GOLIATH - NOW AVAILABLE FROM SMASHWORDS

In the summer of 1931, the British Airship Goliath on her maiden flight mysteriously vanishes without a trace over West Africa, taking with her a secret that people are willing to kill and die for.

In the present, a team of mercenaries attempt to kidnap historian Jennifer March from a dig site in the Philippines; setting off a deadly chain of events that could threaten millions. Drawn into the race to find the Goliath and her hidden secret, Ryan Mitchell, a former special operations soldier, and his team must try to protect Jennifer March from a deadly and well-financed group that intends to change the world.

From the deserts of Africa, to the snow-covered forests of Alaska to a rocky island off Iceland the hunt for the truth is on.

Smashwords

Excellent Review - The Last Eagle

I have just finished another book by Richard Turner. The author has again managed to weave a fast action adventure story through another juicy slice of history.

As with most of Turners adventure books, the carnage meter is cranked way past 10 and no one is safe accept for our dangerous but damaged hero.

In The Last Eagle our hero Christopher Sheppard finds himself stuck in the middle of the fall out from the Russian Revolution in an attempt to rescue the last survivor of an aristocratic dynasty.

Typically we see the 1920s from the North American perspective of being a fun but crazy time, with a few gangsters thrown into the mix, but we forget that the rest of the world was in absolute chaos, and still recovering from the mental and physical scars of not only the first world war, but also political upheaval, nation building, as well as significant changes in social norms.

This back drop to the story provides a perfect adventure playground full of death, destruction, chivalry, light romance, plot twists and good old action packed moments.

A perfect Amazon adventure book to add to your collection.

Amazon

GOLIATH - REVIEW

A real Molotov Cocktail of adventure, guns, nasty characters and intrigue.

This was a real page burner from front to back, and lots of fun.

If you like a book that let's you escape to another plausible but dangerous world this fits the bill.

The author mixes snippets of real history through the story, which had me fact checking on Wiki to learn even more about these interesting insights on our world history and planet.

The authors story telling style presents each chapter as a mini cliff hanger, compelling you to read on and sometimes longer than you intended.Goliath (A Ryan Mitchell adventure)

The world needs a good old hero once in awhile, and in Goliath the author (Richard Turner) delivers.

GOLIATH

THANKS

Thanks to all those who took advantage of my recent sale and picked up one of my many novels. I hope that you enjoy reading them.

All the best at this time of the year,

Richard

HISTORICAL THRILLERS SALE ENDS DECEMBER 8TH

Only a few days remain in the the sale of my historical adventure thrillers: The Last Eagle, A Fragment of Destiny, The Devil's Path and Scorpion. On sale for only $0.99 each, these books are a great bargain at this time of the year. Pick up a book or two to enjoy over the holiday season.

Amazon

SMASHWORDS

Goliath -- Sale ends soon

Only until December 5th, GOLIATH will be on sale at AMAZON. Take advantage of this great offer and purchase a copy of GOLIATH for your holiday reading.

Amazon

GOLIATH - SALE - 28 NOV UNTIL 5 DEC.

From November 28th until December 5th, GOLIATH will be on sale at AMAZON. Take advantage of this great offer and purchase a copy of GOLIATH for your holiday reading.

A secret long hidden. 
An unforgiving foe. 
A deadly race to save millions. 

In the summer of 1931, the British In the summer of 1931, the British Airship Goliath on her maiden flight vanishes without a trace over West Africa, taking with her a secret that people are willing to kill and die for. 

In the present, a team of mercenaries attempt to kidnap historian 
Jennifer March from a dig site in the Philippines; setting off a deadly chain of events that could threaten millions. Drawn into the race to find the Goliath and her hidden secret, Ryan Mitchell, a former special operations soldier, and his team must try to protect Jennifer March from a deadly and well-financed group that intends to change the world. 

From the deserts of Africa, to the snow-covered forests of Alaska to a rocky island off Iceland the hunt for the truth is on. 

AMAZON

ONLY TWO WEEKS REMAINING IN THE HISTORICAL THRILLERS SALE

Only two weeks remain the the sale of my historical adventure thrillers: The Last Eagle, A Fragment of Destiny, The Devil's Path and Scorpion. On sale for only $0.99 each, these books are a great bargain at this time of the year.

