Posts Tagged ‘King Arthur legend’

Conversations with Chelsea Banning

Posted: December 18, 2022 in Author Interciew, Novel, Writing
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On today’s interview, I have a very special guest with an amazing story. Some of you are probably already familiar with her story: earlier this month, fellow Ohio author Chelsea Banning took to Twitter to vent her feelings. She’d been at a book signing for her debut fantasy novel, Of Crowns and Legends, where forty people RSVP’ed that they would attend, but only two arrived. The response from the Writing Community was unexpected and massive, with many authors, including Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, and Joyce Carol Oates offering their own stories of poorly-attended events and offering their own help for Ms. Banning’s career. Stephen King even went out of his way to let his entire Twitter following know about her next event the moment she tweeted about it!

Since then, word about Of Crown and Legends has also spread and has become an Amazon bestseller with plenty of positive reviews (seventy-five at the time of posting). This is hopefully the beginning of a prosperous career, so I thought I’d pick the author’s brains sooner rather than later. So, please welcome Chelsea Banning, author of Of Crowns and Legends, to my blog.

Rami Ungar: Welcome to my blog, Chelsea. Tell us about yourself and your book, Of Crowns and Legends.

CB: My name is Chelsea and I am a Young Adult/Teen Librarian by day and author by night. I am also a self proclaimed geek. I love Marvel, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, cosplay, and Renaissance Faires. My book Of Crowns and Legends follows the twin children King Arthur was never supposed to have 20 years after his death. It is about their struggles to live in his shadow while also dealing with an upcoming war.

RU: I’m something of a big Arthurian legend fan myself, and have even written about it as well. What is it about the mythos that draws you to it?

CB: You know, it’s hard to say. I think it’s as mysterious as who exactly King Arthur is himself. There’s just some sort of magic that draws people into this story.

RU: Please describe your research and writing process for the book.

CB: I pretty much devoured any King Arthur book, movie, and TV show I could get my hands on. As I write, I did a bit of research along the way if I had questions. It’s a high fantasy, so it’s not historically accurate at all, but I did want to incorporate as much of myth as I could from all the different stories.

RU: Can you tell us about the book signing where only two people showed up and what happened later? What was your reaction to that?

CB: Yeah, I had reached out to Pretty Good Books after I saw them have another author signing. I had heard from quite a few of my friends saying they were planning on coming out, and then when the signing happened and only 2 people came, it was a little disheartening. I was still feeling a little bummed the next morning and just wanted to kind of get the feelings off my chest so they wouldn’t keep resonating in my head.

I did not expect it to take off the way it did and when I initially saw it, I was just in pure shock.

RU: Have any of the authors who encouraged and boosted you reached out to you personally? Have any of them read the book? What were their reactions to it?

CB: Brigid Kemmerer offered to help with advice about agents, and my old writing professor, Christopher Barzak, who is an award winning author himself, has been a huge help through all of this!

Joanne Harris offered some advice as well and it’s been so heartwarming. I love the writing community.

RU: So do I. Now, Of Crowns and Legends is currently an Amazon bestseller and averaging a 4.2 out of 5 there at the time of writing this. How does it feel to have found so many readers and getting so much positive feedback?

CB: It feels amazing. That’s every authors’ ultimate dream, isn’t it?

RU: Yes, it is. So, what’s next for you, both in terms of your writing and your career? Also, is there an audio version of your novel in the works? Asking for a friend who is actually me.

CB: I am currently working on book 2, as Of Crowns and Legends will be a trilogy. After completing this, I definitely plan to write more books. And I am working on an audio!

A very fantasy-esque photo of Of Crowns and Legends.

RU: Good to hear. Now, what are some books you’ve read recently and that you would recommend to other readers?

CB: Legendborn and Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn, Queen and Conqueror by Isabelle Olmo, The Black Witch Chronicles by Laurie Forest, Among the Hunted by Caytlyn Brooke and Akithar’s Greatest Trick by Jason Dorough.

RU: What is some advice you would give to other writers, regardless of background or experience?

