Aaaargh! It's been nearly two months since my last blog post. I hated it when authors disappeared from their blogs and I had no idea what they were up to.

The truth it seems is pretty boring. I've been working. Working really hard. Sometimes I think I've bitten off more than I can chew but then I remind myself that this is my dream and I'm really lucky to be in this position.

I'm in edits on my secret project and about a third of the way in writing book 2 of that series. I want to have the first draft of that finished by the summer.

After that I'm writing Cry Hope, the third Jack Frey book. I'm plotting that at the moment in quiet moments and I'm very excited about how that's coming along. (The plan at the moment is for 5 books with Cry War and Cry Victory to finish everything off.)

Then it'll be Nathaniel Rane 2. That is already plotted and waiting to write.

So basically I have more than enough to keep me busy for the next two years!

Thank you for all the support and making this crazy adventure worthwhile. I'll be back with more soon!

Just a quick note to say thanks for all the love out there for CRY FEAR. The reviews and ratings for it so far are all great (apart from Dianne - sorry). Thank you. Thank you.

Both CRY FEAR and CRY WITCH have been sent to Podium Publishing for the Audio books to be made. I think the plan at the moment is to give CRY WITCH away free but I'm not 100% sure.

For those of you wondering how many books there will be in the Jack Frey series, the plan is to write three more novels and maybe one more novella. Next up is CRY HOPE, followed by CRY WAR and CRY DEATH.

CRY FEAR has been out for four days now and the response to it has been amazing. I'm really quite overwhelmed. I've written for a long time now but CRY FEAR was the first book I wrote knowing people would read it. Not only that but I knew lots of people loved CRY HAVOC and I wanted to deliver something that would live up to their expectations. It was a great weight to write under and caused more than one false start.

I took time out to write a short novella, CRY WITCH, just as a way of lessening the pressure I was feeling before finishing CRY FEAR in quite a burst. I really enjoyed the way it came together in the end and was happy with the end result. But there was still that nagging doubt at the back of my mind that said "Is it any good?"

I know it's the doubt that will always push me on, to write better, to create the most exciting stories that I can.

Still...

It's a huge relief to see the reviews and ratings come in and near universal approval.  Thank you one and all for buying my books, sharing your opinions and giving me a career I love.

Wow. It's been a crazy few weeks since I last updated this blog. Some amazing things have happened in that time - stuff I can't talk about but which is all kinds of crazy cool. All I can say is if you work hard and don't give up, your dreams can come true.

CRY FEAR will be on sale in a couple of weeks. It's up for pre-order now at an Amazon store near you. I hope everyone likes it. Jack and Lin are definitely in for a tough time. This is the final cover. I'm really happy with the way it turned out and love how the three books look so far in the series.

In other news, I'm just short of my 20,000 download of my books. That should happen in the next day or so. It's been a year since I first self-published SWITCHBLADE. Back then I got excited at selling 5 copies in a month!

Being an indie or self-publishing was something I'd never considered up until I heard an episode of the BESTSELLER EXPERIMENT and it opened up my eyes to what was possible. Now I love it. I love the speed of it all, the control but most of all I love the community of writers and readers. After working in advertising, it's so refreshing to be mixing with decent people who want everyone to succeed!

Exciting week ahead. Big things happening. Can't say any more but keep your fingers and toes crossed.

What I can talk about is CRY FEAR is up for pre-order on Amazon. To be released on March 1st 2017. It's a rip-roaring ride, taking place over a few days in the the capital of Abios.

For seven hundred years, the Black Dogs have kept Abios safe from the Nostros. Until now.
A Nostros roams the streets and everyone is its prey. Can Jack and Lin stop it before it's too late? As the dead pile high, the stakes have never been higher. Pre-order it on the link below.

2018 has started just as 2017 ended - in a blur of activity. I submitted my secret project to my agent on 1st January, finished my Jack Frey novella on the 3rd January, sent it off to be edited by the wonderful Laura Hughes, wrote a series proposal for my secret project and made big progress again on CRY FEAR.  A lot of work but I love doing this so none of it actually feels like work — and that's the best feeling in the world.

I'm super proud of my little novella too. It's 30,000 words long and hopefully it's a fun little trip into Jack's world once more. It's set while he's still a novice at Whitehaven, a year before he takes his vows to become a Knight of Saint Stephen. Obviously, it helps if you've read CRY HAVOC but it also works as a stand-alone. (If you haven't read CRY HAVOC, do so now! It's a great book, honest).

CRY WITCH is up for pre-order on Amazon now or you can get a free copy simply by signing up on my mailing list on the home page.

CRY FEAR is at 70,000 words at the moment, having gone under a lot of rewriting. Originally I thought it would be 90,000 words long when I finished but in reality, I think it'll be more than 100,000. I will have it finished by the end of the month by hook or by crook.

In other news, I'm listening to the audiobook of Paternus: Rise of Gods by Dyrk Ashton and really enjoying it. Not what I was expecting but all the better for it. I devoured the new Jack Reacher, The Midnight Line — a good book but not a classic Reacher. I'm really enjoying the BBC drama, McMafia and I'm listening to the new U2 record a lot, Songs of Experience.

That's all for now...

Sam Lucas posted the following up on an old blog post today: "Please get Cry Fear out! I can't wait to read it and get more into the universe. I listened to the audiobook on audible but will probably buy physical copy as well. I love your pacing and the fight scenes, the brutal nature of the environment as well, it's refreshing to see heroes that don't stand much of a chance." First of all, thanks Sam for your kind words and your enthusiasm. It really made my day to read your note. Secondly, Cry Fear is coming — soon. I promise.