INCURSION - UPDATE

Well, after several weeks of seriously disciplined writing, I am pleased to say that the first draft of my next novel set in the dark days of the Second World War is complete. With a holiday on the horizon, I will place the manuscript down, clear my mind and then upon my return dive right in and begin the painstaking process of revising the book line by line.

All the best,

Richard

Pre-Christmas Book Sale

For one month only all select books will be only $0.99
Take advantage of my pre-Christmas sale. The Devil's Path, Scorpion, The Last Eagle, and A Fragment of Destiny will all be available for a limited time for the low price of $0.99.

Take advantage of this sale and pick up these great, historical adventure novels.

Amazon

Smashwords

NEW NOVEL

Good day,

It’s been a while since I wrote about anything other than my five already published ebooks. As I wanted to try something new to challenge myself as a writer, I decided to write a story set in WW2 in which things definitely go bump in the night. As horror/science fiction writing is new to me, I am truly enjoying crafting this new novel. Tentatively entitled INCURSION, I am about one-third of the way through the book and hope to have it finished by the end of the year. Well its back to work for me as it won’t write itself.

All the best,

Richard

THE LAST EAGLE AND THE DEVIL'S PATH

Both exciting historical adventure novels novels are once again available from Amazon and Smashwords:

The Last Eagle - AMAZON

The Devil's Path - AMAZON

The Last Eagle - Smashwords

The Devil's Path - Smashwords

THE LAST EAGLE ON AMAZON

A Forgotten Secret.

A Lethal Enemy.

A Deadly Race against the Odds.

When a Russian prince is murdered in England, former soldier Christopher Sheppard is pulled into a lethal game of cat and mouse. He soon finds himself pitted against deadly and ruthless Soviet agents who are determined to uncover the truth about the most guarded secret of the last Czar of Russia. Sheppard struggles to remain one-step ahead of people who still fighting their own private war.

From England, to France, from Turkey to the vast open steppes of Mongolia, aided by a small group of Russian patriots, Christopher Sheppard races to rescue someone from the clutches of a cruel and sadistic warlord before it is too late.

Take a step back in time to the late 1920s, a time of change…a time when merciless men sought to change the world.

THE LAST EAGLE

THE LAST EAGLE AND THE DEVIL'S PATH TO BE RE-RELEASED

As I am no longer using Aventura ebooks to distribute The Last Eagle and the The Devil's Path, they will be temporarily unavailable. I hope to have both books re-released before the end of the month.

Thanks for your understanding.

Reviews for The Last Eagle.

Several reviews for my Historical Adventure novel The Last Eagle have come in and I couldn't be more pleased:

From William Scott:

I discovered this book in one of the Goodreads discussion groups and decided to give it a try. Billed as an action adventure, this book really delivers the goods. From the first chapter to the last, I was pulled into a flurry of activity that made putting the book down nearly impossible.

I enjoyed the fact that it used traditional aspects of the genre without feeling stale or obvious. The main character is your classic hero thrust into adventure and intrigue, with his trusty aid by his side. They are set upon by enemy agents as they cross Europe, eventually facing a deadly adversary. The use of the Russian Revolution as a backdrop was a welcome change from the standard and I really found myself emerged in the era.

I really enjoyed this self-published book and plan on reading further works by the author.

Review

From R. Brune:

I found this book through the GoodKindle site, read the free excerpt available on Amazon, and decided to take a chance. I'm glad I did, although not without some reservations (which I'll discuss below.) BLUF: The Last Eagle is an adventure novel in the style of Clive Cussler or Ted Bell (two of my favorite writers). The author has a great story going, with interesting characters, and has obviously done his research. Overall, I recommend it.

So what was good? As mentioned before--the characters. The main character, Christopher Sheppard, enters the plot through the time-honored genre convention of being the unexpected last choice to go on a dangerous mission. With him goes his driver (and former wartime subordinate), Harry Campbell. Sheppard has grown up with the sort of Continental upbringing that all good 20th-century adventurers should have, and he takes to the mission like a natural, although not without many (realistically portrayed) reservations. Along the way, he meets people who help him, who hinder him, and still he prevails. The plot moves fast and furiously, and the reader can't help but be swept up in the ride. There are enough predictable turns to satisfy genre conventions, and enough unpredictable twists to satisfy readers who read a lot of adventure stories (such as this reader!) I don't want to give too much away, but suffice it to say, the book caught and held my attention to the very end.

