Phew, 185,000 words later and Gateway is finally finished. I am meeting Matt and Oli tonight to observe the occasion in suitable style.
Meanwhile, the Hanbury Literary Agency now has a page for me on their site, side-by-side with Katie Price. Hope I don’t make her look too bad.
http://www.hanburyagency.com/authors/a-j-dalton.asp
Onto the last chapter of Gateway of the Saviours, in which they nearly live happily ever after. Book’s up to 179K words already, which makes it a hefty old doorstop. Do people use doorstops anymore?
In other news, I’ll be teaching at Manchester Univ. come June. Gotta pay my bills – cat food, etc. Sheesh.
Looking forward to the UK launch of Empire of the Saviours, though. Nice day out on 19 May signing in glamorous Bolton.
Is it wrong to think the evil queen in Once Upon a Time is hot?
In other news, on the penultimate chapter to Gateway of the Saviours. Running total: 159K words. Nearly there.
And doing a two-hour workshop on fantasy writing at the Leigh and Wigan Lit Festival on 11 April. Hey, gotta earn a buck. Buying economy brands at the supermarket at the mo. And getting the shopping home on a mule cos I can’t afford the petrol. Flaming 149p for diesel. I might invent a car that runs on wee wee.
‘You have lived too long, old friend. It is time you rested,’ the god said kindly. But Raggar did not want to rest. He had not fought so long, and learned all he could, to give up his life so easily. ‘Warrior, let the aches and pains of your tired body trouble you no more. Have done with it.’ But it was his body and he was not about to give it up. He liked his aches and pains. They let him know he was alive. Raggar turned towards the god and looked him in the eye. Should he spit in it, blacken it or have it out? He raised his weapon and grinned savagely. ‘If you want this body, come try and take it off me!’
The end. I think I’ll have to write the whole book one day, arthritis permitting. Echoes of Druss. Homage to Mr Gemmell.
In other news, I’m onto chapter nine of Gateway of the Saviours. Running total: 100,000 words. Two thirds done. Hurrah.
Halfway through book two (Gateway of the Saviours) now. Running total: 77,000.
Next chapter, Jillan meets the witch.
Onto chapter 7 of Gateway of the Saviours, in which the ghost of Saint Azual gets a good kicking. Running total 67,000 words (out of 160,000 or so).
Looks like xmas is pretty much over. Better start using the Wii Fit my sister got me. Better get writing again.
Might write another article for the Gollancz blog: The fall and rise of the vampire. Or I could do a listing of UK fantasy publishers for this site. Hmm.
… of Gateway of the Saviours, in which we arrive in the messed up town of Thorndell (well, they do worship Miserath there, so what do you expect?). Progress on schedule. Running total: 52,000 words. Third done, pretty much.
In the process of being booked for the Leigh & Wigan Literary Festival for April 2012. What do you mean, you’ve never heard of it?!
Now onto chapter 5 of Gateway of the Saviours, in which we meet the frightening Eldest! Running total: 42,000 words. A quarter done!
Meanwhile, did a signing in sunny(ish) Stockport yesterday and sold out. First time in a while, what with sales being generally down. Phew.
Next stop: Waterstone’s Leeds this Saturday (26 Nov), from 11am. Come on, Yorkshire!
Onto chapter 4 of Gateway of the Saviours, in which Jillan loses the plot. Silly boy. Running total so far: 31,000 words.
Billy the collie dog is on the sofa as usual, dreaming of his next run up the park.
Just had the manuscript of Empire of the Saviours back from Gollancz again. Put off opening it for a few days. Tackled it this morning – only a dozen or so amends. Phew. Now sent back and free to get on with book 2.
Book signing for Waterstone’s Wigan again. Sat 29 Oct, from 11am, init. Halloween type thing.
In the next month or so, should see a press release going out, the book cover finalised and the production of the review copies sorted. Excited? Maybe – I nearly spilt my asparagus soup earlier.
