Novels Update October 2022

Credit: Pixabay

Things have been exceptionally busy for me on multiple fronts lately, with ongoing articles on Medium, short stories, Patreon, and further writing opportunities that have come my way. However, I thought it high time I gave an update as to the status of the novels I’m actively working on, or actively showing to literary agents and publishers.

Ravenseed

This Dark Ages-set fantasy of love, lust, betrayal, and vengeance rather hit a dead end when I submitted it to literary agents and publishers earlier this year. I considered self-publishing, but my instinct is to hold on to it for the time being. I have a sneaking suspicion I’ve not exhausted mainstream publication possibilities. I suppose I’m disappointed by the initial response, but then again, the novel is quite unconventional in a number of ways. It has three points of view – one present tense first person, one third person, and one past tense first person, depending on which part of the story is being told (there are two additional framing device narratives in the present day, though the bulk of the story is the Dark Ages stuff). On top of this, the story is fantasy, with a hefty dash of forbidden romance, which genre-wise falls outside my primary gothic mystery oeuvre.

The White Nest (not the real title)

This gothic mystery thriller is currently being considered by literary agents, and I’m pleased to report some interest has been shown, so there is potential hope on that front. If I manage to land an agent and publisher, naturally I’ll break the news here, so watch this space. I should add The White Nest isn’t the real title. I’m hanging on to that information for now. Well, I was, until I accidentally let it slip in a video update on Patreon. So, if you’re a Patreon supporter you know the real title. Please keep it secret for now, like we discussed.

The George Hughes Trilogy (new titles to be confirmed)

I previously published what I call the George Hughes trilogy under different titles: George Goes to Mars, George Goes to Titan, and George Goes to Neptune. These novels are science fiction adventures aimed at the Harry Potter/Alex Rider demographic (and the young at heart) packed with interplanetary action and thrills. I’m very proud of them. However, I’m not proud of the titles they were originally released under, as in retrospect, it makes them sound like books for much younger children. Hence why they are currently unavailable. I’m retitling them, and also taking an opportunity to do a hefty redraft, to tidy up the manuscripts. These novels were some of the first I wrote, and having learned a great deal since those days, I want to bring the text up to my current standards. But the stories themselves have not changed. I hope to have the newly titled versions out by the end of the year, which is a deadline I may not manage, but I shall certainly aim for it.

I’ll add an update soon concerning the status of the various short stories I’ve worked on this year. It will include where you can read my latest ghost story, Vindicta, and my plans for a second short story anthology. Watch this space.

Christmas Presents: Children’s Novels

Looking for the perfect Christmas present for that difficult relative? Why not give them a book this year? To be more specific, why not give them one of my books?

In this second of three articles, this post explores my children’s novels. Yes, I don’t just write gothic mystery horror thrillers. I have also dabbled in children’s adventures, mainly aimed at the Harry Potter/Alex Rider demographic. Most of these novels were written for my children, often at their request (Echo and the White Howl was penned for my youngest for instance, who wanted a story about wolves). But these stories aren’t just for children. They are for the young and young at heart, often tackling themes and ideas that are just as incisive for the adult reader.

Here’s is the blurb from the back of each novel:

Uncle Flynn_CoverUncle Flynn

When timid eleven year old Max Bradley embarks on a hunt for buried treasure on Dartmoor with his mysterious Uncle Flynn, he discovers he is braver than he thought.

Together they decipher clues, find a hidden map and explore secret tunnels in their search.

But with both police and rival treasure hunters on their tail, Max begins to wonder if his uncle is all he seems…

Click here to order Uncle Flynn.

DrGibbles_1600x2400_front coverDr Gribbles and the Beast of Blackthorn Lodge

September 1987.

Curiosity lands Tim Rawling in a world of secrets, spies and a desperate race against time.

The haunted house, the monster and the mad scientist are only the beginning of a terrifying adventure…

Click here to order Dr Gribbles and the Beast of Blackthorn Lodge.

Echo and the White Howl Cover 10 (FINAL)Echo and the White Howl

When a wolf pack discovers humans lurking near their territory, Echo senses dark times ahead.

Despite the warnings and omens, Aatag, the pack Alpha, refuses to flee… leading to a cruel turn of events that forces Echo into exile, and a quest for revenge that will change the pack forever.

Click here to order Echo and the White Howl.

 

B17Kak0+TOS._SL250_FMpng_George Hughes Trilogy (comprising George goes to Mars, George goes to Titan, George goes to Neptune)

From the back of George goes to Mars:

When George Hughes discovers he has inherited the planet Mars, he goes from poverty to becoming the richest boy on Earth overnight.

Accompanied by his new guardian, a mysterious secret agent, and a crew of astronauts, George voyages to Mars to sell land to celebrities wanting to build interplanetary homes.

But sabotage, assassination attempts and an alien threat plunge him into a deadly adventure.

Click here to order the George Hughes Trilogy.

Christmas Present ideas

If you are scratching your head this year over Christmas presents, why not consider giving one of my novels? At the risk of sounding like a cliché, I have written across a variety of genres and therefore have “something for all the family”.

First and foremost, I have a novel about to be released on the 20th of December entitled Spectre of Springwell Forest. A nail-biting, page-turning ghost story, this supernatural mystery is my first novel to be published by Dragon Soul Press, and a must for any fan of bone-chilling suspense. Simply click here (in the UK) or here (in the US) to pre-order your copy. (NOTE: at present this pre-order is for the Kindle version only. Stay tuned for updates on the paperback.)

