The American Royal Family - a response from Fergus

Elizabeth from Pennsylvania asks how I know so much about the Royal Family and have I ever met any?  Oscar Wilde would call it the knowledge of a lifetime.  Yes I have met some members of the Royal Family.

She goes on to say that she has read and reread the stories and they improve each time.  It makes her cry a lot with both joy and sadness.  She is joyful over the rescues but so sad about the terminal nature of Anastasia's illness.

You are absolutely correct Elizabeth.

I think we are all so very saddened by all Anastasia has done to enhance the lives of other and now she faces the end so bravely.

You ask about German Americans and whether the children were taught in German.  In those days German was the first tongue as the parents spoke German language at home. It is no surprise that John Windsor would speak German as a young boy.

He was born in America, the son of an English King, out of wedlock.  It meant a lot then but little in 2012.

The America Government were being very secretive after the war with all the German Scientists they were bringing to Kansas to prevent them from falling into Russian hands.  Perhaps no surprise that the existence of John Windsor was kept quiet.

Perhaps it is time to ask your Senator to establish the true facts about the American Royal Family.

Fergus

Fergus writes... about a recent review

Dear Rachael,

As the reviewer mentions she is thinking of her great-niece.  It rather dates her but I am sure she is very well intended.

Contains 8 very short stories.  Stilted writing and very repetitive.  Many inaccuracies (such as a 12hh Shetland pony) The average size of a Shetland pony is 11.2 hands.  That is 11 hands and two fingers.  There being four inches to a hand or 100mm.  To have a 11.2 average there must be above and below average in the sample and to have a 12hh Black Shetland Pony is not unusual.  Indeed I owned one for many years.  Contradictions, unbelievable scenarios such as a 9year old riding a 17hh horse who is deemed "the perfect size for a riding horse".  The perfect size or does she mean temperament.  A 17hh is not perfect for myself as I need a little larger.  and poor advice on how to ride horses.  I check all books before giving them to my great-niece, and at 8 years old she would find these an intelligence.  I am afraid most child readers are stuck in a tower block in an inner city and have not had the opportunity to ride a horse.  We must think of them and I hope our Great Aunt agrees.  Allow those young girls their dream please Great Aunt.

I have noticed that there are about 30 of these 'books' (episodes?) and find it strange that they have all been written, or published, within the space of 3 months - in fact some have even been published/written on the same day!  The fact that they are published the same day does not mean they are written the same day.  Furthermore, Fergus Wilson seems to have co-written these with 4 different people.  A scam?  I don't know but they are all apparently part of the 'Anastasia Series' but each co-writer has altered some of the details - such as changing Anastasia's eye colour, friends, aunts, horses and one even said she hated horses!  Can anyone explain this please?
There were a range of authors initally with the same brief, and some deviated from that brief so much that their books were no longer published.  I can find some things about the 4 co-writers, but all I get when I google Fergus Wilson is something to do with him being the biggest buy-to-let investor in the UK! (Absolutely true!)  Incidentally, Rachael Phillips comments on her Amazon page that she has "recently published, as co-author, Series I and II, aimed at 9-12 year olds, of ebooks all about Anastasia and her adventures with the horses of Boughton Lodge.  Not to be mistaken with any other Anastasia books mind you!"  (Whatever do you mean?)  Sour grapes at not making money from ALL the 30+ books and having to share the profits?  I wonder...! At 2 quid per 8 pages - quite a money spinner.

Negative review I know (indeed), but originally I was delighted to have found another pony series (I was brought up on such authors as Pat Smythe, the Pullen-Thompson sisters, Ruby Ferguson, Elaine Mitchell, Gillan Baxter to name but a few), but I was really disappointed with these offerings - my niece, I'm afraid, will just have to make do with re-reading some of my old pony books stored in the loft, as I would not even consider giving these to her!  Please don't waste your money on these and only download freebies so you can judge for yourself - I'm glad I did, at £7+ this is certainly NOT worth the money & at £2+ for each of the stories separately is poor value (literally) for 15odd (sometimes only 8) pages of rubbish.

