General Update

Book two update:


First of all, I haven’t done anymore writing on book 2 in the past two weeks. I have done some intense planning, but no actual writing. I did a similar thing when I wrote the first book i.e. got over the half way stage and then really started to map out how I was going to bring the book home. I am not a planner per se as I find once I have figured out the content of the book, I am less enthusiastic about writing it.

This sort of planning is more of a sketch of each character and figuring out where I want them to be at the end of the novel and how they are going to get there. As this is the second book in a trilogy, I think I feel confident in not bringing to a close all of the character arcs but allowing them to continue into the third book.

Ritual of the Stones update:

The main reason for not adding to my word count is I have concentrated all my spare time on re-reading the “Ritual of the Stones.” I am two thirds through the final edit and I am checking everything makes sense in terms of geography and timelines etc. I had done this before but this is the final run through before I send the book to the proof-reader on the 17th June. I have a launch date in mind. Nearer the time I will maybe put a countdown timer up on the blog.

Ritual of the Stones cover update:

I have now had four meetings with my graphic designer and we have virtually finalised the cover. I am dam proud of it, considering the limited resource I had. I have taken pictures of the early versions and placed them against other covers and mine really holds its own. That is of course me being biased, but I hope you will agree.

The process has been exhilarating and complicated. Richard (graphic designer) has done every image from the wording to the pictures in layers. What this has allowed us to do is to remove elements of the picture we don’t like without disrupting the whole cover. It is a good process and certainly makes it easier for me to say, “I don’t like this or that,” without worrying about crushing Richard’s feelings.

“Shut up and let me see the dam thing,” I can hear you say. Not so fast. It is nearly done but not yet. What I will do is to show you images we have used to contribute towards the cover. A sort of teaser if you will. The first of these is below:



These are exciting times.