Technology

Was there any particular technology you found useful in writing your book?

We have been experimenting with producing E -books for a long time. We have switched away from Microsoft to Apple because ( in our opinion ) Word formatting leaves (or did leave ) hidden markers which mess about with the final E-book product.

We now use Pages.

As you are  aware we have made use of my website. You have seen how effective it can be when communicating across the globe.

The section of the website you have used could be offered to any author at a cost of below 100 pounds Stirling per annum. Publishers, editors or anyone else who is interested could see a “close to the final product” just by logging on.

There is however a reluctance to use it by many people in the publishing industry. I have been told many times that it is of little interest and I should submit my first chapter as a word document, double spaced and properly formatted.

In fact you are the first person outside of my close associates and readers to have used the web  constructively. I am absolutely delighted with the outcome.

Some people we talked to, and indeed, the style manual from my writing course stipulated that paragraph formatting should not have any spaces between paragraphs. The first  paragraph in every chapter should have no first line indent, but that the first line in every other paragraph should be indented.

This is easy to achieve in a word processor but not on a web site which has different conventions. I was told that this was preferable to the alternative  (double spaces between paragraphs with no indents) as it achieved significant savings in space.

My son therefore embedded some code in our website which allows the edit page to be written without indents and with double spaces but the reading page has the required formatting.

As we have now abandoned the idea of hard copy publishing all this may be no longer necessary.

Another feature which is non standard is the table of contents on the reading page, again this is made possible by my sons code. Without this it would be difficult/ frustrating  to use.

The alternative drop down menu on the edit page is also non standard though in this case it is achieved by use of a word press “plug in”.

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The most dangerous woman in the world

The Treasure of Trencavel

List of Characters

Table Of Contents

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Pseudo History

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Extract from The Prisoner of Foix--Chapter 43 -The EntranceNo need to buy a Kindle. Read it on your computer or tablet

John Stanley-26th April 1355

 

'Looks like we are going to see a bit of excitement, John. The Captain tried to get an agreement from the Prince that if there is surf running across the channel to Arcachon we will turn back to Bordeaux, but the Prince would hear none of it. Instead, he has offered to provide insurance for all three ships. If they are damaged or sunk, the owners will be compensated and every sailor who makes the passage will be given a bounty payment. What none of this seems to take into account is that if we sink in rough, fast-flowing waters we might all drown.'

John raised his eyebrows. 'But that is what we are going to do?'

'Yes, despite the fact that surf running accross the entrance is not uncommon and the deep water channel moves continually. In the end, the Prince attacked their captains on their weakest point, their professional pride! He threw down the gauntlet. He offered to take the Sally first through the channel, and to take control during the passage.' He raised his brow. 'We are going into the Bay of Arcachon, come what may! '

Extract from The Eagle of Carcassone -- Chapter 24-- A Real GoddessNo need to buy a Kindle. Read it on your computer or tablet

John Stanley - 22 July 1355

An hour later John walked with Ximene close to the river along the valley below St Feriole. It was the very essence of a summer’s day. The sun was fierce but in the shadow of the trees, it was cool and fragrant. The trees and shrubs along the riverbank hid their progress, from the Château, from St Feriole.

Eventually they reached a point where John thought it was safe to emerge from cover. To his satisfaction the stream extended into a pool with a sandy beach, shaded by trees. Where the stream entered the pool there was a flat grassy area, almost circular. Behind this, the bulk of two mountain ridges provided a splendid backdrop. He looked around once more ‘Not just a good training ground but a great training ground. If the Greek heroes knew about this they might be tempted to join me, to train with me’

Ximene laughed out loud. He turned to look at her. She had removed her outer clothes and was wearing a white chemise, cut short so that it barely reached her knees. Around her waist, she wore a plaited leather belt, obviously fashioned from the multitude of leather straps to be found in the tackle room.

She ran her hands down over her breasts. ‘When you were unconscious I heard you muttering about gods and goddesses, so  I have decided that from now on, for you, I will be the goddess.’

The Prisoner of FoixVol 1 of the series—The Treasure of Trencavel

Aquitaine, an English possession, is in crisis. It is under threat from neighbouring nations and internal dissension.

The Black Prince, King Edward III’s eldest son has been given the task of taking command in Aquitaine.

Suddenly there is an opportunity. Ximene Trencavel is the heiress to the lands of Occitan, to the east of Aquitaine: lands controlled by the Franks. Ximene wants independence, both for herself and for Occitan.

A union between Aquitaine and Occitan would be mutually beneficial. The Black Prince undertakes a secret journey to meet Ximene to negotiate a marriage contract. It is, however, a marriage neither of them really wants.

Meanwhile, the  Franks plot to murder Ximene to prevent ,not just the marriage, but any kind of union between England and Occitan.

The Eagle Of CarcassonneVol II of the series—The Treasure of Trencavel

The loose alliance between Ximene Trencavel and the Black Prince is under threat.

The Prince invades Occitan, to show his support for Ximene but it becomes an invasion which creates more problems than it solves.

The Prince has fallen hopelessly in love with Joan of Kent and Joan is now determined to marry him and become the next Queen of England.

Joan is therefore  determined to convince Ximene that she should not marry the Prince.

Part of her strategy is to encourage Ximene’s relationship with John Stanley—one of the Princes bodyguards—not an easy task as both John and Ximene have doubts about their compatibility.

However, John is grievously injured in a battle and Ximene commits herself to nurse him back to health.