CB: Keep writing and don’t give up. Do some research on the writing process and pick out what works for you. Not every writer will be the same, and once you found your rhythm, writing will start to come easier.

RU: Final question. If you were stuck on a desert island for a little while and could only take three books with you for the duration of your stay, what books would you pick?

CB: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas, Lord of the Rings, and The Other Merlin by Robyn Schneider.

RU: Well thank you for joining me here, Chelsea. I look forward to getting my hands on a copy of Of Crowns and Legends.

If you would like to check out Of Crowns and Legends, you can find it at most retailers where great books are sold. And if you would like to connect with Chelsea Banning, you can find her on her website and on Twitter.

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I hope this piqued your interest in the novel (my interest certainly was). Until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares to all!

“Mother of the King:” Two Months Since Publication

Posted: February 1, 2021 in Novelette, Writing
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Happy February! How are you? Did you survive January? How’s 2021 treating you so far? How many fingers am I holding up?

Okay, enough of that. As you can see from the title, it’s been exactly two months since I published my short story “Mother of the King.” Given that milestone, I figured it was time to do another post about it. (I would have done a post marking the one-month mark, but that was also New Year’s Day. Didn’t think it was worth the bother)

So, if you’re unaware, “Mother of the King” is a fantasy/science fiction story centering around King Arthur, and the first story in a little side project of mine I’m calling “the New Arthur Universe.” The story is about the fabled return of King Arthur, told from the recollections of his mother. It’s a different take on the Once and Future King.

I actually planned for this to be a one-off story. I was like, “I just dove down the rabbit hole of Arthurian legend and came back with this one story idea. Let’s write it and see where it goes.” However, the response from readers was that they wanted more. And I was like, “Sure, why not?” So I’ve been thinking of ways to further expand the story and the universe of “Mother of the King.”

In fact, I’m working on a new story in the “New Arthur Universe.” It’s still early stages, but I hope I can put out a new short story or novelette at some point this year.

But enough about that. If you’re interested in checking out “Mother of the King” and supporting this new venture of mine, I’ll leave links below. You can read what other people are saying and maybe purchase a copy yourself. This is an ebook exclusive, with print copies only available at events as chapbooks (click here to see what events I’m currently scheduled to attend in 2021). And if you do end up downloading or buying a copy, please let me know what you think in a review. Positive or negative, I love reader reviews, and they help me out in the long run.

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’ve got a full day of work ahead of me, followed either by some writing or a movie night. Until next time, pleasant nightmares!

Mother of the King: Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon Canada

“Mother of the King:” One Week Since Release

Posted: December 8, 2020 in Novelette, Review, Writing
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My, how time flies when you’re defending Britain!

No, wait. That’s what my characters are doing. I’ve been busy with a million other things. But time has flown since December began and “Mother of the King” came out. And in that time, I’ve gotten a few sales, some great feedback and reviews, and a lot of ideas on the future.

So, for those of you who don’t know, “Mother of the King” is my Arthurian fantasy story that I released as an ebook exclusive. The story centers on the fabled return of King Arthur, as told through the perspective of the woman chosen to be his mother. The story delves deep into Arthurian lore, while also showing how the legend might evolve in the near-future.

And I’ve gotten a lot of good reviews so far on Amazon, Amazon UK and Goodreads. Here’s what some people have said:

What an interesting story! Part history and part futuristic. The legend of King Arthur plays in the forefront while the post apocalyptic England is developing a scientific plan to protect the British Isles from the advancing end of the world. A present young leader Arthur is a top position of protecting the young queen, most likely the last of the royal family and hopefully launch the successful application of the Camelot System that will save them all. The story of the historic King Arthur plays over current events in an interesting way and the story is told first person by Misty Adams [sic], the mother of the king (to be).

This is a well crafted novella and I really wanted to know what eventually happed. I was yelling “No! More now!” On the last page but the story definitely perks up your imagination. Rami Ungar is absolutely one of my favorite writers and look forward to more adventures from him soon. Enjoy!

