tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84988406007419736512024-03-18T21:40:19.912-05:00Civil War HorrorHome to author Sean McLachlan and the <i>House Divided</i> series of Civil War horror novels. <i>A Fine Likeness</i>, the first in the series, is available now. This blog is dedicated to the Trans-Mississippi Civil War and historical fiction, and occasionally veers off into adventure travel when I go somewhere interesting.Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.comBlogger561125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498840600741973651.post-28717690539445605492016-03-10T05:21:00.003-06:002016-03-10T05:21:33.822-06:00Radio Hope Post-Apocalyptic Novel is a Free Download!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54p6uGo0nm0Jq6Ne2xZbCrGn3BxXdedo3YXrxuR_CF0w0RU5kp5Zk8xObuUT25koBLSfwDoqq8m0Y5GeFHwGrPgar7brumCL1VFjtJTDneR1uQK81DuV13SNz52ni7bOr81_HD3sAjX4w/s1600/PORTADA+RadioSmall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54p6uGo0nm0Jq6Ne2xZbCrGn3BxXdedo3YXrxuR_CF0w0RU5kp5Zk8xObuUT25koBLSfwDoqq8m0Y5GeFHwGrPgar7brumCL1VFjtJTDneR1uQK81DuV13SNz52ni7bOr81_HD3sAjX4w/s1600/PORTADA+RadioSmall.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
For the next five days, through March 14, my post-apocalyptic science fiction novel <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Radio-Hope-Toxic-World-Book-ebook/dp/B00I5HHTVS"><i>Radio Hope</i></a>
is free on Amazon. This is the first of the Toxic World series, which
has three books and a spin-off novella. Book Four is coming out in the
early summer. <i>Radio Hope</i>, however, can also be read as a
standalone novel. I'm not pulling you into some sort of crack dealer
arrangement. :-) A blurb is below.<br />
<br />
<i>In a world shattered by war, pollution and disease. . .</i><br />
<i>A gunslinging mother longs to find a safe refuge for her son.</i><br />
<i>A frustrated revolutionary delivers water to villagers living on a toxic waste dump.</i><br />
<i>The assistant mayor of humanity's last city hopes he will never have to take command.</i><br />
<i>One
thing gives them the promise of a better future--Radio Hope, a
mysterious station that broadcasts vital information about surviving in a
blighted world. But when a mad prophet and his army of fanatics march
out of the wildlands on a crusade to purify the land with blood and
fire, all three will find their lives intertwining, and changing
forever.</i><br />
<br />
<i>Radio Hope</i> is available on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Radio-Hope-Toxic-World-Book-ebook/dp/B00I5HHTVS">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Radio-Hope-Toxic-World-Book-ebook/dp/B00I5HHTVS">Amazon UK</a>, and all the other Amazons. Enjoy and please spread the word!Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498840600741973651.post-33932008601363920552015-09-21T09:46:00.000-05:002015-09-21T09:46:43.632-05:00My latest post-apocalyptic novel out now!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0j5_ULPpYzRuqrX68_XJNhEisOhB-k_WUehQhxd_ckL2O8fGc5FCsrnQAQ5OmAFzDg4L22LetggMvvYaLj_dKTMnFvxkN4b0PGS-GBklHTThEILFGJXJx_NFA9LTTwOZUisdejz4CFV6S/s1600/WeHadFlags550.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0j5_ULPpYzRuqrX68_XJNhEisOhB-k_WUehQhxd_ckL2O8fGc5FCsrnQAQ5OmAFzDg4L22LetggMvvYaLj_dKTMnFvxkN4b0PGS-GBklHTThEILFGJXJx_NFA9LTTwOZUisdejz4CFV6S/s1600/WeHadFlags550.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Had-Flags-Toxic-World-Book-ebook/dp/B015N5D8TQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1442845764&sr=1-1"><i>We Had Flags</i></a>, the third in my Toxic World series of post-apocalyptic novels, is out now. The series starts with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Radio-Hope-Toxic-World-Book-ebook/dp/B00I5HHTVS/ref=pd_sim_351_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0WVY52GKC7W49M20P06Z&dpID=51MlYT-SdqL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_UX300_PJku-sticker-v3%2CTopRight%2C0%2C-44_AC_UL160_SR106%2C160_"><i>Radio Hope</i></a> and continues with <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Refugees-Righteous-Horde-Toxic-World-ebook/dp/B00LM30K4U/ref=pd_sim_351_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1M37K90KR0K4F34ZGGFK&dpID=51VBnSkcvnL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_UX300_PJku-sticker-v3%2CTopRight%2C0%2C-44_AC_UL160_SR107%2C160_">Refugees from the Righteous Horde</a></i>. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Scavenger-Toxic-World-Novelette-ebook/dp/B00J02F2NO/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1442846533&sr=1-3"><i>The Scavenger</i></a> is a novelette in the same world.<br />
<br />
In <i>We Had Flags</i>,
the residents of New City face their biggest challenges yet. For those
of you familiar with the series, the main characters in this volume are
the Doctor, Pablo Cruz, and someone you haven't met yet. A blurb is
below.<br />
<br />
<i>A law doesn't work if everyone breaks it.</i><br />
<i>For
forty years, New City has been a bastion of order in a fallen world.
One crucial law has maintained the peace--it is illegal to place
responsibility for the collapse of civilization on any one group. Anyone
found guilty of Blaming is branded and stripped of citizenship.</i><br />
<i>But when some unwelcome visitors arrive from across the sea, old wounds break open, and no one is safe from Blame.</i><br />
<br />
<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Had-Flags-Toxic-World-Book-ebook/dp/B015N5D8TQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1442845764&sr=1-1">We Had Flags</a> </i>is available via Kindle's Prime program, so if you're a member you can read it for free! Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498840600741973651.post-14683275356383712922015-08-08T09:00:00.000-05:002015-08-08T09:00:04.544-05:00The Rat Killer and other Weird War Tales out now!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOSj928imOyla_pRmnVnfkfRzfc2lJHvshLOxhcU48A5hbNYBv4UvSwTYcCAitt54rBqfpkiGTfVogyEEvuXBxeHrK2Hcya1TCRBAuCJLz3_12DBYlnejedEYat8JvHU0-p6QnJVgPw3r0/s1600/PORTADARat+Killer550.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOSj928imOyla_pRmnVnfkfRzfc2lJHvshLOxhcU48A5hbNYBv4UvSwTYcCAitt54rBqfpkiGTfVogyEEvuXBxeHrK2Hcya1TCRBAuCJLz3_12DBYlnejedEYat8JvHU0-p6QnJVgPw3r0/s1600/PORTADARat+Killer550.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
My latest short story collection, <i>The Rat Killer and other Weird War Tales</i>, is out now on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rat-Killer-other-Weird-Tales-ebook/dp/B013JU8VCQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1438978148&sr=1-1&keywords=rat+killer+mclachlan">Amazon</a> and <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/567084">Smashwords</a>.
