It's UK release day!

The gorgeous looking paperback of THE SERPENT SWORD and the sumptuous hardback of THE CROSS AND THE CURSE are available today in all good bookshops in the UK.

You can also buy them anywhere in the world from The Book Depository with FREE DELIVERY.

Amazing news!

I've got some amazing news! After several months of work and planning behind the scenes, I am extremely pleased to be able to announce that the Bernicia Chronicles are to be published by Aria, the new imprint from the dynamic and award-winning independent publisher, Head of Zeus.

THE SERPENT SWORD will be re-published on 1st June 2016 (available now on pre-order). You can read a sample of it (and see the lovely new map) here.

THE CROSS AND THE CURSE will be re-published on 1st October 2016 (available now on pre-order).

BY BLOOD AND BLADE will be published in January 2017.

KIN OF CAIN (a novella) will be published in April 2017.

Book 4 of the Bernicia Chronicles (title TBD) will be published in June 2017.

All the books will be available as e-books, paperbacks and audio books (which I am particularly looking forward to). I am very excited to be working with such a wonderful team of talented professionals at Aria who are going to help lift the Bernicia Chronicles to greater heights and to get the books out to a wider audience.

If you've already read The Serpent Sword and The Cross and The Curse, thank you, and I'm sorry that you will have to wait a few more months than I'd originally expected for By Blood and Blade, but I'm sure the wait will be worth it and you'll be as happy as I am with the results.

Happy reading!

Matthew

Book giveaway competition!

There is a chance to win one of two signed paperbacks of The Cross and the Curse on Goodreads.

Check it out and good luck!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Cross and the Curse

by Matthew Harffy

Giveaway ends February 06, 2016.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

THE CROSS AND THE CURSE - Release Day!

Today's the day!

Finally, THE CROSS AND THE CURSE is available from Amazon and to order in paperback form from all good bookshops.

BUY NOW 

If you have already pre-ordered the book, thank you! If not, order it now - it would be great to see it get into the Amazon charts! :-)

Once a novel is "out there", reviews are what help readers to decide to buy books so, after you have read it, please take a moment to leave a review on Amazon. It doesn't need to be much, just a few words is enough, though longer reviews are much appreciated! You don't actually need to have bought the book from Amazon (the paperback is available to order from all good bookshops), but if you have, your review will be marked as a "verified purchase".

Goodreads is also great for reviews! Most reviewers paste the same review into Amazon and Goodreads.

Hope you enjoy the book!

Happy new year 2016!

This time last year I had yet to publish my debut novel, The Serpent Sword. In the end I released it in April and since then, I have been living the hectic life of an independently-published author. This means that I need to promote the book as well as write the next one(s), all while keeping the day job going and the family reasonably happy. It is not easy to balance everything, but it is rewarding.

Since the release of The Serpent Sword, it has sold thousands of copies and garnered over a hundred reviews on Amazon.co.uk and edging towards a hundred on Amazon.com. And with over a hundred ratings on Goodreads, it has been a great nine months. For this, I owe a huge thanks to all the readers who have taken the time to leave a review. It is great to get an email or a message telling me you've enjoyed my book, but it is even better for others to be able to see the comments too. It takes only minutes, but makes a huge difference to the success of books. Readers trust readers.

One of the best reviews came from the Historical Novel Society, a prestigious global organisation that awarded The Serpent Sword Editor's Choice and Long-listed it for the HNS Indie Award 2016! Sadly, it did not make the short list, but not bad going for my first book!

I have done lots of interviews with other authors, and also with book promoters and reviewers. The support has been amazing.

Whilst doing all the interviews and promotions, I've also managed to prepare the second book, The Cross and the Curse, for release on 22nd January. I worked on the cover myself (as I did for The Serpent Sword) and got help from a friend, Stephen Weatherly, who took the great cover photo, and Matt Bunker, a living history expert in the period from the group Wulfheodenas, who graciously agreed to pose for the image (it is his gear on the cover the The Serpent Sword too).

As well as all of that, I even found time to write the first draft of book three of the Bernicia Chronicles, By Blood and Blade. I hope to have that book ready for release this summer and I will be working on another book soon.

I am sure 2016 will prove to be just as busy, exciting and rewarding as 2015. As well as the plan of releasing two new novels, there are other things in the works that I will announce in time. I hope you will stick with me for the ride.

Once again, thanks for helping make 2015 such a good year for me and the Bernicia Chronicles and here's to an even better 2016!

Another great review of The Cross and the Curse

As part of the build up to the release of The Cross and the Curse in January, I have been sending out advance review copies to bloggers and reviewers. One such review has gone up on David's Book Blurg, a great site for punchy reviews of mainly historical fiction and fantasy novels, with a few other genres thrown in for good measure.

David has rated it 5 out of 5 and says the following:

"This is by far the best sequel I’ve read to date"
"Harffy clearly knows what a reader wants and gives it to them"

Read the full review.

Pre-order The Cross and the Curse.

Being compared to the great Bernard Cornwell is not such a bad place to be!

In the last couple of days, I have featured on the websites of two talented historical fiction authors.

