Joshua A. Johnston's Blog, page 3

Thoughts on an Ending

[image error]I’m of the belief that one of the hardest things to do, in any endeavor, is to finish (much less finish well). History is littered with examples of people who set out on some great adventure, only to either go down in flames or simply succomb to futility. To be sure, there are times when quitting is not only wise but necessary. I’ve been there personally. Other times, though, people decide the effort isn’t worth it … only to struggle with remorse later on.

This is certainly true of writers. M...

Introducing: Launch Team Chaos

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The official release of Through Chaos is less than two months away.

So one more time, I’m recruiting a team — Launch Team Chaos — to help me lay the groundwork for November 20th.

Each member will be asked to make three commitments … and in turn receives three benefits.

The three commitments are:

Write a short review — good, bad, or ugly — on Amazon when the book releases. Help to spread the word on the book’s release (i.e. social media, blog, yelling on a soapbox along a nearby street corne...

The Most Important Thing I Did Before My First Realm Makers Conference

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This is a post about Realm Makers, an annual speculative fiction writer’s conference. I realize that some people who land here are readers and some are writers — this post is for those who are writers and have ever given thought to attending the conference.

In July of 2018, my wife and I attended the Realm Makers Conference for the first time. I’d known about the conference for years but had never been able to go, mostly because of financial and logistical reasons. (Philadelph...

The Seas of Aeroel is Now Available

As the story goes, when my first novel, Edge of Oblivion, was nearing release, I was advised by a marketing guru within the publisher to consider a free short story as a lead-in to the novel. I did, penning The Domes of Aeroel, making it available for free to subscribers of my mailing list. But I decided I wasn’t done: I wrote a sequel to The Domes of Aeroel, The Shadows of Aeroel, which continued the threads of the first short story while also drawing more connections to the main storyline....

Through Chaos has a cover!

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(Click to enlarge.)

The book also has a release date — November 20, 2018 — and the beginnings of an Amazon listing.

The post Through Chaos has a cover! appeared first on JOSHUA A. JOHNSTON.

State of the Writing: June 2018

Hi, everyone,

It’s June, which means that, depending on your point of view, it’s either summer or will be in just a few days. Around my neck of the woods, it seems like God flipped the switch and went straight to hot. One day, it was in the 50s, and then suddenly it was 95.

I’m kidding.

Sort of.

At any rate, plenty is going on here. Where to begin?

Well, first there’s the status of my next novel, Through Chaos. I finished the latest round of edits late last month, and I’ve gotten a first look...

Why I Think Solo is the Best Disney Star Wars Film to Date

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WARNING: this post is full of spoilers, including discussion of the ending of this film, as well as discussions of many other Star Wars films. You’ve been warned.

There was a time in my life when I used to go see films on opening night. As I’ve gotten older and become a father and husband, I’m more likely to skip the theater experience altogether, waiting for films to hit my local library or Redbox. Star Wars films are a slight exception; although I don’t usually see them opening night, I...

Why I Like to Keep Diverse Interests (Writing and Otherwise)

[image error]When I was young, I remember learning about an idea known as a “Renaissance Man.” This kind of person, I was told, didn’t just specialize in one particular area, but was educated in a lot of different areas, including the arts, sciences, and other places.

I don’t know that I consciously sought to be this kind of person, but it reflects a lot of how my life has turned out. My formal undergraduate college education focused on American history — and my graduate work on secondary social studies e...

State of the Writing: March 2018

Last month, Into the Void released for paperback and Kindle. It was a busy month, with launch parties, giveaways, and much merriment. It’s been a blast talking to people about the novel, especially the launch team that helped me push it out the door.

If you’ve had a chance to read Into the Void, I hope you found it a good deal of fun. (I’ll always take reviews over at Amazon or Goodreads if you have a spare moment.)

What’s next? The answer: some big things, and soon.

Let’s start with the bigg...

Thanking Launch Team Void

Writing is often described as a solitary endeavor, but it’s not. Behind any writer are beta readers, editors, cover designers, proofreaders, publishers, and so many others.

The book launch is the culmination of all that, and I am deeply appreciative of the launch team that helped me get the middle novel of the Chronicles of Sarco trilogy, Into the Void, off the ground.

So here, formally, is my big THANK YOU to the members of Launch Team Void:

Katelyn Bolds Jeremy Brandt Simon Collins Jason H...