Dyrk Ashton's Blog, page 2
November 1, 2019
We have art!
So much achieved in so little time - and it's all thanks to you!
In just four days, the Paternus: Rise of Gods - Fantasy Novel Hardbacks Kickstarter has been:
• ranked#1 Fiction project in the world,
• ranked #2 Publishing project in the world,
• and selected as a "Project We Love" by Kickstarter.
I am blown away. We completely funded the $5300 goal for the Kickstarter in just over 24 hours, making the hardback dream a reality, and now also succeeded in funding Stretch Goal #1 by day 4 and will have a b&w illustration by renowned artist Ed Binkley! This is truly amazing. I still can't thank you all enough, but, THANK YOU AGAIN!
And STRETCH GOAL #2 is UNLOCKED
COLOR! If we meet this stretch goal, Ed Binkley's art will appear in the book in fully rendered color - AND - the hardbacks will be printed in color. That would mean not just the art, but chapter headings and other nifty embellishments as well, making the book an even more special collectors item.
Some examples of Ed's color artwork:
Thanks again and again, everyone. I hope you all have a fantastic weekend :)
In just four days, the Paternus: Rise of Gods - Fantasy Novel Hardbacks Kickstarter has been:
• ranked#1 Fiction project in the world,
• ranked #2 Publishing project in the world,
• and selected as a "Project We Love" by Kickstarter.
I am blown away. We completely funded the $5300 goal for the Kickstarter in just over 24 hours, making the hardback dream a reality, and now also succeeded in funding Stretch Goal #1 by day 4 and will have a b&w illustration by renowned artist Ed Binkley! This is truly amazing. I still can't thank you all enough, but, THANK YOU AGAIN!
And STRETCH GOAL #2 is UNLOCKED
COLOR! If we meet this stretch goal, Ed Binkley's art will appear in the book in fully rendered color - AND - the hardbacks will be printed in color. That would mean not just the art, but chapter headings and other nifty embellishments as well, making the book an even more special collectors item.
Some examples of Ed's color artwork:
Thanks again and again, everyone. I hope you all have a fantastic weekend :)
October 30, 2019
We've funded!
This is amazing. The Paternus: Rise of Gods - Fantasy Novel Hardbacks Kickstarter has reached the $5300 funding goal - and in just over 24 hours. The hardback dream is now a reality. I can't thank you all enough, but, THANK YOU!
Stretch Goal #1 is now unlocked - for art by the fabulous Ed Binkley to include in the hardback!
This will be an illustration of none other than The Prathamaja Nandana, a favorite character in the Paternus books.
More of Ed Binkley's artwork.
Thanks again!
Stretch Goal #1 is now unlocked - for art by the fabulous Ed Binkley to include in the hardback!
This will be an illustration of none other than The Prathamaja Nandana, a favorite character in the Paternus books.
More of Ed Binkley's artwork.
Thanks again!
October 29, 2019
The Paternus: Rise of Gods Hardback Kickstarter has launched!
The Paternus: Rise of Gods - Fantasy Novel Hardbacks Kickstarter is now live!
The Kickstarter runs from today through Monday, November 18, at 11:59 PM
Just some of the items on offer:
-Signed and numbered Rise of Gods Hardbacks
-Signed Rise of Gods Paperbacks
-Early reader War of Gods (Book 3) ARC eBooks
-War of Gods ARC Paperbacks
-Gallery quality Posters
-Exclusive Special Edition alt cover Rise of Gods Paperbacks
-and MORE
I'm really excited about this. If you find something you like, please share the news, and together, we can make this dream a reality. If this goes well, I'll be doing them for all of the books in the trilogy, with a snazzy box for the set :)
Thank you!
Dyrk
The Kickstarter runs from today through Monday, November 18, at 11:59 PM
Just some of the items on offer:
-Signed and numbered Rise of Gods Hardbacks
-Signed Rise of Gods Paperbacks
-Early reader War of Gods (Book 3) ARC eBooks
-War of Gods ARC Paperbacks
-Gallery quality Posters
-Exclusive Special Edition alt cover Rise of Gods Paperbacks
-and MORE
I'm really excited about this. If you find something you like, please share the news, and together, we can make this dream a reality. If this goes well, I'll be doing them for all of the books in the trilogy, with a snazzy box for the set :)
Thank you!