SSF coverHere is the blurb from the back of the book:

Lily Henderson has a horrifying secret buried far in her past. She hoped it would never be revealed. Now she has no choice.

To save her family, Lily must keep them from returning to the village of Springwell, where she lived with her first husband and young daughter decades previously.

In the past, after moving to Springwell, Lily encounters secretive locals, government scientists, and rumours of a ghost haunting the forest.

Are they linked to the mysterious deaths of local children? Do paintings by a local artist predict when tragic events are getting closer? Will Lily’s daughter be next?

“Two were taken. More will follow.”

If you enjoy stories with devious twists on the spectrum between psychological thriller, supernatural mystery and horror, why not also try The Thistlewood Curse or The Birds Began to Sing? The former is a gripping mystery involving astral projection and murder on Lundy Island. The latter concerns a peculiar writing competition in a remote and sinister Dartmoor house.

 

My short story Once in a Lifetime is also available, as part of the Dragon Soul Press All Dark Places anthology. A disturbing tale of existential dread, this short is based on a nightmare I had earlier this year. It concerns a man waking up in an entirely different life. As he struggles to understand what has happened, memories of his previous existence rapidly vanish, and are replaced with those from the life he has awoken inside.

Folded Valley coverOn a rather different note, we have my most successful (and arguably most “personal”) novel to date, Children of the Folded Valley. A dystopian memoir mystery with a science fiction edge, the plot concerns a man looking back on his life growing up in a strange cult.

For the young and young at heart, I have written a number of gripping tales, including treasure hunt adventure Uncle Flynn (my debut novel) and Dr Gribbles and the Beast of Blackthorn Lodge, which involves spies, haunted houses, mad scientists, and monsters (and that’s just chapter one).

My most recent novel for younger readers, Echo and the White Howl, is a thrilling animal fiction adventure about a pack of wolves set in the wilds of Alaska.

 

In addition, my George Hughes trilogy (comprising George goes to Mars, George goes to Titan and George goes to Neptune) are a trio of fast-paced science fiction adventures with thrills and perils galore.

 

I must emphasise my stories aimed at children are not just for children. Amid the humour, thrills and scares are themes many adults will appreciate too.

LvsHonour 1600 x 2400Finally, Love vs Honour represented something of a departure for me, in that it is a teenage romantic drama. But many of the themes present in my other novels – religious oppression, abuse of power and so on – are present and correct here, and this is a much darker tale than it first appears. I don’t consider it a complete success for reasons I have discussed in more detail here, but I still think it is well worth a read.

All the above books can be ordered on Kindle or as paperbacks from Amazon here (for the UK) and here (for the US).

FREE Children’s Books Month: George Hughes Trilogy

The George Hughes trilogy is a thrilling, action-packed space tale set just over a hundred years in the future. Each story is a stand-alone adventure, but I recommend reading the novels in order nonetheless, as they do follow on from one another.

All three can be downloaded FREE from Amazon Kindle during the next five days.

Also, I must emphasise, these books are not just for children. Adult readers have found plenty to enjoy too (especially those who have picked up on some of the subtexts).

Here is the blurb from the back of George goes to Mars:

GGTM_600px

When George Hughes discovers he has inherited the planet Mars, he goes from poverty to becoming the richest boy on Earth overnight.

Accompanied by his new guardian, a mysterious secret agent and a crew of astronauts, George voyages to Mars to sell land to celebrities wanting to build interplanetary holiday homes. But sabotage, assassination attempts and the possibility of an alien threat plunge him into a deadly adventure…

Here is the blurb from the back of George goes to Titan:

 GGTT

The thrilling sequel to George goes to Mars…

A year on from his adventures on Mars, George Hughes faces an even deadlier peril as he travels to Titan on an urgent rescue mission. The mysterious Giles returns to help him, but assassins are once again on his tail, and a new, far greater alien menace lurks in the shadows waiting to strike.

Here is the blurb from the back of George goes to Neptune:

GGTN 1600 x 2400

In this spectacular sequel to George goes to Mars and George goes to Titan, George Hughes faces his most dangerous adventure yet.

Following the Titanian invasion, a deadly and very personal threat forces George to undertake a voyage to a top secret Martian research base on Neptune.

On this remote outpost, he uncovers a diabolical plot. But George is too late to prevent the catastrophe.

A catastrophe that will change his life forever…

Here are a couple of reviews from adults:

“A thoroughly enjoyable read” – Mark, Amazon.

“Reading like a cross between one of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ pulpy Mars adventures and a Robert Heinlein ‘juvenile’, this improbable yarn (just how many “saved in the nick of time” coincidences can one novel contain?) about a rags-to-riches-to-hero boy named George was nonetheless page-turningly entertaining. Perfect rainy day/sick day reading.” – Elizabeth Olson, Goodreads.

And here some thoughts from the target audience (at least I assume so, given the tone of their reviews):

“This was totally amazing! Involves space ships, aliens and more! A totally exciting adventure you’ll love!” – Anonymous, Barnes and Noble.

“Pure awesomeness! Packed with suspense and adventure, as well as LOTS of action!” – Anonymous, Barnes and Noble.

“Best book ever!” – Anonymous, Barnes and Noble.

The George Hughes trilogy can be downloaded FREE here (book 1), here (book 2), and here (book 3).