Wayland’s Revenge by Lesley Lodge
Wayland sets out on a perilous journey to find the killer, taking with him his son Jonathan and Alun, a canny Welsh baker. But just as they find their first suspect, they are trapped in the brutal Siege of Colchester, facing ever more dangerous challenges. Wayland, Alun and Jonathan must draw on all their strengths, devise new strategies and make agonising decisions, if they are to stay alive and find the real killer before he strikes again.
Cold Coffee Review: Captivating story listed as historical fiction, but seeped in truth. The Author is writing from the UK, where language and spelling might differ from your own.
The setting is 1647 in Forest Heath, England. The main character, Wayland returns from war to find his wife has been murdered and his son traumatized. This village blacksmith sets out to find the sadistic killer of his beloved Rebecca. Wayland enlists his son Jonathan and his baker friend Alun to help him. The three of them set out on a perilous journey. In the process Wayland discovers the truth behind the symbols cut into Rebecca’s dead body.
Author Lesley Lodge is a compelling writer. I quote, “Wayland was standing beside a lake, watching thick grey clouds swirl over the seething water. At first, he could hear only the waves slopping against the shoreline. Then a woman’s head broke through the surface of the lake, gasping, choking, panting. Wayland leapt forward, ran towards her, shouted to her to hold on, to wait for him. But her head sank down again. He could see only the black surging sea and some dirty white foam.”
The author carefully takes the reader from 1647 back to 1645. I quote, “The howling became louder, nearer. Agnes could make out individual screams now. For a moment she felt paralysed, rooted on to the earth, her hands still holding the strips of cloth. Then she dropped the cloth and she ran, holding her skirts up out of the mud. Other women soon overtook her; their urgency spurred her on. Tree branches whipped at her face and caught at her skirts. Neither she nor any of the other women wasted any breath screaming now. All that Agnes could hear was the sound of her own lungs heaving and that of her heart drumming.”
Then back to 1647 where for Wayland “a few more days passed uneventfully though, and the uneasy feeling began to leave him. Instead, he and Alun discussed again and again their hoped–for encounter with their suspect Carter and what it might mean in terms of opportunities to question the man further. One morning they were sorting through the charcoal stores, setting to one side the big lumps needed for the smithy furnace and to the other side the smaller pieces more suited for the bakery oven. Wayland suddenly picked up the bellows and threw them into the far corner of the smithy.
‘When?’ he shouted, ‘When will God grant me the truth? Will we never get any further with our search? Can we never find justice for the boy’s death? Or for Rebecca’s death? We will likely perish in this Godforsaken town, murdered by one side or the other. Or starve to death. All for no reason.’
I invite you to read Wayland’s Revenge. I purchased this book from Kindle and posted this review on October 3, 2018.
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mysteries, Thrillers, Fiction, Literature, Suspense
Product Details: Paperback: 232 Pages Publisher: Troubador Publishing (August 28, 2018) Language: English ISBN-10: 1789013607 ISBN-13: 978-1789013603 Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 0.9 x 5.1 inches
Amazon Customer Reviews: https://www.amazon.com/Waylands-Revenge-Lesley-Lodge/dp/1789013607/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=#customerReviews
Print https://www.amazon.com/Waylands-Revenge-Lesley-Lodge/dp/1789013607/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Kindle https://www.amazon.com/Waylands-Revenge-Lesley-Lodge-ebook/dp/B07CYW7JZ5/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Audio Book https://www.amazon.com/Waylands-Revenge/dp/B07D84KB6N/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
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Lights-Camera-Gallop: The Story Of The Horse In Film by Lesley Lodge
From Roy Rogers' Trigger to War Horse Joey
You'll find all the genres of film featuring horses here: Westerns (with exciting chases), wild horse movies (survival against great odds) and comedies (talking horses, a horse on a piano).
You'll find out how some of the most awesome scenes with horses were filmed - and how to spot some of the tricks of the trade.
Check out the pictures of beautiful horses - well-toned bodies, manes to die for, amazing stunts. You'll find key cinematic techniques are explained, from clever editing, through Stop Animation to Computer Generated Images, all in easy to understand terms.
Lights! Camera! Gallop! will also tell you where to watch exciting clips of horses on the internet for free. And there's a fun film trivia quiz at the end.
* Sixteen great photos
Horse stars and stunts
* Over one hundred films referred to
From silent movies to War Horse
* How DID they do that?
Stunts – and make-up for horses – explained
Genre: Crafts, Hobbies, Home, Animal Care, Pets, Horses, Humor, Entertainment, History, Criticism
Product Details: Paperback: 138 Pages Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (December 15, 2012) Language: English ISBN-10: 1481051644 ISBN-13: 978-1481051644 Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.3 x 9 inches
Amazon Customer Reviews: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01E04EF4S/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_taft_p1_i2#customerReviews
Print: https://www.amazon.com/Lights-Camera-Gallop-Story-Horse/dp/1481051644/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01E04EF4S/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_taft_p1_i2
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Horse and Pony Colours: Which Would You Choose by Lesley Lodge
Illustrated paperback.
This book - with colour photos - will tell you about all the horse and pony colours and their combinations. It has some stunning colour photos and explanations of the different colour terms. There's a bit of science too, around why horses inherit different colours. And some useful websites for more horse colours and film clips.
So, what colour would you choose for your perfect horse (real or imaginary)?
