John Schettler's Blog, page 2

First Reviews of The Devil Ship are in!

 

Dear Readers, 

 The Devil Ship was released on 12 JAN 2023. I want to share with you some of the reviews it has received:

“The depth and scale of the research is peerless and results in a thoroughly believable account of an alternate history of the First Opium War."

The explanation of the origins of the Opium Wars is by far the best and most concise one I’ve ever read and sets the scene superbly for the adventures of HMS Nemesis.”

“It has all the intrigue and background that we have come to expect from the author. Treasure ships, naval guns and Marines intermix with the all important KEY that makes all this time travel possible. It ends with a statement:

"The West might do better in their dealings with modern China if it were to remember what China suffered in the 19th Century." This book tells some of that story in in a book that you will enjoy.”

“I certainly found ‘The Devil Ship’ very interesting - almost steam-punky! I love this idea of a ship like that, ahead of its time, only in the deep past. (It’s even got rockets. What’s not to love? Except perhaps the fact that it really existed - like Kirov)”

“5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping alternative history of The First Opium War”

“If you want to read a book that will keep you reading well into the night, knowing you should really put it down as you have work the next day but can’t, then this is a book for you.”

If you have read the book or are still reading it, I  encourage you to sound off and post an online review. Reviews are key to getting the book noticed,  helping it gain momentum, and rise from millions of other published books. It matters a great deal to me to hear from you. I look forward to reading them.

Note that you do not need to finish the book to post a review. You can share, for example, what made you select the book, what goes on in your mind about the chapter you are reading. And you can come back and edit or expand your review at any time. A survey related to the book will be released soon. I’d like to hear from you!

If you have not already done so, go and get a copy of the book.

Take our 5 minute survey

 Dear Reader,

For people like you, reading is an obvious joy in your life, but did you know that there are documented benefits that come to those who read fiction? While reading non-fiction largely conveys useful information, reading fiction conveys a multitude of other benefits on both an emotional and cognitive level.

Emotionally, reading fiction is an obvious pleasure, and for most it is a joyful thing to do. Yet it has other documented effects that include stress reduction, improved emotional intelligence, nurturing of empathy towards others, improved relationships, and even better sleep! It can provide an escape from the drudgery of life, and become a refuge for you. Somerset Maugham once said: “To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life.” And to open a doorway to the joys of life as well.

On the cognitive level, reading fiction improves vocabulary and general language skills, but beyond that it has been shown to improve memory functions, strengthen problem-solving skills, and stimulate creativity On a physical level it even improves brain functions and connectivity between emotional and intellectual centers.

That’s a boatload of good things that come from reading fiction. Perhaps it is one reason why I so enjoy writing my stories, and I want to say again that I am very grateful for the time you spend in my many worlds and stories. I hope that is a pleasant and joyful escape for you too.

I'd love to know more about what you're reading, and so I've put together another short five question survey on my home page. It just take about 3 to 5 minutes. Give it a shot and sound off. It will help me make good choices for future books.

As always, Thanks much

A Word on Genres...

 

What is Military Historical Fiction with Time Travel?

The Devil Ship, my latest novel, was just released. A Military Historical Fiction, this book adds a twist common in my work, Time Travel, which opens the door to interventions that spin out an Alternative History. Those who have been following my writing, particularly the Kirov Series, one of the longest stories ever told, are familiar with this genre. For those who are new, what is military historical fiction with time travel?

Historical military fiction with time travel is a story set in a documented historical period that involves military conflict. It can be a war or battle in the past, or a hypothetical conflict in the future, where the author presents real historical figures as characters, sometimes interacting with his own fictional characters. The arrival of characters capable of time travel causes interventions and variations in that history, which changes the documented flow of past events and produces an alternative historical outcome. Interventions in Military history can be particularly decisive and dramatically alter future history arising from that period. For example, what if the South had won the American Civil War? What if Napoleon had defeated Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo? These are the kind of questions explored by mixing historical, military and time travel genres.

In Kirov, I displaced a powerful fighting ship some 80 years into the past in the middle of an ongoing historical naval battle in the Norwegian Sea. The fictional characters aboard the ship then struggle to understand what has happened to them, before realizing that the power their ship wields gives them a means of changing the outcomes and consequences of the war. In many cases, the intervention of the time traveler changes the history to create an alternative history of the events covered in the story.

All of these elements are also present in the Devil Ship. What are the historically documented wars and battles? What characters are real and what are fictional? What are the time travel elements? You can find answers to these questions from the book.

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Just Released!

 The Devil Ship... Available now.

Announcing the release of John Schettler’s latest novel,The Devil Ship.

 GET IT HERE

The Devil Ship was well named, both by its creators and by those who would have to face it.

 Yet when it sailed from Liverpool on its maiden voyage, a false destination was given to the press to hide its real purpose and mission. Not even its Captain and crew could know its true destination.  The ship was called the  Nemesis. Yet her Captain, Master William Hall, Royal Navy, found he would soon have the company of a most mysterious man, a company man, who supposedly knew the answers to all of his many questions. Along the way, the ship is being steered through the unfathomable waters of fate as well as the wild seas of the world.

