Dan Cross is a two-time shortlisted author who primarily writes historical fiction adventure novels. Learn about Dan and his novels, or go to his professional manuscript editing and author coaching business, The Open Book Editor, for advice on writing and publishing.
Books
Caesar of Mercenaries
Shortlisted for the 2018 Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize
1288, Italy. The War of the Sicilian Vespers has left noble families stripped of their birthright, kings feuding for power, and a new danger rising in the east.
Roger de Flor and his brother grow up under the tutorship of their templar mentor to earn fame as renowned ship commanders. When Roger learns they are to be inducted into the Order, he believes he will finally win back his family’s lost noble status. But war exposes the corruption within his brotherhood and Roger is forced to choose between honouring his oaths and fulfilling his ambitions.
As former allies hunt him to the ends of the known world, Roger learns to play the game of politics and war. But in this era of gods and kings, the price of freedom must be paid in blood.
STATUS: AGENT SEEKING PUBLICATION
The Lioness & The Flame
Shortlisted for the 2020 Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize
France, 1342. After her husband is betrayed, Joanna de Montfort is all that stands between a brutal enemy and her infant son, the disputed heir to the Duchy of Brittany. With her castle surrounded, the food stores empty, and her soldiers killed, Joanna must rally the women around her to make a last push for survival… but not before secretly dispatching a messenger to England.
Meanwhile, Jeanne de Clisson is quietly enjoying her privileged life. But when the war reaches her household, she starts upon a bloody path of vengeance and piracy.
This is the story of two women who responded to adversity with steadfast courage. Their legends would inspire heroines for generations, including Joan of Arc, and their actions helped begin a war that would last one hundred years.
STATUS: AGENT SEEKING PUBLICATION
News
Shortlisted for the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize for the second time (competition winner: Jacob P. Avila).
Write On! Magazine Issue 7 media pack available now.
Issue 7 out 22nd January 2021.
Short story, "XIII" named runner-up in Pen to Print's Flash Fiction Competition.
Dan Cross' short story, "Universe", published on Write On! Extra: Showcase.
Author: About Dan Cross
Dan Cross is a novelist, writer, editor, and business owner. He primarily writes historical fiction due to his fascination with ancient and medieval history and his love of unearthing incredible individuals and tales which have been all-but-forgotten in the modern era.
His first novel, CAESAR OF MERCENARIES, was shortlisted for the 2018 Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Award. His second novel, THE LIONESS & THE FLAME, was shortlisted for the 2020 Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize.
He is currently editing his third novel, a historical adventure set in Ancient Mesopotamia, and researching a fictionalised memoir of a British soldier who fought in the Burma campaign in World War II.
Dan is an associate editor for Write On!, an industry-recommended magazine that champions creative writers of all backgrounds. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Editing & Proofreading, the Historical Novel Society and the Society of Authors. In 2020, Dan was a judge for the 2020 Pen to Print Book Challenge Competition.
Dan Cross is a professional editor, writer, and author coach. He is the managing owner of The Open Book Editor, offering manuscript editing services and guidance to authors.