tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72422657891746591132024-03-05T12:51:47.676+00:00David Burrows - Fantasy Author and Tips on Writing a Book.Here I post about all things fantasy and give tips on writing a book based on my experience. My three main books form a trilogy called the Prophecy of the Kings, a Gold Award Winning book, and I've also written Drachar's Demons. Happy to chat so please feel free to comment on any of my blogs. Good reading - DavidDavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.comBlogger769125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242265789174659113.post-43536279116076372472022-07-20T16:16:00.000+01:002022-07-20T16:16:03.148+01:00Are Paid Book Reviews Worth it? Self published authors, beware.<p>Sadly, I have a poor opinion on paid reviews.</p><p>I sent off to one reviewer and I am certain from their response that they skim read a few pages only. Their comments showed that they hadn't read the story and had little understanding of the tale. They also made several glaring mistakes that showed they weren't familiar with the genre, fantasy. This is one of my biggest bugbears, that a paid reviewer may not like your genre, so how can they give a fair review?</p><p>One mistake the reviewer made was in quoting other fantasy authors and getting their names wrong. They mentioned Anne McCaffrey and her books, but misspelled her name and some of the books the reviewer mentioned weren't even hers.</p><p>The reviewer also commented on some of my fantasy creatures. For example <i>krell</i>, and said that is what whales eat. That, of course, would be <i>krill</i>. Now, having a name similar to a commonly used name...is that a big issue? If you look at English words and their spelling, there are many examples of how one letter can change the meaning of a word. For example, look at hell, hill, hull or pill, poll, pull, pall. All of these are completely unique words with unique meanings despite one vowel change. </p><p>Not all paid reviews will be problematic, of course and perhaps I just had a bad experience. However, I perceive the problem with paid reviews could be as follows:</p><p>1. The reviewer is being paid, so reviewing several books a day is worth their while. Say they charge a nominal £100 per book and they review say five books a day. That would be £500. By comparison, if they did the job they said they would, and spend 3 days reading one book, they would earn £100 only. So it is in a paid reviewers interest to review as many books as possible, as quickly as possible.</p><p>2. Is the reviewer interested in your genre? They may claim that they are, but how do you know?</p><p>3. It is far easier and probably safer to be negative about a book, especially for an unknown author. After all, how many publishers rejected J K Rowling? I bet they are kicking themselves, but the majority of unpublished books are likely to fail, so from a statistical point of view, giving a negative review is likely to be the best option.</p><p>All my reviews have been from customers. The vast majority are people I do not know. I have some exceeding good reviews from fantasy book review sites and these I treasure. I also have some bad reviews and these you have to accept. I have never asked friends or family for reviews. I trust the heartfelt reviews I have on blogs, Amazon and other sources far more than the one paid review (not Kirkus by the way) and sadly that experience really put me off.</p><p>I suggest self published authors think very hard about paying for reviews and that you question the person doing the review, to see if they are fair minded, and likely to read the book in its entirety. </p><p>If you want to look at my reviews to see what folk are saying, then check out <a href="http://davidburrows.org.uk/reviews.html" target="_blank">http://davidburrows.org.uk/reviews.html</a></p><p>Best of luck in a complicated field: David</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfbLQ8BZlZkBb35APta8gi8rDj7C9wNNKY3Xt-4oIV6OXbLj2WtCj-faKtpmxiL0TdTHfot1aJhaOuSoXdnhFQcPzQDbsf3YdlP4NHlVi2sfqaOiKMq347LVBw2JMqYymqdK1AdqUhQQv3gvoH2J4ZnIB6ZE-EChwV9FFj7lj5J8CNFXKUpsT0Ks-LFQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="345" data-original-width="209" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfbLQ8BZlZkBb35APta8gi8rDj7C9wNNKY3Xt-4oIV6OXbLj2WtCj-faKtpmxiL0TdTHfot1aJhaOuSoXdnhFQcPzQDbsf3YdlP4NHlVi2sfqaOiKMq347LVBw2JMqYymqdK1AdqUhQQv3gvoH2J4ZnIB6ZE-EChwV9FFj7lj5J8CNFXKUpsT0Ks-LFQ=w193-h320" width="193" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p> </p>DavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242265789174659113.post-22329719955038564322022-07-19T15:48:00.001+01:002022-07-19T15:48:16.176+01:00Fantasy versus Historical Fiction<p> I like both fantasy and Historical Fiction, but are the two mutually exclusive?</p><p>Strangely, there are huge similarities, especially in tales set in early periods. Many feature gods, epic battles and even some sorcery (usually people's superstitions, but who knows?)</p><p>When I am stuck for a good fantasy read, I invariably look to historical fiction and my favourite periods are Roman, Egyptian, Saxon and Viking. The author has to make you feel that you are in the period and this is not always achieved. </p><p>My favourite authors are Bernard Cornwell, Simon Scarrow and Wilbur Smith's Egypt series. Stephen Saylor really writes superbly about Rome but his tales are a tad slow so may not be to everyone's taste. I highly recommend him though.</p><p>If it's the battles that you like in Fantasy books then tales about Wars of the Roses (e.g. Con Iggulden) are worth reading. The range of medieval weapons (spears, bill, bill hook, longbow, flail, morning star, war hammer, axes and a multitude of swords and daggers etc) are truly terrifying.</p><p>Anyway, back to fantasy. Prophecy of the Kings has all the above, sorcery, wizards, huge battles, dragons, krell, grakyn and much more. Drachar's Demons is FREE in e book format (many e readers) and is the prequel to Prophecy of the Kings, so give it a try. Check out my website for further details on how to download this free e book <a href="http://davidburrows.org.uk/">http://davidburrows.org.uk/</a></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhW-EK_hPXUIFb44mpLVG0AcpFRLxWNM-wcyoEqKaTZaob8dz_2DEuDlL-XCHyfBHU3LGpyE4ac2N8ZSLnEOT0l1EXLqJiWLA5addbEvfxr_JhBqvvXhXgJdjW0qpRcV1bXq-gQDTy1BdYCzXb4JfIgVxOt3l4uMDxrdEjX2KZjmB-2TaxfmC7d8tWOzQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="474" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhW-EK_hPXUIFb44mpLVG0AcpFRLxWNM-wcyoEqKaTZaob8dz_2DEuDlL-XCHyfBHU3LGpyE4ac2N8ZSLnEOT0l1EXLqJiWLA5addbEvfxr_JhBqvvXhXgJdjW0qpRcV1bXq-gQDTy1BdYCzXb4JfIgVxOt3l4uMDxrdEjX2KZjmB-2TaxfmC7d8tWOzQ" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p>DavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242265789174659113.post-60504672199051831992022-02-14T15:26:00.002+00:002022-02-14T15:26:48.180+00:00Discounted - The Prophecy of the Kings fantasy trilogy 20% off<p> Get 20% off the Prophecy of the Kings books at Smashwords.