Review

LEARNING TO DEAL WITH THE ANONYMOUS "REVIEWERS".

Getting constructive and carefully thought out criticism is a useful tool for anyone involved in writing or any other profession for that matter, but a malicious and barely intelligible attack by an anonymous poster with 17 pages of almost the same diatribe is just quite sad. Not everyone is going to be a fan of your work, but a deliberate attempt to sabotage a person's sales from the safety of their computer and doing anonymously borders on cowardice. I hope other writers here are able to avoid such foolishness. 

I would also like to know how you dealt with these people if you have had the misfortune to run across them.

Richard

GOLIATH - FREE PROMOTION

From 3 - 6 October, Goliath a fast paced adventure novel will be free for download from AMAZON.

AMAZON

GOLIATH

In the summer of 1931, the British Airship Goliath on her
maiden flight vanishes without a trace over West Africa, taking with her a
secret that people are willing to kill and die for.

In the present, a team of mercenaries attempt to kidnap
historian Jennifer March from a dig site in the Philippines; setting
off a deadly chain of events that could threaten millions. Drawn into the race
to find the Goliath and her hidden secret, Ryan Mitchell, a former special
operations soldier, and his team must try to protect Jennifer March from a
deadly and well-financed group that intends to change the world. 

From the deserts of Africa, to the snow-covered forests of
Alaska to a rocky island off Iceland the hunt for the truth is on.

GOLIATH

SCORPION ON SALE.

Scorpion, the sequel to The Devil's Path, is on sale for only $0.99 for a limited time.

AMAZON

SMASHWORDS

A Fragment of Destiny ....sale ends this Friday.

A Fragment of Destiny is going for $0.99 until this Friday, 27 September.

Thanks for looking.

A Fragment of Destiny - $0.99 sale for a limited time only

In 1918, a German U-boat on a clandestine mission to the United States vanishes at sea.

Ten years later, Christopher Sheppard finds himself thrust into a deadly race to find the truth about the missing submarine and why someone is willing to risk it all to stop him. From New York, to Europe, to Greenland, Sheppard must keep one step ahead of a man, blinded by grief, who will stop at nothing until he has his revenge.

THE CHRISTOPHER SHEPPARD ADVENTURES

Book 1: The Last Eagle
A Forgotten Secret.

A Lethal Enemy.

A Deadly Race against the Odds. 

Pulled into a lethal game of cat and mouse, Captain Christopher Sheppard finds himself pitted against deadly and ruthless Soviet agents bent on finding out the truth about one the most closely guarded secrets of the last czar of Russia. Struggling to understand what he has been drawn into, Christopher Sheppard needs all his wits to remain one-step ahead of people still fighting their own private war.
 From England, to France, from Turkey to the vast open steppes of Mongolia, aided by new found allies, Christopher Sheppard races to save someone from the clutches of a cruel and sadistic warlord before other equally determined forces can intervene and take the prize for themselves.
  

Take a step back in time to the late 1920s. A time of change. A time when merciless men sought to change the world.

Book 2: A Fragment of Destiny

In 1918, a German U-boat on a clandestine mission to the United States vanishes without a trace at sea. 

Ten years later, Christopher Sheppard finds himself thrust into a deadly race. He must find the truth behind the missing submarine, and why someone is willing to risk it all to stop him. From the streets of New York, to a cat and mouse game played out all across Europe, to the desolate shores of Greenland, Sheppard must protect the headstrong daughter of a US billionaire, all the while trying to keep one-step ahead of a man, blinded by grief, who will stop at nothing until he has his revenge.

AMAZON

SMASHWORDS

ALEXANDER SCOTT NOVELS

Book 1: The Devil's Path

Pulled into a deadly world of espionage, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Scott soon discovers that he has entered a struggle against murderous and implacable foes who will stop at nothing to get what they want.  At the request of President Lincoln, Scott must do everything in his power to find a missing southern professor before it is too late.  From Washington D.C., to Britain, to France, to Turkey, and beyond, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Scott races to keep one step ahead of a merciless secret organization that operates in the shadows.  He enters a world on the brink of change, where he has to rely on his wits, his instincts, and sometimes his fists to stay alive.

