Martyn Stanley's Blog - Posts Tagged "epic-fantasy-novels"

I've uploaded a new version of book 1. No changes to the text this time - but I have inserted the cropped portraits from the cover of book 2 for Brael and Votrex and I've put a preview of the new cover for book 2 at the end.

I think the new version looks even better!

I am hoping, hoping to get the chapter, 'The Return of the Blood Queen' edited today!

That leaves only one more chapter and it will time for a second edit and proof!

Getting 'The Blood Queen' right is proving to be a slog - but as I read the chapter, I am reminded of how much I like it! I really like this chapter.

Isis is already working on the cover for book 3, my proofer has promised to take on book 2 ( The Verkreath Horror ) next week! Things are moving!

I've even uploaded the latest file for ' Deathsworn ARC 1: The Last Dragon Slayer ' with the cropped portraits from the book 2 cover and a sneak preview of the book 2 cover at the end!

Can't wait to finally get book 2 exactly as it should be! Please, please, don't buy 'The Verkreath Horror' until you see it with the cover featuring Brael and Votrex, the next upload will be definitive!

Martyn

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!

I've finally uploaded the new 'improved' version of The Verkreath Horror

The new cover looks great, don't you think?



I'm really pleased with it. The annoying thing is, despite three people going over it with a fine toothcomb there are still tiny issues. I know there are three instances in the 'improved' version where I experienced some sort of Freudian slip and capitalized 'north' and 'south' when I didn't need to, which is irritating.

I think the rule is take more time when editing. Perfecting a grammatically flawed chapter must be far easier than perfecting a grammatically flawed book, and a paragraph - easier still!

I'm going to take more time over book 4, I'm going to pour over every paragraph and get it spot on before moving on. It'll take longer to write, but far less longer to polish.

My book 3 is now getting closer too. The trouble is I'm having disagreement with my beta-readers. They are concerned I may be issued with a Fatwa, ala 'Salman Rushdie' because one of my characters criticizes the absurdity of a Torean religion which resembles 'Islam'. They don't like the fact that the holy book of the Savti, currently called 'The Ko'Tar' sounsd too much like the 'The Quran '.

I reluctantly will probably have to make some changes. I want to explore criticism of religion, but I don't want to be offensive. I think I need to subtly strengthen the counter-argument as well, perhaps by pointing out the comfort people get by following rituals, religious or not.

I hate it, but getting book 3 sorted is going to be a long journey. I wanted it out early summer, but I think late summer is more realistic now.

Have you purchased The Last Dragon Slayer?

Is your version number earlier than 6.1?

Please, please consider updating to the latest version, it's infinitely superior and the latest Verkreath Horror is too!

It's really easy to update, just email this email address:-

kindle-generalist@amazon.com

From your Amazon Kindle Linked Email and ask to swap your book for the latest version.

Use the ASIN to identify the one you want updating. For book 1, 'The Last Dragon Slayer' it's : ASIN: B009ECABOA

For book 2 'The Verkreath Horror' it's ASIN: B00BU8DS0A

I promise you will get a much better version. You will lose any highlighting or notes and that kind of thing - but I honestly think it's worth it.

This won't be a regular need, when I started out I assumed people got updates automatically. It turns out even if you bought it, deleted it and removed it from your library - you are still locked into an archive version unless you request the new version!

This won't be an issue affecting book 3 'The Blood Queen' it's limited to the first two books and any changes in future will be so minor they won't be worth doing.

If anyone has any problems updating to the latest version let me know and I will try to assist.

All the best,

Martyn Stanley

PS: The Countdown deal is still on! If you enjoyed The Last Dragon Slayer why not tell your friends? It's going for a song on Amazon at the moment!

I've started playing around with Wattpad. I've been meaning to do this for some time. I wanted to scratch out some rough prequel stories to 'The Deathsworn Arc' so I started one for Korhan. It's very rough, it's unedited and unproofed - just me scratching out a story. It begins as Korhan and Harald enter Torea for the first time.

Please feel free to read it and share it as I write it. I'll be adding to it regularly and I may do the same for Vashni, Brael, Votrex and Saul at a later date.

You can find it here:-

http://www.wattpad.com/40626548-death...

It's drawing closer!

I have an incredible cover, it looks great. Theoretically it just needs lettering - but something seems somehow off with it? I don't know what though! There just seems something isn't quite how it should be?

I love it and in many ways it seems perfect - but there's something I can't put my finger on...

I still need to finish editing and polishing it of course. I need to start thinking about my blurb too. I've never been too happy with my book 1 and 2 blurbs, I don't think they're very enticing - but I don't really know how I could improve them, without spoiling some of the big plot twists.

Book 3 also has the companions facing confrontations with the Isharian Church. I think the atheist aspect of the books is important - yet people don't seem to pick up on it... Part of me thinks I should shout about the atheism, because it's subtle and part of me thinks I should leave it in - but not mention and let people discover for themselves. I am trying to be balanced. The Isharian Church has it's problems, and is responsible for evil in Torea, but I want to portray it as also responsible for good!

I wish I could get it out sooner - I'm really waiting for time to sit down with my editor at the moment, and I need to work out what needs changing about the cover. It's really special though, so I don't want to share it until it's ready.

I will get there! Sorry for the long delay, I just want it to be as good as possible before I release it this time.

Martyn

I have finally given my wonderful cover artist and fellow author Isis Sousa some much needed direction.

I hasten to add that her original art was superb, she captured my vision perfectly. The trouble was, when I presented that vision to my beta-reader team, they thought it looked too modern. I hate admitting I'm wrong, but as a writer, trying to create a better product - it's critical that I can.

On this occasion I was wrong, we talked about some ideas on how to rectify the image, which will mean a little dabbling with some descriptions so the text fits the cover - but I think the result will be stunning.

I'm really excited about this book, I expect the cover to be really exciting and enticing - it will be the first time I release a brand new book with a professional cover off the bat so hopefully it will kick-start the sales machine.

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