Simon Acland: News

Simon Acland

Simon's Blog

1st May 2013

READING THE PAST

Sarah Johnson has kindly hosted my blog about what conditions were like on the First Crusade. Pretty tough - read about them here : ow.ly/kBS04

20th March 2013

BRILLIANT REVIEW

Thank you Book Geek for your spectacular review. I have to quote some of it : "The Waste Land by Simon Acland was such a delight to read...this book needs to be discovered by the reader...one of my favorite uses of the found manuscript plot device I've ever encountered. Clever. Fun. I read at a pretty fast pace for the story. I couldn't help myself. I tried to slow down and pick out various parts of the Grail legends, but would be swept up in the story. After I finished reading the book, I attempted to skim for specific references and for lines from T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land, but would find myself deeply involved in Acland's story yet again. I think that says quite a bit about his storytelling. I don't think I have ever enjoyed an Epilogue to a book more than the one in the Waste Land. I thought it was terribly clever and funny and the perfect way to set up a sequel. My recommendation is that everyone should read this book." Here is the link to the full review; you will also see a guest post from me entitled "The Grail Legend in Modern and Medieval Fiction" : abookgeek-llm.blogspot.co.uk

15th March 2013

THIRD GUEST BLOG

Thank you Adam for hosting my guest blog about the research I did on The Waste Land. Here it is http://tinyurl.com/d72cr46

I look forward to your review!

14th March 2013

FIVE STARS FROM WILOVEBOOKS AND ANOTHER GUEST BLOG

Thank you brilliant Brinda for your five stars! You are very kind to say "Well-written and entertaining... At times it is amusing, interesting, and shocking... An exciting story and I am curious to know what happens to Hugh next." Here is the whole review http://tinyurl.com/boynwzq

Thanks too for hosting my guest blog "Taking Liberties with Ancient Myths and Legends" at http://tinyurl.com/cts893e

13th March 2013

GUEST BLOG ON NOW IS GONE

Thank you Katy at Now is Gone for your four star review, and for hosting my guest blog "Waste Lands Ancient and Modern". See http://tinyurl.com/d3egtn5

7th March 2013

FIRST REVIEW OF THE US EDITION OF THE WASTE LAND

Thank you Melissa at Confessions of an Avid Reader for your very generous four star review. I like the sound of "The greatest strength of The Waste Land is Acland's lovely prose and his attention to detail, both of which help to create a strong sense of time and place....Recommended to fans of historical fiction interested in the Crusades and readers who enjoy historical thrillers". See http://tinyurl.com/bt35yg6

4th March 2013

THE WASTE LAND PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES BY BEAUFORT BOOKS

Independent New York publisher Beaufort Books has today released The Waste Land in the United States. See www.beaufortbooks.com

20th May 2012

THE WASTE LAND IN THE FINAL OF THE PEOPLE'S BOOK PRIZE

Thank you to everyone who has voted for The Waste Land in the People's Book Prize, propelling it to the final. If you have not had achance to vote,there is still time; the competition closes on 30th May. Please follow this link: http://www.peoplesbookprize.com/

26th September 2011

THANK YOU FROM CRUSADER HUGH

Thank you to everyone in Waterstone's Putney - staff and shoppers - who showed Crusader Hugh such good humour and indulgence when he was signing my books on Saturday. Without question The Waste Land was the day's bestseller, besting the huge piles of Scandinavian thrillers. Unfortunately seeing the titles of some of them has made Hugh start thnking about a Dragon Tattoo on part of his anatomy that he would not wish me to mention.

11th September 2011

UPCOMING EVENTS

I will be signing copies of both The Waste Land and The Flowers of Evil at Waterstone's Putney Exchange on Saturday 24th September. Yes, I am afraid that it is fancy dress again...

I am joining a "How to get published" panel at Wimbledon Bookfest on Saturday October 8th. Here are the details : http://wimbledonbookfest.org/booking.html#Saturday08

31st January 2011

BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2010

If you are short of ideas for your next read, visit Elaine Simpson-Long's excellent RandomJottings blog at randomjottings.typepad.com/random_jottings_of_an_ope/2010/12/randoms-books-of-the-year.html

Elaine's taste is impeccable and her insights are penetrating. Not only did she enjoy The Waste Land enough to include it as one of her Books of the Year, but she also gave me some advice about my writing which I have tried to incorporate in The Flowers of Evil, which, I promise, will be coming quite soon.

