"Soldier of the Horse" and Bloody Jack

Bloody Jack Krafchenko was executed for murder in 1914, after a bizarre series of events that included an escape from the Winnipeg jail using a pistol smuggled in to him by--perhaps--his lawyer.

One version of the story was included in "Soldier of the Horse", when Tom is accused of having a part in the plot. The real-life Tom isn't around to answer any more questions, but the gun is. It's pictured here in the Winnipeg Police Museum, along with museum personnel Jack Templeman and Bruce Honey.

IPPY Strikes Again

Here's what Soldier of the Horse's Independent Publishers (IPPY) gold medal looked like three years ago. Soldier won top prize in the category Military/Wartime Fiction.

Now my second novel, Terror on the Alert, has almost duplicated the feat, receiving a silver medal in the same category.

Very exciting and rewarding.

There is a lot of encouragement out there for writers. Not to mention a heap of support from publishers, writing organizations such as Canadian Authors Association, BC Federation of Writers, and many others.

And like others writers, a big thanks for all the support from family and friends.

Mary's Wedding coming via Peninsula Productions

Some time before my novel "Soldier of the Horse" was published, an old navy friend who knew about my interest in the Canadian cavalry asked if I had seen Mary's Wedding. I hadn't. But shortly after that I attended Pacific Opera Victoria's operatic adaptation of the play; also in attendance were scarlet-jacketed members of Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians), adding pomp and ceremony to the occasion.

Now I've been asked to assist Peninsula Productions with their mounting of Stephen Massicotte's two-person play, to be staged November 11th to 15th. It promises to be a memorable show, with an amazingly-powerful script and two young actors playing Mary, her love Charlie, and Sergeant Flowerdew.

From the West Coast to the Western Front

My apologies for the quality of the photo--the subject deserves much better. Pictured are Mark Forsythe of CBC Vancouver's Almanac, and Greg Dickson, authors of From the West Coast to the Western Front, who presented some fascinating items from the book at the Vancouver Public Library on September 17th.
Mark and Greg started this project only 18 months ago. The book has not yet cleared the printers', but it promises to be an excellent read, based on the samples presented

Due out on October 11th, the book will feature hundreds of stories of British Columbians who fought on the Western Front in the Great War. Those included Gordon Muriel Flowerdew, VC, who led the cavalry charge at the climax of my novel Soldier of the Horse. I'm very much looking forward to reading the book.

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Upcoming: "Terror on the Alert" hits the streets, and better bookstores everywhere, on September 30th!

Thanks to RUSI Vancouver for organizing this and other Library presentations to mark the 100th year since the start of World War I.

Upcoming Events--Cavalry and Submarines

I'm looking forward to speaking to the Langley Heritage Society on September 23rd, 7 pm, at the Milner Chapel. I'll be talking about the Canadian Cavalry Brigade in the Great War, and explain the process that went into my novel "Soldier of the Horse". And that will be just a week before my submarine thriller, "Terror on the Alert", appears in book stores.

I'll be in Ottawa the first week of October, attending the Naval Association of Canada's AGM and Conference, the topic of which is "Submarines: Past, Present, and Future".

Next up in October are two appearances in branches of the Vancouver Public Library to talk about submarines and "Terror on the Alert". On the 7th I'll be at the Kerrisdale branch, and on the 30th, at the Britannia branch.

I'm very excited about the chance to speak to people interested in our Canadian heritage.

"Soldier of the Horse" at the VPL

As predicted, last Wednesday the 30th of July was a busy one. I was interviewed briefly on The Early Edition on CBC Radio, then attended an afternoon showing of "War Horse", Spielberg's movie adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's novel.

That evening, I spoke in the Alice MacKay room of the main branch of the Vancouver Public Library. My topic was Soldier of the Horse, the first public presentation regarding my first novel in some time.

