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Rock, Paper, Swords!

Rock, Paper, Swords!

By Matthew Harffy and Steven A. McKay

The Historical Action and Adventure Podcast - making history come alive!

Bestselling authors Matthew Harffy and Steven A. McKay chat about writing action and adventure stories, diving into some of the more quirky and unusual aspects of history, with a detour through music and its role in their process.

Each episode covers different exciting themes, often with brilliant guests who help shed light on what Matthew and Steven have decided to talk about that week.

Get bonus episodes and more by supporting the podcast on Patreon. www.patreon.com/RockPaperSwordsPodcast
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Currently playing episode

Bernard Cornwell, the Godfather of historical fiction!

Rock, Paper, Swords!Sep 16, 2022

00:00
56:19
SJA Turney - Rome, Caesar, Caracalla, Vikings & so much more!
Mar 29, 202457:47
Douglas Jackson! Nazis, Romans, mad emperors, serial killers & more!

Douglas Jackson! Nazis, Romans, mad emperors, serial killers & more!

Useful links:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/908155.Douglas_Jackson

https://www.patreon.com/RockPaperSwordsPodcast

 We’re on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RockPaperSwordsPodcast and X @rock_swords

You can find out more about our books on www.matthewharffy.com and www.stevenamckay.com/

Douglas Jackson traded his role as assistant editor at The Scotsman for a full-time writing career in 2009. With novels published under his real name and the pen name James Douglas, Jackson has carved out a niche in historical fiction. His debut, "Caligula" (2008), weaves a tale of intrigue in the court of the famously mad emperor, followed by "Claudius" (2009) and the long-running Gaius Valerius Verrens series, starting with "Hero of Rome" (2010).

His latest novel is Blood Roses, a thrilling crime novel set against the backdrop of 1939 Warsaw and the beginning of the Second World War.

Welcome to RPS, Douglas Jackson!

Thanks to our Patreon Producer, Luke Gauci!

Mar 15, 202401:02:26
Researching locations for authors
Mar 01, 202452:40
C.J. Box! Joe Pickett, Big Sky + lots more as we chat with the 10 million selling author!
Feb 16, 202451:21
Join us! A Patreon announcement!
Feb 09, 202402:51
Writing tools - Scrivener, Aeon etc. Can Matthew persuade Steven to adopt his writing tech?!

Writing tools - Scrivener, Aeon etc. Can Matthew persuade Steven to adopt his writing tech?!

We're now on Patreon! Get bonus episodes and other cool perks by signing up here: https://www.patreon.com/RockPaperSwordsPodcast

It’s been ages since we recorded an episode and today for the first time in months it's just the two of us. We’re going to talk about planning and writing novels with particular focus on the tools we use, the processes we follow, and what seems to work for us!

Gone are the days when pen and paper, or a simple typewriter (remember Tipp-Ex?!) were the only tools available to aspiring authors. Nowadays there's all sorts of things available to help turn your ideas into a bestselling novel.

Steven is old school, so he's been using Libre Office Writer/Microsoft Word and paper notebooks exclusively since he first started writing novels a decade ago. Matthew is much more into the tech side of things, using software packages like Scrivener, Aeon Timeline, and Scapple.

Will Matthew be able to persuade Steven to adopt these fancy new tools, including a £200 electronic notebook, or will Steven refuse to "fix what ain't broke"? Join us to find out!

LINKS

Scrivener - https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview

Aeon Timeline - https://timeline.app/

Scapple - https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scapple/overview

Remarkable 2 - https://remarkable.com/store/remarkable-2

Feb 02, 202401:02:45
Griff Hosker, inspirational historical novelist, is our guest today!

Griff Hosker, inspirational historical novelist, is our guest today!

Our guest today is the prolific author of historical fiction, Griff Hosker. It seems to me that Griff writes faster than many people read. He has written series of action-packed books covering everything from the Vikings to the Second World War and everything in between. He is a constant presence on Amazon lists and social media, and I for one am often in awe at the quantity of books he puts out and the number of steadfast fans he has garnered over the years. It is great to finally meet and have a chance to put some questions to him, perhaps finding out how he does it (and maybe some tips on how to sell almost 2 MILLION books like he has)!

Welcome to RPS, Griff!



Jan 19, 202401:12:55
Vikings, the Great Heathen Army & Alfred the Great! Steven talks his new book.
Jan 11, 202446:07
AI and Copyright for writers with the 'Copyright Waffle' podcast!
Jan 05, 202401:21:13
Author of Viking sagas, Eric Schumacher chats with us today!

