Having had some brilliant experiences with metal detecting and that I’ve always been passionate about historical research, a few years back I pondered on a project. Having had several books already published and written hundreds of magazine articles, I wondered if I could possibly manage it... or at least have a go. Could I produce a Metal Detecting orientated novel?
Now that was the question... For a few years it appeared not... then at 2`Oclock one morning I woke up suddenly, with what I considered to be a really cool storyline that just popped into my head... so heading for the computer some 15,000 words were typed and then I went back to bed.
The outline of the story remained on the PC hard-drive for a few years until two guys called Mark and Luke asked "If I had ever written something a little off the road to what I normally do?" Indeed I had, and showed them both the rough draft, they helped me to progress it further and after about ten weeks it had grown to some 120,000 words and I had also added around fifteen black pen and ink illustrations.
The job was done... it seemed like an age (but it was really only a few months) until after two drafts the final proof copy arrived... Dan had done a magnificent Job. This really is a tale of group efforts by several individuals... so what’s it all about?... well without revealing the plot it’s about time lines, losses of objects and their later discoveries through the ages... but the basic storyline is about something that occurred in Britain whilst under Roman occupation... and it all ends with the discovery of a magnificent huge treasure...
Now there are two other titles in preparation, however whether these ever achieve anything will of course be determined by if anyone considers the first book to be any good... Of course I reckon it’s great... (but find me a novelist who doesn’t believe in their work eh?) It’s going to take time, but its readers will be the ones to decide if it’s acceptable as non-fiction/ fiction work.
I’ve had great fun on the way to producing this book. Metal detecting as many people know is something rather of an obsession/passion to me, so it feels good to offer something back to the hobby. We are all in tough times and I hope to encourage more people to take up detecting and consider ways in which it can benefit their lives, such as health, enthusiasm, passion and of course the chance to find both small and great treasures... Will you find treasure? Mmmmh who can say for sure, but if luck and fate are on your side one day you will be in the right place at the right time and your coil may well pass over something truly awesome.
One thing is fact in the book and that is that this "treasure" exists somewhere out in the British countryside... somewhere where the likes of we detectorists have not as yet probed... You know it’s probably in one of those horrid patches of land that everyone thinks "Nope not today, but OK one day I will make an effort to just check it out" how many times do such things happen to us eh?
Exactly what this treasure will turn out to be is of course impossible to determine until one of us recovers it. In the novel I offer you my own interpretation of just what it might be., but as I say ladies and gentlemen "it is out there"
The novel finishes with a bit of a twist and I must confess if your interpretation of this book is as one with hidden clues in it... then that is excellent for deep within the text there may well be something that you can identify with that could make you that very person to make this epic discovery... just imagine that eh?
Finally there are some people that I would like to thank...
Minelab metal detectors who have helped me locate my own personal treasures on many occasions and without whom this novel would have been virtually impossible to write, and of course the countless members of staff at Minelab.
Luke and Mark from Joan Allen a company that not only help many detectorists out, but who have all become real friends throughout this process.
Dan at Treasure Hunting Magazine who also gave me the incentive to carry on and really who supported me throughout. Finally to Dave Stuckey, Steve Williams, Jack Nash, Jason Baker and the countless hundreds of metal detecting colleagues I have met over the years, your attitudes, finds and often humorous outlooks are often included and helped me to write this. I would like to say thank you everyone, I truly believe we make a damned good team.
Therefore ladies and gents it is with great pleasure I present to you a novel about metal detecting called simply "The Three Tiles".
Julian Evan-Hart
Find out more here: www.thethreetiles.co.uk Price £9.99
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