The event was a joint effort by the VPL and the Vancouver branch of RUSI, the Royal United Services Institute. At the left in the photo is RUSI president Cameron Cathcart, a former CBC reporter and great advocate of the need to celebrate our military history and remember the sacrifices of so many.

More RUSI events to mark the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the Great War will be featured at the Vancouver Public Library.

War Horse meets Soldier of the Horse

The photo at left was taken by a helpful bystander earlier this year in the lobby of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver. Nattily attired with my submarine tie no less, I had just attended a performance of the stage play "War Horse". It was an emotional experience for me, given my father's time in the Canadian Cavalry Brigade.
My novel "Soldier of the Horse" based on the experiences of Sergeant Thomas Mackay of Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) was published a couple of years ago. On July 30th, just nine days from now, I will be attending a showing of the movie "War Horse" at the Vancouver Public Library at 1:30 pm.
Later that evening at 7:00 pm I'll be presenting in the Library, thanks to the good offices of the VPL and the Royal United Services Institute.
Here is the information from the VPL website:

"Robert W. Mackay, author of Soldier of the Horse, shares personal photos, memories and insights into the Canadian Cavalry Brigade of which his father was a member.

"War Horse", a movie about the British cavalry in the Great War, has many powerful images of horses and men in battle. A small but significant part of the British cavalry was the Canadian Calvary Brigade. Did the movie reflect reality?

Presented in partnership with The Royal United Services Institute - Vancouver in commemoration of Canada's First World War Centenary.

For more information please contact: Programming and Learning Services at info@vpl.ca at 604 331-3603"

"Soldier of the Horse"--The Saga Continues

I recently checked amazon.com to see what the latest was re their marketing of Soldier of the Horse. Interestingly, they list the paperback at $13.68, with the Kindle edition at $9.99. (Other e-readers can access through the publisher, TouchWood Editions.) The original list price is $19.95.

The Audiobook version is now on the market, also at $19.95. Here's what Audiobook says about it:
"Narrator Paul Christy's mature voice provides a calm and steady pace to this story set in early 20th-century Canada. Law student Tom Macrae has been falsely accused of a crime, and given a choice between going to jail or off to the trenches of the Great War, Tom reluctantly chooses to fight. Just before he is shipped out to England, he meets the love of his life, only to be torn away from her. Christy's performance is moving and realistic, and he portrays the gamut of Tom's emotions - from hopeful joy to horror and bleak resignation - with sensitivity."

I would add to that--yes, but it's not ultimately a downer, at least in my mind.

"Soldier of the Horse" returns to Cloverdale

I am very much looking forward to November 11th, not only because it is such a significant day for all Canadians, honouring our fallen and surviving veterans, but because again this year I'll be presenting about the Canadian Cavalry Brigade at the Surrey Museum in Cloverdale.
My talk centres around men who served in the Cavalry Brigade in World War I, and their ties to B.C. and Surrey.
For the Surrey Museum announcement with details, please see here.

"Soldier of the Horse" Gallops On

I've been expending a lot of time recently on my upcoming but as yet unnamed submarine thriller (working title "Sailor Down"), but there is a temporary hiatus as I await the first round of edits.
So in the meantime it's a chance to check up on how my prize-winning first novel, "Soldier of the Horse", is doing. Recent highlights:
* Recent acquisition of audiobook rights by Amazon's audible.com. 
* "Bestseller" following an appearance at the marvellous Winnipeg bookstore McNally Robinson
* A very successful day of sales and signing books at the Country Pedlar, Interlakes, in the Cariboo
* An email from a Bolivian jungle animal refuge park volunteer saying how much she was enjoying "Soldier of the Horse"
* A very enthusiastic comment from a retired Canadian Army colonel
* A scheduled return engagement to speak about the book and horses in World War I at the Surrey Museum on November 11, Remembrance Day. For details click here.

Confession Time

It’s confession time. To my horror, I note the last blog I posted, prior to this one, was dated August 2^nd 2013. The dog days of July and August caught up with me, at least as far as keeping up the blog is concerned.