Author of Viking sagas, Eric Schumacher chats with us today!

Our guest today is Eric Schumacher.

Eric Schumacher is the author of six Amazon best-selling novels and one novella set in the Viking Age. By day, he is a brand storyteller and PR consultant for early stage video game and tech companies. By night, he wanders into the past, using known history and ancient tales to create stories about people living in turbulent times.

His fascination with the past, coupled with a love of writing, led him to write Hakon’s Saga, a Viking historical fiction series set in 10th-century Norway.

His latest series is about the notorious Viking, Olaf Tryggvason. The first novel in Olaf’s Saga, Forged by Iron, was published in the spring of 2020. The third novel, Wolves of Wagria, was released in November of 2022. A fourth book is in the works.

 

Welcome to RPS, Eric.



Dec 22, 202301:11:23
Christmas Greetings 2023!

Christmas Greetings 2023!

Just a very quick message to wish our listeners and readers a very merry Christmas for 2023, and best wishes for 2024. Check it out!

Don't forget we have a brand new ACOUSTIC version of our song "Christmas is Coming" available on all streaming outlets like Spotify, iTunes, YouTube Music etc so please give it a listen and share with your friends and enemies!

Have a good one!

Steven and Matthew

Dec 21, 202304:37
"Christmas is Coming" - our new song, OUT NOW!

"Christmas is Coming" - our new song, OUT NOW!

Yes, we have a brand new festive rock song for all you lucky boys and girls. Stream it NOW for free on Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, iTunes and all major streaming services, just search for "Christmas is coming Rock Paper Swords".

Give it a like, add it to your Christmas music playlists, and please do share with your friends on social media! Look out too for an acoustic version, which will be dropping any day now and is a really cool little take on the same tune...

Thank you for joining us in 2023, we hope you enjoy this little Christmas gift from us.

Cover artwork by Dave Slaney (with some Xmas-y additions by us!).

Music by Steven, lyrics and vocals by Matthew. Copyright Rock, Paper, Swords! 2023


Dec 10, 202300:42
Christmas 2023 Rock,Paper,Swords/A Slice of Medieval Crossover!
Dec 08, 202301:08:21
Not just Genghis Khan. The Mongol Invasion - Nicholas Morton interview!

Not just Genghis Khan. The Mongol Invasion - Nicholas Morton interview!

Our guest today is Nicholas Morton.

Nicholas is an associate professor at Nottingham Trent University. He is the author or editor of nine books, including The Field of Blood and several other books about the Crusades and medieval Europe and the Near East. His latest book is The Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval Near East. The book tells the story of how the Mongol Empire upended the geopolitics of the Near East, reshaping the balance of world power and transforming the region forever.

 

Welcome to RPS, Nic!



Nov 24, 202353:24
Amazon KDP head Darren Hardy. Indie authors check this out!

Amazon KDP head Darren Hardy. Indie authors check this out!

Our guest today is Darren Hardy, manager of the UK Author and Editorial Programmes at Amazon. Before that Darren was UK Manager for Kindle Direct Publishing. With nearly 20 years working at Amazon, Darren is the perfect person to answer all our questions about what goes on behind the scenes at KDP and what new and exciting plans Amazon has for the future.

Join us today as we chat about things like:

The Kindle Storyteller Award - how to enter, and what you can win (20 grand!)

The "magic formula" for understanding Amazon's algorithms (there isn't one!)

Amazon's new book categories and how to use them best

Amazon's charts

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how it might affect KDP in future be it for "writing" nonsensical books, or affecting the charts

Paperback printing

And a load more!

If you have a question that we didn't ask Darren please post it here, or on our social media pages and we'll pass them on!

https://www.facebook.com/RockPaperSwordsPodcast and Twitter @rock_swords If you're an indie author, you need to listen to this one!


Nov 15, 202352:47
Matt Lewis - we talk with the host of GONE MEDIEVAL!

Matt Lewis - we talk with the host of GONE MEDIEVAL!

Our guest today is Matt Lewis.

Matt is an author and historian of the medieval period, with a particular interest in the Wars of the Roses and Richard III. He has written biographies of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, Henry III, Richard Duke of York, and Richard III, as well as accounts of The Anarchy, the Wars of the Roses, and Rebellion in the Middle Ages.

