However it was later claimed by Robert Fitzwalter, the son in law of Valoignes. He put his own garrison in place but was soon evicted by Richard's brother who became King John.</div>
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After a French invasion, who besieged the castle and then held it for a time, the castle became less of a military stronghold and was used as a royal residency. Edward I gave it to his wife Margaret in 1299 and during his sons reign, Edward II it even held some of the Knights Templars prisoner.</div>
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His wife Isabella spent much time there with her son, Edward III in 1309...</div>
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...But to find out what happens at the castle next, you'll have to wait for Heretic!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEOpLNpdktjdV9gMYVDZ9ifhzkMyaGLUEe-BQZ0fP5zK-Wopex9hoi0uFHMpXEPXPGVARGiqcWsh_jppZbpVpv7zafMtJZdZnFDX9-9g88rFRHem9kte40XidjUsu898ZHYOOWYnzKQ_s/s1600/IMG_2152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEOpLNpdktjdV9gMYVDZ9ifhzkMyaGLUEe-BQZ0fP5zK-Wopex9hoi0uFHMpXEPXPGVARGiqcWsh_jppZbpVpv7zafMtJZdZnFDX9-9g88rFRHem9kte40XidjUsu898ZHYOOWYnzKQ_s/s320/IMG_2152.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Flint outer walls of Hertford Castle with the gatehouse in the background.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16632310155930044577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5027003638101714343.post-48488070993765775202015-02-27T06:25:00.003-08:002015-02-27T06:25:48.434-08:00HLD#4: St. Marys & Cashio<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">The front facade of St. Mary's in Hemel Hempstead</span></div>
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After an eventful half term with my boys, it was back to work as usual.<br />
I am now at the midway point of my HLD tour, taking in some of Hertfordshire's most breathtaking sites, and on the latest leg of my journey, I find myself a little closer to home.<br />
In the morning I paid a visit to the neighbouring town of Hemel Hempstead, before returning to my home town of Watford in the afternoon. I had the pleasure of visiting two of the oldest churches in the local area, one from each town respectively, and ironically, they share the same name. St. Mary's in Hemel Hempstead and St. Mary's in Watford.<br />
St. Mary's in Hemel, paints a very pretty picture. It dwells in secluded grounds, in what is now known as the old town. It is a very typical church of the era in which it was built (mid 12th century), taking a cruciform shape, with a tower over the crossing. What isn't typical however, is the spire. Of course, spires are not uncommon among churches. In fact, Salisbury has a spire that reaches a staggering 400 ft making it the tallest in the country. But that's just it, Salisbury is a cathedral and you'd expect such glamour on a building of it's type, but St. Mary's on the other hand is nothing more than a local parish church. So why does it have a 200 ft tower?<br />
Annoyingly, no one knows! The eye catching spire stands at a whopping 200 ft and is to this day, one of the tallest church spires in all of Europe. But despite this epic claim to fame, historians have been able to uncover, why, such a small church, in what would have been at the time, a very small village, should warrant such a masterpiece. Perhaps we'll never know, but the mystery behind the spire, make's it all the more intriguing, I think.<br />
About 50 years after the church was built, in 1302, the monks of Ashridge Priory founded a cell in Hemel Hempstead. The monks would frequent the church often, and on days of service, would enter the church via a small door at the base of the tower, to avoid mingling with the local peasantry.<br />
Leaving the graceful ambiance of St. Mary's, in Hemel, I headed back to Watford to see to the church there. St, Mary's, Watford, doesn't quite cut the scene like that of her sister in Hemel, probably because it's surrounded by the high street on one side, (which incidentally follows the path of the old Roman road that runs from London and heads all the way to Berkhampstead Castle and beyond.) and the ring road on the other. But she presents an imposing figure nonetheless, with a large tower forming the front facade. It also brought back memories of my youth, for it was the site of my old scout troupe, but we'll leave that story for another time!<br />
The church is thought be 800 years old, built around 1230. But records in the church only date back to the 16th century, so it's hard to be precise. It is likely that the church was built around about the time the Lord of the Manor at Cashio, the abbot of St. Albans, received a charter to hold a market in Watford.<br />
Cashio, later known as the Cassiobury Estate, and later still Cassiobury Park, was home to a monastery, before being turned into a grand stately home, which was the seat of the earls of Essex for several years. St. Mary's was the parish church for the Cassiobury Estate, which was later incorporated into Watford. A number of Watford nobility, have been buried in the church.<br />
