R.A. Crawford's Blog: Laugh In The Face Of Dadversity, page 3

How I Mastered Time and Space.

‘Where the f**k did you find time to write a book?’ asked literally everyone I’ve spoken to over the past year.

Well, contrary to the opinion of my best mate, it wasn’t by manipulating space/time (Though I totally could if I wanted to).

No, to write PULSE: The Trial and the sequel, ‘PULSE: Moonlighter’ I did three simple things.

Plan. Write. Adapt.

I planned out what I would write, when it would be written and where the writing would take place.

Then, I wrote some shit. And I kept writing some more shit until there was lots of shit on the all the pages.

Finally, because it was shit. I kept adapting until it was shit no more.

But that’s not actually what I meant by adapt. Adapt means to find a way to plan and write no matter what circumstances you are in. I can illustrate this by recounting for you what one of my busy days looks like and how I squeezed writing in everywhere it was possible.

Here goes:

5AM — Wake up. Just kidding. Go back to sleep because its 5AM.

6AM — Actually wake up. Run 5K. Because fitness. Achieve terrible time because too much time was spent mentally choreographing Stella’s next fight scene.

6.45AM — Shower. Because hygiene.

7AM — 5 month old son tries to wake up. Put him the f**k back to sleep.

7.15AM — Abandon breakfast plans because 2 year old daughter wakes up. Get her ready for nursery. It’s world book day and she wants to go to nursery dressed as Elsa? Why the f**k not?

7.45AM — Nursery run. Try my best not to verbally or physically assault anyone in front of daughter.

8.10AM — Kiss gorgeous wife. Play with son. Ensure that I’m late for work.

8.30AM — At train station. 8 minutes till train. Planning time. Here I use google drive to go over my notes for the next scene. It’s all been worked out in advance, so this is just a refresher course. Train is delayed. F**k southern rail. But at least I have another 11 minutes to straighten out some inconsistencies in this scene.

8.49AM — On the train. Crammed in the seat nearest the toilets that smell like someone is raising a litter of pigs inside. F**k southern rail. Approximately 38 minutes till I have to change trains. Switch to Google Docs. Write the shit out of this scene while being elbowed by the 6’8” man sitting next to me reading the financial times.

9.35AM — Arrive at depot. You didn’t think the train was going to reach its destination on time did you? Bless your naive little heart. Additional minutes spent polishing this scene. Delete character development. Replace with unnecessary action. Boom. 10 minute walk to tube station. Work synced to Google Drive. Continue reviewing scene on the move.

9.45AM — Bumped into 17 people while on the move. It’s London so… who gives a f**k. Jump on the tube. No mobile data. Switch to Google Keep. Here I keep a list of everything wrong with what was just written and new ideas as they crop up. I tick off the list of things I’ve already fixed and chalk up some new changes.

10AM — Arrive at actual work. Because money.

1PM — Lunchtime. Socialising. Small talk. Hell nah. Time to write. Another half chapter smashed out.

3PM — That big important presentation that is critical to my role in the company… can go to hell because I’ve been thinking about the best way to describe someone’s getting mauled by a dinosaur. Luckily, my sub-conscious has been hard at work preparing what to say. Presentation NAILED.

6PM — Train home. Make sure I’m first to board at the depot by slipping in between the elderly and pregnant passengers, then avoiding all forms of eye contact, thus ensuring myself some prime seated real estate. (Just kidding, I’m a mother fu**ing gentleman out here in these streets.) Another chapter comes into existence before, finally I return home.

7.30PM — Clean those kids up. Recount tails of an extraordinarily greedy caterpillar to put them to sleep. Prepare astoundingly good cuisine for the Mrs. Then gossip about everything and everybody we know.

9PM — Catch up on the Walking Dead and Supernatural. (Hahaha. Oh, Dean. You get me every time.) Miss out on crucial story developments while updating my plan for tomorrow on Google Keep.

Tomorrow. Rinse. Lather. Repeat.

The moral of this story. F**k southern rail. But also, there’s always time.

Someone once told me that time is like a predator. It’s stalking you. Time is going to hunt you down and make the kill.

But I like to think that time is a companion who goes with us on the journey, and reminds us to cherish every moment… because they’ll never come again.

Yes both those quotes were from Star Trek: Generations. Whatever.

Meet Faye and Stella.While every story needs a protagonist, I...

Meet Faye and Stella.

While every story needs a protagonist, I got mad greedy and gave mine two.

I might have mentioned before, but ‘PULSE: The Trial’ started out as a flashback from ‘PULSE: Moonlighter’. Each time it was relevant, I would flash back to that excruciating Trial. As I got further into planning, that backstory excited me so much I decided to write ‘The Trial’ as its own standalone/prequel which eventually just became book 1. Also, f**k flashbacks. They ruined Arrow series 3 and 4. Sorry Stephen.

