Ajax Lygan's Blog, page 3
January 10, 2021
Book 2 Manuscript Complete!
Hello everyone! I hope you are having a wonderful week. I have a couple of important updates for you this week.
Weekly Progress:
The big news, as you can tell, is that book 2’s manuscript is complete! The book clocks in around 125k words. This week I plan to do a couple of edits and changes to book 2 that I marked in the comments as I wrote it. Once that is done, I will do two more self-edit passes as I go, one read and one audio, before sending it out to the editor on Friday.
Editor Changes:
In speaking with my current editor, she was clear that she is currently working on another large project. This means that she might not get the book back to me before the end of the month. In an effort to get it sooner, I am currently speaking to a few editors to determine if I can get it sooner than the estimated 30 days my current editor gave me. I’ll keep you updated on the progress.
Title Reveal:
This may seem familiar to some of you who paid attention to my Easter egg image I left a few weeks ago. However, I wanted to share the final title with you all: The Cessation’s Harbinger.
I plan to share the blurb of book 2 in the upcoming weeks, which will give you all an idea of what occurs in book 2. That’s it for me this week. I hope you all have a great week ahead.
January 3, 2021
First Update of 2021!
Hey everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful start of the new year. I just have a few updates to talk about this week, so I’ll jump right in!
Weekly Progress:
I am starting the final arc of book 2 today with chapter 23. The book is currently sitting at 105k words, and book 2 will be finished at the end of this arc. I’m unsure how long this arc will be because this arc contains something I have yet to write before, although I am really excited about! I can tell you the final arc goes from 0 to 100 really quick and doesn’t stop until the end. I have reached out to my previous editor, and the plan is to send her the manuscript by Jan 15th. From there it usually takes 30 days for edits and corrections. I am hopeful my updated self-editing process should reduce the time for the finished product, and hopefully we can get it sooner. We’ll see.
Request for Beta Readers:
Please email me at ajaxlygan@gmail.com if you’d like to become a beta reader. You will get the book early, and will be able to give feedback.
Audiobook & Art:
I just want to set the precedence that the audiobook may take longer than initially predicted. Speaking with other authors and hearing about what they are going through, once the audiobook is complete it can take up to 30 days to finish QC and then another 2-3 weeks to show up on Amazon. I’ll keep you all updated on the progress as I find it. Last week I put forth the order to have Sophia’s and Saïgra’s character sheets commissioned. That means we’ll get the character sheet plus three additional standalone images for each of the characters in various poses and outfits.
That’s it for me this week. I hope you all have a wonderful week ahead!
First Update of 2021!
Hey everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful start of the new year. I just have a few updates to talk about this week, so I’ll jump right in!
Weekly Progress:
I am starting the final arc of book 2 today with chapter 23. The book is currently sitting at 105k words, and book 2 will be finished at the end of this arc. I’m unsure how long this arc will be because this arc contains something I have yet to write before, although I am really excited about! I can tell you the final arc goes from 0 to 100 really quick and doesn’t stop until the end. I have reached out to my previous editor, and the plan is to send her the manuscript by Jan 15th. From there it usually takes 30 days for edits and corrections. I am hopeful my updated self-editing process should reduce the time for the finished product, and hopefully we can get it sooner. We’ll see.
Request for Beta Readers:
Please email me at ajaxlygan@gmail.com if you’d like to become a beta reader. You will get the book early, and will be able to give feedback.
Audiobook & Art:
I just want to set the precedence that the audiobook may take longer than initially predicted. Speaking with other authors and hearing about what they are going through, once the audiobook is complete it can take up to 30 days to finish QC and then another 2-3 weeks to show up on Amazon. I’ll keep you all updated on the progress as I find it. Last week I put forth the order to have Sophia’s and Saïgra’s character sheets commissioned. That means we’ll get the character sheet plus three additional standalone images for each of the characters in various poses and outfits.
That’s it for me this week. I hope you all have a wonderful week ahead!
