Ballad of the Highwayman: ON SALE NOW!!!!

Huzzah, everyone! After a horrid week of editing and dealing with technical (as in technology) difficulties and waiting around for the website to work right, I am happy to announce that, after long last, Ballad of the Highwayman is up for sale!

You can find it here: https://www.createspace.com/3668163

Or down at the bottom of the page with my collection of book links. It will also be available on Amazon within a few days, I'll be sure to let you know when it gets there.

Please at least take a look at it and tell me if you do decide to read it.

So Stand and Deliver your gold and you'll get a good swashbuckler to read in return!

(Learn more at my author's blog: http://hazelwest.blogspot.com)

A Note to Bloggers All

All Right, so I've been trying to get my blogs out there through some of these blogsites like Stumbleupon and stuff like that. Stumbleupon is a good site and I have gotten several people from there already. Last night I tried to Fuel My Blog. As a word of advice, don't. They are "blog snobs" and they won't let you put your blog up for no apparent reason at all. I get the part about them asking if it contains adult content and all that, but they seemed snobby and rude and they don't even have a section for history blogs. They also say they need to review your blog before they put it on like it's some elite group or something and if they see this post, let them, I'm canceling my register. Yah, this is a rant, sorry, I just wanted to let you all know about this if you get the same idea.

Slainte, Hazel

Stirling: Proud Eddie's Army Gets Sent Home

So, aye, everyone, it's once again the anniversary of the Battle of Stirling Bridge. Exciting stuff there to be sure. I did a post on the actual story of it last year, so if you want to go read that, please do!

I still can't believe this is my second year of writing posts for you everyone, and I'm still not giving up, even though I've been a little slow lately. I've started an author's blog now and I've been trying to write for that. If you haven't already seen that, go and take a look, it's good fun ;)

But anyway, the Battle of Stirling. This was the first real battlefield victory in the Scottish Wars for Independence and truthfully the last until Bannockburn almost seventeen years later. Both proved many points. Wallace's victory at Stirling caused men to flock to his banner, hearts warmed to the fact that they could actually win against the English. Unfortunately, the disaster at Falkirk the year after, struck them back down to guerrilla warfare which, again, was not a total loss. Bannockburn, of course, won Scotland's freedom, but if Wallace had never fought on Stirling that day at the River Fourth, the Scots probably would not have had a hero to look up to in years to come. It is still, to this day, one of the Scots' greatest victories, made even more so in 1997 during the Yes-Yes vote that won Scotland a parliament of their own. Odd how history connects itself. This is why you remember your heroes, all my dear people.

So that's all I really have to say for now. Please, my friends, I'm still taking in Thoughts for Wallace so do not think you are too late. At any given moment, I would love to hear what you have to say about him.

Slainte, Hazel

My New AStore

Okay, so my cousin thought I should start an Amazon.com AStore which is something like this:

I choose things I like to put on it from Amazon.com and if you buy them through my store, I get a percentage of the selling. So I've put on some books I have talked about on my blog, and others that are some favorites of mine. There's a Scottish section that has books I recommend in history and historical fiction. I will be adding more things soon too, so there's not a lot on there right now, but there will be more soon. :) Please go and take a look anyway, and if you see anything you have wanted, buy it thorough my store!

Here's the link: Hazel's Picks

So, I'll be back some other time. If you have not looked at my new Author's Blog yet, please do.

Slainte, Hazel

My Author's Blog

Well, since I published my first book, I decided to start an author's blog now! It's mainly just for fun and laughs, but I hope to teach people a little bit about the history surrounding my novels and also share some of my favorite books and authors with you. I am also going to be giving out writing tips on occasion in a fun and very unacademic way.

The really fun part about my blog is that I'm going to be writing some of the posts from the point of view of my characters. I've even had them comment on the posts to make it more fun for you readers. The blog is also for you to get to know the characters more and have a chance to interact with them. (Truthfully, it's not as weird as it seems. It's all just for fun!)

So hop over to by new blog at hazelwest.blogspot.com 

Also, you know what I'm going to say, but I'm disappointed I only got one thought on Wallace for Wallace Day. Very sad about that. So I've decided to be nice (again) and give you another chance. If you can think of anything now, just let me know. Even if you just say something like "William Wallace is really awesome" I'll be happy. Because remember, Wallace is a character I used in my latest book and he's going to be writing in on my author's blog, so he would like to see what you say about him. ;-)

All right, I'll be back when I can think of what I want to write about next. Don't forget that the Battle of Stirling was fought on the 11th of this month! Hey, that's another good chance to write in about thoughts of Wallace!

Slainte, Hazel

Wallace Day & 100th Post!

