Happy New Year 2015!

Wow, 2015 already.  Had so many plans for 2014 and I'm happy to say that progress was made on most of them.  Let's recap.

1.  Republish Volume 1: The Fourth Age  --  It was cleaned up a bit and republished early in 2014, but still wasn't quite where it needed to be. 

2.  Get original artwork as cover for Volume1 --  Done.  Yep, there is a cover art section now on the website and you can see Amy Nagi's amazing cover for The Fourth Age.  It's going to look even better on the book.

3.  Encourage more readers --  Didn't really get anywhere with this, but if I am going to find any new readers, 2015 will be a key year.

4.  Publish Volume 6:  Council's End --  Very sad this didn't happen.  Gave the final draft to my son a year ago to format and publish, but he never got around to it.  Still, I don't think any of my friends made it through Book 5 yet.  If anyone is looking for this volume, let me know and I can push a first draft version out there at any time.  This may not happen officially for a while.

5.  Make books available through other means --  Not yet, but getting very, very close to having The Fourth Age available through all ebook sources.

6.  Explore options to get more original artwork for other volume covers --  I didn't think this would happen until 2015 and am still on track for this.  The cover for Dark Passages will be done any day now and I'll post the image on the web-site.  The actual book may take a while.

7.  Explore options to get the books formatted to a hardcover edition --  I did explore this and cost considerations have put this on hold.  It'll resurface more quickly if there is interest beyond me personally.

8.  Finish writing Volume 9:  The Fifth Age -- Done.  At least the first draft.

9.  Try to see if I can't firm up some dates for publishing Volume 7:  Out of Time and Volume 8:  The Rise of Magic (title still subject to possible change) --  I said this may be a 2015 activity.  Dates for this are totally up in the air right now, even though the books are written.

So where does that leave things and what are the plans for 2015?  I'm glad you asked (may be talking to myself at this point).

I've submitted my work to Lulu to have them work their professional magic on the cover and internal format.  The format process is done and right now the book is in process of being sent to their printer.  I expect the book to be available some time in January.  What's more, I'm going to try and stretch my limited budget and buy a little bit of marketing.  This will be the first time ever that these books are actually being proactively introduced to the world at large.  It's kind of scary.

The better news is that I've done two more proofreadings of The Fourth Age.  I'm amazed that I still see typing errors that were missed the first five or six times I read the book, but the number of them is getting very small.  I think the last time through I only found about 20-30.  So I can't swear you won't find any, but they should be few and far between.  This should hopefully make the reading experience better.  When I think of how many errors made it into the first printing I cringe with embarassment.  Even though my intent was to just get a print copy available for myself and some friends, I still wished it was of better quality to start.  I believe it's much better now.

So what are the plans for 2015?

1.  Officially publish The Fourth Age.  Said publishing will occur in January and include several ebook sources including Amazon and Barnes and Noble.  The republished version will have an original art cover and be the best quality version printed to date.

2.  Market the The Fourth Age.  This will be a limited type of marketing, but from what I understand a communication will be sent from Lulu to thousands of contacts interested in new works.

3.  More original art covers.  Cover art for the second book will be available some time in January.  I expect a new cover for the third book and possibly the fourth book later this year.

4.  Officlally republish Dark Passages.  This will happen in 2015.  I started proofreading it again this week.  However, how quickly it goes to print will depend in large part upon my budget.  Sales of The Fourth Age can play a big part in this.  Any profits I do generate are going to go right back into publishing more books, buying more original art or researching other market opportunities.

So, the list looks shorter for 2015.  I have a few other things in mind, but some of them depend upon whether a reader base develops for the series.  I talk about that and those potential plans next time.  I promise not to wait six more months before my next post.  

Why Read the Verdan Chronicles?

Why not?  If you somehow found this website and blog, then you're either a friend checking up on me or you have some interest in sci-fi/fantasy literature.  If it's the latter, then I welcome you to Verdan.  It's a mythical world that will seem both familiar and different from other fantasy settings.  Yes, the usual cast of characters are all there; there are dragons, wizards, elves and dwarves, there are vampires, werewolves, goblins and wraiths, but then there are the less familiar shadows, equineans, fell beasts and nymphs.