December 25, 2020
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from my family to yours. I hope you and your family are having a relaxing week filled with happiness and joy. Today’s update will be two parts, the first being a progress update since my last one at the beginning of December, and the next a few spoilery gifts in relation to book 2. Now, I want to stress these are major spoilers regarding harem members for book 2 so if you do not want to be spoiled, TURN AWAY NOW!
Weekly Progress:
I believe in my last note; I had just finished chapter 15. I am happy to say I have started work on chapter 19 this week and Cyberpunk 2077 did not put me behind. I am further along in the story than I thought I would be, according to my outline, showing that book 2 might be a bit shorter than book 1. Fret not though, as I truly believe that book 2 will ultimately be the more favored book in the series compared to book 1 considering the feedback and things I improved in book 2. Also, the audiobook has begun production. I have reviewed the first chapter of book 1’s audio, and I love it. I am super excited for you all to hear Rebecca Woods bring the characters to life!
Your Christmas Presents:
Everyone loves pictures. They add to the fun and imagination of story telling. As such, I present you all several images Chloe has been hard at work on. Again these are spoilers, so if you care, this is your final warning to turn back!
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Sophia, a returning character from book 1. A career driven hardass who will do anything for the call of duty. She rejoins Tempest and his companions in an effort to reveal book 2’s mysteries.
Saïgra. A child of the Firegrove and designated diplomat in Queen Maileath’s stead. She’s spent her entire life in the grove, making her curious, uncertain, but oh man is she powerful when she wants to be..
Audiobook and E-Book Cover Rough (Chosen)
E-Book Cover Rough (Passed)
E-Book Cover Rough (Passed)Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from my family to yours. I hope you and your family are having a relaxing week filled with happiness and joy. Today’s update will be two parts, the first being a progress update since my last one at the beginning of December, and the next a few spoilery gifts in relation to book 2. Now, I want to stress these gifts are major spoilers regarding harem members for book 2. However, if you’re cool with that I left the images on the blog post below. Just click the link to the blog and they are at the bottom of the post.
Weekly Progress:
I believe in my last note; I had just finished chapter 15. I am happy to say I have started work on chapter 19 this week and Cyberpunk 2077 did not put me behind. I am further along in the story than I thought I would be, according to my outline, showing that book 2 might be a bit shorter than book 1. Fret not though, as I truly believe that book 2 will ultimately be the more favored book in the series compared to book 1 considering the feedback and things I improved in book 2. Also, the audiobook has begun production. I have reviewed the first chapter of book 1’s audio, and I love it. I am super excited for you all to hear Rebecca Woods bring the characters to life!
Your Christmas Presents:
Everyone loves pictures. They add to the fun and imagination of story telling. As such, I present you all several images Chloe has been hard at work on. Again these are spoilers, so if you care, this is your final warning!
Sophia Windcatcher – Returning in book 2
Saïgra – Dryad of the Firegrove
Unused concept art for book 2 cover
Unused concept art for book 2 cover
Unused concept art for book 2 cover
Unused concept art for book 2 cover
Unused concept art for book 2 cover
Final Concept Art for Book 2 Cover
December 7, 2020
Weekly Progress as We Head Into the Holidays
Hey everyone! I want to start off by saying that this week’s update will probably be my last one until we hit 2021. As many of you know, I will take some time off with the upcoming release of Cyberpunk 2077, as well as, a much needed vacation from my full-time work. I will maximize my time off to make some excellent progress on book 2, however, I want to make sure I take care of my own mental health by making sure I take some breaks. Hopefully, this means by the time January roles around book 2 will be nearly complete with its first draft. That leads me into the first topic this week, which is the weekly progress.
Weekly Progress:
I made some substantial progress this week, hitting some great strides in my sprints. I just finished chapter 15, leaving me to believe, that if book 1 is any kind of sign, we’re beyond the halfway point of book 2. The urban setting of Halairim has been a delight to write about, and I am excited to jump into a bit of political intrigue. I also wrote the longest lewd scene I have written in the series, which is a testament to meeting my fan’s requests for more detailed scenes.