</p><p>Use the code <span style="font-size: medium;">QW79C</span> which is valid until 1st April 2022.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://dwtr67e3ikfml.cloudfront.net/bookCovers/ac58ec20430568e9d8d47ad956fae642ec2f449f__300x0" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="454" data-original-width="300" height="454" src="https://dwtr67e3ikfml.cloudfront.net/bookCovers/ac58ec20430568e9d8d47ad956fae642ec2f449f__300x0" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/byseries/18404">https://www.smashwords.com/books/byseries/18404</a></p>DavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242265789174659113.post-15021923770673413892022-02-14T14:45:00.010+00:002022-02-14T15:14:24.230+00:00Free Fantasy ebook. Drachar's Demons<div style="text-align: left;">Download my ebook Drachar's Demons for free. It is available in several e reader formats. Use this coupon code <big style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212529; font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 21.6px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;">ZY65D</span></big><span style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px;"> . Normally priced at $6.99</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Drachar is cast out by his own people, the Eldric, and his magic ripped from him. But their spell was flawed and Drachar forges an alliance with the demons, promising them 100,000 souls in exchange for the return of his powers. How can he deliver so many souls? To make matters worse, the demons haunt his sleep, promising a terrible retribution if he fails to deliver.</div><p>Only all out war will deliver so many souls. The race is on. He must persuade Trosgarth to fight and ally with the united krell tribes, whist his people, the Eldric, must learn how to defeat the demons. No mean feat, for demons are not easily defeated and they will tear your soul from your body and drag it screaming to Hell.</p><p>There are some great reviews:</p><p>"Fans of high fantasy that features an eclectic array of races, strong plot and lots of well-realised battles should look no further as Drachar’s Demons will satisfy in all areas. I greatly look forward to watching this author’s catalogue grow in the future. 7.8 out of 10" <a href="https://www.fantasybookreview.co.uk/David-Burrows/Drachars-Demons.html">Fantasybookreview.co.uk</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
<div class="smashwords-widget" data-bgcolor="#fafafa" data-buttoncolor="#ffc801" data-font="sans" data-headline="Drachar's Demons" data-height="600" data-items="book:491179" data-ribboncolor="#4181c3" data-type="single" data-width="300" style="height: 600px; width: 300px;"></div>
<script async="async" id="smashwords-widget-js" src="//www.smashwidgets.com/1/widgets.js"></script>DavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242265789174659113.post-30534682101291624542022-02-12T10:49:00.003+00:002022-02-12T10:49:27.322+00:00My Top 20 fantasy Authors<p> If you are stuck as to what to read I have listed my <b>favourite fantasy authors</b> at <a href="http://www.writingabook.ninja/p/davids-author-blog.html">David's Top 20 Fantasy Authors</a></p><p>In addition, how about reading <b>historical fiction</b>? It is very close to fantasy with battles, superstition, gods and sorcery. Well, at east in the early historical fiction novels.</p><p>I have listed my favourites at <a href="http://www.writingabook.ninja/p/davids-top-historical-fiction-reads.html">David's Top Historical Fiction Authors</a></p><p>There are some truly awesome books here. I love tales about Rome and Egypt. </p><p>There are also my books, T<b>he Prophecy of the Kings</b>. The comprise a host of familiar fantasy creatures such as <b>dragons, imps, dwarves and demons</b> and some new ones such as <b>krell, death knights, grakyn</b> and others. </p><p>The image on my website <a href="http://www.davidburrows.org.uk/">http://www.davidburrows.org.uk/</a> is taken from towards the end of Book 1 - Legacy of the Eldric. That is set deep in the heart of a mountain, where Kaplyn and the others find the Tree of Life and on its branches small, glowing fruit. There is a dark secret behind the fruit that could plunge the land into a terrible war. </p><p>The image below is that of Shastlan, in Book 3, leading dragons in the annihilation of his enemies. Woe, betide befriending dragons though, as Shastlan finds out to his cost.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUCrGuSSW49mqhQ7EW_94ZRFBaheFgEjSiUDeR8PBJdZVq4PvPYNarXy6gZIWSmCzGyRkBfEzf-1rrbZJ3WnXucfcDG64fhFqEadugtLXWyttN5mM6GoG9CaWFDiVdWeglRnCNGWzx4IZoofrC49TQcuOzF-ZKeaR7hitlcZhhMdSV3vIdSUflMqbbGQ=s6100" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3508" data-original-width="6100" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUCrGuSSW49mqhQ7EW_94ZRFBaheFgEjSiUDeR8PBJdZVq4PvPYNarXy6gZIWSmCzGyRkBfEzf-1rrbZJ3WnXucfcDG64fhFqEadugtLXWyttN5mM6GoG9CaWFDiVdWeglRnCNGWzx4IZoofrC49TQcuOzF-ZKeaR7hitlcZhhMdSV3vIdSUflMqbbGQ=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Good reading and let me know who is your favourite author. Visit my website for more information about my books <a href="http://www.davidburrows.org.uk/">http://www.davidburrows.org.uk/</a><br /><p><br /></p>DavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242265789174659113.post-62296127037531694722020-12-15T15:06:00.000+00:002020-12-15T15:06:11.671+00:00My Watercolour Artwork. My best to date, I think. Reindeer in the snow :)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjig705j2NKafjDWNi2VH00XkfdtLiXUJqIqFB9uhaSBOolO3VPzSvwbKwLXSFRxAe58c0gbC15k5JBTrQI0gzcDSKfWSTW-e9ZLPT5Hm6eE8D_tv2lSK2cUpAilJ5kyilkNgsPSwGgq_xG/s1440/131133474_10225346924325242_3349790602839176370_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjig705j2NKafjDWNi2VH00XkfdtLiXUJqIqFB9uhaSBOolO3VPzSvwbKwLXSFRxAe58c0gbC15k5JBTrQI0gzcDSKfWSTW-e9ZLPT5Hm6eE8D_tv2lSK2cUpAilJ5kyilkNgsPSwGgq_xG/w400-h300/131133474_10225346924325242_3349790602839176370_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> Been struggling with watercolours recently. Not an easy medium. However, this one came out OK I think. Writing is so much easier but painting has its rewards. Would love to improve though.