12th December 2010

THE CAPED CRUSADER IN PUTNEY AGAIN

Thank you to the Putney Society for an excellent lunch and for putting up with a peculiarly dressed author talking about his book The Waste Land!

Here is the link to the Putney Society Newsletter www.putneysociety.org.uk/84230469/PutSoc_January2011.pdf

26th October 2010

REVIEW BY ANNIS ON HISTORICALNOVELS.INFO

"A witty grail quest thriller with a difference...The Waste Land is legendary entertainment indeed." Annis, you are a legendary reviewer indeed! Thank you.

For the full review (and other useful information about historical fiction), visit www.historicalnovels.info/Waste-Land.html

14th September 2010

THE WASTE LAND SELECTED AS 'DEBUT OF THE MONTH'

The Waste Land has been selected as Lovereading's 'Debut of the Month' for September. If you do not believe me, visit www.lovereading.co.uk/genre/fst/Debut-Books.html. Or visit Lovereading even if you do believe me. It is a great site with some excellent reading recommendations.

25th July 2010

THE WASTE LAND OUTSELLS DAN BROWN

Yes, it is official! Simon Acland's The Waste Land has toppled Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol from the Number One bestseller slot. It may only have been in Putney Waterstone's this Saturday thanks to my fancy dress book-signing, but I still count that as an achievement. The old Meet the Author outfit was wheeled out again, and although one or two shoppers mistook me for a disappointed England football fan lost on his way back from South Africa, most understood that I was a desperate author willing to do anything to get noticed. 40 signed and sold books later I felt exhausted but triumphant.

24th July 2010

BROTHERS JUDD

"This first installment is terrific and we eagerly await the follow-up" says Orrin Judd. "Thank you for your kind comments," says I, "The Flowers of Evil will be out some time in 2011." For Orrin's full review, click here

22nd July 2010

OXFORD TIMES

The Waste Land is a 'Books Choice' in today's Oxford Times.

12th July 2010

HISTORICAL NOVEL REVIEW

My first US review comes from Lisa Yarde at Historical Novel Review : "Whether in the depiction of Hugh’s loneliness at Cluny, or the gory battle scenes of the First Crusade, Mr. Acland excels at showing Hugh’s development. Each scene and location is remarkably detailed, and the historical figures are equally fascinating." Thank you Lisa very much!

For the full review, click here

7th July 2010

RANDOM JOTTINGS REVIEW

I would like to say an enormous thank you to Elaine at Random Jottings for her extremely generous review of The Waste Land. For her to say "hugely enjoyable, engrossing and engaging from start to finish - I loved this book and it will be going on my list of Best Reads for 2010" is praise indeed. But what I thought was really so special about her review was extremely perceptive way in which she grasped what I was trying to achieve in the book. It is very satisfying to be understood!

For the full review, click here

1st July 2010

NUMBER ONE

For the first time in my little life I have reached number one in a chart. My video is at the top of Meet the Author. Thank you to everyone who has watched it.

15th June 2010

MEET THE AUTHOR

Or is it Michael Palin? No it's me, dressed as a crusader, talking about The Waste Land. For a good laugh at my expense, visit www.meettheauthor.co.uk/bookbites/1915.html

11th June 2010

TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT

Great excitement! The Waste Land is mentioned on the back page of today's TLS.

4th June 2010

PURSEWARDEN REVIEW

Thank you to Pursewarden for his flattering review. He says "to produce a good piece of historical fiction requires a delicate balancing act between credible period colour and going gloriously over the top. In The Waste Land, Simon Acland pulls this off brilliantly...Acland writes well, with strongly drawn characters and impressive description, while a great deal of action keeps events moving at a cracking pace. I found myself genuinely reluctant to put the book down, and actually finished it in just two sessions. I thoroughly recommend this book."

To read the whole review, click here: Pursewarden

4th May 2010

THE WASTE LAND IS NOW AVAILABLE

At last The Waste Land has been printed! The books look fantastic (although I have scarcely dared to open the cover in case there is some awful mistake inside). An absolute bargain at £10.99. Get your copy while stocks last...

28th April 2010

PRODUCTION DELAYS

No it won't. A problem at the printers means that the books have been delayed. I am waiting for a revised production date.

26th April 2010

PUBLICATION

The Waste Land will now be available from 29th April 2010.

12th April 2010

COVER

I have just signed off the proof for the cover of The Waste Land. John Vernon Lord's illustration looks great and works well with Dennis Hall's idea of having the title emerging from behind the mountains.

31st March 2010

PUBLICATION DATE

The publication date for the Waste Land has been set for 10th June 2010.