Nothing however remains of the manor or the monastery in Cassiobury Park and the gatehouse was knocked down in the 1970s but it is still a wonderful place to visit on a warm summers day. In fact, I took my boys there on two separate occasions during the half term week.<br />
Though it is a shame, especially considering my tour, that there is no visual evidence of what once existed in the park, I was pleased to learn that a petition has been set up, that seeks to see the gatehouse rebuilt at Cassiobury Park. I myself have signed it, and if this is something that appeals to you, please feel free to visit the link on my facebook page.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Front facade and tower of St. Mary's in Watford</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16632310155930044577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5027003638101714343.post-37835024192105172622015-02-10T11:15:00.001-08:002015-02-10T11:15:45.136-08:00HLD#3: Ashridge Priory<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">The grand entrance to Ashridge Priory</span><br />
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Ashridge House, is part of a grand estate and home to the Ashridge Business School. But it was not always a school, just as it was not always a stately home either. A very long time ago this building housed the Brothers of Penitence, also known as Bonhommes and they were part of a religious order known as the Augustinians. They followed the rule of St Augustine of Hippo, they were friars and Ashridge was their abbey.</div>
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In 1283, not to far from Ashridge, at Berkhampstead Castle, lived Richard, Earl of Cornwall and his son Edmund. It was Edmund who founded the priory and he did so for a rector and twenty canons. It was the first ever house of Bonhommes in England.</div>
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Richard, donated a phial of Christ's blood to the abbey and thanks to this, pilgrims flocked from all over Europe, to catch a glimpse and see for themselves. It made the abbey quite prosperous. King Edward I visited and held court there in 1290 while he spent Christmas in the local village of Pitstone.</div>
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Like most religious building of its era, it met its downfall at the hands of Henry VIII.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16632310155930044577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5027003638101714343.post-51188794846473953012015-02-10T05:46:00.000-08:002015-02-10T05:52:21.526-08:00Why reading is good for you!<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px; margin-bottom: 1.35em;">
<span style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">Have you read a book lately? Or even an interesting newspaper article for that matter? Or are you one of these social readers, who only reads what suits them; Facebook status updates, tweets etc. Perhaps your daily reading only consists of following the instructions on your pot noodle! For those of you that find reading a chore and not the beautiful leisure activity that it is, here are a few of the benefits to reading that might make you think twice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); line-height: 22.7199993133545px;">1. It stimulates the mind</span></span></h3>
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<span style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">It is a known fact that reading stimulates the mind. But it is scientifically proven that stimulating the mind in such a way can prevent the progression of diseases such as Alzheimer's and Dementia. All muscles in the human body need exercise and just like the legs need jogging to keep them strong and healthy, the brain needs reading.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); line-height: 22.7199993133545px;">2. It reduces stress</span></span></h3>
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<span style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">Daily life is hectic, we all know this. Work, family, bills. All these things add up to cause huge amounts of stress. But when you lose yourself in a truly great story, all that stress simply slips away and for a few hours at least, you can find yourself in another world, completely oblivious to the present. Just like a bath calms and soothes, reading helps you to relax.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); line-height: 22.7199993133545px;">3. It can make you clever</span></span></h3>
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<span style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">Whether you realise it or not, when you read, you are constantly picking up new bits of information. One day you may find yourself in an important job interview, or if you're lucky enough, even on a tv quiz show. You may be asked a question and the answer will suddenly pop to the forefront of your mind, because you know it, because you have read it somewhere before. Unlike materialistic things, knowledge stays with you forever.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); line-height: 22.7199993133545px;">4. A human dictionary</span></span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">You don't just gain knowledge from reading, you can learn new words too. Words perhaps you wouldn't normally use but inevitably end up in your everyday vocabulary, making you come across as a well learned and knowledgeable person. This can be an advantage when meeting new people, particularly when looking for a new job and or promotion, or even when it comes to impressing the new girlfriend's parents!