And so, these more spritely, youthful and untested versions of Stella and Faye came to life.

Faye, the humble, level-headed, forward-thinking fighter. And Stella, the feisty, headstrong, sharp-tongued athlete. A classic combination. As I go to great lengths to show in the book, these two rely on each other. Not just in combat or class, but in every aspect of life.

Stella’s is the family that orphaned Faye never had. And friendless Stella found the only person who wanted to put up with her was Faye. When one needs pushing the other drives them forward. And when one needs pulling, the other hauls them along.

I think that’s an important and often overlooked part of friendships. Sometimes we look for ourselves in our friends. Common interests or similar experiences that we can use to relate. But more often than not, it’s the friend that has something you don’t that can be the most relatable. As an individual, your strengths and weaknesses are always on show. But in a friendship or a group of friends, we can mask our own shortcomings within the talents of the collective.

It can be both the most amazing and, in turn, the most damaging kind of relationship we can ever hope to have. The Trial is my best attempt at showing the ups and downs of that kind of love and dependence. You can decide for yourself whether it’s successful of course!

But I digress. The only real purpose of this post was to show off this badass artwork. Books are a tough sell. You get a cover and a blurb and the first few sentences to persuade people to part with their hard earned cash. All the other visuals are in the readers head. Well, I thought I could help grow the PULSE universe and make things a little more enticing by showing off how these characters actually look in my head.

The only problem is, I draw like a 4-year-old chimpanzee taking a banana to piece of paper. That’s where Holly came in. All I did was tempt her with the idea of a world where women kicked ass all day long and the promise of an emotional rollercoaster.

She agreed to take the ride and when she got off, dizzy and faint-legged, her pencils (and incredible talent) did the rest. The fantastic thing about working with Holly is how invested she is. She took the time to understand the characters. She didn’t design them using the descriptions in the book. She read their backstories, noted down the most important parts of each of their personality and really brought them to life.

It’s the little things, like knowing how Stella values form as well as function or nailing the way Faye dresses more modestly as an orphan. I’m sure that a lot of people can draw, but Holly… she’s an artist.

You can check out more of Holly’s work on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Happy Monday!

Because female leads are awesome.Why write a book with all...

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Because female leads are awesome.

Why write a book with all women? If I learned one thing from being an 80s baby and growing up in the 90s, it’s that women are damned good at kicking ass.

Nowadays, any form of media with even the slightest hint of a female protagonist (Or antagonist for that matter), is held up and celebrated as a sign of diversity and/or breaking the mold. That’s not something I particularly disagree with. We do need more females in leading roles, be it in movies, television, books, comics or video games.

The PULSE series itself was partially birthed by my desire to create something in that very space. But, it’s important that we don’t forget that despite being far more infrequent a role than the male counterpart, there are still a plethora of fantastic heroines to take inspiration from.

Which is sure as hell what I did.

My favorite movie is Aliens. 

Not the first one which is scary as f**k, or the third one that is as boring as the others are great (also, let’s pretend that there are no more movies after Alien 3). I’m talking about the middle movie. The one where Sigourney Weaver kills 100,000 aliens, their babies and their mother with a flamethrower, a power loader, and a nuke. I wanted to start with a character just like hers in the PULSE series, but to be honest she was actual too awesome to be considered.

Skip forward to the late 90s where a certain Buffy the Vampire Slayer was rampant on our TV screens. Buffy was a leader, but a student. Strong, but vulnerable. Good looking, but with a terrible love life. She was also great at punching people in the face, which was my favorite part.

My main character, Stella, is unashamedly Buffy-like in inspiration. Her looks. Her quips. Her kickassery. Joss Whedon might as well have written this book. Then again, the last heroine I watched before writing The Trial was arrogant element-bending Avatar Korra. So that’s probably where all of Stella’s cockiness, and her subsequent redemption arc, comes from.

But still, Buffy wasn’t my true love. (It wasn’t Faith either. Although we all liked her more than Buffy. There’s no shame in admitting it) No, it was Xena: Warrior Princess that first caught my eye. The way she would throw her Chakram and defy each and every law of physics. The way she would jump and hang in the air for 10 or 15 seconds. That weird battle-cry thing that she did to announce herself. And that episode where she single-handedly killed all of the Gods.

I had one blogger who stopped reading my book halfway. He said the action was ‘a bit unrealistic.’ I based almost every scene off different episodes of Xena. Unrealistic? Pffft. No idea what he means by that. It all seems legit to me.

To some degree or other, every character in PULSE draws on the influences of the ass-kicking women that have adorned the media before them.

