William Vlach
Author, Poet, Satirist, Essayist, Psychologist
Welcome to the online home of Award winning author William Vlach. Learn more about BIll and his assorted work in Western Fiction, Historical Fiction and outrageous Comedy and Satire. Bill has also published on topics such as Police Psychology, the history of ethics, and film noir. His photograpy and Haiku can be viewed at Drifting Sands, Contemporary Haibun and at his Instagram account: @haigasanfrancisco.
Historical Fiction
Some of the greatest stories come from History. However the voice that speaks history is not always the whole story. My Historical Fiction novels are extensively researched, and I try hard to stay true to the context of the world these characters find themselves in.
THE GUNS OF SANTA
MUERTE:
A Tale of The San Patricos
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"The incredible story of the San Patricios is a little understood, but an amazing chapter in the history of the United States, Ireland, and Mexico," Vlach said. "I felt compelled to explore this story with its themes of heroism, love and meaning."
The novel begins in the tragic famine in 19th century Ireland. Fleeing the hunger ravished island, Patrick and his cousins arrive in old New York only to find themselves betrayed by that city's violent pandemonium. They enlist the United States Army in the Mexican-American war, but further injustices lead them to join the legendary San Patricios Battalion, a mostly Irish group fighting for Mexican independence. This exciting story leads Patrick to fall in love with the Mexican novitiate Esmeralda and they together engage in the novel's climax in the battle for Mexico City.
"The Guns of Santa Muerte: A Tale Of The San Patricios," St Andrews Press, London 2021 is available at independent bookstores and from Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, and other online bookstores.
THE GOLDEN CHALICE OF HUNAHPU
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The Golden Chalice of Hunahapú is an epic novel of the struggle for the Americas, an odyssey moving from the pre-Columbian Mayan empire to the splendid Golden Age of Spain then back to the battle for the land and soul of Guatemala. The tale is told in three first person chronicles: Kaqchikel Mayan prince Belehe Qat is both witness and warrior as he tries to save his people; young and fierce Spanish noblewoman Beatriz pursues marriage to the powerful conquistador, Alvarado, only to find the New World is more than she bargained for; and the hilariously acerbic Domingo, a Sancho Panza-like monk, seeks to find meaning in the middle of this 16th century American holocaust. Their intertwining stories lead to the shocking volcanic climax.Vlach, a police psychologist, who has done field work in Guatemala with his anthropologist wife, Norita Vlach, has published poetry, essays, and won awards for both his playwriting and parody. Cover artist, Guatemalan Emanuel Paniagua, who works with both paintings and sculpture, says about his work, “I was born into an aesthetic culture that has been crafted through centuries with artistic mastery in weavings, clay, stone.”The Golden Chalice of Hunahpú: A Novel of the Spanish Attack on the Maya is available at independent bookstores, Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, and other online bookstores.
