Why re-reading my stuff is a good idea
Last night, while not doing the thing I should have been — sleeping — I happened across a post in a popular sci-fi and fantasy reader group. A popular one at that. It had attracted hundreds of hearts, likes, and replies like orcs to the mines of Moria, and after reading the first line, I […]
My unsolicited advice to this young lady
The sun had begun its descent for the day, and if I’m being unashamedly honest with myself, I had absolutely zero willpower to cook anything beyond cheese on toast. But there was just one problem. A round and waddling one at that: LADY LAURA. Such meagre meals don’t cut it for her like they used […]
The Divided Region Paperbacks are LIVE
This is but a friendly reminder to my loyal horde of Legionnaires who may not have read yesterday's email (Lyara will be reprimanding you!) that the paperbacks for The Divided Region are officially… LIVE! After months of procrastination, and an entire Sunday spent loading them individually on my Storehouse AND setting up the shipping zones […]
It finally happened
After several months of procrastination and intense research, the paperbacks for The Divided Region are finally LIVE! I can confirm the overall quality compared to Amazon is superior. The covers have a smooth matte finish, the pages are soft to the touch, and the colours of the emblems pop so much more. My only regret? […]
My problem with Darius
Most authors won’t admit what I am about to until long after they’ve made their coin from a book or series. Yet, as long-standing Legionnaires will know, that’s not how I play ball around these grubby parts. And it’s certainly not what makes the Legion so alluring (if I say so myself). No. I’m willing […]
Will my paperbacks be on Amazon?
Long-time Legionnaires will know I’ve always had a Storehouse-first attitude, and for good reasons. When I first started taking this publishing gig seriously, for the first year, my books weren’t even available on Amazon or other retailers. I loathed relying on them. I didn’t like landing on a product page crammed with 101 other books […]
The night I got punched for doing the right thing
Let’s rewind back to 2011, maybe 2012. When a very young D.J.J. Watson — long before he became the Overlord and Saviour of our much-loved cult — was still just a clueless student. I was attending university, taking an accountancy degree, mostly because I’d reached the end of my time in sixth form (college for […]
[24 hours left] Claim your rare discount
This is the LAST CALL to claim my never-to-be-repeated-again paperback coupon. Unless you’re new around here, or have been living under a rock with Gollum these past several days, I’ve offered all readers and Patrons of The Divided Region the chance to get 25% off the upcoming paperbacks when they go live. All you have […]
Crisis averted (+ Amazon paperbacks inside)
After 3-5 days of a raging temperature and body-wide spots, Master Liam is finally coming out of his viral fever. It wasn’t chickenpox, measles, or any other nasty infection (thankfully), but still, it wasn’t pleasant for the poor chap. On the plus side, he’ll have an immune system that almost matches his father’s, though he […]
I may have spoken too soon
Legionnaires will know that for the past couple of days, our 15-month-old has come down with what doctors diagnosed as a viral fever. Something that can only be managed with paracetamol, ibuprofen, and time. We managed to successfully bring down his near-40-degree temperature (in Celsius, that is), and we thought we had turned a corner. […]
5 hours and 31 minutes
Laura and I arrived to find a packed A&E (ER for my American friends). Wherever we looked, there were dozens of people in wheelchairs, folks hunched forward with a sick pan on their laps, doctors darting in all directions, and even one idiot trying to smoke weed. But most frightening of all was the 42-inch […]
How to get a juicy discount on my paperbacks
This will be a quick one as Laura and I are readying ourselves to take Master Liam to the hospital. Don’t worry, nothing bad has happened to him. He’s had a vicious fever for the past few days, and it’s showing no signs of letting up, so we’re just taking precautions and getting him checked […]
A deal not even Russia can refuse
I’ve never been one to ask for reviews. In fact, I’ve never really been one to ask for anything beyond my bacon being extra crispy and the occasional back rub from Lady Laura, which, let me tell you, is rarer than a pork chop at a vegan party. So naturally, when it comes to gathering […]
I accidentally published my paperback
Any Legionnaire that’s been here longer than a week or two will be aware that your Overlord & Saviour has been undertaking something of a critical mission: OPERATION PAPERBACK Oh, and what a marathon it has been. I’ve rebranded the covers of The Divided Region. I’ve identified my Print-On-Demand (POD) partner for my Storehouse and […]
While grifters grift, I’m busy doing this
Fresh off the publishing press is the latest Amazon scandal: Books imitating biographies. These ebooks and paperbacks are entirely written by AI and are said to be capitalising on public figures currently getting a lot of publicity. For example, one article reports there has been a surge of books imitating the biographies of the women’s […]
Reader has hope after reading TDR
Just the other day, I was alerted to this comment left behind by a reader of The Divided Region (specifically Exiled): Really like the writing here – no try-hard fancy word-play, doesn't elaborately describe characters and scenes, leaving something for the imagination to chew on. Good pacing as well. It's not a first-person snark-fest emotional […]
Social media incest
I think I’m in good company when I say this: Social media — particularly Reels on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok — has become a basin for copycats. Not always, but often. Entire “successes” (or at least creator success on those platforms) are built almost entirely by hopping on trends. I’m not necessarily saying it’s wrong […]
A writing update
It’s been a hot minute — as the yutes of the world say — since I’ve given an update on all things writing. If it’s not audiobook creation, it has been sourcing a print-on-demand service for my paperbacks. If it hasn’t been paperbacks, it has been commissioning new covers. If it’s not been new covers, […]
The insect that inspired my fantasy beast
I was in the garden the other day, sweeping up some leaves (as you do), when I happened across this monstrosity: 😳 Putting aside my quivering hands and the beads of sweat cascading down my forehead, I wasn’t surprised that there weren’t any flies or insects caught in the web. Nothing screams more: “A […]
My books might have been written by a Martian
Get your tinfoil hat, because things are about to get deeply conspiratorial. A couple of days ago, I shared my most-held AI predictions that had some of you agreeing, disagreeing, and outright accusing me of lying. As I was reading these comments, I thought: “If this is stirring up a bunch of replies, wait until […]