Kimberly Napolitano, Amazon US and Goodreads

I had the pleasure of reading this book before it came out, it was an amazing read for me, love the main character Misty and the mystery behind her is amazing love it Rami

Kyle Baird, Amazon UK

A short and sweet tale that is inventive, modern, and relatable of a woman and her destiny in raising a King who would rise again. Loved her characterization and witty voice. She could easily be a mother next door and the reader gets swept away in her daily love and struggles of raising her son in coming to power. One of the most down-to-earth and relatable tales about a woman, unbeknownst to her, comes to find herself grabbling with motherhood of one of the most extraordinary kings in mythology.

Leslie, Goodreads & Amazon

And my friend and colleague Allen Huntsman made a video on his channel, DeathGroundReviews, on the story. HE made it sound so amazing both narratively and thematically, and I want him to narrate a future audio version if the future is kind. Check out what he said:

Ooh, I got shivers!

Yeah, it’s been good this week. However, I’ve noticed a trend in the reviews: you guys want more. That you want to know what happens afterward, or see more from Arthur Addison’s point of view. Some were even suggesting that I was laying the basis for a new connected literary universe or sub-universe, or that I was laying groundwork for a TV pitch.

Well, I don’t think a TV show is anywhere near a possibility in my life right now. But a connected universe? That might not be a bad idea. What would I call that? The New Arthur series? The New Arthur Universe? As long as nobody gets the central character confused with my Uncle Arthur, it should be fine…

Oh, alright! Fine! It sounds fun! I’ll do it! I’ll continue the story of Field Marshal Arthur Thomas Addison, AKA the new King Arthur! Like HP Lovecraft’s Dream Cycle, a series of short stories, novelettes, and novellas (and maybe a novel, who knows). It might take time. A lot of time. I’m not going to just write a story and put it out. I have to feel like it’s a good story to add to the major story. But I’ll write further stories in this world.

And when I do, I’ll let you know.

In the meantime, if you want to check out the story, “Mother of the King” is available to download and read. I’ll post the links below if you’re interested. And if you do read the story, please give me some feedback and/or a review. Positive or negative, I love what you have to tell me, and it helps me and other readers in the long run.

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’m off to make dinner and maybe chill, maybe write. We’ll see. Until next time (which will likely be within the next few days), happy reading and pleasant nightmares!

Mother of the King: Amazon US, Amazon CAN, Amazon UK

#FirstLineFriday

Posted: December 4, 2020 in Novelette, Writing
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Yep, I’m doing this again. But I just released a story, so can you blame me?

So, if you’ve never seen me do one of these before, #FirstLineFriday is a tag that was popular for a split second among writers online for a split second, and that I still do here on the blog from time to time. On Fridays, you:

  1. Create a post on your blog titled #FirstLineFriday, hashtag and all.
  2. Explain the rules like I’m doing now.
  3. Post the first one or two lines of a potential story, a story-in-progress, or a completed/published story.
  4. Ask your readers for feedback and try to get them to try #FirstLineFriday on their own blogs (tagging is encouraged but not necessary).

The story whose lines I’m showcasing today shouldn’t be any surprise to anyone. Yes, they’re the first lines from “Mother of the King,” my Arthurian fantasy novelette which was released earlier this week. The story revolves around the fabled return of King Arthur, as told from the point of view of the woman chosen to be his mother. Enjoy:

I want to tell all this to my son. After so many years, I feel like I owe him this, the story of how he came to be.

Well, it’s not much, but it sets up the story nicely in my opinion.

Mother of the King. Available now from Amazon.

But what do you think? How would you improve this? Or is it fine as it is? Let’s discuss.

And if these opening lines got you at all curious about the story itself, “Mother of the King” is available to buy as an ebook now. It’s only been a few days, but it’s already gotten some good reviews. If you haven’t checked it out yet and would like to, I’ll include the links below. And if you read it, please let me know what you think. Positive or negative, I love reader feedback, and it helps me and other readers in the long run.