It's going through the Smashwords system of Premium distribution and
will soon be available in all major online retailers. The cover is, as
usual, done by my talented brother-in-law Andrés. It looks a bit
different form his regular stuff and I think it works well. The book
retails for $2.99. A blurb is below.<br />
<br />
<i>A rat hunter on the Western Front suspects his prey are plotting against him…</i><br />
<i>A routine trip through the trenches leads to an unexpected insight…</i><br />
<i>A soldier discovers the most dangerous enemy can't be killed…</i><br />
<i>A bereaved woman performs a forbidden ritual to avenge her father’s murder…</i><br />
<i>A doomed militia is offered a path to victory that leads to damnation…</i><br />
<br />
<i>Here
are five tales of war from the pen of military historian and novelist
Sean McLachlan. From the bushwhackers of the American Civil War to the
trenches of WWI, these stories walk the line from the strange and
paranormal to the frighteningly real.</i>Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498840600741973651.post-4912767812718585792015-07-26T05:59:00.001-05:002015-07-26T06:02:27.991-05:00Get my ebooks for 50% off!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoShP4R0-gAOAkQNSbiqYgFSxOMFguNyAx9mVuJer10mKe2WDpIrsnHbqi7hRSPz7Ux29v6fgVzl273MOF2jAEiJG6sWl0LXR-RDhN9ZBGd8U73di3GYje91fIYAskTK04Y7_2v6uRl5k6/s1600/LikenessCover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoShP4R0-gAOAkQNSbiqYgFSxOMFguNyAx9mVuJer10mKe2WDpIrsnHbqi7hRSPz7Ux29v6fgVzl273MOF2jAEiJG6sWl0LXR-RDhN9ZBGd8U73di3GYje91fIYAskTK04Y7_2v6uRl5k6/s1600/LikenessCover.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Over
at Smashwords I'm participating in their great summer/winter sale.
Whether you're sweltering in the summer of the Northern Hemisphere, or
chilling out somewhere south of the Equator, it's always a good time to
read an ebook. Through July 31, all my ebooks at Smashwords are 50% off.
You can see an entire list on <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/seanmclachlan">my Smashwords page</a>.<br />
<br />
The books include my <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/465532"><i>Trench Raiders</i></a> World War One action series, each now $1.50; older works such as the short story collection <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/316745"><i>The Night the Nazis came to Dinner</i></a> and the historical fantasy <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/315109"><i>The Quintessence of Absence</i></a>, both $1.50; and my Civil War horror novels <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/110642"><i>A Fine Likeness</i></a> and <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/536170"><i>The River of Desperation</i></a>.<br />
<br />
Use the coupon code <b>SSW50</b> at checkout to save 50%!Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498840600741973651.post-73092550326816529882015-04-18T07:44:00.000-05:002015-04-18T07:44:27.227-05:00A new Civil War horror novel, and a bargain on an old one!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-8nLXHzrAac5_JHD7hqPacwESF1dEZL7uiaSewsmrq1TABQlMwkJPKpCUrMDwpIbrooFXBCHGiuSX6Jyoyo8JIFNnM0YgFsLmRrXLQH92fazVXOZQHa-Z3Wb8WR5RNKYUiKelaAQ0Lrf/s1600/RiverTan525.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-8nLXHzrAac5_JHD7hqPacwESF1dEZL7uiaSewsmrq1TABQlMwkJPKpCUrMDwpIbrooFXBCHGiuSX6Jyoyo8JIFNnM0YgFsLmRrXLQH92fazVXOZQHa-Z3Wb8WR5RNKYUiKelaAQ0Lrf/s1600/RiverTan525.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
I've just released my latest Civil War horror novel, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/River-Desperation-House-Divided-Book-ebook/dp/B00W9DK0WY/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8"><i>The River of Desperation</i></a>. It's the sequel to <i>A Fine Likeness</i>. While the first book in the House Divided series stands on its own, <i>The River of Desperation</i> continued the story of the primeval struggle between Order and Chaos. A blurb is below.<br />
<br />
<i>In the waning days of the Civil War, a secret conflict still rages. . .</i><br />
<i>Lieutenant
Allen Addison of the USS Essex is looking forward to the South's defeat
so he can build the life he's always wanted. Love and a promising
business await him in St. Louis, but he is swept up in a primeval war
between the forces of Order and Chaos, a struggle he doesn't understand
and can barely believe in. Soon he is fighting to keep a grip on his
sanity as he tries to save St. Louis from destruction.</i><br />
<i>The long-awaited sequel to </i>A Fine Likeness<i> continues the story of two opposing forces that threaten to tear the world apart.</i><br />
<i>Length: 103,000 words (356 pages)</i><br />
<br />
It's available as an ebook on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/River-Desperation-House-Divided-Book-ebook/dp/B00W9DK0WY/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8">Amazon</a>, all Amazon affiliates, <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/536170">Smashwords</a>, and soon to come to Barnes &amp; Noble, the Apple store, and more.<br />
<br />
In order to celebrate the release, I'm discounting <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fine-Likeness-House-Divided-Book-ebook/dp/B006ANR3TM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1429349602&sr=1-1"><i>A Fine Likeness</i></a>.
It's only 99 cents until April 26, the 150th anniversary of General Joe
Johnston surrendering the Army of Tennessee. It will then be $2.99
until May 21, the 150th anniversary of the surrender of Jesse James, who
makes an appearance in both of these books. <i>A Fine Likeness</i> is available on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fine-Likeness-House-Divided-Book-ebook/dp/B006ANR3TM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1429349602&sr=1-1">Amazon</a>, all Amazon affiliates, <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/110642">Smashwords</a>, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-fine-likeness-sean-mclachlan/1108076718?ean=2940032938873">Barnes &amp; Noble</a>, and almost everywhere else ebooks are sold.Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498840600741973651.post-62656457197300891282014-11-25T10:14:00.000-06:002014-11-25T10:14:33.526-06:00My new WWI novel now available for preorder!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_XQCs9KHxCrKccDWDSdj1mpKh9M1LIXkNmif_oJdICr0WGdXsmbKX7gXGMMv5gxHlriMFGpRWbvjFEHkELvGlCjKnQvunPcElnoXfUH2Wq3S4nH_bClO0xhBYCRZ2AAjA_WwDernh4TE9/s1600/Digging+in+525.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_XQCs9KHxCrKccDWDSdj1mpKh9M1LIXkNmif_oJdICr0WGdXsmbKX7gXGMMv5gxHlriMFGpRWbvjFEHkELvGlCjKnQvunPcElnoXfUH2Wq3S4nH_bClO0xhBYCRZ2AAjA_WwDernh4TE9/s1600/Digging+in+525.jpeg" /></a></div>
My latest World War One action novel, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Digging-Trench-Raiders-Book-2-ebook/dp/B00Q2M0VJK/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1416903686&sr=1-2&keywords=digging+in"><i>Digging In</i></a>, is coming out December 5 and is available for preorder. The story takes up where <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Trench-Raiders-Sean-McLachlan-ebook/dp/B00MISCZX2/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1416852979&sr=1-2"><i>Trench Raiders</i></a>
left off and continues the adventures of Crawford, Willoughby, and
