Craig Cabell – författare

The Second World War spawned a plethora of crack special forces units (Long Range Desert Group, SAS, SBS, Phantom and Commandos) but 30 Assault Unit remains, even today, far more secretive and exclusive than the others. Formed by Ian Fleming, who was working for Naval Intelligence, 30 AUs mission was to penetrate and operate behind enemy lines, capture by whatever means necessary vital intelligence and feed it back to London where it could be assimilated and acted upon.This crack team of commandos included mavericks such as Patrick Dalzel-Job (generally regarded as the model for Flemings fictional secret agent 007), and less well known (despite their conspicuous bravery) figures such as Captains Huntingdon-Whiteley, Captain Martin-Smith. Lieutenant Commander Curtis and Lieutenant McFee.The author has trawled archives and interviewed veterans in order to piece together the history and record of this elusive special forces unit who fought with great distinction and achieved results disproportionate to their size.

While his extravagant and glamorous lifestyle is well known, little has been published concerning Ian Fleming's contribution during the Second World War.In the very early days of the War, Fleming was earmarked by the Director of Naval Intelligence as his 'right hand man'. From the outset he was in the center of events, meeting with key political and military figures as well as those of exceptional intelligence, experience and courage. All this was to give him invaluable background when he came to write the Bond novels.The author has uncovered through official documentation, private papers and contacts the depth of Fleming's work in Naval Intelligence. Fascinating insights of those he worked with and details of covert trips to Europe and North Africa emerge.Fleming was closely associated with 30 Assault Unit, a crack team of Commandos who took the fight to the enemy. The book reveals both the history of 30 AU and Fleming's role.

Updateddetailed biographies of the 12 actors who have played the Time Lord, including the latest, Peter Capaldi"Doctor Who" is the world's longest-running science fiction television series, and the role of theTime Lord has been a career landmark for all11 actors who have played him.Few roles in television historyare as iconic, demanding, or as anticipated by its legion of fans as that of the famous time traveler with two hearts. This compendium of facts about the men behind the role reveals to fans whowas a bouncer for theRolling Stones before taking control of the Tardis, who was nearly blown up in World War II aboard HMS" Hood," who had a fondness for wooly hats and a grandson who would become Harry Potter's nemesis, and who played a transvestite barmaid before becoming a "Who" heartthrob. All these bizarre facts are explained, and many more, as the lives and careers of each Doctor including the most recent incarnation, Peter Capaldi are put under the spotlight and given the credit they so richly deserve. Including interviews with many of the stars, this is a must-have for any fan."

The legacy of a master of horror lives on in this fully authorized biography James Herbert was an enduringly popular author whose books sell in the hundreds of thousands across the world and are made into films. He broke away from the cut-and-thrust populist horror novels of the 1970s and 1980s to create more thought-provoking works, featuring the scientific reasoning behind the manifestations of the ghosts and spirits in which he truly believed. Yet despite his worldwide fan base, surprisingly little is known about the man himself. Before his recent death, James Herbert granted his friend and confidant Craig Cabell more than a dozen exclusive candid interviews. The result is an incredibly frank and revealing portrait of one of the giants of contemporary popular fiction, shedding light on his personal demons that drove the boy from London''s East End to become the preeminent horror writer of his generation. Cabell shares personal correspondence and reminiscences, including one of Herbert''s previously unpublished pieces, entitled To Ye All. In addition to this, James granted the author full access to his photographic archives, making this a title that no James Herbert fan can be without.

The execution of Captain William Kidd on 23 May 1701 is one of the most controversial and revealing episodes in the long history of piracy. The legend that has grown up around Kidd’s final voyage, his concealed treasure and the dubious conduct of his trial, has made him into one of the most intriguing and misunderstood figures from the golden age of piracy. For either Kidd was a legal privateer or he was a wicked pirate – indeed he has been described as one of the most feared pirates to sail the high seas. But his story is complex and ambiguous. This timely new account of Kidd’s life and seafaring career reassesses the man and his legend – it makes compelling reading.

Edward Teach Blackbeard-is one of the legends of the so-called golden age of piracy. There have been so many accounts of his short, bloody career that it is hard to see him and his times in a clear historical light. This new study looks for the man behind the legend, and it gives a vivid insight into the nature of piracy and the naval operations that were launched against it.The narrative focuses on the roles played by the Governor of Virginia Alexander Spotswood who masterminded the pursuit of Blackbeard, and Lieutenant Robert Maynard of HMS Pearl who led the pursuit and finally cornered Teach and his crew and, after a vicious fight, saw him killed.In vivid detail, it reveals how the hunt for Blackbeard was orchestrated, how he was tracked down, and the parts played in the drama by the larger-than-life leading characters in this extraordinary story. This freshly researched study of the pursuit of the notorious pirate and his crew-and of the final fight in which Blackbeard lost his life-makes compelling reading.

