WRITER@WORK – March 2023
Although finding myself with a career change, a new publisher and reaching 76 years of age came as a bit of a surprise as I was expecting to slow down a bit. According to the Mayo Clinic wrinkles and grey hair is to be expected, together with a stiffening of the blood vessels and arteries, causing the heart to work harder to pump blood through them. The heart muscles change to adjust to the increased workload; the heart rate at rest will stay about the same, but it won’t increase during activities as much as it used to. With age, bones tend to shrink in size and density, weakening them and making them more susceptible to fracture. Muscles generally lose strength, endurance and flexibility – factors that can affect our coordination, stability and balance. What is even more depressing is the forecast pre-occupation with personal toilet habits!
SOCIETY OF AUTHORS – IRELAND
Nevertheless, I’ve also landed the mini-job of events organiser for Society of Authors (Ireland) which means hosting/organising a quarterly discussion/talk for SoA members and maintaining a presence on the SoA (Ireland) Facebook page. A small group started in 2022 and consisting of 23 members. My debut meeting didn’t get off to a good start with only two members showing up but we’ll give it another go with a joint SoA/IWU meeting scheduled for Summer 2023.
TEMPLE HOUSE ARCHIVE
House of Strange Gods
Real of Shadow
Hour Betwixt Dog & Wolfe
The Thirteenth Sign
PACT!
FeedaRead : Ignotus Book UK: Fiction series and titles:
The Temple House Archive series – Melusine Draco
The Temple House was founded in 1586 in England during the reign of Elizabeth I as an off-shoot of Sir Francis Walsingham’s recently created intelligence service, inaugurated to investigate the growing popularity of esoteric learning that was occupying the interests of the Elizabethan intelligentsia. For this he recruited the descendants of the Knights Templar who had remained in England following the destruction of their Order. Drawing on a veritable mine of esoteric knowledge and experience of international intrigue, the Temple House was established to combat ‘evil forces’ of a human or supernatural agency, and those who would use occult power for destructive purposes. The current members of the Temple House, or ‘the Nine’ as they are called in memory of the nine founder members of the original Knights Templar, are all specialists and magical practitioners in the diverse fields of occultism and its relevant histories.
For more details see http://www.facebook.com/TempleHouseArchive
Reviews:
“A brilliant read. Love the writing. A real chiller-thriller. The author has all the skills needed to write a cracking good novel. She also has a vast occult knowledge that really shows and writes on the subject with ease. As usual with Melusine there is a subtle humorous element running through that works really well. Best of all there is a volume two underway. I think this would make a great TV series.” Maria Moloney, Axis Mundi Books
“A cracking read. An excellent story, the characters are three dimensional, the dialogue reads naturally and the pacing is fine. There is tension and plenty of conflict as well as some nice touches of humour. There is also a sense of truth that only someone who is familiar with the occult can provide in this genre.” Krystina Kellingley, Cosmic Egg Books
“A brilliant read and a walk into the world of the occult that is both fascinating and thrilling. Loved the historical undertones and the work of the ‘Nine’. Kept me gripped throughout. Can’t wait for number two!” Sarah-Beth Watkins : Bookworms
House of Strange Gods
When journalist Michael Gilmour discovered a small filler in a tabloid newspaper about the ‘witch busters’ of Temple House, he believed they were the right people to help him discover the reason behind his father’s disappearance back in the 1970s following an investigation into the desecration of a rural church. What he discovered was even stranger than anything he could ever have imagined in his wildest flights of imagination, which almost results in his own death in an act of premature burial from which he is rescued in the nick of time.
ISBN: 9781785106392 : Paperback : Pages 296 : €8.95
Also available in Kindle e-books.
Published: 26 February 2016
Order direct from: https://www.feedaread.com/books/House-of-Strange-Gods-9781785106392.aspx
Realm of Shadow
Led by charismatic Professors Aliona de Foresta and Robert Sands, the members of the Temple House embark on another series of paranormal investigations sparked off when a reality television presenter defiles the burial site of a Viking warrior – with deadly results.
ISBN: 9781786103628 : Paperback : Pages 282 : €8.95
Also available in Kindle e-books
Published: 26 May 2016
Order direct from https://www.feedaread.com/books/REALM-OF-SHADOW-9781786103628.aspx
Hour Betwixt Dog & Wolf
The ‘Hour Betwixt Dog and Wolf’ is taken from a French saying L’heure entre chien et loup and refers to the moments after sunset when the sky darkens and vision becomes unclear, making it difficult to distinguish between dogs and wolves, friends and foe, good from evil. When confronted by what appears to be creatures from the ancient race of dog-headed men, the Cynocephali, the Temple House embarks on one of its strangest cases to date.
ISBN: 9781786979063 : Paperback : Pages 256 : €8.95
Also available in Kindle e-books
Published: 27 July 2017
Order direct from https://www.feedaread.com/books/Hour-Betwixt-Dog-Wolf-9781786979063.aspx
The Thirteenth Sign
“Theatre des Vampires without the cast,” said Jack glumly, referring to the fictitious location in the Boulevard du Temple of Vampire Chronicles fame. “Where’s the spine-tingling depravity of our home from home?” he added, raising his voice theatrically trying to instil a sense of horror into the proceedings.
“For the benefit of the uninitiated” said Chrissie, “the Boulevard du Temple, as its name suggests, refers to the nearby Knights Templar’s stronghold where they established their Paris priory. After a time, it was nicknamed the ‘Boulevard du Crime’ after the crime melodramas that were so popular in its many theatres …” she added sarcastically.
“So, where’s the violence, the murder and the suicide that’s dogged the family down through the ages. I want bodies hurtling from the roof … insanity …” Jack disclaimed dramatically like some old Shakespearean ham.
ISBN: 9781788766395 : Paperback : Pages 252 : €8.95
Also available in Kindle e-books
Published: 7 December 2018
Order direct from https://www.feedaread.com/books/The-Thirteenth-Sign-9781788766395.aspx
PACT!
Was it pure coincidence that the next case load on the Temple House’s schedule consisted of four investigations involving pacts with demonic entities? The medieval palimpsest stolen from the Vatican … the reliquary supposedly containing the blood of the Grand Master … a ‘brazen vessel’ holding an imprisoned demon … and a magical Order that had sold its collective soul to the Devil? And, as always, there are those metaphorical demons from the past that come back to haunt us all from time to time … Led by charismatic Professors Aliona de Foresta and Robert Sands, the members of the Temple House embark on another series of paranormal investigations in which people are willing to trade their souls for personal gain.
ISBN978 1 60302 068 6 : 212 pages : £8.65
Order direct from: https://www.feedaread.com/books/PACT.aspx
REVIEW: “Pact! The Temple House Archive Book V heralds in the end of an era for the Temple House team. And what a way to go with demon pacts, cursed families, Saracen pots, Templar history, hidden palimpsests and chemical warfare agents. A fast-paced, page-turning read that will keep you up all night!” Sarah-Beth Watkins, Bestselling author of Lady Katherine Knollys
Kindle e-books: Special UK£0.99 for each title – starting 23rd March until 30thMarch
The Temple House Archive is also receiving a lot of attention from clients of TVWritersVault – television production companies who are looking at existing books on offer for adaption ….
And last, but certainly not least, I have just completed the first draft of Chapter 12 of the 100,000 word hardback edition of Understanding the Egyptian Gods for Pen & Sword – due for submission September 2023.
Melusine Draco
Melusine Draco 