Martyn Stanley's Blog - Posts Tagged "dragon-slayer"

Well, it's been a slog getting stuck into Deathsworn 2 I must admit - but a pleasurable. I'm really trying to take all the good elements of part one and expand on them in part 2. My editor is adamant the second part is a real step up from the first and I think he's right.

I'm currently about 35,000 words into the story - the survivors have spent some time stuck in the town of 'Strak' needless to say their visit to Strak did not go as intended.

I'm now at a really exciting part to write, I'm on the verge, the very cusp of getting into the nitty gritty of 'the truth' Having met a fellow gravian in the strangest of places, Brael is desperately trying to convince them to unspeak his curse. Of course given the devastation 'the truth' has wreaked, they are reluctant.

All I know is it's a long way to Cormaroth, and getting there is not going to be easy. When they do get there I have new characters ready to join the band, and an encounter with the Empress that will really explain the true, hidden nature of the quest given to Saul Karza in part 1.

I'm really enjoying writing it, I just hope a few folk enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it!

Well, I've now written 40,000 words of Deathsworn Arc 2 : The Temple of the Mad God. Part 1 was only about 60,000 words in total, but I feel like I've hardly started part 2!

I wanted it to be about 1/3 longer than part 1 - but I think it's genuinely going to need 120,000 words to finish it. At least how it's going at the moment.

If you have, did you enjoy it? If you did, how about supporting it by voting it on one or two of these lists:-

https://www.goodreads.com/list/book/1...

Can you remember the story? Why not have a go at the trivia questions! Book 1 quiz can be found here:-

https://www.goodreads.com/trivia/work...

Book 2 quiz is here:-

https://www.goodreads.com/trivia/work...

Enjoy!

Martyn

The sequel definitive version is now very close. I'm just waiting for my proof-reader!

Isis Sousa has finished the cover, I just want to run it past another set of eyes or two before I okay it. (Personally I think it looks awesome!)

I don't know when it will go live - if you've read The Last Dragon Slayer and want to start The Verkreath Horror please, please wait! Wait for the version with a cover featuring Votrex and Brael!

I'm still working on book 3, 'The Blood Queen' a 90,000 words it's 50% bigger than the others and it's proving a monster to edit! I will get there, I'm working on it every day, but it's still probably a few weeks off. Book 4 I'm going to edit as I write I think, so I don't get stuck in this situation where I have a mountain of editing, proofing and amending to do.

I am really pleased with 'The Blood Queen' and can't wait to get it done, but I'm not going to release until I'm sure it's 'just right'.

I'm aching to get the definitive Verkreath Horror up! The cover is amazing, I'm going to crop the faces and put them in the first book for the portraits. I actually already did this for a handful of review copies. I think it'll look amazing.

I'm still ploughing through an initial edit of 'The Blood Queen' I think it's a great story, its got a really different feel to the first two books, now that the 'Truth' is revealed. You really do start to get a picture, if a hazy one of who Vashni is by the end of the book.

I sincerely apologise for the long wait for the final Verkreath and 'The Blood Queen' but I really think it will be worth it!

I have decided to release an anthology of books 1, 2 and 3 too - the anthology will have the old image I used for book 1 for the cover I think, but I will include the new covers in the file as well - as I think they look amazing!

I am now 50% through the work-through with my proofreader of 'The Verkreath Horror' The definitive version (Hopefully.) Will be uploaded in a matter of days. The cover is ready, and the polish and edit is progressing lightning fast.

My first, rough edit of 'The Blood Queen' is nearly, nearly there. I'm on the second to last chapter and having removed overused words I'm trimming some sentence lengths down. I expect to have the rough edit done in days.

The cover has started too! I think it's going to be really special. It will feature Vashni and Saul this time, but Vashni as you haven't seen her before...

I've had some great, really encouraging reviews lately too! I was starting to feel a little disheartened. Everything seemed to stop moving as I waited for my proofer and editor to catch up. Now I'm feeling good and ready to press forwards.

If anyone likes 'The Deathsworn Arc' please consider dropping me a vote or two on some listopia lists. Nothing encourages me to write like seeing the visibility of 'Deathsworn Arc' increase!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Thanks!

All the best,

Martyn

I'm now on the third to last chapter with my proofer! The definitive version of TVH should be uploaded within a week! Look for the new cover with Brael and Votrex.

The Blood Queen is coming along nicely too! I have a lot of work to do on it. It needs a polish and a tweak here and there - but it's a big book, 50% bigger than the previous two it's 90,000 words long.

There are new characters and concepts and a significant portion of the story takes place in a city.

I think it's perhaps a risky book, it's more different to Verkreath Horror than Verkreath Horror is to Last Dragon Slayer, but I like the story. I can't wait to get it finished!

