Wyndham Books

It's nice to be loved.

2011-04-23T03:14:00.000+01:00

Or at the very least, appreciated for something you've worked very hard to achieve.

My first novel, Icy Pavements has been reviewed on the "Speak Its Name" weblog. Of course I am prejudiced, but it really is such a 'pleased reader's' review that I was both overwhelmed and delighted at once.

The review is here.

Since all that ys in question ys out of their bookes....

2011-02-04T22:53:00.004Z

The last few months have been rather chaotic -- personally and professionally, and it is possible that the less said about them the better. On to better things this year, it can only be hoped, starting with access to a new archive which will hopefully help with style and content both of legal documents and of letter-writing when not intended for the public eye.

There is a great deal of difference between a letter written in the full knowledge and confidence that it will only be seen by its intended recipient, and ones which the writer knows may well be read by many eyes before it reaches its destination -- it gives a sense of dislocation and distance between two parties at times that I suspect is not only caused by physical separation, but a disparity in perception of the world around them.

In many ways, it is sadder to read the more formal letters, the ones that speak of being content in honour, of the glory of the moment, of the firmness of the writer's faith, than it is to read the more homely, loving ones that look forward to seeing the recipient again, and are filled with small news of home. The world has changed beneath the letters as they pass, and even if survival comes, there is now an almost insuperable chasm between what has been written in hope and thought in private.

It is frightening to realise that while I craft characters from history, history crafted men and women into characters they might never have been intended to become.

A sobering thought, and a good one to remember.

"Defending Walls" release

2010-08-15T21:38:00.003+01:00

At last, the second novel in the Herrick Quartet, "Defending Walls", has been released and is available on-line at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Waterstones (among others).

The cover design is by Grazyna Nowottka and is absolutely brilliant; Carcassonne in all its glory and darkness. I can not give her enough thanks and gratitude for her fine work. She has really made this release something to be proud of.

Also, much thanks go to Joe, of New Generation Publishing, whose e-mails and hand-holding did much to ease the long wait.

And, of course, thanks to Richard, the dearest and most frustrating editor alive, for his demands and prodding and more demands. He is the cause of much torn hair and rewrites, and the reason for many things that were, honestly, improvements.

Waiting...

2010-04-28T20:46:00.004+01:00

...truly, it is the most soul-destroying of times.

Although the manuscript is safely proof-read and in the hands of the publishers, it is not yet printed, and this means a daily checking of mail and a developing tic.

In other news, research is finished for the third book of the Herrick Quartet, and well under way for the fourth, which is a source of some surprise given the number of other projects that have been undertaken in the past three months - it is essential to while away those tedious hours of longing with something constructive, and a new modern-day idea seemed the solution.

Not so much a solution, it turned out, as a new addiction, and a desperate need for the thirty-six hour day so that writing might be done continuously with no need to find the hours for sleep and food.

The characters which inhabit the Herrick Quartet have of course taken this opportunity to refuel their persistent and almost admirable ability to find themselves in scalding hot water emotionally and physically, and drive on the story with most unloving whips and accusations of neglect (wholly unfounded!)

And now, back to checking the mail....

Oh proof readers

2010-03-02T04:17:00.001Z

You wonderful, wonderful people.

I cannot say more in praise for them than this (which was written to a friend, but -)

TO M[R]. T. W.

by John Donne

PREGNANT again with th' old twins, Hope and Fear,
Oft have I asked for thee, both how and where
Thou wert ; and what my hopes of letters were ;

As in our streets sly beggars narrowly
Watch motions of the giver's hand or eye,
And evermore conceive some hope thereby.

And now thy alms is given, thy letter's read,
The body risen again, the which was dead,
And thy poor starveling bountifully fed.

After this banquet my soul doth say grace,
And praise thee for 't, and zealously embrace
Thy love, though I think thy love in this case
To be as gluttons, which say 'midst their meat,
They love that best of which they most do eat.

When good research...

2009-11-18T17:22:00.002Z

...does not so much go bad as become interminable. Defending Walls is enduring the wait for the galleys, which is unnerving at the best of times, while the research needed for the third book seems to be a self-seeding process. The more that is done, the more details are uncovered that need to be at least known if not covered in depth. It never ceases to astonish me how much work is needed to verify a throwaway comment by an extremely secondary character.