Book 2: Scorpion

At the close of the Civil War, Colonel Scott finds himself once again pitted against a deadly foe, this time in Mexico and the stakes could not be higher. From Washington D.C., to a Confederate prison in Richmond, to French occupied Mexico, Alexander Scott is in a race with a shadowy organization known as The Order, who are determined to find a treasure that has not been seen for centuries. If they find it first, it could forever tilt the balance of power in the world. Helped by Kate O'Sullivan, a brilliant historian, and Thomas, a sailor and freed slave, Scott faces his greatest challenge to date.

AMAZON

Scorpion - now available

An exciting sequel to The Devil's Path

At the close of the Civil War, Colonel Scott finds himself once again pitted against a deadly foe, this time in Mexico and the stakes could not be higher. From Washington D.C., to a Confederate prison in Richmond, to French occupied Mexico, Alexander Scott is in a race with a shadowy organization known as The Order, who are determined to find a treasure that has not been seen for centuries. If they find it first, it could forever tilt the balance of power in the world. 

AMAZON

SMASHWORDS

A Fragment of Destiny - Now Available

A fanatical foe looking for revenge.

A secret that men are willing to kill for

In 1918, a German U-boat on a clandestine mission to the United States vanishes at sea.

Ten years later, Christopher Sheppard finds himself thrust into a deadly race to find the truth about the missing submarine and why someone is willing to risk it all to stop him. From New York, to Europe, to Greenland, Sheppard must keep one step ahead of a man, blinded by grief, who will stop at nothing until he has his revenge.

Amazon

Smashwords

Scorpion and A Fragment of Destiny - Coming soon

Shortly, Scorpion and A Fragment of Destiny, follow on novels to The Devil's Path and The Last Eagle will be released and will be available through all the usual major ebook providers.

Scorpion - Colonel Scott finds himself facing The Order once again, this time in Mexico and the stakes could not be higher. From Washington D.C., to a Confederate prison in Richmond, to French occupied Mexico, Alexander Scott is in a race with the shadowy organization know as The Order, to find a treasure that has not been seen for centuries and could tilt the balance of power in the world.

A Fragment of Destiny - In 1918, a German U-boat on a clandestine mission to the United States vanishes at sea. Ten years later, Christopher Sheppard finds himself thrust into a deadly race to find the truth about the missing submarine and why someone is willing to risk it all to stop him. From New York, to Europe, to Greenland, Sheppard must keep one step ahead of a man, blinded by grief, who will stop at nothing until he has his revenge.

CHAPTER POSTINGS

On my Authors Den page, I have posted chapters 1-4 for my novel Goliath, along with chapters 1-2 for both The Devil's Path and The Last Eagle.

Please check them out to see if you might like to read more....


AUTHORS DEN

An Interview with Richard Turner by Peggy Kopman-Owens

An Interview with Richard Turner

An interview with RICHARD TURNER,
Canadian author of historic action/adventure series, including:
THE LAST EAGLE and THE DEVIL’S PATH

By Peggy Kopman-Owens

Thank you, Richard, for taking time away from writing the newest episode in your action/adventure series.

“Thank you, I truly appreciate the opportunity to discuss with you my novels.”

First, your fans will want to know what you are currently writing. Can you give us a sneak peak at your working title or a snippet from your newest storyline?

“I am in the process of re-editing two novels, both of which are sequels to my already published books

SCORPION is the second novel in the Alexander Scott series and is set in French occupied Mexico in 1865. Scott is assigned a mission to discover why ancient artifacts are being systematically plundered and who or what is behind it all.

A FRAGMENT OF DESTINY is the second novel of the Christopher Sheppard series and takes place in 1928. This time Sheppard finds himself drawn into protecting an heiress who is obsessed with finding out about the truth about her older brother’s death in WWI. Suffice to say it is far more complicated and dangerous than it sounds.”

Certainly, with your diverse background, you could have chosen to write real life action/adventure stories. Why did you choose to write fiction based upon historic events, rather than non-fiction?

“To be honest I shy away from writing non-fiction for several reasons, the chief being that I do not believe that I am ready to write about my time in the military and will wait until Afghanistan has faded from the public eye before I re-visit my experiences there. As for writing about historical events, I find that very easy to do, as I love history and have amassed a small library over the years reading and researching various events and conflicts from the age of antiquity until today.”