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); line-height: 22.7199993133545px;">5. You remember things</span></span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">After reading a book, you may be a little overwhelmed. You've met lots of new characters, learnt of their backgrounds, what they aspired to and who they were as people. Not to mention the place and history in which it's set along with all the relevant sub plots. Reading exposes you to all sorts of new situations and experiences. The brain remembers all these wonderful things and uses them to create new pathways and even strengthen ones you already have. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); line-height: 22.7199993133545px;">6. The new Sherlock Holmes</span></span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">There are many wannabe detectives, or CSI's out there who delve into a mystery novel and imagine themselves as the next best in the crime solving world. It may sound silly, but reading books of the same nature can help you when it comes to critical and analytical thinking. In your mind you can use the clues to form your own suspicions and try and work out who dunnit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); line-height: 22.7199993133545px;">7. Teach you how to focus</span></span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">There are way too many distractions in todays world. Through the internet we are able to work, send emails, chat and all in the space of a few minutes. This makes it difficult when you need your focus, to concentrate on a specific task. When you read, all your attention is focused on the story. You will find by reading from as little as 15 minutes per day, you'll learn to keep your focus.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); line-height: 22.7199993133545px;">8. It can help you write</span></span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">Reading not only helps you with your vocabulary skills but its helps with your writing skills also. From reading alone you expose yourself to some of the world's best and well written work. It's not just about words but finding a fluidity. You may find different writers will influence your own writing in different ways, but the more you expose yourself to, the better you will become.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); line-height: 22.7199993133545px;">9. It can bring you peace</span></span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">Reading is tranquil. Depending on the subject matter of what you read you can often find yourself feeling at times a sense of peace. Certain texts including spiritual ones can even lower blood pressure. People who suffer from mood swings will even find that reading can calm the senses and often help with mild mental issues as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); line-height: 22.7199993133545px;">10. It's fun!</span></span></h3>
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Most importantly of all reading is fun. At the end of the day it is free entertainment. Ok you can buy books, of course, like anything else, but nothing is stopping you going to the local library or borrowing off of your friend the latest gripper that they recommend. Reading is enjoyable, just as much so as films, just as much so as browsing on facebook and twitter and all the other latest crazes. Reading is one of the oldest forms of personal entertainment, it has been around for many years and will be for many years to come.<br />
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So what are you waiting for, pick up that book you've been neglecting and improve your life in more ways than one, and remember...<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16632310155930044577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5027003638101714343.post-21713262809485749462015-01-26T06:46:00.000-08:002015-02-10T04:37:01.731-08:00HLD#2: St Albans Abbey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">A view of the nave, tower and transept from the south west.</span></div>
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On the second outing of my HLD (Heretic: Live Diary) Tour, I paid a visit to St Albans Abbey.<br />
The abbey church, which, since 1887 has been a cathedral, was once a part of a great benedictine monastery. Originally the abbey was built by Offa II, the King of Mercia in 793. It was built on the site of an earlier church, which was destroyed in 586 and held a shrine and the remains of the great Roman martyr St Alban. The site is also said to be, the very spot where Alban himself was executed.<br />