Fascinating though it all is, the slow speed of the process never fails to be somewhat alarming - two weeks researching produces less than 500 words at times.

(And then of course the Dread Editor will doubtlessly demand their removal, but I choose not to think about this.)

A happier thought is that the galleys and proofing and rechecking may - may - be in time for a Christmas release. Which would be an astounding thing all on its own...

Deadline ahead

2009-09-24T18:18:00.003+01:00

"Defending Walls" is due to the publisher before October 31st - that's everything, including the cover art. So now for a bit of last minute panic on my end as I try to figure out exactly what I have written and if it says what I want it to say at every point. *s* That's always the case, that last minute feeling that I've obfuscated rather than made things clear. I'm not sure if this is a common fear of writers in general or if it's just me, but it happens every time.

I'm also convinced that although I wrote all the dates down and have corresponded as precisely as is humanly possible, someone is going to come along and tell me that something is absolutely inaccurate and along the lines of what gives historical fiction writers everywhere a bad name. It's amazing how much that thought can contribute to obsessive twitching and re-reading.

Then, of course, there is also the wonderful feeling of relief when it's gone...and you can move on to the next thing. In this case, the third book, which I am not quite sure counts as moving on, but certainly counts as moving forward - and possibly just 'getting on with it.'

Research, research, research

2009-08-21T10:21:00.003+01:00

Because naturally, I have nothing better to do with my time than check the precise date when a document which is largely fictional may or may not have been legitimately written. And although I understand the importance of validation, I do sometimes wish that once something has been fictionalised, it could stay like that.

An editor contented in his private life is a very dangerous man indeed...

I can, however, quite 'legitimately' say that my editor is making certain that one book (possibly a murder mystery) written in the not-so-distant future will certainly have a character, if not a title, which can be summed up by 'Annoyed Writer'.

What's in a name - Take two...

2009-08-02T06:14:00.003+01:00

The name of book two is now officially changed to Defending Walls. There. Are you happy, Oh Editor Mine?

So now we have: Icy Pavements, Defending Walls, Basilisk Stare and Shivered Glass.

Yeesh.

Hello, World!

2009-07-29T18:44:00.007+01:00

Thanks to my little counter, I can get a picture of who is visiting my blog. *waves to visitors* It's been very interesting seeing who is peeking. I've had visitors from home but also from Egypt, Australia and France.

Peter and Guyon would be thrilled (Yes, I'm one of those crazy authors who actually imbues their characters with real life personalities. *s*) to be so far read. I know I'm thrilled at the idea.

So to all of you reading this blog and, hopefully, my book as well - It's wonderful to have you visit!

What's in a name?

2009-07-14T07:04:00.002+01:00

Apparently a lot. My Editor does not care for the name of Book Two. So I must scrounge through my Herrick (which is no hardship, really) to see what I can find that he will think is acceptable. So, I bid a fond farewell to "Song at Morning".

I wonder if he'll think "Annoyed Writer" is a more appropriate title? *L*

A good deal

2009-07-02T20:48:00.003+01:00

Just found out that Legends has agreed to publish the remaining books in the series. I'm just as pleased and as proud as I can be.

The books (all 4) will be known as the "Herrick series" and, I believe will be released one per year in this order (subject to change): Icy Pavements, Song at Morning, Basilisk Stare, Shivered Glass.

And in between, I work on Damon and Pythias and any other ideas that crop up.

The wait is over!

2009-06-13T03:53:00.004+01:00

My book has finally made it from the publisher to the reality of Amazon and other dealers (or will in the next several days). I have an ISBN and everything. (9781849238380)

Now... time to take a deep breath, and relax... because next week I must begin concentrating on promotional things.

And for your perusal, the back cover synopsis:

Peter Scudamore, a former captain in the Royalist Army, has unwittingly become a tool in a game much larger than it seems.

When Peter assists the English Queen in her escape to Paris , he finds himself caught up in the machinations of the infamous Corvay, a man determined to be the final word in espionage - and becomes friends with the enigmatic Guyon de Chesnay, a scholar and tutor of debate at the Sorbonne. Guyon's service, too, is eventually bought by Corvay, but at a price he is unwilling to disclose, and which is directly linked to the Archbishop de Retz of Paris .