Edward Teach – ‘Blackbeard’-is one of the legends of the so-called ‘golden age of piracy’. There have been so many accounts of his short, bloody career that it is hard to see him and his times in a clear historical light. This new study looks for the man behind the legend, and it gives a vivid insight into the nature of piracy and the naval operations that were launched against it.The narrative focuses on the roles played by the Governor of Virginia Alexander Spotswood who masterminded the pursuit of Blackbeard, and Lieutenant Robert Maynard of HMS Pearl who led the pursuit and finally cornered Teach and his crew and, after a vicious fight, saw him killed.In vivid detail, it reveals how the hunt for Blackbeard was orchestrated, how he was tracked down, and the parts played in the drama by the larger-than-life leading characters in this extraordinary story. This freshly researched study of the pursuit of the notorious pirate and his crew - and of the final fight in which Blackbeard lost his life - makes compelling reading.

The Second World War spawned a plethora of crack special forces units (Long Range Desert Group, SAS, SBS, Phantom and Commandos) but 30 Assault Unit remains, even today, far more secretive and exclusive than the others. Formed by Ian Fleming, who was working for Naval Intelligence, 30 AU’s mission was to penetrate and operate behind enemy lines, capture by whatever means necessary vital intelligence and feed it back to London where it could be assimilated and acted upon. This crack team of commandos included mavericks such as Patrick Dalzel-Job (generally regarded as the model for Fleming’s fictional secret agent 007), and less well known (despite their conspicuous bravery) figures such as Captains Huntingdon-Whiteley, Captain Martin-Smith. Lieutenant Commander Curtis and Lieutenant McFee. The author has trawled archives and interviewed veterans in order to piece together the history and record of this elusive special forces unit who fought with great distinction and achieved results disproportionate to their size.

Terry Pratchett is one of the most loved writers in the world. With worldwide sales of over 65 million copies in 37 languages, his novels are eagerly awaited by his legions of fans year after year. His first Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic, was released in 1983 and ever since then the series, with its whimsical heroes and fiendish foes, has delighted both young and old alike. In 2007 Pratchett announced that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. He has courageously faced the disease head-on, equalling the determination of his characters in his vivid and satirical novels. In Terry Pratchett - The Spirit of Fantasy, Craig Cabell's examines his extraordinary life, showcased against the backdrop of his irreverent works. With 2011 the 40th anniversary year of his first novel, The Carpet People, this is a fitting time to pay tribute to the author's artistic achievements and celebrate one of Britain's true national treasures. Featuring an in-depth look at the man and his work, as well as on-screen adaptations and a complete UK bibliography and collector's guide, this is essential reading for any fan.

Matthew Hopkins is perhaps the most notorious, certainly the most productive, witchfinder that England ever boasted. In eighteen months between 1645 and 1646, he was responsible for the condemnation and execution of at least 230 witches in south-east England and East Anglia. His victims were for the most part elderly women, though men too, even respected clergymen, faced trial and capital punishment for performing witchcraft and making covenants with Satan. Hopkins had appointed himself Witchfinder General by order of Parliament but his reputation as a local hero became tarnished by his use of excessive torture, too many false accusations, and confessions obtained by dubious means.His death is somewhat mysterious. He died while still quite young, possibly after having been accused of witchcraft himself and executed. Craig Cabell, already a noted biographer of such contemporary students of the occult as Dennis Wheatley and James Herbert, uses the copious extant records and Hopkins's own writings, to create a richly detailed picture of a man and a society obsessed with magic, devil worship and the powers of darkness. He provides the first full modern biography of a man who turned his undoubted energies and gifts into a streamlined, and profitable, killing machine.

Few people are aware that Dennis Wheatley, in his day one of the biggest selling novelists in the world, spent the Second World War as a member of Winston Churchill's Joint Planning Staff. Wheatley's job was to confuse the enemy by writing 'plausible, official documents' and to feed them to the Nazis. Here is that little known and intriguing story, drawn on previously unpublished restricted papers - and with a foreword by one of today's best-selling authors.