Jonathan Moeller's Blog, page 152

writing advice: fictional gym time

A reader sent a slightly snarky email pointing out that Nadia, Jack March, and Caina spend a lot of time exercising, and wondering if it reflected some sort of preference of mine.

Actually, it’s less of a preference and more of a pet peeve. Recently I read a thriller novel where the main character stayed in tip-top shape by running a mile and a half twice a week.

A mile and a half! Twice a week! And people say that I write fantasy novels.

writing progress update

Here’s where I’m at with my current projects!

-CLOAK OF WOLVES is almost done, and should definitely be out in the first week of November.

-I am 22,000 words into DRAGONTIARNA: GATES, and if all goes well that should be out in December.

-I am 12,800 words into GHOST IN THE COUNCIL, and that should be out in in January, making it the first book of 2020.

-Just passed 20,000 words of SILENT ORDER: ROYAL HAND. I dunno when that’s going to be out. Probably first quarter of 2020 but we’ll see.

-JM

Shield Knight: Third’s Tower

When DRAGONTIARNA: THIEVES came out last week, I also gave away copies of the short story SHIELD KNIGHT: THIRD’S TOWER through Smashwords and Bookfunnel.

As of today, I’ve given away 195 copies of SHIELD KNIGHT: THIRD’S TOWER.

But! I’ve actually sold more copies of THIRD’S TOWER than I’ve given away, which I was not expecting.

Thanks everyone! I am glad you are enjoying both DRAGONTIARNA: THIEVES and SHIELD KNIGHT: THIRD’S TOWER.

-JM

SILENT ORDER preview

When I mentioned that I was writing a new SILENT ORDER book, the response was favorable. Thank you for that! I’m glad people liked the first nine books enough to want a tenth.

what’s next?

Now that DRAGONTIARNA: THIEVES is out, here’s what I’m working on now.

-Editing is underway on CLOAK OF WOLVES. If all goes well, WOLVES will come out in the first week of November, accompanied by a short story called SILVER DRIVE that subscribers will get for free. What’s CLOAK OF WOLVES going to be about? I’m glad you asked!

###

My name’s Nadia, and I do favors for the High Queen Tarlia of the Elves.

Tarlia is not the kind of woman who accepts no for an answer.

So when the High Queen orders me to help a top investigator solve a murder, I have to do it. Even though I’ve spent most of my life on the run from the law.

I don’t like the investigator, and he doesn’t like me.

But that doesn’t matter, because if we don’t work together, the creatures we’re hunting will kill us both…

###

-I’ve started on DRAGONTIARNA: GATES, the next book in the DRAGONTIARNA saga. If all goes well, I think that book will be out in December.

-I’m 11,000 words into GHOST IN THE COUNCIL. I’m hoping that will be January’s book.

-I’m also 17,500 words into SILENT ORDER: ROYAL HAND, which will be the tenth SILENT ORDER book. I don’t know when this one will come out. It doesn’t really fit into my schedule, and I know I said SILENT ORDER: ARK HAND was the final SILENT ORDER book, but I’ve found I really miss writing in a science fiction setting. So I’ll find time and make it work. It will probably come out sometime in 2020.

It won’t be a short book – it will probably be around the length of a Caina book. I’ve found that to sell short books, you need to spend twice as much ad money for half the results, so I’ve phased out doing short books.

-JM

DRAGONTIARNA: THIEVES thanks!

I’d just like to take a moment to thank people for the various kind messages they’ve sent about DRAGONTIARNA: THIEVES.

THIEVES was definitely a more complicated book than I usually write. That, of course, is a side effect of having five main characters – Ridmark Arban, Tyrcamber Rigamond, Niall of Ebor, Third of Nightmane Forest, and Moriah Rhosmor. And the book doesn’t really focus on any one of them – I think in terms of pure word count, Tyrcamber had the most words in the book, but only just.

So it’s a more complex story than I usually write, so I’m pleased people are enjoying it!

DRAGONTIARNA: THIEVES is available at Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon DE, Amazon CA, Amazon AU, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play, and Smashwords.

-JM

DRAGONTIARNA: THIEVES now available!

I am pleased to report that DRAGONTIARNA: THIEVES is now available on Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon DE, Amazon CA, Amazon AU, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play, and Smashwords.

Ridmark Arban defended the town of Castarium from dark forces.

But the Warden of Urd Morlemoch has other servants.

Now a sinister cult is stirring in the great city of Cintarra, corrupting the lords of the realm as it searches for lost relics in ancient ruins.

And if the cult finds what it seeks, worlds beyond count will burn…

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-JM

sign up for my newsletter and get a free short story!

Be sure to sign up for my newsletter, and tomorrow you’ll get a free download code for an all-new FROSTBORN/SEVENFOLD SWORD/DRAGONTIARNA short story!

To sign up for my newsletter, click on this link, and follow the directions there.

-JM

CLOAK OF WOLVES – a brief excerpt

Editing continues for CLOAK OF WOLVES! Let’s have a short excerpt where Nadia engages in calm negotiations.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

You know, I’d very much like to play the Link’s Awakening remake for Switch, but I definitely don’t have the time. CLOAK OF WOLVES isn’t going to finish itself!

That said, I did have a Game Boy back in the 90s, and Link’s Awakening was one of the few games I actually managed to finish. An amazing game, though I still think Link To The Past remains the best of the series.

-JM