William P. Robertson: News

PRESS RELEASE: AMBUSH IN THE ALLEGHENIES

William P. Robertson and David Rimer spent fifteen years creating their critically acclaimed seven-novel series about the famous Civil War rifle regiment--the Bucktails. Now, the authors are back with a new adventure set in the primordial wilderness of colonial Pennsylvania. AMBUSH IN THE ALLEGHENIES details the exploits of Lightnin' Jack Hawkins, Bearbite Bob Winslow, Will Big Cat Cutler, and Alexander MacDonald, four freewheeling mountain men struggling to survive their savage environment and even fiercer enemies.

The opening phases of the French and Indian War provide the backdrop for the book. Historically, it begins with George Washington's spy mission to Pennsylvania and ends two years later after British General Edward Braddock's defeat near Fort Duquesne. The protagonists, beaver trappers by trade, are dragged into this conflict when the French invade their trapping territory and effectively put them out of business.

Robertson and Rimer take great pains to report the everyday life of Eastern mountain men. Their dress, food, weapons, trapping techniques, and rough humor are all realistically depicted. Some myth-making is involved here, too, with each frontiersman possessing a special power that enables him to thwart the machinations of Bold Wolf, the evil Ottawa chief. Lightnin' Jack, for example, uses his speed to beat the chief's gauntlet, while Will Cutler has an extraordinary skill with weapons.

The novel also includes an element of romance as young Cutler tries to win the heart of the Iroquois princess, Bright Star. After escaping capture by the Ottawa tribe, Will already knows plenty about the Indian way of life that he ultimately chooses over his English upbringing. The authors add a wealth of information about Native American culture as they relate Will's journey to manhood.

AMBUSH IN THE ALLEGHENIES is now available from Infinity Publishing. Order copies online at www.buybooksontheweb.com. Phone orders can also be made at (887)BUYBOOK.

David Rimer and I have just completed our new French and Indian War novel, AMBUSH IN THE ALLEGHENIES, and have sent it off to the publisher. This adventure is set in the primordial wilderness of colonial Pennsylvania. It details the exploits of Lightnin' Jack Hawkins, Bearbite Bob Winslow, Will Big Cat Cutler, and Alexander MacDonald, four freewheeling mountain men struggling to survive their savage environment. Dangers lurked everywhere here in the form of ferocious cougars, scalp-stealing savages, and white water rivers of immense fury. The woodsmen's worst nemesis, though, was Bold Wolf, the vicious Ottawa chief who brutally murdered Cutler's father and wanted to kill all the English like one pigeon. If that failed, the ruthless villain was more than willing to torture his enemies in the gauntlet or burn them at the stake. It was only through Bold Wof's demise that Cutler could achieve inner peace. But would the resourceful lad be brave enough to meet the challenge when his cruel foe ambushed him in the dense hemlocks of the Alleghenies? AMBUSH IN THE ALLEGHENIES will be released later this summer by Infinity Publishing. Stay tuned for more updates.

Hi folks, just a note to let everyone know that my poetry audio book, UNTIL DEATH DO IMPART, is now available as an MP3 download for only $8. To order now, go to http://cdbaby.com/cd/robertson

THE BUCKTAILS AT THE DEVIL'S DEN has placed as a "Finalist" in the Best Books 2007 Awards sponsored by USABookNews.com. DEVIL'S DEN was entered in the "Fiction & Literature: Young Adult Fiction" category.

I'm currently running a Christmas special on the Bucktail novels. I'll send you all 7 books for $75 postpaid. That's HAYFOOT, STRAWFOOT: THE BUCKTAIL RECRUITS, THE BUCKTAILS' SHENANDOAH MARCH, THE BUCKTAILS: PERILS ON THE PENINSULA, THE BUCKTAILS' ANTIETAM TRIALS, THE BATTLING BUCKTAILS AT FREDERICKSBURG, THE BUCKTAILS AT THE DEVIL'S DEN, and THE BUCKTAILS' LAST CALL for just 75 bucks. That's a smokin' deal! To purchase your autographed Bucktail book set, send a check or money order made out to Bill Robertson to P.O. Box 293, Duke Center, PA 16729.

I again wanted to remind everyone that I do book talks and presentations. For more information check the July 11th entry below.

If you want to be a writer, perseverance is the name of the game. I started freelancing poetry in the early 1970's and got so many rejection slips from magazines that I could have wallpapered my living room with them! It got so bad that one close relative told me to quit because my stuff wasn't good enough to publish. He must have forgotten that our family motto is "fierce when roused." His comment got me so fired up that I submitted even more poems than before. Finally, my big break came in June of 1979 when I won first prize in a poetry contest sponsored by Realities Library of San Jose, CA. That got my name out to other small press editors, and soon my work appeared regularly in such little magazines as VEGA, GUTS & GRACE, and EREHWON. I also had an article about the rock band, the Doors, published in THE VINYL EDITION of Buffalo, NY. I started writing about what I knew well and targeting markets that wanted that material. I also joined the National Writers' Club that had a newsletter full of good market information. That led to a job reviewing records for ROCKINGCHAIR magazine. Experimenting with haiku gained me acceptance in BROKEN STREETS and TIOTIS. I also had some success entering lyrics in The American Song Festival competition. Finally, in 1984, I broke into the foreign market with the acceptance of my horror story, "The Weight," by THE GLASGOW MAGAZINE in Scotland. That was followed shortly after by poems in London's LABEL MAGAZINE and another eerie story in the English zine, STRIDE. So began my foray into serious horror writing that lasted the rest of the decade. To gain success, then, I learned the markets, wrote about subjects I knew well, and entered my work in contests. Being persistent was the key, though. That's true for every budding author.

