Ross Richdale's Novels
I am a New Zealander and the author of over forty novels, contemporary, historical and science fiction. Latest news and pictures about my books will be brought to you here.
We have revised Eagle's Claw Lake for 2018 with numerous little typos fixed plus updating text to reflect our modern times. e.g iPhones/ TV streaming etc,
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Doctor Reid Tucker's intention to spend the summer at a remote cabin at Eagle's Claw Lake in northeast Washington State with only his dog, Cinders, never eventuates.
On the trip there, pilot Kate Meltz flies the amphibian to a commune at the other end of the lake. While waiting on board, Reid pulls a desperate and distressed teenage girl, Lorie Somerville, from the water. This begins a frightening chain of events as fanatical commune leader, Peter Littlejohn, tries to find Lorie and prevent her from leaving. Though Littlejohn doesn't find Lorie on the aircraft, he sabotages it so the trio are left stranded at Reid's cabin.
It soon becomes obvious that the place is more than just a remote religious commune. The girl is terrified of being caught and begs Reid to look for Jennifer and Sassy, two of her friends who have also escaped.
But why has Erika Somerville, Lorie's elder sister, returned to Eagle's Claw Lake and found savagely beaten in the commune's cabin cruiser?
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The fourth novel in the Ancient Ancestors Series
In 450 AD there was no United Kingdom, the Romans had left Britannia a generation before and the land was ruled by dozens of waring pagan kingdoms. This left the way open for different invaders from across the sea. Saxons arrived and violently overran Glouvia Kingdom in the southwest where nurse Kyla O'Knife was helping survivors of a recent plague, wounded warriors and civilians in distress.
However, fate was about to deal Kyla a hand. Whether it was good or bad was still to be determined when Kyla was summoned to the dying king's bed and informed that she was his daughter by one of his wives. The entire royal family had been assassinated so after the king's death she became Crown Princess Kyla and ruler of Glouvia.
This was a pyrrhic position for the Saxons now ruled the kingdom. They wanted her dead to discontinue the royal family line and she became a refugee. After rescuing enslaved women, Kyla who was helped by independent forest people, headed towards the hill country and sanctuary at a Christian monastery.
Her troubles were not over for Llandover Monastery had been hit by the plague and only one monk survived. He was Brother Anthony who declared that the sacred building was for males only and women were not permitted.
How did Kyla persuade Brother Anthony to let the women and herself in? What problems were there with a clash of beliefs and personalities? And what of the land left behind?
Kyla was determined to help and set about to do just that.
This is her story.
Click to get them free at Smashwords
| Snow Bond | When the Longships Came | Solar Search | Emerald Eyes Destiny |
Most of our publishers have our updated covers and enhanced ebook text.
Wisps of Cloud
After leaving a city school, Karla Spicer moves to become a principal of a remote country school where her partner has a farm.Tensions arise in the district with a marijuana plantation discovered near the farm and a local bikie gang being suspected as the growers. However, nothing is as it first seems, potential enemies become friends and the trusted, untrustworthy. – More Info
Wisps of Snow
Karla is called in to help as a Change Principal at Tuckett Area School in a remote New Zealand district. This school takes pupils from Year I to 13 but has a falling roll, an apathetic principal, Don Trow and a divided board of trustees. She finds that the school is in debt because Trow is faking accounts and is betting on a Russian casino. However, they want more than their money. – More Info
Wisps of Wisdom
In this third novel about Karla and her teaching career, we find her in charge of a thousand student Joseph Ward Junior High School in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. This is more than a story of Karla’s career but covers her personal life with her husband Ryan and also life of the teachers and students at Joseph Ward Junior High. – More Info
The Druid’s Daughter – 320 AD
It is 320 AD and Hadrian’s Wall separates Roman Britannia from the lands to the north where the village of Darbarri is located. There, Jelena is asked by her father Druid Floyd to travel south of the wall into Roman territory to help the people in the village of Bramfield. Druids are not welcomed in Roman lands anymore even though they had helped villagers for centuries. More Info
Kyla’s Fate – 450 AD
The Saxons have overrun Glouvia Kingdom where fate is about to deal nurse Kyla O’Knife a hand. The royal family has been assassinated and she becomes Crown Princess Kyla. The Saxons want her dead, she becomes a refugee and heads for the sanctuary of Llandover Monastery. Only one monk has survived the plague. How does Kyla persuade him let fellow women and herself in? This is her story. More Info
When the Longships Came – 856 AD
In 865AD, Vikings attack the female Bramingham Monastery in the Kingdom of Northumbria. The building is looted with everything of value taken by the pagans. Abbess Jane and senior nuns are slaughtered and the younger nuns abducted into slavery. Maiden Kendra, minding the monastery sheep on the top plateau during the attack survives. More Info
Meztli -Sacrificial Maiden – 1530 AD
In the Inca Empire, Meztli is rescued from a sacrificial site before she dies of exposure. This is the story about her life afterwards and how her friends and herself fight for justice from the conquistadors and evil priests of the times. Will their pyramid of gold be discovered by their enemies? More Info
Travis Crichton and Jacey Roden's weekend orienteering contest in a vintage Mark 4 Jaguar car becomes a journey through a belt of fog and into a strange village called The Valley that is not shown on any map. The people there appear to be living in the 1950s, a time when the car was new. Jacey realises that this is more than random misfortune and that they are caught up in something more sinister.
