Clive S. Johnson's Blog
October 21, 2025
Death of a Domain
A few days ago, I was informed by my mail and website host, Eclipse, that come January next year, they'll no longer be providing hosting of either.
Ahhhhhh!
I've now spent four full days updating all mine and Kit's accounts to use our new email addresses. More to the point here, though, I've now got a new host for my author site: https://clivesjohnson.com
But don't worry, it looks the same, just lives elsewhere :^)
.
Ahhhhhh!
I've now spent four full days updating all mine and Kit's accounts to use our new email addresses. More to the point here, though, I've now got a new host for my author site: https://clivesjohnson.com
But don't worry, it looks the same, just lives elsewhere :^)
.
February 15, 2025
New Author's Website
After having had the same website for my books for about fifteen years now, I thought it was well due for a revamp.
So, this is where you can find it now: New Website
Let me know what you think. If there are any improvements you reckon I should make - thanks.
So, this is where you can find it now: New Website
Let me know what you think. If there are any improvements you reckon I should make - thanks.
January 25, 2024
Progress on my New Novel
I'm now working on my next speculative fiction novel, and am currently sixteen chapters in. It's set in a far distant future and deals with a perennial problem: conspiracy theories - but in this case with a twist...
March 18, 2022
My Latest on the Writing Front
Well, 2021 was a somewhat mixed year, regardless of Covid. As many of you will know, I published hardback versions of almost all my books and updated many of the covers. I also began my 12th novel, although its writing tended to be in fits and starts.
This year, however, I dedicated myself to finishing it, which is what I've now arrived at: Kindle e-book, paperback and hardback of A Force Between Waters all available by clicking on Amazon.
And here's the synopsis and paperback/hardback cover artwork:
When Denzel and his fellow trader Winston lead their pack-ponies home from the small Lancastrian port of Bolton, he’s amazed when he finds the strangely wrapped body of a girl floating in a pool beside the track. This turns out, though, to be only the first of many mysteries involving Denzel and his Gaian College at Wallsuches.
What’s behind the longstanding animosity between the neighbouring hamlet of Horwich and the fishing port of Chorley? Why has it recently spilled over into bloody conflict? How might this threaten Denzel’s College and its remote Gaian Foundation in the Lancastrian capital of Clitheroe? And what part, if any, does the enigmatic girl found in the pool play in all this?
Set in a future Lancashire, after climate change, we follow Denzel as he’s dragged not only into a search for answers, but into a fight against a legacy from his world’s cataclysmic past. And against all this upheaval, can Denzel finally fulfil a promise he made many years before to his lamented younger sister?
Look out here for any further updates to come. And don't forget: you can find all my books on my website
:^)
This year, however, I dedicated myself to finishing it, which is what I've now arrived at: Kindle e-book, paperback and hardback of A Force Between Waters all available by clicking on Amazon.
And here's the synopsis and paperback/hardback cover artwork:
When Denzel and his fellow trader Winston lead their pack-ponies home from the small Lancastrian port of Bolton, he’s amazed when he finds the strangely wrapped body of a girl floating in a pool beside the track. This turns out, though, to be only the first of many mysteries involving Denzel and his Gaian College at Wallsuches.
What’s behind the longstanding animosity between the neighbouring hamlet of Horwich and the fishing port of Chorley? Why has it recently spilled over into bloody conflict? How might this threaten Denzel’s College and its remote Gaian Foundation in the Lancastrian capital of Clitheroe? And what part, if any, does the enigmatic girl found in the pool play in all this?
Set in a future Lancashire, after climate change, we follow Denzel as he’s dragged not only into a search for answers, but into a fight against a legacy from his world’s cataclysmic past. And against all this upheaval, can Denzel finally fulfil a promise he made many years before to his lamented younger sister?
Look out here for any further updates to come. And don't forget: you can find all my books on my website
:^)
November 30, 2021
Now Available in Hardback
All my books, bar my poetry and short stories volume Tissue of Truths, are now available in hardback (or as Amazon refers to them: hardcover). As with the paperbacks and Kindle versions, these can be obtained from my Amazon author page. Not only do they look a real treat, but they're so much easier to read. Plus, I've priced them so they're not too expensive. I hope you get to enjoy them.
And for those awaiting my next novel, still as yet unnamed, after some major delays over the summer (loft conversions and the like), I'm now about halfway through its writing. I guess it's likely to be published some time in the first quarter of 2022.