I am afraid I have never heard of any of the authors our reviewer mentions.  Our reviewer needs to understand the need to improve literacy levels in our society and I can tell you from experience that little girls like to read, write, draw and dream about horses.  Unfortunately, for the vast majority it will never be more than a dream - do not take their dreams away dear Great Aunt.

Fergus

The Olympics 2012

The Olympics - they have come around so quickly.  I remember when we heard we would be hosting the 2012 Olympics; it was 6th July 2005, the day before the London bombings happened on 7th July.  It was a sad day following a day of jubilation and my thoughts are with those that lost their lives that day... I was working for Transport for London at the time and I am kind of grateful I don't work there now with the impending hoards of people coming to watch the Olympics! 

So here we are on the eve of the London Olympics!  In honour of such a wonderful event I have decided to run a new, free, ebook promotion.  The previous ones have been so successful that it seems a fitting way to mark the beginning of the Olympics and Anastasia wants to join in the fun.  

So from 27th July until 31st July you can download for £0, $0, absolutely free, the following Anastasia short stories:

Anastasia and the Imperial Egg Hunt (Anastasia Series II)
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007OM1QVY
Anastasia Romanov - Private Detective (Anastasia Series III)
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B008A4W4AM
Anastasia and the Three Wise Men (Anastasia Series III)
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B008HDWM9Y
Also available for other countries .com .de .es .it .fr etc.

Anastasia and the Imperial Egg Hunt is all about Anastasia trying to track down missing Imperial Fabergé Eggs - can she bring home the gold?
Anastasia Romanov - Private Detective finds Anastasia going undercover once more to save two, kidnapped children.  Very exciting second story from Anastasia Series III.
Anastasia and the Three Wise Men is the third story from Anastasia Series III where we realise just how famous she has become when her services are needed by three very high profile men.  Another action packed Series III story for teens upwards. 

I hope you enjoy these stories and what's not to love?  They're FREEEEEEEE!

Free Kindle reader available in the Kindle Store for those without a Kindle.

Happy reading and if you enjoy the stories please leave a review.  Spread the word so others who have yet to read about Anastasia's adventures get the chance.  Come on Great Britain and good luck to everyone else taking part :)

The show must go on...

I haven't posted a blog for a few days as my family received some bad news that my Dad is very ill.  It's an emotional and difficult time but I have come to realise that I need to keep writing because my Dad would want this and it's because of him that I work so hard.  He taught us all well and made us believe we can achieve anything.  Thank you Dad.

'Anastasia - None But the Brave' is now on Amazon.  This is the fourth story in Series III with a now teenage Anastasia fighting crimes with her team as a Private Detective.  She has been learning about the American Royal Family and she learns more in this book.  There is another shock discovery too about Anastasia's heritage that brings her and her team closer together.

We find the young heroine struggling with her haemophilia however she will not let this stop her bringing some of the worst criminals to account.  Her show must go on too.  She has a great team behind her and her team gets even bigger so she is fully equipped to get rid of those who set out to harm vulnerable and defenceless people.

The Three Wise Men need her help and she will not let them down - Anastasia and her team face their biggest mission to date but will new revelations distract her from her duties? 

I hope you enjoy this story - it was emotional to research as some of the issues dealt with in this story are based on awful, actual events.

Anastasia's journey has truly begun...

Anastasia - None But the Brave available to download from Amazon
UK www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B008O64YBS
US www.amazon.com/dp/B008O64YBS  
Germany www.amazon.de/dp/B008O64YBS     
Spain www.amazon.es/dp/B008O64YBS     
France www.amazon.fr/dp/B008O64YBS      
Italy www.amazon.it/dp/B008O64YBS      

  

Fergus Wilson writes...

Fergus Wilson writes:

"Rachael Phillips is a truly remarkable wordsmith.  Her stories are so realistic and I think very often emotional dealing with the terrible worldwide problems we now experience of baby trafficking, forced marriages and white slavery.

