Well book three is about two thirds complete at this point. I was hoping to have the first draft complete by Tuesday, but I don't think that's going to happen now as Tuesday is going to be a travel day. My target of releasing book 3 by Halloween is still on, I'm hoping to have the first draft done by the 10th, if not sooner.
I'm not sure yet how much about the story I want to reveal at this point, though a fair deal will take place on Saladin. Yes there are quite a few hanging threads left from book 2 that will eventually be dealt with, but I won't tell you exactly when. I do think a fair deal of them should be tied up by book 4. In general the overall arc is set, it just comes down to how many words it takes to get through certain story lines in the books.
The gap between book 3 and book 4 will be a larger one, mainly because of the Holidays and some traveling that I will have to do during that period, as well as wanting to spend some time with my family. I've been getting a few requests for another book in the Children of Steel universe, and there already is a bit of plot development sitting around. So I may do that up before book 4 of Portals Of Infinity comes out. But I don't think it will be too long a wait, right now I think March is the latest that book 4 will come out. Half of book 4 is already plotted out, I just need to commit it to paper.
And as I said in the headline, I still need a title for book 3. Sometimes titles are elusive for me and I need to finish the story before I can find it.
Paperback version of book 2 should be available in a little over a week.
The Audio Book version of book one should come out in November, and if the response is good book two will follow that.
And as always, thanks to all of you for buying and reading my stories.
Friday, September 26, 2014
Monday, September 15, 2014
I'm not Politically Correct and even my writing sometimes has typo's
I doubt this will come as much of a surprise to anyone who has read my books, but I'm not politically correct. The purpose of my writing is to try and have fun. The latest series of books (which is by no means finished btw) is fantasy, and it's just meant to be enjoyable. I find it interesting however that some people seem to take issue with certain aspects, as if looking to find deeper political meaning.
When I'm not laughing out loud at some of the better comments that is :-)
Now I will admit that there are parts of the story that are a bit involved and have some back story to them. Some might be a bit harder than others to decipher because I took the explanation of those things out, either because I thought it wasn't important, or some other reason. Though I did leave the hints about them in. I did see one person ask about why Will was chosen, and how that should have been made clearer, and that there should have been a lot more about that process and how maybe someone better than Will should (or could?) have been chosen.
From the author point of view (hey! that's me!) I wanted Will to be only slightly above average, and that comes from him having gone to college and gotten a degree. I wasn't looking for the bad ass special forces guy who can over power you with the strength of his scowl, or the super martial artist ninja type who can devastate whole towns with his amazing triganjinsuperspinjumpstrikekick, or even the super intellectual who not only knows all the answers, but drives around in a big blue box.
Getting more to the point, it is made clear (well at least I thought it was clear!) in several spots that the ability to jump through portals is rare, very rare, and perhaps inherited? Also at one point in Book One it is mentioned that he was run through a number of 'tests' before being 'chosen' for the particular job he ends up with. And that at least two previous people who were also tested didn't fair very well. Now as to what those tests were, I actually have a list of all the tests he was subjected to throughout the course of the story, there are nine of them. I won't post them here because I think they contain a bit too many spoilers for both present and future books in the series, however I suspect that one day they most likely will come up.
Remember what Stephanie says to Will near the end of Book One when they're out of earshot of their respective bosses. The Job isn't about being the best person, it's about being the right person.
As for some of the other comments, I guess some people have never been young and in love (or middle aged and in love!) maybe I come from a different generation (or world perhaps? Maybe that was a portal I fell through that day... hmmm) but there are many fun little games one plays with one's lover, they used to call it 'slap and tickle', and if after twenty years you're still playing it, obviously you picked the right person. Of course these little PDA's are different for everyone, people are of course all different and some are more physically demonstrative than others.
But pinching is evil? Really? Guess I was out when that memo was sent around! I wonder if it's still evil if the girl is doing the pinching? Any women out there want to comment? I had some old girlfriends that loved to pinch if you weren't paying attention.
And of course let's not forget that the stories are fantasy and they're written about a man, so yes, we see things from the man's point of view. Something which I feel has become rather rare in recent years. Not that I'm finding fault with the writers who primarily write female protagonists, I like a lot of those writers and their stories too. Why? Because they're fun! They entertain me! They entertain the reader! And that is my goal here as well, to entertain.
My hero isn't perfect and never will be. He sometimes may do bad things or the wrong thing. He will make mistakes probably as well. If he feels those he loves and cares about are threatened he may even get mean and nasty. The laws, customs, and practices in different realities and fantasy settings are not going to be the same as those here. Though perhaps if some people read a little history they might just realize that their complaint was pretty laughable on its face.