And as for who I’m tagging, I TAG YOU, READER! YES, YOU!!! I’m tagging you all, my Followers of Fear, plus any unfortunate who has come across this post by accident. You must now do the #FirstLineFriday, and tag back to me when you’re done! Mwa ha ha!

Sorry I’m so extra this morning. It’s Friday, and I just want it to be the weekend.

Well, that’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’ll see you all very soon (most likely to push this story a bit more). Until next time, stay safe and warm, pleasant nightmares, and don’t let Krampus down your chimney tomorrow night. I hear tomorrow night’s his night…

Mother of the King: Amazon US, Amazon CAN, Amazon UK

Chapbooks: What are They, and Why Do Authors Make Them?

Posted: December 2, 2020 in Living and Life, Reflections, Writing
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I’ve mentioned a few times that “Mother of the King” and any other short(er) stories I self-publish over the next year will only be available in print as chapbooks to be sold at conventions and other events. The conventions and other events part is easy to understand, but I’m sure some of you have wondered what a chapbook is. Well, as promised, I’m going to explain what those are and why authors make them.

To put it simply, a chapbook is a small pamphlet or booklet of 40 pages or less, either folded from a giant piece of paper or stapled together from several sheets of paper (fun fact: the latter is known as saddle-stitching). The practice of making and selling chapbooks began around the 16th century and were named after the men who sold them, chapmen, who were early traveling salesmen and dealers. Modern chapbooks are often made by authors using printers and staplers, or assembled in print shops and sold at events or sometimes in specialty bookstores.

So, that’s what a chapbook is. Why do we have them? Why would an author make them?

Well, chapbooks were originally printed for working class families who could read but couldn’t afford books on their own (even with the printing press, those things were expensive). They were easy to transport and helpful in disseminating ideas, information, entertainment and (often inaccurate) history into popular culture. They were also used to develop literacy, much like comic books and graphic novels help teens and people who don’t speak a nation’s native language learn and develop language and reading skills.

“The Chapbook, promotional poster” by MCAD Library is licensed with CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Fast forward to today. Books are cheaper and libraries exist, but chapbooks are still around. They’ve been especially popular during the past couple of decades in certain circles thanks to copying and printing technology. For the first time, people could sell their stories and poetry directly to the people without the aid of a major publisher or someone who owned a printing press. It was kind of an early form of self-publishing, if you think about it.

With people making chapbooks and small circulation magazines from home, the chapbook has made something of a comeback. And though it’s still not as popular as the your regular hundred-plus page book, they’re still being put out every year. Authors and poets like how easy and cheap they are, and how they can make something of a profit from them while also giving potential fans something quick to enjoy and maybe get hooked on their work. Like I said, a form of self-publishing, though some presses also do chapbooks alongside regular books.

And presses and authors aren’t the only ones who have seen value in these little booklets. There are bookstores that sell chapbooks alongside regular paperbacks, events devoted to them as an artform (looking at you, NYC/CUNY Chapbook Festival), and major publishers using them as advertising tools for their catalogs. And sometimes, depending on the chapbook, who made it, the method of production, and how many exist, these babies can go for quite a bit of money. Sometimes hundreds of dollars.

Not bad for a cheap little booklet that was often recycled as toilet paper after the buyers were done with the story (yeah, that’s true. As well as strips of old newspapers. Beats a stick or a corn cob though, right?).

Anyway, I don’t expect to make hundreds of dollars off chapbooks of my work. Especially when they’ll still be available as ebooks online. But as I said above, they’d be a good way to get my work out to more people. For events out of town, they could help fund those trips. And let’s face it, they could be fun to have and to show off at my next convention. Whenever that is. Damn you, COVID-19!

Anyway, that’s a chapbook. A form of literature with a cool history and a revival in an age when people can control when stories come out. A diverse artform that takes very little time to make and enjoy. And I hope I can start making them (or going to the print shop to make them) very soon.

