Ian Price's Blog, page 2

FnF up for Beta Reading

Well, here we are—Fire and Fools is officially heading into beta reading! Honestly? I’m as surprised as you. This one came together faster than I expected. The outline and character work were buried in my college-era Google Drive, so when the writing bug bit me again, picking it back up felt a little like riding a bike.

I'll be releasing chapters twice a week over on Scribble Hub through July. You can follow along by using the link below—or just hit the bottom-left button on this site.

CLICK HERE

(If that link’s broken, it probably means the story’s been pulled for a KDP release—don’t panic. Just means it did better than expected. And no, you don’t have to dig through old blog posts. I promise I’m not that interesting.)

I’ll likely continue tweaking and polishing chapters right up until they go live. If you catch a scene where characters lean against a wall five times during a single conversation, feel free to call me out. That’s half the reason this is a public beta, after all.

Now, let’s talk numbers (and why this could be a trilogy).

When I released my cyberpunk western Dystopia’s Edge, I had about eight sequels locked and loaded in my head before it even launched. But then the numbers came in—and reality hit. People liked it! It got some nice reviews on Amazon. But the kind of engagement needed to keep that universe alive just wasn’t there. Writing more would’ve felt like screaming into a void. So I pivoted, moved on to other novels, and tucked that dusty hat away.

Now here I am again. Fire and Fools is a fantasy story—somewhere between Game of Thrones and Blackadder, if you can imagine such a thing. Like a good BBC miniseries, the goal is to make sure this first arc works on its own: clean, complete, and satisfying. But... it could also be Book One of a trilogy. The outlines are sitting right here on my desk.

So I’m putting on the publishing-business hat (it’s more of a beanie, really) and laying out the metrics that would justify writing more in this world:

100+ Favorites

10,000+ Views

4.0+ Rating

If Fire and Fools hits those marks by the time the epilogue goes live in July, I’ll consider the demand strong enough to keep it up on Scribble Hub and start drafting the sequel.

This isn’t a call to action or a ploy to boost my stats. Please don’t go padding numbers. I’d rather know the truth. This is just me setting expectations for myself and keeping you all in the loop.

One last Thing. I’m publishing Fire and Fools under a pen name. It’s a little inside joke—borrowed from Sarah’s pet buzzard in Dystopia’s Edge. Just a bit of cheeky fun.

But it’s also part of a personal experiment. I want to see if I can win over a new audience. Folks who don’t already know I’ve written books elsewhere. Starting fresh, just to see what the story can do on its own.

So if you’re reading this blog and decide to check it out over on Scribble Hub… keep it quiet for now.

I appreciate the discretion. And I appreciate you.

RC&C up for beta-reading

Over the next couple of months, I’ll be posting installments of Red Clay & Concrete on Wattpad. You can find it via the link below or by using the beta read button on my website.

If you’re reading this later and those links no longer work, it likely means the story was pulled for a KDP release. And, no, you don’t need to sift through my blog archives—trust me, I’m not that interesting.

CLICK HERE

The goal with posting on Wattpad is threefold: first, to get feedback on how the story can be refined before its final release. Second, it helps generate some buzz, which is always welcome. But third, and most importantly, I want to thoughtfully explore a personal connection. The story is inspired by my grandpa, who kept his Native American heritage hidden after returning from World War II. I’m a few generations removed from that choice, so I’m a white guy—but I wanted to explore the impact of that decision. This meant writing about Indigenous communities and culture from the perspective of an outsider.

I didn’t use Indigenous tags on Wattpad, as I’m not here to chase clout in that particular avenue. But I do hope to get feedback from members of those communities. I’ve done my best, but if I’ve made any mistakes or misrepresented Native life, I’d like to know before this goes up on Amazon.

Lastly, unrelated, my Warhammer 40k story is now up on AO3. Link below.

CLICK HERE

So, what’s next?

Right now, I’m sitting on three finished manuscripts that I plan to self-publish—ideally before the next big event in my personal life comes along and eats all my time.