Matt is also chair of the Richard the Third Society and host of the popular Gone Medieval podcast.

 

Welcome to RPS, Matt.



Nov 10, 202301:00:26
A Savage Moon! We chat with Theodore Brun about Vikings & other good stuff
Oct 13, 202301:03:35
Matthew Harffy! A Day Of Reckoning & EXCLUSIVE REVEAL of his next book's title!

Matthew Harffy! A Day Of Reckoning & EXCLUSIVE REVEAL of his next book's title!

Something a little different today - we have no guests for a change! Instead, Steven interviews Matthew about his brand new book A DAY OF RECKONING, the third in his A Time for Swords series, which came out yesterday. It's a fun episode covering various aspects of the writing/publishing process, and Matthew even tells us the title of his NEXT book (the Western he's been talking about for ages, it's finished)!

Give it a listen, and make sure you buy A Day of Reckoning...

Sep 29, 202354:24
Angus Donald - Vikings, Robin Hood, and lots more!

Angus Donald - Vikings, Robin Hood, and lots more!

Our guest today is Angus Donald, author of the Outlaw Chronicles, about a medieval gangster called Robin Hood, a 17th-century series about an unusual but rather brilliant chap called Holcroft Blood. And writing as Angus Macallan, he has also tried his hand at fantasy with the Gates of Stone.

His most recent novels are in the Fire Born series, set in 8th century Europe. Book four in the series, King of the North is published by Canelo on 28th September. 

Welcome to RPS, Angus.

http://angusdonaldbooks.com/


Sep 15, 202301:10:56
Paul Finch - 1066, crime writing, being in a "shieldwall" & Black Sabbath!

Paul Finch - 1066, crime writing, being in a "shieldwall" & Black Sabbath!

Our guest today is Paul Finch. Paul Finch is an English author and scriptwriter. He has a diverse and very successful career, from the popular TV programme The Bill, to horror and fantasy stories and films, Doctor Who spin-off stories and the incredibly successful gritty crime series of DS Mark Heck Heckenberg novels, with over 1 MILLION book sales!

Paul’s latest pivot has been to move into the historical fiction genre, writing under the name P.W. Finch. USURPER, set in the cataclysmic year of 1066, was published earlier this year. 

Welcome to RPS, Paul.



Sep 01, 202301:03:36
Dr Joanne Ball, Roman/battlefield archaeologist!

Dr Joanne Ball, Roman/battlefield archaeologist!

Our guest today is Dr Joanne Ball. Joanne is a Roman archaeologist and battlefield archaeologist based at the University of Liverpool, with a PhD in Archaeology on the subject of Roman battlefield archaeology. 

She is a regular contributor to several magazines focused on ancient history and was co-editor of Ancient World Magazine. And is soon to have published the Publius Quinctilius Varus: The Man Who Lost Three Roman Legions in the Teutoburg Disaster.

Welcome to RPS, Joanne.



Aug 18, 202301:03:40
Ethan Bale/Clifford Beal - The medieval action adventure author joins us today!

Ethan Bale/Clifford Beal - The medieval action adventure author joins us today!

Our guest today is Ethan Bale, author of The Swords of the White Rose series.

Book 1, Hawker and the King's Jewel came out last year and the follow up, The Lost Prince, has just been published.

Ethan Bale (Clifford Beal), is a former defence journalist. Despite writing about modern military technology for much of his career, he was always passionate about history, particularly the Renaissance and early modern Europe. 

Over the years he has been flung about in military aircraft, trained in 17th century rapier, fired flintlock pistols, messed about in boats, and ridden both horses and motorcycles. These days he is usually found wielding a pen and not a sword.

Welcome to RPS, Ethan!


Aug 04, 202301:10:57
Jason Kingsley OBE - Modern History TV & Rebellion - Judge Dredd, 2000AD, Sniper Elite & more!
Jul 07, 202301:10:46
Alex Gough - Carbo Chronicles, ancient Rome, swearing in historical novels, music and loads more!

Alex Gough - Carbo Chronicles, ancient Rome, swearing in historical novels, music and loads more!

Alex Gough is an author of Roman historical adventures. The Carbo Chronicles, including Watchmen of Rome and Bandits of Rome, was written as a result of a lifelong obsession with ancient Rome, and the culmination of a lot of research into the underclasses of the time. He has also written a collection of adventures following Carbo and other characters from Watchmen of Rome, where you can learn more about their rich lives.