Before you first put pen to paper for THE LAST EAGLE, the first in The Christopher Sheppard Adventure Series, did you have your entire story in mind, or did the story evolve as you wrote?

“For me, I think of story and then dissect it into workable chunks. From there I fill out the chunks with research. It would be pointless to write a historical adventure novel and get all of the details about the period wrong. I try as best as I can to stick to my story outline, but find quite often that I adjust a detail or an idea as I progress in order to make the story flow better.”

Was this also true for THE DEVIL'S PATH, your first book in The Alexander Scott Series?

“The process is the same for both novels as I found that it helps focus the mind and the writing process.”

Did you start either of these books, planning a series?

“My first book was THE LAST EAGLE. I actually started writing in back in ‘06, but found that I was never truly happy with the end result; consequently it went through many revisions until I was happy with the end result. From there I wrote a novel entitled GOLIATH, a modern day adventure/thriller, which at the moment is only available on Amazon. Looking to delve into another era, that is when I embarked on THE DEVIL'S PATH, set at the end of the US Civil War. I honestly had not intended to have them become a series; however, I found that I like the characters and wanted to have them involved in further adventures.”

Since your work reflects a dedication to historic research, if you could go back in time to one particular place on one particular day – where and when would that be, and why?

“That is a good question and one that is near impossible to answer. However, if I had to pick a day it would be June 18, 1815. I am a Napoleonic buff and would like to have had the opportunity to witness the Battle of Waterloo, the final struggle of that epoch.”

Can you describe a particular moment in your life, when you first realized that you had both the need and the ability to create a story from a blank piece of paper?

“It was during a tour in the Middle East when I found myself stuck on the border with the Gaza Strip for about six weeks. I had often thought about writing and with absolutely nothing to do at night, I began to write what would ultimately become THE LAST EAGLE."

What advice was most helpful to you, when you first starting writing with serious intent?

“Keep on writing. Do not let the rejection emails/letters bother you, one day, if you are committed to your work, you will succeed.”

What advice would you like to share with someone, who has just begun the process of writing a first novel?

“Take your time and do your research. Having a good understanding of what you are writing about is essential to the craft. There is nothing worse than reading a novel only to discover that the author does not have a good grasp of what he/she has written about.”

Thank you, Richard, for sharing your thoughts, your words of wisdom, and your time. I join your fans in looking forward to the release of the latest in your series.

Best wishes for continued success!

Richard Turner is published by Aventura eBooks Ltd., London, UK.
For further information about Richard Turner or to purchase his action/adventure series,please visit:
Publisher: http://www.aventuraebooks.com/authors...
Blog: http://richardturnerauthor.blogspot.ca"
Twitter: @RichardTurner_1
Richard Turner’s novels are also available at AMAZON.com.

GOLIATH: RE-EDITED

Taking into account the comments written on the Amazon site regarding my novel Goliath, I have had my work re-edited and have uploaded the latest version on Amazon. I hope those people who have/will download Goliath will enjoy reading the first of what I hope will be a long running series of modern day thrillers.

GOLIATH

BOOK EDITING

I must admit that to date I have not been very unimpressed with the level of work that I have received from people I have hired to edit my work. As an ebook writer I believe it is very important to present the best possible product you can when you try to sell your books. However, I have used three different editors so far and absolutely none of them have been up to standard. I find that I have to go through their "corrections" and re-work their work until I am pleased. I know that you get what you pay for, but I have invested substantial sums of money with my editors and have found them all hopelessly lacking. I hope on my next go around that I can find the right balance between cost and the delivery of a decent edit.

Thoughts?

The Last Eagle - new listing

The Last Eagle is now being promoted on Goodkindles' website.

http://www.goodkindles.net/2013/08/the-last-eagle-kindle-ebook-by-richard.html

The Devil's Path - where to find this historical thriller

•  
• 
  
  
  
  
  Aventura
  Amazon
  Diesel
  Barnes & Noble
  WH Smith
  Kobo
  Smashwords
  .....and Apple iBooks

The Last Eagle - where to find this historical thriller

Aventura

Smashwords

Amazon

Sony

Diesel

Barnes & Noble

WH Smith

Kobo

......and Apple iBooks.

