Monday 14 December 2015

What should I write next?

Keeping to a trend, at last, a blog update!  Sorry for taking so long.

To update you all on my writing, I attempted Nanowrimo 2015 in November, but sadly I only managed 7,000 words on my concept novel ‘Haldred Chronicles: Titan’.  I got the characters and a lot of scenes fleshed out but I just didn’t make the time to finish it off.

However, I still started the novel well, and it now joins several other ideas that are more than just a few lines on a page.  Hence the title of this blog post.

2015 has been a great year.  Haldred Chronicles: Shade was released in August, and recently all 3 of my novels are now available on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback format (check them out HERE for the UK and HERE for the US!).  I’m very glad I now have a proper starter ‘trilogy’ of novels and judging by reviews, people are liking my writing.

2016 is going to be a busy and exciting year for me outside of writing, but I still want to keep writing even a little bit.

To do this, I want to start 2016 by properly kicking off another project.

That’s where you, the person reading this blog post, come in.  Help me choose which idea to pursue. 

Here are the options:
Haldred Chronicles: Titan = "Victoria and Co find themselves on the world's first ‘tourism’ ship, but someone plans on spoiling the party..." = This was my Nanowrimo 2015 novel and I got to 7,000 words with it.  Should I finish it in 2016?
Haldred Chronicles: Anna = “Victoria and her team travel to the mighty Magra empire to investigate a series of deadly seaborne raids from mysterious attackers.” = this novel was originally to be my 3rd book but ‘Shade’ took over.  It’s set in the Magra empire, a Chinese/Japanese themed land were villages along the sea have experienced deadly raids by unknown enemies.  I’ve already written 19,000 words on this and developed some interesting characters.  Should I continue?
Haldred Chronicles: Fey-hacking = “Courier-fey provide secure, reliable, almost instant communications across Larrick City…or do they?” = Courier-fey are like text messaging in the world of Haldred Chronicles.  After reading a brilliant book about the News of the World hacking scandal I thought to myself, what if something like that happened with the Courier-fey in my world?  This story at the moment has only a couple of introduction scenes, but I like them; one involves a talking cat.  Maybe this is the novel I should write in 2016?
Adventure and other bad ideas: Sophie’s story = “Sophie Dalvich, a barmaid at the Broken Dreams tavern, finds her cartography and map making skill’s requested by a group of mercenaries.” = This was to be the BIG novel, way before Haldred Chronicles: Alyssa was written.  It was what established the Haldred Chronicles world but the story itself was never finished.  Despite this, even in it’s draft form it is over 75,000 words long and has an entire cast already created for it.  It concentrates on a group of adventures operating in Larrick City, from many different cultures and races, banded together on various mercenary missions.  I could go back to it, refine it, and produce it as a huge spin-off novel.  Should I?

So those are the options.  Titan, Anna, Fey-Hacking or Sophie’s story.  The titles will probably change but the concepts are there.

Vote by replying to this post with the name of the story you like.  Likewise, PM me on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Tumblr (now that Tumblr has instant messaging!) and let me know which one you like the look of.  See links to the right of this post.

Then I’ll make 2016 the year of that novel.

Thanks everyone.  Till next time!

Tuesday 1 September 2015

Haldred Chronicles BIG news

At long last, the third book in my Haldred Chronicles series is out on Amazon Kindle.  Haldred Chronicles: Shade.

You can purchase the new book HERE on Amazon.co.uk, and HERE on Amazon.com

But I’ve been keeping secret an additional update on the series, which I can at last share.

From the 1st September to the 4th September, Haldred Chronicles: Alyssa (book one) and Haldred Chronicles: Kalla (book two) are FREE on Amazon Kindle!  

Search for Haldred Chronicles on Amazon.co.uk (click HERE) or Amazon.com (click HERE) to find them.  It’s a perfect opportunity for those who have not yet read the previous two instalments, so please spread the word!


And stay tuned.  I’ve more good news coming in the next few days regards Haldred Chronicles: Alyssa.  Those visiting Amazon, might already see what’s coming next...

Tuesday 25 August 2015

Shade is coming: 31st August 2015

Well the date is almost upon us, and I’m glad to say we are on schedule.

After my last blog update the novel completion process went into overdrive.  I have been working at updating and tightening the story structure, adding detail and descriptions where necessary, filling in plot holes and strengthening the story.  My proof readers have done an exceptional job and have helped me get to this latest draft.

The final phase is upon us.

On monday 24th I spent the day finishing my final draft.  This draft has now been passed to my family for a final check over.  After they read through and give it the ok, I’ll make my final modifications and release the book on the 31st.

Two years of work will at last be unleashed onto the general public.

My next blog post will be to confirm the release and provide those all important advertisement links! 
Whilst it has definitely proven to be ‘that difficult third book’, in the final assessment I have really enjoying bringing it’s many characters to life.  I hope all you readers out there will enjoy.


Till the next and final blog post about Haldred Chronicles: Shade!

Friday 10 July 2015

It's almost ready!