First up: That Basterd Holmes and the New England Affair—a novella-length mystery that got some test runs on Wattpad, where I picked up a few beta readers and notes to tighten things up. It’s done. I’m literally just waiting for the copyright paperback to land in my mailbox before I wrap it up in a neat little package and send it out into the world.

It’s a Sherlock Holmes-inspired story with two intertwined mysteries set in New England, 1894. Think: a quick, satisfying read you can knock out in one sitting. If it finds its audience, I’ve got room to expand the story into a series—but like Conan Doyle, I’m starting with a focus on solid, standalone cases.

Next: a personal one. A 90k word slice-of-life novel set against the hip hop scene of 2011—the year I graduated college. Right off the bat, two disclaimers:

I’m not a rapper. The closest I came was writing a diss track for a neighbor’s German shepherd on Rhymers Block.

This book let me explore a part of my family history—specifically how my grandfather, who was part Native American, chose to hide that fact after returning from WWII.

You look at me, and I’m clearly white—pale translucent, really—so I’m not claiming an identity that my grandfather set aside. But I did want to write about that choice with as much care and nuance as I could. It’s a personal book. Maybe not the most marketable, but it means a lot to me. I’ll be looking for some thoughtful feedback once it’s out.

Last but not least: a dark comedy fantasy novel. Think cursed bloodlines, court politics, and an unhinged elf jester committing white collar crimes. This one’s still the roughest of the three, but also the one I’m most hyped about. It’s a project I first dreamed up back in college, and it feels great to finally be bringing it to life.

That’s all for now. More soon—stay tuned!

The Better Option – An Eversor, an Inquisitor, and Too Many Genestealers

Sometimes, a story gets lodged in your mind, refusing to let go. One that demands to be told.

Now, I’m not a Games Workshop writer, and I doubt the Black Library is knocking on my door anytime soon. But a few years back, I went deep into a Warhammer 40K phase and found myself with a story I just had to write. I don’t usually dabble in fanfiction, but this one was too tempting to ignore.

An Inquisitor boards a ship teetering on the brink of a Genestealer infestation. When diplomacy fails, he turns to his last resort—an Eversor Assassin. A tale of cold efficiency, survival, and the grim cost of ‘mercy’ in the Imperium.

Hope you enjoy!

Links below:

Read it on SpaceBattles

Read it on Fanfiction.net

Read it on Reddit

Website Update: Quick Tune-Up

Just a quick one—I gave the website a little tune-up to keep things running smooth as I put out more books. Figured it was time to clean things up a bit, make it easier to find what you're looking for.

Anyways, appreciate you stopping by. Let me know if anything looks off, and keep an eye out—more book news coming down the pike soon.

Catching Up: Two Books, Two Years Later

It’s been a while since my last update, but that’s because I’ve been deep in the work. Over the past two years, I’ve been focused on writing, revising, and figuring out the next steps for my books. Now, I finally have some news to share.

First, my book that’s been open for beta-reading on Wattpad will soon be taken offline. After a year of feedback and refinement, it’s ready for the next stage—publication. More details on that soon.

Second, I recently completed the first draft of my latest book. Right now, I’m in the process of refining it, shaping it into something I’m truly proud of. First drafts are only the beginning, and this one still has a journey ahead before it’s ready to be shared.

I’ll be posting more regularly moving forward—expect updates on my progress, thoughts on writing, and maybe even some behind-the-scenes looks at my process. If you’ve been following along, thanks for your patience. If you’re new here, welcome! More to come soon.

Westwood Living

Howdy, folks. Long time no post. It’s been a hectic but rewarding year—what with my daughter being born and all. Just wanted to summarize the current state of things…

Firstly, a big thanks to Tom Leyden for having me on the Westwood Living podcast!!! He worked as a sports broadcaster for 25 years and you can instantly recognize that through his skills as an interviewer—so glad you're now using those talents to create a quality community magazine in my home town.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN!!!

Dystopia's Edge, myself, and my daughter were also featured in the print version. Here’s a snippet of that:

A big thanks again to Tom Leyden!!!!