They arrived yesterday my fledgling masterworks – shiny cling-wrapped harbingers of distant Spring. I’ll illuminate: after so long beating against the winds of publishing/self-publishing, of launching eBooks and promoting manuscripts, it felt so good to feel the real deal in my grubby eager palms.

Of course, there are only thirty – I didn’t want to overdo it in a pre-launch, but after two years determined scribbling it’s rewarding to see the finished product. Fall of Gol – first in a series of nine.

What kind of affliction set me on a course of writing nine books – I mean most sensible folk compose a short story or two, see how that goes and then ( if still inspired) draft a novel. Not me. I like to be epic and grandiose – I’m more of a concept album than one hit wonder.

But It’s not my fault – I just write the stuff. I blame my characters entirely -wayward Corin and smiling Barin; feisty Shallon and poor old Gribble the flying goblin (incidentally much misunderstood). You see, just when I want to stop and cry – “Enough! Please just let me drive a truck”- they pull me back in. They’re quite demanding these characters, they stomp about saying “what am I doing next chapter,” and “do I get to kill so and so” and “I really fancy the princess – what are my chances?” It’s a tough gig but I remain firm. Besides when one steps seriously out of line I kill him/her/it off in a particularly unpleasant way – keeps the rest in check. 

But they are all on hold at the moment, my trying friends. Instead I’m working on my ghost story – The Haven (coming this Spring). The content scares me so hopefully it will my readers too. After that it’s back to the Shattered Crown, the original Legend of Ansu – I left Corin in the desert six years back. Lost luggage – he’s been sulking ever since. JW.