Covers and Audiobook:
I have been working with my artist on the designs for the cover replacement for book 1 and the upcoming cover for book 2. Based on the feedback, we will be leaning toward a similar design to pose 1. If you did not see the various poses, check last week’s post. Besides the covers, the audiobook recording should begin sometime this week. That means besides writing in December, I will be working on assisting with the audiobook as needed. As with all audiobooks, I will have several free codes to give away for those that would like to give a review.
Merch!
Many have you have asked if you could buy a print of Riika or Ella. This past weekend I have worked on setting up a store where you do just that! The plan is that any art I commission for the current harem, and future works will be available for purchase if you want a big ass poster of your favorite girl. (Team Riika or Team Ella anyone?) You can find the website HERE and linked on the website. As always, the art will also be free to view on my social media.
That’s it from me this week. I hope you all have a wonderful December holiday. If things are not too hectic, I will be posting sporadically on my various social media. You can follow me here:
facebook.com/ajaxlyganwrites
twitter.com/ajaxlygan
December 6, 2020
Weekly Progress as We Head Into the Holidays
Hey everyone! I want to start off by saying that this week’s update will probably be my last one until we hit 2021. As many of you know, I will take some time off with the upcoming release of Cyberpunk 2077, as well as, a much needed vacation from my full-time work. I will maximize my time off to make some excellent progress on book 2, however, I want to make sure I take care of my own mental health by making sure I take some breaks. Hopefully, this means by the time January roles around book 2 will be nearly complete with its first draft. That leads me into the first topic this week, which is the weekly progress.
Weekly Progress:
I made some substantial progress this week, hitting some great strides in my sprints. I just finished chapter 15, leaving me to believe, that if book 1 is any kind of sign, we’re beyond the halfway point of book 2. The urban setting of Halairim has been a delight to write about, and I am excited to jump into a bit of political intrigue. I also wrote the longest lewd scene I have written in the series, which is a testament to meeting my fan’s requests for more detailed scenes.
Covers and Audiobook:
I have been working with my artist on the designs for the cover replacement for book 1 and the upcoming cover for book 2. Based on the feedback, we will be leaning toward a similar design to pose 1. If you did not see the various poses, check last week’s post. Besides the covers, the audiobook recording should begin sometime this week. That means besides writing in December, I will be working on assisting with the audiobook as needed. As with all audiobooks, I will have several free codes to give away for those that would like to give a review.
Merch!
Many have you have asked if you could buy a print of Riika or Ella. This past weekend I have worked on setting up a store where you do just that! The plan is that any art I commission for the current harem, and future works will be available for purchase if you want a big ass poster of your favorite girl. (Team Riika or Team Ella anyone?) You can find the website HERE and linked on the website. As always, the art will also be free to view on my social media.
That’s it from me this week. I hope you all have a wonderful December holiday. If things are not too hectic, I will be posting sporadically on my various social media. You can follow me here:
facebook.com/ajaxlyganwrites
twitter.com/ajaxlygan
November 29, 2020
Post Thanksgiving Update & New Cover?
Hi all! I hope those of you who celebrated Thanksgiving this past weekend had an enjoyable one. For those who did not, I hope you all had a wonderful week! Below, I’ll cover the weekly progress and new cover ideas.
Weekly Progress:
As I spoke about in my last update, I worked Thanksgiving and Black Friday putting in 12 hours on both days. I was completely exhausted. Because of this, I did not get as much writing done as I wanted to. However, I was able to complete NaNoWriMo successfully, finishing on Saturday with a nice sized sprint. On that sprint, I completed chapter 13. Chapter 13 is a huge chapter with a climactic event that I think many of you will enjoy. It’s a critical moment in Tempest’s development. Today I took a much needed break and plan on continuing to hit my normal writing schedule this week.