From Umbran witch Bayonetta to a Tomb Raiding Lara Croft. From Saga’s fugitive-mother Alana to the Inhuman Queen Medusa. From Vampiric Death-Dealer Selene to Vengeful Bride Beatrix Kiddo.

For those of you who have read The Trial, you know that there are only a small handful of characters to deal with. The sequel, Moonlighter, on the other hand, has an entire ensemble cast of badass women to deal with. There were so many amazing characters, some of them had to be cut from the final version. And I can’t wait for you to meet them all. 

In other words, I had to watch a lot of women beat the living s**t out of everyone to make these books possible. Who’d have thought that one day I’d be able to file it all under research?

Also. Stella uses a bow. So… you know… Hunger Games.

How I Mastered Time and Space.‘Where the f**k did you find time...

How I Mastered Time and Space.

‘Where the f**k did you find time to write a book?’ asked literally everyone I’ve spoken to over the past year.

Well, contrary to the opinion of my best mate, it wasn’t by manipulating space/time (Though I totally could if I wanted to).

No, to write PULSE: The Trial and the sequel, ‘PULSE: Moonlighter’ I did three simple things.

Plan. Write. Adapt.

I planned out what I would write, when it would be written and where the writing would take place.

Then, I wrote some shit. And I kept writing some more shit until there was lots of shit on the all the pages.

Finally, because it was shit. I kept adapting until it was shit no more.

But that’s not actually what I meant by adapt. Adapt means to find a way to plan and write no matter what circumstances you are in. I can illustrate this by recounting for you what one of my busy days looks like and how I squeezed writing in everywhere it was possible.

Here goes:

5AM - Wake up. Just kidding. Go back to sleep because its 5AM.

6AM - Actually wake up. Run 5K. Because fitness. Achieve terrible time because too much time was spent mentally choreographing Stella’s next fight scene.

6.45AM - Shower. Because hygiene.

7AM - 5 month old son tries to wake up. Put him the f**k back to sleep.

7.15AM - Abandon breakfast plans because 2 year old daughter wakes up. Get her ready for nursery. It’s world book day and she wants to go to nursery dressed as Elsa? Why the f**k not?

7.45AM - Nursery run. Try my best not to verbally or physically assault anyone in front of daughter.

8.10AM - Kiss gorgeous wife. Play with son. Ensure that I’m late for work.

8.30AM - At train station. 8 minutes till train. Planning time. Here I use google drive to go over my notes for the next scene. It’s all been worked out in advance, so this is just a refresher course. Train is delayed. F**k southern rail. But at least I have another 11 minutes to straighten out some inconsistencies in this scene.

8.49AM - On the train. Crammed in the seat nearest the toilets that smell like someone is raising a litter of pigs inside. F**k southern rail. Approximately 38 minutes till I have to change trains. Switch to Google Docs. Write the shit out of this scene while being elbowed by the 6’8” man sitting next to me reading the financial times.

9.35AM - Arrive at depot. You didn’t think the train was going to reach its destination on time did you? Bless your naive little heart. Additional minutes spent polishing this scene. Delete character development. Replace with unnecessary action. Boom. 10 minute walk to tube station. Work synced to Google Drive. Continue reviewing scene on the move.

9.45AM - Bumped into 17 people while on the move. It’s London so… who gives a f**k. Jump on the tube. No mobile data. Switch to Google Keep. Here I keep a list of everything wrong with what was just written and new ideas as they crop up. I tick off the list of things I’ve already fixed and chalk up some new changes.

10AM - Arrive at actual work. Because money.

1PM - Lunchtime. Socialising. Small talk. Hell nah. Time to write. Another half chapter smashed out.

3PM - That big important presentation that is critical to my role in the company… can go to hell because I’ve been thinking about the best way to describe someone’s getting mauled by a dinosaur. Luckily, my sub-conscious has been hard at work preparing what to say. Presentation NAILED.

6PM - Train home. Make sure I’m first to board at the depot by slipping in between the elderly and pregnant passengers, then avoiding all forms of eye contact, thus ensuring myself some prime seated real estate. (Just kidding, I’m a mother fu**ing gentleman out here in these streets.) Another chapter comes into existence before, finally I return home.

7.30PM - Clean those kids up. Recount tails of an extraordinarily greedy caterpillar to put them to sleep. Prepare astoundingly good cuisine for the Mrs. Then gossip about everything and everybody we know.

9PM - Catch up on the Walking Dead and Supernatural. (Hahaha. Oh, Dean. You get me every time.) Miss out on crucial story developments while updating my plan for tomorrow on Google Keep.

Originally posted by littlehobbit13

Tomorrow. Rinse. Lather. Repeat.