In the meantime, I already have one story out in a digital format, so it’s kind of like a chapbook. Yeah, you knew this was coming. My Arthurian fantasy novelette, “Mother of the King,” is out now and available as an e-book. The story is about the fabled return of King Arthur, told from the point of view of the woman chosen to be his mother. It’s been out barely two days, and it’s already garnering some great reviews! I’ll include the links below, so check it out!

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’m off with a priestess, a dragon and a Deep One to find Arthur’s casket. Until next time, good night, happy reading and pleasant nightmares!

Mother of the King: Amazon US, Amazon CAN, Amazon UK

“Mother of the King” Releases Today!!!

Posted: December 1, 2020 in Living and Life, Novelette, Progress Report, Writing
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Good morning and happy December, Followers of Fear! We’re almost done with 2020 (and I think we’re all excited about that). However, while we’re still stuck in this year, there’s still much to do and look forward to. And I hope you’re including the release of my latest story, “Mother of the King,” in your list of things to look forward to!

For those of you who don’t know, “Mother of the King” is a fantasy novelette about the return of King Arthur, told from the perspective of the woman responsible for his return. It’s being released as an e-book exclusive on Amazon, and guess what? Today’s the release date!

(And sorry for those who prefer physical copies, but those will only be available as chapbooks at events like conventions or book readings. Just got to hope you can come to a future event I’ll be attending someday. And yes, I’ll be releasing a post about what chapbooks are as soon as I can.)

A story about the return of King Arthur. Sounds cool, doesn’t it?

I’m very excited to release this story. I first got interested in Arthurian legend about two years ago, and went down a rabbit hole of research. The result was this story, which incorporates a lot of what I learned into the story while still being a (hopefully) entertaining tale.

I’ll include the links down below for anyone who’s interested. And if you do end up buying a copy and reading it, please leave a review and let me know what you think. Positive or negative, I love reader feedback. Plus, your reviews help other readers know whether or not they should check out the stories themselves.

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’ve got a busy day ahead of me. Until next time, happy reading, pleasant nightmares, and LOOK OUT FOR THE MACE TO THE HEAD!!!

Mother of the King: Amazon US, Amazon CAN, Amazon UK

Why Beta Readers are so Helpful

Posted: November 29, 2020 in Reflections, Writing
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So, you just finished a short story. It might be a short story or a novel. Either way, it’s finished and you love it! You think it’s great, that it has potential, that it could even get published somewhere. Hell, you even dream of it getting awards and adaptation offers and so much more! With all that in mind, what do you do with this awesome story of yours?

If you said, “Rush to get it published,” I’m only going to say that that’s not the answer I was going for. If, however, you said “I’m going to get a beta reader or two to look at the story,” then congratulations! You got the answer I was going for.

As you likely already know, beta readers are readers who look at a story somewhere along the editing process and give critiques and feedback. They may also give help with the spelling/grammar/punctuation issues of the story, depending on what they can offer. And over the past year or two, I’ve made sure to use beta readers for every one of my short stories.

Let’s face it, authors can be our own worst critics, and our own worst editors. We can see a lot, but occasionally things slip by our notice. In fact, a lot of things can slip by our notice. Typos, plot holes, inconsistencies in character development or backstory, implausible situations or things that don’t jive with reality. Beta readers point out things authors miss, or don’t want to think of as problems because they love their stories too much (it happens).

Take my recently-completed short story Afternoon Tea, the one about the cursed silent film. I found two beta readers who were willing to read the story and give me feedback. Both of them got back to me really quickly, and they said the story had a lot of potential and that they liked it. They did, however, both notice something that made no sense to them. One actually wrote quite a bit in their notes about why that plot point made no sense or was confusing.

Seeing that they both mentioned it made me realize that they had a point. That single plot point did have its issues. I had to take it out, which made me realize I needed to rewrite that section of the story. Which I was able to do with a bit of brainstorming. And I think it makes for a much better story. One of those same beta readers has already gotten back to me about the second draft and said there’s a lot of improvement, so listening to them was a good decision.