Dyrk
October 20, 2019
Paternus: Rise of Gods Hardback Kickstarter
Hi folks! I've always wanted to do hardbacks for Paternus: Rise of Gods, and folks have been asking about them since the book's release. Now, it's finally happening via Kickstarter!
By going with Kickstarter, we can get really nice quality hardbacks with slipcovers, foil stamping on the front and spine, all printed with the best quality materials - and at a reasonable price.
The Kickstarter launches on October 29th. You can see a preview and select to be notified by following this link.
Here are some of the items that will be on offer:
-Signed and numbered Rise of Gods Hardbacks
-Signed Rise of Gods Paperbacks
-Early reader War of Gods (Book 3) ARC eBooks
-War of Gods ARC Paperbacks
-Gallery quality Posters
-Exclusive Special Edition alt cover Rise of Gods Paperbacks
-and MORE
I'm really excited about this, and I hope you are too. Please share the news, and together, we can make this dream a reality. If this goes well, I'll be doing them for all of the books in the trilogy :)
Thanks, and all the very best,
Dyrk
By going with Kickstarter, we can get really nice quality hardbacks with slipcovers, foil stamping on the front and spine, all printed with the best quality materials - and at a reasonable price.
The Kickstarter launches on October 29th. You can see a preview and select to be notified by following this link.
Here are some of the items that will be on offer:
-Signed and numbered Rise of Gods Hardbacks
-Signed Rise of Gods Paperbacks
-Early reader War of Gods (Book 3) ARC eBooks
-War of Gods ARC Paperbacks
-Gallery quality Posters
-Exclusive Special Edition alt cover Rise of Gods Paperbacks
-and MORE
I'm really excited about this, and I hope you are too. Please share the news, and together, we can make this dream a reality. If this goes well, I'll be doing them for all of the books in the trilogy :)
Thanks, and all the very best,
Dyrk
September 30, 2019
Finally, an official release date for Paternus: War of Gods!
Hi folks! I've finally come to a point where I'm comfortable announcing a firm release date for Paternus: War of Gods, the final book in The Paternus Trilogy: Tuesday, May 19, 2020.
And yes, I know, that still seems like a long way off, especially considering my earlier overly optimistic projections. My sincerest apologies for that. My eagerness to get it out into the world got the better of me, overwhelming the reality of the task.
Why so long? A good question that deserves an honest answer.
First, this project is a beast. This book will be significantly longer than the first two, and even longer than I imagined. There are so many threads to continue and wrap up, story arcs to complete, crazy characters to keep track of, reveals to be made, story elements to finally explain, and so much other fun stuff I want (and need) to include, it's proven to be an even bigger job than I ever expected - and I knew it was going to be huge.
Between the day job and life and managing the business of self-publishing, I also only get between 2 and 4 hours a day to actually write.
But the most important reason is, I want this book to be good. I want it to be the story I want it to be, and that you, the readers, expect and deserve. That means not rushing and cutting corners. It pains me that I can't write faster, like many of my author friends can, but those are the realities for me.
Besides all the writing, the editing and publishing processes are pretty big and time consuming tasks in themselves. If you'd like to see the writing and release schedule so you can get an idea of what I'm talking about, you can view it here on my website. And that doesn't include everything that has to be taken care of prior to a book release.
All that said, I am getting close to completing the first draft. I know exactly what's going to happen, and when, in this massive final battle between the Deva and Asura, and I'm very happy with the story. I hope you will be too.
‘Cry havoc, and loose the gods of war…’
And yes, I know, that still seems like a long way off, especially considering my earlier overly optimistic projections. My sincerest apologies for that. My eagerness to get it out into the world got the better of me, overwhelming the reality of the task.
Why so long? A good question that deserves an honest answer.
