New Release - Coming Soon
I’m delighted to announce my next book is almost ready. Just a few more touches, a little bit of proofing, and then I can publish it on Amazon. Have a sneak peek and read the blurb here.
How to Make a Book
Have you ever wondered how to write a book? Where do the ideas come from? How does the author create those fantastical worlds and awesome heroes? That’s the easy bit. At least, it is for those who choose to self-publish their work. But how do you make a physical book? Read on to see what it takes to actually make an idea become a hard print reality.
Independent Author – A Pretentious Way of Saying Failure?
Indie-authors are everywhere these days. Amazon has given everyone and their dog the chance to publish their own pet project or imagined dream. But are these untested stories good enough, or is the path to literary independence the first step to admitting failure? Read on to find out.
The Next Adventure: Stories from Stories
It’s time to explore another world and bring a new hero to the fore. The Kalleron series isn’t over, but it’s earned a rest. Now I can focus on my next project. A Sci-fantasy genre mash-up inspired by a magnificent adventure in western Canada. Read on to see how people and places give rise to the stories authors create.
New Release: Blood & Fury, Kalleron Book III
It’s been a long time coming, but the Kalleron series is now a coherent tetralogy. Blood & Fury, book III of the initial trilogy, wraps up the journey Petra and the companions first embarked on in Melody & Majesty. The series continues with Hammer & Glass set one-hundred years after the events of Blood and Fury. Read on for a spoiler-free peek.
A Quadrilogy of Epic Fantasy
Welcome to 2024
Welcome to 2024. Things will change this year as I move on with different projects that burn bright and light the recesses of my imagination. I’ll be bringing things to a close with a fantasy fable and striding out into new realms. Come see what’s happening.
Lazy Writing - A Scourge
What is lazy writing? It’s a moment of abject disappointment when you’ll often shout at the TV screen, or apply a little too much aggressive pressure to the spine of a book. It’s the moment that tests your faith in entertainment. When all the clever things collapse and fall into the abyss of stupidity. It’s when the literary gods abandon the page, when the soul of the streaming series dies.
New Book Release - Kalleron Book II
Tears & Eternity: Kalleron Book II, is out now. It follows Petra’s journey as she recovers from her experience with the elemental cult. In this story, we see the retribution of the immortal King, and the coming of a new dawn. You can read about that here. I want to tell you where the story came from.
Coming soon - Kalleron Book II
The Kalleron series progresses as sands through the hourglass. Melody and Majesty will soon have its sequel in Kalleron Book Two. It’s got a name, but I’m not releasing that until it’s out. I’ve got to keep up the mystery. Read on for some info about the new book, when it’s out, and what to expect.
A Boring Essay on Why Reviews Are Not Boring
A review might seem like a trivial thing. You’d probably not even consider writing one for most things. It’s something you only do when you’re blown away, or when you love a product or experience so much, you just can’t help but share it. Like those magic beans you bought at the market. For independent authors, however, reviews are vital resources. Read on to learn what it means to me…
Kalleron—the saga begins.
I published Hammer & Glass as book IV in the Kalleron saga in November 2022. Set 100-years after the war of Kalle, it begins a new arc in the series. It follows the beginning of Chara and Goddard’s adventures, and is the first of the final trilogy (books IV, V, & VI). I wanted to fill in the blanks, however, and publish books I, II, & III, before completing the saga. After months of writing and years of planning, Melody & Majesty, Kalleron Book One, is now out.
Kalleron: Great Reviews and Imminent Releases
I like to do things in reverse, so why not release an epic fantasy without social media and marketing clout? In the past few months, I’ve worked on building a following on Instagram, and sending books to reviewers (book bloggers). Slowly but surely, things are moving in the right direction. Read on, to find out more…
The Adventures of an Independent Author
Ever thought about self-publishing? Thinking about looking to get yourself a literary agent? Well, the market is king, and if you don’t know what’s going on around you, and your book isn’t mirroring the latest fad, you might want to become an independent author instead.
Marketing, Glasgow Style.
Marketing yourself is hard. Harder still is getting noticed and standing out from the crowd. What better way to be noticed than by plugging your debut novel in a craft beer shop? Is it genius, or is it insanity? I'll find out soon enough but either way, I still get to drink the beer...
The Birth of my First Printed Book
Congratulations James—it’s a baby boy book. Hammer & Glass is now a physical product, a bundle of printed tree-pulp you can hold in your hands and read with your most excellent brains. Let’s have a look and a laugh at how this came about…
The Beginning in the Middle
Every book has a beginning, middle and an end—no matter how obscure those parts may be. But not every story needs to start at the beginning. This is why my debut novel, Hammer & Glass, is part four of a larger series. Why didn’t I start with book one? Let me tell you why…