Song of The Elves

Since the website launch 18 months ago, Song of the Elves has acquired a steady weekly readership.  During that time the website has evolved into a focus for the world of Rhoderica.  Short stories leading up to the plot of A Shadow Falls, and tales set well before the invasion of the elves seem to be as much a focus of reader visits as the main plot itself.

This has been both a great surprise and delight.  I am learning an awful lot about the process of engaging with the audiance.  I have a yearn to get to the second three book cycle of S.O.T.E., but the background tales are such a glorious disrtaction from the main task.

Moreover, writing The Wolves of Winter series and exploring the history of Rhoderica is allowing me to improve the quality of my manuscripts.  I'm hoping that by the time The Wolves of Winter Part Two emerges, and The King's Blades (Book Two of S.O.T.E.) is published, that you will notice that the stories have gone to another level. 

Writing is a funny old business.  One learns as much from the bits that get discarded and rejected as from the intermittent hallelujah moments. 

Finally for this week, I want to say best wishes again to one of my all time heroes - Ronnie James Dio.  According to his official band website, he is coping admirably with his battle with stomach cancer.  I'm sure all his fans will join me in willing Ronnie to slay the dragon!

Until next time, up the Elves!

I've finally started the job of typing up The Wolves of Winter Part Two.  Hopefully this will make it to you in time for the Easter weekend break.

On another note, in the midst of a hectic few weeks with my day job, two more stories of Rhoderica came to mind.  A Wolves of Winter special, featuring Rulnik in one of his earliest assignments for King Stephen, emerged almost fully formed in my mind during a marathon swim session.  Entitled, 'Kill the King', this tale recounts one of the Lakelander's deadliest missions, with a puzzling series of murders to solve and the King's life at stake.

Secondly, having recently indulged myself by watching a glut of my favourite cowboy movies, I have been inspired to write a tale of the Southren, which will in part be a homage to The Searchers (Ford and Wayne's finest moment), but also provide an important contextual back drop to the events of The Song of the Elves.

I can't wait to get started on both of these projects - I only wish there were more hours in the day.

Until next time, Long Live the Elves!

It may sound strange, but some of my clearest visions for The Song of the Elves and The Wolves of Winter come when I'm putting in the lengths in the local pool.  There's something about the isolation of swimming that gives one time to think through ideas and to iron out kinks in a story line.

Not to stretch the metaphor too far, but going for a swim often throws a lifeline to a stuttering plot, and helps to wash away writer's block.  It also drowns a few duff plot lines!

This brings me to my point for this week, being that I have now formulated the last scene of Wolves of Winter Part Two. The transition phase from tale 2 to tale 3, in which Mallakai enlists Tom to fight his father's plans to re-open the Old North Road is in my head too.  Hopefully by next week they will both be down on paper and I can begin the job of typing up W.O.W. II.

Up the Elves!

I'm in the process of writing the final action sequence of The Wolves of Winter Part Two.  It's an exciting moment for me as new recruit to the Wolves Beddor, gets to fire his first shots in anger.

Beddor is an army veteran, discharged on ill-health grounds folowing the sacking of Castle Bronin during W.O.W. 1 (though we don't actually get to meet him in this tale).  Since then he has bided his time, scraping a living together as a pawn broker in the frontier town of Kolton.  When Yanuk arrives to ask his old friend about a magical object that could give a clue to the people behind the killings on the king's mail coaches, the veteran cannot resist throwing his lot in with the Wolves.

Watch out for Beddor in the final action sequence; his weapon of choice is a twin-firing crossbow and he is not one for sticking to a plan - mayhem and carnage can only ensue! 

Will Beddor and the other Wolves make it to a third tale?  The answer will be with you later this spring...

Until next time, up the Elves!

I'm just putting the finishing touches to The Wolves of Winter Part Two.  The final three scenes should be in the bag by the end of this week and then its just a mattter of typing up the story and editing.  All things being equal, this next installment of the adventures of Rulnik, Yanuk and Torbad should be with you in good time for Easter.

I mentioned inspirations last week, and the music of Ronnie James Dio is certainly one of them.  I'm glad to read that the former Rainbow and Sabbath frontman is responding well to his cancer treatment - I'm hoping to catch him and his current band, Heaven & Hell later this year.

Lots of scenes and moods from the Song of the Elves saga have been evoked by music.  A close friend commented that the cover to A Shadow Falls resembles an 80s goth album cover and I agree it wouldn't look amiss as a Sisters of Mercy album cover.  I suppose its inevitable that inspirations seep into your work, and i've found the process of writing a book very much like an exploration of ones own past - not that I was an elf in a former life or anything.

So, Feb hols are here and I'm looking forward to getting lots of writing done on WOW and SOTE Part 2.

Until next time, up the elves!