Richard Estep's Blog

This time last week, the first novel in my “Wellington Undead” series (The Beast of Mysore) was published. Sales are steady and sufficiently encouraging for me to have already begun writing the second book, which goes under the working title “The Hordes of Assaye.”

Three years will have passed off-page between books, and Arthur Wellesley has now obtained the rank of general. Based out of Seringapatam, he and his army of redcoats are drawn into the Mahratta war, which will culminate in his small army having to engage and defeat a much larger native force of infantry, cavalry, artillery…and zombies.

Supernatural forces influence all aspects of the world of “Wellington Undead,” and after pitting Wellesley against a band of were-tigers in the first book, it seems only natural that the shambling, hungry dead take center stage in the second. Having the latitude of inserting fantastical elements into the narrative only go so far, however; the remainder of this fictional world must still adhere closely to the historical reality.

Which means research. Lots and lots of research.

There is no shortage of published material which covers the life, times, and career of England’s greatest soldier. Part of the challenge is actually finding time to read it all. I make my living as the assistant chief of a paramedic division, but also somehow find the time to volunteer as a firefighter, teach EMT and paramedic students, chair a committee, and be a part of several other valuable and rewarding activities which are, nonetheless, all time-sucks.

I tend to write free-form and delve into the books in order to clarify a point, such as the correct way for infantry soldiers to form square, or the distance marched by a battalion of troops on a given day. I reserve the right to deviate from history in order to serve the needs of the plot (by necessity, vampire generals are forced to fight their battles at night) but strive for the the ring of truth wherever possible.

Putting words in the mouth of Arthur Wellesley, his peers, and even his adversaries, is a daunting task. Fortunately, Wellington’s own dispatches survive in published form, and so his turn of phrase and manner of writing, at least, is there for all to see and appreciate.

Without the research, the Wellington novels would be finished in half the time; and yet, I strongly suspect that they would not feel remotely as “realistic” (if such a term may be applied to a fantasy novel) as they do.

I hope that you enjoy reading them as much as I have enjoyed writing them.

A small selection of my resource material for the “Wellington Undead” novels.

It’s been a little under a week since the release of “The Beast of Mysore,” and I’m gratified to see that the book is beginning to sell. I am already in the planning stage for the second book in the “Wellington Undead” series, which is going to take the future Duke of Wellington to a place named Assaye, where he will encounter a horde of the living dead and face the fight of his life (well, ‘undeath’).

Perhaps the biggest joy in writing these books has been conducting the research, which never seems to feel like work to me. Much has been published about the life, times, and generalship of Sir Arthur Wellesley, and digging into the minutiae of both the man and  the period has been a fascinating, fulfilling experience.

On top of that, there is the challenge of adapting Wellesley’s world to incorporate a strong flavor of the supernatural. How would an army led by vampires go about its day-to-day business? Who gets shit done during the daytime? How are the vampire officers fed? (The answer is, of course, ‘walking blood banks’).

Pretty much every battle that your army engages in would have to be a night action. The foot-soldier of the Eighteenth Century did not have the luxury of night vision equipment, which is why the vast majority of set-piece engagements took place during the hours of daylight. How would that change in a world where your vampire officers own the night?

Interweaving fact, fiction, and pure superstition into a singular narrative has been an absolute blast, and I can hardly wait to dive back into that world later this week. In the meantime, I hope that you decide to give the “Wellington Undead” series a try. Vampires and muskets – what’s not to like? :-)

I’ve long been fascinated with the life of Sir Arthur Wellesley, perhaps better known to the world at large as The Duke  of Wellington. With the 200th anniversary of Waterloo having just arrived, the Iron Duke is regaining his position of rightful prominence in the public consciousness.

All things considered, Wellesley was one of the finest generals ever to take to the field. Unfairly miscast as a primarily defensive general, he was also a tactical genius when it came to the attack. Prior to Waterloo, his Peninsula campaign was nothing short of brilliant; Wellington beat the best generals that France had to offer, and – as we all know – finally beat the great Napoleon Boneparte himself. Wellington was simply that good – though perhaps the less said about his political career, the better… 

On visits to London, my wife usually indulges me in a visit to Apsley House, home of the great man for many years. I urge you to visit if you haven’t already. Simply walking in the footsteps of the Duke is a humbling experience, and the walls practically exude history. If only they could talk…the great banqueting table, with the grand painting of Wellington and his officers acting as a backdrop, is truly a sight to behold. One can also view the Duke’s death mask, and many of the personal effects that he took with him on field service.

Wellington is buried in the crypt of St. Paul’s Cathedral, just a few yards away from that other great British icon, Horatio Nelson. I found it to be a strange and almost disconcerting experience to find that the cafeteria at St. Paul’s is right next to the crypt, somewhat spoiling what ought to be a respectfully hushed atmosphere.

Considering my lifelong interest in the Duke’s career and personal life, it should come as no great surprise that he should be the subject of my first novel. Wellington is no stranger to the world of fiction – he appears regularly in Bernard Cornwell’s peerless “Sharpe” novels, and Simon Scarrow has written a quartet of excellent books that feature both Wellington and Napoleon as the protagonists.

My take is somewhat different.

The books that I have written so far all cover the subject of the paranormal, and it’s a small leap from there to the fantastic fictional realm of the vampire, werewolf, zombie, and other terrors which are the stuff of nightmares. I wanted to meld the two, and so we have the arrival of an ongoing series , “Wellington Undead,” in which the Duke – along with many of his contemporaries – happens to be a vampire.

The first novel of the series, “The Beast of Mysore,” opens with a young (and now immortal) Colonel Arthur Wellesley, engaged in the British Army’s assault upon the Tipu Sultan of Mysore. Tipu had a fanatical devotion to tigers, and the reason for that is a plot point about which the novel turns.

What happens when the vampire and the tiger clash? I hope that you pick up a copy of “The Beast of Mysore” and find out for yourself! The book will be available in August.

Welcome to my home on the Internet!

Unless you’ve stumbled upon this page by chance, you’re here because you’re interested in one of my many subject areas for rambling discourse. Thanks to my wonderful web designer Kira, this blog will soon be integrated with my author website at http://www.richardestep.net.

I’m Richard Estep, and I wear a lot of hats in my professional life: educator, paramedic, firefighter, Assistant Chief, hazardous materials technician, paranormal investigator, and one that is relatively new but very dear to my heart – author.

The short version is that I finally got round to writing my memoir a couple of years ago, and was able to successfully pitch it to a publisher. That book, “In Search of the Paranormal,” will be released on September 8th in the USA (and a month later in Europe) so suddenly this writing thing has gotten to be very real. I have always loved books, ever since I can remember, thanks to parents and grandparents who kept my desire to read fed on a regular basis.

But I was never quite able to see myself as a writer; that was always a profession for somebody else, somebody better qualified. Then I sold an honest-to-goodness manuscript to an honest-to-goodness publisher, received a check that cleared without bouncing – and thereby met Stephen King’s criteria for being a “talented writer.” You wrote a book, somebody paid you for it, and the check cleared.

Right now I am just finishing the manuscript of my third book, have a contract for a fourth signed, and have three more potential future titles lined up. I’m also finishing my first novel, which should hopefully be out there by the fall/autumn (delete as applicable depending on which side of the pond you are on) thanks to the joys of self-publishing.

I am therefore embarking on an earnest effort to build a career as a writer. That’s not to say that I want to give up any of my day jobs, as they’re all fulfilling in different ways; but writing is its own special thing to me, and I’m going to follow this particular star wherever it leads me.

I would be honored if you would join me for the ride.