Thompson, while introducing some interesting new characters. Here's the
blurb.<br />
<br />
<i>October 1914: The British line is about to break.<br /> </i><br />
<i>After two months of
hard fighting, the British Expeditionary Force is short of men,
ammunition, and ideas. With their line stretched to the breaking point,
aerial reconnaissance spots German reinforcements massing for the big
push. As their trenches are hammered by a German artillery battery, the
men of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry come up with a
desperate plan--a daring raid behind enemy lines to destroy the enemy
guns, and give the British a chance to stop the German army from
breaking through.<br /> </i><br />
Digging In<i> is the second in a new series of World
War One action novels that will follow the brave men of the BEF through
the major battles of the First World War a hundred years after they
happened. The Battle of Ypres was the first of many great slaughters on
the Western Front, and it was there that both sides learned the true
horror of the world's first global conflict. </i><br />
<br />
It's now available on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Digging-Trench-Raiders-Book-2-ebook/dp/B00Q2M0VJK/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1416903686&sr=1-2&keywords=digging+in">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Digging-Trench-Raiders-Book-2-ebook/dp/B00Q2M0VJK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416903761&sr=8-1&keywords=digging+in+mclachlan">Amazon UK</a>, and all the other Amazons. It's also available on <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/495787">Smashwords</a> and will soon be at all other major ebook outlets.<br />
<br />
(By the way, if you're still following this blog, head on over to <a href="http://midlistwriter.blogspot.com/">Midlist Writer,</a> that's far more active) Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498840600741973651.post-17438997880035136182014-08-14T07:40:00.000-05:002014-08-14T07:40:00.727-05:00Free Post-Apocalyptic Ebook<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqTBKn1YLDm8niI1He6F-ThRp8CCB1UbIJG4qJjxc3U4n1r8KgY0hvl6zhiBkbSDWrp0fjoWNHPbjhO3LmKoJa_JwdDTMI2OK6RJe4_WdUos6zJGVYgYtiFfxVx95pCYTWMn_o0VoDUqw/s1600/PORTADAScavengerSMALL2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqTBKn1YLDm8niI1He6F-ThRp8CCB1UbIJG4qJjxc3U4n1r8KgY0hvl6zhiBkbSDWrp0fjoWNHPbjhO3LmKoJa_JwdDTMI2OK6RJe4_WdUos6zJGVYgYtiFfxVx95pCYTWMn_o0VoDUqw/s1600/PORTADAScavengerSMALL2.jpg" height="400" width="250" /></a></div>
Hello
from Worldcon! I'm in London at the world's largest, and oldest science
fiction convention. I'll be turning 45 here on Saturday, surrounded by
science fiction fans. There are worse places to to grow old.<br />
<br />
In honor of Worldcon and my oncoming decrepitude, I'm running a
special promotion for two of my Toxic World titles of post-apocalyptic
books.<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Radio-Hope-Toxic-World-Book-ebook/dp/B00I5HHTVS/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-8&qid=1407766783"><i> Radio Hope</i></a> is on a Kindle Countdown deal. It's usually $3.99 but for August
13-14 it will be 99 cents. On August 15-16 it will be $1.99. On August
17-19 it will be $2.99.<br />
<br />
Also, my short story <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Scavenger-Toxic-World-Novelette-ebook/dp/B00J02F2NO/ref=la_B001H6MUQI_1_15?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1407766829&sr=1-15"><i>The Scavenger</i></a> will be free August 14-18.<br />
<br />
Grab these titles while they're cheap, and tune in next week for a full convention report and plenty of photos!Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498840600741973651.post-37837903829692860122014-08-08T15:16:00.000-05:002014-08-08T15:18:16.648-05:00Trench Raiders now available!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHJkYAF2GUENWfBpIWeo3qFCNLsoGZBJzrs7iqQwo_xrPvpx8nvg0ma_P6qs1g1mYhJVaNHKXGK_fduw4uvDJijMTTHE0lKsOY__F6IUQzH5wHld7L32O7Y2WxSOwjPs2BXLMzmE3ZpcrX/s1600/PORTADA+Trench+Raiders+Smashwords.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHJkYAF2GUENWfBpIWeo3qFCNLsoGZBJzrs7iqQwo_xrPvpx8nvg0ma_P6qs1g1mYhJVaNHKXGK_fduw4uvDJijMTTHE0lKsOY__F6IUQzH5wHld7L32O7Y2WxSOwjPs2BXLMzmE3ZpcrX/s1600/PORTADA+Trench+Raiders+Smashwords.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
Just in time for the WWI centenary, I've come out with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Trench-Raiders-Sean-McLachlan-ebook/dp/B00MISCZX2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407527419&sr=8-1&keywords=trench+raiders"><i>Trench Raiders</i></a>, the first in a series of World War one action novels. Here's the blurb:<br />
<br />
September 1914: The British Expeditionary Force has the Germans on the run, or so they think.<br />
After
a month of bitter fighting, the British are battered, exhausted, and
down to half their strength, yet they’ve helped save Paris and are
pushing toward Berlin. Then the retreating Germans decide to make a
stand. Holding a steep slope beside the River Aisne, the entrenched
Germans mow down the advancing British with machine gun fire. Soon the
British dig in too, and it looks like the war might grind down into
deadly stalemate.<br />
Searching through No-Man’s Land in the darkness,
Private Timothy Crawford of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light
Infantry finds a chink in the German armor. But can this lowly private,
who spends as much time in the battalion guardhouse as he does on the
parade ground, convince his commanding officer to risk everything for a
chance to break through?<br />
Trench Raiders is the first in a new
series of World War One action novels that will follow the brave men of
the British Expeditionary Force through the major battles of the First
World War a hundred years after they happened. The Battle of the Aisne
was the start of trench warfare on the Western Front, and it was there
that the British and Germans first honed their skills at a new, vicious
brand of fighting.<br />
<br />
Trench Raiders is available at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Trench-Raiders-Sean-McLachlan-ebook/dp/B00MISCZX2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407527419&sr=8-1&keywords=trench+raiders">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/465532">Smashwords</a>, and within a few days will be available at all other online outlets.Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498840600741973651.post-34136183576403975542014-07-09T15:50:00.000-05:002014-07-09T15:50:09.342-05:00Refugees from the Righteous Horde out now!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_NLiRHFLg24K51Kru9D87WvQQ7VQclj3-rIIGY3mEWa09PbMFXQOpb2EWPmAHTkzTFwZS7FfFBW6ppIBqG3gDbUT4NdiDYJUD2_1MFPupEfO754KjvHjuicc6MdXwFc13j-EZSfc2fcsf/s1600/PORTADA+Refugees525.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_NLiRHFLg24K51Kru9D87WvQQ7VQclj3-rIIGY3mEWa09PbMFXQOpb2EWPmAHTkzTFwZS7FfFBW6ppIBqG3gDbUT4NdiDYJUD2_1MFPupEfO754KjvHjuicc6MdXwFc13j-EZSfc2fcsf/s1600/PORTADA+Refugees525.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Book Two of my Toxic World post-apocalyptic series is out now! <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Refugees-Righteous-Horde-Toxic-World-ebook/dp/B00LM30K4U/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1404810839&sr=1-1"><i>Refugees from the Righteous Horde</i></a> picks up where <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Radio-Hope-Toxic-World-Book-ebook/dp/B00I5HHTVS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1391243036&sr=1-1"><i>Radio Hope</i></a> left off. Here's the blurb:<br />