The Verdan Chronicles will take you on a journey.  It will introduce to you a myriad of characters.  The setting may be fantasy, but the people, their relationships and their emotions are no different from those we all experience on a day to day basis.  The people in Verdan are beset with greed, fear and self-doubt. Yet they also have faith, hope and love that help see them through their challenges.

I encourage you to explore this world.  The story starts out simple enough.  A knight is sent on a quest to find a wizard.  The fate of his kingdom is at stake.  You soon discover that it's not just his kingdom, but the fate of all know civilization is about to be played out.  And while the wizard he seeks plays a key role in the outcome, it will take the combined effort of dozens of heroes to keep the flames of freedom from being extinguised.

So yes, the Verdan Chronicles on one hand is a typical Epic Fantasy story of good versus evil.  But I hope if you give it a try that you will see it is so much more.  The lines between good and evil are often blurred.  Those considered evil do not see themselves that way and that will continue to be a theme throughout the series. Actions have consequences, as the heroes will learn time and time again.  Doing the right thing does not always yield the best result, but would the heroes have done anything differently?  And issues of the class divide, rich versus poor, are as prevalent in this world as they are in ours.  In protecting a kingdom are the heroes merely preserving the status quo for the wealthy, or are they also serving the needs of the common man or elf?

The entire story of the Verdan Chronicles will span many years.  Like any fully formed world setting I've had to create different cultures for the countries and kingdoms in which the stories take place.  Political platforms and religion are front and center stage.  The story will explore the impact victory and loss has on history and how religion can both unite and divide a people.  These stories are not meant as a commentary on events in our world, but as a cautionary tale.  Are things like this possible in our world?  I'll let the reader be the judge.

If you like stories on a more personal level, well, there's plenty of that in the Verdan Chronicles.  There's a father who's raised his daughter alone for the past fifteen years, but he's kept secrets from her that he's afraid are about to be revealed.  There is a quiet young man who's longed for the affection of a girl for most of his life.  He follows her into the adventure and their story becomes a focal point for the series.  There is the warrior who had to choose between adventure and settling down with the love of her life. There is the theif who committed a reprehensible act while younger.  It's taken him down a dark path and now he has a chance at redemption.  There is the crusader intent upon protecting his faith and those who need protection, yet he is constantly haunted by his own tragic past.

You get the idea.  There are literally over a hundred characters in this world whose stories help shape the fate of the world.  While a couple dozen play more central roles, you'll get to know all of them before the series is over.

Wow, so this sounds kind of deep, right?  Not exactly.  While I try to fully form my characters and give the readers a sense of who they are and why they act the way they do, I still also try to give some freedom for readers to fill in a few blanks and make the story their own.  Some of the best stories are the ones in which the reader can find themselves immersed into the world in which they're visiting.

And don't discount the epic adventure scenes.  Armies will do battle, and dragons will be involved.  There are flights through a dangerous forest and battles through a labyrinth of caves.  Raging rivers, whirlwinds and cataclysmic disasters await you.  And if I don't stop here I'll probably end spoiling half the series.

The bottom line is that if you like adventure and you enjoy immersing yourself into a new world, then I encourage you to give The Verdan Chronicles a try.  I stand by the story and think you'll like it.  I just hope the still forming skill of the writer doesn't get in the way.  :-)  And yes, if you stick with the story the writing does get better.

So where are all the plans for 2014?

1.  Republish Volume 1: The Fourth Age.  On lulu.com, you can now purchase the revised Volume 1, both in hard copy and for pdf download.

2.  Get original artwork as cover for Volume1:  Sadly, this is still a work in progress.  It's been commissioned, but at this point I don't have a date for when it will be ready.

3.  Encourage more readers:  If I don't get the original artwork in the next couple of weeks, I may need to put off these plans for another year.  Yes, it's frustrating, but it's hard to go "all in" when some of the pieces aren't ready.

4.  Publish Volume 6:  Council's End:  Still in the works.  Just a couple of things to take care of first.

5.  Make books available through other means:  Lulu now offers the opportunity to make books available on Amazon.com for the Kindle. My son is working on the formatting needed to make this happen.  This has kind of jumped to #2 on the list and will hopefully happen soon.