A question I'm often asked is how David Rimer and I collaborate when writing our Bucktail novels. First, I need to emphasis that research and historical accuracy are very important to both of us. We always have the history drive the plot, not vice versa. Before we started each book, we spent months reading actual Civil War accounts of the campaign we were focusing on. Then, I would come up with a list of events I would like in the book, and Dave did likewise. After that, I handled the majority of the creative writing of the first draft. When I was finished, I gave the book to my partner for editing. He would correct grammar, spelling, and sentence structure. He would also plug in holes in the plot and check for historical accuracy and the logical sequence of events. After all that was done, I got back the book to add in his suggestions. Usually, I found a bunch more errors that both of us missed. The book would go back and forth at least a half-dozen times before we were happy with it. Both of us were idea men for the project. Dave suggested some neat characters like the female soldier in THE BATTLING BUCKTAILS AT FREDERICKSBURG, while I was pretty handy at thinking up villains like Whalen. Dave also contributed a lot of ancedotes and personages from Civil War times that he gleaned from his reading. I added most of the humor and tall tales associated with hunters. HAYFOOT, STRAWFOOT: THE BUCKTAIL RECRUITS took us a couple of years to write, being that we started from scratch. Once our main characters were developed and we bought our core research books, we could knock out a novel in five months. Of course, we worked on it five to six hours a day, seven days a week just like it was a job!

As a lad I attended the Bradford Area School District in Bradford, Pennsylvania, and had some excellent teachers who encouraged my creative side. In 9th grade, Mrs. Mary Ann Johnston raved so much about my "Frank Luke" poem that I started writing verse on a regular basis. Then, in senior high, Mrs. Elzear Schoch always gave two grades for each composition. One was for the creative ideas and the other for grammar. That gave an imaginative person (like me) a real chance to succeed despite his average language skills. Also in high school I had Mr. Duane Pletcher for journalism. He taught me how to structure my ideas and stressed the value of professionalism in writing. The good instruction continued at Mansfield State College where Mr. Joe David Bellamy gave a lot of individual attention to those of us who cared about poetry. Following are two poems that got me noticed by my teachers. "Frank Luke" describes the heroism of an American World War I flying ace, who specialized in shooting down German observation balloons. Mr. Bellamy thought "Three-Mile" could have been written by one of the English Romantic poets. What a kudo that was! FRANK LUKE//Frank Luke,/A braggard of a man,/Took off at dawn/In his Spad.//Wehner, the only/Friend he had,/Helped him/With his daring plan.//Diving at that balloon/Was like playing poker./He asked his friend/To watch for Fokkers.//Luke finally signaled/That he was ready,/Pulled down the throttle/With a hand that was steady.//He dove straight down/With never a thought/As lead and shrapnel/Whizzed by./He fired his machine guns/Until they got hot/And blew the gas bag/From the sky.//He landed back/At his home base,/And pride shone on/His ruddy face.//His first victory/He made that morn/And the "Balloon Buster"/That day was born.////THREE-MILE//Wandering lonely lost in love/I followed paths of woe/Until I came to meadows soft/Alive with moon-fire's glow.//I sat me down upon the moor/And smelled the withered flowers/That grew with thistles brown and bent /About a ruined tower.//Foundations filled the sacred spot,/Irregular they stand/Where Swedish farms once neatly stood/Above an old mill dam.//Their stones were round and smooth and cold/And scattered on the plain/Fruit trees that once adorned the grounds/Now lie in soft decay.//A rusty cross-cut's broken blade/Lies stranded void of power/Near three miles of tainted stream/An unmarked grave turns sour... Hey, ya gotta start somewhere!