<p></p>DavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242265789174659113.post-54103204920378343152020-12-15T13:51:00.002+00:002020-12-15T13:51:51.075+00:00Great Christmas Savings Especially For You<p> For a limited time, my books are:</p><p>1. Legacy of the Eldric FREE </p><p>2. Dragon Rider and Shadow of the Demon 50% off</p><p>The offer is good from the 18th December 2020 through to the 1st January 2021. The three books make up the Prophecy of the Kings trilogy which is getting great reviews. </p><p>To find my books, click this link: <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Davidburrows" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">David's Book Savings</span></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLkdhzEeXEY5iXkxkcHFippqpGjZagcOng8fvEn4KzcaQoM-GLOBeLmYwsVcrt0SHoHxZ5Elyy25_7AAQcQeiSttl1yC5B3PAsb7BM397vdEmNbIaVNkzAntsqHwrYI-m0gHuIH-SDg-F-/s1200/Prophecy_kings_4.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLkdhzEeXEY5iXkxkcHFippqpGjZagcOng8fvEn4KzcaQoM-GLOBeLmYwsVcrt0SHoHxZ5Elyy25_7AAQcQeiSttl1yC5B3PAsb7BM397vdEmNbIaVNkzAntsqHwrYI-m0gHuIH-SDg-F-/w400-h225/Prophecy_kings_4.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />DavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242265789174659113.post-85972728119863968472020-11-02T12:18:00.005+00:002020-11-02T12:18:53.783+00:00Many Thanks to my Goodreads Winners<p>Many thanks to you all for entering the give-away and winning the <b>Prophecy of the Kings</b>. It is Fantasy so I hope it is to your taste. I am getting varied reviews with many good ones. </p><p>If you are interested in my website check out <a href="http://davidburrows.org.uk/" target="_blank">http://davidburrows.org.uk/</a> There is some additional information, a hidden map to find, and links to my blog and fantasy jokes page. </p><p>Best wishes. </p><p>David</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4I4VAiFj7-nM6OfWs1SNOaEHiO2NdRJ8KoP72NC_GzDYw7UxPBIBUkq9dt4oupp7k4T91CjL52w33mtj_36rvrOe2dRNqr5vpZbwdfrUobaq-Vka5Y4W1nbc8f2_lKjGzPwwB4su4LgW9/s1200/Prophecy_kings_5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4I4VAiFj7-nM6OfWs1SNOaEHiO2NdRJ8KoP72NC_GzDYw7UxPBIBUkq9dt4oupp7k4T91CjL52w33mtj_36rvrOe2dRNqr5vpZbwdfrUobaq-Vka5Y4W1nbc8f2_lKjGzPwwB4su4LgW9/s320/Prophecy_kings_5.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCUO-SMYEa8I65X0dd4N4LmsB8K4a_ROi6vX5nxiIajLW3tFLF6C2S1fMv0iS9ldGrKw8C2ieI8EXqf0Q3CA_f51bysVgKBMYpuAnFfd1IRZTYW8jXNOnY63vLR6It5RksUwomyQKZcKq/s3128/Omnibus+%25282016_08_12+18_08_12+UTC%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3128" data-original-width="1890" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCUO-SMYEa8I65X0dd4N4LmsB8K4a_ROi6vX5nxiIajLW3tFLF6C2S1fMv0iS9ldGrKw8C2ieI8EXqf0Q3CA_f51bysVgKBMYpuAnFfd1IRZTYW8jXNOnY63vLR6It5RksUwomyQKZcKq/s320/Omnibus+%25282016_08_12+18_08_12+UTC%2529.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Save money - Also available as the Omnibus edition. </div><br /><p><br /></p>DavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242265789174659113.post-40918020448804005162020-10-28T14:03:00.002+00:002020-10-28T14:03:50.697+00:00Goodreads Book Giveaway Ends Soon. You Must Enter by End October to Win. <p> </p><div class="goodreadsGiveawayWidget" style="border-radius: 10px; border: 2px solid rgb(235, 232, 213); margin: 10px auto; max-width: 350px; padding: 10px 15px;"><h2 style="color: #555555; font-size: 20px; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com" rel="nofollow" target="_new">Goodreads</a> Book Giveaway. Ends Soon.</h2><div style="float: left;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18880561" rel="nofollow"><img alt="Prophecy of the Kings by David Burrows" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1385084449l/18880561.jpg" title="Prophecy of the Kings by David Burrows" width="100" /></a> </div><div style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 110px; padding: 0px;"><h3 style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18880561" rel="nofollow">Prophecy of the Kings</a></h3><h4 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2959329.David_Burrows" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line: none;">David Burrows</a></h4><div class="giveaway_details"><p>Giveaway ends November 01, 2020.</p><p>See the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/312871" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line: none;">giveaway details</a> at Goodreads.</p></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><a class="goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink" href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/enter_kindle_giveaway/312871" rel="nofollow">Enter Giveaway</a></div><div class="goodreadsGiveawayWidget" style="border-radius: 10px; border: 2px solid rgb(235, 232, 213); margin: 10px auto; max-width: 350px; padding: 10px 15px;">Click the above link to win an e-book copy of the Prophecy of the Kings. This offer is for the full trilogy comprising; Legacy of the Edric, Dragon Rider and Shadow of the Demon.</div><div class="goodreadsGiveawayWidget" style="border-radius: 10px; border: 2px solid rgb(235, 232, 213); margin: 10px auto; max-width: 350px; padding: 10px 15px;"> Vastra, a self-professed sorcerer, a braggart, and a liar, seeks an Eldric talisman. His motives are his own, but his knowledge of the Eldric, an ancient race which mysteriously vanished from the land eons ago, hooks Kaplyn and persuades him to accompany the sour sorcerer. They are joined by Lars, shipwrecked and friendless, an outcast on the Allund shore. Their journey takes them to a mysterious tower, set with traps and reveals tantalising clues to the Eldric’s disappearance. As they travel, ever present, is the threat of a demon attack. People are very superstitious and garlands and trinkets ward against a possible threat, but the people are largely ignorant of their own history. Kaplyn learns from a reluctant Vastra that the demon threat is far more real than envisaged. Their quest to find the Eldric becomes both sinister and urgent. </div>DavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242265789174659113.post-43884773038943136762020-10-28T14:00:00.001+00:002020-10-28T14:07:27.987+00:00Extreme Book Reviews - How Polar are These?