Graham Edwards's Blog, page 30
March 26, 2014
Neolithic Houses of Skara Brae
Skara Brae image by John Allan, via Wikimedia Commons
My neolithic detective novelTalus and the Frozen King is set largely on the remote island of Creyak, in an icebound and unnamed land that bears a suspicious resemblance to the north-west coast of Scotland.
The model for Creyak is the neolithicvillage of Skara Brae, which was inhabited between 3,200 BC and 2,200 BC. My tale happens a little earlier than that, but it’s close enough for government work. Uncovered by a monumental storm in 1850,...
March 25, 2014
Meet Talus – The World’s First Detective
It’s launch day! Talus and the Frozen King is now out in the wild. So stop reading this announcement and go buy yourself a copy. Now!
If you’re in the UK, your buying options for the paperback may belimited until the official release on 6th April 2014, but you should be able to pick up theebook edition without too much trouble. If you’re one of those lucky people in the US … go get it!
So what’s the book about? If you’re a regular visitor to this blog you’re probably sick of me telling you. The...
March 24, 2014
Ghostwriter Diaries 18
I’m eighty-eight pages into the second draft, which means it’s time to put down my laptop for a moment and check in with you, oh loyal reader of these rambling and soon-to-be-concluded ghostwriter diaries. Why pause for breath on this particular page? Read on and you’ll find out.
This might be the second draft, but it’s actually the fifth time I’ve I plunged into this fantasy world to share the lives of these fictional characters (whom I have, incidentally, grown to love). The first time was w...
March 21, 2014
Neolithic Names
Character names are a thorny issue for writers of fiction. If a name doesn’t remind you of your old Uncle Henry, it probably conjures up an image of a famous actor or politican. Perhaps a notorious serial killer. Give your hero a long name and you’ll be sick of writing it out by the time you hit chapter three. Short nicknames can sound too cute and contrived.
The above applies well enough to books set in the present day or the recent past. But what about fantasy and science fiction? Or – like...
March 17, 2014
“Talus” Review Roundup – 2
With one week to go untilTalus and the Frozen King is published, it’s time for a second roundup of blog reviews. I encourage you to click on the links and read the reviews in full. While I’m delighted to sayTalus is being warmly received so far, there’s some good criticism here:Bookonaut has some interesting views on the thorny issue of naming Neolithic characters, while Sense of Wonderdebates the question of what genre the novel actually falls into … and even recommends a music track to list...
March 15, 2014
Edge-Lit 3 (You’ll Find Me In The Bar)
Are you a fan of science fiction, fantasy and horror? Can you make it to Derby, UK on Saturday 19 July 2014? Then come along to Edge-Lit 3, the annual one-day convention celebrating everything that’s great in your favourite genres.
This year will be my first appearance at Edge-Lit as guest speaker … although right now I’ve no idea what I’ll be talking about. Never mind. If I run out of things to say you can always find me in the bar. Bring a book and I’ll sign it. Buy me a beer and I’ll bore y...
March 14, 2014
Ghostwriter Diaries 17
If you’ve ever climbed a mountain – or even a moderately challenging hill – you’ll know what a false summit is. It’s the peak you fix your eyes on when you’re halfway up the slope, convinced your ultimate goal is in sight and you’ll soon be able to rest.
The trouble is, when you reach the false summit, you discover it’s nothing more than a crafty outcrop beyond which there’s a whole heap of mountain still left to climb.
That’s how I feel as I knuckle down to the second draft of the novel I’m gh...
Win a Copy of “Talus and the Frozen King”!
Fancy a freebie? Those nice people at Worlds Without End are giving away a copy of my new novel Talus and the Frozen King. There are two ways to enter the competition. Either retweet this tweet (just click on the image) …
… or visit the Worlds Without End blog and leave a comment.
Do both, and you double your chances of success! The competition winner will be announced on March 19th, so get clicking.
Worlds Without End is a fan web site, and a growing online community, dedicated to identifying,...
March 10, 2014
Ghostwriter Diaries 16
Huzzah! I’m a very happy ghost! The first draft of the novel is now complete, nearly two weeks ahead of schedule. Having stormed through the final action-packed chapters, I now find myself with no more story left to tell.
But if you think I’m ready to kick back with a stiff drink, think again. My ultimate delivery deadline is April 14th, which gives me a little under six weeks to produce the second draft. That’s a fortnight longer than originally planned and therefore excellent news. But it’s...
March 7, 2014
“Talus” Review Roundup – 1
Although the official publication date of Talus and the Frozen King is still a few weeks off, it’s just started picking up its first reviews from the blogosphere. Here’s a roundup from this week.
Drunken Dragon Reviews
There are three things about this book that I absolutely loved. The first is the attentiveness to detail and creativity of the worldbuilding … The second is Edwards’ writing … It made for a fast, gripping story that proved impossible to put down … Finally, there’s the use of the...