Alex loves our theme song so much that he recorded a cool tribute to it which you can find at the end of the episode.

If you're a musician and want to record your own cover version, send it to us and we'll use it in a future episode (unless it's really, REALLY bad lol)!


Jun 23, 202301:05:56
A couple of announcements!
Jun 12, 202305:60
Robin Warder/The Trail Went Cold - true crime inspiration for historical fiction tales!
Jun 09, 202350:55
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the impact it might have on writers, artists, and creatives in general. Scary stuff! Or is it...? Includes an AI-written song!

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the impact it might have on writers, artists, and creatives in general. Scary stuff! Or is it...? Includes an AI-written song!

Artificial Intelligence, or AI for short, is a hot topic at the moment. Perhaps the HOTTEST topic. It is cropping up in the news every day and there are predictions that it will take our jobs away or even take over the world! It probably isn’t quite as dire as those predictions would have us believe, but there is no doubt that AI generated text and images are here to stay, not to mention many other uses that we haven’t even foreseen yet. There will be impacts on our daily lives and creatives are especially worried about their livelihoods as computers become more and more adept at doing what only humans could do till now.

We’re not experts on the subject and it is a HUGE subject, but we thought we’d have a quick chat about what AI can do now, what it might be able to do in the future and some of the complex issues arising as a result of this new technology.

Cover image was created by AI from directions Matthew gave it. It's supposed to be Beobrand from his Bernicia Chronicles lmao!


Jun 02, 202354:57
Ben Kane! Rome, Spartacus, medieval/ Richard the Lionheart, now Vikings in Ireland!

Ben Kane! Rome, Spartacus, medieval/ Richard the Lionheart, now Vikings in Ireland!

Ben Kane will need little introduction to many of our listeners, but here goes anyway. Ben is a historical fiction novelist, best known for his books set in the ancient world, particularly the Roman empire. His series include The Forgotten Legion, Spartacus, and the Hannibal series of books. 

In 2013, Ben along with fellow novelists Anthony Riches and Russell Whitfield - walked the entire length of Hadrian's Wall for charity, wearing full Roman military kit. Then in 2014, they walked again in, but this time in Italy, raising over £26,500. A film was made of their walk, entitled The Road to Rome with Sir Ian McKellen providing the voiceover.

More recently, Ben has diversified into the medieval period with a trilogy of novels about Richard the Lionheart. His new book, published on 25th May 2023 is, Napoleon’s Spy and marks a further time shift into the early 19th century.

Welcome to Rock, Paper, Swords, Ben!


May 26, 202301:09:45
Viking Blood & Blade, and Kindle Storyteller WINNER Peter Gibbons chats to us today!

Viking Blood & Blade, and Kindle Storyteller WINNER Peter Gibbons chats to us today!

Peter Gibbons is an author based in Kildare, Ireland. He completed a Law Degree in Liverpool University before embarking on a career in the Insurance Industry.

After many years working in the UK & Ireland he decided to follow his dreams and wrote his debut novel, Viking Blood and Blade.

After smashing into the independently published historical fiction scene in 2021, he had his second series picked up by a publisher and went on to win the prestigious Kindle Storyteller Award in 2022.

Welcome to Rock, Paper, Swords, Peter!


May 19, 202301:03:59
Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson talks Norse/Viking mythology and his new album - RökFlöte!

Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson talks Norse/Viking mythology and his new album - RökFlöte!

Incredibly, we managed to get an interview with the legendary Tull frontman (Steven's favourite band in case you didn't hear him mention it on every previous episode...)!

Ian talked with us about the brand new, rocking Jethro Tull album RökFlöte, Norse mythology, Vladimir Putin appearing at a Tull meet-and-greet, the time journalists demanded details of his upcoming gender reassignment surgery, Broadsword 40th Anniversary boxset details, Under Wraps getting REAL drums, how he's a "bit of a fan" of Motörhead despite the umlauts, bands like Mötley Crüe using backing tapes on stage instead of playing completely live, how performing helps his asthma (not COPD!), how work is going on the NEXT album and its planned release date, and how he's a cranky old guy like Morrissey these days!

We were told we'd get, at most, 45 minutes with Ian but we ended up chatting for over 80 minutes and it was just brilliant. We think you'll enjoy this episode. Give it a listen and check out RökFlöte, it's superb!