6.  Explore options to get more original artwork for other volume covers:  This probably won't happen until later in the fall.  Let me get a cover for book 1 first.  :-)

7.  Explore options to get the books formatted to a hardcover edition.  I will likely defer this one until next year.

8.  Finish writing Volume 9:  The Fifth Age:  Still on track to finish by end of year.  I have a high level outline and the first two chapters are done (as of this morning).

9.  Try to see if I can't firm up some dates for publishing Volume 7:  Out of Time and Volume 8:  The Rise of Magic (title still subject to possible change):  This also may end up on the list for next year.

Again, thanks for checking out the blog.  Summer is almost here.  A good time to find a comfortable spot outside and dive into a book.  Catch ya later.

Verdan Chronicles in 2014

I know we're almost two months into the year, but wanted to share plans for this year.  Volume 6:  Council's End will get published some time this year.  We're just going to pause a little so that Volume 1:  The Fourth Age can be republished.  Let me explain.  For anyone who knows me, the Verdan Chronicles came about as a result of my desire to capture a story that spent over two decades gestating in my head.  I wanted to do the best I could to capture all the details of this world and its inhabitants.  Mission nearly accomplished.

But somewhere along the way some friends and coworkers became aware of how I was spending my weekends and off days.  They expressed an interest in reading the story and through my son I found a way to make it available to them through self-publishing.  And then a few of them encouraged me to let others outside my "friend" circle have an opportunity to read this story.  I can't begin to list all the challenges associated with getting a book out to a wider audience, but inside I had one major roadblock; my writing.

My writing is fine for capturing what was in my head and allowing me to relive those moments.  But is it good enough so that others can share those same visions?  I'm less certain.  But I am certain that when I wrote my first book there were no aspirations or intent that it would be read by a wider audience.  And then somewhere along the way (I think during Volume 2) my writing got better.  I'm not saying great, or even good...just better.  So I've always had an internal block that would not let me encourage others to pick up my books.  Again, I'm not saying the first book was bad, but it was not the best example of my writing...far from it.

Here's the good news.  I finally took the time to (not rewrite, but) refresh Volume 1.  Not a single story element, plot point or character nuance has changed.  But grammatically, it should be just a bit easier to read.  I would say it's just about on par with Volume 2.  Again, it may not be great writing, but it's no longer something I'm embarrassed to recommend.

So I'm really hoping that this new version of Volume 1 will be made available to a wider audience in the very near future.  I'm committed to having it out there over the next few months.  And that leads me into plans for 2014.

1.  As mentioned, republish Volume 1:  The Fourth Age

2.  As part of the Volume 1 republish, obtain orginal artwork for the cover.  This has already been commissioned, so I am excited to see the end result.

3.  Entice a few more people to try the series and see if it really can generate any interest.  Events I plan to attend this year (with a few copies in hand) are Slaython, San Diego Comic Con, Gen Con and Wizard World Chicago.

4.  Publish Volume 6:  Council's End

5.  Explore other alternatives to make my books available to a wider audience.  I'd really like to see if there's a way to get them back on Amazon so they can be downloaded to a Kindle.

6.  Explore options to get more original artwork for other volume covers.

7.  Explore options to get the books formatted to a hardcover edition.  This is more a personal desire to see my books, with orginal artwork, sitting in a place of prominence on my bookshelf.

8.  Finish writing Volume 9:  The Fifth Age

9.  Try to see if I can't firm up some dates for publishing Volume 7:  Out of Time and Volume 8:  The Rise of Magic (title still subject to possible change)

Just looking at my list, it's a lot to do, but my passion for this world and it's characters has not diminished.  For my next blog I'll try to tackle an all important question:  Why should anyone even bother reading this series?

Gods of Verdan

Against All Gods, the fifth book in the Verdan Chronicles has been available for several months and follows closely after the events of the fourth book.  You can find it at lulu.com.  While it has its own share of epic battles (can you say ’50 foot titan’), it also sets the stage for book six where Terek’s bid for power and Adara’s plan for revenge are either realized or fall short.  Even if you suspect you know the answer, expect more twists along the way.

Recently, I was at a convention where Edgar Wright was asked for advice by an aspiring writer/film maker.  The part of the advice that resonated with me was to make his work personal and the more personal it was, the better the chance it had to “stand out”.  It made me ask myself, “Is my work personal?”