Genre: Nonfiction, Science, Biological Sciences, Animals, Horses, Science, Math, Biological, Nature, Ecology, Fauna
Product Details: Paperback: 90 Pages Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; First edition (December 9, 2013) Language: English ISBN-10: 1494338866 ISBN-13: 978-1494338862 Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.2 x 9 inches
Amazon Customer Reviews: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HA7A772/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i3#customerReviews
Print: https://www.amazon.com/Horse-Pony-Colours-Which-choose/dp/1494338866/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HA7A772/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i3
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Because It Is Written by Lesley Lodge
"Because it is Written" is set in seventeenth century England. The discovery of a runaway horse leads to a chance for Wayland – village blacksmith and ex-soldier – to take a full revenge on the man who murdered his wife. Includes some original images.
"Hoodies", set on a present-day inner-city estate, tells of a drug-dealer’s violent death from the viewpoint of his one-time girlfriend.”
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction
Product Details: Paperback: 36 Pages Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (February 2, 2013) Language: English ISBN-10: 1481912542 ISBN-13: 978-1481912549 Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.1 x 9 inches
Print: https://www.amazon.com/Because-Written-Lesley-Lodge/dp/1481912542/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DSY44V0/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i4
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Coloring Book Of Horses: Stress Reducing Art Therapy Paperback by Lesley Lodge
Genre: Arts, Photography, Drawing, Coloring Books for Grown-Ups, Animals, Health, Fitness, Dieting, Alternative Medicine, Meditation, Crafts, Hobbies, Home, Crafts, Hobbies
Product Details: Paperback: 82 Pages Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (August 27, 2015) Language: English ISBN-10: 1515202364 ISBN-13: 978-1515202363 Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.2 x 11 inches
Amazon Customer Reviews: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1515202364/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0#customerReviews
Print: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1515202364/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
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Cold Coffee Press Spotlight Interview With Author Lesley Lodge
About Lesley Lodge: Lesley Lodge now lives on a very small farm in England after many years working on regeneration projects in inner-city London. She grew up in the New Forest with holiday jobs in a racing stable and on a palomino stud farm. Her long-time ride is Freddie, a hairy bay cob mare with a moustache. Lesley has had several short stories published. Blues to Orange, about a farmer ruined by the foot and mouth outbreak, was a Luton Literary Prize Winner and published in Junction 10, a collection of short stories. She has twice been a Runner-up Prizewinner in the annual British National Short Screenplay Competition and is a past Time Out and Jim Beam Whiskey Cult Film Buff of the Year. Lesley is currently working on a crime novel set in 17th century England featuring ex-soldier and blacksmith Wayland. Lesley is always looking for new stories about horses in film or TV - you can contact her through her website: http://www.lesleylodge.co.uk
Interview:
What makes you proud to be a writer from Bedfordshire, in the UK? It’s a rural area in the UK and a few aspects of farming life are much the same as in the seventeenth century, when my novel is set. A blacksmith still makes my horse’s shoes from molten iron, for example, just as the protagonist in ‘Wayland’s Revenge.
What World Region are you in? I live in the UK (European Union) on a smallholding farm, about 40 miles north of London.
What or who inspired you to become a writer? The boy next door was writing stories. He was fourteen, I was eleven. I thought if he can do it, then I could certainly try it (and maybe that would impress him…).
When did you begin writing with the intention of becoming published? I’d had professional articles published in the course of my work but I began writing fiction in earnest, with the aim of being published, around 2010.
What has been your most rewarding experience with your writing and publishing journey? I think the most exhilarating moment in my writing and publishing journey was finally writing “The End” to my draft novel – after five years of researching, writing and polishing it.
How many published books do you have? One novel, two self-published non-fiction books (on horses in film). Several short stories published.
Please introduce your genre and why you prefer to write in that genre? Historical novels are a great way to explore issues in a more distant and nuanced way. For example, ‘Brexit’ has divided Britain – but England was far more brutally divided by civil wars in the seventeenth century for example. Also, history is an amazing source for stories of all kinds. The stakes were usually much higher than in many of today’s societies.
Please list the title of your book you want featured and promoted? Wayland’s Revenge.
What do you like to do when you are not writing? I ride Freddie, my hairy horse, a Clydesdale Cob cross with a moustache. And the turkeys and sheep on the smallholding keep me busy.
What one positive piece of advice would you give to other authors? Grammar and structure can always be perfected afterwards. The thing is to get your story, quirks and all, on to paper first.
Who is your favorite author and why? C J Samson – for his Shardlake series which completely take you to England in the sixteenth century but also for his moving story set during and after the Spanish Civil War in Winter in Madrid.
Please add any additional questions and answers that you think readers would like to know.
Q: So why did you choose the seventeenth century setting? And why Essex, England?
A: England was utterly divided – in civil war. Matthew Hopkins, self-styled Witch-finder General, was responsible for the trials and deaths of some 300 supposed witches in Essex. The Siege of Colchester lasted eleven weeks in the summer of 1648. The townspeople, once they’d eaten all the dogs and rats, were reduced to eating candles and soap. Hundreds died.
Q: So why Wayland, a blacksmith, as protagonist and “detective”?
A: Well, blacksmiths were neither gentry nor peasant class. This gave them some scope for independent action – a rare thing in the seventeenth century but something a “detective” needs. Also, they were experts not only with horses but also with weapon making and repair. Their command of fire and molten iron inspired awe and respect in the community.
Awards: One of my short stories – Blues to Orange - was a Luton Literary Prize winner but no links.
Amazon Author’s Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lesley-Lodge/e/B0094HBCMK/
Professional Website: http://www.lesleylodge.co.uk/
Professional Blog: https://lesleylodge.wordpress.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/LesleyLodgeAuthorPage/
Twitter: @LesleyLodge
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/115281020673054750226
Cold Coffee Press http://www.coldcoffeepress.com/lesley-lodge/
Authors Keys To Success Program: http://www.coldcoffeepress.com/keys-program-for-authors/
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