The moral of this story. F**k southern rail. But also, there’s always time.

Someone once told me that time is like a predator. It’s stalking you. Time is going to hunt you down and make the kill.

But I like to think that time is a companion who goes with us on the journey, and reminds us to cherish every moment… because they’ll never come again.

Yes both those quotes were from Star Trek: Generations. Whatever.

MOONLIGHTER.That’s the official name for book 2 in the PULSE...

MOONLIGHTER.

That’s the official name for book 2 in the PULSE series and the direct follow-up to ‘The Trial.’

The wait has been longer for some than others, with book 1 originally being released last year only to be re-released this past January under the Winlock Press imprint.

Well, I’m freaking ecstatic to announce that my work is pretty much done. ‘Moonlighter’ is currently with the editing team and being readied for your eyes as we speak.

I’m not one for spoilers (I worked hard on that shit so you’re going to have to read it for all the details). But if you want to feast your eyes on a synopsis, click this bad boy right here - 'HERE.’ In short, book 2 picks up directly after the events of 'The Trial’ and follows our surviving heroine as she begins a new journey aboard a ship full of alien women.

You can see her below in all her glory, a preview of some of the artwork I’ll be sharing with you in the buildup to book 2′s launch so you can re-live some of your favorite characters and moments from the first book. My personal favorite is Stella’s escape from the giant worm.

Are there men in book 2? That’s the question I’ve been most frequently assaulted with. And a good question that is. What I can tell you is that 'Moonlighter’ is bigger, badder and more insane than it’s predecessor. 

I know that sounds like generic sequel mumbo-jumbo, but it is literally twice the size of the first book, triples the characters and out-explosions it in every way. There are aliens freaking everywhere. Chapter 1 opens with a bunch of new species and manic chase sequence across a distant planet, so we’re pretty far removed from the confines of the Academy and its students this time around.

Funnily enough, I started writing this book before 'The Trial.’ That story was originally supposed to unfold in flashbacks, but eventually, it spiraled out into a full blown novel. So in my mind at least, the first book was more or less a prequel to this ensemble adventure that we’re about to embark on.

So if you’ve been holding your breath… the wait is nearly over.

There is of course still time to pick up 'The Trial,’ but rest assured - the main event will be with you shortly.

As Stella and Faye would say, “Live Today. Die Tomorrow.”

The Lost Chapter.Those who have read ‘The Trial’...

The Lost Chapter.

Those who have read ‘The Trial’ know all too well that punches aren’t pulled and brutal twists are the name of the game.

I won’t get spoilerific here, but there were some big moments that ended up being more shocking to the reader than even I had anticipated. I had no idea just how much of a connection the readers would form with some characters, especially given the amount of material I ended up cutting that involved some of the greater and lesser women.

With that in mind, there was one particular chapter that was left on the cutting room floor in order to ensure the pace of The Trial was never lost.

It involved Faye and the, briefly mentioned, Romero sisters with whom we know she had a prior relationship. Long story short, I thought the relaunch (which is now just an excruciatingly short time away) was the perfect time to slightly rework this chapter and bring it back into the fold.

So without further ado, here is a completely FREE and all-new revamped chapter from PULSE: The Trial.

Enjoy!

Section 1.9

Faster.

Faye’s legs were heavy and her breath short as she sprinted and hurdled along the riverbank.

Faster.

The sunlight seemed to dwindle, working in the favor of whatever forest-dwelling predators she could hear growling as they tracked her overhead. 

Faster!

The mud at her feet was wet and slippery, evidenced by the fresh scars across her knees after having lost her footing more than once already.

None of it mattered. The clock was ticking. She had to find Stella. There was no telling how far the creature had hauled her upstream and what fate could be awaiting her friend at the other end of the river. With all the uncertainty, the only thing pushing her on was the single thing of which she was certain. 

Stella’s alive. Of course she is. I just have to find her.

Her friend wasn’t going to meet her end at the hands of some random tentacle-monster. Not after all their training. Not after all the work they had done to come this far. And not alone. She just had to catch up and find out what kind of shape Stella was in. Then they could get on with their impossible mission.

Despite her haste, Faye skidded to a halt and ducked down behind a wide-barked tree. She had definitely heard something. Voices. Even with the common goal of escaping the Trial, she couldn’t risk bumping into just anyone. It could work to her advantage if she were to run into someone like Miriyada or Sophie. Following in their footsteps could save her a lot of trouble. But if she wandered into the clutches of a group like Haley’s, it might not end so well.

To her delight, when she peered around the trunk, a pair of familiar faces were visible a few meters ahead. Faye rose from her hiding spot and slipped between a series of branches, making sure her approach wasn’t a surprise to the two girls. In these conditions, sneaking up on someone, friend or not, wasn’t a sensible course of action.

