It’s finally here!

Dark Reign has been released – well, it will on 2 December 2024.

This is the first time this book has been published and I’m really proud of it.

Dark Reign is the sequel to Dark Dimensions and although Troy plays a strong role in it, most of the story is from the viewpoint of Alex Travis.

Whilst there are science fiction elements in this story, such as dimensional travel, multiple versions of the same people, a lot of this story is how a detective, namely Alex Travis, goes through life learning about how to cope with a world that constantly changes around him.

In Dark Reign, Troy has mostly taken control of his city, but, as I said, this story is from Alex’s point of view and Alex has a strong idea of what his world is about.

Through this book, Alex has to come to terms about his place in the world and what that actually means.

While you don’t have to read Dark Dimensions to understand Dark Reign, Dark Dimensions is the first in the Clans In Conflict Series and Dark Reign is the second.

On a different note altogether, Heart of Deception, the first in the Consequences series, is currently with the editor. This will be coming out early 2025 if all goes well.

This, like Dark Dimensions, is a second edition as there are many changes to the storyline as sometimes happens when an author looks back over previously published works. Already, the editor is saying that the book is much more tightly packed with the pacing much better and the storyline tighter.

Having said all that, I will probably experience the same issue with Heart of Deception (and with Legacy of Risks, the sequel) that I did with Dark Dimensions, so I intend the release date to be two or more months’ in length to give that process time to be resolved.

I am currently editing Legacy of Risks currently before that goes to the editor.

Also, The Dark Road, the third in the Clans in Conflict series, is currently with a beta reader for analysis before anything further goes through with that.

I still have other stories on the go and hopefully an updated website will be up and running soon whereby I can add things like maps, character backgrounds and stuff like that for the published books – along with small snippets of their lives.

Mal’s story is currently on hold, only because I am trying to concentrate on these other stories, but there are currently two books in that series – not one on Mal and one on Alloric, but two books, nevertheless.

Of course, with the heat we have just experienced, I’m heading for the spa to cool down!

Talk to you all later!

Julz.

PS. You can find all my books here

Two steps forward, one step back

Well, I seem to have found an obstacle with Amazon, but I am looking into things. Having said that, there are alternatives, including looking for a traditional publisher. I am waiting to hear back from Amazon and hopefully it will all be good.

Otherwise, I might have to hunt up alternatives.

But onto more things. I do have a few things in the mix, including the Consequences series and I hope to have that ready to go soon. Although the rewritten books, Heart of Deception and Legacy of Risks still have to go to beta readers and the editor along with Dangerous Heart which is the third book.

I’ve also got a companion book about Marek from age sixteen right up until Heart of Deception, which was fun to write. It establishes his reputation as a highly successful acquirer of items, etc., and that’s all I’ll say. Not too many spoilers for those who haven’t read the series.

For those who have, I have removed that very detailed scene at the beginning of Heart of Deception. It took me a while to see that that wasn’t really what people wanted to read. I have also included references to those earlier years of his life that weren’t in the first book.

Speaking of those references, one raises its head in Legacy of Risks, but, again, I don’t want to give too much away because I think, in the long run, the companion book will be an enjoyable read – albeit rather dramatic.

I am still working on the other two new books and along with those I am writing a follow-up to Dark Reign. I have already written the third book, The Dark Road, but there are a few years between and that book may be a companion book, too.

Dark Beginnings is coming along nicely, but still only in the first stages.

Going back to Amazon, I had thought of doing the 90 days KU exclusive, but I have decided against that – I know there’s a market out there and I’ll find it. I am determined!

Hopefully, in one of the next few posts I will have pre-order info for everyone, along with the new covers for both parts of Dark Dimensions.

In the meantime, happy writing and reading and be safe!

Exciting News!

I have allocated and am one move away from registering ISBNs for Dark Dimensions Parts 1 and 2, edition 2. Which means we are one step closer. My next step is to decide when to publish. Then I can put that into the registration and that’s the registration done.

Once that is complete, I’ll be able to concentrate on Dark Reign which is the second in the Clans in Conflict series and the sequel to Dark Dimensions.

When those books are up and published, I’ll be able to work on Heart of Deception and Legacy of Risks, Consequences books 1 and 2. Due to those changes when Marek was younger, these updates have yet to go through beta readers and back through the editor to ensure enough of these make the books edition 2s.