May 12, 202301:25:32
Book covers! What makes a great cover ? Also, Steven's new book's COVER REVEAL is today!
May 05, 202359:21
Todd Kerns, bassist for Guns 'N' Roses guitarist SLASH joins us today!

Todd Kerns, bassist for Guns 'N' Roses guitarist SLASH joins us today!

Another episode and another musician guest. Todd Kerns (aka Todd "Dammit" Kerns) is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and producer. He is most noted for being the bass player and backup singer in “Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators”, and for being the front man of “The Age of Electric”. His latest album is with Heroes and Monsters and it ROCKS! Check this out - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-KGpbcH8qU&ab_channel=FrontiersMusicsrl

While touring the world, playing to sold out audiences, he has had the opportunity to share the stage with some of rock's biggest names, including some of his own personal heroes including Slash, Lemmy, Alice Cooper, Duff McKagan, Fergie, Bill Murray, Sammy Hagar and many more.

Having played with so much rock royalty, that must make Todd “Rock Nobility” at the very least!

Welcome to Rock, Paper, Swords, Todd!


Apr 28, 202301:22:30
David Gilman, author of the Master of War series, chats with us today!

David Gilman, author of the Master of War series, chats with us today!

David Gilman has worked as a firefighter, professional photographer, he was a soldier in the Parachute Regiment’s Reconnaissance Platoon and a Marketing Manager for an international publishing company in South Africa. From 2000 until 2009 he was principal writer on the TV series A Touch Of Frost. 

His MASTER OF WAR series follows the fortunes of Thomas Blackstone, a village stonemason in England sent to fight with King Edward’s army as an archer against the French in the 14th century in the 100 years war.

David is also the author of two standalone novels for adults, The Last Horseman, set during the Boer War and Night Flight to Paris, a WW2 novel that pits a reluctant hero against the Nazi forces in Paris in 1943.

The Englishman is a new thriller series introducing Dan Raglan, a contemporary knight errant who served in the French Foreign Legion. The second book in the series, Betrayal, published in 2022, was followed by Resurrection, in 2023.

His DANGER ZONE YA adventure series, featuring plucky hero Max Gordon. THE DEVIL’S BREATH won the prestigious French award, Le Prix Polar Jeunesse, was shortlisted for the Manchester Book Award and the Spellbinding Award, nominated for the Carnegie Medal, and picked for the UK government’s recommended reading list for boys. It was also shortlisted for the 2010-2011 Isinglass Teen Read Award in New Hampshire, USA.

Welcome to Rock, Paper, Swords, David!


Apr 21, 202358:34
VIKINGS! Jethro Tull - RökFlöte album review.
Apr 18, 202353:16
Starting our new books! What are they about? - Episode 30
Apr 14, 202334:29
Big Big Train bassist/songwriter Gregory Spawton interview!
Apr 07, 202301:10:05
IAN ROSS - The Twilight of Empire author joins us today!

IAN ROSS - The Twilight of Empire author joins us today!

IAN ROSS is the author of the “Twilight of Empire” series, six historical novels set in the early 4th century AD, the era of the Roman emperor Constantine.

The first of the series, “War at the Edge of the World”, was published in the UK in 2015, and the sixth, “Triumph in Dust", in 2019. His books have subsequently been published in the USA, Australia, Spain and Italy.

His forthcoming novel, “Battle Song”, the first of a trilogy set in medieval England, will be published by Hodder & Stoughton on March 30th 2023.

Welcome to Rock, Paper, Swords, Ian Ross!

Mar 31, 202301:10:40
Listener Questions PART 2!
Mar 24, 202329:38
Giles Kristian, author of Viking and award winning thriller novels joins us today!

Giles Kristian, author of Viking and award winning thriller novels joins us today!

During the 90s Giles Kristian was lead singer of pop group Upside Down, achieving four top twenty hit records! As a singer-songwriter he lived and toured for two years in Europe and has made music videos all over the world.

Giles is half-Norwegian and his family history inspired him to write his first historical novels: the acclaimed and bestselling RAVEN Viking trilogy. For his next series, he drew on a long-held fascination with the English Civil War to chart the fortunes of a family divided by this brutal conflict in The Bleeding Land and Brothers’ Fury. Giles also co-wrote Wilbur Smith’s No.1 bestseller, Golden Lion. In The Rise of Sigurd novels he returned to the world of the Vikings. His Sunday Times bestseller, Lancelot, is currently in development for TV. He followed Lancelot with Camelot, and now, Where Blood Runs Cold is his debut contemporary thriller.