“Faye?” It was Ellie who spoke. She had her cousin Rami’s arm over her shoulder as she helped her limp forward.

“Hey,” said Faye, as she found herself instinctively slipping beneath Rami’s other arm to assist. “Good to see some friendlies. I was getting kind of bored of all the gnashing teeth and tentacles.”

“Tentacles?” asked Rami, her voice laboured.

“Never mind,” Faye replied. “Let’s keep moving. I don’t like the sound of whatever lives in this forest.”

With Ellie’s help, they charged forward, carrying Rami through the shrubbery. It wasn’t easy, given how the bushes curled across their path and the vines intertwined, forming thick impenetrable curtains. They had to check back and forth to find easier ways for their injured classmate to travel.

Faye kept glancing down at Rami’s right foot. There were claw marks all around her shin and ankle, while the foot itself was wrapped in what looked like the material of Ellie’s ripped top. She was hesitant to ask the question on her mind, but she had to know.

As Faye pushed Rami up over a bulky winding root, Ellie took her by the hand and helped her up next, bringing them face to face for the first time.
“Ellie… where’s Juanita?”

Her classmate’s eyes went wide and her lip trembled, which made a lump rise in Faye’s own throat.

“She didn’t make it.” It was Rami who replied. Ellie turned away and slipped back under her cousin’s arm. Faye followed suit, already realising that she probably shouldn’t have asked. “It was one of those flying things. It swooped down and grabbed her. Then it just… just let her go.”

A tight knot formed in the pit of Faye’s stomach. Stella, too, had nearly suffered a similar fate at the claws of the airborne marauders. But she had been able to rescue her friend. Her classmates were clearly feeling the anguish of not being able to do the same.

“It was my fault,” said Rami.

“Stop it,” Ellie replied.

“No El! You know it was. I got bit by that stupid cat and I’ve been slowing us down ever since. It’s the reason she’s dead. And it’s the reason you should have left me behind already!”

“Shut up!” Ellie put her hand over her cousin’s mouth as her cautious eyes looked to the skies. “This isn’t the time or place. Let’s keep moving.”

The distraught look on Rami’s face told the whole story. She didn’t want to be the reason any more suffering came their way. And yet, there was no way her cousin was going to leave her behind. Especially not after already losing one of their trio. Ellie could no sooner abandon her family than Faye could discard her own best friend.

“Where’s Stella?” Rami asked. “She isn’t—”

“We got separated.” Faye found herself quick to reply. “But she went along this river. So I’ll find her somewhere along it.”

Rami looked troubled once more. “I’m holding you back too. You should be with her. You need to go on ahead.”

Faye didn’t look into the grey eyes of her classmate. She would find too much truth in them, along with a decision she was avoiding having to make. She really should have been pushing on ahead. Rushing to find Stella. Every second in delay worked against finding her. But these were her friends too.

Maybe… maybe if we can find Stella, together, we can all help each other get out of here. What if two or even three people aren’t enough to survive. Maybe if we’d worked together from the start, everyone would still—

“She’s right,” said Ellie. “We can manage on our own. You should go.”

“That’s not what I meant,” said Rami. “The two of you need to go on ahead. Without me. Meet up with Stella and get out of here. I’m not going to make it, El.”

“I told you to stop.”

“No! Not this time. I’m not going to let—”

Rami didn’t get to finish her protest as a hideous howl trumpeted from the tree tops and a ball of black fur lurched in their direction. It hurtled into Ellie, knocking her back as she tripped over a rock and splashed into the river.

Rami’s arm slipped out of Faye’s grasp as the shaggy creature unfurled and snatched her classmate up into its six arms. The grotesque monster howled once more as Faye clamped her hands around Rami’s wrist and tried to haul her back down. Faye won the battle of strength and took two steps back as she attempted to pull Rami clear.

The creature, which resembled an ape less and less by the second, had other ideas as it whipped its long tail around and sent it shooting towards Faye’s head. She only saw the inch-long stinger at the end of the tail a split-second before it reached it her face, barely giving her enough time to shift out of the way. The distraction, however, was enough for the creature to tug Rami out of her arms and begin shuffling back up the tree.

Ellie was back on her feet and shouting. “Give me a boost!” she demanded, as she rushed towards Faye.

Faye braced her arms as her classmate’s foot came up, and she launched her up the tree. Ellie grabbed her cousin by the injured leg and held on tight as she desperately tried to bring her back down. Wrapping her arms around Ellie’s knees, Faye put all of her weight into helping as Rami yelled in pain.