My only defence is that the days have been very busy. My next book, working title “Sailor Down”, is due on the editor’s desk by September 1^st, meaning it's panic stations to get the story put to bed. The next deadline will be November 1^st, with an edited manuscript in to the publisher.

“Soldier of the Horse”, my first book, has also been receiving some attention. The audio book rights have been bought by Amazon, and production is under way with a professional narrator on the job.

In the meantime, potential topics for future items are piling up. Personal stories from submariners, the loss of an Indian navy Kilo class boat, World War I centennial observations...

Great things to come. Thanks for hanging in.

"Soldier of the Horse" is available as an ebook or hard copy from Amazon here. 

Video of HMS "Alliance" Interior

At right is a photo of HMS Alliance during her heyday. I am guessing it was while she was on active service in the Far East, judging by the camouflage paint job.
No longer in commission, the Alliance has survived some hard times to become the centrepiece of the Royal Navy Submarine Memorial and Museum in Gosport, Hampshire.
Here is a link to a recent video that shows how well the Museum has preserved and rebuilt her both inside and out.
The Alliance is a particularly interesting exhibit from my point of view, in that she was a sister to my only Royal Navy boat, the Alderney, long gone to the breaker's yard. And my next historical novel, bearing the working title "Sailor Down", is set in an A-boat.
For a look at the Amazon page for my cavalry story, "Soldier of the Horse", click here.

"Soldier of the Horse" Gallops On

I am very excited that "Soldier of the Horse", my prize-winning (see the gold Independent Publisher medal in the photo) has reached an exciting milestone. It will soon be available on "Audible", Amazon's audiobook publishing arm.

The sale to Audible was made through the good offices of my publisher, TouchWood Editions. In other news, TouchWood has now committed to publishing my next historical novel. The action in "Sailor Down" (working title) takes place in a Cold War submarine.

For a personalized, signed copy of "Soldier of the Horse," email me at bob.mackay@hotmail.com.

Another Soldier of the Horse

It has been fascinating to hear from people whose forefathers shared many of the experiences as did my father, as described in  "Soldier of the Horse".
Most recently, I have heard from Rick Wetmore, an American whose grandfather David Lee Wetmore served with "A" Squadron, Royal Canadian Dragoons, at the Battle of Moreuil Wood. Trooper Wetmore was one of the lucky surviviors of that hard-fought engagement, although he was wounded later on.
Rick thinks the accompanying photo was taken on Salisbury Plain during training.

Battle of the Atlantic marked at HMCS Discovery

Dr Boutelier (left) accepts "Soldier of the Horse"

HMCS Discovery, along with the Naval Officers Association of British Columbia, marked the Battle of the Atlantic with a mess dinner on May 4th. Keynote speaker was Dr James Boutilier, historian and author, who is Special Advisor ( Policy) to Maritime Forces Pacific Headquarters in Esquimalt.
Dr Boutilier spoke about the sacrifices made by the Allies as well as enemy submariners in the Atlantic in World War II. He noted the continued threat to the free world by proliferating submarine fleets in the Pacific today.
Dr Boutilier was presented with a copy of Soldier of the Horse by the author, whose brother and sister both served in the RCN during the Battle of the Atlantic. (Photo courtesy Mary Horton)