For those of you that do not know his story, I'll fill you in briefly. He was a Roman citizen living in the town of Verulamium in the 4th C. Some of the towns remains can still be seen in St Albans today. The story goes that he harboured a Christian priest, who was on the run from persecutors in what was a very pagan empire. Whilst in his care the priest convinced Alban of the Christian faith and during the course of his stay, so taken was Alban by the priest that he converted to Christianity. When the priest was finally discovered to be hiding in Albans house, Alban changed clothes with the priest, who escaped and Alban was arrested in his place and sentenced to death by beheading.<br />
A lot of things are said to have happened on the day of his execution. Not namely that the first Roman soldier who was ordered to kill him, refused and wished to convert to the Christian faith and be executed in Albans place. But a spring is said to have sprung up at Albans feet when he spoke out to God and told him that he was thirsty. Also, the second Roman soldier who was then ordered to cut off Albans head and that of the first soldier's for disobeying his orders, his eyes are said to have fallen out!<br />
Whether those things actually happened is another story, but there is no denying the natural beauty and tranquility of the place that has been a sacred spot for nearly 2000 years.<br />
Most of the abbey was rebuilt by Robert the Mason during the time of the Normans and most of its layout today resembles that period. The first Norman abbot Paul of Caen, undersaw the most part of that transition. The church has the longest nave in England and the crossing tower is the only 11th C tower of it's type still standing in England. Like most churches of that era it takes a cruciform shape.<br />
It has changed mightily over the years and with the times. Like most old buildings it has needed repairs. In the 13th C there was a great earthquake which cracked many of the walls and in the 14th C a large part of the nave collapsed.<br />
A huge gateway was built to lead into the monastery buildings, which still stands today. The only remaining structure other than the church itself. It now belongs to the St Albans School for boys, founded at the abbey in 948 by Abbot Wulsin.<br />
There have been a total of 40 abbots of St Albans abbey, the last of which was in 1539. It was at that time that King Henry VIII wished to break away from the Catholic Church and brought about the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Like most catholic churches in that period it fell from grace.<br />
But the church, which has seen much modernisation over recent centuries, very much in the gothic fashion, now with cathedral status, still remains much in use today as a Church of England.<br />
Despite its downfall, it remains as mesmerizing as ever.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">A view from inside the nave.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16632310155930044577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5027003638101714343.post-68974886623349317942015-01-23T18:54:00.002-08:002015-01-26T04:55:50.504-08:00HLD#1: Kings Langley Priory<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Remains of Kings Langley Priory</span></div>
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The first destination on my planned research trip across Hertfordshire, for my latest novel Heretic, took me to the neighbouring village of Kings Langley and it brought about a pleasant surprise.<br />
On what was a brilliantly sunny morning but still bitterly cold, I braved the short walk across muddy farmland that took me up to the top of Langley Hill. Which is supposedly the site of the once great, Royal Palace of Langley. Built by Queen Elinor wife of Edward I, the self proclaimed 'Hammer of the Scots'. It was built on top, or around, what was an existing manor house that had been built many years before, probably dating back to Roman times.<br />
As far as the Palace was concerned there was not much to see as none of the building remains and the land where it stood now belongs to the Rudolf Steiner School. Though on my visit, I was able to see several small artifacts, including a number of coins inside the entrance hall of the School. It is believed the palace had a triple court layout and excavations say, a large wine cellar. Edward III moved his court there in 1349 when the black death was rife in London and his son Edmund of Langley was born there and his body was later entombed in the Langley chapel at the church of All Saints situated at the bottom of the Hill.<br />
I had heard before arriving that a remaining part of the old priory remained. Kings Langley Priory was built adjacent to the palace in the gardens of the manor. The land was given to the friars by Edward II and it was in the priory's graveyard that Edward buried his lover Piers Gaveston after he was executed by the kings barons.<br />
All I could see from the road of the old building was a structure that looked very tudor in appearance and could have been no older than the 1500s. It was still an old building of course, but not as old as the medieval priory that had been built at least 200 years before.<br />