NEW SITES WITH LINKS TO MY NOVELS

Good day all,

Recently, I came across a couple of excellent sites that have been gracious enough to post my work. e-Reader Recon and BZ Hercules provide a unique service for new writers, such as myself and are a superb place to showcase your novels from. I heartily recommend that you give them a look.

http://www.ereaderrecon.com/index.html

http://www.bzhercules.com/hercules_press_releases.html

REVIEWS

After the one-week free promotion of my novel Goliath, I am pleased by the responses that I have received. Although two ratings do not fully represent the hundreds of people who downloaded my book, I am still heartened by the positive reviews.

AMAZON REVIEW

GOODREADS REVIEW

FEEDBACK

Good day all,

The five day free promotion on my novel Goliath is now finished. I was more than pleased with the number of books that were downloaded by folks all around the globe. When you get the chance, I would be most appreciative if you would provide feedback to me here on my blog, at my page Goodreads, or on the customer review site on Amazon.

Thanks in advance,

Ricahrd

The Devil's Path now at WH Smith

Just a quick note to let people know that The Devil's Path is now up on WH Smith books site.

WH Smith

THE LAST EAGLE

Good day all,

My latest novel - The Last Eagle - has been released today.

A Forgotten Secret.

A Lethal Enemy.

A Deadly Race against the Odds.

Pulled into a lethal game of cat and mouse, Captain Christopher Sheppard finds himself pitted against deadly and ruthless Soviet agents bent on finding out the truth about one the most closely guarded secrets of the last czar of Russia. Struggling to understand what he has been drawn into, Christopher Sheppard needs all his wits to remain one-step ahead of people still fighting their own private war

From England, to France, from Turkey to the vast open steppes of Mongolia, aided by new found allies, Christopher Sheppard races to save someone from the clutches of a cruel and sadistic warlord before other as equally determined forces can intervene and take the prize for themselves.

Take a step back in time to the late 1920s. A time of change. A time when merciless men sought to change the world.

AMAZON

Aventura

Goliath - free for five days

My action/adventure novel - Goliath - is free for five days on Amazon. Come take advantage of this offer and get your hands on a fast paced, action-filled book.

A secret long hidden.

An unforgiving foe.

A deadly race to save millions.

In the summer of 1931, the British Airship Goliath vanishes

without a trace over West-Africa, taking with her a secret that people are

willing to kill and die for.

In the present, a gang of mercenaries attempts to kidnap historian

Jennifer March from a dig site in The Philippines, propelling her into a race

to find the truth about Goliath and her hidden secret. Drawn into a dangerous quest,

ex-soldier Ryan Mitchell and his team must try to protect Jennifer March from a

deadly and well-financed group that intends to change the world. From the

deserts of Africa, to the forests of Alaska, to a frozen island off Iceland,

the hunt for the truth is on.

http://www.amazon.com/Goliath-Ryan-Mitchell-adventure-ebook/dp/B00DQGMT6S/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1373640044&sr=1-2

Writing is more like a marathon than a sprint

When I sat down to begin writing my first novel, I had no idea how long the process would be from inception to publication. Had I known that, for me, it would take years, I am not sure I would have been so enthusiastic as I was when I began. The Last Eagle, which will be released shortly, was my first attempt at writing. I commenced writing it in the fall of 2005 and went through several drafts before I felt it was good enough to send to an agent in the hope of getting my book published. Rejection, followed rejection, so I put it aside for several years and focused on other things in my life. Retiring from the Armed Forces, gave me the time to re-visit my book. Polishing it up, I re-submitted it and this time, I found someone willing to  run with it. An eight-year  odyssey, which I believe has made me a better writer.

Getting back to work

With the release of both Goliath and The Devil's Path, I can get back to writing after almost a month off. I have decided to complete a sequel to Goliath before I look at writing the third installment of my other two historical adventure series'. When I don't write I actually find that I miss it and honestly cannot wait to start again. Do other writers out there feel the same way?

COST OF EBOOKS

Good day,

Having just started out in the business of writing and selling my ebooks, I was surprised to see the cost variation between ebooks. Some are $.99, while others can range to more than $20.00. Wanting to get sales and to have my name established, I believe that the market average of $2.99 seems fair for unknown and first time authors. I was wondering what others think the fair market value of new ebooks should be?

INTERVIEW ON BZ HERCULES

Richard Turner has written The Devil's Path, a historical adventure novel. He is from Edmonton, Canada.

and has been a professional author for one year.

