Tag Archives: Reading

Searching for inspiration

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Nothing is too silly to take a photo of. My own motivation to write has been driven by two elements. 1) The writers whose books I have been able to read in my lifetime and 2) the places I have visited.

I am sure many onlookers thought me insane when I was standing around the European countryside taking pictures of corridors, roofs and alcoves whilst they snapped the usual tourist sights. But when I look back at those photo’s now I find the spark that I need to bring life to my writing.

Never delete your old photo’s! Look back to them and bring the memories hidden in the corner of your mind back to the front. There are few better sources of inspiration than the real world.

It’s Launch Day!!!

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Dawn of the valiant front coverToday is the official Launch Day for Dawn of the Valiant!

Help me celebrate and check it out at Amazon, iTunes and Smashwords.

Dawn of the Valiant is published!

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Dawn of the valiant front cover

Every so often a book comes around that will keep you reading until the early hours of the morning. A book that makes you forget your grandma’s birthday. A book that grips you so tightly that you fail to feed the dog or pick the kids up from school.

Is this one of those books? Maybe…maybe not. But do you really want to take the chance that it isn’t!

The first novel in the Valerious Chronicles is now published and available for sale. I urge all lovers of Fantasy and Adventure to sample it and let themselves be taken away to a world full of magic, conflict and characters that will sing from the pages. It is a tale of swords and comradery , where the lines of good and bad are thin, and gods and men struggle in an eternal race for power.

You can find Dawn of the Valiant at the following retailers. Sample a copy for free and most importantly enjoy.

Amazon – Kindle eBook

Smashwords – Multi format eBook

Review: Magician’s End by Raymond E Feist

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There is something profoundly sad about finishing the last book in a series. When that book is the culmination of a lifetime of stories, in a world that has become a second reality to so many readers, there is an even greater sense of loss. I turned the final page of Magician’s End last night and did not know what to do with myself.

There is no single author whose books I have read more of. Raymond E Feist will remain my biggest inspiration and the reason for my urge to write fantasy. He has managed to spend thirty years crafting the tales of Pug and the world of Midkemia. And it has finally come to an end.

Without spoiling any of the story, I have to say that the most enjoyable part of this book was the way in which Feist revisited characters and elements from the many books of the past. It was fantastic to be taken back to all of the stories that I have read over the years. The brief mention of Erik and Roo from the Serpentwar Saga or Kulgan and Meecham from the very beginning was enough to remind me of the long journey that Pug has taken.  This is well placed in a book that is set to end Feist’s time in Midkemia.

The plot itself holds the grand scope that one would expect, with cataclysmic destruction looming on the horizon and Pug yet again called on to save the universe. It is a tried and tested formula that Feist has received much criticism for. But I say if it aint broke, don’t fix it. The very reason that this series has continued to sell and be loved, is that Feist is a master of approachable epic fantasy. The kind where action and strong character relationships come to the fore and the grander struggles remain in the mix. He avoids the heavy description and at times dry reading of many fantasy series, yet creates a rich and believable world.

I will be honest and say that the first two novels of the Chaoswar saga did not grip me as did his earlier works. Characters such as Hal and his brothers did not provide the same appeal as Arutha and Jimmy the hand from Magician. But as this book progressed I began to appreciate them more. And by the end I was glad to have known the next generation of conDoin’s. They provided a grounded view of the issues presented, whilst Pug and his companions showed us the bigger picture.

I feel that Feist has done justice to his stories with Magician’s End. Finishing a story is often the hardest part, and will always receive criticism. How many novels, movies and shows receive harsh criticism for their choice of ending. With this story I feel Feist has managed to end his foray into Midkemia on a high note and though not everyone will be pleased, I think that the majority will.

For all those who have at some point taken the journey with Pug, this is a must read. For those who have not, I encourage you to pick up the very first story, ‘Magician’ and treat yourself to a masterpiece of fantasy writing.

To Pug, Tomas and Midkemia I said goodbye. To Raymond E Feist I say thank you.

Rating: 4.5/5

The demise of the train paperback

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Books in the Douglasville, Georgia Borders store.

Books in the Douglasville, Georgia Borders store. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I used to catch the train every day. Whether to uni or work, I could rest assured that at least twice a day I would be sardined into a carriage with hundreds of other commuters, most of whom had their heads down, noses buried in a book, newspaper or staring intently at the floor as they bopped their heads to music. Then my work took me to the suburbs and I was forced to drive. Not that much of an issue really, unless like me you are one of those that loves to read and managed to churn through dozens of books a year due to time spent commuting. So I was glad the other day when I caught the train into the city for training and was able to pull out my book and lose myself for half an hour before arrival.

Yet something strange happened. About halfway through my journey I looked up from my book, glanced around and locked eyes with a young man (glasses, red hair and bad skin) who looked down at the book I was reading and nodded with a smile suggesting we had just shared something. At first I stared back at him, trying desperately to figure out if I knew him. Eventually I simply smiled back, hoping that, if I did know him, that he wasn’t going to approach me, because that could have been an awkward conversation. Then his eyes turned back to a book he was reading. The smile he cast me was no ordinary (Crap he noticed I was looking at him, now I have to pretend to be polite) smile. It was definitely a (That’s right, you know what I’m talking about) smile.

I looked at my book, not a common one, few people would have recognised it. Can’t be that, I thought to myself. I now felt a little awkward. Was there something on my face? Maybe it was a (You have absolutely no idea that you have nutella all the way up your cheek!) smile. Damn it! Now there was no chance of me getting lost in my book again. I had to figure out what had just happened. I looked around, the train was jam packed, people pressed up against each other, most of them scowling at the inconvenience. Then I noticed something else.

Of the sample of people in my carriage, within eyeshot, at least two thirds had their eyes glued to their phones or a tablet. Not unusual these days, but then I thought about it a little more, I glanced around again and that’s when noticed something. Of the people I could see, there were only two people with a paperback novel in their hands. Myself and the friendly stranger. Could that be it? He had looked down at my book and then smiled with a nod. Maybe he was acknowledging the fact that we were part of a slowly dying breed. The individuals who elected to read real paper books on the train.

Is our species endangered? Now I couldn’t take my mind off the topic. I recalled my days travelling to uni on the train, there had definitely been more paperbacks and less tablets/phones. Not that this is by any means a bad thing, there are pro’s and con’s for both ebooks and traditional paper books, and I myself enjoy both formats. That being said I realised that having worked in the suburbs for some time now, I had become more attuned to this rapid shift in our society. Much as you will not notice small changes to a persons appearance if you see them every day, when I was commuting every day, I was oblivious to the change in consumer behaviour. Stepping back into that world after an extended absence, I was caught by the stark change.

There is a dramatic revolution occurring in the publishing industry, with more authors turning to digital publication and self publishing. Will the trade paperback see further decline on our trains? It is becoming increasingly difficult to find a physical bookstore, the rise of websites such as the Book Depository has driven them into hiding. Perhaps that red haired stranger and I are the last remnants of the traditionalists, dinosaurs who haven’t learnt to take their iPad’s on the train.

As I caught the train home that night, I spotted a few more paperbacks on my carriage and breathed a slight sigh of relief. There are still a few of us left.