Having entered the allotments that grace the outskirts of the school, I brushed through the shrubbery to enter a small, somewhat secret garden that led to an amazing site. A stone building with beautiful arched windows. This building is the oldest part of the remains and dates back to the early days of the priory. It probably would have been no more than a guesthouse at the time, but the aura it gave off was satisfying nonetheless.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Church of All Saints, Kings Langley.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16632310155930044577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5027003638101714343.post-34313297191037393972015-01-22T04:14:00.000-08:002015-01-22T04:28:51.714-08:00Prequel not Sequel Thirty thousand words into the sequel of Mercenary, I realised the direction the novel was going in was not quite the same as that of the previous novel. Captive, set a few years after the first, does continue the underlying themes, but takes place in a whole new setting.<br />
<div>
Mercenary though heavily billed as a medieval novel, really takes place at the very end of the late middle ages, during the renaissance period. I therefore like to think of it as a late great tale of medieval chivalry, that is losing its way in a modern world.</div>
<div>
The two sequels that I had planned for Mercenary will be written and will be published. But as they take place in the early modern, and I say that lightly because the exact years in which these time periods pass over is very ambiguous. Though it is generally considered to be during the age of discovery and that of a young fellow named Christopher Columbus, who is mentioned in my book. </div>
<div>
For this reason, I have decided to begin work on a prequel, which is already well underway. I had always intended to write my series the 'Longsword Saga' in reverse chronology. Taking place at different intervals during the three hundred year feud between the Longswords and the Ashbournes. I intend to do this in three book blasts or trilogies, with the odd stand alone novel in between.</div>
<div>
I am really keen to explore this feud more, to find out it's secrets, when did it begin and why? Along the way we will discover Richard's ancestors and delve deeper into the grit of the high middle ages, when medievalism was at his peak.</div>
<div>
Having done a lot of research on the local area I am inspired to include several historic sites from the county of Hertfordshire. If you keep up to date on Facebook and my blog, you will be able to view photos on my live diary and articles on the sites themselves.</div>
<div>
In the meantime, I'll leave you with this:</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
'<i>The crown outlawed him, the church condemned him and all for the love of a woman. I beseech you, why is it dark hearts such as yours should rise to power, when good men must falter in your wake? Tell me, or by the blood of christ, I hope you burn in hell. Where is Stephen?'</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i> The old man looked pale, as though a curse were upon him. 'I cannot tell you,' he whispered. 'He has not been seen since that frightful day in Langley. But I can tell you this, something changed in him, something fierce. He is no longer the boy we remember. I cannot tell you why, all I know is this. That on that day... A heretic was born!'</i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16632310155930044577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5027003638101714343.post-79707846459794613402015-01-21T17:04:00.000-08:002015-01-21T17:06:21.408-08:00MERCENARY IS HERE!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
A lot has happened in a short space of time.<br />
It has been a lengthy seven months since my last post. Back then I was an unpublished aspiring writer, discussing with you what the front cover of my book should look like. Now I sit before you (metaphorically speaking), a fully fledged published author.<br />
Mercenary was published 28th November 2014, just in time for Christmas and what you see above you is the finished article. I personally think it looks wonderful. The setting fits the story perfectly and the colour makes it stand out in a crowd.<br />
It has gone on sale, not just in the UK but the US as well, in both paperback and ebook formats. I have to say, I am very impressed with the effort my publishers at Top Hat have put in, to getting it off the ground and to making it available across two continents.<br />
If you follow me on Facebook & Twitter you will know that I had a number of signed copies available, one hundred to be precise. These are now gone and I would like to say a massive thankyou to all who purchased one. I'd like to name you but unfortunately there are too many of you to list.<br />
I have had the pleasure of being interviewed twice and the resulting articles appearing in magazines. There have also been some fantastic five star reviews left on Amazon & Goodreads. All in all the reception and feedback has been fantastic.<br />
For now though its back to work. Mercenary is merely the first stepping stone in what I hope will be a long and successful career as an author. I have many more books planned, several in this series and as much as I'd like them to, they won't write themselves.<br />
I will endeavour to bring you news of my next book as soon as I can. In the meantime please enjoy the site, subscribe to my blog and keep up the support.<br />
<br />
RJCAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16632310155930044577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5027003638101714343.post-7485218079907911132014-06-12T07:42:00.000-07:002014-06-12T07:42:13.569-07:00Book Cover Competition - Winners<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjsufD3EJ-xkdUNkQR5p0TzItT0Q6EPRuEfrM-G3xrZCi7IEEu7MSkYqddE2KCIq3stAllXB_YjGWWoRT2wv-g-Q3I8y9NAsC3RIYegBqRb5OAZZZzt3oNXVmdWYcMjkXv3yNHBfaf1S0/s1600/image+(8).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjsufD3EJ-xkdUNkQR5p0TzItT0Q6EPRuEfrM-G3xrZCi7IEEu7MSkYqddE2KCIq3stAllXB_YjGWWoRT2wv-g-Q3I8y9NAsC3RIYegBqRb5OAZZZzt3oNXVmdWYcMjkXv3yNHBfaf1S0/s1600/image+(8).jpeg" height="320" width="207" /></a></div>
<br />
Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote in my Book Cover Competition. I must admit, not as many took part as I had hoped but every vote was important and had a genuine impact. It was also a great opportunity to commune and interact with some new faces and your comments were most welcome.<br />
<br />
In case you missed my previous post announcing the winner, it was image 6 that received the most votes. I notified my publisher right after the poll closed and they have just got back to me with the proposed front cover pictured above. They are now working on the full jacket and I have also asked them to include a map, so it's all very exciting and coming on quite nicely.<br />
<br />
As promised, I will be giving away free signed copies to a select few who voted for the winning image. These will be available to collect on the night of the book launch. Or as I've mentioned before, if you are unable to attend, these will be posted to you free of charge. The exact date is yet to be confirmed but will be later this summer. As soon as I have a definitive date, I will be in touch with the winning voters.<br />
<br />
Which reminds me..<br />
And the winners are:<br />
<br />
Stu Spirn,<br />
Karen F,<br />
Joel Goodwin,<br />
Mark S,<br />
Shirleen Davies,<br />
& Christina Copsey.<br />
<br />
Once again, thank you to all who took part.<br />
<br />
RJC.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16632310155930044577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5027003638101714343.post-80338854767338000072014-04-11T16:35:00.001-07:002014-04-11T16:35:24.982-07:00And the winner is......image 6!<br />
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Thank you to everyone who voted and for all your helpful comments. More on this to follow shortly...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16632310155930044577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5027003638101714343.post-15987556062628467092014-04-03T09:26:00.000-07:002014-04-03T09:41:34.288-07:00Cover Image CompetitionAs you are all aware, Mercenary is now in full production. The manuscript has been edited, copy edited, proof read and all the rest of it. Finally it is no longer a distant thought but a reality. In a little over 3 months Mercenary will be on bookshelves nationwide...<br />
Which leads me to the fun part. The design team now have the manuscript and are currently working on the layout but the most important part they must consider, is of course, the front cover. They have just tasked me to find an image from <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/">Shutterstock</a> that I believe would suit the cover best.<br />
However after consulting friends and "soon to be fans" I am pleased to announce that I have made the decision to leave it entirely up to you! As an author I think it is important to build up a strong relationship with the audience and interacting with you, for me, is going to be one of the perks of the job!<br />
So how will the competition work? I have complied a short-list of what I consider to be worthy choices. All you have to do is pick your favourite from the images below. To make your selection simply choose it in the poll to the top right of this post. If none of the images take your fancy, feel free to visit <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/">Shutterstock</a> and select an image of your own. Then get back to me with the image number and your reasons for choosing it and I will take it on board for consideration.<br />
The image that receives the most votes will be used for my book cover and selected at random from those who voted for it will be twelve lucky winners. If you win you will receive an invite to the book launch in London, and on top of that a free, signed copy of the book.<br />
If for whatever reason you feel you would not be able to attend the event, due to travel reasons etc do not panic. Any winner who cannot attend the event will have their copy of Mercenary posted to them completely free of charge and should you wish it a Q&A session with me over Skype is available.<br />
Please note when voting that the poll is simply for me to get a general consensus, it does not give me the name and details of each individual voter. So for a chance to win the prize, after you have voted please leave a comment that identifies your name and clearly states the image you have voted for.<br />
In order to comment on here you may need to register with Google if you have not already done so, or alternatively you can leave your comment on any of my social media pages including Facebook and Twitter, the links to which are down the side of this page.<br />
