February Giveaway Feature: Lance & James Morcan’s Historical Adventure, WHITE SPIRIT!

Hi, readers!  We have a real treat in store for you today, a special giveaway featuring Lance and James Morcan's historical adventure novel! 

Let's check out the details, shall we?

Based on the remarkable true story of Irish convict John Graham, WHITE SPIRIT is an epic historical adventure set in 19th Century Australia.

After escaping from the notorious Moreton Bay Penal Settlement, Graham finds refuge with the Kabi, a tribe of Aborigines who eventually accept him as one of their own.

Attempts to recapture Graham are orchestrated by a variety of contrasting characters working for the all-pervasive British Empire. They include Moreton Bay's tyrannical, opium-addicted commandant Lord Cheetham, the dashing yet warlike Lieutenant Hogan, native tracker Barega and the penal settlement's captain, Tom Marsden.

Marsden's young daughter Helen, a progressive lady ahead of her time who is both an egalitarian and a feminist, boldly inserts herself into the clash between the Irish convict, her father and Moreton Bay's other iron-fisted rulers. Helen complicates things further when she finds herself in a Pride and Prejudice-style love triangle with men on opposite sides of the conflict.

When Scottish woman Eliza Fraser is found shipwrecked and close to death in Kabi territory, Graham and his legion of pursuers, as well as the Irishman's adopted Aboriginal family, are all forced to navigate a multi-faceted rescue mission. The precarious rendezvous is made all the more dangerous by Helen Marsden's ethically-driven meddling that often outwits the men involved.

WHITE SPIRIT is not only based on arguably the great Australian (true) story, a sweeping tale that encapsulates all the nuances of the southern continent's unique history, it also provides readers with detailed insights into the tribal life of First Australian (Aboriginal) peoples.

 
Here is an excerpt.

To set the scene, three convicts have escaped from the Moreton Bay penal settlement on Australia’s east coast, and they’re being remorselessly tracked by British soldiers and an Aboriginal tracker…

A wiry Aboriginal tracker ran fast through the undergrowth, following tracks only he could see. He carried a spear in one hand and a nulla nulla, or club, in the other. Wearing only a loincloth, he covered the ground with effortless ease, his bare feet hardly touching the sun-baked earth.

This was Barega, one of the last surviving members of the mysterious Joondaburri, a tribe whose menfolk were renowned up and down Australia’s east coast for their superior tracking abilities. In the language of his people, his name meant the Wind, which was appropriate for he ran like the wind. To the British soldiers who employed him, he was simply known as the Tracker.

Although only average height, Barega’s legs were out of proportion in that they were unusually long in relation to his torso – a fact that gave him a distinct advantage in his chosen occupation. Few men, black or white, could match him for speed in a cross-country foot race, and, like others of his tribe, he could run all day long, seemingly without tiring or succumbing to the relentless heat.

The tracks he followed were those of three convicts who had escaped custody earlier that morning. They were heading west, away from the coast and away from Moreton Bay – the site of Britain’s newest penal colony and home to two hundred or so convicts and soldiers. The route was leading deeper into the tropical rainforest that hugged this part of the coast. It became progressively steeper as the hills gave way to mountains.

Barega was accompanied by three soldiers who followed him on horseback. He glanced back at them from time to time to ensure they remained in contact. Though their horses were doing most of the work, it was clear to him the men were having a hard time of it in the heat. They stopped every so often to drink from their water bottles.

Leading the way was Lieutenant Desmond Hogan, a dashing Englishman who was a career soldier through and through. Hogan’s ambition to succeed in his chosen career was hinted at by his senior ranking, which was an achievement in itself for one so young. He was only twenty-six. His rapid rise up the ranks had undoubtedly been influenced by the fact that his father and his father’s father had both been high ranking army officers, and he was candid enough to acknowledge that, but that didn’t change the fact he was a man of some ability whose promotion had largely been based on merit.

Hogan caught Barega’s eye. “How close, Tracker?” he asked.

Pulling up, the tracker pointed at the sun, which at that moment was to the northeast, and then he pointed dead north. “Soon, Mister,” he said by way of explanation, though no explanation was necessary.