<p> I pride myself on honest reviews and have never asked family or friends to post reviews. The extreme nature of these two reviews is amazing and reflects diversity of opinion. How far diverse these are is an eye-opener. </p><p>Both are about Drachar's Demons, the prequel to The Prophecy of the Kings. It is a free ebook and is available in many formats <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/491179" target="_blank">https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/491179</a></p><p><b>The first review was: </b></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px;">"First of all i was really looking forward to reading Drachar's Demons as i have read many fantasy books and i just love how they allow you to enter a whole new world and leave your own problems right outside for awhile.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 13px;">This book has to quite honestly be one of the best Fantasy books that i have read in a long time!.It really kept me turning the pages (i had the just one more page syndrome) long after i should have gone to sleep and to me that is a sign of an excellent book right there.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 13px;">The book truly has some epic battles and has so much of what makes a classic Fantasy and it really hits all the top notes.The whole visual world and in depth characters really do have u envisioning the action taking places and the people involved.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 13px;">There is so much going on,love,betrayal,epic battles,adventure,revenge,survival,and some heartbreaking losses.So there is something for everyone.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 13px;">The way the Authors write about how the characters feel about what is happening gives u a really good personal insight into their worlds,thoughts and feelings and really brings the characters to life.It's a very in depth and goes in to great detail about how it all happened.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 13px;">it's easy to see how much David Andrew Burrows enjoyed writing this book and i think the passion that he puts in to his writing makes the reader enjoy it as much as he enjoyed writing it.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 13px;">I'd definitely recommend :)"</span></p><p><b style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The second was a bit more succinct:</b></p><p><span style="color: #0f1111;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px;"><b>"Do not I repeat, do not get this book. A retarded 5 year old could write better. This is terrible."</b></span></span></p><p><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 13px;">Both reviews can be found here <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Drachars-Demons-David-Burrows-ebook/product-reviews/B006F63352/ref=cm_cr_othr_d_show_all_btm?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=all_reviews" target="_blank">Amazon reviews Drachar's Demons</a></span></p><p>I do hope more people fall in to category 1 than 2 but if in doubt - check my website for sample chapters and more reviews. Good reading. :) <a href="http://davidburrows.org.uk/" target="_blank">http://davidburrows.org.uk/</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAV6U4nun1RmWUCpTI2Hwzz65CgYo-VQCrbRG08FIXJLtXStjRiuqsg8IgJmspOyNIdWYogza8wD0jzdQLC6UXVJCR_SVNDXZ3oF_V3L4wqlRrCQBoqp5ZNvcoSVk-31yyZGBWXJseWI-T/s887/FcoverDrachar%2527sDemons+%25282016_08_12+18_08_12+UTC%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="887" data-original-width="609" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAV6U4nun1RmWUCpTI2Hwzz65CgYo-VQCrbRG08FIXJLtXStjRiuqsg8IgJmspOyNIdWYogza8wD0jzdQLC6UXVJCR_SVNDXZ3oF_V3L4wqlRrCQBoqp5ZNvcoSVk-31yyZGBWXJseWI-T/s320/FcoverDrachar%2527sDemons+%25282016_08_12+18_08_12+UTC%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span face="Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></span></p>DavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242265789174659113.post-72772262271728153492020-10-24T11:44:00.005+01:002020-10-24T11:48:10.047+01:00How to Lose a Contact Lens in Style<p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPUM3GhZyB-2qE-_QrWbgiXriTe2pdZ6_1bviYCihQFzSCRw71JpDGl2bPYl6-gJv0R7UA2gn9x0Z5Hjqbp3pXZjSAnOvOm68tt17jP1eEQoRByVDFVL1m8LGqSNr1MLH2_KLTwujvxHnf/s1290/IceClimb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="909" data-original-width="1290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPUM3GhZyB-2qE-_QrWbgiXriTe2pdZ6_1bviYCihQFzSCRw71JpDGl2bPYl6-gJv0R7UA2gn9x0Z5Hjqbp3pXZjSAnOvOm68tt17jP1eEQoRByVDFVL1m8LGqSNr1MLH2_KLTwujvxHnf/s320/IceClimb.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p>Some years ago I ice-climbed as a hobby, with my friend, Andy. One time we climbed Ben Nevis. One side of the mountain is a reasonably easy ramble, however the other side has a number of quite difficult rock and ice-climbs. We were on Tower Gully.We both had crampons and an ice ax each. No ropes as it was a grade 1/2 and the main difficulty was the cornice, an overhang of ice, at the top, which we would have to dig through. </p><p>I initially found the climb easy and exhilarating. That soon stopped.</p><p>I think we are all afraid of heights as I soon discovered. My friend was above and he hit a patch of water ice. That is ice that is very hard and it shatters when you hit it with an ax. He called down and suggested we retreat and then move across sideways and try and go around the water ice.</p><p>I looked between my legs as I descended and that was terrifying. The climb is two thousand feet and looking down was horrible. Talk about disco knee. We descended and then went sideways and resumed the climb. We could hear cracks as somewhere on the mountain ice and/or snow fell. I wouldn't say avalanche as that would be too dramatic, but it was unnerving, nevertheless.