Any other queries about the competition, book, launch date or anything else, do not hesitate to contact me. In the meantime happy picking and best of luck!<br />
<br />
Image 1:<br />
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Image 2:</div>
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Image 3:</div>
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Image 4:</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16632310155930044577noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5027003638101714343.post-61218193034060266202014-02-06T11:07:00.001-08:002014-02-06T11:07:26.945-08:00Mercenary Book Trailer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy8w_epA_dQlWjzXrFefq3Iil9827V1PuxFcJkzy01Oj1E9xMwZQfakQIdvuFmEj0BpqTltD4kJtqqMcOjMnQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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It has been a little while since my last blog post, but in my defence I must say it has been a very busy period. I have in that time been working very hard on Captive the sequel to Mercenary, but more importantly, I am pleased to announce, signed up with Top Hat Books, the Historical Fiction imprint at John Hunt Publishing. They have copy edited the Mercenary manuscript and together we are working hard to get it ready for publication, in what will hopefully be late spring this year. My days of late have seen me deep in this abyss that is editing, but this afternoon in a blatant attempt at open mutiny, I took some time off. In doing so I came across some music that I thought would do splendid for a book trailer. Against my better judgement and despite my rather poor skill in producing video's, I have come up with a trailer for my book. It will of course not be the trailer that is used when the time comes. But for a bit of fun and to wet the appetite, I have come up with this... See what you think and leave some comments. Thanks.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16632310155930044577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5027003638101714343.post-20090652946114921182013-06-26T12:18:00.001-07:002013-06-27T10:58:12.170-07:00Medieval Torture<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Whilst visiting Guadalest Castle in Spain I took the time to visit their Medieval Torture Museum. Four whole floors devoted to immense pain and the cruellest thought methods to make one suffer. It was unbelievable to think that so many ways of torture could ever be conceived let alone possible. In other words it was distressing not to mention frightening but the thing that hit me the most was the realism of it all. To see such items in the flesh really painted a vivid picture of what life was like in the Medieval age.<br />
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Unfortunately my camera's battery choose to die an unceremonious death by this point. Personally I prefer to think however, that he thought, "Bugger that, wake me up when this nightmare's over." Be that as it may I have managed to find pictures online of the four methods of torture that caught my eye the most, some of which I have no doubt will find their way, whether intended or not into future novels of mine.<br />
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<b><u>The Saw</u></b></div>
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The Pictures are pretty self explanatory, but to confirm your actual thoughts, yes that is pretty much a two manned tree saw and yes they are cutting him between the legs right between the meat and two veg. As horrific as it sounds and no doubt actually was, it is made worse by the fact that the person was upside down. Not only was the bleeding less severe but it ran to the victim's head keeping them conscious and fully aware for a longer period of time. All in all it was pretty damn painful.</div>
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<b><u>The Grill</u></b></div>
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Now this particular piece of apparatus was strikingly discomforting in the flesh. We all know that torture or even death by fire is extremely painful. I'm sure everyone has burnt themselves at least once in their lives and even on a minuscule level it is possible to imagine what full scale burns must be like. For centuries one of the most popular means of execution was to be burnt at the stake as was Joan of Arc. But if that wasn't bad enough imagine being tied down to a grill and cooked like a sausage at your local BBQ, terrifying thought.</div>
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<b><u>Judas Cradle</u></b></div>
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The Judas Cradle, if there was ever one to make you wince it would be this one. The picture alone is enough to make you squint and pull a funny face but to see the beast in person was jaw dropping. This evil construction was created as a means for questioning, the victim would be held aloft using a metal belt which was lifted up by ropes while another rope stretched out his legs. The torturer would then drop the victim as gently or roughly as he desired onto the pinnacle of the pyramid which would puncture the anus. Cringe.</div>
