John M. Dow's Blog

To coincide with this year's NanoWriMo, I'll be starting on the first third of The Cost of a Life (The Ciriath Cycle #2) on the 1st November. The storyline is looking good so far – spread over three 'acts' of around 50,000 words each. If I make it through the first act, 'The Dropped Stitch' in November and then sustain that pace, we could be looking at a springtime release.

There's an interesting new dynamic being introduced too – in the form of George Kirkwood. George is cynical, jaded and not without power. He has very good reasons to dislike James. Which is unfortunate, because James really, really needs his help.

As we hurtle headlong towards October, I've been looking back at September and thinking it ended up being a bit of a crazy month. With From Within reaching #5 in the US charts and a lot of you guys sending some amazing feedback and writing some great reviews, it's given me a real insight in what you like (and don't like).

I can't stress enough how amazing it is to be so directly connected to my readership! Please, keep your comments coming – I read and reply to every one of them. Remember – you're the boss, not me!

Careless Talk has been out for a month now, in ebook format at least. The paperback has only been on shelves for a week or so. In that time, however, the amount feedback I've received has been tremendous. So far, it's ranged from excited 'SQUEE' comments to some seriously thought provoking questions relating to the origin and history of the Ciriath.

By far the most common question, though, is related to the next book – The Cost of a Life. I'm not going to give any spoilers here, but what I can say is that the current story arc, centring around James, Dawn and Emily, will be continued in The Cost of a Life and concluded in Discord Ascendant.

Which brings me to the second most popular question – is this the end of The Ciriath Cycle. Oh no, Dear Reader. You and I have a long way to travel together before the book is finally closed. There are many, many stories of the Ciriath which I want to tell and (I hope) you'll want to read; a history of the Nephilim Wars, the signing of the Treaty, the fall of the Old Ones.

Work is currently well under way with The Cost of a Life. As the middle part of a trilogy, I'm aiming to introduce a little more back story / historical interludes, but rather than focussing on showing only those events which directly relate to the modern day action, I plan to use these interludes to show a little more of the character of our heroes.

Stick with me and watch this space. Remember, you can also follow me on twitter (@johnmdow) and on Facebook (using the panel in the sidebar).

Careless Talk is now available in paperback, for those of you who still prefer the feel of a 'real' book.

It can be purchase from Amazon.com for $13.99 and Amazon.co.uk for £7.89.

Ciriath Cycle #2 is underway! I've reached that point in The Sounding that many writers will recognise. Like the dinosaurs on Jurassic Park site B (or was it A?), the book requires my absence for a while. On top of this, some of the new characters and situations in The Cost of a Life are clamouring at me for attention.

The second book in the cycle picks up from where Careless Talk left off, but about twenty years later. After all, what are twenty years to an immortal?

If you thought things couldn't get any worse for our hapless heroes, you're very wrong.

From Within is now available in paperback form form a variety of retailers:

Amazon UK (£7.91 + p&p)

Amazon US ($12.99 + p&p)

Barnes and Noble ($9.35 + p&p)

 

This is just a little bit of fun. Some of these little factoids are bizarre, but it's all true – honest, guv!

I have crazy hair. Hair so crazy it would make 'Doc' Emmett Brown weep with envy.
The walk through the park in From Within is based on a recurring nightmare I had as a child. Except it wasn't zombies, it was a big dog-thing called "The Bow".
I once got lost in the centre of a roundabout. It was quite a big one, though.
I studied Computer Science. I was rubbish at it.
I failed my high school geography exam because all my answers were sarcastic.
The finale of Careless Talk was heavily influenced by the last section of the song Supper's Ready by Genesis.
I have a hamster named Patrick.
I have a bad habit of poking myself in the eye with doritos.
I drink coffee while reading and tea while writing.
I do most of my writing on an Apple iPad using Docs2Go and Dropbox.
I was banned from an amusement arcade as a child for playing Williams' Defender for four hours on one credit.
I listen to hideously loud music while writing.
I kept choking up at one point while writing Careless Talk. It became quite difficult to write.
I shouted an obscenity very loudly and did the happy dance in the middle of a crowded commuter train after beating Dracula in Castlevania: Circle of the Moon on the Gameboy Advance.
I deny the existence of Star Wars: Episode 1 and Indiana Jones 4. They never happened, alright?
When I'm writing from a character's point of view, I find it difficult to get back out of their head. That's why I don't often write in the first person. It's scary.
I never knew how deeply rooted in Scotland I am until I tried living in Australia.
I back up all my writing in about four different places because I'm intensely paranoid about losing work.
I once stopped a plane on the taxiway at Heathrow Airport because I wanted to get off.
I find it difficult to 'let a book go'. If I was left to my own devices, I'd constantly be redrafting and never get anything published.
I have very little interest in how 'well' my books sell. If even one person I don't know reads it and enjoys it, I consider it a success.
I have a tendency to see the funny side of everything. It's not always appropriate.
The Ciriath Cycle currently exists in my head as about 14 different books spanning as many genres.
I reply to every single feedback email I receive, and get a thrill out of every one of them.
I read for at least two hours every single day.

Well, there we have it! I hope you enjoyed

After what seems like an eternity, Careless Talk is now available as an eBook. The first retailer to get it out the door was Smashwords.com and Amazon.co.uk. Apple, Sony and the rest of them will follow shortly. I'll post news as it happens.

I hope you all enjoy reading Careless Talk as much as I enjoyed writing it. It's been a very long and interesting journey but, as you'll find, it's only just beginning.

Feedback from test readers and suggested edits are beginning to flow, so I'm well on track for getting Careless Talk out to you all by the end of July. It'll be a bit of a milestone for me, as it's the culmination of a lot of work and a lot of dreams over the past few years.

In the meantime, work on The Sounding continues apace. I think those of you who enjoyed From Within are going to love it.

Watch this space! Hopefully there'll be an announcement soon.

The redraft is done and the manuscript sent off to my trusty test editing and review team for a last going over. All going well, Careless Talk should be available in a week or two.