Anastasia leads the worldwide fight to raise awareness of these problems faced by the world.  Baby smuggling is rife in Spain and Portugal but we must not forget the trafficking of young girls to be married against their will in the format of arranged marriages.

Through the pen of Rachael Phillips, Anastasia leads the campaign to end this global business.  I feel it is time to stand up and be counted.  I will be the first.  Please email your name and city where you are from to the following email address if you wish to join in Anastasia's cause preceded by the phrase 'YOU CAN COUNT ON ME' Anastasia2012@btinternet.com

Names so far:

YOU CAN COUNT ON ME - Fergus Wilson, Kent
YOU CAN COUNT ON ME - Joanne Rogers, Baltimore

Many thanks

Fergus Wilson"

 

An emotional journey: Anastasia None But the Brave

I have finished story 24, the fourth in Series III, 'Anastasia None But the Brave'.  It was very emotional to research because of the issues the teenage Private Detective is now dealing with and she gets really mad in this story.  Not sure if my sleep deprivation is having an impact on her behaviour! 

This story finds Anastasia suffering badly with her haemophilia once more, however she can't sit back and let some of the most terrible crimes happen again.  This teenager will not stand for the most vulnerable in our societies being abused, mistreated, trafficked, murdered or treated in any way that they don't deserve.  As for those that commit such atrocities against vulnerable people, well let's say they really didn't plan on coming under Anastasia's radar.

The research side of writing can often bring with it fantastic discoveries and new, often deepened, knowledge of historical events.  It is often a joy to learn more about so many different things.  In this story however my research led me down some paths that I would rather not have found but to understand the facts allows the character, Anastasia, to really feel the emotion that I felt when I read about some of the things that are happening in our world.

The internet is the most fantastic tool when researching for a book but it does mean that even the most gruesome details of horrific crimes against vulnerable people in our societies are freely available.  Some information is deeply disturbing to read. 

During my research and writing of Anastasia None But the Brave I began to wish that Anastasia really could come and eradicate the most heinous of crimes that mar our world.  This teenager really will not stand for such crimes and everywhere she goes now people know who she is. 

Think Superman crossed with Charles Bronson but much more attractive and well dressed.  With the emotional crimes she deals with comes the emotional discoveries she makes about her own past and her future.  This teenager is called to help the most famous men in the world such is her reputation now!

Finally a heroine that is both beautiful and capable.  This teenager takes no prisoners.  Watch out world her journey has truly begun...

Anastasia - None But the Brave coming soon to Amazon.

A great review and great reaction!

"I read this on the Internet and was greatly impressed!

 

What an outstanding find Rachael Phillips is!" Fergus Wilson

Review: Anastasia and the Horses of Boughton Lodge

5 of 5 STARS

I recently had promotional free days through Amazon’s KDP Select program, and while tweeting to spread the word about my own books, I made the acquaintance of a very lovely author of children’s literature, Rachael Phillips. I have an interest in this field with ideas in the works, but Ms. Phillips’ series is geared toward a completely different group and written in a way that had never occurred to me. It was interesting enough to get this (ahem) middle-aged woman to take a look, so I downloaded them and was pleasantly surprised.

Although I have not seen the demographic for these books in more than thirty years, I was transported right back to the days when I used to play at being a horse in the schoolyard. It is a well crafted series that should appeal to ANY preteen girl, and Anastasia is the perfect heroine for females in this age bracket. She is smart and intrepid and loves animals of all kinds. She is unwitting royalty, which just adds to the attraction (What little girl has never pretended to be a princess in disguise?) and is on the case without delay in every situation. I like the fact that the immediate mysteries of each instalment are wrapped up, but the ongoing puzzle of who she is and why she needs to be protected keeps the reader interested. The writing is not dumbed down at all, which I heartily appreciate and would have benefited from when I was a girl. And there is even quite a bit of history thrown in. Unfortunately I do not have a young girl with which to share this lovely series, but I would recommend it to all of you who do.

Find out more about Rachael Phillips and all of her books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Rachael-Phillips/e/B007L4SVDG/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_2