Category: Novel

I’m Still Alive – Just Working on Other Things

June 18, 2013 / T. James / 2 Comments

When I started my latest project I thought I would keep posting regularly on this blog, but alas I haven’t had time to do both. This blog isn’t dead, and new material may surface from time to time, but until Out of the Darkness is complete that’s where I will be committing the bulk of my writing time.

I’m blogging about the progress of the novel; just click on the picture below if you are interested in finding out more:

Out of the Darkness is a science fiction novel set in the Elite: Dangerous universe. Release estimated to be Q2-3, 2014.

An “Elite: Dangerous” Book – “Out of the Darkness” (Kickstarter Project Launch)

December 9, 2012 / T. James / 2 Comments

And so it begins…

Anyone who has been attempting to email me, Tweet me or generally contact me in any way what-so-ever this week will have noticed how anti-social I’ve been. (I’m sure you’re all big enough not to take it personally.) I’ve been consumed, gripped, and generally possessed by a sudden impulse to try my hand at a Kickstarter project: to raise money to purchase the rights to set a science fiction book in the Elite universe.

Writers are always being told they need to find their audience and write about something they are passionate about. I’ve found both. There’s a community of dedicated fellow fans of Elite and I’ve loved the games for years. It’s a no-brainer for me to have a go at writing a story in the setting but, as usual, there’s a catch: I need to buy the rights to the franchise…

So, if you’re a fan of science-fiction books or an avid gamer, why not come over to Kickstarter and take a look—I tell you a lot more there. There are some rewards on offer too if you want to give me a “kick” by pledging.

Thanks for your support, but the clock is ticking… there is less than two weeks left.

KICKSTARTER LINK: An Elite:Dangerous Book – Out of the Darkness

The money raised also funds the development of the game, so everyone is a winner!

The Next Big Thing Blog Hop

November 14, 2012 / T. James / 12 Comments

I was asked by talented writer of thrillers and paranormal tales, Sandy Coelho, to take part in this blog hop, which started on the She Writes website.

(If you’re an author I tagged for this blog hop, your instructions are at the end of this post.)

Ten Interview Questions for The Next Big Thing:

1. What is the working title of your book?

This blog hop caught me at the beginning of the project, so I only have a working title: The Making.

2. Where did the idea come from for the book?

The original idea came from a rough short story I wrote over a year ago, as background and a prequel to the novel I was working on at the time (now on hold, as it needs a full re-write and major fixing). I don’t want to give too much away at this stage, but the central plot arc is based loosely on a story from Greek mythology.

3. What genre does your book fall under?

Although inspiration came from the Classics the setting is high fantasy, although elves and dwarves are notable by their absence. (At least at the moment—I’m still planning, so anything could happen.)

4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? Continue reading

Getting Your Book Out There, the Saga Continues – Website Design

March 21, 2012 / T. James / 15 Comments

With the release of My Mirror Self And I last week I have begun to explore the dark and murky world of marketing and publishing. It turns out that I should have done both whilst actually writing the book, instead of leaving it until after its release…

However, before getting in too deep with either, I felt I should have a reasonable website to direct people to, and that’s what I’ve spent the last few days working on. This is where I need your help. I’d love to know what you think of the website, whether it would encourage, or put you off buying the book. If you have any ideas for extra content, they would also be welcome. Continue reading

“My Mirror Self, and I” – Cover Design

March 1, 2012 / T. James / 11 Comments

Well, after three iterations and lots of really helpful advice I’ve come up with, what I hope will be, a final design.

If you love it or you still think it sucks please tell me why in the comments below.

I want to say another “thank you” to everyone who had taken time to share their opinions and advice, it’s much appreciated.

(I hope to release “My Mirror Self, and I” very shortly on Kindle, with a paperback version to follow).

Continue reading

Cover Art & Description Version 2, for My Upcoming Novella, “My Mirror Self, and I”

February 20, 2012 / T. James / 25 Comments

After a round of discussion, I felt as though there was room for improvement in both the cover design and the ‘blurb’ for my novella.

Please leave your constructive comments and suggestions on the new attempt compared to the old in the comments section below… Thanks again, I really appreciate all your feedback.

A heartfelt ‘thank you’ to everyone who contributed opinions and suggestions after I posted the first versions of my cover art (post link). Continue reading

It’s Close: My Upcoming Novella, “My Mirror Self, and I” – Cover Art & Description

February 14, 2012 / T. James / 23 Comments

*UPDATE* as of 23/02/12. Due to your helpful feedback on the first trial of the cover, I’ve revised the design and I would appreciate your thoughts… Please click here!

I’ve been beavering away for a while now getting my novella up to a publishable standard, and I’m getting close – I hope to have it out on Kindle within a couple of weeks, with a paperback version to follow later on Amazon.com, and then to release it on other formats and in other regions as I have time.

There’s still a bit to do, final grammar and punctuation checking and formatting, but otherwise it’s good to go… or so I hope.
I’ve never designed a cover or written the ‘blurb’ for a book synopsis before, and I want to know what people think before I take the plunge…

So, the cover and description – do you love them, hate them, or just want to shrug your shoulders and move on, uninterested? I’d appreciate some honest and constructive criticism, and any suggestions you have for possibly improvements in the comments below…

*Update* Based on some of the feedback I have recieved already I would appreciate feedback on the cover art most of all, I’m hopeful of nailing the description blurb with the feedback I already have… Specifically, if the pictures of the woman put you off, is it because of the way they are integrated into the cover, or is it because you don’t like the picture of the woman in distress? Please give me as much detail as you can…

Thanks for taking a look

N.B. I know the best idea is to have it done by a professional, but financially that just isn’t an option. So my choice – either leave my work unpublished (there’s no way it’s mainstream enough for an agent/publisher to touch) or do the best I can myself…

Long-term Project News (3)

November 6, 2011 / T. James / 3 Comments

My two longer term projects have been paused ‘under review’ for some time. After a little gentle prompting from Twitter friends Sandy and Kirkus I have decided to go back and revisit the short story, where I had been considering abandoning it. As was pointed out, I don’t know if it will ever be ready for publication, but the editing experience I will gain from finding out will be invaluable.

A fantasy novel (no working title), paused at around 60,000 words, it is the first thing I ever wrote. There are plot and pacing issues. I still remain undecided about this one, as there remains a lot of actual writing to do. This goes against my natural inclination, but not just ploughing ahead writing scenes as they come, and using a more considered approach will probably be a more successful method of actually finishing what I started. Now I just need that minor consideration: a plot…

A short story (working title, “Cassie”), which I hoped to publish, has issues with style and content. It covers the subjects of cancer, depression, disinterest and relationship breakup, and hope. It’s ambitious, but I’m (eventually) going to edit it to within an inch of its life, and then I’ll know the fate that I shall decree…

Long-term Project News (2)

November 4, 2011 / T. James / 4 Comments

My two longer term projects are ‘under review.’ I need to decide whether to proceed with either of them:

A fantasy novel (no working title), paused at around 60,000 words, is the first thing I ever wrote. It has plot and pacing issues. Can I resurrect it?

Decisions: Do I abandon them and move on? I don’t yet know…