**Welcome Author/ Publisher JOHN HALSTED**

Author of:   "LEGEND OF THE LAST VIKINGS."

Subtitle:         Taklamakan

Genre:            Historical Action/ Adventure



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Johnh@abelapublishing.com







~~~AUTHOR BIO~~~

Author/Publisher JOHN HALSTED (Publisher of:    Abela Publishing)

"You Only Live Once, Make The Most Of It!"

John Halsted was educated at Westville Boys High, just outside Durban, South Africa, where he spent more time on the sports field. This is where he was gaining honours for athletics, and just managing to graduate. His lack of interest in academic work led his teachers and parents to despair, while his coach rejoiced.


In the two years following high school, he commenced national service in the South African Air Force, and spent more time on athletics tours and having a good time, never fully committed to the defence of aparttheid as his Sergeant Major will readily testify. After completing his national service, he used London as a base, and spent the better part of eighteen months cycling around Europe.


On returning to South Africa in 1980, he found a job as a shipping clerk and when the opportunity presented itself, he transferred to Johannesburg, only so he could continue his athletics career. In 1982, he found himself managing a container depot. It was here that he was run over by a seven-and-half ton forklift truck, and his athletics career brought to a screaming halt, literally and figuratively. He spent three months in an orthopaedic hospital recuperating. It was also at this time that the Western nations applied strict sanctions against South Africa, due to the country's apartheid policies, and the shipping industry all but died. Not long after leaving the hospital, he found himself out of a job, and without any marketable skills. The easy times were over, he had to skill up.


In 1983, he found employment as an internal auditor, with a major motor manufacturer. Searching for the ideal career, he later transferred to the Accounts and Finance department. In 1985, he went to night classes, and trained as a computer programmer, later transferring to the I.T. department.


In 1986, he met his future wife, Joy. She was a Kiwi Occupational Therapist, on assignment from the International Leprosy Mission at Westfort Hospital, Pretoria. They married in 1987 and in 1988, they moved to Auckland, New Zealand, where they had two children.

In 1991, John and his family were transferred from Auckland to Wellington. In 1994, he moved into project management, finally finding his ideal career. This gave him the fun, the chalenge, and the variety he requires. Their third child was born in 1996, and their fourth in 1998.


In 1999, the family moved to England, the birth place of his Grandmother. In 2001, he made a poignant journey to Poland and Stalag VIII-C, where his father was a POW. Always relishing a challenge, he had cycled 300m/480km from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean through France, along the Canal du Midi and 500m/800km across northern Spain, on the way of St. James.


In 2000, he started a part-time MBA at Bath University, which he successfully completed in 2002. On completion of his MBA, he realized just how much time he had on his hands, and commenced an in-depth personal study of Viking history, from which his family are allegedly descended. In his research, he discovered that Vikings who travelled East across Europe, and along the Silk Route, were more interesting than family trees. It didn't take much to convert his research into an Historical Action and Adventure novel. He was stunned to find himself a finalist in the ForeWord Book of the Year awards in 2006. He is currently researching, and writing a sequel.