<br />
<i>When you only have one shot, you better aim true.</i><br />
<i>In a ravaged world, civilization’s last outpost is reeling after
fighting off the fanatical warriors of the Righteous Horde. Sheriff
Annette Cruz becomes New City’s long arm of vengeance as she sets off
across the wildlands to take out the cult’s leader. All she has is a
sniper’s rifle with one bullet and a former cultist with his own agenda.</i><br />
<i>Meanwhile, one of the cult’s escaped slaves makes a discovery that could tear New City apart. . .</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Refugees from the Righteous Horde<i> continues the </i>Toxic World<i> series started in </i>Radio Hope<i>, an ongoing narrative of humanity’s struggle to rebuild the world it ruined.</i><br />
<br />
The
book is available on all the Amazons and will soon have a print
edition. If you could help me out by tweeting, blogging, and sharing
this info, that would be awesome!<i> </i>Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498840600741973651.post-57562718605944203272014-05-16T03:44:00.001-05:002014-07-04T06:31:44.340-05:00I'm moving blogs!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8DKUJn6ezslci_hKZ7x3A5MahKhQAoJdaP-Pif2y5-AGPV0_WfrGBQVnYDwgyvsFen74OvW9ZbTbrTSrPAebwts9KJxy829DBDqsvsA4A6y9dF0k5gj7dRoAOTAzfYVplFWTY_l6ek8/s1600/109px-MUTCD_W20-2_(temporary).svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8DKUJn6ezslci_hKZ7x3A5MahKhQAoJdaP-Pif2y5-AGPV0_WfrGBQVnYDwgyvsFen74OvW9ZbTbrTSrPAebwts9KJxy829DBDqsvsA4A6y9dF0k5gj7dRoAOTAzfYVplFWTY_l6ek8/s1600/109px-MUTCD_W20-2_(temporary).svg.png" /></a></div>
As you might of noticed, this blog has been a bit quiet of late. That's because I've revived my old <a href="http://midlistwriter.blogspot.com/">Midlist Writer</a> blog. While I still write Civil War stuff, and the sequel to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/A-Fine-Likeness-ebook/dp/B006ANR3TM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323120639&sr=8-1"><i>A Fine Likeness</i></a> will come out in the next couple of months, I've been writing more post-apocalyptic fiction lately, and recently started a novel set during World War One.<br />
<br />
So this blog no longer fully reflects what I'm doing. I'll keep it up to repost announcements and anything Civil War related, but if you want <a href="http://midlistwriter.blogspot.com/">Sean McLachlan's blog</a>, go to Midlist Writer.Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498840600741973651.post-60521537123984651902014-04-04T06:06:00.000-05:002014-04-04T06:06:22.509-05:00My post-apocalyptic story The Scavenger is free on Amazon until April 8<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRCEDDRsw_MWwVRn11K4gPjMaBY3PsIH_BHVWb6AbGu0pRE6F8jX_r7dzgl6LXhI1HdshlJ0zngKBvu42FSyKMVlXUrVXC7LvGHN3xWi4XWOgX1tqcwCC6Q8-jelzIyclk3WEvYviQQjA/s1600/PORTADAScavengerSMALL2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRCEDDRsw_MWwVRn11K4gPjMaBY3PsIH_BHVWb6AbGu0pRE6F8jX_r7dzgl6LXhI1HdshlJ0zngKBvu42FSyKMVlXUrVXC7LvGHN3xWi4XWOgX1tqcwCC6Q8-jelzIyclk3WEvYviQQjA/s1600/PORTADAScavengerSMALL2.jpg" /></a></div>
In honor of the Post-Apocalyptic A to Z blogfest I'm doing over at <a href="http://midlistwriter.blogspot.com/">Midlist Writer</a>, I'm offering my post-apocalyptic story <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Scavenger-Toxic-World-Novelette-ebook/dp/B00J02F2NO/ref=la_B001H6MUQI_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1395920739&sr=1-14">The Scavenger</a></i> for free on Amazon for the next five days.<br />
<br />
This story is a 67-page teaser for my Toxic World series, which starts with the novel <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Radio-Hope-Toxic-World-Book-ebook/dp/B00I5HHTVS/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_11?ie=UTF8&refRID=0AC7F5V8C9MJ114CXESQ"><i>Radio Hope</i></a>. <i>The Scavenger</i> a standalone story, but it gives a different perspective on some of the places and characters that appear in <i>Radio Hope</i>.<br />
<br />
The blurb is below:<br />
<br />
<i>In a world shattered by war, pollution, and disease, a lone scavenger discovers a priceless relic from the Old Times.</i><br />
<i>The
problem is, it's stuck in the middle of the worst wasteland he knows--a
contaminated city inhabited by insane chem addicts and vengeful
villagers. Only his wits, his gun, and an unlikely ally can get him out
alive.</i><br />
<i>Set in the Toxic World series introduced in the
novel Radio Hope, this 10,000-word story explores more of the dangers
and personalities that make up a post-apocalyptic world that's all too
possible.</i><br />
<br />
I'd like to get it in front of as many
eyeballs as possible. So please, between now and Tuesday, April 8, feel
free to share, like, tweet, etc. Here are some tweets after the jump you
can use if you are so inclined.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
THE SCAVENGER: free post-apocalyptic science fiction by the author of RADIO HOPE<br />
<a class="yiv3684507910twitter-timeline-link" href="http://www.amazon.com/Scavenger-Toxic-World-Novelette-ebook/dp/B00J02F2NO/ref=la_B001H6MUQI_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1395920739&sr=1-14" id="yui_3_13_0_1_1396607624019_2901" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/Scavenger-Toxic-World-Novelette-ebook/dp/B00J02F2NO</a><br />
<br />
<br />
THE SCAVENGER: post-apocalyptic science fiction by the author of RADIO HOPE. Get your free copy April 4-8<br />
<a class="yiv3684507910twitter-timeline-link" href="http://www.amazon.com/Scavenger-Toxic-World-Novelette-ebook/dp/B00J02F2NO/ref=la_B001H6MUQI_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1395920739&sr=1-14" id="yui_3_13_0_1_1396607624019_2901" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/Scavenger-Toxic-World-Novelette-ebook/dp/B00J02F2NO</a><br />
<br />
Free for Kindle THE SCAVENGER: post-apocalyptic science fiction by the author of RADIO HOPE<br />
<a class="yiv3684507910twitter-timeline-link" href="http://www.amazon.com/Scavenger-Toxic-World-Novelette-ebook/dp/B00J02F2NO/ref=la_B001H6MUQI_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1395920739&sr=1-14" id="yui_3_13_0_1_1396607624019_2901" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/Scavenger-Toxic-World-Novelette-ebook/dp/B00J02F2NO</a><br />
<br clear="none" />
Free ebook! In a world shattered by war and pollution, a scavenger discovers a priceless relic from the Old Times.<br />