</p><p>At some point a flake of ice or snow landed in my eye. I blinked and out popped my hard contact lens. Andy asked why I had stopped and I said I had lost my lens. Exasperated he said to carry on. Amazingly I saw the lens. It had frozen to the surface in front of me. Putting my arm through the loop of my ax I managed to reinsert my lens. </p><p>We eventually got to the cornice. There was a ledge beneath it and I sat on that whilst Andy used my ax to hang on and his to dig through the overhang. Sitting on the ledge was horrible.The view was amazing but I was conscious of the weight of ice above me and the frop below. It was too easy for the ice to give way. Andy was also in danger as a cornice could collapse and carry him away. With my ax!</p><p>He succeeded and together we gained the summit. One hell of an experience and very exciting.</p><p>Anyone else lost and recovered a lens in bizarre circumstances? The photo is of me and Andy on top of a Munro. Not sure which though but clearly a white-out. Camera on timer given there were just the two of us.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>DavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242265789174659113.post-9522683276095653012020-10-04T11:06:00.000+01:002020-10-04T11:06:05.322+01:00A Secret Metal Detector Find Finally Exposed<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal">“Why are you crying, Guthrum?” Alfrec asked.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Guthrum was a picture of misery, sitting amongst the
hedgerow, his knees to his chest. His threadbare tunic damp from his tears.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Dad is going to kill me,” Guthrum snivelled, wiping his
nose with his sleeve.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“I won’t let him,” Alfrec replied and Guthrum choked on a
half-sob, half-laugh.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“You are two years younger than me. If Dad beats me half to
death how can you help?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Alfrec looked down, his well-meant intent shining in his
eyes. Guthrum regretted his reply and said, “You are brave to offer, but I have
to face him myself.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“What have you done?” Alfrec asked, sitting alongside his
brother. The day was warm and the sky clear. It was almost pleasant sitting in
the dappled shade. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“He gave me a penny to buy a chicken, but I lost the penny.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Where did you lose it?” Alfrec asked. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Guthrum snorted. “If I knew that I wouldn’t be sitting
here.” Alfrec cast Guthrum a glance that suggested the reply was unhelpful. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“I had it in my pouch,” Guthrum said. “I stopped when I saw
a hare and took out my sling, but the time I had my sling ready the hare had
gone.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Empty your pouch and let’s check,” Alfrec offered.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Guthrum upended his pouch and his worldly belonging spilled
out onto the damp grass. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“What’s that,” Alfrec asked pointing at one object.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“That’s a bat’s wing,” Guthrum said picking it up. “It
brings me luck.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Well I would get rid of that. It clearly hasn’t helped.”
Alfrec said. “No sign of the coin then. Can we steal a chicken?” he suggested
hopefully. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“What and have my hand cut off? No thanks. There’s nothing
for it, but to face Dad and take a beating as well as I can.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Alfrec looked down, “You are braver than me. I’d run away
before facing him.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The two boys sat in silence, neither wanting to hurry toward
the dreaded encounter.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jack grinned. “Bloody hell,” he said with a whoop. His
detector had given him a faint signal and now a glimmer of silver stood out in
stark contrast with the black loamy soil. His fingers scratched at the dirt
revealing more of the object.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“What u got,” Kev asked, coming over and laying his own detector
down before removing his headphones. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“A hammered, I think.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Bloody hell, is right,” Kev said reaching out to take the
object which now sat in Jack’s hand. “That’s a Saxon penny.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jack stood and promptly started his hammie-dance. “Oh yes!
Oh yes!” he chortled as he circled round his friend. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Kev grinned, “Great find, mate. This’ll be find of the
month.” Neither men gave a thought to the lad who had lost it and the beating
he took from his irate father ad if Guthrum had been alive to see Jack’s hammie-dance,
he would have groaned to see such peculiar cavorting by a grown man.<o:p></o:p></p>DavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242265789174659113.post-65267618518113636562020-10-03T16:22:00.000+01:002020-10-03T16:22:43.666+01:00100 Book Giveaway. Your Chance to Win an e-Book Copy of the Complete Prophecy of the Kings Trilogy<p> </p><div id="goodreadsGiveawayWidget312871"><!--Show static html as a placeholder in case js is not enabled-->
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<h2 style="color: #555555; font-size: 20px; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com" rel="nofollow" target="_new">Goodreads</a> Book Giveaway
</h2>
<div style="float: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18880561" rel="nofollow"><img alt="Prophecy of the Kings by David Burrows" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1385084449l/18880561.jpg" title="Prophecy of the Kings by David Burrows" width="100" /></a>
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<h3 style="font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18880561" rel="nofollow">Prophecy of the Kings</a>
</h3>
<h4 style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">
by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2959329.David_Burrows" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration: none;">David Burrows</a>
</h4>
<div class="giveaway_details">
<p>
Giveaway ends November 01, 2020.
</p>
<p>
See the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/312871" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration: none;">giveaway details</a>
at Goodreads.