So yes, I'm not politically correct, and neither are my stories (though I do try to get those pesky typo's, honest!) My stories aren't meant to advance an agenda, they're meant to be enjoyed by the people who read them. That is my goal. Of course I'm not perfect either, but I do strive to stay on track and meet that prime goal of entertainment. If I can do that, if I can give people hours of entertainment, then I have accomplished the one thing that is important to me: I have made you smile.
Thanks for reading!
-John
When I'm not laughing out loud at some of the better comments that is :-)
Now I will admit that there are parts of the story that are a bit involved and have some back story to them. Some might be a bit harder than others to decipher because I took the explanation of those things out, either because I thought it wasn't important, or some other reason. Though I did leave the hints about them in. I did see one person ask about why Will was chosen, and how that should have been made clearer, and that there should have been a lot more about that process and how maybe someone better than Will should (or could?) have been chosen.
From the author point of view (hey! that's me!) I wanted Will to be only slightly above average, and that comes from him having gone to college and gotten a degree. I wasn't looking for the bad ass special forces guy who can over power you with the strength of his scowl, or the super martial artist ninja type who can devastate whole towns with his amazing triganjinsuperspinjumpstrikekick, or even the super intellectual who not only knows all the answers, but drives around in a big blue box.
Getting more to the point, it is made clear (well at least I thought it was clear!) in several spots that the ability to jump through portals is rare, very rare, and perhaps inherited? Also at one point in Book One it is mentioned that he was run through a number of 'tests' before being 'chosen' for the particular job he ends up with. And that at least two previous people who were also tested didn't fair very well. Now as to what those tests were, I actually have a list of all the tests he was subjected to throughout the course of the story, there are nine of them. I won't post them here because I think they contain a bit too many spoilers for both present and future books in the series, however I suspect that one day they most likely will come up.
Remember what Stephanie says to Will near the end of Book One when they're out of earshot of their respective bosses. The Job isn't about being the best person, it's about being the right person.
As for some of the other comments, I guess some people have never been young and in love (or middle aged and in love!) maybe I come from a different generation (or world perhaps? Maybe that was a portal I fell through that day... hmmm) but there are many fun little games one plays with one's lover, they used to call it 'slap and tickle', and if after twenty years you're still playing it, obviously you picked the right person. Of course these little PDA's are different for everyone, people are of course all different and some are more physically demonstrative than others.
But pinching is evil? Really? Guess I was out when that memo was sent around! I wonder if it's still evil if the girl is doing the pinching? Any women out there want to comment? I had some old girlfriends that loved to pinch if you weren't paying attention.
And of course let's not forget that the stories are fantasy and they're written about a man, so yes, we see things from the man's point of view. Something which I feel has become rather rare in recent years. Not that I'm finding fault with the writers who primarily write female protagonists, I like a lot of those writers and their stories too. Why? Because they're fun! They entertain me! They entertain the reader! And that is my goal here as well, to entertain.
My hero isn't perfect and never will be. He sometimes may do bad things or the wrong thing. He will make mistakes probably as well. If he feels those he loves and cares about are threatened he may even get mean and nasty. The laws, customs, and practices in different realities and fantasy settings are not going to be the same as those here. Though perhaps if some people read a little history they might just realize that their complaint was pretty laughable on its face.
So yes, I'm not politically correct, and neither are my stories (though I do try to get those pesky typo's, honest!) My stories aren't meant to advance an agenda, they're meant to be enjoyed by the people who read them. That is my goal. Of course I'm not perfect either, but I do strive to stay on track and meet that prime goal of entertainment. If I can do that, if I can give people hours of entertainment, then I have accomplished the one thing that is important to me: I have made you smile.
Thanks for reading!
-John
Saturday, September 06, 2014
'Portals of Infinity, Book Two: The God Game' is now up for Pre-orders
The next book in the Portals of Infinity series is now available for Pre-Order on both Amazon and Smashwords (Barnes & Noble doesn't do pre-order yet). The release date is September 10th, which is next Wednesday.
Book three is almost half way complete, I'd hoped to be past the halfway point today, but I ended up having to do author stuff other than writing. So I'll probably end up writing over the weekend to catch back up. Book three doesn't have a name yet (or a cover), and right now release is targeted for the end of October. I hope that's not being too ambitious!
Also, Book One is now available in print, from Createspace (https://www.createspace.com/4984522)
It will be be available through Amazon in a few days, it just takes a while for it to filter through the website.
Now it's back to work...
Book three is almost half way complete, I'd hoped to be past the halfway point today, but I ended up having to do author stuff other than writing. So I'll probably end up writing over the weekend to catch back up. Book three doesn't have a name yet (or a cover), and right now release is targeted for the end of October. I hope that's not being too ambitious!
Also, Book One is now available in print, from Createspace (https://www.createspace.com/4984522)
It will be be available through Amazon in a few days, it just takes a while for it to filter through the website.
Now it's back to work...
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