Why I detest Alien deniers
For as long as I’ve had eyes to hear and ears to see, I have long believed we are not the only ones to exist in the cosmos. I’m simply too pragmatic and sensible to believe otherwise. I mean seriously, are people that arrogant to believe we are the “only” special ones floating on a […]
Do not hang this on a lemonade stand
It seems my recent marketing efforts are proving fruitful. Not only are my fictional wares flying off their digital shelves, but most importantly, we’ve had a horde of fresh faces be “warmly” greeted by Lyara and I. 😈 To those, I say… “Welcome.” You’ll have to endure a number of my musings until you are […]
My nightmare came true
I was out in the garden this morning to deal with a sudden ant problem that found its way into our house. I eradicated the first batch indoors (read: stomped on them), thinking their lack of returning brethren would be enough to warn the colony NOT to trespass in the Watson residence again. Obviously, the […]
The sad case of Diogo Jota
Unless you're a soccer fan or live in Europe, you probably missed the news that Liverpool FC and Portugal striker, Diogo Jota, died in a car accident with his brother exactly one week ago. He was just 28 years old. He leaves behind a wife (his high school sweetheart by all accounts, whom he married […]
Perhaps the truest tweet I’ve read all year
I was doom-scrolling X (Twitter) for the first time in weeks, and I almost regretted it. My news feed was awash with rants, political discourse (read: fire-breathing Lefties and Righties), and hyperbolic tweets that, of course, attracted a tonne of engagement. It seems the days when thoughtful content and art prevailed are all but gone. […]
I cannot begin to tell you how relieved I am
At long bloody last. The heatwave that has had me tossing and turning like a restless pig has left the UK… For now. (Rumour has it another one is on the way 😭) While cooler temps have returned to our running water and I’m no longer sticking to every surface in the house, the thing […]
5 reasons NOT to read The Divided Region
I often get asked what books my series is most like and which bestsellers it compares to. And always, I wince. Everyone’s impressions and memories of books/movies are different. I could say my books lean closer to Game of Thrones than Lord of the Rings, but someone else might say, “No, no, I get Brandon […]
The one thing I actually miss from the pandemic
There isn’t much about 2020 (or the two years that followed) that I truly miss. I certainly don’t miss the grossly misleading figures politicians kept pushing. I don’t miss getting called vulgar names by strangers who, for some reason, took great interest in my decision not to take the shot. And I definitely don’t miss […]
Brutal. Gripping. Raw.
Long-time readers will know I have something of a morbid fascination with crocodiles. Particularly Nile crocodiles. Not only did I get up close and personal with hundreds of them in Morocco (a sobering experience, let me tell you)… … but I’ve also binged just about every wildlife clip imaginable on these prehistoric beasts. And […]
Americans aren’t the only ones celebrating today
Happy 4th of July to my American Patrons and Legionnaires. 🥳 The day your country broke off from my Motherland, Britain. While some of you will no doubt be firing up BBQs, launching fireworks into the sky, and attending red, white, and blue parades to celebrate your 1776 rebellion, for the rest of the world, […]
Why I’ll never do a pop-up author stall
I fully anticipate some writers upon the Legion will smash the QUIT option at the bottom of this email. By all means, you’re free to go, but know this: I am not running down the practice nor those who do it – it’s simply an “it’s me, not you” type of deal. With that weak […]
The day I started saying no
Let’s yap about: The inability to say no. We’ve all been there: A friend asks to go out, but you’re tired, drained, not feeling it, and yet you still say yes. A family member wants help with a DIY project, or feedback on something, or to “quickly look over” a 48-page document — and yet, […]
My ‘wierd’ remedy to a scorching heatwave
As of writing this email, it is currently 34 degrees Celsius here in London. (93 degrees Fahrenheit for my North American Legionnaires.) Sweaty Betty doesn’t even come close to what I’m feeling right now, and yet, for some strange, deceptive reason, the UK still doesn’t build homes with A/C units pre-installed. Yes, we get a […]
Do I read my books once published?
It’s a question I get a lot when “being an author” crops up in conversation. I used to find this question confusing at first. I mean, as if the drafting and the editing phases (oftentimes clocking in dozens of passes) aren’t enough… why in McDonald’s Happy Meal would any author want to read their book […]
Fantasy doesn’t care for BLM
For far too long, there has been a nasty injustice lurking in the fantasy best-seller charts that nobody wants to talk about, much less change. Many authors — young and old, successful and not — are contributing to this impasse with every release, and worse still, some are doing so willingly without any regard for […]
Meet Dick
I’m a stickler for routine, but that doesn’t mean I’m great at enforcing it. I may be a storyteller; however, I’m also a human (as hard as that is to believe) and, like most mortals, I too have flaws. I know, hard to believe, right? But if I don’t cram in a bit of reading […]
I almost didn’t get with Lady Laura
Lady Laura and I are what some call “High School Sweethearts.” We met in college (though we were pupils at the same school in the preceding years) and have been going strong a whole sixteen years later. We’ve travelled to well over a dozen countries, spent six months abroad, travelled through countless peaks and valleys […]
Hans Zimmer did NOT pay me to write this email
For me, movie soundtracks are just as important as the stories themselves. Particularly when it comes to fantasy and sci-fi. A good one elevates everything about the motion picture. It sucks me in, ignites my senses, and yes… occasionally wets my eyes (but don’t tell Lady Laura that). Over the years of racking up more […]
Introducing: “Watsonian Fantasy”
I’ve never really fitted in as an author. I never came out of the womb with a pen or a burning story idea, nor do any of my books slot into any one sub-genre. Take The Divided Region, for example. It’s epic in nature, but doesn’t have the dragons, multiple POV characters, or lore that […]
Your final reminder
Yesterday, I shared how Patrons can access the new and improved e-book and audiobook versions of Exiled, Forbidden Forest, Last Alliance, and One True King (for free, of course). If, for some blasphemous reason, you didn’t read the email, then count yourself lucky I am generous enough to reshare it. It's simply too important to […]