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The fourth novel in the Ancient Ancestors Series
In 450 AD there is no United Kingdom, the Romans have left Britannia a generation before and the land is ruled in dozens of waring pagan kingdoms. This leaves the way open for different invaders from across the sea. Saxons arrive and violently overrun Glouvia Kingdom in the southwest where nurse Kyla O'Knife is helping survivors of a recent plague, wounded warriors and civilians in distress.
However, fate is about to deal Kyla a hand. Whether it is good or bad is still to be determined when Kyla is summoned to the dying king's bed and informed that she is his daughter by one of his mistresses. The entire royal family has been assassinated so after the king's death she becomes Crown Princess Kyla and ruler of Glouvia.
This is a pyrrhic position for the Saxons now rule the kingdom. They want her dead to discontinue the royal family line and she becomes a refugee. After rescuing enslaved women Kyla, who is helped by independent forest people, heads towards the hill country and sanctuary at a Christian monastery.
Her troubles are not over for Llandover Monastery had been hit by the plague and only one monk has survived. He is Brother Anthony who declares that the sacred building is for males only and women are not permitted.
How does Kyla persuade Brother Anthony to let the women and herself in? What problems are there with a clash of beliefs and personalities? And what of the land left behind?
Kyla is determined to help and sets about to do just that.
This is her story. Buy now on Kindle
Smashwords July 17
Snow Bond
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/688700
Meztli
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/554277
Solar Search
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/630352
Arising Magic
The liberated 60s have not reached the shores of New Zealand when Claire, a single pregnant girl is sent up-country to have her child and afterwards have it adopted out. The Sloane family are strangers who offer to board her through this time.But are they?
Claire is thrust into the unknown when, immediately after her arrival, Alan and Hazel Sloane are involved in a truck accident on the farm. It is up to Claire to help. She does but is now alone on the farm. Initial fears at being alone reach a climax when an elderly man arrives to look after the animals.
He is Bob Hodge, Hazel's father. Claire and Bob feed out in the snow and gradually an affinity develops between the pair.
Claire's life is at a tangent and a thread begins to unwind about herself and the family she is living with. Tragedies of the past surface and actions of the present complicate issues.
The local schoolteacher enters Claire's life with consequences that could become tragic while two local women show their true colours.
In this conservative rural area, the tranquillity of the surface hides a darker background that goes back a generation to before Claire's birth.
And she is directly involved.
This is a story of how scars of the past are opened and conquered by the love of the present for and by Claire, a girl who becomes a woman in the months that make up 1961.
Our ebook is $US2.99 or local equivalent. Select your favourite site here
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More Information
Kendra- Celtic Princess is now being written and will be published later this year.
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Thirty kilometres off the coast of New Zealand, HMNZS Wanaka received the first report of the earthquake. A few moments later a satellite picked up the first indication that a tsunami had been triggered. It was already three meters high and running directly towards the New Zealand coast.
"It’s picking up speed, Sir," one of the crewmen reported without taking his eyes off a monitor on the console. "ETA is eight minutes."
"We have it on radar, Sir," another crewmember said.
Lieutenant Doug McClay grunted. It would have to be close to fifteen metres in height and within twenty-five kilometres for their own equipment to pick it up. It was coming in faster than the computer predictions from the satellite. He was a professional, though, and didn’t hesitate.
A siren sounded and his voice echoed through out the boat "Now hear this. Code Red Tsunami Alert. All crew are to report to their emergency stations in full safety attire. Material condition yoke..."