Returning to Clans in Conflict, I have written what was the third book in that series, however, we have since realised there needs to be a book in between. I am currently working on that, however, that may have been started in the wrong point of view, so I am toying with that, also. And it may be that that becomes a novella instead of a full-sized book.

The Dark Road then becomes book 4 although I could adopt Robert J Crane’s approach and make the interim book 2.5 keeping The Dark Road as book 3. That will depend on what Robert says because I won’t step on his toes without permission. Yeah, I know, it’s probably too much to worry about, but I’d rather keep friends than make enemies.

At any rate, The Dark Road is complete and just needs beta readers to read it and then the editor.

So, swapping back again to Consequences, book 3, Dangerous Heart is finished but again needs to go to beta readers and then to the editor. Once that’s done, that will also be published.

Now, the new book that I mentioned in my past post is still with a beta reader and I am still working on the second book in that series, but that is more for the future. I don’t even have a name for that series!

So, that’s the state of the situation at the moment. More will be coming in two weeks! Now, time for something – wait, kitchen is calling!

Updates

So, I have caught up with my cover artist and the art is coming along nicely. Once it is completed I will take all the other steps to getting Dark Dimensions out there. Then will come Dark Reign.

Once those are both done, then the rewritten versions of Heart of Deception and Legacy of Risks will be sent to the editor and beta readers just to make sure they’re on track.

I’ve been keeping something very close to my heart, but I feel it is now time to reveal it. I have written some short stories about Marek between the ages of 16 and 25. He had some really big events happen and those events had to be reflected in the Consequences series. I believe the books show more depth to Marek’s character because he’s still dealing with some of the after effects of these events and these after effects really emphasise the reason why I called the series Consequences. Because Marek learned very early the consequences of actions that we each take.

Anyway, I’m hoping to put a book out in the future with these stories – it’ll be like an anthology of Marek’s life and I hope that everyone enjoys the antics he gets up to in those early years.

I have a new book that is currently going through checks for plot holes, etc, and I hope to have this to beta readers soon. I was intending to go back to Dark Beginnings, the story of Vlad the Supreme, however, the protagonist in this particular book has been yammering at me to write a second book, so I’m just putting down the barebones of that one so that I don’t lose momentum on it.

I have been working on Dark Beginnings and I am also working on a book between Dark Reign and the book after it – The Dark Road. That one is being a hard slog, so it may come out after Dark Beginnings. More updates to come on that one.

I’ve got some other works on the way, but they are quite some distance off being ready, so I won’t give you any more than that.

Apart from the weather turning chilly, all is advancing as planned!

Change in weather

Well, our seasons have finally changed. We’ve still got warmish days, but the nights are definitely cooler.

I’m still working with the cover artist for Dark Dimensions, but we’ve both had real life interpose itself between things, so it’ll be a little bit off yet. Currently he’s playing around with The Stronghold and other images to see what works best. I can’t wait for some of what he comes up with. Exciting times!

I’m currently editing the book I began in January. I finally had it all edited and had left it for a week to percolate when suddenly the main character tells me I’ve missed out on his brother.

So, I had to write his brother’s story to get a handle on how my main character would feel about him and then go back and tweak the main story.

Sad to say, this one-off book has at least one sequel coming out where the brother’s story will play a larger role. And if I get a chance, I will write the brother’s story, but at the moment, what I have written is for background information only.

I am still working on the murder mystery story in Sydney, but that has taken a backseat while I sort this one out, too.

And I’ve got the Consequences series ready with Heart of Deception and Legacy of Risks both going up as second editions like Dark Dimensions. Not only are they second editions due to the collapse of Corvus Quill, but I did some background stories on Marek Janosik and had to tweak both books to accommodate that information, too. So those are going up after we sought out the Clans In Conflicts books.

I am two thirds of the way through my editing course and I have learnt so much through that, it’s been amazing! I passed the first assessment, still waiting on the results of the second assessment and have one last assessment to go. Whilst I don’t need the results to be high for further studies, I do want to do a great job in those assessments for my own – okay, I’ll say it! For my own gratification!

Anyway, that’s it for now. Have a great week and I hope everything goes well for you!