The simple answer is yes.  The whole reason I started writing is because I had this story in my head that wouldn’t go away.  It was an epic story that incorporated all the things I wanted to see in a story.  So, yes, it’s personal.   Everything in the Verdan Chronicles is either interesting to me, or it’s not there.  If a character stops becoming interesting to me, then I either find a way to make them interesting, or they don’t stick around for long.

So if the Verdan Chronicles is written for me, why publish it?  Good question.  Mostly, my son thought it would be cool to put my story into book form so I had something tangible and personal to put on a shelf.  It is cool and it’s a special gift I’ll cherish forever.  But then a few friends found out about my book(s) and said they wanted to read them.  Really?  I never thought of my books as publishable, but I was flattered and little embarrassed that they wanted to read it.

And so I asked my son to take the next step and find a way to publish the books in an affordable format for others to read.  Eventually, we settled on Lulu and there’s where you can find my books.  If there’s any down side, it’s that my son is very busy and can’t always get them published as fast as I can write them.  So while Book five was published early this year, it was actually finished about a year before that.  As I once indicated, the entire series has been mapped (in my head) and will encompass nine books.  I hope one day that all nine will be written and available.

But let’s get back to the ‘personal’ thing and how it relates to Against All Gods.  As the title implies, this book deals a little bit more with the gods of Verdan and how they’re reacting to recent events.  To an extent, they each get involved in their own way to manipulate how things turn out.  But when we talk about Verdan’s gods, are we really talking about religious icons?  Certainly, the inhabitants in Verdan worship these beings.

So how does this tie back to me personally?  Well, in book five I’ll introduce another religious concept, one that may strike a little closer to home for many people.  Don’t get me wrong, my intent is not to turn this series into philosophical exercise on the merits of religion.  The books are first and foremost intended to be fun.  At their highest level, they’re an epic story about good versus evil and how different characters influence and are influenced by those events.  It is their personal struggles that I find the most interesting.

But religion plays a huge role in our history and therefore I felt it needed to play a role in the history of Verdan.  The significance of that role will vary by character and the nature of their journey.  To that end my goal is to introduce different religious concepts and beliefs.  The merits of each can be judged by the reader, but at no time should it be inferred whether or not these beliefs coincide with my own.  So how is this personal then?  Many of the questions asked by the characters in these books are questions I ask myself?  The debates they have (internally and with each other) are debates I have.  And to that end, these books have helped me build a framework for my personal life.

And so there you have it.  Be warned.  There are many issues in our society today and you’ll see many of them played out over the course of the series in Verdan.  Lots of questions and I’m not sure I believe there is one right answer, but it’s fun to see the answers my characters come up with and to see where it leads them.  Again, I really hope these books are taken first and foremost as something fun to read.  But if a few questions are raised along the way, is that really so bad?

Broken Circle - Available Now!

To purchase the exciting fourth volume in the Verdan Chronicles just click on the link below.  You can find all four volumes available now at lulu.

Broken Circle picks up several months after the conclusion of Heroes of Bardoom.  The countries and kingdoms of Verdan are struggling to put their affairs back in order.  The secret organization known as the Rising Circle strives to achieve its goals, while the events started in Dark Passages set the goblins down a path of revolution.

In Izmira the wedding of Celecia and Dakoran is celebrated and they set out on a most unique honeymoon.  Perhaps no one is more happy to see them leave than the country's newly crowned king.  Meanwhile, Terek's body is unearthed and taken to an unknown location.  It is an act that leads the Lady Y'Shanarra to embark on a dangerous quest; one that will cross paths with the Rising Circle and their quest for ultimate power.

Broken Circle is intended to be the first part of a new trilogy.  One that supplements the first three books and explores the next chapter in the lives of the characters we've come to know.  New characters will be introduced, but whether new or old, not all will survive to see the end.  Volume 5: Against All Gods is currently being edited for publication this fall and Volume 6: Council's End will hopefully follow some time around the end of the year.

If you're reading this blog, I hope you decide to visit the world of Verdan and take a journey with the characters whose lives are drawn into this tale.  And then, if you're so inclined, let me know what you think.  Enjoy!