First, I wrote a guest post for Samantha Wilcoxson's blog on what it's like to be compared to the great author, Bernard Cornwell.

Second, Stephanie Churchill has written a great piece about THE SERPENT SWORD and THE CROSS AND THE CURSE  and my writing in general, where she also compares me (favourably!) to the historical fiction master himself!

Meanwhile, THE SERPENT SWORD is currently on special offer in the US and UK - only 0.99 for a limited time only!

Buy it here: getbook.at/TheSerpentSword

And THE CROSS AND THE CURSE is available for pre-order. (Release date 22nd January 2016)

Finally, if you're looking for a present for someone special, you can order a signed paperback of either book from www.matthewharffy.com.

THE CROSS AND THE CURSE - Pre-order NOW!

It is with great pleasure that I announce that the Kindle version of book 2 of the Bernicia Chronicles, THE CROSS AND THE CURSE, is now available for pre-order on Amazon.

Pre-order here: getBook.at/CROSSandCURSE

Giles Kristian, bestselling author of God of Vengeance and the Raven series says the following about THE CROSS AND THE CURSE:

"A tale that rings like sword song in the reader's mind. Warriors, shield walls, the carnage of the war as it tears at a land that is not yet a nation. Beobrand is a hero to stand shoulder to shoulder with and his story is one to be told round the hearth fire on a dark night. Harffy knows his genre inside out and The Cross and the Curse proves it."

This sequel to The Serpent Sword throws you straight back into Beobrand's world. See what adventures await him in the maelstrom of early seventh century Britain. Beobrand makes new friends and confronts enemies old and new. There are more battles, treachery, twists, love and loss. I don't think you'll be disappointed!

THE CROSS AND THE CURSE will be released on 22nd January 2016. (I will try and get it out a bit sooner than this, but that is the absolute latest date when it can go live and the book will miraculously appear on your Kindle if you've pre-ordered it.)

THE CROSS AND THE CURSE will also be available in paperback, but that will not be on the website until the launch date.

THE CROSS AND THE CURSE - Amazing endorsements from great authors!

It's been a busy few weeks. I'm currently reading through the first complete draft of book 3 of the Bernicia Chronicles, BY BLOOD AND BLADE, and so far I'm enjoying what I'm reading, which is always a plus!

I've also been working on the formatting of book 2, THE CROSS AND THE CURSE. That's almost done now, and the paperback and Kindle version will both be available in January 2016.

I've also done a few interviews with different authors. The latest of these went live this weekend on Christoph Fischer's blog.

The week before last, I got together with Matt Bunker, from the group Wulfheodenas, and a talented photographer friend of mine, Stephen Weatherly, to take photos for the covers of books 2 and 3. Matt took the cover photo for The Serpent Sword, but this time round he is wearing his war gear, so taking the photos would prove a little difficult!

Stephen took nearly 300 photos in two hours and since then we have been going through them, selecting the best and then working on polishing them for publication. The cover for THE CROSS AND THE CURSE is nearly ready and is looking fabulous. I'll be revealing it soon, so watch this space.

In the meantime, I have started to receive some endorsements from great authors who have read advance copies. It is always scary when others read your work for the first time. Getting great reviews and comments from readers is wonderful. Having other authors enjoy it and being prepared to endorse a book, is an amazing feeling. I am over the moon with the quotes I've received so far, so I'll leave you with some of them here!

"A tale that rings like sword song in the reader's mind. Warriors, shield walls, the carnage of the war as it tears at a land that is not yet a nation. Beobrand is a hero to stand shoulder to shoulder with and his story is one to be told round the hearth fire on a dark night. Harffy knows his genre inside out and The Cross and the Curse proves it."
Giles Kristian, bestselling author of God of Vengeance and the Raven series

"The Cross and the Curse is a terrific novel that strikes just the right balance between fact and fiction, the plausible and the romantic, and it illuminates the Dark Ages like the bolt of lightning in its first few pages: in rare and unexpected ways. Top stuff."
Toby Clements, author of the Kingmaker trilogy

"The best historical fiction enables the reader to simultaneously live in the here and now and the then and there. Matthew Harffy has this skill in abundance. He peoples his work with everyman and everywoman, allowing a bridge across the centuries, a meeting place. Matthew Harffy’s first novel, The Serpent Sword, was superb. The second book, The Cross and the Curse, is every bit as good. He is one of the most accomplished and exciting voices in the field today. I love his novels."
Martin Lake, author of A Love Most Dangerous and The Lost King series
Read Martin's complete review here.