First, this project is a beast. This book will be significantly longer than the first two, and even longer than I imagined. There are so many threads to continue and wrap up, story arcs to complete, crazy characters to keep track of, reveals to be made, story elements to finally explain, and so much other fun stuff I want (and need) to include, it's proven to be an even bigger job than I ever expected - and I knew it was going to be huge.
Between the day job and life and managing the business of self-publishing, I also only get between 2 and 4 hours a day to actually write.
But the most important reason is, I want this book to be good. I want it to be the story I want it to be, and that you, the readers, expect and deserve. That means not rushing and cutting corners. It pains me that I can't write faster, like many of my author friends can, but those are the realities for me.
Besides all the writing, the editing and publishing processes are pretty big and time consuming tasks in themselves. If you'd like to see the writing and release schedule so you can get an idea of what I'm talking about, you can view it here on my website. And that doesn't include everything that has to be taken care of prior to a book release.
All that said, I am getting close to completing the first draft. I know exactly what's going to happen, and when, in this massive final battle between the Deva and Asura, and I'm very happy with the story. I hope you will be too.
‘Cry havoc, and loose the gods of war…’
July 28, 2019
WorldCon and EuroCon, here I come!
Not only am I excited for my upcoming Ireland trip, I'm also thrilled to announce the programmers are allowing me to serve on a number of panels at each. WorldCon is also letting me deliver an academic paper :O
Very much looking forward to hanging out with old author and reader friends, and meeting new ones.
WORLDCON
LIVING IN THE FUTURE: 2019 DEPICTED IN FILM, PANEL
16 Aug 2019, Friday 12:00 - 12:50, Liffey Room-2 (CCD)
1982 saw the release of some very different takes on the year 2019: Akira, The Running Man, and Blade Runner. How does the future now differ from what the creators of the 1980s predicted? How relevant are the issues they foresaw, whether or not the details were correct? What contemporary works are looking at the future 40 years from now, and which do we think portray more or less plausible futures?
Dyrk Ashton (Paternus Books Media), Annalee Newitz, Rick Wilber (Western Colorado University), Robert JE Simpson (CinePunked) (M)
UNFAMILIAR PHILOSOPHIES, ACADEMIC PAPER
16 Aug 2019, Friday 14:30 - 15:20, Odeon 6 (Academic) (Point Square Dublin)
1. Dyrk Ashton – ‘Deleuzian Reflections in The Lord of the Rings’
2. Sean Robinson – ‘Closer than Brothers: Grindlewald’s Crime was Love’
3. Dr Kristina Hildebrand – ‘Characters of Colour in the Whedonverse’
MYTHOLOGICAL SCIENCE FICTION, PANEL
17 Aug 2019, Saturday 14:30 - 15:20, Alhambra (Point Square Dublin)
Science fiction has been described as modern mythology, but it also has a long history of taking themes and tropes from existing mythological traditions and reworking them. The panel will discuss science fictional stories whose structure or themes echo those of existing mythological tales from around the world.
Deirdre M Murphy (M), Dr Tony Keen (University of Notre Dame (U.S.A.) in England), Dyrk Ashton (Paternus Books Media), Vida Cruz
FANTASIES OF IRISH EMIGRATION, PANEL
18 Aug 2019, Sunday 16:30 - 17:20, Stratocaster BC (Point Square Dublin)
Urban fantasy abounds with characters from Irish mythology and folklore, but most of these stories are set in London or America rather than Ireland itself. The panel will examine the influence of Irish culture on urban fantasy and the abiding popularity of Irish mythology across the diaspora.
Randee Dawn (Variety/LA Times), Deirdre M Murphy, Dyrk Ashton (Paternus Books Media), Veronica Belmont (Sword & Laser) (M)
TITANCON/EUROCON
ALIEN: 40 YEARS ON, PANEL
23 Aug 2019, Friday 13:00 - 14:00, Lagan A (Hilton Belfast)
It's four decades since Ridley Scott's iconic Geiger-designed SF horror burst (literally and figuratively) onto screens. Join our panel discussion the film, its themes, its influence, and more
Felicity Keane (Royal London Group), Dyrk Ashton (Paternus Books Media) (M), Mr. Richard Stephenson James (titan con), Fionnuala Murphy
THE MATRIX - 20 YEARS ON, PANEL
24 Aug 2019, Saturday 13:00 - 14:00, Lagan A (Hilton Belfast)
In 1999, cinema viewers across the world were asked "What is The Matrix?" Twenty years on, the question still remains. On its face a groundbreaking SFX blockbuster, it can be read as a transgender parable, a treatise on the Philosophy of Mind, an object lesson on the dangers of Sequelitis, and more.
