Second Thoughts and Second Editions

For a long time now, I've been promising to release the revised second edition of Unreliable Histories and its sequel, The Endless Land. It's taken longer than I would have liked but the job is at last complete; both second editions are now online.

Each book is about 5,000 words shorter than the respective original and I've simplified some lines that were, admittedly, getting a wee bit straggly and bramble-like. There are also some minor scene-tweaks that give more emphasis to a young apprentice wizard named Tymacht Jul.  (Given that it's a pastiche of conventional fantasies, I felt the story should contain at least one young apprentice.)

The revisions have largely been the result of feedback from fellow indie writers and, most recently, from the Authonomy editors mentioned in my last post. It's always very interesting to gather impartial feedback, but I do wish I was better at identifying the common threads...

Harper Collins Review

Anyone who's been here before will probably know that I talk quite a lot about this strange place called 'Authonomy'. It's a site run by the publisher Harper Collins and it's essentially a community of indie writers who help one another to improve their work.

Authonomy.com home page.

Having this peer group of friendly reviewers is fantastic, making the site well worth a visit for any aspiring author, but there's the added bonus that the top five works each month get selected for 'The Editor's Desk.' (It's written with capital letters - that's how important it is. Some say the desk is made of purest gold and that the walls glow with an unearthly light...)

Anyway, my comic fantasy 'Unreliable Histories' was selected for The Desk at the end of February and the review came in a couple of days ago. I'd been a bit nervous because - well - this was going to be a professional review and who knew what they'd make of it? In the event, I was very pleased. It was thoughtful, it was constructive and, ultimately, it was very encouraging - to the extent that I've now earmarked most of Easter for a thorough edit/re-write. After all, who actually needs chocolate and bunnies?

A Word of Thanks

On 1^st March, my first comic novel, Unreliable Histories, reached the top of the charts on Authonomy -  a site on which independent authors review one another's works. It's a large and thriving community, and each month's 'top five ' books go on to be reviewed on the Harper Collins Editor's Desk.

It would be fair -though something of an understatement - to say I was pleased. However, there now follows a nervous wait for a publishing editor's professional review.

Getting to 'the desk' was by no means the result of a solo effort. Scores of writers provided invaluable help and support and I wanted to take the opportunity to thank them. Their feedback has enabled me to address flaws that I would never have seen, had I been left to my own devices. As a result of their scrutiny and suggestions,  I have edited, clarified and re-written, and I'm sure the finished draft is a far superior work as a result.

Fellow Travellers on the INCA Trail

Recent weeks have seen a pronounced rise in membership applications for the INCA Project. I mention this because I was one of the authors who help set this up (the key instigator, of course, being the irrepressible Rob Wingfield). It's good to see it enjoying a decent measure of success.

INCA is an acronym for Incorporating No Conventional Authors, and it's fast achieving its ambitions. It's growing to become an eclectic mix of independent writers whose works range from comedy and sci-fi to thrillers and erudite historical dramas. If you haven't yet paid a visit, I promise you'll find something there that will make it worth your while.

Guest Post - Alastair Miles

The guest post series continues this month with Alastair Miles, who is not only a wonderful comic writer, but also the founder of the much-mentioned Comedy Literature Only Group (CLOG) on Authonomy. Part of a small and very select group of top-hat wearers, he has created an online community of writers that feels, for a number of us, rather like home.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the excellent Mr Miles.

Making the Cut

Editing. It's a grim business.

I'm currently working on the second edition of Unreliable Histories - a modestly restructured version that, I hope, addresses some issues that were bothering me. On the positive side, it's meant that I've had a chance to slot in a few extra jokes that occurred to me after publishing the first edition on Amazon, and it also afforded me the opportunity to break some fairly long chapters into smaller, fun-sized chunks.

Book Goodies Feature

Thanks to all those kind people at BookGoodies.com who have just featured Unreliable Histories in their 'Humor' listings.

It begins with what is currently, I think, my favourite synopsis, followed by a short Q&A - i.e. "What Inspired You to Write Your Book?" and "How Did You Come up With Your Characters?" Those questions afforded an opportunity to witter on about fantasy cliches for a bit, which - incidentally - is pretty much what the books are about anyway.

The article ends with an excerpt from a scene in which Myrah and Al encounter a fundraising officer outside the Wizard's College in Tebit.

Oh, and in case anyone's interested, Unreliable Histories will be on free promotion on Amazon on Boxing Day.