Welcome to Rock, Paper, Swords, Giles Kristian!

Mar 17, 202301:13:22
Listener questions PART 1!
Mar 10, 202338:14
Some news and big announcements!
Mar 03, 202323:21
Rock, Paper, Swords FULL THEME SONG!

Rock, Paper, Swords FULL THEME SONG!

So many people have told us they really enjoy the short intro/outro music we recorded for the podcast so...We've written a full four minute theme song complete with daft cheesy lyrics, full-on rock vocals, and searing guitar solos (two of the buggers!). It's just a bit of fun, we hope you like it...

Look out for another bonus episode tomorrow with some news about the podcast!

Dio, Maiden, Queen,

And everything in between,

If you like your rock,

Come hear us talk,

And we'll keep it (mostly) clean


We chat about writing scenes,

And native British greens,

Adventure and action,

Get your book traction,

It's the podcast of your dreams


RPS chorus


History comes to life,

With a wicked Saxon knife,

Lord of the Rings,

And other things,

Enjoy it with your wife


From cowboys to ancient celts,

We'll tell you just how it smelt,

With special guests,

We're druid blessed,

We're gonna make faces melt!


Guitar solos


Chorus

Mar 02, 202303:57
TV historian & novelist DAN JONES joins us today! 2023 top episode!

TV historian & novelist DAN JONES joins us today! 2023 top episode!

Dan Jones is a bestselling historian, TV presenter and award-winning journalist. His books, which have sold more than a million copies worldwide, include THE PLANTAGENETS, THE TEMPLARS, THE HOLLOW CROWN. His book CRUSADERS was published in autumn 2019. He co-authored the Sunday Times bestseller THE COLOUR OF TIME and THE WORLD AFLAME, published in March 2020, with Marina Amaral.

Dan has also written and presented numerous TV series including 'Secrets of Great British Castles' (Netflix, Channel 5), 'Britain’s Bloodiest Dynasty: The Plantagenets' and 'London: 2000 Years of History'.

Most recently Dan's historical fiction debut, ESSEX DOGS, the first installment in a trilogy set during the Hundred Years War, was published by Head of Zeus on 15 September 2022.

Welcome to Rock, Paper, Swords, Dan Jones!


***This episode was our most streamed during 2023!***

Feb 24, 202301:06:00
Dr Who, Star Wars, 2000AD, hip-hop author, and games designer Steven Savile!

Dr Who, Star Wars, 2000AD, hip-hop author, and games designer Steven Savile!

Slaine from 2000AD. Sherlock Holmes. Dr Who. Primeval. Stargate. Return of the Jedi. Ghost-writing for genuine legends of the rap and hip-hop scene.... Our guest today is probably the most prolific and best-selling author you've never heard of! And he also writes for games, including the major Xbox/Playstation hit, Battlefield 3!  

Not only that, he used to write the odd story for classic "top-shelf" magazines like Fiesta and Escort, and no, those were NOT about 80's motor cars, they were FAR sexier than an RS2000 or XR2...  

Join us today, as we chat with Steven Savile!




Feb 10, 202301:14:53
Simon Scarrow! We chat to the legend!
Jan 27, 202301:10:13
Dr Mark Deeks of metal bands Winterfylleth and Ard!
Jan 13, 202356:58
Happy New Year 2023 from Rock, Paper, Swords!
Jan 01, 202301:32
Christian/Miles Cameron interview!
Dec 30, 202201:09:18
Christmas Special 2022! Merry Xmas one and all!

Christmas Special 2022! Merry Xmas one and all!

Christmas a humbug?! Join the boys as they look at all sorts of winter traditions, ancient and modern, from Saturnalia shenanigans to Yule logs to "old" movies.

If you like Christmas stories, check out Steven's brand new novelette, The Pedlar's Promise

and Matthew has a new novel out too, Forest of Foes!

Burning a Yule log - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sw3unDRU6Eg&ab_channel=CountryDirtKid

Christmas Past podcast  

Total Christmas podcast  (from which I stole the terrible joke....)

Santa or Father Christmas had been pictured with a red coat on hundreds of years before Coca-Cola, but the modern image of Santa is clearly based on the 1930's Coke adverts IMO (Steven).


Dec 16, 202201:10:19
Jean Gill, author of The Ring Breaker!
Dec 02, 202201:18:21