First of all, I've entered a Goodreads book giveaway!

For this:-


I really enjoyed Isis's 'Duskland' and I'm really excited about this illustrated version! So why not enter yourself? It's for a signed copy!

Yes I'm biased, Isis Sousa is my illustrator for Deathsworn Arc and is also becoming something like an estranged friend. Her writing is interesting though. Duskland has a very surreal feel to it. It reminds me a little of 'Una Pura Formalita' in it's style and pace.

Secondly I've actually started 'Deathsworn Arc 4: The Temple of the Mad God'. I know, I know, 'Deathsworn Arc 3: The Blood Queen' isn't out yet, the cover is still being perfected, the editing and proofing is still churning away. In my defence it's nearly 50% bigger than the first two books, it's over 80,000 words. It's also more complex, the plot is more complex, more backstory is revealed with some major twists, more characters... And more exploration of the theme : 'Criticism of religion' namely the Isharian Church. I need to handle this sensitively, it needs to be subtle and thought provoking, I don't want to preach, I just want to question.

I know it's turning out to be the longest wait ever, but it will be worth it, 'The Blood Queen' is going to be really, really special.

I also want to write book 4 more slowly, so editing and proofing isn't such a complete nightmare. So I'm going to take my time and perfect it as I go along. I know what happens, it's going to be another big book, time will get stretched out more in this one too.

Oh, I am going to release an anthology of the first three parts soon too! But my first priority is my book proposal for a publisher who is showing some interest, then finishing book 3.

Busy, busy!

Martyn

After another round of submissions inquiries, I've had several more requests for manuscripts!

I'm dabbling with the idea of trying my luck with YA and NA specializing agents. My fear is that 'Deathsworn Arc' is a little bit old for YA. I suppose I perceive YA as being 'teen' novels. Now I don't think my books are very suitable for under thirteen's. I actually think they are probably best suited to fifteen plus, maybe fourteen plus?

Superficially they are fantasy adventure stories. However they deal with some adult themes and they have some graphic violence in them.

They look at attraction, racism, inter-race relationships, senescence, longevity, the meaning of life, purpose, faith, morality, pragmatism, the notion of bravery and honor...

They also have a deeply routed theme of atheism and pragmatism. I can't explain why, but over the last few years I've become ruthlessly logical and rational, perhaps even a little 'cold'. I wonder if it's partly because of the increased presence of religious extremism in the news, and partly because my mother seems to be inclined to believe in anything and everything. I can't believe in anything, unless there is strong observable, repeatable evidence for it. When I rationally consider the existence of a creator god, I find it impossible to find a rational, logical route to one existing. I can find many rational, logical routes for primitive humans inventing a god and then later developing the idea.

When I decided to use my fantasy series to explore atheism and loss of faith, I wasn't sure it was a good idea. I try to keep it subtle, and keep the story about the characters. There's still a risk these themes could put off deeply religious people. That's a risk I'm willing to to take. A wise man once told me, if you want your work to be loved by some, you have to accept it might be hated by others. When you're trying to evoke strong emotions in your readers, you are taking a risk. Nobody likes a flat roller-coaster, or a plot without twists, people get enjoyment from being surprised.

I always like to have story elements cross books too, I want every book to feel both complete in it's own right, but also a part of a bigger story.

I managed to go through about 30 pages with my beta-reader come editor last night and managed to implement about 10 pages of edits! I'm now ready to start editing the chapter called 'The Challenge of Burgess'

Anyone who has read book 2 will know this chapter involves a duel... Or two :)

Had a pretty dismal weekend for sales of The Deathsworn Arc, 'The Last Dragon Slayer' sold one copy in the UK.

Not sure why things have dried up so suddenly.

I'm still hoping the release of 'The Blood Queen' will revitalize sales. The cover is back on, I've given feedback and I'm waiting for a new WIP.

I'm still editing and polishing my first 1000 words of 'Temple Of the Mad God' and I'm waiting for my beta-reader come editor to read the rest of 'The Blood Queen' before I start attacking it with my proof-reader.

I had some rejection from publishers and agents recently too. I may have to accept self-publishing is my only option for Deathsworn Arc and look at traditional publishing for my second series. I really need to understand why 'The Deathsworn Arc' isn't being picked up. I know it's a good story, I get generally good feedback. Readers enjoy it, I think people enjoy book 2 more than one, perhaps because the companions are not so much the bunch of strangers thrown together, as they were in book 1.

I do wonder if it's the atheist, free-thinking themes of the series that puts agents off. I find the topic of faith and religion fascinating though, and I don't know if I can write anything without involving it at some level.

Perhaps my fortune will improve with the release of book 3 'The Blood Queen' ?