Tonight is New Year`s Eve, or as we Scots call it, "Hogmany". I hope all my readers have had a great 2014 and I wish you the best for 2015.

This year was the year when I began to fulfil a life-long ambition to become a writer and the sales of the Peter Sparke novels have far exceeded any expectations. Three times during 2014 I set a target for book sales and every time the actual number of people who chose to buy my books was much higher. I am profoundly grateful to all of you who have enjoyed my books and to those who have contacted me through this blog or by leaving reviews on Amazon. I read ever review and use them to, hopefully improve my work.

We have had our first snow of the year here in Switzerland and the cold, bright weather is playing its part in helping set the scene for the next Sparke book. In this book, both the Sparke plot and the Templar narrative use Swiss locations, so research is both easier and more fun than just sitting slumped over history books on medieval life and history.

I hope you will have a great year ahead and I hope we will carry on the Peter Sparke, Tilly Pink and The Mason story together.

Scott Chapman

St Prex, Switzerland,

December 31, 2014

Many thanks to everyone who bought "The Templar Thief"., The launch was a huge success with sales being several times higher than for the launch of any of my other books. Thanks for all the help I received in getting this done, especially from Joe, Katherine, Joy and Karen.
The next book is the "boxed set" of the first three Sparke novels which comes out mid December.
The fifth Sparke book is well underway- thanks to those readers who have contacted me with ideas. All very appreciated.

Peter Sparke and Tilly Pink

As I write this we are in the countdown to the launch of the next Sparke book and pre-order sales on Amazon have been far beyond my expectations. A huge thank you to all of those who have taken the plunge and bought this book based on your experience of the first three.

I see that there are now readers from as far apart as Alaska and Iraq logging in to read this, so a special "hello" to Baghdad and Anchorage - great to see you!

I have already started the next book in this series and this will involve Sparke, Tilly and the Templar known as the Mason.

Sparke and the Mason are on parallel paths, eight hundred years apart, both experts in their own field, both aware of the impact of events on the worlds they live in.

The Templars are facing their greatest ever challenge as their hold on the last scraps of the Holy Land starts to slip and their many enemies in Medieval Europe gather against them. Sparke refuses to believe that such an organisation could have been brought down without having had some sort of contingency plan and he is determined to understand what that was, and ultimately why it failed so disastrously.

December  is launch day for The Templar Thief. I hope you enjoy it and the future adventures of our main characters.

Scott

Pre-order sales for The Templar. Thief have been a real surprise. It is great to know that there are people out there who want to make sure they don't miss the next book.
This has been a great fun experience to write, particularly since both Sparke and Tilly have a chance to grow as characters.
Part of the book is located in Tuscany, and I was lucky enough to spend some writing time there this summer. Reading over the final proofs has taken me right back to the Italian countryside.
Most of the feedback I get is through Amazon reviews, and I'm glad to say that they are still running at an average of more than four stars. If any reader wants to share their thoughts on any of the books or characters, drop me a line any time at
Scottchapmanatthelake@yahoo.com

The new Peter Sparke book, "The Templar Thief"  is out
December 1, 2014

Pre-order now on Amazon here: "The Templar Thief" on Amazon

In the dying days of the Crusader States of the Holy Land, the Grand Master knows that he needs to act in order to preserve some of the greatest treasures his Order possesses. He entrusts this mission to one of his most trusted lieutenants,  the Templar known only as "The Mason".
The Mason needs to find a man who can carry out this mission and he selects one of the most troublesome knights in the Order. A man with a great many defects as a warrior knight, but some unique strengths.

In today's world, Peter Sparke and Professor Tilly Pink begin to follow the trail of a single medallion bearing the face of an obscure medieval holy man, found in the wreck of a ship off the west coast of Scotland's Outer Hebrides islands.

Sparke and Tilly have now worked together on a number of projects and enjoy the challenge of uncovering and deciphering some of history's greatest mysteries together.

Sparke is still a crisis manager and his work takes him into areas of increasing danger across the globe. For Tilly, working with Sparke is an escape from the day to day world of historical research and she looks for ways to partner with him, knowing that his unconventional approach can often be the key to great discoveries.

Book Four

I am at the last stage of writing the fourth Peter Sparke book, "The Templar Thief". For the first time I have put on on Amazon as a pre-order and have been overjoyed to see people signing up to get it already. If you are one of those people, then thanks!
Ending a book is something writers often dread. It means closing a door on a story, and on some characters I have lived with and moving on to the next thing.
One thing is sure, Peter Sparke and Tilly Pink are not leaving my life and the Templar characters, particularly the Mason will be back.