The young lieutenant had used Barega so often he could readily understand the other’s hand signals. On this occasion, the tracker had indicated they’d catch up to their quarry by mid-day when the sun would be where he’d indicated – dead north. By Hogan’s reckoning, that would be in an hour’s time give or take. He glanced around at his two men. “Another hour should do it,” he said.

“Thank Christ,” one of them muttered.

Like their commanding officer, the two soldiers – both privates – had removed their red tunics, which now hung loosely from their saddles. It was the one allowance Hogan made for the heat, but only when out of sight of the penal settlement as it bucked the army’s rigid dress code.

Behind the pair, in the distance, Hogan could still see Moreton Bay. Trees concealed the penal settlement that had taken its name from the bay, but from the current vantage point there was an unobstructed view of the bay itself. And beyond it, the blue of the Pacific Ocean merged with the blue of the sky. It was a sight to behold.

Hogan and the others weren’t here to admire the view, however. They’d been tasked with capturing the runaways, and to a man they were aware the sooner they accomplished that the sooner they could return to base and enjoy some well-earned refreshments – and escape the accursed heat and humidity.

Ahead of them, Barega had resumed running. His black skin glistened with sweat as he picked up the pace. It was clear he sensed his prey were close now.

The soldiers followed, staying close to the tracker so as not to lose touch with him in the dense rainforest. Vines and creepers clawed at them, threatening to unseat them from their mounts, as they proceeded. Despite their discomfort, the soldiers were grateful the convicts had opted to keep to a well-worn trail carved out over the centuries by nomadic natives. They knew if their quarry had opted to deviate from the path, the horses would be no use to them and they’d have been forced to follow on foot.

Lieutenant Hogan knew something his men didn’t know, however. He alone knew they weren’t expected to bring all of the runaways back alive. Before setting out, the penal settlement’s commandant had made it very clear to Hogan privately that he’d be upset if more than one escapee survived.

Lord Bertram Cheetham’s reputation for cruelty had preceded him before he took up his new posting as Moreton Bay’s commander-in-chief four months earlier. Since then, Hogan and the other officers had come to see Cheetham’s reputation was well deserved; he viewed the convicts as animals and expected the soldiers under his command to treat them as such. As a result, floggings had become a daily event, the overworked convicts were starved and regularly beaten, and the dysentery and other ailments that plagued them and some of the soldiers, too, had reached epidemic proportions. Nearly every single convict had at least one serious illness or injury and, to make matters worse, medical care was basic to say the least. Despite this, as long as a convict could draw breath, he was forced to endure sixteen-hour days of hard labour, seven days a week.

So harsh were the conditions – reportedly as harsh as those at infamous Norfolk Island – a few convicts had opted to commit suicide rather than serve out their sentences, and more than a few others were contemplating such drastic action.

 

So, what are readers saying about this book?

★★★★★ “The best way to describe this novel is disturbing, brutal, honest, and unputdownable. It is real, very, very real with fascinating characters at the helm. Very highly recommended! Both men and women will enjoy the story.” - Great Historical Reviews

★★★★★ “Compelling, thought-provoking…a great read!” - Sheri A. Wilkinson

★★★★★ “This was such a captivating story, and it made for a few very enjoyable days of reading. I would definitely recommend it.” - Amazon Australia TOP 50 Reviewer, Todd Simpson

★★★★★ “This is Lance and James Morcan’s best work to date. It is up there with Colleen McCullough’s Thorn Birds.” - Author Yvonne Crowe

★★★★★ “One of the best novels I have ever read. It kept me enthralled from start to finish I couldn’t put it down. “A real fecking page turner” which will have you rooting for the Irishman John Graham.” - Amazon Customer

Wow! It sounds like a great historical adventure! 

Purchase Link:

  

Universal Amazon: https://bookgoodies.com/a/B01LWIRH9J 

Now, for the fun prize...

 ☆.•°☆ GIVEAWAY! ☆°•.☆

RULES  

Get a chance to win a free Kindle copy by commenting below on this post! Lance and James are only giving out three e-book copies, and the giveaway runs for a week. Get your entries in as soon as possible! You don't want to miss this chance. 