And for those awaiting my next novel, still as yet unnamed, after some major delays over the summer (loft conversions and the like), I'm now about halfway through its writing. I guess it's likely to be published some time in the first quarter of 2022.
January 11, 2021
Chapter I of My Next Novel
For those who may be interested in my next novel, as yet unnamed, here's a taster in the form of its first chapter. Bear in mind, though, that it will almost certainly change as I work on the rest of the book:
1 FRESHEST OF MEADOW DAISIES
The two young Gaian Order brothers had stopped their string of laden pack ponies for a breather. The light, recycled cotton of their shabby tunics was sweat-stained a darker green in places. They’d chosen the usual spot: on the bank of a pool fed by a tumbling brook, on the path beside which they’d steadily been climbing. Up through the forest’s hot and humid air.
They’d set out earlier that morning from Bolton’s small but hectic harbour, there at the sun-baked northern head of the River Tonge’s estuary into Manchester Bay. They’d followed the river further north, the slanting mid-winter sun glinting back at them from the water of the rice fields set back from its bank. A tributary had then taken them off into the cooler shade of forest to the west, beside which they’d continued their climb to the clough where they now sat, getting their breath back and swatting away the flies.
The peaty-brown brook threaded its swollen course down from the heave of a forested Winter Hill to the northwest. Above them here, though, its narrow but deep cut in the rock of the hillside brought it rushing busily into the pool. The cooler air, and certainly the prospect of the steeper climb ahead, only went to keep the lads from their feet and their ponies’ heads bent to the thin grass of the clough.
“At least it ain’t pissing it down,” the slighter lad observed, as he made himself more comfortable. But his companion only grunted, lay back and closed his eyes.
“And, thank Gaia, they’d got in our consignment of willow-bark tea this time,” at which he picked up a small stone from beside him and threw it into the pool. Plop; but the swirling water quickly consumed its ripples.
“Do you reckon…” but something caught his eye. “What’s that, Winston?” and he pointed to the far side of the pool.
“What’s what, Denzel?” and Winston raised his head, following his fellow brother’s aim.
Something was drifting close past the pool’s far bank, slowly coming around in the circling current of the brook’s inflow. Denzel had already got to his feet, now standing at the edge, staring at what appeared to be a long log wrapped in frogspawn. But when it finally floated to their side, and he stretched out to grab it, it remained just beyond reach.
“Here,” Winston said, getting to his feet and offering his hand.
This time, leaning out against the anchor of Winston’s weight, and before the thing could drift too far, Denzel’s fingertips finally snagged it. Its covering, though, felt nothing like any frogspawn he’d ever handled before; not as slimy and yielding. On the contrary: strangely firm and warm and dry.
It took some effort—slipping and sliding in the tepid mud at the edge of the pool—before they got the weighty thing out and onto the bank. And there it then lay, leaking water. The two lads sat back down, wiping sweat from their sun-blackened brows on the sleeves of their tunics, and mutely stared at whatever it was.
Certainly not a log, for it hadn’t felt rigid enough, bending during its manhandling in at least a couple of places. But as the water within slowly drained away, Denzel was sure he could make out the shape of a hand through its strange wrapping.
He turned a wary eye towards Winston.
“Can’t say I’ve ever seen owt like it before,” it prompted him to say.
“Hmm,” was all Denzel managed, before his curiosity sent his fingers exploring along its surface.
They came to an edge, one somehow firmly stuck down. But after a bit of probing, tugging and a final pull, a section noisily came away near one end. Some further digging, though, and more sounds of the bond tearing, suddenly revealed a mat of wet hair, at which Denzel sharply withdrew his hands.
“Uh,” he shivered. “It is a body,” and they both stood back, staring down at the thing.
“What’s a body doing being washed down this side of the hill?” Winston presently wondered, darting wary glances into the forest about them. “There ain’t been no serious fighting between thems in Bolton and Horwich for years. And we’re too far from Chorley. And what’s it wrapped up like that for? They’re usually stripped clean of everything.”
“Dunno.”
“So, what do we do now, then?”
“Dunno.”
“You don’t reckon it’s going to be someone we know, do you?”
“Dunno.”
“Well, why don’t you ’ave a look and find out?”
“What? Me?”
“You found it.”
“But…” Denzel drew in a long breath. “All right, then.”
Far more gingerly this time, he painstakingly peeled back yet more of the wrapping, but then just knelt there, frowning over what he’d uncovered.
