Merry Christmas – and goodbye to 2023!
It’s been a really busy year for me, an exhausting one, too, and I’m about to down tools and take a few days off over the festive season. But I would like to take this opportunity to say a heartfelt thank-you to all the readers who have bought my books and said very kind things in their reviews. The year began with finishing off the writing of King of the North (Fire Born 4), published by Canelo in the late summer . . .
I also began writing Blood of the Bear (Fire Born 5) this year, which I will finish in the first part of 2024, and will be published in the late summer sometime. I’ve enjoyed writing the Fire Born books, which tell the adventures of a berserker called Bjarki Bloodhand and a tough-as-nails shield maiden called Tor Hildarsdottir, but I think the series may be coming to a close soon, so enjoy them while you can. If you don’t know the series at all, start with The Last Berserker (Fire Born 1). You will thank me, I promise you.
I also wrote a new Mongol novel, the first of a trilogy, during the summer. I still don’t have a publisher for this one, so if you are interested get in touch with my excellent agent Ian Drury of Shiel Land Associates.
The most exciting news, at least for me, this year was the launch of a new way of storytelling. It’s an experiment, really. And so far it seems to be a success. The Broken Kingdom (Wormkind Chronicles 1) is a novel that I am writing in short – 20,000 words or 75 pages – episodes. This means I can write a bit of the story and self-publish it every month or so. It is an Arthurian low fantasy novel, set in post-Roman Britain, with a touch of magic and some horrible dragons. I have to admit that I’m really enjoying writing it. The first episode is called Arthur’s Bane (see covers below), the second one is called Arthur’s Escape. And both episodes are available now to download as eBooks.
As I say, it is an experiment, and some people may find the episodic delivery of the story frustrating – I have had comments! – but it allows me to write in the spaces around the other big projects I have on the go. The episodes will come out regularly, perhaps one every month or so (the next one, Arthur’s Revenge, will be out in January). So if you are looking for something fun to read over the Christmas break, I suggest you give this a go. Each episode is only 99p (or equivalent) – what have you got to lose?
What’s happening in 2024 and beyond?
First task is finishing off and publishing Episode Three of The Broken Kingdom (Arthur’s Revenge), which will happen in early January. Then I have to write and dispatch to my brilliant editor at Canelo the first draft of Blood of the Bear (Fire Born 5). After that I will write Episode Four of the Arthur story (in March). Then it will be edits on BOTB, with publication looming in the summer. The second half of the year? I don’t know. I’m really hoping that Canelo – or someone else – will pick up my Mongol novel but if not I’m quite happy to self-publish this one, too. It’s a cracking love/adventure story – and I think it will sell well.
Sometime in the summer I will write the fifth and final episode of The Broken Kingdom, and publish the whole story as a paperback, and maybe hardback. (The Arthur episodes come out only as 99p eBooks for the moment.) I’d also like to get an audio book out, too. What I will be doing beyond that is too far away to tell. But – phew! – I feel exhausted just telling you about this. There will probably be another Fire Born, there’s the Mongol trilogy on the horizon, and I have to write the next Wormkind (Arthur) novel, too.
So, I’m going to be busy-busy. But before then I’m going to have a bloody good rest with mince pies, turkey, crackers, bad family jokes and absolutely lashings of booze. Merry Christmas to you all! And a happy new year, too. And I very much hope to connect with some of you lovely people again in 2024!
Episodic publishing new? Try telling Charles Dickens that.. :o)) Have a good break, you surely deserve it with your output!
Thanks Steve! There truly is nothing new under the sun. Happy new year! Angus
Can’t believe air for the next fireborn book, and now can’t wait even more for the Arthur paperback ekkk
Can’t wait even, how that turned into can’t believe air, I ain’t got the foggiest haha
Can’t believe air, either, Chris! (lol) Glad you are enjoying the stories. Next Arthur episode out soon (January) and the paperback in the summer sometime. Next Fire Born also in summer, prolly late summer. Happy New Year, my friend! Angus