The Devil's Path is a historical adventure novel set in the 1860s, in which a Union officer is drawn into a deadly chase to find the truth about a missing Confederate professor.

The main character, Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander Scott, is a man who comes from a wealthy background, but prefers to live his life away from his family. Enrolling to fight for the Union, Scott is a man who is decisive and headstrong, to the point of being stubborn.

Relating to his character, Alexander Scott, “Being a former soldier, I can empathize with Scott, but he is far from the man I was when I was serving.”

For inspiration, Richard Turner says, “I usually decide on several themes and try to see how they could all fit together. For The Devil's Path, I wanted to write an adventure novel set in the US Civil War. Having decided on a period in history, I then looked at how the Union would react if a famous Confederate scholar and friend to the US President went missing under extremely mysterious circumstances.”

Richard Turner’s major challenge is, ”I find that I have to do a lot of research to ensure that what I am writing about is historically relevant. There is no point writing about something if it had not occurred when the story was taking place.”

His favorite author is Clive Cussler. “I have read all of his books and love the characters and settings that he describes so well in his writings. He has most definitely influenced me as an author and I have tried to infuse my work with his detail and adventure.”

Richard’s advice for people just starting out writing: “I would say to keep plugging away with your work. One day you will see your work for sale and that is a good feeling after all the hours you have put into your project.”

http://www.bzhercules.com/articles/article/8456566/173674.htm

Richard Turner - Author of The Devil's Path, Goliath & The Last Eagle

Thursday, 4 July 2013

This interview was originally posted on Denise Greenwood's Blog. A fellow ebook writer, her insight and help has been very helpful in steering me in he right direction when it comes to the world of writing.

Richard Turner - Author of The Devil's Path, Goliath & The Last Eagle

I had the privilege of asking Richard Turner a few questions about his new books and his writing process. Richard has 2 books currently on sale and a third planned to be released very soon....

"I would like to thank Denise for generously giving me the opportunity to discuss my work on her site. Her help and advice in getting started in the world of ebook writing have proven to be invaluable."

  

What is the title of the book about to be published and could you tell readers what it is about?

"My book is called The Devil’s Path and is a historical adventure novel set in the 1860s in which a Union officer is sent to find a missing scholar and is soon pulled into a deadly cat and mouse game with an unknown and dangerous organization that are after a secret known only to the scholar.

The novel takes the reader on a journey from the US Civil War to London, France, and then ultimately onto the Ottoman Empire."

Does it fall into a genre or a crossover of two or more?

"It is definitely a historical adventure novel, but could also be seen as an action/thriller novel as well. The story is complete fiction, but I have researched the period extensively, so hopefully the history comes through in the writing."

Are you working on a new book at the moment and do you have a target date for completion?

"I have already released another novel entitled Goliath, which is a modern-day  action/thriller in which a secret lost to time when the British Airship Goliath disappears without a trace on her maiden voyage, comes back to threaten the present.

Additionally, I have another historical adventure novel coming out this month set in the 1920s. The Last Eagle, is a story about a race against time to discover the truth about the most closely guarded secret of the last czar of Russia."

Would you say that you are still experimenting with different styles of writing, or have you settled into one that feels uniquely suited to you?

"I would have to say that I write in a style that I am quite comfortable with. I read a lot of books by Clive Cussler, James Rollins and Andy McDermott and have undoubtedly been influenced by their writing styles."

Which comes first to you, story or characters?

"For me, I would have to say the story. I usually think of an event in the past and see how it could be altered or changed ever so slightly to allow my characters to be drawn into these events."

How do you approach character development?

"I honestly don’t plan that far ahead. I have ideas on how I would like things to go, but find that once I start writing, anything can happen and the ideas I had when I first started for my characters may not necessarily be the same when the book is finished."

At what age did you decide writing would become your method of creative expression?

"This came about a few years ago when I was serving in the Middle East. I had some spare time at night on my hands, so I started with a book that over the years would become The Last Eagle."

In terms of writing, what do you see yourself doing in five years? Is there a specific goal in mind?

"I would hope to be doing what I am today, writing and enjoying the whole creative process from the original inception to the final product. This after thirty years in the service is my ideal job."

If you had one piece of advice to share with someone starting his or her first novel, what would that be?

"Do not be discouraged if you send your work to an agent, and they reject or simply do not bother to reply to your proposal. There are so many venues open to today’s author that one can explore to get your book published."