When I was in second grade, my cousin, Lanny Larson, took me to a horror double feature at Dipson's Theater in Bradford, PA. The two movies we saw were THE BRAIN FROM PLANET VARGA and THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL. I got through the first flick okay by ducking behind the seat in front of me. That didn't work, though, during the Vincent Price film. Just as a skeleton popped from an acid pit in the creepy house basement, the theater manager shut off the projector and sent a REAL skeleton out into the audience on a guy wire. I leaped up, showering my cousin with popcorn, and shot up the aisle like my sneakers were on fire. I probably squealed like a girl, too, but I'll never admit it. Even scarier was the time a bunch of us piled in my blue Maverick and went to the Portville, NY drive-in to see THE EXORCIST. Every time Linda Blair spazzed out, my buddy, Bruce "Brutely" Simes, reached from the backseat, planted his talons in my neck, and screeched, "AAAARRRR!" Although Brutely went home with bruises all over his arms from the pummeling I gave him, I still couldn't sleep without the lights on for a month after that! Why in the world then would I write horror? I tackled that subject in the "Author's Note" section of LURKING IN PENNSYLVANIA: "I've lived most of my life amidst the wild beauty of rural northwest Pennsylvania where hillsides choked with oak and hemlock create bleak tableaux that adversely affect one's psyche. Deserted farmhouses, overgrown graveyards, stark moors, and rusty oil field relics are just a few of the spooky features of this desolate land. In Mckean, Potter, Warren, Cameron, Elk, and Tioga Counties but two seasons exist--those of darkness or light. The absence of sunlight in this somber region causes some folks severe bouts of depression. For me, it inspires a dark creativity that found its outlet in the pages that follow."

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to mention that I'm still doing presentations for schools, library groups, historical societies, scouting groups, and clubs. I do book talks, talks about the history of the Bucktails, talks about freelance writing, and ghost story readings for Halloween. I only ask a small payment for gas mileage. Also, I would like an opportunity to sell books at the function. My e-mail address is: buccobill@mail.usachoice.net. I may also be reached by phone at 814-966-3372.

Here are some of the speaking engagements I've made: TV appearances on Time-Warner Cable "Crossroads" show on Channel 13, Channel 6 "Yada, Yada, Yada" show, and Channel 3 WPSX "Take Note" show. Presentations for the Dushore and Mansfield, PA Cub Scouts; Civil War Days at St. Marys, Kane, and Brockway, PA Middle Schools; Otto-Eldred High School, Duke Center, PA; Horseheads, NY High School; Zonta Club and Women's Literary Club of Bradford, PA; Curwensville, PA Public Library; Bucktail Educational Conference, Shippensburg University; McKean County Historical Society, Smethport, PA; WESB Radio show, Bradford, PA; Armed Forces Day, Driftwood, PA; the Masons Lodge, Duke Center, PA; St. Francis Over 50 Club, Bradford, PA.

I wanted to take a minute to thank the local merchants who sold books written by David Rimer and me before anyone ever heard of us. Our books are still available at these fine outlets: the Mansfield University Bookstore in Mansfield, PA; From My Shelf Books in Wellsboro, PA; the Allegheny Crossroads Store at Lantz Corners, PA; the McKean County Historical Society in Smethport, PA; the Linger Longer Cafe in Allegany, NY; the Center Bookstore in Olean, NY; Pathway Books in Ellicottville, NY; and in Bradford, PA at the Main Street Mercantile Store, Tina's Hallmark Store, and the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Bookstore. Thanks again!!

July 4, 2007

Thank you for tuning in to my new website where Bucktails battle and waters boil bloody. I began writing in the 1960's, pouring out my feelings in rhymed verse meant to impress my teenage friends and woo reticent coeds. From there, I wrote song lyrics for a local rock band before seriously pursuing a career as a freelance writer. I spent most of the 80's writing horror when I found that 80% of my spooky stuff got accepted by magazines, while only 10% of my other work found its way into print.

Being that my partner, David Rimer, and I spent the last fifteen years finishing seven historical fiction novels about the famous Civil War sharpshooters, the Bucktails, I thought I should end my first News Entry by telling you about some of the main characters you will meet in our books:

Bucky Culp is thirteen years old when he enlists in the Bucktails after his half-breed father was killed by wolves. He endures a lot of prejudice due to his Indian heritage. His bravery gets him promoted to sergeant, and by sixteen he is wed to Sarah Pfaff, who Bucky meets after the bloody Battle of Antietam.

Jimmy Jewett is a sissy preacher's son who lives in Smethport, PA, birthplace of the Bucktail Regiment. His stint as a drummer boy ends after he captures Reb prisoners at the Battle of Dranesville. He is also a very caring, religious individual and Bucky's best friend.

Hosea Curtis is a hulking sergeant who would just as soon brawl with his own squad as the Rebels. He is a big drinker and gets in trouble with the brass for his brash, rebellious nature.

Boone Crossmire is a fun-loving private who is forever bragging about his shooting ability. His yarns and talltales add a touch of humor to the grim business of war.

Frank Crandall is a serious, cool-headed soldier who acts like a big brother to the others in his squad. He meets a gruesome death at Fredericksburg.

Colonel Thomas Leiper Kane founded the Bucktail Regiment in April of 1861. He was the first Pennsylvanian to answer President Lincoln's call for volunteers at the outbreak of the Civil War. Although Kane was described as "jockey-sized", his bravery and patriotic fire win the respect of his men.

Adjutant Ross Hartshorne is an excellent Bucktail officer who becomes their commanding officer in 1863. His personality conflict with Bucky Culp adds tension to the novel series.

Sarah Pfaff is a young German farm girl Bucky saves from a Bucktail deserter named Whalen. This spirited girl becomes the love of Culp's life.