Stuart Aken's Blog, page 236

The 12 Days of Launch Countdown: Day 6

Pic from  https://openclipart.org/Just 6 days to launch of A Seared Sky: Joinings.  Excitement rising.

In the spirit of that well-loved seasonal song, I offer you the 12 days of countdown.
Mine are in reverse order.
And, on the sixth day of countdown, I give to you
Six sexy sorts:Okkyntalah – experience grows a lad’s confidenceSyylvah – too hot to handle!Aklon – loves them all, loved by them allDagla Kaz – evil man, evil waysPhrysilda – little bundle of fun, and handy in a fightUnnamed woman – mysterious mistress of enchantment
I don’t want you to get the idea that this book is erotic. But it is a story for adults. Sex is a vital part of human life along with food and movement, so it’s not left out of the picture, but neither is it described in hot detail here. You’ll need your imagination if you want that. I’d be happy for a 15 year old to read it, and a maiden aunt, if that helps those in doubt.
But you can discover for yourself, with the publication of A Seared Sky: Joinings on 30 March, by Fantastic Books Publishing. And you can join the fun of the book launch party wherever you are in the world. It’s virtual, it’s online, it’s here (give the link a click to take you there). And, you’ll be amongst the first to get the book in paperback or ebook format, or both, of course!Related articles The 12 Days of Launch Countdown: Day 7

The 12 Days of Launch Countdown: Day 7

Pic via  https://openclipart.org/  7 more days before the launch of A Seared Sky: Joinings.  Excitement rising daily. 
In the spirit of the well-loved seasonal song, I offer you the 12 days of countdown. 
Mine are in reverse order. 
On the seventh day of countdown, I give to you
Seven shadowy stories:Lord Gadhallah – voices tell him what to do, always evil?Mythanpho – daughter of the sun, saviour of her people?Vaarkil – fished from the lake, and returning a hero?Ytraa – at the very beginning of the world?Ulkhon – travelling the daytime skies eternally?Mhortag – evil personified, or misunderstood? Na-Dagon – how many heads, and why?

These legends and myths, underlie the different beliefs of those who live in my invented world. Which is really good, which really evil? All will be revealed in the trilogy. Book 1, A Seared Sky: Joinings, published by Fantastic Books Publishing, is launched as paperback and ebook on 30thMarch. And you can be there on the day, no matter where in your world you reside, by clicking this linkRelated articles The 12 Days of Launch Countdown: Day 8

Hear Her Speak: Tumalind Answers Questions for Readers.

As launch day approaches, the Fantasy Editor from Fantastic Books Publishing is interviewing some of my characters. Here, he speaks with Tumalind, a young woman who becomes one of the main players in the trilogy.

A Seared Sky: Joinings, will be published in paperback and ebook formats on 30th March. 
I’ve seen the full cover now and -Wow! - it’s great. But you’ll have to wait a short while until we reveal it. You can, of course, keep up with the news and join in the fun by trolling over to the launch page; give this link a click.

The 12 Days of Launch Countdown: Day 8

Picture courtesy of  https://openclipart.org/    8 days to go before the launch of A Seared Sky: Joinings.  Excitement rising every day. 
In the spirit of the well-loved seasonal song, I offer you the 12 days of countdown.
Mine are in reverse order. 
On the eighth day of countdown, I give to you

Eight exciting ethnics:
Tumalind – clever, able, beautiful and belovedAklon Dji – renegade, fearless, handsome and desirableFeldrark – great, shrewd, just and tenaciousJodisa Li – bright, determined, spoilt and manipulativeOkkyntalah – innocent, brave, selfless and attractiveAglydron – fanatical, conservative, pious and sternIvdulon – intelligent, farsighted, sensitive and inventiveDagla Kaz – cruel, hypocritical, driven and unwavering

These are just a few of the adventurers who people my invented world. They love, fight, sing, rescue, joke, hate, seduce and kill. But which of them does which of these things? All is revealed in the trilogy. Book 1, A Seared Sky: Joinings, published by Fantastic Books Publishing, is launched as paperback and ebook on 30th March. And you can join in the fun on the day by clicking this link.

The 12 Days of Launch Countdown: Day 9

Only 9 days before the launch of A Seared Sky: Joinings.  Excitement rising as the day approaches. In the spirit of that seasonal song, I offer you the 12 days of countdown. Mine, though, are in reverse order. Here, on the ninth day, I give you:
Nine nautical names.
Sophraq Sea – briny splashes out of the islandIbasim Sea – short crossing on the way homeSea of Llahkan – are there pirates?Bay of Ffosh – at the edge of the known worldTulak Sea – carrying a precious cargoYaalh Bay – a mysteryShylnah Sea – watch out for the deadly reef and the island of fireSouthern Ocean – bringing trade and strange customs from the far side of the worldSho Bay – almost home

These seas wash their waves on the shores of my invented world. Follow the various groups, as they sail in search of glory, or to right wrongs, on the map. Voyage with them to learn their joys, their sorrows, their desires, their secrets and their plans. All is revealed in the trilogy. Book 1, A Seared Sky: Joinings, published by Fantastic Books Publishing, is launched as paperback and ebook on 30th March. And you can join in the fun on the day by clicking this link.Related articles The 12 Days of Launch Countdown: Day 10

The 12 Days of Launch Countdown: Day 10

Only 10 days before the launch of A Seared Sky: Joinings, and I’d like to share my excitement withyou. 
In the spirit of the old seasonal song, I’m offering you the 12 days of countdown.