"Harffy’s debut novel, The Serpent Sword, was first rate and it’s often with trepidation that a reader will wait for Book Two in a series in the hope that it will pick up the banner and carry it forward. The Cross and the Curse does that eminently. I reviewed The Serpent Sword from the point of view of emotional reveal and I am pleased to see that Harffy continues to use this metier in order to give his characters real dimension. It  allows the reader to peel back the layers of Dark Age society beyond the implicit violence. His wordage is skilful and beautifully wrought, rather like a perfect damascened sword. Harffy is a writer to watch …"
Prue Batten, author of The Gisborne Saga and The Triptych Chronicle

“Like an oyster which grows a pearl through the irritation of a grain of sand, so Beobrand develops as a person through the horrors he witnesses and fights with, over, and against.  We see his humanity, we see pieces of ourselves, and we love him for it. Matthew Harffy has created a gritty, authentic world, home to a hero who shows us the complexity of what it means to be human – the darkness and the delight.  The Cross and the Curse is historical fiction at its finest.”
Stephanie Churchill, author of The Scribe's Daughter

Blurb for THE CROSS AND THE CURSE

Preparations for the publication of THE CROSS AND THE CURSE are moving on apace. I've done most of the formatting and started writing the acknowledgements. Plans are afoot for a photo shoot for the cover. The latest thing I have been working on is the blurb for the back cover.

BRITAIN 634 A.D.
Before The Battle of Hastings.
Before Alfred fought the Danes.
Even before England. 

Warlords battled across Britain to become the first King of the English. 

When Beobrand’s valour brings about a stunning victory against the native Waelisc, the King of Northumbria rewards him with riches and land. Beobrand wishes for nothing more than to settle on his new estate with his bride. But he soon finds himself beset with enemies old and new, even fearing the power of a curse has him in its grip, as he begins to lose all he holds dear. 

With treachery and death surrounding him, Beobrand confronts his foes with cold iron and bitter fury. On his quest for revenge and redemption, he grudgingly accepts the mantle of lord, leading his men into the darkest of nights and the bloodiest of battles.

UPDATED with change in red.

BRITAIN 634 A.D.
Before The Battle of Hastings.
Before Alfred fought the Danes.
Even before England. 

Warlords battled across Britain to become the first King of the English.

When Beobrand's valour brings about a stunning victory against the native Waelisc, the King of Northumbria rewards him with riches and land. Beobrand wishes for nothing more than to settle on his new estate with his bride. But he soon finds himself beset with enemies old and new. He even fears that the power of a curse has him in its grip, as he begins to lose all he holds dear.

With treachery and death surrounding him, Beobrand confronts his foes with cold iron and bitter fury. On his quest for revenge and redemption, he grudgingly accepts the mantle of lord, leading his men into the darkest of nights and the bloodiest of battles.

What do you think? Leave a comment below with your thoughts.

7 questions with the Histocrats (and an update)

Last night I finished the first complete draft of book 3 of the Bernicia Chronicles: BY BLOOD AND BLADE. It is still a long way from complete, with lots of editing and rewrites ahead, but it is a real milestone and it feels great.

In other news, I am working on the cover and formatting of book 2: THE CROSS AND THE CURSE, and will be setting up the pre-order on Amazon as soon as I fix a date for the release. It's looking like December or January at the moment.

As if all of that wasn't enough to keep me busy, here is an interview I did recently for a group of experienced educators and history enthusiasts who go by the collective name of The Histocrats.

Check out the interview. It is short and (hopefully) sweet:

http://chattingwiththehistocrats.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/7-questions-with-matthew-harffy-author.html

More news and announcements soon.

Keep on reading!

First review of THE CROSS AND THE CURSE

As I am gearing up for the release of book 2 of the Bernicia Chronicles, THE CROSS AND THE CURSE, I have started to send out the manuscript to other authors in the hope they'll like it enough to give me a review and some quotes for the cover and the website.

Well, the first to respond has been Martin Lake, the great author of books such as Land of Blood and Water and The Lost King series. To receive a nice review from anyone is a great feeling, but to get a review such as this from a writer of Martin's skill and stature is just wonderful. I am extremely thankful to Martin and hope other readers feel the same way as him once the book is released!

Martin Lake's review of THE CROSS AND THE CURSE

One midnight several years ago I sat at the Great Sphinx listening to love poetry written five thousand years ago. I felt the ache of lost and found kinship with ancient forebears. I feel the same when reading Matthew Harffy’s work.

The best historical fiction enables the reader to simultaneously live in the here and now and the then and there. Matthew Harffy has this skill in abundance. He peoples his work with everyman and everywoman, allowing a bridge across the centuries, a meeting place.

His hero Beobrand is heroic and fallible, his wife Sunniva has the fears and longings of any woman whose young husband is called to battle. Other characters are also very much part of their time while being the sort you might bump into on the street today. King Oswald, for example, has the charisma of a mighty monarch even though his kingdom is a sparsely inhabited, tiny parcel of land. The reader believes Oswald leads a mighty war-host until the author deftly reveals it is made up of merely two hundred men. It is, of course, only two hundred men. Yet at the same time it is a war-host.

While reading The Cross and the Curse I was with the people of seventh century Bernicia as they split timber to make new homes, watched anxiously alongside them to see if the fire would flame enough to send a sacrifice to the gods, felt the terror and thrill of the shield-wall and the disgust and exhilaration of killing while escaping death.

Matthew Harffy’s first novel, The Serpent Sword, was superb. The second book, The Cross and the Curse, is every bit as good. He is one of the most accomplished and exciting voices in the field today. I love his novels and recommend them to you.