"Soldier of the Horse" and the McNally Robinson Experience

I have written a couple of times about travelling to Winnipeg with "Soldier of the Horse" ten days ago. The highlight of the trip for "Soldier" was a two-hour session at McNally Robinson's Grant Park location. We were set up to sign copies of the book adjacent to their checkout counter. They had a constant stream of customers, some of whom didn't mind chatting to an out-of-towner who wrote a novel about a young Winnipeg man and his Great War experiences.
In an especially rewarding moment a man appeared with a copy of "Soldier of the Horse" for me to sign. It had been a gift to him, and now he wanted another signed copy to give to a friend.
The McNally's staff were first rate, and over all I was very impressed with the store. McNally Robinson seems to be doing a lot right; it would be great if they could be cloned to even more Canadian cities!
Another highlight came a couple of days ago in the form of a  Bestseller list for the relevant week. Here is the portion of the list covering Paperback Fiction:
 1. 419,
Will Ferguson. Fiction. $20.00.
2. Born of Courage,
Walfried Jansen. Fiction. $14.95.
3. Indigena Awry,
Annharte. Poetry. $19.00.
4. Soldier Of The Horse,
Robert W. Mackay. Historical Fiction. $19.95.
5. Letter from Brooklyn,
Jacob Scheier. Poetry. $18.95.

 Soldier of the Horse, keeping pretty good company!

Colt .32 That Sprang A Killer in "Soldier of the Horse"

On a recent visit to Winnipeg I was able to meet with the archivists at the Winnipeg Police Museum. Jack Templeman and Bruce Honey showed me around, and from a back room produced a decommissioned Colt .32, shown at left.
This is the nasty little weapon that was used by a convicted bank robber to threaten guards and escape jail just before the First World War.

My father, who was the real-life inspiration for my character Tom Macrae in "Soldier of the Horse", was accused by the Winnipeg police of filing the serial number off the gun. The second photo of the weapon is a close-up that shows that in fact someone did attempt to obliterate the serial number. When I related this vignette to Jack Templeman (who is a retired Winnipeg policeman) he quipped, "He didn't do a very good job of it!", as the serial number can still be made out with specialized equipment.
For the record, Dad never admitted to the allegations, and I don't for one minute believe they were true!

"Soldier of the Horse" in Winnipeg

 I am happy to report that "Soldier of the Horse" trekked to Winnipeg on April 18th and was very successfully billeted at McNally Robinson's, Grant Park, on Saturday the 20th.The staff had set up a display adjacent to the checkout counters, and it was very gratifying to see how busy the store was, with a constant stream of customers buying all sorts of books.
The store had done an eyecatching poster which I will display soon.
One customer appeared with a book he had been given earlier, which I was only too happy to sign for him, especially as he bought another copy to give to a friend. After I returned home, a gentleman who had read the book (almost without taking a break!) phoned long distance to say how much he had enjoyed it.
Kudos to the staff at McNally Robinson, who made for a very interesting and rewarding two hours meeting readers of all shapes and sizes.

Joys of Writing, Blogging, and Winnipeg

There are any number of blogs that feature the writer's 5 best tips for getting an agent, or 10 ways to impress an editor. Personally, I am using my blog to reach out to people interested in the Canadian cavalry, the Great War, submarines, and Canadian forces in general. Hence my title, "Forces With History".
This coming weekend will, I hope, add to the list of people who have contacted me about "Soldier of the Horse". As noted in a previous blog, I will be signing books at McNally Robinson in Winnipeg (see http://www.mcnallyrobinson.com/event-12124/Robert-W.-Mackay----Book-Signing-#.UWwuZsqyqPY
Both my parents were from Manitoba, and I have always thought of Winnipeg as my second home, albeit seldom visited. Now I'll be taking "Soldier of the Horse" home, in a way, and hoping it gets a warm reception--to add to my list, and to fight off the frostbite!

"Soldier of the Horse" is Going Home

It took four years for Tom Macrae, alter ego of Sergeant Tom Mackay, of Lord Strathcona's Horse, to make it home to Winnipeg after enlisting and fighting his way through the trenches and cavalry charges of World War One.

The odyssey for Soldier of the Horse is two years shorter. This story of a Winnipeg boy will make the welcome trip soon: the countdown is on to my visit to Winnipeg to sign copies of Soldier of the Horse, two years after it was first published. Should be a fun day, at McNally Robinson, 2 pm  on Saturday April 20th. See the item in McNally's newsletter here.