General Update - Feb '16

So it struck me that with all the fun of actually writing lately, it's been a little while since I did an update for everyone.  So here goes with that.

Shadows at the Door

The 'Shadows at the Door' horror anthology gets closer to completion every day, and soon the Kickstarter will be coming into play for all of those great extras, like wonderful cover art, fantastic (ahem) editing and audiobooks!  From what I've seen so far, the anthology is going to be chock-full of truly superb stories, and all of the contributors have surpassed themselves.  To say I'm excited would be a massive understatement - and I can only hope that readers enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed being a part of it.

What Comes From The Earth

My first novel, set in contemporary South Africa, is finished, and with beta readers as I write.  The feedback I've had so far has been overwhelmingly positive, and while there may be a few bits to tidy up, I'm hopeful that it can be released in a form very close to its current one.  On something of a whim, I submitted it to a publisher who was looking for diverse characters - though I'm unsure if perhaps they wanted minority authors too - either way, perhaps we'll see.  If there's no interest, I'll revert to my original plan of self-publishing regardless.  I already have the cover, so there shouldn't be too much additional work to do.


This Burning Man

This serial is my first real foray into writing sci-fi, and it's incredibly good fun.  Chapter 5 went up this weekend, which is excellent, and I've managed to get a few episodes ahead of myself to free up the time and allow me to play with the plot a little in later stages.  The aim is to produce a novella-length serial, lasting exactly one year, with chapters spaced out evenly, a fortnight apart.  The whole thing will eventually be available for free, though I'm hoping that I can release the ending on Kindle for a couple of pounds a little bit in advance of its appearance on the blog, so fans can get it in advance and I can make a little bit of money from it.

My Travels Through Imaginary Lands

This is another serial piece which has been appearing on this very blog (Chapter 4 is here) and is inspired by my love for travel writing, particularly the work of Patrick Leigh Fermor.  I came up with the idea to write a journey much like the one Fermor describes in his walk from the Hook of Holland to Constantinople in the 1920s, but to set it in a imagined world of steam, conflict and thaumaturgy.  Because it is a travelogue, there is no underlying plot as such, but a whole lot of fascinating details about the world, its history and culture, the flora/fauna and so on will emerge as you read through.  Once again, when this is finished, I will probably make it available for a couple of pounds on Kindle.

This project, more even than any of the others, is something of a labour of love for me, so I would be very keen to hear what people think of it, and would like to see me do with it.

Escalator Fiction

Last but not least, I've applied for a spot in the 2016 Escalator Fiction competition, a chance for writers from the East of England to receive a year's mentoring, workshops and support from established writers and publishers.  I have a plan for second novel that I'd like to start really soon, though it's moving (both geographically and emotively) a long way from my first one, so I'm going to need to do a lot of research before I can begin.  That said, I'm hopeful that it will be both fun, and able to strike a lot of emotional notes at the same time.  I'll keep you updated when I hear more.

My Current Project List

Like most writers, I have a list of projects going on at any one time, and I thought I'd give you all an idea on my progress with each.

What Comes from the Earth (the novel) 
 
I mention it only because it's the one that people always ask about - and with good reason.

My novel has been in process for a couple of years now.  That's a long while (though I'm hoping that the time will show in the final product!)  There are a number of reasons for this - it's not a straightforward matter to write, there are a lot of other things that have to take priority (family, studying, etc) and sometimes, you just can't face sitting down at a wall of text and starting anew.

The good news is that I am 12k words into the definitive final draft and while my continuing research means that I learn new things about South Africa every day, hopefully these are all going to be part of a significant and coherent whole.

The Z Chronicles (the anthology)

The forthcoming 'Z Chronicles' anthology is expected to be released in June 2015, and yours truly will have a story in it!

I'm very excited for this - the previous entries in the Chronicles series have shot to the top of Amazon and Kindle bestseller lists,and I'll be taking my place alongside some of the most revered authors in Science and Speculative Fiction - alphabetically, my name will be sitting on the cover right next to Hugh Howey, and I figure that won't do me any harm at all.  Most importantly of all, beta readers have really enjoyed the story, and told me that it's one of my best.  I'll let you all know when it's available for purchase, and hopefully you'll go out and buy a copy. 

Crowning Glory (the film)

Some of you may remember that a little whole ago, I was approached to consider turning one of my short stories into a film.  That sounds fun, I thought, and wrote a screenplay.  Our team is set, and when our leading man recovers from his brief hospital stay (get well soon, Greg!) we should be in a position to begin production.  Rehearsals are scheduled in the next week or two depending on commitments, but hopefully we'll soon take a key step to making this a reality.

Going Silver (the idea)

It occurred to me that since many of my projects result in short stories and writing fragments, it's about time that I started collecting them together into something sale-able.  This is a long-term plan, as I don't have enough material at the moment to produce a top notch short story collection (and I wouldn't offer it to people unless I thought it was top notch.)  However, it's a goal I'm working towards, and as I progress with other things, this collection will grow in size and one day it will unexpectedly leap out at the world, all teeth and fury.

The title is a working one, but it's one I like.  It's taken from my favourite novel, 'Vurt'.

Caladria (the competition)

Who likes dragons?  You like dragons.  (Everyone likes dragons.)

Currently, the collaborative worldbuilding site Caladria are running a free-to-enter competition that sees you choose one of three themes and build a narrative around the theme.  I'm currently 1,000 words into an entry.  Dragons feature heavily, and you have the chance to flex your fantasy muscles (the writing ones, that is) and contribute to a rather wonderful shared project.

The Website (the project)

And finally...because it has to happen at some point.

This blog has been a fun ride and my desire to write remains as healthy as it ever has, but I'm now in my second year of having made money from writing, and as such, I believe it will soon be time to upgrade to a proper website.  I'm looking into costs just now, but watch this space.