The creature wasn’t strong enough to fend off the both of them, and Faye knew if they could just hold on it would have to relent sooner or later. But the sound of additional howls from above put the odds against them. Five more of the creatures slinked down from the branches and immediately brandished their sinister stingers.

Rather than targeting Ellie and herself, the largest of the group sunk the tip of its tail into Rami’s chest, causing her screams to stop.

“No!” It was Ellie’s turn to yell.

The other attackers followed suit, stabbing at Rami repeatedly, stinging her all over her body. Blood seeped from two dozen wounds until eventually her body went limp. Another stinger swung in Ellie’s direction, and Faye tumbled back to pull her classmate out of harm’s way.

With Rami’s body now free, several of the creatures scurried back up the tree, spiriting their classmate away into the dense jungle above. The others, however, continued to howl and glare menacingly.

“Ellie,” said Faye. “We have to go.”

She wondered whether, if it had been her, the shock would have been too much for her to overcome, leaving her to succumb to the same fate as Rami. But Ellie, regardless of how she must have felt, wasted no time in rising to her feet and taking off through the jungle.

They rushed through the increasing darkness, scraping and tumbling as they went, with the howls of their pursuers still whistling in their ears. They ran for what felt like forever until eventually there was silence. Silence that was inevitably a bad sign. Ellie must have thought the same, as she slowed to a jog up ahead. But it was too late. A few steps later, they were up to their knees in mud.

Faye reached around to her backpack. “Do you still have your rope?”

“Had to cut it,” Ellie replied.

“Okay. Don’t worry. I can pull us both out.” As Faye reached around to her back, the wet sludge enveloped her thighs and bubbled up to her waist.

“Stop!” said Ellie. “You’re sinking faster. Look.” She nodded her head towards the tree that hung lopsided over the edge of the mud pit and the web of vines that were dipping a meter or so from Faye.

“What about you?” Faye frowned.

Ellie shook her head.

“Didn’t you just have this discussion with Rami?”

“Yes. And now she’s dead, isn’t she?”

“Ellie…”

“This isn’t a discussion.” Ellie took her backpack and tossed it to safety across the forest, causing the mud to reach her chest.

“Ellie Stop! What are you doing!?”

“There’s some gear left. Might be of use to you. Find your friend. And get out of here.”

“Would you please just shut up for a second.” Faye rubbed her temples. “Let me think. I can help.”

“You can. I’m just not the one you’re supposed to be helping. You always told me you and Stella had a plan. So go and put it into action.”

Ellie waved her arms around, causing the mud to gargle and spit as it drew her down into the pit. Seconds later, she was gone.

Faye stared at the vacant hole in the dirt until, eventually, it closed back up. She wiped a tear from her eye and stretched forward, reaching her fingers out until she could feel the slippery tendril of the vine in her grasp. She squeezed it until her grip was firm as the mud filled her ears and pushed its way into her mouth. Looking up and taking a final deep breath through her nose, she tensed her body and pulled on the vine.

Her head dipped under the surface of the pit and everything went dark. The seconds felt like hours as she pulled her way up the vine and the blackness returned to color. Inch by inch, she hauled herself out of the muck, until she felt the security of solid ground.

Faye stood tall and swirled the mud in her mouth, spitting it back into the pit. At her feet was Ellie’s discarded backpack. She wanted to leave it there. Undisturbed. Maybe she should even bury it. A gesture of some kind, to her fallen classmates. But this was the Trial. There was no room for weakness. No reward for compassion. Ellie had both learned and taught that. The hard way.

She pulled the bag and open and found three daggers. One for each of them. The Montero sisters. She tucked all three into her own pack and turned away from the pit.

She was late. And no more friends were going to die today.

PULSE: The Trial - Rebirth.This is the all-new, all-different,...

PULSE: The Trial - Rebirth.

This is the all-new, all-different, all-bats**t crazy new cover design of book 1, PULSE: The Trial.

Go on. Take another look at it:

That shit cray.

My editor and I were discussing exactly what to change about the cover. As you all know I’m a big fan of the original anyway. But you can’t have a relaunch without mixing sh*t up a bit right? Omelets… eggs… blah blah.

Design-wise, the original cover was great. Damn near perfect. But even Achilles had one weakness. In this case, it was that it didn’t really give much of a hint about what the events of the book, other than the fact that it was science-fiction.

This time around we get a clear look at the Trial planet. It’s distinctively alien as a result of the multiple moons visible above, plus you get a taste of one of the books most iconic monsters and moments.

In our original conversation, the idea of putting an alien monster on the cover came out. I think I said something like,

“Nah mate.”

But when the artwork came back, it was pretty irresistible. It’s an entirely different look, but one that likely leaves a more distinctive impression on people who aren’t simply enticed by outer-space.