</p>
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<a class="goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink" href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/enter_kindle_giveaway/312871" rel="nofollow">Enter Giveaway</a>
</div><div class="goodreadsGiveawayWidget" style="border-radius: 10px; border: 2px solid rgb(235, 232, 213); margin: 10px auto; max-width: 350px; padding: 10px 15px;">Click the above link to win an e-book copy of the Prophecy of the Kings. This offer is for the full trilogy comprising; Legacy of the Edric, Dragon Rider and Shadow of the Demon.</div><div class="goodreadsGiveawayWidget" style="border-radius: 10px; border: 2px solid rgb(235, 232, 213); margin: 10px auto; max-width: 350px; padding: 10px 15px;"> Vastra, a self-professed sorcerer, a braggart, and a liar,
seeks an Eldric talisman. His motives are his own, but his knowledge of the
Eldric, an ancient race which mysteriously vanished from the land eons ago,
hooks Kaplyn and persuades him to accompany the sour sorcerer. They are joined
by Lars, shipwrecked and friendless, an outcast on the Allund shore. Their
journey takes them to a mysterious tower, set with traps and reveals tantalising
clues to the Eldric’s disappearance. As they travel, ever present, is the
threat of a demon attack. People are very superstitious and garlands and
trinkets ward against a possible threat, but the people are largely ignorant of
their own history. Kaplyn learns from a reluctant Vastra that the demon threat
is far more real than envisaged. Their quest to find the Eldric becomes both
sinister and urgent. </div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
</div><script charset="utf-8" src="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/widget/312871" type="text/javascript"></script>DavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242265789174659113.post-81064428411614368912020-10-03T12:53:00.003+01:002020-10-03T12:53:28.135+01:00Game for a Laugh :)<p> In these grim times, check out my Fantasy Jokes Blog. <a href="https://davidsfantasyjokes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">https://davidsfantasyjokes.blogspot.com/</a> It is easy to make up a joke, so feel free and send me one. For example, replace elephant for a troll in elephant jokes. Bring a smile to our faces.</p><p>One of my favourite:</p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Paddy the orc takes his mates back to see his new flat, and after a few more beers one of the lads asks him whats the big brass gong hanging on the wall,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Paddy says, "Its my speaking clock" !</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">"How does it work?" his mate asks.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">"I'll show you", and Paddy hits it full pelt with a claw hammer,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">A deep troll-voice from next door yells"For fucks sake you orc-git, its twenty to three in the morning!!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Best wishes</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br />David</span></p>DavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242265789174659113.post-68845817285636433922019-06-11T15:35:00.002+01:002019-06-11T15:35:37.722+01:00Writing a Book: Author Website, SEO and KeywordsI may have made a mistake. I recently paid for an SEO tool and to be honest, I am not sure it was a wise investment. Only when I spent time and effort on Keywords did I realise that I had a problem. Not one of my pages was showing up in Google Ranking, despite finding some promising keywords with low competition. I spoke to the staff of the SEO tool and asked whether it was their tool that was at fault and apparently the Google Ranking is nothing to do with them. So what went wrong and why do I feel that I has spent money unwisely?<br />
<br />
Keywords are difficult and in <a href="https://www.google.com/intl/en_uk/webmasters/#?modal_active=none">Google Webmaster Tools</a> I investigated many keywords and combinations of words and what they might score in terms of (a) the number of people searching for these keywords and (b) the competition. These are the essential parameters for finding optimised keywords.<br />
<br />
Ideally you want a keyword that gets lots of people searching for it and also has low competition i.e. few websites containing these keywords. If the competition is high e.g. searching for FANTASY then there are large numbers of websites with that keyword. The optimum site using this keyword has it (1) in the web address (2) the page title (3) in the Meta Tag (4) in the first Heading (5) in subsequent headings. The key difficulty is in the web address and unless your website has YYYfantasy.com then it is unlikely to be found.<br />
<br />
Searching for longer keywords such as High Fantasy narrows the search but on Google Webmaster High Fantasy has very low searches per month although the competition is lower. The problem is also knowing what people are searching for. A search for Recommended Books gets well over 1000 searches a month but again the competition is very high. Recommended Fantasy Books is a surprisingly low search rate. I have checked many combinations of keywords and many have a very low search rate. Many were 100 a month. They are simply not worth using although the conversion rate (i.e. the length of time people spend on your site is improved).<br />
<br />
Sensibly, I searched what other authors use as keywords and guess what I found. Of the 10-11 author websites I looked at - there were absolutely no keywords. A lot of sites (the majority) used the authors name as the webpage address (mine is <a href="http://davidburrows.org.uk/">davidburrows.org.uk</a> as an example) so unless you knew the author's name it was difficult to locate the web page. - in other words, other authors had hit the same problem I had.<br />
<br />
I shall keep you informed if I make any progress to counter this view but authors are clearly finding other ways of getting their web pages found. For the likes of George RR Martin, this is easy as his books and his name are well known. For less well known authors it is having other websites point to their web page which is the key to getting traffic. Ideally a well known corporation (e.g. the BBC) discussing your book and linking to your website is a vast improvement. I have several good Book Review sites inking to my website and this has certainly helped my traffic.<br />
<br />
So, as far as spending money on SEO and keywords, I would advise against this. If you have a different experience then let me know.<br />
<br />
DavidDavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242265789174659113.post-83548211089592293182019-05-23T11:11:00.003+01:002019-06-11T15:36:18.531+01:00Wonderful and Heartfelt Review<div class="a-row a-spacing-mini" data-hook="genome-widget" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 770.234px;">
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M.L Ruscsak<div style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "amazon ember", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
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<a class="a-link-normal" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R7MOJP4E9VQE/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B006672PRW" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0066c0; text-decoration-line: none;" title="5.0 out of 5 stars"><i class="a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating" data-hook="review-star-rating" style="background-image: url("https://m.media-amazon.com/images/G/01/AUIClients/AmazonUIIcon@legacyImages-sprite_1x-6c462f5dc3bc3e40d0788502814fa7043355712a._V2_.png"); background-position: -5px -368px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: 400px 900px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: 18px; position: relative; vertical-align: text-top; width: 80px;"><span class="a-icon-alt" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-size: inherit; height: 18px; left: auto; line-height: normal; opacity: 0; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: auto; width: 80px;">5.0 out of 5 stars</span></i></a><span class="a-letter-space" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; width: 0.385em;"></span><a class="a-size-base a-link-normal review-title a-color-base review-title-content a-text-bold" data-hook="review-title" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R7MOJP4E9VQE/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B006672PRW" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-weight: 700 !important; line-height: 19px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">Fantastic Read from start to finish</a></div>