Mine, though, are in reverse order.

Ten torrid territories:
Muhnilahm – island home where it all beginsNiphralon – savage land that some are forced to visitAashnon – the edge of the known world – a mysteryChoshinahm – the ancient homeland; hope for someTohltaz – desert land where visitors tread with careDeztal – just passing throughCushlanah – wide-open spaces, full of the unknownRophan-Ra – where three great cities vie for prominenceKabalyt – land of threat and promiseNdagaal – outpost at the end of an adventure

These are some of the regions of my invented world. The map displays them so that you can follow the progress of the various groups as they travel in search of answers, glory, or to rescue loved ones. Trek with them to learn their priorities, their fears, their hopes, their dreams and their fates. All is revealed in the trilogy. Book 1, A Seared Sky: Joinings, published by Fantastic Books Publishing, is launched as paperback and ebook on 30thMarch. And you can join in the fun on the day by clicking this link.Related articles The 12 Days of Launch Countdown: Day 11

The 12 Days of Launch Countdown: Day 11

Image from  https://openclipart.org/With just 11 days before the launch of A Seared Sky: Joinings, I want to share my enthusiasm with you. In the spirit of the old seasonal song, I’m offering you the 12 days of countdown. Mine, however, are in reverse order.

Today, I offer you eleven entertaining essentials:
93 named characters3 volumes152 chapters1,831 typed pages600,000+ words1 large map400 writing days180 editing days100 planning days3 pairs reading glasses3 computers
Of course, some of these figures are estimates, others are provisional, since I’m still editing the last volume and it may well run out longer than the first draft (or shorter).
To join in the launch party, an online event open to readers all over the world, just give this link a click and it’ll take you to the place my publisher, Fantastic Books Publishing, is hosting the fun and games.Related articles The 12 Days of Launch Countdown: Day 12

The 12 Days of Launch Countdown: Day 12

With just 12 days before the launch of A Seared Sky: Joinings, I want to share some of my enthusiasm with you. 
In the spirit of the old seasonal song, I’m giving you the 12 days of countdown. 
Mine, however, is in reverse order.
So, on the twelfth day to book launch I will give to you
Twelve towns to talk of:

Chalamamnon – lair of the despicable High Priest.Morstahn – heroes’ home until adventure takes them.Pampahn – lakeside town destined for excitement.Rhonholoah – threatening and strange.Kamakq – no place to lose your way.Mipahnhil – appearances can be deceptive.Shorrannon – seeking doesn’t always result in finding.Litkala – mysterious city of white stone.Kah-Labaz – beneath the fiery mountain.Ov-Bebna – home of souls lost in the sands.Mehrrhyphrol – unsafe for some.Trotnahn – darkness must find a home.

All of these places appear in the series, though not necessarily in book 1, Joinings, which will be launched by Fantastic Books Publishing in paperback and ebook form on 30 March. Come and join the party (click here) and have some fun, ask me questions, pick up giveaways, and maybe collect a special edition.

The Bull at the Gate, by Linda Acaster, Reviewed

The Bull at the Gate, by Linda Acaster, is the second in the Torc of Moonlight trilogy of occult romantic thrillers. I read the first and have been waiting for this second with some impatience. It was worth the wait.
Linda Acaster is a writer with talent. That she’s done research in depth for this book is clear. The detail, especially of the archaeology and history of York, is superb. I thought I knew the city, but I’ve learned things I never even suspected. York is, in fact, another character in the book.
The story is complex; an intertwining of present day events with those occurring in Roman York. And, ever-present, the raison d’être of hero Nick’s every move, is the enigmatic and mysterious entity that may or may not be Alice. The past returns to haunt Nick, literally, as he struggles to recover from the devastation of loss that occurred earlier in his life. To complicate matters, a new woman emerges uninvited into his life. Sophie is clearly a girl intent on a good time and, when she goes missing, her association with Nick places him in the field as a prime suspect with the local police.
Are Nick’s experiences real, imaginary, glimpses of another world and time, or the product of a damaged mind struggling with a past event too difficult to face? In weaving the tale, Linda Acaster keeps the reader guessing, providing clues but muddying the waters with an unreliable narrator.
Is this book crime, romance, historical, occult, or is it both a combination of these and something else entirely? And does it matter that it crosses genres? As a reader, such classification isn’t important to me. What matters is a gripping tale populated by characters I can empathise with and others I can thoroughly dislike. And this book provides exactly that. Had my circumstances been different, I would have read this at one sitting. As it was, I found myself eager to read it whenever time and opportunity allowed. I was driven to reach the end, to discover what would happen.
As with the first book in the series, this is a well-told tale with real depth and multiple themes explored in a unique style. And, as expected of a work of intelligence, it makes demands of the reader. There are several WTF? moments, times when the reader has to pause to consider, times when questions arise unanswered only to be clarified later in the story. I like that. Reading is far from a passive activity and Linda Acaster’s writing brings the occupation to life in a unique way.

