Sunset at Meteora

What do you do after almost four months of travelling? Apart from shake the inevitable post-holiday depression, you either quit your day job and decide you want to travel for the rest of your life, or you try and find something to fill the void. As much as I loved my post trilogy trip, I am glad to be back on home soil, catching up with familiar faces and sleeping in my own bed! So my eyes have turned to the future. To the next project.

I have been asked many times since returning home whether my journey through the UK and Europe sparked a wealth of new story ideas in my over imaginative mind. My response is generally along the lines of, “Does a cow moo?” How could a fantasy writer not be inspired by the mists hanging over the Scottish highlands, or the clouds casting shadows over the many castles in England and France?

The Fairy Pools – Isle of Skye

I have always loved Europe and nothing has changed. Everywhere you look there is history. Each corner turned presents stunning landscapes and ancient ruins. The entire continent has such an air of ‘significance’ that I could spend years exploring and learning. I say significance in that so much of the modern world was shaped by actions and events which began in central Europe. Australia is a relatively new country in the eyes of the human race. We have outstanding landscapes and architecture, but we cannot compete when it comes to the cultural wealth of Europe and the UK.

Stop everything you are doing and go to Granada!

In the time since finishing the Valerious Chronicles I have made a point of turning my mind away from writing. So much of my mental effort and time has been spent on working on these books over the last few years that I had almost forgotten how to relax and enjoy my other hobbies. I’ve been reading more books and comics, playing video games again and finding more time for board games and other social activities.

Yes – This is Downton Abbey

Nevertheless I cannot help but continue to take notes and email myself the ideas that pop into my head at random times. My inbox is full of them. So I am happy to announce that my next book idea has already begun to form. All I will say at this stage is that it will be a single novel in the fantasy genre, and that it will in no way be linked to the Valerious Chronicles.

I will be referring to it as “Project Isles” for now and as the idea develops I will try to document my progress from idea to novel in this blog. It is highly exciting for me to have a completely clean slate and I am truly looking forward to engaging in new world-building. I foresee “Project Isles” being a long project. It may be that in the meantime I will work on short stories or novellas to publish intermittently. Additionally I am keen to see the Valerious Chronicles made available in hardcover with all new cover art. This is something I have already begun working on and will be excited to reveal in coming months.

Tower Bridge at night

In the meantime, if you are looking for some excellent reads in the fantasy genre I cannot more highly recommend the Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss. I am reading ‘The Wise Man’s Fear’ at the moment and cannot put it down.