JANUARY 2011

LEGIONS OF ROME ON THE MARCH

NewStatesman magazine in the UK recently made ‘Legions of Rome’ their Book of the Week, with Culture Editor Jonathan Derbyshire conducting a thoughtful interview with Stephen based around the groundbreaking work. That interview appeared in the January 6 issue of NewStatesman, and can be accessed online at www.newstatesman.com/books/2011/01/roman-legions-interview.

For Irish readers, Stephen will be talking about ‘Legions of Rome’ live on air on Dublin City Radio’s ‘Bookbound’ program at 8.00 pm on Monday January 17.

‘Legions’ is also selling fast in Australia. A Queensland bookstore reported that they sold a number of copies just prior to Christmas. One buyer was a lady who bought the book for her father. After Christmas, the father in question came into the same store and bought five of Stephen’s other titles – seems he liked ‘Legions’, a lot!

‘CRACK HARDY’ ALREADY HAS EVERYONE TALKING

With the Australian and New Zealand publication of Stephen’s next work ‘Crack Hardy’, a factually-based account of three Australian brothers during World War One, less than three months away, media interest in the book  grows rapidly, with online retailer Booktopia first cab off the rank, securing an interview with Stephen which they will run online when they feature ‘Crack Hardy’ in April.

That interest in ‘Crack Hardy’ has been sparked, in part, by endorsement of the book by leading figures including former Governor General of Australia, Major General Michael Jeffery, who describes the book as ‘a beautifully scripted expose of one family’s experience of war.’

The national launch of ‘Crack Hardy’ is set down for April 14, in the national capital, Canberra.