Jonathan Moeller's Blog, page 285

Cover art for GHOST IN THE HUNT

Editing is underway on GHOST IN THE HUNT, so lets have a look at the cover!

-JM

GHOST IN THE HUNT book description

Here is the official description for GHOST IN THE HUNT:

CAINA AMALAS is the Ghost circlemaster of Istarinmul, the leader of the Emperor’s spies in the city. With the aid of mysterious allies, she fights to stop the sinister plans of the ruthless Grand Master Callatas.

But Callatas has spent two centuries preparing to remake humanity, and he will exterminate any who dare to oppose him.

CLAUDIA ABERON DORIUS was once a sorceress of the Imperial Magisterium, yet now she is the wife of a high noble of the Empire. Civil war rips the Empire, and the rebel sorcerers have targeted her beloved husband for death. Claudia has no choice but to work with Caina, the woman she despises most in the world, to save her husband’s life.

But a danger comes that neither Caina nor Claudia have foreseen…

KALGRI is the Red Huntress, the centuries-old assassin of legend. She has killed kings and princes, sorcerers and alchemists, young and old and rich and poor, and laughed at their screams and rejoiced at the tears of their families. She has slain countless innocents, and no one has ever stopped her.

And her next target is Caina Amalas.

-JM

Sherlock Holmes vs Caina Amalas

I’ve been watching the court battles over the public domain status of Sherlock Holmes with interest.

I have to admit, my interest is not entirely selfless. I read the Holmes stories in one massive chunk when I was in college lo these many years ago, so Holmes naturally was one of the influences on Caina and THE GHOSTS. Someday I would like to write a Holmes pastiche where he meets a Victorian-era version of Caina. However, I would like to do that without getting sued, so for now the idea remains shelved.

-JM

GHOST IN THE HUNT rough draft done!

I am pleased to report that the rough draft of GHOST IN THE HUNT is done! 103,000 words in 28 days.

I will post the cover art in a few days.

I have to admit for all that I make fun of Windows 8.1, I wrote most of GHOST IN THE HUNT on a Windows tablet with a keyboard dock, and the computer runs so cool that it is the most comfortable I’ve ever been while writing.

-JM

a second progress report on GHOST IN THE HUNT

Now past 80,000 words on the GHOST IN THE HUNT rough draft. Let’s have another excerpt!

“Look at you. You’re not even breathing hard. How do you stay fit?”

“I spend a lot of time,” said Caina, “running from men who are trying to kill me.”

Laertes barked a laugh. “A fine motivator.”

-JM

GHOST IN THE HUNT progress update

11 chapters of GHOST IN THE HUNT down, 11 to go. Halfway there!

I think it’s finally time for a short excerpt:

“But if it is a trap,” said Caina, “even a trap has its uses. Especially when turned back upon the man who set it.”

“You will be careful?” said Damla.

“Of course,” said Caina.

Damla shook her head. “Lies. You are never careful.”

“True,” said Caina.

-JM

spoiler discussion thread for FROSTBORN: THE IRON TOWER

FROSTBORN: THE IRON TOWER, I am told, had a few plot twists, so people have asked for a discussion thread. If you have questions or comments, feel free to post them here. Naturally, this comment thread will have !!!SPOILERS!!! for the entire FROSTBORN series to date.

-JM

Jonathan Moeller vs. iTunes

I am pleased to report that as of this writing FROSTBORN: THE IRON TOWER has gotten to #75 on the iTunes US Epic Fantasy list, #15 on the iTunes UK list, #32 on the iTunes Australia list, and #17 on the iTunes Canada list.

Thanks, everyone!

This is particularly satisfying because I have worked in various forms of technical support for years, which means that I remember the first version of iTunes for the PC came out in 2003. Since then I may not have dealt with every conceivable iTunes malfunction, but by God I certainly have come close. Lost libraries, lost authorizations, corrupted upgrades, upgrades that wiped out music libraries, doubled files, stuttering playback, misplaced DLL files (the endless misplaced DLL files!), accidentally wiped iPods, I have seen it all.

(Also, if you are a repair technician and someone brings in their computer for service and tells you that they backed up their music library, they are lying.)

So, after eleven years of an adversarial relationship with iTunes, I am pleased and amused that it is finally working to my benefit!

Though come to think of it, most people who read iBooks likely order off their iPads or iPhones, not the iTunes desktop application. But the thought still counts.

-JM

GHOST IN THE FLAMES boost

So thanks to Bookbub I gave away around 14,000 copies of CHILD OF THE GHOSTS in two days. Because of that, GHOST IN THE FLAMES had a nice little boost as well, and got up to #2,500 on Amazon US. Thanks, everyone!

This is particularly satisfying because I wrote GHOST IN THE FLAMES in 2008, and I tried for years to sell it to a traditional publisher and got precisely nowhere, save for a spreadsheet of rejection notices. But as I have discovered, the last laugh is indeed the best laugh.

-JM

FROSTBORN: THE IRON TOWER now available

I am pleased to report that FROSTBORN: THE IRON TOWER is now available at Amazon, Amazon UK, Amazon Germany, Amazon Canada, Amazon Australia,Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Google Play, and Smashwords. (I’m told it’s currently up at iTunes, but I can’t find the link at the moment. I will post it as soon as I locate it.)

Click here to read the first chapter.

RIDMARK ARBAN is the Gray Knight, questing to stop the return of the terrible Frostborn to the High King’s realm. Yet the soulstone, the instrument of the return of the Frostborn, has been stolen by a ruthless cult and secured within the grim fortress of the Iron Tower.

And Ridmark must risk everything to retrieve it.

MARA wishes only to live peacefully. Yet her father was a dark elven wizard of power, and his shadow-tainted blood flows through her veins, threatening to transform her into a monster.

Yet that is not the greatest danger she faces.

For the Iron Tower was once home to an ancient evil, an evil that desires to claim the power in her blood…