<a class="yiv3684507910twitter-timeline-link" href="http://www.amazon.com/Scavenger-Toxic-World-Novelette-ebook/dp/B00J02F2NO/ref=la_B001H6MUQI_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1395920739&sr=1-14" id="yui_3_13_0_1_1396607624019_2901" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/Scavenger-Toxic-World-Novelette-ebook/dp/B00J02F2NO/ref=la_B001H6MUQI_1_14?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1395920739&amp;sr=1-14</a>Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498840600741973651.post-1469872750228629422014-03-14T09:28:00.001-05:002014-03-14T09:28:50.242-05:00My next Toxic World story is out!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2N_bzChrgHKHBUHSb9PYtpNpA-_SFD70Sbim-6u2hSjKsK6qFkb8-ggdiAL7kwH1pT6XySGs_nO6b3RiokRR6OHQlATp8XiUxa9LpMe13_cg70gLUvbh0aJn63KIRQGBPpYJ_Jnp7lGY/s1600/PORTADAScavengerSMALL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2N_bzChrgHKHBUHSb9PYtpNpA-_SFD70Sbim-6u2hSjKsK6qFkb8-ggdiAL7kwH1pT6XySGs_nO6b3RiokRR6OHQlATp8XiUxa9LpMe13_cg70gLUvbh0aJn63KIRQGBPpYJ_Jnp7lGY/s1600/PORTADAScavengerSMALL.jpg" height="320" width="200" /></a></div>
I've just released <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Scavenger-Toxic-World-Novelette-ebook/dp/B00J02F2NO/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1394800472&sr=1-1"><i>The Scavenger</i></a> on Amazon. This 10,000-word story is set in the same Toxic World as <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Radio-Hope-Toxic-World-Book-ebook/dp/B00I5HHTVS/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1394807113&sr=1-2"><i>Radio Hope</i></a> and explores some more of the personalities and dangers of that world. I've priced it at 99 cents as a teaser for the series. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<i>Refugees from the Righteous Horde</i>, the second novel in the series, is progressing well. I'll be taking all next week off while I'm on a press trip in Belgium. The country is gearing up for the centennial of World War One and I'll be visiting many of the important sites of the Western Front. Once I'm back I'll be doing a spate of nonfiction writing before sitting down and getting to the end of the novel.<br />
<br />
Have a great weekend!Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498840600741973651.post-480259926470896392014-03-14T06:52:00.000-05:002014-03-14T06:52:05.005-05:00Military History Photo Friday: Elaborate Renaissance Arms and Armor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIjdo_PJQ762JsQ4RG0uWwKBVnKSMiHYHr5_BWppRVv770VV8mpqiDfMWPbszXg7_MkhgXiNld57anTWGYMhJ0zCH5AuOkQNLaVpHLmeLUPfvYC_D66iLkdsvIJBjdqy1a9qyey8W57j2Q/s1600/DSC_1043.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIjdo_PJQ762JsQ4RG0uWwKBVnKSMiHYHr5_BWppRVv770VV8mpqiDfMWPbszXg7_MkhgXiNld57anTWGYMhJ0zCH5AuOkQNLaVpHLmeLUPfvYC_D66iLkdsvIJBjdqy1a9qyey8W57j2Q/s1600/DSC_1043.JPG" /></a></div>
Here are a couple of fine pieces from <a href="http://www.wallacecollection.org/">The Wallace Collection</a>,
one of the best private collections of art in London. They have an
especially good arms and armor gallery. It's well worth checking out if
you're in London.<br />
<br />
On the top we have, according to the signage, "a mace of the morning star type, damascened in gold with arabesques and emblematical figures within cartouches of silver piqué." Well that clears that up. It's from Milan c.1560.<br />
<br />
Below
are some fine parade helmets from the same century, also made in Italy
and of the type known as "antique armor", which imitated the styles of
parade armor from ancient Rome.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUtJGxojxHgqAztrP0EQJhDFNLSxwOdQ2vwU7uWs28rnLcv8ff5oNXyFm46LFFZ9wnX1PPv0SiO7tfyi5_c93QMPRX2RhYCexgHttY6Hxbn_H01NH5ilidhBjYyP0wtqyrdARDurEbVyT/s1600/DSC_1052.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUtJGxojxHgqAztrP0EQJhDFNLSxwOdQ2vwU7uWs28rnLcv8ff5oNXyFm46LFFZ9wnX1PPv0SiO7tfyi5_c93QMPRX2RhYCexgHttY6Hxbn_H01NH5ilidhBjYyP0wtqyrdARDurEbVyT/s1600/DSC_1052.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498840600741973651.post-81899248378229346672014-03-12T10:44:00.002-05:002014-03-12T10:44:54.939-05:00Blurb version 2.0Here's a tweaked version. One thing to think about is that this is a teaser for the series, so it will vary between .99 cents and free.<br />
<br />
<i>In a world shattered by war, pollution, and disease, a lone scavenger discovers a priceless relic from the Old Times.<br />The
problem is, it's stuck in the middle of the worst wasteland he knows--a contaminated city inhabited
by insane chem addicts and vengeful villagers. Only his wits, his gun,
and an unlikely ally can get him out alive.</i><br />
<br />
<i>Set in the Toxic World introduced in the novel Radio Hope, this 10,000-word story explores more of the dangers and personalities that make up a post-apocalyptic world that's all too possible. </i>Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498840600741973651.post-79643086038802869542014-03-12T06:08:00.002-05:002014-03-12T06:08:36.146-05:00The Scavenger cover reveal, plus I need input on my blurb<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgssM6tSTeBJlLRQk92bToLrn4iJKkE4dYjyl28ixHydRjZ3KUrYl2yGLTtalv73C7oni08UH8in1JL0DZK_DJP1XszlDw_yIhQKN1td8-Rq80nozleQbP2XIu0XgSe3D1EkJPMAneqmBx/s1600/PORTADAScavengerSMALL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgssM6tSTeBJlLRQk92bToLrn4iJKkE4dYjyl28ixHydRjZ3KUrYl2yGLTtalv73C7oni08UH8in1JL0DZK_DJP1XszlDw_yIhQKN1td8-Rq80nozleQbP2XIu0XgSe3D1EkJPMAneqmBx/s1600/PORTADAScavengerSMALL.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
My brother-in-law Andrés Alonso-Herrero has come up with another fine cover for me. This is for a 10,000-word novelette called <i>The Scavenger</i>. It's going up soon as a promo for my Toxic World series and is set close to the action in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Radio-Hope-Toxic-World-Book-ebook/dp/B00I5HHTVS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1391243036&sr=1-1"><i>Radio Hope</i></a>. Here's a draft of the blurb below. I'd love your input!<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>In a world shattered by war, pollution, and disease, a lone scavenger discovers a priceless relic from the Old Times.<br />The
problem is, it's stuck in the middle of a contaminated city inhabited
by insane chem addicts and vengeful villagers. Only his wits, his gun,
and an unlikely ally can get him out alive.</i>Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498840600741973651.post-7217810570976822272014-02-28T05:48:00.000-06:002014-02-28T05:48:00.837-06:00Military History Photo Friday: Senegalese Troops in World War One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHASKcuTTW2etBeL9gJ0jOu5SUatIhyphenhyphenmo1jBOOuh7ZHaSJRpg5UeZnYpms9jNqXe4SdTtM6hnJYUmymQhUetz68NTVk-DufZzlnsm7YXj4EfS7i3rm6nm7twehBy25Mtnfp0FQWUVO3w/s1600/Le_fanion_du_43e_bataillon_de_tirailleurs_se%CC%81ne%CC%81galais_de%CC%81core%CC%81_de_ka_fourrage%CC%80re.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHASKcuTTW2etBeL9gJ0jOu5SUatIhyphenhyphenmo1jBOOuh7ZHaSJRpg5UeZnYpms9jNqXe4SdTtM6hnJYUmymQhUetz68NTVk-DufZzlnsm7YXj4EfS7i3rm6nm7twehBy25Mtnfp0FQWUVO3w/s1600/Le_fanion_du_43e_bataillon_de_tirailleurs_se%CC%81ne%CC%81galais_de%CC%81core%CC%81_de_ka_fourrage%CC%80re.jpg" /></a></div>
Hello from Tangier! Actually I'm writing this several days early and scheduling it ahead of time because I'm happily without Internet for a few days so my better half and I can enjoy our 14th anniversary in the Casbah.<br />
<br />
To keep with the African theme, here's a photo of the Tirailleurs Sénégalais in World War One. What is now Senegal was a French colony during the war and like many other colonies they sent troops. Senegalese fought with distinction throughout the war on both the Western Front and the Dardanelles.<br />
<br />
