Well, you can read about the first two instalments of HISTORIES OF BRITAIN here and here…

But, yes, it was mighty remiss of me not to have blogged for the release of HISTORIES OF BRITAIN III: THE ANGLO SAXON CHRONICLE several weeks ago – life never seems to let up, does it? Even while not actually earning any money, still the days are filled with stresses and deadlines.

Just the last week or two, I’ve had to devote may hours to organising my two new historical lectures for August’s inaugural Ludlow History Festival, THE FOLKLORE OF BRITISH HISTORY and BLACKADDER’S BRITAIN, which may not make me rich, but I can honestly say both speeches have turned out really funny and fascinating, and I’m hoping to be able to do them all over the country at different festivals and events for many years to come, so hopefully it was time well apportioned…

However, returning to the main theme, and all that said, perhaps it’s good that it’s now being heralded alongside its younger sister HISTORIES OF BRITAIN IV: THE WORCESTER CHRONICLE OF CHRONICLES, as they are two sides of a very similar old coin. Both join the first two volumes, available in paperback, eBook and above all, audiobook form.

(BTW Nobody remains more aware than me that the platform they are on is one of the greatest forces for evil in the universe, but if you feel strongly about it, perhaps you can set up a multimedia publishing company and I’ll sign everything I have on there over to your more moral outfit. Until then, with little mouths to feed and feet to shoe, I’ll have to just pragmatically keep swallowing it, and quietly wishing Bezos an unsuccessful space mission…)

Okay, back to more jolly topics… The moanings of long-dead monks.

Yes, I have edited, introduced and spent in the region of 20 hours so far this year in the guise of a 12th century monk, slowly intoning centuries of ancient English annals for these two very big multimedia History publications. Everybody has heard of the Anglo Saxon Chronicle, but why would you actually sit and read them? When you can lie back and enjoy the (actually genuinely hilarious in places) ride along with me?

I have much of the 10-volume-strong Histories of Britain series all blocked out, but we’re in this New Norman era of historical scribbling, and deciding which takes on our national story written by 12th century monks to include has been an interesting challenge. There are dozens of extensions/versions of the Anglo Saxon Chronicle, but I went with Worcester’s as the next HOB entry along, not least as it as so close to home for me. As a native of the Welsh Marches, I grew up sandwiched between Wales and the Black Country, so Worcester’s weird meeting of West Country burr and West Midlands whine comes somewhat naturally to me – many of my cousins sound like that!

Anyway, we have FIVE free downloads to give away, for any Audible customers out there who’d like to save a credit, and listen to this long (and sometimes utterly fascinating) historical text. So, if you want to trip along to https://www.audible.co.uk/acx-promo and enter a free code, just email me on jem@jemroberts.com with the answer to…

I MISS WORCESTER SAUCE TWIGLETS. WHAT OTHER FLAVOURS HAVEN’T THEY FEATURED?
A) Curry
B) Tangy
c) Marmalade

(They bloody should, though!)

PRESS RELEASE FOLLOWS…

Histories of Britain V will move eastwards in our tracking of the British History history, and it’s possible that it could join the other volumes before the end of the year…

But right now I find myself immersed in a very different book, albeit part of the same series. In fact, I’m happy to tease right here and right now that – besides a third *comedic* surprise, which I’ll be blogging about in the autumn – the rest of my year heavily involves paying tribute to the greatest playwright in the English language, and the greatest comic novelist…

However, exactly how Bill and Plum have taken over my life this year, I’m afraid you will have to wait to find out…

Pip pip, and exeunt!