Other orders were issued. There was a sound of feet as the crewmembers out on deck or off duty responded. Executive Officer Kim Hesterwood stood and left the bridge. It was her responsibility to see all crewmembers were accounted for and the vessel made secure. Within seconds every crewmember was inside and the exterior hatches closed. A wave could now crash over the patrol boat without any water getting inside.
"ETA, four minutes, Sir." the original crewman reported. "She’ll be close to fifteen metres high and over twenty kilometres wide."
"Satellite reports two smaller waves half a kilometre astern the main one, Sir."
"Turn into the sea," McClay ordered. "Get ready for maximum power on my order." The pilot nodded. This manoeuvre had been practiced many times.
"Visual sighting, Sir."
McClay stared out over the bow. The incoming tsunami heading directly towards them appeared as dirty brown wall. "Full power, Clive," he ordered.
The pilot nodded and he pushed the twin throttles forward. With a howl, the diesel engines responded, the bow lifted and wake surged out behind the accelerating craft.
Orders were crisp and responses immediate as the hissing wave and patrol boat headed for each other at a speed in excess of two hundred kilometres an hour.
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Kim screwed the last hatch tight and was about to step back down the small steel ladder when she felt the boat increase power. She gripped a handhold and only had time to catch the eyes of a crewman beneath her when the bow lifted. In the confined interior the roar of the engines and the shuddering steel, the executive officer could only hang on until the wave passed. Once they reached the crest, she knew the pilot would cut throttles and they would drop into the following trough, if there was one. The whole manoeuvre would be repeated for any subsequent waves. As long as they hit the tsunami head on they would be able to ride it out.
The engines screamed and bulkhead shuddered. Without warning an unexpected noise filled the companionway. It was a sort of rasping clunk followed by a screaming tearing noise. The patrol boat tilted to starboard in a violent move that flung Kim across the ladder and into a crossbeam. Stars crossed her vision.
She had no time to notice that blood poured down her face for more happened. A mountain of white water hurtled down the companionway. The boat wobbled and continued to tilt. The water reached Kim’s companion and the man would have been swept away if she hadn’t grabbed him. Seconds later water swirled around the pair and rose in a torrent.
Thoughts rushed into Kim’s mind. Water had broken through and the Wanaka was sinking. There was no way back to the others. Above her was the hatch she’d only closed seconds before and below the terrified face of one of the youngest crewmembers. Water surged up to his armpits. In seconds his head would be under.
"Seaman Jarred, there’s been a breach. We’re going out. Follow me!"
She reached up unscrewed the hatch and, expecting to meet a mountain of water, she pushed it. Two other hands grabbed the heavy hatch and helped push it up. Spray hit Kim’s face but she noticed a patch of sky.
Whether they had committed the other thirteen crewmembers to a watery grave in those dreadful seconds, Kim never knew. She glanced back to see water shooting out of the hatch, not into it. At least using the hatch was vindicated. The whole lower decks must be flooded. She pulled herself up onto deck and helped the sailor behind her.
"Jump, Barry!" she screamed.
Barry Jarret did just that. The pair hit freezing water. Lifejackets kept their heads above water and the momentum carried them away from the Wanaka.
Kim blinked to remove salty water from her eyes and gasped.
She could see the Wanaka but not in any position it should be. Its stern was vertical with the propellers spinning in the air. The hull sort of groaned and the patrol boat slid beneath the following wave.
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The ebook, Astrid's Coast is available at our publishers now
ASTRID’S COAST
Ross Richdale
When her mother dies after an accident, Astrid Stowell moves to the small New Zealand Coromandel Peninsular village of Hook Bay to live with her grandfather, Steve Barton. She has to cope with life in a new environment with old friends’ help and betrayal, a new school to attend for her final high school year and an early encounter with the forces of nature.
Steve’s love and guidance, as well as Astrid’s ability as an artist, helps her through difficult times. New friends enter her life, old ones return and her talent is encouraged by the local school principal. Her life now has a future.
That is until the tsunami builds up in the Pacific Ocean and heads south… directly towards Hook Bay.
Review
The adventures of this teenage girl and her wisdom in overcoming the ggod and bad things that has happened to her and her grandfather and friends in one year, make an interesting story - a good read with several pausable twists and turns that make you want to investigate further.
Esther Provencher, Author
My the years do pass! It is twenty years since I published my first ebook, then called Lost Generations and now Generation 7, was published as a PDF document by a small publisher that has now long gone. This was before epub files and Kindle. There were no iPads or tablets and the few ebooks downloaded were read on desktop PCs or Macs.