Once again, if you'd like to win a copy of White Spirit, please comment in the comment box below with your name and contact email. That way, the process of sending your Kindle copy will be painless. We will NOT spam you with unnecessary emails, just send a message regarding this giveaway. So, you might want to check your junk mail filters, in case you receive an email. On the other hand, if you're a little wary about leaving your personal info on the post's thread (or, let's say you run into technical difficulties posting a comment), please feel free to email me directly at marieannlavender@gmail.com to place your contest entry. Use the subject heading 'Historical Adventure Giveaway Entry' so I can keep the emails organized. A randomizer will be used to select the three winners.

Go ahead and enter the contest below. Thanks so much for visiting us! :)

  

Happy reading, everyone! And don't forget to enter the giveaway for this awesome historical adventure novel!

Thanks for the great Kindle donations of WHITE SPIRIT, Lance and James! :)

 

Happy reading, everyone! ;)

About the Authors

Lance Morcan:

New Zealand novelist and screenwriter Lance Morcan is a prolific author with more than 20 published fiction and non-fiction books to his credit as well as several screenplay adaptations of his work. A former journalist and newspaper editor, he regularly writes in collaboration with his son James Morcan, and their books are published by Sterling Gate Books.

The father-and-son team's published books include the new release horror Silent Fear (A novel inspired by true crimes) and the bestselling historical adventures White Spirit and Into the Americas. They also have several series on the market including The Orphan Trilogy, an international thriller series, the globetrotting action-romance series The World Duology, and the controversial non-fiction franchise The Underground Knowledge Series. An additional non-fiction title, Debunking Holocaust Denial Theories, was written in collaboration with Holocaust survivors to document the genocide.

The Morcans’ production company Morcan Motion Pictures has a number of feature films in early development, including adaptations of Silent Fear, Into the Americas and White Spirit. It is also developing Underground Knowledge into a TV series.

Lance is currently revising his solo-written novel, New Zealand, an epic historical adventure spanning 500 years of South Pacific and Polynesian history. Including research, writing and life's distractions, this novel has been over a decade in the making. 

Author Links:

 

Website/Blog:  https://morcanbooksandfilms.com/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/sterlinggate

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/Lance-Morcan/e/B005ET3ZUO/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5099267.Lance_Morcan

Google+:  https://plus.google.com/u/0/104288935567318315770

IMDB:  http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2898399/

 

James Morcan:

New Zealand-born actor/writer/producer James Morcan resides in Sydney, Australia. He has written two bestselling novels, performed in various international film productions and is a podcast host.

Morcan's published books include the new release horror Silent Fear (A novel inspired by true crimes) and the bestselling historical adventures White Spirit and Into the Americas. He also has several series on the market including The Orphan Trilogy, an international thriller series, the swashbuckling action-romance series The World Duology, and the controversial non-fiction franchise The Underground Knowledge Series. An additional non-fiction title, Debunking Holocaust Denial Theories, was written in collaboration with Holocaust survivors to document the genocide. These titles were all co-authored with his father Lance Morcan and published by Sterling Gate Books. Their production company, Morcan Motion Pictures, is developing Silent Fear into a feature film and Underground Knowledge into a TV series.

James' most recent acting performance was a leading role in the post-Apocalyptic feature film After Armageddon which he also wrote. The dystopian adventure film was shot in rural Australia and Morcan co-starred with Berynn Schwerdt (Wyrmwood). Other leading roles include the OZ-Bollywood productions My Cornerstone and Love You Krishna. Morcan also wrote the screenplays for both features which were filmed in Sydney and Mumbai and incorporated English and Hindi languages.

Additional productions he has perfromed in include a BBC TV series, several indie features and a live stadium production of Ben Hur headlined by Academy Award winner Russell Crowe. To date, his feature films have screened at cinemas in New Zealand, India, Australia, Italy and Cannes.

James is a podcast host on the YouTube channel Underground Knowledge and founded one of the most popular discussion groups on Goodreads, also called Underground Knowledge. 

Author Links:

 

Website/Blog:  https://morcanbooksandfilms.com/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/morcanjames

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/James-Morcan/e/B005EPOU48/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5099266.James_Morcan

Google+:  https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JamesMorcan

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/sterlinggate/james-morcan/

IMDB:  http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1909596/

  

Their Books As A Duo:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amazon Series Links:

 

The Underground Knowledge Series

  The World Duology Series

  The Orphan Trilogy