Recruits also came from Morocco, Indochina, and other colonies. More than 72,000 colonial soldiers died during the war.<br />
<br />
Below is a closeup of the middle two guys with their flag commemorating some of the battles they fought in. You can see they've earned some medals too.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioW1l9os7V7crEPMteF62pH0cRI3RYjKVWhAL7LVyeHuPO1dJEn03DWMAMLLBIOWfqSfLbKRNZOmV7kTToQ0d2D1BfTw4DnbobzgV_o_cYKd_2dKbmyooSudefmjLzjRbnaiBJhsVeF1M/s1600/bataillon_de_tirailleurs_se%CC%81ne%CC%81galais_de%CC%81core%CC%81_de_ka_fourrage%CC%80re.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioW1l9os7V7crEPMteF62pH0cRI3RYjKVWhAL7LVyeHuPO1dJEn03DWMAMLLBIOWfqSfLbKRNZOmV7kTToQ0d2D1BfTw4DnbobzgV_o_cYKd_2dKbmyooSudefmjLzjRbnaiBJhsVeF1M/s1600/bataillon_de_tirailleurs_se%CC%81ne%CC%81galais_de%CC%81core%CC%81_de_ka_fourrage%CC%80re.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>Photo courtesy <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Le_fanion_du_43e_bataillon_de_tirailleurs_s%C3%A9n%C3%A9galais_d%C3%A9cor%C3%A9_de_ka_fourrag%C3%A8re.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a>.</i> <br />
<br />Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498840600741973651.post-87098626617884842182014-02-21T09:59:00.002-06:002014-02-21T09:59:59.057-06:00Military History Photo Friday: The Battle of Dogali<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFNNuZRSQCb149BWe1PXJqoSQ7q79Gwe4cB7loEREH87Jko88JsjSSQgS3eIyMlj7_ROi-pR_7FmHuU_EGebjo5_dp4FeNf9tbFVRjaTUu550nuTXwsDute33l4i9eE3Jl3FMaOpDjzzQ/s1600/Dogali_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFNNuZRSQCb149BWe1PXJqoSQ7q79Gwe4cB7loEREH87Jko88JsjSSQgS3eIyMlj7_ROi-pR_7FmHuU_EGebjo5_dp4FeNf9tbFVRjaTUu550nuTXwsDute33l4i9eE3Jl3FMaOpDjzzQ/s1600/Dogali_.jpg" /></a></div>
I was chatting with science fiction author <a href="http://david-drake.com/">David Drake</a> this week and he mentioned a recent visit to Italy, where he got to see this splendid painting. It's by Michele Cammarano and depicts the Battle of Dogali on January 26, 1887.<br />
<br />
This was an early engagement during Italy's attempt to colonize Abyssinia, modern Eritrea and Ethiopia. The Italians had taken the coastline, modern Eritrea, and the Emperor Yohannes IV sent an army to push them back. After the Abyssinians unsuccessfully attacked an Italian fort, the 10,000 warriors ambushed an Italian relief column headed for the fort. The column consisted of 500 Italians, 50 native irregulars, and two machine guns. The machine guns soon jammed and the Italians were overrun. <br />
<br />
The Italians quickly vacated the region, but came back in 1896 intent on taking the entire country and regaining the honor they lost at Dogali. Instead, they were defeated at the famous <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Armies-Adowa-Campaign-1896-Men-at-Arms/dp/1849084572/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1392998254&sr=1-1&keywords=battle+adowa">Battle of Adowa</a>, the subject of one of my books.<br />
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The detail below certainly makes it look like the Italians are winning. Note the curved <i>shotel</i> sword the Abyssinian to the left is carrying. These were fearsome weapons and were especially good against shield-carrying African warriors.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Image courtesy <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dogali_.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a>, where you can see a large format copy of this painting.</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLXZirXvklzavlUsrhtMxE3Zh0QT8XNP6Qxq7AgtwsHLEbvFu66Q978gC9fFtRO2Y6KMWmea7mE0lgKMn5XIiTfEkwuJ8PSB5aKAEwh-f2cvJfyMpM4kSaN8CNroNY0a9tRwJAM28Zs8/s1600/Dogali_detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLXZirXvklzavlUsrhtMxE3Zh0QT8XNP6Qxq7AgtwsHLEbvFu66Q978gC9fFtRO2Y6KMWmea7mE0lgKMn5XIiTfEkwuJ8PSB5aKAEwh-f2cvJfyMpM4kSaN8CNroNY0a9tRwJAM28Zs8/s1600/Dogali_detail.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498840600741973651.post-35469883367497631992014-02-19T08:44:00.002-06:002014-02-19T08:44:25.350-06:00Helping out a writer in need<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJgkZhokPphTMJrAy0Rjc-5uFcp1jskH_PQLcUEcskRWBgRd06QGXfR4bGJOGkzg1_DekQHS-VChBFm4VWpPZCnEPTC08wOUBi5xooIMmX4_X9sa1UmAYrJYddMkxlnI8wgbpbiv1Z0E3/s1600/FRENCH+QUARTER+NOCTURNE+NEW+COVER_1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJgkZhokPphTMJrAy0Rjc-5uFcp1jskH_PQLcUEcskRWBgRd06QGXfR4bGJOGkzg1_DekQHS-VChBFm4VWpPZCnEPTC08wOUBi5xooIMmX4_X9sa1UmAYrJYddMkxlnI8wgbpbiv1Z0E3/s1600/FRENCH+QUARTER+NOCTURNE+NEW+COVER_1.jpg" /></a></div>
Some of you may be familiar with the blog <a href="http://rolandyeomans.blogspot.com/">Writing in the Crosshairs</a>,
written by author Roland Yeomans. If you don't read Roland's blog
regularly you might have missed the fact that he's going into cancer
surgery today.<br />
<br />
I was trying to think of a way to cheer him
up all the way over here in Spain and hit upon a buy-a-thon for his
books. I've been reading <i>Her Bones are in the Badlands</i> and enjoying it immensely since it's set on a silent film set and I'm a fan of early movies. Today I bought <i>French Quarter Nocturne</i>,
in which some strange beasts arise in New Orleans after Hurricane
Katrina. This one should be interesting because Roland is not only a
cancer survivor, but also a Katrina survivor.<br />
<br />
So if you'd like to read some interesting speculative fiction and make a writer's day, check out <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Roland-Yeomans/e/B0086O40BM/ref=la_B0086O40BM_rf_p_n_feature_browse-b_0?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_82%3AB0086O40BM%2Cp_n_feature_browse-bin%3A618073011&bbn=283155&ie=UTF8&qid=1392820435&rnid=618072011">his Amazon page</a>. What could cheer a writer up more than coming out of surgery and finding his Amazon rankings have shot up?Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498840600741973651.post-51523669111605264092014-02-18T04:06:00.002-06:002014-02-18T04:06:47.295-06:00I'm over at Unicorn Bell today, and a comment on sexism in the writing industry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCo_kcO8jgVEyixj3OwZXbmkhMlsDJm2Bh9q3BvOmyeWFhVlkbnQeOBELJ80lRfjTPDCtOSa_zaOugxROJwKRyPZs02UZeKVw36qGDzdi6TII1O8L4V2zuQSkf2i8EOiE2PzpigjjPkGg/s1600/319px-Gas_mask_501556_fh000007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCo_kcO8jgVEyixj3OwZXbmkhMlsDJm2Bh9q3BvOmyeWFhVlkbnQeOBELJ80lRfjTPDCtOSa_zaOugxROJwKRyPZs02UZeKVw36qGDzdi6TII1O8L4V2zuQSkf2i8EOiE2PzpigjjPkGg/s1600/319px-Gas_mask_501556_fh000007.jpg" /></a></div>
My virtual book tour for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Radio-Hope-Toxic-World-Book-ebook/dp/B00I5HHTVS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1391243036&sr=1-1"><i>Radio Hope</i></a> continues with an interview over at <a href="http://unicornbell.blogspot.com/2014/02/radio-hope.html">Unicorn Bell</a> today. Sales have been steady but not stellar, but hey, it's only been out less than three weeks. Indie publishers have to learn patience as they build up a reputation.<br />
<br />
Luckily, some readers are helping with that by giving me very positive reviews. Several have said they've read the book in one or two sittings. The word "inhaled" has been used more than once.<br />
<br />
