C.G. Hatton's Blog, page 2

WIP: Tying myself in knots… the intricacies of writing a long, complex story in a time of lockdown no less

 (*WARNING SPOILERS*)
WIP news: I’m writing the third (last) little LC book. Or at least that’s what I’m supposed to be writing. Someone asked me once when I said “supposed to be” if that was what my publisher was demanding, darned publishers. I’m one half of Sixth Element Publishing so I decide. Mostly, but that’s another story. This is what I love about indie publishing. We get to write what we want, what we love. But again, that’s another story. If you want to hear about that, it’ll take rum. A lot of rum.
Back to the WIP: if you’re up to date with the TG books, this is the one that follows Redemption and is the third story LC tells to Spacey in the middle of Darkest Fears (TG#5) when they’re fleeing the Bhenykhn and drifting in space. It jumps two years from Redemption to the tab for the amulet when LC is sixteen. And here is the tricky bit that I’m dancing with at the moment. I have a load of stuff that deals with the fallout from Redemption and that story also needs to be told… by Hil, strangely enough.
And… unlike the last two books of the main series (#4 and #5 which both left me reeling and needing a break), the end of #6 has left me twitching to get right on with it all, and I have NG chatting away inside my head. I love being with NG. I love being with all three of them, and that’s the dilemma. I have Hil, LC and NG all demanding my attention. As well as two munchkins who are currently homeschooling (to be honest, we’re loving it… we’re not following the rules, not sticking to the school’s provided schedules and worksheets, not spending six hours a day in lessons, but we’re having lots of fun just being together, with lots of learning way off the usual (packaging up books and printing stamps to post them out to writers = business studies, it does), and we’re still managing some Maths and English in there too because, y’know, I don’t want to be told off when they do get to go back to school). And I have Harvey Duckman beckoning, which is such a lot of fun. I’m going to get another TG story into one soon, I promise.
Soooo… WIP? I should be able to knuckle down and write all of it. I’m having to go back through all my notebooks and all eight books that are out there, fact checking, continuity and timeline checking… And I have my notebook with me always, in the sunshine-soaked queues at Tesco and the Co-Op and Boots the Pharmacy, (as well as the munchkins, I’m looking after three key workers who are socially isolating and two over 80s, who are all doing brilliantly). It’s a strange time and I know a lot of creatives who are struggling with all this extra time at home and the pressure to be creative and produce.
I think I need to write what I need to write, and just see what happens, because that’s how my Thieves’ Guild stuff started, twenty-eight years ago.
So, whatever you’re doing right now, wherever you are, do what you need to do to be okay. That’s all any of us can do right now.
Take care and stay safe! Hope to see you at a comic con somewhere as soon as we all can.CGH
ps. Hil is winning right now… He was always the one that got me through the hardest times.
pps. If you’re writing scifi, fantasy, steampunk or horror and feeling isolated, we’re here. Let me know if you want a chat or a zoom (email or find me on Twitter or Facebook)<!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; color:purple; mso-themecolor:followedhyperlink; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:10.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;}size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}</style>. We’re all in this together. Take care!</span></div><div class="indent" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></div><div class="indent" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN-US">ppps. This is not the only blog post I’ve written since the last one… let’s see if this one makes it out there without being deleted. </span></div><div class="indent" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></div><div class="indent" style="line-height: 150%;"><span lang="EN-US">pppps. …although I did write one for <a href="https://markhayesblog.com/2020/04/21/... Hayes</a>that did see the light of day! (and he used my China photo!)</span></div><div class="indent" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mybook.to/HDP1" target="_blank"><img alt="http://mybook.to/HDP1" border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1124" height="306" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b3w3ChQsUf..." width="640" /></a></div><div class="indent" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></div><div class="indent" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></div><div class="indent" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></div><style><!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {mso-style-priority:99; color:blue; mso-themecolor:hyperlink; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; color:purple; mso-themecolor:followedhyperlink; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} p.indent, li.indent, div.indent {mso-style-name:indent; mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-indent:14.2pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:10.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;}size:595.0pt 842.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}</style>

OUT NOW: Arunday's Convergence

 Yes, AC, Thieves' Guild Book Six, is out now. It's done, it's out... to everyone who's been along for the ride, many thanks for your patience and support! Couldn't have done it without all the rum, cinder toffee and stollen.

Arunday's Convergence
Thieves' Guild Book Six: Bhenykhn Wars 2

The war against the alien horde is all but lost… human-occupied space is overrun while the Thieves’ Guild tries desperately to hold together a fragile alliance of Earth and Wintran resistance.



As the freak mutation of the alien virus continues to ravage his body, Zach Hilyer can’t be detected by the telepathic invaders. And with NG and LC out of the picture, he’s the most powerful remaining weapon the guild has against the Bhenykhn. Their only weapon.