Not only that, but sometimes beta readers bring their own life experiences to help improve a story. Earlier this year I wrote a short story called Primordial Nuclear Soup, which involved a number of military characters. My beta reader happened to be a veteran, so in addition to pointing out numerous flaws with the early draft, they gave me their military experience to help with those characters and scenes.

Without the strong eye of a beta reader, you can miss much. Photo by Wallace Chuck on Pexels.com

None of this stuff I would have known or spotted without the help of my beta readers.

Of course, you do meet the occasional beta reader who turns out to not be so helpful. They send back a lot of praise for the story, but they don’t point out that much that you don’t realize needs fixing. Which can be an issue further down the line when you’re trying to get the story published. What can I say? The majority of them are human (I’m an exception).

But after a while, you do figure out how to spot a helpful beta reader from an unhelpful one. It usually shows in the notes they send back. If that happens, keep looking for more beta readers. You eventually will find someone who can give you the feedback you’re looking for. And sometimes, you even create a circle of beta readers who will gladly look at your work when you need them to and provide the feedback you need. When you do that, you know you’re in good hands.

Suffice to say, beta readers are a great help in making sure your stories are the best they can be. It may not be easy seeing all the problems in a story you’ve poured sweat and tears into, but in the end, listening to them and fixing the story based on what they said helps out immensely.

“Mother of the King.” Available Dec. 1st

Getting the stories published afterwards, however….that’s another fight altogether.

What are your experiences with beta readers like? How have they been helpful with your storytelling endeavors? Let’s discuss.

And before I forget, my Arthurian fantasy story “Mother of the King” releases day-after-tomorrow! If you haven’t preordered a copy of the ebook yet, you can check it out with the links below! Believe me, both beta readers and eARC readers have been raving about this story, so why not check it out? And if you do, let me know what you think. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the story.

Mother of the King: Amazon US, Amazon CAN, Amazon UK

“Mother of the King:” One Week Till Release!!!

Posted: November 24, 2020 in Novelette, Progress Report, Writing
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Time is flying by, so I’m writing a reminder to you all. As you probably know, I’m releasing my fantasy novelette “Mother of the King” on December 1st as an ebook exclusive. Which, as you’re probably aware, is a week from today.

For those of you who don’t know, “Mother of the King” is a take on Arthurian legend. It talks about the fabled return of King Arthur, told from the point of view of Arthur’s mother. It’s the result of my months of diving into Arthurian legend and history in 2018, and I’m looking forward to seeing what people think of it.

And yeah, I know it’s not horror, but I like to jump outside the box every now and then.

And apparently it wasn’t a waste of time doing so. While I haven’t gotten any full reviews yet, I’ve heard back from some of the advanced readers and they’ve apparently loved the story. I look forward to hearing what their full feedback says, as well as how many of them learned something new about Arthurian legend (trust me, when you dive as deep as I did, you learn some things that make you look at it in a whole different light).

If you would like to check out “Mother of the King,” it’s available for pre-order now. I’ll include the links below. You can also take a look at my other available work–The Quite Game, Snake and Rose–if you like. I’ll include those links as well.

And if you do decide to read my work, I hope you’ll leave a review. Not only do reviews tell me how my audiences reacted to my story, but they help me out in the long run and let people know whether or not to check the story out themselves.

Anyway, that’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’m sure I’ll be putting out another post soon. In the meantime though, I’m off to turn people into turkeys (I won’t say who, only that they deserve it).

Until next time, Happy Thanksgiving and pleasant nightmares!

Mother of the King: Amazon US, Amazon CAN, Amazon UK

The Quiet Game: Five Tales to Chill Your Bones: Amazon, Createspace, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Smashwords, and Kobo.

Snake: Amazon, Createspace, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Smashwords, and Kobo

Rose:  Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon Canada, Audible

“Poor Unfortunate Souls:” First Draft Done

Posted: September 8, 2019 in Progress Report, Scary Stuff, short story, Writing
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I meant to write this earlier but, like my last post, the day got busy. Consequently why I’m writing this now.