Be careful of inhaling, ladies and gents, there's a lot of nasty stuff in the atmosphere of the Toxic World! This <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gas_mask_501556_fh000007.jpg">French soldier</a> is well kitted out for reading my novel. Make sure you are too!<br />
<br />
Oh, and if you want to breathe some more toxic air, read this <a href="http://www.blackgate.com/2014/02/17/sfwa-ugliness-spreads-to-personal-attacks-on-mary-robinette-kowal/">Black Gate post</a> about the continuing mudslinging over at the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America because a few female writers dared to point out the rampant sexism in the industry. Guess what happened? Yeah, the usual nonsense.<br />
<br />
We like to pretend that the smarter sections of our society are free of sexism and racism, but that just ain't so. Just ask a female scientist, or a female doctor, or a female writer. Will things improve in the future? I hope so. Pushing down half the intellect of the human race is just not the best way forward. Please don't make my novel come true. Respect everyone!Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498840600741973651.post-70073791741751920102014-02-15T14:27:00.000-06:002014-02-15T14:27:15.628-06:00Book Review: The First World War: Germany and Austria-Hungary 1914-1918<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/451235.The_First_World_War" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The First World War: Germany and Austria-Hungary 1914-1918" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1312001476m/451235.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/451235.The_First_World_War">The First World War: Germany and Austria-Hungary 1914-1918</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/45132.Holger_H_Herwig">Holger H. Herwig</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/817067073">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
<br />
The popular academic study of World War One in English has long suffered a deficit in the number of publications that use German sources. Herwig's hefty tome comes as a welcome change to this. At 450 dense pages, only serious history buffs need apply.<br />
Those willing to make the effort, however, will find their understanding of the war enriched and changed. While we are long accustomed to hearing criticisms of the Entente's General staff, the commanders of the Central Powers are shown to have made many key blunders and to be grossly out of touch with the reality on the ground.<br />
Herwig goes through each year and campaign in detail, backed up with a wealth of primary sources. I could have used some more personal accounts--the ones he gives are gripping--but that's not really the focus here. He shows how the high command was influenced by politics, posturing, and unrealistic expectations. The incapacity of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to wage war is well drawn, and Herwig knows just when to bring out a telling detail. For example, rubber was in such shortage that in 1917 the Hapsburg government requisitioned the pockets from all billiard tables!<br />
Herwig takes us step by step through the evolving political, strategic, and tactical situations. A glossary of terms and key figures and some more detailed maps would have been helpful, but I can't bring myself to give this book fewer than five stars. It's essential reading for anyone who wants to truly understand the Great War in detail.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6091368-sean-mclachlan">View all my reviews</a>
Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498840600741973651.post-68915386958741431482014-02-14T05:17:00.000-06:002014-02-14T05:17:37.300-06:00Military History Photo Friday: The Valentine Tank<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSQUAfciLB1HDs7c5_lY-8MfObaolWgHEU0js6FxFheba5JWU92fS590K-oTVDu9jxAmXYAGa4vxlBcg3JC_tqi4tS2IMArTMUqc2XjRC1DshKs2CYo-ZqAi44D0pxeSbCC_pVqCp7M3U/s1600/Valentine_tank_Mk3_desert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSQUAfciLB1HDs7c5_lY-8MfObaolWgHEU0js6FxFheba5JWU92fS590K-oTVDu9jxAmXYAGa4vxlBcg3JC_tqi4tS2IMArTMUqc2XjRC1DshKs2CYo-ZqAi44D0pxeSbCC_pVqCp7M3U/s1600/Valentine_tank_Mk3_desert.jpg" /></a></div>
Happy Valentine's Day! To celebrate the day where lovers are supposed to swoon over one another while gorging on chocolate, I'm giving you a photo of a tank. But not just any tank, the Valentine tank! Aren't I romantic?<br />
<br />
The Valentine tank was produced in the United Kingdom at the start of World War Two. The story is that it got its name because the plans were submitted on Valentine's Day. There are several more prosaic explanations, such as the fact that a leading tank designer was named Valentine.<br />
<br />
Anyway, these tanks were hugely popular, accounting for about a quarter of all tanks produced during the war in the UK. They were also the first tanks produced in Canada and saw service in the Soviet Red Army thanks to the Lend Lease program.<br />
<br />
The Valentine tank owed its popularity to its good armor and durability and performed especially well in the North Africa campaign. Early models were armed with an underpowered 2-pounder cannon and the turret was cramped. The cannon was later replaced with a better six-pounder but by 1944 the Valentine was getting outclassed in the tank arms race. Heavier, tougher models became necessary, but the Valentine was still used as a backup.<br />
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<i><br /></i>
<i>Photo of Valentine Mark III with Scottish infantry in North Africa courtesy <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Valentine_tank_Mk3_desert.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a>.</i>Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498840600741973651.post-31495019192364565732014-02-13T15:28:00.002-06:002014-02-13T15:28:40.265-06:00More reviews, the importance of minor characters, and indie publishing newsThings are busy here. Sales for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Radio-Hope-Toxic-World-Book-ebook/dp/B00I5HHTVS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1392326518&sr=1-1"><i>Radio Hope</i></a> are steady but not stellar, but it's only been out two weeks so word is still spreading. Please help with that if you can!<br />
<br />
I've
received two new reviews. One on Goodreads, by a member of my writers
group in Madrid saying, "I liked it, so much so that--faced with all
those empty days until the next installment arrives--to satisfy my
craving for radioactive scavenging and crumbling pockets of civilisation
I've started playing Fallout: New Vegas again, after several years of
twitchy abstinence. So thanks a lot, Sean: Radio Hope kicked me off the
wagon."<br />
<br />
The other is on Amazon and is titled: "It's a hard
life if you don't weaken. If you do, you're dead." Gotta love a
reviewer who paraphrases Sillitoe. From there she compares it with The Postman (I have a better ending, thank you for noticing) and to Stephen King.<br />
<br />
I'm over at Amlokiblogs today talking about the <a href="http://amloki.blogspot.com.es/2014/02/how-important-are-minor-characters-in.html">importance of minor characters in writing</a>.<br />
<br />
Far
more important than all this is that indie bestselling author Hugh
Howey has teamed up with a statistician to analyze how well indie