January 27, 2018<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Prophecy-Kings-Trilogy-David-Burrows/product-reviews/1450520545/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_fmt?ie=UTF8&sortBy=recent&formatType=current_format">Format: Paperback</a>I received this book via the Author's Den for an honest review. Entering with an open mind and a full day to read. Yes an entire 8 hours devoted to reading.I was not disappointed in the world that was created nor the author's style of writing. Five out of Five stars.<br />
From the very first sentence of page one it grabs you. The attention to detail is amazing and the reader can immerse themselves into the world that is being created. Just the right amount of death, Magic intrigue.<br />
Absolutely perfect from start to finish.<br />
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DavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242265789174659113.post-70871124893818122862019-01-27T16:46:00.002+00:002019-01-27T16:46:49.476+00:00Losing weight. What a con.Been exercising all my life but have been putting weight on recently having switched from jogging too gym. I was told going to the gym doesn't lose you weight as it converts fat to muscle. Not sure how true that is but my experience is not good. I topped my heaviest yet despite twice a week at the gym including swimming. I spend 20 minutes on the cross trainer, then go on a circuit around the exercise room, followed by a 15 minute swim. Having put weight on I decided to try harder at the gym and to swim further. The next day I had added 2 lbs. Shocking.<br />
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I have now given up with the cross trainer and started running on the treadmill. Not sure if this will help. Perhaps getting heavier is an age thing or perhaps I have swallowed a micro black-hole. In any event, keep trying. Porky.<br />
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Anyone else struggling? Any tips?DavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242265789174659113.post-12056677597911425292018-12-12T16:17:00.002+00:002018-12-12T16:17:37.657+00:00Free Book for ChristmasDownload Drachar's Demons. A fantasy novel that has received some great reviews. It is FREE in many formats. Visit <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/491179"><span style="font-size: large;">https://www.smashwords.com/drachar'sdemons</span></a><br />
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Read reviews here - <a href="http://davidburrows.org.uk/dracharsdemons.html">http://davidburrows.org.uk/dracharsdemons.html</a><br />
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Remember it is FREE to download and would make a great Christmas gift.<br />
<br />DavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242265789174659113.post-85471705877068872582018-10-30T16:06:00.002+00:002018-10-30T16:06:18.247+00:00Drachar's Demons - Free ebook on Nook, Kindle, itunes or KoboDownload Drachar's Demons FREE and read believable fantasy by David and Andrew Burrows. A great tale that will hold you spellbound to the very last page. Download either Nook (Barnes Noble), i tunes, Kindle (Smashwords) or in Kobo format. (Tell Amazon it is free on these sites and Amazon may make their Kindle edition free.)<br />
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Click below for your free download<br />
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<a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/drachars-demons-david-burrows/1107304680?type=eBook">Nook</a><br />
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/drachars-demons/id944132288?mt=11">Itunes</a><br />
<a href="https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/drachar-s-demons">Kobo</a><br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/491179">Smashwords</a><br />
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Drachar is a ruthless and ambitious sorcerer who will stop at nothing to wreak revenge against those who betrayed him. From a lowly, although arrogant Eldric lord to commander of the most deadly army the land has ever seen, he pitches relentless hordes of powerful soul devouring demons against his own people, the Eldric.<br />
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Fierce battle is to commence and all in its path must fight or risk their soul being sent screaming from their twitching corpses. Madness tears at Drachar, a constant reminder of what should happen if he fails in his bloody pact; delivering one hundred thousand souls to the demons in exchange for the greatest of power. The Eldric must learn to summon demons of their own to stand any chance against Drachar’s deadly arsenal of krell, demons and grakyn.<br />
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Magic and swords clash together in a war of such catastrophic proportions that the world will be forever stricken. Join Drachar the outcast as he rises to omnipotence. The die are cast and events are set in motion that look set to destroy the world. <br />
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The race is on for war threatens; a war like no other for sorcerer will battle sorcerer and demon set against demon.<br />
<br />DavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242265789174659113.post-87618597328461208962018-09-05T15:15:00.000+01:002018-09-05T15:15:06.077+01:00Russian Orc JokeHeard about the Orc with a bad cold...<br />
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He's called Ivor ChestycovDavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242265789174659113.post-35069690452426922502018-07-16T14:43:00.000+01:002018-07-16T14:43:05.286+01:00Another Orc Joke<br />
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As fantasy fans will know, Orcs travel in groups known as bands. Unless of course they have a strings section, in which case they are an orc-estra. 😊</div>
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Submitted by Fred Baer</div>
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<br />DavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242265789174659113.post-28734617135839777672018-04-19T15:03:00.002+01:002018-04-19T15:03:40.914+01:00Great Ending to the Trilogy: Wings of the Storm by Giles Kristian<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29214421-wings-of-the-storm" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Wings of the Storm (The Rise of Sigurd, #3)" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1465738620m/29214421.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29214421-wings-of-the-storm">Wings of the Storm</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2776821.Giles_Kristian">Giles Kristian</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2366380046">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Great fun throughout and the ending certainly impresses. There are some nice twists to the plot and how Sigurd builds his army is great fun. The author has a devious mind. I really enjoyed the series and the description of the period felt very real. Life was hard and those that went Viking, raiding, certainly lived on a knife edge. It was very easy to raid poor farmers at little cost to life and limb, but the rewards were clearly limited, so Vikings had to aim higher. This comes across very well in this tale and I particularly liked it when Sigurd's crew raided a poor farmstead and then ended up defending him against a more malevolent crew. <br /><br />The ending is not clear cut and the fighting is very hard which makes for a good tale.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1924971-david">View all my reviews</a><br />