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<b><u>Impalement</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixxiUfQEi9CqBPSc7olOc-qkZGTJonfQEaq48IJa5AJhREEx5T3aZSFrs10gLAlwzmne-uzlOgPhExYwUxZ8vHbZmurlOHO4yNj1Lc283XiXPuXyBvHj5QGr-SIlULZcvdPXcA6iwnE8/s1600/impalementspike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixxiUfQEi9CqBPSc7olOc-qkZGTJonfQEaq48IJa5AJhREEx5T3aZSFrs10gLAlwzmne-uzlOgPhExYwUxZ8vHbZmurlOHO4yNj1Lc283XiXPuXyBvHj5QGr-SIlULZcvdPXcA6iwnE8/s1600/impalementspike.jpg" /></a></div>
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Probably the most infamous was to be impaled by a stake, which is pretty gruesome and as the picture suggests, pretty graphic. There are many techniques and different methods as to how the actual impaling was performed. Some preferred to impale their victims through the abdomen from front to back or alternatively as the picture shows, up through the rectum and out through the mouth. Sometimes the victim was lowered onto a fixed stake but more often then not, it was hammered into place with a huge mallet , "Ouch!"</div>
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So there you have it, my four favourites from the house of horrors better known as the Medieval Torture Museum at the Castell De Guadalest. A must visit if you ever get the opportunity to go but do brace yourself upon arrival it really isn't for the feint at heart.<br />
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Which of the above curdled your blood the most? Don't forget to answer the poll! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16632310155930044577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5027003638101714343.post-61769785963804131672013-06-19T02:40:00.000-07:002013-06-21T01:00:15.817-07:00Hatuey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Despite basking in the Spanish summer sun I cannot help nor refrain myself from delving back into the pages of history and gaining an insight into a a time that plays a prominent role in my future novel; Captive.</div>
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In doing so I came across a very interesting character by the name of Hatuey. This native Taino Cacique, which means chief to you or I was from the Island of Hispaniola and was the only one brave enough to stand against the invading Europeans and single handedly led a rebellion against the Spanish Conquistadors.</div>
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After the Spaniards successful occupation of Hispaniola due mainly to the Taino peoples tolerance towards the Spanish on first arrival allowing them to slowly infiltrate the island, the Spanish decided to move on to the island of Cuba. </div>
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Hatuey who during that time had developed a hatred for the Spanish who had so cruelly taken control of his homeland, preceded them by way of canoe with a small contingent of loyal warriors to warn the Cubans of the inevitable invasion that was to follow.</div>
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Yet despite his efforts the Cubans did not heed his warning nor succumb to his pleas and only a handful of them stood with him to fight. His only choice was to resort to guerrilla tactics and this he executed to superb effect. He was able to contain the Spanish to their fort on the coast at the town of Baracoa.</div>
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His time spent at war with the Spaniards although not enough to convince others to join him did at least fill the native population with a sense of guilt. He alone stood and achieved so much and with their help maybe just maybe they may have overcome them. However he was finally caught by the Spanish who wasted little time in tying him to a stake and burning him alive. </div>
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And even then he defied them. In a final offer a priest asked Hatuey if he would accept Jesus and earn himself a place in Heaven. Upon being asked this question he himself replied with a question; "Is heaven the place where Spaniards go when they die?" he asked. "Of course", the priest answered, "Then I would sooner go to Hell!" Hatuey replied.</div>
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Despite his death his defiance would make him a martyr and stand as a long serving reminder to all peoples of the Americas yet unconquered to not bow down to their so called European masters and he remains to this day; Hatuey the first defier of colonialism in the new world and the first national hero of Cuba. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16632310155930044577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5027003638101714343.post-21649977549494551942013-05-18T15:12:00.001-07:002013-05-18T15:12:07.684-07:00The manuscript is complete!<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0IPcYnrexJQALXs5mUaIRYsdZYU0a5_fKKh00ZxQ3d56pIiHckIuynqXcX62piqJGo7y4PEsKHLT5TCvKZfgo4LQ20GXV6QDEyQBaLNwLxjibVe-O82REWvORdaVdjznbQ3TQ4bcoCJc/s640/blogger-image-896455139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0IPcYnrexJQALXs5mUaIRYsdZYU0a5_fKKh00ZxQ3d56pIiHckIuynqXcX62piqJGo7y4PEsKHLT5TCvKZfgo4LQ20GXV6QDEyQBaLNwLxjibVe-O82REWvORdaVdjznbQ3TQ4bcoCJc/s640/blogger-image-896455139.jpg"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16632310155930044577noreply@blogger.com0