authors are doing compared with traditionally published authors. The
data will surprise you. If you're a writer, or a reader interested in
the future of books, <a href="http://authorearnings.com/the-report/">check out his report</a>.<br />
<br />
A history post tomorrow. I'm getting bored with all this self-promotion! Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498840600741973651.post-6900566561510470652014-02-10T09:42:00.001-06:002014-02-10T09:42:22.096-06:00Radio Hope gets its first review, and it's five stars!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzAG_F8xKt2S48QgesAN6HIjxSVqCjSiSRNikPtGyqBdREmngvthVCo3buoM5-0QO9rfJkwTzQZb1CKRFMV35rvH_YPuS0iXHj_y-gKVzm6Zz-bGdFeYECdGSfT3i6fAYfmrXSAKFvr6s/s1600/HopeSmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzAG_F8xKt2S48QgesAN6HIjxSVqCjSiSRNikPtGyqBdREmngvthVCo3buoM5-0QO9rfJkwTzQZb1CKRFMV35rvH_YPuS0iXHj_y-gKVzm6Zz-bGdFeYECdGSfT3i6fAYfmrXSAKFvr6s/s1600/HopeSmall.jpg" /></a></div>
Less that two weeks after its release, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Radio-Hope-Toxic-World-Book-ebook/dp/B00I5HHTVS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1391243036&sr=1-1"><i>Radio Hope</i></a> has received its first review! The reviewer, blogger <a href="http://siouxspage.blogspot.com/">Sioux Roslawski</a>, says:<br />
<br />
<i>The author has painted a
picture of a world that we might end up with--if we keep abusing our
environment and we if keep being devisive about people, keeping the
"have-nots" separated from the "haves." Although this story takes place
in the future, it's easy to envision it being not too far into the
future...which is the terrifying part.<br /><br />I appreciate that the
author has given his readers some credit. Too often, books like this are
full of chunks of background information. Different terms and
backstories are explained at the very beginning, which slows down the
story. Sean McLachlan trusts that his readers have brains and he has
ensured that things are revealed in a logical, natural way...as the
story evolves. (He even made us wait until the last page for a tidbit I
was wondering about throughout the entire novel. I was worried I'd never
find out the answer, that it would be just a forgotten detail, but
McLachlan did not disappoint...)<br /><br />I gave this novel 5 stars
because it is normally not the kind of book I would read. However,
despite it being outside of my reading box, I inhaled it. I read it in
two nights, anxious to get to the end.</i><br />Sioux isn't the only person who said they've read it in two days. I take that as a good sign!<br />
<br />
My virtual book tour is continuing. Today I'm being interviewed by Paris-based blogger <a href="http://dghudson-rainwriting.blogspot.com.es/2014/02/radio-hope-toxic-world-by-sean-mclachlan.html">D.G. Hudson</a>.Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498840600741973651.post-21090162680105558762014-02-09T08:42:00.001-06:002014-02-09T08:42:49.223-06:00Book Review: Legionnaire from Texas<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14392365-legionnaire-from-texas" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Legionnaire from Texas" border="0" src="https://djgho45yw78yg.cloudfront.net/assets/nocover/111x148.png" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14392365-legionnaire-from-texas">Legionnaire from Texas</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/838119.Gordon_Landsborough">Gordon Landsborough</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/849713522">3 of 5 stars</a><br />
<br />
This is a reprint of a 1950s novella that was recently released by Piccadilly Publishing. The publisher specializes in old and new action tales, what used to be called "Men's Adventure Fiction."<br />
And that's what you get here. A hard-bitten man from Texas joins the French Foreign Legion for mysterious reasons, and fights Arabs in North Africa while all the time trying to get something else done. . .<br />
The story is well-written and fast-paced, as you'd expect from this kind of book. Landsborough wrote a lot along these lines and knows how to spin a good yarn.<br />
There were some hiccups along the way, though. The story takes place just after World War Two, yet the Legionnaires are still using the Lebel Model 1886 rifle. I'm not sure that's accurate. Also, I found the characters to be a bit cardboardy. Perhaps they develop further in the series. In addition, this is not a complete tale, having a rather abrupt ending.<br />
In the Smashwords edition I bought there were huge numbers of formatting errors. Paragraphs kept alternating in font size and there was a lot of missing punctuation, especially periods. Perhaps this was from scanning from an old pulp magazine. Whatever the reason, someone needs to proofread the ebook before clicking publish.<br />
I'm intrigued with Piccadilly's line of books and have bought a few more. I don't think I'll continue with the Legionnaire series, however.
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<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6091368-sean-mclachlan">View all my reviews</a>
Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498840600741973651.post-78490337828439063922014-02-07T07:07:00.000-06:002014-02-07T07:07:04.597-06:00Military History Photo Friday: Beating Shells Into Drinking Cups<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDW4q0uQVrY6QkXQE6EB9p-Rn2OOYz2Ut4B-q8GSwJFdmzmkRIDjux_6bO8F6R7uyokd6Qo4HKLk73kkGGJF8U32ACPyVBgAsKJVYGSLioge3gHGjnRmeQNuAmTs2_9Bcd5tGKCS9Ka8/s1600/576px-Douilles_sculpte%CC%81es.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDW4q0uQVrY6QkXQE6EB9p-Rn2OOYz2Ut4B-q8GSwJFdmzmkRIDjux_6bO8F6R7uyokd6Qo4HKLk73kkGGJF8U32ACPyVBgAsKJVYGSLioge3gHGjnRmeQNuAmTs2_9Bcd5tGKCS9Ka8/s1600/576px-Douilles_sculpte%CC%81es.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Why beat swords into plowshares when you can turn an artillery shell into a drinking cup? That's what one soldier did in World War One. Actually it was a fairly common practice and was part of a larger movement called <a href="http://www.trenchart.org/">Trench Art</a>. When they weren't busy killing each other, stringing barbed wire, or hunting rats, soldiers took time out to express themselves. The detritus of war such as shell casings often provided the material.<br />
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These were done by a French soldier and bear the names Tahure and Hurlus, two villages near the Marne that were destroyed in the war and never rebuilt. You might also be interested in a <a href="http://www.thelocal.de/20140203/life-on-wwi-front-through-german-soldiers-photo-album">German photo album from World War One</a> that's just been published. Click the link for some gripping images.<br />
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Oh, and I'm over at Sioux's Page today talking about <a href="http://siouxspage.blogspot.com/2014/02/writing-about-women-when-youre-man.html">Writing About Women When You're a Man</a>. Drop on by!<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Image courtesy <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Douilles_sculpt%C3%A9es.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a>.</i>Sean McLachlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09778503397743759469noreply@blogger.com1