After all, science-fiction or not, this is an action book and one thing this new cover has plenty more of is dynamism.

PULSE: The Trial will be relaunching in just a couple of weeks with the new cover and an all-new chapter, which I’ll be sharing with you here before it goes on sale.

Watch this space.

Winlocked And Loaded.PULSE: The Trial will soon no longer be...

Winlocked And Loaded.

PULSE: The Trial will soon no longer be available on Amazon because (drumroll) I’ve signed a publishing deal!

That was unnecessarily dramatic, I know, but from this day forth, publishing of novels in the PULSE series will be handled by Winlock Press!

Winlock is a big supporter of Indie Authors and frequently publish hot new novels in the Horror, Post-Apocalyptic, Sci-Fi and Fantasy genres. They’re an imprint of Permuted Press who themselves are an industry-leading publisher of high-profile fiction and non-fiction.

This is great news for me, because it opens up a whole new world of access to contacts, marketing advice, cover artists and more, as well as allowing me to retain the excellent editing services of Monique Happy.

But it’s also great news for you, the reader, as it empowers me to bring you more PULSE books, more frequently and across more platforms. While Winlock focuses on the editing, publishing, and marketing side of things, I can get my head down and put pen to paper on continuing Stella’s journey through the stars.

To celebrate, here’s what you can expect over the next couple of weeks:

 No more PULSE

PULSE: The Trial will be temporarily unavailable for purchase as we prep for a relaunch under Winlock Press. Don’t fear, we’re aiming to get this ready for early December

New cover art reveal! 

If you’re going to relaunch, you have to do it in style of course. As much as I love the original artwork, we’re aiming to bring you something a little more dynamic and closer in theme to the events of the book. Watch this space!

Free Chapter:

I’ll be releasing one entire chapter of PULSE here on the blog to get the word out. If you’re interested to see which chapter was my favorite to both read and write, you’re in luck as that’s exactly what I’ll be showing off.

The Lost Chapter:

There was one specific chapter of events, centering around everyone’s favorite long-legged Trialist - Faye, that was left unceremoniously on the cutting room floor. Not only will this be included in the new version, but I’ll let you read it for free online.

Book 2: Moonlighter

And to finish off the countdown, I’ll bring you everything you need to know about the release of PULSE book 2, which is edging ever closer to publication.

So stay tuned as exciting new shit is happening. And if you like the words I type, you can subscribe to the newsletter here for more!

Forwards. Always.

Down And Out In The Semi.When I first entered the Kindle Book...

Down And Out In The Semi.

When I first entered the Kindle Book Awards, the idea was pretty much - ‘Don’t come last bro’.

After all, the judging process was a biatch. The pre-screening process alone took 90% your score from the “Look Inside” sample of your book on Amazon. NINETY PERCENT!!! I mean coming on guys. GTFOH

For a start, I knew the opening was undoubtedly the weakest section of the novel. That’s not to say it’s bad by any means, but rather that in comparison with the rest of the book, it’s probably the least memorable.

PULSE: The Trial is an action-packed adventure, there’s no doubt about that. The foreboding start, however, just isn’t for everyone. In fact, a dozen times during the books inception, I contemplated the phrase ‘Just hurry up and kung-fu someone in the face.’ But I didn’t. Mostly because the goal was always to build and build and build the pace and the energy and the stakes until it boiled over. For better or worse, I stuck to my guns.

The other 10% of the score comes from the description of your book. Here’s what you get with The Trial:

“It’s been 100 years since the inter-galactic organisation known as PULSE intervened to liberate the women of Earth. Now purged of its male population, the women have embarked on a journey to take their place in the all-female cosmic society.

In order to enlist in PULSE’s renowned military, earthlings Stella, Faye and the rest of their class must face the Trial. Only a few human women have ever conquered the perils of this three day expedition across one of the most dangerous planets in the galaxy.

The girls must learn to work together in order to survive the threat of vicious alien beasts, scorching desert sands and icy mountain peaks, all while being hunted by an unstoppable and deadly foe.”

Have you ever tried writing 65,000 words - then writing a summary of what those 65,000 words are about?

I’m pretty sure most writers think they’ve penned the world’s most intricate and thought-provoking masterpiece when they finally close the lid on their laptop.

Having to condense it is like eating a New York Cheesecake, then explaining to someone why it was delicious. Or getting back from holiday and telling your mate how hot the weather was. Or that video where the dude tries to catch the spider in the nowhere-fu**ing-near big enough container.

