Just finished reading this book and would throughly recommend it to anyone who:
1. Loves historical fiction.
2. Loves stories about the Knights Templar.
3. Loves stories set in 12th Century Sweden.
4. Loves stories.
It is my firmly held belief that any story can be improved by adding Templars. I know mine certainly was.
I've got book 2, The Templar Knight, right here beside me and will start it tonight.
There's a few things I wanted to discuss, the main one being today is MY FIRST YEAR ANNIVERSARY of being a full time writer. In fact if you look through the blogs of last year you'll find my 15th August entry, which was my last day at the 'day job'.
Frankly it's been better than I could have hoped. The main thing is how old anxieties are merely replaced with new ones. I think though this is more my baggage than any major realization about the job of writing. It all boils down to feeling I'm one very, very, lucky chap in being a full time writer and even now I still can't quite believe it, in fact, I believe it even less and there's a niggling feeling that someone's suddenly going to realise I'm still an engineer and not a writer at all (since my only qualification is an English Language 'O' level from 1983. Which was, interestingly, a ninja story, not a Templar one at all. The title was called 'Dressed to kill' and basically involved a ninja and James Bond having a big fight ending with JB throwing the ninja out of a window then, as he leaned out, stabbing himself on a poisoned spike the ninja had left on the window sill.). All I can say is that it's mainly down to writing lots. Courses and qualifications probably do help, but not as much as just writing and writing and writing. About Templars. Or ninjas.
10 comments:
Has it come up to expectations as a full time writer? I would like to know because I often dream of being one but always think of the money. I know you have visited schools so can you tell me who you applied for CRB check? Did the school do it for you or your agent/publisher? Or yourself? I've been told that the school will apply for me.
Happy Anniversary Sarwat! Believe it! We sure do!
Happy Anniversay S - and you are right, the more I look at the US cover , the more beautiful it seems. It calls to me, it is sirenesque in its loveliness....
happy anniversary and don't forget that one of the reasons you write is because you love it!
Dear Julie,
Hmm, not looked into the CRB stuff yet. I'm not a fan of the entire Author visit police check thing, but this sin't the place to discuss it, yet.
Beyond that, this year's been FABULOUS!
Katryn,
Sirenesque is right. Even now it's calling me from inside the cardboard box...
With you on the anxieties niggle, Sarwat but the book speaks for itself!
Hey,
Just saw the rough version of the Hyperion trailer of my book. They didn't take my advice of CGI'ing my face onto Christian Bale's body, or allowing me to do it dressed up as Batman, but it's still pretty cool!
Jon,
When we meet face to face I'll tell you about my anxieties.
I dream of giving up the day job but I need a lottery win to help with that.
Happy anniversary, anyway. Looking forward to book 2 :-)
Dear Tam,
Your time will come!
Not much to report as we're on hols, but the rewrite continues by the poolside. Weird writing about battles on the snow-bound steppes when you're sweating under the south French sun! Aargh, that sounds terribly 'not a hard life at all', doesn't it?
Congratulations S!!
It must feel so good! I'm really looking forward to getting your book after 1st September!
Alicia
Post a Comment