Where were they going? What was the Nemesis designed to do? What were his orders? Soon the Devil Ship would shake all under heaven in the clash of two of the world’s great Empires, where the fate of each would hang in the balance.  

He was bound for mystery and destiny in one throw, half way around the world, where a clash of two cultures, two great empires, would write one of the darkest chapters of modern history ever seen. Something was telling him this would be grand, daring, bold beyond his imaginings, and yet terribly wrong.

A Military Historical Fiction, this book adds a twist common in John’s work, Time Travel, which opens the door to interventions that spin out an Alternative History. If you enjoyed Field of Glory or Zulu Hour, this volume is in that same vein, and will be sure to please.

New Book Scheduled for General Release

 Devil Ship Getting Ready to Sail!

The Writing Shop Press announces author John Schettler’s new historical military fiction, The Devil Ship, is now scheduled for release on January 12th for Kindle and in Trade Paperback. The research was even more extensive for this one, relying on official accounts by the ship’s Captain, numerous other eye-witness accounts, a couple of movies available, including a 60-episode drama of certain events translated into English for John, episode by episode, minute by minute.  The book will feature an atrocious war involving both naval and land fighting between two great empires.

Mark the release date on your calendar and be among the first to get the book!

Happy New Year!

 Exciting new books ahead!

Happy Holidays!

My next book, The Devil Ship, is almost ready and coming soon. I have put a dedicated page on my website. Check it out at http://www.writingshop.ws/html/devil_ship.html 

Hope you had a great Christmas Holiday! I asked Santa to slip something into your stocking, a free book from me. If you didn’t get yours, it will still be available for a  free download through 3 JAN 2023. Start here:  https://writingshop.ws/html/gift.html.  It would be nice to see you post online reviews. 

Hoping your new year will be full of promise, opportunity, peace and happiness. I know that’s a lot to ask, but why not?  

Happy New Year!

Here's a peek at the cover for my next release - Coming Soon!

Merry Christmas

Santa Has a Gift for You!

As I promised you last week, Santa has a gift for you from me! Just  CLICK HERE to get a free copy of one of my recently published books.

Here's that link again: https://writingshop.ws/html/gift.html 

 

Once you sign in, you will be brought to a page with links to the file in a format of your choice: available as AZW3 Kindle File, EPUB, MOBI, or PDF - - Free!  Be sure to follow the instructions for download.

 

Merry Christmas to you, and Happy New Year from John, and thank you so much for reading my books!

 

Christmas Is Coming!

I am happy to tell you that my next book, a historical military fiction, is reaching its final draft and will be released soon. The release date will be announced in early January.

As you may have noticed, there have been a lot of activities going on at the Writing Shop.  We have received a lot of emails. At present, the Beta Reader and ARC team positions are all filled. If you have an interest in these,  I will make sure you are included in the next project.

Right now, I expect most of you will be trying to fill those stockings and check off the last few items on your gift lists! I’m going to be sticking something in your Christmas stocking this Christmas Eve too. Be sure to see next week’s announcement in this space. And join the mailing list to be among the first to find it out.

Advance Review Copies going out soon!

 12 DEC 2022

ARC Team Members

Do you know that in the first screening of the film Pretty Woman, Vivian (Julia Roberts) and Edward (Richard Gere) did not end up together? The audience hated the ending. The producers changed it and gave us a movie loved by so many.

I would love to know your perspective as a reader before the publication of my new book. I know you are passionate about the genre of my new project – a naval, military fiction that involves the clash of two cultures and two great empires. As I am too familiar with my work, I need fresh pairs of eyes and minds to provide impartial feedback.

There are still a few spots open for Advance Review Copy (ARC) team members.  I invite you to sign up for the team. Just drop me an email with your mailing address. This is a commitment to read the full First Draft of my upcoming book before it goes to general release, and then consider posting an honest review on Amazon on or near launch day. (Est. 15 JAN 2023)

Please sign up as soon as you can to secure your spot as a reader. I will send you details on what I am looking for with the book. You can request either the Trade Paperback or kindle file version (Free), and I’ll get it to you as soon as the First Draft is in readable form. Due to time constraints, overseas readers will get the Kindle file.

Thanks for your support as a reader in the past. I’m hoping to make the next book launch a great success with your help.

1st Draft of New Project almost Complete!

 

3 DEC 2022:

A Peek into the New Project

I am now writing a historical  military fiction, but with a twist. It will also be seasoned with some Time Travel and a strong dose of Naval fiction too. Here’s a blurb teaser:

 

Captain William Hall was standing on one of the most remarkable ships in the world. Its maiden voyage was at hand, but he had no idea where he was going. The world’s richest company had built his ship, a Devil Ship, but lied about its true destination. He was heading for mystery and destiny in one throw, half way around the world, where a clash of two cultures, two great empires, would shake all under heaven and write one of the darkest chapters of modern history ever seen. Something was telling him this would be grand, daring, bold beyond his imaginings, and yet terribly wrong.

Recruiting for New ARC team begins:

Want to be an ARC Team Member for this book release? The ARC (Advanced Review Copy) team will get a free signed Trade paperback of the next new book two weeks before it goes into general release. It's yours to keep, and all we ask is that you write and post an honest review on Amazon after the book formally launches. Be among the first to read and review the new book!

With my thanks,

John