But here I am. A Semi-Finalist. 1 of just 20 books to make the Sci-Fi/Fantasy shortlist. Sure, I didn’t make the 5 finalists, but for my first ever book - I think I’m inclined to feel a little chuffed.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s how good a job the scrutinous review process is at mimicking the job that I, as an author, have to do on the consumer to make a sale. A book with a fantastic ending can easily go unread if the first page, or first paragraph, or even the first line just doesn’t hit the spot.

It’s something I’ve taken into account with the imminent Book 2: Moonlighter. This time, the books opening is designed to punch you in the face, give you a wedgie then shake you upside down until all your lunch money falls out.

Put down your cup of tea before you read it. And maybe don’t wear pants. Or do. Whatever. The choice is yours.

But next time, I’m going all the way.

How a Wild Thing rescued my main character.Stella was in grave...

How a Wild Thing rescued my main character.

Stella was in grave danger.

Not from alien monsters or backstabbing classmates or unkillable hunters. From me. The author. I was killing her.

It was not only a classic case of sequel-itis, but a double-edged sword of marginalization. You might not know this, but The Trial didn’t start off as the first book in the PULSE series. No, no, no. I actually kicked off with an outline of the second book, Moonlighter.

Moonlighter was alway this grand space-operatic adventure with a crazy ensemble cast, kicking ass and taking names across the galaxy. And Stella was just one member of the crew. Come to think of it, I don’t think she was even the first character I came up with. But the more I got into it, the more I realized that of all the characters, she was the one with the best story to tell. Not only was she the only Human on the crew, making her instantly relatable from a reader standpoint, but she was also one of the most tragic.

And so, what begun as a flashback eventually became The Trial. Rather than catching up with her backstory, you were dumped right at the beginning and followed her every step of the way through the hardships she endured. And it was awesome.

But then came the problem. To construct The Trial, much of Stella’s mystery was sucked out of Moonlighter. And, like a chump, when the time came I simply jumped back into writing the sequel. I fleshed out the other members of the crew and built a much larger conflict, all the while pushing Stella along on rails with virtually no development of her own, other than to act as our vehicle to traverse this new world.

And I was blind to it for the longest time.

But that’s when Wild Things Editing came along. For completely unrelated reasons to this issue, I sought them out. More to help me improve as a writer in general than anything else. I knew I had some issues with voice and POV in The Trial and needed some straightening out before my bad habits really stuck.

I was lucky enough to have Kim Graff, one of the editors, dive deep into my manuscript and give me a full on critique. Not only did she scan every page, paragraph, and sentence with her scrutinous eye, but in her editorial note, she covered everything from grammatical errors, marketing suggestions, world building and character development. She gave me a crash course on passive vs active voice and an idiots guide to filter phrases. All on top of her in-depth chapter-by-chapter analysis to sum up where I was kicking ass and where I was getting my ass kicked.

Most importantly, she showed me the really glaring deficiency in the book. Stella had become boring. After all the crazy shit she went through in The Trial, Kim pointed out that we manage to get pretty far into Moonlighter before it’s even mentioned in any real depth. The transition into Stella becoming some happy-go-lucky space adventure wasn’t believable in the slightest. And no matter how great some of the new additions to the cast were, the main character had fallen flat.

So, after wading through the river of red pen and feedback, then crying myself to sleep for a few nights, I picked myself up and dusted the draft down, ready for round 2.

Needless to say, things have improved. Stella has changed. But not in the ‘Oh she’s such a happy person, but now she’s oh so sad - oh wait now she’s happy again’ way she had before. There’s a conflict brewing within. A guilt. We’ve all suffered through it. Knowing we have to move on from grief, but unable to truly break free. Wanting to be the person we once were but damaged by what we’ve been through. Thrust into a new environment while you’re still trying to figure out who you are, or even who you’re becoming.

Kim helped me realize that just because the main character is the reader’s eyes and ears through a story, doesn’t mean their own inner-turmoil has to take a backseat. And that you don’t have to re-tread old ground just because a character is still suffering. Despair can manifest itself in so many ways.

This wasn’t the only lesson I learned of course. But it was the most important. It hasn’t just helped me write this book. It’s helped me to conceive the entire series in a more structured way. You can’t fill one book with a particular conflict and expect the effects not to ripple through the others. Neither can you drop something into your story because it has a place much further down the line.

I’ve got a ton of great ideas, but now I’m better equipped to make sure they actually come together to form something worthwhile.

So thanks, Kim. It’s been a pleasure. You’re an awesome lady. With a head full of smart knowledge-y stuff and things. And you write funny tweets.

And thanks to Wild Things Editing. Thanks for giving me the tools to, hopefully, succeed. And thanks for taking the time to work with me.

Most importantly, thanks for helping Stella. She’s completely broken now. But in the most interesting to read kind of way.

Shit was wild yo