I enjoyed the read and have no hesitation in recommending the book. And, let’s have the final book as soon as possible!Related articles The Bull At The Gate - Writing About Alternate Realities Contribution to Mankind, by Linda Acaster, Reviewed Beneath the Shining Mountains, by Linda Acaster, Reviewed. Guest-blogging in support of The Bull At The Gate

Publishers: Surprisingly, Some Are Very Good.

Dan Grubb, Publisher extraordinaire.In the Indie world, Publishers are pretty much rubbished. Let’s face it, the Big Boys generally do very little for authors. Unless you’re a ‘celebrity’ (whatever that means!) they treat you a like necessary evil, do the bare minimum to promote your hard work, and generally place barriers in the way of true creativity.
How refreshing, then, to find a publisher who not only does none of these things, but who actively become engaged in the whole process, including promotion? On 30th March, Fantastic Books Publishing will simultaneously launch ebook and paperback editions of the first volume of my fantasy trilogy. A Seared Sky: Joinings, has been a labour of love over a number of years. The first book runs to 220,000 words, the second exceeds 200k and the third, currently in the final stages of editing, will top out around the same level. When an author expends that amount of energy, creativity, imagination and time in a project, he wants to be sure that publication is going to be a positive event. We write to be read, after all.
For many authors, their experience with indifferent, lazy, unconcerned publishers only truly chasing the promise of megabucks on the backs of ghost-written ‘celebrity’ trash, is enough to make them do it themselves. I’ve done it. 7 times. Self publishing can be fun, liberating, exciting and rewarding. It can also be incredibly frustrating, time-consuming and, ultimately, a route to insignificant sales. The book world, as we all know, is fiercely competitive, yet, at the same time, amongst authors, surprisingly supportive. The problem for the Indie author is exposure. Build a platform, they say: good advice for a carpenter wanting to proclaim his political views, I suppose. We hear it time and time again. And I’ve had a stab at it.
With over 9k followers on Twitter, 3.3k on Goodreads, 2.5k on LinkedIn, an author page on FB with 600 likes and a personal page with 1.8k, fingers in other pies, guest posts on other blogs, comments all over the place and membership of umpteen groups, that’s a pretty reasonable stab, isn’t it? (Sorry for that very convoluted sentence. BTW, should you wish to connect with me on any of those networks, click the link and join me there, please). But has this resulted in noticeable sales? In a word: no!
Perhaps my work is poor? Well, those who’ve read it and placed reviews don’t appear to think so. With mostly 5 star awards and positive reviews, almost exclusively from people I don’t know, the signs are that my writing is pretty good.
So, back to the publishing bit. Many writers are put off even approaching a publisher, because of all the negative publicity about the process, coupled with dubious success. But, as in all areas of life, it’s the exceptions that prove the rule. I was introduced to Fantastic Books Publishing, a small independent publisher, through one of my colleagues at Hornsea Writers, a supportive group of professional writers with their own blog, here.
I sent them my precious MS, using their normal channels, and, lo and behold! Yes. Dan Grubb replied enthusiastically, asking for the whole thing. Since then, I’ve been treated as an equal partner in the venture. We each do those things that we’re best at. So, Dan sorted the final edits, is organising the promotional aspect, has engaged a professional cover artist who’s produced a brilliant cover (to be revealed in all it’s glory shortly before the launch). But, more than this, he’s produced a short video of an interview with me and is currently recording interviews with my characters. One of those you’ll find here. But, beware, Dagla Kaz is not a nice man!
The launch party, organised by my publisher (that sounds great, doesn’t it?) is being held online via Facebook so that I can connect with as many people worldwide as possible. You can access the party here, and, even if you don’t belong to FB, or maybe hate the network, you can still join in the fun on the day. I will, of course, also be presenting more information here and on some guest posts on other blogs in the run-up.


My experience of working with this publisher has been entirely positive. Fantastic Books Publishing is run as the passion it truly is for Dan and his associates. I’ve been made to feel relevant, special, cherished and valued. This has been a far cry from the horror stories I’ve heard from other writers. So, you see, not all publishers are evil organisations run by bean-counters. This one is a company with heart and a true interest in the author and his work.Related articles A Fantastic Talk on Marketing. #Imagine: Penny Grubb Interviews Author Stuart Aken