Bexhill war writer’s latest book is success in charts
Added: (Mon Jun 06 2022)
Pressbox (Press Release) -
For more than 20 years Bexhill-on-Sea’s John Newman sold the latest thrillers and romances to book lovers in London.
And now he has added his own piece of fiction to sit proudly in history sections.
The 83-year-old’s The Drummer of Minden has already reached number seven in Amazon’s historical fiction charts.
Painstakingly researched and beautifully written, John’s debut charts the fortunes of a young drummer through Germany to the American colonies during the Seven Years War.
John, who served in the Hampshire Regiment during National Service, said: “When I retired I began to research the history of the Battle of Minden which has always fascinated me.
“I soon realised that my notes were becoming a book.
“The Drummer of Minden is the story of one regiment during the Seven Years War from 1756 to 1763, seen through the eyes of a drummer boy.
“The main character is a fictional drummer boy, but the army commanders and battle sequences are historically accurate.
“The action unfolds through the reconstruction of recruiting, training and campaigning first in Germany and then in the American Colonies.
“The unexpected and astonishing victory of Minden is the climax in a narrative full of drama and incident.”
The Seven Years War saw Colonial rivalries between Britain, France and Spain explode into full-bloodied conflict across much of North America and the Caribbean.
The outcome of the battles at sea and land shaped the regions for centuries to come.
After reading French at London University and completing his National Service, John became a bookseller with Harrods.
He also worked in The Economists Bookshop before buying his own store in Ealing.
John eventually sold Newman Paperbacks and moved to Hastings, where he taught and also acted as a support worker.
As well as writing The Drummer of Minden since retiring, he has also penned a further two historical works, Grenadier and Musketeer.
But it was only after a neighbour went into print that he decided to release his epic story of the Seven Years War.
John, whose favourite authors include H E Bates and Patrick O’Brian, added: “I had no thought of getting my books published until a neighbour who is published through Publish Nation suggested it.
“The rest, as they say, is history.”
For more details, visit Amazon and search for John Newman, where the paperback and Kindle formats of Th Drummer of Minden are both available.
Notes to the editor
PublishNation was formed in London in 2011 to provide high quality services to writers at affordable prices.
Since its launch, the company has assisted in the publication of around 2,000 books in a variety of genres for clients throughout the world.
For more details on PublishNation, visit their website at www.publishnation.co.uk