It has been a long road, and will be exactly 2 years on the 31st August 2015.  But from my perspective it has been worth it, and I hope for my readers, it will likewise be worth it.
Over the past couple of months since my last update I have been adding and editing Haldred Chronicles: Shade.  At last, as of the weekend of the 3rd July 2015, I have completed my latest draft of the story in its entirety.

Haldred Chronicles: Shade is over 73,000 words long, making it over 10,000 words more than my previous book, Kalla.

Now, after my wife’s mum Jenny did such a excellent job of proofing earlier chapters, Deborah is going to proof the remainder of the draft, checking grammar, spelling etc.  After which I will hand the completed manuscript over to a couple of proof readers to check the story.  Then, on the 31st August 2015, I will at last release Haldred Chronicles: Shade for purchase on Amazon Kindle!

Shade will not only be the longest book I have so far written, but I hope as well the most intriguing.  My previous books followed a dual narrative structure, where the story was primarily told through the actions of the protagonist (Victoria Haldred) and the secondary protagonist (Alyssa or Kalla).  However, Shade is different.  Not because it isn’t dual narrative; it is, as I hope most my future books will be.  It is different because there are now two primary protagonists.  Shade and Victoria Haldred.
Readers will follow these two completing characters through a maze of politics and intrigue, of lies and deception, misdirection and misadventure, mystery and madness.  I hope readers will enjoy reading about the characters, as much as I have enjoyed creating them.

Your favourite characters have returned from the previous books, as well as a host of new characters.  Shade, in particular, has become prehapes one of the most mysterious characters I have ever written; 

I hope you enjoy reading his story.

I will say no more.  Instead, I hope to update this blog again at the end of August announcing the release of the book.  The end of this particular challenge is almost upon us.


Take care.

Thursday 23 April 2015

2015 update!

I seem to be continuing the trend of blog updates at random times!  As usual life has been very busy but I’m glad to report, in all the right ways.

Deborah and I enjoyed a wonderful time away in the great city of Boston for a week in April.  Having returned, we now hope to be moving into our new house in May and are making preparations for this.

Before leaving for Boston, I printed out all 250 pages of ‘Haldred Chronicles: Shade’.  Those 250 pages are the official, 96% completed 1st draft.  The first 6 chapters have been proofed by many of my proof readers, and then passed to my family for a final check over and story suggestions.  Once armed with these completed and checked over 6 chapters, I will then modify and update the rest of the book to 2nd draft standard, taking on board any comments on structure, flow etc. 

After that, it will just be a case of finalizing and the book will be finished!

At the same time, my fantastic illustrator Mat has once again really delivered the goods on the book’s cover art.  I hope to post up some of the fantastic prep-work he’s been doing for this latest project and I’m really looking forward to premiering the book cover art once the time comes.

As regards a final publication date, that I don’t know.  Whilst a huge amount of work has been done over the last few months, the book it still not finished and with a house move coming out, I don’t want to set a definite date.  Instead, I’m going to grab whatever free time I can to complete things and only publish once it’s done.  Rest assured, once I’m in the ‘definitely finalized’ stage I will be shouting such news from the rooftops!

Some definite details about the latest book I can confirm now.  It will be my biggest work to date.  The 1st draft is already 62,000 words and set to grow as I update and edit chapters and scenes.  In turn, it is also my most complex and detailed plot.  I hope this serves as an encouragement as apposed to a discouragement to my readers; I have thoroughly enjoyed writing so many twists and turns; I hope this comes through in the story.

So I’ll keep writing and all being well, the next update to this blog will be to confirm the book is ready! 

Until next time

* * * * *



Friday 30 January 2015

Happy belated New Year!

Yes it’s been a while; again!  However, we’re getting there.

Proofing by my proof readers has begun on the latest book.  The way it’s going to work is I’ll first being sending the book chapters, one by one, to one specific proof reader for spelling and grammar check.  Then, I’ll be passing those same chapters on to other proof readers to double check but also for comment on story structure, characters, dialogue etc.

It feels good to know that at last, things are really moving forward and will do so at a brisk pace.

I have chapters one to ten of Haldred Chronicles: Shade done and dusted.  Chapters eleven to fifteen still need to be completed.  For those who have read my previous two books, this will come as a shock; my previous books were only twelve chapters long.  Book three, put simply, needs more space for the story to be told.

The story is more complex, more detailed and involves more characters.  I hope, also, it will be more enjoyable for you, the reader.  It just means I’ve needed more time to get my head around the plot and the exceedingly tough and intelligence secondary Protagonist. 

As with all my books, this book will be ‘Dual Narrative’ so you’ll have not one but two points of view to follow.

Around the writing, Debs and I are doing well.  We’re now married seven months and enjoying this new routine of ours.  We’ve just had our first Christmas together as a married couple and now we’re in the process of putting our house up for sale.  We hope to move sometime in the summer.

So that’s the update!  I wish all of you a somewhat late Happy New Year, and once this book is done, expect another update.


Till next time!