As the two men fight to survive the intrigues of Court and Church, and those of a man who wants to gain power in his own right, they grow closer to each other in ways that neither one would ever have expected.

And more delays...

2009-06-08T19:02:00.003+01:00

It's starting to be amusing in a way that is completely NOT. *L* Galleys are returned but still no word as to an actual release date.

On another note, I have too much to fit into Book 3 - Yipes. Looks like that may have to be split, but then how do I reconcile the conflict that I've already set up? Decisions, decisions.

Ah, well, at least I'm getting things done, which is more than I can say for the publisher. *G*

Galleys

2009-05-19T20:58:00.006+01:00

Galleys were received, checked and sent back to the publisher. Hopefully, this is a good sign that they are actually going to stick to the June 1st release date. *crosses fingers*

Book 2 - complete. *pats it*

Book 3 - well on it's way. Now... how much do I know about Church law? Not enough.. time for more study.

Damon & Pythias - on hold for Book 3, at the moment.

And now my editor is wanting an outline, or at least prodding strongly for me to set up plotlines for a second Herrick trilogy set about 20 years after the end of Book three.

I really need to quit my day job. Really.

Note to self: Win the lottery so that day job may be quit.

Understanding comes too late

2009-05-10T05:11:00.002+01:00

One of the marvellous things about being busy with editing spaces in your galley proof is just how time-consumed you actually are.

One of the not-so-marvellous things is realising that yes, you did in fact agree to write all those things, and yes, actually, a deadline is looming.

How sad, when a deadline feels like a declaration of undying love.....

Lots of writing

2009-05-04T17:58:00.002+01:00

Inspite of delays on the publication of Book one, Book 2, "Song at Morning" is now complete. I've also gotten quite a bit done on Book 3, "Shivered Glass". That's it for that series, unless I decide to look back at them from sometime in the future or write something with the younger characters.

I've also got about 30,000 words done on another novel, "Damon and Pythias". The plot is the same as the legend but with a lot of their history and some humor.

So, I'm very busy. Too busy, I hope, to get too frustrated with how long the publisher is taking. *L*

Good luck with this, huh?

New Date

2009-05-01T22:44:00.002+01:00

Well, I have yet another new date for the release of "Icy Pavements" - June 1st. It's a bit discouraging to have to wait longer, but I keep hoping its for the best. You always like to think it's so that something can be better, more perfect, before the release, but the waiting is a killer. *G*

New release date

2009-02-16T23:00:00.001Z

Well, if all goes well, Icy Pavements should hit Amazon and the rest on February 22. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that this is going to actually be it.

My patience is frozen...

2009-01-16T18:10:00.002Z

...along with the rest of me. *G*

No, really, I don't mind so much that the book is delayed. I'd actually rather they delay it and make sure it's *right* than have them rush.

My impatience is only because of promises of news and contact that just aren't happening.

Ah, well, if things ran smoothly, I'd probably be worried about *that*.

Patience is my by-word

2009-01-05T04:32:00.002Z

Still no news from the publisher, so I must assume we are among those who are out in the cold until mid-January or later.

I would be nice if they sent out something that actually said what was going on, but I have heard nothing. I'll give them another week, now that the holidays are over, but then I will have to write to them, I suppose.

Delays, delays, delays

2008-12-17T18:52:00.004Z

Well, I just got a letter from the publishing house. Somehow they have managed to overextend themselves for their 'before Christmas' publications.

What does this mean? This means that I may be one (perhaps among many) who will not see their book until after January, when their new on-line automated system is operational.

This, however is not certain, and may depend on whether the cover art I submitted was done to their specs. I'm sure it was, but since I have not yet received confirmation I can't be certain. According to their letter (which is rather uninformative), I probably know know for certain until next week.

Don't you just love when people aren't as organized as you are? *L*

Ah, well, I did tell people the book would be available for Christmas, but now??? I guess they can always purchase copies to give away for Valentine's day.

--LW

ISBN numbers and distribution

2008-12-10T19:48:00.002Z

As of today, I finally got notice that the distribution permits had gone out for “Icy Pavements” (Barnes & Noble, Waterstones, Amazon, etc.). There’s only one problem. They have not yet assigned it an ISBN for distribution.

Oh, well.

Here’s hoping that, as in show business, a rough dress rehearsal equates to a brilliant opening night.