“Well?” Winston pressed. “Anyone we know?”
“Er… No. No, it’s not,” but then he whispered, “It’s a young lass.” When he came to tear his gaze away, he frowned at Winston, clearly puzzled. “But a young fair-skinned lass, who…who looks just as fresh as the freshest of any meadow daisy I’ve ever seen.”
A Force Between Waters has now been published and is available in all good Amazon bookshops ;^}
1 FRESHEST OF MEADOW DAISIES
The two young Gaian Order brothers had stopped their string of laden pack ponies for a breather. The light, recycled cotton of their shabby tunics was sweat-stained a darker green in places. They’d chosen the usual spot: on the bank of a pool fed by a tumbling brook, on the path beside which they’d steadily been climbing. Up through the forest’s hot and humid air.
They’d set out earlier that morning from Bolton’s small but hectic harbour, there at the sun-baked northern head of the River Tonge’s estuary into Manchester Bay. They’d followed the river further north, the slanting mid-winter sun glinting back at them from the water of the rice fields set back from its bank. A tributary had then taken them off into the cooler shade of forest to the west, beside which they’d continued their climb to the clough where they now sat, getting their breath back and swatting away the flies.
The peaty-brown brook threaded its swollen course down from the heave of a forested Winter Hill to the northwest. Above them here, though, its narrow but deep cut in the rock of the hillside brought it rushing busily into the pool. The cooler air, and certainly the prospect of the steeper climb ahead, only went to keep the lads from their feet and their ponies’ heads bent to the thin grass of the clough.
“At least it ain’t pissing it down,” the slighter lad observed, as he made himself more comfortable. But his companion only grunted, lay back and closed his eyes.
“And, thank Gaia, they’d got in our consignment of willow-bark tea this time,” at which he picked up a small stone from beside him and threw it into the pool. Plop; but the swirling water quickly consumed its ripples.
“Do you reckon…” but something caught his eye. “What’s that, Winston?” and he pointed to the far side of the pool.
“What’s what, Denzel?” and Winston raised his head, following his fellow brother’s aim.
Something was drifting close past the pool’s far bank, slowly coming around in the circling current of the brook’s inflow. Denzel had already got to his feet, now standing at the edge, staring at what appeared to be a long log wrapped in frogspawn. But when it finally floated to their side, and he stretched out to grab it, it remained just beyond reach.
“Here,” Winston said, getting to his feet and offering his hand.
This time, leaning out against the anchor of Winston’s weight, and before the thing could drift too far, Denzel’s fingertips finally snagged it. Its covering, though, felt nothing like any frogspawn he’d ever handled before; not as slimy and yielding. On the contrary: strangely firm and warm and dry.
It took some effort—slipping and sliding in the tepid mud at the edge of the pool—before they got the weighty thing out and onto the bank. And there it then lay, leaking water. The two lads sat back down, wiping sweat from their sun-blackened brows on the sleeves of their tunics, and mutely stared at whatever it was.
Certainly not a log, for it hadn’t felt rigid enough, bending during its manhandling in at least a couple of places. But as the water within slowly drained away, Denzel was sure he could make out the shape of a hand through its strange wrapping.
He turned a wary eye towards Winston.
“Can’t say I’ve ever seen owt like it before,” it prompted him to say.
“Hmm,” was all Denzel managed, before his curiosity sent his fingers exploring along its surface.
They came to an edge, one somehow firmly stuck down. But after a bit of probing, tugging and a final pull, a section noisily came away near one end. Some further digging, though, and more sounds of the bond tearing, suddenly revealed a mat of wet hair, at which Denzel sharply withdrew his hands.
“Uh,” he shivered. “It is a body,” and they both stood back, staring down at the thing.
“What’s a body doing being washed down this side of the hill?” Winston presently wondered, darting wary glances into the forest about them. “There ain’t been no serious fighting between thems in Bolton and Horwich for years. And we’re too far from Chorley. And what’s it wrapped up like that for? They’re usually stripped clean of everything.”
“Dunno.”
“So, what do we do now, then?”
“Dunno.”
“You don’t reckon it’s going to be someone we know, do you?”
“Dunno.”
“Well, why don’t you ’ave a look and find out?”
“What? Me?”
“You found it.”
“But…” Denzel drew in a long breath. “All right, then.”
Far more gingerly this time, he painstakingly peeled back yet more of the wrapping, but then just knelt there, frowning over what he’d uncovered.
