A New Chapter: Signing with Pen & Sword Books

It’s official. I’ve signed a publishing deal with Pen & Sword Books, one of the UK’s leading military and historical publishers, for my next non-fiction title A Land Abandoned (working title).

The book explores what happened in the aftermath of Bannockburn, when the north of England was left to burn, rebuild, and somehow survive between 1314 and 1328. These were years of devastation, rebellion, and uneasy peace, when much of the north was effectively written off by its own crown. I want to tell the stories of the people who lived through that chaos, not just kings and commanders, but the priests, merchants, and ordinary families who endured the years the rest of England tried to forget.

This project is particularly special because it ties directly into my first non-fiction release, A King’s Gamble: The Neville’s Cross Campaign, 1346. Where Gamble focused on the final act of a long war between England and Scotland, A Land Abandoned steps back to examine the scars left after Bannockburn, the shattered lands, the shifting loyalties, and the slow rebuilding of northern society.

It’s grim, fascinating stuff. The kind of history that’s usually brushed over between the “big” battles. And that’s exactly why I want to write it.

I’m genuinely proud to be working with Pen & Sword on this one. They’ve published some of the historians whose work I’ve admired for years, and it’s a real privilege to have my book under their banner.

Work is already underway. Research is in full swing, and the first few chapters are shaping up nicely. The expected release window is late 2026 or early-mid 2027, and I’ll share updates (and probably a few sleepless rants) as the writing progresses.

For those following my fiction series, don’t panic. Fire in the North, the sequel to Forged in the North, is still in development. I’m juggling both worlds, as ever.

Thanks, as always, to everyone who’s supported my writing journey, from readers and reviewers to the daft sods who buy my books just because they like the cover.

Time to get back to the battlefield.

As a A New Chapter: Signing with Pen & Sword Books begins, keep an eye on cover teasers, some ARC opportunities and more!

— Nick