Michael Ling's Blog
August 16, 2024
AUGUST 2024 UPDATE - Royal Road, Patreon and Future Releases
Hey everyone!
Royal Road: Going forward, I’ll be releasing my works in progress for FREE on Royal Road, a webnovel site. I’m doing this to increase exposure and allow feedback early on, and so far, it’s been very helpful. I am serializing two books there already: Black Fire and The Navigator Saga. Check them out!
Patreon: I also have a Patreon for those who want to read the most current versions of my drafts. Currently, the Patreon is six chapters ahead of Black Fire on Royal Road.
Future Releases: After a story finishes serializing on Patreon, I’ll still release the eBook and Paperback copies on Amazon, which will be the most edited and polished versions.
My Royal Road fiction:
https://www.royalroad.com/profile/517...
Royal Road: Going forward, I’ll be releasing my works in progress for FREE on Royal Road, a webnovel site. I’m doing this to increase exposure and allow feedback early on, and so far, it’s been very helpful. I am serializing two books there already: Black Fire and The Navigator Saga. Check them out!
Patreon: I also have a Patreon for those who want to read the most current versions of my drafts. Currently, the Patreon is six chapters ahead of Black Fire on Royal Road.
Future Releases: After a story finishes serializing on Patreon, I’ll still release the eBook and Paperback copies on Amazon, which will be the most edited and polished versions.
My Royal Road fiction:
https://www.royalroad.com/profile/517...
July 29, 2024
Black Fire releasing for FREE NOW on Royal Road
Check it out: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/909...
Synopsis:
Manila 2047. Engineered psychedelics. Trillion-dollar streaming giants. Two men in a turf war.
In 2047, thousands of capture drones fill Manila’s streets, searching for unadapted fiction and observing people to inspire new television series.
Jayson Bernal Vargas is one of these people, spending his days just surviving. By day, he’s a call center agent; by night, he’s a getaway driver for thieves stealing fiction from the Giants. He’s poor and on the verge of giving up on life when he discovers something that could elevate him out of poverty and right into the path of an emerging vape drug called Black Fire.
The drug, however, is the only thing standing between Bryce Desmond and a huge payout. Returning to Manila as a field security agent, Bryce dives into the city’s seedy underground, facing off against junkies, his past, and Jayson Bernal Vargas.
Synopsis:
Manila 2047. Engineered psychedelics. Trillion-dollar streaming giants. Two men in a turf war.
In 2047, thousands of capture drones fill Manila’s streets, searching for unadapted fiction and observing people to inspire new television series.
Jayson Bernal Vargas is one of these people, spending his days just surviving. By day, he’s a call center agent; by night, he’s a getaway driver for thieves stealing fiction from the Giants. He’s poor and on the verge of giving up on life when he discovers something that could elevate him out of poverty and right into the path of an emerging vape drug called Black Fire.
The drug, however, is the only thing standing between Bryce Desmond and a huge payout. Returning to Manila as a field security agent, Bryce dives into the city’s seedy underground, facing off against junkies, his past, and Jayson Bernal Vargas.
July 16, 2024
JULY 2024 UPDATE - Deadless available now! Manila sci-fi novel. Future project.
It’s been a busy month!
Deadless: Deadless is now available in eBook and paperback!! You can pick it up on Amazon:
Paperback: https://a.co/d/iqx8TnI
eBook: https://a.co/d/fiEEJEQ
Manila sci-fi novel: I finished the second draft of the sci-fi novel set in Manila. It’s grown quite a bit since the last update and requires a clear head before I review it, so I’ve set it aside for a few weeks. In the meantime…
Future project: I’ve been worldbuilding a fantasy universe revolving around tabletop gaming. It will be a significant, multi-book endeavor that probably won’t begin for a while, but the world will undoubtedly be unique. Expect to hear more from that later on in the year.
See you in August!
Deadless
Deadless: Deadless is now available in eBook and paperback!! You can pick it up on Amazon:
Paperback: https://a.co/d/iqx8TnI
eBook: https://a.co/d/fiEEJEQ
Manila sci-fi novel: I finished the second draft of the sci-fi novel set in Manila. It’s grown quite a bit since the last update and requires a clear head before I review it, so I’ve set it aside for a few weeks. In the meantime…
Future project: I’ve been worldbuilding a fantasy universe revolving around tabletop gaming. It will be a significant, multi-book endeavor that probably won’t begin for a while, but the world will undoubtedly be unique. Expect to hear more from that later on in the year.
See you in August!
Deadless
June 16, 2024
JUNE 2024 UPDATE - Deadless, Manila sci-fi novel
This will be a short update, as I’ve been focusing on these two projects.