Ms Cheryl Morgan (Wizard's Tower Press) (M), Dyrk Ashton (Paternus Books Media), Felicity Keane (Royal London Group), RB Kelly
Very much looking forward to hanging out with old author and reader friends, and meeting new ones.
WORLDCON
LIVING IN THE FUTURE: 2019 DEPICTED IN FILM, PANEL
16 Aug 2019, Friday 12:00 - 12:50, Liffey Room-2 (CCD)
1982 saw the release of some very different takes on the year 2019: Akira, The Running Man, and Blade Runner. How does the future now differ from what the creators of the 1980s predicted? How relevant are the issues they foresaw, whether or not the details were correct? What contemporary works are looking at the future 40 years from now, and which do we think portray more or less plausible futures?
Dyrk Ashton (Paternus Books Media), Annalee Newitz, Rick Wilber (Western Colorado University), Robert JE Simpson (CinePunked) (M)
UNFAMILIAR PHILOSOPHIES, ACADEMIC PAPER
16 Aug 2019, Friday 14:30 - 15:20, Odeon 6 (Academic) (Point Square Dublin)
1. Dyrk Ashton – ‘Deleuzian Reflections in The Lord of the Rings’
2. Sean Robinson – ‘Closer than Brothers: Grindlewald’s Crime was Love’
3. Dr Kristina Hildebrand – ‘Characters of Colour in the Whedonverse’
MYTHOLOGICAL SCIENCE FICTION, PANEL
17 Aug 2019, Saturday 14:30 - 15:20, Alhambra (Point Square Dublin)
Science fiction has been described as modern mythology, but it also has a long history of taking themes and tropes from existing mythological traditions and reworking them. The panel will discuss science fictional stories whose structure or themes echo those of existing mythological tales from around the world.
Deirdre M Murphy (M), Dr Tony Keen (University of Notre Dame (U.S.A.) in England), Dyrk Ashton (Paternus Books Media), Vida Cruz
FANTASIES OF IRISH EMIGRATION, PANEL
18 Aug 2019, Sunday 16:30 - 17:20, Stratocaster BC (Point Square Dublin)
Urban fantasy abounds with characters from Irish mythology and folklore, but most of these stories are set in London or America rather than Ireland itself. The panel will examine the influence of Irish culture on urban fantasy and the abiding popularity of Irish mythology across the diaspora.
Randee Dawn (Variety/LA Times), Deirdre M Murphy, Dyrk Ashton (Paternus Books Media), Veronica Belmont (Sword & Laser) (M)
TITANCON/EUROCON
ALIEN: 40 YEARS ON, PANEL
23 Aug 2019, Friday 13:00 - 14:00, Lagan A (Hilton Belfast)
It's four decades since Ridley Scott's iconic Geiger-designed SF horror burst (literally and figuratively) onto screens. Join our panel discussion the film, its themes, its influence, and more
Felicity Keane (Royal London Group), Dyrk Ashton (Paternus Books Media) (M), Mr. Richard Stephenson James (titan con), Fionnuala Murphy
THE MATRIX - 20 YEARS ON, PANEL
24 Aug 2019, Saturday 13:00 - 14:00, Lagan A (Hilton Belfast)
In 1999, cinema viewers across the world were asked "What is The Matrix?" Twenty years on, the question still remains. On its face a groundbreaking SFX blockbuster, it can be read as a transgender parable, a treatise on the Philosophy of Mind, an object lesson on the dangers of Sequelitis, and more.