Well, here's a good Wallace Day to everyone! And also, this is my 100th post on Bonnets and Broadswords! I really can't believe I have written 100 posts, as it's only been about a year and a half since I started. But enough about all my wee sentiments, today is for Wallace, and I think we all need to give a few minutes to remember how he gave his life for the freedom of Scotland.

Last year, I posted a poem I wrote and some of my feelings on Wallace. For want of repeating myself, I'll just suggest for you to look at last year's post and read it for yourself if you have not already.

This year, I have another poem for you. I hope to eventually get together a poem book, and maybe it will be out by Christmas, I don't know yet, but until then, here's a Wallace poem I wrote called Freedom's Champion

It was not for glory that he fought

Our Wallace, brave and true.

For he had only thoughts of freedom

When he stood under the White and the Blue.

Nor was it for fame he risked his life

And fought when no one else would

To free his land from the English tyrant,

For Scotland, he did all he could.

And neither was it for riches he defied

Cruel Longshanks the English king.

He rose and fought for his mother land

Like a valiant eagle on the wing.

Our Wallace was the bravest of men,

He fought with no reserve.

He defied England and its tyranny

For no false king would he serve.

Wallace was betrayed by Menteith

Who prized gold over his native land.

And sad was that awful day

When he was delivered into the Tyrant’s hand.

But Wallace was defiant to the last,

He would never give in.

He vowed to fight to his last breath

Never mind what they would do to him.

It was because of all this

That the men followed him true.

They followed him faithfully to the death

And made the English their deeds to rue.

And it was because of his noble deeds

That we remember him still.

The brave man who fought for his country

And never gave in to Longshanks’ will.

For, William, you were never forgotten,

No matter your thoughts back then.

You’re still very much in Scotland today

And fill the hearts of all the men.

This is a poem that will eventually grace the end of my upcoming novel, Freedom's Sword. If you haven't looked at my recent book about young Wallace, Freedom Come All Ye please do.

On another note, I am still looking for thoughts and I have only gotten one! I want to collect ten by the end of the month, so please tell me what you think about William Wallace. I spilled my heart last year, it's your turn this year!

So at least take the time to read a bit about Wallace today, read some poems, watch Braveheart or something and think for a few minutes about Scotland National Hero.

Alba gu Bragh

Slainte, Hazel

Stuff for Wallace Day

Well, Wallace day is next Tuesday, which for people who don't want to do the math is one week away. And I have still only gotten ONE thought from you readers regarding William Wallace (see post below) My goal is ten, so please don't be shy and tell me what you think!

But besides giving me thoughts, maybe you should treat yourself this Wallace Day with a bit of his legacy. You could buy my new book Freedom Come All Ye for example! (shameless plugging on my part, but hey, we all have to make a living.) If you have read all the other Wallace books like I have, then you should definitely add this one to your collection.

You could also get yourself a Team Wallace t-shirt from my Cafepress store. I just got mine yesterday, and am excited to wear it for Wallace Day. I regret the fact that I was too busy to add any more Wallace shirts, but Wallace never goes out of season, so I will definitely add some later on.

Also, I would like to give you a few book suggestions that are not written by me ;-)

Nigel Tranter's The Wallace for one. If you have not read this yet, go get a copy now, because it is the best Wallace novel ever written. Very accurate, and a good protrayal of the characters.

Another good one, though less known is Jane Porter's The Scottish Chiefs. I read this one a couple years ago and thought it was good. Several flaws: Wallace was blond. (I've nothing against blonds, just when they are William Wallace) Why? I don't know. But the book was written in the early 1800s, and that was the time when Wallace had resurfaced to become the "darling" of the time period. He was thought of more as an epic hero such as Beowulf than a national hero. It was this that bothered Sir Walter Scott. He loved Wallace as any true Scotsman does, but he did not like them practically worshiping him. Wallace would not have wanted that anyway. But the Scottish Chiefs is a very good book, you just have to remember the time period it was written in. Oh, but I did forget to mention that girl who fainted about twenty times...

So anyway, one last suggestion. David R. Ross' For Freedom a lovely combination of Wallace's legacy and David's own together. Talks about the Walk for Wallace in 2005 when David Ross walked from Robroyston to London on the rout Wallace was taken when he was captured and the commemorations the people of Scotland held for their national hero. Beautiful book, and if you don't have this one on your shelf either, you're sadly lacking.

Anyway, remember my dead line for Wallace thoughts is at the end of the month, so give me nine more at least! I write all this history for you and you never thank me! Just kidding (not really) :-)

So I'll be back later, hopefully before Wallace Day, but if not, I will be back then.

Slainte, Hazel