Yet Mallakai has a hidden purpose, and at the end of the third tale of the Wolves of Winter it is young Thomas that takes centre stage. His heroic deeds take place in a landscape that will be increasingly important for the fourth instalment of the Song of the Elves, The Lost, The Lonely and the Damned.

On another note, if you grew up listening to 80′s Goth bands like The Sisters of Mercy or Fields of the Nephilim, or indeed The Mission, check out Elusive, a fabulously dark Norwegian outfit, sadly now defunct after the death of their lead singer, who nevertheless produced three sterling albums in the last decade. First of these, Destination Zero – in my view the best album of its sort since the Sisters released First and Last and Always – is a permanent feature in my CD player at the moment.

Up the elves!

Shep

I am a keen reader of detective noir and there is a definite touch of Hollywood hard-boiled cop to the role of Rulnik in the latest instalment of WOW.  The streets of Sunamor are more intimate, shadowed canyons than the grid patterns of New York or LA, but the methodical approach of the Captain and his team would not be amiss in the world of Marlowe or Hammer.  Like Mickey Spillane, my characters also take great delight in abandoning reason in favour of violence – as long as the means serves the end – the life of the King is at stake after all. quick loans

Until next time, up the elves!

In the meantime, I’ve taken the first tentative steps with Wolves of Winter 3.  Rulnik is leading an investigation into multiple attempts on the life of the King of Westaster.  The plot takes place amidst the dark streets and soaring towers of Sunamor.  The city is as important to the plot as the characters.  Whereas the action in WOW I and WOW II swept across the bleak landscape of Winterland, the scenes of WOW III are played out in the high vaulted hauls and claustrophobic cellars of the High Seat of King Stephen. 

I am enjoying the creation of the city and its three class-divided tiers.  The action also provides an important glimpse into the past for followers of SOTE.

Until next time, up the elves!

What have I been doing over the last few weeks.  Well, I’ve penned a few more scenes of Wolves of Winter III.  Rulnik is hot on the case of an unknown assassin, with seemingly endless ways in which to assail the King on the eve of his wedding.  More to come on this project soon.

Sins of the Father is coming along nicely with its final edit, thanks to Col Peirson.  It should see the light of day on kindle and lulu.com by the summer.

I’ve also been enjoying a bit of Tolkien.  I received a luxuriant copy of The Children of Hurin as a gift a couple of years ago, and have finally got round to reading it.  What a joy – the story has so much content it could easily fill another three films (get your finger out Peter Jackson!).  It is a romantic tragedy in the true tradition, endlessly inventive.  No one conveys the weight of history like Tolkien.  If you are into your high fantasy, I cannot recommend this read highly enough!

Until next time, up the elves!

If you’ve not already discovered the Wolves, check out the short stories on this website.  Currently I am penning Wolves III, entitled Kill the King.  The original idea for the story came to me a few years ago, inspired by the Rainbow song of the same title.  You will not find any clues to my tale in the lyrics of Ronnie James Dio, it was merely the title that sparked off a train of thought.

Subsequently, since the Wolves emerged, this tale has now morphed into an adventure for Rulnik, Torbad, Yanuk and Beddor.  Set before the elves invaded Rhoderica, the Wolves of Winter stories will give you an insight into the Western lands of the humans.

More soon…

Until then, up the elves!

The wind of change is also sweeping through SOTE HQ.  While my dear friend Col lends his expert eye to the final edit of Sins of the Father, I am polishing off a job long overdue.  I’m currently writing Wolves of Winter III, revisiting the characters familiar to some of you from the first two escapades – Rulnik, Torbad and Yanuk to name but a few.  Once this third installment is complete – sometime in the summer – the intention is to release the three tales as a single e-book on kindle and as a collectible paperback through lulu.com.

For those of you who have not met the Wolves, their story is set in the days before the elves came to Rhoderica.  I will label the book as a Tale of Rhoderica, leaving the way open for more stories from the back history to the land in which Song of the Elves takes place.  Rulnik and his men have battled ice wyrms, the fearsome ice men – the Nordakin, tackled changelings and villainous entrepreneurs.  In this latest installment, the life of the King is at stake as the monarch prepares for a controversial marriage Rulnik and his men must locate the hidden assassins lurking within the royal city.

More to follow next week…

Until then, up the elves!