Ms Cheryl Morgan (Wizard's Tower Press) (M), Dyrk Ashton (Paternus Books Media), Felicity Keane (Royal London Group), RB Kelly
June 10, 2019
The War of Gods cover is revealed!
Hi folks! The full cover reveal for Paternus: War of Gods, book three of the Paternus Trilogy, is now live on Fantasy Book Critic.
January 6, 2019
My Con Schedule 2019
Hi folks! Here's my con schedule so far for 2019. Look at me being all responsible and keeping up with my website calendar and stuff. MOAR COFFEE!
ConFusion: Livonia MI, Jan. 17-20
ConCoction: Cleveland, Mar. 1-3
WorldCon: Dublin Ireland, Aug. 15-19
Hope to see a bunch of y'all at these!
ConFusion: Livonia MI, Jan. 17-20
ConCoction: Cleveland, Mar. 1-3
WorldCon: Dublin Ireland, Aug. 15-19
Hope to see a bunch of y'all at these!
December 1, 2018
An aspiring author asked...
Hi folks!
An aspiring young author who knows I self- publish contacted me this week, asking about making time to write and the difficulty of writing while not knowing if my work would be profitable. These are very good questions, so I figured I'd post my response here in the hopes of helping anyone else who might have the same concerns. (the person's name has been removed out of respect for their privacy).
Hi [name]! Really glad you like my books.
I feel your pain. Don't be too hard on yourself. For one thing, as a new writer, you have to write a book, usually more than one, before you can get an agent, and even if you do and then actually get a publishing deal, you don't know if the book will be profitable. I know plenty of trad published authors who are still working day jobs with from two to as many as 9 books out. Conversely, I know several self-pub authors who make a very good living off of a few as one or two books. You just never know. The important thing is to write and get the work out there, whether through submitting to agents or self-publishing.
As for time, I still have my day job, so I only get between 1.5 and 4 hours a day to write, none at all on some days. My goal is to write between 1000 to 1500 words a day. I outline first so that helps, but it doesn't matter if the words are good. Just get them down, don't mess with them. The nuance comes in rewriting.
I hope this helps!
An aspiring young author who knows I self- publish contacted me this week, asking about making time to write and the difficulty of writing while not knowing if my work would be profitable. These are very good questions, so I figured I'd post my response here in the hopes of helping anyone else who might have the same concerns. (the person's name has been removed out of respect for their privacy).
Hi [name]! Really glad you like my books.
I feel your pain. Don't be too hard on yourself. For one thing, as a new writer, you have to write a book, usually more than one, before you can get an agent, and even if you do and then actually get a publishing deal, you don't know if the book will be profitable. I know plenty of trad published authors who are still working day jobs with from two to as many as 9 books out. Conversely, I know several self-pub authors who make a very good living off of a few as one or two books. You just never know. The important thing is to write and get the work out there, whether through submitting to agents or self-publishing.
As for time, I still have my day job, so I only get between 1.5 and 4 hours a day to write, none at all on some days. My goal is to write between 1000 to 1500 words a day. I outline first so that helps, but it doesn't matter if the words are good. Just get them down, don't mess with them. The nuance comes in rewriting.
I hope this helps!
September 30, 2016
Paternus Free for Kindle!
One day only, Paternus FREE for Kindle on Amazon! Saturday, Oct. 1.
“American Gods meets The Lord of the Rings”
“Great ideas vividly realised,” says M. R. Carey, bestselling author of The Girl with All the Gifts.
The gods and monsters of myth have returned. In a breathtaking story that takes place in a single day, two ordinary humans are caught up in the final battle of a war that’s been waged since the dawn of time.
"Witty, feisty, passionate." Helene on Goodreads.
You might not hate it. And did I say its free?
“American Gods meets The Lord of the Rings”
“Great ideas vividly realised,” says M. R. Carey, bestselling author of The Girl with All the Gifts.
The gods and monsters of myth have returned. In a breathtaking story that takes place in a single day, two ordinary humans are caught up in the final battle of a war that’s been waged since the dawn of time.
"Witty, feisty, passionate." Helene on Goodreads.
You might not hate it. And did I say its free?