The comment also made me look back at my old posts as I embarked on this self-publishing adventure. It was fun to see my enthusiasm and excitement as Cry Havoc found its audience. I did a dance of joy at selling 5 copies in a day. Amazing to think that six months later, over 15,000 copies of my books have been downloaded! And I still get a buzz with each and every one. It's a great honor to have people read my work (and enjoy it) and I'll never forget that.

I'm so excited by what 2018 holds and its all down to you wonderful people. Thank you.

A big week coming up. Lots happening. Exciting stuff. I can't believe it stuff. Keep your fingers crossed stuff.

I've finished the Jack Frey novella, CRY WITCH. That's going off to be edited any day now and then will be sent out to my mailing list after that. Not sure yet if I'll put it up for sale or not. It's a cracking little adventure set a year before Jack Frey takes his vows to become a Black Dog. He's asked to help out on a simple job that goes terribly wrong.

I'm back on CRY FEAR full blast too and I'm really happy with where that's going. No doubt I'll be plagued with self-doubt again in a few days but I'll enjoy it while I can.

In the mean time, here's the latest drawing added to the art section.

Goodbye 2017. In many ways you were amazing. In many ways you were terrible. I'm glad you're gone and can't wait to see what 2018 brings.  However, there were lots of things I did enjoy over the last 12 months.

Movies:

BLADE RUNNER 2049 was my standout favourite film. Indulgent in every way. It was beautifully shot and an awe-inspiring experience in IMAX 3D. I loved how nothing was rushed and nothing was expected. Rarely have I been transported into another world so effectively.

THOR: RAGNAROK was fab. In a grim year, it was one of the things that just made you feel good about life. I do hope though that it's success doesn't see all superhero films become comedies, in the same way I don't want every film to be dark and grim like Batman. My favorite character in the movie wasn't Thor or Hulk though, it was Valkyrie. Kick-ass women rule.

I have very mixed feelings about The Last Jedi. I'm hoping to go and see it again today. There was lots I liked and lots I didn't. However I'm glad I live in a world where there are new Star Wars films coming out regularly now and I love that Rey is a kick-ass character that doesn't need any rescuing from anyone.

Speaking of which, Wonder Woman was another great film that just made you feel good. Considering it was a film set in World War I, it shone with love and positivity.

At the opposite end of the spectrum was Logan, a film about old white men who'd screwed it all up. A brilliant, brave film. I loved it - even though it touched a few raw nerves.

Finally Atomic Blonde. An 80's flashback. Loved the style, the action, the clothes, the music. Great fun.

Books:

Without a doubt, my favorite of the year. A fresh take on GrimDark. Swords, magic, incredible characters and scary monsters. The audiobook is incredible too.

Another new author. This is fun and funny. Sits hand in glove with Thor: Ragnarok. When the world's crap, you need art like this to make it better. Bravo.

Peter finishes off the Demon Cycle with style. He does it so well. I'll miss these characters but can't wait to see what he does next.

Comics:

I discovered Enrico Marini this year. His Scorpion series has been going awhile but I loved it. His linework and use of color is effortless. I wish I could draw half as well as he can. He also had a brilliant Batman book out at the end of the year, The Dark Prince Charming.

Lazarus by Greg Rucka and Michael Lark continues to be my favorite anything. Very excited by the potential TV series too. Incredible world-building. Great cast. Amazing artwork.

The Old Guard by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernandez was also incredible. Guns, immortals by the modern world. Nice.

So there you have it. A few of my favorite things of last year. I hope 2017 was good to you. If it wasn't, don't worry - 2018 will be better. It has to be. Good always wins out in the end.

I can't believe we're in December already! What a year it's been! I've done so much and learned so much and, without over-stating things too much, it's changed my life quite dramatically.

I lost my day job in the beginning of the year which obviously shook things up quite a bit. I'm lucky though that what I do, I can do on a freelance basis - so I could still work without having an actual employer.

The other upside of this is it allowed me more time to write. Instead of stealing moments early in the morning or at lunch time or late at night, I had and have whole days now where I do nothing but write. It also gave me the incentive to self-publish the books I had written. I owe a great deal to the Bestseller Experiment Podcast who showed me the Indie world wasn't the horror I thought it was.

I am overwhelmed on an almost daily basis at how well my books have been received. I am thankful to every single person who has bought a book (or two) or read them on Kindle Unlimited. I've also discovered a whole host of authors in the Indie world to read. I'm presently reading Wolf Of The North by Duncan M. Hamilton. (Great book).

I've added some new book cover designs to the Jack Frey section, for Book 2, CRY FEAR and a novella, CRY WITCH, which will be out early next year. I must admit I wanted them out quicker but I want to get them right and have them be the best they can be. I also have a Secret Project in development that has taken up my time  as well as a nasty bout of illness.

Another new section to the website is for my Art. If you've been following my blog, you'll have seen some drawings I've done for fun. I thought it would be good to keep them all in one place...

The audio book for CRY HAVOC is out on December 19th, just in time for Christmas. It is incredible. I'm so proud of it.

CRY FEAR is booked in to be edited on Jan 1st. I've found a new editor, the wonderful Laura M. Hughes, so hopefully all the typos and things like that will be a thing of the past. Laura is not only a great editor, she's an excellent author too. Her book, Danse Macabre, is out on Amazon and perfect for the Neil Gaiman fans out there. Once Laura has worked her magic, CRY FEAR should be out mid-January. I'll send a free copy out to everyone on my mailing list first before it goes for sale on Amazon.

CRY WITCH may well be out before then. It may well be out before the Holidays...