Available from:   (also coming soon to WH Smith, Nook, Sony, Apple, Google)

The Devil's Path 

Amazon.com

Amazon UK

Smashwords

Kobo

Aventura eBookstore

Goliath

Amazon.com

Amazon UK

Goliath

My second ebook is now available from Amazon:

Goliath - In 1931, during its maiden voyage, the British Airship Goliath disappears without a trace. Hidden deep inside is a secret that could change the world.

Present day, in The Philippines, an attempted kidnapping draws historian Jennifer March and former soldier Ryan Mitchell into a deadly race to find the Goliath before a mysterious figure who threatens to topple governments and the lives of millions. From Alaska, to West Africa to Iceland the hunt for the truth is on.

A fast paced action/thriller that is bound to appeal to readers of such authors as Clive Cussler and James Rollins.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DQGMT6S

THE DEVIL'S PATH

Great news. My first book, The Devil's Path, has been released by Aventura Ebookstore.

• A Long Hidden Secret.
• An Unseen Enemy.
• A Dangerous Quest for the Truth.
  Pulled into a deadly world of espionage, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Scott soon discovers that he has entered a struggle against murderous and implacable foes, who will stop at nothing to get what they want. At the request of President Lincoln, Scott must do everything in his power to find a missing southern professor before it is too late.
  From Washington DC, to Britain, to France, to Turkey and beyond, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Scott races to keep one-step ahead of a merciless secret organization that operates in the shadows.
  Take a journey back in time to 1864. A world on the brink of change. A time when you had to rely on your wits, your instincts and sometimes your fists to stay alive.
  
  
  http://www.aventuraebookstore.com/index.php?app=ecom&ns=prodshow&ref=0000000035GB
  
  
  
  
  

First Novels to be released in July

Good day,

I can proudly announce that Aventura Ebooks will release two of my ebooks in July. The Devil's path and The Last Eagle are the first in a series of historical adventure novels set in the 1860s and the late 1920s respectively. If you are a fan of this genre or just enjoy a good fast-paced book, I am sure they will appeal to you.

GIVING CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

Good day all,

Recently, I decided to have several of my e-book covers made by Tatiana Villa of Villa Design (listed below in my links). I couldn't be more pleased with the results. With minimal guidance and suggestion, Tatiana was able to produce superb book covers that capture the essence of my work. Her work on Goliath, A Fragment of Destiny, and Scorpion is first-rate and is heartily recommended.

WORKING

I once read that a writer has to sometimes force him/herself to sit down and write at least 1,000 words a day if they wish to complete their work in a timely fashion. After finding several really good reasons to avoid work recently, I find myself back hard at it and am quite pleased with the results. I am now 1/4 of the way through my latest novel and find it flowing out as easy as I had hoped it would. For me research into history is an integral part of my writing process and something I greatly enjoy. I believe that it is the same for other writers out there.

All the best and keep writing.

FOCUS OR THE LACK THEREOF

Good day all,

Well, after six months of hibernation, the good weather is upon us and not surprisingly my willingness to sit behind the computer and write has decreased considerably. I suppose it's only natural, being an ebook author; I don't have any deadlines to meet with an agent or editor; it's up to me to keep the ball rolling.

Deciding that the morning will be split between the gym and writing, I'll just need to find that right balance in my life. If any authors out there share a similar quandary, I would love to hear from you.

All the best and keep writing about what you know and love to write about.

Richard Turner

Proudly serving in the Canadian Army for more than thirty years, I started my career as a private, and finished of my career with a tour in Kabul as a senior officer. I considered myself lucky to have lived all and work all across Canada, along with numerous overseas deployments that took me to many diverse locations throughout the world, including: Germany, Cyprus, Croatia, Sierra Leone, Bosnia, Egypt, Israel and finally two tours of Afghanistan. Deciding that I wanted to try something new, I recently embarked on a career as a writer of historical adventure novels. I am an avid reader and especially like reading all about history.

I am happily married and live with my wife, Kathy in Alberta, Canada. Together, we have two wonderful daughters, Courtney and Stacey.

Some of my favourite authors include: James Rollins, Andy McDermmott and the many novels of Clive Cussler.

My two historical adventure stories, The Devil's Path and The Last Eagle have been published by Aventura and are available from major online ebookstores.