Tag: Vampire

Fighting a Dip in sales – 6 April Updates

Here is this week’s sneak preview – a short story provionally entitled Vampire: Beneficence, to be published as the first story in the new Short Stories Volume III along with The Jesus Monster. The punctuation may seem a little strange without the paragraphs before this excerpt but it is correct.

Vampire: Beneficence

On a warm evening at the end of the 2010 summer, I was stalking the Vicar of St James Church in Clerkenwell. I am what is commonly called a vampire, d’you see …?
“Let me get one thing straight, though. We have been around forever. Homo Sapiens wouldn’t be Home Sapiens without us. We are the more evolved manifestation of the species. I know all this because I was once a writer, and have spent many lifetimes researching the subject. I have even visited the far-past … but that is another story … Continue reading “Fighting a Dip in sales – 6 April Updates” →

Self-imposed deadline approaches

I am hoping to publish Ordo Lupus II: The Devil’s Own Dice in August. The cover design is under way and the result will be much simpler and cleaner than the last one. I have completed the final edit and I am pretty pleased with it. I did a double take when I realised it’s only got seven chapters! The book is the shortest I have written for a long time – perhaps ever, but it’s all there. I think it works. On a different note, I have joined a forum for the Stirling Aircraft Society. I will give then a slight boost by posting a link below. The other reason is to remind me where it is! For some reason, (dunno if it’s anything to do with the new sharing function whereby when you are logged in you get links relevant to your previous, and your mates, searches) some days there is a bunch of links there to it when I type ‘Short Stirling Recovery’ and then the next day there are none! I can search for hours and not find it. Very frustrating. I must be better organised. Also, where on earth is this trend leading. Will I end up being broke when I am retired but owning a rusty bit of Short Stirling fuselage? Stirling Aircraft Society.

Iron II: Unknown Place, Unknown Universe

I am hoping to publish Iron II: Unknown Place, Unknown Universe in March/April after an extensive rewrite. I have taken out a Chapter’s equivalent in the middle of the book, added something new to the final battle (which will tie in with Book III) and generally tidied up the dialogue, adding idioms for the three youngsters to make their individual speech-patterns more distinct. It’s the first time I have written a story with three lead characters and it’s quite a challenge making speech clear without writing ‘he said’ and ‘she said’ all over the place.

I am also thinking about the plot for Iron III – which I think will take place predominantly in space, and several other stories which I have in mind.
My review in the Science Fiction and Fantasy South Africa group didn’t materialise (yet?) but I am hoping one will appear For Ordo Lupus and the Temple Gate soon on Big Al’s Blog.
Ordo Lupus and the Temple Gate Paperback is now out as a Second Edition with the same cover as the e-book.