Ray McCarthy's Blog, page 5

Release date: Under the Stone of Destiny

Under the Stone of Destiny release date is midnight local time 4th/5th September 2016. Virtually all major eBook online sellers.

Under the Stone of Destiny
Otherworld I

Four teenagers are trying to end the ruinous war, a human, an elf princess, a dryad Mage and dwarf Wizard. Or at least that’s what Kevin, the student magus thinks they are.

Most of the action is on a legendary Celtic Otherworld, on the continent of Magh Meall. Out of food and close to despair in the mountains they are told to wait for another companion by the crow familiar of Dean David from the Magi College.

Combining background of Celtic Myth and Steampunk.

Manannán Mac Lir led the Tuath Dé away to the Otherworld over 2,500 years ago. Except for them it’s been more like 600 due to the time-slip. Not all the portals (often at Court Graves, Raths and other ancient Irish sites) have been closed. Any Enchanter can open one. Today Tuath Dé culture is a crazy mix of Mediaeval to 19th Century. Now the Magi Council and the Druids of Ollathair have wakened the Sleepers, the Morrígna, (Badb, Macha and Neamhain) and the rest of Manannán Mac Lir’s Aes Sidhé Warband.

Notes:

Release Midnight 4th/5th September 2016

The cover is a detail from “Miranda, The Tempest”, (John William Waterhouse), representing Neamhain of the Morrígna viewing the Atlantic.

Some people might pronounce mh as a v as in Niamh (Neev), others pronounce it as an Irish “w”, softer v, so Neamhain is a little like Naevin, the boy’s name Nevin is likely derived from it.

Coming Soon: Contemporary Celtic Fantasy

I’ve currently written six short novels based on Celtic Otherworld Legends and the older myths of the Aés Sidhe (Aosh Shee) or Fair Folk and the Tuath Dé, but set in the present day. Final edit and proofing of the first title is nearly done, Under the Stone of Destiny.

Detail of Miranda by Waterhouse (From Shakespeare’s The Tempest)

Read more here.

“The Apprentice’s Talent” VERSION 2.0

A major proof edit is complete on “The Apprentice’s Talent” (Amazon). As well as the annoying punctuation and typos it has the flashback chapter at the beginning so you you know straight out who Maisie is. Previously it was confusing if you hadn’t read the blurb!

New cover so people won’t get confused.

The paper POD version content is approved, but the release is delayed a little on the paperback till the crop / trim  allowance is sorted.

 

Censorship and Arrogance

If you engage online:

Don’t rely on Private Messages / Conversations with new internet friends. Exchange email addresses.

Don’t rely on free blogs or forums, such WordPress hosted (your own wordpress copy is fine), Google’s Blog, Tumblr, Twitter or Facebook. Get your own hosting and domain name. It’s cheaper than a mobile phone contract.

You can be banned or “deleted” from online services or forums with no appeal or warning.

Example here

“The Journeyman’s Talent” Sale Launch

6th June 2016 “The Journeyman’s Talent” eBook is on sale

$2.99 for launch.

After about a week it will be $3.99 (or close equivalents in other countries).

On Amazon, Smashwords, Apple iBooks and all major eBook sellers.

The paperback is out now (£9.99 / $14.99) via CreateSpace, Amazon or can be ordered from your bookshop (ISBN-10: 1530980542 ISBN-13: 978-1530980543)

Thanks you all the great supporters here, especially the ones that have bought “The Apprentice’s Talent”, “Starship Chief” and pre-ordered “The Journeyman’s Talent” eBook.

I’m working away on edits of “The Solar Alliance”, “The Master’s Talent” and “The Mission’s Talent”. It’s looking like I won’t have “The Solar Alliance” ready for July, the editing of “The Journeyman’s Talent” was to a higher standard, so it will be ready when it’s ready, however long it takes.

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The Journeyman’s Talent last update

Finally, just 7 -10 days before release I’ve uploaded a major last proof edit of “The Journeyman’s Talent”. Should be released via Amazon, Smashwords, CreateSpace (for paper), iBooks, Nook, Kobo, Kindle etc on 5th-6th June 2016.

Thank you, those that have pre-ordered!

 

Editing ‘The Solar Alliance’

This is parallel to “The Apprentice’s Talent” and “The Journeyman’s Talent”, but set on Earth. Unlike the others, there are no teenagers, no school exploits, more a techno-thriller.

The Solar Alliance is set up by various Governments and Agencies to monetize Fusion power on Earth and use this to finance a production line making and launching Valkyrie class starships, powered by fusion. The ‘secret’ of the interstellar jump drive was revealed by the ‘Intergal One’ and the ‘sync-sats’ the aliens left behind.

I’m about half way on revision/version 16. I hope the final edit/rewrite! Then a last proof read/edit.

 

The Journeyman’s Talent proof copies arrived

A couple of copies of “The Journeyman’s Talent” proof have  arrived about two weeks early. Now to to recheck! But it looks OK.

 

Starship Chief on Pre-order

This is about 32,000 words but packed with action.

Pre-order is live now. Launch is 15th/16th May 2016.

A prequel to the entire Talent Universe series best read before The Master’s Talent. Set many years before first contact with Earth, three Karnd teenagers are on the waypoint’s starship to retrieve a valuable hidden artefact on a planet that’s never been contacted. But how many of the crew are really criminals, the next generation from the people that stole the artefact?

It’s told thirty years later by Captain Juili of the Intergal One Starship to the Tellurian (Earth woman) Maisie. Juili was one of the three teenage Karnds.

With thanks to Treasure Island and King Lear.

This is a standalone story apart from being “back story” for “The Master’s Talent”

Release advanced in honour of 400th Anniversary of Shakespeare.

Suitable for teenagers as well as adults

There is a list of characters from King Lear, Coral Island and Treasure Island used in the story at the end. See if you can match them!

It will be 99c (or equivalent) for about a week after launch, then US$ 2.99 or equivalent (different countries and retailers calculate the price differently. Also varying taxes and exchange rates).

All major e-Book retailers; Amazon, Apple iBooks, Smashwords, Kobo, Barnes & Noble etc.

 

 

The Journeyman’s Talent Proof ordered

I should have the paperback proof of the The Journeyman’s Talent on 24th May 2016. Actually I’ve “proofed” text on a Kobo H20 Aura HD and the book format version online on screen and PDF. The e-Book version is already uploaded to Amazon and Smashwords.

It’s 350 pages, including series description, “bio” and two pages of the start of The Solar Alliance which is getting final writing edit before proof edits.