“Well?” Winston pressed. “Anyone we know?”
“Er… No. No, it’s not,” but then he whispered, “It’s a young lass.” When he came to tear his gaze away, he frowned at Winston, clearly puzzled. “But a young fair-skinned lass, who…who looks just as fresh as the freshest of any meadow daisy I’ve ever seen.”
A Force Between Waters has now been published and is available in all good Amazon bookshops ;^}
January 9, 2021
Final Update on the Dica Series Revisions
From publishing revised versions of the first two volumes of the Dica Series (Leiyatel's Embrace and Of Weft and Weave) in 2019, the revised 3rd, 4th and 5th volumes (Last True World, Cold Angel Days and An Artist's Eye) in 2020, finally, the 6th and final volume (Starmaker Stella) has just been republished (January 2021). So, all six books of the series are now available in their revised forms, in e-book and paperback versions.Click here to see all the Dica Series volumes and their latest covers on Amazon
I've also now started writing my next and 12th novel (title as yet undecided). With a mediaeval feel, it's actually set in Lancashire in England, some few hundred years into the future (as accurately as I can realistically predict the setting of such a time). I'm aiming for a blend of the speculative fiction/fantasy-cum-historical fiction genres of my previous books. I'll keep you updated on progress here.
Coming back to the Dica Series: I hope you get to enjoy the refreshed volumes, at least as much as I've enjoyed their writing and recent revisions. And remember to let me know, preferably with an Amazon review - short or long.
December 11, 2020
Latest Updates on the Dica Series Revisions
Having published revised versions of the first two volumes of the Dica Series (Leiyatel's Embrace and Of Weft and Weave) in 2019, the revised 3rd volume, Last True World, was likewise republished early in 2020. By late this year, 2020, An Artist's Eye has been republished. So, the first five books of the series are all now available in their revised forms, in e-book and paperback versions.
Work on the revised sixth and last volume, Starmaker Stella, along with minor changes to its cover, are well on the way - about 65% completed, and should be republished early in 2021.Click here to see all the Dica Series volumes and their latest covers on Amazon
I've still also been kicking around a few ideas for my next book - back to the speculative fiction genre, in all likelihood. My historical fiction novels were fun to write, but there's just so much research involved that they take ages. A particular premise has recently been firming up in my mind, so, once I've finished the Dica Series revisions, maybe I'll pursue this to what will then become my twelfth book.
I hope you get to enjoy the refreshed Dica Series, at least as much as I've enjoyed its writing and recent revisions. And remember to let me know, preferably with an Amazon review - short or long.
July 11, 2020
Updates on the Dica Series Revisions
Having published revised versions of the first two volumes of the Dica Series (Leiyatel's Embrace and Of Weft and Weave) in 2019, the revised 3rd volume, Last True World, was likewise republished early in 2020. The revised fourth volume, Cold Angel Days, along with minor changes to its cover, has now been republished.
Click here to see all the Dica Series volumes and their latest covers on Amazon
Whilst waiting for the proof paperback copies of Cold Angel Days, I started on the revision of the fifth volume, An Artist's Eye, which is proving much more enjoyable - far fewer changes have so far been required. It just goes to show how an author improves over time!In the meantime, I've been kicking around a few ideas for my next book - back to the speculative fiction genre, in all likelihood. My historical fiction novels were fun to write, but there's just so much research involved that they take ages. A particular premise has recently been firming up in my mind, so, once I've finished the Dica Series revisions, maybe I'll pursue this to what will then become my twelfth book.
May 29, 2020
Recent Activity
Recently - since summer last year - I’ve been heavily editing revised editions of my Dica Series books. The first two, Leiyatel’s Embrace & Of Weft and Weave, have already been completed and republished - including new covers. Currently, I’m a third of the way through Last True World, and thoroughly enjoying the process.
I’ve some ideas for new books, but wanted to get the Dica series to a standard I’ll be happy to have available - which I wasn’t before. The result of having learnt so much about writing since, I suppose.
How far I’ll need to go with the Dica revisions is uncertain; I’ve yet to reread Cold Angel Days and the rest. So, we’ll see.
I’ve some ideas for new books, but wanted to get the Dica series to a standard I’ll be happy to have available - which I wasn’t before. The result of having learnt so much about writing since, I suppose.
How far I’ll need to go with the Dica revisions is uncertain; I’ve yet to reread Cold Angel Days and the rest. So, we’ll see.