Sent ever deeper into enemy territory on mission after mission, the demands of the Thieves’ Guild, the resistance and the Seven super AIs are pushing him to breaking point. But Hil isn’t just hiding from the aliens. His greatest fear isn’t losing the war, it’s losing himself.

"The much anticipated sequel to Darkest Fears does not disappoint. It has all the fast paced action, hanging by your fingernails peril you would expect from CG Hatton."






Buy it now on Amazon


eBook £4.99 $4.99
Paperback, 336 pages, RRP £9.99 $14.99
ISBN 978-1-912218-80-6
Published by Sixth Element Publishing, December 2019

My five favourite writing rums���

To celebrateInternational Rum Day, here are my five favourite writing rums!

5. Bumbu: this is astrange one, tastes awesome and is good for times when a few unexpected twists,turns and shocking reveals are needed.
4. Bacardi Gold andBacardi Oakheart: always a good writing rum, Bacardi has a special place in thehistory of the Thieves��� Guild and its tradition of intrigue, pacts and secretsnever to be told���
3. Captain Morgan���sSpiced: this is a firm favourite for those everyday writing moments when thestory is ticking along just fine and everyone is behaving��� or not. CaptainMorgan���s Black Spiced and Private Stock are special treats and saved for darkertimes when the ante needs to be upped and the drama intensifies.
2. Kraken BlackSpiced: this is the special stuff for special times when the stakes get serious,threat levels rise and the pace needs to be increased. Must admit, this is theone I go through the most���
1. Dark Matter: I���venot been able to touch Dark Matter since I finished Darkest Fears, but here itis, still at the number one spot and still there on the shelf��� waiting��� darktimes are ahead.

My five favourite writing rums…

To celebrate International Rum Day, here are my five favourite writing rums!

5. Bumbu: this is a strange one, tastes awesome and is good for times when a few unexpected twists, turns and shocking reveals are needed.
4. Bacardi Gold and Bacardi Oakheart: always a good writing rum, Bacardi has a special place in the history of the Thieves’ Guild and its tradition of intrigue, pacts and secrets never to be told…
3. Captain Morgan’s Spiced: this is a firm favourite for those everyday writing moments when the story is ticking along just fine and everyone is behaving… or not. Captain Morgan’s Black Spiced and Private Stock are special treats and saved for darker times when the ante needs to be upped and the drama intensifies.
2. Kraken Black Spiced: this is the special stuff for special times when the stakes get serious, threat levels rise and the pace needs to be increased. Must admit, this is the one I go through the most…
1. Dark Matter: I’ve not been able to touch Dark Matter since I finished Darkest Fears, but here it is, still at the number one spot and still there on the shelf… waiting… dark times are ahead.

#amwriting��� work in progress���

Quick update. I���m still having fun with Hil in Arunday���s Convergence��� glad I didn���t rush it out for April! There���s a lot going on and the deeper I���m getting into it, the more things are coming together. It'll be out in October, I promise.

We���re onto the third volume of Harvey Duckman Presents��� and working with some great writers. I was hoping to have another kind-of-standalone-but-adds-in-to-the-whole-big-story TG short (similar to Taylorson) in this one but I don���t want to break away from AC at the mo, so I���ll save it for an upcoming Harvey! It looks like it���ll be Derren Bay so that will be fun.

Next up on the gallivanting is Warped Con in Doncaster at the end of August. We���re planning on some more Harvey events later in the year, and I���m hoping to get to London this autumn too.

Back to it... will be in touch soon...

#amwriting… work in progress…

Quick update. I’m still having fun with Hil in Arunday’s Convergence… glad I didn’t rush it out for April! There’s a lot going on and the deeper I’m getting into it, the more things are coming together. It'll be out in October, I promise.

We’re onto the third volume of Harvey Duckman Presents… and working with some great writers. I was hoping to have another kind-of-standalone-but-adds-in-to-the-whole-big-story TG short (similar to Taylorson) in this one but I don’t want to break away from AC at the mo, so I’ll save it for an upcoming Harvey! It looks like it’ll be Derren Bay so that will be fun.

Next up on the gallivanting is Warped Con in Doncaster at the end of August. We’re planning on some more Harvey events later in the year, and I’m hoping to get to London this autumn too.

Back to it... will be in touch soon...

#amwriting… work in progress… and latest news!

Quick update. I’m still having fun with Hil in Arunday’s Convergence… glad I didn’t rush it out for April! There’s a lot going on and the deeper I’m getting into it, the more things are coming together. It'll be out in October, I promise.

We’re onto the third volume of Harvey Duckman Presents… and working with some great writers. I was hoping to have another kind-of-standalone-but-adds-in-to-the-whole-big-story TG short (similar to Taylorson) in this one but I don’t want to break away from AC at the mo, so I’ll save it for an upcoming Harvey! It looks like it’ll be Derren Bay so that will be fun.