Deadless: Deadless is coming soon! The final cover looks great and shows off the characters and the setting well. I’m waiting for final revisions and feedback before hitting Publish on Amazon. The paperback proof is shaping up to be what I hoped for.
Manila sci-fi novel: I’m 75% through the second draft of a sci-fi novel set in Manila. It’s definitely more of a beast than I anticipated (to say the least)! Apparently, switching the setting from North America to the Philippines is more than superficial. The themes, characters, and plot are entirely different, but I’m having a blast writing it!
Expect more updates next month on my direction for future projects.
See you in July!
Deadless: Deadless is coming soon! The final cover looks great and shows off the characters and the setting well. I’m waiting for final revisions and feedback before hitting Publish on Amazon. The paperback proof is shaping up to be what I hoped for.
Manila sci-fi novel: I’m 75% through the second draft of a sci-fi novel set in Manila. It’s definitely more of a beast than I anticipated (to say the least)! Apparently, switching the setting from North America to the Philippines is more than superficial. The themes, characters, and plot are entirely different, but I’m having a blast writing it!
Expect more updates next month on my direction for future projects.
See you in July!
May 5, 2024
MAY 2024 Update - Deadless, Unwritten Age #2, Cyberpunk(?) Manila Sci-Fi book
Deadless: The next book I’ll be publishing is titled 'Deadless' and will be released in the next few months. The alpha reading process is fully underway, and I’ve already received feedback and started revising.
The Unwritten Age #2: I’m approximately 50% through the first draft of the next book in The Unwritten Age series. It’s still very early, and the biggest challenge is making sure it’s not too large. I’m aiming for 150K words or so in the final draft, which is about 10% more than The Inciter Strand.
Cyberpunk(?) Manila Sci-Fi book: The third book I plan to release this year takes place in a futuristic Manila. I’m refraining from classifying it as cyberpunk as it isn’t as dark and gritty. I’m on the second draft now, focusing on localizing it and making it seem authentically Filipino while also being relatable.
Happy May!
The Unwritten Age #2: I’m approximately 50% through the first draft of the next book in The Unwritten Age series. It’s still very early, and the biggest challenge is making sure it’s not too large. I’m aiming for 150K words or so in the final draft, which is about 10% more than The Inciter Strand.
Cyberpunk(?) Manila Sci-Fi book: The third book I plan to release this year takes place in a futuristic Manila. I’m refraining from classifying it as cyberpunk as it isn’t as dark and gritty. I’m on the second draft now, focusing on localizing it and making it seem authentically Filipino while also being relatable.
Happy May!
April 14, 2024
APRIL 2024 UPDATE - The Inciter Strand, New Book, Audiobooks, and The Unwritten Age #2
THE INCITER STRAND: My first book, The Inciter Strand, is available on Amazon. Please check it out and leave an honest review if you haven’t already done so!
NEW BOOK: My next book is a standalone tale in a new world that’s been in my head for years. My Alpha readers are currently reviewing it, and I’ve also commissioned a cover (to be revealed once finalized). Without giving away too much, this book is a fantasy story centering on the afterlife and a few characters’ experiences around it. I’m aiming to release it in the next few months, depending on Alpha reader feedback and cover revisions.
AUDIOBOOKS: I’m exploring audiobook options for The Inciter Strand and the “new book” mentioned above. If this goes well, I’ll release audiobooks for those two titles and all future works.
THE UNWRITTEN AGE (UA) #2: I’m approximately 40% through the FIRST DRAFT of the next book in The Unwritten Age series. You’ll see some familiar faces and meet some new characters with fresh perspectives. I'm targeting a release later this year but it depends on revisions and Alpha reading.
Till next time!
NEW BOOK: My next book is a standalone tale in a new world that’s been in my head for years. My Alpha readers are currently reviewing it, and I’ve also commissioned a cover (to be revealed once finalized). Without giving away too much, this book is a fantasy story centering on the afterlife and a few characters’ experiences around it. I’m aiming to release it in the next few months, depending on Alpha reader feedback and cover revisions.
AUDIOBOOKS: I’m exploring audiobook options for The Inciter Strand and the “new book” mentioned above. If this goes well, I’ll release audiobooks for those two titles and all future works.
THE UNWRITTEN AGE (UA) #2: I’m approximately 40% through the FIRST DRAFT of the next book in The Unwritten Age series. You’ll see some familiar faces and meet some new characters with fresh perspectives. I'm targeting a release later this year but it depends on revisions and Alpha reading.
Till next time!