New Cover Ideas:
I love the existing cover of book 1. When we were designing it, I wanted it to include the 3 main characters Tempest, Ella, and Riika, and I wanted to convey the sense of action and suspense that trickled throughout the book. However, based on conversations with other authors, the fact that it is not designed to market (harem fantasy) could confuse buyers and be costing sales. I’m a bit torn on this because the harem elements were always meant to be secondary to the fantasy story that was told. It’s supposed to be that extra kick to an otherwise pleasant story. So, I am looking to solicit your help! Clicking the link below will take you to a form to vote for your favorite cover with a few alternate sketches. Basically, it comes down to this, do you prefer a more action geared cover or one with more sex appeal? https://forms.gle/heNbAJ6LBoY8KYzh7
That’s all for me! I hope you all have a great week!
Post Thanksgiving Update & New Cover?
Hi all! I hope those of you who celebrated Thanksgiving this past weekend had an enjoyable one. For those who did not, I hope you all had a wonderful week! Below, I’ll cover the weekly progress and new cover ideas.
Weekly Progress:
As I spoke about in my last update, I worked Thanksgiving and Black Friday putting in 12 hours on both days. I was completely exhausted. Because of this, I did not get as much writing done as I wanted to. However, I was able to complete NaNoWriMo successfully, finishing on Saturday with a nice sized sprint. On that sprint, I completed chapter 13. Chapter 13 is a huge chapter with a climactic event that I think many of you will enjoy. It’s a critical moment in Tempest’s development. Today I took a much needed break and plan on continuing to hit my normal writing schedule this week.
New Cover Ideas:
I love the existing cover of book 1. When we were designing it, I wanted it to include the 3 main characters Tempest, Ella, and Riika, and I wanted to convey the sense of action and suspense that trickled throughout the book. However, based on conversations with other authors, the fact that it is not designed to market (harem fantasy) could confuse buyers and be costing sales. I’m a bit torn on this because the harem elements were always meant to be secondary to the fantasy story that was told. It’s supposed to be that extra kick to an otherwise pleasant story. So, I am looking to solicit your help! Clicking the link below will take you to a form to vote for your favorite cover with a few alternate sketches. Basically, it comes down to this, do you prefer a more action geared cover or one with more sex appeal? https://forms.gle/heNbAJ6LBoY8KYzh7
That’s all for me! I hope you all have a great week!
November 22, 2020
Heading into the Holiday and Ella Art!
Hi all! I hope you are doing well. Below is a personal note from me, weekly progress and rounding things off with some new Ella artwork.
Personal Note:
Until covid impacting everyone around the world, my wife and I were known as the hangout house. We would consistently have people over for food, games, and movie nights almost weekly. The last big event we had was in February for my wife’s birthday. Normally around this time we would invite all of our friends over for a friendsgiving. This weekend we didn’t have that, we just made meals for everyone in the household and spent some time together playing card games. The reason why I bring this up is that covid has impacted everyone in some shape or form. Living in the states, I have had family, close friends, and employees who have contracted the virus. It’s been a hard year for many so I just wanted to put out a word to hold your loved one’s close, give those friends a call you haven’t talked to in a while, and try to be thankful for anything that may have gone right this year. And if nothing has, then I’ll join you in saying fuck 2020 and I wish you and yours the best in 2021.
Writing Update:
I wrapped tonight’s writing session ending in the middle of chapter 12. I did not get as far as I had hoped, however, I’m still ahead of NaNoWriMo this year and on track for my release date of early Q1. Another thing I wanted to talk about was the book 1 cover. When I originally designed the cover for the artist I was going for a more action packed aesthetic. However, in doing so it may have deterred some people from reading the book as a harem. Many of the authors in this genre have given me advice that I should redo the cover, and I plan on taking that advice. As of a few hours ago, I have reached out to the artist who did the original cover and asked for something that is more geared and sets the expectations for something in the harem genre. I’ll have more on that in the upcoming weeks.
Ella Art:
I just received the character reference sheet for Ella in book 1 and the subsequent standalone images for her. You can see them each below:
Ella Reference Sheet
Ella defending her armor choices
Ella volunteering to watch Riika
Ella informing Tempest now is not the right time for such activities.That’s it for me this week. I will be working next week during Thanksgiving and the day after. For those in the USA, have a wonderful holiday, for everyone else in the world I hope you have a wonderful week!