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DavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242265789174659113.post-16815825897328912352018-04-19T14:55:00.003+01:002018-04-19T14:55:48.841+01:00The Viking Saga Continues; Winter's Fire by Giles Kristian.<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23128332-winter-s-fire" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Winter's Fire (The Rise of Sigurd, #2)" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1460666376m/23128332.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23128332-winter-s-fire">Winter's Fire</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2776821.Giles_Kristian">Giles Kristian</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2366372539">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Book 1 ended with Sigurd's depleted crew having achieved a significant aim in their quest for vengeance. There are some really good characters in this novel and they all seem to have a part to play. The period comes alive with a very imaginative description of Viking times. Some readers have complained about the fight sequences being unrealistic in that bodies cannot be cut in half but forget that, the battle scenes are highly enjoyable and leave you on the edge of your seat. I have handled a Dane axe and have watched documentary programmes about these, and they can do serious damage, however, the period is a little early for these monsters of destruction.<br /><br />Sigurd gets into many scrapes and manages to get out of these by being Odin favoured. The nice thing about that is it is just words, but Sigurd unsettles his enemy just by the stating he is Odin favoured and the more scrapes he survives the bigger the legend. Sigurd goes to extremes to ensure his reputation as being Odin favoured is increased. <br /><br />The tale is a little slow to start with and then progresses nicely. This is fun writing and great tale.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1924971-david">View all my reviews</a><br />
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DavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242265789174659113.post-67893780794727388912018-04-19T14:41:00.001+01:002018-04-19T14:41:35.998+01:00Viking Treat - God of Vengeance: Giles Kristian<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18332123-god-of-vengeance" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="God of Vengeance (The Rise of Sigurd, #1)" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1387147657m/18332123.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18332123-god-of-vengeance">God of Vengeance</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2776821.Giles_Kristian">Giles Kristian</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2366361381">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
If you are short of fantasy to read then is a cracker of a substitute. Plenty of action, sword and axes galore. Well written with an easy to read narrative. I really enjoyed this tale. Book 1 is full of woe and everything goes wrong in Sigurd's life and he swears vengeance against a King and a Jarl (Danish chief) for the betrayal of his father and clan. The description is very grim and bloody with a lot of action followed by a relatively slow period. The writing style is sufficiently good to keep the reader engaged. The author's knowledge of the period is good enough to give a convincing read. The Vikings are driven by Odin/Thor to the exclusion of all else. That may be unrealistic in normal life but with the blood oath it certainly makes a good read. Great fun.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1924971-david">View all my reviews</a><br />
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DavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7242265789174659113.post-8481496294475273512018-04-07T12:06:00.002+01:002018-04-07T13:29:01.034+01:00Writing a book. Using Life Experiences. Part 2, Fighting.For many years I was a Saxon/Viking re-enactor in Regia Anglorum <a href="https://regia.org/">https://regia.org/</a>. This has really helped my fantasy writing. It gave me first hand experiences of using a sword, spear, bow, shield etc. All our weapons were metal and weighed the same as weapons from the period. We weren't seriously injured, but I did get fractured fingers and cracked my ribs twice so it wasn't for the faint-hearted.<br />
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One of the most useful experiences was fighting in all the armour of a Saxon warrior. Chain mail is heavy and weighs about 40 lb. With the helmet, shield and other accouterments it certainly adds up and on a hot summers day it can be very daunting. A padded jacket (gambeson) is worn beneath the armour otherwise you feel every blow. The gambeson absorbs much of the shock and prevents the chain mail links jabbing into flesh which would seriously hurt. The downside of a gambeson is that you heat up even more in battle. Being several layers of wool, you don't half sweat.<br />
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With all this weight and heat, men fighting in armour need to be rotated out of the front line fighting to rest. This is very hard to do in the heat of battle and would normally happen between clashes, should that happen. Shields add to the burden and are also used as a weapon. Inadvertently, in my training days, my shield was occasionally shoved into my face and that hurts. In battle this would have been deliberate. A shield clash in itself is very scary and can break a defensive position.<br />
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Rarely was anyone bloodied in our fighting and that has to come from imagination. Someone once pointed out that cutting an artery causes blood to spurt, so spears/swords, axes would have caused horrific injuries and the air would have been filled with a fine mist of blood. Having bitten my tongue I know the taste of blood and it is often described as metallic in taste Imagine, then, the air literally filled with a fine mist. It must have been truly awful. Tales of King Arthur and his knight portray a noble fighting which is very far from reality. Add the screams of wounded and dying men and a battle must have been a dreadful experience.<br />
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I have also faced a cavalry charge. The horses were meant to stop in front of our shield wall, but one horse skidded and hit a man in the line. The horse's momentum propelled the unfortunate man about twenty feet backwards through the air...and that was unintentional! If the charge had been maintained then people would have been smashed from the line and bodies flung far and wide. Horses won't naturally charge a line of people but spurs raking their flesh and a compact line of horses will break a shield wall.<br />
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I have also faced archers and that is not a threat...initially. Arrows fired into the air can be countered by a raised shield. However, in the chaos of battle with spears coming at you from any direction, the threat from cavalry etc an archer can be overlooked. Archers were to be feared and in later battles when the bow draw strength was typically 100 lb and with a bodkin tip, armour and shield were no longer proof against an arrow.<br />
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A further issue I had not considered was how hard it is to kill a man in armour. Many of the skeletons discovered from graves near battle sites show wounds on their arms. It often took many blows to kill a person and broken bones were just as likely to kill given swords rarely punctured mail. Fighting was a hacking process with perhaps little finesse. The advent of the mace was exactly this, a weapon to smash bones.<br />
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Fortunately for us, once the battle was ended, there was a call for "Dead Arise" so we managed to survive each and every battle. I pity the poor unfortunates that didn't.<br />
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<br />DavidjBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02749495407528515513noreply@blogger.com0