But to get to my point, earlier today I finished a new short story, “Poor Unfortunate Souls.” And yes, that is a Disney reference, which may mean the title and some of the final lines in the story may need to be reworked somewhere down the line (is anyone here an entertainment lawyer or at least extremely knowledgeable about this subject?). The story follows a young woman who gets roped into attending a party in the Paris catacombs, and the unexpected guest who arrives at the party to throw things into chaos.

I really enjoyed writing this story. I’ve had the idea for it rolling around in my head since around college, but I only got around to writing it now. Which, in hindsight, was probably for the best. It probably would not have come out as well as it did unless I wrote it now, and having waited this long allowed me the time to educate myself on the issues of the community of the main character, one which happens to be of a minority both in society and in horror. That time spent educating myself allowed me to make the character rounded, sympathetic, and hopefully a good fictional representative for her people.

So at a little under six-thousand words, the story could be sent out to magazines or other publications. However, I think Ill keep this one for that upcoming collection of short stories I mentioned a couple of posts ago. I think it would be a good story to end the collection on, as well as the one I name the collection after (though again, that depends on if I can legally do that without invoking the cosmic monstrosity that is the Walt Disney Company). At the very least, I’ve made good progress on getting this collection finished. Though it’s still waaaay far away from being ready for release, let alone me sharing details about it.

In any case, I’ll be editing that Arthurian legend story I wrote for an upcoming anthology for my publisher, and then maybe edit another short story. After that…well, we’ll see. I’m still waiting on my beta reader to finish River of Wrath, so how that goes will affect a lot. Still, looking forward for everything that’s coming up. It should make for a fun autumn season.

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear Until next time, pleasant nightmares!

Mother of the King: Finished the First Draft

Posted: August 2, 2018 in Novelette, Writing
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Well, today has turned out eventful. Not only is it the seventh anniversary of this blog’s creation today, but I finished writing another story. And let me tell you, it turned out a lot longer than I expected, just under eleven-thousand words, making it a novelette. I have no idea if I’ll have to trim it down some later on, but I have a feeling that I’ll be doing a lot of editing before this story can be considered ready for publication.

Mother of the King, as this story is called, was born from my recent interest in the legend of King Arthur. I even downloaded a whole lecture course onto my phone to listen to and find out more about this legendary figure. The result not only surprised me (read my post The Weird Truth about King Arthur to have your own mind blown), but inspired a story that I decided to write after I sent Rose back to the publisher. You know how some of the Arthur stories out there say that one day Arthur will return when England needs him the most? This idea deals with that aspect of the legend, as well as the historical Arthur figure. It’s part historical fiction, part science-fiction, part my way to play around with a famous fantasy canon and even do some teaching as well.

It would make for a great TV show on HBO or Netflix. At least, I think it would.

And the cool thing about Arthurian literature is you can literally write any story about Arthur and his knights, and it’s automatically part of Arthurian canon. Doesn’t mean that it’ll be a good addition to the canon,* but it’ll be an addition anyway. Hopefully Mother of the King, should I ever get it published, will make a decent addition to Arthurian literature.

So what happens now? Well, I had my eye on submitting this story to an anthology Castrum will be putting together in the near future, but perhaps the length of it might turn them off. In any event, I’ll probably have a few people look at it and give me feedback. I’ll use that to edit the story, and after that see about getting it published.

In the meantime, while Rose is still being looked over at Castrum, I’ll be working on finishing up a few unfinished novelettes. With any luck, I can get them done before I get the fifth draft back and have to dive back into doing edits.

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. It is very late for me, and I’ve got work in the morning. I’ll be seeing you again soon. Until then, pleasant nightmares, one and all!

*Looking at you, 2004’s King Arthur and 2017’s King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. You both aimed big, but in the end failed miserably. Also, Friday the 13th remake, you suck. You’re not Arthurian literature at all, but it’s been a while since I’ve mentioned how much I hate you. You stupid, pornographic excuse of a Michael Bay film.