Next up on the gallivanting is Warped Con in Doncaster at the end of August. We’re planning on some more Harvey events later in the year, and I’m hoping to get to London this autumn too.

Back to it... will be in touch soon...

#amwriting AC���

It���sbeen a strange year��� I���ve learned a lot, let���s leave it at that. I must admit,I feel dreadful that, for the first time in five years, I don���t have a new TGbook out for Sci-Fi Scarbs this year (only two weeks to go!). Iwon���t go into the reasons why, but I am writing AC. And it should be finishedthis year. I love being with Hil and I want to spend more time with him to getit right. Everyone I���ve spoken to so far has been immensely understanding, sothank you, everyone.WhatI do have out at Scarbs is a TG short story in a new Sixth Element Anthology,Harvey Duckman Presents��� Volume 1. It���s alongside some works from other greatauthors in sci fi, fantasy, horror and steampunk, and it���s been huge fun to puttogether. My story is a standalone, full on military science fiction, and itdoes add in to the whole big Thieves��� Guild story of everything that���s goingon. As usual.Andat Sci-Fi Scarborough this year, we���re running an Authors��� Alley for the firsttime. Looking forward to catching up with everyone. And I promise, I am writingAC!Thanksagain, as always.CGH

#amwriting AC…

It’s been a strange year… I’ve learned a lot, let’s leave it at that. I must admit, I feel dreadful that, for the first time in five years, I don’t have a new TG book out for Sci-Fi Scarbs this year (only two weeks to go!). I won’t go into the reasons why, but I am writing AC. And it should be finished this year. I love being with Hil and I want to spend more time with him to get it right. Everyone I’ve spoken to so far has been immensely understanding, so thank you, everyone.What I do have out at Scarbs is a TG short story in a new Sixth Element Anthology, Harvey Duckman Presents… Volume 1. It’s alongside some works from other great authors in sci fi, fantasy, horror and steampunk, and it’s been huge fun to put together. My story is a standalone, full on military science fiction, and it does add in to the whole big Thieves’ Guild story of everything that’s going on. As usual.And at Sci-Fi Scarborough this year, we’re running an Authors’ Alley for the first time. Looking forward to catching up with everyone. And I promise, I am writing AC!Thanks again, as always.CGH

Why I love Kheris Burning���

���so much so that it���s the first Thieves��� Guild book to make it toaudiobook format. The answer is complicated, as always��� when is it ever not complicated?
Kheris is LC. It���s first person LC so this is him telling his story. Andnot only that, but he���s telling the story in the middle of a battle whenthey���re surrounded by Bhenykhn. It���s the line in BD when he says he owes Mendhel so much��� the one linerin that second book when he says his knee doesn���t hurt anymore after hurting forso long��� why he hates AIs and that nightmare he has of kneeling in the dustwith a gun to his head���
And the reason why Kheris was so significant? Yeah, you don���t reallyfind out why until Book Five, or seven��� or one, depending which way you look atit, and even then it���s not the whole story��� when would I ever tell the wholestory?
But back to Kheris Burning��� I love it because it���s raw. I almost didn���trelease it because it was too raw, and too real. It���s a kid growing up in a warzone. It���s ���if Romeo and Juliet had a kid, on a scuzz bucket, war-torn miningcolony in deep space, this is what happened thirteen years later���. It���s aboutnot belonging. It���s about lying and deceit. It���s YA sci fi, alien invasionadventures, my usual fast-paced military science fiction stuff, but this isalso LC, and anyone who knows me, anyone who has read any of my stuff, knows howimportant LC is to me.
And that���s why Kheris Burning is so important to me, and why I had totake time out of the main series to write it. Thank you to everyone forhumouring me while I got this out of my system. Thank you to Clinton Herigstadfor bringing it to life for the audiobook. And thank you, as always, to Hattand the munchkins, and the rest of my family and friends, for putting up withme.
I���m back with Hil for Book Six (eight? two?)��� and I must admit it���sweird because neither of us are where we were eleven years ago. There is goingto be a young LC Book Three at some point, and Redemption is next on the listfor Clinton and the audiobooks. But for now, it���s the big stuff so I���m stockingup on rum and listening to old Linkin Park.
Will be in touch again, and maybe it won���t be a year from now��� or maybeit will. Who knows?Cheers,CGH
ps. And yes, Book Five, Darkest Fears, is out��� at last!
KherisBurning (Thieves��� Guild Origins: LC Book One) is out now in audiobook format onAudible.
DarkestFears (Thieves��� Guild Book Five: Bhenykhn Wars Book 1) is out now in paperbackand on Kindle.